A PRAYER of Queen Elizabeth upon her escape from being burnt in her Bed, by a Fire flaming through the Boards of her Chamber, during her Imprisonment at Woodstock in Oxfordshire.

‘O Gracious Lord God, I humbly prostrate my self upon the bended Knees of my Heart before thee, intreating thee for thy Sons sake, to be now and ever merciful unto me: I am thy work, the work of thine own Hands; even of those Hands which were nailed to the Cross for my Sins. Look upon the Wounds of thy Hands, and despise not the work of thy hands. Thou hast written me down in thy Book of Preservation; read thine own hand-writing and save me: Spare me that speak unto thee, pardon me that pray unto thee. The Griefs I endure enforce me to speak, the Calamities I suffer compel me to complain: If my hopes were in this life only, then were I of all People most misera­ble. It must needs be that there is another life; for here those live many times longest, who are not worthy to live at all. Here the Israelites make Bricks, and the Egyptians dwell in the Houses: David is in want, and Nabal a­bounds: Sion is Babylons Captive. Hast thou nothing in store for Joseph but the stocks, for Esay but a Saw? Will not Elias adorn the Chariot as well as the Juniper Tree? Will not John Baptists Head become a Crown as well as a Platter? Surely there is great Retribution for the Just, there is Fruit for the Righteous: Thou hast Palms for their Hands, white Robes for their Bodies. Thou wilt wipe a­way all Tears from their Eyes, and shew thy goodness in the Land of the Living. How good and desirable is the shadow of thy wings? Oh Lord Jesus! That is a safe San­ctuary to flie unto, a comfortable refreshing from all sin and sorrow: Whatsoever Cup of Affliction this Life makes me drink of, it is yet nothing to those bitter Draughts that thou hast already drank for me: Help me, Oh thou my strength, and thereby I shall be raised up: Come thou my Light, and thereby I shall be illuminated; appear thou Glory to which I shall be exalted: Hasten thou Life by which I shall be hereafter glorified. Amen, Amen.’

When Q. Mary was dead, and the News thereof came to Q. Elizabeth, she removed from Hatfeild to the Char­ter-house, from whence she was Royally Attended to the Tower of London, and Nov. 24. 1558. She set forward from the Tower to pass through the City to Westminster. But the Queen considering that she was now exalted from Misery to Majesty, from a Prisoner to a Princess: She ve­ry devoutly and religiously lifted up her Hands to Heaven before she would suffer her self to be mounted in her Cha­riot, and made the following Prayer.
‘O Lord, Almighty and ever living God, I give thee most humble and hearty thanks that thou hast been so merciful unto me as to spare me to see this joyful and blessed day; and I acknowledge thou hast dealt as graci­ously and wonderfully with me, as thou didst with thy true and faithful Servant Daniel thy Prophet, whom thou deli­veredst out of the Lions Den, from the cruelty of the greedy and raging Lions; even so was I overwhelmed, and by thee delivered: To thee therefore only be Thanks, and Honour, and Praise, for evermore. Amen.’

In 1588, The Spanish Armado invaded the Kingdom; the Design being no less than the Conquest of England; at which time Q. Elizabeth having raised a considerable Ar­my of Horse and Foot, who were encamped at Tilbury, near the Thames mouth; the Queen with a Masculine Spirit, like another Deborah, came and took a view of her Army; and going about through the several Ranks of Armed Men, drawn up on both sides of her, with a Generals Truncheon in her hand, walkt sometimes with a Martial pace, another while gently like a Woman: It is incredible how much she encouraged the Hearts of her Captains and Souldiers by her presence, but especially by her most generous and un­daunted Speech, which she made in the midst of them, to this effect:

The Queen provided also as good a Fleet as possible, con­sisting of 140 Ships, divided into 3 Squadrons, commanded by the L. Howard Admiral, Sir Fr. Drake Vice Admiral, and the L. Hen. Seamour Rear Admiral; which being ready to sail, this Religious Princess composed this Prayer for their good Success.
‘MOst Omnipotent Creator and Governor of all the World, that only searchest and knowest the bottom of all hearts and thoughts, and therein seest the true inten­tion of all our Actions: Thou knowest, O God, that it is nei­ther malice, nor revenge for any injury offered us, neither desire of bloodshed, nor greediness of gain, that hath been the occasion of raising and setting forth this Navy, but on­ly that necessary care and wary watchfulness, that neither the malice of our Enemies, nor our own over-security may bring danger to us, or triumph to them: These being the true grounds and reasons of our attempt, as thou, O Lord, knowest, I humbly beseech thee with bended Knees to pros­per the undertaking; command the Winds to assist us, and grant us Victory and Deliverance from this imminent dan­ger; that so all may end in the advancement of thy Glory and Honour, the exalting of thy Name, and the safety of this Realm, with the least loss of the English Blood that may be: To these my devout Petitions, Lord give thy blessed Assent. Amen.’

After the Defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armado, as they called it, the gracious and godly Queen, who ever held Ingratitude a capital sin, especially toward her Almighty Protector, as she had begun with Prayer, so she concluded with Praises, and Thanksgivings; commanding a solemn Thanksgiving to be celebrated to the Lord of Hosts; and composed her self a Prayer of Thankfulness to this effect:
‘MOst Omnipotent Creator, Redeemer and Preserver of all Mankind; when it seemed good to thy Almigh­ty Wisdom to create the whole Earth; thou didst divide in­to four several parts the materials thereof, which are since called Elements; and do all serve to continue that orderly Government which thou hast designed them: And all these, O God, out of thy most singular bounty, and unheard of care, thou hast made to serve as Instruments to daunt and destroy our Foes, and to confound their malice; for which, with bowed Heart, and bended Knees, I humbly return hearty thanks and acknowledgment; and it is not the least part of this great deliverance that the weakest Sex hath been so assisted by thy strongest help; that my own People have no cause to complain of my weakness, nor Foreigners to triumph at my ruin: Yea, such hath been thy unwonted Grace in my days, that though Satan and his Instruments have been continually practising against my Life and State, yet thy mighty Hand hath defended us, and thy Wings have covered us, that they have not prevailed against us, neither have we received any damage by them; but have cause to bless and magnifie thy Holy Name, that thou hast cloathed our Enemies with shame, and the greatest disho­nour: for which great goodness of thine, O Lord, grant that we may be continually thankful, and ever mindful: And if I may find favour in thine Eyes, be pleased, O God, to grant thy countenance and favour to us in my days, that my years may never see any change of thy love and grace toward me, but especially to this Kingdom: which grant, O Lord, for thy Sons sake, may flourish for Many Ages, after I shall go hence and be no more: Grant this, O Lord, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.’