 | Londini Status Pacatus ; Or, Londons Peacable Estate |  |
Is a person representing the ancient River Nilus, mounted in a Sea-Chariot, and seated upon a silver Scallop (the plat-forme decored with Marine Nimphs and Goddesses) his habit suiting with the nature of the river, in his right hand a seven-forked Scepter, alluding to the seven heads, or as many Channells through which he runnes; and therefore by Ovid, cald Septem-fluus: he is drawne by two Crocadiles, which may be reckoned amongst the Amphibiæ, as living in, and pertaking of the two Elements, Earth and Water: the river it selfe by sundry Inundations watereth the whole Land of Ægypt, leaving behind it a slime, or moist Clay, which serveth for a marle or manuring, to make the soyle more fertill. The originall head from which it flowes is uncertaine, which Claudian thus expresseth: Et Arcanos Nili deprendite fontes. The Ecclesiasticall Writers hold it for one of the foure rivers that floweth from the earthly Paradise; in divers places it changeth name, according to the scituation of the shores through which it runnes: it brings forth Reedes, whose filmes or inward rinds are much like our Paper, and for a need may be writ upon; and therefore by the Poets cald Nilus papyrifer: of all other rivers it onely breedeth Crocadiles, and Hippotami, Æqui fluviales, Sea Horses.
The Crocadile is a Serpent that from a small Egge, growes in short time to a mighty length and bignesse,
Nilus.
Amongst those foure, (which before Adam fell
Watred the earthly Paradise) now claimes
A new alliance with his brother Thames.
The praise from great Apollo, lost his skin:
Amphrisus, who his name shall ever keepe,
Since there Apollo kept Admetus Sheepe.
Nor yet Cremera, by whose firtile side
Three hundred and sixe Fabij at once dide.
Xantus, and Simois, those too famous floods,
So often stain'd in Greeke and Trojan bloods:
Nor let Pharsalian Enepeus boast
In Cæsars triumph, o're great Pompies hoast:
Deucalion bragge not of Cephisus for'd,
Because neere it lost man-kind he restor'd:
Caister of her Swans, Permessus cleere,
Proud that the Muses were delighted there.
Pactolus, nor Idaspes, fam'd of old
For glittering Channells, pav'd with pearle and gold.
Let none of these compare with aged Nile,
Who onely breeds the weeping Crocodile:
Of this your great loud voyc'd inauguration.
Your happy Embleame; since as I foresee
By reason, that in Ægypt falls no raine,
There needs must be a dearth of grasse and graine;
Therefore, by frequent Inundations, I
In my great care, that needfull want supply:
So Magistrates (of which you prime and best
We must acknowledge) ought to the distrest:
In your known gravity and goodnesse cast
The future to provide for, salve what's past.
Seven heads, from which (my mighty river swels,
Seven liberall arts (by you maintaind) expresse
Your Cities magnitude and worthinesse.
(Monsters, which both by land and water prey)
If any such here breed? as some no doubt,
In place and Office may be; search them out:
And then, what greater honour can you claime,
Then such rude beasts like me to curbe and tame?
But y'are too long detain'd; I next commend you;
Unto those Triumphs that on Land attend you.
The second Shew, but the first by Land
Is Ianus, plac'd upon an Artificiall Structure, built in a square modell, at the foure corners whereof sit foure Persons representing the foure seasons; Spring, Summer, Autume, Winter; every one habited agreeable to his propriety and condition. The name Ianus is borrowed from the Hebrew word Iain, which implyeth Vinum, wine, being held
Ianus
the speaker:
Almost as soone as either light, or time;
Hither my servants the foure Seasons bring
Cold Winter, Autumne, Summer, and the Spring.
Eleven Moneths are my Sonnes, my Daughter May
Makes up the twelft: her Sisters Night, and Day
Acknowledge me their Father: Girles of spleene
So oppos'd, they never will at once bee seene.
The Houres my Hand-maids are, which imploy'd well,
Shall make you in your Prætor-ship excell
(As all the rest fore-nam'd:) Behold this Key,
With which I o'pe the gates of Land and Sea
To the time future; being made by me
To all your Trade, commerce, and Trafficke free.
Proceede and prosper, whilst the yeare fore-past
(As neuer more to come) I shut up fast;
One face still looking backe, least good Acts done
Might be obscur'd in darke oblivion:
As th'other forward, to see what's to doe;
Both for Gods Honour, and your Countryes to.
