The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 26 · Section 19
The Farewell.
And now, being to take my Farewell of this great City, I cannot forget the verse, which I find amongst others, in Master Camden's commendation thereof.
| Urbs pietate potens, numeroso cive superba. | Potent in piety, in her people proud. |
But see the Romish charity, who confine all piety to Popery. The Index Expurgato…ius, Printed at Madrid by Lewes Sanchez 1612. commandeth the forepart of the verse, concerning their piety to be expunged, letting the latter moity of their pride to remain.
May I in this particular be the humble Remembrancer of the City, (without the least intrenching on his place, who worthily dischargeth that office,) to cross and consute that peevish and partial Index. Let it be their endeavours, to delete out of their hearts, all high conceits of their populousness, and effectually to express grace and goodness in their conversations.
Nor let the City of London ever forget quantillum interfuit inter maximam Civitatem et nullam; How little distance there lately was betwixt the greatest City and none at all, if Gates and Barrs (as it is generally received) be the essential difference of a City. But God who can produce light out of darkness can make the plucking d…wn of the Gates, to be the setting up of the City. Wherefore though the Eleventh day of March, be generally beheld as the first day of Spring, London may date her Spring from the Eleventh day of February 1659. when she effectually felt the vernal heat after a long Winter of woe and misery.
I heartily wish this honourable City what ever may conduce to the continuance and increase of the happiness thereof. Especially that the river of Thames, the lif… of London (as which Easeth, Adorneth, Inricheth, Feedeth and Fortifieth it,) may have its Channel constantly continued: The Millers Riddle,
If I have Water, I will drink Wine;
But if I have no Water, I must drink Water.
is appliable to this City; so long as Thames-water continues, Londoners may Wine it; but should it fail, they must drink water indeed, and some perchance brackish too, as made of their tears.
I will not pry too nearly and narrowly into the fancy of our *Bella in his ruins of Rome translated by Spencer.Poet, speaking of the ruins of old Rome,
Ne ought save Tiber hasting to his fall,
O Worlds inconstancy! Remains of all:
That, which is firm doth flit and fall away,
And that is flitting doth abide and stay.
And yet by his leave, greater rivers then Tiber have in process of time had their streams by casualties or neglect, partly drained, wholy dryed, or otherwise diverted. My humble request therefore to the Officers of the City is, effectually to own their concernment in the river of Thames, in clearing and cleansing it from Sholes, Sands, and other obstructing incroachments, that they may leave it as well to posterity, as they found it from their fathers.