A Commemoration of the most prosperous and peaceable Raigne of our gratious and deere Soue­raigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England, Fraunce and Irelande, Queene &c. Now newly set foorth this .xvii. day of Nouember, beyng the first day of the .xviii. yeere of her Ma­iesties sayd Raigne.

By Edw. Hake. Gent.

¶ Imprinted at London, by William How, for Richard Iohnes, dwellynge without Newgate, ouer agaynst S. Sepulchers Churche.

¶To the worshipfull, his verie louing Cowsen M. Edwarde Eliotte Esquier, the Queenes Maiesties Sur­ueyour of all her Honours Manours, Landes and pos­sessions within her highnes County of Essex.

BEinge entred (worshipfull and my beeloued Cowsen) into the meditacion of y e rare gouernment of our renowmed Queene Eliza­beth, so high and so aboundaunte matter of admyration offered it selfe to the view of mine vnderstanding, that I felt my thoughts in such sorte surprised with the consi­deration thereof, that (for the solace of my minde) I yeelded my selfe a ioyfull man to set downe in wry­tynge some superfitiall discourse vpon the same: such, as (at the least within mine owne soule) might styrre vp and procure the prayses of God, and draw forwards a dewe thankfulnes vnto his maiesty for the wonderfull benefites that largely (thereby) haue accrewed to the whole body and to euery particuler member of this our Englishe Nacion. And loe, no sooner had I accomplished this mocion of my mind (in such sorte as you may see it heere set downe in printe) but another Cogitacion began with impor­tunitie [Page] to assayle me a freshe: for beholdinge (with the feruencye of my harte) the truthe of that matter which I had already compyled, and seeing yet (far­ther) so gloryous and so plentifull a treasourie re­mayning to be discouered, and that, In perpetuam rei memoriam: I could not choose but so farre mislike with the sclendernes of that which I had alreadye done, as I wished (and not slightly) that it woulde please almighty God (to the eternall praises of his holy name) to stirre vp the zeale of some learned and well approued member to geue abroade for an vni­uersall view, to all Countreies and Nacions of Christendome, in y e heroyicall garnishment of lear­ning and truth, an exact historye and declaration of the same. And in this cogitaciō, repairing vnto your house for the comforte of your friendlye confe­rence, it was the good will of God that I shuld dis­close mine affections (that way) vnto you, as also y t I shoulde offer vnto you the hearing of this mat­ter, as it was at that time, thus vnlearnedly pen­ned: where findyng by the like good fauour of god, your learned & friendly neighbour, it was recokned for Gods diuine prouidence, that I should require him also to be a hearer of y e same. Which learned man (as you know) vpon the hearinge thereof, so largely dispensed with al those wantes that by lear­ning might (peraduenture) haue binne supplyed in this booke, as that by fauoryng & chiefly regarding the vndoubted truth of the matter, he perswaded that it wold grow no blemysh at all vnto my credit, neither in respect of the breuitie of the woorke, nor yet for the playnesse and rudenes of the stile, yf I should agree to the publishing of the same in prynt: [Page] whervnto on the one parte, the admyrable works of God so exceedingly, aboue humane reason, shininge forth vnto the world in the royal person & regiment of our most