XX. Psal. 34. Moses and Miriam, and the whole host of Israel, had never greater cause to sing unto the Lord for the overthrow of Pharaoh and his army: nor Debora and Barac for the victory of Sisera: nor Judith, and the citizens of Bethulia for the end of Holofernes1 and the flight of his host, than we [ This allusion is not unlikely to have been suggested by a little book, which the Roman Catholics printed at Douay in 1578, and reprinted at London in 1580, entitled 'A Treatise of Schisme,' wherein the ladies about the court were thus exhorted: "Judith foloweth, whose godlye and constant wisdome if our Catholike gentlewomen would folowe, they might destroye Holofernes [Elizabeth] the master heretike, and amase all his retinew." The printer of this seditious and traitorous publication, William Carter, also then the chief Printer for the Romanists,' was hanged, drawn, and quartered for his offence at Tyburn, on the 11th of January, 1584. Camden, p. 497. Lingard, Vol. vi. p. 429. A similar allusion is contained in the Latin prayer (see p. 466), which will now be given : 6 O Summa MAJESTAS, VIRTUS, et POTENTIA, noster solus qui vivas et videas Anglorum DEUS, quanta ferocitate nunc temporum immanis humani generis adversarius ille Satan in asseclis suis (tuis autem conjuratis hostibus apertis), omni fraudum, contumeliarum, atque insidiarum molimine et insultu, CHRISTI Evangelium verosque ejusdem professores (quoad possint) opprimentibus, sanguinem nostrum quam omnia malentibus, passim frendeat ac furiat. Tu autem omnipotens et benignissime PATER adjuva populum tuum sperantem in te: Per te fortescat tua Judith in protectione suæ plebis et Bethuliæ, fratrumque suorum deflende afflictorum ex atroci tyrannide ferocientis illius misereque fascinati Holofernis, atque contra execrandum ejus (quod colit) Idolum, perfidum veritatis desertorem, blasphemum illum Zennacherib: ut tua Famula populusque suus non expavescat unquam ad corum arma, licet in tuorum perniciem ad amussim exacuta ac intentissime stricta: Quoniam revera, quamvis mundo gigantes videantur robustissimi et tela fortia, in conspectu tamen tuo vecordes et ignavi fiunt nani et spicula junci. Constringe tu DEUS noster gentem infidam, contumacem et religioni tuæ sedulo rebellantem: Per te corruat sacrilegus ille malignantium cœtus, et Ecclesia in impietate fundata, flagitiis constructa, fraudibus suffulta: Aut si fieri possit, ô clementissime PATER, effice, ut hi repudiato suo atheismo tandem aliquando resipiscant, agnoscentes Majestatem et Evangelium CHRISTI tui, in cujus veritate apud ceteros Christiani orbis fratres, cum caritate mutua in gratiam et religionis unitatem redeant, atque coalescant in eadem. Exeras interim, ô FORTITUDO nostra, caput tuum in tuorum tutelam, hostium autem confusionem: Tu propitius DEUS noster, qui adeo in angustiis non deseras tuos, ut castra etiam figat Angelus tuus circum eos qui te timeant, et eripiat eos. Suscipe causam tuam, ô DEUS, quæ nunc agitur, quo videant gentes quod non sit, ut Consilium neque adeo Concilium (ne Tridentinum quidem illud spurium et scelestum) adversus DOMINUM aut adversus CHRISTUM ejus, ita nec Deus ullus pra have for the wonderful preservation of the life of our most gracious Queen, and thereby for our own safety. Wherefore, let every one that feareth the Lord among us, not only with the Jews in the book of Esther yearly hold a memorial with great joy of so notable deliverance, but daily in common assemblies have this great goodness in remembrance, and pray that God will not suffer the light of Israel to be quenched, but that it will still please him to preserve his anointed from the peril of the sword, and to give her long and happy days, to the glory of his Name, to the comfort of his chosen, and to the stablishing of his truth in this Land, till the coming of his Son in the clouds of Heaven. That this may the better be accomplished, this little book is by authority published, daily to be used in Common prayer, where any is, or otherwise at such times as are by law appointed for Divine Service: viz. the Prayer, and one or two of the Psalms following, according to the discretion of the Minister, and likewise to be adjoined unto those prayers, that are already of late set forth, for turning from us the scarcity of victual, and war, at such times as they are appointed to be read in the Church. The prayer. O ETERNAL God and merciful Father, we thy unworthy creatures most humbly do confess, that we are not able with our tongues to utter, nor in our hearts to conceive, the exceeding measure of thine infinite goodness in this latter age shewed to this Noble Realm, in that thou (O Lord) hast in most dangerous times, by thy providence, beyond expectation of man, preserved the Noble person of our now Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by thy grace: First, according to her right to come to this kingdom and Royal seat of her Noble father, and next, by her (being therein established) to deliver us thy people, that were as captives to Babylon, out of thraldom of the enemies of thy true Church, and to restore us again to the free fruition of the Gospel of thy Son our Saviour Christ. For the enjoying whereof now many years, we do confess and acknowledge, that when we by our daily unthankfulness, and by our sinful lives, have most justly provoked thee to terquam TU: In cujus manu sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitudines montium tu quidem conspicis ; atque solus qui vivas, regnes, ac sis: Cui uni voluntas, imperium, honor, gloria, laus et gratiarum actio in perpetuum. [See p. 591.] 2 Timoth. 