Stow, Annals, 1615, 836-7
A description of the pageant from John
Stow's Annals (1615), continued to 1614 by Edmund
Howes
[p. 836]
The15 of March,King
Iames
,Queene
Anne
his wife, and
Henry Fredericke
the Prince
, passed triumphantly from the
Tower of
London
, through his royall Cittie and Chamber of
London
, towards
Westminster
. The companies of ye cittie martialled according to their degrees, were placed,
the first, beginning at the vpper end of Marke lane, and the last reaching to the
Conduct in Fleet-street, or
thereabout: their seates being double railed, vpon the vpper part whereof they leaned:
the streamers, ensignes, and banners of each perticular company, decently fixed. And
directly against them, quite through the bodie of the cittie, so high as Temple barre
a
single raile, in faire distance from the other, was likewise erected to put off the
multitude:the King
richly mounted on a white Gennet, vnder a rich canopie, susteined by eyght gentlemen
of the priuie chamber, for the
Barons of the Cinque portes, entered his royall cittie of
London
, and passed the same towards
Westminster
, through seauen gates,
[The first gate or pagiant] of the which the first was erected
at the East end of Fan-church, ouer the which gate, was
represented the true likenes of the notable houses, Towers, and Steeples within the
citty of
London
.
[The second gate or pagiant] The second gate, a most sumptuous
peece of workemanship, was loftely raised in
Grace
-street by the Italians.
[The third gate or pagiant] The third gate, vppon Cornhill by the Exchange, representing
the seauen teene prouinces of
Belgia, or the Dutch nation, & by them raised.
Close to St
Mildredschurch in the Poultrie, a Scaffolde was erected, where (at the
citties cost) to delight the Queene with her
owne countrie Musicke, nine Trumpets and a Ketle drum, did very actiuely sound the
Danish march.
[The fourth gate or pagiant] The fourth gate, where-through
his Maiestie passed, was (at charges of the cittizens) raised in West-cheape, at Sopar
lane end. Adioyning to the East front
of the great crosse in Cheape, was erected a
square lowe gallory, some four foote from the ground, set round about with Piliastares,
where stood the Aldermen, the Chamberlaine,
Towne clarke, & councell of the cittie, with sir
Henry
Mountague, Recorder of the cittie, who made to his Maiestie a gratulary
Oration as followeth.
[Recorder his Oration at the Crosse in Cheape]
HIgh Imperiall Maiestie, it is not yet a yeare in dayes, since with acclamation of
the people, Cittizens, and Nobles, auspiciously here at this Crosse was Proclaimed
your true succession
to the crown. If then it was ioyous with hattes, handes, and hearts lift vp to
heauen, to crie King
IAMES
, what is it now to see King
IAMES
: Come therefore O worthiest of Kings, as a glorious Bridgrome through your
royall Chamber: but to come neerer, Adest quem querimus, Twentie and
more are the Soueraignes wee haue serued since our Conquest, but conquerours of
hearts, it is you, and your posteritie, that wee haue vowed to loue, and wish to
serue, whilest
London
is a Cittie: In pledge whereof, my Lord Maior, the Aldermen, & commons of this Cittie,
wishing a golden raygne vnto you, present your Greatnesse with a little Cup of
gold.
At the end of the Oration, three cups of gold were giuen (in the name
of the Lord Maior, and the whole bodie of the cittie) to his
Maiestie, the young prince, and the Queene.
[The fift gate or pagiant.] From thence his Maiestie passed to
the little conduict at Paules-gate, where was placed the fift gate Arbour
like, and so called the Arbour of Musicke, from thence he passed through S. Paules
church-yard: vppon the lower battlements of which church an Antheme was sung by
the Quiristers of the church, to the musicke of lowd instruments: which being finished,
a Latine oration was deliuered by one of master
Mulcasters Schollers, at the doore of the free schoole, founded by
Doctor Collet
, sometime Deane of Paules church.
[The sixt gate or pagiant.] The sixt Arche or Gate of triumph,
was
[p. 837]
erected aboue the conduict in Fleetstreete, wheron
the Globe of the world mooued, &c.
[The seauenth gate or pagiant] At Temple-bar, where his
Maiesty was vpon the poynt of giuing a gratious and princelie farewell to the Lord
Maior, and the citty, a seauenth arche or gate was erected,
the forefront wherof was proportioned in euery respect like a Temple, being dedicated
to
Ianus, &c.
[A pagiant at the Strand
.] The Cittie of
Westminster
, and Dutchy of Lancaster at the Strand
, had erected the inuention of a Rain-bow, the Moone, Sunne, and Starres, aduanced
betweene two Pyramidies &c. which peice of worke was begunne and ended in twelue
dayes: of all which Pagiants, deuises, speeches and songs, deliuered in them, yee
may read at large in the Booke, intituled, The
magnificent entertainement giuen to King
Iames
,&c. vppon the day of his triumphant passage from the Tower
, through his honorable cittie of
London
, the15. of March 1603. by
Thomas Decker
.
[A Parliament at
Westminster
] The19. of March, the King
,
the prince
, with all the Lords spirituall & temporall, ryd to the parliament house at
Westminster
, being the first day of the parliament, and there in the full assemblie of the
Lordes aforesaide, and of the Knights, and Burgesses of the lower house of parliament:
his Maiestie made a most excellent speech, as followeth.
Bibliography
Stow, Annals, 1615, 836-7