MoEML: Chrusothriambos

Leofstane, I charge thee ſtay.

What art thou, that dar’ſt bar me of my way?

He that ſuruaies what euer deedes are done,
Abridges, or giues ſcope, as likes me beſt;
Recalling to the preſent ſight of Sunne
Actions, that (as forgot) haue lien at reſt,
And now, out of thy long-ſince buried Cheſt
At Bermondſey, raiſd thee
                     to ſee this day:

                     Leofstane; tis he, that dares compell thy ſtay.

See in how ſhort a while a quiet Soule,
Hid from this world fiue hundred years and more,
May be forgetfull of great Times controule,
By ſuch gay ſights as nere I ſaw before.
My ſelfe yer while could tell this worthy Lord,
Time had reuiu’d me, to attend this day:
Pardon me then, that I durſt breath a word
In conteſtation, where all ought obey,
needs muſt
                     theſe gaudier daies yeild greater crime,
When long grau’d Ghoſts dare thus contend with    
                     (Time.

Enough, no more; Now honourable Lord,
For whoſe inſtalment in this Dignity,
Thy louing Bretheren liberallie affoord,
Out of their loues their glad harts ſimpathie.
And what may elſe thy triumph dignifie:

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As thus I turne my Glaſſe to Times of old,
So tune thine eares to what muſt now be told.
In this triumphall Chariot thus attending,
Sit the ſuppoſed ſhapes of two great Kings,
That to this Citty gaue no ſmall befriending,
Aduancing it from meane to mightier things,
From whence thy very inſtant honor ſprings:
For where before, ſtearne, Martial-Regiment
Bare ſole command, grew this graue gouernment.
Richard the
                           firſt, Sur-named Lyon-heart,
For his vndaunted courage and great minde,
When in Gods cauſe he plaid a Champions part,
In faire Iudea, where the Pagane blinde
In Gods houſe would his mawmerry
                     haue ſhrinde,
And full defac’d Star-bright Hieruſalem:
This royall Richard foild his forces then.
But ere he vndertooke that holy war,
This Citty (his cheefe Chamber) did he grace
With Dignity, beyond the former far,
For Portgraues, Prouoſts, Bayliffs held beſt place,
Such, and no other (then) was Londons
                     caſe.
Till he bethought him of a Lord-Maiors
                     name:
And ſo the Title of Lord Maior firſt came.
And ſhall I tell ye what that firſt Lord was? 
                     Ex Ioh. Stow.
A Gold-Smith, of thine owne profeſſion,

                     Henrie
                              Fitz-Alwine, Fitz-Leofſtane,2 of honourable (race,
Iudicious, learned, and of ſuch diſcretion,
That euen by Richards owne direction,
All his whole time, he held the State ſtill
                     on,
And ſo, vntill the fifteenth of
                        King Iohn.
Which did exceed full foure and twenty yeares,
That this graue Gold-Smith held authority

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Of the Lord Maior, as by Records appeares.

Nineteene whole yeares this ſtile of dignity

Came from the King: But then moſt graciouſly,

Iohn gaue the Cittizens free leaue t’elect

Yearely their Maior, whom beſt they ſhould re-(ſpect.

Fiue yeares (each after other) till they choſe

That graue Fitz-Alwine, to his dying day,

When he was called hence to bleſt repoſe.

Then iuſtly may we be thus bold to ſay

Foure hundred yeares & three, the L. Maiors ſway

Hath held in London, vnder their commaund:

Who ſtill aſſignde that office to their hand.

How many Gold-Smiths haue enioyed the place,

Were needleſſe to recount. Yet here ſleepes one,

Whom in this vrging, and important caſe,

(He being Gold-Smith too, and long ſince gone

Out of this world, old Nicholas Faringdon,

Foure times Lord Maior) I may not well omit,

Becauſe I thinke him for this Triumph fit.

