University of Virginia Library

Md. That the Thursday next aftur the fest of seynt Bartholomewe the postyll, the yere reynyng of Kyng Herry the sixt aftur the Conquest xxxiiij, Richard Braytoft then beyng meyre, was made assemble yn seynt Mary Halle, of worshipfull persons, whos names folowen:—

The wheche persones aboven rehersyd then ordyned and provyded, that ther shold a C marke be levyed by the wardes yn Coventre, wherof L marke to yeven to oure souerayne lady the

quene and other L marke to the prynce, at her next comyng to Coventre.

Afturward, that ys for to sey at the fest of the Holy Crosse the xxxv yere of Kyng Herry the sixt, at Coventre, L marke was yeven to oure soverayn lady the quene; and the xx day of January then next folowyng, he the seyde meyre and his counsell, the other L marke of the seyd C marke, was relivered to the collectours of every warde after the rate, as hit be endentures severally made be-twix the seyde meyre and the collectours apereth, savely to kepe to the use of the prynce, when he comes to Coventre.

Md. That the demene and rule that was made and shewed un-to oure soverayn lady the quene, at Coventre, was thus as it foloweth yn wrytyng; that is for to sey, furst at the Bablake there was made a Jesse over the yate right well [arayed], and there were shewed too speches, as foloweth:

Ysay.
Princes most excellent, born of blode riall,
Chosen quene of this region, conforte to all hus,
I, Ysay, replete with the spirite propheticall,
Wordes to your magnificens woll I say thus:
Like as mankynde was gladdid by the birght of Jhsus,
So shall this empyre joy the birthe of your bodye;
The knyghtly curage of prince Edward all men shall joy to se.

Jeremy.
Emprece, quene, princes excellent, in on person all iij,
I, Jeremy the prophete trew, theis wordes of you wyll say:
This reme shall joye the blessyd tyme of your nativyte;
The mellyflue mekenes of your person shall put all wo away.
Unto the rote of Jesse likken you well I may;
The fragrante floure sprongon of you shall so encrece and spredde,
That all the world yn ich party shall cherisshe hym, love and drede.

Afturward with-inne the yate at the est yende of the chirche, was a pagent right well arayed and therein was shewed a speche of seynt Edward and an-other of seynt John the Evaungelist, as foloweth:
S. Edward.

Moder of mekenes, dame Margarete, princes most excellent,
I, kyng Edward, welcum you with affeccion righ[t] cordiall,
Certefying to your highnes mekely myn entent.
For the wele of the kyng and you hertely pray I shall,
And for prince Edward, my gostly chylde, whom I love principall,
Praying the, John evangelist, my helpe therin to be;
On that condicion right humbly I gif this ryng to the.

John Evangelist.
Holy Edward, crownyd kyng, brother in virginyte,
My power playnly I wyll prefer thi wyll to amplifye.
Most excellent princes of weymen mortall, your bedeman wyll I be.
I knowe your lyf so vertuus that God is plesyd therby;
The birth of you un-to this reme shall cause grete melody.
The vertuus voyce of prince Edward shall dayly well encrese;
Seynt Edward, his godfader, and I shall pray therfore dowtelesse.

Afturward the cundit yn Smythforde strete was right well arayed and there was shewed iiij speches of iiij cardynall vertues, as foloweth:
Righ[t]wesnes.
I, Righ[t]wesenes, that causeth treuth to be had,
Mekely as a maydyn my langage wyll I make,
And welcum you, princes right cherefull and glad;
With you wyll I be dwellyng and never you forsake.

Temperaunce.
I, Temperaunce, to plese you warly wyll wake,
And welcome you as most worthy to my power,
Besechyng youre highnes this langage to take;
I wyll feythfully defende you from all manner daunger.

Strength.
I, Strength the iij vertewe, wyll playnly appere,
Clerely to conseyve yo yn your estate most riall,
And welcum yowe, princes, gladly with chere;
For to do that mowe plece you, aray ws we shall.

Prudence.
I, Prudence, of the iiij vertewes highest in degre,
Welcum you, dame Margarete, quene crowned of this lande.
The blessyd babe that ye have born, prynce Edward is he,
Thurrowe whom pece and tranquilite shall take this reme on hand;
We shall endowe both you and hym clerely to understonde;
We shall preserve you personally and never fro you dissever.
Doute not, princes most excellent, we iiij shall do our dever.

Afturward at the crosse yn the Croschepyng, there were ordeyned diverse angels sensyng a-high on the crosse, and there ranne out wyne at mony places a long while.

