VPon Saturday, whiche was the xiiii. day of Ianuarye in the yere of our Lord God .1558. about .ii. of the clocke at after noone, the moste noble and Christian prin­cesse, oure mooste dradde soue­raigne Ladye Elyzabeth by the grace of god Quene of Englande Fraunce & Ire­lande, defendour of the faith. &c. marched from the towre to passe through the citie of London towarde Westminster, richely furnished, & most honorably accompanied, as well with gentilmen, Barons, & other the nobilite of this realme, as also with a no­table trayne of goodly and beawtifull ladies, richly appoynted. And entryng the citie was of the people receiued marueylous entierly, as appeared by thas­semblie, prayers, wishes, welcomminges, cryes, ten­der woordes, and all other signes, whiche argue a wonderfull earnest loue of most obedient subiectes towarde theyr soueraigne. And on thother syde her grace by holding vp her handes, and merie countenaunce to such as stode farre of, and most tender & gentle lāguage to those that stode nigh to her grace, did declare her selfe no lesse thankefullye to receiue her peoples good wyll, than they louingly offred it vnto her. To al that wyshed her grace wel, she gaue heartie thankes, and to such as bade God saue her grace, she sayde agayne god saue them all, and thanked them with all her heart. So that on eyther syde ther was nothing but gladnes, nothing but prayer: [Page] nothing but comfort. The Quenes maiestie reioy­sed marueilously to see, y ^t, so exceadingly shewed to­warde her grace, which all good princes haue euer desyred, I meane so earnest loue of subiectes, so eui­dently declared euen to her graces owne person be­ing caried in the middest of them. The people again wer wonderfully rauished with the louing answers and gestures of theyr princesse, like to the which they had before tryed at her first comming to the towre from Hatfield. This her graces louing behauiour preconceiued in the peoples heades vpon these con­sideracions was then throughly confirmed, and in dede emplanted a wonderfull hope in them tou­chyng her woorthy gouernement in the reste of her reygne. For in all her passage she did not only shew her most gracious loue toward the people in gene­rall, but also priuately if the baser personages had either offred her grace any flowres or such like, as a signification of their good wyll, or moued to her any sute, she most gently, to the common reioysing of all the lookers on, & priuate comfort of the partie, staid her chariot, and heard theyr requestes. So that if a man shoulde say well, he could not better tearme the citie of London that time, than a stage wherin was shewed the wonderfull spectacle, of a noble hearted princesse toward her most louing people, & the peo­ples exceding comfort in beholding so worthy a so­ueraigne, & hearing so princelike a voice which could not but haue set thenemie on fyre, since the vertue is in thenemie alway cōmended, much more could not [Page] but enflame her naturall, obedient, and moste lo­uyng people, whose wea [...]e leaneth onely vppon her grace, and her gouernement. Thus therefore the Queenes maiestie passed from the Towre, tyll she came to Fanchurche, the people on eche side ioyously beholdyng the viewe of so gracious a La­dye theyr queene, and her grace no lesse gladly no­tyng and obseruing the same. Nere vnto Fanchurch was erected a scaffolde richely furnished, wheron stode a noyes of instrumentes, and a chylde in cost­ly apparell, whiche was appoynted to welcome the queenes maiestie in the hole cities behalfe. Agaynst which place when her grace came, of her owne wyll she cōmaunded the chariot to be stayde, and that the noyes might be appeased tyll the childe had vttered his welcomming oration, which hespake in English meter as here foloweth.

[Page] At which wordes of the last line the hole people gaue a great shout, wishing with one assent as the chylde had said. And the Quenes maiestie thāked most hartely both the citie for this her gentle receiuing at the first, & also the people for confirming the same. Here was noted in the Queenes maiesties countenance, during the time that the childe spake, besides a per­petuall atte [...]tiuenes in her face, a meruelous chāge in loke, as the childes wordes touched either her person or the peoples tonges and hertes. So that she with reioysyng visage did euidently declare that the woordes tooke no lesse place in her minde, than they were moste heartely pronounced by the chylde, as frō all the heartes of her moste heartie citizeins. The same verses wer fastned vp in a table vpon the scaf­folde, and the latine therof likewise in latine verses in another table as hereafter ensueth.

Now when the childe had pronounced his orati­on, and the Quenes highnes so thankefully had re­ceiued it, she marched forwarde towarde gracious streate, where at the vpper ende, before the signe of the Egle, the citie had erected a gorgeous and sumptuous arke as here foloweth.

