“From these scanty notices of misery, infatuation, and crime, it is with much delight that we turn to a spectacle of the greatest magnificence, and the most distinguished character, which London Bridge ever witnessed: the entrance of King Henry VI. to the City, after his Coronation as King of France, in the Church of Nôtre Dame, at Paris, on Friday, the 7th of December, 1431. On the 9th of the February following, he landed at Dover, and upon Thursday, the 21st of the same month, he was met by the Mayor and Corporation of London at Blackheath. Of their ceremony in conducting him towards the City, and the numerous Pageants which they had prepared to meet him at London Bridge, I shall now proceed to give you an account, extracted from Alderman Fabyan’s ‘_Chronicle_,’ volume ii., pages 423-425, and from Lydgate’s Poem on the ‘_Comynge of y^e Kynge out of Fraunce to London_;’ of which a very fair copy is preserved in that Harleian Manuscript which I have already quoted, No. 565, folio 114 b. The verses by Lydgate are not very common in any form, and they have, as I think, been but once printed in connection with the history of London Bridge, which is in Malcolm’s ‘_Londinum Redivivum_,’ already cited, volume ii., page 397; and, although you may conceive that I quote too much of them, I cannot deny myself the pleasure of beginning at the very commencement, since it is but little less beautiful than Chaucer’s immortal Tales. Listen, then, Mr. Barbican, I pray you listen; if you have ears for either Poesy or Romance. ‘Towarde the ende of wyndy Februarie, Whanné Phebus was in y^e fyssh ronne Out of the signe whiche callyd is Aquarie; Newe kalendas were entred, and begonne Of Marches comyng, and the mery sonne Vp on a thorsday, shed hys bemys bright Vp on london, to make them glad and light. The stormy reynes of all there heuynesse Were passyd a way, and allé there greuaunce; For the syxte Henry, rote of there gladnesse, Ther herty’s joye, the worldis suffissaunce, By trewe assent was crownyd king of Fraunce. The heven reioysyng the day of his repaire, Made at his comynge the wether to be so faire. A tyme J trowe of God for hym prouydyd, Jn alle the heuenes there was no clowdé sayne; From other dayes that day was so deuydyd, And fraunchisyd from mystys and from rayne. The erthe attempred, the wyndes smothe and playne, The Citezeines thorughe out the Citté Hallow’d that day with gret solemnnyte. And, lyk for Dauid after his victorie, Reioysyd was al Jerusalem;-- So this Cité with laude, pris, and glorie, For ioye mustred like the sonné beme, To geue ensample thorughe out this reem. Al of assent who can so conceyue, There noble Kyng were glad to resceyue.