ornamental border 
THE TRUE TESTIMONY OF A FAITHFUL SUBJECT: Containing several exhortations to all estates, to continued them in their due obedience: together with the reward of a faithful subject to his Prince.  
Also a thanksgiving to God for the happy delivery of the house of Parliament from the late horrible treason.  
Imprinted at London.   

 portrait of James I 
JACOBUS REX.  
Blessed be they that bless you.  
And cursed be they that curse you.    

TO THE KING'S most excellent Majesty, my most gracious Sovereign Lord.  
MOst renowned Sovereign, as before your majesties coming to this Crown, I did in your Realm of Scotland make apparent my unfeigned love to your Highness: so do I now on bended knees most humbly beseech your royal Majesty to accept this little handful of my hearts most faithful affection; wherein my feeling of God's mercies, my knowledge of your gracious goodness, and my care of my country's well-doing, hath made me take such pains. As if it may be pleasing in your sight, shall breed no little glory to my soul: who kneeling at your royal feet, do beseech the God of all glory to endue your Highness with his infinite blessings, and long to preserve your royal Majesty in all joyful health, and prosperous life. Amen.  
Your majesties most faithful and loyal subject in the humility of all loyalty, R. V   

What a faithful subject is, together with his reward.  
A Good subject next to the diadem that adorns a Prince's head, is the chiefest ornament that decores his dignity. He is as the precious Balm that anoints his brows, and is nearer to his heart then his Sceptre in his right hand: as sweet in his nostrils as the groves of Gilead, & more precious in his sight then Salomon's ivory throne covered with purest gold.  
His heart is clothed with peace, like mount Olivet: and his eyes as harmless as the sight of a Dove.  
His tongue sounds like the harp of David: and his lips deliver the happiness of loyalty.  
His ears are the portals that receive understanding: and all perfection from thence is conducted to the heart.  
His hands are ready to fight the battles of the Lord: and his feet (shunning the steps of blood) are bend always to walk in the paths of innocency.  
Thus excellent in the sight of his Prince shines a faithful subject, more gorgeous than the Ephod of Aron, and more sumptuous than Solomon in all his royalty.  
Whoso is thus to his Prince and country, the Lord will prospero him, and he shall be blessed in an everlasting generation.  
And for one of these benefits he receives on earth, he shall have a million in heaven.  
For one of these perfections he partakes of in this world, numbers above number shall attended him in the world to come.  
And his Prince shall thus pray for him, and bless him as Solomon did his subjects.  
And the King turned his face, and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, & hath with his hand fulfilled it.  
And though myself may say with Esay, I am as a worm and no man, yet (I speak it in despite of vainglory) I would with all my heart, as an Isaac in the hands of Abraham, serve as a sacrifice to do my Prince and country good.  
For surely he cannot be the true servant of God, that is not a faithful subject to his Prince. Neither would I judge any felicity in this world answerable to that, if once my soul might be employed to please my Prince, and benefit my country.  
For all the offices of humanity depend only upon those principal performances.  
For I know by that means there comes a blessing from a far, a reward full of joy, which noon else are worthy to obtain: which reward I hearty pray the great Rewarder of all to sand to the true loyal and faithful subject. And so with one voice, proceeding from one unity of heart, let us all say faithfully, God save the King.   

An Exhortation to continued all subjects in their due obedience.  

