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A08610 The monument of matrones conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student.; Monument of matrones. Part 1-4. Bentley, Thomas, student of Gray's Inn.; Abergavenny, Frances Nevill, Lady, d. 1576.; Marguerite, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of Navarre, 1492-1549. Miroir de l'âme pécheresse. English & French.; Catharine Parr, Queen, consort of Henry VIII, King of England, 1512-1548. Lamentacion of a sinner.; Tyrwhit, Elizabeth, Morning and evening prayers.; Catharine Parr, Queen, consort of Henry VIII, King of England, 1512-1548. Prayers or meditacions. 1582 (1582) STC 1892; ESTC S101562 669,543 1,114

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desolate And why Because the enimie hath gotten the vpper hand and preuailed Zion casteth out hir hands and there is none to comfort hir the Lord hath laid the enimies of Iacob round about him and Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman who for hir pollution is separate from hir husband and is become abhomination in the middest of them The Lord is righteous for I haue rebelled against his commandements prouoked his countenance to anger O heare I praie you and take heede all ye people behold my sorowe and consider my heauinesse my virgins my maidens and my yong men are led awaie prisoners and gone into captiuitie I called for my louers but they deceiued me for my priests and counsellers but they perished and died for hunger in the Citie euen whiles they sought for meate to saue their liues and refresh their soules Behold O Lord and consider how I am troubled my bowels swell my wombe is disquieted my hart turneth about within me and I am full of heauinesse because I rebelled stubbornelie the sword spoileth me abroade as death doth at home They heare my mourning but there is none that will comfort me all mine enimies haue heard of my trouble and are glad thereof because thou hast done it but thou wilt bring forth the daie and time that thou hast pronounced and calledst when they also shall be like vnto me Let all their wickednesse come before thee and do thou vnto them as thou hast done vnto me for all my transgressions and trespasses For my sorowe is verie great my sighes are manie and mine hart is heauie The second lamentation of Zion ALas how hath the Lord darkned the daughter of Zion in his wrath and brought hir from prosperitie to aduersitie How hath he cast the beautie and honour of Israel downe from heauen vnto the earth and giuen hir a most sore fall not remembring his owne footestoole the Temple of Ierusalem in the daie of his wrath when he was angrie The Lord hath cast out and destroied all the habitations of Iacob without anie fauour all the strong places or holdes of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath and throwne them downe to the ground and not spared hir kingdome and the princes thereof hath he prophaned and polluted In the wrath of his fierce indignation he hath broken all the horne or power and strength of Israel he hath drawne backe his right hand of succour from before the enimie yea a flame of fire was kindled in Iacob which hath consumed deuoured vp all round about He hath bent his bowe like an enimie his right hand was stretched vp and fastned as an aduersarie and euerie thing that was pleasant to the eie to see he hath slaine he hath powred out his wrath like a fire into the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion The Lord is become as it were an enimie he hath deuoured Israel and consumed all his palaces yea all his strong holds hath he destroied and filled and greatlie increased the daughter of Iuda with much sorrowe and heauinesse lamentation and mourning For he hath destroied his tabernacle as a garden his solemne meetings or congregation hath he put downe yea the Lord hath brought it so to passe that the high solemne feasts and sabboths are cleane forgotten in Zion and hath despised in the heauie displeasure and indignation of his wrath both the king and the priest The Lord hath forsaken his owne altar and hath abhorred his owne Sanctuarie he hath giuen the walles of hir palaces and towers into the hand of the enimies who haue made a noise with blasphemous shoutings and criengs in the house of the Lord as in the daie of solemnitie and feasting when the people were accustomed to praie The Lord hath determined to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Zion he spread out his line and hath not withdrawne his hand from destroieng therefore he maketh the insensible things euen the rampart turrets and walles as it were to take part of the sorowe and to mourne lament because they fell downe and were destroied together Hir gates are sunke downe to the ground hir bars are broken and smitten in sunder hir king and princes are caried awaie to the Gentiles they haue not the lawe neither haue hir Prophets anie vision from the Lord. The Senatours and Elders of the daughter of Zion sit vpon the ground and keepe silence they haue cast vp dust and ashes vpon their heads and girded themselues with sackcloth the virgins or maides of Ierusalem hang downe their heads to the ground Mine eies do faile through weeping and abundance of teares my bowels swell my liuer is powred vpon the earth for the great hurt and destruction of the daughter of my people bicause the children babes and sucklings faint and sowne in the streetes of the Citie They haue said to their mothers Where is bread and drinke when they sowned and fell downe as the wounded in the streetes of the citie and when they gaue vp the ghost and died in their mothers bosome What thing shall I take to witnesse against thee Or what thing shal I liken to thee O daughter Ierusalem Thy calamitie is so euident that it néede no further proofe To whome then shall I compare thee O thou virgin daughter Zion to comfort thee withall For the breach in thy hart is like the breach in a maine sea Who may heale thee Thy false Prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie or shewed thee of thy wickednesse to turne awaie thine affliction and to keepe thee from captiuitie but they to flatter thée in thy sinnes haue seene or looked out for the false prophesies and causes of banishment and destruction All that passe by the waie clap their hands at thee hissing and wagging their heads vpon the daughter Ierusalem and saie Is this the Citie that men call so faire the perfection of beautie and the ioie of the whole earth Al thine enimies gape vpon thee with open mouths they hisse at thee and grinde their teeth saieng Let vs deuoure it for certainlie this is the daie the time that we looked for is come we haue found and seene it The Lord hath fulfilled the thing that he was purposed to doo and performed his word that he had deuised and determined of old time long ago he hath throwne downe destroied and not spared he hath caused thine aduersarie to reioice and triumph ouer thee and hath set vp the horne or power of thine enimie Their hart cried vnto the Lord O thou wall or citie of the daughter Zion let thy teares run downe like a riuer daie and night take thee no rest neither let the apple of thine eie cease or leaue off wéeping Arise stand vp and crie in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thy hart like water before the face of the Lord lift vp thine hands towards him for the liues of the
coales thereof are fierie coales and a verie vehement flame of the Lord so that manie waters are not able to quench loue neither may the streames of fluds drowne it yea if a man would giue all the substance of his house for loue he should count it nothing but would greatlie contemne it We haue a little sister namelie the Church of the Gentils she is but yoong and hath no breasts but wanteth both the old and new testament What shall we doo for our sister when she shall be spoken for If she be sure and firme as a wall we will build vpon hir a siluer palace and if she be a doore we will keepe or fasten hir with boords of Cedar trees If the Church be sure and fast she is méete for the husband to dwell in and we the Apostles will preach to them that are called inwardlie of God to saluation Yea I am a wall and my breasts are as towers For I doo promise fidelitie constancie vnto my spouse Christ Then was I as one that hath found fauor and peace in his sight Salomon the Lord Christ hath a vineyard at Baal-hamon and this vineyardlet he out vnto kepers that euerie one for the fruit therof should giue him a thousand peeces of siluer But my vineyard which is mine is in my sight before me to thee O Christ the spirituall Salomon apperteine a thousand peeces of siluer and two thousand to them that keepe the fruit thereof euen the greatest profit which is life euerlasting obteined by the grace of God and not by our merits O thou that dwellest in the gardens thy Church where thy companions or faithfull ones hearken vnto thy voice O let me heare it also that my companions may hearken vnto the same O my welbeloued Christ if thou flie awaie and depart from vs thy faithfull ones for a while yet we beseech thee be like vnto the Roe or as the yong Hart vpon the sweet smelling mountaines of spices and make haste we praie chae to come againe and helpe vs in our troubles