â—aue no care our selues continually to craue it and earnestly endeuer by wel doing to keép it Amen * A Prayer for fayth EAsily yea to easely O Lord do we beleue man which is euill vntrue and ignorant but hardly â–ª and slowly do we beleue theé which art God exceéding good most sothfast and most wise We beleue men in the things that can do vs no good but we beleue not theé in the care of our saluation Man is able to do nothing but thou art able to do al things We can find in our harts to follow our seÌ„â—es which are so oft deceiued and yet we doubt of theé O God which canst neither deceiue nor be deceiued O how great is our vnthaÌ„kfulnes and ignorance Alas how is man blinded of his own sin But thou O Christ through the pitifulnes and compassioÌ„ ¶ The Baronnesse â–ª Baronnesse braue and hie Prepare thy selfe to dye ¶ The Lady Ladies gay and fayre To you I doe repayre No state no might young nor old To resist death 〈◊〉 behold of thy Father art appoynted as a guid in this our blindnes and as a schoolemaster to our rudenes yet notwithstanding the greuousest inconuenience in this blindnes and ignorance is that trembling and staggaring still from time to time eyther we conceaue not the excellent and most wholsome precepts of our good scholemaister or els we stand wauering and doubting of the truth of theÌ„ Blind wretch how wilt thou scape the vengeaÌ„ce that is prepared for theé if thou shrinke away from him seéing thou neither knowest the way thy selfe nor beleéuest him that sheweth it theé O Christ which art the pure euerlasting truth vouchsafe to shead thy selfe so into our harts that as thou and all thy sayinges are most true so we may take them for more certayne then the things which we seé with our eyes Death by his might doth conuince Empresse Queene Duches and Prince ¶ The â—uâ—ges wife Madame or iustice wife I am come to ende thy life â—he Lawyeâ—â— wife Beware thy husbands gayn Reward theé not with pain or handle with our hands which are but sences of the body that may and do deceiue vs notwithstanding that the foolish beastly flesh do trust so much to them Asswage and settle these motions of the flesh which driue vs from time to time to the altering of the thing that ought to be alwayes most firme fast setled in our minds Faith is a gift of thy inlightening O Christ therfore shead it mercifully and bouÌ„tifully in such wise into our harts as these faulty eyes of oures may be inforced to behold it euen loth and vnwilling though they be Lord I beleéue but yet help thou mine vnbeleéfe Lord increase our faith Amen A Prayer for trust in God THe ground of mans decay was his trusting of himselfe and the beginning of his rysing agayne was The GentlewomaÌ„ Gentles braue fine Daunce after my line Aldermans wife Thou art clothed in skarlet And yet art but my varlet Behold vs here that sometime were gay How now we lye dead all wrapped in clay his distrusting of him selfe and his trusting to God. O most excellent and singular wise guid which leadest all them the rightest and nearest way to euerlasting blessednes which trust theé truely and vnfaynedly Graunt that as we be blind and weak in very deéd so we may take our selues so to be that we take not vp on vs to shift for our selues but let our looking be to seé theé alone and let our inabling of our selues be no further but to desire to follow theé going afore vs to come to theé wheÌ„ thou callest vs to obay theé as thou guydest vs and to betake our selues wholy vnto theé that thou who only knowest what way to goe mayst lead vs to the attaynement of our desires that way which we wold neuer haue set foote into of our own accord Amen Riches nor treasure auayle nothing For death to earth all doth bring Merchantes wife Braue neuer so nice daunce after my deuice ¶ Citizens wife Tricke and trim put of your hood I am come to do you good * A Prayer to be sayd for the feare of God. GRaunt Lord that being taught by thy commauÌ„dements I may serue theé with feare and reioyce before theé with trembling in all things standing in awe of theé least thou happen to be angry and I perish out of the right way For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome ⧠A Prayer for loue towards Christ. THe ground of all happines is to loue thee which art most excelleÌ„tly good and the perfection of happines is to be knit vnto thee which art most excellently good as we may become all one with thee for that