University of Virginia Library

The Italians Pageant.

The building tooke vp the whole bredth of the Street, of which, the lower part was a Square, garnished with foure great Columnes: In the midst of which Square, was cut out a fayre and spacious high Gate, arched, being twenty seuen foot in the perpendicular lyne, and eyghteene at the ground lyne: ouer the Gate, in golden Caracters, these verses (in a long square) were inscribed:

Tu Regere Imperio populos Iacobe memento,
Hæ tibi erunt Artes, Paciq imponere morem,
Parcere Subiectis, & debellare superbos.

And directly aboue this, was aduanc'd the Armes of the Kingdome, the Supporters fairely cut out to the life: ouer the Lyon (some prety distance from it) was written,

And aboue the head of the Vnicorne, at the like distance, this,

In a large Square erected aboue all these, King Henry the seuenth was royally seated in his Imperiall Robes, to whome King Iames (mounted on horsebacke) approches, and receyues a Scepter, ouer both their heads these words being written,

Betweene two of the Columnes, (on the right hand) was fixed vp a Square table, wherein, in liuely and excellent colours, was lim'd a woman, figuring Peace, her head securely leaning on her left hand, her body modestly bestowed (to the length) vpon the earth: In her other hand, was held on Oliue branch, the Ensigne of Peace, her word was out of Virgil, being thus,

Beneath that peece, was another square Table, reaching almost to the Bases of the two Columnes: In which, 2. (seeming) Sea personages, were drawne to the life, both of them lying, or rather leaning on the bosome of the earth, naked; the one a woman, her backe onely seene; the other a man, his hand stretching and fastning it selfe vpon her shoulder: the word that this dead body spake, was this,

Vpon the left-hand side of the Gate, betweene the other two Columnes, were also two square Tables: In the one of which were two persons portrayed to the life, naked, and wilde in lookes, the word,

And ouer that, in another square, carying the same proportion, stoode a woman vpright, holding in her hand a Shield, beneath whom was inscribed in golden Caracters,

And this was the shape and front of the first great Square, whose top being flat, was garnished with Pelasters, and vpon the roote was directed a great Padestall, on which stood a Person carued out to the

life (a woman) her left hand leaning on a sword, with the poynt downeward, and her right hand reaching foorth a Diadem, which shee seemde by bowing of her knee and head, to bestow vpon his Maiestie.

On the foure corners of this vpper part, stoode foure naked portraytures (in great) with artificiall Trumpets in their hands.

In the Arch of the Gate, was drawne (at one side) a companie of Palme trees, young, and as it were but newly springing, ouer whose branches, two naked winged Angels, flying, held foorth a Scroll, which seem'd to speake thus,

On the contrarie side, was a Vine, spreading it selfe into many branches, and winding about Oliue, and Palme trees: two naked winged Angels hanging likewise in the Ayre ouer them, and holding a Scrol betweene them, fild with this inscription,

Vxortus, sicut vitis abundans,
Et filii tui, sicut palmites Oliuarum.

If your imaginations (after the beholding of these obiects) will suppose, that his Maiestie is now gone to the other side of this Italian Trophee; doe but cast your eyes backe, and there you shall finde iust the same proportions, which the fore-part, or Brest of our Arch carrieth, with equall number of Columnes, Pedestals, Pilasters, Lim'd peeces, and Carued Statues. Ouer the Gate, this Distichon presents it selfe.

Nonne tuo Imperio satis est Iacobe potiri?
Imperium in Musas, Aemule quaris? Habes.

Vnder which verses, a wreathe of Lawrell seem'd to be ready to be let fall on his Maiesties head, as hee went vnder it, being held betweene two naked Antique women, their bodies stretching (at the full length) to compasse ouer the Arch of the Gate. And aboue those verses, in a faire Azure table, this inscription was aduanc'd in golden Capitals:

On the right hand of this backe-part, betweene two of the Columnes was a square table, in which was drawne a Woman, crown'd with beautifull and fresh flowres, a Caducæus in her hand: All the notes of a plenteous and liuely Spring being caried about her, the soule that gaue life to this speaking picture, was:

Aboue this peece, in another square, was portrayed a Tryton, his Trumpet at his mouth, seeming to vtter thus much,

Vpon the left hand of this back-part, in most excellent colours, Antikely attir'd, stood the 4. kingdoms,

England, Scotland, France and Ireland, holding hands together, this being the language of them all,

The middle great Square, that was aduaunced ouer the Freeze of the Gate, held Apollo, with all his Ensignes and properties belonging vnto him, as a Sphere, Bookes, a Caducæus, an Octoedron, with other Geometricall Bodies, and a Harpe in his left hand: his right hand with a golden Wand in it, poynting to the battel of Lepanto fought by the Turks, (of which his Maiestie hath written a Poem) and to doe him Honour, Apollo himselfe doth here seeme to take vpon him to describe: his word,

These were the Mutes, and properties that helpt to furnish out this great Italian Theater: vpon whose Stage, the sound of no voice was appointed to be heard, but of one, (and that, in the presence of the Italians themselues) who in two little opposite galleries vnder & within the Arch of the gate, very richly and neately hung, deliuered thus much Latine to his Maiestie:

The Italians
speach.

Salue , Rex magne, salue. Salutem Maiestati
tuæ Itali fælicissimum Aduentum læti, fælices
sub Te futuri, precamur. Ecce hic Omnes,
Exigui munere, pauculi Numero: Sed
magni erga Maiestatem tuam animi, multi obsequij.
At nec Atlas, qui Cœlum sustinet, nec
ipsa Cœli conuexa, altitudinem attingant meritorum
Regis optimi. Hoc est, eius, quem de Teipso
expressisti doctissimo (Deus!) et admirabili penicillo:
Beatissimos populos, vbi & Philosophus
regnat, & Rex Philosophatur, Salue, Rex nobilissime,
salue, viue, Rex potentissime, fæliciter.
Regna, Rex sapientissime, fæliciter, Itali optamus
omnes, Itali clamamus omnes: Omnes, omnes.

Hauing hoysted vp our Sailes, and taken leaue of this Italian shore, let our next place of casting anker, be vpon the Land of the 17. Prouinces; where the Belgians, (attired in the costly habits of their own natiue Countrey, without the fantasticke mixtures of other Nations) but more richly furnished with loue, stand ready to receyue his Maiestie: who (according to their expectation) does most gratiously make himselfe & his Royall traine their Princely ghests. The house which these Strangers haue builded to entertaine him in, is thus contriu'de.