University of Virginia Library

The Pageant of the Dutch-men, by the Royal Exchange.

The Foundation of this, was (as it were by Fate) layd neere vnto a royall place; for it was a royall and magnificent labour: It was bounded in with the houses on both sides the street, so prowdly (as all the rest also did) did this extend her body in bredth. The passage of State, was a Gate, large, ascēding eighteene foot high, aptly proportion'd to the other lymmes, and twelue foot wyde, arched; two lesser Posternes were for common feet, cut out and open'd on the sides of the other.

Within a small Freeze, (and kissing the very forhead of the Gate) the Aedifice spake thus,

Vnicus à Fato surgo non Degener Hæres.

Whil'st lifting vp your eye to an vpper larger Freeze, you may there be enriched with these golden Capitalls,

But bestowing your sight vpon a large Azure Table, lyned quite through with Caracters of gold, likewise you may for your paynes receiue this inscription,

Aboue which (being the heart of the Trophee) was a spacious square roome, left open, Silke Curtaines drawne before it, which (vpon the approch of his Maiestie) being put by, 17. yong Damsels, (all of them sumptuously adorned, after their countrey fashion,) sate as it were in so many Chaires of State, and figuring in their persons, the 17. Prouinces of Belgia, of which euery one caried in a Scutchion (excellently pencilde the Armes and Coate of one.

Aboue the vpper edge of this large Square Roome, and ouer the first Battlement, in another front, aduanc'd for the purpose, a square Table was fastened vpright, in which was drawne the liuely picture of the King, in his Imperial Robes; a Crowne on his head, the Sword and Scepter in his handes:

vpon his left side stood a woman, her face fixed vpon his, a burning hart in her right hand, her left hanging by, a Heron standing close vnto her: vpon his other side stood vpright (with her countenance directed likewise vpon him) another woman, winged, and in a Freeze beneath them, which tooke vp the full length of this Square: this inscription set out it selfe in golden wordes:

Suffer your eyes to be wearied no longer with gazing vp so high at those Sun-beams, but turne thē aside to looke below through the little Posternes: whose State sweld quickly vp to a greatnes, by reason of 2. Columnes, that supported them on either side. In a Table, ouer the right-hand Portall, was in perfect colours, drawne a Serpēt, pursude by a Lion: betweene them, Adders and Snakes, chasing one another, the Lion scornfully casting his head backe, to behold the violence of a blacke storme, that heauen powred downe, to ouertake them: the sound that came from all this, was thus:

The opposite body to this son the other side, and directly ouer the other Portall, whose pompe did in like maner leane vpon, and vphold it selfe by two mayne Columnes) was a square peece, in which were to be seene, Sheepe browzing, Lambes nibbling, Byrds flying in the Ayre, with other arguments of

a serene and vntroubled season, whose happinesse was proclaymed in this maner,

Directly aboue this, in a square Table, were portrayed two Kings, reuerently and antiquely attyrde, who seem'd to walke vpon these golden lines,

From whome, leade but your eye, in a straight line, to the other side, (ouer the contrary Posteme) and there in a second vpper Picture, you may meete with two other Kings, not fully so antique, but as rich in their Ornaments; both of them, out of golden letters, composing these wordes.

And these were the Nerues, by which this great Triumphall Body was knit together, in the inferiour parts of it, vpon the shoulders whereof, (which were garnished with rowes of Pilasters, that supported Lions rāpant, bearing vp Banners) there stood another lesser Square, the head of which wore a Coronet of Pilasters also; and aboue thē vpon a Pedestal, curiously closed in betweene the tayles of two Dolphins, was aduanced a Woman, holding in one hand, a golden Warder, and poynting with the fore-finger of the other

hand vp to heauen. She figur'd Diuine Prouidence, for so at her feete was written.

Somewhat beneath which, was to bee seene an Imperiall Crowne, two Scepters being fastened (crosse-wise) vnto it, and deliuering this speach,

At the elbowes of this vpper Square, stood vpon the foure corners of a great Pedestall, foure Pyramides, hollow, and so neately contriu'de, that in the night time (for anger that the Sunne would no longer looke vpon these earthly beauties) they gaue light to themselues, and the whole place about them: the windowes, from whence these artificiall beames were throwne, being cut out in such a fashion, that (as Ouid, describing the Palace of the Sunne, sayes)

So did they shine afarre off, like Crysolites, and sparkled like Carbuncles: Betweene those two Pyramides that were lifted vp on the right hand, stood Fortitude; her Piller resting it selfe vpon this golden line,

Betweene the two Pyramides on the other side, Iustice challenged her place, being knowne both by

her habit and by her voyce, that spake thus,

Wee haue held his Maiestie too long from entring this third Gate of his Court Royall; It is now hie time, that those eyes, which on the other side ake with rolling vp and downe for his gladsome presence, should inioy that happinesse. Beholde, hee is in an instance passed thorough; The Obiects that there offer themselues before him, being these:

Our Belgick Statue of Triumph, weares on her backe, as much riches, as she caried vpon her brest, being altogether as glorious in Columnes, standing on Tip-toe, on as loftie and as proude Pyramides; her walkes encompa'st with as strong and as neate Pilasters: the colours of her garments are as bright, her adornements as many: For,

In the square Field, next and lower, ouer one of the Portals, were the Dutch Countrey people, toyling at their Husbandrie; women carding of their Hemp, the men beating it, such excellent Art being exprest in their faces, their stoopings, bendings, sweatings, &c. that nothing is wanting in them but life (which no colours can giue) to make them bee thought more than the workes of Paynters.