To the reverend Lord Bishops, and the Clergy.  
FOrasmuch as your Ecclesiastical office is given you from God, as the next principal members under the head, to govern the commonwealth of this mystical body: and that there is required at your hands an extraordinary duty touching the function of the soul, let me entreat you to be as vigilant as the five wise virgins, having oil always in your lamps, against the bridegroom cometh forth of his chamber. Your office is the soul of the laity, the heart of government, and the very Epitome of all obedience. From you (as the Moon borroweth her light of the Sun) all inferior Ministers take their order of perfection. Let then your doctrine be pure and steadfast, like Moses bush, that always burned, but never consumed. Your preaching in season and out of season: and your conversation as spotless as the sacrifice of Turtles. You best know what plenty of Manna hath reigned in Israel, & how many omers full every man aught to gather. Be not any of you the first that gather more than is commanded, and in mistrust of God's benefits infect the whole land with the vice of Avarice: you aught rather to be like pelicans in the wilderness, who in tender love pick the blood from their breasts to feed their young ones.  
You see with your visible eyes how wonderfully Almighty God hath now preserved the King's Majesty, and yourselves, from the snare of your manifold enemies: and in you principally lieth the sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is you that aught to dance before the Tabernacle, and to go with the people to the Ark of Covenant: that your righteousness may bud like Aaron's rod.  
It is you that aught to fly forth from this tossed Ark, and like the Dove bring the olive branch of peace in your mouths, & tell the people, that if they return, God will be their God, and sand a truce to their distressed souls by you his Ambassadors.  
Fly not to Tarshish when you are sent to Ninive, least devouring destruction attended you; nor with the man of God, go not out of the way, lest a Lion tear you in pieces: but still be conversant with the Lord, that your faces may shine with Moses when he come from the mount, and bring the image of God's glory to the people in your foreheads.  
You must bear with Aaron the breastplate of judgement upon your hearts. There must be graven upon your forefronts holiness to the Lord: and your sounds must be heard when you go into the holy places before him.  
So shall ye stand like mount Sinai, never to be removed: and your golden Candlesticks shine in the Temples of the Lord.  
Remember the charge your master Christ gave to his servant Peter, binding him three times by his fervent love and the dear affection he bore to his master, to feed his sheep.  
To be with Paul the faithful Ambassadors of jesus Christ, as though God did beseech you through us: we pray you in Christ's stead that ye be reconciled unto God: with Paul likewise to be an example of life and doctrine, as in these words, And follow hard toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ jesus.  
Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded: if ye be otherwise, God shall reveal even the same unto you.  
You are (most Reverend) the salt of the earth; which wanting savour, is to be trodden under foot.  
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid: let your lights therefore so shine, that those which see your good works may glorify your Father which is in heaven.  
Thus, unworthy to counsel so grave advisements, as if the body should instruct the soul, I only like a traveler in this pilgrimage, seeing some go out of their way, tell them there is a better, a more perfect, and a straighter. So referring you to your master's reward, who hates a hidden talon, I beseech that God who guided Israel by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, to direct your earthly bodies and spiritual souls to his service.   

To the true Nobility of this Realm.  
TO ye (right Honourable) that are the props and supporters of a kingdom, that like Atlas should bear the weight of heaven on your shoulders, give me leave to stretch forth the arteries of my heart: & as in a tempestuous time, in peace unite you together like one body obedient to one principal head.  
In that worthy member the heart, the monarch seat of our microcosmus, should be your residence, within whose centre (as in a Prince's court) are divers receptacles for you to inhabit in. Than as branches extending from the lofty Cedar, being fed by one root, do notwithstanding cherish one another with their natural sap. So like the stock of Nobility, descended from your worthy ancestors, be you combined in a conjunction of unseparable aid, that the body of the tree may be comforted in so happy an issue, and in the proudest blast of conspiracy keep you still unremovable.  
Be you like faithful Mardocheus, spotless in your ways, when traitors like proud Hamon shall perish in their own complots.  
For if you please to peruse our histories, both Ecclesiastical & profane, ye shall found that never traitor to his Prince & country but had his reward threefold returned into his wicked bosom. And though it please God sometime to suffer them, the cause best known to his sacred pleasure, to bring to pass their hateful purposes, yet as a woe pronounced to them by whom such evils come, their mischief hath not past without greater mischiefs reguerdoned.  
There is noon of your honourable society but knows, that treason is the divider and separater of all good good things, and a fatal disjoiner of perfection, bringing with it ruin and the merciless substitutes of war: where on the contrary, obedience is the sinews of the State, and glueth the hearts of Nobility together, like one indivisible substance.  
And as the seven lean kines in Pharaoes' dream, devoured the seven fat (yet themselves not the fatter:) so stands it with treason, like a cormorant it devours all, yet is itself the better by nothing. What greater pattern of misery can there be, than a kingdom divided in itself? It is like the dangerous eclipse of the sun: nay like the unnatural separation of heaven, that brings all danger and destruction.  
No plague of Egypt comparable to that misery: for civil dissension is the gate to let in ruin and foreign invasion.  
It is like a wedge of Iron, that entering into an oak, dissevers both sides in several pieces, & makes them both fit for the fire.  
The flourishing state of Rome was devoured by that monster, and all tranquillity swallowed at a bit by that hideous Leviathan. It is like the blind Mole, that loving still to be mischievously labouring, tosseth up her own destruction.  
Let then (right Honourable) that acceptable sacrifice of your hearts be offered to our gracious Sovereign, which far exceeds the external office of feigned affection, who with an eye of vigilance will (no doubt) regard your virtues; and like the cheerful comfort of the Sun, with his blessed countenance, make your young blossoms come to pleasant fruit, and bring that fruit by comfortable warmth to full maturity.  
God so direct your hearts to work in you unfeigned loyalty to his royal Majesty, and deadly hatred to self-devouring treason.   

