An Antilogy, Preface to King
The Preface to the Kings most excellent Maiestie.
SAINT Paule that diuine Apostle (most gracious and dread Soueraigne) thus concludeth his second Epistle to the Corinthians:2. Cor. 1….1. This is the third time that I come vntounto you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall eueryevery word stand. As he by his preaching and writing thrise presented himselfe to the Corinthians to testifie his louelove: so I hauehave bene bold now thrise to exhibite my simple labours to your Highnesse; which as three witnesses may, I trust, sufficiētly expresse my ioy for your Maiesties peaceable entrance, and professe my seruice and dutie in prayer for your prosperous cōtinuance.
Two yeares since I sent a booke to your Highnes into Scotland by your Maiesties Printer, then set foorth vnderunder Queene Elizabeths name; since, I was bold at your happie arriuall into this land, to present the same vnderunder your Highnesse owne name: the first a new worke, but not yours; the second yours, but not new: this third is both, which in some sort may supply the foresaid wants in the others.
The first miscaried, being not at all deliuered. The second was deliuered, but not in season. And now I hauehave sent this after the other,1 Sam. 20.20 as Ionathan shot three arrowes one to find another; and as the hewer hauing lost his axe in the water,2. King. 6.6. sent the helue after the head, and found both: so I hope this simple present added to the former, may make a way for me vntounto your Maiestie, not to speake for my selfe, but in the behalfe of the Church of Christ.
Now because I know not, whether in this kind I may euer hereafter hauehave occasion to speake to your Maiestie, let me be bold in the feare of God to vtter my mind to your Highnesse, not onelyonly with reuerence as to a King; but plainely in singlenesse of hart, as to a Christian, a good man, and louer of Gods Church.foreign. Hierome of Sicile was wont to say, That none that spake freely to him, did importune him or was vnseasonable: much more to your Christian Maiestie free and plaine speech deliuered in dutie (I trust) shall not be vnpleasing.
First then, as we all do praise God for your happie succession in the kingdome, by whom we are vndoubtedly perswaded religion and peace shall be cō tinued and maintained; that we hauehave all cause to say with Israell,Psal. 126.3. The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioyce: the times fall out much better, and the change more happie then was of some feared, of others expected. It hath not happened vntounto vsus, as aged Leontines foretold to the Antiochians, who pointing to his gray and white haires, said: When this snow is melted, Hac niue liquefacta mul tū erit luti. Sozomen. 3.19▪ foreign. Numantinus ad Scipionē.much mire will follow: that is, sedition and trouble. But after the dissolution of the white snowie haires of our last aged Soueraigne, no such trouble (God be thanked) hath followed: the Lord hath not left vsus as sheepe without a shepheard: We are the same sheepe to be led foorth still to the waters of life, though another sheepheard.
As the Church of England acknowledgeth Gods great goodnesse herein: so your Christian Maiestie shall do wel to recogitate with your selfe (as you do) the Lords great mercies toward you; who in your infancie from many perils most prouidently preserued you, and in your former raigne from many dangers miraculously deliuered you, and now to a most flourishing kingdome most honourably aduaunced you. I doubt not, but as your Highnesse hath the like occasion, so with the Prophet you will vtter the same affection: My soule praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefites;Psal. 103.2. as well appeareth to the great comfort of vsus all, by that religious weekely erected exercise in your Highnesse Court. Your Maiestie well remembreth Moses counsell to the king:Deut. 17.20. that he should reade in the law of God all the dayes of his life, that his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren. Princes are set in slipperie places: if God stay them not, abundance of honor, pleasure, wealth may soone intangle thē. This appeared in Salomon, who strangely fell and declined from his integritie. Alexanders example in forraine stories is notable, who in iustice, temperance, chastitie was a mirror to all Princes before he tasted of the pleasures of Asia.foreign. Dionysius for a while delighted in Plato, and seemed to be studious of Philosophie, but he quickely fell away; therein well resembled to a booke, wherein that which was before written, was soone blotted out. But in Christians, the mutabilitie of nature is corrected by the stabilitie of grace; and God with whom there is no variablenesse, nor shadowing by turning, Iam. 1.7.shall so strengthen your royall heart, as that it be neither ouer-cast with shadow, nor turned by change.
