CERTAIN PRAYERS set forth by Authority, to be used for the Certain Prayers set forth by Authority. O GOD3 all-maker, keeper, and guider: Inurement1 of thy rare-seen, unused, and seeld-heard-of goodness, poured in so plentiful sort upon us full oft, breeds now this boldness, to crave with bowed knees, and hearts of humility, thy large hand of helping power, to assist with wonder our just cause, not founded on Pride's-motion, nor begun on Malicestock; But, as thou best knowest, to whom nought is hid, grounded on just defence from wrongs, hate, and bloody desire of conquest. For since means thou hast imparted to save that thou hast given, by enjoying such a people, as scorns their bloodshed, where surety ours is one: Fortify (dear GOD) such hearts in such sort, as their best part may be worst, that to the truest part meant worst, with least loss to such a Nation, as despise their lives for their Country's good. That all Foreign lands may laud and admire the Omnipotency of thy work: a fact alone for thee only to perform. So shall thy Name be spread for wonders wrought, and the faithful encouraged to repose in thy unfellowed Grace: And we that minded nought but right, [be] inchained in thy bonds for perpetual slavery, and live and [ This obscure prayer, which occurs not in all the copies, and, when it does occur, is printed in a different character from the rest, was the composition of Elizabeth herself. The royal arms, however, are not prefixed, as Strype intimates (Annals, Vol. IV. p. 316), to point out that circumstance; they are merely on the reverse of the title-page, where we very commonly find them. Lingard (Vol. vi. p. 334) considers it to have been the queen's private prayer for a fair wind to allow the fleet to set sail, 'before it was published for the use of her people.' Birch, Vol. I. p. 351. The same may also have been the case in 1596, See p. 666.] [Inurement experience. See p. 31, note 3.] [ Sorocold's reading (p. 275.) is 'safetie ours is none,' the last word of which will, at least, give a definite meaning to one sentence.] XL. die the sacrificers of our souls for such obtained favour. Warrant, dear Lord, all this with thy command. Amen. MOST mighty God and merciful Father, as hitherto of thine infinite goodness thou hast very miraculously protected thy humble Servant, our Sovereign Lady and Queen, and all us her subjects the people of her Dominions, from many dangerous conspiracies, malicious attempts, and wicked designments of her and our very obstinate and implacable enemies: Forasmuch as, they still continuing their malice, and preparing their Forces to assail us both by Land and Sea, thou (0 Lord), to withstand their fury, hast stirred up the heart of thine Anointed, our Sovereign, to send out some of her Forces for our defence: we thine unworthy servants do most humbly beseech thee, through the merits of our Saviour Christ, so to conduct them, encourage them, and defend them with thy strong and mighty arm, as that whatsoever they shall attempt and take in hand for defence of this Realm against her enemies, may prosper and have most happy success. Direct and lead them (O Lord) in safety, strengthen their Governors and Leaders with sound counsel and valiant resolution. Bless their conflicts with notable victories both by Sea and Land: preserve them from all contagion and mortality either by sword or sickness, and give unto them (O Lord), if it be thy blessed will, such an honourable and happy return, as may tend to our defence by confusion of our enemies, to the renown and comfort of our Sovereign, to the benefit of thy Church, to the good of this Kingdom, and to the praise and glory of thy most mighty Name, through Jesu Christ our Lord: To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all honour, power, and dominion, both now and for ever. Amen. O MOST mighty GoD, and Lord of Hosts, which reignest over all the Kingdoms of the world, who hast power in thine hand to save thy chosen, and to judge thine Enemies, and in all ages hast given great and glorious Victories unto thy Church, with small handfuls overthrowing great multitudes and terrible Armies: Let thine ears be now attent unto our prayers, and thy merciful eye upon this Realm and kingdom. And as of thine unspeakable goodness thou hast blessed us [Compare this with the prayer on p. 668.] with infinite and extraordinary blessings, all the years of her Majesty's most happy reign over us, and of late hast also miraculously delivered us from sundry the bloody practises of our very implacable enemies: So now we humbly beseech thee (0 merciful Father) to aid us with thy mighty Arm in this our present just cause, waging war not in pride or ambition of mind, or any other worldly respect, but only for the necessary defence of Religion, our lives, and Country. Be merciful therefore, O Lord, to our present Forces, and, passing over both their transgressions and ours, prosper them both by Sea and land. Give our Leaders and companies the strength of Unicorns, the hearts of Lions, arms of steel, hands of iron, and feet of flint, to beat and tread down all thine enemies and ours. Let thine help from above at this time strengthen our Navy and Army, thy mercy overshadow them, thy power as a wall of fire environ them, thy wisdom direct them, thy providence secure them, thine holy Angels guard them, thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ stand up for them, and thy Justice confound, and Majesty overwhelm, all adversary power exalting itself against this land and thy Gospel that all the world may know, that it is thy favour that prospereth, thy blessing that preserveth, and thine arm that overcometh in the day of battle. So we that be thy people and sheep of thy fold, shall sing unto thy glory the