To the true and faithful private subject.  
ANd now beloved countrymen, to you in general, that carry with you the full currant of affection, the swiftest stream of deep gliding love, not to be reverted or turned back by the vehement opposition of any resisting wind.  
To you, as to the open mark whereto my heart levels her pretended aim, being the upshot of my exhortation, I sand this loving and friendly counsel, like to a strong city fenced about with impregnable walls, so aught you to be in time of domestical Rebellion, or foreign invasion: for you are the main battle, the trust and strength of your country, and to you belongs a chief trust in this required preservation. Even as his Highness may well be compared to the apple of our eye, of which naturally by reason it is tender unto us, We have a diligent care. So aught you to join your whole body of defence, both arms, legs, feet and heart, to protect his royal person, without secret grudging, private muttering, or unnatural controversy. You aught to be like steadfast rocks in the sea, ready to front every storm, and to withstand, without removing, the most bitter blasts that either winter or soul weather affords.  
I know my most loving countrymen, that you well perceive the princely care of his Majesty towards you his loving subjects, and the honourable disposition and noble industry of his vigilant Council. Of which honourable society, although now untimely deceased, I cannot but call to mind that right honourable and most worthily to be remembered, the late L. Burgley, and Lord high Treasurer of England: whose fame may not be sealed up with the leaden hand of oblivion, who whilst he lived showed himself one of the most faithful, careful, and wise counsellors that ever lived in any kingdom of Christendom. He was the Beacon that discovered foreign malice and homebred mischief, the never-failing watchtower of the Commonwealth, the heart of justice, bearing up the balance of weighty causes with an even hand, and cutting down with the sharp sword of prevention the children of rebellion at home, and the envious intention of the enemy abroad.  
For causes in common trial, I call heaven to witness, I speak but what I know, as he was judicial, wary and circumspect, so was he upright, discreet, and pitiful, not leaning to any side either for favour or gift, but with an impartial eye judging all things according to the equity of the cause. Thanks be to God, the principal branches of that tree do now most worthily spread their virtue in this his majesties garden of happy government.  
In which rank of true Nobility, diligent watchmen, and worthy counsellors, I may not omit that right honourable conditioned Lord the Earl of Nottingham, whose true loyalty to his Majesty, never spotted with the lest mistrust, may keep even wing with the rest of that Honourable society: whose true show of a virtuous and noble mind, is daily made apparent by his exceeding bounty towards the poor and needy. The fruit whereof is eternal salvation.  
And that reverent and careful Gentleman, Sir john Popham Knight, Lord chief justice of England, being another of the body of the Council, whose honourable forwardness, with great discretion hath been now lately approved in his majesties serious affairs, as also in calming the Realm with quiet, that hath been heretofore tempestuously troubled with bloody murderers and felonious robbers: but now (God be thanked) by his diligent and wise government, well reform; whose exceeding love to his Prince and country, hath been often made apparent by his laborious endeavours.  
To conclude, I beseech God in his infinite mercy, stir up in you dear affecting love to his Majesty, who for the comfort of his chosen, and maintenance of his truth, hath defended his Highness as well in Scotland as now in England, from many dangerous assaults, and here now settled him the faithful Precedent of his true Church, wherein long may his Majesty continued many happy and peaceful days, to the great glory of God, and to the exceeding comfort of all us his faithful and loving subjects. Amen.    

