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Boke of prayers
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Genre
Prayer
Date
1546
Full Title
A boke of prayers called ye ordynary fasshyon of good lyuynge.
Source
STC 3326.5
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Sample 1
The original format is sexto.
The original contains new paragraphas are introduced by pilcrows,contains elements such as change of font,
An other prayer for. mornynge.
O Lorde my god most mighti andmercyfull haue mercy on me
wreched si~ner, lorde I say which art
the most hiest power, to whome al powere
be subiecte bothe in heuen and
in earth, and knoweth the secretes of
our hertes, to the O lorde do I cal vponhi rend="sup
for helpe, dsyrynge ye to strenght
me this day, agaynst al ye temptacions
and assaultes of the deuyll and the
worlde, and to confyrme me with thy
pryncypal spryte, that I may co~tinue
thys day in thy seruice: gyue me therfore
lorde these gyftes. Gyue me the
herte that may repente: the wyll and
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desyre to haue knowlege of thy laweand co~maundementes, the eares that
wyl be redy to here the, & nat the worlde:
the eyes that shall beholde ryghtwysenes
and regarde the poore man:
the handes I say that shal worke no
euyl, the mouth in which shalbe fou~de
no deceyte, ye tonge yt maye euer shewe
forth thy prayse, to who~ be all honour
and glory by the mouthes of all men:
worlde withoute ende. Amen.
Also say this prayer.
LOrde behold me yt am thy handyworke, & put forth thy helpynge
hande vnto me.
And when ye haue sayd thus, the~
go aboute youre worldly busynes, remembrynge
alwayes this great and
special co~mau~dme~t of god which is
Thou shalte nat do nor go about
to do ye thyng to an other, which thou
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woldest nat haue done to thy selfe.Remember this well, yf thou desyre
to be saued.
At nyght say these prayer folowynge.
AT nyght knele downe on thykneys & make thy confession to
god: and aske hym mercy, and repent
truly in thy herte.
Repentaunce.
TRue repe~tau~ce is to lament & besory for thy synnes, & vtterly to
forsake the~, & neuer to vse the~ agayne
But to vse and practyse ye vertue
which is contrary to the vyce wherin
ye arre most corrupted.
As co~trary to couetousnes, make
restitucyon agayne out of ha~de wher
as ye haue done wronge, & dispose the
resydue of your gooddes lyberaly to
the pore.
B.i.
3
Contrary to swerynge, vse ratherscilens & lerne to vse sobernes and pacyens.
Contrary to malyce & wrathe,
vse pacyens & shewe loue & gentylnes
bothe in worde & dede & forgyue, reme~brynge
ye chryst dyd forgyue & suffered
pacyently the wordes of the Iewes:
yea he suffred death wrongfully
amonge them.
And thus in euery degre of synne,
vse and practyse ye vertu whiche is co~trary
to ye synne wherin ye arre moste
corrupted. And so by vertue ye shall
ouercome vyce & synne: for it is the
best meanes that can be deuysed to
brynge a man to perfyte lyuynge.
Here folowith a prayer to be sayde at nyght after confession made and true repentaunce had.
The prayer of the penytent
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O Heuenly father ye creatour andmaker of all thynges to whom
bothe heuen & earth is obedient. And
to whom the angels do seruyce & do
synge with a contynuall voyce, Holy
holy, & most holy lorde god of power
callynge the euyn so, for thy great power
& almyghtynes whose excellente
maiestye no thought nor tongue of
men or angels ca~ expresse. Now whe~
I haue sinned agaynst the, & do reme~ber
with my selfe, what a lorde of power
I do offende, with my great and
innumerable synnes: then I abhorre
mine owne folisshenes. And also whe~
I consyder howe gentyll & louynge a
father I haue forsaken. I vtterly dispyse
my madnes, & great vnkyndnes
And whan I beholde & se fro~ what &
howe blessed a lyberte my spryte is
banysshed from which is the ioy yt I
was wonte to haue. In the my lorde
god and nowe in what a myserable
B.ii.
5
case & bondage of sinne & the deuyll Ihaue wrapped my selfe in: than am I
al togyther myscontented wt my selfe
and sore troubled in my co~sciens. And
haue nothynge els before myne eyes
but hell, & desperacyon: for then my
co~scyence trembeleth & feareth much
the greate Iustice of god whiche in
deade is ineuitable and no man can
escape it. But yet co~trary wyse on the
other side: when I beholde lorde thy
vnmesurable loue & goodnes toward
ma~kynde. And thy mercy wherin as
the prophets do testifie thou dost passe
& exceile. Which sadyst, I wyll nat the
deathe of a synner: but rather that he
shulde lyue & be conuerted. I therfore
reme~bryng thy greate kyndenes alwayes
shewed vnto vs and these thy
most gentyl wordes: do saye vnto my
selfe. A wreche that I am why haue
I offended so mercyfull a lorde: and
therat I am halfe astoned agayne &
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discu~forte i~ my selfe. But the~ co~methinto my mynde a nother swete saynge
of thy mouth which saydest That in
what houre so euer the synner dothe repente:
I wyll no more remember hys
vnkyndnes. And therwith I am so
muche conforted agayne: that I am
compelled euen to meruayle and say
with my selfe. O the wonderfull loue
of god towarde vs for his mercy is
without ende. And then I saye vnto
my selfe: why shulde I be in dispayre
to haue remyssyone of my synnes at
his handes: whiche in the tyme of my
noughty lyuynge hathe preserued me
that I myght lyue & lerne to knowe
him. And nowe of his owne mere mocyon
calleth me to repe~tance bycause
he delyteth in me and wolde haue me
saued: for truly he hathe great delyte
and comforth. In a repentant synner
that co~meth vnto hym as he hath declared
vnto vs, by manye parables:
B.iii.
