Iewes did so rage against thee with villanous spitefull words when they did mocke thee and all bespytte thy vysage when they did hoode-winke thine eyes and with their most filthy and impure hands did smyte thee vpon the most blessed face when they did moste cruelly whippe and scourge thee faste bounde to a piller when they did thruste vpon thy most sacred head a pricking crowne of thorne when with yron nayles they did pearce thy blessed armes stretched alonge vpon the crosse when thy blessed syde was thruste throughe with a speare when in thy great thirst and extreame agony they offered thee a sponge full of vinager and gall whē with thy head inclined downe thou sayed It is consummate when thou diddest commend thy spirite into the handes of God the Father and all this ended for the redemption and saluation of mankinde in thy graue thou was buried For all these paynes and passions O most meeke Lorde Iesus Christ I poore and wretched sinner doe humbly beseech thy infinite maiestie not to forsake nor suffer me to be accused and condemned in thy terrible iudgement but let thy dolorous passion so helpe and ayde me that I may be brought to euerlastinge felicitye let thy holy Angells alway be in my company and specially at the houre of death that they may protect defend keepe me so that the cruell infernall enimy may haue no powre or parte in me The ende of the sixt Chapter THE SEVENTH CHAPTER CONTAYNINGE DEuoute and holesome prayers to be sayed before and after the receyuinge of the B. Sacrament Aduertismentes for more vvorthelye receyuinge the holye Euchariste 1. Cor. cap. 11. Verse 26. FOr as often as you shall eate this breade and drincke the chalice you shall shevve the death of our Lorde vntyll he come Verse 27. Therefore vvhoe soeuer shall eate this breade and drincke the chalice of our Lorde vnvvorthily he shall be giltye of the body and bloode of our Lorde Verse 28. But lett a man proue him selfe and so let him eate of that breade and drincke of the chalice Verse 29. For he that eatethe and drinckethe vnvvorthyly eateth and drincketh iudgemente to him selfe not descerninge the body of our Lorde This probation according to the wordes of the Apostle Lett a man proue him selfe consisteth principally in fower poyntes 1. Fayth before all thinges is necessarye to him that shall receyue the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar that is to say he must firste beleeue the presence of the true body and blood of our sauiour Iesus Christe in the Sacramente of the Aultar for they that denye it doe asmuch as thy can to denye the omnipotencye of God and doe accuse God with lyinge for he hath sayed This is my body and this is my blood Also you must of necessitie beleeue that the body of Iesus christ is deliuered to death and his blood truely shedd for the remission of your sinnes 2. Penaunce or repentaunce to the ende you may acknowledge your sinnes with all your harte and haue true repentaunce for the same and truely to confesse thē to the priest your ghostly father And after you haue obtayned absolution you must firmely purpose not to commit any deadly sinne hereafter and hauinge forsaken all rancour and malice you muste be reconciled to them whom you haue offended or that haue offended you 3 Honest and decente behauiour and countenaunce apparteyning to a christian man whereby is required that none goe to this moste blessed Sacramente and greate misterie but fasting and with modestie humilitie and feruente zeale not with any dishonest or vncomely behauiour 4. Deuotion and a harte not occupied in other busines or affaires that so you may imploy your selfe wholly by meditations and deuout prayers to receyue such an excellente sacramente in considering and wonderinge at the incomprehensible humilitie of almightie God I meane hereby that he being a Lord of so greate and infinite maiestye hath bene obediente vnto his heauenly father euen vnto death to gyue vs lyfe And with all that by such deuout meditations and prayers you maye be stirred and prouoked to loue almighty god aboue al things and to gyue him most harty thanks for his so great benifites desiringe him moste humbly that the merits of his most bitter passion and death maye be applied to the comforte and profit of your soule A prayer to be sayde before the receyuinge of the Blessed Sacrament I Adore and worshippe thee and gyue thākes vnto thee my most louing Lorde Iesu Christe for thy innumerable benefites and giftes gyuen vnto me