But what was his religion, what faith God had blessed him withall, what godlie disposition he was of, and how abundantlie God had inriched him with his holie spirit; the confession of his faith, his spée|ches, naie rather his sermons in his sickenesse afore his death shall testifie for euer.The disposi|tion and de|uotion of this earle in the time of his sickenesse. For I receiued by the relation of such as are woorthie credit, and were pre|sent about him, although not all, yet manie of his learned godlie saiengs at that time. Concerning his saluation, he reposed his affiance and sure trust in the bloud of Iesus Christ. He forgaue all the world, and by inuincible faith apprehended, laied hold, and imbrased remission of his sinnes, in the merits of the sacrifice of Christs bodie offered vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world. Trentals, masses, diriges, pardons, and such other papisticall trifles he vtterlie contemned, as wicked and blasphemous against the death and passion of Christ. He fared like the children of Israell in the wildernesse, which when they were stinged with serpents euen to death: Numb. 21. [...]. yet when they lookt vp to the brasen serpent, they were made whole, safe, and sound. So this noble earle grieued with the remembrance of his former vnthankefull life (as he iudged) immediatlie directed the eies of his mind to the passion of Christ,The heauen|lie contem|plation of this earle drawing to his end. and foorthwith felt such health of soule, that he was filled with ioie in the holie Ghost, and all his delight was in meditation of the ioie of the world to come, and the fruition of the presence of God for euer: insomuch that fiue or six daies before he died, he shewed himselfe more like an angell from heauen, than a man compassed with flesh and bloud.

My lord the archbishop of Dublin (as I was infor|med) could mooue him in no question or article per|teining to saluation, that he was not readie in,A woonderfull gift of the ho|lie Ghost and most worthie to be chroni|cled. and learnedlie, and godlie resolued: yea, and made such answers in all things, that my lord of Dublin had them in great admiration, and affirmed that his spéeches at that time should serue him for sermons as long as he liued. How trulie he relinquished the vanities of this world, and how effectuallie he thir|sted after the ioies of the life to come, his godlie ad|monitions ministred vnto such as visited him, and his heauenlie lessons & exhortations to his seruants, shall testifie for euer:How his ser|uants were affected at his last spéeches. for they were such that his ser|uants report they shall neuer forget, and such as they shall be the better for whilest they liue. Thus haue I brieflie and partlie declared vnto you, both the life and death of this worthie magistrate, to the end we should consider how seriouslie God dooth call vs to a reckoning by the losse of such a good magistrat. Now a word or two to shew who they be that die in the Lord, and then an end.Who they be that die in the Lord. They principallie are said to die in the Lord, which suffer death vnder the beast, for confession of Christs religion, for they properlie die in the Lords cause. Such are the martyrs, as well of the primitiue church vnder the cruell emperours, as the martyrs of all ages since vnder antichrist of Rome. They also die in the Lord, which though they die not by the crueltie of the beast, yet they die in the faith of Iesus Christ, and are therefore blessed.

Of this number was this godlie earle,A spéech con|clusorie of the bishop direc|ted to the earl [...] departed. as I haue before declared. Wherfore I will conclude and direct my spéech for two or thrée words to this good earle. O noble earle of Essex, in thy time the pearle of nobili|tie: the mirrour of vertue and worthie qualities: the child of chiualrie: the beautifull floure of England: the pretious iewell and comfort of Wales: the tru|stie staie of Ireland. Thy life was most honourable: thy worthinesse incomparable: thy death pretious in the sight of God: for thou diedst in the Lord a right inheritour of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen. Wherefore by authoritie of the heauenlie oracle that saint Iohn was commanded to write,The earle e|tern [...]llie bles|sed. thou art to be pronounced blessed for euer. Our sins haue shortened thy life, so that we could inioie the same no longer. Thou hast notwithstanding bequeathed thy bodie to be buried amongst vs here in Wales. Of verie du|tie therefore O noble earle, thy toome shall be with vs in reuerence, estimation, and honor; the fame and name of thy nobilitie, valiantnesse, vertue, and woor|thinesse shall neuer be forgotten; but shall liue and be kept with vs in memorie from generation to ge|ration while the world standeth. Thus far the words EEBO page image 1266 of the bishop vttered in a sermon preached in the ears of no meane audience, either for reputation or num|ber. Now then brieflie considering wherein true and perfect noblenesse consisteth, & that the heroicall ver|tues with their naturall vse were most firmelie fixed in his heart, and practised by his hand: there is great reason to mooue euen his enimies (if it were possible for so good a gentleman to haue anie) to confesse in him most absolute nobilitie; and that this epitaph al|luding to his right honorable ensignes, is deserued|lie to be recorded; being an abstract of that notable epitaph intituled Epitapium genealogicum in obi|tum illustrissimi Gualteri comitis Essexiae, & Euiae, & comitis marischalli regni Hiberniae, vicecomitis He|reford & Bourghcher, domini Ferrers de Chartleie Bourgcher & Louein, & praenobilis ordinis garterij militis, qui obijt Dublinij 21. Septemb. 1576. aeta|tis suae 36 sepulti apud Maridunum 26. Nouemb. &c.