The ninetéenth daie of Maie,Hir com|ming by wa|ter from Gréenewich on thursdaie. the maior and his brethren all in scarlet, and such as were knights had collars of S S, and the remnant hauing good chains, and the counsell of the citie with them, assembled at saint Marie hill, and at one of the clocke descended to the new staire to their barge, which was garnished with manie goodlie banners and streamers, and rich|lie couered. In which barge were shalmes, shagbu|shes, and diuerse other instruments, which continu|allie made goodlie harmonie. After that the maior and his brethren were in their barge, séeing that all the companies to the number of fiftie barges were readie to wait vpon them, they gaue commande|ment to the companies, that no barge should rowe néerer to another than twise the length of the barge vpon a great paine. And to sée the order kept, there were thrée light wheries prepared, and in euerie one of them two officers to call on them to kéepe their or|der, after which commandement giuen, they set foorth in order as hereafter is described.

First before the maiors barge was a foist or waf|ter full of ordinance,The maiors barge with the conceits and deuises thereof. in which foist was a great dra|gon continuallie moouing and casting wild fire: and round about the said foist stood terrible monsters and wild men casting fire, and making hideous noi|ses. Next after the foist a good distance came the ma|iors barge: on whose right hand was the bachelors barge, in the which were trumpets and diuerse other melodious instruments; the deckes of the said barge and the sailyards, with the top castels were hanged with rich cloth of gold and silke: at the foreship and the sterne were two great banners rich, beaten with the armes of the king and the quéene, and on the top castell also was a long streamer newlie bea|ten with the said armes. The sides of the barge was set full of flags and banners of the deuises of the companie of the haberdashers and merchants ad|uenturers, and the cords were hanged with innu|merable pensel [...]es, hauing little belles at the ends, which made a goodlie noise and a goodlie sight, waue|ring in the wind. On the outside of the barge were thrée dozen scutchions in mettall of arms of the king and the queene, which were beaten vpon square bucram diuided, so that the right side had the kings colours, and the left side the queenes, which scutchi|ons were fastened on the clothes of gold and siluer, hanging on the decks on the left hand.

On the left hand of the maior was another foist,A foist with [...] mount and o|ther deuises. in the which was a mount, and on the same stood a white falcon crowned, vpon a roote of gold inuiro|ned with white roses and red, which was the quéens deuise; about which mount sat virgins singing and plaieng sweetlie. Next after the maior followed his EEBO page image 931 fellowship the habardashers; next after them the mercers, then the grocers, and so euerie companie in his order, and last of all the maior and shiriffes officers, euerie companie hauing melodie in his barge by himselfe, and goodlie garnished with ban|ners, and some garnished with silke, and some with arras and rich carpets, which was a goodlie sight to behold: and in this order they rowed to Gréenwich, to the point next beyond Gréenwich, and there they turned backeward in another order, that is to wit, the maior and shiriffs officers first, and the meanest craft next, and so ascending to the vttermost crafts in order, and the maior last, as they go to Paules at Christmas, and in that order they rowed downe|ward to Gréenwich towne, and there cast anchor, making great melodie.