There are two enemies to Christian constancie enuie and flatterie: the one practiseth, the other perswadeth; that pulleth backe, this letteth to go forward; the last is the worst, the first least to be feared. Enuie followeth vertue, flatterie nourisheth vice: the first Themistocles well perceiued, who being yet young,foreign. said he had done no excellent thing, because he was not enuied: the other Phocion was not ignorant of, to whom when the people gaue applause for his oration: What (saith he to his friends) hauehave I spoken any thing amisse vnawares? foreign.shewing that popular applause and flatterie doth often worke vpō some infirmitie. Many hauehave preuented trecherie, that could not take heed of flatterie. Dauid whom neither Abner and Amasaes valour,2. Sam. 16.3. 2. Sam 11. nor Achitophels wit could subdue, Ziba his false tale seduced, and smiling ease and prosperitie corrupted. Nehemiah could wel beware of Tobiah and Sanballat, Nehe. 6.10.14.that were threatning aduersaries, but he was most in daunger by Shemaiah and Noadiah dissembling Prophets. The way for Princes to auoide such flatterers, is to hauehave faithfull seruants and followers, as Dauid saith: The faithfull in the land shall dwell with me, the vpright in heart shall serue me. Psal. 101.6.Lysippus the Caruer did worthily reproue Apelles the Painter, because he had made Alexanders picture with a thunderbolt in his hand as a God; the other with a speare, honouring him as a valiant Prince. I doubt not but they are more pleasing to your Highnesse, that giuegive you that is due, then which ascribe that you will not take. Against enuie and trechery your Maiestie must oppose your Christian innocencie and carefull circumspection: against flatterie, your Princely humilitie.Obliuiscitur se regē esse, vbi Deū omnium regem pertimescit: mira res, dū abiicit purpuram, & se regem hominum esse non meminit, rex esse incipit iustitiae, religiosus Princeps, nō perdidit imperiū sed mutauit. Sam. 40. Gen. 49. v. 23 24. foreign. As Ambrose well describeth the penitent king of Niniuie that humbled himselfe in sackcloth: He forgetteth himselfe to be a king, while he feareth God the king of al: a straunge thing, while he casteth away his purple robes, and remembreth not that he is a king, he beginneth to be a king of Iustice, he did not lose his kingdome, but chaunged it to the better. God graunt that to your Princely humilitie and Christian pietie may be added diuine constancie, that although archers shoot at you, some with darts of enuy & trechery, some with the bolts of flatterie; yet with Ioseph your bow may abide strong, and the hands of your armes strengthened to the end. Agesilaus well said: I do so vse my selfe, that in no chaunge I be chaunged. We all trust that this speech will be more truly verified in your Christian Maiestie then in that heathen Prince: which your firme, and (we hope) vnchaungeable constancie hath manifested it selfe in your stedfast resolution for the continuance of religion in sinceritie without mixture. Some hauehave preas…ed alreadie, if not presumed, to make request for toleration of their Masse, or rather Misse-seruice, for all is amisse in it: but they might know that the Arke and Dagon cannot dwell together: that Hezechiah will not suffer the brasen serpent to stand, nor Iosias permit the Chemarims to execute their idolatrous seruice. They wold seeme to condition with your Maiestie, whose lands and persons are at your courtesie; much like the Athenians, who being forced to giuegive vp their citie to the Spartans, desired that Samos might be left: to whom one wittily answered:foreign. When you are not your owne, you would hauehave others to be yours. Whereupon grew this Prouerbe: He that hath not himselfe, would hauehave Samos. We hauehave an English by-word, Beggers must be no choosers, so neither must petitioners be prescribers. Your Maiestie can answer such importunate & vnreasonable suiters, as Zerubabel answered the aduersaries of Iudah, that offered their seruice craftily to build the temple: It is not for you, but for vsus to build the house vntounto our God. Ezra. 4.3.And as Valentinian made answer to the Romaine Embassadors that made petition for the restoring of the idoll temples: That which my brother (Gratian) taketh away, Quod pius frater cripuit, quomodo putatis à me reddendum, cûm in eo & religio & frater laedatur? in obit. Valen.how can you thinke I should restore? In so doing I should both hurt religion, and do my brother wrong. Postulet parens Roma, alia quaecunque desideret: Let our mother citie Rome aske any thing else which she desireth. This good Emperour Valentinian being yet but young, was so resolute to continue the puritie of religion, that notwithstanding the instance of the Romaine Orators, and the counsell of all his Senatours that approued their petition, he would not graunt any libertie to Romaine idolatrie. Lycurgus answer was very fit to one that perswaded, that the gouernement might be committed to the people:foreign. Do thou first make triall in thy house, giuing thy seruants the rule: So these that would hauehave diuerse religions in the Cōmon-weale, yet mislike that there should be any but their owne profession in their houses and families, their children and seruants being for the most part, if they may hauehave their desires, like affected to themselues. We thanke God for your Maiesties firmenesse and constancie herein; praying heartily for the encrease of Christian zeale, strength and corage in your princely heart.