Amen The foure lamentations of the daughter of Zion the Church wherin with weeping sighing howling and with an heauie and wofull hart she sorowfullie bewaileth hir miserable estate being plagued of God and forsaken of hir spouse Christ for his sinnes vnfaithfulnesse and rebellion Lament 1. The first Lamentation ALas how doth the citie Jerusalem remaine so solitarie and desolate that sometime was full of people How is she become like a widowe How is she brought vnder tribute that was great among the nations ruled the lands and prouinces as princesse She weepeth sore continuallie in the night and the teares run downe by hir cheekes so that shée taketh no rest For among all hir louers she hath none to comfort hir yea all hir next friends trangresse against hir and haue dealt vnfaithfullie with hir and are become hir enimies Iuda is caried away captiue bicause of hir crueltie affliction and great bondage or seruitude and oppression of their seruants and the poore she dwelleth now among the heathen and findeth no rest all hir persecutours tooke hir in the strait places where shee could not escape The waies and streets of Zion mourne and lament bicause no man commeth anie more with mirth and ioie as they were woont to the solemne feasts all hir gates are desolate hir priests sigh and make lamentation hir virgins are discomfited hir maides are carefull and she hir selfe is in great heauinesse Hir aduersaries are the chiefe rulers ouer hir and hir enimies prosper For the Lord hath chastened and afflicted hir for hir great wickednesse and hir children are gone into captiuitie before the enimie for the multitude of hir transgressions And from the daughter of Zion all hir beautie is gone and departed hir princes are become like harts that finde no pasture euen as men pined awaie with sorowe and haue no courage and they are driuen awaie and gone without strength before the enimie and pursuer so that they haue no more power Now Ierusalem remembred in the time of hir miserie and affliction bare estate and rebellion all hir toie and pleasure that she hath had in times past seeing hir people is brought downe vnder the power of the enimie and there is no man for the helpe hir The enimies stand looking at hir and laugh and mocke hir Sabboth daies that is hir Religion and seruing of God to scorne Ierusalem hath greeuouslie sinned therefore is she come in decaie and had in derision all they that had hir in honour now despise hir because they haue seene hir filthinesse yea she sigheth and turneth backward as she that is ashamed of hir selfe Hir filthinesse is in hir skirts and manifest yet she was not ashamed of hir sinne nor remembred hir last end therefore is hir downe-fall so woonderfull and there is no man to comfort hir O Lord behold mine affliction and consider my trouble for mine enimie hath the vpper hand and hath proudlie magnified himselfe The enimie hath put his hand to all the pretious things that she had yea euen before hir eies came the heathen and entred in and out of hir Sanctuarie whome thou neuerthelesse didst command and forbid to come within thy Church and congregation All hir people sigh and seeke their bread with heauinesse and looke what pretious or pleasant thing euerie man hath that giueth he for meate to saue his life and refresh his soule Consider O Lord and see how vile I am become Haue ye no regard to pitie me all yee that passe by this waie Behold and see if there be anie sorowe like vnto mine wherewith the Lord hath afflicted or troubled me in the day of his fierce and fearefull wrath and learnc to beware by mine example From aboue hath he euen GOD sent downe a fire into my bones which preuaileth and burneth them cruellie he hath spred or laid a net for my feete turned me backe and throwne me wide open he hath made me desolate so that I am dailie in heauines and must euer be mourning The yoke of my transgressions is bound fast to God his hand they are wrapped or wreathen and come vp vpon my necke so that by no meanes it can be shaken off or remitted but onlie of his speciall grace and mercie He hath made my strength to faile the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands neither am I able to rise vp and quit my selfe from them that haue me in bondage The Lord hath troden vnder foote and destroied all my valiant and mightie men that were in the middes of me he hath proclauned an appointed time and called an assemblie to slaughter and destroie all my best yoong men The Lord hath troden downe the virgin the daughter of Iuda like as it were grapes in a wine-presse Therefore do I weepe and mine eies euen mine eies gush out with water because the comforter that should quicken me and refresh my soule is far from me My children are driuen awaie and
oppresse thee before thy face I will slaie all thine enimies and fill them with shame and confusion My mercie shall neuer faile thee my truth shall neuer forsake thee and thou trusting to my fauour shalt lift vp thine head most high crowned with euerlasting glorie I will cause thee to haue one hand vpon the sea and another vpon the flouds and thou shalt call mee thy Father thy God and thy safe tower And I will place thee as my first begotten Daughter in the sacred familie of the Kings of the whole world euen in a throne most high aboue others Yea thou being a pure Uirgin borne of my kindred shalt be so highlie exalted of IEHOVA which hath decreed this from all eternitie that thou shalt sit a glorious QVEENE ouer a mightie people and shalt haue rule dominiō ouer all thy subiects without exception Euen I the mightie IEHOVA will giue vnto thee in Zion a kingdome of stabilitie ouer all the ends of the earth in the which kingdome thy power shall be so great that the more enimies thou hast the more excellent and more euident shall thy fame and renowme be to all nations And the people shall willinglie and obedientlie offer themselues to be gouerned by thee after the infinite victories which thou shalt haue ouer the enimies that vexe thee And the daie shall come that when thou hast ouercome all thine enimies thou shalt muster all thine armies to appeare before thee and to make a triumph also in garments of triumph which shall be holie most pure and most shining Then I saie Ô QVEENE thou shalt behold the multitude of thy most chosen yoong men and beautifull virgins which the morning of that most heauenlie light shall bring foorth vnto thee by powring downe hir most plentifull deaw vpon the earth Yea I will arme thee with a double edged sword in thy hand wherewith thou maist punish the prophane Gentiles and auenge the crueltie of the proud people and also maist drawe their kings and nobles bound in chaines and iron fetters and execute the iudgement appointed and commanded by me thy Lord God vpon them And this verelie is the dignitie the honour and renowme that I will giue thee O daughter whome I haue receiued into my fauour euen to bring into subiection vnto thy kingdome the people far and wide and sauing thine owne nation to make an horrible slaughter of the rebels and traitors euerie-where that go about to ouerthrowe the Monarch which ruleth and shall rule both far and neere I will defend thee I saie O my deere Daughter with euerlasting mercie and my couenant made with thy father DAVID shall be established for euer in his generation Thy throne shall be as the Sunne before me it shall continue as the Moone in all ages and be as stable as heauen it selfe For I the holie one haue once sworne by mine owne selfe and neither will I breake my promise nor violate my couenant nor will change anie of those things that I haue spoken to DAVID thy Father These things haue I promised of old I saie and now will I vndoubtedlie bring them to passe If thou my Daughter keepe my commandements and do not violate the ordinances that I haue commanded thee but order thy selfe and thy people by the rule of the lawes that I haue prescribed vnto them So shall all things be in good order and nothing confounded yea the verie foundations of the earth also shall be firme and remaine stable Peace righteousnesse and iudgement and all good things else shall remaine safe and sure amongst men Neither will I suffer that in this thy dangerous iournie and perillous pilgrimage thou shouldest so stumble that thou shouldest fall or be compelled to go backe and though manie doo lie in wait for thy destruction yet I preuenting all dangers will bee thy watchfull keeper For seeing that I haue taken in hand freelie of mine owne good will to call thee to this excellent estate of a Prince haue hitherto bene verie carefull to defend thee and my people Israel I will not now once slumber much lesse will I be so deepe in sleepe that I will suffer thee to be oppressed Therefore let this be a thing certainlie determined vnto thee and bee thou comforted and confirmed with this onlie hope in all distresse that I the Lord am thy keeper and a shadowe for thee against all stormes and that I am present by thee and will neuer faile thee And as I was present of old when thou returnedst out of the Egypt bondage of the spirituall Pharao so now also I will be present with thee against y e heate of the Sunne in the daie-time against the noisome humors which the Moone vseth to raise in the night season For