AN ORATION containing an Expostulation Aswell with the Queen's Highness faithful Subjects for their want of due consideration of God's blessings enjoyed by means of her Majesty: As also with the unnatural english for their disloyalty and unkindness towards the same their sovereign.  
At the first pronounced upon the Queen's majesties Birthday in the Guyldhall of the Burrow of New Windsor, by Edward Hake of Gray's Inn Gent. then Mayer of the same Burrow: And now newly imprinted this xvij. day of November, in the thirty. year of the Queen's Highness most happy Reign.   printer's or publisher's device 
¶ Imprinted at London for Edward Aggas.   

To the right Noble and virtuous his singular good Lady, the Lady Anne Countess of Warwick.  
THE time being now grown long (right noble Countess) since I first endeavoured to show myself unto my honourable good Lord and your Ladyship in some acceptable course of service, and finding always some one or other unkind let thereunto: I have now at length, as one over wearied with the fruitless expectation of my hopeless mind (even to the upbraiding as it were of mine ill hap) desperately attempted to present your Honour with this slight and slender book: not that I reckon it a sufficient supply of the thing I want and desired, but rather as an occasion to show how greatly grieved I remain that my hap hath not been all this while to do better, especially unto such and so noble a 〈…〉 itself under the respect of my zeal and dutiful meaning: protesting that it hath not proceeded from me as the fruit of an idle brain, but as the true effect of a most zealous mind and well affected heart. And so hoping your Honour will conceive of it, I forbear the further lengthening of this my rude Epistle.  
From London this joyful xvij. day of November, beginning the thirty. year of her majesties most happy Reign. Your Honourable La. in all humble service: Edward Hake.   

To the Reader.  
AUT quam minima aut quam dulcissima. Either the fewest or the sweetest words thou canst use. It was the saying of Aesop to Solon wherewith he informed Solon how he should frame and order his speech to King Croesus. I assure thee (gentle Reader) the consideration of this speech of Aesop somewhat for a while withdrew me from the printing of this my Oration, as knowing how much I had therein swerved from the said two prescripts of Aesop, namely of shortness and sweetness. But being again persuaded that inasmuch as the same my Oration (not being made unto a Prince but of a Prince) had received allowance amongst the hearers in speaking, it could not but receive some allowance also in reading, I was contented to yield it to the press, and the rather to satisfy therein the earnest solicitations of such my good friends, whom I knew to be well affected both to the person and the cause. I know there is a people amongst us, whom in no wise the matter of this my Oration will content, as whom neither the admirable blessings of God towards us, our Prince and Country can move, nor the excelling mercies of our gracious Sovereign allure: but of these I seek no allowance at all, but rather content myself to be seen herein an utter enemy to their disloyal and undutiful dealings. And touching their avouchment of such unnatural Treasons and Conspyracies as have been heretofore intended against this our well prospering government and State, whereof this little book discourseth: If I should speak (as taking upon me to answer them therein in few) I would say with the Athenian Cleon: If these men have had cause to conspire or rebel against us as they have done, 
Thucid. lib. 3. cap. 6.  then must it be confessed that we have ruled unjustly. And again, if when they have conspired, they shall yet think that mercy belongeth unto them: I say with the same Cleon, that mercy should be used to them that do the like, and not to them that have it not, but rather have brought themselves into necessity to be our perpetual enemies. But for these, I leave them as I found them, and to ourselves I wish as much in thankfulness and obedience of life, as we have received in benefits at the hand of the almighty.   

An Oration. etc.  
SUch is the state of our times (right Honourable and beloved) that whiles every man ordereth himself after his particular occasions, and every man plotteth out his own purposes to the pretence of his calling, God the high orderer and wise disposer of all things, looketh down from his holy seat, calleth unto us & expostulateth with us the great cause of our ingratitude towards him, and (in his wonderful works as it were) doth thus say unto us: O ye men of the earth, why are ye so earthly? Why see you not that even in these earthly descending bodies there are implanted heavenly ascending minds, wherewith you might look up to your maker and give glory to the highest? Why rather draw you down the height of the Spirit to the baseness of the flesh? O ye unthankful, why, why have you so abandoned the sense of your Souls and the feeling of your Spirits, that therewith you may neither contemplate nor consider the wonders that I work, the wonders I say, which I your jehova in whom you live and have your being, have wrought & brought to pass as this day, in the midst of your land and habitations?  
brethren and friends: This seven. day of September witnesseth unto us that there is a Heaven. This day telleth us there is a God: This day, I mean the Birthday of our Elizabeth (whom the highest hath upholden to see therein the approaching day that changeth the year of her most happy reign) this day I say, hath offered to assure our senses that from God not from man, from heaven, not from earth, hath been our defence.  
The power of man hath been against us: The strength of the earth hath attempted to invade us: Princes have conspired, Nations have combined, Subjects have become Traitors, have rebelled, but God hath protected. If Princes, if foreign Princes have fretted themselves against us, he the jehova hath tamed them. If they have devised to hurt us, he hath bridled them. If their devices have been secret, he hath revealed them. And what more? If Princes, if foreign Princes have been wise, he hath made us and our Prince wiser: If rich, our riches have not been small, but rather have abounded.  
