The Eve of All-Hallows Volume I Part 15

We must observe in a general way, that the five-and-twenty guilds, or corporations of the city, formed an unrivalled pageant, the most singular and remarkable in Europe; it would occupy too much time to enter into a minute detail--however, a few we shall briefly notice.

Neptune, surrounded by his attendant tritons, dolphins, &c., sat proudly enthroned in a triumphal car. He was the presiding deity of the guild of merchants. The marine deity was followed by their corporate friend Mercury, bearing all his attributes, and stately standing in an elevated illuminated caravan, representing the clouds.

The tree of knowledge, adorned with the forbidden fruit, the serpent encompa.s.sing the bole of the tree, and supported on each side by our first parents, duly preceded the corporation of Tailors. Adam and Eve were clad in flesh-coloured garments, fitting close to the person; and, sooth to say, the fig-leaf was not forgotten by the grateful corporation!

But we must needs be brief in this general outline:--

Vulcan presided over the corporation of Smiths. He was stationed on a superb car, with his attending Cyclops, who were intently working on a mounted forge; a lovely Venus graced his side; and as the arrows came formed from the anvil, they were handed to Cupid.

Saturn, with his attributes, his scythe and serpent, and attended by Esculapius, presiding over the guild of Barbers and Surgeons, followed in a splendid car.

Ceres, seated in a triumphal chariot, drawn by four oxen, presided over the corporation of Bakers. In a caravan which followed was placed an oven, which was briskly at work; whence cakes were made, and distributed to the populace.

The guild of Carpenters were preceded by a most magnificent caravan, adorned with the various orders of architecture; in the centre of which was placed a representation of Mount Ararat, on which reposed a model of Noah's ark; thereby the corporation slyly intimating that their handicraft was as old as the deluge!

Crispin and Crispia.n.u.s, the two tutelar saints of the corporation of Shoemakers, duly personated, and attired in strict saintly costume, preceded the worthy guild.

Bacchus, "ever fair and young," crowned with his own ivy, bearing the Thyrsus wand in his right, and a golden goblet in his left hand, duly enthroned on a wine-cask, and mounted on a triumphal car, decorated with festoons of grapes and vine-leaves, presided over the guild of Cooks and Vintners.

Jason supporting the golden fleece, (with the ship Argo in the back ground of his splendid car, blazing in burnished gold,) presided over the guild of Weavers.

Iris, enveloped in her own rainbow, and borne in a car, adorned with transparent clouds, presided over the Sheermen and Dyers.

We shall only notice one guild more--the corporation of Printers, to whom we, in common with every Briton, owe such a debt of grat.i.tude. A free press has always been acknowledged, and we trust ever may continue, the _palladium_ of British liberty!

This guild, forming a magnificent and extended cavalcade, made a grand and interesting display; their ancient banners and standards borne in the van were tri-coloured, crimson, light-yellow, and blue. The first banner bore the legend, or motto, "_Rex et Lex_;" upon the second, "_Pro rege saepe, Pro Patria semper_;" upon the last banner was splendidly emblazoned the words, "_Liberty of the Press_!"

A statue of Minerva, placed on a high pedestal, and mounted in a triumphal car, headed the procession. A bomb-cart followed, heavily laden, containing ammunition and stores; that is to say, not gunpowder, chain-b.a.l.l.s, and grape-shot, but more peaceful pastime, _videlicet_: cold meat, pasties, pies, confectionary, wines, &c. Next advanced four fine palfreys, covered with richly embroidered field-clothes, each led by a groom in splendid livery. Then came on a brother of the corporation, who personated Vulcan; he was arrayed in a n.o.ble suit of armour, which had belonged to king Charles the First; it was the gift of the late Colonel Joshua Paul, a free-brother of the guild, to the corporation. Vulcan rode on horseback, the housings, trappings, and horse-furniture, were decorated with appropriate emblems; he bore an immense sledge-hammer of richly polished steel, the handle curiously ornamented with fanciful Arabesque ornaments, inlaid in gold and silver.

