wherof may bee the one of you by our most prudent Prince doubtlesse at the secret motion of GOD raysed vnto sutch highnesse in Honour as match with the best inferiour to none I neede seeke for no farther occasions of commendation or auntient titles of worship or honour the siluered heares giuing euident token of the golden wit and the honourable age â–ª of the verteous forepassed life and the many yeres of the blessing of the most highest god On th' other side bewtified with a louing Lady the ofspringe of an excellent race Nice to rightwoorship full Grandsiers daughter to a woorthy Knight Schollar to a learned scholemaister Sister to a right honourable Lady Moother of mutch hoped impes Aunt to a peerelesse couÌ„tesse Wife to a noble Counseller Ladie of a Godly Famely Subiect to a louinge Prince a trewe woorshipper of Almightie god Vnto whose good pleasure for the prolonging and continuance of both your liues in increse of godlie Honour and all other delightes apperteininge whereby the race of this transitorie life may bee made lesse irksome to the bodie or preiudiciall to the soule I am bownden dayly to pray the effect whereof hee graunte who tendreth our iust requestes and is the only giuer of all goodnesse At London this first day of Ianuarie 1574. Your honours euer at commaundment T. Twine FATIS VOLENTIBVS VIRTVTE DVCE No worldly pelfe see thee from God do call Incline thine hart to doo the thyng is iust Confirme thy Faith that thou doo neuer fall Holde fast on GOD in him repose thy trust Obserue thy wayes amende what is a misse Lay vp thy wealth where rust may do no harme Amende thy crimes while vacant time there is Submit thy cause vnto Gods mightie arme Auenge thee not when thou canst well repay Neuer let vices harbour in thine hart Needes vrgent law consider thou alway Eke to the poore doo of thy goodes impart Beware of Pride by Glorie set no price Avvay from giltlesse blood turne backe thy face Consider sutes weigh causes once or twice Open thy mouth on wydowes wofull case Nothing from Praier let thee once disseuer Ensue this lore and thou shalt liue for euer there consisteth life and welfare vnto my sowle and by breatch and violation nothing else but seuere sentence of finall dampnation Therfore I cannot tell most miserable wretch as I am how I shuld presume to approche thée for mercie I dare not shew my selfe beefore thée but if it were possible I would gladly hide my self from thy sight where thou mighst not finde mée out that by sutch meanes I might escape thy dreadfull iudgement Howbeit O Lorde thou art the mightie God to whom all things in heauen and earth are knowne whose eies béeholde what is done in the top of the highest and in the bottome of the deapest places in the world In thy sight Lord the most secret thoughtes of the harte are open and from thée there are no cogitations pretences practises deuises nor the smallest motions of the mind hidden Vnto thée therefore with tremblinge and teares I returne appealing from thy high dread and terryble throne of iust iudgement remoouing my cause to thy most swéete amiable pleasaunt and comfortable court of thy manifold mercies Euen there Lord thou hast layde vp sutch store and abundance of graces pardons forgiuenes of sinnes that they do surmounte the numbre and ouersâ—read the greatnes of al thy wonderfull woorkes Héere then it is O my God that I dare to appeare béefore thy diuine Maiestie a fylthye sinner béefore a mercifull God a very lumpe of wickednes beefore the eternall creator of all thinges of inestimable wisdome that takest mercie vppon our weakenes and infirmitie béecause thou wotest well the stuffe and substaunce wherof thou hast made vs. Béeholde Lord I call vnto mée thy dearelybéeloued sonne my most louing redéemer and sauiour Ihesus Christe to bée myne aduocate according vnto his own fréewil and voluntarie offering in whom and through whom by his most precious blouddeshed vnto thée vpon the acceptable altare of the Crosse in liew of the double death that wée should al haue died for our-most horrible offences Pardon I béeséech thée O god my gréeuous iniquities forgyue mée all my wickednes release my necligences remit mine ignorances abandon the lothsomenes of my sinnes which from my mothers wombe vnto this present day I haue coÌ„mitted or shall do hereafter vnto my liues ende That béeing so clensed and purified from all contagion of sinfull impuritie let mée obtayn a liuely and feruent fayth at thy handes stedfastly to call vpon thée in most hartie prayer