was most happy in having rule over such dutiful and loving subjects, that would not think any thing, were it lands, goods, or life, too dear to be at his highness's command and service. To which his highness made answer, "That he did acknowledge himself to be deeply bound to their merits, and in that regard did promise that he would be a gracious and loving prince to so well deserving subjects." And concluded with good liking and commendations of their proceedings. Then the solicitor, having certain great old books and records lying before him, made this speech to his honor as followeth : "Most Excellent Prince, "High superiority and dominion is illustrated and adorned by the humble services of noble and mighty personages and therefore, amidst the garland of your royalties of your crown, this is a principal flower, that in your provinces and territories divers mighty and puissant potentates are your homagers and vassals; and, although infinite are your feodaries, which by their tenures do perform royal service to your sacred person, pay huge sums into your treasury and exchequer, and maintain whole legions for the defence of your country; yet some special persons there are, charged by their tenures to do special service at this your glorious inthronization; whose tenures, for their strangeness, are admirable; for their value, inestimable; and for their worthiness, incomparable: the particulars whereof do here appear in your excellency's records, in the book of Dooms-day, remaining in your exchequer, in the 50th and 500th chest there." "The names of such Homagers and Tributaries as hold any Signiories, Lordships, Lands, Privileges, or Liberties under his Honour, and the Tenures and Services belonging to the same, as followeth : "Alfonso de Stapulia, and Davillo de Bernardia, hold the arch-dukedoms of Stapulia and Bernardia of the Prince of Peerpoole, by grand serjeantry, and castle-guard of the castles of Stapusia and Bernardia, and to right and relicve all wants and wrongs of all ladies, matrons and maids, within the said arch-duchy; and rendering, on the day of his excellency's coronation, a coronet of gold, and yearly five hundred millions, sterling "Marotto Marquarillo, de Holborn, holdeth the manors of High and Nether Holborn by Cornage in Capite, of the Prince of Peerpoole, and rendering on the day of his honour's coronation, for every of the prince's pensioners, one milk-white doe, to be bestowed on them by the prince, for a favour, or new-year's-night-gift; and rendering yearly two hundred millions sterling. Lucy Negro, Abbess de Clerkenwell, holdeth the nunnery of Clerkenwell, with the lands and privileges thereunto belonging, of the Prince of Peerpoole by night-service in Cauda, and to find a choir of nuns, with burning lamps, to chant Placebo to the gentlemen of the prince's privy-chamber, on the day of his excellency's coronation. "Ruffiano de St. Giles's holdeth the town of St. Giles's by cornage in Cauda of the Prince of Peerpoole, and rendering, on the day of his excellency's coronation, two ambling easie paced gennets, for the prince's two pages of honour, and rendering yearly two hundred millions sterling. "Cornelius Combaldus, de Tottenham, holdeth the grange of Tottenham of the Prince of Peerpoole, in free and common soccage, by the twenty-fourth part of a night's fee, and by yielding yearly four quarters of rye, and threescore double duckets on the feast of St. Pan cras. "Bartholomew de Bloomsbury holdeth a thousand hides in Bloomsbury, of the Prince of Peerpoole, by escuage in certain, and rendering, on the day of his excellency's coronation, a ring to be run at by the knights of the prince's band, and the mark to be his trophy that shall be adjudged the bravest courser; and rendering yearly fifty millions sterling. "Amarillo de Paddington holdeth an hundred ox-gangs of land in Paddington, of the Prince of Peerpoole, by petty-serjeantry, that when the prince maketh a voyage royal against the Amazons, to subdue and bring them under, he do find, at his own charge, a thousand men, well furnished with long and strong morris-pikes, black bills, or halberts, with morians on their heads; and rendering yearly four hundred millions sterling. "Bawdwine de Islington holdeth the town of Islington of the Prince of Feerpoole, by grand-searjeantry; and rendering, at the coronation of his honour, one hundred thousand millions sterling "Jordano Surtano de Kentish Town holdeth the canton of Kentish Town of the Prince of Peerpoole, in tail-general, at the will of the said prince, as of his manor of Deep Inn, in his province of Islington by the veirge, according to the custom of the said manor; that when any of the prince's officers or family do resort thither for change of air, or else variety of diet, as weary of court-life, and such provision, he do provide for a mess of the yeomen of the guard, or any of the black-guard, or such like inferior officer so coming, eight loins of mutton, which are sound, well fed, and not infectious; and for every gentleman-pensioner, or other of good quality, coneys, pigeons, chickens, or such dainty morsel. But the said Jordano is not bound by his tenure to boil, roast, or bake the same, or meddle further than the bare delivery of the said cates, and so to leave them to the handling, dressing, and breaking up of themselves and rendering for a fine to the prince one thousand five hundred marks. "Markasius Burticanus and Hieronymus Paludensis de Knightsbridge do hold the village of Knightsbridge, with the appurtenances in Knightsbridge, of the Prince of Peerpoole, by villenage in bare tenure, that they two shall jointly find three hundred and fifty