songs of praise and thanksgiving, and magnify thy goodness in the midst of thine holy Temple for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord, our only Saviour and Mediator. Amen. O ALMIGHTY Lord God of Hosts, it is thine own gracious promise, that when thy people shall go out to battle against their enemies, by the way that thou shalt send them, and shall call upon thee for thy holy help, that then thou (Lord) wilt hear their prayers in heaven, and judge their cause: In assured trust of this thy good promise, we present this our supplication before thee. O Lord, judge thou our cause, judge thou between us and our cruel enemies. Thou seest, Lord, that they first invaded us, and so do still continue, and not we them that they first conspired to root us out, that we might be no more a people of English birth; and that then, though thou from heaven didst shew thyself, in scattering their proud forces, to be displeased with their attempt, [LITURG. QU. ELIZ.] 43 yet notwithstanding by mighty preparations at this present they seek our ruin still. That which armeth us, is neither desire1 of enlarging our own borders, nor thirst of blood, nor ravin of spoil, but only our own just defence, only to break the power of our enemies, and to turn away the battle from our own gates; for that, if we sit still, and suffer them to gather strength, they will suddenly make a breach upon us, and destroy the mother with the children. This they seek, O Lord, and as thou seest, that the heart of thine Anointed in all her actions is upright before thee, so maintain thou our right, and be enemy to our enemies. Great is their malice (as thou, Lord, seest), and great is the mischief they intend against us. Let not the wicked have their desire: O Lord, let not their mischievous imaginations prosper, lest they be too proud. And albeit our many and grievous iniquities may testify against us, and justly deserve that thou shouldest make the enemies' sword the avenger of thy covenant which we have broken; yet deal thou with us according to thy mercy, O Lord. We have sinned, Lord, do thou unto us what seemeth good in thine eyes: only at this time we pray thee to succour us, and not make us a scorn and derision to our oppressors. The rather, O Lord, for that we put not our trust in any strength of our own, but our eyes look only to thee. We know, Lord, the battle is thine, and that with thee it is nothing to save with many, or with few: For that, except thou command the winds, we can not stir, and except thou bless with counsel and courage, we shall not prevail, and all these are in thine hands to give or to withhold. Help us, O Lord God, for we rest on thee, and in thy Name go we forth against these mighty preparations. O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee: let thine arm rise up, and put on strength to preserve us now as of old, even the same arm that was mighty for us and against them in their former pride and fury. Wherefore from thy holy Sanctuary, O Lord, open thine eyes and behold, incline thine ear and hear the prayer of thy servants. Go forth, O Lord, with our Hosts, by Sea and by land. Send forth the winds out of thy treasures to bring ['Here, as well as elsewhere, the writer seems to have copied the sentiments, and even the expressions, of the prayer written by Elizabeth in the preceding year. See p. 666.] them to the place appointed. Take all contagious sickness from the midst of them, O Lord, the strength of our salvation. Cover their heads in the day of battle. Send thy fear before thy servants, and make their enemies to flee and fall before them. Let thy faith (Lord) make them valiant in battle, and put to flight the Armies of Aliens. And by this shall we know, O Lord, that thou favourest us, in that our enemy doth not triumph over us, and shall always confess to the praise of thy Name, that it was thy hand, and that it was thou, Lord, the shield of our help and sword of our glory, that hast done these great things for us, and evermore say, Praised be the Lord, that hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants. Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of thy Name, for thy loving Mercy, and for thy truth sake, even for the merits and intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. O ETERNAL God, in power most mighty, in strength most glorious, without whom the Horse and Chariot is in vain prepared against the day of battle: vouchsafe (we beseech thee) from thy high throne of Majesty to hear and receive the hearty and humble prayers, which on bended knees we, the people of thy pasture, and sheep of thy hands, do in an unfeigned acknowledgment of thy might and our own weakness pour out before thee on the behalf of our gracious Sovereign, and on the behalf of her Armies, her Nobles, her Valiants, and men of war: who by thee inspired have put their lives in their hands, and at this time do oppose themselves against the malice and violence of such, as bear a mortal hate at thy Sion, and do daily conspire and rise up against it, even against the Church, thine Anointed, and the people of this her Land. Arise then (O Lord) and stand up, we pray thee, to help and defend them: be thou their Captain to go in and out before them, and to lead them in this journey: teach their fingers to fight, and their hands to make battle. The General and Chieftains bless with the spirit of wisdom, counsel, and direction; the Soldiers with minds ready to perform and execute. Gird them all with strength, and pour out upon them the spirit of courage: give them in the day of battle hearts like the hearts of Lions, invincible and fearless against evil, but terrible to such as come out against them. Where the enemy doth rage, and danger approach, be thou (O Lord) |