is the very end of loue Therfore do we begin our blessednes here by louing thee and Riche mans wife Though thou haue siluer and golde Yet art thou within my â—olde Young woman Fine prety in the wast Come with me in hast As death in this world hath the victory So by death we hope to enter Gods glory we finish it in heauen by being knit vnto thee O most louing Christ would God we were so far in loue with thee that beyng swallowed vp and altogether consumed in thee we were one with thee euen as thou and thy Father art one so as we were no more our selues but thou nor any more men but after a sort Gods as we beyng oll one thing with God which is the highest and most perfect blessednes For God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Now therfore I am aliue or rather not I But Christ in me To him therfore be all thanks and prayse for euer Amen A Prayer to be sayd for cleanes of hart MOst merciful Iesu Christ who being made in the likenes of sinfull flesh hast born our sinnes in thy Time to liue time to dy God granÌ„t vs liue eternally ¶ The Mayde Fresh galant gay All must with me away ¶ The Damosell Fine proper neate And all is but wormes meate body to wipe away all our naughtines by thy death and to make vs clean and new creatures acceptable vnto god Scoure vs from the spots which we by our sinnes doe dayly cast vpon the whitenes that we haue gotten by theé And when thou hast so cleansed vs let thy grace maintayn vs still in the same cleanes that we may be worthy to be called thine both in profession name Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes and beare with thy seruant in his other sinnes Amen Another A Clean hart create in me O god and renue a right spirite within my bowels Let my hart be made vndefiled through thy inrighteousing that I may not be put to shame Amen ¶ Farmers wife Cease thy labour and paine For I am thy riches and gainâ— HusbandmaÌ„s wife Toyle no more I say For heÌ„ce I must away Time to liue time to dy God
due for We that were of highest degree Lye dead here now as ye do see ¶ The Empresse Empresse â—hogh thou be Thou must away with me ¶ The Queene Queene also thou doost see As I am so shalt thou be them But be we once escaped out of the prison of this body and receiued into thy company O Lord God we shal be quite out of doubt of the immortality of our Saluation Sicknes penury and payne shall not come at vs no nor yet the vices of the minde for all those things are farre of from heauen O Father giue vs the light of faith that we may not stumble in the things that are most true Geue vs the loue of theé wherthrough we come thither stablish our fayth with charity increase our charity with hope which vnderproppeth strengtheneth and holdeth vs vp in doing the workes of godlines And forasmuch as our watching and warding here and our warfare which is ordained for great reward are finished by death and we cannot tell when that shall come thou which knowest all things ¶ The princes Princes of hye estate coÌ„teÌ„t you I am your mate ¶ The Duchesse Duches princes Death dayly conuinces We that sate in the highest seate Are layd here now for wormes meate call me hence at such tyme as may be most for my behoof to depart out of this life through Iesus Christ our lord Amen A prayer in danger of death MOst mercifull Sauyor inlighten mine eies that I may neuer fall a sleép in death least mine enemie say I haue preuayled agaynst him They that persecute me wil be glad if I fall but I haue fastened my hope in thy mercy Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man liuing shal be iustified in thy sight I will looke before me at the Lord who is alwayes in my sight for he is at my right hand to keép me that I be not moued My hart is glad my tongue reioiceth more ouer my flesh shall rest in hope A prayer for good successe and for the direction of Christ in all our doyngs Beauty honour and riches auayle no whit For death when he commeth spoyleth it ¶ The Countesse Countesse or what thou art I strike thee with my dart ¶ The Vicountesse Vicountes I â—o not spare For of them I 〈◊〉 no carâ— O God and Lord Iesus Christ thou knowest yea and thou hast taught vs how great mannes weakenes is or rather how vnable he is to doe any thing without theé If he trust to himselfe he must neédes fall hedlong into a thousand mischiefes O deére father pitie thy childes infirmitie be merciful and fouourable vnto me that I may seé