moste vnwhorthy All those I yeeld and offer vnto thee into an euerlastinge laude and prayse I gyue vnto thee thankes for all the goodnes that euer thou diddest shew or euer wilt shew vnto any reasonable creature I gyue thee thāks for al the mercies of thy moste swete goodnes I gyue thee thankes for thy holy Incarnation Natiuitie Infancie Childhod Manstate labours sorowfull cares Passion Death Resurrection thine Ascension I moste humbly thanke thee that thou haste vouchsafed to admitte me most vile sinner to the noble and liuelie feaste of this thy holy table O gracious Iesu I beseche thee for that loue that in maner constreigned thee to be incarnated to suffre and to die for me that thou wilt make me fully cleane from all sinne and make me to please thee in all thing Adorne and garnish my beggarlye and poore soule with thy mercies vertues Graunte mercifull Iesu that I may with moste humble reuerēce with burninge desire and chaste affection receiue the moste venerable Sacrament of thy blessed Bodie in memorie of all those things that thou haste vouchsafed to doe to speake and to suffre for my saluation Graunt good Lorde that I maye performe this thinge moste purely to the euerlasting glorie of thy name to the honour of thy moste sweet Mother and Virgin Marie and to the honour of thy blessed Saint N. Here name the Sainte of that daye to the honour of all thy blessed Saintes and Angells of heauen to the soule health of me and N. and to the soules health of all Christen people quicke and dead Haue mercy good Lord haue mercy vppon thy Churche haue mercy good Lord vpon this place and this compagnie Graunte that here be alwaye humilitye peace charitye chastitye and cleanesse Graunt that we all maye worthily amende and correct our selues and that we feare thee and serue thee faithfullye and that we maye loue thee and please thee I commend vnto thy mercy all our busines and all our necessities be mercifull vnto all those for whome thou haste shed thy precious blood Graunte vnto the quicke forgyuenesse and grace graunt vnto the faithfull departed rest and light euerlastinge Another Prayer before the receyuinge of the holy Sacrament By Sir Thomas Moore O Benigne Iesu that wouldest suffer so many greuous paines yea death it selfe for the loue of mankind greate and meruailous is thy charitie O good God for that thy charitie and that
thou vouchesafedst with thy precious bloud to wash awaye our sinnes I praye thee gracious Lorde that thou forgyue me all the sinnes that I haue done thought or said in pride in wrath in enuie in couetousnes in gloutonie in slouth in lecherie in vncleanes of body and of soule in mispendinge of my fiue wittes in breaking thy commaundementes in wastinge the tyme of my lyfe in vice in that I haue not folowed vertue nor done those ghostlye deedes that I myghte haue done O mercyfull Iesu with that precious bloud that thou diddest shed on the Roode for our saluation wash all the sinnes away that I haue done since my birth comfort and make me whole with the holy Sacrament which thou hast ordeined and left here on earth to be our medicine and life through whiche we should liue after thee and with thee thou in vs. For good Lord thou saydst at that holye worke when thou madest it gauest it to thy Disciples Iohan. 6. Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita qui manducat me ipse viuit propter me ipse manet in me ego in eo O thou holy mightfull Prieste and Bishop that by thy diuine might madest the worthy Sacrament of thy precious Body in fourme of breade gyue me grace to receyue it this day with puritie of heart cleanes of soule with loue dread stedfast beleefe O benigne god I acknowlege confesse to thy high goodnes that I am not worthy to come vnto thy boorde to be fed with so royall meate as is thy blessed Body But gracious Lord I beleeue verily that thou maiest make me worthy who haste made all thinge of nought and of sinfull haste made righteous and holy O almighty God for this thy greate might I praye thee that thou make me worthy and able to receyue the precious Bodie deuoutly with all reuerence with perfect mekenes and holines with full contrition teares of deuotion with spirituall comfort gladnes of thy presence O blessed Bodie in fourme of bread come and entre into my mouth and hart that by thy diuine presence my soule bee fed yea and fastened to thee with perfect charitie O Lord fill me with grace strēgthen me that I may euer hereafter lyue after thy will and that I may lyue in thee and thou in me Iesu for thy great bountie saue me from all perils teache and comfort my soule in all doubtes and dreads clense me from all vices suffer nothing to abide in my hart but onely thy selfe whiche arte my soules lyfe leach O heauenly meate O ioye of Angels O soules strēgth O precious Bodie that gyueth endlesse helpe mercifull Lorde Iesus thus didst thy selfe saye Iohan. 