Londini speculum: or, Londons mirror exprest in sundry triumphs, pageants, and showes, at the initiation of the right Honorable Richard Fenn, into the Mairolty [sic] of the famous and farre renowned city London. All the charge and expence of these laborious projects both by water and land, being the sole undertaking of the Right Worshipful Company of the Habberdashers. Written by Tho. Heywood.

The fifth show, cald Londons Mirrour.

THis beareth the title of the whole Triumphe; of Glasses pertinent to this our purpose, there bee severall so••ts, as Opticke, Perspective Prospective, Multi∣plying, &c. The presenter is Visus, or Sight; for what the minde is to the soule, the same is the eye to the body, be∣ing the most precious part thereof. Sight is the most soveraigne sence, the first of five, which directeth man to the studdy & search of knowledge & wisedome; the eyes are placed in the head as in a Citadel, to be watch-towers

and Centinels for the safety, and ginders and conducters for the sollace of the body.

We reade that one Marcus Varro was sir-named stra∣bo, for the excellency and quicknesse of his sight, who from Libaum, a Province in Scicilia, could distin∣guish and give an exact account of all such ships as came out of the haven of Carthage, which two places some hold to be more than an hundred Italian leagues distant: indeed no man can better estimate the vertue and value of the sight, than he that is made blinde and wants it, nei∣ther could I devise a more apt Speaker to present this Mirrour, than the sence of the sight, without which, the purest Christall is of no use at all.

The Pageant it selfe is decored with glasses of all sorts: the persons upon or about it are beautifull Children, e∣very one of them expressing their natures and conditions in the impresaes of their shields, eight of the prime of which suiting with the quality of the Optick sence, beare these severall Inscriptions: Aspice, Despice, Conspice, Pro∣spice, Perspice, Inspice, Circumspice Respice:

O••••••, or Opsis the Speaker.

BEhold me Sight, of the five sences prime, (Now best complying with the place and time) Presenting Londons Mirrour, and this Glasse Shewes not alone what she is, or once was, But that the spacious Vniverse might see In her, what their great Cities ought to be; That every forraigne Magistrate from hence Might learne how to dispose his Opticke sence. Aspice saith, Looke toward and upon Desartfull men whom this Age frowneth on. And Despice cast downe thy powerfull eye On the poore wretch that doth beneath thee lye.

Then Conspice take counsell first and pause With meditation, ere thou iudge a cause. Prospice bids looke a farre off, and view (Before conclude) what dangers may insue. Perspice wils, in sifting doubts, then scan The nature of the matter with the man. Let every cause be searcht, and duely sought, Saith Inspice, ere thou determinst ought. Circumspice saith, looke about to immure So great a charge, that all within be sure. Considerate Respice inioynes thee last, To cast thine eyes backe upon all things past. For Londons selfe, if they shall first begin To examine her without, and then within, What Architectures, Palaces, what Bowers, What Citadels, what turrets, and what towers? Who in her age grew pregnant, brought a bed Of a New Towne, and late delivered Of such a burthen, as in few yeares space, Can almost speake all tongues, (to her more grace.) Then her Cathedrals, Temples new reparing, An act of true devotion, no man sparing His helping hand; and many, 'tis well knowne, To further Gods house have forget their owne. Vnto her outward shape I doe not prize her, But let them come within to anatomize her. Her Praetor, scarlet Senate, Liveries, The ordering of her brave societies: Divine Astraea here in equall scale Doth ballance Iustice, Truth needes not looke pale, Nor poverty deiected, th'Orphants cause, And Widowes plea finde helpe; no subtile clause

Can make demurre in sentence: a faire hearing, And upright doome in every Court appearing: Still to preserve her so, be't your indeavour, And she in you, you her shall live for ever.

I come now to the Linvoy, or last Speech, when h••s Lordship, after his dayes long and tedious trouble, retireth himselfe to his rest at night, in which Pythagoras the Speaker briefly runs over the passages of the Pageants before expressed after this manner.

The Speech at Night.

WE ••o a Valediction are confin'd, (Right Honoured) and intreat You beare in minde What was this Day presented: Your chiefe Saint A Martyr once of the Church militant, But now of the tryumphant, bids You spare Your selfe this Night: for to a World of Care You are ingag'd to morrow, which must last Till the whole progresse of Your Yeere be past. The Spheare-like Globe quadrated, lets You know, What Pro-Rex doth to the foure Scepters owe. Your Military honours, (in your Dayes Of lesse comm••nd) th' Imperiall Fort displayes, And Londons Mirrour, that all men may see What Magistrates have beene, and ought to be. Set is the Sunne long since, and now the Light Quite fayling us, Thrice Honourd Sir, good Night.

For the Artists, and directors of these Pageants and showes, Iohn Christ∣mas and Mathias, the two Sonnes of Gerard, their now deceased Father, a knowne Master in all those Sciences he profest.: I can say no more but thus, that proportioning their Workes according to the limits of the gates through which they were to passe, being ty'de not to exceede one Inch ei∣ther in height, or breadth: My Opinion is, that few Workemen about the Towne can paralell them, much lesse exceede them. But if any shall either out of Curiosity or malice taxe their ability, in this kind of Art, I referre them to the Carving of his Majesties Great Ship lately built at Woolwitch, which Worke alone is able both to satisfie Emulation, and qualifie Envie.

FINIS.