or Quiet, the first handmaid of Peace; a woman of a grave and venerable aspect, attired in black, upon her head an artificial nest, out of which appeared storks' heads, to manifest a sweet repose. Her feet were placed upon a cube, to shew stability, and in her lap she held a perpendicular or level, as the ensign of evenness and rest: on the top of it sat an halcyon, or kings-fisher. She had lying at her feet TARACHE, or Tumult, in a garment of divers but dark colours, her hair wild and disordered, a foul and troubled face; about her lay staves, swords, ropes, chains, hammers, stones, and such like, to express turmoil. The word was, a hat, the characters of freedom and power: or Servitude, a woman in old and worn Nunquam libertas gratior extat And intimated that liberty could never appear more graceful and lovely than now, under so good a prince. The third handmaid was SOTERIA, or Safety, a damsel in carnation, the colour signifying cheer and life; she sat high: upon her head she wore an antique helm, and in her right hand a spear for defence, and in her left a cup for medicine: at her feet was set a pedestal, upon which a serpent rolled up did lie. Beneath was PEIRA, or Danger, a woman despoiled, and almost naked; the little garment she hath left her of several colours, to note her various disposition. Beside her lies a torch out, and a sword broken (the instrument of her fury), with a net and wolf's skin (the ensigns of her malice) rent in pieces. The word, TERGA DEDERE METUS, borrowed from Mart.,§ and implying that now all fears have turned their backs, and our safety might become security, danger being so wholly depressed, and unfurnished Quod violenta nequit: mandataque for- of all means to hurt. The fourth atten PERAGIT TRANQUILLA POTESTAS. tius urget Imperiosa quies.† dant is or Unhappiness, a woman bareheaded, her neck, arms, breast, and feet naked, her look hollow and pale; she holds a Cornucopia turned downward, with all the flowers fallen out and scattered; upon her sits a raven, as the augury of ill-fortune: and the soul was REDEUNT SATURNIA REGNA, out of Virgil, to shew that now those golden times were returned again, wherein Peace was with us so advanced, Rest received, Liberty restored, Safety assured, and all blessedness appearing in every of these virtues, her particular triumph over her opposite evil. This is the dumb argument of the frame, and illustrated with this verse of Virgil, written in the under frieze, NULLA SALUS BELLO: PACEM TE POSCIMUS OMNES.t The speaking part was performed, as within the temple, where there was erected an altar, to which, at the approach of the king, appears the Flamen And to him, MARTIALIS. GENIUS URBIS. The Genius we attired before: to the Flamen we appoint this habit. A long crimson robe to witness his nobility, his tippet and sleeves white, as reflecting on purity in his religion, a rich mantle of gold with a train to express the dignity of his function. Upon his head a hat of delicate wool, whose top ended in a cone, and was thence called apex, according to that of Lucan, lib. 1, Attollensque apicem generoso vertice This apex was covered with a fine net of yarn, which they named apiculum, and * Eclog. v. + Æn. 1. 11. One of the three Flamines that, as some think, Numa Pompilius first instituted; but we rather, with Varro, take him of Romulus's institution, whereof there were only two, he and Dialis: to whom he was next in dignity. He was always created out of the nobility, and did perform the rites to Mars, who was thought the father of Romulus. & Scaliger in conject. in Var. saith, Totus pileus, vel potius velamenta, flammeum dicebatur, unde flamines dicti. To this looks that other conjecture of Varro, lib. 4, de lingua Latina: Flamines quod licio in capite velati erant semper, ac caput cinctum habebant filo, flamines dicti. Which in their attire was called Stroppus, in their wives' Inarculum. **Scal. ibid, in con. Ponè enim regerebant apicem, negravis esset summis æstatis caloribus. Amentis enim, quæ offendices dicebantur sub mentum abductis, religabant; ut cum vellent, regererent, et ponè pendere permitterent. tt Of Mars, whose rites (as we have touched before) this Flamen did specially celebrate. the present day of this triumph: and on which ✰✰ With us the fifteenth of March, which was the great feast of Anna Perenna (among the remembered.-Ovid. Fast. 3: Romans) was yearly, and with such solemnity Idibus est, Anna festum geniale Perenna, Haud procul à ripis, &c. * Who this Anna should be (with the Romans themselves) hath been no trifling controversy. Some have thought her fabulously the sister of Dido, some a nymph of Numicius, some Io, some Themis. Others an old woman of Bovilla, that fed the seditious multitude in Monte Sacro with wafers and fine cakes in time of their penury: to whom, afterwards (in memory of the benefit) their peace being made with the nobles, they ordained this feast. Yet they that have thought nearest have missed all these, and directly imagined her the moon: and that she was called ANNA, quia mensibus impleat annum, Ovid, ib. To which the vow that they used in her rites, somewhat confirmingly alludes, which was, ut Annare, et Perennare commode liceret, Macr. Sat. lib. 1, cap. 12. † So Ovid, ibid. Fast., makes Mars speaking to her, Mense meo coleris, junxi mea tempora tecum. ↑ Nuper erat dea facta, &c.