Lo, then Olympus' king, the thundering Jove, Raught hence this gracious nymph Astræa fair; Now once again he sends her from above, Descended through the sweet transparent air: And here she sits in beauty fresh and sheen, Shadowing the person of a peerless queen. AGLAIA. A peerless queen, a royal princely dame, THALIA. The Graces throw their balm about her sacred head, Whose government her realm's true happiness hath bred. CHARITY. That happiness continue in her land, Great Israel's God, spring of all heavenly peace, And let thine angels in her rescue stand; With her life's wane done England's joys decrease: O let her princely days never have fine,* Whose virtues are immortal and divine! НОРЕ. Such virtues as her throne do beautify, And make her honours mount, and scale the sky. FAITH. Where hope of her eternal bliss doth rest, * fine] i.e. end. HONOUR. With radiant beams, reflecting on the earth, lance: In whose defence my colours I advance, 1st MALCONTENT. What meaneth this? I strive, and cannot strike; She is preserv'd by miracle belike: If so, then wherefore threaten we in vain That Queen whose cause the gracious heavens maintain? 2nd MALCONTENT. No marvel then, although we faint and quail, For mighty is the truth, and will prevail. In the hinder part of the pageant did sit a child, representing Nature, holding in her hand a distaff, and spinning a web, which passed through the hand of Fortune, and was wheeled up by Time, who spake as followeth, eidt z pada】 Thus while my wheel with ever-turning gyres, A speech on the water, delivered in the morning, at my Lord Mayor's going to Westminster. List, gentle Lords, and bubbling stream be still, This gladsome day wherein your honours spring: That decks this Thamesis on either side, The mortar of these walls, temper'd in peace, So wish these friendly strangers, man by man.* *So wish, &c.] Qy.; "So with these friendly strangers, man by man, |