Queene Elizabeths Teares OR Her resolute bearing the Christian Crosse inflicted on her by the persecuting hands of Steuen Gardner Bishop of Winchester in the bloodie time of Queene Marie Written By Christopher Leuer Nocet indulgentia nobis Printed at London by V. S. for Mathew Lownes dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of 〈…〉 To the right honorable Lord Robert Erle of Salisburie Vicount Cranborne Baron of Essingdon principall Secretarie to the Kings most excellent Maiestie Maister of the Courtes of Wardes and Liueries Chancellor of the most famous Vniuersitie of Cambridge Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell RIght Honourable Lorde The gratious and well deseruing when they die leaue behind them a reputation that can neuer die I instance this in Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory A Lady beyond example beautifyed with the ornaments of Grace and Nature the twoo handes of God whose name like the aire is spread ouer all the earth whereby this our little world the English nation is made famous to all posteritie And because I my selfe haue seene many the admirations of her time haue with many others shared in participation of those blessings which God did giue her most gratious and fortunate gouernement I haue therefore willingly forced my endeuours to this demonstration of thankes hauing euer vowed my selfe a seruant to her Honourable remembrance The reasons my good L. of dedication are these First your Lordships honorable deseruing in being a principall Supporter of the leaning State of learning the Moecenas and Patron of the learned in what deseruing qualitie soeuer wherein though I be but meanely profest yet your Lordeships zealous regard to the profession I beare shal euer binde me in the most assured bonds of dutie and thankefull seruice Againe that honorable testimony of your Lordships regarde euen to the very name of your late Soueraigne approued by the generall applause and acclamation of all good people by which act your Lordship hath proceeded to the highest degree of good opinion and by giuing Honour to her that best deserued it deseruedly made your selfe much honoured And therefore my good Lord haue I ventured on your Lordships gratious acceptance humbly requesting your Honor that my particular howsoeuer vnworthy to trauaile in so honorable an Argument may notwithstanding haue gratious acceptation being presented in the name of Queene Elizabeth to whose honorable remembraunce your Lordeship is so much deuoted and to whose name I haue principally dedicated this seruice beseeching Almightie God to deriue vppon your Name and House a perpetuall Succession of Honour and good Fortune Your Honours in all duetie and humble seruice Christopher Leuer ⧠To the Reader THe name of Queene Elizabeth is sufficient Argument to perswade a friendly acceptation and from the better disposed whome I couet principally to please I shall doubtlesse receiue that reasonable and honest construction As for those who haue their tongues dipt in the poyson of Enuie I write not to please them who wil neuer be pleasd with that which is most deseruing It being the nature of Enuie to depraue that which dooth deserue the highest fauour of loue and good opinion I may example this in the wrong offered to the name of Queene Elizabeth who though shee were the most admired of her time hauing extraordinary induments and a gouernment much more in the degrees of honour and prosperitie than any her Predecessours yet want there not malitious and base deprauers who like dogges that barke against the Sunne couet to bite her honourable name whome God hath made more glorious than the Sunne giuing her a place of glorie in fellowship with his holy Angelles and Saints For this double respect haue I therefore taken these paines First to please the well affected in honouring her whome all that haue honesty will honour Next in giuing Enuie and her sonnes a morsell to bite vpon wishing that all the deprauers of her princely name may either reduce themselues some degree of honestie or else perish with their enuious and euill breath Accept then I pray thee these my voluntarie trauells and honour her remembraunce whome all the best in the world do honour with admiration which thou also wilt doe if thou beest either honest or truely English ¶ Ad foelicem huius Elizabethae progressum LIber in lautam liber ibis vrbem Liber in latum liber ibis orbem Liber in laetas liber ibis vlnas vrbis orbis Paruus est hinc non liber est libellus Bellus est hinc non liber est libellus Duplici prodis titulo Libellus belle libelle Parue spem magni retinens honoris Belle rem magni retinens decoris Vade par natae cerebro Mineruae nate cerebro I. C. Musa