A Thanksgiving to God for the happy deliverance of the King's most excellent Majesty, the Queen, Prince, Nobility, and Commons, from the most horrible contrived treason, pretended against them in the high Court of Parliament, tending to the utter desolation and ruin of all his majesties kingdoms; but prevented by the almighty providence, and the only prudent foresight of the King's most excellent Majesty.  

Rejoice OH Britain, sing and clap thy hands,  
For God himself doth for thee safely fight:  
Not foe so great, but that thy force withstands,  
It is so strengthened by the heavenly might.  
The Pope's great malice, and the Papists pride,  
Before thy face do fall on every side.   

Now shalt thou hear of nothing but confusion  
Upon the head of all thy harmful foes:  
Now shall the traitors found the full conclusion,  
That in the end of all rebellion grows:  
And they shall fret to see their pride pulled down,  
Whilst God preserves thy sovereign & his crown.   

Now shall the Pope with all his practice fail,  
The hope of traitors all be overthrown:  
Nor Pope nor traitor now shall noon prevail,  
To do thee hurt that but defendst thy own.  
Now serve thy God, and give him thanks for all,  
And keep thy saith, and thou shalt never fall.   

Be true (I say) and faithful to thy God,  
And ever loyal to thy sovereign King,  
For whose love sake we have escaped this rod,  
Which otherwise had scourged us for our sin:  
He will not suffer any to destroy thee,  
But overthrow their forces that annoyed thee.   

In Scotland late how did he in that land  
Preserve the King from traitorous Gowry's treason:  
And by the help of worthy Ramseys' hand  
Did slay the traitor, as it was but reason:  
Where noble Ramsey by deserved fame,  
Eternised hath the honour of his name.   

Now let all hearts of happy Britain pray  
Unto our God of glorious mercies power,  
That he will still be our almighty stay,  
Our rock, our castle, and our heavenly tower:  
That in his mercy we may fearless live,  
And to his gracious love all glory give.   

Let us still pray that he will still preserve  
Our gracious King in his eternal grace,  
And give us grace him truly for to serve,  
And all unfaithful traitors to deface:  
To spend our lives but in our country's cause,  
And be obedient to his blessed laws.   

Rebellion is a sin of witchcraft named,  
And witches are but devils in their natures:  
OH hellish fiends to the devil framed,  
Which so deceive but the accursed creatures.  
OH cursed Sin, that ever man should know thee!  
God bless King james and all his subjects fro thee.   

And since that truth doth try out every thought,  
Whereon the depth of every sense is sounded,  
Against that truth who hath the treason wrought,  
That on ungracious reason hath been grounded.  
What ever fortune for a time do fall,  
Confusions shame will be the end of all.   

God grant it so, and with his gracious hand  
Long bless the days of our dread sovereign King,  
And make him Emperor of this blessed land,  
Till no more land within the world be seen:  
And make his conquests evermore victorious,  
And all his kingdoms in thy mercy glorious.   

Bless valiant Ramsey with that mount of joy,  
That noble truth in truest nobleness,  
May stand so strong, as nothing may destroy:  
But in the height of honours happiness  
May by the virtue of best valour proved,  
Of God and man be blessed and beloved.   

Bless all his Council, and his faithful friends,  
Court, cities, countries, all in such a peace,  
As all the world that sees proud traitors ends,  
May 'cause the root of all rebellion cease:  
Such peace and plenty, love and concord sand,  
That we may sing thy glory without end.   

Pray now with me, and prayer never cease  
Unto the God of all eternal glory,  
His life, his health, his comfort to increase,  
To Britain's bliss and never ending story,  
That he may breath an everlasting breath,  
And those may pine in hell that seek his death.    

A Thanksgiving to God for all our temporal blessings.  
OH praise the Lord for ever.  