Lord in all my necessities aduersities troubles and afflictions confirme my harte that I may put my whole trust and affiance in thy maiestie and séeke none other meanes nor take none other comfort but in reading thy worthy woorde or in recourse to thée in most faithful and effectuall supplications If at any tyme Lorde as is the frailtie of our corruptible nature and the incessant suggestions of Sathan our auncient enemie I féele in my selfe any faintnes or fayling of feruencie in calling continually vppon thée kindle thou then my hart with the heauenly heate of thy holy spirit Graunt mée grace to crie with thy hollie Apostle for encrease of faithe that béeing awaked and stirred vppe through thée I may enioy the effect of my godly desiers which thou hast promised to yelde vnto mée through thy sonne Iesus Christ my sauiour Performe my God that whiche thou hast indented with thy selly seruant who with anguishe of minde séeketh after the comfort of thy face continue in mée the custome to call vpon thée in praier and all the powers of my body shal not cease to sing thy sacred praise Amen J. ¶ If yee beeing euil know to giue your children good giftes how mutch more will your Father which is in heauen giue good thinges to them that aske them ¶ The second Flower IN most hartie hope of thy manyfold mercies and with lowly reuerence O euerlasting God loe thus I draw nighe vnto thée béeing sore laden with th'infinite number of my sinnes trusting in thy fatherly goodnes and entier loue which thou bearest vnto mankinde thou wilte discharge mée of mine vnrighteousnes and wash away al mine infirmities Thy louing kindenes hath ben inestimable which thou hast borne vnto mée since my simple conception in the tender intrailes of my mother within whose body thou didest laye forth the platforme of my body and gauest vnto mée the representatioÌ„ of a man thy bestbéeloued and cumliest creature After this in due maturitie of time according to the established and ordinarie season assigned by thy heauenly wisedome thou broughtest mée foorth into this worlde my first tune giuyng proofe of the vnhappie condicion that I should enioy therin Lorde thou knowest how that so soone as I was deliuered froÌ„ my mothers wombe euen then I béegan my life in féeblenes and sorow and the my thoughte kéepe myne eies from seing it myne eares
Christes sake graunt mée that I may couet with a prudent minde those thinges that be pleasant and acceptable vnto thée that I may finde them easely searche them wisely know them truely and exercise them effectually to the worthy praise of thy glorious name Dispose the whole course of my life in sutche order that it may accomplish that whiche thy godly pleasure requireth at my handes that I may perfectly know it haue a willyng minde to do it and power from thée to fulfill it whereby I may obtayne those thinges that bée moste conuenient for my necessities and appertaynyng to my saluation Chéere vp my hart O my moste déere God with the hope of thy plenteous promises and make mée alwayes as merie as it béecommeth a Christian and one that feareth God giue mée grace euer to reioyce in thée and thy godly will and that I may bée sorie for nothynge but onely in dooyng those thinges that draw mee away from thee to éeuell O Lorde God of infinite wisdom inspire my hart and direct my voyce that I may not thinke nor vtter any thinge béefore thée then that whiche thou knowest to bée expedient for mée to aske and glorious for thée to giue turne not my prayer into perdition nor my sute into sinne for thou art my God on whom I wholy depende saue mée for thy mercies sake O saue mée accordynge as I haue alwayes repoased my confidence in thée Amen A. ¶ A mans almes is as a purse with him and shall keepe a mans fauour as the apple of an eye and afterwarde shall it arise and pay euery man his rewarde vpon his head ¶ The seuenth Flower ACcordyng vnto the incomprehēsible numbre of thy manifolde mercies O Lorde take pitie and compassion vpon mée discharge mee of the importable fraught of mine in firmities for thou art hee that losest and none can binde and that bindest and none can lose lose mée therefore I béeséeche thee from the lothesome burden of my sinne and binde mee that I may not depart from thy statutes O thou God of my power make my hart to resemble the driest towe and let the most feruent loue of thy lawes kindle as it were a flaminge fier within my breast that I may so bée consumed with a greedie zeale in fulfillyng thy heastes let no coale of conscience