XXXVL

XXXVIII.

XXXVIII.

XXXIX.

1594. AN ORDER FOR PRAYER AND THANKES-GIUING (necessary to be vsed in these dangerous times) for the safetie and preseruation of her Maiesty and this realme. Set forth by Authoritie. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1594. Quarto. Collates C in fours. [Archbishop Sancroft's Collection, Cambridge.]

Spanish machinations against Elizabeth's life, and the unnatural treasons of her fugitive Roman Catholic subjects in the Netherlands, originated this Form, as the second prayer will teach us. That there was ample reason for issuing it, may be learnt from the 'admonition,' which, in one of the three editions, is lengthened by the insertion of a very remarkable passage. Bohun, pp. 129-165. Bacon's works (edit. 1753), Vol. i. pp. 537-543. Herbert's Ames, p. 1088.

1596. A PRAYER set forth by authoritie to be vsed for the prosperous successe of hir Maiesties Forces and Nauie. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1596. Broadside. [The Bodleian.]

A powerful armament, under the joint command of Robert, earl of Essex, and Charles Howard, lord admiral of England, sailed from Plymouth, on the first of June 1596, for Cadiz, to counteract the great preparations there making by Philip the second for an invasion of England and Ireland. Stow, pp. 1282-1293. There is another copy of this Prayer at Colchester.

1596. A PRAYER made by the queene at the departure of the fleet. [Lambeth MSS. no. 250.]

According to Stow (p. 1284), Elizabeth wrote a prayer in 1596 for the good successe of the fleete, and sent it to the Generals, commanding that it should be daily saide throughout all the fleete.' No trace, however, of the Prayer seems now to exist, unless it was the same which will be found under this date, notwithstanding its having been originally designed solely for her private devotions.

1596. A PRAYER OF THANKESGIUING, and for continuance of good successe to her Maiesties Forces. Set foorth by authoritie. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1596. Broadside. [The British Museum, Bibl. Lans. 116. art. 30.]

The original draft of this Prayer may be seen in the same place as the Prayer itself. It is dated 3rd July 1596,' indorsed 'Forme of a Prayer for y Queen thanking God for ya succes of ye fleet,' and corrected by two persons, one of whom was the lord treasurer Burghley. Cadiz had been taken by the English fleet on the 21st of June. Camden, p. 592. Strype has printed the Prayer in his Annals (Vol. iv. p. 262). Two

copies of it exist in archbishop Harsnet's library. Herbert's Ames, p.

1088.

1597. CERTAINE PRAYERS set foorth by Authoritie, to XL. be vsed for the prosperous successe of her Maiesties Forces and Nauy. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1597. Quarto. Collates C in fours. [Archbishop Harsnet's Library, Colchester.]

These arose out of the design of Philip the second to make a descent upon Ireland. For Elizabeth immediately prepared a fleet and army, which sailed from Plymouth on the 9th of July, 1597, under the chief command of Robert, earl of Essex, to destroy the new Armada assembled at Corunna and Ferrol, and to take the Azores. Camden, p. 597. Bacon, Vol. i. pp. 547, 548. Herbert's Ames, p. 1088.

1598. AN ORDER FOR PRAYER AND THANKESGIUING XLI. (necessary to bee vsed in these dangerous times) for the safetie and preseruation of her Maiestie and this Realme. Set foorth by Authoritie Anno 1594. And renewed with some alterations upon the present occasion. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1598. Quarto. Collates D in fours, last page blank. [The Rev. W. Maskell.]

The admonition to the Reader' minutely explains all the circumstances of Squire's extraordinary treason, the particular cause why this adaptation of a previous Form was arranged and published. Only a single copy has been met with; but the Form is mentioned in Dr Williams's manuscript, and was once in his library.

1599. A PRAYER for the good successe of her Maiesties XLII. Forces in Ireland. The Deputies of Christopher Barker. 1599. Broadside.

