Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker

by Thomas Dekker

  PLUTO

  They’ll confound our kingdom

  If here they get but footing; rise therefore, away!

  Keep the jury of brokers till our next court day.

  MINOS

  Adjourn this.

  FURY

  Oyes!Sessions is defer’d

  Because of puritans, Hell cannot be clear’d.

  PLUTO

  Set forward to our hall paved all with brass.

  Judges, we thank you; let our officers drink

  I’th’ bottom of Hell’s cellar, for their good service.

  Since to this height our empire up you rear,

  Hell shall hold triumphs, and, that’s done, prepare

  Again to walk you circuits o’er the earth.

  Souls are Hells subjects, and their groans our mirth. [Exeunt.

  Epilogue

  If’t be not good, the devil is in’t, they say,

  The devil was in’t, this then is no good play

  By that conclusion, but hereby is meant

  If for so many noons and midnights spent

  To reap three hours of mirth, our harvest seed

  Lies still and rot, the devils in’t then indeed.

  Much labour, art, and wit make up a play

  As it does a ship, yet both are cast away,

  When bravely they have fates curseth both these?

  Sail it, or sink it, not ’tis forth, and ne’er

  The haven at which it longs t’arrive; if there

  It suffers wrack, the spitefuller rocks shoot forth,

  Yet none may bring it home laden with much worth.

  By wonted gentle gale, sweet as the balm,

  Or by extending your fair liberal palm

  To fan away all storms, if you see it lowers,

  The air shall ring thanks, but the glory’s yours.

  FINIS

  Troja-Nova Triumphans (1612)

  OR, LONDON TRIUMPHING

  CONTENTS

  TO THE DESERUER OF ALL THOSE HONORS, WHICH THE CUSTOMARY RITES OF THIS DAY, AND THE GENERALL LOUE OF THIS CITY BESTOW VPON HIM; SIR IOHN SWINERTON, KNIGHT, LORD MAIOR OF THE RENOWMED CITY OF LONDON.

  TROIA NOUA TRIUMPHANS. LONDON TRIUMPHING.

  THE FIRST TRIUMPH ON THE LAND.

  NEPTUNE.

  NEPTUNES SPEECHES.

  THE SECOND LAND-TRIUMPH.

  THE SPEECH OF ARETE (VERTUE.)

  THE THIRD DEUICE.

  THE SPEECH OF ENUY.

  THE FOURTH DEUICE.

  THE SPEECH OF FAME.

  THE SONG.

  THE SPEECH OF IVSTICE.

  Troia-Noua Triumphans. London Triumphing,

  OR, The Solemne, Magnificent,

  and Memorable Receiuing of that worthy Gentleman,

  Sir IOHN SWINERTON Knight, into the Citty of LONDON, after his Returne from taking the Oath of Maioralty at Westminster, on the Morrow next after Simon and Iudes day, being the 29. of October. 1612.

  All the Showes, Pageants, Chariots of Triumph, with other Deuices, (both on the Water and Land) here fully expressed. By Thomas Dekker.

  LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Iohn Wright dwelling at Christ Church-gate.

  1612.

  TO THE DESERUER OF ALL THOSE HONORS, WHICH THE CUSTOMARY RITES OF THIS DAY, AND THE GENERALL LOUE OF THIS CITY BESTOW VPON HIM; SIR IOHN SWINERTON, KNIGHT, LORD MAIOR OF THE RENOWMED CITY OF LONDON.

  HONOR (THIS DAY) takes you by the Hand, and giues you welcomes into your New-Office of Pretorship. A Dignity worthie the Cities bestowing, and most worthy your Receiuing. You haue it with the Harts of many people, Voices and Held-vp hands: they know it is a Roabe fit for you, and therefore haue clothed you in it. May the Last-day of your wearing the same, yeeld to your Selfe as much Ioy, as to Others does this First-day of your putting it on. I swimme (for my owne part) not onely in the Maine Full sea of the General praise and Hopes of you. But powre out also (for my particular) such a streame as my Prayers can render, for a successe answerable to the On-set: for it is no Field, vnlesse it be Crowned with victory.

