XLVII. THE SAME, 1681. [The Loyal Protestant and True Domestic Intelligencer.] On Lord Mayor's Day this year the King and Queen again gave their company. About the same time as the Lord Mayor took barge at Westminster, they left Whitehall, attended by all the great officers of the Household, inclosed with the Yeomen of the Guard on foot, and escorted by the Duke of York's troop of two hundred gentlemen, commanded by the Earl of Feversham. Near the West end of St. Paul's a speech was delivered by one the boys of Christ's Hospital, others being seated about him, each holding a mathematical instrument; and at St. Paul's school a lad recited some Latin and English verse. Soon after twelve their Majesties arrived at a house in Cheapside opposite Bow Church, and were there diverted by the Pageants, of which the following description is given. The first was the figure of a large camel carved, mounted by a young Negro between two silver panniers; on each side of him sat two ladies representing Plenty and Wholsom. In the rear of the camel was a Royal Theatre, built after the Ionic order, adorned with the figures of the Seven Champions of Christendom, with five beautiful ladies, in their proper order, representing the Senses. St. Anthony, the Patron of the Grocers, made a speech to the Lord Mayor. Next his Lordship was intercepted by two Pageants, Jucundity and Utility, mounted on golden griffins; between which appeared another, being a magnificent fabric of the composite order, called the Academy of Sciences, on which were placed philosophers and prudent women, amongst whom Diogenes made a speech. After which appeared an Indian Garden of Spices, in which was a sumptuous bower and a rustic building, where Fructifera, the Lady Governess, attended with Fragor, Florida, Delicia, and Placentia. Fructifera make a speech, and one of her attendants sung. When the show was past, the Sheriffs* waited on the King, to conduct him to Guildhall; which they did, riding bare on each side the coach. The dinner being over, their Majesties left Guildhall on their return at seven; when all the streets being illuminated with torches, flambeaux, &c. were beset with numerous crowds, whose continued shouts declared their present joy of his Majesty's presence; and in this manner being come to Ludgate, a large rank of loyal gentlemen stood in a balcony, charged with full glasses, which they discharged in such excellent order, that caused all the Guards to answer them with a huzza. Immediately after, all the streets appeared as in a flame with bonfires. XLVIII. KING JAMES THE SECOND, 1687. James the Second this year, the only time as King, honoured Sir John Shorter with his presence at his inauguration ban ́quet. "The Pageants," says the London Gazette, "were chiefly designed to express the benefits the city [then deprived of its Charter!] enjoys of peace and plenty under his Majesties happy government, and for the many advantages of that liberty which his Majesty has been pleased so graciously to indulge all his subjects, though of different persuasions." The King was accompanied by Prince George of Denmark, and was met by the two Sheriffs at Temple Bar. Amongst other tables in the Hall, there was one furnished for the Foreign Ministers, at which was present the Pope's Nuntio and the French Ambassador. * On these Sheriffs, Thos. Pilkington and Samuel Shute, Esqrs. who were Whigs, and chosen in opposition to the Court, the King did not bestow the usual honour of knighthood; on the contrary, on accepting the City invitation, he had not hesitated to show his dislike of them, in the following reply: "Mr. Recorder, An invitation from my Lord Mayor and the City is very acceptable to me; and, to show that it is so, notwithstanding that it is brought to me by messengers so unwelcome to me as those two Sheriffs are, yet I accept it." XLIX. KING WILLIAM AND QUEEN MARY, 1689. [London Gazette.] On Lord Mayor's day, as the City Barges passed by Whitehall, they paid their obeisance to their Majesties, who were in their apartment on the water-side. The river was covered with boats, and the noise of drums and trumpets, and several sorts of music, with the firing of great guns, and the repeated huzzas of a multitude of people, afforded a very agreeable entertainment. About noon their Majesties came into the City, attended by his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark, and a numerous train of Nobility and Gentry in their coaches, the Militia of London and Westminster making a lane for them; the balconies all along their passage being richly hung with tapestry, and filled with spectators. Their Majesties were pleased, from a balcony prepared for them in Cheapside, to see the Show, which for