A stage was made whiche extended from thone syde of the streate to thother, rychely vawted with batlementes conteining three portes, and ouer the middlemost was auaunced .iii. seuerall stages in de­grees. Upon the lowest stage was made one seate royall, wherin wer placed two personages represen­tyng kyng Henrie the seuenth and Elyzabeth his wyfe doughter of kyng Edward the fourth, eyther of these two princes sitting vnder one cloth of estate in their seates, no otherwyse diuided, but that tho [...]e of them whiche was kyng Henrie the seuenth proce­ding out of the house of Lancastre, was enclosed in a read rose, and thother which was Queene Eliza­beth being heire to the house of Yorke enclosed with [Page] a whyte rose, eche of them royally crowned, and de­cently apparailled as apperteineth to princes, with Sceptours in their hādes, & one vawt surmoūting their heades, wherin aptly wer placed two tables, eche cōteining y ^e title of those two princes. And these personages wer so set, y ^t the one of thē ioyned han­des with thother, with y ^e ring of matrimonie percei­ued on y ^e finger. Out of the which two roses sprang two braūches gathered into one, which wer directed vpward to the second stage or degree, wherin was placed one, representing the valiant & noble prynce king Henry theight which sprong out of the former stock, crowned with a crown imperial, & by him sate one represēting y ^e right worthy ladie quene Anne, wife to the said king Henry the [...]ght, & mother to our most soueraign ladie quene Elizabeth that now is, both apparelled with Sceptours & diademes, and other furniture due to the state of a king & Queene, & ii. tables surmounting their heades, wherein were writtē their names & titles. Frō their [...]eate also pro­ceaded vpwardes one braūche directed to the thirde and vppermost stage or degree, wherein lykewyse was planted a seate royall, in the whiche was sette one representyng the Queenes most excellent ma­iestie Elizabeth nowe our moste dradde soueraigne Ladie, crowned and apparelled as thother pryn­ces were. Out of the foreparte of this pageaunt was made a standyng for a chylde, whiche at the Quenes maiesties cōming declared vnto her y ^• hole meaning of the said pageaunt. The two sides of the [Page] same were filled with loude noyses of musicke.

And all emptie places thereof were furnished with sententces concerning vnitie. And the hole pageant garnished with redde roses and white and in the forefront of the same pageant in a faire wreathe was written the name, and title of the same, which was. The vniting of the two howses of Lancastre and Yorke. Thys pageant was grounded vpon the Queenes maiesties name. For like as the long warre betwene the two hou­ses of Yorke and Lancastre then ended, when Elizabeth doughter to Edward the fourth mat­ched in mariage with Henrye the seuenthe heyre to the howse of Lancastre: so since that the Queenes maiesti [...]s name was Elizabeth, and forsomuch as she is the onelye heire of Hen­rye the eight, which came of bothe the howses as the k [...]itting vp of concorde, it was deuised that like as Elizabeth was the first occasion of concorde, so she another Elizabeth myght main­taine thesame among her sub [...]ectes, so that vnitie was the ende wherat the whole deuise shotte, as the Queenes maiesties names moued the first grounde. Thys pageant nowe agaynste the Quenes maiesties comming was addressed with children representing the forenamed personages, with all furniture dewe vnto the setting forth of such a matter well ment, as the argument decla­red, costly and sumptuouslye set forth as the behol­ders can beare witnes. Now the Quenes ma­iestie [Page] drewe neare vnto the sayde pageaunt, and forsomuche as the noyse was greate by reason of the prease of people, so that she coulde skarce heare the childe whyche did enterprete y ^• said pageaunt, and her chariot was passed so farre forwarde that she could not well v [...]ew the personages represen­ting the kynges and Queen [...]s abouenamed: she required to haue the mater opened vnto her, & what they signified, with the ende of vnitie, and gro [...]id of her name, according as is before expressed. For the fight wherof, her grace caused her chariot to be re­moued back, and yet hardly could she see, because y ^• children wer set somewhat with the farthest in.

But after that her grace had vnderstode y ^• mea­ning therof, she thanked the citie, praised y ^• fairenes of the worke, and promised that she woulde doe her whole endeuour for the continuall preseruacion of concorde, as the pageant did emport.

The childe appointed in the standing abouenamed to open the meaning of the said pageant, spake these wordes vnto her grace.

The which also wer written in latin verses, and both [...]rawen in two tables vpon the forefront of the saide pageant as hereafter foloweth.

These verses and other pretie sentences were dra­wen in voide places of thys pageant, all tending to one ende that quietnes might be mainteyned, and all dissention displaced, and that by the Quenes maiestie, heire to agrement, and agreing in name with her, which tofore had ioyned those houses, which had ben thoccasyon of much debate and ciuill warre within thys realme, as may ap­pere to such as will searche cronicles, but be not to be touched in thys treatise only declaring her graces passage through the citie, and what prouisy­on the citie made therfore. And ere the Quenes maiestie came wythin hearing of thys pageaunt, she sent certaine as also at all the other pageauntes to require the people to be silent. For her maiestie [Page] was disposed to heare all that shoulde be sayde vn­to her.

