AN Oration Military to all natural Englishmen, whether Protestants, or otherwise in Religion affected, to move resolution in these dangerous times.  
Wherein is expressed the delight of liberty, and the tyranny of the enemy.  
With a Prayer both pithy and necessary.  
Written by a zealous affected Subject.  Non nobis solùm nascimur. 
AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin, and Thomas Cadman. 1588.   

An Oration Military.  
WOrthy Countrymen,  
whose predecessors were not only feared in Europe, but famous through all the discovered parts of the Earth: doubtful it is not, but your hearts are prepared, and your minds as it were one fire, valiantly to resist the force of any foreign invasion: yet to add flame unto your fire, I thought good in this brief exhortation, to animate each of you, (if it may be) to more resolution. Know then (worthy Countrymen, for why we know you are not ignorant, what rumours are spread of the preparation of that man of sin, that worthless Priest of Rome, against this Royal Realm) and be you assured, that whatsoever pretence of justice our adversaries by their false Apostles (or Seminary Priests) shall buzz into your ears, as redress of wrongs, reformation of Religion or such like: yet if you respect your ancient liberty, & consider the thraldom of your neighbours subjecteth to the tyranny of Spanish government, and the double dealing of the Pope's feigned holiness, weighing beside, that of all bondage, there is none more vile than the service of the vile, you will (I doubt not) resolve every one rather on death, were it never so bitter, than either by persuasions of flattery or fear, submit yourselves to such, as neither merit names of men, or are for courtesy to be accounted among reasonable creatures. The heathen men (good Christian Countrymen) were so affected unto their native soil, that some of them have entered the armies of the enemies, and aimed at the hearts of their chief Rulers, setting so light by torments, that being apprehended, they themselves have burnt off the hand, whose deathful stroke mistook the man, their hearts desired to dispatch: some cast themselves into raging gulfs: others detested life, when countries liberty hath been lost: most crying out, O fortunata mers quae naturae debira pro Patria potissimum est reddita. Then much more we, who are not only bound by like love, but by a greater bond (even Christian liberty) ought to set light by life, & willingly embrace the greatest torments that tyranny can oppose, rather than see Religion defaced, our Country ruinated, our Sovereign Princess injured, our wives and virgins defiled, our infants tossed on pikes, and our goods the greedy Spaniards spoil. Take courage Countrymen, and if they come, resolve on victory or death: if they come not, determine some of you to brave the cowards at their doors. Yea more, let not any, either English traitor, or foreign tyrant, be named leader but of a band against this noble Island, or the least part of her majesties Dominions, but let his heart blood by some device or other, satisfy for an attempt so injurious.  
Set before your eyes the desolation of the Low Country, whose people flourished within these thirty years, no Nation in more felicity: but since the Spaniards have oppressed their government, no men so miserable. Of their affliction, it is needless to speak, for that your eyes are witnesses of their exiled numbers, your ears have heard of the merciless massacres among them, and the whole world reporteth the wretchedness of their defaced Cities, and desolate habitations. But some may say to me, seeing the Pope is Patron of this hallowed army, there shall be mercy showed to the submiss, and reward to such as resist not (for thus his favourers will report of him): but be not you deceived Countrymen, to you I now speak that have affected our Antichristian enemy, the elder brother to Mahomet, by whose pride the younger grew to such pomp, learn now at last to discern him by his deeds. His pride O Countrymen, lost all Asia, Syria, Arabia, Armenia, Cappadocia, Egypt, Africa, a great part of Europe, as Thracia, Constantinople, all Greece, almost all Hungary, Epyrus, Illyria, a great part of Austria, with those famous Isles of Rhodes and Candie, and infinite other Regions, now subject to Turkish tyranny: yea, he that will needs be called high Bishop of Christendom, hath betrayed these Christian Kingdoms, and yet ceaseth not by like dissension, to lay open this little remnant for the Turkish invasion. His mercy & the mercy of his adherents, is like that which Mustapha his spiritual brother showed, when Famogosta was delivered by the Prince of Cyprus, who forced through long famine to compound, covenanted soldier like he and his people should departed with bag and baggage: but most faithlessely when they were issued, after many vile reproaches, they stripped the Prince, and with hot pincers blistered his body, thrusting wire into every blister, & being dead with famine and this torment, they bowelled and stuff him full of straw, & on their greatest galleys mast, (whereinto his soldiers were thrust for slaves,) they hanged the martyred Prince to augment his servants misery: such mercy as the Spaniards showed to the portugals in Tercera, who were all without respect of age or innocence, put either