Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 The meaning in brée [...]e of this pagent.The matter of this pageant dependeth of them that went before. For as the first declared hir grace to come out of the house of vnitie, the second that she is placed in the seat of gouernement staid with ver|tues, to the suppression of vice; and therefore in the third, the eight blessings of almightie God might well be applied vnto hir: so this fourth now is, to put hir grace in remembrance of the state of the com|monweale, which Time with Truth his daughter dooth reueale: which Truth also hir grace hath recei|ued, and therefore cannot but be mercifull and care|full for the good gouernement thereof. From thence, the quéenes maiestie passed toward Paules church|yard,A scholer of Paules vtte|reth an ora|tion in Latine to the quéene. and when she came ouer against Paules schoole, a child appointed by the schoolemaister thereof, pro|nounced a certeine oration in Latine, and certeine verses, which also were there written as followeth:

Philosophus ille diuinus Plato inter multa prae|clarè ac sapienter dicta, hoc posteris proditum reli|quit; Rempublicam illam foeliciss. fore, cui prin|ceps sophiae studiosa, virtutibús ornata contige|rit. Quem si verè dixisse censeamus (vt quidem verissimè) cur non terra Britannica plauderet? cur non populus gaudium atque laetitiam agitaret? Immo,Laus Elisabe|thae regni iugum subeuntis. cur non hunc diem, albo (quod aiunt) lapillo notaret? Quo princeps talis nobis adest, qualẽ prio|res non viderunt, qualém posteritas haud facilè cernere poterit, dotibus quum animi, tum corpo|ris vndi foelicissima. Casti quidem corporis do|tes ita apertae sunt, vt oratione non egeant. Animi verò tot tantae, vt ne verbis quidem exprimipos|sint. Haec nempe regibus summis orta, morum at animi nobilitate genus exuperaet. Huius pectus Christi religionis amore flagrat. Haec gentem Bri|tannicam virtutibus illustrabit, clypeó iustitiae teget. Haec literis Graecis & Latinis eximia, inge|nió praepollens est. Hac imperante pietas vigebit, Anglia florebit, aurea saecula redibunt. Vos igi|tur Angli tot commoda accepturi,Ad Anglorum gentem breuis adhortatio. Elisabetham reginam nostram celeberrimam ab ipso Christo huius regni imperio destinatam, honore debito pro|sequimini. Huius imperijs animo libentissimo sub|diti estote, vós tali principe dignos praebete. Et quoniam pueri non viribus sed precibus, officium praestare possunt, nos alumni huius scholae ab ipso Coleto olim templi Paulini decano extructae, tene|ras palmas ad coelum tendentes Christum Opt. Max. precaturi sumus, vt tuam celsitudinem an|nos Nestoreos summo cum honore Anglis imperi|tare faciat, matrém pignoribus charis beatam reddat Amen.

Anglia nunc tandem plaudas, laetare, resulta,

Praesto iam vita est, praesidiúm tibi.

En tua spes venit, tua gloria, lux, decus omne

Venit iam, solidam qua tibi praestat opem.

Quaenam prae|stabit Elisabae|tha suo regimi|n [...].Succurrét tuis rebus quae pessum abiere,

Perdita quae fuerant haec reparare volet.

Omnia florebunt, redeunt nunc aurea saecla,

In melius surgent quae cecidere bona.

Debes ergo illi totam te reddere fidam,

Cuius in accessu commoda tot capies.

Salue igitur dicas, imo de pectore summo,

Elizabeth regni non dubitanda salus,

Virgo venit, veniát optes comitata deinceps,

Pignoribus charis, laeta parens veniat.

Hoc Deus omnipotens ex alto donet olympo,

Qui coelum & terram condidit at regit.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Which the quéenes maiestie most attentiuelie hearkened vnto. And when the child had pronounced, he did kisse the oration which he had there faire writ|ten in paper, and deliuered it vnto the quéenes maie|stie, which most gentlie receiued the same. And when the quéenes maiestie had heard all that was there of|fered to be spoken, then hir grace marched toward Ludgate, where she was receiued with a noise of in|struments, the fore front of the gate being finelie trimmed vp against hir maiesties comming.The quéenes maiestie con|sidered the ci|ties charge. From thence by the way as she went downe toward Fleet|bridge, one about hir grace noted the cities charge, that there was no cost spared. Hir grace answered, that she did well consider the same, and that it should be remembred. An honorable answer, worthie a no|ble prince, which may comfort all hir subiects, consi|dering that there can be no point of gentlenesse, or obedient loue shewed towards hir grace, which she doth not most tenderlie accept, and gratiouslie weie. In this maner, the people on euerie side reioising, hir grace went forward towards the conduit in Fléetstréet, where was the fift and last pageant ere|cted in forme following.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 From the conduit, which was beautified with painting, vnto the northside of the stréet was erected a stage, imbatteled with foure towers,A pagent in Fléetstréet de|scribed. and in the same a square plat rising with degrées; and vpon the vppermost degrée was placed a chaire, or seat roiall, and behind the same seat, in curious artificiall ma|ner was erected a trée of reasonable heigth, and so farre aduanced aboue the seat, as it did well and seemelie shadow the same, without indamaging the sight of anie part of the pageant: and the same trée was beautified with leaues as gréene as art could deuise, being of a conuenient greatnesse, and contei|ning therevpon the fruit of the date. And on the top of the same tree in a table was set the name thereof, which was a palme tree, and in the aforesaid seat or chaire was placed Alluding to the quéenes maiestie no doubt. a séemelie and meet personage richlie apparelled in parlement robes, with a scepter in hir hand, as a queene, crowned with an open crowne, whose name and title was in a table fixed o|uer hir head, in this sort: Debora the iudge and re|storer of the house of Israell: Iudic. 4. And the other degrees on either side were furnished with six perso|nages, two representing the nobilitie, two the clear|gie, & two the communaltie. And before these perso|nages was written in a table: Debora with hir e|stats consulting for the good gouernment of Israell. At the féet of these, and the lowest part of the pageant was ordeined a conuenient roome for a child to open the meaning of the pageant.How willing the quéene was to heare the child speake. When the quéenes maiestie drew neare vnto this pageant, and per|ceiued, as in the other, the child readie to speake; hir grace required silence, and commanded hir chariot to be remooued nigher, that she might plainlie heare the child speake, which said as hereafter followeth:

Iabin of Canaan king,

had long by force of armes

Opprest the Israelites,

which for Gods people went:

But God minding at last

for to redresse their harmes,

The worthie Debora

as iudge among them sent.

In warre she through Gods aid,

did put hir foes to flight,

EEBO page image 1178And with the dint ofsword

the band of bondage brast.

In peace she, through Gods aid,

did alwaie mainteine right,

And iudged Israell

till fortie yeares were past.

A worthie president,

ô worthie queene thou hast,

A worthie woman iudge,

a woman sent for staie:

And that the like to vs

indure alwaie thou maist,

Thy louing subiects will

with true harts and toongs praie.