THE Triumphs of London. Performed on Tuesday, Octob. 29. 1695. FOR THE Entertainment of the Right Honourable SR. John Houblon, KT. LORD MAYOR of the City of LONDON.
CONTAINING A True Description of the Several Pageants; with the Speeches Spoken on each PAGEANT.
All Prepared, at the proper Costs and Charges of the WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GROCERS. To which is added, A New Song upon His Majesty's Return.
By E. S.
Published by Authority.
LONDON, Printed by Jer. Wilkins; And are to be Sold by Richard Baldwin, at the Oxford-Arms in VVarwick-Lane, 1695.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir Iohn Houblon, Kt LORD MAYOR OF THE City of London.
IN this Dedication to the Right Honourable Sr. John Houblon, One of the Lords of the ADMIRALTY, Governour of the Royal BANK of England, and now the great Lieutenant Royal of this Metropolitan City; methinks, I am enterd into so spacious a Field, with such various attracting Prospects before me, as even divide my Veneration. The Homage is on all [Page] Sides so equally Due, that I know not Where to Kneel first. For Your Lordship by an Accumulation of Glories, has, perhaps, so far out-run the Common Race of Honour; that in Your Accession to the CHAIR, as considerable a Triumph as it gives you, instead of being Your Highest Ascendant of Renown, is only an Addition to Your more ample Pile of Trophies; whilst You have so far out-stript the Candidates of Dignity before You, that You bring the Right Honourable to Your Praetorian Seate, not come to find it there.
Not that this publick Address, I now make Your Lordship, is intended for any Piece, either of Panegyrick, or Herauldry, to Illustrate or Blazon the High Promotions to which Your Lordship has so eminently Arrived: No, my Lord, I have a fairer Theme, a Speculation above them. For 'tis not Preferment, Titles, or State: 'Tis the Virtue, the Merit, Principle and Integrity, that both mount and [Page] fill the Seats of Power and Trust, are the embodyed Mass; when the others are but the meer Drapery of HONOUR.
'Tis in this last Capacity, (not the Pomp and Splendour of Advancement,) but Your Lordships Double Qualifications of Fidelity and Ability to Execute in those Exalted Posts, that render You the Subject of an Universal Applause. And though my present Address is chiefly to Congratulate Your Lordship's Inauguration into this August Magistracy, in which both the Pride and Gratitude of the Honourable Company of GROCERS make their profoundest Tenders of Respect to so Conspicuous a Member and Ornament to their Society: Yet all this is but an inconsiderable Tribute, compared to what the World has yet to Pay You; For, Your Lordship has taken Care for a more lasting Triumph; so vast is the Difference betwixt Glittering for a Day, and Shining for a Life.
[Page] I should dwell longer upon this inviting Theme, were I not not sensible that, to all Your other Accomplishments, Your Lordship has that innate Modesty, that You rather study to deserve Encomiums than to hear them; which only Consideration shall check my Pen, and make me the sooner hasten to Subscribe my self,
To the Worshipful Company of GROCERS.
IT is now but Three Years since I had this Honour before; and If I am come so soon again to tender my new Service to my Worthy old Masters, I have only this to say, That You live in a Warm Sun and a Fruitful Soyl; where WORTH and VIRTUE spring up apace amongst You, when you have so often the Pride of Filling the CHAIR from a Member of the Honourable COMPANY of GROCERS.
Your Griffons are truly a Bird of Wing, when they Fly so High and Mount so Fast: But indeed it is less to be wondred that Growing HONOUR should Root so Strong and Flourish so Eminently with You, when the very ROYAL-FOUNTAIN of it, makes One amongst You; whilst not only the Lord of it, but likewise the SOVERAIGN of the Chair too, Great WILLIAM himself if a Member of Your SOCIETY: And though, it's true, so many Crown'd Heads before had so often Blest Your Happy Roof: Yet let it suffice, that this last Glory consummates Your whole Renown: And whilst You stand thus highly Graced with that Illustrious and Adorable Name Inrolled amongst You; As by the Reach of Your [Page] Charter the whole Spicy-Nest was all Your own before, I may now add this Prouder Blazon to Your Scutcheon, that You have the Phaenix too.
Dic quibuscum sis, & dicam quis es. (Worth is known by the Company it Keeps.) Was a Celebrated True Adage of Old, which you Gentlemen, have amply Veryfied: For it is sufficient for the truly Honourable G R O C E R S, to their Noblest Reputation, to tell the World, that the Darling of Britain, the Champion of Christendom, and the Pride of Europe, the English LYON Herds with You: And the particular Inclination of the Albion CAESAR in Electing Your SOCIETY His Favourite Choice, is an ample Demonstration, that His Encouragement for such an Election, was, that undoubtedly he found those Virtues amongst You, Nearest His Own; and Worthiest such Royal Favour.
And, Gentlemen, whatever other Conspicuous Merits You challenge, 'tis enough that this single Plume in Your Fair Crest, shall Entitule You to no common Share of Fame; and 'tis with my Congratulation of This, and all your Other Happiness, I subscribe my Self,
The Movements of the Morning.
Between Seven and Eight in the Morning the whole Company designed for the Duty of the Day, meet at Grocers Hall.
