Thou knowest what is profitable for me, and how much tribulations help to do away the rust of sin in me.

Do with me after thy pleasure; I am a sinful wretch, to none so well known as to thee.

Grant me, Lord, to know that which is necessary to be known; to love that which is to be loved; to desire that which pleaseth thee; to regard that which is precious in thy sight; and to refuse that which is vile before thee.

Suffer me not to judge thy mysteries after my outward senses, nor to give sentence after the hearing of the ignorant, but by true judgment to discern things spiritual; and above all things alway to search and follow thy will and pleasure.

O Lord Jesus, thou art all my riches, and all that I have, I have it of thee.

But what am I, Lord, that I dare speak to thee? I am thy poor creature, and a worm most abject.

Behold, Lord, I have naught, and of myself I am naught worth; thou art only God, righteous and holy; thou orderest all things, thou givest all things, and thou fulfillest all things with goodness.

I am a sinner, barren and void of all godly virtue. Remember thy mercies, and fill my heart with plenty of thy grace, for thou wilt not that thy works in me should be made in vain.

How may I bear the misery of this life except thy grace and mercy do comfort me?

Turn not thy face from me, defer not the visiting of me, withdraw not thy comforts, lest haply my soul be made as dry earth, without the water of grace.

Teach me, Lord, to fulfil thy will, to live meekly and worthily before thee, for thou art all my wisdom and knowledge, thou art he that knowest me as I am, that knewest me before the world was made, and before I was born or brought into this life. To thee, O Lord, be honour, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAISE BE TO THE GOD ETERNAL. AMEN.

A Prayer for the King and Queen's Majesties. O LORD Jesu Christ, most high, most mighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, the very Son of God, on whose right hand sitting, dost from thy

throne behold all the dwellers upon earth: with most lowly hearts we beseech thee, vouchsafe with favourable regard to behold our most gracious sovereigns, the king and queen's majesties, and so replenish them with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that they alway incline to thy will and walk in thy way keep them far from ignorance, and through thy gift let prudence and knowledge alway abound in their royal hearts. So instruct them, O Lord Jesu, reigning upon us in earth, that their majesties alway obey thy Divine Majesty in fear and dread. Endue them plentifully with heavenly gifts. Grant them in health and wealth long to live. Heap glory and honour upon them. Gladden them with the joy of thy countenance. So strengthen them that they may vanquish and overcome all their and our foes, and be dreaded and feared of all the enemies of their realms.

THE

LAMENTATION OR COMPLAINT

OF

A SINNER,

MADE BY THE MOST VIRTUOUS AND RIGHT GRACIOUS LADY

QUEEN CATHERINE, (PARR,)

BEWAILING THE IGNORANCE OF HER BLIND LIFE, LED IN SUPERSTITION.

VERY PROFITABLE TO THE AMENDMENT OF OUR LIVES.

Set forth and put in print at the instant desire of the right gracious lady, Catherine, duchess of Suffolk, and the earnest request of the right honourable lord William Parr, marquess of Northampton.

First printed 1548.

TO THE READER.

William Cecil having taken much profit by the reading of this treatise following, wisheth unto every christian by the reading thereof, like profit, with increase from God.

Most gentle and christian reader, if matters should be rather confirmed by their reporters, than the reports warranted by the matters, I might justly bewail our time, wherein evil deeds are well worded, and good deeds called evil. But sincere truth is, that things are not good for their praises, but are praised for their goodness. I do not move thee to like this christian treatise, because I have mind to praise it; but I exhort thee to mind it; and, for the goodness, thou shalt allow it; for whose liking I labour not to obtain, only, moved by mine example, their judgment I regard, chiefly confirmed by the matter. Truly, our time is so disposed to grant good names to evil fruits, and excellent terms to mean works, that neither can good deeds enjoy their due names, being defrauded by the evil; neither excellent works can possess their worthy terms, being forestalled by the mean; insomuch that men seek, rather, how much they can, than how much they ought to say; inclining more to their pleasure, than to their judgment, and to show themselves rather eloquent, than the matter good; so that neither the goodness of the cause can move them to say more, neither the evilness less. For, if the excellency of this christian contemplation, either for the goodness appearing herein to marvel, either for the profit ensuing hereupon to the

reader, should be with due commendation followed; I, of necessity, should either travail to find out new words, the old being anticipated by evil matters, or wish that the common speech of praising were spared, until convenient matters were found to spend it; such is the plenty of praising and scarceness of deserving.