the true good things through thine inlightning haue a longing to them through thine incouraging and attayn to them through thy guyding vtterly distrusting my selfe I geue ouer and betake me all wholy vnto theé alone ¶ The Baronnesse Baronnesse braue and hie Prepare thy selfe to dye ¶ The Lady Ladies gay and fayre To you I doe repayre No state no might young nor old To resist death dare be bold Death by his might doth conuince Empresse Queene Dutchesse and Prince â—he â—udges wife â—adame or iustice wife I am come to endethy life The lawyers wife Beware thy husbands gayn Reward theé not with pain The GentlewomaÌ„ Gentles braue fine Daunce after my line Aldermans wife Thou art clothed in skarâ—et· And yet art but my varlet Behold vs here that sometime were gay â—ow now we lye dead all wrapped in clay Geue me grace O God to harken to thy calling and to follow thy guyding For thou leadest vs to store of all good things thou offerest thy self and all thy goods giue vs grace to receiue them Thou shewest vs the way to most singular benefites suffer vs not to turne head vntill we haue taken possession of them Giue vs constancy and stedines of purpose that our thoughtes may not be fleéting fond and vneffectual but that we may performe all things with an vnmouable minde to the glory of thy holy name through Iesus Christ our lord Amen Riches nor treasure auayle nothing For death to earth all doth bring Merchantes wife Braue neuer so nice daunce after my deuice Citisens wife Trick and trim put of your hood I am come to do you good A prayer to be sayd agaynst temptation This weak feéble fortres of ours is assaulted coÌ„tinually with innumerable enemies and engines But yet if it please theé O sauior Christ to fortifie it but with thy onely strength it shall abide inuincible Riche mans wife Though thou haue siluer and golde Yet art thou within my holde Young woman Fine prety in the wast Come with me in hast As death in this world hath the victory So by death we hope to enter Gods glory â–ª Wherfore we beseéch theé goe not from the helme of this brittle ship that is tossed in the waues of the manifolde temptations and afflictions of this world vntill thou haue brought it to the quyet and safe hauen of thine eternall and blessed kingdome in heauen Amen Time to liue â— time to dy God grant vs liue eternally ¶ The Mayde Fresh galant gay All must with me away ¶ The Damosell Fine proper neate And all is but wormes meate * A Prayer to be sayd agaynst the world OH with what sleights this iugling world beguileth our feéble and dim eyes O how gay glitterings of things it sheweth a far of that they might seéme great and worth the hauing wheras in deéde they be but smal empty to be despised that the thinges might seéme terrible which are but trifles that the things might seéme meéte to be shunned which are conuenyent to be sought and attayned to ¶ Farmers wife Cease thy labour and paine For I am thy riches and gaine HusbandmaÌ„s wife Toyle no more I say For heÌ„ce I must away 〈…〉 liue â— time to dy God grant vs liue eternally The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obay vnto me Countreywoman Away with butâ—er cheése For thy life thou mâ—st â—eesâ— The Nurse Geue sucke no more For I am at the dore Deliuer vs therfore from vanity O Lord God and geue vs stedfastnes in seéking thy truth and in sticking to it so as we may set our whole minds vpon thy righteousnes ioy in nothing but in theé in thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen * A Prayer against the flesh O Sauyour of mankind we feéle alas to our great greéfe we feéle that our spirite is clogged with the flesh a reasonable thing with a brutish and filthy thing While man was in innocency reason made the spirit a soueraign but now the sinfulnes that we haue receaued by inheritance from our first Parents hath matched the rebellious flesh against her superior and ruler Shepeheardes wife Be thou young or olde Thou must enter into my folde ¶ Aged woman Be the day neuer so long At last commeth Euensong From