like as the Citie Ierusalem is compassed round about with massie mountaines so I the Lord stand round about thee and thy people trusting in me on euerie side and will neuer forsake you But as I haue done hitherto so surelie I will continue to defend them that loue vertue and to bind thee vnto me by new benefits I will bring to passe that thou shalt enioie a stable peace and sure tranquillitie and that thou shalt see Ierusalem flourishing so long as thou doest liue Yea I the Lord will so blesse thee from heauen with most plentifull blessings that by the power of my Maiestie all thy counselles and enterprises shall prosper and haue good successe continuallie I will preserue thee safe against all discommodities and defend thy life from violence yea which waie soeuer thou shalt go or ride I euen I thy mightie maker and God will be with thee when thou goest foorth and commest in from place to place and not onlie in this temporall voiage or iournie but for euer will I gouerne and guide thee Thou shalt neuer be laid open to the reproch of men Thy Crowne shall neuer be cast to the ground nor thy selfe reiected All thy fortresses and cities shall stand vnassaulted and thy forts and strong castels and holds shall not be battered nor laid open with breaches to the spoile of passengers The edge of thy sword shall neuer waxe blunt thy scepter neuer broken nor thy crowne cast downe into the dust nor thy power stained But I will minister continuall power and cause of ioie vnto thee ô QVEENE and take awaie all courage and force from thine enimies so that they shall not be able to arise or stand against thy mightie power Finallie this my league which I haue made with thee shall neuer be abrogated For I will come downe from my Sanctuarie to helpe thee euen frō the mount Zion to strengthen thee in all dangers And when thou callest vpon me by praier I will heare thy petitions and grant vnto thee that thy hart desireth and accomplish all thy purposes so that thou doubtlesse shalt bee preserued and deliuered a waie by me that haue annointed thee to be QVEENE CAP. V. THus I saie my deere Daughter
precepts and examples meet for meditation instruction and imitation to all posteritie And now in most dutifull maner commending and appropriating so diuine exercises of the church vnto your Maiestie the most naturall mother and noble nursse thereof the cause of a virgine to a Virgine the works of Queenes to a Queene your owne praiers to your selfe to whom indeed the particular interest and due praise and honour thereof iustlie belongeth I here prostrate on my knees in most humble maner meekelie beseech your excellent Maiestie gratiouslie of your woonted clemencie to pardon and forgiue this my too rash and bold enterprise attempted both with bashfulnesse feare and trembling and fauourablie as in like cases you are accustomed to accept these your liege subiect his great labors and painfull trauels in good part which he not to instruct your Highnesse of whose notable learning I am not able to speake but onelie for a monument of the hartie loue he beareth both to the church his deere mother and to your Maiestie his dread Souereigne hath in a godlie zeale and conscience bestowed to the good and profit of his countrie That by your Graces good liking and princelie approbation they may be both patronized against the wicked and practised of the godlie And so manie by that means with due reuerence and great honour to so honourable works may receiue these lamps as from your bountifull hand to inlighten them by your good industrie in all vertue and to prepare them by your holie example like wise virgins to perseuerance in all good works of the spirit And that therein manie may often looke and labour mightilie for your Highnesse as they are bound in feruent praier and manie mo thanks I saie be giuen of manie faithfull harts on your Maiesties behalfe for the benefit of such and so manie needfull and readie helps ministred and afoorded by your painfull hand and princelie affabilitie to your euerlasting comfort and renowme the praise of God and glorie of his deerest sonne Iesus Christ your sweet spouse Whom now for a conclusion as I began I most entirelie beseech that as of his owne good will he first loued his church my deere mother and gaue himselfe freelie for hir to sanctifie and clense hir in the most holie fountaine of water through the word to make hir vnto himselfe a beautifull virgine and glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle that she should be holie pure perfect and without blame before him so he will vouchsafe in like mercie still both to cherish defend and maintaine the same in his continuall grace religion and holinesse that she may yet bring foorth more fruit in hir age and members to his glorie and also as your spirituall spouse to set your Maiestie a most woorthie and mightie gouernor of the same euer as a seale vpon his hart to tie you fast as a signet or bracelet vpon his arme to beare you still in his owne bosome to set his eie ouer you continuallie for your health wealth and prosperitie to bend his desires alwaies towards you to doo you good that so your Highnesse may be kept in his continuall grace peace and fauour long to reigne ouer vs and also defended and preserued euermore from all bodilie and ghostlie perils and enimies to your euerlasting comfort and the reioice of all christian harts Finallie the Lord blesse your Maiestie euen out of Sion with all his heauenlie gifts and spirituall graces that hauing the principall heroicall spirit of your holie father good king Dauid doubled yea trebled in your noble and princelie hart you may as in numbers of yeeres beyond manie ages so in singular pietie and godlines far surmount excell your most noble progenitors that the remembrance of you our good Iosias may to all posterities be like the composition of the most pretious perfume of the Apothecarie and as sweet as honie in all mouthes and as harmonicall musicke at a banket of wine that in you our zealous Hezechias I saie we may still remaine in happie peace and haue an hiding place from the wind and a refuge from storms and tempests and riuers of waters to quench our thirst and temperate shadowes to shrowd vs from parching heate in a drie land so shall the harts of manie thousand virgins in England and else-where be ioifull and thankfull to God and your Maiestie so shall the daughters of Ierusalem sing ioifullie the sweet songs of Sion in their owne land with great triumph to their celestial King reigning on high ouer all yea so shal all your faithfull and louing subiects I saie in all humble obedience and dutifull seruice both towards God your Maiestie and their countrie resound by all possible meanes to all posterities your most excellent and woorthie praises vntill the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all empire honor dominion and praise now and for euer Amen Your Maiesties humble faithfull and obedient subiect THOMAS BENTLEY Lampas Virginitatis ECce tibi lucet Princeps clarissima lampas In tenebris gressus dirigat illa tuos Siquaeris librum cur lampada virginis istum Inscribam causas dico fuisse duas Vna est quòd talem praefert ecclesia lucem Expectans sponsum virgo pudica suum Altera quòd manibus virgo reginea librum Sumit cuiverae lampadis instar erit Dum Domino litat sacris indicit honorem Nuncupat Christo vota secunda suo Anna sibi lucem sibi Debora praetulit istam Inque suis Princeps ELIZABETHA malis Sic didicit lenire suas sic fallere curas Praesentémque sui poscere regis opem Quem non plena sacris placant altaria donis Non oblatorum corpora caesaboum Ille Deus Deus ille humili libamine vocum Irae deponit iusta flagella suae Illecebras carnis vincunt mundique furores Et sathanae faciunt fulmen inane preces Afflictis illae praestant solatia rebus Illis caelestes effodiuntur opes Hoc oleo plenam Domino qui lampada praebet Ille sacrificio nobiliore litat To the Christian Reader grace and truth in Christ HAuing my selfe taken no small comfort good Christian Reader by the reading and pervsing of diuers verie godlie learned and duiine treatises of meditations and praier made by sundrie right famous Queenes noble Ladies vertuous Virgins and godlie Gentlewomen of al ages who to shew themselues woorthie paternes of all pietie godlinesse and religion to their sex and for the common benefit of their countrie haue not ceased and that with all carefull industrie and earnest indeuour most painfullie and diligentlie in great feruencie of the spirit and zeale of the truth euen from their tender maidenlie yeeres to spend their time their wits their substance and also their bodies in the studies of noble and approoued sciences and in compiling and translating of sundrie most christian and godlie bookes a tast whereof you haue here in the second Lampe as