2. withdraw these thy favours from us, thou (O Lord) with thy mighty power didst strengthen thy servant, our most gracious Queen, constantly against the threatenings of the greatest of the world to persist in maintenance of us in all manner of prosperity, peace and wealth: But most singularly in a peaceable freedom, to enjoy the blessed benefits of thy holy word against the mighty enemies of thy Church daily conspiring against this Realm, and especially against the Royal person of our gracious Queen, thy humble servant and true handmaiden, whose estate being in the opinion of a number of wicked persons many times in great and secret dangers, yet thou (O Lord) of thy heavenly goodness hast always preserved and defended her by many miraculous means, and (as we have good cause to think) by many other means, and at many other times, than to us are yet known. But yet, besides thy preservation of her person from the attempt of two1 wicked persons, that suffered for the same of late years, even now in this present time, when we had no thought, that any would have minded such a wicked fact, we have fully felt the power of thy miraculous goodness, by the discovery of sundry wicked Conspirators, very secretly bent and combined to make desperate attempts against her life, and against the peaceable estate of thy Church and this Realm. The stay whereof only hath proceeded (good Lord) by thy most continual, tender and fatherly care over her, in the strange discovering, and the manner of apprehending of the malefactors, being many, and not by the wit or strength of any worldly creature. For otherwise than by thy special goodness, we do now perceive, and that with trembling of our hearts, that she could not at sundry times have escaped the danger of violent death, wickedly and resolutely against her intended; so that we may truly say with David in his Psalm, That all men that see it, shall say, This hath God done for they shall perceive, that it is his work. Wherefore we now, thy humble creatures, acknowledging our unworthiness of these great graces, beseech thee (O Lord) that [Somerville and Parry are the persons intended, as may be seen by referring to p. 588, where this prayer is printed in its original state. The former, however, died in prison by his own hand after condemnation.] [2 Minded: turned their minds to, thought about.] thou wilt, without regard of our former unthankfulness and contempt of thy word, shew thy mercy to us, and continue thy blessings over us, that we may, for these so unspeakable benefits, be more thankful than we have been, not only in words, or as hearers, but in deeds also, as doers of thy will, according to the direction of thy holy word. And that it would please thee still to hold this thy blessed hand over our Queen Elizabeth, and preserve her Royal person from all manner of open or secret perils, whereby her years may be prolonged, as far as it may please thee to grant, by the course of Nature, for the maintenance of thy glory, and of thy Son Jesus Christ, and of his Gospel, and for continuance of us thy people her natural subjects in the due fear and service of thee, and in our natural obedience to her; whereby we and our posterity may still enjoy such peace, as we have had these many years, under her Majesty's government, far above any like example in any age by-past. Grant this (O heavenly Father) for Jesus Christ's sake, thy only Son our Saviour, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. The first Psalm. WE rejoice in thy strength, (O Lord :) exceeding glad Psal. 21. are we of thy salvation. Thou hast given us our hearts' desire: and hast not denied the request of our lips. Thou hast prevented us with the blessings of goodness: and hast made us glad with the joy of thy countenance. For the ungodly had drawn out the sword, and had Psal. 37. bended their bow: to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of a right conversation. Their sword shall go through their own heart: and their bow shall be broken. All thine enemies shall feel thine hand: thy right hand Psal. 22 [21]. shall find out them that hate thee. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in the time of thy wrath the Lord shall destroy them in his displeasure, and the fire shall consume them. Their fruit shalt thou root out of the earth: and their seed from among the children of men. Psal. 36. Psal. 79. Psal. 140. Psal. 64. Psal. 140. For they intended mischief against thee: and imagined such a device, as they are not able to perform. Therefore hast thou put them to flight: and the strings of thy bow hast thou made ready against the face of them. Thy mercy (O Lord) reacheth unto the heavens: and thy faithfulness unto the clouds. Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains: and thy judgments are like the great deep. Thou, Lord, dost save both man and beast: how excellent is thy mercy, O Lord! and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. O continue forth thy loving kindness unto them that know thee and thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart. O let not the foot of pride come against us: and let not the hand of the ungodly cast us down. Withdraw not thou thy mercy from us, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth alway preserve us. But let the ungodly perish, let thine enemies consume as the fat of lambs: yea, even as the smoke let them consume away. So we that be thy people, and sheep of thy pasture shall give thee thanks for ever: and will alway be shewing forth thy praise from generation to generation. The second Psalm. DELIVER US, O Lord, from the evil men: and preserve us from the wicked men. Which imagine mischief in their hearts: and stir up strife all the day long. The proud have laid a snare for us, and spread a net abroad with cords: yea, and set traps in our ways. They courage themselves in mischief: and common among themselves, how they may lay snares, and they say no man shall see them. They imagine wickedness and practise it: that they keep secret among themselves, every man in the deep of his heart. But let not the ungodly have their desire, O Lord: let not their mischievous imaginations prosper, lest they be too proud. |