University of Virginia Library

At Fen-Church.

The Scene presented it selfe in a square and flat vpright, like to the side of a Citie: the top thereof, aboue the Vent, and Crest, adorn'd with houses, towres, and steeples, set off in prospectiue. Vpon the battlements in a great capitall letter was inscribed,

According to Tacitvs: At Svetonivs

mirâ constantiâ, medios inter hosteis Londinium perrexit, cognomento quidem Coloniæ non insigne, sed copiâ Negotiatorum, & commeatu maxime celebre. Beneath that, in a lesse, and different character, was written

Which title immediately after the Norman conquest it began to haue; and

by the indulgence of succeeding Princes, hath beene hitherto continued. In the Freeze ouer the gate, it seemeth to speake this verse:

Taken out of Martial, and implying, that though this citie (for the

state, and magnificence) might (by Hyperbole) be said to touch the starres, and reach vp to heauen, yet was it farre inferior to the master thereof, who was his Maiestie; and in that respect vnworthy to receiue him. The highest person aduanc'd therein, was

and fitly: applying to the aboue mentioned title of the citie, The Kings Chamber, and therefore here placed as in the proper seate of the empire: for, so the glorie and light of our kingdome M. Camden, speaking of

London, saith, shee is, totius Britanniæ Epitome, Brittanicque Imperij sedes, Regumque Angliæ Camera, tantum inter omneis eminet, quantum (vt ait ille) inter viburna Cupressus. Shee was a woman, richly attyr'd, in cloth of gold and tissue; a rich mantle; ouer her state two crownes hanging, with pensile shields thorow them; the one lim'd with the particular coate of England, the other of Scotland: on either side also a crowne, with the like Scutchions, and peculiar coates of France, and Ireland. In her hand shee holds a scepter; on her head a fillet of gold, inter-wouen with palme and lawrell; her hayre bound into foure seuerall points, descending from her crownes; and in her lap a little globe, inscrib'd vpon

And beneath, the word

To shew, that this empire is a world diuided from the world, and alluding to that of Clav.

—Et nostro diducta Britannia mundo.

And Virg.

—Et penitus toto diuisos orbe Britannos.

The wreathe denotes victorie and happinesse. The scepter and crownes soueraignetie. The shields the precedency of the countries, and their distinctions. At her feet was set

or diuine Wisedome, all in white, a blue mantle seeded with starres, a crowne of starres on her head. Her garments figur'd truth, innocence, and cleerenesse. Shee was alwayes looking vp; in her one hand shee sustayned a doue, in the other a serpent: the last to shew her subtiltie, the first her simplicitie; alluding to that text of Scripture, Estote ergo prudentes sicut serpentes,

& simplices sicut columbæ. Her word,

Intimating, how by her, all kings doe gouerne, and that she is the foundation and strength of kingdomes, to which end, shee was here placed, vp on a cube, at the foot of the Monarchie, as her base and stay. Directly beneath her stood

A person attyr'd rich, reuerend, and antique: his haire long and white, crowned with a wreathe of Plane tree, which is said to be Arbor genialis; his mantle of purple, and buskins of that colour: He held in one hand a goblet, in the other a branch full of little twigs, to signifie increase and indulgence. His word

pointing to the two that supported him, whereof the one on the right hand, was

Figuring the councell of the citie, and was suted in blacke and purple; a

wreathe of oke vpon his head; sustayning for his ensignes, on his left arme a scarlet robe, and his right hand the Fasces, as tokens of magistracie, with this inscription;

the other on the left hand.

The warlike force of the citie, in an antique coate, or armour, with a target and sword; his helme on, and crowned with lawrell, implying strength and conquest: in his hand he bore the standard of the citie, with this word,

Expressing by those seuerall mots, connexed, that with those armes of councel and strength, the Genius was able to extinguish the kings enemies, and preserue his citizens, alluding to those verses in Seneca,

Extinguere bostem, maxima est virtus Ducis.