Behold vs here that sometime were gay And now lie dead all wrapped in clay Riches nor treasure auayl nothing For death to earth all doth bring Merchantes wife Braue neuer so nice daunce after my deuice 〈…〉 wife â—ricke and trim â—ut of your hood â— am come to d◠〈◊〉 good * A Prayer in desire of the life to come IN the life to come we must not thinke to inioy any one benefite alone as we do here but al good things and all at once euen as many as are possible to be thought or not thought For we shall inioy theé O God who alone art all in all things And loue shal make vs one with theé and so we shall be as it were certayn Gods. O when shall we haue an end of this misery and a beginning of that ioy when shal I cease to liue among such as are euil spitefull cumbersome and enemilike and begin to liue with Christ who is Riche mans wife Though thou haue siluer and golde Yet art thou within my holde Young woman Fine prety in the wast Come with me in hast â—s death in this world hath the victory So by death we hope to enter Gods glory curteous good frendly and loueth me most deérely This body of mine is but a pryson to my soule Yea and that a most darck and lothsome one This world is but a banishmeÌ„t and this life but sorow wretchednes But where as thou art there is our home our freédome and our endles blisse Twitch our mindes from time to time to the remembraunce of so great happynesse Sheade into our harts the desire of so great good things and therfore cheéfly to be coueted Settle our mindes and geue them euen here some tast of thy ioyes wherby we may lothe and abhor these things wherinto we runne with such headinesse imbracing them fast betweéne our armes and laying hold on theÌ„ with both our hands that we may shun and hold scorne of these so harsh and bitter things couet nothing so much as the sweétnes of thy company O death how bitter is thy sting That poore and rich to earth doth bring ¶ The Mayde Fresh galant gay All must with me away ¶ The Damâ—sell Fine proper neate And all is but wormes meate whereunder al good thinges are contayned Amen * The feare of the Iudge and Iudgement day O Lord and God of Gods reuenger of wickednes I know that thy comming will be manifest I am certayn thou wilt not alwayes keépe silence when fire shall burne before thy face and a mighty tempest shall rage in thy sight when thou shalt cal the heauen from aboue and the earth from beneath to seuere thy people Behold in the presence of so many thousands of people mine iniquitie shall be discouered my sinnes shal be opened in the sight of so many Angels and not my misdeédes only but thoughts and words Before so many Iudges shall I stand helplesse as haue excelled me in good workes By so many euidences shall I ¶ Farmers 〈◊〉 Cease thy labour and paine For I am thy riches and gain Husbandmas wife â—oyle no more I say For heÌ„câ— I must away Time to liue â— time to dy God grant vs liue eternally be cast as haue geuen me example of good life With so many witnesses shal I be coÌ„uinced as haue admonished me with holesome counsell and by their vertuous deédes haue bene paterns for me to imitate O my Lord I haue not what to alleage I finde nothing what I should aunswere And being now in this greuous danger my coÌ„science vexeth me the secrets of my hart wound me couetousnes heÌ„meth me in pride accuseth enuy consumeth concupiscence enflameth exces corrupteth me rauine defameth me drunkennes dryeth me vp slaunder renteth me in peéces ambition supplanteth rapine sharpely rebuketh dissention cutteth a sunder anger disturbeth lightnes maketh me dissolute faintnes weakneth me hipocrisie deceueth flattery breaketh me fauour lifteth me vp but malice doth goare The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obay vnto me Countrrywoman Away with butter cheése For thy life thou must leese The Nurse Geue such no more For I am at the dore Behold O my deliuerer froÌ„ this wrath full generation behold with whom I haue liued euer since my birth day after whom I sought with whom I kept fayth and promise The life which I loued condemneth me which I commended disdaineth me These be my frends in whom I did repose my selfe the gouerners whom I obayed masters whoÌ„ I serued counsellers whom I did credite Citizens with whom I dwelled domistical fellowes with whom I was familiar Alas my king and my God that I haue so long soiorned among theÌ„ Woe is my light that I haue dwelled with the inhabitaÌ„ts of Cedar And seéing that holy Dauid sayd long how much more miserable wretch that I am may I say to long hath my soule dwelt among them O God my streÌ„gth no fleshe shall be iustified in thy sight My help is not in the children of men Thus death hath brought all things to nought Set thy mercy aside whom shalt thou finde iust when thou iudgest And except thou iustifie