O good God, what heart can behold these things and wonder not? What eye can look upon England and marvel not? But what English Subject can partake these so rare blessings of our GOD, and still remain unthankful? By what heavy judgement it is come to pass that men enjoying so great and so manifold benefits, feel them not, or feeling them, are so grossly blind, that they know not at whose hands they receive them: this surely, to me is so strange and intrycate, that following the rule of reason, I conceive it not: Nay, Reason is therein so reasonless, that Rule it yieldeth none whereby these things should be measured or the mystery thereof disclosed. If we look upon the Pagans, we shall see how upon every particular benefit they took occasion not only to fill their Temples with Sacrifices, and to adorn their Princes with titles, but also to promise, nay, in truth to perform all possible obedience to their laws, and that in such sort, I mean with such sincerity of heart and abundance of affection, as I protest I have been moved oftentimes to think that either there was no such people at all in the world (but that they are set forth as Ideas unto us, what by their pattern we should be) Or if there were any such, that the people of this Age are so degenerate from the virtues and imitation of that Age: nay rather, are so void not only of all godliness and good graces, but of common sense and understanding, as to commemorate the present blessings of our GOD, that by means of her Majesty they ●nioye, they think it mere foolishness: to offer up thanks for his benefits that thus they continually receive, they account it superfluous: but to frame their lives to the dutiful obedience of Gods or man's good laws, they detest that as a thraldom and servitude unmeet and importable. What should I stand longer to set forth unto you the performance of these or the like of the premises in the worneoute ages, the Stories thereof being so rife, as that no man almost of any quality can be ignorant therein? What in explicable joy broke there forth throughout all the Roman Empire upon the death of cruel Domitian and the succession of mild Nerua? And in the succession; (from good to better) of Trajan that followed him, how wonderful was the applause of all the people and the conformity of all nations to the obedience of his government? As for Antoninus Pius the successor of Adrian, it is almost incredible how the people, not of Rome only, but of the whole Empire, with joy and ardent affection, continually, during all his life, submitted themselves, as it were with a holy devotion and cheerful alacritye, to obey in all things whatsoever that holy Emperor should command them. I will not speak of these, nor of Alexander Severus the renowned Emperor. That which may be said, is this. That as these Emperors were (no doubt) for their times, the Lamps of the world: So the people and Nations whom they governed, were so thankful, so joyful, so devout in obeying them, so careful to please them, so heedful not to do any thing that might offend them: as truly it is hard to say whither the world were then more happy in the renown of those just Emperors, or those Emperors more renowned in the obedience of that good people.  
But I will let pass these examples of Pagans, and will turn myself to that one only example in the time of Constantine the great, the first Christian Emperor of the world, I mean the first that publicly established the profession of Christianity in the world. The story by Eusebius is thus recorded. After the fiery clouds of persecution raised by the tyrannies of Maximianus, Severus, Maxentius, Lycinius, and the rest of the persecuting Heathen Emperors were dispersed, and the horrible Seas of Paganishe idolatries were every where dried up, the Church being then prepared by that holy Emperor Constantine for service of the true God and of his son jesus Christ: Then (saith the story) the wished and desired sights were seen of us, 
Euseb. lib. 10. ca 3.  to weet, the celebrating of the dedications throughout the City and the Consecrations of oratoryes lately builded, the meeting of Bishops, and the coming together of them, which being far severed a sunder abode in foreign Countries, the love of Nation towards Nation, the knitting together of the members of Christ combined or united into one harmony, so that according to the foreshowing of the Prophet, bone was joined to bone and joint to joint etc. And after wards in the same story: All the fear of them by whom they were aforetime oppressed, was taken away and wiped from of the face of the earth. They celebrated solemn and royal feasts. All was replenished with the bright beams of joy and gladness, and they which aforetime full sadly beheld each other, now they did it with gladsome countenance and cheerful eyes: They honoured before all things the supreme King; the God of Heaven. next to him, the godly Emperor with songs and dawnses throughout Towns and Countries. Moreover, all old Injuries were clean forgotten, neither was there mention of any man's impiety at all, but all that every man stoade upon, was the enjoyeing of present prosperity and the expectation of goodness to come.  
Which notable example as an Introduction to all Christian posterity being laid before us, the point that I now mind to set forth unto you is made manifest: Namely, how for benefits received, the good people of former ages have always been joyful and thankful to God and their Princes, expressing the one, to weet, their joy, by the solemnity of their assemblies and drawing together for the praising of God, and the other, by the obedience of their lives effectually yielded, as might more at large be handled if the time would permit. If I should hear draw you to the consideration of the people of Israel, God's own chosen, as there would be no end in the view of God's mercies towards them: so it were a long matter to deliver you the manner and great varieties of their joys and thanksgiving for the same. The Stories of their deliverance out of Egipte, out of the red Sea, and out of the captivityes of sundry foreign Nations, do set forth the one and the other expressly and fully: But above all, the Psalms of the Royal Prophet David are so abundant in this behalf, that neither old nor young can be ignorant thereof.  
I have hitherto but summarily considered how God the Author and disposer of all things, for his benefits bestowed, requireth thankfulness at the hands of the receivers, and is grieved and highly offended when he seethe his graces contemned and his bounty not regarded. It hath also in brief been touched what thankfulness hath proceeded even from the heathen, not for spiritual but for earthly benefits, and what obedience of life hath ensued thereupon. And amongst Christians though not of the first age, yet of the first open Countenance and appearing of the Church's enlarging her bounds and settling herself in quiet state, what joy, what thanksgiving, what reformation of life in all sorts hath followed the receiving of the mystery of our faith and the first planting of the open profession with peaceable possession of the same?  
