University of Virginia Library

Iehoua, with our ioyned hands,
and hartes replete with ioye,
Wee prayse thee for our noble Queene,
the shield of our annoye.
Not wee, not wee (oh greate Iehoue)
not wee, but thy right hande
Hath wrought this calme and quiet state,
in this our English lande.
Great Bulles of Basan roare abroad,
great curse from Balac commes,
Eache Foreyn eare is fild with fight
and sownde of fearfull droommes.
Woe, woe, waymenting woes and feare
through forein Soyle doth raunge:
No Coast so clere where face of warre
ne makes the cruell chaunge.
Blood, blood is shed in monstrous wise:
each forein State doth iarre,
And open Murthers wanting Law,
in forein Countreies are.
Fowle fraude & faithlesse fawning wordes
in forein Coastes do dwell:
High Seates of sway in forein Soyles
of fraude and falshod smell.
Men, Beastes, & fieldes, lawes, loue & truth
there fall from former states:
Each thing, each Sexe vncertaine standes
and honest order hates.
No course kept right, no seasons knowne,
nought there, in sauety lyes.
Each good growth yl, each yll growth worse
each worse to worste doth rise.
There, Soyles lie sackt, there, Mountaines quake
there loftie Hilles downe sway:
There, pleasant plots yeelde filthy weede,
where Fragrant odoures lay.
The plowed Fields, are there layde waste
there, fertile grounds lye baard
Eache Meadow there, lieth cleane defaste,
no plotte of pleasure spaard:
No lofty Pallace stands vpright,
no place where vertue dwelt,
Standth there so sownd which of the dinte
of Battaile hath not felt.
No Seate in sauety, nothing helps:
no dewe Regarde preuailes:
No right of cause there frees from force:
no Sexe of sorrow fayles.
Each noble face ly'th there forlorne,
each mighty head brought lowe:
Each valeaunt visage sprente with bloude
there, through the Streates they throw.
No law relieues: no iustice helpes,
no truthe from daunger frees:
None there, that liues in godly feare,
true hope of sauetie sees.
The aged man there drowpth in woe,
the younge and lustie Rowte
Are there sent foorth to leade their life
in pyllage round aboute.
The armed Knights with treasons trapt,
the Sages of the land,
In suspense lodge to liue or die:
thus each ones case doth stand.
There, wronged wights with silēce smart
and there, th' opprest want ayde
There, Lawes wherby the iust shuld liue,
doe make the iuste afrayde.
There dwelles no sounde of sacred songes
that sweetely sende forth health:
But there, both dowle and double plaints
waymenting sorowes telth.
No Fountaine there stands free from filth:
no christall Spring runnes cleare:
In steede of streaming Flouds of life,
deepe dampes of Death are there.
And whilst these woes do wander thus,
as forein coastes haue tride,
Thine english People, Lord, dwell safe:
with them doth peace abide.
With them doth liue a louing Queene
who like a Mother raignes,
And like a chosen sacred Impe
immortall glory gaines.
Her handes shee holdes not foorth to warre,
her hart doth rest in peace:
Shee Ioyes to see her peoples wealth
and wayles their harmes increase.
Thy gospelles sownde shee sendes abroade:
shee stoppes no wholsome Spring:
But popishe Puddles dammes shee vp
which noysome humours bring.
A Prince of price, most worthy prayse
for thee and in thy name
Of all that euer Scepter bare,
of all that euer came
From Englishe loynes to royall Seate:
I say, none worthy more
Amongst the race of Englishe kings
that euer Scepter bore.
I would conteine my feruent Muse,
Ah Iemme, thy name denyes.
My prayse nor all the Poetes pennes
thy merite can suffise.
And highest kinge that Welkin weeldst
if hence thy glory come,
That of a virgin Queene whom thou
hast set in sacred Roome,
Thy peoples peace should be sustainde,
thy Gospell should be spred,
Why should my burning Muse lye still?
why should my penne lye dead?
Is hand of fleshe her firmest force?
is frowning face her swaye?
Doth subtile drifts drawe forth her peace,
or vaunting glory? Nay:
Of Fleshe, the feeblest Sexe by kinde:
of face not Iunoes feere:
But mylde Susanna in her lookes
and Hester in her cheere.