Theſe gates he built, this ward of him took name,

A fat ſtalled Oxe. 24.s
A fat Mutton, 20. pence.
A fat Goose, 2.d. ob.
A fat Capon, 2. pence.
A fat Hen a penny
Two Chickins, a penny
Three pigeons a peny.
24 Egges a penny.
A buſhell of Wheate,
ten pence ſold for ten
ſhillings before.

And three and fifty yeares he did ſuruiue

After his firſt being Maior. What plenty came

To greete his daies, with former times did ſtriue,

And nere the like, as when hee was aliue:

Ariſe, ariſe I ſay, good Faringdon,

For in this triumph thou muſt needs make one.

Time ſtriketh on the Tombe with his Siluer wand,
and then Faringdon ariſeth.

AStoniſhment and frightfull wonder,

Shakes and ſplits my Soule in ſunder.

Can-

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Cannot Graues containe their dead,
Where long they haue lien buried;
But to Triumphs, ſports, and ſhowes
They muſt be raiſde? Alacke, God knowes,
They count their quiet ſlumber bleſt,
Free from diſturbance, and vnreſt.

I know it well good man. Yet looke about,
And recollect thy ſpirits, free from feare,
Note what thou ſeeſt.

How? Whence, or where
May I ſuppoſe my ſelfe? Well I wot,
(If Faringdon miſtake it not)
That ancient famous Cathedrall,
Hight the Church of bleſſed Paule.
And that this Warde witneſſe can,
Once thereof I was Alderman,
And gaue it mine owne proper name.
I build theſe Gates, the very ſame.
But when I note this goodly traine,
(Yclad in Scarlet) it ſhould ſayen
(And ſoothlie too) that theſe are they:
Who watch for London night and day,
Graue Magiſtrates; Of which faire band,
(When ſecond Edward ſwayed this Land;)
Foure ſeuerall times the chiefe was I,
And Lord of Londons Maioraltie.
As by the bearing of that Sword,
It ſeemes that you are Londons Lord:
To whom becomes me loute3 full
                     low,
Old duty yet (me thinkes) I know.

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Turne now thy Glaſſe to inſtant day,

And let old Faringdon thee pray:

Good Time, reſolue him, what is he,

Grac’d with this day of Dignitie?

A Brother of the Gold-Smiths Company,

Whoſe vertues, worth, and ſpeciall loue of all,

Hath raiſd vnto this high authority.

Moreouer, note, how fit his lot doth fall,

That time ſhould likewiſe at this inſtant call,

A Sheriffe of the ſame Society:

To beare a part in this Solemnity.

See how the Bretheren of that worthy band,

Abound in loue and liberality;

To grace this Iouiall day; On tip-toe ſtand

Their iocond Spirits: Ioying mutually,

In Maior and Sheriffe of their Company.

How can thy Ghoſt then, but reioyce to ſee:

This honour of thine owne Society?

Ioy and gladſome iouiſſance,
Doth old Faringdon in-trance,
To heare the tale that Time hath told,
Since thoſe reuerend daies of old,
Vnto this great Solemnity,
For Brethren of my Company.
Glad and golden be your daies,
Liue in Prince and peoples praiſe:
Honour London with your care,
Study ſtill for her welfare:
And as Gold-Smiths both you
                     are,
Such good and golden deeds prepare,

That

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That may renowne our Myſtery,
To times of vtmoſt memory.
My minute cals, and Ghoſts muſt go.
Yet loath I am to leaue ye ſo.
For I could well ſpend out this day,
And doe what ſeruice elſe I may;
Were Time but pleaſde that I might ſtay.

Time,
                     that in this daies honour raiſde vs both,
Meanes not (I truſt) ſo ſoone to ſunder vs:
To ſee that ſeparation, I am loath,
Be then to both ſo kind and gracious;
That we may waite vpon this worthy man:
And do him yet what ſeruice elſe we can.

You haue your owne deſires. Goe Faringdon,

There in that Chariot is thy place preparde:

Heere, I (as Coach man) meane to guide yee on,

So long as well our reſpit may be ſparde.

