A PENSIVE soules delight The Contents whereof is shewen in these Verses following 1. The Pensiue soule recounteth in this place Elizaes troubles and Elizaes grace 2. Here are expressed the stratagems of foes Elizaes conquests and their falls that rose 3. Here is set forth Elizaes lenitie And Locust-Catholickes superbitie By Iohn Norden LONDON Printed by T.C. for William Lugger and are to be sold at the signe of the blinde Knight ouer against S. Andrewes Church in Holborne 1603. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Warwicke IF I were demanded Right Honourable I could yeeld a reason why I giue your Lady-ship this little plaine Poeme vnder the tytle of a Pensiue Soules delight but that your Ladiship is not altogether vnacquainted with some causes that may right well worke me pensiue The cause is noted and obserued of many but felt of my selfe and mine only The cause of my delight is publique common and knowne to all but felt with effect of the faithfull and loyall onely Can any faithfull soule but sigh my good Ladie to see and consider the sundry daungers that haue bene and are daily plotted and practised against her highnesse most innocent person and Royall state And againe can any but reioyce and delight to see her still blessed defended and the practizers still found out censured and condemned And who seeth without pensiuenesse and sorrow her Maiesties natiue subiects our owne country-men brethren and kindred to become Traytors to their and our most gratious Queene treacherous to vs their country-men allyes And againe reioyceth not to see obserue how all their deuises come to nought her Maiestie preserued our selues deliuered And again who greeueth not to consider from whom these practises and the grounds of these treasons proceed From a man pretending to be the high and sole Vicar of Christ in earth who cannot erre in his purposes and proceedings because they are all couered euen murthers of innocent men yea Princes raising warre within and between kingdomes with the pretence of religion and glorifying God the highest point of blasphemy But who reioyceth not to see him discouered Antichrist the man of sinne and his vndermining and treasonable messengers Locustes And who reioyceth not to see them in some measure abandoned sith they will not be reclaimed But more who reioyceth not to see and consider her Maiesties immoueable constancie in louing in imbracing and in maintaining the infallable trueth and our selues vnder her and by her to enioy the same A subiect worthie of a more serious labour But because many worthie workes are extāt of their discouery some too great of price for poore men and some too learned for the simple And such serious Treatises oftē neglected because they delight not all humours I thought it not vnfit to put the inferiour multitude in minde in this kinde of writing what causes they haue to sighe and to sing to grieue and reioyce And that with mee they may haue all will as they haue cause to pray for the continuance of the true causes of our reioycing the maintenance of Religion and preseruation of her highnesse The length of dayes vouchsafe her length of dayes the Lyon of Iudah rent her enemies in peeces And high Iehouah graunt that vnder her we may all liue in true loue towards her that loueth him who in his loue gaue her to vs. That we in her might rather sorrow to see the falles of traytors in charitie then traytors to tryumph in the successe of their attempts in insolencie Your Ladiships in all seruice Iohn Norden A Pensiue Soules delight 1. The Pensiue Soule recounteth in this place Elizaes troubles and Elizaes grace MY Pensiue Soule recounting heauenly loue which did bestow that sacred hidden treasure Truthes light to shine to vs here from aboue Cannot but ioy to see Ioues mercies measure Passing in greatnes all this earthly frame It fills our hearts with science of his name Which is we loue we liue as he requires He sends his word to worke in vs inspires of his true light Looke vp from whence it came Came it from man came it from wisedomes skill Came it by art came it from multitude No no it came from his all sacred will That will'd our wealth and true beatitude Long long shut vp in darke obliuions den And fetter'd long through ignorance of men Darke Ignorance syre of Deuotion Blinde zeale blinde loue both malediction As is discouer'd by Truthes sacred pen. How so the pennes of men not lightned write Bewitcht with false inspires inspirde in those That follow fancie all depriu'd of light Despightfull hearts that kill and seeme no foes Like friends in fawnes foes vnder faithlesse smiles Whose gracelesse guise seemes gracefull yet but wiles That win affection to perdition And seeme yet sacred and of fowle condition Without all-haile within mortall reuiles I wayle these wightes that wander in the darke Led by the beast that traynes great troupes to hell And seekes to sinke sacred Religions Barke By his inchantes charmed in his hidious cell But he fowle feend and faithlesse to great Ioue Hath long breathd bannings