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 of in print, to the disparagement of the English nation. But George Abbot, D.D., (afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury) in one of his morning lectures [on Jonah] preached at Oxford, vindicating our kingdom from a charge that lay only upon some of the meaner and worse sort, said, ‘Those that were wise and godly used those aliens as brethren, considering their distresses with a lively fellow-feeling; holding it an unspeakable blessedness that this little island of ours should not only be a temple to serve God in for ourselves, but an harbour for the weather-beaten, a sanctuary to the stranger, wherein he might truly honour the Lord — remembering the precise charge which God gave to the Israelites, to deal well with all strangers, because the time once was when themselves were strangers in that cruel land of Egypt — and not forgetting that other nations, to their immortal praise, were a refuge to the English in their last bloody persecution in Queen Mary’s days.’”

The most remarkable proof which Queen Elizabeth gave, of the solemn impression made upon her spirit by the St. Bartholomew massacre, was her order to the Archbishop of Canterbury to prepare special forms of prayer and to issue them by her royal authority. Accordingly on 27th October 1572, four prayers were published and appointed to be used in churches, (see Strype’s “Life of Archbishop Parker,” page 358). The first was a prayer for Repentance and Mercy; the second, a prayer to be delivered from our enemies, taken out of the Psalms. The third was a prayer and thanksgiving in behalf of the Queen, for her own and her people’s preservation “from all deceits and violences of our enemies, and from all other dangers and evils, both bodily and ghostly.” The fourth was entitled, A Prayer for the Persecuted and Persecutors:—

“O Lord our God and Heavenly Father, look down, we beseech thee, with thy fatherly and merciful countenance upon us thy people and poor humble servants, and upon all such Christians as are anywhere persecuted and sore afflicted for the true acknowledging of thee to be our God, and thy Son Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent, to be the only Saviour of the world. Save them, O merciful Lord, who are as sheep appointed to the slaughter, and by hearty prayers do call and cry unto thee for thy help and defence. Hear their cry, O Lord, and our prayers for them and for ourselves. Deliver those that be oppressed; defend those that be in fear of cruelty; relieve them that be in misery, and comfort all that be in sorrow and heaviness, that by thy aid and strength, they and we may obtain surety from our enemies, without shedding of Christian and innocent blood. And for that, O Lord, thou hast commanded us to pray for our enemies, we do beseech thee, not only to abate their pride and to stay the cruelty and fury of such as, either of malice or ignorance, do persecute them which put their trust in thee, and hate us, but also to mollify their hard hearts, to open their blind eyes, and to enlighten their ignorant minds, that they may see and understand, and truly turn unto thee, and embrace that holy Word, and unfeignedly be converted unto thy Son Jesus Christ the only Saviour of the world, and believe and love his Gospel, and so eternally be saved. Finally, we beseech thee, that all Christian realms, and especially this realm of England, may, by thy defence and protection, enjoy perfect peace, quietness and security, and all that desire to be called and accounted Christians, may answer in deed and life unto so good and godly a name, and jointly, all together, in one godly concord and unity, and with one