Welsh Journals

THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S TORY PROGRESS THROUGH WALES, 1684 IN THE SUMMER of 1684, Henry Somerset, first duke of Beaufort, took a spectacular progress through Wales in his capacity as Lord President of the Council in the Marches. He was attended by hundreds of local gentlemen, uniformed militia officers and dozens of liveried pages, grooms and household servants in a display so magnificent that even the horses wore saddle cloths 'richly embroidered and embossed with gold and silver'. This 'splendid cavalcade' toured each of the Welsh counties, giving Beaufort the opportunity to examine the state of the militia and to meet local magistrates and members of the country gentry. His progress inspired considerable popular enthusiasm and it was attended throughout by the 'shouts and acclamations of the people, ringing of bells in the neighbouring villages, various sounding of trumpets, beating of drums and neighing of horses [which] made a very agreeable confusion'. Beaufort's progress illustrates the visual and highly theatrical means used to display wealth, power and grandeur in the late seventeenth century. Ceremonial progresses served as a form of theatre in which crown officials and monarchs presented themselves as dramatic actors on the public stage. The French king, Louis XIV, dazzled con- temporaries with his royal progresses, the most famous of which was his triumphal entry into Paris following his marriage in 1660. King Charles II also made frequent parades of power designed to display the magnificence of the newly restored monarchy. Progresses were also taken by courtiers and royal officials, particularly lords lieutenant, who often travelled with 'great splendour' and very large retinues. The earl of Clarendon, created lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1685, described his 1 Badminton Muniments (hereafter Bad.Mun.), FmE 2/7/16, pp. 52-5.