louing & gracious Queene, and on the other parte, y e silence of y e learned sort (silence I may terme it in respect of that vehemency which y e woor­thines of y e cause requireth) & the more then stoical & colde consideraciō of al our english people, who are for y e greatest part so far from thanking, y t they haue no thinking of the same: these motions I say, toge­ther w t y e fauorable cēsure & encouragemēts of your said learned neighbor at one instant concurringe, I was zealously bold to cast abroad into the view of y e world, this my smalle treatise, as it were to prouoke the pen of some renowmed Homer, & to prepare the harts of al her highnes subiects to a further & deper consideratiō of Gods exceeding & superaboundaunt mercies, y t in the thankfulnes and sinceritie of their hartes, they might (not for one day supersticiously, but for euer) kepe holy vnto y e Lord, y e cōmemoratiō of y e most prosperous & peaceable raigne of y e same our gracious & dere soueraigne lady queen Elizabeth. And now (my worshipful cowsen) bicause y e forces of these my priuate motions haue in this sort effected, y e nedes they must breake forth (I trust to y e honor of the highest) and the same not meanely by occasion of the encouragemēts which I receiued in your house: I cānot resist, but (coactedly as it were by loue) I must confer y e dedication thereof (digested into this litle boke as you see) vpon you, before & aboue y e rest of my beloued friends: assuring you y t (in y e great ioy of my hart) I haue founde you so equall vnto mine affections in the fauouring of this cause, and in the [Page] comfort that you take by beholdyng the blisful daies of our sanctified DEBORA, as also so Ialous for the Regestryng of her highnesse prayses (or rather y e prayses of our God) vnto posteritie, y t if I knew by what other meane, more acceptably, then thus by the first view of these my trauayles (employed to y e glory of god) I might manifest vnto you the sincerity of mine affection, vndoubtedly you shuld finde me so forward to accomplishe the same, that y e deede it self, to y e vtmost limit of my poore degree, shuld be enough to make knowne what vnfayned loue I do beare you. And wheras the dedication of all other bookes (for the most part) doe seeme to craue countinaunce and defence at y e hands of y e patron, this my small booke (assure your self) for the dignitie of the personage of whom it treateth, as also for the truth of y e matter y t it conteineth, shalbe able enough (besides the defence of it selfe) to geue both countinaunce and commen­dation to your person, being indeede, the verye man (amongst men of your place and calling) whose loy­all harte and religious minde (besides the conside­racion of priuate duties of loue) may challenge frō me such affection as best of al becōmeth a christian louer to his friend so wel approued. And though the booke be but litle, yet y e personage of whō it treateth is great: and so great, as that y e Booke may sooner be countenaunced with the royaltie of her highnesse name, than be able (by y e thowsande parte) to show foorth y e number of her princely vertues, much lesse, of the large benefites that infinitely arise vnto our common wealth of England and to euery member of the same, by the goodnesse of her rarest gouernment: Some particuler partes whereof are (as before is [Page] declared) in these Quaires, though brieflye, yet truely discoursed.