  I present (Sir) vnto you, these labours of my Pen, as the first and newest Congratulatory Offrings tendred into your hands, which albeit I should not (of my selfe) deserue to see accepted, I know notwithstanding you will giue to them a generous and gratefull entertainement, in regard of that Noble Fellowship and Society, (of which you Yesterdaywere a Brother, and This Day a Father) who most freely haue bestowed these their Loues vpon you. The Colours of this Peece are mine owne; the Cost theirs: to which nothing was wanting, that could be had, and euery thing had that was required. To their Lasting memory I set downe This; And to your Noble Disposition, this I Dedicate. My wishes being (as euer they haue bene) to meete with any Obiect, whose reflexion may present to your Eyes, that Loue and Duty,

  In which I stand Bounden To your Lordship. Thomas Dekker.

  TROIA NOUA TRIUMPHANS. LONDON TRIUMPHING.

  TRYUMPHES, ARE THE most choice and daintiest fruit that spring from Peace and Abundance; Loue begets them; and Much Cost brings them forth. Expectation feeds vpon them, but seldome to a surfeite, for when she is most full, her longing wants something to be satisfied. So inticing a shape they carry, that Princes themselues take pleasure to behold them; they with delight; common people with admiration. They are now and then the Rich and Glorious Fires of Bounty, State and Magnificence, giuing light and beauty to the Courts of Kings: And now and then, it is but a debt payd to Time and Custome: And out of that dept come These. Ryot hauing no hand in laying out the Expences, and yet no hand in plucking backe what is held decent to be bestowed. A sumptuous Thriftinesse in these Ciuil Ceremonies managing All. For it were not laudable, in a City (so rarely gouerned and tempered) superfluously to exceed; As contrariwise it is much honor to her (when the Day of spending comes) not to be sparing in any thing. For the Chaires of Magistrates ought to be adorned, and to shine like the Chariot which caries the Sunne; And Beames (if it were possible) must be thought to be shot from the One as from the Other: As well to dazle and amaze the commonEye, as to make it learne that there is some Excellent, and Extraordinary Arme from heauen thrust downe to exalt a Superior man, that thereby the Gazer may be drawne to more obedience and admiration.

  In a happy houre therefore did your Lordship take vpon you this inseperable burden (of Honor and Cares) because your selfe being Generous of mind, haue met with men, and with a Company equall to your Selfe in Spirit. And vpon as fortunate a Tree haue they ingrafted their Bounty; the fruites whereof shoot forth and ripen, are gathered, and taste sweetly, in the mouthes not onely of this Citty, but also of our best-to-be-beloued friends, the Noblest strangers. Vpon whom, though none but our Soueraigne King can bestow Royall welcomes; yet shall it be a Memoriall of an Exemplary Loue and Duty (in those who are at the Cost of these Triumphs) to haue added some Heightning more to them then was intended at first, of purpose to do honor to their Prince and Countrey. And I make no doubt, but many worthy Companies in this City could gladly be content to be partners in the Disbursements, so they might be sharers in the Glory. For to haue bene leaden-winged now, what infamy could be greater? When all the streames of Nobility and Gentry, run with the Tide hither. When all Eares lye listning for no newes but of Feasts and Triumphs: All Eyes still open to behold them: And all harts and hands to applaud them: When the heape of our Soueraignes Kingdomes are drawne in Little: and to be seene within the Walles of this City. Then to haue tied Bounty in too straight a girdle: Proh scelus infandum! No; she hath worne her garments loose, her lippes hauebene free in Welcomes, her purse open, and her hands liberall. If you thinke I set a flattering glasse before you, do but so much as lanch into the Riuer, and there the Thames it selfe shall shew you all the Honors, which this day hath bestowed vpon her: And that done, step againe vpon the Land, and Fame will with her owne Trumpet proclaime what I speake; And her I hope you cannot deny to beleeue, hauing at least twenty thousand eyes about her, to witnesse whether she be a Truetong’d Fame or a Lying.
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  By this time the Lord Maior hath taken his oath, is seated in his barge againe; a lowd thundring peale of Chambers giue him a Fare-well as he passes by. And see! how quickly we are in ken of land, as suddenly therefore let vs leap on shore, and there obserue what honorable entertainement the Citty affoords to their new Praetor, and what ioyfull salutations to her noble Visitants.

  THE FIRST TRIUMPH ON THE LAND.

  THE LORD MAIOR, and Companyes being landed, the first Deuice which is presented to him on the shore, stands ready to receiue him at the end of Pauls-Chayne, (on the south side the Church) and this it is.

  A Sea-Chariot artificially made, proper for a God of the sea to sit in; shippes dancing round about it, with Dolphins and other great Fishes playing or lying at the foot of the same, is drawne by two Sea-horses.

