Rymer's Foedera with Syllabus: Epistle Dedicatory

Epistle Dedicatory

TO THE QUEEN.

May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty

With This Volume, in order of time, you raise to Life and set forth the Acts and Atchievements of that most Victorious Prince Your Royal Progenitor, King Henry the Fifth.

From whence the World may observe how well you Trace, how justly you Parrallel, how far you Surpass the most supprising Actions of former Ages.

Armies, and Battles, and Victories, and Glory, are become Familiar, and an Everyday Entertainment, in the proceeding of your Majesty's most auspicious Reign,

For some Hundreds of Years a long Train of Quarrels, Enterprizes, and Hostilities, yet no memorable Battle ensued till the Time of Edward the Third.

His long (more than Fifty Years) Reign was famous for Cressy and Poyctiers.

And now, in the time of King Henry the Fifth, for ever renown'd is the Field of Agencourt;

And, to Blazon it the more, after the Mode of the Times, an Herald is created by the name of Agencourt.

Wou'd your Majesty, after so noble a President, go into that Fashion, and create a Blenheim Herald, a Ramelies Herald, an Audenard Herald, a Blaregnies Herald, where might you stop? but go on to Paris, and there Erect a new College for your Heralds, in the Place of Victoire.

Thus, most Redoubted Sovereign, thus you set out, thus you begin your Reign: These are the Dawn, the Morning Glymses, and sirst Tokens of your Rising Sun: what must the World expect from your Meridian Splendour?

Yet Fortune has no Share in your Successes; God Almighty is Manifest in all you undertake, in all you do.

And what may we not promise from the Superiour Steddy Conduct of your General, and the determin'd Bravery of your Troops, supported by your Majesty's uplifted Heart, your firm Devotion, and Pious Zeal for God's Service?

After various Adventures, Treaties of Peace, and Operations of War, this Volume Ends with a Peace and a Marriage.

In the Eighth Year of King Henry the Fifth, the French are brought to an Agreement with him on his own Terms.

In this, the Eighth Year of his Reign, the Great Peace, as they call'd it, and a Royal Marriage are concluded and solemnized.

Whatsoever yet remains, which may add to the Felicity and Glory of your Majesty, that God grant, is the Prayer of,

Your Majesty's

Most Devoted Servant,

T. RYMER.