gainst Messiahs loue Eliza Queene the prop of verity That still stands vp a Queene of victory Whome all his wiles and curses cannot moue They cannot moue the mountaynes of our Peace Elizaes truth whose sacred hearts desire Desirde and wrought that heau'nly Truthes release That lay forlorne long languishing in briers She brought to light the load starre of our light And loosde the bands of Enuy by her might Her might made mightie by Ioues mighty hand That heau'd her vp triumphant in this land Fearefull to foes reioycing to the right Reioyce ye righteous and resound her prayse Prayse great Iehouah for her Maiestie He he receiu'd her in her pensiue dayes Not farre from death held in captiuity A captiue Lady of a free-full minde Free and in fauour nought can true loue binde Her Loue was Truth her truth and loue were right Ioue rightly saw her and her loues delight Truth and Loues light were sacredly combinde All sacred Vertues did combine in one One Grace diuine was guide vnto them all In her all working when she was alone Alone in company Angelicall Heauens Angels spred their still protecting tent And guard her sacred person innocent Graces diuine administred true ioy In her deemd ioylesse state nought could annoy Her blessed patience in imprisonment But oh true Lady how could griefes retire When she recounted why she was restraind And eke by whome by her sole sisters ire What heart could hold so innocent disdaynd Disdaynd to liue her life obscurde in hate Was hatefull to vnhappy hearts where Enuy sate But sacred Loue gaue life and light to her And brought her life to light and did transferre Deaths dreadfull sting vnto the obstinate And on their Queene whome our Eliza lou'd Her life as loue her loue assurance set On high Iehouah's loue he her approu'd And gaue her light to
death He loues to lye beleeue not what he saith Though traytors do so did Achitophell Achitophel bewitched did bewitch Faire Absolom a sonne vnto a king Mou'de him to mount to hit but did not hiche His fathers crowne high Iustice clipp'd his wing So are the wings of these fowle traytors cut That want not will their flight in practise put But fall in seas of deepe dispairing shame And Story styled led with great Sophies fame Arm'd with fowle Enuy mist the aimed but. The white Eliza daz'd their diuellish eyes They could not see nor make their art to proue Arts maister could not make that diuel rise That was of power to hurt Iehouahs Doue Yet Story striuing to accomplish that Which in his high aspiring fancy sat Was sent a present by Iehouah's hand From Flaunders where he most secure did stand All men well know the guerdon that he gat Yet Phayer and Prestall found a fayrer day Elizaes mercy her reuenge exceedes Though mercy in this case might well say nay And Iustice cut downe these infernall weedes But Iustice left them not excus'd herein For Phayer fell after to high treasons sin Di'de for the last a guerdon for the first High traytors haue no doubt a dropsie thirst Which sildome quencheth when it doth begin What soules keepe silence but reioyce to see The speedy falles of all Elizaes foes Whose foes are foes to all that faithfull bee Her faith firme faith their faithlesse works disclose And none sit sad to see it but the crew Of Enuies couert workers out of view Whose hearts are hidden for a while in darke They will be seene by some externall marke And shew the poysond fruit that therein grew For none so walke inuisible in Spight But word or worke or guise or garment will At last bewray them and bring all to light The fume will breath and show what they distill Throgmorton in hearts closet long conceild His Enuies fire at last brake forth reueild A flame to light the bringing in of Spayne To pull Eliza downe a painfull strayne A deepe fetcht note words to make Princes yeeld Nay weapons were preparde the Kingdome giu'n Our liues were sold all offices disposde And in conceite they had deposde our Queene All vp but one but when it was disclosde The game did turne Throgmorton came to light Then Pope was pensiue Spanyards in sad plight Their hope a dreame when they awakt they saw That shaddowes bring not substances in awe Nor words like swords to arme a man to fight This mystie morning cleared with the Sunne Bewray'd Throgmorton with her splendant beames He leaues his closet when his dreame was done And findes Eliza rooted in her Realmes Which he had solde to them that could not buye He could not sell Elizaes dignitie Yet nought did want but sure possession And that was hoped by his confession Here was presumption and credulitie Seller presumes to sell what was not his Buyers beleeue yet had not Quid pro quo What man of lawe can rightly censure this Pactum or nudum pactum yea or no The buyers sue not seller for the same Nor then required or for bargaine came And yet Throgmorton was attach'd therefore And paide his head for recompence and More And his consorts went not without their shame Who sees these fruites that grow vpon that stocke Of Romes despight that spread into this land And loaths