6. Ego sum panis viuus qui de coelo descēdi si quis manducauerit ex hoc pane viuet in aeternum O thou Bread of life that diddest descēde from heauen who that eateth this bread shall lyue euerlastingly O blessed Iesu make me nowe at this time worthy to receyue this Sacrament that is thy precious Body that I maye liue euerlastingly with thee in thy prefence see thee face to face euer to ioye in thy goodnes in blisse euerlasting Amen A deuoute prayer to be sayed at the Eleuation of the moste blessed and Sacred Hoost Anselm cap. 2. in specu sermo euangel VVE adore and worship thee O Iesu Christ king of Israell light of the Gentils and prince of the kinges of the earth Lord of Sabaoth and moste stronge power and puissance of the omnipotente and almightie God we worshippe thee O precious pryce of our redemption O peaceable Hooste which by thy smellinge sweetnes onely diddest inclyne thy Father which reygneth in heauen to beholde our poore estate and diddest reconcyle him to vs his children O sauiour Iesus Christ we prayse the multitude of thy mercies we plentifully sounde out the memorie of thy sweetnes we offer vnto thee O sauiour Christ the sacrifice of laude and praise for the greatnes of thy bountye which thou haste shewed vnto vs sinners beinge a wicked seede and vngracious children of perdition A prayer to be sayed before the blessed Sacramente of the Aulter Io. Fab. ex cap. 2. soliloq B. August O Mnipotent and most mercifull God thou art truely good and in deede I am euill thou arte holy I am wretched thou art iuste I am vniuste thou arte the lighte I am blinde thou art the lyfe I am dead thou arte a conuenient medicine I am weake and sicklye thou arte ioy I am heuines thou art the soueraigne veritie I am the vniuersall vanitie and so is euery liuinge man VVhat shall I saye then my creator heare me my maker I am thy creature and the worke of thy handes but O Lorde I am nowe brought to nothing and I am dyeing dayly thy handes haue made and framed me euen those handes I saye which were nayled to the Crosse for my sake Most benigne redeemer dispise not the worke of thy handes but looke vpon the woundes of thine owne handes loe my Lorde God thou haste written me in thy hands reade the wrytinge and heale me beholde I thy creature doe sighe vnto thee thou arte my creator comfort me I cry vnto thee thou arte the lyfe quicken me and gyue me lyfe to thee I lift vp my voyce helpe me and restore me Spare me O God for my dayes are nothinge what is man that he can thus speake to God his creator pardonne me thy seruaunte which presumeth to speake to so great a Lorde neede hath no lawe griefe and sorowe compell me to speake the calamitie and miserye which I indure enforce me to crye out I am sicke therefore I call to the phisition I am blind therefore I hasten vnto the light I am deade therefore I sigh after lyfe To thee O Iesus of Nazareth I hasten thou arte the fountayne of lyfe O Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vpon me O fountayne of mercy thou haste hard me being sicke callinge vpon thee reach me thy hande O moste gentle Father bring me to thee that I may come to thee and in thy lighte may see that euerlasting light spare and pardonne me O Lorde I am the vnhappie man borne of a woman lyuinge but a shorte time and yet replenished with much misery I am earth and ashes and by and by in griefe and anguishe I muste dye and then I shall be but wormes meate VVhat other thing is my lyfe O my Lorde God then a shadowe which soudenly vanisheth awaye lyke as the flower which doth florishe and is greene by by doth wither euen so my frayle and deceiptfull lyfe passeth away and yet notwithstanding it is on euery side hedged in with the snares of death I knowe assuredly that I must dye but when or howe I can not tell I therefore beseeche thee O meeke and mercifull God to helpe me holde me vppe and staye me in thy power and strength appeare vnto
