The honour of the taylors, or, The famous and renowned history of Sir John Hawkwood, Knight containing his many rare and singular adventures, witty exploits, heroick atchievements, and noble performances relating to love & arms in many lands : in the series of which history are contained likewise the no less famous actions and enterprizes of others of the same art and mystery : with many remarkable passages relating to customs, manners &c., ancient and modern : illustrated with pictures and embelished with verses and songs wonderfully pleasant and delightful : to which, as an appendix, is added a brief account of the original of the Worshipful Company of Merchant-Taylors, as to their being incorporated &c., ...

CHAP. XIII.

Lovewell relates how he was met by a young Merchant-Taylor, who carried him to a splendid Feast, Annually held by the young Men of that Profession, on St. Wil∣lielmus Day, in honour of that Saint, so much esteemed by this Trade; And of the splendid Entertainment; And how he by that means came to be of the Trade.

The short Repast being ended, (for long you must not expect it to continue in a place where Commons are short, and Appetites exceeding large, so made by change of Air, and difference of the Climate) Hawkwood, desirous to hear more of the Adventures of him whom he now had adopted his Companion, was not wanting to put Lovewell in mind of his Promise, nor he less ready to satisfie his expectation; whereupon he thus proceeded:

Long (said he) I had not been with my Uncle of the Gentle Craft, after the story I have mentioned, but growing weary of my Trade, (and more of my usage) and my Mother not coming to Town, as I expected, it so happened: As one day I went abroad, and was walking the streets, pensive and melancholly, I met with a dapper spruce fellow, who marking my Countenance, and by that guessing at the distur∣bance of my mind, bearing up with me, began to enquire into my Country, Paren∣tage, Business in Town, and finally my Name, with many more things and matters, too tedious to recite; of all which I satisfied him as well as I could; but it seems he knew them before as well as my self, happening in the sequel to be my Country-man and Neighbour. This Youth invited me to go along with him; but I, who had been terrified both by my Mother and Uncle, with the fear of being Spirited, the dread of Bugby's-hole, so much wrought upon my conceit, that with such Com∣plements as I had, I endeavour'd to excuse his invitation, by pretending business, and want of leisure: When indeed it was the same with St. Crispin's Day, the on∣ly Holy-day my Uncle had allow'd me since my coming to me, and in generosity, for the sake of that Saint, so much admired by the Trade, had gi••en me Three-half-pence to spend as I thought convenient, though withal admonishing me by the by, to lay it out in good Liquor, tipping me the wink, that that was the best way

to employ it: Now with this mighty Sum, and some other pence I had given me by Customers, I was going (you must know) to see a Country-man of mine; when in the end it happened to be the very Youth I had met as before, but so altered in his Clothes and Carriage, that I knew him not, (though I had heard where he lived) till he first discovered himself to me, and then we lovingly embraced each other, and (after the asking and answering many questions) I consented to accompany him; and stra••ghtway he led me to a place, where I found a great number of young Sparks in the height of merriment, who every one, upon my entrance rising from their respective seats, came and pay'd me a welcoming Complement. Now I, who knew not what all this should mean, stood like an Owl amongst the Jackdaws, and knew not what to say for my self; but he that brought me thi••her, supplyed my defect, and told them, I was an honest Country-man, though not of the same Pro∣fession: Then they demanded my Calling, which I frankly told them; upon which turning their Heads on one side, not utterly to dash me out of countenance, they fell to sn••ckering for a while, but afterward made me sit down, and bid me heartily wel∣come; when on a sudden, all the Tables were spread with such store of Varieties, that at the sight thereof I stood gaping and gazing, as if I had been in another world; but recollecting my self, and seeing others fall to, I made no bones to do the like, and there fed not as the Country Esquire ordered his Man, for that day, or the morrow, but to supply the defect of many hungry Meals past, as never dreaming to meet with such another opportunity: Dinner ended, Wine of all sorts flowed about at a strange rate, and then entred the Musick. This, I thought with my self, was brave; but, being a stranger, I had so much wit at that time to think that silence best became me, and so I attended the sequel. When after many Carrouses and passing of Healths, a Youth with much gravity, having a Wreath of guilded Lawrel on his Head, rising at the upper end of the Table, silence was immediately commanded; when a while standing in a pause, he thus began:

YOU, who the First of Trades with Honour claim, Whose Occupation in with Adam came, And which improv'd was by Jehovah's hand, And since adorn'd and pleasur'd every Land: Think on the Day that gave First Edward Birth: And tune your Voices to no common Mirth; Since that good Monarch's Bounty was so great, The Merchant-Taylors to incorporate: And those of the succeeding Kings, who still Have (in their bounteous Good, and Princely Will) Confirm'd, and still encreas'd the Royal Grant; And that Encouragement we should not want, Seven of the Princely number daign'd to be, At sundry times, of Merchant-Taylors free. Then let none dare to slight us, since we prove Antiquity, and England's Monarch's Love.

Upon the recital of these Lines, every one gave a great shout; and so, after the going round of many Healths upon the former occasion, this Song ensued.

The SONG on St. Guillielmus Day.

[1]

HAppy, happy are we all, We they Merchant-Taylors call; Who live still free from care and strife, And ever lead a merry Life. At our Work we sit and sing, Which does Profit to us bring; Whilst we make the World look gay With our rich and warm Array.

[2]

Come drink, come drink to Edward First, And so in order to the rest: Who of our happy Company Have condescended to be free. Then round again Boys, let it go, To our Prosperity: And so Jolly, jolly let us live, And never fear to work and thrive.

This Song ended, after much dancing and merriment, the Company broke up, and so, with many thanks, I took leave of my Country-man, but withal demanded the reason of this Meeting; who told me, it was Annually held by the young Men of that Profession, on St. Guillielmus day, in honour of him, &c. and so we parted; and from that very time I could never rest, till I had sent for my Mother to Town, and prevailed with h••r, to take me from my Uncle, and put me to this Trade.

Well, said Hawkwood, for what you have already revealed, I must in gratitude return you Thanks, though, as to some part of what you have last said, I would not have you to take me for a stranger to it, as having been a Member of this Annual Society: But waving other matters, for Brevities sake, seeing (as I remember, if I mistake not) you said you have been crossed in Love, and that That was the occa∣sion of your Undertaking to travel; let me intreat you to lay your further obliga∣tions upon me, in giving me some account of what passed or happened, as to That. To this Lovewell consented, and so proceeded in the Relation: As you will find it in the following Chapter.