Octa. Act. 2.

Seruare Ciues, maior est patriæ, patri.

Vnder-neath these, in an Aback thrust out before the rest, lay

The riuer, as running along the side of the citie; in a skin-coate made like flesh, naked, and blue. His mantle of sea-greene or water colour, thin, and bolne out like a sayle; bracelets about his wrests, of willow and sedge, a crowne of sedge and reede vpon his head, mixt with water-lillies; alluding to Virgils description of Tyber;

—Deus ipse loci, fluuio Tyberinus amœno,

Æn. lib. 8.

Populeas inter senior se attollere frondes
Visus, eum tenuis glauco velabat amictu
Carbusus, & crineis vmbrosa tegebat Arundo.

His beard, and hayre long, and ouer-growne. He leanes his arme vpon an earthen pot, out of which, water, with liue fishes, are seene to runne forth, and play about him. His word,

A hemistich of Ovids: The rest of the verse being,

—quid esset amor

Affirming, that riuers themselues, and such inanimate creatures, haue heretofore beene made sensible of passions, and affections; and that hee now, no lesse pertooke the ioy of his maiesties gratefull approch to this citie, than any of those persons, to whom hee pointed, which were the daughters of the Genius, and sixe in number: who, in a

spreading ascent, vpon seuerall grices, helpe to beautifie both the sides. The first,

or Gladnesse: was suted in greene, a mantle of diuers colours, embroydred with all varietie of flowres: on her head a gyrland of myrtle, in her right hand a crystall cruze fill'd with wine, in the left a cup of gold: at her feet a tymbrell, harpe, and other instruments, all ensignes of gladnesse,

Natis in vsum lætitiæ scyphis, &c.

And in another place,

Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero
Pulsanda Tellus, &c.

Et Ode. 37.

Her word,

As if this were the first houre of her life, and the minute wherein shee

began to be; beholding so long coueted, and look'd for a presence. The second.

or Veneratio, was varied in an ash-colour'd sute, and darke mantle, a vayle ouer her head of ash colour: her hands crost before her, and her eyes halfe closde. Her word,

Implying both her office of reuerence, and the dignitie of her obiect,

who being as god on earth, should neuer be lesse in her thought. The third.

or Promptitude, was attyr'd in a short tuck't garment of flame-colour, wings at her backe; her haire bright, and bound vp with ribands; her brest open, virago-like; her buskins so ribanded: Shee was crowned with a chaplet of trifoly, to expresse readinesse, and opennesse euery way; in her right hand shee held a squirrell, as being the creature most full of life and quicknesse: in the left a close round censor, with the perfume sodainely to be vented forth at the sides. Her word,

Taken from an other place in Virgil, where Eolvs at the command

of Ivno, lets forth the winde;

—ac venti velut agmine facto

Æne. 1.

Quâ data porta ruunt, & terras turbine perflant.

And shew'd that shee was no lesse prepar'd with promptitude, and alacritie, then the windes were, vpon the least gate that shall be opened to his high command. The fourth.

or Vigilance, in yellow, a sable mantle, seeded with waking eyes, and siluer fringe: her chaplet of Heliotropium, or turnesole; in her one hand a lampe,

or cresset, in her other a bell. The lampe signified search and sight, the bell warning. The Heliotropium care; and respecting her obiect. Her word,

Alluding to that of Ovid, where he describes the office of Argvs.

—Ipse procul montis sublime cacumen
Occupat, vnde sedens partes speculatur in omneis.

Met. 1.

and implying the like duety of care and vigilance in her selfe. The fifth,

Or louing affection, in crimson fringed with golde, a mantle of flame-colour, her chaplet of red and white roses; in her hand a flaming heart: The flame expressed zeale, the red and white roses, a mixture of simplicity with loue: her robes freshnes and feruency. Her word,

Out of Clavdian, in following.