1. THE Master, Wardens, and Assistants, in Gowns Faced with Foins, and their Hoods.
2. The Livery in their Gowns Faced with Budg, and their Hoods.
3. Forty Foins Batchelors in Gowns and Scarlet Hoods.
4. Forty Budge-Batchelors in Gowns and Scarlet Hoods.
5. Forty Gentlemen Ushers in Velvet Coats, each of them a Chain of Gold about his Shoulders, and a White Staff in his Hand.
6. Several Drums and Fifes with Scarfs, and the Colours of the Company in their Hats, Crimson and White.
7. The Serjeant Trumpet, and Twenty Four Trumpets more, whereof Sixteen are His Majesties, the Serjeant-Trumpet wearing Two Scarfs, a Crimson and a White.
8. The Drum-Major to the King, wearing a Shoulder-Scarf of the Companies Colours, with others of His Majesties Drums and Fifes.
9. The Two City Marshals each of them Mounted on Horse-back, with Rich Furniture, Hoosings, and Crupper, all Embroider'd; Six Servitors likewise Mounted to Attend with Scarfs, and Colours of the Companies.
[Page 10] 10. The Foot-Marshal with a Scarf, and Six Attendants in Colours.
11. The Master of Defence, with the same Scarfe and Colours, Eight Persons of the same Science to attend him.
12. Twenty Pensioners with Coats and Caps employed in carrying the Standards and Banners.
This Ordered, and accomodated, they are committed to the management of the Foot-Marshal, who distributes them in Seven Divisions, and ranked all Two by Two, begining with the inferior part of the Standard-Bearers. In the Head of them are placed Two Drums, One Fife, and One Gentleman bearing the Companies Arms.
In the Rear of them, Two Gentlemen bearing Banners, containing the Arms of the Deceased Benefactors.
In the Center of them, fall Two Drums.
In the Rear of them Three Drums, One Fife, and Two Gentlemen in Plush-Coats, bearing Two Banners, One of His Majesties, the Other of the Companies. After them Six Gentlemen-Ushers, followed by the BudgBatchelors.
The next, Two Gentlemen bearing Two Other Banners. After them Six Gentlemen Ushers, succeeded by the Foins Batchelors.
In the Rear fall in Two Drums, and a Fife. Then Two Gentlemen One bearing my Lord MAYOR's, the Other the City Banners. Then Twelve Gentlemen-Ushers, and after them the Court of Assistance, which makes the last Division
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, with the Principal Aldermen and Sheriffs, Mounts his Horse, with the Aldermen Two by Two, the Sheriffs in the Rear.
In this Equipage of Two and Two the whole Body move toward Skinners-Hall, where the Lord Mayor Elect, attended from his own House, joyns with the Old Lord Mayor and his Retinue; whence all of them, in this Order, March [Page 11] through King-street down to Three-Grane-Wharfe, there entring into their several Barges, which are gloriously adorned with Flags and Pendants, His Lordship, and this Gallant Company all Landing at Westminster, is conducted to the Exchequer-Bar; there having performed several Ceremonial and Customary Duties, and taken the Oaths to His Majestie, he returns again by Water to Black-fryers-Stairs, with Drums Beating, Trumpets Sounding, Musick Playing, &c.
There his Lordship, and the several Companies Landing from their Respective Barges, the rest of the Attendants that went not to Westminster, waiting for his Reception, the whole Body moves in Order before him to Cheap-side, where his Lordship is Saluted with the First Pageant.
The First Pageant, of FAME.
ON a large Stage are Erected Four Antique Pedestals, upon which are planted Four Urnes of Gold, from which issue forth Four Trees sprinkled with Golden-Nutmegs. In the Center is planted a large Camel of Gold, being the Creft of the Honourable Company; on which rides a beautiful Figure, richly and properly Drest, representing Fame; Below, on each fide of the Stage, are placed Four Figures more, viz. Justice, Mercy, Equity, and Law.
Fame thus Addresses His Lordship.
The Second Pageant.
The Chariot of VICTORY.
A Large Chariot splendidly Imbellished with all manner of Enrichments of Silver, as Lyons Heads, Large Shields, Noble Festoons, and Embossed [Page 13] Goloss; The Wheels likewise are Silver. Beneath the Chariot Wheels are Piles of Trophies, all of Silver, viz, Helmets, Targets, Armory of all sorts, &c. This Chariot is drawn by Two stately Griffons, the Companys Supporters, on whose Backs are seated Two Princely Figures, Representing Asia and America; as being those Parts of the World whence the Spicery and other Grocery are Imported. In this Chariot fits a Figure Representing Victory, Attended by Six more Figures Personating Wisdom, Policy, Labour, Industry, Vigour, and Vigilance.
VICTORY Speaks.
The Third, the Plantation Pageant.
IN the Center of a very large Stage is Erected a Magnificent Pile, as the Shrine of St. Anthony, Patron to the Honourable Company; In this Pile, under Four Arches fits St. Anthony and Three more Attendants, Representing India, Persia, and Arabia; The whole is Environ'd with Twelve Pedestals, bearing as many Large Golden-Urnes, from whence Issue Cinnamon-Trees, Richly Ornamented with Flowers, Blossoms, Golden-Fruit,&c. Within the Body of this Pageant are several Persons in Rural Habits, as Negroes, Tauneys, Virginia-Planters, &c. All exercised in Imitation of their several Employments. The whole Pageants all Adorn'd with Flags and Streamers.