 | The Kings Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire |  |
Dovet.
What softer sounds are these salute the Eare
From the large Circle, of the Hemispheare,
As if the Center of all sweets met here!
Love.
It is the breath, and Soule of every thing,
Put forth by Earth, by Nature, and the Spring,
To speake the Welcome, Welcome of the King.
Chorvs.
Of Affections, Joy. Delight, &c.
The joy of plants. The spirit of flowers,
The smell, and verdure of the bowers,
The waters murmure; with the showers
Distilling on the new-fresh howers:
The whistling winds, and birds, that sing
The Welcome of our great, good King.
Welcome, O Welcome, is the generall voyce,
Wherein all Creatures practize to rejoyce.
The second Straine.
Love.
When was old Sherewood's head more quaintly curl'd?
Or look'd the Earth more greene upon the world?
Or Natures Cradle more inchas'd, and purl'd?
As Quiristers of Season, and the Prime!
Dou.
If what they doe, be done in their due time.
Chorvs.
Hee makes the time for whom 't is done,
From whom the warmth, heat, life, begun,
Into whose fostring armes doe run
All that have being from the Sun.
Such is the fount of light, the King,
The heart, that quickens ev'ry thing,
And makes the Creatures language all one voyce;
In Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, to rejoyce:
Welcome is all our Song, is all our sound,
The Treble part, the Tenor, and the Ground.
After Dinner.
The King, and the Lords being come downe, and ready to take horse, In the Crowd were discover'd two notorious persons, and men of businesse, as by their eminent dressing, and habits did soone appeare.
One in a costly Cassock of black Buckram girt unto him, whereon was painted Party-per pale:
- Noune.
- Pronoune.
- Verbe.
- Participle.
On the one side. declined
- Adverbe.
- Conjunction.
- Præposition.
- Interjection.
On the other side. Undeclined.
With his Hatt, Hat-band, Stockings, and Sandals suted, and marked, A. B. C. &c.
The other in a Taberd, or Heralds Coat of Azure, and Gules quarterly chang'd of Buckram; Limn'd with yellow, in stead of Gold, and pasted over with old Records of the two Shires, and certaine fragments of the Forrest, as a Coat of Antiquitie, and President, willing to be seene, but heard to be read, and as loth to be understood, without the Interpreter, who wore it: For the wrong end of the letters were turn'd upward, therefore was a labell fix'd to, To the Curious Prier, advertising:
Looke not so neere, with hope to understand;Out-cept, Sir, you can read with the left hand.
Acci.
By your faire leave Gentlemen of Court; for leave is ever
faire being ask'd; and granted is as light, according to our
English Proverbe, Leave is light. Which is the King I pray you?
Fitz.
Or rather the Kings Lieutenant? For we have nothing to say
to the King, till we have spoken with my Lord Lieutenant.
Acc.
Of Nottinghamshire.
Fitz.
And Darbyshire, for he is both. And we have businesse to both
sides of him from either of the Counties.
Acc.
As farre as his Command stretches.
Fitz.
Is this he?
Acc.
This is no great man by his timber (as we say i'the Forrest) by
his thewes he may. I'll venture a Part of Speech, two, or three at him;
to see how hee is declin'd. My Lord, Pleaseth your good Lordship, I am
a poore Neighbour, here, of your Honours, i'the Countie.
Fitz.
M
r. A-B-Cee Accidence, my good Lord, Schoole-master of
Mansfield, the painfull Instructer of our Youth in their Countrey elements,
as appeareth by the signe of correction, in his hat, with the trust
of the Towne-Pen-and-Inkehorne, committed to the Sure-tie of his
Girdle, from the whole Corporation.
Acc.
This is the more remarkeable man, my very good Lord; Father
Fitz-ale, Herald of Darbie, Light, and Lanthorne of both Counties; the
learned Antiquarie o'the North: Conserver of the Records of either
Forrest, as witnesseth the briefe Tabard, or Coat Armour he carries, being
an industrious Collection of all the written, or reported Wonders of
the Peake.
Or Elden bottomlesse, like Hell:
Pooles-hole, or Satans sumptuous Arse,
(Surreverence) with the Mine-mens Farce.
Such a light, and metall'd Dance
Saw you never yet in France.
And by Lead-men, for the nonce,
That turne round like grindlestones:
Which they dig out fro' the Delves,
For their Bairnes-bread, Wives, and sell's:
Whom the Whetstone sharpes to eat,
And cry Milstones are good meat.
He can flie o're hills, and dales,
And report you more odde tales,
Of our Outlaw Robinhood
That revell'd here in Sherewood;
And more stories of him show
(Though he ne're shot in his Bow.)
Then au' men, or beleeve, or know.
