“These were the noble delights of Princes, and prompt were the wits of men to contrive such princely pleasures. Where Kings commands be, Art is stretcht to the true depth; as the performance of these Engineers have been approved.
“But now again to our wished sports: when this fiery hunting was extinguished, and that the Elements were a little cleared from fire and smoke, there came sailing up, as it were upon the Seas, certaine ships and gallies bravely rigged with top and top gallant, with their flagges and streamers waving like Men of Warr, which represented a Christian name opposed against the Turkes; where, after they had awhile hovered, preparing as it were, to make an incursion into the Turkish country, they were discovered by her Towers or Castles of defence, strongly furnished to intercept all such invading purposes, so sending forth the reports of a cannon, they were bravely answered with the like from the gallies, banding fire and powder one from another, as if the God of Battle had been there present.
“Here was the manner of a sea-fight rightly performed: First, by assailing one another, all striving for victorie, and pursuing each other with fire and sword: the Culverines merrily plaid betwixt them, and made the ayre resound with thundering echoes; and at last to represent the joyes of a victorie, the Castles were sacked, burned, and ruinated, and the defenders of the same forced to escape with great danger.”
The foregoing appears to be the only full account of a display in England during the early part of the seventeenth century, but in the first serious work on fireworks, “Pyrotechnia,” by John Babington, “gunner and student of the mathematicks,” we find a proposed programme for “a generall piece of fire-worke for land, for the pleasure of a Prince or some great person.” The spectacle consists of two castles with mechanical effects, but includes such devices as horizontal and vertical wheels, flights of rockets, line rockets and “torches of beautifull fire.” Babington also describes the St. George and Dragon device, which is merely scenic, the figures being of wickerwork and canvas with slight firework effects. At this time, according to a “History of Colleges in and arround London,” there were “many men very skilful in the art of pyrotechny and fireworks.”
In a book on fireworks, published in the same year, by John Bate, the author concludes by saying: “I might have been infinite in the describing of such like with Ships, Towers, Castles, Pyramides. But, considering that it would but increase the price of the book and not better your understanding, since all consist of the former workes, which are so plainly described as that the most ignorant may easily conceive thereof, and (if any whit ingenious) thence contrive others, of what fashion they list.” From this it would appear that firework displays were by that date a well-established institution.
Pepys, in his account of the coronation of Charles II, 1661, says: “We staid upon the leads and below till it was late, expecting to see the fireworks, but they were not performed to-night.” He seems to have looked upon fireworks as a matter of course on such an occasion. However, a display of considerable size did take place, conducted by Sir Martin Beckman, later Firemaster to James II, who was responsible for most of the important displays until 1706. One of the earliest prints of an English firework display is that depicting the fireworks on the Thames at Whitehall for the coronation of James II, 1685, in which the artist appears to have drawn somewhat on his imagination.
Three years later an elaborate display was given on the Thames to celebrate the birth of an heir to the throne, who was afterwards known as the Old Pretender. In the same year we again see fireworks on the Thames, this time to celebrate the reception of the Prince of Orange.
In 1690 displays were given, again on the Thames, and in Covent Garden, on the occasion of the King’s return from Ireland.
The taking of Namur, 1695, was celebrated by a display in St. James’s Square, and on the same site two years later, the celebrations for the Peace of Riswick. This latter is depicted in a fine engraving, giving the following list of fireworks used on the occasion:—“1,000 Sky Rockets, from four to six pounds weight; 200 Shell; 2,400 Pumps with Starrs (Roman Candles); 1,000 Cones; 7,000 Reports; 15,000 Swarms; 400 Light Balls; 23 Rocket Chests, each containing 60 rockets from one to four pounders.”
John Evelyn, in his “Diary,” says: “The evening concluded with illuminations and fireworks of great expense.” The display cost £12,000.