The Last SPEECH AND THANKS OF Queen Elizabeth Of ever Blessed Memory, TO HER LAST PARLIAMENT, AFTER HER DELIVERY FROM THE Popish Plots, etc.  
London, Printed, 1679.   

THE LAST SPEECH OF Queen ELIZABETH TO HER Last Parliament, Which began OCTOBER 20th 1601.  
THE Thirtieth of November Her Majesty being seated under a Canopy of State in the Council Chamber, the Speaker, with about 180. of the House of Commons presented themselves at Her Majesty's feet, for that so Graciously and Speedily She had heard and yielded to Her Subjects desires, humbly kneeling upon their knees: To whom She spoke in these Words.  
Mr. Speaker, We perceive, your coming is to present Thanks to Us; Know I accept them with no less Joy, than your Loves can have a desire to offer such a present; and do more esteem it than any treasure or riches. For the value of Them I know, but Loyalty, Love and Thanks I account unvaluable; and though God hath raised Me high, yet this I account the Glory of My Crown, that I have Reigned with your Loves. This makes Me that I do not so much rejoice, that God hath made me a Queen, as to be a Queen of so thankful a people, and to be a means under God, to conserve you in safety, and to preserve you from danger; yea, to be an Instrument to preserve you from dishonour, shame and infamy; to keep you out of servitude and slavery under Our Enemies, and cruel tyranny and vile oppression intended against Us. For the better withstanding whereof, We take very acceptably your intended Supplies; and chief, that it manifesteth your Love and Largeness of heart to your Sovereign. Of Myself I was never a greedy scraping grasper, nor strict fast-holding Prince, nor yet a Waster. My heart was never set upon any worldly goods; but what you bestow on Me, I will not hoard it up, but receive it, to bestow on you again. Yea, my own properties I account yours, to be expended for your good, and your Eyes shall see the bestowing of it for your welfare.  
Mr. Speaker, I wish you and the rest of the Gentlemen to stand up, for I fear I shall yet trouble you with a longer Speech.  
Mr. Speaker, You give Me thanks, but I am more to thank you, and I charge you thank them of the Lower House from Me; for had I not received knowledge from you, I might have fallen into the lapse of an error, only for want of true Information. Since I was a Queen, I never yet put my Pen to any Grant, but upon pretext and semblance made, that it was for the good and avail of My Subjects in General, though a private profit to some of my ancient servants, who have deserved well. But that any Grant of Mine, shall be made grievous to My people, and oppression to be privileged under the Colour of Our Patents, Our Princely Dignity shall not suffer it. When I heard it, I could give no rest to My thoughts; and those Varlets, lewd persons, abusers of My Bounty shall know, I will not suffer it. And Mr. Speaker, Tell the House from Me, That I take it exceeding grateful, that the knowledge of these are come unto Me from them: and though amongst them the principal members are such as are not touched in private, and therefore speak not from any feeling of the grief, yet We have heard, That other Gentlemen also of the House who stand as free, have spoken as freely in it. Which gives Us to know, that no respects of Interests have moved them, otherwise than what they bear to suffer the diminution of Our Honour, and Our Subjects Love to Us. The Zeal of which affection tending to ease My people and knit their hearts to Us, I embrace with a Princely care; for above all other treasures, I esteem My people's love, more than which, I desire not to merit: and God that gave me to sit, and placed Me over you, knows, That I never respected My, but as your good was concerned in Me. Yea, What dangers! What perils! What practices I have passed, some if not all of you know; but none of those things ever moved me, or made me fear, but it's God that hath delivered Me.  
And in Governing this Land, I have ever set the last Judgement day before My eyes, and so to rule, as I shall be judged and answer before a higher Judge, to whose Judgement Seat I do appeal, That never thought was cherished in My heart, that tended not to My people's good. And if My Princely Bounty hath been abused, and my Grace turned to the Hurt of My people contrary to My Will and Meaning, or if any Authority under Me have neglected, or converted what I committed to them from My design, I hope God will not lay their Culp upon My charge.  
To be a King, and wear a Crown, is a thing more Glorious to them that see it, than it is pleasant to them that bear it. For Myself, I was never so much enticed with the Glorious Name of a King, or the Royal Authority of a Queen, 〈◊〉 delighted, that God made me his Instrument to maintain his Truth and Glory, and defend this Kingdom from dishonour, damage, Tyranny and oppression.  
But should I ascribe these things to Myself or to My Sexly weakness, I were not worthy to live; and of all most unworthy of the Mercies I have received at God's hands: But to God alone, and to him wholly is all given and ascribed.  
The Cares and troubles of a Crown, I cannot more fitly resemble, than to the Drugs of an Apothecary perfumed with some Aromatical savour, or bitter Pills gilded over, by which they are made acceptable or less offensive, when indeed they are bitter and unpleasant. As for My own part, were it not for Conscience sake to discharge the duty God hath laid upon Me, and to maintain his Glory, and keep you in safety, in my disposition I should be willing to Resign that place I hold to any other, and be glad to be freed of the Glory with the labour. For it is not My desire to Live and Reign longer, than My Life and Reign shall be for your good; and though you have had, and may have Mightier and Wiser Princes sitting on this Seat, yet you never had, nor shall have any that will love you better.  
Thus Mr. Speaker, I commend Me to your Loyal Loves, and yours to My best Care and your further Counsels. And I pray you Mr. Controller and Mr. Secretary, and you of My Council, that before these Gentlemen depart into the Country, 〈◊〉 bring them all to Kiss My Hand.  
FINIS.