—Neccircumstantia peila
Quàm tutatur amor.

Inferring, that though her sister before had protested watchfulnesse, and circumspection, yet no watch or guard could be so safe to the estate, or person of a Prince, as the loue and naturall affection of his subiects: which she in the cities behalfe promised. The sixt,

Or vnanimity in blew, her roabe blew, and buskins. A chaplet of blew lillies, shewing one trueth and intirenesse of minde. In her lappe lies a sheafe of arrowes bound together, and she her selfe sittes weauing certaine small siluer twists. Her word,

Auxilia humilia firma, &c.

Pub. Syr. Mi.

Intimating, that euen the smallest and weakest aydes, by consent, are made strong: herselfe personating the vnanimity, or consent of soule, in all inhabitants of the city to his seruice.

These are all the personages, or liue figures, whereof only two were speakers (Genivs and Tamesis) the rest were mutes. Other dumbe complements there were, as the armes of the kingdome on the one side, with this inscription.

On the other side the armes of the citie, with

In the centre, or midst of the Pegme, there was an Aback, or Square, wherein this Elogie was written:

Maximvs hic Rex est, et lvce serenior ipsa
Principe qvae talem cernit in vrbe Dvcem;
Cvivs Fortvnam svperat sic vnica Virtvs,
Vnvs vt is reliqvos vincit vtraqve viros.
Praeceptis alii popvlos, mvltaqve fatigant
Lege; sed exemplo nos rapit ille svo.
Cviqve frvi tota fas est vxore marito,
Et sva fas simili pignora nosse patri.
Ecce vbi pignoribvs circvmstipata corvscis
It comes, et tanto vix minor ANNA viro.
Havd metvs est, Regem posthac ne proximvs Haeres,
Nev Svccessorem non amet ille svvm.

This, and the whole frame, was couered with a curtaine of silke, painted like a thicke cloud, and at the approach of the K. was instantly to be drawne. The Allegorie being, that those clouds were gathered vpon the face of the Citie, through their long want of his most wished sight: but now, as at the rising of the Sunne, all mists were dispersed and fled. When sodainely, vpon silence made to the Musickes, a voyce was heard to vtter this verse;

Totus adest oculis, aderat qui mentibus olim,

Claud. de laud. Stil. lib. 3.

Signifying, that he now was really obiected to their eyes, who before had beene onely, but still, present in their minds.

Thus farre the complementall part of the first; wherein was not onely labored the expression of state and magnificence (as proper to a triumphall Arch) but the very site, fabricke, strength, policie, dignitie, and affections of the Citie were all laid downe to life: The nature and propertie of these Deuices being, to present alwaies some one entire bodie, or figure, consisting of distinct members, and each of those expressing it selfe, in the owne actiue spheare, yet all, with that generall harmonie so connexed, and disposed, as no one little part can be missing to the illustration of the whole: where also is to be noted, that the Symboles vsed, are not, neither ought to be, simply Hieroglyphickes, Emblemes, or Impreses, but a mixed character, partaking somewhat of all, and peculiarly apted to these more magnificent Inuentions: wherein, the garments and ensignes deliuer the nature of the person, and the word the present office. Neither was it becomming, or could it stand with the dignitie of these shewes (after the most miserable and desperate shift of the Puppits) to require a Truch-man, or (with the ignorant Painter) one to write, This is a Dog; or, This is a Hare: but so to be presented, as vpon the view, they might, without cloud, or obscuritie, declare themselues to the sharpe and learned:

And for the multitude, no doubt but their grounded iudgements did gaze, said it was fine, and were satisfied.

The speeches of Gratulation.
GENIVS.
Time, Fate, and Fortune haue at length conspir'd,
To giue our Age the day so much desir'd.
What all the minutes, houres, weekes, months, and yeares,
That hang in file vpon these siluer haires,
Could not produce, beneath the

As being the first free and naturall gouernment of this Iland, after it came to ciuilitie.