When the Queenes maiestie had hearde the chyldes oration, and vnderstoode the meanyng of the pageant at large, she marched forward toward Cornehill, alway receiued with lyke reioysing of the people, and there as her grace passed by the conduit which was curiously trimmed agaynst that tyme with ryche banners adourned, and a noyse of loude instrumentes vpon the top therof, she espyed the se­conde pageant, and because shee feared for the peoples noyse, that she should not heare the child which dyd expounde thesame, she enquired what that pageant was ere that she came to it. And there vnderstoode, that there was a chylde repre­senting her maiesties person, placed in a seate o [...] gouernement, supported by certayne vertues, which suppressed their contrarie vyces vnder their feete. and so forthe, as in the description of the sayd pageant shall herafter appeare.

This pageant standynge in the nether ende of Cornehill, was extended from thone syde of the streate to the other, and in the same pageant was deuysed three gates all open, and ouer the middle parte thereof was erected one chayre, or seate royal with clothe of estate to the same apperteynyng, wherein was placed a chylde representinge the Queenes highnesse, with consideracion had for place conuenient for a table whiche conteyned her name and tytle. And in a comely wreathe artifi­cially [Page] and wel deuised with perfite sight and vnder­stāding to the people. In the frōt of the same page at was written the name and title thereof, whych is The seate of worthie gouernance, whych seate was made in such artificiall maner, as to the apperance of the lookers on, the forparte semed to haue no staye, and therfore of force was stayed by liuely personages, which personages were in numbre foure, standing and staieng the forefronte of the same seate royall, eche hauing his face to the Quene and people, wherof euery one had a table to expresse their effectes, which are vertues namely. Pure reli­gion, Loue of subiectes, VVisdome and Iustice, which did treade their contrarie vices vnder their feete, that is to witte, Pure religion, did treade vppon Superstition and Ignoraunce, Loue of subiectes, dyd treade vpon Rebellion and insolencie, VVisdome did treade vpon Follie and Vaine glorie, Iustice did treade vpon Adulacion and Bribery. Eche of these personages according to their proper names and properties had not onely their names in plaine and perfit writing set vpon their breastes easely to be read of all, but also euery of them was aptly and properly apparelled, so that hys apparell and name did agre to expresse thesame person, that in [...]tie he represented. This part of the pageant was thus appointed and furnished. The two sydes ouer the two side portes had in them placed a noyse of in­strumentes, whych immediatlye, after the chyldes speache gaue an heauenly melodie. Upon the top or [Page] vppermost part of y ^• said pageāt stode the armes of England ro [...]ally portratured with y ^• proper beastes to vpholde thesame. One representing the Quenes highnes, sate in this seate crowned with an Impe­riall crowne, and before her seate, was a conuenient place appointed for one childe which did interprete and applye the said pageant as hereafter shalbe de­clared. Euerye voyde place was furnyshed with proper sentences commendyng the seate supported by vertues, and defacing the vyces, to the vtter­extirpacion of rebellion, and to euerlastyng conti­nuaunce of quyetnes and peace. The Quenes ma­iestie approching nyghe vnto this pageaunt thus beawtifyed and furnyshed in all poyntes, caused her chariot to bee drawen nyghe thereunto, that her grace myght heare the chyldes oration, whiche was this.

[Page]Which verses were painted vpon the right syde of the same pageant, and the latin therof on the left side in an other table, which were these.

Beside these verses there wer placed in euery voide rome of the pageant both in Englishe and la­tin such sentences as aduannced the seate of gouer­naunce vpholden by vertue. The grounde of thys pageant was, that like as by vertues (whych doe aboundantly appere in her grace) the Queenes maiestie was established in the seate of gouerne­ment: so she should sitte fast in the same so long, as she embraced vertue and helde vice vnder foote. For if vice once gotte vp the head, it would put the seate of gouernement in peryll of [...]alli [...]g.

The Queenes maiestie when she had heard the childe and vnderstode the pageant at full, gaue [Page] the citie also thankes there, and most graciouslie promised her good endeuour for the maintenaunce of the sayde vertues, and suppression of vyces, and so marched on till she came againste the great con­duite in cheape, which was bewtified with pictures and sentences accordinglye against her graces co­ming thether▪

Against Soper la [...]es ende was extended from thone side of the streate to thother, a pageant which had three gates all open. Ouer the middlemoste wherof wer erected three seuerall stages, whereon sate eight children, as hereafter foloweth. On the vppermost one childe, on the middle three, on the lowest .iiii. eche hauing the proper name of the bles­sing, that they did represent, written in a Table and placed abouetheir heades. In the forefront of this pageant before the children which did represent the blessinges, was a conuenient standing cast out for a chylde to stande, which did expownd the sayd pa­geant vnto the Quenes maiestie, as was done in thother tofore. Euerie of these children wer appoin­ted & apparelled according vnto the blessing which he did represent. And on the forepart of the sayde pageant was written in fayre letters the name of the said pageant in this maner folowing.

