VIEW the Roman State under which Government soever you please, whether in the beginnings, un­der many happy KINGS, or in its change from Monarchy to De­mocracy, or in its little resurrection to Aristo­cracy, under the Marian and Scyllan Tyranny, or then in its exaltation into Empire, and absolute Soveraignty; you shall alwaies find every Age, and sort of Governours, adorning and exempli­fying their severall Authorities by Anniversary Shewes and Pomps to the People, who are na­turally pleas'd with such Gleames and Irradia­tions of their Superiors, and gaines at once Ho­nour to the Magistrate and effects content to the People.

The severest and in other matters most rigid Policies or Common-wealths (to wit the Spartan, and Lacedamonian, and Athenian) smooth'd the rugged Front of their power in this Punctilio and reason of State, and Plato and Aristarchus, and [Page 4] Aristides (though never so just, never so strickt) indulg'd alwaies these Ingratiations to the Peo­ple. It is the publike Banquet, whereunto you invite the Commons of the City; who expect and rejoyce alwaies to see some of their money spent upon themselves, and so for Recreations, and other Permissions of Supream Governors, it was alwaies thought a peice of prudentiall and warrantable license and wise dispensation, to let the people spend their own time, and some of their money, where they pleas'd, especially in in­nocent and delightfull diversions. I cannot here set forth the reason of the late extinguishing these Civick Lights, and suppressing the Genius of our Metropolis, which for these Planetary Pageants and Pretorian Pomps was as famous and renoun­ed in forraign Nations, as for their faith, wealth, and valour. The Ingenie, Artifices, Mysteries, Shewes, Festivals, Ceremonies, and Habits of a State, being amongst the Decora, and unsepa­rable Ornaments of it. Take away the Fasces, and the Consuls are no more feared, but scorn'd; Let fall the Noble Sword of the City in any place, and you are sure the Mayor has there no Privi­ledge, no Livery, no distinguishing of Societies, and Fraternities, no Caps (in daies of old) no Prentices, no Truncks, no Citizens, no Robes no Judges, no Maces, no Magestrate: And so for [Page 5] Anniversary Shews, and harmelesse and merry Recre­ations, without a moderate permission of them, very little content to the multitude. Right Honourable, I therefore, being the Son of a Citizen, Congratulate this Return of the City-Gallantry and manifestation of her severall Splendors in your Majority to your honoured self, it being most proper that the lost Beauty and Mag­nificence of the place, should be restored by One (if I mistake it not) a brother of the prime Company, and therefore most fit to lead, that so it being begun in the Virgin society; it may like Vestall fire never go out: And because the Scenicall Contrivement & Pageant Brave­ry is but an Ephemeron, or Diurnall birth and issue of one day, and so Exit till the next yeare. Poetical fancy do's beg leave to supply that defect, and to inlarge the glory of your day (my Lord) to the period of your year; And because many a far off will be glad to heare what they could not see, and some would willingly retaine and keep, what this day was seen by them. This short Po­em shall be to those that saw it, a Remembrancer, or representation, and to the remote Wel-wishers of the Cities honour, a written Pageant or Pegma Metricum, and so I address my self (my Lord) to your Virgin, whom I shal labour to make as famous, as your Ho­nour has made her Dowagable; and by this Paper­work to give a procession unto your Nobleness and Piety beyond the Demeans of Cheapside.