But as your excellent resolution is to hauehave the state of the Church and Commonwealth no worse: so we reioyce to heare of your princely consultation to make them both better. Alwaies the noble Princes Reformers hauehave added somewhat to their predecessors worke; and where the other left, they began: Dauid brought the Priests and Leuits to order:2. Chro. 14.3. 2. Chro. 17.6. 2. King. 18.4. 2. Chr. 35.18. Salomon built the Temple: Asa tooke away Idolatrie: Iehosaphat remoued the high places: Hezekiah brake downe the brasen Serpent: Iosias restored the feast of the Passeouer to his first integritie: vnderunder Nehemiah the feast of Tabernacles was reuiued:Neh. 18.5. So in England Henrie the eight expelled the Pope, and abolished Idolatrie: King Edward proceeded, and abrogated the Masse: Queen Elizabeth wēt yet further, took order for recusants, seminary seducing Priests, & Iudasits: and somewhat it may be is yet remaining, either to be amended or added by your Maiestie; for we doubt not, but that you hauehave set your heart to seeke the Lord; and with Hezekiah, 2. King. 20.3.to do that which is good in his sight. That saying of Alexander doth well fit a Christian Prince: It profiteth not to possesse all things, foreign.and to do nothing. As we ioy to see you a possessor of the Crowne,foreign. so we desire to behold you an agent in Christs Church: we ioy from our hearts to see what reformation your M…estie hath begun in the Common-wealth, in staying of monopolies, redressing of oppression and extortion by officers, restraining vnlawfull games vponupon the Lords day. We do also as much reioyce to thinke of your princely resolution for matters Ecclesiasticall, In restoring the reuenues of the Church, and misliking the law of Annexation, in maintaining the three estates of Parliament, foreign. 43. l. 1. p. 43. l. 10. vide l. 23.in seeing that all Churches in your dominions be planted with good Pastors. And that eueryevery Church may be thus planted with a good Pastor, one should no longer be suffered to hauehave many; nor he that is no good Pastor nor able to teach, any: and if the Pastor must be planted in his Church, then to be plucked and pulled from thence by long absence, is not fit. Thus so many hundred Churches that want teachers shall be supplied; and diuers hundred Preachers not yet called abroade, shall be employed. But seeing a great cause of an vnlearned Ministery is want of maintenance, we thanke God for your Highnesse Christian care also herein,p. 44. l. 1. that sufficient prouision be made for the sustentation of Ministers: which may be fitly done, if patrons were vrged to bestow their liuings freely, and better order were taken for impropriations; that such as are of the Churches fee, be demised for the old rent to the incumbent Preacher; such as belong to others, be charged with some conuenient portion to issue forth for the maintenance of the Pastor. But I presume not to prescribe a course, but onelyonly to giuegive my simple aduice. To our great comfort also your Maiestie hath declared your princely care and desire,p. 43. l. 26. that the doctrine and discipline be preserued according to Gods word: whereas the first hath bin in this Church by some with vnsound teaching corrupted, as I hauehave partly shewed in the Preface following; the other by some much neglected, by others not vsed well. There are bookes abroade maintaining offensiue doctrine, too much declining to poperie, which hauehave done great hurt: it might please your Maiestie that such dangerous bookes might be inhibited; and because they are dispersed into many hands, that they receiue some answer by publike allowance, or sufficient satisfaction from the authors, lest the infection spread further.