Britaine stroke,
The Roman, Saxon, Dane, and Norman

In respect they were all Conquests, and the obedience of the subiect more enforced.

yoke,
This point of Time hath done. Now London reare
Thy forehead high, and on it striue to weare
Thy choisest gems; teach thy steepe Towres to rise
Higher with people: set with sparkling eyes
Thy spacious windowes; and in euery street,
Let thronging ioy, loue, and amazement meet.
Cleaue all the ayre with showtes, and let the cry
Strike through as long, and vniuersally,
As thunder; for, thou now art blist to see
That sight, for which thou didst begin to be.
When

Rather then the Citie should want a Founder, we choose to follow the receiued storie of Brute, whether fabulous, or true, and not altogether vnwarranted in Poetrie: since it is a fauor of Antiquitie to few Cities, to let them know their first Authors. Besides, a learned Poet of our time, in a most elegant worke of his Con. Tam. & Isis, celebrating London, hath this verse of her:

Æmula maternæ tollens sua lumina Troiæ.

Here is also an ancient rite alluded to in the building of Cities, which was, to giue them their bounds with a plough, according to Virg. Æn. li. 10. Interea Aeneas vrbem designat Aratro. And Isidore, lib. 15. cap. 2. Vrbs vocata ab orbe, quod antiquæ ciuitates in orbem fiebant; vel ab vrbo parte aratri, quo muri designabantur, vnde est illud. Optauitque locum regno & concludere sulco.

Brvtvs plough first gaue thee infant bounds,
And I, thy Genivs walk't auspicious rounds
In euery

Primigenius sulcus dicitur, qui in condenda noua vrbe, tauro & vacca designationis causa imprimitur; Hitherto respects that of Camd. Erit. 368. speaking of this Citie, Quicunque autem condiderit, vitali genio, constructam fuisse ipsius fortune docuit.

furrow; then did I forelooke,
And saw this day

For so all happie dayes were. Plin. cap. 40. lib. 7. Nat. Hist. To which Horace alludes, lib. 1. Ode 36. Cressâ ne careat pulchra dies notâ. And the other Plin. epist. 11. lib 6. O diem lætum, notandumque mihi candidissimo calculo. With many other in many places. Mart. lib. 8. epi. 45. lib. 9. epi. 53. lib. 10. 38. lib. 11. 37. Stat. lib. 4. Syl. 6. Pers. sat. 2. Catull. epig. 69. &c.

mark't white in

The Parcæ, or Fates, Martianus calls them scribas ac librarias superûm; whereof Clotho is said to be the eldest, signifying in Latine Euocatio.

Clotho's booke.
The seuerall

Those before mentioned of the Britaine, Roman, Saxon, &c. and to this Register of the fates allude those verses of Ouid. Met. 15.

—Cerues illic molimine vasto.
Ex ære, & solido rerum tabularia ferro:
Que neque concussum cœli, neque fulminis Iram,
Nec metuunt vllas tuta atque æterna ruinas.
Inuenies illis incisa adamante perenni
Fata &c.—

circles, both of change and sway,
Within this Isle, there also figur'd lay:
Of which the greatest, perfectest, and last
Was this, whose present happinesse we tast.
Why keepe you silence daughters? What dull peace
Is this inhabites you? Shall office cease,
Vpon th'aspect of him, to whom you owe
More then you are, or can be? Shall Time know
That article, wherein your flame stood still,
And not aspi'rd? Now heauen auert an ill
Of that blacke looke. Ere pause possesse your brests
I wish you more of plagues: “Zeale when it rests,
Leaues to be zeale. Vp thou tame River, wake;
And from the liquid limbes this slumber shake:
Thou drown'st thy selfe in inofficious sleepe;
And these thy sluggish waters seeme to creepe,
Rather than flow. Vp, rise, and swell with pride
Aboue thy bankes. “Now is not euery tyde.

