More on the Spanish Invasion

In making some notes on Archbishop Whitgift, I came across a prayer, apparently written by him, which was to be read or sung in churches to celebrate the defeat of the Armada. The cadences will be familiar to all who have heard sermons in a protestant church. The sentiments support Gardiner's view of how the Armada shaped English opinion:

0 Come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God, and we will tell you what he hath done for our souls.

For we may not hide his benefits from our children, and to the generation to come, and to all people we will shew the praises of the Lord, his power also, and his wonderful works, that he hath done for us.

When the Kings and Rulers of the earth, and Nations round about us, furiously raged, and took counsel together against God, and against his anointed.

When men of another devotion than we be, (men bewitched by the Romish Antichrist,) men drowned in idolatries and superstitions, hated us deadly, and were maliciously set against us, for our profession of the word of God, and the blessed Gospel of our Saviour Christ

They cast their heads together with one consent, they took their common counsel, and were confederate, and imagined mischief, against thy people, 0 Lord God.

They secretly laid wait, they privily set snares and nets, they digged pits for our souls, thinking that no man should see them.

They communed of peace, and prepared for most cruel war; for they think that no faith nor truth is to be kept with us, but that they may feign, dissemble, break promise, swear, and forswear, so they may deceive us and take us unwares, and oppress us suddenly.

And indeed innumerable multitudes of these most subtle and cruel enemies, and too mighty for us, came suddenly upon us, by sea and by land, when we looked not for them.

They came furiously upon us, as it were roaring and ramping Lions, purposing to devour us, and to swallow us up: they approached near unto us, even to eat up our flesh.

They said in their hearts, Let us make havoc of them altogether, let us root them out that they be no more a people, and that the name of England may be no more had in remembrance.

And surely their coming was so sudden, their multitude, power, and cruelty so great, that had we not believed verily to see the goodness of God, and put our trust in his defence and protection, they might have utterly destroyed us.

But though we had great cause to be afraid, yet we put our whole trust in God : we cried unto the Lord in our trouble and distress; we said, Help us, O Lord our God, for vain is the help of man.

We said, We commit ourselves wholly unto thee; according to the greatness of thy power, preserve us, O Lord. who are appointed to die.

And the Lord inclined his ear and heard us, and gave courage to the hearts, and strength to the hands, of our captains and soldiers, and put the enemies in fear.

The Lord arose, and took the cause (which indeed mas his own) into his own hands, and fought against them, that fought against us.

The Lord scattered them with his winds, he confounded and disappointed their devices and purposes of joining their powers together against us.

The Angel of the Lord persecuted them, brought them into dangerous, dark, and slippery places, where they wandering long to and fro were consumed with hunger, thirst, cold, and sickness: the sea swallowed the greatest part of them.

And so the Lord repressed the rage and fury of our cruel enemies, intending nothing but bloodshed and murther, and turned the mischief which they purposed against us upon their own heads; and delivered and saved us, who were as sheep appointed to the shambles and slaughter.

This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our and in our enemies' sight, and in the eyes of all people; and all that see it shall say, This is the Lord's work.

God is our king of old: the help that is done by sea and by land, is his.

It is God that giveth deliverance unto Princes, and that rescueth our QUEEN from the hurtful sword, and saveth her from all dangers and perils.

We will therefore give thanks, whom the Lord hath redeemed, and delivered from the hand of the enemy.

We will confess before the Lord, and praise him for his goodness: and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men.

We will offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving: and tell out his works with gladness.

We will exalt him also in the Congregation of the people, and praise him in the presence of the Elders.

0 sing unto the Lord a new song: for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm: hath he gotten himself the victory.

O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his name: tell the people what things he hath done.

O let your songs be of him, and praise him: and let your talking be of all his wondrous works.

Rejoice in his holy name: let the hearts of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

And thou, my soul, be joyful in the Lord: let it rejoice in his salvation.

All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the oppressed from them that be too strong for them: yea, and them that are in distress from them that seek to spoil them?

Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel: which only doth wondrous things.

And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever and ever: and all the earth shall be filled with the glory of his majesty. Amen. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.