The exposition and declaration of the Psalme, Deus ultionum Dominus, made by syr Henry Parker knight, lord Morley, dedicated to the kynges highnes

TO THE MOST HIGH AND myghty prynce, HENRY the .VIII. kynge of Englande and of Fraunce, de∣fendour of the faithe, lorde of Irelande, and in erthe supreme heed immediat∣ly vnder Christe of the church of Englande, his most humble subiect, Henry Parker knight, lorde Mor∣ley, wyssheth all welth & pro∣speritie.

IF I HAD MOST christyan Prynce, and my most dere and graciouse so∣ueraygne lord, as Uirgil saythe, an hundred mouthes, with as many tounges, and therewith as moche swete eloquence, as had the Greci∣an Demosthenes, or the Romayn Cicero, yet coulde not I expresse halfe the vertue, halfe the rightu∣ousnes, that is in your most royal

maiestie, as in a perfecte Arke of all princely goodnes and honour. For where as vnto this presente tyme of your moste happy reigne, this youre Empire mooste trium∣phant, hath ben wrongfully kept, as tributarie vnto the Babyloni∣call seate of the Romyshe byshop, your moste sage and polytike wise¦dome hath benne suche, that as it maye be well thoughte, by diuine inspiration, ye haue taken a very kynges harte, whiche seketh, as it ought, to rule, and nat to be ruled. and hath set the englysshe nation at fredoome and lybertie. What worthy thākes for so noble a dede, and so beneficial an acte, can your mooste bounden subiectes render vnto your high maiestie? We may moche better say to you, than euer might the Romans vnto the most

noble Emperour Augustus, that ye are not onely the noblest kynge that euer reigned ouer the english natiō, but also Pater patriae, that is, the father of our countrey, one by whose vertue, lernyng, and noble courage, England is newe borne, newly brought from thraldome to freedome. For where as there is nothing more swete than libertie, nothynge more bytter than bon∣dage, in so moche that death hath ofte ben chosen to aduoyde serui∣tude. What owe we vnto you most gracious soueraigne lorde, which ar by you, as by a most natural fa∣ther, the bondes broken, set out of danger, from the captiuite Baby∣lonical, so that we may say plain∣ly as the Iewes dydde to Iudith: You are our beautie, you are oure honour, you are our glorie. Sci∣pio

the Affrican dyd moche for the Romayns, Codrus for the Athe∣niens, Epaminondas moche for y^e Thebans, Themistocles moch for the Grecians, Cirus moche for the Persians, Salandine moche for the Egyptians, and yet all these cōpared with your hyghnes, may seme almost to haue done nothing at al. I therfore, most christē king beinge a parttaker of all your in∣estimable benefites, haue and shal always study, whyche wayes, and howe I maye, to the vttermoste of my litel and moste feble puissance, giue thankes to your highnes for the same. And for as moche as I knowe my selfe vnmete to do any bodily seruice, condigne to so ver∣tuous & excellent a prince, yet at y^e least I shal gyue vnto your hygh∣nes, y^e thing, which aswel the feble

as the stronge maye gyue, that is to saye, hartye prayers to god, for the preseruation of so iust, so mer∣cyfull, and so faythefull a kynge. I than offer vnto your hyghnesse this newe yere, dere and dred soue∣raygne lorde, this psalme of king Dauid, Deus ultionum dominus, with a briefe declaration of the same, moste humbly praienge your high accustomed goodnes, to accepte it in gree, & not to regarde the rude∣nes, but rather the faithfulnes of me your subiect, that wylleth with the very harte, as he writeth, good¦nes, and all goodnesse to you: And to youre ennemye the Babylonicall byshoppe of Rome, reproufe, shame, and vt∣ter ruine.