130

CASTLES AND ABBEYS OF ENGLAND.

[The Palace

“ On the morrow, the thirde day of Jannarie, being Saturdaie, in a fair plaineof Blaeklieath, was pitched a pavilion of rich cloth of gold, and divers othertents and pavilions, in which were made fires and perfumes for her, the11 it ft IE Slnnc, and such ladies as were appointed to receive her; and from thetents to the parke-gate of Greenwich, all the hushes and firs were cut downe,and a large open waie made for the shewe of all persons. And first, next tothe parke pale on the east, stood the masters of the Stilliard, and on the westside the merchants of Genoa, Florence, and Venice, and the Spaniards, incotes of velvet; then, on both sides of the waye, stood the merchants of thecitie of London , the aldermen and councillors, to the number of a hundred andthree score, which were mingled with the esquires; then the fifty gentlemenpensioners; and all these were apparelled in velvet and chaines of gold, truelyaccounted to the number of twelve hundred and above, beside them thatcame with the king and her, which were six hundred, in velvet cotes andchaines of gold. Behind the gentlemen stood the serving men in good order,well horssed and apparelled; so that whosoever had well viewed them mighthave said, that they, for tall and comelie personages, and clean of lim andbodie, were able to give the greatest prince in Cliristendomc a mortall breakc-fast, if he had been the king’s enemie.

“ About twelve of the clocke, fLjcr (G rate, with all the companye which wereof her owne nation, to the number of an hundred horse, accompanied with

the Dukes of Norffolke, Suffolke, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and otherbishops, lords, and knights, came doune Shooters-hill, towards the tents, anda good space from the tents met her, the Earl of Rutland, and all her coun-