them among princes and to make them inherit the seate of glorie for the pillers of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them therefore he may dispose all things at his pleasure and prefer whom he will to honour He will keepe the feete of his Saints so that they shall neither walke nor fall into any euill the wicked shall keepe silence in darkenesse for in his owne might shall no man be strong The Lords aduersaries shall be destoried and out of heauen shall he thunder vpon them y e Lord shall iudge the ends of the world and shall giue power vnto his king Iesus exalt the horne of Christ his annointed The song of the women of Israël in the praise of Dauids victorie ouer Goliah 1. Samuel 18 7. SAule hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand The praier or wish of Abigaël for king Dauid against his enimies 1. Samuel 25 24 OH my Lord I haue committed the iniquitie and I praie thee let thine handmaid speake vnto thee and heare thou the words of thine handmaid Let not my Lord I praie thee regard this wicked man Nabal for as his name is so is he Nabal is his name and follie is with him but I thine handmaid sawe not the yoong men of my Lord whome thou sentest Now therefore my Lord as the Lord liueth as thy soule liueth the Lord I say that hath withholden thee from comming to shed blood and that thine hand should not saue thee nor reuenge thée on thine enimies So now I pray God that thine enimies and they that intend to doo my Lord euill may be as Nabal and I praie thee forget the trespasse of thine handmaid c. The song of Sion or the familiar talke and mysticall communication or diuine dialogue of the speciall loue betwene the spirituall bridegrome Iesus Christ and the bride the faithful soule his sanctified chaste and holie spouse the Church commonlie called The Song of songs or Ballat of ballats made by king Salomon Cantic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. The Church or faithfull soule speaketh to Christ O That thou wouldest kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth euen with thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding for thy loue O Christ is better and more pleasant vnto me than wine and that bicause of the good and pleasant sauour of thy most pretious balmes or ointments euen of thy great benefits which I taste and féele from thée Thy name O Christ is as a sweet smelling ointment when it is powred out and shed foorth thy mercie is set foorth and published by preaching thy Gospell therefore the Uirgins euen they that are pure in hart and conuersation doo loue thee Drawe thou me O swéete Christ vnto thee and wee will run after thee for otherwise I confesse we can not come to thée except we be drawne of thée The King hath brought me into his priuie chambers and reuealed vnto me the secret ioies not knowne to the world we will therefore be glad and reioice in thee yea wee thinke more of thy loue than of wine For they that be righteous loue thee aboue all things I am blacke I confesse through the spots of sinne persecution and troubles O ye daughters of Ierusalem but yet comelie faire and welfauoured through faith in the blood of Christ in whose fauour I haue confidence and trust as the fruites or tents of the Kedarens or Arabians and as the hangings or curtens of Salomon which within were all set with pretious stones and iewels Maruell not therfore at me bicause I am so blacke nor regard or consider me by the outward apperance for why the sunne euen the corruption of nature through sinne and affliction hath looked and shined vpon me Yea and my mothers children euen mine owne brethren which should haue most fauoured me were angrie against me and hauing euill will at mee they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine owne vineyard haue I not kept such alas hath béene mine owne negligence Therefore féeling my faults and imperfections I flie now vnto thée O Christ my spirituall husband onlie for succour beséeching thée and saieng Tell me O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest the sheepe O shew me I saie where thou liest and makest them rest at the noon day for why should I be like hir that turneth aside or goeth wrong about the flocks of thy companions whome thou hast called to the dignitie of pastors in thy Church and yet they like apostataes not onelie set foorth their owne false dreames and traditions in stéed of thy true doctrine but also are become the domesticall enimies that persecute the Church Christ speaketh to his Church or the faithfull soule O Thou the fairest among women if thou knowe not thy selfe but art ignorant in my waies then go thy way foorth after the footsteps of the flock of sheepe euen after the doctrine of the Apostles and feede thy goates and kids by the tents of the shepheards and learne of the true pastors and spirituall doctors I haue compared thee O my loue vnto the troupe of horses in the chariots of Pharao bicause that for thy spirituall beautie and excellencie there was no worldlie treasure to be compared vnto thée Thy cheekes and thy neck are beautifull as the turtles and behanged with spangles chaines and goodly iewels a neckband also imbrodered with gold and studs or buttons of siluer will I make thee The Church WHen the King sitteth at the table and is at his repast hee shall smell my Nardus or spikenard for I reioice that I am admitted to the companie of my husband Christ yea my welbeloued is as a bundle of Mirrh vnto mee and he shall lie betwixt my brests for he is most déere vnto me my welbeloued I saie is as a cluster of Camphire vnto me in the vineyards of Engedi wherfore so long as I followe my Christ I can not erre from the true faith of saluation CHRIST O How faire art thou my loue Oh how faire art thou Thine eies are like the dooues eies behold most acceptable art thou vnto me and I commend thy beautie The Church OH how faire art thou also my beloued How welfauoured and pleasant art thou Our bed euen the hart of the faithfull where thou O Christ dwellest by thy spirit is all greene bedecked with flowers the beames or seelings of our house are of Cedar trees and our crosse ioints of Cipresse I am the rose of the field and the lillie of the vallies CHRIST YEa like as the lillie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters for my Church is to be preferred before aboue all other things yea so am I also among mine enimies The Church LIke as the apple tree among the trees of the forest so is my welbeloued among the sonnes of men I can not but testifie my loue and great desire towards him for my delight is to sit and rest vnder his
yong children that faint and die for hunger in the corners of all the streets Behold O Lord and consider to whome thou hast done thus Shall y e women then eate their own fruit euen their children of a span long Shal the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord The yong the old lie on the ground in the streetes my virgins and my yong men are slaine and fallen with the sword thou hast slaine them and put them to death in the daie of thy wrathfull indignation yea euen thou hast killed them and not spared My terrours euen mine enimies whom I feared that are round about me hast thou called as it were to a feast-daie so that in the daie of the Lords wrath none escaped neither was anie left behinde those that I haue nourished and brought vp hath mine enimie destroied and consumed The third lamentation of Zion HOw is the gold or the princes become so dimme the most fine gold so changed How are the stones of the Sanctuarie or the priests so scattered in the corner of euerie streete The noble men of Zion that were alwaie in honour and cloathed with the most pretious gold how are they esteemed and now become like the earthen vessels the worke of the potters hand of small estimation and without anie honour The Dragons though they be cruell yet for pitie drawe out their breasts and giue sucke to nourish their yong ones but the daughter of my people is become cruell and the women forsake their children like the Estriches in the wildernes which forsake both egge and bird The tongs of the sucking children cleaue to the roofe of their mouths for verie thirst the yong children aske bread but there is no man that giueth it them They that were woont to fare delicatelie perish in the streets they that afore were brought vp in purple and scarlet now make much of doong For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is beecome greater than the wickednesse of zodome that suddenlie was destroied and not taken with hands nor anie camps pitched against hir Hir Nazarites or absteiners were purer than the snowe and whiter than the milke their colour in bodie was fresh red as corall and their beautie like the polished Saphyr so greatly were they once in Gods fauour But now their faces be verie blacke as a cole in so much that none can knowe them in the streetes their skinne cleaueth to their bones it is withered and become like a drie stocke and they are in greatest abhomination vnto him They that be slaine with the sword are happier than they that are killed or die with hunger For they fade and pine awaie as they were striken through for the lacke of the fruits of the field and foode The women which of nature are pitifull haue sodden their owne children with their hands that they might be their meate in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people The Lord hath performed his heauie wrath he hath powred out the furiousnesse of his wrathfull displeasure he hath kindled a fire in Zion which hath consumed the foundations thereof Neither the kings of the earth nor all the inhabitors of the world would haue beleeued that the enimie and aduersarie should