knowing the pit, they headlong cast them selues into the same[84]; as the
nobilitie of England, do this day, fighting in the defense of their
mortall ennemie the Spaniard. Finallie they are so destitute of
vnderstanding and iudgement, that althogh they knowe that there is a
libertie and fredome, the whiche their predecessors haue inioyed; yet are
they compelled to bowe their neckes vnder the yoke of Satan, and of his
proude ministres, pestilent papistes and proude spaniardes. And yet can
they not consider that where a woman reigneth and papistes beare
authoritie, that there must nedes Satan be president of the counsel. Thus
hast thou, O Lorde, in thy hote displeasure reuenged the contempt of thy
graces offred. But, O Lord, if thou shalt reteine wrath to the end, what
Aeshe is able to susteine? We haue sinned[85], O Lord, and are not worthy
to be releued. But worthy art thou, O Lord, to be a true God, and worthy
is thy sonne Christ Iesus, to haue his Euangil and glorie aduanced:
whiche both are troden vnder foot in this cruell murther and persecution,
whiche the builders of Babylon commit in their furie, haue raised against
thy children, for the establishing of their kingdome. Let the sobbes
therfore of thy prisoners, O Lord, passe vp to thine eares, consider their
affliction: and let the eyes of thy mercie looke downe vpon the blood of
such as die for testimonie of thy eternal veritie: and let not thine
ennemies mocke thy iudgement for euer. To the, O Lorde, I turne my
wretched and wicked hart: to the alone, I direct my complaint and grones:
for in that Ile to thy saintes there is left no comfort. Albeit I haue
thus (talkinge with my God in the anguishe of my harte) some what
digressed: yet haue I not vtterlie forgotten my former proposition, to
witt, that it is a thing repugnant to the ordre of nature, that any woman
be exalted to rule ouer men. For God hath denied vnto her the office of a
heade. And in the intreating of this parte, I remembre that I haue made
the nobilitie both of England and Scotland inferior to brute beastes, for
that they do to women, which no male amongest the common sorte of beastes