The worke is thine, tis thine Iehoue:
no iote begonne by man:
Thou fram'dst her onely for thy praise:
by thee her dayes began:
All onely thou Iehoua, thou
hast wrought her for thy praise:
All onely thou hast made her deedes
a wonder to our daies.
From thee therfore, what so shee hath,
from thee her vertues came,
And her wee praise as gifte of thine
and glory to thy name.
So planted is her souereigne Seate,
so fixed is her Throne,
That thicke and threefold wronged wights
there lay abroade their mone.
Truth, mercy, peace, and loue possesse
her Chayre of royall State:
No Subiect Soule complaining griefe,
goes helplesse from her gate.
And what shee Rules, by loue shee Rules.
No Force, where loue may winne.
First friendly warnings-sendes shee forth
Eare smarting Lawes beginne.
Her Subiectes bloud shee seekes to saue
as Apple of her eye:
They lyne and shall, saue such as law
and Iustice bids to dye.
They liue and Ioye, her Foes and all,
full many kept from Death:
No ease to her, but griefe of minde,
is losse of Subiectes breath.
Her Subiects goodes shee neuer seekes:
none lyues whom shee hath spoyld
Her very Foes are free from force:
no Foe with force is foyld.
Yea foes and all, they sow and reape:
they plant and eate the fruit,
They build and buye, no losse they take
vnlesse by lawfull suite.
Each wight within her royall Realme
possesseth as his owne,
Such substaunce as by lotte he hath
and vnto him is growne.
With quiet course in equall sorte,
each man in his degree,
Draw'th forth his daies and spend'th his time
full orderly to see.
Wrong resteth no mannes right by might
wher Princes ayde is crau'de:
The poore with ritche contend a like:
by Law their Rights bee sau'de.
No Law lockt vp, no Iustice stopt,
no one through her takes wrong.
O noble Prince, and hast thou liu'de
a vertuous Queene so longe?
And hath thy name Elyzabeth,
so many yeares sustainde
The cause of Trueth, and runne that race
that vertue hath ordeinde?
Now, blessed be those daies of thine:
Thrise blessed be our God,
By whom our Queene Elyzabeth
those vertuous steppes hath trod.
Not force of Fleshe hath held her vp,
not sharpe deuise of man,
Not crafte, not skill, not worldly shifte
her blessed state beganne.
Before her raigne, bereaft of peace,
bereaft of outwarde Ioy:
Pursude to death by Romishe beastes
still seeking her annoy:
Whose foamy frothye murthrous Iawes,
with stomackes stuft with guile
Each day deuisde her graces death
and sacred state to foyle.
Whome high Iehoue preserued hath
in spite of Sathans rage,
To liue a Queene in blessed peace:
to lyue an happye age.
Oh, graunt her God, an hart to prayse
and magnifie thy name:
And as thou hast preseru'de her life,
so still preserue the same.
Let dewe remembraunce neuer slippe
from forth her royall brest,
But let her alwayes beare in minde
how thou hast wrought her rest.

17. Nouemb. an. 18. Elizabeth R.

Full seauenteene yeares this day her grace
hath raign'de with vs a Queene:
No Treasons force hath yet preuaild,
that euer could be seene.
No drift, deuise, no deuils deede,
no falshod fetchte from hell
Hath yet tane place: in sauetie yet
her noble grace doth dwell.
Thyne hand Iehoue hath founde them out,
thine owne right hand hath broughte
Each darke deuise to open viewe
and treasons guile to nought.
Thine hand hath held her kingdome faste:
thine owne right hand hath stayde
The running rage of rancour bent,
and made her foes afrayde.
Of wisdome hast thou lent her stoare
to guide thy folcke aright:
What giftes of grace haue Princes more
obtayned in thy sight?
Graue counsaile guiding all by Truth
thou Lorde, with her hast plaste
Whose careful works for common wealth
can neuer be defaste.
Whose mindes to rigoure they ne bende:
no hartes they haue to harme:
No woe they worke to any wight:
to none they cry Alarme.
No lawe they wrest to worke their willes
no sleightes they doe impose,
No burthen on her Subiectes backes
obtruded is by those.
