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AD REGIS INTROITUM E IOANNENSI COLLEGIO
EXTRA PORTAM URBIS BOREALEM SITO,
TRES QUASI SIBYLLAE SIC (UT E SYLVA) SALUTARUNT
1. Fatidicas olim fama est cecinisse sorores
Imperium sine fine tuae, rex inclyte, stirpis. 
Banquonem agnovit generosa Loquabria Thanum.
Nec tibi Banquo, tuis sed sceptra nepotibus illae
Immortalibus immortalia vaticinatae: 5
In saltum, ut lateas, dum Banquo recedis ab aula.
Tres eadem pariter canimus tibi fata, tuisque,
Dum, spectande tuis, e saltu accedis ad urbem:
Teque salutamus: salve, cui Scotia servit.
2. Anglia cui, salve. 3. Cui servit Hibernia, salve. 10
1. Gallia cui titulos, terras dant caetera, salve.
2. Quem, divisa prius, colit una Britannia, salve.
3. Summe monarcha Britannice, Hibernice, Gallice, salve.
1. Anna parens regum, soror, uxor, filia, salve.
2. Salve Henrice haeres, princeps pulcherrime salve. 15
3. Dux Carole, et perbelle Polonice regule, salve.
1. Nec metas fatis, nec tempora ponimus istis;
Quin orbis regno, famae sint terminus astra:
Canutum referas regno quadruplice clarum:
Maior avis, aequande tuis diademate solis. 20
Nec serimus caedes, nec bella, nec anxia corda:
Nec furor in nobis: sed agente calescimus illo
Numine, quo Thomas Whitus per somnia motus,
Londinensis eques, Musis haec tecta dicavit:
Musis? Imo Deo, tutelarique Ioanni. 25
Ille Deo charum, et curam, prope praetereuntem
Ire salutatum, Christi praecursor, ad Aedem
Christi pergentem iussit. Dicta ergo salute,
Perge; tuo aspectu sit laeta academia, perge.
1.
Word is that prophetic sisters once sang of a never-ending reign for your race,
renowned king.
Lochaber
acknowledged Banquo as its Thane;
but they foretold ever-enduring scepters for your ever-enduring progeny, Banquo,
so that you might rejoice as you removed from court to forest.
We three likewise sing to you of destiny, as, a worthy sight for your subjects,
you approach from forest to city. And we give you greetings, you whom Scotland
obeys.
2.
Hail, you whom England obeys.
3.
Hail, you whom Ireland obeys.
1.
You whom France grants titles, all else grants lands, hail.
2.
You whom previously-divided Britain worships, hail.
3.
High British, Irish, and French monarch, hail.
1.
Hail Anne, mother, sister, wife of kings.
2.
Hail heir Henry, hail fairest prince.
3.
Hail Charles, Duke and pretty Polack princeling.
1.
We place no limitations or fixed times; rather let the stars
be the boundary of your government of the world, and of your reputation. With
your fourfold kingdom may you resemble Canute,
greater than your forebears, with a crown only to be equaled by your progeny.
We are not sowing slaughters, wars, or anxious hearts; nor is there madness
in us, but we take our warmth from that guiding godhead by which Thomas White,
knight of London, was inspired in his dreams, and dedicated this house to the
Muses. To
the Muses? Nay, to God and to John our patron. He, Christ’s precursor,
bids us go salute God’s beloved, God’s care, as he passes nearby
while going forward to Christ Church. So, greetings having been said, go forward.
Let the University be cheered by the sight of you, go forward.
Notes
2.
A sidenote states that the “renowned king” is Duncan.
3.
Lochaber (Holinshed’s Loquhaber), a highland district.
4ff. “It fortuned as Makbeth and Banquho journied towards Fores, where the
king then laie, they went sporting by the waie togither without other companie,
saving onelie themselves, passing thorought he woods and fields, when suddenlie
in the middest of a laund, there met them three women in strange and wild apparell,
resembling creatures of elder wood, whome when they attentively beheld, woondering
much at the slight, the first of them spake and said; All haile Makbeth, thane
of Glammis. . . The second of them said; Haile Makbeth thane of Cawder. But
the third said; All haile Makbeth that heereafter shalt be king of Scotland.
Then Banquho; What manner of women (saith he) are you, that seeme so little
favourable unto me, whereas to my fellow heere, besides high offices, ye assigne
also the kingdome, appointing foorth nothing for me at all? Yet (saith the first
of them) we promise greater benefits unto thee, than unto him, for he shall
reigne in deed, but with an unluckie end: neither shall he leave anie issue
behind him to succeed in his place, where countrarilie thou in deed shalt not
reigne at all, but of thee those shall be borne which shall govern the Scottish
kingdome by long order of continuall deescent” (Holinshed).
6.
I suppose Banquo is described as he departs to his death. “[Makbeth]
willed therefore the same Banquho with his sonne named Fleance, to come to a
supper that he had prepared for them, which was in deed, as he had devised,
present death at the hands of certeine murderers, whom he hired to execute the
deed, appointing them to meete with the same Banquho and his sonne without the
palace, as they returned to their lodgings, and here to slea them” (Holinshed).
Note the symmetry of movement: Banquo from town to country, James from country
to town.
14.
Anne was the daughter of Frederick II of Denmark; at this time, she was only
a mother of kings prospectively.
16.
The future Charles I, presently Duke of York, was five years old. Evidently
he had some honorary Polish title, although I find no mention of this in any
biography that comes readily to hand. Bullough wrongly
printed perbella Polonice Regula and translates lovely Polish princess.
19.
A sidenote informs us that Canute’s Welsh name was Llhewelyn ap Sitfyliht.
This bit of information may seem perfectly irrelevant, but may be intended
to
suggest that both Canute and the Stuarts were connected by a Celtic heritage.
23.
St. John’s College (dedicated to St. John the Baptist) was founded in
1557 by Sir Thomas White, a prominent member of the Merchant Taylors’ Company
and Lord Mayor of London in 1554. For his prophetic dream, which guided him
to select the site for his new college, see The Victoria History of Oxfordshire
(London, 1954) III.251.
Finis