You for one yeare are made the Cities Father;
These foure succeeding Seasons, I resigne
Unto your charge; (which I before cald mine:
To the twelue Moneths, most aptly may comply
Your twelue chiefe Companies: who can deny
My Daughter Day for your imployment prest?
The blacke-brow'd Night, sequestred for your rest?
So spend the Houres to inrich future story,
Both for your owne grace and the Cities glory.
Those Prison gates, where many a soule hath dide,
Starv'd by th'Oppressors cruelty; those Gaild
For Capitall crimes, unpittied, and unbaild,
Reserve for publicke Triall: Iustice is bound
To cut of Gangreenes, to preserue the sound:
But none knowes better than your selfe (Grave Lord)
What Mercy is; or when to use the Sword.
The third Show
Is Orpheus with his Harpe, seated in a faire Plat-forme, beautified with pleasant Trees, upon which are pearcht severall Birds, and below Beasts of all sorts, who notwithstanding being of severall conditions, and opposite natures, yet all imagined to be attentive to his Musick. This Show hath reference to the title of the whole Triumph, Status pacatus, A peaceable and blest estate, in which our Soveraigns Royalty hath a correspondence with Saturnes Reigne, which was cald the golden world. There were foure most excellent of the Harpe, remembred unto us by the ancient Poets, who are likewise the Emblemes of the foure Elements: Apollo the Son of Iupiter and Latona, (killing the Dragon Pithon) of fire. Amphion the Son of Iupiter and Antiope, figured with a Camelion of Ayre. Arion the Methimnian riding upon a Dolphin, of water: and Orpheus the Thracian (thus accomodated) of the Earth: and these attributes were confer'd on them for their severall Ayres, and straines in Musick: this Orpheus was the Sonne of Apollo, who instructed him on the Harpe, upon which he grew so excellent that the Woods and Mountaines followed him; the Rivers staid their course, and the wild beasts, and birds their prey, with Trees, and stones were said to be attentive to his Musick:
Orpheus.
That when Apolloes Son, (I Orpheus) plaid
Upon my Harpe: the rivers if they swel'd
Above their bankes or Torrents that rebeld;
Grew smooth to heare my musicke: and forbore
To vexe the Channels, or molest the Shore.
The Panther, Tyger, the wild Boare, the Beare,
Forget their rage, to give me attentive eare,
Lions with Lambs together coucht in love,
As dreadlesse by the Falcon pearcht the Dove:
The Hounds their pursuite did leave off, and there
Sate Hart, and Hare, close by them without feare:
The sad predicting Raven, from the Oake
(Hollowed with age) was not once heard to croake,
Nor any Bird of harsh throate: onely then
The Nightingale, the Robin, and the Wren
With all their musicall quire, in silent groanes,
(Affraide to sing out) cherrupt to my Tones.
The very Trees I did so much intrance,
They shooke their bowes because they could not dance:
But, Stones not rooted, but above the ground
Mov'd in rare postures to my Harps sweet sound:
I the foure blustering Brothers rage make calme,
And 'stead of violent gusts to breath soft balme.
Mans heart, more than the Jnstrument, or Voyce;
The Gitterne, Harpe, the Viol, and the Lute,
When that is heard to sound may all stand mute;
Than any Consort, made by breath or strings:
And sends a sweeter rapture to the eares.
Than that above; made by th'orbicular Spheares.
You are that Orpheus who can doe all these:
If any streame beyond its bounds shall swell,
You beare the Trident that such rage can quell.
When beasts of Rapine (trusting to their power)
Would any of your harmelesse flocke devoure:
Yours is the sword that can such violence stay,
To keepe the Rich from rigour, Poore from prey;
Neither from any harsh ill-boading beake,
Least discord shall be heard, when you but speake;
Whilst in Harmonious quire the rest contend,
Which in your praise each other shall transcend.
Even sencelesse stones you into life may change.
This Wisedome can; yet there's a more Devine
Concordancy, which farre exceedeth mine:
That's of unanimous hearts; plenty, increase;
With all Terrestriall blessings waite on peace:
Which whilst maintain'd in your Commerce and Trade,
Proves sweeter Musicke than e're Orpheus made.