to tormenting deaths, or condemned to the Galleys, yet were they of the same religion as their enemies, both subject to the Sea of Rome: such mercy as the silly Indians find, whom the Spaniards have baited with dogs, thrown to wild beasts, & butchered by hundreds, as their own Writers report: therefore it is evident that they regard not Religion, but seek for England's ruin, wherefore believe them not: but remember the resolution of Lewis the French kings son, discovered to the English Gentlemen confederates against their natural Prince King john, by a noble man of France a counsellor to the said Lewis, being in London at the point of death: and for that it is so excellent an example in these times, & the pretence of the English rebellious was to defend the Papal dignity, I think good briefly to note the effect of his admonition: My Lords (saith he) and Gentlemen of England, I am in conscience moved, my hour of death approaching, to warn you of imminent danger that hangeth over your heads: You see that my Lord the Prince Lewis through your assistance, hath gained many forces in this Realm of England: and if you were not blinded with too much malice, you might easily perceive what he intendeth toward you, in that he makes French men rulers over those holds: but to assure you better of his intent, I protest upon my soul, which must shortly answer, if I speak untruth, that before ever we left Paris, it was agreed, that not one of you which assisted him against your Sovereign, but should have the reward of traitors when he was possessed of the crown. Remember this good Countrymen, and trust not strangers, believe not the secret messengers from Rome, but be ye all of one mind in the defence of England, lest envy let in the enemy, who will neither spare the envious, nor the envied: therefore let factious men be hated as your deadliest enemies, & count him happy which hasts his end that muttereth dissension in your cares. Lastly, noble Englishmen, that abhor the dregs of Popery, or at least have not at all tasted thereof, consider the old Principle, Nulla fides cum haereticis obseruanda, and for heretics he accounteth us, wherefore we ought neither to believe him nor his. This point the Pope hath so observed, that he hath made the son break faith with the father, the wife with the husband, as lately in France, the subject with the Prince, as England can too well witness, yea by Ambassadors, which is abominable among heathen men, hath the Pope and Spain practised treason, as lately by Mendozza with Francis Throckmorton even in London. O Countrymen, detest these infidels, think on your goods, your lands, parents, children, wives, Prince, Country, and Religion, for which to die is even the way to life. without which to live is worse than any death: and trust in God that giveth victory, to whose righteousness if we cleave, and consent in unity, our enemies shall be of no force, who are only feared because they are cruel, and never win victory but by treason.  
FINIS.   

❧ The Prayer.  
Almighty & Eternal God, that disposest of all Nations at thy pleasure, & hast always from the worlds foundation, shown forth thy wonders in delivering thy elect, even from the very door of death; as Noah from the old rebellious, Lot from Sodom, jacob from Esau, Israel from Egypt, David from Saul, and Ezekiah from Zenacherib: all these thy children, (O mighty God of hosts) had mighty worldlings to their enemies: but for their faith was fixed in thy righteousness, the armies nor envy of their adversaries could prevail against them: for, with the breath of thy mouth were they consumed; & to their shame were they confounded. Thou wert one God from the beginning, thou art the same, & wilt be ever one; which makes us wretched sinners, (not withstanding the number of our misdeeds, exceeding the Stars in Heaven, or fandes of the Sea) to prostrate ourselves before thy throne of Majesty, beseeching mercy and thy omnipotent assistance. We have sinned o Lord, we have gone astray, be merciful, o God be merciful to our offences, and for thy own name sake, look down upon thy small flock, thy little Church of England, against whom whole armies of Rabshakehs are sent to rail, Zenacherib himself blaspheming, and practising in Babylon our ruin: & to him are joined the greatest nations. Against thee & thine anointed Elizabeth have they conspired; against thee and thine inheritance of England have they bend their power; they have sworn to renew their old abominations; and make thy sanctuary among us desolate: being in number as the dust of the earth. But O God of Abraham, Isaac, jacob and their righteous seed, in whose sight the Majesty of men is miserable, and their proudest numbers as the fearful Hind: stretch forth thy arm, & fight for us o Lord; pour forth thy spirit on our honourable & aged men, on our youthful and valiant men, that the one with counsel agreeable to thy will, may stir up the courage of the other to fight thy battles, that the foes of England, (enemies to thy Almightiness) may be as chaff tossed with the wind. Increase in us charity, confirm our faith, defend our Sovereign, continue thy Gospel 'mongst us, that thou mayst be glorified for ever in this Realm of England. Grant these dear Father and all other our necessities, even for thy son our Saviour jesus sake. Amen.