in aniwise extinguish this burnyng nor yet likewarmenesse aswage this heate Let others sée this in mée that they may take example thereat and bee confirmed in Godlinesse for I am priuily greeued that I haue bin vnacquayne deth in dread of thy driry iudgement lookyng for deliuerance and running for refuge to the redoubted rampier of thy milde mercies Pardon mée Lorde if at any time I haue sought the ayde of any creature neclecting thée that art the creator of all thynges without whom there is no health nor saluation if I haue drunken of the lothsome lakes and refused thee that art the Fountayne of Life if I haue fully fead on wicked weedes and passed by the holsome herbes of diuine doctrine I haue erred Lorde and gone astray like a wilfull shéepe and harkned vnto the voyce of fayned sheapheards that had no part with thée I haue bin loste in the wildernesse of wicked superstition and Idolatrie and torne in the briars of sutche as sought my fleece and cared not for my soule but to destroy it I haue tasted of the deadly dewe and the rotte is entred into my veynes I am extreame sicke that I cannot stand vpon my legges I am not able to lift vp my voyce for my lungues are infected my threat is horce with criyng I am vexed with a cough and the terrible stitche assaulteth me so sore within my ribbes that I am nothynge but a carcas fraught with care and a wretche wrapped in sinfull sickenesses O come thou God of my saluation come visite thy poore seruant bring mée home whiche am lost and direct mee that haue gone astray teache mée to know the liuely sounde of thy moste holly woord that I may wholy harken therto and to the voyce of none other that shall happen to call vnto mee saying lo héere is Christ or there is Christe Saue mée Lorde from the vnsauerie smell of pharasaicall superstition that my hart neuer bee defiled therewith and for thy mercie sake asist mée moste graciously that I fall not into any dotage of deuilish Idolatrie for thou art a ielous God and wilt not suffer thine honour to bee giuen to other and béesides thee ther is none that can helpe I haue fead O Lorde to mutche at full vpon the sugred delightes of this wicked worlde whiche indeede are sauced with most bitter woormewood the taste of them is pleasant but the tayle is abhominable tarte I haue chawed them with pleasure but they haue choked mee with cares they seemed vnto mee as toothesome Triacles but I haue founde them pestilent poysons Deliuer mee gratious GOD through thy great goodnesse say vnto mee I wilbée thy comfort and vnto my soule I will bée thy phisition then shall there no daunger daunt my hart nor ghostly greife procure myne anoy but that I may alwaies cheerefully singe foorthe thy noble prayse for euer Amen S. ¶ Say not vnto thy neighbour goe thy way and come agayne tomorow I will giue thee wheras thou hast now to giue him ¶ The eight Flower SAluation immortalitie and vnspeakeable pleasures O God are prepared bountifully to embrace those that put their trust in thee and without all doublenesse of harte or contagion of sinne leade foorthe the lingrynge steppes of their lothsome life in the wayes of trueth and obedience towardes thy commaundementes Thy wayes most swéete Lorde are the wayes of wealthe and thy commaundementes conducte vnto heauenly honour thou haste layde foorth a streigth pathe vnto those that haue grace to walke therin and thou hast promised most singular rewardes vnto sutche as obey thy moste woorthy will. As for thy wil it is the welspring of welfare the pathe of peace the sea of securitie the porte of perfection and the fountayne of all felicitie Wherefore I would fayne bée clensed that I might tread foorthe the time of this daungerous pilgrimage in accomplishing thy heauenly heastes and fulfilling thy statutes full of consolation O thou that art the God of al trueth whiche in puritie doest passe the Angels and exceedest the saincts in perfection in respect of whose hollinesse all thinges are vile and sinfull my poore pantyng ghost sore longeth after thée for that thou art the consummation of all goodnesse in the sight of thy glorie I am ashamed of mine owne vnrighteousnesse Lorde faine would I intreate thy maiestie and I doo moste hartely request the same that thou wouldest béeholde the wofull afflictions greifs miseries stripes sores and wounds which my soule sustayneth through the continuall surprise of my cancred sinnes and in the large abundance of thy milde mercies heale them with thy holly hande Woe am I my God that I appeere béefore thée thus