OH Heavenly spirit of especial power,  
That in thy hand the praise of praises holdest,  
And from the top of truths triumphant tower,  
The hidden sense of fairest thoughts unfoldest:  
Inspire this heart and humble soul of my,  
With some sweet sparkle of thy power divine.   

Teach me to think but on that only thought,  
Wherein doth live the grace of virtues glory,  
And learn no more than what thy truth hath taught  
To those best wits that writ thy worthy story,  
Wherein is seen in heaven and earths preserving,  
The highest point of praises due deserving.   

Let not compare come near unto noon such,  
Heaven be my thought, and let the world go by,  
And say withal, that say I never so much,  
All are but trifles to thy treasury:  
For all no more than what thy mercy giveth,  
Who can behold wherein thy glory liveth?   

Not, I can see the shining of the Sun,  
But cannot sounded the essence of the light:  
Than of thy face, in whom that fair begun,  
How can my soul presume to have a sight?  
Not my dear God, thy glory hath a being,  
Where eye, nor heart, nor soul may have a seeing.   

And therefore Lord since such thy glory is,  
As cannot be but of thyself conceived:  
And heaven nor earth contains that spark of bliss  
But from thy hand of mercy is received,  
What spirit can her sweetest passion raise,  
Near to the due of thy deserved praise?   

Yet since all glory doth belong to thee,  
Thy name in all things must be magnified:  
And by thy mercy thou hast made me see  
How in my soul thou mayst be glorified:  
In that sweet mercy make my soul to know  
How best I may thy blessed glory show.   

OH gracious God, what creature can there be,  
That moves, or breathes, or grows, but shows thy glory?  
What art or science but doth speak of thee,  
And writes the wonder of thy wisdoms story?  
What sounded or sense can reasons soul refine,  
But speaks in glory of thy grace divine?   

The Sun in brightness glorifies the light  
That in the beams but of thy beauty liveth,  
The Moon and stars amid the darkest night  
Show what a light thy loving mercy giveth:  
So Sun and Moon, and all those shining creatures  
Do show thy glory in their light some natures.   

Is not the day a figure of perfection,  
Wherein the creatures were created first,  
And night of sin, that with a soul infection  
Shows how the soul is for her sins accursed?  
But night once passed, the glorious day appearing  
Shows sins forgiven, the joy of mercies cheering.   

So Sun, and Moon, and stars, and day, and night,  
Speaks of thy glory in their cause of being:  
And how they serve but in obedience right  
Unto thy grace, but of thy will agreeing,  
While wisdom shows in state of reasons story,  
They give us light that we may give thee glory.   

The azure sky more clear than Crystalline,  
Wherein the Sune doth cast his beams abroad:  
How doth it figure that fair hand of thine,  
Wherein thy mercy makes her most abode,  
Whilst to the humble souls believing eye,  
Thy glory shines far brighter than the sky?   

The clouds that shed those drops of blessed dews,  
That water the dry places of the earth:  
What drop so small, but it thy glory shows,  
To bring a plenty where was erst a dearth?  
How do they figure faithful sorrows tears,  
When sin-burnt souls the fruit of mercy bears?   

The air that gives each living creature breath,  
Speaks of thy glory in that breathing power:  
And when it leaves the creature unto death,  
It shows thy glory in that parting hour,  
To leave the flesh, so in corruption wounded,  
Till grace renew that was in sin confounded.   

The earth that yields such choice of fruits & flowers  
How doth it show that glorious power of thine,  
When all unseen do hidden lie those powers,  
That art or nature never can define?  
How sweets, & forms, and colours so should grow,  
But that thy glorius will would have it so.   

And as the spring brings forth the budding green,  
With beauties dies for to adorn the field:  
So in the winter few or noon are seen,  
That can the eye contentive pleasure yield.  
So that the earth which never silence breaketh,  
In her dumb speech yet of thy glory speaketh.   

The sea, wherein those world of fishes live,  
That float and tumble in the tossing waves:  
What notice do they of thy glory give,  
That from the Whale the little Herring saves?  
And makes the Dolphin wound the Whale so sore,  
As drives him from the sea to die on shore.   

