--Those who flocked to Whitehall
My Lord Cleveland's gentlemen.--Sir Thomas Allen's supper.--
Touching for King's evil.--That none might lose their labour.--
The man with the fungus nose.--The memory of the regicides.--
Cromwell's effigy.--Ghastly scene at Tyburn.--The King's
clemency.--The Coronation procession.--Sights and scenes by the
way.--His Majesty is crowned.
The return of the king and his court was a signal for universal
joy throughout the nation in general and the capital in
particular. For weeks and months subsequent to his majesty's
triumphal entry, the town did not subside from its condition of
excitement and revelry to its customary quietude and sobriety.
Feasts by day were succeeded by entertainments at night; "and
under colour of drinking the king's health," says Bishop Burnet,
"there were great disorder and much riot."
It seemed as if the people could not sufficiently express their
delight at the presence of the young king amongst them, or
satisfy their desire of seeing him. When clad in rich velvets
and costly lace, adorned with many jewels and waving feathers, he
walked in Hyde Park attended by an "abundance of gallantry," or
went to Whitehall Chapel, where "the organs and singing-men in
surplices" were first heard by Mr. Pepys, a vast crowd of loyal
subjects attended him on his way. Likewise, when, preceded by
heralds, he journeyed by water in his barge to open Parliament,
the river was crowded with innumerable boats, and the banks lined
with a great concourse anxious for sight of him.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77