Next in succession advanced a triumphal car, or caravan, drawn by six beautiful black steeds, covered with handsome nets, the coachman and postillion in rich splendid liveries. Within the carriage was exhibited a handsome printing-press, with two pressmen and a compositor at work. A hackney author was occupied in writing for and correcting the press. A printer's devil was busily at work; and a painter engaged at his eazle, all in meet and proper costume. The printing-press was richly and appropriately ornamented: in the front stood a figure of Mercury holding a poem, copies of which were struck off, and distributed among the spectators; it was in praise of the n.o.ble art of printing, in which honourable mention was made of the founders and benefactors of this glorious invention. Nor were the following distinguished worthies forgotten:--Wynkin de Worde, Caxton, Pynson, Kerver, Simon Vostre, Theodore Martin, Jean Pet.i.t, Plantin, the two Elzivers, &c. The printer's devil published impressions of the poem among the congregated mult.i.tude.

The masters and wardens of the guild, splendidly arrayed in appropriate costume, attended by kettle-drums mounted on horseback, the performers dressed in Turkish habits, and attended by grooms in Tartar habits, who led the horses, that were most splendidly caparisoned, next came on.

They were followed by persons on foot bearing long silver maces; at intervals they obtained copies from the press of verses laudatory of King James, which were distributed among the people. Four copies were struck off on white satin, and sent into the castle to be presented to King James; the verses were by Waller and Lord Lansdowne; at receiving of which King James seemed most highly gratified. They were as follows:--

"Bred in the camp, fam'd for his valour young; At sea successful, vigorous, and strong; His fleet, his army, and his mighty mind, Esteem and rev'rence thro' the world do find."[46]

"Tho' trained in arms, and learned in martial arts, Thou choosest not to conquer men but hearts; Expecting nations for thy triumphs wait, But thou prefer'st the name of just to great."[47]

[46] Extract from lines presented to His Majesty King James the Second, upon his birth-day, by _Edmund Waller_.

[47] From _Lord Lansdowne_ to King James II.

Having perused these lines, King James most sweetly smiled, and with his accustomed gracious condescension, gracefully approached the centre window of the presence-chamber; he condescendingly looked down, and most courteously bowed to the corporation of Printers, his face illumined with a smile peculiar to himself, and in a most king-like att.i.tude he gracefully waved his hand. Then addressing the Duke of Tyrconnel, who, with the other n.o.bles of the household, surrounded His Majesty, the king was pleased to say, "I perceive your Grace's countrymen are _tam Marti, quam Mercurio_--they are courteous as they are brave." The Duke lowly and respectfully bowed his acquiescence to the observation.

The proud pageant having closed, all the troops a.s.sembled presented arms, lowered their banners; while drum, trumpet, and kettle-drum struck up the anthem of "G.o.d save the King!"

The Duke of Tyrconnel fully explained to the king the name, description, and detail of each guild as it made its entrance and exit. The duke had taken some pains to prepare himself to be the royal _Cicerone_ of the day; and, in sooth, as King James remarked to him, like my Lord Hamlet, he was "as good as a chorus."

The number of saddle, led, and draft-horses, produced in this splendid pageant were the best bred and most beautiful horses in the kingdom, being selected, by the courtesy and permission of the n.o.ble proprietors, from the most valuable studs the country then could boast of. The richness of the horse furniture, housings, trappings, harness, &c., quite surpa.s.ses description. Never were present upon any former occasion so many foreigners of distinction; and exclusive of those immediately attendant upon the king, the n.o.bility and gentry crowded to Dublin, as did the n.o.blesse of foreign realms, to witness, whenever it occurred, this magnificent spectacle, which could not be equalled in any other part of Europe.

King James was quite enraptured at the brilliant display, and addressing the Duke of Tyrconnel, said:--"Albeit I have sojourned for a length of time at my court of St. Germains, and have, in sooth, resided in the country of pomp, spectacle, and pageantry, yet a.s.suredly never have I there witnessed such a scene of splendour as I have beheld this day, either at Versailles or at Paris!--It has given me great satisfaction truly, and I must observe that I consider that the taste, pomp, and splendour of the pageant of to-day has rarely, if ever, been surpa.s.sed."

At night-fall the waits were in attendance at the upper castle-gate to serenade the royal James. As the usage has become obsolete, it is necessary to acquaint the reader that WAITS were a band of itinerant nocturnal musicians, who perambulated the streets, singing, and playing on different instruments, at different houses, where they addressed the master or mistress of the mansion; and at Christmas-tide they were usually most alert in their avocation, when they were tolerably sure of an _honorarium_. The Irish waits resembled the _musique ambulante_ of France. In England waits are very ancient. It is now about thirty-eight or forty years since this custom has wholly ceased in the city of Dublin. The Irish waits were always attended by a man who bore a long pole, from which was suspended a spherical illuminated lantern, which they called their moon; with Falstaff they might indeed say, "Let us be gentlemen of the shade--minions of the moon!" They sung and accompanied the following verses to the air of "G.o.d save the King!"

