Military Memoirs of Capt. George CarletonDefoe, Daniel
History
Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories; Great Britain -- History, Military -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction
After these follow'd several Pageants; the first of which was drawn by
Mules, set off to the Height with stateliest Feathers, and adorn'd with
little Bells. Upon the Top of this Pageant appear'd a Man dress'd all in
Green; but in the Likeness of a Dragon. The Pageant making a Stop just
over-against the Balcony where the King sate, the Dragonical
Representative diverted him with great Variety of Dancings, the Earl of
_Peterborow_ all the time throwing out Dollars by Handfuls among the
Populace, which they as constantly receiv'd with the loud Acclamation
and repeated Cries of _Viva, Viva, Carlos Terceros, Viva la Casa
d'Austria_.
When that had play'd its Part, another Pageant, drawn as before, made a
like full Stop before the same Balcony. On this was plac'd a very large
Cage, or Aviary, the Cover of which, by Springs contriv'd for that
Purpose, immediately flew open, and out of it a surprizing Flight of
Birds of various Colours. These, all amaz'd at their sudden Liberty,
which I took to be the Emblem intended, hover'd a considerable space of
time over and about their Place of Freedom, chirping, singing, and
otherwise testifying their mighty Joy for their so unexpected
Enlargement.
There were many other Pageants; but having little in them very
remarkable, I have forgot the Particulars. Nevertheless, every one of
them was dismiss'd with the like Acclamations of _Viva, Viva_; the
Whole concluding with Bonfires and Illuminations common on all such
Occasions.
I cannot here omit one very remarkable Instance of the Catholick Zeal of
that Prince, which I was soon after an Eye-witness of. I was at that
time in the Fruit-Market, when the King passing by in his Coach, the
Host (whether by Accident or Contrivance I cannot say) was brought, at
that very Juncture, out of the great Church, in order, as I after
understood, to a poor sick Woman's receiving the Sacrament. On Sight of
the Host the King came out of his Coach, kneel'd down in the Street,
which at that time prov'd to be very dirty, till the Host pass'd by;
then rose up, and taking the lighted Flambeau from him who bore it, he
follow'd the Priest up a streight nasty Alley, and there up a dark
ordinary Pair of Stairs, where the poor sick Woman lay. There he stay'd
till the whole Ceremony was over, when, returning to the Door of the
Church, he very faithfully restor'd the lighted Flambeau to the Fellow
he had taken it from, the People all the while crying out _Viva, Viva_;
an Acclamation, we may imagine, intended to his Zeal, as well as his
Person.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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