But nowe, that you may some way answere the name of a Patron of this my Booke: although the matter of the same hath defence sufficient in it selfe, & in the truth thereof, is able enough to stand against the faces of al y e enimies of truth: Yet because there is a sorte of people, which I feare me, more of enuy, then of any true zeale or care of my well doynge (as hauyng an awstere regard vnto my vocation, which in deede, resteth in the Study, or rather in a meane place of practise of y e cōmon lawes of this Realme) will recken it a matter more then ordinary that I should after this sorte so transcende the limits of my sayd vocation, as spendyng my time, or at the least, some parte of the same, in thyngs by semblaunce, so far discrepaunte from my profession: let my defense be so made, I beseeche you, that it may in equall sort be considered, or at the least wise by you enforced, not only how muche and how largely [...]ue and zeale are hable to woorke and brynge to passe in men other­whyles conuersaunt in the consideration of thynges high and precious, but also how seemely a thyng it is and how well agreeable with euery vocation to aduaunce and set foorth the high prayses of vertue and vertuous personages, as also to batter & beate downe the enforcementes of vyce and vicious mon­sters.

And for my selfe, I haue boldly to affirme vnto all suche discontented myndes (especially vnto those that haue the common lawes for theyr profession) y t the matter of this my littel booke is not so voyde of excuse, but that by view of the substaunce & ful scope [Page] therof, it may yeelde foorth a stronge and ryghtfull defense agaynst these nice and ouer curious repro­uers: for, as it concerneth the speciall prayse of God in the Commemoration of the Queenes Maiesties most prosperous and peaceable gouernment: So, it is not vnknowne that touchinge the Regiment of Princes, the nature of Lawes, the office of Coun­saylers, and the authorytie of Iudges, the volumes of our Lawes are not so barrein, but that they may and do minister matter aboundantlye to the profes­sors and students of the same, whereby to discerne and to deeme indifferently of them all: for whether we would consider the good and godly gouernment of a Prince by often pardoning of offences in mer­cye, or by sharplie punishing of offenders in iustice, by planting of good & wholsome lawes, or by repea­lyng of euill and vnnecessary Statutes: Not onely Bracton, but also the worthy and worshipfull Knight master Forescue in sundrye places of his litle Com­mentary, verie copiously geue foorth matter for the furtherynge of studious wittes in the consi­deracion thereof. And no lesse may be gathered tou­chyng a difference and sownd censure of honourable Counsayllers: but especially of Iudges & of lawes. Wherupon I trust I may inferre, y t to praise and extolle the admirable gouernment of our renowmed Soueraigne, or to commende the sowndnes of her lawes, or to aduaunce and set forth the wonderfull vertues of her highnes counsayllers, or to acknow­ledge the rare learning & holynesse of her reuerende Iudges: so far forth as they be matters (though but superfitially) to be discerned and descyphred by the Bookes of our Lawes, so farre, they are not to be [Page] thought discrepaunt or impertinent for a student of the lawes to treat or to write of.

But wherfore should I thus carefully seeke to de­fend that, which I suppose, nedeth no reprehension? why shuld I not rather challenge that liberty that is graunted to euery vocation of learninge, yea to the lawyer himself? namely, to intermingle with painful trauayles of the minde, y e pleasures of some exercise more plausible and milde, especially, where the same may be practised to the glory of god & to the profit of our brethren, as I trust, this is, or at the leastwyse was intended. Well, if all this notwithstanding, these curious carpers wil neuer be satisfied, let them at their pleasures blow abroade what they list, and holde on in their myslikings, vntyll in the vanytie of their purposes, and the rage of their enuie, they shal at the length be glutted with the fulnesse of ran­coure and vnciuill reproches. You (finally) I doubt not, wyl take this gyfte as I meane it, and deeme of it as a thing not vnnecessarily sent abroad at this instant. God graunt vnto it such effect in the harts of all those vnto whom it specially appertayneth, that they, or rather euery English soule may say in y e fer­uency of a sownde faith: Domine, quid ego retribuam tibi pro omnibus quae tribuisti mihi? What reward shall I geue vnto thee (O Lord) for all the benefittes that thou hast done vnto me? Psal. 116. In which prayer I think it conueniēt here to make an ende At Barnards Inne this ioyfull Eue of our 17. day of Nouember. 1575. with his hande whose hart loueth this instaunt day and you.

Edward Hake.

The Authours minde vpon the matter of this his litle Booke.

A Publicque peace our highe Iehoue hath wrought:
A priuate warre, with hate tweene man and man
Doth Sathan breede. Good state, but life right nought:
Alas alas, what wretches are we than?
A Vineyard fenst, well fenced from decay,
A State preseru'd, but people frowarde ay.
Ah most vnkinde that neuer wyll obay.
Prou. 8. b. Deut. 17. a

¶Thorowe me doe Kinges reigne: thorowe mee, Counsaylours make iust lawes: thorowe mee do Princes beare rule, and all the Iudges of the earth execute iudgement.

Prou. 28. a. Leuit. 26. c.

¶Because of sinne the lande doth oft chaunge her Prince. But through men of vnderstandinge and wisedome a Realme endureth longe.

Prou. 28. c.

¶Where the Prince is without vnderstanding, there is great oppression and wronge. But if he be such a one as hateth couetousnes, he shal longe raigne.

A Commemoration of the most prosperous and peaceable Reigne of our gratious and deere Soueraygne Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of England, Fraunce and Ireland Queene &c.

