A briefe and familiar epistle shevving His Maiesties most lawfull, honourable and iust title to all his kingdomes VVith an epitaph or briefe lamentation for the late Maiestie Royall of most famous, godly, and honourable memory: with a reioycing after sorrow for the same. And lastly a prayer for his Maiesties most happy succession, and for the Queene and their children. By Robert Fletcher.

A BRIEFE AND FAMILIAR EPISTLE SHEWING HIS MAIESTIES MOST LAWFVLL , HONOVRABLE AND IVST TITLE TO ALL HIS KINGDOMES . With an Epitaph or briefe lamentation for the late Maiestie Royall of most famous , godly , and honourable memory : With a reioycing after sorrow for the same . And lastly a prayer for his Maiesties most happy succession , and for the Queene and their children .

By Robert Fletcher .

Imprinted at London for Iohn Harrison , dwelling in Pater-noster rowe , at the signe of the Anchor . 1603.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL HIS EVER good friend Marmaduke Darell Esquier , Clarke Comptrouler of the late Queenes Maiesties houshold , and victuler of her Nauie Royall , &c. Robert Fletcher , Yeoman Purueyor of Cariages for remooues of our sayde late Soueraigne Lady the Queene , wisheth a long life with continuance of those vertues which God hath endued him with .

SIR although my sences were soaked and ouer drowned with sorrow , for the death of our late dread Soueraigne , vnder whose Table I haue had ( for the most part ) my nourishment almost fortie yeares of my life past : and in my trauels , hearing some to dispute of his Maiesties iust and most lawfull Title : others to mourne with me , others to reioyce with Songs , Ballads , &c. And lastlie , a Souldiers wish , Intituled to his Maiestie , and patronized by all the Lords , &c. I could not choose but imitate , and therefore haue written a briefe Epistle to the vulgar , touching his Maiesties Title . Secondly a meane Epitaph for her late Maiestie . Thirdly a fewe verses of reioycing after sorrow : And lastly , a prayer for the King , the Queene , and their children : With a thankesgiuing to God for sending their Maiesties to vs , with such hope of happy succession : all which I beseech you to patronize , with my selfe also , as your place and occasion may affoorde , and as Iustice and equitie according to your wisedome shall direct you . At my lodging neere Charing Crosse , the xxiii . of Aprill . 1603.

Your worships to be commanded as abouesaid euer , Robert Fletcher .

A briefe and familiar Epistle shewing his Maiesties most Lawfull , Honourable , and iust Title to all his Kingdomes , &c.

IF any will be so desperate impudent , to affirme that our Sacred and most excellent Soueraigne now deceassed , was not to be naturally sorrowed for . I am perswaded that euerie good Christian wil condemne that person : euen so euery one that now after our mourning and bootlesse sorrow , will not confesse , that our most excellent Soueraigne Lord and King , is not the true lineall , most honourable heire and lawfull successor , he hath not reade any of our own histories or Chronicles : nor doth he vnderstand ought , but may be reckoned among the vulgar to be voyde of common sence , for as the first proclamation was excellently penned touching his Maiesties most lawful right and lineall succession , so it is not yet much aboue fifty yeres since a coniunct vnion was sought to haue knit both the Realmes of England and Scotland together . Not withstanding the neere proximitie of bloud betweene the two yong Princes of England , Edward ; of Scotland , Mary ; King Henry the eight and our last of that name , sought it first by all good and honourable meanes after his decease . The like course was holden , as who will reade the Epistle exertatory written by the Duke of Sommerset & the whole Counsell of England , vnto the nobles & commons then of Scotland , may perceiue , and conceiue what blessed happines , and happy blessednes was therein promised to both the nations : but it may serue , and that to all men of any reasonable foreseeing capacity , that the al-seeing spirit of the eternall Maiesty , did see what then was most meetest to confirme his glory and our comforts : for looke into the propagation of the Gospel of peace , & you shall perceiue , that the almighty had his ocult iudgement in the seuerall raignes of King Henries children , viz. King Edward to beginne to build the Temple of the Lord , so much as sixe yeares & od monthes could giue him leaue , amongst many rebellions and perturbacions , moued by his people both abroade in the Realme , and among his very domesticalls at home ; Queene Mary to pull all downe againe and to plant Popery , hauing to aide her therein , the helpe of Spaine , &c. this was no doubt for the triall of Gods children in England , and confirmation of the faithfull , v. yeares , odde monethes was her Raigne , little to her owne comfort , and lesse to her subiects .