of a most vyle manciple and slaue Medita 6. O Good and gracious IESV thou being fast boūd like a notorious malefactour wast led vnto the house of Cayphas the high Priest where the Iewes moste vniustely condemned thee and most filthily and vily all bespetted and spauled thy royall and moste amiable face and most spitefully they laied on thee manye a sore buffette and blowe and skornefully in mockage they did blindfolde and couer thy face and strykinge thee they with mocke scorne sayed Prophecy Christ who is he that stroke thee doinge vnto thee innumerable iniuries all that nighte Medita 7. O Good and gracious IESV thou in the morninge was brought before Pilate and with most sweet and pleasaunt countinaunce casting thine eyes downe stoodest before him in the iudgemente hall And when thou wast moste falsely accused of the Iewes and many a rebuke and reproche was geuen thee thou most meekely heldest thy peace and madest no answere Medita 8. O Good and gracious IESV thou was sente from Pylate vnto Herode This Herode of a vayne and curious minde couetinge to see some miracle at thy hande asked and demaunded many things of thee And the Iewes sturdilye accused thee still But thow amonge all these mooste wisely heldest thy peace For this cause Herode and all his despysed and contemmed thee put vpon thee a white garment a dezerds cote lyke a sot he sent thee thus againe vnto Pylate O howe vnmeasurable is this humilitie and obediēce At the will and pleasure of thine ennemyes thou wentest foorthe thou returnedst againe without gaine saying suffering thē to dooe to thee what soeuer they would Medita 9. O Good and gracious IESV thou in the iudgement hall stripped naked and without all cōpassion being bounde fast to a pillar was mooste cruelly scourged There was thy virginall tender fleshe cutte with whippes torne with stripes all together mangled and deformed with blacke and blewe and many a wounde so that the streames of thy moste precious bloude ranne downe on euery syde vpon the earthe Medita 10. O Good and gracious IESV after that sore and sharpe scourgyng of thine to put thee to more shame and vilanye thou was clothed of Sathanas souldiours with a purple reade garment vyle and torne They also makyng a crowne of thorne painefully pressed the same vpon thy moste holy heade And while the sharpe thorns pricked greuously and wounded sore thy head thy moost pure bloude ranne downe aboundantly ouer all thy louely face and necke Then they puttynge a reede into thy ryght hande and kneelyng downe before thee in scorne saluted thee saying All hayle Kynge of Iewes And then tooke they the reede with many a sore stroke they smitte thy venerable heade They also spette in thy mellifluous visage stroke thee on the blessed face Medita 11. O Good and gracious IESV thou was brought foorthe by Pylate vnto the furious Iewes to bee gased and looked vpon wearinge thy crowne of thorne and purple garment but they cried out with more cruelnesse to haue thee crucified Medita 12. O Good and gracious IESV thou was delyuered vpp vnto the will pleasure of the Iewes which by by led thee to bee crucifyed layinge the heauy crosse vppon thy sore and bloudie shoulders Thus didst thou beare moste mekely thyne owne crosse whose greate weyghte payned thee full sore and comyng vnto the place all werie breathlesse with paine for my sake thou dydst not refuse to taste wyne mingled with gall myrre which was there geuen vnto thee Medita 13. O Good and gracious IESV when thou was stripped naked then were thy sore woundes by the violent pullynge of thy clothes renewed Oh what a bytter and cruell payne dyddest thou suffre whan thy tender handes and vndefyled feete were with blounte rough nayles faste nailed vnto the crosse and when the ioinctes of thy limmes were loosed Oh with what loue and swetenesse of charitye didst thou offre thy handes and feete to be bored through Then out of the woundes of thy handes and feete as it had been out of welles thy precious bloude plentifully gushed out Medita 14. O Good and gracious IESV thou hangynge vpon the crosse in the middes betwene two theues was assayled with blasphemyes but thou praydst vnto thy father the while saying Father forgeue it them they wote not what they do Then diddest thou promise paradise vnto the theefe Then gauest thou thy deere-beloued mother who persed with the sworde of sorowe stoode by the crosse vnto thy disciple Iohn and vnto vs all to be our mother And after that thou hadest suffred three long houres intollerable paynes and thirsted verye vehemently they gaue thee eysell to drinke which when thou hadest tasted bowing downe thy venerable