The eight beatitudes expressed in the .v. chapter of the gospel of .S, Mathew, applyed to our soueraigne Ladie Quene Elizabeth.

Ouer the two syde portes was placed a noyes of instrumentes. And all voyde places in the pagea [...]t [Page] wer furnished with prety sayinges, cōmending and touching y ^• meaning of the said pageant, which was the promises & blessinges of almightie god made to his people. Before y ^t the quenes highnes came vnto this pageant, she required y ^• matter somewhat to be opened vnto her, y ^t her grace might the better vn­derstād, what should afterward by the child be sayd vnto her. Which so was, y ^t the citie had there erected the pageant with .vi [...]i. children, representing theyght blessinges touched in the .v. Chapiter of S. Ma­thew. Wherof, euery one vpon iust consideracions was applyed vnto her high [...]es, a [...]d that the people therby put her grace in mind, y ^t as her good doinges before had geuen iust occasion, why that these bles­singes might fall vpon her, y ^t so if her grace did con­tinue in her goodnes as she had entred, she shoulde hope for the fruit of these promises due vnto them, y ^• doe exercise themselues in the blessinges, whiche her grace heard merueilous graciously, and requi­red that the chariot myght be remoued towardes the pageaunt, that she might perceyue the chyldes woordes, which were these, the Quenes maiestie geuing most attentiue eare, and requiring that the peoples noyse might be stayde.

[Page]When these woordes were spoken, all the people wished, that as the child had spoken, so god woulde strengthen her grace against all her aduersaries, whom y ^e Quenes maiestie did most gently thanke for their so louing wishe. These verses wer painted on the left syde of the said pageant, and other in la­ten on thother syde, which wer these.

Besides these, euery voide place in y ^e pageant was furnished with sentences touching the matter and ground of the said pageant. When all y ^t was to be said in this pageant was ended, the Quenes ma­iestie passed on forward in Chepe syde.