crucem cecinit dudum quae carmine Christi AELIZAE varias iam canit illa cruces Aelizae qúe cruces crucifixi nomine passas O quam te memorem Virgo virago dea O nullus laceret liuor LEVERE labores Pergat at in studijs casta Minerua pijs The generous Reader whose free honest soule Did loue the honor'd subiect of thy Booke Will for her sake whose loue liues in the roule Of datelesse Memorie lend a friendly looke As others Gardens haue bestowed floures To decke her Garlands and to strew her herse So thy graue Muse doth tell her grieued houres And sings her sorrowes in a sollemne verse That though deuouring Time did to bereaue her Of Palme and Pittie with her foes conspire Yet thy loue Leuer lets not Honor leaue her But by the heate of kinde Poetike fire Reuiu'd giu'st virtue her deserued hire R. K. ⧠My loue to the Argument and the Author THe times are now maleuolent to Verse To verse that trauells in graue Argument Yet thy graue Muse adornes the sable Herse Of her whose glories were most eminent In this thy Art hath well deseru'd of Fame That thou Elizaes glories dost commend And that in Verse she hath a liuing name And that her Teares in verse by thee are pen'd O the depraued pleasures of vilde men That haue no pleasure in this moouing Arte And O those spirits whose licentious Pen Haue made these trauells of so small desert When men were better then the times were so And Verse had then their high deseruing praise Now Time is old he doth in weakenesse goe All things in worth doe alter as their Daies Let not the faults of men and euill Time Dis-heart thy spirite from Poetike fire Thy Verse is free from all dishonest Rhyme And from the tract of Cupids idle fire This is the glorie that thy Muse doth sing The holie secrets of the holie Crosse And of this Saint and of her suffering In which expence of time there is no lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thus thy trauells doe indeuour I doe not see but Leuer may liue euer Robert 〈◊〉 Queene Elizabeths Teares Or Her resolute bearing the Christian Crosse. I That haue
reacht my meditation hie And versd the holy suffrings of my Lord Still doe I mooue in that emperiall Skie Where Saints and holy Angels do afford Subiect that may diuinest wit accord I glory then that to my Verse is giuen This care to fet their holy cause from heauen Among the number of those holy Saints A happy Lady where all happies are Whose name Report in euery place acquaints Who like the beauty of the fairest Starre In beauteous name exceedes all other farre And but we doe except the Virgin-mother We reach her praise as high as any other Thus I conceiue her Image in my thought Clad in the Virgin ornament of white Within that white her innocence was wrought Vnspotted with the touch of vaine delight Her habite is all day and nothing night And in that white as my remembrance saith Was writ this motte Defendor of the Faith Her presence could expresse what she had beene Humble yet full of princely maiestie A constant Martire yet a royall Queene Before her state went much aduersitie In all proportions Iudgement might descry What holy motions mooued in her hart For holy signes of prayer did mooue each part Vpon her head a Coronet of golde To intimate her eminence of place But in her royall presence I beholde The Image both of Maiestie and Grace The heart of State was grauen in her face Let him in iudgement be reputed blinde That in the face sees nothing of the minde Within one hand she held an armed blade Whereon was writ her many victories The other with much reuerence she laide Vpon the Booke of heauenly mysteries As if that God in wisedome did deuise To giue this Ladie that victorious Sword To garde the passage of his holy word Before her feete a Globe of earth was cast Scepters and Crownes and markes of high estate Yea Kings themselues and Potentates were plac't In humble ranke before this Magistrate Their fortunes on her victories did waite For when that she would fauour or cast downe The bad had warre the better had the Crowne These Trophies doe erect eternall name That euer liues in honour of this Queene That giue occasion vnto busie Fame To make report what her deserts haue beene My selfe that haue these admirations seene In humble verse her suffrings doe relate That dare not meddle with her time of State This cogitation of this Princely one Is often entertained in my minde Waking or not I oft reuise thereon And often in my thoughts this Queene I finde And oft her glad remembrance hath inclinde To heart my verse that writ the holie Passion Of her religious Teares to make relation O thou that dost inspire with holie flame The moouing spirits of deepe Poesie Giue me to adde some honour to her name That wants her