IEhoua, with our ioyned hands,
and hartes replete with ioye,
Wée prayse thée 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,
[Page]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 yéelde 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.
[Page]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:
[Page]But there, both dowle and double plaints
waymenting sorowes telth.
No Fountaine there stands frée 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 Quéene
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:
Shée 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 thée and in thy name
Of all that euer Scepter bare,
of all that euer came
[Page]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 wéeldst
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 féere:
But mylde Susanna in her lookes
and Hester in her chéere.
The worke is thine, tis thine Iehoue:
no iote begonne by man:
[Page]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 déedes
a wonder to our daies.
From thée therfore, what so shee hath,
from thee her vertues came,
And her wee praise as gifte [...] thine
and glory to thy name.
So planted is her souereigne Seate,
so fixed is her Throne,
That thicke and thréefold 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 shée Rules, by loue shée Rules.
No Force, where loue may winne.
First friendly warnings-sendes shee forth
Eare smarting Lawes beginne.
Her Subiectes bloud shée séekes to saue
as Apple of her eye:
They lyue and shall, saue such as law
and Iustice bids to dye.
[Page]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 shée neuer séekes:
none lyues whom shée hath spoyld
Her very Foes are frée 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.
[Page]O noble Prince, and hast thou liu'de
a vertuous Quéene 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 Quéene 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 Quéene in blessed peace:
to lyue an happye age.
[Page]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 seauentéene yeares this day her grace
hath raign'de with vs a Queene:
No Treasons force hath yet preuaild,
that euer could be séene.
No drift, deuise, no deuils déede,
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:
[Page]Who neuer yet emprised ought
wherein they tooke the foyle.
By thée wée still enioy her grace:
by thée this Counsayle so:
By thée 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 séemely 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, hée (my Lorde) amongs the rest;
whose handes regard no méede,
Whose harte Dyes no deceyte at all,
with honour doth procéede
[Page](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:
Swéet lord, swéet 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 Quéene, Lord prosper her,
Lord, leade her with thine hand:
Lord teach her aye thy will to know
and worde to vnderstand.
Lord, graunt that shée in harte maye loue
thy law and thy decrée:
That shée may knowe how all these giftes
proceede good Lord from thée.
And for thy works of wonder done,
let her extoll thy praise:
[Page]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 shée 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 shée 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
Shée may finde out what sownde redresse
our common wealth should haue.
[Page]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. Amen.

¶The Authour most hum­blie to all the Queenes highnes most honourable Counsaylers.

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
Th [...]se 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 soyle and loue your countrey still.
[Page]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 y e spoyle from foorth deuouring iawes
And let not Crewes of cruell wasting wightes
Thus prank in pride w t 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 y t runnes the Realme throughout
To preach y e Spoyles y e 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 daringe face, where none should dare offende:
No Caesars looke nor Princes eye it dreddes:
In frank outrage alas it trampling treddes.
[Page]Heerein, the rowtes of cutting roysters grow,
And bankes of peace with braules do ouer flow.
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 flithy 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 f [...]e) 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,
In most humble wife▪ Edward Hake.

¶Gentle Reader, hauing this prayer folowing imparted vnto mee by a learned and wor­shipfull gentleman, very behooufull to be vsed in this the end of our reioysinge, I haue according to the dutie of godlynes, heere published the same as the fittest & seemeliest conclusion to be had in this my lytle Booke.

A Meditation wherin the godly English geueth thankes to God for the Queenes Maiesties prosperous gouernment hitherto, and prai­eth for the continuance therof to Gods glory.

