Volume Ii Part 12 (1/2)

”Gallants, Rejoice!--This Flow're is now full-blowne; 'Tis a Rose--n.o.ble better'd by a Crowne; All you who love the Embleme and the Signe, Enter, and prove our Loyaltie and Wine.”

Beside this inscription, Master King also recorded the auspicious event referred to, by causing his painter to introduce into the picture a broad-sheet, as if lying on the table with the cup and gla.s.ses--on which appeared the t.i.tle ”_A Kalendar for this Happy Yeare of Restauration 1660, now newly Imprinted_.”

As the time advanced when Charles was to make his entry into the metropolis, the streets were resounding with the voices of ballad-singers pouring forth loyal songs, and declaring, with the whole strength of their lungs, that

”The King shall enjoy his own again.”

Then, there were also to be heard, the ceaseless horns and proclamations of hawkers and flying-stationers, publis.h.i.+ng the latest pa.s.sages or rumours touching the royal progress; which, whether genuine or not, were bought and read, and circulated, by all parties.

At length all the previous pamphlets and broad-sheets were swallowed up by a well-known tract, still extant, which the newsmen of the time thus proclaimed:--”Here is _A True Accompt and Narrative--of his Majestie's safe Arrival in England--as 'twas reported to the House of Commons, on Friday, the 25th day of this present May--with the Resolutions of both Houses thereupon:--Also a Letter very lately writ from Dover--relating divers remarkable Pa.s.sages of His Majestie's Reception there_.”

On every side the signs and iron-work were either refreshed, or newly gilt and painted: tapestries and rich hangings, which had engendered moth and decay from long disuse, were flung abroad again, that they might be ready to grace the coming pageant. The paving of the streets was levelled and repaired for the expected cavalcade; and scaffolds for spectators were in the course of erection throughout all the line of march. Floods of all sorts of wines were consumed, as well in the streets as in the taverns; and endless healths were devotedly and energetically swallowed, at morning, noon, and night.

At this time Mistress Rebecca King was about to add another member to Master King's household: she received from hour to hour accounts of the proceedings as they occurred, which so stimulated her curiosity, that she declared, first to her gossips, and then to her husband, that she ”must see the King pa.s.s the tavern, or matters might go cross with her.”

A kind of arbour was made for Mistress Rebecca in the small iron gallery surmounting the entrance to the tavern. This arbour was of green boughs and flowers, hung round with tapestry and garnished with silver plate; and here, when the guns at the Tower announced that Charles had entered London, Mistress King took her seat, with her children and gossips around her. All the houses in the main streets from London-bridge to Whitehall, were decorated like the tavern with rich silks and tapestries, hung from every scaffold, balcony, and window; which, as Herrick says, turned the town into a park, ”made green and trimmed with boughs.” The road through London, so far as Temple-Bar, was lined on the north side by the City Companies, dressed in their liveries, and ranged in their respective stands, with their banners; and on the south by the soldiers of the trained-bands.

One of the wine conduits stood on the south side of the Stocks'

Market, over which Sir Robert Viner subsequently erected a triumphal statue of Charles II. About this spot, therefore, the crowd collected in the Market-place, aided by the fierce loyalty supplied from the conduit, appears for a time to have brought the procession to a full stop, at the moment when Charles, who rode between his brothers the Dukes of York and Gloucester, was nearly opposite to the newly-named King's Head Tavern. In this most favourable interval, Master Blythe, who stood upon a scaffold in the doorway, took the opportunity of elevating a silver cup of wine and shouting out a health to his Majesty. His energetical action, as he pointed upwards to the gallery, was not lost; and the Duke of Buckingham, who rode immediately before the King with General Monk, directed Charles's attention to Mistress Rebecca, saying, ”Your Majesty's return is here welcomed even by a subject as yet unborn.” As the procession pa.s.sed by the door of the King's Head Tavern, the King turned towards it, raised himself in his stirrups, and gracefully kissed his hand to Mistress Rebecca.

Immediately such a shout was raised from all who beheld it or heard of it, as startled the crowd up to Cheapside conduit; and threw the poor woman herself into such an ecstasy, that she was not conscious of anything more, until she was safe in her chamber and all danger happily over.[31]

The Tavern was rebuilt after the Great Fire, and flourished many years. It was long a depot in the metropolis for turtle; and in the quadrangle of the Tavern might be seen scores of turtle, large and lively, in huge tanks of water; or laid upward on the stone floor, ready for their destination. The Tavern was also noted for large dinners of the City Companies and other public bodies. The house was refitted in 1852, but has since been closed.

Another noted Poultry Tavern was the Three Cranes, destroyed in the Great Fire, but rebuilt, and noticed in 1698, in one of the many paper controversies of that day. A fulminating pamphlet, ent.i.tled ”_Ecclesia et Factio_: a Dialogue between Bow Church Steeple and the Exchange Gra.s.shopper,” elicited ”An Answer to the Dragon and Gra.s.shopper: in a Dialogue between an Old Monkey and a Young Weasel, at the Three Cranes Tavern, in the Poultry.”

FOOTNOTE:

[31] Abridged from an Account of the Tavern, by an Antiquary.

THE MITRE, IN WOOD STREET,

Was a noted old Tavern. Pepys, in his _Diary_, Sept. 18, 1660, records his going ”to the Mitre Tavern, in Wood-street, (a house of the greatest note in London,) where I met W. Symons, D. Scoball, and their wives. Here some of us fell to handicap, a sport I never knew before, which was very good.” The tavern was destroyed in the Great Fire.

THE SALUTATION AND CAT TAVERN,

No. 17, Newgate-street (north side), was, according to the tradition of the house, the tavern where Sir Christopher Wren used to smoke his pipe, whilst St. Paul's was re-building. There is more positive evidence of its being a place well frequented by men of letters at the above period. Thus, there exists a poetical invitation to a social feast held here on June 19, 1735-6, issued by the two stewards, Edward Cave and William Bowyer:

”Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 17, 1735-6.

”Sir,

”You're desir'd on Monday next to meet At Salutation Tavern, Newgate-street.

Supper will be on table just at eight, [_Stewards_] One of St. John's [Bowyer], 'tother of St. John's Gate [Cave].”

This brought a poetical answer from Samuel Richardson, the novelist, printed _in extenso_ in Bowyer's _Anecdotes_:

”For me, I'm much concerned I cannot meet 'At Salutation Tavern, Newgate-street.'

Your notice, like your verse, so sweet and short!

If longer, I'd sincerely thank you for it.

Howe'er, receive my wishes, sons of verse!