due of holy memorie For Time will rot our best mortallitie And sith that she all vertuous ones did cherish It pittie were her vertuous name should perish O let my verse mooue indignation And stirre the blood of better abled wit Enuie or shame of this relation May hap beget the meanes to better it How ere my shame it doth my liking fit By anie meanes to adde vnto her praise Our loue is in our heart not in our phrase ¶ When holy Edwards Spirit did expire Borne on the wings of Angells into blisse The earth grew cold and wanted holy fire When this diuine defendor parted is Blacke Night did then succeed this Day of his For then the glory of the day is done When interposed earth bedims the Sunne O the exceeding wisedome in the heauen Whose prouidence protecteth euery care To seely men the licence is not giuen To see forbidden secrets what they are In vaine vpon the face of heauen men stare To know the hidden cause of that effect Which in Gods secret will is hidden kept Tell me thou wisest in iuditious Arte Or if thou canst not tell I silence thee Why God remou'd this holy King apart And left his Church to open tyrannie You reade not in the Starres this secrecie He that all futures can discerne afarre Within his breast these secrets hidden are Now Time had set this glorious Sonne of grace To darkenesse he his Empire did resigne Darkenesse that long had ouerspread the face Of holy truth and vertuous discipline No light apparant where no light may shine And but the fires of Martires that gaue light All had beene blacke and in eternall night You that haue nothing holy but your name That did incence this Marie vnto blood Be it to you your euerlasting shame So to corrupt her nature that was good O had she had the spirite to withstoode You that did hearten her to her disgrace She had deseru'd preheminence of place To saue a world of sinners you pretend But you intend another by pretence Religious duties often you commend Yet interdict you our obedience You bid speake truth but in a double sence How can your teaching many spirits saue When words and works such contradictions haue These Instigators fill her hands with blood In all respects saue this a vertuous Queene What they made vitious would haue prooued good Had not their powrefull prouocations beene Vpon her name this blood had not bin seene And men of holy place be sure of this Where you touch blood the marke apparant is This Ladie in the number of the rest Indur'd the storme of persecution Highest in griefe and in her name the best And with the best maintain'd her resolution She like the Lamb prepar'd for execution Doth still exspect by loosing of her breath To giue her holy cause a holy death And reason had she of this iust suspect So strange was alteration in the State Within her Sisters face she found neglect And friends doe euer faile th' vnfortunate The present state men onelie estimate For as the wind transports the flying Aire So as times alter men stil fliers are Her house in Edwards time a little Court Full of the fawning seruice of the knee But Marie now cuttes off this full resort And men fall backe in their Apostasie The Cuckooes sing not where colde winters be And Time this Lady of her port bereaues As winter frosts nip off the falling leaues These were the first beginnings of her care Which like the heads of little rising springs Runne to a larger bignesse than they were So Time that fauours not this Ladie brings Still fresh supplie vnto her sufferings Like flouds that with their swelling tides are fed Till falling Seas doe make their waters ebbe Here might she spend her holie meditation As sure she did much holier than I write She alters not with Fortunes alteration Resolue had made her sufferings her delight Her holie cause did giue her holie might To beare the indignation of their spleene That made her Sister her offended Queene ¶ O thou eternall Spirite thus she faies Without whose pleasure nothing hath euent Before we be thou numbrest all our daies And preordainest euerie accident To