Lift vp your eyes a little aboue them, and beholde their Exchange; the countenaunces of the Marchants there being so liuely, that bargaines seeme to come from their lippes.

But in stead of other speach, this is onely to bee had,

Ouer the other Portall, in a square (proportion'd, to the bignes of those other) men, women & childrē (in Dutch habits) are busie at other workes: the men Weauing, the women Spinning, the children at their Hand-loomes, &c. Aboue whose heads, you may with little labour, walke into the Mart, where as well the Eroe, as the Burger, are buying and selling, the praise of whose industrie (being worthy of it) stands publisht in gold, thus,

Iust in the midst of these foure Squares, and directly ouer the Gate, in a large Table, whose feete are fastned to the Freeze, is their fishing & shipping liuely and sweetely set downe: The Skipper (euen though he be hard tugging at his Net) loudly singing this:

Quod Celeb: hoc Emporium prudenti industria suos,
Quouis Terrarum Negotiatores emittat, exteros
Humaniter admittat, foris famam, domi diuitias augeat.

Let vs now clime vp to the vpper battlementes; where, at the right hand Time standes: at the left (in a direct line) his daughter Trueth; vnder her foote is written,

And vnder his,

In the midst of these two, three other persons are rancked togeather, Art, Sedulitie, and Labour: beneath whom, in a Freeze rouing along the whole breadth of that Square, you may find these wordes in gold.

As on the foreside, so on this, and equall in heigth to that of Diuine Prouidence, is the figure of a Woman aduaunced: beneath whom, is an imperiall Crowne, with branches of Oliue, fixed (crosse-wise) vnto it, and giues you this word.

And thus haue we bestowed vpon you, all the dead Cullours of this Picture, (wherein not withstanding, was left so much life) as can come from Art. The speaking instrument, was a Boy, attyred all in white Silke, a wreath of Lawrell about his temples: from his voyce came this sound.

[Boy.]
Qvæ tot Sceptra tenes forti, Rex maxime, dextra,
Prouida Mens summi Numinis illa dedit.
A spice ridentem per gaudia Plebis Olympum,
Reddentem et plausus ad sua verba suos,
Tantus honos paucis, primi post secula mundi
Obtigit, et paucis tantum vnus incubuit,
Nam Regere imperijs populum fælicibus vnum,
Arduares, magnis res tamen apta viris.
At non vnanimes nutu compescere gentes,
Non homines pensum, sed labor ille Dei,
Ille ideò ingentes qui temperet orbis habenas,
Adiungit longas ad tua fræna manus.
Et menti de mente sua prælucet, et Artem
Regnandi, regnum qui dedit illa, docet.
Crescentes varijs Cumulat virtutibus annos,
Quas inter pietas, culmina summa tenet.
Hac proauos reddis patriæ, qui barbara Gentis
Flexêre inducto Numine, corda feræ.
Hac animos tractas rigidos, subigisq; rebelles,
Et leue persuades quod trahis ipse ingum,
Illi fida comes terram indignata profanam,
Aut nunc te tanto Rege reuersa Themis.
Assidat et robusta soror, ingentibus ausis
Pro populo carum tradere prompta caput.
Quin et Regis amor, musæ et dilectus Apollo,
Regali gaudent subdere plectra manu.
Aurea et vbertas solerti nata labore,
Exhibet aggestas Ruris et vrbis opes.
Sunt hæc dona Poli, certa quæ prodita fama
Miratum vt veniat, venit vterq; polus,
Venimus et Belgæ, patrijs Gens exul ab oris
Quosfouit tenero mater Eliza sinu.
Matri sacratum, Patri duplicamus amorem,
Poscimus et simili posse fauore frui.
Sic Deum Panthaeci tibi proferat alitis æuum,
Sceptra per Iunumeros qui tibi tradit Auos.
Sic Regina tua pars altera, et altera proles,
Spes populi longum det, capiatq; decus.

Whilst the tongues of the Strangers were imployed in extolling the gracious Aspect of the King, and his Princely behauiour towardes them, his Maiestie (by the quicknes of Time, and the earnestnesse of expectation, whose eyes ran a thousand wayes to finde him) had won more ground, and was gotten so far as to S. Mildreds Church in the Poulterie: close to the side of which, a Scaffold was erected; where (at the Citties cost) to delight the Queene with her owne country Musicke, nine Trumpets, and a Kettle Drum, did very sprightly & actiuely sound the Danish march:

Whose cunning and quicke stops, by that time they had toucht the last Ladyes care in the traine, behold, the King was aduaunced vp so hie as to Cheapeside: into which place (if Loue himselfe had entered, and seene so many gallant Gentlemen, so many Ladyes, and beautifull creatures, in whose eyes glaunces (mixt with modest lookes) seemde to daunce courtly Measures in their motion) he could not haue chosen, to haue giuen the Roome any other name, then, The Presence Chamber.

The stately entraunce into which, was a faire Gate in

height 18. foote. In breadth 12. The thicknesse of the passage vnder it, being 24. Two Posternes stoode wide open on the two sides, either of them being 4. foote wide, and 8. foote high. The two Portals that ietted out before these Posternes, had their sides open foure seuerall wayes, and serued as Pedestalles (of Rusticke) to support two Pyramides, which stoode vpon foure great Balles, and foure great Lions: the Pedestalles, Balles, and Pyramides, deuowring in their full vpright height, from the ground line to the top, iust 60. foote. But burying this Mechanicke Body in scilence, let vs now take note in what fashion it stood attyred. Thus then it went appareled.