Afturward betwix the seyde crosse and the cundit benethe that, were sette ix pagentes right well arayed and yn every pagent was shewed a speche of the ix conqueroures; yn the furst was shewed of Hector, as foloweth:

Hector.
Most pleasaunt princes recordid that may be,
I, Hector of Troy, that am chefe conquerour,
Lowly wyll obey yowe and knele on my kne,
And welcum yowe tendurly to your honoure
To this conabull cite, the princes chambur;
Whome ye bare yn youre bosom, joy to this lande,
Thro whome in prosperite this empyre shall stand.

In the secunde pagent was shewed a speche of Alexander as foloweth:
Alexander.
I, Alexander, that for chyvalry berith the balle,
Most curagiuos in conquest, thro the world am y-named,
Welcum yowe, princes, as quene principall.
But I hayls you ryght hendly, I wer worthy to be blamyd;
The noblest prince that is born, whome fortune hath famyd,
Is your sovereyn lorde Herry, emperour and kyng;
Unto whom mekely I wyll be obeying.

In the thridde pagent was shewed of Josue as foloweth:
Josue.
I, Josue, that in Hebrewe reyn principall,
To whome that all Egipte was fayn to inclyne,
Wyll abey to your plesur, princes most riall,
As to the heghest lady that I can ymagyne.
To the plesure of your persone, I wyll put me to pyne,
As a knyght for his lady boldly to fight,
Yf any man of curage wold bid you unright.

In the fourthe pagent was shewed of David, as followeth:
David.
I, David, that in deynte have led all my dayes,
That slowe the lyon and Goly thorowe Goddys myght,
Will obey to you, lady, youre persone prayse
And welcum you curtesly as a kynd knyght,
For the love of your lege lorde, Herry that hight,
And your laudabull lyfe that vertuus ever hath be;
Lady most lufly, ye be welcum to this cite!

In the fyth pagent was shewed a speche of Judas, as foloweth:
Judas.
I, Judas, that yn Jure am callid the belle,
In knyghthode and conquest have I no pere,
Wyll obey to you, princes, elles did I not well
And tendurly welcum you yn my manere.
Your own soverayn lorde and kynge is present here,
Whome God for his godenes preserve in good helthe,
And ende you with worship to this landys welthe!

In the sixt pagent was shewed a speche of Arthur, as foloweth:
Arthur.
I, Arthur, kynge crownyd and conquerour,
That yn this lande reyned right rially;
With dedes of armes I slowe the emperour;
The tribute of this ryche reme I made downe to ly—
Ihit unto [you], lady, obey I mekely,
As youre sure servande; plesur to your highnesse,
For the most plesaunt princes mortal that es!

In the vij pagent was shewed a speche of Charles, as foloweth:
Charles.
I, Charles, chefe cheftan of the reme of Fraunce
And emperour of grete Rome, made by eleccion,
Which put mony paynyms to pyne and penaunce;
The holy relikes of Criste I had in possession—
Ihit, lady, to your highnes to cause dieu refeccion,
Worshipfully I welcum you after your magnificens;
Yf my service mowe plese you, I wyll put to my diligence.

In the viij pagent was shewed a speche of Julius, as foloweth:
Julius.
I, Julius Cesar, soverayn of knyghthode
And emperour of mortall men, most hegh and myghty,
Welcum you, princes most benynge and gode;
Of quenes that byn crowned so high non knowe I.
The same blessyd blossom, that spronge of your body,
Shall succede me in worship, I wyll it be so;
All the landis olyve shall obey hym un-to.

In the ix pagent was shewed a speche of Godfride, as foloweth:
Godfride.
I, Godfride of Bollayn, kynge of Jerusalem,
Weryng the thorny crowne yn worshyp of Jhesu,
Which in battayle have no pere under the sone beme;
Yhit, lady, right lowely I loute unto yowe.
So excellent a princes, stedefast and trewe,
Knowe I none cristened as you in your estate;
Jhesu for hys merci incresse and not abate!

Afturward and last the cundit yn the Crossechepyng was arayed right well with as mony virgyns as myght be theruppon, and there was made a grete dragon and seynt Margaret sleyng hym be myracull, and there was shewed full well this speche that foloweth:
S. Margaret.

Md. Payde to John Wedurby of Leycester for the provicion and makyng of these premisses of the welcomyng of our soverayn lady the quene, and for his laboure inne and out xxv s.