At the standarde in Cheape which was dressed fayre agaynste the tyme, was placed a noyse of Trumpettes, with banners and other furniture. The Crosse lykewyse was also made fayre and [Page] well trimmed. And neare vnto thesame, vppon the porthe of Saint Peters church dore, stode the waites of the citie, which did geue a pleasant noyse with their instrumentes as the Quenes maiestie did passe by, whiche on euery syde cast her counte­naunce, and wished well to all her most louing peo­ple. Sone after that her grace passed the crosse, she had espyed the pageant erected at the little conduit in cheape, and incontinent required to know what it might signifye. And it was tolde her grace, that there was placed Tyme. Tyme [...]ꝙ she, and Tyme hath brought me hether. And so furth the hole mat­ter was opened to her grace, as hereafter shalbe de­clared in the descripcion of the pageaunt. But in the opening, when her grace vnderstode that the Byble in Englyshe shoulde be deliuered vnto her by Trueth, whiche was therein represented by a chylde: she thanked the citie for that gyft, and sayde that she woulde oftentymes reade ouer that booke, cōmaunding sir Iohn Parrat, one of the knightes which helde vp her canapy▪ to goe before and to re­ceiue the booke. But learning that it should be de­liuered vnto her grace downe by a silken lace, she caused hym to staye, and so passed forward till she came agaynste the Aldermen in the hyghe ende of Cheape tofore the little conduite, where the com­panies of the citie ended, whiche beganne at Fan­churche, and stoode along the streates, one by ano­ther enclosed with rayles, hanged with clothes, and themselues well opparelled with manye ryche [Page] furres, and their liuery whodes vppon their shoul­ders in comely and semely maner, hauing before thē sondry persones wellapparelled in silkes & [...]haines of golde, as wyflers and garders of the sayd com­panies, beside a number of riche hanginges, aswell of Tapistrie, Arras, clothes of golde, siluer vel­uet, damaske, Sattin, and other silkes plentifullye hanged all the way as the Queenes highnes pas­sed from the Towre through the citie. Out at the windowes & penthouses of euery house, did hang a number of ryche and costlye banners and strea­mers, tyll her grace came to the vpper ende of Cheape. And there by appoyntment, the right wor­shipfull maister Ranulph Cholmeley Recorder of the citie, presented to the Quenes maiestie a purse of crimeson satti [...] richely wrought with gold, wher­in the citie gaue vnto the Quenes maiestie a thou­sand markes in gold, as maister Recorder did de­clare brieflie vnto the Queenes maiestie, whose woordes tended to this ende, that the Lorde maior his brethren, and comminaltie of the citie, to de­clare their gladnes and good wille towardes the Quenes maiestie, dyd present her grace with that golde, desyering her grace to continue theyr good and gracious Quene, and not to esteme the value of the gift, but the mynd of the geuers. The Que­nes maiestie with both her handes tooke the purse, and aunswered to hym againe merueylous pithi­lie, and so pithilie, that the standers by, as they em­braced entierly her gracious aunswer, so they mer­uailed [Page] at y ^• cowching therof, which was in wor­des truely reported these. I thanke my lord maior, his brethren, & you all. And wheras your request is that I should continue your good ladie & quene, be ye ensured, that I wil be as good vnto you, as euer quene was to her people. No wille in me can lacke, neither doe I trust shall ther lacke any power. And perswade your selues, that for the safetie and qui­etnes of you all, I will not spare, if nede be to spend my blood, God thanke you all. Whiche aunswere of so noble an hearted pryncesse, if it moued a mer­uaylous showte and reioysing, it is nothyng to be meruayled at, since both the heartines thereof was so woonderfull, and the woordes so ioyntly knytte. When her grace hadde thus aunswered the Re­corder, she marched toward the little conduit, where was erected a pageaunt with square proporcion, standynge directlye before thesame conduite, with battlementes accordynglye. And in thesame pa­geaunt was aduaunced two hylles or mountay­nes of conuenient heyghte. The one of them be­yng on the North syde of thesame pageaunt, was made cragged, barreyn, and stonye, in the whiche was erected one tree, artificiallye made, all wi­thered and dea [...]e, with braunches accordinglye. And vnder thesame tree at the foote thereof, sate one in homely and rude apparell crokedlye, and in mournyng maner, hauynge ouer hys headde in a table, written in Laten and Englyshe, hys name, whiche was Ruinosa Respublica, A decay­ed [Page] common weale. And vppon thesame withe­red tree ware fixed certayne Tables, wherein were written proper sentences, expressing the cau­ses of the decaye of a commonweale. The other hylle on the South syde was made fayre, freshe, grene, and beawtifull, the grounde thereof full of flowres and beawtie, and on thesame was e­rected also one tree very freshe and fayre, vnder the whiche, stoode vprighte one freshe personage well apparaylled and appoynted, whose name also was written bothe in Englyshe and in La­ten, whiche was, Respublica bene instituta. A flo­rishyng commonweale. And vppon thesame tree also, were fi [...]ed certayne Tables conteyning sen­tences, which expressed the causes of a flourishing common weale. In the middle betwene the sayde hylles, was made artificiallye one hollowe place or caue, with doore and locke enclosed, oute of the whiche, a lyttle before the Queenes hyghnes commynge thither, issued one personage whose name was Tyme, apparaylled as an olde man with a Sythe in his hande, hauynge wynges ar­tificiallye made, leadinge a personage of lesser stature then himselfe, whiche was fynely and well apparaylled, all cladde in whyte silke, and directlye ouer her head was set her name and tytle in latin and Englyshe, Temporis filia, the daughter of Tyme. Which two so appoynted, went forwarde, toward the South syde of the pageant. And on her brest was written her propre name, whiche was [Page] Veritas. Trueth who helde a booke in her hande vpon the which was writen, verbum veritatis, the woorde of trueth. And out of the South syde of the pageaunt▪ was cast a standynge for a childe which should enterprete thesame pageant. Against whom, when the Quenes maiestie came, he spake vnto her grace these woordes.

When the childe had thus ended his speache, he reached his booke towardes the Quenes maiestie, whiche a little before, Trueth had let downe vnto him from the hill, whiche by sir Iohn Parrat was receiued, and deliuered vnto the Quene. But she as soone as she had receyued the booke, kissed it, and with both her handes held vp thesame, and so laid it vpon her brest, with great thankes to the ci­tie [Page] therfore. A [...]d so wēt forward towar [...]s Paules churchyard. The former matter whych was re­hersed vnto the Queenes maiestie was written in two tables, on either side the pageant eight ver­ses, and in the middest, these in laten.

The sentences written in latin and englishe vpon both the trees, declaring the causes of both estates, were these.

• VVāt of the feare of god
• Disobedience to rulers.
• Blindnes of guides.
• Briberie in maiestrats
• Rebellion in subiectes.
• Ciuill disagrement.
• Flattring of princes.
• Vnmercifulnes in rulers
• Vnthākfulnes in subiects

• [Page]Feare of god.
• A wise prince.
• Learned rulers.
• Obedience to officers
• Obedient subiectes.
• Louers of the cōmon weale
• Vertue rewarded
• Vice chastened.