Now then, if it may be set down and manifested to our understandings, that the blessings which our English Nation, which England, I say, hath received at the hands of our God by the ministry of our sovereign his servant, have not been less than any, but equivalent with the most and the greatest here afore: Nay, if we Englishmen in the view thereof shall be able to say unto ourselves, that not with any Nation under the Cope of heaven at this day, God hath so dealt as with us, good Lord, what should follow hereupon but that our very souls should break forth with thanksgiving and our hearts be for ever resolved to continue and resound his praises to the end of our lives, yea if we could (as we hope we shall) without ending.  
But what shall I begin with Where there hath kin no stint nor measure of receiving, how can there be any entrance or choice of beginning? If to set forth the joy, I should first begin with the sorrow that overwhelmed the face of this Land: If to set forth the blessing I should begin (as I may say) with the curse that before did threaten us. Or if to decipher the good things that this our Elizabeth our sovereign brought with her to the Crown of England, I should first deliver unto you what Seas of miseries possessed and well near overflowed this little but most noble Island: As both these I must needs say, in opposition were not unneedful to be spoken of: so yet least the dilating of the one might be cause of the abridging of the other, I will for the help of a just proportion in the one of these, namely, in the Church's persecution, pray in aid of the most famous Historiographer of our time, who briefly handling the miseries that immediately preceded the reign of our sovereign, after this sort compendiously reporteth them: Now (sayeth he) after these so great afflictions falling upon this Realm from the first beginning of Queen mary's reign, wherein so many men, women and Children were burned, so many imprisoned and in prison starved, divers exiled, some spoiled of goods and possessions, a great number driven from house and home, so many weeping eyes, so many sobbing hearts, so many Children made fatherless, so many fathers bereft of their wives and Children, so many vexed in Conseyence, and diu●rs against Conscience constrained to recant, and in conclusion, never a good man almost but suffered something during the time of this bloody persecution: After all this (sayeth the Historien) there was rest to the persecuted members of Christ.  
Thus you see one way, what an heap and general deluge of woeful miseries had pitifully overtaken, nay rather overwhelmed a chief portion of this Realm of England, I mean the Church of England: Religion defaced, Godliness hated, Truth oppressed, True professors persecuted, Persecution bloody: To be short, none spared, all pursued even to the death, in whom there was any conscience of the Faith, or regard of holy profession.  
And as it fared with the Church of England, so alas it fared with the common wealth of England. The land possessed of strangers, those strangers most turbulent, most proud, most insolent, most aspiring, and (as England and the bordering peoples about us at this day, have cause to say, nay rather by their lamentable experience, to complain) strangers most cruel, most bloody, most unsufferable: as by whom, the sweet peace of this Realm was so interrupted, so mangled, so defaced, that besides the daily and continual threatened tumults at home, our wealth of England, the men of England, the munition and forces of England were wholly employed, nay constrained to wait upon the wars, I say upon the unnecessary wars of these so dangerous strangers, yea, to be wasted and consumed even about the quarrels and ambytions of these so pernytious guests: so that truly, it was then, and is yet to be affirmed that England which at that time had no cause of wars or breach of league with other Nations, was enforced or rather violently haled to bear arms against them, even against France (if I may speak it) for the ambytious service of Spain.  
And whiles these things were thus sorted, whiles men, money, munition and Armour were in this wise expended, what was the sequel thereof I pray you? what was the prosperity and success of the same? Caleys was lost, Caleys the Kaye of England: Caleys, the very Door and passage into France: Caleys, the honour of this Realm and the overlooker of the french Nation, with the wealth and abundance of England, which 216. years together had been in the quiet possession of England: I say, Caleys, with all this, altogether, all at one instant: at the least with in the compass of iiij days, was miserably lost and utterly foregone.  
To conclude; Caleys being lost, what ensued thereupon? After the loss of Caleys, the loss of all security and freedom, the loss of all prosperity and welfare came rushing upon this little Island, even as it had been an armed man upon him that is naked and despoiled of comfort. Such Impositions, such loans, such taxes, new Inventions and devices to draw away the remainder of the particular wealth of England (the common Treasury thereof being wholly exhausted and consumed) to the maintenance of the unprosperous wars of King Philippe, as surely, if you will but look into the Chronicles of that time, you shall see and say that if God of his miraculous and extraordinary power and great mercy had not shortened those days, there had wanted very little of utter desolation to this our Country, this, I say, our ancient and flourishing Country of England then, even then at the instant to fall into such miserable servitude and bondage as all those Countries are oppressed with all, that in times past have been famous Kingdoms and other flourishing estates and are now languishing and spoiled Provinces subdued to the thraldom of the Spaniards.  
But of all that ever happened, or which in those days was devised, suffered, or neglected against the safety of this Realm, there was never mischief so desperate, or Treason so vile, or villainy so great or so deep, as was the plat, purpose and intention to make away and destroy the sacred person of our Elizabeth, now our happy sovereign, who then and in those days, in that most miserable and perilous time, was reckoned and accounted (as spes alit miseros) the only creature of the earth, by whom and through whom God had reserved us any hope of restoration, or comfort of recovery to that desolation then approaching.  
This then shallbe sufficient for the former part of my present purpose, namely, to have touched unto you after a plain and brief manner, what miseries, what troubles and pitiful calamities occupied the whole state of this Realm, both Church and Common wealth, at such time as our most gracious sovereign her Majesty that now is, took upon her the possession of the Crown thereof: at such time I say, as God in his great mercy, looked upon us as he did upon the Israelites in Egipte and their Captivities sending unto us in high time, this his holy handmaiden, as it were another Moses, (saved from the same waters of affliction that we were plunged in) to be our helper, & advanced her (and that by just title) to the Sceptre and Dyadem of this (than a most woeful) Realm, whose princely person before had tasted of so great danger, that the very walls do yet record her doleful posy, sicut ovis etc. The God of heaven whose only hand was then and yet is her helper and ours be for ever and ever extolled and the name of his mercy be never forgotten amongst us.  