for I acknowledge my manifolde iniquities and I am hartely sorie for my sinnes I am woe that euer I went awrie thou seest Lord the contrition of my hart and my sighing is not hid from thée take no reguarde to my crimes that are past but harken how I purpose to amende only guide mée with thy grace shunne not the sute of a sinner but heare the prayer of him that putteth his trust in thee as thou most louingly hast promised Thou art almightie O Lorde my God and canst graunt whatsoeuer is asked giue vnto my soule an hartie féelyng of true deuotion fulfill mée with the Charitie and louynge kindenesse of thy deere sunne which hee expressed when moste humbly hée offred himselfe vpon the Crosse died the bitter death and shedde his precious bloud for the sinnes of mee and many Lorde if my teares were in quantitie match to the déepe sea and my sighes were as the smoke of a Fornace and my sobbes coulde breake the harde Diamonde and my waylynges were equall vnto the noyse of thundre and my sorow were sutch as no tongue can expresse yet could I not sufficiently lameÌ„t for the guilt of my gréeuous offences Thou hast giuen mee an harte to vnderstande thee and eies to béehold thee in thy woorthie woorkes giue mée also I pray thee a desier to walke in thy will and then I am certayne I shall want nothynge that is needefull for the good estate of my bodie or soule aboue all giue mée the quietnesse of a calme conscience and seperate mée not from the hope of thy health I haue prayed vnto thee my swéet God for perfection of minde so I béeséeche thée also sende mée the strength and firmitude of bodie with al the powers therof to thy pleasure preserue the corporal life of my soueraigne thy faithfull seruant our gracious gouerner likewise of my parentes friendes and kinsefolke vouchesaulfe to bée fauourable vnto my feere whom thou hast sent mée in thy feare and stande good father vnto my poore remainder the béeloued moitie of my life If thou graunt not my petitions thou art true notwithstandyng for God heareth not sinners and if thou giue eare vnto my prayers thou art merciful for thou commaundest mée to aske and I shall receaue and if I obtayne it is only thy méere liberalitie no desert of mine shew mée thy mercie that I may bee hearde and make mee worthy O Lorde to receaue Thou hast taught mée to pray O deliuer mée from the greate éeuill saue mée from the mouth of the monstrous Dragon whiche continually prosecuteth mée and with the sheild of thy might deliuer mée from his perilous hornes for his most gréedy desier is to entrappe my life and to deuoure my soule whiche thou haste created Wherefore O Lorde incessantly I crie vnto thee acquite mee from my daylie aduersarie whiche whether I sleepe or wake whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I doo by all meanes bothe day and night lieth in waite priuely or openly to shoote his venemous shaftes against mee and to sley my soule but bee thou my gracious protectour If thou Lorde bée on my side I estéeme not the force of any foe there is nothynge to hurt where thou arte to helpe there can no fende of darcknesse impugne where the Lorde of light doth defende let mée not perish Lorde through lacke of thy succour for in my hart I haue made thee the full refuge of my hope and the rampier of my health Confesse I must néedes that the deuises of my hart haue driuen mee from my duetie and the imaginations of my minde haue augmented my mischeif but I trust Lorde that in the ritchnesse of thy mercies thou wilt thinke on my pouertie and in the plentie of thy goodnesse thou wilt remembre my scarcitie of perfectioÌ„s and take fauourable compassion vppon mee O eternall Lorde I powre not foorthe my prayers béefore thy presence trustynge in the strength of mine owne righteousnesse but in thy greate and manifolde mercies saue mée Lorde for thy déere sonnes sake preserue mée from slaundrous tungues and hatefull hartes defende mée from mishappe pestilence famine murther and sudden death I béeséeche thee I will singe with my mouth and giue thankes with my harte and set foorth thy glorie most glorious God and I will conforme all the members of my body that they shall doo thy will I wil bee wholy the Lords and the Lorde shal bee the porcion of my patrimonie refuse mée not for my will shall alwayes bée with thée Amen E. ¶ Euery mans woorke shalbeo made manifest the day shall declare it bicause it shal bee reuealed by the fier and the fier shall trie euerie mans woorke what it is ¶ The .xij. Flower EVerlastyng