haue entred and come into the gates of Ierusalem Which neuerthelesse contrarie to all mens expectation is come to passe for the sinnes of hir Prophets and the iniquities of hir Priests that haue shed the bloud of the iust and innocent in the midst of hir As blind men went they stumbling in the streets and stained or polluted themselues with bloud so that the heathen would not touch their garments But they cried vnto them Depart and flee ye polluted Awaie get you hence touch not those priests for they are vncleane and be remoued Therfore they fled awaie and wandered yea they haue said among the heathen They shall no more dwell there The anger wrath countenance of the Lord hath scattered them and shall neuer looke more vpon them nor regard them For they themselues neither regarded nor reuerenced the face of the priests nor had compassion or pitie of their Elders Wherefore our eies failed whiles we yet looked for our vaine helpe of man For in our waiting we haue looked for the Aegyptians a nation people that could doo vs no good nor saue vs. They hunt our steps and lay so sharpe wait for vs that we can not go safe in the streets our end is neere at hand our daies are fulfilled for our end is come Our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the aire they pursued followed vpon vs ouer the mountaines and laid wait for vs in the wildernesse The verie breath of our nostrels euen Iosias the king and the annointed of the Lord himselfe in whome stood our hope of Gods fauour and on whome depended our state and life was taken in their nets and slaine of whome we said Under his shadowe we shall be preserued aliue among the heathen And thou O daughter Edom that dwellest in the land of Huz go to be glad and reioice at our destruction and fall yet be thou sure thou shalt not escape For the cup of Gods wrath shall passe through and come vnto thee also thou shalt be dronken and discouer thy nakednesse and vomit vp thine owne shame Be of good comfort therefore O thou daughter Zion thy sinnes are fullie punished and thy punishment accomplished For after seuentie yeres thy sorowes shal haue an end He will no more carie thee awaie into captiuitie but thy wickednesse O daughter Edom shall he visit and will discouer thy sins so that the wicked shall be tormented for euer The fourth lamentation or complaint of Zion I Am she that through the rod of his wrath haue experience of miserie He droue me foorth and led me yea into darkenesse but not into light Surelie against me is he turned he turneth his hand dailie against me My flesh and my skinne hath he made to waxe old and my bones hath he brused and broken He hath builded against me and closed me in with gall and trauell He hath set me in darke places as they that be dead for euer He hath hedged me in that I can not get out and he hath laid heauie linkes and chaines vpon me Also though I crie and call pitiouslie yet heareth he not my praier He hath stopped vp my waies with hewen or squared stones and made my paths crooked He laieth waite for me like a Beare and as a Lion in a hole or secret places He hath stopped vp my waies and broken me in peeces he hath laid me waste and made me desolate He hath bent his bowe and made me a marke to shoote at with the arrowe The arrowes of his quiuer I saie hath he shot at me and they are entred euen into my reines I am laughed to scorne and had in derision of all my people and they make songs or ballets vpon me
the almightie and victorious conquerour sweete Iesus Christ we are the adopted sonnes of thy Father and made fellowe-heires with thee our perfect Emanuel In whose name with all humilitie and lowlinesse of hart and mind I come vnto thee in this great extremitie of sicknesse and danger of death beseeching thee to be present with me to forget mine offences to thinke vpon thy mercies And although I haue not deserued so much as the least drop of thy fauour by meanes of the great burden of my sinnes which are in the presence of thy diuine Maiestie most ouglie and loathsome to behold yet respect thou not O Father mine iniquitie but haue an eie I beseech thee to the merits of my Sauiour Christ Iesus to whom as my Mediator Sauiour and Redeemer I appeale who hath promised comfort and sweete consolation to all those that in his name flie vnto thee for releefe I confesse that woorthilie thou hast visited me with this sicknesse and disease and yet not according to the multitude of my sinnes but in the fulnesse of miseration and fatherlie pitie Giue me grace therefore in these bitter brunts of death who vehementlie at this present beginneth to combat with fainting and feeble life constantlie to cleaue vnto thee Let not the pleasures of this wicked world be a let or impediment for me to come vnto thee let not my fraile and feeble flesh subiect to sinne which hath through my transgression made me a bondman to death mooue me to despaire in thy great mercie neither yet let the caueling aduersarie the enimie of mankind at my last end triumph ouer me Giue me patience to suffer and gladlie to beare and abide this thy scourge and visitation and so fortifie me in soule and bodie that so long as life shall endure in me I may neuer cease to call vpon thy holie and blessed name Yea and when death is most busiest make thou me most constant yea when he seeketh most stronglie to assaile my feeble bodie giue me thy grace good Lord that I may in spirit hart mind and all the powers of my soule giue praises vnto thee that of thy grace and inestimable kindnesse hast sent thy sonne Christ Iesus to ransome me by his bloudie death and passion from the power of hell Giue me grace therfore now that thou hast appointed thy messenger death to finish the daies of my pilgrimage and to call me by his summons from out of this vale of miserie and wretchednesse to build stedfastlie vpon him and faithfullie to hope for life and saluation in alone through him Let the remembrance of my former wickednesse be no more thought vpon let mine offences be blotted out of thy glorious sight Behold my sorowfull true repentant hart which come vnto thee with teares not building on my merits but vpon thy mercies Though I be sinfull thy sonne my Sauiour is righteous though I be wicked yet he is most holie though I be full of impietie yet he is full of all goodnesse though I haue greeuouslie offended thee yet he hath fullie contented thee though I haue transgressed thy lawe yet he hath fulfilled the same and hath promised in his bloud to wash awaie their sinnes that by faith continue in him constant to the end I therefore in this my great and painfull agonie beholding death to be at the gates of my bodie come vnto thee by the vertue of a fruitfull faith beseeching thee when thou shalt see it meete and conuenient that he shall dissolue the bands of this vading life which endureth but a while for a thousand yeeres are as yesterdaie in thy sight to take my soule into thy glorious and blessed hands and so to confirme me in thy truth that at the last when it shall please thee by the sound of a trumpe to raise my bodie from the graue when and in which time bodie and soule shall vnite and come before thy presence I may by faith in thee passe ouer the mount of my corruption shake off the bands of sinne be set free from death and destruction and being by the vertue of thy righteousnesse made holie I may triumph with happie victorie ouer sinne death and all the powers of hell and enter with thee and the felowship of thy chosen Saints into euerlasting rest Grant this most louing Father for Christ Iesus sake to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be rendred all laud glorie honour and praise for euer Amen The Lord God be mercifull to me pardon and forgiue me my sinnes looke vpon me with his gratious and blessed countenance preserue me from the second death and euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule The Lord God iustifie me in his death and bloud cloath me with his euerlasting righteousnesse and register my name in the booke of life The Lord God comfort my guiltie conscience with the euerlasting light of his bountifull fauour and lot my place among his Saints in his heauenlie kingdome The Lord God for his mercies sake after this my bodilie death giue me the fruition of his presence in his rich palace of endlesse glorie to whose mercifull protection I commend with all humilitie and reuerence my soule Lord Iesus preserue me Lord Iesus comfort me Lord Iesus refresh me Lord Iesus praie for me For onlie into thy hands that hast redeemed mee O Lord God of truth I commend my soule Amen A deuout meditation to be vsed after praier REmember not O Lord God thine anger against me an offender but be mindfull of thy mercie towards me a true penitent Forget that through pride I haue prouoked thee to ire and fauourablie harken vnto my praier What is Iesus but a Sauiour Therefore O bountifull Iesu be thou my Sauiour rise vp in thine owne strength to helpe me Saie vnto my soule I am thy safegard In thy goodnesse doo I trust in thee is my helpe And forasmuch as thou hast willed that we should without ceasing seeke and sue vnto thee behold I beeing counselled and foretold by thy commandements doo now both aske seeke and knocke But thou which commandest me to aske graunt that I may receiue thou biddest me seeke make me to find thou hast taught me to knocke open vnto me that stand knocking strengthen me that am weake restore me that am lost reuiue me that am dead by sinne make me to serue thee to liue to thee to giue my selfe wholie to thee I knowe my God that because thou madest me I owe my selfe vnto thee and for that thou hast redeemed me I should owe thee more than my selfe But behold I haue no more to giue neither can I giue my selfe vnto thee vnlesse thou make me willing therevnto Take thou me draw me vnto thee that as I am thine by creation so I may be thine by following of thee which liuest and reignest for euer and euer Amen A Praier deciphering in Alphabet forme the name of the right Woorshipfull Ladie MARY FANE M MOst mightie art thou Lord in all thy deedes
