Of those who daily go up and down the river, who come and go across the
Bridge, and suffer their careless and unobservant eyes to rest for a
moment on the grey walls and Tower of the Palace, how many are there who
know, or inquire, or care for the wealth of history that clings to every
stone?
FOOTNOTES:
[1] At Eltham House, the lodge in the Great Park.
[2] He probably means rushes.
[3] At this distance of time, it is difficult to say what this was.
[4] Her Father had been treated with the same Deference. It is mentioned
by Fox in his 'Acts and Monuments,' that when the Lord Chancellor went
to apprehend Queen Catherine Parr, he spoke to the King on his Knees.
King James I. suffered his Courtiers to omit it.
CHAPTER V
PAGEANTS AND RIDINGS
The part which Processions of all kinds played in the mediæval life is
so great that one must inquire how Southwark fared in this respect.
Where Bishops, Abbots, and great Lords lived there were Processions
whenever one arrived or one departed. If the Bishop of Winchester went
to the King's House at Winchester, it was with a great Procession of
followers, chaplains, priests, secretaries, and gentlemen. If the Earl
of Suffolk arrived at his town house, it was with a gallant company of
gentlemen wearing his livery. If the King kept his Christmas at Eltham,
he would be preceded by an endless train of carts groaning and grumbling
along the road, filled with household gear and followed by the troops of
scullions, cooks, grooms and lavenders whose duty was in the kitchens,
stables, laundries, and pantries. He himself rode with a royal regiment,
sometimes 4,000 strong, of archers for his bodyguard, besides the
nobles, Bishops and Abbots who were with him for the Christmas
festivities. The town itself had its Processions: the annual march of
the Fraternity to church: the departure and the arrival of the pilgrims;
the Ecclesiastical Functions of Church and Monastic House. As for the
royal pageants and the Lord Mayor's Ridings, it must be confessed that
Southwark got but the beginning: that part of the pageant which began at
London Bridge: and that the place itself was quite passed by and
unconsidered.
Since, however, Southwark did witness that part, I have drawn up a short
series of notes on the sights of which the Borough took a share.
Thus, when Richard the Second restored the City privileges in 1392, he
was met by four hundred of the citizens, all mounted and clad in the
same livery: they invited him to ride to Westminster through London.
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