head thou yeldest vp thy spirite Medita 15. O Good and gracious IESV O good shepherde thus thou bestowedst thy lyfe for thy shepe and the right side of thy dead body was opened with a speare out of the which flowed both water and bloud for vs. Thou wouldest that thy tender and louinge harte should be wounded for my sake Afterwarde thy immaculate body taken downe from the crosse thy moste blessed mother tooke it in her lappe she kissed it and wett it with teares At the length Ioseph and Nicodeme wounde it vpp in Sindon and layed it in the sepulcher My dere beloued yea the deare beloued of all my desires thou diddest vouchsafe thus to die to be buried for my sake which lyuest and reygneste blessed and glorious for euer and euer world without ende Amen These asperations and ghostlye sighinges and prayers are needefull for deuoute Christians to haue by harte and often times to reuollue in minde some of them at the leaste for attayning to a ghostly and perfecte lyfe O Good Iesu o gracious Iesu o sweete Iesu o my hope my refuge and my helth haue mercy haue mercy haue mercy vpō me I am poore nedy and weake I am naught I haue naught I know nothinge I can dooe nothing of my selfe but sinne helpe me therfore swete Iesu O Lorde bee mercyfull vnto me moste vile moste abominable synner vnworthie to lyue on the earth verily it is but ryghte that euery man should despise me persecute me afflicte me ouer treade me with their feete I resigne and surrendre me yelding me wholy vnto thee Thy moste blessed and thankeful will bee euer done vpō me and in me Graunt me O good Lord full remission of all my sinnes washing me in thy precious bloude Graunt me perfecte mortification and denyinge of my selfe Destroye in me myne owne will and the sekyng of my selfe Graunt me true humilitye perfecte patience charitie of my tounge of all my senses perfecte temperaunce Graunt vnto me the puritie simplicitie nuditie and libertie of mynde and also an exacte and essenciall In-turnyng that I maye bee one accordynge to thy hartes desire Lo my singular beloued Lord lo I salute and honour thy roseruddy
suggestion doo plucke mee away from the and a harte soo stable that no troubles maye ouercome mee so free from all vice that sinne maye chalenge nothinge in me Graunt mee O my Lord God vnderstanding to know thee diligēce to seke thee wisdom to finde thee conuersatiō to please thee faithfullie to perseuere looking after thee finallie thorough hope to imbrace thee in respect of thy most grieuouse paines suffered vpon the Crosse for mee that I maye willingly suffre penaunce and all tribulation for thee Also through thy grace to enioye the graciouse benefittes here in this transitorye lyfe and in the world to come to be partaker of thy rewarde heuenlye ioyes throughe the precious bloude of that immaculat lambe our onelye Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with the father and the holy ghost three personnes and one God be al honour and glorie worlde without end Amen A prayer to God that he vvill vouchsafe to preserue the fruites of the earth Ioan Ferus in lib. prec O Omnipotent euerlasting and mercifull God we beseeche thee consider our daylye needes shewe vs thy mercy and gyue vs a sufficiente harueste for our dayly necessities graunt that corne trees and other fruites of the earth may by thy holy benediction growe encrease and multyplye Turne backe and with-drawe from the fruites of the earth all that may be dammageable as tempestes ouerflowing of waters coldnesse hayle and other lyke thinges which are anye waye hurtfull Through our Lorde Iesus Christ thy sonne the euerlasting lyfe Amen A prayer to desire that vve may vse all temporall thinges for the health of our soules onely Thomas de Camp in lib. de Imit Christ I Beseeche thee moste inercyfull God vouchsafe to preserue me from excessiue cares of this lyfe that I be not to much encombred with many thinges concerning the necessitie of my body and that I be not ouertaken with any voluptuousnes of these thinges O my God my ineffable sweetenes chaunge and turne into bitternesse all my carnall consolations which withdraw me from the loue of celestiall thinges Suffer me not my God to be conquered not to be ouercome of fleshe and of blood Suffer me not to be deceyued of the worlde and of the transitorie glory thereof nor that the deuill through his subtiltie ouerthrow me to the grounde Gyue me strengthe to resist pacience to endure and cōstancie to perseuer for meate