Then came the mirror of the world , our late dread soueraigne Elizabeth , the paterne and patronisse of many , yea almost of all the religious & godly Princes of Christendome ; and she planted religion , suppressed , though not cleane supplanted superstition and idolatry , & raigned full xliiii . yeares od monethes : and howsoeuer her Maiesty might seeme to conseale from vs her heire apparant , by her graue , wise , & honourable foreseeing Counsell , yet you may see that her most prudent Counsell suruiuing her most gratious Maiesty did presently proclaime this royall Gentleman to be our King and blessed substitute sent of God .

Who being the graund sonne of the eldest daughters son of King Henry the vii . and Queene Elizabeth his wife , as then the very heire to the imperiall Crowne of this land , he is also the intire and most deare sonne of the same eldest sisters daughters sonne , a most Godly , goodly , and noble young gentleman , borne heare in England amongst vs , whose very princely presence , my selfe haue seene and spoken with , at Saint Iames house neere Charing Crosse : so that he is our lawfull , and true vndoubted King of Scotland by mother and father : of England by father and mother : of whose Maiesty , Magnanimity , Princely power , most excellent gouernment we are assured , by a booke written by himselfe to the Prince his sonne and heire apparant : & according to the Counsell contained in the saide booke , & directed to the most mighty and excelent young Prince now in Europe liuing , both for parents and for patrimonie . I doe most humbly beseech almighty God , that all the subiects in these his Maiesties dominions may mediate , imitate , and teach it to posterity .

For thereby such gouernement must needes ensue , both generally abroade in the common wealth , & domesticall at home in euery mans perticuler , that vertue will be aduanced , vice vtterly suppressed , the almighty serued , our Kingobeied , the honorable honoured , the Cleargy reuerenced , the poore releeued , and euery degree so setled : the King reioycing in his subiects , the subiects glorying in their King , which the King of eternall glory grant vs all to be pertakers of .

AMEN .

An Epitaph or briefe Lamentation for the late Maiestie Royall of most famous , godly , and honorable memorie , our gratious Queene Elizabeth . BEwaile our greatest and most greeuous losse , all mortall wights that on the earth do tread : Your honour , glory , beauty , turnde to drosse , your wealth , your peace , your plentie , lapt in Lead . Lieth mortifide , and in her Pallace plac'd , Whom earst , late earst , all earthly Princes grac'd , Gone is she now , that was a Flower in youth , a Iuno , Pallas , Venus , in her age : A future hope , for to maintaine the trueth , oh want of breath hath turn'd her from the Stage And Kingly throne , wherein on earth was plac'd , Her Maiestie , whom all the world late grac'd . Bewaile her death yee Muses , and all men , Apollo weepe , Minerua likewise mourne , All Poets now , bring each a golden Pen , and beautifie her hearce , each in his turne . Let it be knowne t' all Princes farthest plac'd , That our Eliza was before them grac'd . And I poore soule , that mourne with all my hart , For my good Queene , and Soueraigne mistresse deare : Will set my Pen and study now apart , it to the world for euer shall appeare . That while the Lord on earth doth let me liue , I for the dead no line or word will giue . But this last seruice to my peerelesse Prince : ah wretch , and is it euen the last indeed : It is the last , ( and doth my Muse conuince ) so hath our God , and Nature both decreed . That this should be the last yeare of her life : Doubtfull ( to some ) to haue begun our strife . Yet see , the Lord did harbour in her brest , which she kept secret more then fortie yeare : Who should succeed her , and continue rest , amongst her subiects whom she held most deare . A King by birth , and neerest to her blood : ( Ordain'd of God ) Englands aye lasting good . O mirror then of Maiestie and power , of wisdome and of woman-hood the best : That could conceale vntill her latest hower , that we in her succession should be blest . O Iewell rare , O Iem of greatest price , Thy soule ( with God ) possesseth Paradice . FINIS .