O welcome be our n.o.ble king!

Resound the harp, each dulcet string, While every loyal chord shall ring, And every loyal tongue shall sing, With filial burst, G.o.d save the king!

Oh, ever on his natal day Our grateful homage we shall pay; And bless the fav'ring breeze whose wing Wafted our great and generous king!

After this long digression we shall resume our story in the following chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

----Hark! from camp to camp The hum of either army stilly sounds, That the fix'd sentinels almost receive The secret whispers of each other's watch; Steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighings, Piercing the night's dull ear.

KING HENRY V.

King James, almost immediately after his arrival in his capital of Dublin, a.s.sembled and met the Irish parliament. His Majesty proceeded in great state to the House of Peers to open the session, where, arrayed in his royal robes, and adorned with his crown,[48] he met the a.s.sembled lords and commons of Ireland. He made a most truly dignified and impressive speech[49] from the throne, with all that native grace and dignity with which indeed King James was peculiarly gifted; and he adopted his royal residence, while he sojourned in his Irish capital, at the Castle of Dublin, from whence His Majesty issued various proclamations.

[48] Life of King James.

[49] This speech will be found in the third volume of Rapin's History of England, page 85.

The morning which succeeded the said meeting of parliament, at an early hour, the Duke of Tyrconnel received an express, which stated, that[50]

"the Prince of Orange had landed at Carrickfergus, from the Mary yacht, attended by Prince George of Denmark, the Duke of Ormond, the Earls of Devonshire, Oxford, Scarborough, and Manchester, the Honourable Mr.

Boyle, and many other persons of distinction. He tarried," it was added to the report, "only about half an hour after his landing, and then set off in Duke Schomberg's carriage for Belfast."

[50] History and Antiquities of the County and Town of Carrickfergus.

When this was told to King James, his only reply was, in allusion to Prince George: "What! has little '_est-il possible_' deserted me at last!"[51]

[51] Memoirs of Grammont.

The plain, but extraordinary fact now came forth, that the Prince of Orange had been actually six days in Ireland before any intimation or express to that effect had arrived thereby to acquaint King James of the event.

The Prince of Orange having driven King James from England, Ireland was now fated to become the scene of civil war, which, as will appear, was conducted with considerable talent on both sides. And very soon a battle was to be fought between two contending sovereigns, and the glorious prize depending upon the eventful issue of the mighty contest was no less than the triple crown of three powerful kingdoms!

At this period England was most critically circ.u.mstanced: defeat at home was succeeded by victory of the enemy abroad. The defeat of the fleet of Torrington off the sh.o.r.es of England, was the harbinger of the defeat of the Dutch in the great battle of Fleurus. The reins of government were guided by a woman, whose councils were distracted by two implacable factions. Invasion was impending; rebellion existed in one of the three kingdoms, and was expected in the other two; the king was absent; the army abroad in other countries; and an exiled master returning home, armed with power and vengeance. These combined causes shook the British empire to its centre.

Numerous indeed were the difficulties and obstructions with which the Prince of Orange had to contend; and various the plots, intrigues, and conspiracies, that he had to overcome, which rendered the commencement of his reign (when styled William III.) so very tempestuous, that more than once he had resolved[52] "to abandon his throne, and retire into Holland, and for ever to relinquish the sovereignty of England; distracted, as he found it, with political and religious contentions, and convulsed by party and faction."

[52] Rapin's History of England.

However, he hesitated before he carried this measure into execution. He issued a proclamation previous to his departure from England, promising to the Irish who should lay down their arms and return to their homes, that they should not be molested in their persons or injured in their properties; and this he promulgated to some Irish lords, who were at that time in London, at the very moment that Duke Schomberg was departing for Ireland. The discourse which King William gave at a council held was to this effect:[53] "He declared to them, that he had resolved, with the a.s.sistance of G.o.d, to reduce Ireland to the obedience of England, and not to stop at any measure that was necessary for its accomplishment; but that he loved not the effusion of blood--no, not even of his most implacable enemy; and that he had resolved, so far as human prudence permitted, to extend his pardon and his clemency to all those who were in arms against him, except the Duke of Tyrconnel, the Lord Chancellor Fitton," and about twelve peers more, who were enumerated in this proclamation, and were thereby excluded from the royal mercy; and in this exception some generals and field officers were included.