—Ibid. Now innocence shall cease to be the spoil Of ravenous greatness, or to steep the soil Of rased peasantry with tears and blood; No more shall rich men, for their little good, Suspect to be made guilty; or vile spies Enjoy the lust of their so murdering eyes: Men shall put off their iron minds and hearts; The time forget his old malicious arts With this new minute; and no print remain Of what was thought the former ages' stain. Back, Flamen, with thy superstitious fumes, And cense not here; thy ignorance pre sumes Too much in acting any ethnic rite My city's heart; which shall for ever burn § Where is understood the meeting of the zodiac in March, the month wherein she is celebrated. || That face wherewith he beholds the spring. ¶ Written upon the altar, for which we refer you to page 566. **The queen: to which in our inscription we spake to the King MARTE MAJORI. both the house of war and peace of war, when tt The temple of Janus we apprehend to be it is open; of peace, when it is shut: and that there, each over the other is interchangeably placed, to the vicissitude of times. &c., and were his actively, but the world's pastt Which are Peace, Rest, Liberty, Safety, sively. but proper to the thing: for they were only 88 Somewhat a strange epithet in our tongue, masculine odours which were offered to the altars, Virg. Ecl. 8, Verbenasque adole pingueis, et mascula thura. And Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. Upon this altar, and no time shall turn Whilst I, before the figure of thy peace, crease With prayers, wishes, vows; whereof be these The least and weakest: that no age may leese The memory of this so rich a day; But rather that it henceforth yearly may Begin our spring, and with our spring the prime And first accompt of years, of months,* of time:t And may these Ides as fortunate appear Be all thy thoughts born perfect, and thy hopes In their events still crowned beyond their scopes. Let not wide heav'n that secret blessing know To give, which she on thee will not bestow. Blind Fortune be thy slave; and may her store, The less thou seek'st it, follow thee the more. Much more I would: but see, these brazen gates Make haste to close, as urged by thy fates. Here ends my city's office, here it breaks : Yet with my tongue and this pure heart she speaks A short farewell: and lower than thy feet, With fervent thanks thy royal pains doth greet. Pardon, if my abruptness breed disease; "He merits not to offend that hastes to please." 12, cap. 14, speaking of these, saith, Quod ex rotunditate gutta pependit, masculum vocamus, cum alias non ferè mas vocetur, ubi non sit fæmina: religioni tributum ne sexus alter usurparetur. Masculum aliqui putant à specie testium dictum. See him also lib. 34, cap. 11. And Arnob. lib. 7, advers. gent. Non si mille tu pondera masculi thuris incendas, &c. According to Romulus his institution, who made March the first month, and consecrated it to his father, of whom it was called Martius. Varr. Fest. in frag. Martius mensis initium anni fuit, et in Latio, et post Romam conditam, &c. And Ovid. Fast. 3, A te principium Romano dicimus anno: Primus de patrio nomine mensis erit. Vox rata fit, &c. See Macr. lib. 1, cap. 12, and Solin, in Polyhist. cap. 3. Quod hoc mense mercedes exolverint magistris, quas completas annus deberi fecisse, &c. For † Some, to whom we have read this, have taken it for a tautology, thinking Time enough expressed before in years and months. whose ignorant sakes we must confess to have taken the better part of this travail, in noting, a thing not usual, neither affected of us, but where there is necessity, as here, to avoid their dull censures. Where in years and months we alluded to that is observed in our former note: but by Time we understand the present, and that from this instant we should begin to reckon, and make this the first of our time. Which is also to be helped by emphasis. In which he was slain in the senate. Electra, is rarely or not at all to be seen, Though from the consort of her sisters fled as Ovid. lib. 4, Fast. affirmeth * Paraph. in Arat. Phænom. Unto the arctic circle, t here to grace My sixtt fair sisters hither shift their lights, How these clear heavenly bodies come Eclipsed, or shadowed by the other's sight: And doth admit no night; but all do shine And given so general peace to all estates, reign; But, as thou'st freed thy Chamber from the noisess Of war and tumult; thou wilt pour those joys Upon this place, which claims to be the seat¶¶ Val. Flac. Argonaut. 1, makes the rainbow Emicuit reserata dies cœlumque resolvit Arcus, et in summos redierunt nubila montes. ** A name of the sun, Stat. The. l. 1, torquentem cornua Mithran. And Martian. Capel. l. 3, de nup. Mer. et Phil. Te Serapim. Nilus, Memphis veneratur Osirin; Dissona sacra Mithran, &C. Fest. Avi. paraph. Pars ait Idææ deflen-indicem serenitatis. tem incendia Troja, Etnumerosa sua lugentem funera gentis, Electram tetris mæstum dare nubibus orbem. Besides the reference to antiquity, this speech might be understood by allegory of the town here, that had been so ruined with sickness, &c. Hyginus. Sed postquam Troja fuit capta, et progenies ejus quæ à Dardano fuit eversa, dolore permotam ab his se removisse, et in circulo qui arcticus dicitur constitisse, &c. § Electra signifies serenity itself, and is compounded of Acos, which is the sun, and aepios, that signifies serene. She is mentioned to be Anima sphæræ solis by Proclus. Com. in Hesiod. She is also feigned to be the mother of the rainbow. Nascitur enim Iris ex aqua et serenitate, à refractione radiorum scilicet. Arist. in meteorol. tt Alcyone, Celano, Taygete, Asterope, Merope, Maia, which are also said to be the souls of the other spheres, as Electra of the sun, Saturni, Taygete Luna, Asterope Jovis, Proclus, ibi in com. Alcyone Veneris, Celano Merope Martis, Maia Mercurii. Alluding back to that of our temple. §§ London. His City of Westminster, in whose name, and at whose charge, together with the Duchy of Lancaster, this arch was erected. TT Since here they no tonly sat being crowned, but also first received their crowns. |