They enuy not her peoples good:
no trappes they laye to traine
Nor subtile baytes by pinching lawes
at any time ordeyne.
Their Princes wrath they whet not on:
no wayte they lay for blood.
Oh noble wightes, and haue you liu'de
to worke your Countreyes good?
Haue all your Foes fownde endlesse bale
that sought your honors spoyle?
And stande you yet in Countreys sight,
to seeke fowle Treasons foyle?
With teares we hold our hands to heauen,
and from our hartes we crie
Lyue, liue you noble Counsayllers,
liue liue and neuer dye.
Let Princes loue remayne on you,
and loue you her againe.
So shall no treasons drifte disioynte
our englishe peace in twaine.
So shall you gaine a guerdon iuste
for your so noble deedes,
And so shall wee poore Subiecte sortes
still sticke to you at needes.
Lorde, blessed be thy name alwaies,
thrise blessed by thy name,
That guyd'st to good their graue attemptes
dyrecting still the same.
These giftes for thine we doo proclame
euen all these giftes for thine,
A gratious Queene with Counsayle graue:
that to thy will encline:
A noble race of royall wittes
a Senate surely knit,
A prudent sort of polishte heads
who neuer (haplesse) yet
Attempted ought that might redownd
to wealth of Englishe soyle
Who neuer yet emprised ought
wherein they tooke the foyle.
By thee wee still enioy her grace:
by thee this Counsayle so:
By thee the same doe plant good lawes
all vice to ouerthrow.
And for those lawes such Iudges set
as Iustice well maintayne,
Such Iudges, some, as doubtlesse yet
no former times could gayne:
Not moody sorte of wandring heades
not hartes corrupt with guyle,
Not wrangling wittes, not bribinge hands
our Iudgementes Seates defile.
But seemely sortes of sacred heads
but Sages sownde and graue,
But goodly viewe of learned wittes
our Iudgement places haue.
Where, looke what Lawe and Iustice wil,
that Iudges doo pronounce:
Where, looke what lawe and Iustice nill,
that, Iudges doo renounce.
Where, hee (my Lorde) amongs the rest,
whose handes regard no meede,
Whose harte Dyes no deceyte at all,
with honour doth proceede
(As others eke) in soundest sort
to Ioyne together aye,
With Mercy, Truth: with Iustice, Peace:
in firme and perfecte staye.
Ah hawtie Hall with honours deckt,
ah Roofes of royall viewe,
Ah Seates possest with Iustice self,
with peace and Iudgements trewe.
Sith laude, sith thankes, sith endlesse praise
be dewe vnto thy name:
Sweet lord, sweet Christ, for these thy gifts
we magnifie the same.
Lord, blesse therfore these benefittes,
Lord, giue them large increase,
Lord, let thy mercies still endure,
Lord, let them neuer cease.
Lord, blesse our Queene, Lord prosper her,
Lord, leade her with thine hand:
Lord teach her aye thy will to know
and worde to vnderstand.
Lord, graunt that shee in harte maye loue
thy law and thy decree:
That shee may knowe how all these giftes
proceede good Lord from thee.
And for thy works of wonder done,
let her extoll thy praise:
Let her in truth and holy lyfe
continewe all her dayes.
Let (Lorde) her graces eyes so pearce
into thy Churches state,
That she with Iudgement sound and pure
remooue from thence debate.
And let her (Lorde) so loue to heare
thy godly Preachers voyce,
That shee reiecte not what they teache,
but take the best in choyse.
Let pompous state be vnto her
no stoppe of dew regarde,
Ne let the faults of faythlesse mates,
at any time be sparde.
Let all her royall howsholde so
reformed be from sinne,
That they to all the worlde may showe
what vertue is therein.
That shee may bring a lasting praise
and glory to thy name:
That life and doctrine fownde alike,
her foes may suffer shame.
Lorde giue her Iudgement to discerne,
and that with Counsayle graue
Shee may finde out what sownde redresse
our common wealth should haue.
To cut of crafte from wholsome lawes:
and (chiefly) to supplant
From place of Rule and Iustice, such
as sownde profession want.
Whose handes how hurtfull they shall be
in times of troublous state
Our sondry sortes of troublous heades
expressed haue of late.