We also with thāks to God take knowledge of your Highnesse Christian disposition to peace,Pr…s. p. 11. …. 16 that no cōtention shold be in the Church about ceremonies in your princely iudgement, indifferent; whereabout the Church of England hath bene much distracted. Lycurgus is said, to auoide drunkennesse to hauehave forbid the vse of vines. Your Highnesse in good time may more easily remoue the iust occasions of offence: or so indifferently moderate them, that they breede no strife. God giuegive your Maiestie strength in due time to reforme both those, and what other abuses are in Church or Commonwealth. Some perhaps would hauehave your Maiestie to minister no phisicke at all, as though the Church ayled nothing: which were nothing else, but (with Herodotus Selymbrianus in Plato) to make a long and lingring sickenesse; who falling into an incurable disease,Plato foreign. deuised how to prolong death where he could not preuent it. Some would hauehave Heraclitus phisicke vsed to do nothing but purge; who being sicke of a dropsie, desired the Phisitian to purge him throughly, to turne the abundance of showers into drought: foreign.so they would hauehave all purged, not the superfluous humors onelyonly, but some profitable parts; as the very calling it selfe of reuerend Pastors and Bishops: who while they attend the sincere preaching of the word, and the vncorrupt administration of discipline, may (no doubt) do the Church much good. But the better sort desire neither with Heroditus nothing to be purged, nor with Heraclitus all things to be euacuated and purged; but rather approue Hippocrates method, that, what is euill may be purged, the rest to be cō forted & strengthened. This was Saint Pauls course, to purge out the old leauen, that there might be a new lumpe. 1. Cor. 5.7.We would not the leauen, lumpe of dough, and all to be cast out; but the lumpe to be renewed, the old sower leauen to be reiected. Thus shall your Maiestie shew your selfe as Hierome saith of one, to be Hippocrates Christianorum, A right Hippocrates of Christians indeed; that you may say with the kingly Prophet Dauid: Psal. 75.3.The earth and the inhabitants thereof are dissolued, but I will establish the pillars of it. Your Maiestie as another Moses, can onelyonly appease the strife betweene the Hebrewes; and as another Constantine, to reconcile the Church-ministers, who wrote thus vntounto them: Let me enioy good daies and quiet nights without care; Date mihi dies tranquillos & noctes cura expertes: quod si min…s contingat, necessum est ingemiscere. Socr. 1.4if not, my griefe will be the more. When your Highnes hath wrought this cure, you shal be no more troubled with petitions by day, nor careful meditations by night. Aristippus and Aeschines being fallen out, one asked the first, what was now become of their friendship; he answered: It was asleepe, but he would awake it. When your Highnesse hath awaked the peace of the Church,foreign. you shal sleep more quietly your selfe, and not be troubled any more with Constantines carefull nights. You are our Salomon to iudge betweene vsus: they that louelove diuision, and to contend causlesse, let them hauehave the least part. Theodosius, Socrat. 5.10.when Catholikes and Heretikes put vp their libels to him, prayed God to direct him: so your Maiestie well knoweth that your direction herein must come from God. Diuerse complaints as lots, are cast into your Princely lap, but the disposition thereof is of the Lord. God (we trust,Prou. 16.33. and for the same pray) will so dispose your royall heart, that the best cause may hauehave the first lot, the most honest suite the happiest issue, and the iustest quarrell the fairest triall. Faile not their godly desire herein (most gracious Prince) that neuer would hauehave failed you: who were resolued (I speake herein of mine owne knowledge) to hauehave aduentured their liues and states for your Maiesties iust title: who waited for you, as for the raine, Iob. 29.23.and for the consolation of Israell. Faile not then (O noble King) the hope of Christs Church, yea the expectation of Angels, yea the trust that Christ hath committed vntounto you, to be a faithful seruant, as Moses in his house: so, as one saith, The eyes of men are not only cast vponupon you, Heb. 3.2. In te vnū puta cunctorū oculos conuersos, & ad spectaculū vitae totā consedisse Angliam: Deus ipse cum omni Angelorū militia certamen tuum expectat. Hier. ad Demetr. August. conf. lib. 3. ca. 12.and the whole land setled to behold your life; but God and Angels expect your faithfull seruice. God, we verily trust will not faile you with his spirit: but as the Prophet saith, Whosoeuer calleth vponupon the name of the Lord, shal be saued: so your prayers and teares which you poure vntounto God, shall both saue you and your people; as one said to Augustines mother, Non potest perire tantarum lachrymarum filius: the child of such prayers and teares cannot possibly perish or fall away.
