THE DEVICE OF the Pageant: Set forth by the VVorshipfull Companie of the Fishmongers, for the right honorable Iohn Allot: established Lord Maior of London, and Maior of the Staple for this present yeere of our Lord 1590.
By T. Nelson.
London. 1590.
The Speech spoken by him that rideth on the Merman, viz.
ATtend my Lord, and marke the tale I tell,
Whose forme you sée is monstrous, strange and rare.
Before a manlike shape, behinde a fishes fell,
this strange disguise doth make full many stare,
And since they prease to know why I come here,
Let them be still, the cause shall soone appeare.
WIthin this cōmon wealth (my Lord) all those ye liue in awe
Do séeke each-daie for to performe & kéep the stablisht law,
Yea such do keep ye sabboth day in reuerence as they ought
And fish dais too as wel as flesh, which many set at naught
Yet if the same were well obserude, flesh seldome would be déere,
And fish abound at each mans boord more plentie in each yéere,
Then Englands store would be increast with butter, chéese & béefo
And thousands set to worke for fish, that now beg for reléefe.
This shape so strange, shew they are strange, & do digres frō reason
That shun in eating fish and flesh, to kéepe both time and season,
Which fault reformd, our cōmon wealth would florish in such wise,
As neuer anie did beholde the like with mortall eies.
The speech spoken by him that rideth on the Vnicorne.
OH worthie Citie now reioyce in Christ,
for through his grace with peace he hath thée bless
Hée sends thée still such godly magistrates,
as dailie séekes to keepe thée from vnrest.
Muse not my Lord, to sée the Sunne doth shine
on Englands peace, who sits in princely throne,
It doth presage her Sunne shine still shall last,
and make her foes afeard at euerie blast.
So long as peace directed is by truth,
and Gods pure word receiued as it ought,
So long the Lord will blesse this little land,
and make it flow with plentie in each place.
Rule now my Lord and keepe this Citie well,
reforme abuses crept into the same,
So shall your fame eternizde be for aie,
and London still preserued from decaie.
And I that do support the Goldsmiths armes,
which long in loue to you haue bin vnited,
Will do my best to shadow you from harmes,
and finde the meanes your loues may be requighted.
Fame sounding a Trumpet saith.
THe blessed peace which England doth possesse,
and so hath done this thirtie two yeres space.
I Fame am sent and chargde to do no lesse,
with trumpets sound, but spread it in each place.
That all may wish with hearts which do not faine,
our roiall peace in England still may raine.
The peace of England.
I Represent your peace and chiefest good,
that euerie houre doth praie for your defence,
I sit as shadow for that roiall bloud,
whose life is pure, and still hath this pretence,
That whilest she liues euen with her heart and might,
she seekes in peace for to defend your right.
Wisedome on one side supporting the State, saith.
VVIsedome supporteth still the publike state,
Wisedome foreseeth ere it be too late.
Pollicie on the other side supporting the State, saith.
YEa pollicie preuents each traiterous fact,
And doth performe full many a famous act,
[Page 5]Both Pollicie and Wisedome will not cease,
Each night and daie for to preserue this peace.
Gods Truth.
GOds sacred truth loe here I represent,
whom Englands peace doth stil maintain in place,
I bring you comfort for your soules content,
which Englands peace doth willingly imbrace:
And for her sake by whom Gods truth doth stand,
the God of heauen doth blesse this little land.
Prudence and vertue shades our peace each daie,
chast is her life, and therewith rests content,
In vaine delights she shuns to runne astraie,
her vertues are most rare and excellent.
Long may she liue still to preserue this peace,
Lord still I pray her health and ioyes increase.
Plentie.
THis famous fléece doth so adorne our land,
which daily doth with milke and honie flow,
That Fame doth make all nations vnderstand,
like peace and plentie neuer man did know,
For wool and lead, for tin, corne, béere and béefe,
Of Christian nations England is the chéefe.
Muse not to sée this famous fléece doth stand
vpon a wooll packe, fixt at peaces féete,
The reason is, as you may vnderstand,
worthie Iohn Allot for his place most méete.
Is Maior of London and the Staple too,
And will performe in both what hée should doo.
Loialtie and Concord.
Faithfull and loyall are hir subiects seene,
Concord vnites them still in loyall bands,
Their tender hearts is linked to our Queene,
and concord craues no other at their hands,
Thus loyaltie and concord doth agree,
That London still therein shall famous bee,
Ambition.
AMbition still p [...]t vp with hate and pride,
Doth dailie séeke to worke swéete Englands fall,
He neuer rests, but séekes each time and tide,
How Englands peace might soone be brought in thrall.
And common wealth plungde into ciuill broiles,
That forraine foes might triumph in our spoiles.
Common wealth.
OUr Senates graue and worthie magistrates,
Shall still indeuor to maintaine our peace,
By banishing ambition from our gates,
And seeking meanes this peace may neuer cease:
Yea vertue so by him aduanst shall be,
That vice shall flie and not be seene in me.
Science and Labour.
SCience still séekes those things we dailie wish,
and Labour toiles to bring vs flesh and fish,
Yea Science sure doth practise euerie daie,
that Labor might kéepe England from decaie,
Science and Labour still preserues mans health,
and are chiefe props of this our common wealth.
Richard the second.
HElpe Walworth now to dant this rebels pride.
Aske what thou wilt thou shalt not be denide.
Iacke Straw.
IAcke Straw the rebell I present, Wat Tyler was my aide,
Hob Carter and Tom Miller too; we all were not afraid,
For to depriue our soueraigne king, Richard the second namde,
Yet for our bad ambitious mindes by Walworth we were tamde,
He being Maior of London then, soone danted all our pride,
He slew me first, the rest soone fled, and then like traitors dide.
Common wealth.
I Represent sir William Walworths place,
A fishmonger, and Maior of London twice,
I slew Iacke Straw, who sought my kings disgrace,
and for my act reapt honors of great price,
First Knight was I of London you may reade,
and since each Maior gaines knighthood by my déede.
Yea for that déede to London I did gaine,
this dagger here in armes giuen as you sée,
I won my companie this creast which doth remaine,
this to my selfe and my posteritie.
Thus did the King with honors me adore,
and Fame her selfe still laudeth me therefore.
It is to be vnderstood that sir William Walworth pointeth to the honors wherewith the king did endue him, which were placed néere about him in the Pageant.
The first was the dagger giuen in the shield to the Citie of London, the second was the Creast giuen to the Companie, namely two armes bearing vp a crowne, and the third was to the said Walworth and his posterity for euer, two armes bearing vp a milstone, shewing thereby that the said sir William Walworth performed a matter so vnpossible, as it is for a man to holde vp a milstone betwéene both his armes.
Time.
Time serues for all things,
Time runneth fast,
VVe craue your patience, for the time is past.
FINIS.