the French King himself was there present, who, being taken prisoner, was carried captive into England.

But how valiantly and prudently did that King behave himself, at the battle on the sea, before Sluys, when the French, having three hundred ships, and we but two hundred, and they four men to one of us, and all expert soldiers and mariners; yet the King assailed them with such invincible courage, as he utterly overthrew them.

Also, the noble victory of King Henry the Fifth, at the battle of Agincourt, hath deserved everlasting memory: when seven-thousand Englishmen, and those wearied and weakened with long travel, sickness, and scarcity of victuals, vanquished the huge army of the French nation.

Many times also have we sought honour in Spain, and defended that country from usurpers. Did not Prince Edward, by vanquishing of King Henry, and those Spaniards and French that took his part, settle Peter in his right again? But this hath been ever a blessed gift of God, and a peculiar right of the Kings of England, as it were united to the crown, to execute the justice of God against usurpers, and to relieve the princes their neighbours oppressed.

Wherein her Majesty hath mightily and marvellously declared herself, above all other her princely predecessors, to descend of the royal seed of courage and magnanimity, and to be the right Queen of England, sent from above, to nurse and protect the true Christian Commonweal.

Again, did not her Majesty's most royal father send the Lord Darcy into Spain, to aid King Philip's great uncle, the King of Arragon, against the Moors, who troubled him? Did he not also, within a while after, send thither the Marquis of Dorset, with an army of ten thousand, to assist the said King to conquer the kingdom of Navarre ? And, did he not, many other times, aid Charles the Fifth, father unto this Philip, against the French, and all other his enemies? Yea, and did not the Englishmen, in the time of Queen Mary, assist King Philip himself, with an army, to overthrow the French, at St. Quintins, although we received thereby the greatest loss that happened unto England these hundred years? And have we not ever been as careful of that house of Burgoygne, as of our own selves? But, for which of all these good turns, do the Spaniards now so deadly hate us?

Also, the worthy examples of great manhood and courage, that have been shewed by our forefathers, in times past, and in our days by us, in the kingdom of Scotland, are infinite, and so fresh in memory, as they need not here to be recited.

Wherefore, we have in every age assayed and tried, what courage Englishmen have been of against other nations, and how they have prevailed against them, Some doings also we have had with them of late; neither do we find them of any more force than in former time; nor yet their success better against us than before. Where have we met them with half the number, but we have overmatched them? Neither will they abide the sight of us, unless they far exceed in multitude, Testimonies hereof are many, and of late, and notable. What did the great army of the King of Spain, at the siege of Berk, when it was

only bruited, that the Earl of Leicester, her Majesty's lieutenant-general, with those few forces, which he had of English soldiers, came to relieve the town? Did not the same army forthwith retire from the town? Neither durst they come to levy the siege, which we made against Dusborow, till that town and the great sconce of Zutfen were both won. Neither could they ever have won those things again from us, had not treason more prevailed than force and valiant courage. How many strong cities and castles also did the young English captains and soldiers conquer lately at the Indies? How valiantly did they behave themselves, under fortunate Sir Francis Drake, at St. Domingo, Carthagena, Cales, and in many other places? Where the English were in number few, and the enemies infinite. Neither shall any age ever wipe away the honour of those acts from the fame of Englishmen; neither hath the like act been ever heard or read of, in any age before. These and such like things may mightily encourage our minds, that whatsoever force our enemies bring against us, God is on our side, and we shall not fear what they can do against us.

Have we not, of late, beaten and chaced away their great mountains of the sea, freighted with men, ammunition, and ordnance of war innumerable? Have we not taken and slain many of them, and driven them home with shame enough? And have so penned in the rest, as they durst not come forth to assail us?