The fourth Show
Is a Chariot drawne by two Cammells, upon eithers back an Indian mounted, and habited according to the manner of their Country: of Cammells there be two sorts, the Bactrian, and Arabian; and differ thus: The Bactrians have two bunches or swellings on the backe, and are called Dromedaries: the Arabians but one, and another on the breast,
I cannot stand to speake much of the Fleece, but of Iason, and Medea, (thus briefly;) Jason signifieth sanans, or healing, Medea consilium, or Counsell: he was the Son of Æta, his Father was no sooner dead but he left the Kingdome to his brother Pelias, who set him upon an adventure to fetch the golden Fleece from Colchos: to which purpose hee caused the Argoe to be built, in which sixty of the prime Princes of Greece accompanied him; whom Medea the Daughter of Æta King of Colchos courteously entertained with all the rest of the Argonauts: and being greatly inamoured of him, and affraide least he should perish in the attempt; knowing the danger he was to undergoe, upon promise of Marriage, she taught him how he should tame the Brazen-footed Bulls, & to cast the Dragon that watched the Fleece into a dead sleepe: which hee did, and by slaying him
Medea.
Her Husband Jason home in Triumph bring,
After his mighty Conquest of the Fleece;
The Aureum vellus brought from thence to Greece.
Cannot conceive the worth of golden wooll?
The mornings Sun upon their Fleeces shines,
Making the fields appeare like richest Mines.
Upon whose back Phrixus and Helle swam
The Hellespont: she to her lasting fame
(By being drown'd there, gave the Sea that name:)
But Phrixus safely did to Colchos steere,
And on Joves Alter sacrificed there
The golden Beast, whose faithfull service done,
With the Celestiall gods such favour won;
That striving 'mongst themselves to have him grac'd,
Him first of all the Zodiak signes they plac'd.
No beast to man, so usefull as the sheep:
How many poore men doth it keepe in pay,
Of several Trades and faculties; else they
Might starve for want of lively-hood: but their charge bearing
By Carding, Spinning, Weaving, Fulling, Shearing.
How with her flesh we are satisfi'd within,
Cloath'd with her Wooll without; in whose shorne skin
Those reverent antiquities are kept,
Which else long since had in oblivion slept:
First Nature, and since Time, hath cast upon her,
So great, so eminent, so meriting praise,
Even Emperours were it on their Feastivall dayes:
And none that ever her true vertue knew,
But rated her with Ophir, and Peru.
Yet frequent where your Lordship oft hath beene
In your long Travells: may the world perswade
The rich Commerce and noblenesse of your Trade.
On all in which you Merchants most excell:
Yet honor'd, Sir, what's in this place deny'd
Shall in Pacatus Status bee supply'd.
The fifth Show.
As the last had a relation to the Company in generall, so this hath reference to his Lordship in particular, as he is a noble Merchant; having it hereditary from his worthy Father Mr. William Garway, who was not onely a great Benefactor to the Right Worshipfull Society of the Drapers, but an indulgent Educator of divers yong men, who have since prov'd great and Eminent adventurers; some attaining even to the prime Magistracy of this our Metropolis.
The next Modell presented to the publick view is a Ship, which as it hath all accomodatings and ornaments belonging to such a Vessell; so it is also decored with the Armes of the nine Companies of Merchant-adventurers, of which his Lordship hath bin, and is at this present free: the trouble of the place, the presse of so mighty a confluence, with the necessity of time, in the solemnity of such a Feastivall
An artificiall Architecture best able (for the Workeman-ship) to commend it selfe, and being apparent to the publick view, lesse needeth my description. It presenteth the calamities of War, & the blessednesse of peace, Status Pacatus; bearing the Title of the whole Triumph: In one part thereof are exprest to the life, the figures of Death Famine, Sicknesse, strage, &c. in the other Prosperity, Plenty, Health, Wealth, but especially the free and frequent Preaching of the Word and Gospell. I desire not to swell these few pages to small purpose, therefore thus briefly of both. Peace is the Tranquility, and calme quiet of Kingdomes, free from Section, tumult, uproares and faction; a Plantation of rest, ease and security; with all the flourishing ornaments of earthly felicity: peace is the end at which War aimeth: Honour the fruits of peace; and good Goverment the ground of either, asking no lesse wisedome to preserve it, then valour to obtain it: for Concord and Unity maketh a mite to increase to a Magazin, when discord and debate in any publick Weale, or private society, lesseneth a mountaine to a Mole-hill; and therefore Pacem te poscimus omnes.
