A Description of the First Pageant.

UPon a large Stage, in the Van, is exhibited the lively pourtraiture of a well-grown Camel, so curiously Carved and Exquisitely Gilded that it appeareth like a live Animal in a Hide of Massy Gold, and is the Crest upon the Arms of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. This Camel is back'd by a young Negro-Boy, sitting betwixt two Silver Hampers plentifully stored with all sorts of Fruits and fragrant Spices, and what ever else is per­tinent to Grocery; which after the Subsequent Speech is delivered, the Negro with a Prodigal hand, scatereth abroad in the Tumult, where you might see an hundred persons confusedly scrambling in the dirt for the Frail Atchievement of a Bunch of Raisins, or a handful of Dates, Almonds, Nutmegs: This Negro-Boy is habited in an Indian Robe of divers Colours, a wreath of various colour'd Feathers on his black woolly head. Silver Buskins laced and surfled with Gold, a Bridle of white and red Ribon (the Companys Colours) at each hand of him sitteth a Virgin, one of them Representing Industry in a Robe of Russet colour'd Silk, a Green Sarsnet Mantle, a Peruke of dark brown hair, about which is a Wreath of Flowers and Fruits, watchet Silk Hose, gray Buskins laced with Crimson Ribon; in one hand she beareth a Silver Pruning-Hook, in the other a Banner of the Campanies. The other Person is a beautiful young Lady Representing Fortune, in a Yellow Robe, a Purple Mantle, a long curl'd bright brown Hair, a golden Coronet upon his Head, Carnation Silk Hose, and Yellow Buskins, laced with Silver Ribon; In her Left Hand she beareth a green Shield, Charged with a Ship under Sail; and in her Right Hand a Banner of my Lord Mayors.

[Page 4]And in the Rere of this Pageant is a Fortress, properly call'd, The Fortress of Government, Founded upon a Rock of Adamant, whose Walls are of Brass, in a Quadrangular form, Embattail'd, with several Turrets and Bulwarks, on which great brazen Guns, mounted upon Carriages, are planted; and (with­in these Walls (Situate in the Centre) is erected the grand Golden Tower Royal, on which is displayed a very large Banner of the Grocers.

This Speech thus ended, and my Lord expressing some Signals of accep­tation, his Honour advanceth with his Right Worshipful Fraternity (the sage Senators of the City) further forward into Cheapside; where he is again intercepted by two distinct Stages, on which are eminently planted two great Golden Gryphons the Supporters to the Coat Armour of the Grocers Company, on which are Vigorously mounted two Active Negro's, in rich East-Indian Vestments, with Coronets of many Colour'd Feathers; the one of them bears a large Banner of his Lordships Family-Coat; and the other as large a Banner of the Grocers Corporation-Coat, and at the Corner's of both these Stages, fit four Figures in the Habits and Ornaments as hereafter is de­scribed. 1. Love, 2. Honoour, 3. Courage, 4. Courtezy.

The Pageant Described.

A Shrine, or Indian Structure erected according to the Dorick order of Architecture, adorned with lively pieces of Imagerie round about, and▪ on the high extremity, is exalted a Masculine lively person, richly Vested in a Silver Robe; a Sky-colour'd Mantle, a long bright hair, Crowned with a Coronet of Pensils, of all Colours, holding in his Right hand a Banner of the Kings, and representeth the Triumph of Tranquillity, called Ovatio

This Temple-like Fabrick in frontstands so open, that with easiy perspicuity every Common eye may discharge it's sight up to the high Altar, on which an East-Indian Deity called OPVLENTA, a Representative of all the Intrinsic Treasure in the Oriental Indies, and is their Tutelary Goddess, before whose Shrine the Idolatrous Natives after the preparation of a long Feast) with Pagan Piety, and diabolical Devotion, prostrate themselves with all the adoration imaginable.

Her Face and Hair are Black; her Ears are adorned with two rich Pen­dants of great round Oriental Pearl, her Shoulders, Breast and Neck, are bare, on which is a Necklace of Diamonds; she is Crown'd with a Coronet of Sun-beams, her Robe is of all Colours, richly interwoven with Silk, Gold, Silver and Jewels; a Scarf of Gold, Silver Buskins, laced with Gold Ribon; in one hand she advanceth a Golden Scepter, in the other she beareth a Banner of the Kings.

