Subject: Lyr Add: 'The twelfth day of November last...'
From:
chico
Date: 25 Jun 05 - 09:08 PM
[From Ancient Ballads & Broadsides Published in England in the Sixteenth Century … edited by Henry Huth (London: Whittingham and Wilkins, 1867), page 270:] [spelling modernized]
A famous ditty of the joyful receiving
of the Queen's most excellent majesty by the
worthy citizens of London, the xii day of
November, 1584, at her grace's coming to
Saint James.
To the tune of Wigmore's Galliard F C F
The twelfth day of November last
Dm C A
Elizabeth, our noble queen,
F C F C
To London-ward she hied fast
(7) F A Dm|D
Which in the country long had been. The citizens went then apace
On stately steeds to meet her grace
In velvet coats and chains of gold
Most gorgeously for to behold.
Each company in his degree
Stood orderly in good array
To entertain her majesty
As she did pass along the way,
And by each man did duly stand
A waiter with a torch in hand
Because it drew on toward night
Along the way her grace to light.
The people flockéd there amain.
The multitude was great to see.
Their joyful hearts were glad, and fain
To view her princely majesty
Who at length came riding by
Within her chariot openly
Even with a noble princely train
Of lords and ladies of great fame.
Her majesty was glad to see
Her subjects in so good a case
Which then fell humbly on their knee
Desiring God to save her grace
And like a noble prince that day
For them in like sort did she pray
And courteously she answered still:
"I thank you all for your good will,"
And bowing down on every side
Most lovingly unto them all
A poor man at the length she spied
Which down before her grace did fall;
And courteously she then did stay
To hear what he had then to say
To whom he did present anon
An humble supplication.
Then pleasantly she passéd on
Till she unto Saint James's came
And always as she went along
The people cried with might and main:
"O Lord preserve your noble grace
And all your secret foes deface!
God bless and keep our noble queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!"
What traitor's heart can be so hard
To hurt or harm that princely flower?
What wretch from grace is so debarred
That can against her seem to lower
Which is the only star of light
That doth amaze all princes' sight
A most renowned virgin queen
Whose like on earth was never seen?
The daughter of a noble king
Defending of a royal race
Whose fame through all the world doth ring
Whose virtues shine in every place
The diamond of delight and joy
Which guides her country from annoy
A most renowned virgin queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
The peerless pearl of princes all
So full of pity peace and love
Whose mercy is not provéd small
When foul offenders do her move
A phoenix of most noble mind
Unto her subjects good and kind
A most renownéd virgin queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
The servant of the mighty God
Which doth preserve her day and night
For whom we feel not of his rod
Although the pope hath done his spite
The chief maintainer of his word
Wherein consists our heavenly food.
O Lord, preserve our noble queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
And such as hollow-hearted be
Partakers of the Romish rout
Which thinketh mischief secretly
The Lord will surely find them out
And give them their deservings due
Which to her grace is found untrue
But. Lord, preserve our noble queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
In many dangers hath she been
But God was evermore her guide.
He will not see our gracious queen
To suffer harm through traitors' pride,
But every one which sought her fall
The Lord did still confound them all
And such as thought her life to spill
Themselves most desperately did kill.
And every traitor in this land
Whose wicked thoughts are yet unknown
The Lord consume them out of hand
Before they be more riper grown;
Whose hearts are set with one accord
Against th'anointed of the Lord,
But God perserve our noble queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
Lord, send her long and happy days
In England for to rule and reign,
God's glory evermore to raise,
True justice always to maintain,
Which now these six and twenty years
So royally with us appears.
O Lord, preserve our noble queen
Whose like on earth was never seen!
Finis. Richard Harrington
At London: printed by Edward Allde for
Yarath James, and are to be sold in Newgate
Market against Christ Church gate. 1584.
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