the sinner in thy mercy who shall be found pure whom thou mayest glorifie For I beleue O my sauing health that which I haue heard which of thy mercy to bryng me to repentance the sweét lippes of thy mouth hath spoken that no man can come to me except my father who sent me draw him For truly thou hast instructed me and most fauorably with thy instructioÌ„ hast reformed me I besech theé almighty father in thy beloued sonne with all the strength of my hart and minde I besech theé O welbeloued sonne of god I beseéch theé O most holy and most coÌ„fortable spirite of God so leade me that I may hasten to the sweéte smelling fauoure of thy precious balmes Amen Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you Matâ—â—5 Depart from me ye 〈…〉 euerlasting 〈…〉 is prepared for 〈◊〉 Math. 25. The conclusion O Lord Iesus Christ thou king of kings the great counsell and wisedome of the father O thou the greate Shephearde of thy Pasture O thou righteous Iudge of all Iudges preserue our Queen Elizabeth long to liue with thy pore Church of England in health and wealth to thy good pleasure and will. Blesse thou the wisedome and pollicy of her counsayle to the strengthening of the same thy Church the tranquilitie of our Queene and Country inspire the Ministers of thy blessed Gospell with thy holy spirite that they may be sauery salt to season and bright lights to the way of saluation Rayse vp faythfull distributers of right and iustice to the poore commons of this Realme diligent and carefull magistrates to execute the lawes aright as they will answere before thy tribunall seate at the day of iudgement Finally to euery of vs thy poore sheepe let thy mighty hand outstretched arme O Lord God father
be a harty confession of vnrighteousnes yealding to Gods mercy and crauing forgeuenes Such though they labor be heauy laden yet let thē come But how with a true faith nothing wauering or doubting 1. Tim. 2. Iam. 1. without fainting Eccle. 7. For the Lord is nigh vnto all those that call vpō him faythfully Psal. 145. According to your fayth be it vnto you saith Christ vnto the two blind men Mat. 10. What faith was that Do ye beleue sayth Christ that I am able to do this we beleue lord say they According to this faith they prayed for their eyesight and had it Pray thou in the same faith for thy soules health thou shalt receaue it Perswade thy selfe that God cannot but performe for Christes sake all his promises of grace and mercy Beleeue that Iesus Christ shed his hart bloud not only for our sinnes speaking generally but for thy sinnes and that he can and will helpe thee To such a one Christ him selfe sayth What so euer you desire when you pray beleue that you shall haue it it shal be done vnto you But whē you pray sayth he forgeue if you haue ought against any man that your Father in heauen may forgeue you .. Mark. 11. So that with this faith must be ioyned peace loue with our neighbor Mat. 6. 11. Also a life answerable to this faith 1 Ioh. 3. Least either our prayers be hindered 1. Pet. 3. Or not regarded Mat. 6. Or turned into sinne Psal. 109. But who hath this perfection Or whose prayers then shall be accepted Come therfore in the name of Christ For Christ is perfect though we vnperfect his holynes maketh our prayers holy when he offereth thē vnto the lord His righteousnes is our righteousnes and he was made sin for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God. 2. Cor. 5. For to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is coūted for righteousnes Rom. 4. Let not thy sinne therefore withdraw thee from this exercise for none asketh but he that wāteth none seeketh to find but he that hath lost Come therfore vnto him thou that doest labor and art heauy ladē carying in thy minde this one speciall note by the way what it is thou wilt demaund whē thou commest vnto him and for whom For prayers at aduenture are vnprofitable proceeding of custome from the lips not of zeale frō the hart What we should pray for the Scripture teacheth plainly First for the glory of god Ioh. 12. For the peace of Ierusalem Psal. 132. That the word of God may haue free passage 2. Thess. 