The mater of this pageāt depēdeth of them y ^• went before. For as the first declared her grace to cōe out of y ^• house of vnitie, y ^• second y ^• she is placed in y ^• seat of gouernment staied with vertue to the suppressiō of vice, and therfore in the third the eight blessinges of almighty god might well be applyed vnto her: so this fourth now is, to put her grace in remembrāce of the state of the common weale, which Time with Truth his doughter doth reuele, which Truth also her grace hath receiued, and therfore cannot but be mercifull and caref [...]l for y ^• good gouernmēt therof. From thence the Quenes maiestie passed towarde Paules churchyard, and whē she came ouer agaīst Paules scole, a childe appointed by the scolemaster therof pronoūced a certein oratiō in latin, & certein verses which also wer there written as foloweth.

Philosophus ille diuinus Plato inter multa pre­clare ac sapienter dicta, hoc posteris proditū reli­quit, Rempub [...] illā faelicissimāfore, cui prīceps so­phiae studiosa, virtutibus (que) ornata cōtigerit▪ Quem si vere dixisse censeamus (vt quidē verissime) cur non terra Britannica plauderet? cur non populus [Page] gaudium at (que) laetitiam agitaret? immo, cur nō hunc diem albo (quod aiunt) lapillo notaret? quo prin­ceps talis nobis adest, qualem priores non viderūt, qualem (que) posteritas haud facile cernere poterit, do­tibus quū animi, tum corporis vndi (que) faelicissima. Castiquidem corporis dotes ita apertae sunt, vt ora­tione non egeant. Animi vero tot tantae (que), vt ne verbis quidem exprimi possint. Haec nempe Re­gibus summis orta, morum at (que) animi nobilitate genus exuperat. Huius pectus Christi religionis amore flagrat. Haec gentem Britannicam virtu­tibus illustrabit, clipeo (que) iustitiae teget. Haec literis graecis etlati [...]is eximia, ingenio (que) prepollēs est. Hac imperante pietas vigebit, Anglia florebit, aurea secula redibunt. Vos igitur Angli tot commoda ac­cepturi Elizabetham Reginam nostram celeberri­mā ab ipso Christo huius regni imperio destinatam, honore debito prosequimini. Huius imperiis aīo libentissimo subditiestote, vos (que) tali prīcipe dignos prebete. Et quoniam pueri non viribus sed precibꝰ. officiū prestare possūt, nos Alumni huius scholae ab ipso Coleto olim Templi Paulini Decano, extructae teneras palmas ad caelum tendentes Christum Opt: Maxi: precaturi sumus vt tuam cel [...]itudinē annos Nestoreos summo cū honore Anglis imperitare fa­ciat, matrem (que) pignoribꝰ charis beatā reddat. Amē.

Which the Queenes maiestie most attentiulye harkened vnto. And when the childe had pro [...]oun­ced he did kisse the oration whi [...]h he had there faire written in paper, and de [...]iueredit vnto the Quenes maiestie, which most gētly receiued thesame. And when the Quenes maiestie had heard all y ^• was there offred to be spokē, thē her grace marched to­ward Ludgate, where she was receiued with a noyse of instrumētes, the forefront of y ^• gate being finelie trimmed vp against her maiesties cōming. [Page] From thence by the way as she went down toward fletebridge, one aboute her grace noted the cities charge, that there was no cost spared. Her grace answered that she did well consyder the same, and that it should be remembred. In honorable aun­swere, worthie a noble prince, which may comforte all her subiectes, considering there can be no point of gentlenes, or obedient loue shewed towarde her grace, whych she doth not most renderlie accepte, and graciously waye. In this maner, the people on either side reioysing, her grace wente for­warde, towarde the conduite in Fleetestrete, where was the fifte and last pageaunt erected in forme folowing. From the conduite which was bewtified with painting, vnto the Northside of the strete, was erected a stage embattelled with foure towres and in the same a square platte rising with degrees, and vppon the [...] vppermost degree was placed a chaire, or seate royall, and behynde the same seate in curious and artificiall maner, was erected a tree of reasonable height and so farre ad­uaunced aboue the seate as it did well and semelye shadow the same, without endomaging the syght of any part of the pageant, and the same tree was bewtified with leaues as greene as arte could de­uise being of a conuenient greatnes and cōteining therupon the fruite of the date, and on the toppe of the same tree in a table was set the name thereof which was A palme tee, and in the aforesaide seate or chaire was placed a semel [...]e and mete personage [Page] richlie apparelled in parliament robes, with a scep­tre in her hand, as a Quene crowned with an open crowne, whose name and title was in a table fixed ouer her head, in this sort. Debora the iudge and restorer of the house of Israel. Iudic. 4. and the other degrees on either side were furnished with .vi. personages, two representing the nobilite, two the clergie, & two the cōminaltye. And before these per­sonages was written in a table Debora with her estates consulting for the good gouernement of Is­rael. At the feete of these and the lowest part of the pageant was ordeined a conuenient rome for a childe to open the meaning of the pageant. When the Queenes maiestie drew nere vnto this pageāt, and perceiued, as in the other, the childe readie to speake, her grace required silēce, and commaunded her chariot to be remoued nigher, that she myght plainlie heare the childe speake, whych said as here­after foloweth.