thee all things that be themselues present And I that for thy holie Name must die Imbrace the cause and thanke thy Maiestie What ere I suffer is in thy decree Which limits all the purposes of men My selfe my cause I consecrate to thee Let them cut off vncertaine life yet then I le breathe it in thy sacred hands and when My Sister Marie offers vp my blood I le offer vp my heart to make it good My Sauiour Iesus suffered more than I And for my sake that Lord he suffered The righteous One did for the sinnefull die And gaue his life for ours that perished Thy seruant is by thy example led To die for Truth sith Truth did die for me For thus to die is lifes eternitie What is my life the world should enuie so Alas a little puffe of breathing aire Death hath ten thousand meanes to let it goe And flie this wearie bodie of my care Vncertaine I to loose it when or where Ther 's somewhat else than breath they care for than For breath is common vnto euery man It is for Conscience and Religions cause That I indure this burthen of their hate How ere guiltlesse yet the wrested Lawes Must correspond in iudgement with the State For that is lawe our Gouernours relate And though by Law my innocence be proou'd The Case wil alter if the Prince be moou'd Be it that Gods preuenting eie should sleepe And that their purpose haue desired end That Soule they take from me they cannot keepe Which to a mighty Lord recommend His right he can against all clames defend How fruitles is the haruest which they make That cannot keepe the treasure which they take Men are in iurious that report of Death To be the highest of extremities Whenas we die what loose we else but breath And many numbers of our miseries When this life setts a better doth arise And when to Death a holy cause is giuen Death is the Gate by which we enter heauen Within our life these sorrowes we containe Vncertaine daies yet full of certaine griefe In number few but infinite in paine O're chargde with wants but naked of reliefe In ruling it our euill partes are chiefe And though our time be not cut short by Death Oldeage will creepe to stop vncertaine breath Yet to the much affliction of the minde This of the body is a scant compare Wherein so many and so much I find As would astonne my spirits to declare Triall can onely tell vs what they are For we whom Custom hath with griefe acquainted By vs her sad proportion best is painted The Griefe of mind is that intestine warre That stirres sedition in the state of man Where when our Passions once commaunders are Our peacefull dayes are desperate for than The stirre 's more hote than when it first began For heady Passion 's like an vntam'd beast That riots most when we desire it least This violence exceedes his vertuous meane Like swelling tides that ouerrunne their shore Leauing the lawfull current of their streame And breake their bankes that bounded them before Yet griefe in his great violence is more For if that Reason bound not Griefe with Lawes In our destruction Griefe will be the cause Griefe should be borne with much indifference Not much regarded yet regardlesse neuer Not much affected yet we must haue sense To feele our griefe and apprehend it euer Yet let the grieued euer thus indeuer To make his burthen easefull as hee may And so his griefe with ease is borne away So much of Griefe we onely doe sustaine As in our choice our selues do apprehend Griefe may present it selfe but not constraine That we imbrace what it doth recommend Beare it but lightly then for to that end Is Patience giuen by whose resolued might The heauiest loade of Griefe is made but light This is the most of happinesse we haue That with our Patience we support our cares Not we our selues but God this vertue gaue Which our vnworthie life right well declares To loose my life is for to loose my cares Then what is Death that I should feare to die Death is the death of all my miserie What then is that which doth beget desire In humane flesh to linger out long daies Is it because to Honormen aspire Or for their name in Beautie hath a praise Or is 't their greedy Auarice them staies Honour Beautie nor desire of Golde Cannot the certaine of their death withhold Honour is nothing but a very name Often conferd to men of little merite In euery place as common as is Fame Commonly giuen to euery common spirite So little worth as anie one may weare it Then why should that be thought of estimation That giues to base deseruings high creation The name and place of honour may be giuen As please the Prince in fauour to dispose But true deriued Honor is from heauen And often liues in meane estate with those That to the courts of Princes neuer goes How vainly prowd are such as would get Fame Yet get no more of Honor but the name Be it thy Honour as the glorious Sunne Exceede the rate of common exspectation Thy Prince displeased once thy honor 's done In rising to this pitch men vse gradation But at one fall they loose all estimation For he whose powre is euer absolute His angry breath can puffe thy glorie out Where is the honour of great Macedon That measur'd out large Empires with his Sword Great Iulius is with many Caesars gone Leauing no more of Honour than the word And but the pennes of Schollers that recotd Old Time would bring their Honor to that shame As Caesar and the rest would haue no name Who is 't that now of Caesar bends the knee Or frames the sweete of wordes to please