drincke clothes and all necessayrie things to vpholde the bodie are painfull troublesome for that person that hathe a deuout spirite Therefore graunt me Lorde to vse these thinges moderatly and that my harte be not to much encombred with the desyre of them The holy law forbiddeth vs to require superfluous thinges and suche as are more delectable than profitable for otherwyse the fleshe should be ouer burdenouse to the spirit And alwayes I request that thy holy hande may gouuerne instruct me that I doe nothinge excessyuelie Amen The ende of the fifth Chapter THE SIXTE CHAPTER CONTEYNINGE HOLESOME prayers of the lyfe and passion of our Sauiour and redeemer Iesus Christ A prayer to be sayed before the Crucyfix Cuthbertus Tunstall in lib. bell prec O Mercyfull crucifix the redeemer of all people whose heade was filthely lacerat torne with a croune of thorne whose hands feete extended vpō a crosse were through-bored with nayles whose whole feble bodye was hanged on highe and twoo theues to his ignomie shame fastened on his righte and lefte hande of the whych the one dispised thee the other knowleged thee to be a kinge whose spirit cōmēded vnto the father was gvuen vppe to redeme vs withall And being deade thy side thorwe-pearced gushed poured outewater and bloude VVhat toung can worthely expresse what minde can cōceyue those innumerable paynes the which thou an innocente haste suffered VVee beseeche thee for these so exceding great tormentes to illuminate our soules with the lyghte of thy knowledg to moderat our vnderstāding to strengthen our handes too good workes to conuerte our feetesteppes and goinges to thy wayes to directe our thoughtes wordes and deedes and laste of all to bringe vs wretches vnto thy kingedome where that wee with thy holye Angells maye haue thy fruition the which doest liue and raigne God with God the father the holy ghoste through all worldes So be it A prayer acknovvledginge that man vvas the cause of Christs suffering Io. Fab. ex 7. Medit. B Augustin VVHat hast thou done sweet chylde that thou shouldest haue this iudgement VVhat haste thou done that thou shouldest be thus streitly delte-with what is thy offēce what is thy gilte what cause of thy death what occasion of thy condemnation I truly I am cause of thy trouble my fault hath made thee to be slaine my defert hathe brought thee vnto this deathe vēgeance is taken of thee for my haynouse gilte thou art thus tormēted for me and I the occasion of all thy smart O maruelous sorte of iudgement order of the vnspekeable diuine misterie The wicked sinneth and the iuste is punished The gilty offendeth and the innocente is beaten The sinner transgresseth and the godly is condemned That whiche the bad hath deserued the good suffreth for that wherin the seruaunt hath done euill the maister maketh recompence for that the man hath committed the sonne of God is plagued how farfurthe thou sonne of God how farfurth hathe thine humilytie descended what hathe feruente loue enforced the to doo Howfarfurthe is thy mercye extended how doth thy bountie encrease how far furth hath thy loue reached Vnto what passe is thy compassion come For I haue done wickedlie and thou art punished I haue committed a greuous faulte and it is layed to thy charge I am the offender and thou arte put to the torture I was pufte vp in pryde and thou imbaced and made of no reputation I was disobedient thou sufferest the paine of my disobedience I haue pampered my selfe with delicat fare thou therfore redie to perishe thorow hunger My affectiō through concupiscence had made mee to doo thinges vnlawfull and perfect charitie in thee hath brought thee to suffer vpon the crosse I presumed to doo that I was forbidden and thou submittest thy selfe to receyue rebukes and punishemēts therefore I delight in all banquettinge and pleasure and thou art put vnto miserable paynes vppon the Crosse I lyue at ease and thy hādes and feete are persed with nayles I tast the plesaunt aple and thou the bytter gaule Eua laugheth and reioyseth with mee blessed Marye lamenteth soroweth with thee Beholde O Kinge of glorie Loo what myne iniquitye is and howe abundant thie mercie is Loo what myne vngodlines is and how meruailouse thy rightuousnes is O my King and my God with what maye I possible recompence thee for the greate goodnes shewed towardes me Mannes harte is not able to thinke what maye be worthelye gyuen in recompence for so great benefites For is ther any such fines of witte in man