But now, when I should rest myself in the performance of this portion, namely, in the deliverance from thraldom, and the proclaiming of peace to the whole land: outward, in the repose of the Land, inward, in the freedom of Conscience: whereas from the woe, I should pass on to the welfare, and from the mournful face of calamity I should descend or rather ascend to the joyful appearance of our blessed felicity: miserably, Nay devilishly, nay damnably am I interrupted with the oppositions of Traitors, the overthwartinge of Rebels, the enchanting of Witches, the charmings of Sorcerers, the presagings and foretelling of Sooth sayers, the seducing of jesuits and Seminaries, the conspyring of domestical Hypocrites and Traitors, the bandings of popish foreign Princes and the cursings of the Pope himself that Antychrist most accursed. What should I say? Sweet peace had no sooner discovered the bounty of her glorious face, and the blossoms of godly tranquillity were no sooner seen sprouting forth to the gladding of the hearts of true Christians, but presently & anon these Caterpillars were engendered, presently and anon these Cockaatrices were hatched, presently and anon these Tyrants were provoked, yea presently and anon this antichrist of Rome the father of all mischief and son of Perdition was furiously enraged: so that now I say, when as by the order of my division, I should speak unto you of joy and of nothing else but joy, these enemies of our joy and these enviers of our happiness (as much as in them lieth) have so ministered matter to the clogging up of my passage, that thereby they have interrupted my proceeding, and not a little hindered my discourse. But thancks be to God, for he again of his abundant mercies and endless favour hath so leveled my way by the ruin of their inventions, and so smoothed my passage by the total confusion of their stratagemical platts as on I may go, and on I will go (by the goodness of God and your attention) to deliver unto you some taste of the blessed exchange that by and through our Elizabeth hath been wrought and brought to pass within this land since her majesties government.  
And to begin withal: what greater object of our joy can I take unto me, then that which the common enemy hath intended to be the matter and only object of our confusion? namely and especially, the divine, but yet express and visible deliverances of our sovereign from time to time since her coming to the Crown as before, from all the devices, all the Treasons and all and every the plaits, practises and attempts whatsoever, murtherously, nay, traitorously intended against her royal person: so as yet in safety she liveth, and as yet, (to the eternal praises of our omnipotent God) she sitteth a Queen, a prepotent Queen, mighty and prevailing, I say, prevailing against all and singular the attempts and attemptates that either have been or are at this present, within the Realm or without, at home or abroad. And that long may she so sit the Lord of his glorious mercy grant we beseech him.  
To reckon up unto you the particulars of the manifold discovered attempts against her majesty with the particular overthrows of the same since her first coming to the Crown, time as now will not suffer me. What open Rebellions there have been begun, who were the ringleaders thereof, what were their pretences, what their power, how far they proceeded, and in what sort they were stopped (and that for the most part) without effusion of blood, and finally how and in what manner the chief attemptaes thereof have been surprised, namely, and notably, in the Rebellion of the North, where the one of the two Leaders was put (as I may say) into her majesties hands to receive the due reward of his Treason, and the other when as he thought by his escape out of the Realm, to have escaped also the punishment of his most vile and traitorous offence, was by the just hand of God taken hold of, and even in the place of his hoped security, (as I have heard) brought to penury and want. Again, to deliver unto you how oft and oft, and even now of late the murdering of her majesties person, (my heart trembleth and abhorreth to express the term) and the divesting of her from her royal possession, hath not only been contrived, but even in the instant also designed to have been performed: By whom and in what sort, when and in what place, and thereupon also the most miraculous discoveries thereof, sometimes by the parties themselves, sometimes by the discovery of others, but always and from time to time by the extraordinary and very express hand of God: These things I say, to stand upon them in discourse, & to reckon up unto you the particulars thereof so far forth as to us may be known considering the time is well spent & the general knowledge thereof is rife & common to all: I should but lengthen the time therein beyond compass, and over largely presume of your borrowed patience. I will now therefore briefly proceed to other benefits.  
By the blessing of this so blessed and miraculous preservation of her majesties royal person, how great and inestimable the blessings are, which we have received and do enjoy by the same, would now in a word be considered, First therefore and above all, we have and enjoy by her Majesty, the most glorious of all glorious jewels, the true and sincere word of God, with the free, open, and universal preaching and professing thereof: By the which, the errors of man's life are disclosed, the affections of mankind relieved, the knowledge of sin procured, the forgiveness of sin proclaimed, and against all sin and error whatsoever, the assurance of faith engendered & confirmed, as by the which and through the which, come death, come life, come what will or can come in the world, the pledge and earnest of our salvation in Christ Jesus' is surely settled and sealed up in our souls even until the day of jesus Christ and of our redemption. And let all the Justiciaries of works in the earth magnify to the uttermost of their power and skill, the virtue of whatsoever they can or do blasphemously imagine to be propitiatory for sin: I appeal unto the Consciences of all that have tasted in any measure of the good word of God and how sweet the lord is, whether one dram of true faith in Christ his death and bloodsheading, rightly grounded upon the promise of his word (this word which I speak of) be or have not been found unto them more available to the pacifying of their afflicted souls and consciences, than any thing in Heaven or earth that could be offered unto them: In which behalf I will require no further witness then the adversaries themselves, who have been often known in the instant of their death, to have left all and to have flyne only to the Lord jesus, esteeming all other propitiations to be helpless and vain. And thus much for the blessing of the word of God, which by her majesties means and propugnation we enjoy.  
