xxviii
Henry of Huntingdon's preface.
we undertake nothing without imploring divine assistance, let us commence by invoking God's holy name:—
Prostrate beneath the terrors of thy frown,
Some, till they fill their cup of crime, remain.
Some, with its bitter dregs, thy vengeance drain.
The thoughts of kings and nations fluctuate.
Thou, in thy wisdom, rulest all their state.
Inflicting evil, as the prophet sings[1],
And wafting blessings upon angels' wings,
When such the pleasure of thy righteous will;
Thou self-existent, dread unchangeable.
From whom, by whom, and in whom all things are I
Creator, Lord and shepherd, king of kings,
Beginning, source, and growth, and end of things.
Fountain of light, whence heavenly radiance flows?,
My work inspire, and guide it to its close ;
My work, which tells the marvels of thy hand.
Thyself our Father, in our father's land.
Thou, by whose counsels and whose mighty aid.
Great in thy counsels, secret or display'd,
Realms are exalted, or again brought down,
Some, till they fill their cup of crime, remain.
Some, with its bitter dregs, thy vengeance drain.
The thoughts of kings and nations fluctuate.
Thou, in thy wisdom, rulest all their state.
Inflicting evil, as the prophet sings[1],
And wafting blessings upon angels' wings,
When such the pleasure of thy righteous will;
Thou self-existent, dread unchangeable.
From whom, by whom, and in whom all things are I
Creator, Lord and shepherd, king of kings,
Beginning, source, and growth, and end of things.
Fountain of light, whence heavenly radiance flows?,
My work inspire, and guide it to its close ;
My work, which tells the marvels of thy hand.
Thyself our Father, in our father's land.
Thou, by whose counsels and whose mighty aid.
Great in thy counsels, secret or display'd,
Realms are exalted, or again brought down,
And thou , exalted prelate, England's pride,
Our country's father, and our monarch's guide.
What I have well performed, in grace approve.
Where I have erred, correct me in thy love.
See here how nations prosper, realms decay.
And draw the moral for the future day.
Mark, holy father, how their power arose.
Their wealth, their fame, their triumphs o'er their foes,
Mark how in nothing all such glories close.
Our country's father, and our monarch's guide.
What I have well performed, in grace approve.
Where I have erred, correct me in thy love.
See here how nations prosper, realms decay.
And draw the moral for the future day.
Mark, holy father, how their power arose.
Their wealth, their fame, their triumphs o'er their foes,
Mark how in nothing all such glories close.
- ↑ Isa. xiv. 7.