them not and would not moue the block Laide in the way to weake Elizaes hand Who doth not ioy to see their ill successe Who doth not wish in heart a sound redresse The banishment of all that hatefull crew That lurke vnseene and some in publique view Or wish their loue and their despights release Oh how would our Eliza them imbrace How would she guard their liues in truthes desires How happy they if they were in her grace Cut from that tree of bloodie Romes aspires That still aspires and still her braunches fall They rot consume infected with her gall A wonder that they will not shunne the snare When they their owne with others lots compare They see the mirror yet not mou'd withall What are their liues vnto the Papacie As are base Turkes to their ground Seignior Who wayes ten thousand liues in policie As flies So Catholicke Superior Oh silly soules that dreame of dignitie And high aduance for hatefull treacherie To bring their natiue land to forraigne spoile Their friends and kinsmen guiltlesse to their foile Selfe guerdon death hell for their sallary What recompence had Romes chiefe champion Sent to this lande from that great Bishops side Their Alpha and Omega Campion And his consorts concealed yet espide They came in colour to winne soules to blisse Of all the Locustes sent the glosse is this When to draw subiect duties and their loue From true Eliza and high treasons moue Against their Queene their true pretending is For can a subiect stand liege to his Lord And yet giue sentence with his mortall foe Or can a man serue two with good accord When in desire they wish each others woe It s hard to wade in meane betweene two friends In equall seruice Ielousie depends Therefore who workes to win a subiects loue From her that hath it warranted aboue T'anothers loue all knowe what he pretends They may pretend and be igniferent Zealous in shewe to win a man from sinne When all they worke is to make malecontent And drawe the doubtfull to diue deeper in For if their workes were of right Wisedomes skill They would in publique practise to instill Their right aduise that all might be aduised As Paul did preach in publique not disguished Who feare the light no doubt their deedes are ill Did Campion that famous Doctor showe In publique schoole or in the open view Or did he preach or his high gifts bestowe On all as well he might if they were true Nay came he not in couert fearing light And kept in darke and salyed in the night As one that would surprise the silly sheepe Fled from the folde and from their shepheards keepe And do not all the Locusts thus by flight Haue they the habite coresponding gift As they pretend their gift is to forgiue If that their gift and colour not a drift To lay their poyson in Religious hiue Then let them come but not in Ruffins weede That come to kill when they pretend to feede Some come like Ruffins some like men of warre The blinde the lame they know not what they are How can they aske them then the things they need They feare the sword they say therefore they lye As Leopards white and blacke and greene gray Attired thus to act diuinity Beseemes it them It fits a stage aray But if these colours be to cloake their guile As they assume vnto themselues exile Then sure they feare the light and walke in darke Pretending one and ayme another marke Denominate by one and haue another stile What neede they feare the Magistrate or sword If they
misse fowle enuies net That was displaid to catch Eliza in Suggests were as if she pretended sinne Against annoynted Mary and her crowne From which Eliza would bring Mary downe And set her selfe by force vsurp'd therein Fie on this glosse that paynts this false suggest A forg'd surmise that fell before her eyes That still attended high Iehouah's hest She saw it fall none saw it yet arise It might arise but could not erst preuayle Though Enuies hearts and hands gaue oft assaile In hope to see her sacred life dissolu'd She not dismaid assured stood resolu'd High Ioue would free her and would be her bayle He bayld her in the action of their hate Where they suggest her hate vnto the Queene And that she couertly enuide the state Her foes made show as if this had beene seene And daz'd the eyes of silly peoples mindes With false reportes like errour often blindes The vulgar multitude who thinke all true That States-men speake as if it were in view High pollicie of purpose blowes such windes Such windes as blowe content or bring dismay Sometimes are raisde and do dispearse a thing Throughout a kingdome So they made their way To cause Elizaes ill 's suggested ring Yet she true Lady sate and smilde to see Despight displaide and axe laide to the tree To cut her downe for prouidence diuine Who swayes the axe reuerted spites repine From her to them and set her Lady free Her foes repinde at her not for her crime But sawe her light that would bewray their sinne The sire of sinne then egg'd them on in time To cut her off if they the game would winne But sire and sonnes sonnes of perdition Wrought not Elizaes but their owne