The next blessing (as the effect of Faith and of God's word) that falleth out in order to be spoken to, is worldly and external peace. From which well used, springeth plenty. And where the abuse of these hath wrought among us, namely in disordered persons, Pride and dissolution, these things have notwithstanding by a great blessing of godly government been so moderated with such mixture of those four chief and cardinal virtues, Prudence, Fortitude, justice & Clemency, besides all other Heroical virtues shining in her Majesty, & upholding unto us the former spiritual and temporal blessings, that of them all severally both I should and would have spoken: but how I am overtaken with the short proportion of time, you see and I perceive it. And therefore for this instant (drawing to a conclusion,) I will bend my speech (and that but in few) to the domestical enemies of our peace, I mean the enemies of her Majesty (by whom God hath powered all those blessings upon us) the most peaceful mild and gentle Sovereign that ever reigned in this land.  
Against which enemies me, thinks I see how every of you that love God's truth and her majesties safety, do with me even rouse yourselves, and in the just indignation of your minds upbraid and challenge them with this Expostulation: O you unkind of all unkind Subjects that ever were, (but why should you be called Subjects, who as one truly saith of you, suppose yourselves not to live under her Majesty as Subjects, but to be holden as Captives, and so you yield her a servile and involuntary reverence) you english Aliens therefore I term you, you Italienated English, Tell me I pray you, what hath your english Sovereign, what hath our gracious Elizabeth so much offended you, except yourselves be the cause of your offence? Hath she dispossessed you of your goods? Hath she disinherited you of your lands? Hath she taken from you your dwellings? Have you sowed and she reaped? Have you planted and she gathered the fruit? Doth she deny you the protection of her writs, or do you not enjoy the benefit of her laws? Surely surely, her hands, yea I may say her heart (most gracious of all Princes living) are clean and innocent of all these things in the presence of the Lord and of his people. You sow and reap the crop, you plant and eat the fruit: You build and inhabit the houses: you purchase and enjoy the lands. What is it, what is it amongst the faithfullest Subjects of the Realm that you participate not with equal benefit, or do not enjoy with the utmost freedom of a Subject, unless in wilful manner and in the malice of your hearts you will deprive yourselves of the same.  
O good god, and will you yet conspire against the life and health of so benign and merciful a Sovereign? Will you take from her a Crown, will you deveste from her a dyadem, who taketh not from you any the least jot or portion of your possessions? O hearts, not of men but of Tigers: O hands, not of true Subjects to defend, but of rank Traitors to destroy: O brood of vipers, O inhuman, o pestilent, o viperous generation. Is not even the Sex that you so violently conspire against, atender Sex? Is not the person whom you would so Traitorously murder, unto this your Country and ours, a Princely Parent? Is not this Parent a Queen? And is not this Queen your Queen and lawful Sovereign? Hath not this your Sovereign & ours even to this day, been royally and really, justly & fully possessed in this her Kingdom? Hath not her highness prosperously reigned? Hath not all the Realm (except yourselves only and such as you are) faithfully acknowledged and dutifully obeyed her? And, hath not god himself confirmed and established, yea and from time to time mightily blessed her? I might say more: Hath not this your Sovereign and ours the most rare ornaments, and Princely excellencies that ever had King or Queen within this Realm? And what then will you answer me? Let me reason with you a little as heretofore you have been reasoned with: Tell me (I pray you) to conspire against this our most gracious sovereign, is it as if you conspired against an usurper, a Nero, a Commodus, a despoiler of his people and Country? No no: no such matter, but a Conspiracy against a most lawful and righteous Prince, against our Queen Elizabeth, a Prince (considering the infirmities of her Sex) so far above all praises, as England had never a more happy governor among all that have been Princes of this land, nor whole Christendom matcheth her at this day.  
And to avouch these things in particular: look upon this Lady, behold this your own dear Sovereign (whom you would destroy) withdraw your sight I instantly entreat you, for a little season, from beholding that glorious Hierarchy of Rome and from fixing your eyes to deeply upon the partialities of foreign Princes. See if you find not in this your Princely Sovereign, a life both known and seen to be void of all enormous abuses? See if there be not in this her gracious Majesty, a mirror of excelling virtues & (as it were) a lodge of heavenly graces, Constant firmness, innocent hands from corruption, high equity, clement and merciful behaviour, faithfulness of mind, zeal and tender heart, Princely Magnanimity, and in brief, a nature enriched with all admirable ornaments of divine and heavenly blessings?  
And touching the thing you would most of all bear the world in hand with, to the deceiving of your own souls, namely, with the note of severe execution in her Majesty (I would to God your terms were no worse): Take an account of the multitudes that have offended against her royal person: See if of an hundred, ten have been taken hold off: If often that have been brought to trial, three have received the reward of their offence? And albeit upon ten or more at any one time upon high and dangerous respects, Execution hath been done, Yet way therewithal, how many participants have escaped, how few familiars have been sifted, and how great and heinous purposes have been left without prosecution, and in a manner wholly passed over. The good Emperor Nerua, as pitiful as he was, yet when he felt himself but touched, and that with the only contempt of his Subjects, he took pen in hand and wrote this revengeful Poesy to Trajan that should succeed him; Phoebe, tuis telis, lachrimas ulciscere nostras.  
