The pageant for 1631 was the invention of Webster's beloved friend Heywood. It included a water-show, and contained representations of Ulysses and the sirens, dragons, and serpents.

The pageant for 1633, Londini Emporia, written also by Heywood, and constructed by Gerard Christmas, showed Thames seated in a sea-chariot "beautiful and adorned with shell-fish of sundry fashion and splendour." Thames was surrounded with water-nymphs, and his chariot was drawn by griffins. In his address to the Lord Mayor he, styling himself the "best of Neptune's sons," declares that his tides never ran so clear as on that day, and after gracious reference to the "barges, ensigns, trumpets, fyfe, and drum" of the pageant, goes on

to say

Methinks you make me young again to view

Old customs kept, and (in them) all things new.

The device of 1637, again written by Heywood, was entitled London's Mirror, and it likewise included a water-show.

S. Katherine, introduced as the patron saint of the Company of Haberdashers, was "drawn in a seachariot by two sea-horses with divers other adornments to beautify the piece."

The saint announced that, while she had frequently been borne in state through the populous streets seated on a lion, she had never appeared on the water before. She further explained that Neptune had sent her with two of his best seahorses to excuse his absence; and while assuring the Lord Mayor of the safety of his traffic, S. Katherine, in reference to Thames, added that—

Every tide he'll on your errands run.

IV

PURITANISM temporarily stamped out the pageants (while it stabled troopers' horses in S. Paul's Cathedral), and the annual record ceased during the Commonwealth, Mr. Fairholt states. But, to quote from the same authority, "a restoration of the City pageantry took place in 1655 upon the mayoralty of Sir John Dethick of the Mercers' Company, who exhibited the old realisation of the Company's arms-the crowned virgin on horseback."

This pageant, Charity Triumphant, or the VirginShow, displaying the Virgin and her pages "in satin. all from head to feet," had strangely little in common with Puritanism

See how she rides! see how she comes!
Alarum'd in with fifes and drums!

and with fifes and drums, with barges in blue, and the Lord Mayor's barge flying red and white streamers, the pageant of 1655 was exhibited.

The celebration of 1656 was entitled London's Triumph. The entertainment included a water-fight. "The several barges went with drums beating and trumpets sounding and a variety of other music to take the ear; while the flags and silver pendants made a sight delectable to the beholders.' In the pageant that followed Moors were represented riding panthers and "attired in the habit of their country.' Virgins "arrayed in cloth of silver, with their hair

dishevelled and coronets on their heads," were also introduced, as well as satyrs and the god Orpheus, "in an antique attire playing on his harp," to the sweet melody of which music, danced lions, tigers, leopards, and other beasts. The first pageant was accompanied by a giant, twelve feet in height, who "went before the pageant for the delight of the people."

In the account of the entertainment of that day given in Daniel's Merrie England of the Olden Time, we read that "when the barges wherein the soldiers were came right against Whitehall they saluted the Lord Protector and his Council with several rounds of musketry, which the Lord Protector answered with 'signal testimonies of his grace and courtesy.' And returning to Whitehall after the Lord Mayor had taken the oath of office before the Barons of the Exchequer, the Lord Protector was saluted with 'another volley."

After the Restoration the pageants were again annually exhibited, and, as Mr. Fairholt happily puts it, the "political versatility" of at least one city poet "would have done honour to the Vicar of Bray himself."

In 1660 John Tatham's Royal Oak was given. In this entertainment, nymphs, sirens, tritons, seachariots, and many other familiar properties were once more shown.

The Mayor, Aldermen, and their satellites travelled in barges "adorned with streamers and banners, and fitted with hautbois, cornets, drums, and trumpets, . . . and by the way his Lordship is saluted with twenty pieces of ordnance as peals of entertainment and joy." At Whitehall the pageant displayed, among other figures, Oceanus. "To show his Majesty, he walks or treads upon his watery

regiment." Tritons and sundry fishes were discovered sporting round the feet of the king of the sea. Four virgins were in attendance "cloathed in white loose garments, and their brows circled with sage, representing the nymphs that frequent rivers. Upon his Lordship's approach Oceanus addresseth him," and refers to London's river as

Silver Thames,

So much admired and loved by royal James.

Mr. Fairholt in a marginal note gives Camden's authority for the great love which King James bore this river. In the celebration of 1603 when James entered the City of London, the genius of the city and Thamesis were the only speakers.

A speech was spoken by Thames, and songs were sung by seamen in the pageant of 1661.

John Tatham was responsible for Aqua Triumphalis, August 22, 1662, "expressed and set forth in several shows and pageants.

In this entertainment, when the City of London entertained the King or Queen, the first grand pageant was on the river at Chelsea, the second between Foxhall (Vauxhall) and Lambeth, the third at the private stairs at Whitehall. Isis with her water-nymphs was shown seated in a sea-chariot drawn by sea - horses. Thames was also shown attended by water-nymphs, "one bearing on her head the figure of Greenwich Castle,' the other 'the figure of Windsor Castle."" Thames addressed

lengthy rhymed speech to their Majesties, and the songs of the entertainment were those composed by John Gamble, of whom mention has already been made as a "person well known in music."

One of the last of the civic pageantries in which

Thames was personified was that of 1701 on the mayoralty of Sir Walter Gore.

Among the pageants of this celebration Neptune was exhibited attended by four tritons and four rivers-Thames, Danube, Rhine, and Tiber." The famous "Maiden Chariot," so long, says Mr. Fairholt, "the feature of the Mercers' Mayoralties," was also displayed in all its glory.

"Twenty lictors, with silver helmets, fasces, and axes," marched before the "Maiden Chariot," which was drawn by nine white horses-while "forty more inferior attendants make way and sweep before it."

The pageants of the following year were, Mr. Fairholt states, "got up with much state and expense by the Vintners' Company," and written by Elkanah Settle. The descriptive pamphlet for the celebration of 1702, which includes many quaint features, winds up with a song in honour of Queen Anne and the Company of Vintners.

For this celebration Settle's genius did not stop short of the introduction of S. Martin wearing a large scarf and mantle of scarlet, followed by cripples and beggars "supplicating for his charity," and preceded by twenty satyrs dancing and playing on tambours. Two persons in rich liveries walked by his side; the halberdiers with rural music went before him; and ten Roman lictors in silver headpieces, with axes and fasces, marched before the Company until they reached the wide part of S. Paul's Churchyard, where the Saint addressed the Lord Mayor, having first satisfied the beggars with portions of his scarf and the following lines

Cease, cease your mournful cries, and to relieve
Your want take this: 'tis all I have to give.

Sic transit gloria mundi; the newspapers to-day