A WATER PAGEANT (1533).
The reign of Henry VIII. is famous for the number and splendour of its pageants. The Field of Cloth of Gold is familiar to all, and every event of any importance was made the occasion of a display of splendid clothing, tapestry, jewels, and allegorical groups. The fashion of extravagance and love of show, which was set by the King, was followed by all who could afford, and the City was in no way behindhand in taking part in these functions. The coronation in 1509, the reception of the French ambassadors in 1518, that of the Legate Campeggio, that of the Emperor Charles, the coronation of Anne Boleyn—all these afforded an occasion for a pageant, and the opportunity was never lost. The following description is of a water pageant in honour of Anne Boleyn.
The xix day of May the Mayor and his brethren all in scarlet, and such as were knights had collars of Esses and the remnant having good chains, and the council of the City with them assembled at Saint Mary Hill, and at one of the clock descended to the New stair to their barge, which was garnishedwith many goodly banners and instruments, which continually made good harmony. After that the Mayor and his brethren were in their barge seeing that all the companies to the number of fifty barges were ready to wait upon them. They gave commandment to the companies that no barge should row nearer to another than twice the length of the barge upon a great pain. And to see the order kept, there were three light wherries prepared, and in every one of them two officers to call on them to keep their order, after which commandment given they set forth in order as hereafter is described. First before the Mayor's barge was a foyst or wafter full of ordinance, in which foyst was a great dragon continually moving, and casting wild fire: and round about the said foyst stood terrible monsters and wild men casting fire, and making hideous noises: next after the foyst a good distance came the Mayor's barge, on whose right hand was the Batchelors' barge, in the which were trumpets and divers other melodious instruments. The decks of the said barge and the sailyards and the top castels were hanged with rich cloth of gold and silk. At the foreship and the stern were two great banners rich beaten with the arms of the King and Queen, and on the top castell also was a long streamer newly beaten with the said arms.
At three of the clock the Queen appeared in rich cloth of gold and entered into her barge accompanied with divers ladies and gentlewomen, and incontinent the citizens set forwards in their order, their musicians continually playing and the batchelors' barge going on the Queen's right hand, which she took great pleasure to behold. About the Queen's barge were many noblemen, as the Duke of Suffolk, the Marquis Dorset, the Earl of Wiltshire her father, the Earls of Arundel, Derby, Rutland, Worcester, Huntington, Sussex, Oxford, and many Bishops and noblemen, every one in his barge which was a goodly sight to behold. She thus being accompanied rowed toward the Tower, and in the mean way the ships which were commanded to lie on the shore for letting of the barges shot divers peals of guns, and ere she landed there was a marvellous shot out of the Tower as ever was heard there. And at herlanding there met with her the Lord Chamberlain with the officers of arms and brought her to the King, which received her with loving countenance at the postern by the waterside, and kissed her, and then she turned back again and thanked the Mayor and the citizens with many goodly words and so entered the Tower.