Stint, stint, your Court,
Grow to be short,
Throw by your Clatter,
And handle the matter:
We come with our Peeres,
And crave your eares,
To present a Wedding,
Intended a bedding,
Of both the Shires.
Father Fitz-ale
Hath a Daughter stale
In Darbie-Towne,
Knowne, up, and downe
For a geat Antiquitie:
And Pem she hight
A solemne Wight
As you should meet
In any street,
In that Ubiquitie.
Her, he hath brought
As having sought
By many a draught
Of Ale, and Craft;
With skill to graft
In some old Stock,
O' the Yeoman block,
And Forrest-blood,
Of old Sherewood.
And he hath found
Within the ground,
At last no Shrimpe,
Whereon to impe,
His jolly Club,
But a bold Stub
O' the right wood,
Fitz.
A Champion good;
Who here in place,
Presents himselfe,
Like doughtie Elfe,
Of Greenwood Chase.
Here Stub the Bridegroome presented himselfe, being apparelled in a yellow Canvas Doublet, cut, a greene Jerkin, and Hose, like a Ranger. A Munmouth Cap, with a yellow Feather, yellow Stockings, and Shooes, for being to dance, he would not trouble himselfe with Bootes.
Stub of Stub-hall,
Some doe him call;
But most doe say
Hee's Stub, will stay;
Not run away
Acc.
At Quintin, hee,
In honour of this Bridaltee,
Hath challeng'd either wide Countee;
Come Cut, and Long-taile. For there be
Sixe Batchelers, as bold as hee,
Adjuting to his Companee,
And each one hath his Liverie;
Fitz.
Sixe Hoods they are, and of the blood,
They tell of ancient Robinhood. Here the sixe Hoods presented themselves severally, in their Livory Hoods, whil'st Fitz-ale spoke on.
Red-hood.
Red-hood the first that doth appeare
In Stamel.
Acc.
Scarlet is too deare.
Green-hood.
Fitz.
Then Green-hood.
Ac.
He's in Kendal Green,
As in the Forrest Colour seene.
Blew-hood.
Fitz.
Next Blew-hood is, and in that hue
Doth vaunt a heart as pure, and true
As is the Skie; (give him his due.)
Acc.
Of old England the Yeoman blew.
Tawney-hood.
Fitz.
Then Tawney fra' the Kirke that came.
Acc.
And cleped was the Abbots man.
Motley-hood.
Fitz.
With Motley-hood, the Man of Law.
Russet-hood.
Acc.
And Russet-hood keepes all in Awe.
Bold Batchelers they are, and large,
And come in at the Countrey charge;
Horse, Bridles, Saddles, Stirrups, Girts,
All reckon'd o' the Countie skirts!
And all their Courses, misse, or hit,
Intended are, for the Sheere-wit,
And so to be receiv'd. Their game
Is Countrey sport, and hath a name
From the Place that beares the cost,
Else all the Fat i'the Fire were lost.
Goe Captaine Stub, lead on, and show
What house you come on, by the blow
You give Sir Quintin, and the Cuffe,
You scape o'th'Sand-bags Counterbuffe.
A Flourish.
Stubs Course. 1.
Acc.
O well run, Yeoman Stub!
Thou hast knock'd it, like a Club,
And made Sir Quintin know:
By this his race so good;
He himselfe is also wood;
As by his furious blow.
Red-hoods Course. 2.
Fitz.
Bravely run Red-hood,
There was a shock,
To have buff'd out the blood
From ought but a block.
Flourish.
Greene-hoods Course 3.
Acc.
Well run Green-hood, got betweene,
Under the Sand-bag, he was seene,
Lowting low, like a For'ster greene:
Fitz.
Hee knowes his tackle, and his treene.
Flourish.
Blew-hoods Course. 4.
Acc.
Gi'the old England Yeoman his due,
H'has hit Sir Quin: just i'the Qu:
Though that be black, yet he is blew.
It is a brave patch, and a new!
Flourish.
Tawny-hoods Course: 5.
Fitz.
Well run Tawney, the Abbots Churle
His Jade gave him a Jerk,
As he woul' have his Rider hurle
His Hood after the Kirke.
But he was wiser, and well beheft,
For this is all, that he hath left.
Flourish.
Motley-hoods Course. 6.
Fitz.
Or the Saddle turn'd round, or the Girths brake,
For low on the ground (wo' for his sake)
The Law is found.
Acc.
Had his paire of tongues, not so much good,
To keepe his head, in his Motley-hood?
Flourish.
Russet-hoods Course. 7.
Fitz.
Russet ran fast, though he be throwne,
Acc.
He lost no stirrup, for he had none.
His horse, it is the Heralds weft.
2.
