And here an end of quéene Marie, and of hir persecution, during the time of hir misgouernment. Of which quéene this trulie may be affirmed and left in storie for a perpetuall memoriall or epitaph for all kings and quéenes that shall succéed hir to be noted,More Eng|lish bloud spil|led in quéene Maries time, than euer was in anie kings reigne before hir. that before hir neuer was read in storie of a|nie king or quéene of England since the time of king Lucius, vnder whom in time of peace, by hang|ing, heading, burning, and prisoning: so much chri|stian bloud, so manie Englishmens liues were spil|led within this realme, as vnder the said quéene Ma|rie for the space of foure yeares was to be séene, and I beseech the Lord neuer may be séene hereafter.

Now, for so much as quéene Marie, during all the time of hir reigne,The reigne of quéene Marie how vnpros|perous it was both to hir & hir realme in all respects. was such a vehement aduersarie and persecutor against the sincere professors of Christ Iesus and his gospell: for the which there be manie which doo highlie magnifie and approue hir dooings therein, reputing hir religion to be sound and catho|like, and hir procéedings to be most acceptable and blessed of almightie God: to the intent therfore that all men may vnderstand, how the blessing of the Lord God did not onelie not procéed with hir procee|dings; but contrarie, rather how his manifest dis|pleasure euer wrought against hir, in plaging both hir and hir realme, and in subuerting all hir counsels and attempts, what soeuer she tooke in hand: we will bestow a litle time therein, to perpend and surueie the whole course of hir dooings and cheuances: and consider what successe she had in the same. Which be|ing well considered, we shall find neuer no reigne of anie prince in this land, or anie other, which had euer to shew in it (for the proportion of time) so manie ar|guments of Gods great wrath and displeasure, as was to be séene in the reigne of this queene Marie, EEBO page image 1161 whether we behold the shortnesse of hir time, or the vnfortunate euent of all hir purposes?Quéene Ma|rie neuer had good successe in anie thing she went a|bout. Who séemed neuer to purpose anie thing that came luckilie to passe, neither did anie thing frame to hir purpose, what soeuer she tooke in hand touching hir owne pri|uat affaires.

Of good kings we read in the scripture, in shew|ing moreie and pitie,A good king alwaies ma|keth a florish|ing realme. in seeking Gods will in his word, and subuerting the monuments of idolatrie, how God blessed their waies, increased their honors, and mightilie prospered all their procéedings: as we sée in king Dauid, Salomon, Iosias, Iosaphat, E|zechias, with such others. Manasses made the stréets of Hierusalem to swim with the bloud of his sub|iects, but what came of it the text dooth testifie. Of quéene Elisabeth,Comparison betweene the reigne of Q. Marie and quéene Eli|sabeth. which now reigneth among vs, this we must néeds saie, which we sée, that she in spa|ring the bloud, not onelie of Gods seruants, but also of Gods enimies, hath doubled now the reigne of quéene Marie hir sister, with such aboundance of peace and prosperitie, that it is hard to saie, whether the realme of England felt more of Gods wrath in queene Maries time, or of Gods fauour and mercie in these so blessed and peaceable daies of queene E|lisabeth.