God and most mercifull Father thou haste stirred mée vp with the liuely feelyng of an vnfayned faith this day to call vpon thy most holly name increase I béeséethe thee continually that godly desier within my breast for I know thou hast guiftes enow in store for vs all and thou wilt heare the humilitie of an hartie praier Heare mée now therefore O my Lorde for I stande a far of criynge with the Publican Lorde haue mercie vpon mée which am a sinner and with the Leaper Lorde if it bée thy will thou canst clense mée and with the faithfull Centurian Lorde my seruant is very sicke and like to die but say thou the woorde and hée shall bée made whole What doo théese woordes signifie other O Lorde but that I am in miserie and fayne woulde bée reléeued I am in sorow and fayne would bée comforted I am in distresse and fayne woulde bee succoured I am in sinne and fayne woulde bée pardoned and I come vnto thee for thou art the only woorker of wealth and Lorde of mercie and I hope thou wilt helpe mée Haue mercie vpon mée O Lorde haue mercie vpon mée for I had neuer so mutche néede my offences are increased and my force is diminished aâ—d if I would take in hand to write the millians of my misdeedes that dayly doo burden my bodie and sinke my soule it were néedeful that thou shouldest create in mee a thousande new toongues I can hide nothyng from thée that whiche I haue committed in secrete lieth manifest béefore thy celestiall eyes for at the dooynge of all thynges thou art present and thou art the perpetuall bee holder of my harte and all my delightes déedes and deuises of minde are as cleare in thy sight as is the light of the nooneday and more clearer But harken now awhile O my soule forsake thy worldly businesse and carefull cogitations for a season bée at leasure vnto God and take thy rest in him entre into the secret closet of thy harte and shut foorth all other occupations and when thou art there alone then séeke for the lorde and hée will séeke for thée and if thou list thou shalt surely finde him And when thou hast founde him say then vnto him O lorde my harte hath sought thy face
¶ The Garlande of Godly Flowers Bewtifully adorned as most freshly they flourish in the Gardeins of right faithfull Christian writers Yéeldyng foorth a very comfortable sauour to the afflicted Soule wherby hée is salfly transported vnto the mercifull throne of the most glorious God. Carefully collected and diligently digested into ordre by Tho. Twyne Gentleman 1574. I will take it on my shoulder and as a Garland binde it about my head Iob. 11. ¶ Imprinted at London by William How. MEDIOCRIA FIRMA To the Right honorable syr Nicholas Bacon Knight one of the Queenes Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell and Lorde kéeper of the great seale of England And to the Right honorable and most verteous Ladie Anne his wife my very good Lorde and Mayster Ladie and Maystresse WALKING in this vale of Miserie checked with the choakynge cares of this mortall life mated with the manifolde calamities whereunto the whole posteritie of our first Father Adam is subiect I finde nothing right honourable my good Lorde and Lady wherin the hart of man can take more quiet and cast foorth a surer anker of stabilitie to ride salfe from the vncertaine surges of this wicked worlde or enter into a calmer Hauen then into the vndoubted harbour and comfortable porte of Praier Heerein although wee bee neuer so mutche tossed with troubles weeried with vexations affrighted with afflictions pinched with paines oppressed with miseries girded with greifes and slayne with persecutions yet wee may finde assured releife certaine succour constant comfort and speedie deliuerance And no meruell For although it sumtimes so vnhappely fall out that eeuen the most expert and wisest Mariners when they haue attayned the Rode after boysterous stormes on th' open sea thinkyng themselues then past all daunger are notwithstanding cast a way in the Hauen yet in the midst of our miseries and very depth of our daungers if wee turne aboute the helme of our contemplations and arriue once with in this Rode wee neede to feare no foule weather wee weigh no Shippewracke wee dreade no drowninge The flittinge of our barke may aptly represent our distracted conscience the Cable thereof our Faith the Anker frute of good woorkes fast linked to the same the Ankeradge is Christe our sauiour on whom if our cable do strike and our Anker take holde the grounde neuer fayleth vs for it is a firme rocke it yeeldeth not at