his eare Who is 't that now regardeth his Decree Or his offended countenaunce doth feare Caesar in 's Graue his Honour is no where If Honour thus doe perish in the best What may be then exspected in the rest He that from enuious eie and full resort Liues priuate with a little state content Little desires the honour of the Court Where emulation stirres a discontent Men shoote at him that is most eminent And whom the prince with hiest grace doth crown Enuy brings many hands to pull him downe See here the glorie of mortallitie Which we with infinite of care pursue Painefull to get but lost at libertie Fatall to many fortunate to few Whereto so many miseries insue As filles our time with cares then why should I For this respect of honour feare to die Is Beauty then of that high consequence Wherein I may disswasiue reason finde Is that faire shadow of that excellence That for the face I should exchange the minde Beauty that blindeth many cannot blinde My Reason so for Beautie 's but a floure Which being pluckt it fadeth in an houre What though the world with admirations eie Gaze at the wondrous pleasure in the face Wherein the
bid her haste away Her stay made people in great numbers throng Vnto the Court. The Towre she saith is strong And though the people in her fauour rise Yet being there she can vs not surprise The Messengers that brought this hard command Saide that a Barge did for her Grace attend And that not Time nor Tide would euer stand And therefore did desire she would not spend The Time that made the Tide to be their friend The Princesse with a grieued smile replide I am not friended with your forward Tide Will you but length my time alittle more And stay the fortunes of another Tide God may in little Time my selfe restore And fauour whome the Times indignifide Will you my Lords The Lords then thus replide Madame we are but seruants to the State Seruants must euer on their Maisters wait Is there no mercie Then be strong my heart To beare the sorrowes of a wearie breath I haue a God that will from heauen impart Patience that makes vs ioyous in our death My God be such to thy Elizabeth Sith that the Queene all mercie doth denie I to the King of heauen for mercie flie Yet will I with my duteous care attempt To purchase fauour from my Sisters eie For by my Letters to my Soueraigne sent Her gratious acceptation I shal trie Saue but the Lord of Sussex all denie To beare the written message she would send So much they feare the Bishop to offend This noble Lord the heauens record his name Kneeld with an humble reuerence to her Grace Swearing he would his honour first disclame And lose the reputation of great place Ere he would so denie her princely Grace If so he saith your princely griefe be writ I le pawne my honour to deliuer it See here the diffrence in the mighty ones The Chancelor Steuen whose place was eminent Had not as Sussex had these motions For why his birth from basenesse had discent But Sussex is in honour different For when that honour is deriu'd in blood That honour makes the honourable good The Ladie glad she had a meanes to send Raiseth him from the seruice of his knee And she in teares his honour did commend That hath respect to her extremitie And then she craues alittle libertie That to hir Soueraigne Sister she may write Griefe hath a tongue but cannot well indite My Soueraigne and my Sister thus she saith I haue no griefe but that your Grace is grieu'd And that you haue suspition of my faith And that I am not of your Grace beleeu'd Alas who hath my treasure thus bereeu'd Please it your Grace my innocence to trie If I be guiltie let the guiltie die This letter did this faithfull Lord present Vnto the Queene but yet with such successe As still she is to her maleuolent Steuen had resolu'd her in her bloodinesse She therefore blames the Earles forwardnesse That he would thus expend his industrie In fauour of her greatest enemie Away shee saith conuey her to the Towre Is our commaund so little of respect We will not you deferre it off an houre You do dis-honour vs in your neglect We tell you Sussex she had neede be kept And kept secure whose pride makes her aspire To reach her state aboue our selfe much higher The Earle thus ill fortun'd in his hope Would not reply vnto the Queenes offence Lest he against himselfe might her prouoke But backe returnes with his lost diligence And telles the Princesse how he did commence Her humble sute and of the Queenes reply That did all fauour to her Grace denie Alas she saies why do I then contend To help the euill fortunes I indure It must be death must giue my sorrowes end In death I shall my quiet best assure Death can more happines than I procure Then to the Towre sith mercy you