Page:History of Norfolk 1.djvu/112

 a Papist, a confederer with Papists, a friend to them, and a maintainer of them and their religion; I take God to witness I am none, nor never was a Papist, since I knew what religion meant; I have had friends, yea and familiar friends, and peradventure servants, that have been Papists, with whom I have borne, but I call God to witness I am none, I utterly defie the Pope and all his religion, and I hope to be saved only by my faith in Jesus Christ; and I utterly abhor all men's traditions, and if at anytime I did give countenance to any Papist, whereby any good man was offended, or the church, I ask them mercy, there is no man doth allow better of this religion than I do."

Then he was again desired to be short.

"Now" (quoth the Duke) "touching the goodness of the Queen's Majesty, I am much bound to her Grace, I do thank her humbly, for that she hath forgiven me all my offences, and hath prolonged my life so long, you see how good she hath been to me, I have been looked for here long e'er this time; God send her long over you to reigne: she hath promised to be gracious to my poor orphan children, God grant that my death may end all troubles, and if any one of you have any one faction, or two, or three, or more, let him give over and forsake it; many wish and desire divers things, but they know not what they wish, they seek their own destructions: if every man should have his wish, God knoweth how many would repent it, whatsoever they are, the Queen hath promised in my death to forgive all, and I pray God she may live many yeares. I remember well the words of that good father, and holy martyr, Latymer; he told the people that for their wickedness God would take away his blessing from them, I pray God the contrary, that your good life may be such, that God may turn away those plagues that he hath threatned. He spake it in an honourable place, in the pulpit, before King Edward; yet let not this place discredit my words. I pray God preserve the Queen's Majesty, and that she may live and reign over you many years, even to the world's end, which I believe some alive shall see."

Then he kneeled down, and prayed, and Mr. Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's, kneeled by him, and wept, with many others; his prayer was to God for continuance of his Truth, and of his Ghospell, and prayed also most instantly for the Queen's most prosperous reigne, and kneeling upon his knees, said two psalms, ''viz. Miserere, and Domine ne in furore, and in the first psalm, he prayed to build the walls of Jerusalem'' according to the Psalmes. Quoth Mr. Nowell, "That is meant of Christ's church:"—"I know that well," quoth the Duke, "I mean not the church of Rome, nor the walls of Rome, I abhor it; but I mean the church of England, and of all the world wheresoever it be: I have forgotten one thing, I thank thee, O God, that thou hast put me in mind of it, I forgive all the world, and ask forgiveness of all the world, and I protest before God, if I knew any particular man whom I had offended, I would namely ask him forgiveness."

Then he read the other psalm, wherein adultery is mentioned; and when he came to that point, he said, "I would I were as clear