7
As in the .x. Chapter of Luke by theparable of the woman hauynge ten grotes
whiche yf she lose one: then she lyghtethe
a candell and swepethe the house
and sekethe dylygently tyll she haue
founde it. And when she hathe founde
it she calleth in her neyhgbours and louers:
saynge my frendes reioce with me
For I haue fou~de the grote agayne that
I lost, euen so lykewyse more ioye and
reioysynge shalbe in heuen ouer one
synner yt repe~teth: then ouer nynety &
nyne iuste persons yt haue nat offe~ded.
And lykewyse it is set furth in the parable
of the hundereth shepe yt were
sette vpo~ the hyll for to go to seke one
shepe yt was lost: with dyuers other
parables: but it is most expresly sette
forthe in the parable of the prodygall
sonne whose Image I vtterly recognyce
& knowledge in my selfe for vnhappely
lefte I. So louynge a father
vnthryftely my spe~ding his substau~ce
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and gyftes. And whyles I do folowestyll the carnall desyres of my owne
wyll: vtterly forgetyng, lorde thy preceptes.
I do tomble my selfe all to gyther
in the seruytude of vyce: And so
I beyng blynde & voyde of all vertu
brought to extreme pouerte can nat
se whether to fle. But vnto hi~ agayne
that I dyd forsake for he is the lorde
of power & father of mercys. Yes truly
I am vnworthy lorde to be receyued
of the. Or to lyfte vp myne eyes
vnto the: or yt I shulde call the by the
name of a father: but I most humbly
beseche the to loke gently towardes
me with the eye of thy mercy: for thy
gentyl loke & the inspyracyon of thy
spryte is of suche strengh yt it reuyueth
a synner beyng deade. And it restoreth
a sike ma~ to his helth againe:
For truly in ye I am dyspleased nowe
with my selfe and do perceyue myne
owne faute. I must nedes referre it
B.iiii.
9
vnto the: for it co~meth of the grace.And nat of my selfe for I beyng long
blynde & wanderynge farre out of the
ryght way: thou hast wytsafe to loke
towardes me and to restore me my
ryght agayne: that I may se nowe &
perceyue in what case I am. And what
dau~ger I haue escaped: And wt what
myscheffes, & trobles. I was laden &
cu~bred withal. I therfore lord beyng
an vnthryfty seruant and worthy of
muche punysshement. Am nothynge
worthy to be honored & regarded lyke
a sonne, nor I wyl nat desyre it, but it
shalbe suffycyent for me. Yf it wolde
please the of thy goodnes but to admytte
me into thy seruyce. And to accepte
me amongest the sympleste and
lowest sore of thy seruauntes: that I
may attayne to Saluacyon through
thy mercy: for in thy holy place there
be many mencyon places or seates.
And it shallbe suffycyent for me yf I
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may but syt at the feete of thy blessedseruau~tes: haue merci therfore on me
my lorde and father, for I do vtterly
abhorre myne olde corrupte lyfe. And
am come nowe for to dwell with the.
And wyll neuer forsake the agayne:
But wyll contynue in thy seruyce all
the dayes of my lyfe. And I wyl forsake
all the pompes and pleasures of
this worlde & al the desceytful wayes
that I haue vsed. And wyl nat be asshamed
here in this worlde to liue after
a pore sorte: and to be acumpted amongest
ye most abiecte & symple: so
that I may wynne euerlastynge honour
with the to whom be al prayse &
glory nowe & for euer more. Amen
The prayer of Salomon.
O Lorde great ryches: or extremepouerte gyue me nat: but prouyde
for me in the meane: accordinge to thy
B.v.
11
wyl & pleasure for by hauyng the oneI shall forget the, & by hauynge the
other I shalbe dryuen to forsake the.
Prayers to be sayde at messe tyme in the begynnynge say thus at coufiteor.
