Whyle these woordes were in saying, and certeine wishes therein repeted
for maintenaunce of Trueth and rooting out of Errour, she now and
then helde up her handes to heavenwarde, and willed the people to say
Amen. When the child had ended she said, ‘Be ye well assured I will
stande your good Quene.’ At whiche saying her Grace departed forth
through Temple Barre towarde Westminster with no lesse shoutyng and
crying of the People, then she entred the Citie, with a noyse of
ordinance, whiche the Towre shot of at her Grace’s entraunce first into
Towre-streate. The childes saying was also in Latin verses, wrytten in
a table which was hanged up there. Thus the Quenes Hyghnesse passed
through the Citie, whiche, without any forreyne persone, of itselfe
beawtifyed itselfe, and receyved her Grace at all places, as hath
been before mentioned, with most tender obedience and love, due to
so gracious a Quene and Soveraigne Ladie. And her Grace lykewise of
her side, in all her Grace’s passage, shewed herselfe generally an
ymage of a woorthye Ladie and Governour: but privately these especiall
poyntes wer noted in her Grace as synges of a most princelyke courage,
wherby her loving subjectes maye ground a sure hope for the rest of her
gracious doinges hereafter.”
The most beautiful thing about the accession and coronation of
Elizabeth was the moment when she passed out of the gates of the Tower,
where once before she had lain in daily expectation of death. Her
carriage waited for her. She stood looking round her; in the clear,
cold, winter light she saw the City rising before her with its spires
and gables—her City—filled with hearts that longed above all things for
the restoration of the new Faith. And she raised her eyes to heaven and
cried:—
“O Lord, Almighty and Everlasting God, I give Thee most humble
thanks, that Thou hast been so merciful unto me as to spare me to
behold this joyful day; and I acknowledge that Thou hast dealt
wonderfully and mercifully with me. As Thou didst with thy servant
Daniel the prophet, whom Thou deliveredst out of the den from the
cruelty of the raging lions, even so was I overwhelmed, and only
by Thee delivered. To Thee, therefore, only be thanks, honour, and
praise for ever. Amen.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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