able and sufficient labouring men, with instruments and tools necessary for the making clean of all channels, sinks, creeks, and guiters within all the cities of his highness's dominions, and also shall cleanse and keep clean all, and all manner of ponds, puddles, dams, springs, locks, runlets, becks, water-gates, slimes, passages, strait entrances, and dangerous quagmires, and also shall repair and mend all common low and high ways, by laying stones in the pits and naughty places thereof; and also that they do not suffer the aforesaid places to go to decay through their default, and lack of looking unto, or neglect of doing their parts and duties therein." The tenures being thus read by the soheitor, then were called by their names those homagers that were to perform their services according to their tenures Upon the summons given, Alfonso de Stapulia and Davillo de Bernardia came to the prince's footstool, and offered a coronet according to their service, and did homage to his highness in soleinn manner, kneeling according to the order in such cases accustomed. The rest that appeared were deferred to better leisure, and they that made default were fined at great sums, and their default recorded. Then was a parliament summoned, but by reason that some special officers were compelled to be absent, without whose presence it could not be holdenit did not meet. Yet was a subsidy raised of the commons towards the support of his highness's port and sports; and a general and free pardor. was issued, except for manifold offences therein set forth [as the same doth at large in print appear]; on which pardon having been read by the solicitor, the prince made a speech, wherein he gave his subjects to understand that, although in clemency he pardoned all offences to that present time, yet he meant not to give occasion of presumption in breaking his laws, and the customs of his dominions and government. In this speech he desired that the wronged should make their causes known to himself by petition to the master of requests: and he excused the causes of the great taxes and sums of money that were levied, because his predecessors had not left his coffers full of treasure, nor his crown fur nished as became the dignity of so great a prince. Then his highness called for the master of the revels, and willed him to pass the time in dancing: so his gentlemen-pensioners and attendants, very gallantly ap pointed in thirty couples, danced the old measures, and their galliards, and other kinds of dances, revelling till it was very late; and so spent the rest of their performance in those exercises, until it pleased his honor to depart to his lodging with sound of trumpets, and his attendants in order as before set forth. This was the conclusion of the first grand night; the performances whereof increased expectation of great things to ensue: insomuch that it urged to greater state than was at the first intended. And therefore, besides all the sumptuous service that was continually done the prince in a princely manner, and besides the usual daily revels and sports, divers grand nights were appointed for the reception of strangers to the pastimes and sports. Upon the next grand night, being Innocent's Day at night, there was a great presence of lords, ladies, and worshipful personages, expectant of a notable performance, which had been intended; but the multitude was so exceedingly great that there was no convenient room for those that were to be the actors, by reason whereof, very good inventions and conceits could not have opportunity to be applauded, which otherwise would have yielded great content to the beholders. Upon which night the Inner Temple, the ancient friend and ally of Grays Inu, sent its Ambassador to the Prince, as from Frederick Templarius, their Emperor, who was then busied in his wars against the Turk. The ambassador came to the court of Graya, very gallantly appointed, and attended by a great number of brave gentlemen, about nine o'clock at night. Upon whose coming thither, the king at arms gave notice thereof to the prince, then sitting in his chair of state, and showed that the Templarian ambassador seemed to be of very good sort, because so well attended; and his highness ordered certain of his nobles and lords to conduct him into the hall. So he was brought into the presence with sound of trumpets, the king at arms and lords of portpoole marching before him in order; and he was graciously received by the prince, and placed in a chair beside his highness. But, before the Templarian ambassador took his seat, he made a speech to the prince, wherein he declared that his highness's great renown was famed throughout all the world, and had reached the ears of his sovereign master, Frederick Templarius, while then warring beyond sea, who had sent him his ambassador to reside at his excellency's court, which function, the ambassador said, he was the more willing to accomplish, because the state of Graya had graced Templaria with an ambassador about thirty years before, upon like occa sion. To which speech the prince of Graya made suitable answer, with commendations and welcome to the ambassador and his favorites, for their master's sake, and their own good deserts and condition. When the ambassador was seated, and something notable was to be performed for disport and delight, there arose such a disordered tumult, that there was no opportunity to effect that which was designed; inasmuch as a great number of worshipful personages would not be dis placed from the stage, together with gentlewomen whose sex did privilege them; and though the prince and his officers endeavoured a reformation, yet