Now as to our great comfort we enioy your Maiestie, a norishing father of Christs Church at home; so your Highnesse is expected to be a succour and comfort to other afflicted Churches abroad: though you are not as a head to direct them, yet you may be as a hand to helpe them; though not a roote to giuegive them life and sap,Gen. 49.22. yet as a wall for the small branches to runne vponupon, to stay them vp: as it is said of Ioseph. It was Iosua his honour, to ayde the Gibeonites their confederates,Iosua. 10.5. against the combined Kings of Canaan. Dauid was a captaine to all that were distressed and afflicted.1. Sam. 22:2: Hercules is honoured in heathen stories, because he trauelled through the world to remoue cruell gouernours.foreign. Noble Alexander is famous for the same, who conquered a great part of the world, reducing rude and barbarous people to ciuill life: who charged all to esteeme the whole world as their countrey; foreign. Fox pag. 228. col. 2.good men, as their countrymen; the bad, as aliens and strangers. Our English Chronicles do blame Henry the second for refusing to take the protection, and defence of the distressed Christians in Ierusalem, offered vntounto him by Heraclius the Patriarke; the troubles that befell him at home are ascribed to that cause. But Ecclesiasticall stories make honourable mention of the Emperour Theodosius the younger,Socrat. 7.23. whose louelove was such to the afflicted people of God, that being present to behold certaine publicke sights and shewes, and there hearing of the death of one Ioannes, a cruell rebell and tyrant, presently left the playes, and went to the Church to giuegive thankes to God. Queene Elizabeth was a foster mother to all distressed Christians; and I doubt not, but all Protestants in the world shall receiue comfort (in the cause of Religion) from your Maiesties fauour, in being a mediator for their peace, or succour for their reliefe.
But of all other, we the poore companie of schollers and students, hauehave greatest cause to reioyce in your Maiestie, whom now we hauehave obtained a learned and iudiciall patron of our labours and writings: whereas before, no gift or present was held to be more base, nor lesse regarded of all hands. Schollers bookes, the trauaile of the soule, the weakning of the bodie, the care of the day, and studie of the night, were not not so welcome to the most, as a Lawyers fee from the client, or a tenants new-yeares gift to his Land-lord. I your Maiesties poore subiect could speake herein by experience, what small hartening I hauehave had in the world for my poore trauels in the Church: but I will be sparing in mine owne cause. And yet I speake not this as though we expected our reward from men (though we be men, and had need of terrene encouragement:) but I am bold, a poore writer of this Church of England, to poure forth the common griefe and complaint of students in this behalfe, into your princely bosome. Bookes were growne into such small request, that many would scarce vouchsafe the reading of them; but few beare in mind who presented them: they were layed aside by the walles, or set vp onelyonly to make a shew, as one saith:Senec. lib. 1. de tranquillitate vitae. Sacrorum opera ingeniorum in speciem & cultum parietum comparantur; The labours of sacred wits were vsed onelyonly to beautifie the walles.
But now we trust, as Homers Iliads were accepted of Alexander, which he made foreign, the furniture of his iourney; Terence workes of Scipio; Origens bookes of Ambrosius, whom he called foreign, because hee continually prouoked him to write; and as Hieromes writings were esteemed of Damasus: so I doubt not, but scholers labours shall be as welcome to your Maiestie, as any other subiects presents. And in this confidence I hauehave bene bold againe to offer my seruice to your Maiestie. For as he that made that harpe wherewith Thales appeased the tumult of the Lacedaemonians; and he that built the ship wherewith Themistocles did defend Greece, had cause more to reioice therein, then in any worke beside: so to none else we more willingly present our labours, then to your sacred Maiestie, a generall procurer of our peace, and defender of Church and countrey; whose vigilant heart careth for all, whose diligent eye seeth for all, whose liberal hand reacheth vntounto all. And not onelyonly at this present, but while I liue, hauehave I purposed to consecrate my pen to the honor of your Maiestie (if God will & you please:) And I say with Hierome: Prefat. in Danielem.Quamdiu in hoc corpusculo sum, scribam aliquid gratum vobis, vtile Ecclesiae, dignum posteris.