O Lorde I am nat worthy to enterand come into this noble house
of thyne whiche is ye house of prayer:
but lorde beholde I come as a penyte~t
synner I do saye with the publycane
Lorde be mercyfull to me a synner: for
I haue offended the many wayes and
am nat worthy to lyfte vp myne eyes
into the: not to lyue vpon the earthe
but lorde be thou mercyfull vnto me a
synner accordynge to the greate mercy
and I wyll confesse my synnes vnto ye
which yf I wolde I can nat hyde fro~
the: for thou arte ye lorde of power yu
knoweste the secretes of our hertes:
haue mercy therfore on me, O Lorde
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accordinge to thy great mercy and letme nat cast awaye ye thynge through
my wrechednes: which thy almyghty
goodnes hath created & redemed: but
forgyue me lorde and sende thy holy
spryte into me: that I may kepe thy
lawe and commaundementes.
A prayer to be sayd at the sacrame~t of messe.
BLessed & praysed be the father ofheuen yt se~t downe his onely so~ne
Chryst for to redeme vs. And blessed
be our lorde Iesus chryst yt shede his
blode for our sakes. And hath lefte
his body here amonge vs in fourme
of breade & wyne. As a pledge for to
witnesse vnto vs: yt he hathe bene all
redy here in the worlde & hath shedde
his blode plenteously for our redempcyon.
Therfore O father of heuen I
praye the accept his deathe as a suffice~t
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oblacion and satysfactyon for my synnes.And set his passyon betwene thy
iudgemente and my soule. And loke
nat vpon my synnes: but haue mercy
on me for his sake, and sende thy holy
spirite into me: that I may kepe thy
lawes & commaundementes. Amen.
When ye do kysse ye pax say thus to your selfe
O Lorde gyue me grace to forgyuemyne aduersaryes frely for thy
sake: yt I may kysse worthely togither
wt my neyghbours in ye holy kysse of
charyte accordi~g to thy co~mau~deme~t.
When ye take holy breade say thus to your selfe
LYke as ther be many graynes ofcorne in ths~ brede: euyn so be we
al me~bres of one bodi i~ our lord Ies=9=
chryst: in who~ there was neuer malyce
nor co~trauersy fou~d: let vs therfore
agre togyther as the members of one
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body. And so take brede louingly togyther.Amen.
When ye take holy water say thus.
BLessed and praysed be our lordeIesus chryst wich hath wasshed
away our sinnes in his blode: And is
mercyfull to vs for euer.
The holy water also is a token of
our Baptyme.
Grace to be sayd before meate.
LEt vs eate in the name of ye lordeand satysfye our body temporaly
with suche meate as he hath sente.
The answere.
ANd let vs desyre hym lyke weseto satysfy our soule with ye gyfte
of good lyuynge that we may be euer
C.i.
15
as redy to all good workes: as we benowe to our meate.
Grace to be sayde after meate.
THankes be to our lord god: thathathe sente vs thus.
The answere.
ANd let vs prayse hym that causethbothe fisshes to swymme in
the water. And beastes to lyue on the
earth for our sustenaunce: to hym be
prayse and glory for euermore. Amen
A prayer to be sayd of a syke man at the poynte of death
O Lorde I thanke the: for yt thouhast preserued me from al soden
death. And hast gyuen me nowe this
syckenes and knolege of my death &
ende: that I myght repente & beleue
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and trust in the my lorde god: whichart mercyfull and dost all thynges for
the best: for I knowe that thou louest
them: whom thou dost chastyse. And
I tha~ked the yt yu hast gyuen me knowledge
and faithe in thy sone Iesu chryst
by whom I knowe that I shall be saued
euyn aswell as the thefe was, or Mary
Magedelyne: or any other creature
whiche were synners aswell as I am.
I wyll therfore lorde synge furth thy
prayse: come forth nowe all people &
say with me: let vs reioyce in the lorde
our sauynge helth: and lette vs prayse
him in psalmes and cantycles.
For he is the great lorde: And is
aboue all goddes and wyll nat caste
away his people.
For he hath loked from his hyght
holy place aboue: yea he hathe loked
from heuen into earth.
That he myhht here the greuous
syghes of the penite~t: and yt he myght
C.ii.
17
saue and delyuer the chyldren of the~that were lost.
Let vs therfore prayse the lorde:
And saye that he is good vnto vs: for
his mercy is without ende.
He hath nat done vnto vs accordynge
to our synnes: nor he hath nat
rewarded vs accordynge to our wyckednes:
but as the father shuld haue
mercy ouer his chyldren: euen so hath
the lorde taken mercy vpon vs that
loue hym and here hym.
For loke how far dystaunce there
is bytwene ye East & the west. And so
farre hath ye lorde set our si~nes fro~ vs
Let vs therfore praise hi~ co~tinually:
yt was borne of the virgyn Mary.
And suffred death for vs so mercyfully:
and ascended vp into heuen so
glorously.
To prepare a waye for vs and to
be our medyatour: contynually before
god the father.
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And wyll be our iudge at ye greatdaye of Iudgemente: to iudge vs in
mercy is his intente.
Into his handes therfore I commytte
my soule: trustyng onely in the
father the sonne and the holy gost: to
whom be all prayse and glorye nowe
and for euer more. Amen.