earth of old to continue alwaie most stable firme and vnmoueable So that thou Lord onlie maist iustlie challenge vnto thy selfe the authoritie of the kingdome in deede ouer all nations vpon the earth who art that most gelous and dreadfull IEHOVA vnto whome all the Emperours Kings and Gouernours in the world shall bow submit themselues and doo their homage and diuine seruice with their scepters and crownes cast vnder thy feete and who dooest declare thy selfe verie terrible to all the potentates and powers of the world and cuttest off their courage strength and glorie throwing it in the dust euen as the Gardener doth twist and proine his Uine CAP. II. AND therefore most worthilie ascribing and resigning vp the honour and glorie of all empire kingdome rule power and dominion vnto the holie secret maruellous and renoumed name of thy most high and sacred Maiestie which art the father of lights ancient of daies the sauiour of all beleeuers and the onlie redeemer strength glorie and hope of Israel and of all the ends of the earth euen Alpha and Omega the first without beginning and the last without ending that shalt come to iudge both the quicke the dead God blessed for euer Amen I according as it is meete and my verie bounden dutie doo now meekelie confesse and protest to thy perpetuall praise that it is thou O most mercifull God and none other which in the beginning when I laie as a rude lumpe without shape being shut vp in the secret place of my mothers wombe didst forme fashion and nourish me and at the time appointed and set downe in thy booke didst drawe me foorth of the darke caue wherein I was fashioned and broughtst me foorth of the bowels of my mother as it were a midwife So that the verie bowels within me are thine owne by good right and authoritie because thou ioining all my sinewes and bones togither hast made me a mortall woman and couered me within my mothers wombe For there is no King or Queene that had anie other beginning of birth for all men haue one entrance into life and one going out in like manner Which worke of thine surelie when I behold in my selfe it is so wonderfull O Lord that I should vtterlie shew my selfe most senselesse and vnthankefull vnlesse I praise thee for the same and confesse that thy works are exceeding maruellous in deede seeing I doo perceiue the thing so manifestlie as it is So soone also as I thy workemanship came foorth a reasonable creature into this world I receiued like aire as other men and was committed vnto thee my Creator at what time thou didst declare thy selfe to be my God and causedst me to looke vp vnto thee when I did hang yet on my mothers breasts Euen in my verie cradle and swadling clouts O God thou hadst a speciall care regard ouer me and tookest in hand fatherlie to foster and gouerne me so manie yeares ago and to leade and guide me from my tender yeares vnto this daie Euer since I was borne I saie thou my God hast defended me from dangers both when I was strong and in the floure of my youth neither hast thou forsaken me now being in my middle age nor wilt I trust when I am graie-headed O mine inlightener it is thou that hast taught and instructed me with the knowledge of thee from my childhood hitherto Therefore haue I depended wholie vpon thee alone vpon thee I saie O excellent Father haue I set all my hope euen from mine infancie and will doo so still euen vnto mine old age CAP. III. NEither hath thy prouidence and mercie towards me ceased at anie tune For surelie thou hast made me a singular euerlasting example of thy fauour mercie to all men in that thou beholding me alwaies with thy pleasant countenance and obseruing continuallie with thine heauenlie eie what iniurie soeuer was offered me hast not onelie woonderfullie comforted and preserued me in all my troubles but also oftentimes most miraculouslie saued and deliuered mee out of most great and manifold miseries imminent perils and multitudes of mightie enimies wherewith I haue beene assaulted enuironed vexed afflicted persecuted and turmoiled from my tender age Yea so tenderlie O God hast thou loued mee that thou hast not suffered me to be intrapped of thousands of aduersaries that rose vp against me saieng in their harts Hir God can not helpe hir But being the iudge of mine innocencie my glorie my shield and my valiant Champion thou hast thy selfe smitten downe all mine enimies brought me safelie out of distresse and lift vp my head aboue all mine aduersaries Thou hast deliuered my life I saie foorth of the present doores of death staied the teares of mine eies and established my feete that I did not fall for any temptation so that I walked safe sound before thee among the liuing that praised thee And that I liue now to praise thee I may onlie thanke thee my deliuerer who hast caused me thus to taste feele and enioie the most comfortable sweetnesse of thy goodnesse mercie and fauour And though I was forsaken of all men and the most mightie together with my neerest friends had mee in contempt though the superstitious aduersaries I saie heaued vehementlie against me and with great violence sought to cast me downe and laie mine honor in the dust yet hast thou my God by thine owne hand repulsed driuen out all those mine irreligious foes which so wickedlie resisted thy purpose and to their confusion of faces hast exalted me to the highest degree of dignitie Wherefore great cause of continuall ioie and hartie reioicing hast thou O Lord giuen vnto me thine handmaid which acknowledge my selfe mightilie and miraculouslie preserued by thy power Doubtlesse now thou hast woonderfullie deliuered in deed thy QVEENE that was annointed by thee and hast heard me out of the highest Sanctuarie granted vnto me that which I requested in my praiers For I put my trust neither in chariot nor horses men nor munition but onelie remembred thy name and called vpon thee in all my troubles and lo thou ô KING of heauen hast heard me in all my necessities and giuen me my harts desire accomplishing all my purposes I required this thing onlie of thee that I might escape aliue and safe from persecution but thou hast not onelie strengthened and comforted me out of Zion and placed me here in thy dominion and empire in safetie but also hast granted vnto me a life that shall neuer faile and that bicause I onelie set my hope still in thee in whom all power remaineth as I oftentimes by good experience haue prooued Yea thou O most excellent Father hast done a notable worke woorthie to bee set foorth in writing to all posteritie and to be limmed out in gold to euerlasting memorie bicause O Lord thou hast not despised the praiers and teares of thy most miserable people but from thy holie throne hast looked downe vpon me and them to
of thee their God Notwithstanding when thou O God thereby well hadst tamed their fiercenesse and hadst brought them to this point that they could find no help in anie thou gratiouslie heardst them crieng vnto thee in their distresse and deliueredst them from their miserie and broughtst them from the dongeons of the prisons and darkenesse of death breaking their iron fetters in sunder O praise yee therefore this so great mercie of the Lord before him and declare his woonderfull actes to other mortall men who hath broken the brasen gates and hath dashed in peeces their iron barres How manie also being driuen awaie through persecution vnto that prophane Babylon euen auoiding so much as laie in you the sight of the wicked enimies did confesse with most dolefull silence euen with abundance of teares both your sinnes and sorowes at the flouds of Euphrates being mindfull of Zion And though you caried your harps euen to be your comfort in so great calamitie yet being outragiouslie mocked and derided in your miserie by the enimie that draue you awaie into most miserable captiuitie you were faine to hang them vp vpon the sallowe trees and make no noise in the sight of the persecutors as they that sawe more cause rather to mourne than sing in that time and place Notwithstanding the Lord did not forget you for euer but seeing the crueltie of the persecutors in his good time turned awaie your captiuitie mourning and restored you to libertie and ioie againe so that you liue and see the daie wherein Babylon is destroied and hir children dashed against the stones For the Lord hath giuen hir prosperitie vnto vs to deale with them againe as they haue dealt with vs. Yea the Lord hath armed his people with double edged