The earliest notice of the Pageantry in the Ironmongers’ books is 1566, but the most complete account is that at the inauguration of Sir James Cambell, 1629, which was compiled by Thomas Dekker, and entitled “London’s Tempe.” It cost the Company 180_l._ There were six elaborately “got up” pageants representing: for the water a sea lion and two sea horses, and for the land an estridge, Lemnion’s Forge, Tempe or the Field of Hapines, and Apollo’s Palace representing the seven liberal sciences. The fourth or trade pageant is worth quoting. It is described as “The Lemnion Forge.” In it are Vulcan the Smith of Lemnos, with his servants (the Cyclopes), whose names are Pyracmon, Brontes, and Sceropes, working at the anvile. “Their habite are wastcoates and leather aprons, their hair black and shaggy, in knotted curles. A fire is seene in the forge, bellowes blowing, some filing, some at other workes; thunder and lightning on occasion. As the smithes are at worke they singe in praise of iron, the anvile, and hammer, by the concordant stroakes and soundes of which Tuball Cayne became the first inventor of musicke.” Brave iron! brave hammer! from your sound The art of Musicke has her ground; On the anvile thou keep’st time, Thy knick-a-knock is a smithes best chyme. In proper places sit Cupid and Jove, Vulcan and Jove alternately singing praises, the song ending thus:— Brave Iron! what praise Deserves it! more tis beate more it obeyes; The more it suffers, more it smoothes offence; In drudgery it shines with patience. This fellowshipp was then with judging eyes United to the Twelve great Companies: It being farre more worthy than to fill A file inferiour. Yon’s the Sun’s guilt hill; On to’ot! Love guardes you on! Cyclopes, a ring Make with your hammers, to whose musicke sing. CHAPTER VI. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS OF THE IRONMONGERS’ HISTORY.—III. The Lord Mayor’s Show of the olden time, unlike the annual carnival of the latter half of the nineteenth century, was in reality illustrative of the trade to which (by Company) the chief magistrate belonged, and notwithstanding the prejudices against pageantry at the present time, we are staunch advocates for some annual popular display whereby the rising generation of our great City may, like the apprentices of old London, have visible proof that the Lord Mayor is a reality and not invisible to his subjects, and that if they will only put their shoulder to the wheel and emulate Hogarth’s industrious apprentice they in time stand the best chance of living in a big house, riding in a gilt coach, and wearing that big gold chain which yearly makes their appetites so keen and their eyes glisten with delight.