In war she, through God’s aide, did put her foes to fright,
And with the dint of sworde the hande of bondage brast;
In peace she, through God’s aide, did alway mainteine right,
And judges Israell till fourty yeres were past.
A worthie President, O worthie Queen, thou hast,
A worthie woman judge, a woman sent for staie.
And that the like to us endure alway thou maist,
Thy loving subjectes will with true hearts and tonges prai.’
Which verses were written upon the Pageant: and the same in Latin also.
The voide places of the Pageant were filled with pretie sentences
concerning the same matter. Thys ground of this last Pageant was,
that forsomuch as the next Pageant before had set before her Grace’s
eyes the florishing and desolate states of a Commonweale, she might
by this be put in remembrance to consult for the worthy Government of
her People: considering God oftimes sent women nobly to rule among
men: as Debora, whych governed Israell in peas the space of xl years:
and that it behoved both men and women so ruling to use advise of good
counsell. When the Quenes Majestie had passed this Pageant, she marched
toward Templebarre: but at St Dunstones church, where the children of
thospitall wer appointed to stand with their governours, her Grace
perceiving a childe offred to make an oration unto her, stayed her
chariot and did cast up her eyes to heaven, as who should saye: ‘I here
see thys mercyfull worke towarde the poore, whom I muste in the middest
of my royaltie nedes remembre!’ And so turned her face towarde the
childe, which, in Latin, pronounced an oracion. The childe, after he
had ended his oracion, kissed the paper wherein the same was written,
and reached it to the Quenes Majestie, whych received it graciouslye
both with woordes and countenance, declaring her gracious mynde
towarde theyr reliefe. From thence her Grace came to Temple Barre,
which was dressed fynelye with the two ymages of Gotmagot the Albione,
and Corineus the Briton, two gyantes bigge in stature, furnished
accordingly: which held in their handes, even above the gate, a table,
wherin was writen, in Latin verses, the effect of all the Pageantes
which the Citie before had erected. Which versis wer also written in
Englishe meter, in a lesse table, as hereafter foloweth:—
‘Behold here in one view thou mayst see all that payne,
O Princesse, to this thy people the onely stay:
What echewhere thou hast seen in this wide town again
This one arche whatsoever the rest conteynd doth say.
The first arche, as true heyre unto thy father dere,
Did set thee in the throne where thy graundfather satte:
The second did confirme thy seate as Princesse here.
Vertues now bearing swaye, and Vyces bet down flatte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account