  NEPTUNE.

  IN THIS CHARIOT sits Neptune, his head circled with a Coronet of siluer, Scollup-shels, stucke with branches ofCorrall, and hung thicke with ropes of pearle; because such things as these are the treasures of the Deepe, and are found in the shels of fishes. In his hand he holds a siluer Trident, or Three-forked-Mace, by which some Writers will haue signified the three Naturall qualiies proper to Waters; as those of fountaines to bee of a delitious taste, and Christalline colour: those of the Sea, to bee saltish and vnpleasant, and the colour sullen, and greenish: And lastly, those of standing Lakes, neither sweet nor bitter, nor cleere, nor cloudy, but altogether vnwholesome for the taste, and loathsome to the eye. His roabe and mantle with other ornaments are correspondent to the quality of his person; Buskins of pearle and cockle-shels being worne vpon his legges. At the lower part of this Chariot sit Mer-maids, who for their excellency in beauty, aboue any other creatures belonging to the sea, are preferred to bee still in the eye of Neptune.

  At Neptunes foot sits Luna (the Moone) who beeing gouernesse of the sea, & all petty Flouds, as from whose influence they receiue their ebbings and flowings, challenges to herselfe this honour, to haue rule and command of those Horses that draw the Chariot, and therefore she holds their reynes in her hands.

  She is atired in light roabes fitting her state and condition, with a siluer Crescent on her head, expressing both her power and property.

  The whole Chariot figuring in it selfe that vast compasse which the sea makes about the body of the earth: whose Globicall Rotundity is Hieroglifically represented by the wheele of the Chariot.

  Before this Chariot ride foure Trytons, who are feyned by Poets to bee Trumpeters to Neptune, and for that cause make way before him, holding strange Trumpets in their hands, which they sound as they passe along, their habits being Antike, and Sea-like, and sitting vpon foure seuerall fishes, viz. two Dolphins, and two Mer-maids, which are not (after the old procreation) begotten of painted cloath, and browne paper, but are liuing beasts, so queintly disguised like the natural fishes, of purpose to auoyd the trouble and pestering of Porters, who with much noyse and little comlinesse are euery yeare most vnnecessarily imployed.

  The time being ripe, when the scope of this Deuice is to be deliuered, Neptunes breath goeth forth in these following Speeches.

  NEPTUNES SPEECHES.

  WHENCE BREAKS THIS warlike thunder of lowd drummes,

  (Clarions and Trumpets) whose shrill eccho comes

  Vp to our Watery Court, and calles from thence

  Vs, and our Trytons? As if violence

  Weere to our Siluer-footed Sister done

  (Of Flouds the Queene) bright Thamesis, who does runne

  Twice euery day to our bosome, and there hides

  Ebbe

  Her wealth, whose Streame in liquid Christall glides

  Guarded with troopes of Swannes? what does beget

  These Thronges? this Confluence? why do voyces beate

  The Ayre with acclamations of applause,

  Good wishes, Loue, and Praises? what is’t drawes

  All Faces this way? This way Rumor flyes,

  Clapping her infinite wings, whose noyse the Skyes

  From earth receiue, with Musicall rebounding,

  And strike the Seas with repercussiue sounding.

  Oh! now I see the cause: vanish vaine feares,

  *Isis no danger feeles: for her head weares

  Crowns of Rich Triumphes, which This day puts on,

  And in Thy Honor all these Rites are done.

  Whose Name when Neptune heard, t’was a strange Spell,

  Thus farre-vp into th’ Land to make him swell

  Beyond his Bownds, and with his Sea-troops wait

  Thy wish’t arriuall, to congratulate.

  Goe therefore on, goe boldly: thou must saile

  In rough Seas (now) of Rule: and euery Gale

  Will not perhaps befriend thee: But (how blacke

  So ere the Skyes looke) dread not Thou a Wracke,

  For when Integrity and Innocence sit

  Steering the Helme, no Rocke the Ship can split.

  Nor care the Whales (neuer so great) their Iawes

  Should stretch to swallow thee: Euery good mans cause

  Is in all stormes his Pilot: He thats sound

  To himselfe (in Conscience) nere can run-a-ground.

