mar school in Christ's Hospital; two copies of which were. afterwards presented to their majesties, and graciously received *. The royal family then went to the house of Mr. Barclay, opposite Bow Church, in Cheapside, which on this occasion was decorated in a very sumptuous manner; whence they beheld the city procession, and testified their approbation of its grandeur and magnificence. The lord mayor's coach was drawn by six beautiful irongrey horses, richly caparisoned and adorned with ribbons; and the respective companies made a most noble and brilliant appearance. The Armourers and Braziers, as also the Skinners and Fishmongers, particularly distinguished themselves on this occasion. The former had a youth, dressed as an American prince, riding in his car, with a bow in his left hand, and a quiver and arrows hanging behind his left shoulder: also a The speech was couched in the following terms: "Most august and gracious Sovereign! "From the condescension and goodness, which your majesty displays towards even the meanest of your subjects, we are emboldened to hope you will accept the tribute of obedience and duty, which we, poor or◄ phans, are permitted to present you. "Educated and supported by the munificence of a charity, founded, enlarged, and protected by your royal predecessors, with the warmest gratitude we acknowledge our inexpressible obligations to its bounty, and the distinguished happiness we have hitherto enjoyed under the constant patronage of former princes. May this ever be our boast and glory! Nor can we think we shall prefer our prayer in vain, whilst, with earnest, but humble supplications, we implore the patronage and protection of your majesty. "To our ardent petition for your princely favour may we presume, dread sovereign, to add our most respectful congratulations on your auspicious marriage with your royal consort. Strangers to the disquietude which often dwells within the circle of a crown, long may your majesties experience the heart-felt satisfaction of domestic life in the uninterrupted possession of every endearment of the most tender union, every blessing of conjugal affection, every comfort of parental felicity, and may a race of princes, your illustrious issue and descendants, formed by the example, and inheriting the virtues of their great and good progenitors, continue to sway the British sceptre to the latest posterity," man man in complete armour. The Skinners were distinguished by seven of their company being dressed in fur, with their skins painted in the form of Indian princes. The pageant of the Fishmongers consisted of a statue of St. Peter finely gilt, with a dolphin, two mermaids, and two sea horses. The grand procession being closed, their majesties and the royal family were conducted by the sheriffs to Guildhall, at the entrance of which they were received by the lord mayor, who, kneeling, presented the city sword to the king, which being returned, his lordship conducted his majesty to the Council Chamber, where the compliments of the city were made on this royal visit. Here his majesty conferred the honour of knighthood on Nathaniel Nash and John Cartwright, Esqrs. the sheriffs; as also on Thomas Fludyer, Esq. brother to the lord mayor. From the Council Chamber the royal family were con ducted to the Hustings, where an entertainment was provided, which, for magnificence and order, was generally allowed to exceed that at the coronation. His majesty was so highly pleased with it as to declare, "that to be elegantly entertained he must come into the city." The foreign ministers in general expressed great surprize; one of them in particular observed, "that this entertainment was fit only for one king to give to another." The ball in the evening was opened by his royal highness the Duke of York, his majesty's brother, and the lady mayoress and minuets were danced by some others of the royal family, the nobility, &c. The dancing continued till twelve o'clock, when their majesties and the royal family left the hall; but the crowd of carriages and people was so great, that they did not reach St. James's till two in the morning, The houses both in London and Westminster, on their re turn, were illuminated. When Mr. Pitt left the hall, he was saluted in the same manner as when he entered the city; and the people continued to surround the chariot all the way to his house. The rest of the company did not separate till after three in the morning; and the whole was concluded with the utmost regularity and decorum. 4 Report Report of the Committee appointed to provide an Entertainment for the King and the Royal Family. AT A COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL held June 17, 1762, the following report was presented to the court: "To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled. "We, your committee appointed by your order, of the third day of October last, to manage the entertainment for their majesties at the Guildhall of this city, on the then ensuing lord mayor's day, beg leave to report, that, duly sensible of the great honour done us in this appointment, we chearfully devoted our time and utmost endeavours to prepare and regulate the said entertainment, so as best to answer the intention of this honourable court. "In the preparations for the intended feast, your committee omitted no expence that might serve to improve its splendor, elegance, or accommodation; whilst, on the other hand, they retrenched every charge that was not calculated to that end, however warranted by former precedents. Their majesties having expressed their royal inclinations to see the procession of the lord mayor to Guildhall, the committee obtained Mr. Barclay's house in Cheapside, for that purpose, where proper refreshments were provided, and every care taken to accommodate their majesties with a full view of the whole cavalcade. "The great Hall and adjoining apartments were decorated and furnished with as much taste and magnificence as the shortness of the time for preparation, and the nature of a temporary service, would permit: the hustings where their majesties dined, and the new Council Chamber, to which they retired both before and after dinner, being spread with Turkey carpets, and the rest of the floors over which their majesties were to pass, with blue cloth, and the whole illuminated with near three thousand wax tapers in chandeliers, lustres, girandoles, and sconces. "A select ...A select band of music, consisting of fifty of the best hands, placed in a superb gallery, erected on purpose at the lower end of the hall, entertained their majesties with a concert during the time of dinner, under the direction of a gentleman celebrated for his great musical talents; whilst four other galleries (all covered with crimson, and ornamented with festoons) exhibited to their majesties a most brilliant appearance of life of the principal citizens of both sexes. "Their majesties table was served with a new set of rich plate, purchased on this occasion, and covered with all the delicacies which the season could furnish, or expence procure, and prepared by the best hands. "A proportionable care was taken of the several other tables provided for the foreign ambassadors and ministers. The lords and gentlemen of his majesty's most honourable privy council; the lord chancellor and judges; the lords and ladies in waiting; the lord mayor, aldermen, sheriffs, and common council; and many others, both of the nobility and gentry. The whole number of guests within the hall, including the galleries, being upwards of twelve hundred; and that of the gentlemen pensioners, yeomen of the guards, and servants attendant upon their majesties, and the royal family; and who were entertained at places provided in the neighbourhood, amounting to seven hundred and twenty nine. "And that this court may form some judgment of the manner of the entertainment, your committee have hereunto subjoined the bill of fare of their majesty's table, and the total bill on this occasion, amounting to 6898l. 5s. 4d. which your committee have the satisfaction to acquaint this honourable court, have been all ordered for payment. "Your committee likewise, having provided a great variety of the choicest wines, took care that every guest should be supplied with plenty and dispatch; and yet the various services performed without hurry or confusion. "For this purpose your committee issued no more tickets for admission than what (considering the necessary number of. of attendants, amounting to two hundred and forty per sons) would fill the Hall, without incommoding the royal personages for whom the feast was intended. "And to prevent as much as possible the intrusion of strangers (too frequent on such occasions) your committee directed a temporary porch to be erected in the front of the Hall, where gentlemen of trust were placed at three several bars. "Upon the whole your committee omitted no care or pains to render the entertainment as commodious and agreeable as possible to the royal guests; and in some measure expressive of the zeal and veneration of this honourable court for their august sovereign, his most amiable consort and illustrious family, and of that sense of his gracious condescension in honouring this city with his royal presence. Happy if they have, in any degree, answered expectation, and are allowed to have done justice to the honourable trust reposed in them, signed this 15th day of Jnne 1762. S. FLUDYER, ROB. ALSOP, RICHARD GLYn, FRANCIS ELLIS, HENRY KENT, JAMES WALTON, CHARLES MEREDITH, JOHN RIVINGTON, THOMAS COGAN, EDWARD WALDO, SAMUEL FREEMAN, WM. TYSER, JOHN PATERSON." |