Imitate, therefore, the excellent virtues of your forefathers, if you will be partakers of their famous victories. Take example by these late actions how to withstand the force of your enemies. Though they be rich, proud, and cruel; yet God hath given you means to humble and abase them. They have neither justice, nor religion, nor charity, nor conscience, nor yet good cause on their side. If they had been just, they would not have pretended peace t, and yet swear our destruction. If they had religion and charity, they would have sought by godly and religious means to save our souls, and reconcile us unto them; and not to ban and curse us to the bottomless pit of hell. Neither is their cause good; for then would they not have sought by treasons and treacheries, but by honourable and princely means to overthrow us: wherefore, having none of all these with them, I trust, that neither have they God on their side. So then, they for the greediness of a kingdom, for despite they bear to our religion, for vain-glory, pride, and presumption, for maintenance of the Pope's kingdom; against God, against his word and truth, against our blessed Queen, against all reason, conscience, and humanity, do offer all this violence unto us, And we, on the other side,

in defence of ourselves, our native country, our anointed prince, our holy religion, our own Jesus Christ, his holy word and sacraments, against very antichrist, and all the pillars of his church, and against those that have cursed and indicted the kingdom, do withstand the injury done unto us.

• The Spanish invincible Atmada,

The Duke of Parma, the King of Spain's commander in chief in the Low Countries, en devoured to amuse the English with a peace, and to divert them from providing for their own security, till the Spanish Armada was actually on the English coast.

And we, that have done so valiantly at other times, when the quarrel was but for money, or other small matters, is it possible, but we should be much more forward now in so great and weighty causes ? When had ever England so just a cause to fight as now? When did we ever more infinitely feel the mercies of God than now? When had we ever a more loving prince to her subjects than now? When were ever any subjects more obedient to their prince than now? When were there ever so many lusty and gallant gentlemen to defend the realm as now? When were we at any time better acquainted with the sleights and cunning of our enemies than now? When had we ever more skill in martial actions and trainings than now? Finally, when had ever our enemies more unjust cause to deal against us than now, and we more lawful cause to defend ourselves than now; And, therefore, when should we ever have greater hope of victory than now?

If ever, therefore, ye bare any affection to your country; if ever any love to religion; if ever any obedience unto a good and natural prince; if ever you would venture your lives for your fathers and mothers, your wives and children, or best deserving friends; if you have any comfort in the promises of Christ Jesus; if you have any hope to receive salvation by his merits; and, as ye will answer before God at the coming of his Son, now shew yourselves like men, courageous and forward, prompt and willing to do all the parts of Christian soldiery.

Let now no more careless and negligent minds possess your bodies; let no more a few days security make you forgetful of so continual duties. Let neither the greedy desire of money, nor the lewd consuming of riches, nor the wanton excess of apparel, nor the superfluity of meats and drinks, nor the costly buildings and curious trimming of houses, be any hinderance to so honourable actions. Learn by those things that I have here declared, what wants there are in the realm that hinder the resolute defence of the same. Remember the remedies, supply the lakes, remove the impediments. Begin betimes to train up your youth, to amend and build your ships, to make plenty of shot and ammunition, to have store of victuals at all times ready, to breed and provide good horses; that all things, and in all the realm, may be ready upon the sudden, and when any need shall require. But especially put from you all private factions and divisions. Set apart all quarrels and debates among yourselves. Yield more to the safeguard of your country and religion, than to the obedience of your own affections. Contend who shall be most forward and valiant, but envy not your equals if they attain to more honour.

By this resolution, if all the world fret and rage never so much against you, the Lord will fight for you. He will give the victory, and ye shall but look on. He will put a fear into their hearts, and they shall fly when no man followeth them. An hundred shall chace away a thousand, and a thousand ten thousand. Ye shall rob the Egyptians of their jewels, and their own weapons shall be turned against them The glory of the kingdom shall remain as the sun in the sight of the Lord, and as the moon in the night-season, so shall our Elizabeth give light unto her people, Her food shall be of the

