The prayer of saint Thomas of Aquine.

THE prayer of Saynt Thomas of Aquyne, translatyd
oute of latyn ynto Englyshe, by the moste exselent
Prynces, Mary, doughter to the moste hygh and
myghty Prynce and Prynces kyng Henry the viii. and
Quene Kateryn hys wyfe. In the yere of oure lorde
god M.cccccxxvii: And the xi. yere of here age.

O MERCYFULL God, graunte me to couyt
wyth an ardent mynde, those thingys whiche
may please the, to serche them wysely, to
know them truly, and to fulfyll them perfytely,
to the laude and glory of thy name. Order my
lyuyng, that I may do that whiche thou requirest
of me, and geue me grace that I may know yt and
haue wyll and powre to do it, and that I may obtayne
those thingis, whiche be moste conuenient for my
sowle. Good Lorde, make my way sure and streight to
the, that I fayle not betwene prosperite and aduersyte,
but that in prosperous thingis I may geue the thankys,
and in aduersite be pacient: soo that I be not lyfte
wyth the oon, nor oppressid with thother: and that I
may reioyse yn nothing but in this whiche movith me
to the, nor be sory for nothing but for those whiche
drawith me frome the: Desiring to please nobody,
nor fering to displese anny besidis the. Lorde, let all
worldly thingis be vile to me, for the: and that all thi
thingis be dere to me. And thou, good Lorde, moost
speciall above them all. Let me be wery withe that
Joye whiche is withoute the, and let me desire nothing
besidis the. Let the labor delite me whiche is for
the, and let all the rest wery me whiche is not in the.
Make me to lyfte my harte oftyntymys to the: and
when I fall, make me to think and be sory with a
stedfast purpose of amendement. My God, make me
humble withoute faynyng, mery withoute lyghtnes,
Sade withoute mystruste. Sobir withoute dulnes:
Fearing withoute dysparacion: Gentill withoute doblenes:
Trusting in the withoute presumpcyon: Telling
my neybors fawtis withoute mokking: Obedyent
withoute arguyng: Pacient withoute grutching: And
pure without corrupcion. My most louyng Lorde
and God, geue me a waking hart, that no curyous
thought withdrawe me frome the. Let it be so
strong, that no unworthy affeccion drawe me bakwarde:
So stable, that no tribulacion breke it: And
so free, that no electyon by vyolence make anny
chalenge to it. My Lorde God, graunt me wytt, to
know the: Dilygence, to seke the: Wisedome, to
finde the: Conuersacion, to please the: Contynuance,
to loke for the: and fynally Hope, to enbrace
the: by thi penaunce here to be ponysshid, and in
oure wey to use thi benefittis by thy grace. And in
heuyn, through thi glory, to haue delyte in thy Joies
and rewardys. Amen.