Now of the contrary, War is of two sorts, Civill, or Forraigne. Domesticke War is the over-throw and ruine of all Estates, and Monarchies, and the incendiary of whatsoever is most execrable, begetting contempt of God, corruption of manners, and disobedience to Magistrates: change
Vivere si vultis, vivite jam melius.
By War, Plague, Famine, (loe) the people fall;
Then better live: if you will live at all.
The more to illustrate this Tryumph, it is graced by the Company of Artillery men compleatly armed, to expresse Warre: and the Livery and gown-men being the Embleme of Peace. I come now to the Speech, delivered by The Genius of the City.
But they who in the Progresse and the Close
Shall trace it, know it horrid; 'Tis a time
Destin'd, to the revenge, and scourge of Crime:
A time, when numerous armies, with the stresse
Of mailed men, and harnest Horses, presse
Grones from the trembling Earth (with feare assounded)
And with the reeking gore of slaine and wounded
Drencht her in stead of Raine: when like shooting Comets
It's lightning bolts the thundring Cannon vomets;
Rushing of rowted Troopes, clashing of Armes
Render a noise; as hidious and as loude,
As a tumultuous sea in Tempest plow'd:
When slaughter strowes the crimson plaine with Courses,
Men combat men, inraged Horses, Horses:
When Massacre, (all quarter quite denying)
Revells amidst the flying, crying, dying.
And the beleagured City close impounds:
When mounted Ordnance with their streporous peale
(Warrs Dialect) on both sides raile; and deale
Death at each dire discharge: When pinching need
Of food, hath forc'd the famish'd Mother feed
On her 'fore-starved Babe; and Hunger raves
So fiercely, Men eate men out of their Graves:
When Plague makes friend, the friend; brother, the brother;
The Harmlesse, armelesse; murder one another:
When in the Husbands and sad Parents sight,
The Wife, and Virgins ravisht, in despight
Of helpelesse succour; when without all ruth,
The Honourable Aged, lovely Youth
And Infant, in promiscuous heapes are throwne
(By indifferent havock) like a medow mowne.
What witty cruelty, or barbarous rage
Can or invent or execute; designe
To utter desolation: when in fine
Whole Troy is but one Bone-fire, that devours
House, Pallace, Temple, and kicks downe those Towers
That with the Clouds did late alliance boast;
Which in aspiring smoke give up the ghost.
Of sword, fire, famine, plagues find; thraldome gleanes.
Our neighbour Nations travell now in; woes
Quite desperate of delivery: whilst calme Peace,
Prosperity, and Plenty, with increase
Of all concatinated Blessings smile
With cheerefull face on this sole-happy Isle.
Strive to entaile them to Us, and our Heires:
Lest that too late, (having sterne Warre accited)
We wish that Peace; which (whilst we had) we slighted.
One thing I cannot omit, concerning the Wardens and Committies of this Worshipful Society of the Drapers; that howsoever in all my writing I labour to avoyd what is Abtruse or obsolete: so withall I study not to meddle with what is too frequent and common: yet in all my expressions either of Poeticall fancie, or (more grave History,) their apprehensions went equally along with my reading: neither, had I travel'd in the least deviating path, could I have escapt without a just taxation: but I come now to the last Speech at night.
The last Speech.
(As some few houres late) in our Hemisphere;
Hesperus the Captaine of the Watch, hath tane
Charge of the Starrs; and now about Charles-waine
Hath plac'd his Centinels to'attend the Moone,
If possible to make of mid-night noone.
The danger of th'Amphibian Crocadile;
How from old Janus, you this yeare have power
Over each Seasons, Moneth, each day and houre.
From Orpheus, that sweet musick of two parts,
The civill Harmony of tongues and hearts.
The Fleece of Aries Trumpets to eternity,
The Drapers Honour, due to that Fraternity.
We by the Sheep and Camels understand,
Your Lordships Travells both by Sea and Land:
Status Pacatus last doth intimate,
The happinesse of this your peacefull state.
Long may it last (of all Earths blessings best,)
Whilst we this night commend you to your rest.
Concerning these two excellent Artists, Master Iohn, and Master Mathias Christmas, brothers; the exquisite contrivers of these Triumphall Models; I can onely say thus much: their workeman-ship exceeds what I can expresse in words, and in my opinion their performance of what they undertake, is equall at least, if not transcendent over any's who in the like kind shall strive to parralell them.
| Londini Status Pacatus ; Or, Londons Peacable Estate | |