the great number of the Citizens of the several Guilds attending in their formalities, the full appearance of the Artillery Company, the rich adornments of the Pageants and hieroglyphical representations, and the splendour and good order of the whole proceeding, outdid all that has been heretofore seen in this City upon the like occasions; but that which deserves to be particularly mentioned, was the Royal City Regiment of Volunteer Horse, which being rich and gallantly accoutred, and led by the Right Hon. the Earl of Monmouth, attended their Majesties from Whitehall into the City. The Cavalcade being passed by, the King and Queen were conducted by the two Sheriffs to the Guildhall, where their Majesties, both Houses of Parliament, the Privy Councillors, the Judges, the Ladies of the Bedchamber, and other ladies of the chiefest quality, dined at several tables. The King conferred knighthood on the Sheriffs, Christopher Lethieullier and John Houblon, Esquires, as also upon two of the Aldermen, Edward Clark and Francis Child, Esquires. In the evening their Majesties returned to Whitehall with the same state they came. The Militia again lined the street, the City Regiments as far as Temple Bar, and the red and blue Regiments of Middlesex and Westminster from thence to Whitehall, the soldiers having at convenient distances lighted flambeaux in their hands; and the houses were all illuminated. L. THE SAME, 1692. On the feast-day of Sir John Fleet, the King and Queen again dined at Guildhall, when the same state was observed as on the occasion last described. The King on this occasion knighted three Aldermen, Sir John Wildman, Sir William Gore, and Sir James Houblon; the Chamberlain, Sir Leonard Robinson; and Sir Rowland Ainsworth, Sir William Scawen, Sir Josiah Child, and Sir John Foach, merchants. LI. KING WILLIAM THE THIRD, 1697. On the conclusion of the Peace of Ryswick, King William the Third made a triumphant entry into London, in the character of a conqueror and the arbiter of the destinies of Europe. This took place on the 26th of November, 1697. He came from Greenwich about ten o'clock, in his coach, with Prince George and the Earl of Scarborough ; attended by fourscore other coaches, each drawn by six horses. The Archbishop of Canterbury came next to the King, the Lord Chancellor after him, then the Dukes of Norfolk, Devon, Southampton, Grafton, Shrewsbury, and all the principal noblemen. Some Companies of Foot Grenadiers went before, the Horse F Grenadiers followed, as did the Horse Lifeguards, and some of the Earl of Oxford's Horse; the Gentlemen of the Band of Pensioners were in Southwark, but did not march on foot; the Yeomen of the Guard were about the King's coach. On St. Margaret's Hill, in Southwark, the Lord Mayor met his Majesty, where, on his knees, he delivered the sword, which his Majesty returned, ordering him to carry it before him. Then Mr. Recorder made a speech suitable to the occasion, after which the cavalcade commenced. A detachment of about one hundred of the City Trained Bands in buff coats and red feathers in their hats, preceded; then followed two of the King's coaches, and one of Prince George's; then two City Marshals on horseback, with their six men on foot in new liveries; the six City Trumpets on horseback; the Sheriffs' Officers on foot, with their halberds and javelins in their hands; the Lord Mayor's Officers in black gowns; the City Officers on horseback, each attended by a servant on foot, viz. the four Attorneys, the Solicitor and Remembrancer, the two Secondaries, the Comptroller, the Common Pleaders, the two Judges, the Town Clerk, the Common Serjeant, and the Chamberlain. Then came the Water Bailiff on horseback, carrying the City banner; the Common Crier and the Swordbearer, the last in his gown of black damask and gold chain; each with a servant; then those who had fined for Sheriffs or Aldermen, or had served as such, according to their seniority, in scarlet, two and two, on horseback; the two Sheriffs on horseback, with their gold chains and white staffs, with two servants apiece; the Aldermen below the chair on horseback, in scarlet, each attended by his Beadle and two servants; the Recorder, in scarlet on horseback, with two servants; and the Aldermen above the chair, in scarlet, on horseback, wearing their gold chains, each attended by his Beadle, and four serThen followed the State all on horseback, uncovered, viz. the Knight Marshall with a footman on each side; then the kettle-drums, the Drum Major, the King's Trumpets, the Serjeant Trumpet with his mace; after followed the Pursuivants at Arms, Heralds of Arms, Kings of Arms, with the Serjeants at Arms on each side, bearing their maces, all bare vants. |