Beneath her sit three Black Indian Princes, viz. Animalia, Mineralia, Vegetabilia, who bear in their hands each of them a great Golden Key of 18 inches long, as principal Clavigers or Key-keepers to all the Treasuries of India, and generally to all Human Nature; Comprehending the diversities of Traffick and several Commodities, which our Noble English Merchants bring from India to England, by whom the Druggests are furnished from thence, with Barks, Woods, Roots, Fruits and Gums, Ambergreece with divers Aromats; which by the learned directions of the Physician, wisdom of the Chymist, and art of the Apothecary are extracted and compoun­ded for Curation and Conservation. The Grocers are supply'd and plentifully stor'd with all sorts of Spices, as Pepper, Cinamon, Cloves, Mace Nutmegs, also with Rice, Mastich, Sanders of all sorts, with varietie of fruits, and other Commodities too numerous for Repetition.

[Page 9]In several Conspicuous and Convenient Vicinitys, about this Shrine fit the Representatives of six Eminent Indian Cities, in several rich Indian Habits; with the figures of Cities upon their heads, worn as Crowns or Coronets, and are distinguished by these well known Appellations, viz. FORTAM, SARABAIN, TVBAN, MATVRA, SVRAT, and BANTAM, the last of which is the City of most Traffique, frequented by Portugals, Dutch and English, in which every day are three several Markets. The Habits of these three Princes first mentioned, are thus pro­perly distinguished.

His Lordship, well pleased with the Aptitude of this Composition, and the promptitude of the Emphatical Speaker; expresseth some Demonstrations of Approbation, and moveth through the Multitude, until a Scene of De­light, doth invite him to a Stand, which is an Indian Plantation, with its Governour, the Speaker, with several Labourers, Planters and Drolls; both for Utility and Jucundity, Profit and Pleasure.

The Plantation Delineated.

UNder the declivity of a Verdant Hill, which the Floriferous hand of Nature had Crown'd with a diverse colour'd Diadem of Flowers, in­clining to that fertil point of the Compass, which is the Empire of Auster. On a rich Vale is situate a copious Plantation of Spices, as Woods of Cina­mon, pleasant Groves of Nutmegs and Cloves, Orchards of Lemons and Oranges, surpassing those of Spain, representing a Plantation in that part of East-India called the Island of Zelon, not far distant from the Point of Indiā called Cape Comerin, which for fertility may be compared to any Coun­try in the whole Universe.

It abounds in Odoriferous Aromatical Spices, with whole Woods of the best Cinamon that ever the Sun saw; also there are found the best Smaragds, Rubies, and Ambergreece throughout all Asia. In this Island, the place of greatest note is Colmucki, the Seat-Royal of the chief King of that Island, situate on a Capacious Bay in the South-West of it, and of most Trade in all this Country; many great Ships laden with Cinamon, Gems, Elephants, and other Indian Commodities going yearly thence.

But in this Representative Plantation in that Island, on an eminent conspi­cuous Position sitteth Aromatario, the Governour of it, thus habited and accommodated: In a Robe of Scarlet-colour'd Silk and Gold; a Mantle of Purple and Silver; a black curl'd Peruke; a Coronet of Gold, pointed with several sorts of Indian Trees which stand erect, as if growing about his head; green Buskins starrified with Gold, and laced with Silver and Gold Ribon; in his hand a Banner of the Companies. Beneath him sit four Figures, repre­senting Toyl, Traffick, Treasure, and Triumph, thus accoutred.

The Song being Sung, they all fall to their Drolleries, and the Foot-Marshal having placed the Assisants, Livery, and the Companies on both sides of King-Street, and their Pensioners with their Targets hung on the tops of the Javelins; in the Rere of them the Ensign-Bearers, Drums and Fifes in the Front, and hasten the Foyns and Budg-Batchelors; together with the Gentlemen-Ushers to Guild-Hall, where his Lordship is again Saluted by the Artillery-men, with three Vollies more, which conclude their Duty: His Land Attendants pass through the Gallery or Lane so made into Guild-Hall: After which, the Companies repair to their respective Halls to Dinner, and their Silk-works and Triumphs are likewise convey'd into Blackwell-hall, and the Officers aforesaid, and the Children that sit in the Pageants, there refresh themselves, until his Lordship hath Dined at Guild-Hall.

His Lorship and the Guests being all seated, the City-Musick, after a little consideration and consultation one with another; conclude to habit themselves for the performance of a Song of three Parts in Stilo Recitativo; or a Musical Interlude Presented by three Persons; Crab, a West-Country-man; Swab, a Seaman; and Self, a Citizen.