Wherefore, lacking the manner in words, and not the matter in deed of high commendation, I am compelled to keep in my judgment with silence, trusting that whom my report could not have moved to like this present treatise, the worthiness of the matter shall compel to give it honour.

Any earthly man would soon be stirred to see some mystery of magic, or practice of alchymy, or, perchance, some enchantment of elements; but thou, who art christened, hast here a wonderful mystery of the mercy of God, a heavenly practice of regeneration, a spiritual enchantment of the grace of God. If joy and triumph be showed, when a king's child is born into the world, what joy is sufficient, when God's child is regenerated from heaven. The one is flesh, which is born of flesh; the other is spirit, which is born of Spirit. The one, also, shall wither like the grass of the earth in short time; the other shall live in heaven beyond all time. If the finding of one lost sheep be more joyful than the having of ninety and nine; what joy is it, to consider the return of a stray child of almighty God, whose return teacheth the ninety and nine to come to their fold! Even such cause of joy is this, that the angels in heaven take comfort herein. Be thou, therefore, joyful, when a noble child is newly born; show thyself glad when the lost sheep hath won* the whole flock; be thou not sad where angels rejoice.

Here mayest thou see one, if the kind may move thee, a woman; if degree may provoke thee, a woman of high estate; by birth made noble, by marriage most noble, by wisdom godly, by a mighty king, an excellent queen; by a famous Henry, a renowned Catherine; a wife to him that was a king to realms; refusing the world wherein she was lost, to obtain heaven, wherein she may be saved; abhorring sin, which made her bound, to receive grace, whereby she may be free; despising flesh, the cause of corruption, to put on the Spirit, the cause of sanctification; forsaking ignorance, wherein she was blind, to come to knowledge, whereby she may see; removing superstition, wherewith she was smothered, to embrace true religion, wherewith she may revive.

The fruit of this treatise, good reader, is thine amendment; this only had, the writer is satisfied. This good lady thought no shame to detest her sin to obtain remission; no vileness to become nothing, to be a member of Him who is all things in all; no folly to forget the wisdom of the world, to learn the simplicity of the gospel at the last; no displeasantness to submit herself to *Returned to.

the school of the cross, the learning of the crucifix, the book of our redemption, the very absolute library of God's mercy and wisdom. This way, thought she, her honour increased, and her state permanent, to make her earthly honour heavenly, and neglect the transitory for the everlasting.

Of this I would have thee warned, that the profit may ensue. These great mysteries and graces are not well perceived, except they are surely studied; neither are they perfectly studied, except they are diligently practised; neither profitably practised without amendment. See and learn hereby what she hath done, then mayest thou practise and amend that thou canst do; so shalt thou practise with ease, having a guide, and amend with profit, having a zeal. It is easier to see these, than to learn; begin at the easiest to come to the harder; see thou her confession, that thou mayest learn her repentance; practise her perseverance, that thou mayest have like amendment; despise thyself in eschewing vice, that thou mayest please God in asking grace; let not shame hinder the confession, which hindered not the offence. Be thou sure, "if we acknowledge our sins, God is faithful to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Obey the prophets saying, " Declare thy ways to the Lord."

Thus far thou mayest learn to know thyself: next this, be thou as diligent to relieve thyself in God's mercy, as thou hast been to relieve thyself in thine own repentance. For God hath concluded all things under sin, because he would have mercy upon all; who hath also borne our sins in his body upon the tree, that we should be delivered from sin, and should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed. Here is our anchor; here is our shepherd; here we are made whole; here is our life, our redemption, our salvation, and our bliss; let us, therefore, now feed, by this gracious queen's example, and be not ashamed to become in confession publicans, since this noble lady will be no pharisee.

And, to all ladies of estate, I wish as earnest mind, to follow our queen in virtue as in honour, that they might once appear to prefer God before the world, and be honourable in religion, who now are honourable in vanities; so shall they, as in some virtuous ladies of right high estate it is with great comfort seen, taste of this freedom of remission of the everlasting bliss, which exceeds all thoughts and understandings, and is prepared for the holy in spirit. For the which, let us, with our intercession, in holiness and pureness of life, offer ourselves to the heavenly Father, an undefiled host.* To whom be eternal praise and glory, throughout the earth, without end. Amen.t

Sacrifice, victim. Romans xii. 1.

+ Sir William Cecil, the author of this preface, was the great lord Burleigh, he owed his first introduction to Henry VIII. to the successful disputation with two Romish priests. During a long and active life he constantly laboured to promote the reformation.