AMongst other thy benefites great and innumerable (hea­uenly father our most merci­full Lorde and God) by thee of thy excéeding goodnesse be­stowed vpon the children of men, the ser­uaunts of thy household, dispersed vpon the face of the earth, it hath pleased thée y t wée thy people of England liuing in these daies should in aboundance beyonde the measure of the graces of our brethren, and the pros­perous course of our fathers, beholde and perceiue thine inestimable goodwill in the amiablenesse of thy countinaunce shininge vpon vs, to whom thou hast geuen thy cho­sen Handmayden Elizabeth for soueraigne Lady and gouernour. For what so euer is the glory of thy house (O Lorde) for vs, w c the issue of the slime of the earth, to stande and looke vp to Heauen, made into vessels after thine image that were not: to bee re­déemed [Page] & borne a new after the seconde A­dam that perisheth not, in the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ and sanctificacion of the spirit, that were vtterly lost, to stande fast in thy handes, sealed accordinge to thine e­ternall loue, and written in the Booke of lyfe, that dayly runne headlong to our own destructiō: As the sence therof reioiseth the hartes of all those whom thou hast knit in­to this felowship of the saintes, and called into the blessed hope of the eternall king­dome, so againe how vngrateful should we be to whom thou hast dealt these benefites from thy diuine maiestie by the person rei­sed vp for thine instrument therof toward vs, if we should not in speciall sort shew vs thankfull vnto thee therfore? And if not to liue tearing & eating one, the other, like the Giantes in the old world, and euery man to doo what séemeth him best in his owne eies, as when there was no Iudge in Israel, if, that Princes raigne & gouernors geue iudgment, it is thy gift: & then in the worst disposition of their thoughts for the sinnes of the people, they are redowbted, thou O Lord hast appointed them, they are sacred, thou O Lorde hast annoynted them, they [Page] are feared, thou chaungest their hartes like the streames of waters, they are honoured, thine owne image and lickenes in guiding Angels and all creatures is pregnaunt and cannot deuayle in them, bearinge rule in earth ouer the children of men: what praise is due vnto thee, from those, vnto whome thou leauest not an Anarchy and headlesse dissolution, as to the Cānibals, a monstrous and misshapen gouernment and flaminge with fyre, and streaminge with bloud, and smoking with mist and darknesse of error and ignoraunce, as to y e Antichrists grea­sed in the browe with the marke of the I­mage of y e great Beast, & whoor of Babilon: not a waste and barbarous perpetuall hea­then cōtricion as vnto the Tartarian hoords of cursed Cham, vnto the Rusty and wasted with misery th'inhabitants of Meschech, or to y e Turbulent and rauenous swarmes and hosts of Tubal-Gog, or such lyke as those: but contrarywise whome thou lea­dest like a flocke of shéep by y e hands of Moy­ses and Aaron, and hast chosen Dauid thy seruaunt whom thou hast loued, to feede as the people of thine owne Inheritaunce, geuing vnto thē for war, peace: for inciui­lytie, [Page] socyetie: for ignoraunce, knowledge: for supersticion, religion: for errour, truth: for hunger, plenty: for vnproudiency, poly­cie, for dissonancye, harmony: for myserie, felicyty: & making them to dwell in safetie as vnder the wings of thy defence, and sha­dow of thy protection. Now, such hath ben thy mercy towards vs, y t no tongue is able to expresse in geuinge vs in thy gracious plesure & thine vnrecountable largesse and liberalitie, thy select Seruant Elizabeth Quéene and supreme gouernesse to vs of the liege Nations and peoples of her obey­saunce and regiment: that as by a star the light and influence ouer thinges beneth frō thee, the first cause and fowntaine of bright­nesse not to be attayned vnto, and as by a cléere riuer and plentifull brooke the course of the waters from thée, y • euerlasting head spring: euen so the shininge beames, and flowing streames of all those thy mercies, and good gifts hath ben and are sithence the daies of her happye and gracious gouern­ment, from thée conuaied and devolued vn­to vs. And we that before were no people, not so much in regarde of y e state in