perdition And shee not seeking found the way and rose Vnto the Crowne a gall vnto her foes She bound Ioue gaue her manumission And seal'd it with the death and quicke confusion Of greatest foes within Realme and without Poole Cardinall sent from Romish Babylon Arch-Atheist Gardener and an vgly rout Of bloudy Tyrants that had sword in hand And cut truths throat with their foule Enuies band Where soone cut off with their owne bloudy knife Which they had whet to reue Elizaes life As they did all religious in the land Oh deepest wisedome of the powres diuine Oh highest powre of high Iehouah seene In so preseruing powrefull Henries line Well neere vntwisted in the Mary Queene By whom some sought as much as in them lay Elizaes ruine had not God said nay And yea to her preseruing when authoritie Consented to dispatch her Maiestie Of Truth and true Religion counter-stay Her famous Father to the worldes admire First foyled Romish Pharoh in the feelde When Pharohs troupes were neere him and in Ire A miracle to make proud Pharoh yeelde Yet loe perforce he lost his golden fame Within this Realme thrice happy if his name Had dide likewise drownde in obliuion And not haue liude here father of sedition The nurse of Enuy and the gulph of shame Then hopefull Edward did succeed to raigne Truthes proppe and seekes to keepe Romes Septer downe High Ioue him sawe but loe he did not daigne To leaue him long but tooke him from the crowne And from vs thanklesse for the Truth he sent By Henries hand wherein we negligent Were reft of him and of the liuely light And then came darknesse and a dismal night Wherein we sawe not where Religion went But by the blood of Martyrs that was shed Throughout the lande to put out Truthes true light That then did shine as Sunne eclipsed red Yet cast cleare beames vpon each faithfull wight Whose truth was tride their trialls did expresse Their liuely Loue though many made recesse And fell againe into that ougly den Of darke deceit deuouring soules of men In filthy puddle of fraile humane gesse Poore soules bewitched with inchaunted zeale Fell backe and banisht their true sauing guide That guides by grace and not by fond reueale Of giddie heads that liue and lead And Mary Queene alas my soule bewailes That her high vertues had so strong assailes That she was wonne to kill the silly sheepe That were committed to her charge to keepe Her Cleargy rent them with their woluish nailes These vgly beasts attired yet like lambes Lay fawning like the Foxe that plaies and praies They plaide praide on yong ones their dambes If fawnes could not they adde fierce fiery raies To race through Rage and Rigor of the sword Mens true desires of Loues light and Truthes word This Loue this Light this Truth Iehouah sent By Henries hand and Edwards while he lent Him life and while he was faire Englands Lord. But happy Henry and truthes Edward gone The gracefull guides and pillers that vp-staid Religions frame a third arose anon That brake the building that these gracefull layd She pul'd it downe and did erect the stage Whereon was plaid the tragedy of rage It stoode not long the Actors partes were done And they went out Elizaes part begun And all applaud her and her equipage Began it now a part she playd before Not of an Agent but a patient She silent sate and heard the Lions rore Like captiu'd Daniel in a dreadfull tent Her part was not like daughter of a King To whome All hayle the truest subiects bring Curtaines were drawne to sit in all mens view Prince like attended She with bloudy crew Guarded as guilty couer'd with loues wing She foundes her faith not on the sonnes of men Not on frayle flesh not on the multitude Not on the sword not on great wisedomes pen But on Iehouah Prince of Fortitude Fore him she falles to him in faith she cries On him she hopes he on her cast his eyes He spread the beames of his releeuing loue On her distressed but elected Doue On her he made his sauing Sunne to rise His heauenly doue diuinely soar'd from hie With his swift sacred wings and did inspire True trust in her vnseene of humane eye His sacred Doue once come did not retire But did possesse her made his bowre her brest With sacred vertues there he built his nest And there begat all graces heauenly That branch and beare true fruites of sanctity Presaging first now show Eliza blest The more her vertues seem'd to fit the crowne The more did Enuy seeke to blemish it There want no hearts but hands to pull her downe Yet aymd their malice but it could not hit Her guard was sure her Armour enuy-proofe Her friends yet feare and feareful stand aloofe Sad gaue but ayme at th'arrowes of despight Which flew abroad not any on her light Her light did shine and shrowded her reproofe And powers diuine diuinely made the way Cut downe the tree that hindred her to passe The tree cut downe the branches broken lay Disperst forlorne and all fowle Enuies Masse Became a Chaos and a limblesse lumpe Nought stood to stop her but fowle Enuies stump That sprowted still and bare the leaues of spight Truthes Sunne then