[Page]Which verses were written vpon the pageant, and thesame in latin also.

The voide places of the pageant were filled with pretie sentences concerning the same matter. Thys ground of this last pageāt was, y ^t forsomuch as the next pageant before had set before her graces eyes the florishing & desolate states of a common weale, she might by this be put in remēbrance to cōsult for the worthy gouernment of her people, considering god oftimes sent women nobly to rule among men, as Debora whych gouerned Israell in peas the space of .xl. yeres: & that it behoueth both men & wo­men so ruling to vse aduise of good coūsell. When y ^• Quenes maiestie had passed this pageāt, she mar­ched toward Tēplebarre. But at S. Dunstones church where y ^• children of thospitall wer appointed to stand with their gouernours, her grace perceiuīg [Page] a childe offred to make an oracion vnto her, stayed her chariot, and did caste vp her eyes to heauen, as who should saye, I here see thys mercyfull worke towarde the poore whom I muste in the middest of my royaltie nedes remembre, and so turned her face towarde the childe, whych in latin pronounced an oracion to this effecte, that after the Queenes hyghnes had passed through the citie and had sene so sumptuous, rich, and no­table sepectacles of the citiezens which declared their most hartie receiuing and ioyous welcom­ming of her grace into the same: thys one spectacle yet rested and remained, which was the euerlas­ting spectacle of mercy vnto the poore membres of almighty God, furthered by that famous and most noble prince king Henry the eight, her gra­ces father, erected by the citie of London, and ad­uaunced by the most godly verteous and gracious prince kyng Edwarde she .vi. her graces dere and louing brother doubting nothing of the mercy of the Queenes most gracious clemencie by the which they may not onely be releued and helped, but also stayed and defended, & therfore ince [...]aunt­ly they would pray and crie vnto almighty God for the long life and raigne of her highnes with most prosperous victory against her enemies.

The childe after he had ended his oracion, kissed the paper wherin the same was written, and rea­chedit to the Quenes maiestie whych receiued it [Page] graciouslye both with woordes & countenance, de­claring her gracious mynde towarde theyr reliefe. From thence her grace came to Temple barre, which was dressed fynelye with the two ymages of Gotmagot the Al [...]ione, and Corineus the Briton, two gyātes bigge in stature fur [...]ished accordingly, which held in their hādes euē aboue y ^• gate, a table, wherin was writen in latin verses, theffect of all the pageantes wh [...]h the citie before had erected, which verses wer these.

Which versis wer also written in Englishe me­ter in a lesse table as hereafter foloweth.

On the South side was appoynted by the citie a noyse of singing children, & one child richely attyred as a Poet, which gaue the quenes maiestie her fare well in the name of the hole citie, by these wordes.

Whyle these woordes were in saying, and cer­teine wishes therein repeted for maintenaunce of trueth and rooting out of errour, she now and then helde vp her handes to heauenwarde and willed the people to say, Amen.

When the childe had ended, she said, be ye well assured, I will stande your good quene. At whiche saying her grace departed forth through tēple barre towarde Westminster, with no lesse shoutyng and crying of the people, then she entred the citie with a noyse of ordinance whiche the towre shot of at her graces entraunce first into towre streate.

The childes saying was also in latin verses wryt­ten in a table which was hanged vp there.

Thus the Queenes hyghnesse passed through the citie, whiche without any forreyne persone, of it selfe beawtifyes it selfe, and receyued her grace at all places as hath been before mencioned, with most tender obedience and loue, due to so gracious a quene and soueraigne ladie. And her grace lyke­wise of her side in all her graces passage shewed her selfe generally an ymage of a woorthye Ladie and Gouernour, but priuately these especiall poyntes wer noted in her grace, as sygnes of a most prince­lyke courage, whereby her louing subiectes maye ground a sure hope forthe rest of her gracious do­inges hereafter.