swords in their hands wherewith they may punish the prophane Gentiles and auenge the crueltie of the oppressed also may drawe their kings and nobles bound in chaines and iron fetters euen to execute the iudgements appointed and commanded by thee O Lord. And this verelie is the dignitie and the honour of all them whome God hath receiued to his fauour Wherefore O ye glorious people vpon whome the Lord hath bestowed so manie benefits now see that yee in this your great quietnesse and rest sing triumph Praise the Lord in deede O Israel and delight thy selfe in setting foorth his praise continuallie whose worke thou art as it were newlie formed being deliuered from so manie not dangers but deaths What shall I speake Lord furthermore of them who by their owne foolishnesse going in the waie of wickednesse and being oppressed by manifold plagues and diseases doo dailie suffer the reward of their madnesse and loathing all manner of meate are at deaths dore whom notwithstanding thou O Lord diddest heare crieng vnto thee in their miserie and thou deliueredst them out of their distresse yea thou speaking but one word diddest take awaie all the cause of their deadlie disease and restoredst them to health Let these men also I saie praise this thy so great mercies O Lord and publish thy maruellous works before other mortall men Let them offer the sacrifices of praise vnto thee O God in the middle multitude of the people standing about them and let them rehearse with great ioie what he hath done for them in the assemblie of the cheefest Go to therefore O all yee people praise the Lord our God together with me who when wee were oppressed with Pharaos tyrannie was mindfull of vs and with a strong force deliuered Israel from the slauerie of Egypt and hath giuen this dominion to be possessed by ELIZABETH his handmaid for his mercie endureth for euer CAP. III. O All yee people I saie tribes kindreds and inhabitants of the earth both noble and simple rich and poore clap your hands and praise this most holie God with most ioifull voices Giue vnto the Lord the praise of all power worship and glorie giue him the honour due vnto his name and maiestie For lo he is come to gouerne the earth The Lord himselfe reigneth amongst you and gouerneth the whole world with a iust and righteous gouernement and ruleth altogether with the scepter of his iustice and truth Go to therefore O yee yong striplings and old men yong children maidens matrones and you also all other that loue feare God come I praie you praise y e name of y e Lord euen of our most mightie IEHOVA together with mee For he alone deserueth most high praise as he that is more deepe than the verie earth and more high than the heauens and far aboue all the powers and potentates of the world Go to also O ye damsels and virgins stir vp your ioie to daie with songs of praise vpon timbrell lute but voide of wantonnesse so that your ioie may tend to the glorie of God your onlie strength and celebrate this daie of your deliuerance as festiuail to the Lord our deliuerer O ye Uirgins and damsels vnmaried now reioice with me I saie and sing vnto the Lord a triumphant song Praise the Lord also O ye brides in your marriage songs with glorie and maiestie that ye liue to see my daies and that the flower of your youth is not consumed in the flame of Gods furie For the time was when you being desolate and vnmarried did remaine pensife without your marriage songs and liued solitarie sitting at home among the soote of pots but now the women that durst not come out of their houses come foorth glittering like gold and shining like dooues as white as snowe and boldlie diuide the spoile of the enimie Go to therefore O ye damsels of Iuda and multitude of Uirgins seeing ye haue so great cause to reioice shew not your selues vnthankfull in anie wise but praise the Lord together with me in Hymnes and celebrate his name with spirituall songs for his victories goodnesse and mercie towards vs. Come foorth yee daughters of Zion I saie and breake out into gladnesse with me reioice you of the iust iudgements of God vpon our enimies yea compasse you Zion round about account hir towers consider diligentlie hir wals and bulworks and set foorth the praises of hir peace and palaces so that yee may spread foorth the memorie thereof euen to all posteritie And doo you let all men to vnderstand that this is God euen our owne God for euer which hath not forsaken vs neither will leaue vs no not in the last minute of our life Go to now therefore I beseech you let vs altogether praise the Lord as we are bounden let the whole companie of vs Uirgins plaie vpon the Timbrels on euerie side and corner of the citie Zion one exhorting and answering another by course and that with new and excellent songs of praise to the glorie of God Let vs magnitie that mightie and eternal name of his for it is holie let vs continuallie come before the Lord and worship him for he is holie For what should we rather doo
pleased thy gratious goodnesse freelie of thine owne accord to elect and choose vs to saluation afore the beginning of the world and euen like continuall thanks be giuen vnto thee for creating vs after thine owne image for redeeming vs with the pretious bloud of thy deere Sonne when we were vtterlie lost for sanctifieng vs with thy holie spirit in the reuelation and knowledge of thy sacred word for helping and succouring vs in all our need and necessitie for sauing vs from all dangers of bodie and soule for comforting vs so fatherlie in all our troubles and afflictions for sparing vs so long and giuing vs so large time of repentance These benefits O most mercifull father like as we acknowledge to haue receiued of thine onlie goodnesse euen so we beseech thee for thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake to grant vs alwaie thy holie spirit whereby we may continuallie growe in thankefulnesse towards thee be led into all truth and comforted in all aduersitie Strengthen our faith O Lord kindle it more and more in feruentnesse and loue towards thee and our neighbours for thy sake Suffer vs not most deere father to receiue thy word anie more in vaine but grant vs alwaie the assistance of thy grace and holie spirit that in hart word and deede we may sanctifie and doo woorship to thy holie name that we may help to amplifie thy kingdome and that whatsoeuer thou sendest we may bee hartilie well content with thy good will and pleasure Suffer vs not to lacke the thing O father without the which we can not serue thee but blesse thou so all the works of our hands that we may haue sufficient and not to be chargeable but rather helpfull vnto others Be merciful O Lord vnto our offences and seeing our debt is great which thou hast forgiuen vs in Iesus Christ make vs to loue thee and our neighbors so much the more Be thou O father our Captaine and defender in all temptations Hold thou vs by thy mercifull hand that we thereby may be deliuered from all inconuenience and end our liues in the sanctifieng and honouring of thy holie name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen ¶ On the seuenteenth daie of Nouember commonlie called The Queenes daie Sundrie formes of Christian praiers and thanks-giuings vnto God for the preseruation of the most vertuous Ladie Elizabeth our most deare and dread souereigne Quéene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. verie necessarie to be vsed as generallie of all faithfull subiects continuallie so especiallie of the Mother and hir Daughter vpon the seuentéenth daie of Nouember and euerie Sabboth and holie daie in honourable remembrance of that ioifull Sabboth rest and peace from carefull mourning which that memorable seuententh daie brought to vs the banished exiles of England and persecuted members of Christ by the most happie entrance of hir most roiall and excellent Maiestie into this hir Emperiall Crowne and kingdome A Psalme Mother COme O all you that feare God come hither I praie you and giue eare a while and reherse with me y e great benefits that he the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs. Daughter For lo when the most mightie men gathered their power against vs and laie in wait for our life they conspired togither to worke our destruction as though the Lord had determined the same and exhorted one another saieng God hath forsaken them therefore persecute them now flieng awaie and take them being destitute of all helpe Moth. These men our aduersaries I saie wheresoeuer we remoued or went by sea or by land laie in wait most diligentlie for vs yea multitudes of the cruell enimies did not ceasse craftilie to enuiron and beset vs round about and ran vpon vs with gaping mouthes like raging and roring lions of malicious minds to bring vs to extremitie and to deuoure vs. Daugh. For thy sake O Lord alone were we killed euerie daie neither were we in anie better condition than sheepe appointed of butchers to the slaughter Moth. Manie of vs wandered in the waste wildernesse and sought strange cities commodious to dwell in halfe dead and killed with famine and thirst ouerwhelmed with the shadowe of death and being cast downe by the burthen of our miseries laie downe flat cleauing to the earth Daugh. The bands of death compassed vs round about and