Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/259

I570-] EXCOMMUNICATION OF ELIZABETH. 245 Lord/ His words have not been preserved, but iu all that iron crowd there was not a man but was in tears. 1 1 Something of what Knox said may be conjectured from a prayer with which he closed a second ser- mon in the same place on the follow- ing day. ' Oh Lord, what we shall add to the former petition we know not : yea alas, oh Lord, our own consciences hear us record that we are unworthy that Thou sliould'st either increase or yet continue thy graces with us by reason of our horrible ingratitude. In our ex- treme miseries we called, and Thou, in the multitude of thy mercies, heard us ; and first Thou delivered'st us from the idolatry of merciless strangers ; and last from the yoke of that wretched woman, the mother of all mischief ; and in her place Thou didst erect her son ; and to supply his infancy Thou didst appoint a Eegent endued with such graces as the Devil himself cannot accuse or justly convict him ; this only ex- cepted, that foolish pity did so far prevail in him concerning execution and punishment which Thou com- manded'st to have been executed upon her and upon her complices, the murderers of her husband. Oh Lord, in what misery and confusion found he this realm ! and to what rest and quietness now by his labours suddenly he brought the same, all estates, but specially the poor Commons, can wit- ness. Thy image, Lord, did so clearly shine in that personage that the Devil and the wicked to whom he is prince could not abide it ; and so to pun- ish our sins and ingratitude, who did not rightly esteem so precious a gift, Thou hast permitted him to fall, to our great grief, in the hands of cruel and traitorous murderers. He is at rest, oh Lord, and we are left in ex- treme misery. Be merciful to us, and suifer not Satan utterly to pre- vail against thy little flock within this realm. Neither yet, oh Lord, let bloodthirsty men come to the end of their wicked en terprises. Preserve, oh Lord, our young King: although he be an infant give unto him the spirit of sanctification, with increase of the same as he groweth in years. Let his reign, oh Lord, be such as Thou may'st be glorified and Thy little flock comforted by it, seeing that we are now left as a flock with- out a pastor in civil policy and as a ship without a rudder in the midst of the storm. Let Thy providence watch, Lord, and defend us in these dangerous days, that the wicked of the world may see that as well with- out the help of man as with it Thou art able to rule, maintain, and defend the little flock that dependeth upon, Thee. And because, oh Lord, the shedding of innocent blood has ever been and yet is odious in Thy pre- sence, yea, that it defileth the whole land when it is shed and not punished, we crave of Thee, for Christ thy Son's sake, that Thou wilt so try and punish the two treasonable and cruel murders lately committed, that the inventors, devisers, authors, and