No 'tis a mare, and hath a cleft.
3.
She is Countrey-borrow'd, and no vaile,
But 's hood is forfeit to Fitz-ale.
Here Accidence did breake them of, by calling them to the Dance, and to the Bride, who was drest like an old May-Lady, with Skarfes, and a great wrought Handkerchiefe, with red, and blew, and other habiliments. Sixe Maids attending on her, attir'd, with Buckram Bride-laces beguilt: White sleeves, and Stammell Petticotes, drest after the cleanliest Countrey guise; among whom Mistris Alphabet, Master Accidence's Daughter, did beare a prime sway.
The two Bride Squires, the Cake-bearer, and the Boll-bearer, were in two yellow leather Doublets, and russet Hose, like two twin-Clownes prest out for that office, with Livery Hatts, and Ribbands.
Acc.
Come to the Bride; another fit,
Yet show, Sirs, o' your Countrey wit,
But o' your best. Let all the Steele
Of back, and braines fall to the heele;
And all the Quick-silver i'the mine
Run i'the foot-veines, and refine
Your Firk-hum-Jerk-hum to a Dance,
Shall fetch the Fiddles out of France;
To wonder at the Horne-pipes, here,
Of Nottingham, and Darbishire.
Fitz.
With the Phant'sies of Hey-troll,
Trol about the Bride-all Boll,
And divide the broad Bride-Cake
Round about the Brides-stake.
Acc.
With, here is to the fruit of Pem,
Fitz.
Grafted upon Stub his Stem,
Acc.
With the Peakish Nicetie,
Fitz.
And old Sherewoods Vicetie.
The last of which words were set to a Tune, and sung to the Bagpipe, and Measure of their Dance; the Clownes, and companie of Spectators drinking, and eating the while.
The Song.
Let's sing about, and say, Hey-trol,
Troll to me the Bridall Boll,
And divide the broad Bride-Cake,
Round about the Brides-stake.
With, Here, is to the fruit of Pem,
Grafted upon Stub his stem;
With the Peakish Nicetie,
And old Sherewoods Vicetie.
Above thy Yeoman, or May-Lord.
Here it was thought necessarie they should be broken off, by the comming in of an Officer, or servant of the Lord Lieutenants, whose face had put on, with his Clothes, an equall authoritie for the businesse.
Gentleman.
Give end unto your rudenesse: Know at length
Whose time, and patience you have urg'd, the Kings:
Whom if you knew, and truly, as you ought,
'T would strike a reverence in you, even to blushing,
That King whose love it is, to be your Parent!
Whose Office, and whose Charge, to be your Pastor!
Whose single watch, defendeth all your sleepes!
Whose labours, are your rests! whose thoughts and cares,
Breed you delights! whose bus'nesse, all your leasures!
And you to interrupt his serious houres,
With light, impertinent, unworthy objects,
Sights for your selves, and sav'ring your owne tast's;
You are too blame. Know your disease, and cure it,
Sports should not be obtruded on great Monarchs,
But wait when they will call for them as servants,
And meanest of their servants, since their price is
At highest, to be styl'd, but of their pleasures!
Our King is going now to a great worke
Of highest Love, Affection, and Example,
To see his Native Countrey, and his Cradle,
And find those manners there, which he suck'd in
With Nurses Milke, and Parents pietie!
O Sister Scotland! what hast thou deserv'd
Of joyfull England, giving us this King!
What Union (if thou lik'st) hast thou not made?
In knitting for Great Brittaine such a Garland?
And letting him, to weare it? Such a King!
As men would wish, that knew not how to hope
His like, but seeing him! A Prince, that's Law
Unto himselfe. Is good, for goodnesse-sake;
And so becomes the Rule unto his Subjects!
That studies not to seeme, or to show great,
But be! Not drest for others eyes, and eares,
With Vizors, and false rumours; but make Fame
Wait on his Actions, and thence speake his Name!
O blesse his Goings out, and Commings in,
Thou mighty God of Heaven, lend him long
Unto the Nations, which yet scarcely know him,
Yet are most happy, by his Government.
Blesse his faire Bed-mate, and their certaine Pledges,
And never may he want those nerves in Fate;
Whilst he himselfe is mortall, let him feele
Nothing about him mortall, in his house;
Let him approve his young increasing Charles,
A loyall Sonne: and take him long to be
An aid, before he be a Successor.
Late, come that day, that Heaven will aske him from us:
Let our Grand-child, and their issue, long
Expect it, and not see it. Let us pray
That Fortune never know to exercise
More power upon him, then as Charles his servant,
And his great Brittaines slave: ever to waite
Bond-woman to the GENIUS of this State.
| The Kings Entertainment at Welbeck in Nottinghamshire | |