What beast so great, or creeping worm so small,  
What bird so high, or of so low a flight,  
But that thy name is glorified in all?  
Who having made them by thy heavenly might,  
Preseru'st them so, that all the world may see,  
They have their being only but in thee.   

The beast his hair, the feather of the bird,  
The fish his scale, and every tree his bark:  
These for defence doth nature all afford,  
As of thy glory every one a mark,  
Wherein thy hand of mercy is beheld,  
That doth such comfort to each creature yield.   

Is not the fire a figure of thy wrath,  
That soon consumes the proud assault of sin?  
The air the patience that thy mercy hath,  
When true contrition doth remission win?  
The water tears that thou for sin hast shed,  
The earth thy death for to redeem the dead.   

Since then above and in the elements,  
Sun, Moon, stars, sky, fire, water, earth and air,  
And what may be beneath the firmament,  
Beasts, birds, fish, worm, scale, feather, hide or hair,  
Nor tree, nor flower, nor herb, nor grass doth grow  
But some way doth thy glorious mercy show.   

Shall wretched man, whom God did only make  
To his own image in his mercy's love,  
So far himself and all his good forsake,  
As to forget so sweet a turtle-dove  
As his dear God, that so of nothing wrought him,  
And his dear Son that hath so dearly bought him?   

Shall man I say, that only special creature,  
Whom God hath made to serve his Majesty,  
In lack of grace reveal so vile a nature,  
As not to seek his name to glorify?  
Not, heavens forbidden, though sin be never such  
In man should live ingratitude so much.   

Not, he whom God hath made to monarch so  
Above all creatures that do grow or breath:  
And by his wisdom makes his will to know  
The good above, and evil from beneath:  
And how he helps the spirit in distress,  
His glorious goodness cannot but confess.   

And when he sees with those in-seeing eyes,  
That in the soul do give the spirit light,  
In what the height of heavenly glory lies,  
To whom all glory doth belong of right:  
His heart will writ in his worths worthy story,  
To him alone be given all only glory.   

OH he that sits above the starry sky,  
In holy seat of heavenly residence,  
And at the twinkling of his glorious eye,  
Commands the world to his obedience:  
Leave that soul soul in sorrow ever friendless,  
That doth not sounded thy name in glory endless.   

All grace, all goodness, wisdom, power and peace,  
All truth, true life, all bounty, mercy, love,  
These altogether sing and never cease,  
Unto the glory of this God above:  
And can it be that man who sees all this,  
Will not give glory to this God of his?   

Not, heavens forbidden that hell should have the power  
To spit her poison upon man so much,  
To make him live to that unhappy hour,  
Wherein to show his wicked nature such,  
As to forget God's gracious goodness so,  
As not some way his glorious mercy show.   

Than let our hearts amongst that world of souls,  
That feel his blessings every day and hour,  
While truth records in her eternal rolls,  
The gracious goodness of his glorious power,  
Sing in our souls, and never cease to sing,  
All glory to our God, and honour to our King.    

A Prayer for the King's most excellent Majesty, and our gracious Lady Queen Anne.  

OH Glorious God and only King of Kings,  
Whose holy eye both heaven and earth beholdeth:  
And from whose mercy all and only springs,  
The fairest life that faithful love unfoldeth:  
My humble spirit I beseech thee raise,  
To give thy glory all eternal praise.   

OH gracious God, among the many graces,  
Wherewith thy mercy hath this kingdom blest,  
In whom the height of all our happy cases,  
Under thy only holy hand doth rest:  
For our Liege (Lord) and mighty Britain's King,  
Let our hearts humble thankfulness be seen.   

Bless him (o Lord) with Nestor's happy days,  
Health, wealth and peace, and everlasting pleasure:  
Let virtues love resound his worthy praise,  
And thy true wisdom be his spirits treasure,  
His greatest hopes upon thy graces grounded,  
His state preserved, and his foes confounded.   

Bless also (Lord) our gracious Sovereign's Queen  
With all the blessings of thy holy grace,  
And let it never in this land be seen,  
But in thy mercy they may both have place:  
Nor sweet Prince Henry's fame die in oblivions pen:  
To all of these true Britons say Amen.