And the holy Emperor Constantine, as mild as he was, & as zealous in Christian profession, yet when he saw the tyrannous behaviour of Licinnius likewise a crowned Emperor, with him, I say of Licinnius his copartner in the Empire and his brother in law, as having married his Sister Constantia: first upon the taking of him at Chrisopolis a City of Bythinia, he deposed him from the Crown enjoining him to lead a private life in Thessalonica: And afterwards when as he saw the same Licinnius to endeavour by fight to revenge his former foil, he commanded that he should be put to death, and so he was with the good conformity of all his true hearted Subjects and people.  
But touching our Elizabeth: the whole Realm of England seeth, Nay, god himself witnesseth that for the very treasons that have been most traitorously intended against her royal person, Crown and life, her highness hath been more seen to sorrow the ruin of the offenders, yea even of those Capital offenders, for whose cause, and with whose consent the greatest treasons that have been, have been complotted, then to fear or be dismayed at the daily and hourly hazards of her own life.  
The case then standing thus between our Prince and you (you cruel and unkind English) that as on the one part, your Treasons have overmatched the Treasons of all Treasonfull Subjects that ever were: so, on the other part, her highness compassion hath equalled, if not excelled the compassion of all Princes, Chrstian or Heathen: What can there be possibly alleged on your behalf, that (so much as in colour) may serve to shroud the depth of your disloyalty?  
If you will now say the freedom of your consciences (whereby I know you mean the free use of your popish Religion) is the matter you seek after, and being thereof restrained, you are thereupon thus drawn to the extremity of these so outrageous and violent attempts: Good Lord, and can it be possible that any profession in the world, taking unto it the name and title of religion, should enable the professors thereof to arm themselves against their sovereign, and that, for not permitting unto them the free use of a contrary Religion? Tell me (you religious, or rather Irreligious professors) was there ever any profession of Christianity under the Heathen and persecuting Emperors, which by any other means sought to prevail in their Religion, then by prayers & tears? Was there ever any resistance in the primitive Church other then by preaching or open professing of the Truth, & thereupon, by yielding up the body to persecution? True it is that Heretics (and none but Heretics) have sought to prevail by Stratagems and devices.  
But you will say perhaps (for what is it you will not say to the slander of this blessed government?) that her majesties laws made for the ponishing of Recusants, are so sharp and over sharp for the tender case of a Religious and resolved Conscience, that hereupon for your contentment, you are Religiously and resolvedly drawn to the participation of high and most desperate Treasons. Well, leaving to call you herein to the consideration of these her majesties laws (which you so term to be sharp and over sharp) by comparing them with your own burning & bloody laws, by which your laws, not the purse but the person, not ponishing but destroying, not of old but of old and young, not of men or women, but of men women and Children, yea of Infants newly borne, nay (I might say) scarcely borne, not for preaching or open professing, but for believing only, have been so heavily known and felt within this land: leaving I say, to deal with you in the behalf of her majesties most godly and just laws after any such sort, I only ask of you a question or two and so I will leave you.  
Taking view of her majesties dispensation of justice from the begnining of her reign hitherto, what find you therein (allowing unto her highness her sovereign power to establish Religion within the land) what find you I say therein, that any Subject of any Sect or profession in the world may not tolerate and endure without either loss or hazard of life or of living? Is the difference of opinion in matters of Religion, or the private mistakinges in controversies of Religion, in any, of what sort or quality so ever, (not participating matter of treason or of flat recusancy) any cause to him or them to fear either loss of life, or impeachement of Honour or credit, be it either in office or in dignity, or in whatsoever else within this Realm that may be said to be of profit or countenance unto the same? I suppose no: Nay, you yourselves must needs answer me no.  
Go to then (you religious Catholics, or rather you Catholic Conspirators,) what is it in this our government that makes you so wayward, so treasonfull, so discontented? Would you have her Majesty and the state permit and allow unto you Churches within this Realm for the free excercise of your Popish Religion, and so maintain two religions in opposition within the Land? It is a Proverb of great antiquity, Multitudo Imperatorum, Cariam perdidit. And I would ask you this question: admitting you had so far prevailed in the graceless prosecution of some dangerous and abortive Title, that you had already brought to pass to advance within this Realm, a baneful companion with her Majesty in her Kingdom (which the Lord for ever forbid) say the truth herein, would you think it safe that these two thus consorted, should continue and remain together in this kind of partnershippe? Clearly, you would not, nay, you could not. And feeling the mislike thereof, is it not apparent to the world, which of these too you would soon and spéediliest remove? Quisquis amat Ranam, Ranam put at esse Dianam. And as for love and Lordship (you know) they will have no fellowship: Bassianus the bloody Tyrant may not long endure good Geta the gentle Caesar, no, though Bassianus might enjoy more than half the Empire for his share.  
And stand these things thus (you Catholics) in the consideration of earthly Kingdoms, and are you able to conceive that in this kind of government, your state would become unsafe by the rule of two Princes atonce, the one altogether different from the other in conditions? And alas, are you so grossly blind that you cannot consider the like respects to be in the Empire and Kingdom of Chrsst? Who is it that sayeth that Light and darkness cannot dwell together? And whose saying is it that there is but one God, one father & c?  