Our late sorrow , and our present ioye . SVch mirth from moane , such ioy from care , in Britaine soile was neuer seene : True English harts did all prepare , to mourne the losse of their good Queene . But now reioyce with harts content , For this good King which God hath sent . Our earthly Paragon hath past : her glorious dayes , and happy raigne : No state or sexe can longer last , then power deuine did preordaine . The Sunne by course , doth set at night , And in the morning rise more bright . Our Cynthia in the euening set , The Queene . or after midnight tooke her rest : Dan Phoebus straight did not forget , The King . to thinke his mansion must be blest . With glorious beames sent from aboue , Descending downe with ardent loue . View then the workes of power deuine , whose hests are iust , and neuer faile : Maintaining true discent and line , which none can crosse or counteruaile , Then sing , lament , reioyce , complaine , First Englands losse , next Englands gaine . First England hath a Lady lost , a mirror to the worlds of men : Now found a King , and with no cost , Iust cause therefore to ioye againe . Now King , and Queene , with daughter , sonne : Haue Englands ioy , and raigne begunne , You trembling harts that quakte for feare ; with watch and ward to doubt the worst , Now here proclaimed euery where : the ioyfull newes of Iames the first , Vndoubted King , by iust discent , whose right no title can preuent . Most worthy Prince in Europe bred , is now our soueraigne Lord and King : Who by Gods wisedome will be led , to worke our weale in euery thing . Religious , wise , of valiant minde , Who to such subiectes will be kinde . Of Britaine I le in briefe to speake , that now one Monarch must maintaine : Conioyning harts must malice breake , be reconcil'd and friendes againe . Let euery former foughten field , Like sonnes vnto their fathers yeelde . Like Lancaster and Yorke in loue , ●enry ●arle of ●ichmond , ●nd Eliza●●th the ●aughter 〈◊〉 Edward the ●●urth . must England now and Scotland ioyne : Such vnity God grant may prooue , no forraine power dare then purloyne One foote of ground from Britaines peace , But Britaines may their ground increase , For this good King then let vs pray , that Nestors yeares mongst vs he raigne , His Queene and Princes , also they , in like felicity maintaine , O gratious God , defend from those , All forraine and domesticke foes . FINIS .

A Praier for the King , the Queene , and their Children , with a thanks-giuing to God , for sending to vs their Maiesties , with such hope of happie succession .

O Eternall God most holy and blessed father in Iesus Christ , which hast created all things , who wilt also be the Iudge of all men , we thy most and vnworthy creatures ( in the due regard of our sinnes ) do most humbly beseech thee to be mercifull vnto our most dread Soueraigne Lord Iames the first : Thy most honourable seruant our King and gouernor , that as thou didst first in great mercie send vnto this realme a Deborah to defend vs from Sissera : a most blessed woman to redeeme vs from Roome and Romish religion , and the tyranny thereof formerly inflicted vpon this Church of England , and the true professors of thy most glorious Gospell : and more , hauing Sanctified her soule , and made it meete for thy most glorious and blessed presence , we doe laude and magnifie thy holy name therefore , humbly beseeching the same , to inspire the hart of our King to looke into the ruines of the Church and common-weale of England , that as her late Maiestie like Dauid had conceiued to build the Temple , &c. So his Maiesty like Salomon , may fully finish and effect the same , that the Queene may be like Bersheba to giue counsell , like Hester to preserue , like Iudeth to confound Holophernus , &c. And that their seede and prosperity may be as Iosiah , Hezechia , and all other good and Godly Kings in the Israel of God .

And hereto O Lorde we doe giue thy deuine Maiesty most humble and harty thankes , in that it hath pleased thee to send vs a Prince of our English Tribe extracted from the loines of our most famous Kings and Queenes , not deuided from vs by seas , not alienated from vs by nature , nor much by the very Elimologi of our vulgar speach , but principally and before all things , O gratious God : not differing from vs in religion and the trueth of thy blessed word , vnlesse it be in greater measure of zeale , to his much greater glory and our iust condemnation : these great mercies O Lord , we doe confesse to haue receiued of thy mercie , grace , compassion , loue , and prouidence : without any merits , or desert of ours . Nay we doe much rather O Lord confesse to thy farther glory & to our owne shame : that in regard of our wilfulnes in sinning against thee after xliiii . yeres taught in thee and in the Schoole of thy deuine will and commandements , for our wants in well doing : repentance , contrision , confession , and a generall reformation of our selues , to haue beene giuen ouer of thee and exposed to all the dangers and miseries of this mortall life : which hauing preuented O Lord , we doe further praise thee , & pray thee , in the name and mediation of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ , as he in mercie hath taught vs saying : Our father , &c.

FINIS .

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