which wée haled, when we were sauadge, as wood [Page] men, cruell as Mendeuourers, terrible as spirites, brutishe as beastes in the olde age at the first callinge home of our grand Auncestors to human ciuilitye, but in these daies in few yeeres degenerate from the true knowledge of thee and thy sonne Iesus Christ vnto the consuminge naked­nesse of idolatrie and playinge inordinat, before y e golden Calfe of our owne making and our priestes: now the eightenth sunne most happely enuironeth in the firmamēt, sithence by the meanes of a poore vessell of the weaker ser, & a selly mayden, thou per­fourming the gloryous delyuerance of thy people out of the thraldome and slauerye of Pharao & Egipt, dyddest annoynt the Kings daughter with an holy oyle setting a crown of pure golde vpon her head, and inuesting her with the purple and Scepter and regal Diademe of this Realme. Sithence which time, O Father, we owe, to thee and to her, our God and our Moyses, the sight of this light, the vse of this ayre, the ease of our hartes, the peace of our consciences, & the whole worke of our welfare. By her inspi­red by thée, spreding her beames at her ap­pearing, the bloudy lawnces & claunching [Page] Murreans, and redoublinge shieldes, haue ben shattered asunder in shiuers, and bated and foyled into mattokes and spades, the flames of our furies quenched and put out, and the coole of grace flowed ouer y e realme, the Lion reconciled with the Lambe, the wilde Asse set to be pastured with the seely Kyd, the abhomynation of desolation re­moued from the holy temple, and the sun of man exalted and lifte vp on high in his owne kingdom, for all that were s [...]onge by the fiery serpēt to looke vpon and be saued. In admyrable lenytie, Babylon hath put on Syon, Egypt is become our owne, Rahab the harlot denizoned in Ierusalem: wee be­come of the wilde olyues the true garden plants: of Ismael, Israell: of miscreant, chri­stian: of paynim, protesting and professing: of Antichristian Romanest heathen idola­ters, faithfull euangelycall sincerely be­leeuing worshipers of thee in spirit and ve­rytie, according to thy holy worde. Neither hath cost ben spared, nor occasiō foreslowd, nor time ouer passed, nor trauel intermit­ted, to rayse that was fallen, to win that was witholden: to call that was strayed, to heale that was wurryed: to finde that was [Page] lost, to restore that was ruined, to repayre that was decaied, to make good and enhable that was abandoned. Preachers haue bene sent forth plenteously, Lawes haue ben ex­ecuted mercyfully, Orders haue bene set downe polytickly, dangers haue ben decly­ned discretly, tumultes haue bene apeased victoryously: the whole spacious dominy­ons of both Iles and the adiacent Landes gouerned triumphantly. So as it is harde to finde the man that more orderly hath manedged the charge of any one houshold: then the Daughter of thy house with her virginall hands hath welded the weightye scepter of sundry and mighty populous na­tions. In her time hath been seen the golden yeeres of the reigne of her Father Dauid, and the peacefull kingdome of Salomon to haue ben aduanced. The earth not to haue denied her fruitfulnes, the sea her encrese, the clowdes their drops, the heauens their fayrenesse, the sun his warmth, the yeare her goodnesse. But the valleys stand thicke with corne, the wyldernesse crowned with gladnesse, the furrous watred, the moun­taines laugh & sing, the folds full of sheepe, our sonnes and daughters grow vp like to [Page] y e polished corners of y e Temple, our yong­men see visions, and our olde men prophe­cy: Hierusalē her light shining vnto her, and the glory of the Lorde rysen vnto her. The Queene bringing her honor vnto the citie of Dauid, and the nations walkinge in the light thereof. Great is the honour y t thou hast heaped vpon vs, and honourable in forreine regions is the work y t thou hast wrought by thy chosen. Yea and so much the more hath the brightnes of this bewty ben powred abroad, y • whiles Egipt round about hath bene darkned (euen the whole world in a manner besides vs, whom thou hast gathered into pastures of this Gosen) and the thicke mistes of errour hath blin­ded the eyes of the earth: the cloudy piller hath not departed from vs, by the day, nor y e fiery flame by night. Whiles