  Which that thou mayst do, neuer looke on’t still:

  For (Spite of Fowle gusts) calmer Windes shall fill

  Thy Sayles at last. And see! they home haue brought

  A Ship which Bacchus (God of Wines) hath fraught

  With richest Iuiee of Grapes, which thy Friends shall

  Drinke off in Healths to this Great Festiuall.

  If any at Thy happinesse repine,

  They gnaw but their Owne hearts, and touch not Thine.

  Let Bats and Skreech-Owles murmure at bright Day,

  Whiles Prayers of Good-men Guid. Thee on the way.

  Sownd old Oceanus Trumpeters, and lead on.

  The Trytons then sownding, according to his command, Neptune in his Chariot passeth along before the Lord Maior. The foure Windes (habilimented to their quality, and hauing both Faces and Limbes proportionable to their blustring and boisterous condition) driue forward that Ship of which Neptune spake. And this concludes this first Triumph on the Land.

  These two Shewes passe on vntill they come into Pauls-Church-yard, where standes another Chariot; the former Chariot of Neptune, with the Ship, beeing conueyd into Cheap-side, this other then takes the place: And this is the Deuice.

  THE SECOND LAND-TRIUMPH.

  IT IS THE Throne of Vertue, gloriously adorned & beautified with all things that are fit to expresse the Seat of so noble and diuine a Person.

  Vpon the height, and most eminent place (as worthiest to be exalted) sits Arete (Vertue) herselfe; her temples shining with a Diadem of starres, to shew that her Descent is onely from heauen: her roabes are rich, her mantle white (figuring Innocency) and powdred with starres of gold, as an Embleme that she puts vpon Men, the garments of eternity.

  Beneath Her, in distinct places, sit the Seauen liberall Sciences, viz. Grammer, Rhetoricke, Logicke, Musicke, Arithmetike, Geometry, Astronomy.

  Hauing those roomes alotted them, as being Mothers to all Trades, Professions, Mysteries and Societies, and the readiest guide to Vertue. Their habits are Light Roabes,and Loose (for Knowledge should be free.) On their heads they weare garlands of Roses, mixt with other flowers, whose sweet Smels are arguments of their cleere and vnspotted thoughts, not corrupted with uice. Euery one carrying in her hand, a Symbole, or Badge of that Learning which she professeth.

  At the backe of this Chariot sit foure Cupids, to signifie that vertue is most honored when she is followed by Loue.

  This Throne, or Chariot, is drawne by foure Horses: vpon the two formost ride Time and Mercury: the first, the Begetter and Bringer forth of all things in the world, the second, the God of Wisedome and Eloquence. On the other two Horses ride Desire and Industry; it beeing intimated hereby, that Tyme giues wings to Wisedome, and sharpens it, Wisedome sets Desire a burning, to attaine to Vertue, and that Burning Desire begets
Industry (earnestnestly to pursue her.) And all these (together) make men in Loue with Arts, Trades, Sciences, and Knowledge, which are the onely staires and ascensions to the Throne of Vertue, and the onely glory and vpholdings of Cities. Time hath his wings, Glasse, and Sythe, which cuts downe All.

  Mercury hath his Caduceus, or Charming Rod, his fethered Hat, his Wings, and other properties fitting his condition, Desire caries a burning heart in her hand.

  Industry is in the shape of an old Country-man, bearing on his shoulder a Spade, as the Embleme of Labour.

  Before this Chariot, or Throne (as Guardians and Protectors to Vertue, to Arts, and to the rest; and as Assistants to Him who is Chiefe within the Citty for that yeare) are mounted vpon horsebacke twelue Persons (two by two)representing the twelue superior Companyes, euery one carrying vpon his left arme a faire Shield with the armes in it of one of the twelue Companies, and in his right hand a launce with a light streamer or pendant on the top of it, and euery horse led and attended by a Footman.

  The Lord Maior beeing approached to this Throne, Vertue thus salutes him.

  THE SPEECH OF ARETE (VERTUE.)

  HAILE (WORTHY PRETOR) stay, and do Me grace,

  (Who still haue cald thee Patron) In this place

  To take from me heap’d welcomes, who combine

  These peoples hearts in one, to make them thine.

  Bright Vertues name thou know’st and heau’nly birth,

  And therefore (spying thee) downe she leapd to earth

  Whence vicious men had driuen her: On her throne

  The Liberall Arts waite: from whose brests do runne

  The milke of Knowledge: on which, Sciences feed,

  Trades and Professions: And by Them, the seed

  Of Ciuill, Popular gouernment, is sowne;