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The Cities Entertainment of King Charles I. | 294 |
The Cities Entertainment of King Charles I.
More particularly in the First Place, their especial Care to give Order, as
well to the
Steward, Cook, Butler, and Confectioner, to make speedy Provision of all Things,
fit
for the Royal Feasting of their Majesties, and their Princely Train; as to the
Officers of
the City Works, that the Guild Hall might be prepared, and made ready for the
due and
respective Receiving of them.
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The Preparations.
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The next was, that Precepts might be speedily directed to the several Societies
and
Companies of the City, that against the Day their Majesties should come, there
should
be some of the prime Men chosen out of the Liveries, that should be in Readiness
to
attend the Lord Maior and Aldermen, in their best Array (either Velvet, Plush,
or Sattin)
and Chains of Gold, upon good Horses, well appointed; and each Rider to have a
Footman to attend him; to meet their Majesties, and to conduct them, first to
Guild Hall,
and afterwards to his Majesty's Royal Palace of White Hall. As also, that out
of the
Residue of their Companies, some should be appointed to wait in their several
Standings in their Liveries, from their Majesties Entrance into the City, to
Temple Bar.
To which Purpose the Committee gave Order and Directions, where every several
Companies Standings should be set up. And lastly, that others should be
nominated to
attend in the Guild Hall upon their Majesties, in their Liveries and Foins
likewise, from
the Time of their coming thither, to their Departure thence.
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Another Care of the Committe was, that (the way from Kingsland to Shoreditch
being
impassable for their Majesties, in regard of the Depth and Foulness of it) a Way
might
be prepared from thence to that Place of the City, where their Majesties should
enter, as
might not only be fair and clean, but as pleasant also, and delightful, as the
Season of
the Year would permit: And that the Streets, all the way they should pass, might
be
Paved, where Need was, and made sweet and clean.
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And because some seditious Libels were at that Time dispersed, (which bred a
Panique
Fear in some) Order was likewise taken, that there should be Two Companies of
the
Cities Train Bands, placed in several Parts of the City, upon that Day: as also,
that at
every Door, a Man should be placed, sufficiently appointed, to be ready upon all
Occasions, to appease any Disorders.
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Lastly, Out of the said Committee, Two of the City Captains were designed, as
chief
Marshals for the Day; to have the Command over the other Three Marshals, that
were
Officers of the Chamber: And to Order, Direct and Marshal the Horsemen. And
also
Four other of the Committee were appointed, as Comptrollers of the House. To
whom
all inferior Officers should have Recourse upon any Occasion, and to direct and
order
the Liveries, which were to attend upon their Majesties Service: And generally
to
dispose all other Things, conducing to the Entertainment.
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Now for the Entertainment it self. Upon Thursday, the said November 25. the
Knights
of the Gray Cloak, Mr. Recorder, and the rest of the Aldermen, the City Counsel,
and
Chief Officers, as Town Clerk, Common Serjeant, and Remembrancer, attended the
Lord Maior, at his Lordship's House in the Old Jury, by Eight of the Clock in
the
Morning. From whence they advanced through the City to Moregate, in this
Manner.
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The Entertainment.
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The Lord Maior, having the Sword-Bearer, and Two Mace-bearers before him, on
Horse-
back, and on Foot-Cloths, and Two Footmen in Black Velvet Coats, on each Side
One,
his Lordship wearing a Gown of Crimson Velvet, and a Collar of SS. rode in the
Front, the Knights aforenamed, Mr. Recorder, and the Aldermen following:
according
to their Seniority, Two by Two, in Scarlet Gowns, attended by Two Foomen apiece,
Suited in the City Colours; each of which Footmen being appointed to carry a
Truncheon in his Hand for the Forenoon, and Two Torches for the Afternoon. Next
to
them followed the City Counsil, and Chief Officers in Black Gowns upon Foot
Cloths;
each of them having a Footman going by them, suited and fitted as aforesaid.
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Lord Maior sets out; the Manner of it.
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In this Equipage they passed through the City, from his Lordship's House to
Morefields: Where there waited in a Readiness to attend his Lordship, and the
Service,
about Five Hundred Horsemen, selected out of the Liveries of the several
Companies of
the City, being Masters, Wardens, and prime Men of each Company, in Velvet or
Plush
Coats and Suits, with Chains of Gold, and being well Horsed, and gallantly
Furnished.
Every Company having a Horseman in the Front, carrying a Pendent with that
Companies Arms, to which he did belong, (for Distinction Sake) and a Footman to
attend each Horseman of the Livery, with Truncheons, and Torches, as before:
Both
Horsemen with the Pendents, and Footmen, being suited Cap a pee, with the
Companies Colours on which they waited. There were also Fourteen Trumpeters,
with
Trumpets, Banners and Scarfs: Who were placed Two between every Hundred of the
Horse, and Four at the Head of the Troop.
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Five Hundred Horsemen of the Liveries, accompany the Lord Maior.
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The Lord Maior, being thus attended, rode on with the Knights, Mr. Recorder, the
Aldermen, City Counsil, and Chief Officers, as before; and after them the Five
Hundred Horsemen, according to the several Ranks of the Companies: The Lord
Maior's Company, (viz. the Clothworkers) being foremost; then the Mercers, and
the
rest according to their Order.
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They all advanced, in comely Manner, through the Fields, (the Banks being cast
down,
and Bridges of Fourteen Foot wide, being made over the Ditches, for better and
more
secure Passage) till they came beyond Balmes, (a retiring House of Sir George
Whitmore's) in the Fields next adjoining to Kingsland. The Night before being
Rainy,
and the Morning Gloomy and Cloudy, the Lord Maior commanded his Tent to be
pitched in the Field, where his Lordship, the Knights, Mr. Recorder, and the
Aldermen, were to attend their Majesties. In the Tent were Seats and Forms;
where his
Lordship, and some of the Nobility reposed themselves, till their Majesties
came.
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The Lord Maior's Tent at Kingsland.
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In the mean Time, the Two Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, (George Garret, and
George Clark) attended by Seventy Two Men in Scarlet Cloaks, trimmed with Silver
Lace, (the Colours of the City) with Javelins and Feathers, and Four Trumpeters,
rode
as far as Stamford Hill, between Newington and Tottenham, (where they lay the
Night
before.) Who, after they had done their respective Duties, and kissed their
Majesties
Hands, conducted them to the Field, where the Lord Maior, the Nobility and
Aldermen,
waited for them.
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The Sheriffs wait at Stamford Hill.
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His Majesty came into the Field about Ten of the Clock, in a Coach, he sitting
on the
Right Side of it, and her Majesty on his Right Hand, the Prince, the Duke of
York, and
the Princess Mary, being within the Coach, and the Prince Elector Palatine, and
the
Dutchess of
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The Manner of the King's Coming.
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