“The maner of the showe, that is, if God spare life and healthe, shall be seene by all the behoulders upon Sct George’s day next, being the 23d of Aprill 1610, and the same with more addytion, to continew, being for the kyng’s crowne and dignitye, and the homage to the kynge and prynce, with that noble victor St. George, to be continued for ever, God save the Kynge.
- It. ij men in greene evies,[136] set with worke upon their other habet, with black heare and black beards, very awgly to behould, and garlands upon their heads, with great clubbs in their hands, with firr[137] works to scatter abroad, to mantain way for the rest of the showe.
- It. one on horseback with the buckler and head-peece of St. George, and iij men to guide him, with a drum before him, for the hon. of England.
- It. one on horsebacke called Fame, with a trumpet in his hand, and iij to guide him, and he to make an oration with his habit, in pompe.
- It. one called Mercury, to descend from above in a cloude, his winges and all other matters in pompe, and heavenly musicke with him, and after his oration spoken, to ryde on horsebacke with the musicke before him.
- It. j called Chester, with an oration and drums before him, his habit in pompe.
- It. j on horseback, with the kynge’s armes upon a shield in pompe.
- It. j on horseback, concerninge the kyng’s crowne and dignity, with an oration in pompe.
- It. j on horseback with a bell dedicated to the kinge, being double gilt, with the kyng’s armes upon, carried upon a septer in pompe, and before him a noise of trumpets in pompe.
- It. one on horseback, with the Prince’s armes upon a shield in pompe.
- It. one on horseback, with an oration from the prynce in pompe.
- It. j on horseback, with the bell dedicated to the princes. Armes upon it, in pompe, and to be carried on a septer, and before the bell, a wayte of trumpetts.
- It. j on horseback, with a cup for Saint George, caried upon a septer in pompe.
- It. j on horseback, with an oracyon for St. George, in pompe.
- It. St. George himselfe on horseback, in complete armour, with his flag and buckler in pompe, and before him a noyse of drums.
- It. one on horseback called Peace, with an oration in pompe.
- It. one on horseback called Plentye, with an oration in pompe.
- It. one on horseback called Envy, with an oration, whom Love will comfort, in pompe.
- It. one on horseback called Love, with an oration, to maintain all in pompe.
- It. The maior and his brethren, at the Pentis of this Cittye, with their best apparell, and in skarlet, and all the orations to be made before him, and seene at the high crosse, as they passe to the roodeye, whereby grent shall be runne for by their horses, for the ij bells on a double staffe, and the cuppe to be runne for by the rynge in the same place by gennt, and with a great mater of shewe by armes, and thatt, and with more than I can recyte, with a banket after in the Pentis to make welcome the gennt: and when all is done, then judge what you have seene, and soe speake on your mynd, as you fynde. The actor for the p’sent.
Robart Amory.”
Amor is love and Amory is his name
that did begin this pomp and princelye game,
the charge is great to him that all begun,
let him be satisfyed now all is done.
Notwithstanding Mr. Amory exerted himself and entertained the citizens so well in 1610, it was ordered in 1612, “that the sports and recreations used on St. George’s day, should in future be done by the direction of the mayor and citizens, and not of any private person.[138]” No authority has occurred in my researches on this subject, for tracing the gradual alterations by which the bell and the bowl of these ancient races, have been converted to the ordinary prizes at similar meetings. They are now held the first entire week in May, which comes as near the original time (old St. George’s day) as possible. They generally attract a vast assemblage of the fashionable world, and the city subscribes liberally to keep up the respectability of the races.
I am, Sir, &c.
A.
Old Guildford Church.
To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.
Mr. Editor,—In “A Tour through the whole Island of Great Britain,” 4 vols. 12mo., there is the following notice of an accident on St. George’s day, which you will oblige a constant reader by inserting in the Every-Day Book.