[Page]Certain notes of the quenes maiesties great mer­cie, clemencie, and wisdom vsed in this passage

Aboute the nether ende of Cornehyll towarde Cheape, one of the knightes about her grace had es­pyed an auncient citizen, whiche wepte, and turned his head backe, and therewith said this gentleman, yonder is an Alderman (for so he tearmed hym) whiche wepeth & turneth his face backeward. How may it be interpreted that he so doth, for sorowe, or for gladnes? The quenes maiestie heard hym, and said, I warrant you it is for gladnes. A gracious interpretatiō of a noble courage, which would turne the doutefull to the best. And yet it was well known that as her grace did confirme thesame, the parties cheare was moued for verye pure gladnes for the sight of her maiesties person, at y ^e beholding where­of, he toke such comforte, that with teares he expres­sed thesame.

In Cheapeside her grace smiled, and being ther­of demaunded the cause, aunswered, for that she had heard one say, Remember old king Henry [...]heyght. A naturall child, which at the very remēbraunce of her fathers name toke so great a ioy, y ^t all men may well thinke, that as she reioysed at his name whom this realme doth hold of so woorthy memorie: so in her doinges she will resemble thesame.

When the cities charge withoute parcialitie and onely the citie was mencioned vnto her grace, she, saide it shoulde not be forgotten. Whiche saying myght moue all Englishemen heartely [...] to shewe [Page] due obedience and entiernes, to their so good a Queene which will in no poynt forgeat any parcell of duetie louingly shewed vnto her.

The answer which her grace made vnto maister Recorder of London, as the hearers know it to be true, and with melting heartes heard thesame: so may the reader thereof conceiue what kinde of sto­macke and courage pronounced thesame.

What more famous thing doe we reade in auncient histories of olde tyme, then that mightye prynces haue gentlye receyued presentes offered them by base and lowe personages. If that be to be wondred at (as it is passingly) let me se any writer that in any one princes lyfe is able to recounte so manye presi­dentes of this vertue, as her grace shewed in y ^t one passage through the citie. How many nosegayes did her grace receiue at poore womens handes? How ofttimes stayed she her chariot, when she sawe any simple body offer to speake to her grace? A brāche of Rosemary geuen to her grace with a supplicatiō by a poore woman about flete bridge, was seen in her chariot til her grace came to westminster, not with­ou [...] the merueylous wondring of such as knew the presenter, and noted the Queenes most gracious receiuing and keping thesame.

What hope the poore and nedy may looke for at her graces hande, she as in all her iourney conti­nuallye, so in her harkenyng to the poore chyldren of Christes hospitall with eyes cast vp into heauen, did fullye declare, as that neither the welthier es­tate [Page] could stande without consideracion had to the pouertie, neither the pouertie be duelye considered, vnles they were remembred, as commended to vs by goddes owne mouth.

As at her first enterance she as it were declared, her selfe prepared to passe through a citie that most entierly loued her, so she at her last departing, as it were, bownde her selfe by promes to continue good Ladie and gouernor vnto that citie whiche by out­ward declaracion did open their loue, to their so lo­uing and noble prince in such wyse, as she her selfe wondered therat.

But because princes be set in their seate by gods appoynting and therfore they must first and chiefly tēder the glory of him, from whom their glory issu­eth, it is to be noted in her grace, that forsomuch as god hath so wonderfully placed her in the seate of gouernment ouer this realme, she in all doinges doth shew her selfe most myndfull of his goodnes and mercie shewed vnto her, & amongest all other, two pryncipall sygnes thereof were noted in thys passage. First in the Towre, where her grace be­fore she entred her chariot, lifted vp her eyes to hea­uen and sayd.

O Lord, almighty and euerlasting God, I geue thee most hearty thākes that thou hast been so mer­cifull vnto me as to spare me to beholde this ioyfull daye. And I acknowledge that thou hast dealt as wonderfully & as mercifully with me, as thou didst [Page] with thy true and faithfull seruant Daniel thy pro­phete whom thou deliueredst out of the denne from the crueltie of the gredy and rageing Lyons: euen so was I ouerwhelmed, and only by the deliuered. To thee therfore onely be thankes, honor, & prayse, foreuer. Amen.

The second was the receiuing of the Byble at the little conduit in cheape. For when her grace had learned that the Byble in Englishe should there be offered, she thanked the citie therefore, promy­sed the reading thereof most diligentlye, and incon­tinent commaunded, that it should be brought. At the receit wherof, how reuerently did she with both her handes take it, kisse it, & lay it vpon her breast [...] the great comfort of the lookers on. God will vn­dou [...]tedly prese [...]e so worthy a prince, which at [...]s honor [...] [...] taketh her beginning [...] this saying is true, and written in the boke of Truth, He that first seketh the kingdome of God, shall haue all other thinges cast vnto him.

Now therfore all English hertes, and her naturall people must nedes praise Gods mercy, which hath sent them so woorthy a prince, and pray for her gra­ces long continuance amongest vs.