other lands round about haue warred to the destructiō of one another, our Moyses hath guided vs in peace: whiles other nations lyke Egipt rounde about hath been plaged by the de­stroyer from the first borne, syttinge vpon the princes trone, vnto the slaue grindyng at the handmyll, our Moyses hath not de­minished of her flocke: whiles the firme [Page] landes haue bene ouerwhelmed by y e rage of the seas and waters: our Iland hauing dwelt in peace, in peace hath sent her ships into Opher for golde, and prepared her na­uye against the daunger of the enemie. Whiles Athalia hath murdered her owne blood, our Ioas hath learned the lawe of the Lord of I [...]ho [...]ada. Whiles Achaz consecra­teth his owne sonne in the fier, and Sama­ria eateth her owne children on the wals, our Eliza directeth the children of the pro­phets in their offices. Whiles Iezabel set­teth vp Baal, and embreweth Achab with the blood of the Prophetes and of Naboth: our Elias gathereth the people of God t [...] mounte Carmell, to beholde the wonder of the fire of God lighting from Heauen vpon the sacrifices, and replenishing the harts with ioy, and toungs, with giftes of languages. This is then so worthy an in­strument of thy goodnesse and expresse I­mage of thy Maiestie, and the ample mat­ter of this daies celebritie. And now what doth thy people desire at thine handes, but that first O Lorde thou geue vs thankfull hartes, & make vs al the dayes of our liues mindfull of this thy fatherly and gracious [Page] bountifulnes. Then, as presētly y e Quéens highnes hath gloriously atchieued the tra­uayll of full seuentéene yéeres, and now the annuell celebritie of our voluntary sacri­fice of praise and thanksgeuing therefore, returneth: so it may by thy benefit full of­ten returne, & not once or twise, but yeere by yeere, and yeere heaped vpon yéere, we and our ofspring may behold this felycity, vntill wee and she satisfied in aboundance, the time draw alonge which thou hast ap­poynted for the veling of her Crowne at the feete of thy sun Iesus: and the course of this earthly pilgrimage ouerrunne, we and she, at our determined seasons be takē to raigne in the euerlasting kyngdome of thy glory. Agayne, where much is the mis­chief of man, great and enormous the rage of Sathā, suttle the practises of Antichrist, euyll our desertes, lamentable the state of thinges, whiles open colouring hideth pri­uie conspiring, poysoned lippes geue su­gered words: the breath of Cocatrices, the embrasings of Scorpions, the roringe of Buls, the raging of Rabsake, the sworde of Herod, the destructiō of Abbadon hath ben séene in our stréets, hath bene hard on our [Page] walles, hath multiplyed before the gates of our cities: that thou destroy vs not in the midest of thy workes of thy mercy, to leaue vs headlesse and make vs a scorne and pro­uerbe to the enemye: but rather to beholde the number of the faithful subiectes, in the dread of their souls, and iust ielosye of thyr common interest, bowinge the knées of their harts, for the long safetie of Quéene Elizabeths sacred Princely person: rather then in thy iust fury for auenging of our sins, to suffer y e deuill w t the wicked to pre­uaile in the vniust zelousnesse of their pre­posterous vowes gracelesly swearing the death of thy Saints and thine annoynted. Lastly that what remaineth of the happye building of thy Church by the hands of thy deare daughter: thou plentyfully powre of thy principall spirit vpon her, and rauishe her hart with the flame of the loue of thée and thy house, with Moyses to lead, & with Iosue to bring in to y e land of promise, with Debora to fight thy battaile, & w t Iahel to knock Sisera of Rome in the temples of his vsurped headship: to his vtter destruction, with Dauid, to bring home the Ark, & with Salomon to finish & consecrate to eternity [Page] thy Temple, amongest thy people: on the earth for the time to geeue largelye her foster milke to Hierusalem, in Heauen at the time in the purenesse of her virginitie to be presented to the Lambe, and sing the song of her weddinge day with thy An­gels and thy Saintes, to the praise of thy glorious Maiesty, the father, the sonne and the holy Ghost, in one eternall Deitie for euer and euer. Amen.

FINIS.

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