The dynastic marriage of William of Orange and Mary Stuart: above, they are brought together before a bust of Hercules; below, their wedding in London on 4 November 1677. Etching by R. de Hooghe, 1678.

Above, the interior of a temple. At the top, Hymen holds a torch and a wreath lettered "Maiestas et Amor in una sede morantur" (Ovid, Metamorphoses II.846-847, here cited in affirmation of the sentiment, unlike the contradiction of it in Ovid). Below, in the centre is an altar aflame with a sacrifice in which snakes are burnt. On the left stands William of Orange wearing armour, and on the right stands Mary Stuart, surrounded by allegorical figures. Left, at the altar stands "De Nederlandse Maagd" (The Dutch maid), personifying the Dutch Republic: she is marked "Unio", has a swan on her head and holds a bunch of seven arrows representing the Seven United Provinces. The front of the altar is lettered "Fortiter unita", and adorned with an emblem: seven bulls united in a circle warding off wolves, surrounded by the motto "Observamus ne serviamus"

Below the altar is a blank wall on which an almanac for the year 1678 (and other years) could be pasted, and has been in some impressions

Left, putti hold a cornucopia. Below, a man with a shield uniting the arms of the Netherlands and Great Britain spears an opponent who lies vanquished holding a snake and accompanied by dead frogs: presumably representing France. Left foreground, an urn labelled "Referat mihi Jupiter annos" (a quotation from Virgil, Aeneid VIII.560), with portrait roundels on the side (princes of Orange?), described in the lettering as "patriae heroum series"

Right, behind the altar stand three crowned women in armour, presumably personifying three of the virtues mentioned in the verses, including Peace and Faith. Further to right stands a woman holding a column (Fortitude?). Behind them are the standards lettered "Brandenburgh" and "Lunenburgh". On the back wall of the temple are painted representations of military victories surmounted by eight busts: left to right, the four fully visible paintings are lettered "Marstrant et Carelstein" (referring to Marstrand and Carlsten in Sweden), "Victoria in Catalonia", "Rugen et victoriae marinae" (referring to Rügen in Swedish Pomerania), and "Obsidio Stetini" (siege of Stettin). The right bust is labelled "Luneburgicus D." Three of the other busts are labelled "Anglia", "Hispania" and "Germania". Right foreground, three French or Catholic enemies of the dynastic union: a woman holding a cockerel, with a telescope and spectacles, her dress adorned with ears (personifying French spies); a bishop holding bellows; and an old woman with the sun on her headdress (French subjects of Louis XIV?)

Below right, William and Mary being married by the bishop of London in a state apartment at St James's Palace, surrounded by family members and courtiers. Beyond, through a window, the Banqueting House and Whitehall Palace are seen (a summary sketch of a more detailed view by Romeyn de Hooghe in another print, of William and Mary seated)

[The Netherlands] : [Romeyn de Hooghe?], [1678?]

1 print : etching ; platemark 65.6 x 46.5 cm

In palatio ducis Eboracensium Guilelmus Henricus et Maria Stuarda, hic Arausionensium, illa Eboracensium, incomparabiles principes, matrimonio juncti 14 Novemb.r stylo novo recepti gloriose 14 decemb.r Hagae comitis a.o 1677. Romanus de Hooghe inv. et fecit. The Latin verses engraved below the allegory are tentatively transcribed as follows: Auspiciis infracta tuis, Respublica florens, / Auriacum toties genus Herculis esse probavit / Serius ad caelum rederis, Guilelme, precata est / At tu castra sequi et dubiis gaudere periclis / Dictatos petis et lauros, non otia quaeris, / Sic tibi sic famae ac patriae non vivitur, optat / Illa tuos Veneri, non Marti, aptare lacertos. / Vincit Amor, Rhenusque suis Thamisusque trophaeis. / Ex votis Cytheraea beat, descendit Olympo / Copia, Hymen, Pax, alma Fides promittitur orbi / Et patriae heroum series, quae secula sperat / Aurea et Eborea, hinc Gallus frenabitur, utque / Filius Arctoae evertit sua regna Calistae / Vim pervertet opum, tantis stet patria pactis / Unio jura liget, studiorum jurgia cessent, / Livor et adversae ruat indignatio partis. R. de Hooghe sculpens canebat.

Frederik Muller, De nederlandsche geschiedenis in platen, part 1, Amsterdam: Frederik Muller, 1863, no. 2621 (impression without almanac)

Wellcome Collection 3223737i