there was no hope of redress for the pre sent. And the lord ambassador and his train thought that they were not so kindly entertained as they expected, and thereupon would not stay longer at that time, but quitted the presence discontented and displeased. After their departure, so much of the throng and tumults did continue, as to disorder and confound any good inventions. In regard whereof, as also because the sports intended were especially for honorable entertainment of the Templarians, it was thought good not to attempt anything of account, except dancing and revelling with gentlewomen. And after such sports a comedy of errors (like to Plautus, his Menechmus,) was played by the players. So that night begun and continued to the end in nothing but confusion and errors; whereupon, it was afterwards called "The Night of Errors." This mischance was a great discouragement and disparagement to the state of Graya, and gave occasion to the lawyers of the prince's council, on the next night after the revels, to read a commission of Oyer and Terminer, directing certain noblemen and lords of his highness's council to cause enquiry of the great disorders and abuses done and committed, and of certain sorceries, enchantments, and witchcraft the night before, whereby there were raised great hurley-burlies, crowds, errors, confusions, vain representations and shows, to the utter discredit of the state, and to the great damage of his highness's dominion of Portpool. The next night judgments were preferred by the officers of the crown, setting forth that a certain sorcerer or conjurer, then prisoner, had caused a stage to be built, and certain scaffolds to be reared, and expectations raised, and had also caused divers ladies, gentlemen, and others, of good condition, to be invited tc the sports, and they, and the state of Templaria, to be disgraced and disappointed, by the bringing in of crowds, and the foisting a company of base and common fellows, to the confusion of the state, and against the crown and dignity of his sovereign highness, the prince of Peerpoole. Whereupon the prisoner so charged, being arraigned at the bar, humbly demeaned himself to the prince, and presented a petition, which was read by the master of the requests, and set forth that the attorney and solicitor, by means of certain law-stuff, had confounded his highness and the court, to believe that those things which they saw and perceived to have been in very deed done the night before, were nothing else but fond illusions, fancies, dreams, and enchantments; and that the fault was in the negligence of the prince's council and great officers of state, by whose advice the state was misgoverned; in proof whereof, he cited instances, coupled with allegations not to be denied. This was deemed a quick boldness, and gave great offence to his highness's government: but, in the end, the prisoner was freed and pardoned, and those that were concerned in the draught of the petition were committed to the tower. The law sports of this night, in the state of Gray a, being thus ended, consultation was forthwith held, for immediate reform in the prince's council, and it was concluded that graver councils should take place, and good order be maintained to which end a watch and ward was ordained at the four ports, with whifflers under the four barons, and the lord warden to oversee all, so that none but of good quality might be admitted to the court. was On the 3rd of January, at night, there an honorable presence from the court of her majesty, of great and noble personages, who came by invitation to the prince; namely, the Right Honorable, the lord Keeper, the earls of Shrewsbury, Cumberland, Northumberland, Southampton, and Essex; the lords Bathurst, Windsor, Mountjoy, Sheffield, Compton, Rich, Burleigh, Mounteagle, and the lord Thomas Howard; Sir Thomas Heneage, Sir Robert Cecil, and a goodly number of knights, ladies, and worshipful personages; all of whom were disposed in honorable and convenient places, to their great liking and content. When all were so placed, and settled in right order, the prince entered with his wonted state, and ascended his throne at the high end of the hall, under his highness's arms: after him came the ambassador of Templaria, with his train likewise, and was placed by the prince as he was before; his train also had places particularly assigned for them. Then, after variety of music was presented this device : At the side of the hall, behind the curtain, was erected an altar to the goddess of Amity; her arch-flamen stood ready to attend the sacrifice and incense that should, by her servants, be offered unto her round about sat nymphs and fairies with instruments of music, and made pleasant melody with viols and voices, in praise of the goddess. Then issued, from another room, the first pair of friends, Theseus and Perithous, arm in arm, and offered incense upon the altar, which shone and burned very clear; which done, they departed. There likewise came Achilles and Patroclus; after them, Pylades and Orestes then Scipio and Lælius: and all these did as the former, and departed. Lastly came Graius and Templarius, arm in arm, and lovingly, to the altar, and offered their incense as the rest, but the goddess did not accept of their service, which appeared by the smoke and vapor that choked the flame. Then the archflamen preferred certain mystical coremonies and invocations, and caused the nymphs to sing hymns of pacification to the goddess, and then the flame burnt more clear, and continued longer in brightness and shining to Graius and Templarius, than to any of those pairs of friends that had gone before them; and so