To conclude then: As the abomination & detestation hereof would be high and heinous in the eyes of the Lord, so no doubt, the events that would ensue thereupon, namely, by displeasing of so high a Majesty, could be no less in effect, than the total confusion both of Prince and of people. And for a mean sequel of permitting the use of too contrary religions, take the Massacres of France, look into them, way them, and so conclude with yourselves that from the like causes, the like effects would speedily fall out: Nulla namque fides affectus eorum, quorum est diversa fides. I hasten to an end with you (you Catholics) what is there now then I pray you, that may further be thought of, or devised for the pacification of your malcontented stomachs? Would you wish that her Majesty (inasmuch as now perhaps, you are ashamed to require of her in flat terms, to abandon her own profession for the advancement of yours, and forasmuch also as you are or may be stopped to say there is safety in permitting two contrary Religions within this her land: would you now wish I say, that her highness contenting herself with her own particular choice in Religion, and that, for her own gracious person only, should establish a contrary Religion wholly & allonly amongst her Subjects? Most devilish would that be to be wished, but most graceless to be thought that ever her Majesty would be so unnaturally inclined towards her so dear and loving people. Hath her most gracious Majesty so many years in the highest care of her subjects safety (and that, chief in the regard of their Souls health) exposed herself to perils beyond the compass and proportion of man's account, and hath she for the general maintaining of the Gospel of Christ amongst all her whole people throughout her dominions, from year to year, nay, almost from month to month, endured the succession of so many, so horrible, so determined, & so imminent attempts of Treason against her royal person, her Crown, her life: and would she now (think you) be so satisfied with the love of her Subjects, or rather with loving her Subjects (whom her highness séeith most insatiable in the love of her and of her life and reign) that now loving, or rather seeming to love herself only, she should so highly neglect (in this principal degree of love and care) the safety of the Souls of her so loving and true hearted people? The lord forbid there should be any so wicked as in this sort to think of her Majesty.  
But I will abruptly turn myself from you (you irreligious of the land) for you have turned yourselves from the Lord, and have lifted up your Horns against his anointed your Prince and Sovereign. Not I therefore, but the Lord shall further expostulate with you the cause of your Ingratitude: Of which sort of unnatural english, I hope there is none here present, & yet this speech to them as present, is not unnecessary that if any light in company of any such, they may the better arm themselves in thus challenging and reproving them. And now to you my loving brethren, who rejoice to see the days, even this present day of her majesties prosperity and Peace: The chief exhortation I have to commend unto you, is the same of the Apostle. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice: Let your softness be known unto all men. The Lord is even at hand, be careful for nothing, but in all prayers and supplications, let your petitions be manifest unto god with giving of thanks. The time is spent and it is more than time I had ended. And yet if I durst farther presume of your Honourable and worshipful patience, I would speak something more that should not altogether be unprofitable for your hearing: and sith your countenances do promise me attention, I will go to it as briefly as I can. For as much as it standeth clear unto the view of the whole world that this long continued peace of ours with all the other blessings whatsoever wherewith our English state & government hath for so many years now passed, been established & (as I might say) amply enriched, hath had none other existency but in the great power and hand of our God, openly manifesting itself in the Ministry of her Majesty and of her prudent and most faithful Counsellors: How great an indignity therefore would it be unto us the Subjects of this Land, if that whereas her Majesty with her most honourable privy Counsel, even from the beginning of her reign to this day, hath governed us by none other rule then by the rule of Gods most holy word, nor by any other law then by the law of this land, nor by any other order or manner of administration then as may best serve to sustain and bear up the common with the particular and the particular with the common, in a mutual regard and reciprocation the one to the other: We again for our parts, should be so far from a dutiful acknowledgement hereof, as that in stead of our readiness and zeal towards her Majesty and those her most honourable counsellors, we should yield them murmuring and repining, and in stead of our thankfulness we should yield them hard speaking, misconceiving, and (which worse is) bitter detraction. O my brethren, how hard a case would this be?  
And lest any man being misled either by the error of his own judgement or by the secret insinuation of the malicious malcontented, in these troublesome times (and yet hitherto, thanks be to God, more troublesome to our ears then to our eyes) when as they see that by the deep foresight of our grave and godly governors, actions are otherwhiles to be undertaken (whether it be for repelling and resisting of known attempts, or for the holding far of, or keeping aloof from us the troubles abroad which otherwise would approach us,) and that for the performance hereof, some charge more than ordinary is betwixt while to be raised: They either little considering or of purpose not acknowledging, how (in a manner) miraculous a thing it is that while the whole world (as I might say) even the kingdoms, and Countries round about us (to us a world) stand at this day garboiled and oppressed with troubles and stirs: we, even we alone here in this our England (as it were in a little Goshen) neither feeling dint of sword, nor hearing sound of droomme, nor fearing either slaughter or depilation of the oppressor, sit us still every man in his own home, having freedom at the full to praise God in his Sanctuary, and safety at the full to follow our affairs in the common wealth: I say, lest any ignorant or seduced Subject, not so sufficiently pondering these blessings as he ought to do (and as I would to God every one of us did) should in the unjust discontentment of his mind, either murmur and repine, or otherwise speak evil of such as be in authority, for some charge that may happen unto him for the continuance hereof: I would have such a one to be taught, that as he is unable (with all the Substance he hath) to procure peace unto himself, if war should come upon him: So to prevent war is not the wroke of a Subject, it is the only work of a Sovereign and that, by the alone deliberation of a prudent and Honourable Counsel, (which may often fall out to be with the very purchase of peace) wherein as a Subject standeth no further interested but to obey, & to be ready (if need be) with body & goods: So how much greater I pray you, shall his safety be in obeying, then if he should repiningly resist (if so to do were in his power) or grudgingly hinder by the withholding of some usual contribution, the good that might be devised unto him? Again, how foolish a thing is it for a Subject to think that when as the very being of a Prince, doth consist in the having of Subjects, and the having of Subjects weak and depressed, is in effect not to have Subjects: It would be safe for a natural Prince by unnecessary impositions laid upon his natural Subjects, so to weaken and impoverish them, as howsoever haply they might retain the hearts of true Subjects, they should yet in the power and ability of a Subject, be unfit for the service either of Prince or of Country? And whereas it may fall out otherwhiles, that for the procuring of Peace, war must be undertaken, and war cannot be undertaken (with any hope of success) without large provisions of money, how injurious would that Subject be unto himself, if whiles he would seem to be a lover of Peace and a hater of war, he should by the fast holding of that he hath, from the maintenance of a necessary war, bring war thereby unto his door and spoil unto his coffers?  
