'America and West Indies: August 1688', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 12 1685-1688 and Addenda 1653-1687

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

576-593

text excerpt

Lieutenant Governor Stede to Lords of Trade and Plantations. I lately received the news of the birth of the Prince of Wales [10 June 1688], whereupon I convened the Council and Assembly, acquainted them with these good tidings, and ordered a day of public and solemn thanksgiving[.] 

 [...] 

Account of the celebration of the birth of the Prince of Wales at Barbados, August 19, 1688. All the clergy and gentry attended the Governor at Fontabelle, and the day was thus celebrated. First went the led horse, a band of five trumpets, the life-guard of horse, a band of six trumpets, the Provost Marshal and his officers bareheaded, the colonel of the life-guard, with his sword drawn, attending the Governor, who was splendidly arrayed. Then followed the Council, the judges, the Assembly, the secretary, the clergy, the lawyers, the justices, the military officers and private gentlemen, all in regular order, marching to St. Michael's town. There the Governor was met by the royal regiment of footguards, twelve hundred men, when the Governor, having received them, stopped in the centre and began the King's, Queen's, Queen Dowager's, the Prince of Wales's, the Princess of Orange's, the Princess of Denmark's, and all the Royal Family's healths, which were severally performed with volleys from the horse-guards, regimental volleys from the foot-guards, and universal acclamation of huzzas. Then the Governor rode in the same state to James's Fort, where the same was repeated [..]  Thence the foot-guards marched to Fontabelle and drew up, the Governor and his guards following, where, after many military exercises, he treated the whole body of the country to a most magnificent entertainment, such as the present state of the West Indies never saw, and the future will admire. At the head of every company was set a quarter cask of wine, meat and bread and all necessaries for two thousand people, besides five hundred gentlemen at one table of two hundred and fifty feet in length, who were all entertained at the Governor's expense. The ladies and other persons of quality after dinner had also a splendid entertainment of sweetmeats, the best that Europe and the West Indies afforded. At last a great, bonfire to a "stupendous" height being erected at the Court gate, the Governor, as a full pattern of loyalty, again drank the whole Royal Family's health, the whole island with guns, fireworks and voices, echoing after him, God save the King and all the Royal Family.

excerpt from ''America and West Indies: August 1688', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 12 1685-1688 and Addenda 1653-1687' pp. 576-593 (403 words)

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1547039051876