they departed. Then the arch-flamen pronounced Graius and Templarius to be as true and perfect friends, and so familiarly united and linked with the bond and league of sincere friendship and amity, as ever were Theseus and Perithous, Achilles and Patroclus, Pylades and Orestes, or Scipio and Lælius, and did further divine that this love should be perpetual. And, lastly, he denounced any that should seek to break or weaken the same, and foretold happiness to their friends; and, with sweet and pleasant melody, the curtain was drawn as at the first. Thus was this show ended, which was devised that those present might understand that the unkindness which was growing betwixt the Templarians and the Grayians, by reason of the former night of errors, was clean rooted out and forgotten, and that they were more firin friends than ever. The prince then informed the ambassador of Templaria that the show had contented him exceedingly, because i represented that their ancient amity was so flourishing that no friendship could equal the love and goodwill of the Grayians and Templarians. Then his highness offered to the ord ambassador, and certain of his retinue, the knighthood of the he me and his highness ordered his king at arms to place the ambassador and his said followers, and also some of his own court, that they might receive the dignity; which being done, and the master of the jewels attending with the collar of the order, the prince descended from his chair of state, and took the collar, and put it about the lord ambassador's neck, he kneeling down on his left knee, and said to him "Sois Chivaler;" and the like to the rest, to the number of twenty-four. So the prince and the lord ambassador took their places again, in their chairs; and the rest according to their condition. Then Helmet, his highness's king at arms, stood forth before the prince in his surcoat of arms, and caused the trumpets to sound, and made the following speech: "The most mighty and puissant prince, Sir Henry, my gracious lord and sovereign prince of Peerpoole, &c. (setting forth his title at length) hath heretofore, for the special gracing of the nobility of his realm, and honouring the deserts of strangers, his favourites, instituted a most honourable order of knighthood of the HELMET, whereof his honour is sovereign, in memory of the arms he beareth, worthily given to one of his noble ancestors, many years past, for saving the life of his then sovereign; in regard as the helmet defendeth the chiefest part of the body, the head, so did he guard and defend the sacred person of the prince, the head of the state. His highness at this time had made choice of a number of virtuous and noble personages, to admit them into his honourable society; whose good example may be a spur and encouragement to the young nobility of his dominions, to cause them to aspire to the height of all honourable deserts. To the honourable order are annexed strict rules of arms, and civil government, religiously to be observed by all those that are admitted to this dignity. You, therefore, most noble gentlemen, whom his highness at this time so greatly honoureth with his royal order, you must, every one of you, kiss your helmet, and thereby promise and vow to observe and practise, or otherwise, as the case shall require, shun and avoid all those constitutions and ordinances, which, out of the records of my office of arms, I shall read unto you." Then the king at arms took his book and turned to the articles of the order, and read them, the chief whereof followeth. Imprimis. Every knight of this honourable order, whether he be a natural subject, or stranger born, shal promise never to bear arms against his highness's sacred person, nor his state, but to assist him in all his lawful wars, and maintain all his just pretences and titles; especially his highness's title to the land of the Amazons, and the Cape of Good Hope. "Item. No knight of this order shall, in point of honour, resort to any grammar rules out of the books de Duello, or such like, but shall, out of his own brave mind and natural courage, deliver himself from scorn, as to his own discretion shall seem convenient "Item. No knight of this order shall be inquisitive towards any lady or gentleman, whether her beauty be English or Italian, or whether with caretaking she have added half-a-foot to her stature; but shall take all to the best. Neither shall any knight of the aforesaid order presume to affirm that faces were better twenty years ago than they are at this present time, except such knight shall have passed three climacterical years. "Item. Every knight of this order is bound to perform all requisite and manly service, as the case requireth, to all ladies and gentlemen, beautiful by nature or by art; ever offering his aid without any demand thereof: and, if in case he fail so to do, he shall be deemed a match of disparagement to any of his highness's widows, or wards, female; and his excellency shall in justice forbear to make any tender of him to any such ward or widow. "Item. No knight of this order shall procure any letters from his highness to any widow or maid, for his enablement and commendation to be advanced to marriage; but all prerogative, wooing set apart, shall for ever cease as to any of these knights, and shall be left to the common laws of the land, declared by the statute Quia electiones libera esse debent. "Item. No knight of this honourable order, in case he shall grow into decay, shall procure from his highness relief and sustentation, any monopolies or privileges; except only these kinds following-that is to say, upon every tobacco-pipe not being one foot wide, |