On then, away, for we haue held ye long:

And done (I doubt) your worthy Gueſts great (wrong.

Leoftans ſpeech at S. Lawrance Lane.

HEere, my Lord, my charge was limited, to de
ſcribe this rich and beautious Monument vnto
yee, with all relations thereto appertaining. But
Time hath told me, that Gueſts of great State and
Honour are come to feaſt with you, and the leaſt
delay now, may be both offenſiue, and troubleſom;
therefore it is referred to more apt conueniency,
when wee (with much better leyſure) may attend
yee.

Leof-

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Leofſtane deſcribeth the Orferie or Pageant.

THis Orferie, ſo ſtyled by the auncient Epithite
of your Companies profeſſion, or Gold-Smi
thery, doth ſpeake it ſelfe vnto your honor in this
manner. Heere doe the Miners and Pioners delue
into the Earths entrailes, to gaine the Oare, both
of Gold and Siluer, and hauing attained thereun
to in plentifull meaſure, the ingenious Fyner pur
geth him from his firſt Nature, and ſhapes him in
to Ingots of variable forme, according as his Art
beſt guids and enſtructs him. From him, theſe pre
cious Mettals deſcend to diuers other dexterious
Artezans; as the Mint-Maiſter, his Coyners, and
diuers others, who make them to ſerue in publike
paſſage for generall benefit, both in Coyne, Plate,
and Iewels, as occaſion beſt diſcouereth the iuſt
neceſſitie. Beeing brought into theſe variant ſub
ſtances, to preſerue thoſe pure refined bodies from
baſe adulterating, the Eſsay-Maiſter or abſolute
Tryer of eythers vertue, makes proofe of them in
his Furnaces, and of their true worth or value. So
are they commended to Soueraigne Iustice, atten
ded by her gracious Daughters, Golde and Siluer,
who bountifully hurle abroad their Mothers trea
ſures, after ſhe hath (yet once againe) tried them,
by the Touch of vndeceiueable perfection. The
reſt, that do ſufficiently ſpeake themſelues in their
diſtinguiſhed places, as the Ieweller, Lapidarie,
Pearle-Driller, Golde-Smith, and ſuch like, your

eye

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eye of heedefull obſeruation may ſpare their fur
ther relating. Onely I may not omit theſe two ver
tuous Ladies, Antiquity and Memory, who, preſent
(in apt place) Graue Iudgement or Experience in
the Golde-Smiths ancient facultie, by the ſuppo
ſed ſhape of venerable Dunſtane, a man, ſometime
very practique, & ſo well skild in Gold-Smithery,
as (notwithſtanding his more Diuine profeſſion)
being Biſhop of Worceſter, London, and laſtly Arch-
Biſhop of Canterbury, delighted therein to his vt
moſt date of life.

So much for that; There Leofſtane make a
                     pauſe,
Till Time haue certified this honoured Lord
Concerning theſe faire Emblemes, And the cauſe
Of their combining in this kind accord.
The Argument doth inſtantly affoord,
The ancient loue and cordiall amity
Between the Fiſhmongers &
                     Gold-Smiths Com- (pany.
                     
At Feaſts and ſolemne meetings, on each ſide,
A Fiſh-Monger and Gold-Smith, hand in hand
Haue long time gone, and nothing could deuide
The rare continuance of that louing band:
Which (doubtleſſe) to the end of time will ſtand.
And therefore, theſe Impreſes are thus borne:
The ones Fiſh, with the others Vnicorne.
Yet let no cenſure ſtray ſo far at large,
To thinke the reaſon of that vnity
 Makes Fiſh-Mongers ſupport the
                     Gold-Smithes(charge,
And their expences ſhared equally:
No, ti’s the Gold-Smiths ſole
                     Society.

That

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That in this Triumph beares the Purſſe for all:

As theirs the like, when like their lot doth fall.