Lorde, graunt therefore that Lawes be had
to bynde each place to choose
To office, such as loue thy worde,
and others to refuse.
That whensoeuer forein driftes
or home deuise shall rise,
Such men of trust prepared so,
may treasons guile surprise.
Lorde, finally, with humbled mindes,
and Sowles we thee desire
Unite both Prince and Peoples harts
with loue and zeale entire.
That th' one with vpright course may rule.
the other so obaye,
As Prince may be her peoples Ioye,
and people Princes staye.

Lorde graunt that none within this Lande
no one that beareth breath.
Refuse in harte to crie God saue
Our Queene Elizabeth.

Though Poets pennes in these our later daies
In works of waite gaine credit neare a deale,
Because that some seduced many waies,
Their fond affectes and fancies do reueale
In rymyng frames, wherein they do conceale
No want of wyt, nor learning dew regarde,
As in their Bookes full many haue declarde:
Yet hope I must that truth may take no harme
Where she is cloathd with cloake of simple Ryme
Deuoyd of dark deuise and Poets charme:
Which learned wits full rifelye in our time
Haue set to view as sootest hearbes in Prime,
Although the blunt and bitter byting brayne,
Each rymed truth doth blot with black disdayne.

You noble wights that win immortall fame
By gyding well our english common wealth,
To you I wryte, as one that loues the same
And ioyes in heart to see your Honours health:
Reiect him not that riming fancies telth:
But beare him out where he deserues no blame,
And heere such termes as he in truth shall name.
Your godly, graue, and prouident foresightes
These passed times and blisfull daies forespent
Haue so preferd in peace vnto your mightes,
That calmer daies of yoare were neuer lent.
Your God therfor that so your harts hath bent,
Extolle with praise, and watch to worke his wyll:
Seeke tresons foyle and loue your countrey still.
Beware of forrein fraude and false pretensed loue:
Accept goodwill, but secreat woorks preuent:
So ioy in league, that close compacts you proue:
So liue in peace, as you to warre were bent.
Yeeld trust, but try, for feare ye do repent.
Geue heede to peace, but lyue not vnpreparde.
The strongest state the longest time is sparde.
And as you watch, each one in your degree,
T'establish peace, and plant right wholsome lawes,
So, noble wights, (as you true noble be)
Keepe men opprest from rage of ramping pawes.
Pluck, pluck ye spoyle from foorth deuouring iawes
And let not Crewes of cruell wasting wightes
Thus prank in pride wt spoile of pore mens rights.
To taxe the Trades that wickednes findes out,
To touch the liues that lewdnesse hath begonne,
To blase the pride yt runnes the Realme throughout
To preach ye Spoyles yt priuate gaine hath wonne,
To shew the shifts that poore men haue vndone,
O noble wights, and honourable all,
No pen of mine hath force or euer shall.
Men craue, you graunt: men pray, you pardon stil:
Men sweare, you trust: men crouche, you think them mylde:
Ah, out alas heerein is errour styll:
Heerein your godly meanings are begilde.
Herein the wastful Crewes & lusty heads wax wyld
Heerein the trades that wickednesse doth breed
On Common welth with priuate pawnche do feed.
Heerein the pompe of Pride withouten end,
Hath put it selfe in prease, and vaunting spreddes
With daring face, where none should dare offende:
No Cæsars looke nor Princes eye it dreddes:
In frank outrage alas it trampling treddes
Heerein, the rowtes of cutting roysters grow,
And bankes of peace with braules do ouerflow.
Heerein, the bloudy papistes do conspire,
And begging broodes of bankrowts (in their kind)
Do take the course to set our peace on fire,
By fawnyng force a filthy fetch to finde,
A few to raise with ryches yll assygnd,
Though thousands thence doe reape their endlesse neede
Whence, hate for loue in consequence doth breede.
Heerein, (to fine) the fewest sorts do right:
Heerein, the lawes that godlynes haue fixt,
Heerein, the peace appearing in our sight,
By pryuate heades with wickednes are mixt,
And this our peace hath dangers drawne betwixt.
Heerein, therefore to finde redresse with speede
Shal make your names true noble still indeede,