And because herein the name and title of Peace (being indeed a precious thing) is used oftentimes by many to the hindrance of necessary war, more for the avoiding of charges that war bringeth with it, then upon any just or reasonable respect: Therefore it is meet this lesson be learned: That we ought not to think those charges burdenous unto us that we spend and employ for our own safety, but rather those burdenous, which we are sure to abide if we shall neglect this, and omit to devise to keep our Country in peace by assigning of portions out of our substance in time, for the defence of the whole.  
But admitting again, that in this point we were faultless, what were this yet to the purpose, if together with our money, we should not also yield our good & honourable speeches of those good & honourable personages, who either abroad or at home, have any way adventured themselves for our safety?  
It is the saying of Pericles the Athenian Ruler upon like respect: If when that happeneth hardly (saith he) which you looked not for, you will then speak evil of your Rulers, 
Thucid. lib. 2. cap 9  it is a great unright that you do them, unless when any prosperity happeneth which you would not have thought of, you do likewise attribute the same unto them. Whereas indeed and in truth, both Prosperity and adversity are at the only disposition of the highest and he sendeth the one and the other as best pleaseth his divine Majesty to dispose it. And this (Right Honourable and beloved) is that part of my speech wherewith I have presumed (after your great weariness) to detain you.  
Now last of all, to you my brethren and neighbours the Inhabitants of this Town of Windesor: If it be an universal benefit far passing other temporal benefits, even to all the people of her highness dominions, that her Majesty in the midst of these evil days, sitteth prosperously and peaceably in the seat of her royal Kingdom, preserving the same from all annoyance, to the no less admiration then high commendation thereof in all foreign Countries: Again, if not only the participation of so high a benefit in common with others, but also to ourselves ward, an assured hope to stand free from her majesties displeasure, and in am thereof, a settled persuasion of her Princely favour towards us be now seen amongst us by means of her gracious presence: O how much have we to rejoice, and in the Lord to boast, we I say, the Inhabitants of this Burrow, the rather, for that, whiles many thousands of her majesties dear Subjects can only say and speak by the report of others, of the prosperous health of their most natural and loving Prince, we can say and see the same to our unspeakable comfort? Whiles others do hear her Majesty (I must say most lovingly) speaking unto them by her laws only, we have not only the fruition of her Laws, but also her most amiable and royal person at this time, as at sundry other times, graciously speaking unto us.  
And therefore my good Brethren and my dear neighbours, let us all be thankful to God for this benefit, pray for the continuance thereof: And in our prayers forget not, forget not lest we prove unkind, the good estate of that Noble Lord the Earl of Leicester now in her majesties service in the Low Countries. To the protection of the highest with prayers and hearty well wishing I commend his good Lordship. And of great duty, to the same protection I commend the good estate of the right Honourable the Lords and others of her majesties privy Counsel: By name and particular duty, the right honourable the Earl of Warwick, with the Noble and right virtuous Lady the Countess his wife: And especially, for this present Birth day of her Majesty, which is now the occasion of our assembly and joy, let us with the rest that are hear present, crave and importunately entreat at the hands of our God, that we may often, from year to year, even for many years, renew and celebrate the Commemoration thereof. That in our celebration there may be joy: in our joy thanksgiving, and that from our joy and from our thanksgiving, there may follow the establishment and increase of God's truth, obedience of life and reformation of manners: Finally, that now, and then, even so long as we shall live, there may be heard sounding in our streets by old and young, by men women and Children, God save our Queen Elizabeth, God save Elizabeth our Queen. Amen. Amen.   

A short speech of the same Mayor unto her Majesty when he received her Highness at Windesore and presented her with the Mace. the 10. day of August. 1586.  
WIth that sincere and faithful obedience (most renowned Queen) not which law hath commanded, but which love hath procured, we your poor Townsmen, inhabiting this your ancient Burrow of Windsor, do here present ourselves before your highness, offering up unto the same, not only this small piece of government which we sustain and excercise under your Majesty, but ourselves also and all that we have, freely, not coarctedly, joyfully, not grudgingly, to be for ever at your gracious disposing: wishing and from our hearts praying the King of Kings, that your Majesty may long live a Queen to enjoy the same, and that we your Subjects may never live a people to deny the same.  
Which being said, the said Mayor presented her highness with a petition in writing in the behalf of the said Town of new Windesor. And at her departure from Windsor (which was xi. weeks after) her Highness sent to him her gracious thanks not only for this, but also for his other speech upon her Birthday.