But here one thing I cannot pretermit, to celebrate the great ioy of your Maiesties subiects for your princely acceptance of poore mens complaints, and the readie accesse to your royall person. It hath pleased your Maiesty to signifie herein, that it is your gracious pleasure and minde in giuing accesse to be so open and affable to eueryevery ranke of honest persons, foreign. 46. l. 12.as that they may make their owne sutes to you them selues, and not to employ others to be their intercessors. Therfore the King is said to go out and in before the people,1. King. 3.7. that they may hauehave free accesse vntounto him in time & place conuenient: that though it be not for the safetie of the Prince to be so open as the Romane Tribunes, whose doores night and day were open to all suters; nor yet fit to be locked vp and retired as the Persian kings; or as Clearchus of Pontus,Plutarc. quaest. Rom. 81. p. 12. l. 19. that did hide himselfe and sleepe in a chest; or Aristodemus king of the Argiues, that did clime vp into his hanging bed by a ladder, that no man should come vntounto him: yet is it honorable (as your Maiestie well knoweth, and we hope will practise) for the Prince often to shew himselfe to his people, that they may flocke vntounto him tanquam ad salutare sydus; Seneca. foreign.as to a comfortable starre, as one saith; and to be free for all to come vntounto, as the altar. We shall not neede then (especially the Ministers of the Gospell) to complaine with Ambrose, who suing to the Emperour for one Higmus an ancient Bishop adiudged to exile,Epist. 27. ne sine veste & plumario pateretur extrudi, extrusus est ipse: that he should not be thrust out without his bed and clothes, was thrust out himselfe. But we praise God for your Maiestie, as the same father doth for the good Emperour Gratian, of whom he saith:Epist. 126. Scripsisti tua totam Epistolam manu, You wrote an Epistle with your owne hand: whom he compareth to Abraham which killed a calfe with his owne hands to entertaine the Angels: Nec in ministerio religioso aliorum adiumenta quaesiuit; And in a religious worke sought not anothers helpe. For the like mercifull disposition in your Maiestie, in vouchsafing your selfe to attend the causes of your subiects, we say with S. Paul to Onesiphorus: 2. Tim. 1.18.The Lord grant that you may find merciemercy with the Lord in that day.
Now lastly I craue pardon for my boldnesse and plainenesse of speech, not doubting but that your Maiestie approueth that saying of Ambrose vttered of noble Theodosius: Epist. 29·Neque imperiale est, libertatem dicendi negare; neque sacerdotale, quod sentit non dicere: It is nether princelike, to denie liberty of speech; nor ministerlike, not to speake what he thinketh. And we are not ignorant of your royall disposition herein, to louelove those best that are plainest with you:foreign. p. 71. l. 3. which emboldneth me to say with Hierome, Mallem apud te verecundia parumper, quàm causa periclitari; I had rather hazard my credite then the cause: but I trust I shall hazard neither, by any thing which out of a single heart, and loyall affection I hauehave vttered. I hauehave deliuered my conscience, discharged my dutie, and (I hope) not written otherwise then became me. I leaue the rest to your princely consideration, according to that saying in the Prouerbes:Prou. 9.9. Da sapienti occasionem, & sapiet amplius. Thus I end with heartie prayer vntounto God, so to strengthen your Maiestie with his grace, that you may be constant in all goodnesse to the end, zealous of his glorie to amend what is amisse, to supply what is wanting, to cherish the good, suppresse the euill, relieue the oppressed: so shall your Highnesse do that which shall be acceptable vntounto God, honourable to your selfe, profitable to his Church, comfortable and ioyous to your owne soule in the end. Go forward then, noble King, in your wel-begun course; follow your owne Christian iudgement, to practise as you hauehave prescribed, to performe as you hauehave purposed; consider that all the people of this land are your sheepe: the Lord hath made you the chiefe ouerseer and Steward, according to your princely name, both of Church and Common-wealth. Of this Stewardship you must one day render account vntounto God: prouide then, O Christian Prince, that you may do it with ioy. The Persian Kings alwayes appointed one in the morning to call vntounto them; Arise, O King, foreign.and take care of these things which Oromasdes biddeth thee be carefull of. But your Maiesties owne thankfull remembrance of Gods mercies, will suffice within to put you in mind, and sing as it were in your eares, what God requireth and you hauehave promised: and to thinke of Mordecay his speech to Queene Esther, Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time? Esther 4.14.As for vsus, we trust by Gods grace to see so happie a chaunge by this chaunge, that whereas we had thought our selues vndone, we may truly say as Themistocles did, who being exiled his countrey was better entertained in the Persian court,foreign. We had perished, if we had not perished.
God graunt to your Maiestie a long and prosperous raigne; to your noble Queene happie continuance with you; and length of dayes to your honourable sonne, Prince Henrie, encrease of all princely graces with growth of yeares; and to your royall posteritie to raigne ouer this land, if it be Gods will, vntounto the worlds end: and vntounto you all an endlesse reward in heauen, for your faithfull seruice to Christ here on earth. And so I conclude with Ambrose: Ipse me citiùs quàm vos obliuiscar; & si vnquam sermo tacebit, loquetur affectus (Iacobe & Henrice) in vestris nominibus adhaerere iuuat, (Gratiane, Valentiniane) apud Ambr.& delectat in vestri commemoratione requiescere.
Your Maiesties most humble subiect, Andrew Willet.