the rage of winde nor weather for it is not setled vpon the sand In sutch like sort it pleased sumtime our sweet Sauiour the diuine wisdom of God the father by grosse and base terme to figure himself the better to bee conceaued by our blinded vnderstanding that knowyng the nature and disposition of the thing wee might likewise in all our troubles and afflictions stay and repose and our praier to bee effectuall Then shal wee feele immediatly a woonderful operation of the holy ghost within our hartes assuryng vs of the greate and tendre mercie of God towards vs wherin wee are eftsoones emboldned to crie vnto him Abba father thy wil bee doone in earth as it is in heauen This is the meanes whereby the auntient heroicall personages of the olde testament beecame as it were familiar with god For by this hee was felt in a combat of wrestlyng al night seene in the burnyng busshe heard in a calme after a windie tempest and dayly cōmuned withall in the mount By faithfull praier God preserueth the righteous in the true way bringeth backe sutche as goe astray stayeth vp those that stande helpeth vp sutche as fall comforteth the weake consciēce lighteneth the sorowfull hart cheereth the heauie refressheth the laden erecteth the afflicted from the deepe dungeon of blacke desperation and crowneth him with immortallitie I neede not in this place to call now to recorde the priuie experimentes triall herein of many other men since that I my poore self for the short time that God hath led foorth my daies in this life haue most sharpely tasted the sower of th' one and most comfortably tried the sweete of the other Not that I haue bin a great eye sore vnto Fortune as wee daily see there bee diuerse as by her greeuously enuied at assaulted beaten cast downe troden spurned driuen to dust consumed to no thing for I neuer possessed the occasion of any sutch storming casualities Yet in my slendre Boate hath shee shipped her bitter Oare shee hath blowne a contrarie gale in my hoysed saile shee hath soused my Suger with Salt and seasoned my sweete Syrup with vnpleasant Aloes shee hath frowned vpon my felicitie and doone hir best to bring mee to nought and now shee triūpheth for the victorie wher to I must of force haue yeelded had I not sustained my selfe only with this most worthy benefite wherby I haue bin sufficiently instructed how to estee me the frownings or fawnings of this wicked world As for the vse of Praier it is expedient in our youth and necessarie in our olde age By this the poore wretches doo tollerate their neede and the ritche obtaine power to enioy their wealth Both the prince and the subiect whatsoeuer bee the puisance of the one or the condicion of the other haue continuall neede of recourse vnto praier wherby they become humble sueters to th'omnipotent God in respect of their imperfections and vnrighteousnesse wherin he hath included the sunnes of men as witnesseth S. Iohn saying If wee say that wee haue no sinne wee deceaue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. And Iob likewise speaketh of all men in his owne person If I will iustefie my selfe mine owne mouthe shall condemne mee If I will bee a perfect man God shall prooue mee a wicked doer and also in another place he fitly layth foorth the miseries of our nature where hee saith Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short date of life and is replenished with many miseries The secrete assaultes whereof when they shall as dayly they doo with remorse of conscience withdraw your honourable personages a while from th' accustomable conuersation in ordinarie affayres priuatly to professe your guilt and hartely to humble your selues beefore the maiestie of God with feruent affection in lowly praier if you shall take into your handes this litle booke which I haue termed a Garland eftsoones selecting some one or two Flowers therein contained as occasion shall serue from your profounder meditations I doo not distrust but that haply your honours may conceaue sum sutche sootenesse of sauour therin as shall not offend your sense mutchlesse the maiestie of God as to the good liking of the one and the glory of the other I haue bin so bold to imploy the small trauaile of gathering these few Flowers into order of your honourable names and to offre them vnto you knitting them vp in one Garland expressing therby as was mine endeuor the absolute circle of commendable Graces and Vertues apparant to the world iointly couched in your Right honourable persons A most certain president