MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN ! I humbly beseech you not to impute this my approching soe neere to your sacred presence, so rudelie at your coming to this howse, to be a presumption of a beggar ; for I hope when your Majestic shall be remembered by me, who I am, and how graciously you have heretofore on the like occasion relieved my necessity, your Majestic will be pleased to receive my thanks uppon my knees, with all humility. I am the poor Hermit your Majestie's Beadman, who at your last coming hither (where God graunt yow may come many years), uppon my compleynt, by your pryncely favor, was restored to my hermitage, by an injunction, when my Founder, uppon a strange conceite, to feed his owne humour, had placed me, contrary to my profession, in his house, amongst a number of worldlings, and retyred himselfe in my poore cell, where I have ever since by your only goodnes (most peerelesse and powerful Queen) lived in all happines, spending three partes of the day in repentance, the fourth in praying for your Majestie, that as your vertues have been the World's Wonder, so your dayes may see the world's end. And surely I am of opinion I shall not flatter myselfe, yf I thinke my prayers have not been fruitlesse (though millions have, joined in the like), in that, since my restitution, not only all your actions have miraculously prospered, and all your enemies been defeated ; but that which most amazeth me, to whose long experience nothing can seem strange, with theis same eyes doe I behold you the self-same Queene, in the same esteate of person, strength, and beautie, in which soe many yeares past I beheld yow, finding noe alteration but in admiration, in soe much as I am perswaded, when I looke aboute me on your trayne, that Time, which catcheth everye body, leaves only you untouched. And now, most gratious Lady, as I have most humbly thanked yow for that which is past, soe being constraeined to trouble your Majestie with another petition, not much differing from the former, I have presumed to prepare for you an offering, only as a token of my devotion, though meter for an Hermitt to present, as a badge of his solitarie life, than for so great a Monarch to receive ; but my povertie cannot amend it. I am (as your Majestie seeth) an old aged man, apt to be full of doubts ; and experience hath taught me that many men's promises are no charters : yet it is not my Founder to be mistrusted, whose worde is a scale to others ; and I heare it comonly reported he had no disposition to putt out tennants, so am I most sure he will never remove me whome your Majestie hath placed. Onlie this perplexeth my soule, and causeth cold blood in everie vayne, to see the life of my Founder so often in perill ; nay, his desire as hastie as his age to inherit his tombe, being nature's tenant. But this I heare (which is his greatest comfort, and none of your least vertues) that when his body being laden with yeares, oppressed with sicknes, having spent his strength for public service, desireth to be ridd of worldly cares, by ending his dayes ; your Majestie, with a band of princelie kindness, even when he is most greviosly sicke, and lowest brought, holdes him back and ransometh him. In this my anxiety have I addressed myselfe to your sacred person, whom I beseech to consider (it is not rare) that Sonnes are not ever of their Fathers conditions ; and it may be, that when my young Master shall possesse this, which now under my Founder I enjoy (whereof I hope there shall be no hast), he may be catched with such liking of my dwelling, as he will rather use it for a place of recreation than of meditation ; and then of a Beadman shall I become a Pilgrime. And therefore, seeing I heare it of all the Countrey folke I meet with, that your Majestie doth use him in your service, as in former tyme you have done his Father my Founder ; and that although his expence and judgment be noe way comparable; yett, as the report goeth, he hath something in him like the Child of such a Parent. I beseech your Majestie to take order, that heis gray haires may be assurances for my aboade, that, howsoever I live obscure, I may be quiet and secure, not to be driven to seeke my grave, which though it may be every where, yet I desire it to be here. This may be done, if you will enjoyne him for your pleasure, whose will is to him a law, not to denye me the favor formerlie procured of his Father at the motion of that Goddesse of whom he holdes himself a second creature. And now a little further to acquainte your Majestie with my happ (though I must arme myself with patience) ; my Founder, to leave all free for yow and your trayne, hath comitted to my nest all his unfledged birds, being the comfort of his age, and his pretious Jewells, being to some of them Grandfather, to others more, all derived from his good opinion of me. But such a wanton chardge for a poor old man, as now they heare, of the arryvall of such an admirable worke of Nature, a man must pluck their quilles, or els the will daylie fly out to see your Majestic, such is the working of the Grandfather's affection in them, and your vertue and beautie. To this chardge I will hye me, seeing it is my destiny. And for all your Majesties favor, I can but continue my vowed prayers for you, and, in token of my poor affection, present you on my knees theis poore triffles, agreeable to my profession, by use whereof and by constant faith 1 live free from all temptation. The first is a bell, not bigg, but of gold ; the second is a booke of good prayers, garnished with the same mettall ; the third is a candle of virgin's wax, meete for a Virgin Queene. With this booke, bell, and candle, being hallowed in my cell with good prayers, I assure myself, by whomsoever they shall be kept, endued with a constant fayth, there shall never come soe much as an imagination of any spiritt to offend them : The like whereof I will still reteyne in my cell, for my daiely use, in ringing the bell, in singing of my prayers, and giving me light in the night for the increase of my devotion, whereby I may be free to my meditation and prayers for your Maiesties contynuance in your prosperity, in health and princely comfort.