bound vs most wicked men like most raging flouds made vs afraid enuironing vs round about Moth. We were snared and cast fast bound with chaines into most darke dungeons yea we tasted the heate of the fire and the force of the water Daugh. Then we called vpon the Lord in these extremities We called vpon the Lord I saie and he heard our voice out of his high palace and receiuing into his eares the crie that we made vnto him he deliuered vs from our miseries and distresse Moth. He gathered vs home which were scattered from the East the West from the North South and brought vs from the dungeons of the prisons and darkenesse of death breaking the fetters and giues of iron in peeces Daugh. The Lord hath deliuered our life from death he staid the teares of our eies and established our feet that they did not fall he hath brought vs out of our distresse Hence haue we our light whereby he causeth vs to shine and hath driuen awaie our darkenesse Moth. Therfore will we praise thee O Lord among the nations and will sing lauds vnto thy Maiestie yea we will declare thy power and will shew foorth thy praise and mercie earlie in the morning because thou hast defended vs and wast our refuge in extreme dangers Daugh. Oh acknowledge and declare ye openlie that the Lord is good for his bountious goodnesse is for euer Let all the sincere worshippers of the Lord now confesse that his louing kindnesse is perpetuall Praise ye the Lord. Moth. Glorie be to the Father and to the c. Daug. As it was in the beginning is now c. ¶ The Versicles Mother O Lord shew thy great mercie vpon vs miserable sinners Daughter And grant thine euerlasting helth and saluation vnto vs. Moth. O Lord saue Elizabeth our gratious Queene and Gouernor Daugh. Which putteth hir onlie confidence in thee O God hir tower Moth. Oh send hir still continuall helpe from thy most holie place Daugh. And euermore from dangers all defend thou hir most roiall Grace Moth. O let not the infernall fo haue anie aduantage of hir Daugh. Nor let the wicked enimie once approch to hurt hir Moth. Indue hir ministers alwaie with righteousnesse and equitie Daugh. And make thou thy chosen seruants full ioifullie to praise thee Moth. O Lord saue thy people from all perils and dow them with thy gifts Daugh. And blesse thou thine inheritance with all thy bountious benefits Moth. In our time O Lord giue vs thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding Daugh. Bicause none other God dooth fight for vs but onelie thou our King Moth. O soften thou our hardened
and properlie vpon all the holie Feasts and Saints daies throughout the yeere as they fall in order and are commonlie kept here in the Church of England and Ireland And first vpon the principall Feast daies of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that is to saie On Aduent Sundaie In memorial of Christ his First comming in the flesh Christmas daie In memorial of Christ his Natiuitie and birth On New yéeres daie In memorial of Christ his Circumcision On Twelfe daie In memorial of Christ his Apparition On Ashwensday the 1. day of Lent In memorial of Christ his Fasting On First Sundaie in Lent In memorial of Christ his Temptation On Maundie Thursdaie In memorial of Christ his Last Supper On Good Fridaie In memorial of Christ his Passion On Easter daie In memorial of Christ his Resurrection On Ascension daie In memorial of Christ his Ascension On Whitsundaie In memorial of Christ his Sending of the holie Ghost On Trinitie Sundaie In memorial of Christ his The blessed Trinitie On Euerie Sundaie holie-day and working-day In memorial of Christ his Last comming to iudgment 1. On Aduent Sundaie Of the comming of Christ in the flesh The Preface BE of good cheere and feare not O you that are of a fearfull hart for behold your God commeth his owne selfe to take vengeance on his enimies and will deliuer you Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid O daughter Zion be glad O daughter Ierusalem reioice For lo the King commeth vnto thee euen the righteous thy Sauiour lowlie meeke and simple riding vpon the fole of an asse and bringing his recompense with him Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Out of Zion hath God appeared in perfect beautie Hosanna in the highest Remember me O Lord according to thy fauor that thou bearest vnto thy people O visit me with thy saluation Hosanna Shew me thy waies O Lord and teach mee thy path Hosanna in the highest Hosanna The praier THE time is now at hand when the Church calleth into mind the benefits of the sonne of GOD which taking vpon him our fraile nature appeared to the world and came to visit vs in great humilitie And at the last daie and resurrection of all mankind will come againe in his glorious Maiestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead and shew himselfe both to punish his enimies with euerlasting paines and to adorne his Church and chosen people with eternall glorie Wherefore O Sonne of God Lord and Sauiour Christ which as this daie in roiall pompe didst enter into the holie citie Ierusalem for a publike testimonie of thine appearing remooue all impediments we praie thee that may hinder thy comming and make a plaine and most easie waie for thy selfe vnto vs. Gather vs we beseech thee into that companie which are prepared to receiue thee the King of all kings and which set foorth thy glorie in spirituall songs not onelie this daie through all the world but also continuallie and beare palmes of victorie before thee and spred their garments in the waie for ioie of thy comming Assist vs that being greatlie separated from the damned crue of diuels and wicked persons wee may sound and set foorth thy truth in perfect confession and righteousnesse all the daies and time of our life Bee thou our King both here in this world and hereafter in the world to come replenishing vs against all the wicked enterprises of thine enimies and making vs though babes and littleones to extoll and magnifie thy name for euer Keepe vs thy weake children depending vpon thee and running vnto thy lap euen as infants vnto their parents Make vs to followe thy words which through thy spirit doo sound within vs and powre thy wisedome into vs miserable men and women that the pride and power of thine enimies may be confounded Grant that with gratefull minds we may publish abroad thy glorious victorie according to our calling and abilitie cherish thy ministers and venter both our life liuing for the maintenance of thy truth Moreouer blesse vs O thou blessed seed of Abraham by the vertue of thy presence number vs among thy chosen which haue their names from thee And finallie giue vs grace now in the time of this mortall life so to cast awaie from vs the works of darknes and to put vpon vs the armour of light that in the last daie of thy second comming in the clouds we may rise through thee to life immortall and so being adorned with that glorie which thou hast receiued from thine eternall Father we may perpetuallie praise and extoll thy Maiestie both heere in this world and for euermore in the world of worlds to come Amen Hosanna to thee O sonne of God in the highest Hosanna 2. On Christmas daie Of the natiuitie and birth of Christ our Sauiour The Preface A Child is borne vnto vs and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. Glorie be to God on high Unto vs is borne this daie in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Halleluiah The Lord sent a word vnto Iacob the same is come into Israel an euerlasting Prince of peace Halleluiah Mercie and truth are met togither righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other truth shall flourish out of the earth and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen vpon vs to speake peace vnto his people and gladnesse to his Saints Halleluiah Of the fruit of thy bodie will I set vpon thy throne and in Zion shall I make the horne of Dauid to flourish Halleluiah The Sunne commeth foorth of his tabernacle the heauens as a bridegroome out of his chamber and reioiceth as a Giant to run his course Halleluiah He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Halleluiah For thou art fairer than the children of men full of grace are thy lips bicause God hath blessed thee for euer yea God euen thine owne God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Halleluiah Therefore in this daie of thy power shall the people offer the free-will offerings with an holie worship bicause the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning Halleluiah Glorie be vnto God on high in earth peace and good will towards men Halleluiah Halleluiah Halleluiah The Praier NOW is the ioifull time wherein all Saincts both in heauen and earth doo magnifie and praise almightie God for the incarnation of his onlie begotten Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ who as this daie was borne of the pure Uirgin Marie the which also the holie Angels of the Lord did celebrate with a most heauenlie song And no doubt the blessed companie of the elect departed out of this world enioieng the comfortable sight of God replenished with eternall wisedome light and righteousnesse yeeld most humble thanks vnto the Sonne of God their Sauiour and Redeemer for his incomprehensible goodnesse declared vnto mankind