TAMESIS.
To what vaine end should I contend to show
My weaker powers, when seas of pompe o'reflow
The cities face: and couer all the shore
With sands more rich than

A riuer diuiding Spaine & Portugal, and by the consent of Poets sti'ld aurifer.

Tagvs wealthy ore?
When in the flood of ioy, that comes with him,
He drownes the world; yet makes it liue and swimme,
And spring with gladnesse: not my fishes heere,
Though they be dumbe, but doe expresse the cheere
Of these bright streames. No lesse may

Vnderstanding Euphrosyne, Sebasis, Prothumia, &c.

these, and I
Boast our delights, albe't we silent lie.

GENIVS.
Indeede, true gladnesse doth not alwayes speake:
“Ioy bred, and borne but in the tongue, is weake.
Yet (lest the feruor of so pure a flame
As this my citie beares, might lose the name,
Without the apt euenting of her heate)
Know greatest Iames (and no lesse good, than great.)
In the behalfe of all my vertuous sonnes,
Whereof my

The lord Maior, who for his yeere, hath senior place of the rest, & for the day was chiefe serieant to the king.

eldest there, thy pompe forerunnes,
(A man without my flattering, or his pride,
As worthy, as he's

Aboue the blessing of his present office, the word had some particular allusion to his Name, which is Benet, and hath (no doubt) in time bin the contraction of Benedict.

blest to be thy guide)
In his graue name, and all his brethrens right,
(Who thirst to drinke the nectar of thy sight)
The councell, commoners, and multitude;
(Glad, that this day so long deny'd, is view'd)
I tender thee the heartiest welcome, yet
That euer king had to his

The citie which title is toucht before.

empires seate:
Neuer came man, more long'd for, more desir'd:
And being come, more reuerenc'd, lou'd, admir'd:
Heare, and record it: “In a prince it is
“No little vertue, to know who are his.

To the prince.

With like deuotions, doe I stoope t'embrace
This springing glory of thy

An attribute giuen to great persons, fitly aboue other, humanity, and in frequent vse with all the greeke Poets, especially Homer. Iliad. a—διος Αχιλλευς. And in the same booke.—και αντι. θεον Πολυφημον.

godlike race;
His countries wonder, hope, loue, ioy and pride:
How well dooth he become the royall side
Of this erected, and broade spreading Tree,
Vnder whose shade, may Brittaine euer be.
And from this branch, may thousand branches more
Shoote o're the maine, and knit with euery shore
In bonds of marriage, kinred, and increase;
And stile this land, the

As Luctatius calls Parnassus, Vmbillicum terra.

nauill of their peace.
This is your seruants wish, your cities vow,
Which still shall propagate it selfe, with you;
And free from spurres of hope, that slow minds moue:
“He seekes no hire, that owes his life to loue.

To the queene.

And heere she comes that is no lesse a part
In this dayes greatnesse, then in my glad heart.
Glory of queenes, and

An emphatical speech, & well re-enforcing her greatnes; being by this match, more than either her brother, father, &c.

glory of your name,
Whose graces doe as farre out-speake your fame,
As fame doth silence, when her trumpet rings
You

Daughter to Frederick secōd king of Denmarke, and Norway, sister to Christierne the fourth now there reigning, & wife to Iames our Soueraigne.

daughter, sister, wife of seuerall kings:
Besides alliance, and the stile of mother,
In which one title you drowne all your other.
Instance, be

The prince Henrie Frederike.

that faire shoote, is gone before,
Your eldest ioy, and top of all your store,
With

Charles duke of Rothsey, and the Lady Elizabeth.

those, whose sight to vs is yet deni'd,
But not our zeale to them, or ought beside
This citie can to you: For whose estate
Shee hopes you will be still good aduocate
To her best lord. So, whilst you mortall are,
No taste of sowre mortalitie once dare
Approch your house; nor fortune greete your grace
But comming on, and with a forward face.