Their loues (herein) may not be thought the leſſe,

But rather virtuall, and much ſtronger knit,

That each to other may the ſame expreſſe,

When honour (in each Science) makes men fit

On ſuch a Seat of Dignity to ſit.

Then Peters Keies, with Dauids Cup of Golde

May freely march together, vncontroulde.

Now, as cuſtome wils it ſo,
On to Paules
                        Church muſt ye goe,
To bleſſe God for this bounteous day.
Till you returne, heere will we ſtay,
And vſher then a gladſome guilding,
Home to the place of your abiding.
For ſuch is your kind Bretherens will:
And Time hath tyed vs therevntill.

At night at my Lords Gate.

THus (honoured Lord) haue wee dutiouſly at
tended ye, till Time appointeth our departing,
who hath tutourd Leofſtanes tongue how to take
his leaue, with ſome remarkeable obſeruations,
not altogether vnfitting your attention. Firſt, the
day of your Election, falling out in ſuch ſtrange
manner as it did, exceeded the memory of Man
to ſpeake the like. And yet, notwithſtanding, ſo
great a Snow, Sleete, and rough winde; at the ve
ry inſtant of your choyce, the Sunne did as readily

thruſt

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thruſt foorth his Golden beames, to guilde the in
ſtant of your Inauguration, as harts and hands did
cheerefully applaud it with free and full confirma
tion. Next, three Names, all of equall ſillables
and ſound, to happen in the immediate choice; is
a matter deſeruing regard, and (from the Maioral
ties firſt beginning) neuer was the like. Pemberton,
Swynnerton, and Middleton, Names of three moſt
worthy Gentlemen, but of much greater worth
in ſence and ſignificancie, as your own (my Lord,
for breuitie) may yeilde an inſtance. Pemberton
deriues it ſelfe from the auncient Brittiſh, Saxon,
and eldeſt Engliſh, each Sillable ſuted with his apt
meaning. Pem, implyeth the Head, cheefe or
moſt eminent part of any thing; Bert, beareth the
Charracter of bright ſhining and radiant ſplen
dour; and Tun, hath continued the long known
Word for any Towne or Citty, as moſt Shires in
England (to this day) dooth deliuer the expreſſion
of their Townes; As London, ſometime tear
med Ludstun, or Luds-Towne, may ſervue as an ex
ample. A bright head of this famous Citty, in
terpreting it ſelfe in the Name of Pemberton, and
he being enſtaulled in the gouernment, to bee her
bright-ſhining Head vnder his Soueraigne, Leof
ſtanes desire is;

Since Pemberton doth beare ſo bright a Name,
And that from gold & Goldſmiths grew his fame,
His deedes may prooue to be like burniſht Golde:
By no dim darkneſſe any way controulde.

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Well haſt thou wiſht, therein Time ioynes with (thee,

And tels this Lord, that ſuch a goodly name,

Requires bright actions, from pollution free,

In word and deede to be alike, the ſame,

For then life ſtandeth on her faireſt frame.

And when the Head in ſplendour ſeems deuine,

The people learne (by his cleare light) to ſhine.

Contrariwiſe, obſcure and miſty deedes,

Do giue a harſh and hatefull preſident:

And of faire flowers begetteth ſtinking Weedes.

For ill example, harmes the innocent;

And makes him (in bad life) as violent.

Be to this Citty then, ſo bright an Head,

That all may ſay, it nere more flouriſhed.

Conſider likewiſe, Iames thy gracious King,

Sets Iames (his Subiect) heere his Deputy.

When Maieſte doth meaner perſons bring

To repreſent himſelfe in Soueraignty,

I’ſt not an high and great authority?

Let it be ſaid, for this high fauour done:

King Iames hath found, a iuſt Iames Pemberton.

Let me not now thy Bretherens loue omit,

So worthily (this day) to thee declarde,

If with like loue thou kindly welcome it,

Their hope is to the higheſt pitch preferde,

For thus they wiſh, as Time himſelfe hath heard:

That Pemberton, and Smithes, may both be,

An endleſſe honour to their Company.

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