tree of life, that her age may never decay. All the blessings of the Lord shall plentifully be poured upon her, and by her shall be given unto you. The right administration of God's word and sacraments shall be with you for ever; neither shall the power of antichrist be able to wrest them from you. There shall be no decay, no leading into captivity, nor complaining in your streets. Ye shall be blessed in the city and in the field, at home and abroad; in your barns and in your houses; and in all your actions and enterprises. Ye shall be feared, loved, and honoured of all nations. They, who now hate you for your religion, shall then perceive that the ark of the Lord is with you, and that it is in vain to strive with the Lord, and against you. They shall have remorse in their conscience, and when they have well considered the cause, and do perceive, that neither by the greatness of their power, nor by the help of their riches, nor the assistance of their holy father of Rome, nor of any other petty god, which they have made to themselves, they can fulfil their malice against you, but that God doth still defend you, they will be glad to forget all that is past, and will rejoice themselves with you in amity. Yea, and when they shall see your godly life joined with so excellent government of the realm; it will make them draw more and more from the Roman, to the right and true religion. But if ye shall still continue in your old wonted negligence, wherewith you have ever been infected; if you shall still complain of fortune, and say: if we had come a little sooner, or tarried a little longer, or had not wanfed a little of this, or had too much of that; thus and thus had it happened unto us; when all the fault is in yourselves: if you shall think that time will work wonders, though you yourselves follow your own pleasures: if you will not provide resistance before the enemies be at your gates; if you seek not to take from them the strength and sinews of their commonweal, before they have eaten you out of your own houses; finally, if you mend not all faults, wherein the world hath ever noted you; that is to say, to have hereafter as good a fore-wit, as ye have been accounted heretofore to have an after-wit: to have less liking to costly apparel, and all toys and vanities, than to the profit of your country, than to the care of religion, than to godliness, yea, than to the safety and preservation of your own souls; God will utterly leave and forsake you, though you were his own dwelling-place and inheritance; he will take from you his truth and testimonies; he will deprive you of all those precious jewels, for which, and whose sakes, he hath so long preserved you; he will make you a prey unto all your enemies, and you shall become a scorn and derision unto all nations. Yea, he will bring upon you all the plagues that he did upon the children of Israel.

Amend, therefore, your faults, be diligent, faithful, and resolute, with all your power to defend her Majesty, the kingdom, and the true religion: and the Lord, for his Son's sake, will be gracious and merciful unto you..

His Prayers to this purpose, pronounced in her Majesty's Chapel, and elsewhere.

THE FIRST.

O LORD God, heavenly Father, the Lord of Hosts, without whose Providence nothing proceedeth, and without whose mercy nothing is saved. In whose power lie the hearts of princes, and end of all their actions have mercy upon thine afflicted church; and especially regard thy servant, Elizabeth, our most excellent Queen; to whom thy dispersed flocks fly, in the anguish of their soul, and in the zeal of thy truth. Behold how the princes of the nations do band themselves against her, because she laboureth to purge thy sanctuary, and that thy holy church may live in security. Consider, O Lord, how long thy servant hath laboured to them for peace; but how proudly they prepare themselves unto battle. Arise, therefore, maintain thine own cause, and judge thou between her and her enemies. She seeketh not her own honour, but thine; nor the dominions of others, but a just defence of herself; nor the shedding of Christian blood, but the saving of poor afflicted souls. Come down, therefore, come down, and deliver thy people by her. To vanquish is all one with thee, by few or by many; by want or by wealth; by weakness or by strength. O possess the hearts of our enemies with a fear of thy servants. The cause is thine, the enemies thine, the afflicted thine, the honour, victory, and triumph, shall be thine. Consider, Lord, the end of our enterprises, be present with us in our armies, terrify the hearts of our enemies, and make a joyful peace for thy Christians. And now, since, in this extreme necessity, thou hast put into the heart of thy servant Deborah, to provide strength to withstand the pride of Sicera, and his adherents; bless thou all her forces by sea and land, Grant all her people one heart, one mind, and one strength, to defend her person, her kingdom, and thy true religion. Give unto all her council and captains wisdom, wariness, and courage, that they may speedily prevent the devices, and valiantly withsand the forces of all our enemies; that the fame of thy gospel may be spread unto the end of the world. We crave this in thy mercy, O heavenly Father, for the precious death of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

THE SECOND.

O HEAVENLY Father, we most humbly beseech thee, with thy merciful eyes, look down from heaven upon thy church of England. And especially regard thy servant, Elizabeth, the defender of thy true faith, and protector of thy holy word. And here we prostrate ourselves before the throne of thy mercy, most truly confessing in our