The earl of Essex, the newly appointed lord deputy of Ireland, arrived at Dublin on the 17th of April, 1599. Camden, pp. 614-616. Wilkins (Concilia, Vol. iv. pp. 360, 361, 367.) has three documents relating to this war against Tyrone, the first two for contributions from ecclesiastical persons towards the carrying of it on, the last, dated January the 25th, 1601 [1602], for thanksgivings on account of its satisfactory termination. Zurich Letters, (second edition,) p. 555. Herbert's Ames,' p. 1089.

1599. A PRAYER for the Prosperous Proceedings, and XLIII. good successe of the Earle of Essex and his company in their present expedition in Ireland against Tyrone, and his adherent rebels there, fit to be used by all loyall subjectes, as well of that countrey, as in England. John Norden. London. 1599.

XLIV.

The present Form, like the one put forth in the beginning of 1586 for the earl of Leicester, could only have been a private publication. Dr Williams's manuscript has furnished the title, as Herbert furnished the title of that which precedes it.

1601. CERTAINE PRAYERS fit for the time. Set foorth by authoritie. Robert Barker. 1600. Quarto. Contains pp. 11. [Archbishop Sancroft's Collection, Cambridge.]

Strype (Annals, Vol. iv. pp. 354-356.) has printed two of these Prayers, which were intended to commemorate a great deliverance of the queen and kingdom from the dangerous rebellion of the earl of Essex, of late greatly feared to have entered England by force of armes.' Stow, p. 1310. Essex's outbreak took place on sunday the 8th of February, 1601; and he was beheaded in the Tower on the 25th, which was Ashwednesday. Bacon, Vol. i. p. 568. In quoting the title Strype adds to be used thrice a week on the prayer days in the churches;' and also, Composed upon her Entrance upon a new Century, viz. 1600,' to which circumstance the last two Prayers certainly do allude. In his Whitgift, however (p. 544), he seems to assert two distinct Forms to have been put forth, one for each of the events above mentioned. At Lambeth there is another copy of the Prayers.

A SHORT FORM AND ORDER to be used in Common prayer 11. thrice a week for seasonable weather, and good success of the Common affairs of the Realm: meet to be used at this present, and also hereafter, when like occasion shall arise, by the discretion of the Ordinaries within the province of Canterbury.

The preface.

WE be taught by many and sundry examples of holy Scriptures, that, upon occasion of particular punishments, afflictions, and perils, which God of his most just judgments hath sometimes sent among his people, to shew his wrath against sin, and to call his people to repentance and to the redress of their lives, the Godly have been provoked, and stirred up, to more fervency and diligency in prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, to a more deep consideration of their consciences, to ponder their unthankfulness. &c. As in print commonly to be seen. &c.

[This preface would appear to have been verbally reprinted in the Form for 1563. See p. 479.]

III. A PRAYER to be used for the present estate in [the] churches, at the end of the litany, on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, through the whole Realm.

O MOST mighty Lord God, the Lord of hosts, the governor of all creatures, the only giver of all victories, who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants, calling upon thy name, and trusting in thee: defend, O Lord, thy servant, and our governor under thee, our queen Elizabeth, and all thy people committed to her charge: and especially at this [time], O Lord, have regard to those her subjects, which be sent over the Seas to the aid of such, as be persecuted for the profession of thy holy name, and to withstand the cruelty of those, which be common enemies, as well to the truth of thy eternal word, as to their own natural prince, and countrymen, and manifestly to this Crown and Realm of England, which thou hast of thy divine providence assigned, in these our days, to the government of thy servant our Sovereign, and gracious queen. O most merciful Father, if it be thy holy will, make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those, that exalt them selves against thy truth, and seek to oppress this crown and Realm of England, and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son, the only saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, that we and they may jointly glorify thy mercies: lighten, we beseech thee, their ignorant hearts, to embrace the truth of thy word; else so abate their cruelty, O most mighty Lord, that this our christian Region, with others that confess thy holy gospel, may obtain by thy aid and strength, surety from our enemies, without shedding of christian and innocent blood, whereby all they, which be oppressed with their tyranny, may be relieved, and all which be in fear of their cruelty, may be comforted: and finally, that all christian Realms, and specially this Realm of England, may by thy defence and protection enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and