University of Virginia Library

The fourth Presentation is Called Brittania's Watch-Tower.

This is a Magnificent Structure, Aduancing it selfe from the Platforme, or Ground-worke vpward, with the Bewty of eight Antique Termes, By whose strength is supported a Foure square Building; The Toppe of which is a Watch-Tower, or Lanthorne, with eight Columnes of siluer: And, on the Highest poynt of this Watch-Tower, is Aduanced a Banner, bearing the Cullors of the Kingdome.

At foure Corners of the vpper Square, stand foure Pendants;

In which are the Armes of the foure Companies of which his Lordship is Free.

At rach end of this Platforme, stands a great Corynthian Brazen Pillar, on a Pedestall of Marble.

On the Capitals of those Pillars; stand two Angels, in Postures ready to flye: holding Garlands of Victory in one hand, stucke with White and Red Roses, and Branches of Palme in the other.

The Capitals and Bases of the Pillars are Gold, and are Emblemes of the two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster; once diuided, but now Ioyned into One Glorious Building, to Support This Royal Kingdom, & Consequently This Citty.

At Night, in place of the Angels, are set two Great Lights: and so is the Watch-Tower at that Time, Filld with lighted Tapers.

Vpon the same Square, in foure seuerall Places, are Aduanced foure stately Pyramides, being Figures, of the foure Kingdomes Embellished with Escutcheons.

In the vpper seate of all (fashioned into a Throne) is placed Britannia, Maiestically attirde, fitting to her Greatnesse.

Beneath Her, and round about Her, are these Petsons: viz. Magnanimity with a drawne Sword.

A Shipwright with a Mallet, holding a Scutcheon, in which is drawne a Ship vnder sayle. Then,

A person representing Victory, with a Palme Tree.

Prouidence with a Trumpet, ready to Foresee Dangers, and awaken Men to meete them.

All These haue bene, and still are, Watch-Towers, and Lanthornes, in the Nighrs of Feare and Trouble, to Guard the Kingdome, and in the Kingdome, This Citty.

In other Eminent places are seated some of those Kinges of England (in Robes Ermynd) whose loues and Royall fauors, in former times were Watch-Towers to Grace London,

stucke full with the Beames and Lights of Honors, Titles, Offices, Magistracies and Royalties, which they Bestowed vppon Her.

Edward Confessor, called Londons Chiefe Ruler, a Port-reue.

Richard 1. appointed two Bayliffes ouer London.

King Iohn gaue the Citty a Lord Maior and two Sheriffes.

Henry 3. added Aldermen.

These were Tender ouer the Renowne of the Citty, and still heaped on her head, Royalties vpon Royalties.

And albeit most of our Kinges, haue in most of all of the twelue Companies, Entred their Names, as Free of the Societies, thereby to Royallize their Brotherhoods: And that many of our Kinges likewise, besides Princes and Great Personages, haue bin Free of This Company, whose Names I forbeare to set downe, because they haue in former yeeres beene fully exprest: yet no Company, did euer, or can hereafter, receiue such Graces from Kinges, as This Antient, and Honord Corporation of Skinners, hath had, and still haue, In regard that All our Kinges and Princes, sit in their high Courts of Parliament in Robes Ermynd, (being the richest Furre) the workemanship of which goes through the Skinners fingers, wearing likewise vnder their Crownes, Royall Caps of Honor Ermynd.

Three of such Crownes, beeing the rich Armes of This Company, thereby expressing aswell their Honor, as Antiquity.

Britannia
deliuers thus much.