deny It 's better once than euer for to die And on the morrow to the Towre she went Guarded with bands of manie armed men The time was in the holy time of Lent And on the day of holy Sabbaoth when Religious dueties were performing then Did Steuen almost agreeing in the day Most Iudas like this holy one betray What should I tell you of the much resort Of running vulgars that vpon her gaze Or of the strange constructions of the Court Nor how the newes the better sort amaze Nor what the murmure of the people saies But for to tell the sorrowes in her breast To tell you that is more than all the rest What is 't her Grace with griefe should teare her mind Or that the giddie people for her pray Except in God she can no comfort finde What is 't the Tide inforce her for to stay Hulling vpon the riuer where she lay For when the Tide alittle time had spent The Tide then seru'd for her imprisonment Being arriued at the place of woe They offer to the staires where Traitors land Her Grace desir'd she might not enter so Praying the Lords that they would so command Some doe accord but others do withstand And there as often when it goes by voyce The worse and not the better had the choice Then with a grieued yet a princely grace She steppes vpon that ill arriuing shore And here she saith now enters in this place As true a subiect to my Gouernour As ere this heauy passage went before And you my Lords beare witnes what I say A loyall heart may enter in this way In these our present fortunes you may reade The fickle change of all mortallitie You know my Lords how princely we are bred And now you see our great extreamitie Alas in vs there is no certaintie For though we be the neerest to the Crowne A little tricke of Fortune pulles vs downe When this was saide she thence was led away Into the circuite of the inner Court The way she went was marshal'd in array A many country swaines in warrelike sort These warriors that sawe her princely port Such reuerence in the seely men appeares Their hands haue wepons but their eies haue teares Terrour in euery place presents her eie And that so much as might exanimate A heart of well resolued valiancie Much more a Ladie so vnfortunate To loose the pleasures of so high estate For sure then Griefe is many doubles more That comes to one that knew it not before To see the men of warre to be her garde The dismall place she was to enter in The heaps of Ammunition in the yarde The noyse of fetter'd prisoners from within To see these markes of warre and prisoning Were much vnfitting obiects for the sight Ladies not loue but feare to be in the fight The numbers of her griefe do so oppresse The much infeebled bodie of her Grace As she sits downe with her much wearinesse And on a stone she makes her resting place Who though the clowds did fall vpon her face Lifts vp her hands vnto the weeping skie That onely mournes for her extremitie And thus she said O thou
eternall eie That sees the very secrets of my hart I doe report me to thy Maiestie That I am not so foule in my desert Thou art my comfort and my Iudge thou art Sith heere on earth no iustice will be giuen I for my iustice will resort to heauen The worke did well expresse the workemans Arte For that which should haue life did seeme to haue it He could no more then seeming life imparte And that was done so well as Arte could haue it So exquisite the lustre that he gaue it The Artist had so much of Arte in giuing As she did feare the Lions had beene liuing In midst of them sate Daniel at his praire His eies his heart and hands he lifts to heauen His armed garde the kingly Lyons were And vnto him were many Angells giuen Some do restraine the Lions that are keene Others vpon his breath attending are To carry vp the message of his praire Nor in this holy storie was forgot How Abacue was carried from his men Nor how the Angell set him on the top Nor how he call'd to Daniel in the Den But sure some wit was in the workeman when He makes the Angell beare him by the haire Yet makes his head be bald and almost bare The Princesse on this obiect spends her sight And freely spends it with intentiue eie The grieued doe in grieued things delight And this well sorts with her extremitie Heere is she saith a friendly company We are not then alone why grieue we thus For Daniel and the Lyons be with vs. As I so Daniel was of noble blood Both I and Daniel haue like holy cause As I my selfe so Daniel hath withstood To yeelde obedience vnto wicked Lawes Daniel and I are enuied both because We giue that honour to the King of heauen Which others vnto Images haue giuen God sends his Angells to this holy man And bindes the force of Lions for his sake If God restraine what enuie is there than That can from any any little take The eie of prouidence doth euer wake Then sith that we so like to Daniel are God will as well for vs as Daniel care I am alas into this prison cast And God he knowes without deseruing cause And I among such Lions now am plac'd As watch to seaze my body in their pawes Lorde binde the powre of their deuouring iawes And though among these Lions be a Priest Yet being bloudie he is a bloodie beast This apprehension of anothers griefe Doth somewhat ease the furie of her owne And she from Daniel can receiue reliefe Because to him such fauour God had showne She knowes that God hath all her sorrowes knowne And He that could the furious Lions tame Will fauour her that suffers for his name Thus and much better than I can report Was this good Ladie in her griefe affected But much vnequall was the care at Court Where Steuen aud others other cares respected With them there was no tricke of wit neglected They vex themselues with ouer studious care To malice her so much they enuious were With their prepared subtilties they came Vnto the Towre to sift her innocence And then the Bishop did the Princesse blame And imputates hir other mens offence Saying she caused disobedience And those that were rebellious in the State Were onely such as she did animate Then he a number of their names recited Their seuerall plottes and euery circumstance And how her Grace was thought with them vnited And that from hir the warre had maintenance He left not aught vnsaide that might aduance His euill drift which for they were so many And euill ones I will not write of any The Princesse to his many words replide Alas what is 't you would afflict vs more Are not our griefes enough yet multiplide That still you wrong whom you haue wrong'd before I haue enough of griefe what neede I more And for my answer to your euill tongue I doe protest my Lord you doe me wrong I neuer had that high aspiring minde To pull my Sister from her royall throne In my religion I could neuer finde Licence or Warrant for rebellion Rome neuer gaue me dispensation Nor euer learn'd I in my tuterings To merite heauen by murthering of Kings This sharpe reply the Bishop so offended As he reanswers in a bitter phrase Madam against the Church you haue contended And still contend the angry Prelate saies This disobedience is your great dispraise If you betray the Church which is your mother How can you then be true to any other How is 't your Grace should thus contend with heauen With God with Angells and with holy Saints How is 't that thus to Luther you haue giuen Your soule which he with blackenesse all depaints Who is 't this heresie with you acquaints Alas good Ladie Luther doth not well To drawe your Grace and many moe to hell O giue me leaue alittle to aduise I doe not know how fortunate I may To leaue the danger of your heresies Let Luther beare them with himselfe away Sith you are lost I will direct your way And will you follow but as I direct You shall arriue the place of Gods elect What should I speake of Perrie who was sent To short her life with his base treacherous hand Or yet of him who with the like intent Came to surprise her with an armed band Or how with fire she did in danger stand There are both these and many moe behinde Whose repetition would but grieue my minde Yet can it not in my remembrance die How Spanish Philip did this Ladie friend That he could pittie her extreamitie That he his louing fauour did extend That he would praise that he her gifts commend By this we see their malice was but vaine Mercie will come although it come from Spaine So well the Kings perswasion could preuaile As that the Queene did for her Sister send The message did with feare her heart assaile And sure she thinkes some euill they intend How ere it be she saith I recommend Into thy hands O sacred Lord of heauen My selfe and all that to my selfe is giuen And thus prepar'd she iournies to the Court Where in her chamber prison-like retirde She liues shut vp from any ones resort The Bishop that this Ladies bloud desirde To quench his heart with burning enuy firde Comes to her furnisht with his studious care Hoping with craft the Princesse to insnare Gardner it is in vaine thou her assaile Whome God protects with his almightie hand Canst thou against the liuing God preuaile Or canst thou his all-able powre withstand Or canst thou God and holy heauen command Bishop be sure they are deceiued farre That thinke with God to make preuailing warre Therefore thy euill had but bad euent How ere made strong with thy contriuing wit Because thy euill to the good was meant And God would not be pleasd to fauour it Though earth and hell in busie counsell sit God countermaunds what ere they deuise And