3. that our flight be not in the winter Mat. 13. For our former sinnes Eccle 81. For soules health Psal. 36. For wisedome 2. Parali 1. For increase of loue Phil. 1. In time of sicknes Exod. 8. In afflictiō Ia. 1 Finally for all such thinges as the vse and want of man doth require whether they be earthly graces or spiritual alwayes framing our petitions to that certayn and iust rule of Gods will to the which all manner of requests must be referred for we know not what we should pray as becommeth vs Rom. 8. And therefore we aske and haue not Why Because we aske amisse Iam. 4. But this trust we haue that if we doe aske according to his will he heareth vs. 1. Ioh. 5. According vnto this his will therfore I meane his reuealed will knowen in Scripture pray for all men 1. Tim. 2. For all Kinges Esdr 6. Baruc. 1. For all that are in authoritie 1. Tim. 2. For the Ministers of Gods blessed word Heb. 1. That God may open their vtterāce Col 4. and increase their nūber Mat. 9. And that the word of God may be geuen vs Ephesi 6. Finally we must pray one for an other Iam 2. And for them that hate vs wrongfully Mat. 5. Forgeuing not seuen tymes but seuentye seuen tymes Mat. 18. And as Christ forgaue you so do ye Col. 3. For as the Chirurgian cannot soūdly heale a wound so long as the iron of the dart which gaue the wound is lodged in the bottome therof So likewise cannot prayer profite so long as the hart is cankered Therfore forgeue thy brother if he repent him Luk. 17 if he repent not yet forgeue him doe good vnto him so shalt thou heap coles of fire on his head Rom. 12. It followeth And I will refresh you Wherin thou mayst behold Christian Reader the assured mercy of God in Iesus Christ the effect of true and harty prayer For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thyne hart that God raysed him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued He is rich vnto all thē that call vpon him for whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued Rom. 10. Ye shall goe and pray vnto me and I wil heare you saith the Lord and you shall seek me and find me because you shal seek me with al your hart and I wil be foūd of you and I wil turn away your captiuity Iere. 29. Seeke and you shall find Mat. 6. God is true of his promise and therfore we find in Scripture that at Moises prayer the plague ceased Exod. 8. Miriam by it was deliuered from his leprosy Num. 11. By prayer Anna was of a barrē woman made fruitfull 1. Reg. 1. Dauid obtained forgeuenes for his manslaughter and whoredōe 2. Reg. 12. Helias caused great plenty of rayne Ia. 5. Ezekias ouercame Zenacharib 4. Reg 19. Toby prospered Tob. 4. Susanna deliuered from death Dan. 13. By prayer Queen Hester deliuered her and her people Hest. 14. Ionas was deliuered out of the whales belly Ionas 2 By prayer Lepers were clensed Luk. 17. the blinde restored to sight Luk. 18. The palsy cured Mat. 11. many men we omen obtained health for their sonnes daughters and seruaunts Mat. 8. 15. By prayer the lame was restored to lims Ma. 4. the deafe men to heare Ma. 21. the dome to speake Ma. 12. By prayer remissiō of sinnes was obtayned Ma. 11. the holy ghost purchased for the Apostles all the faythfull Ma. 26. To be short wonderfull is the strength and force of prayer without the which nothing prospereth with vs fortunately But yet here remaineth a farther question how it may stād with Gods immutable wil and decree that our prayers should be of such strength force to alter the threatnings which are decreed therfore of force must come to passe I aunswere God neuer promysed any thing in scripture for the most part except it were the absolute promises concerning Messias and such like but it hath a condition annexed vnto it ether expresly or to be vnderstood Likewise he neuer threatneth for the most part but a conditiō is added thereunto As for example Adam was created of God that he should haue liued continually in blesed estate if he would so remayne this was the conditiō
may be moued with pitie towardes those whom we seé oppressed with the Vse a little wine for thy stomack 1. Tim. 5 Woe vnto them that 〈◊〉 vp early c. Esay 1. Measure in vvine comforteth Excesse vvalketh vvantonly same aduersities O most milde and mercifull Christ we beseéch theé brethe vpon vs the spirit of thy meékenes and goodnes that like as thy pitying of vs made theé to indure most bitter death and torments for vs so our pitying of our neighbors may lead vs to succour them to our power Amen Another WHere Charitie and Loue are there is the congregatioÌ„ of the Sayntes There is neither wrath nor disdayne but stedfast charitie for euer Therfore graunt vs O Lord God that we may loue one another vnfaynedly for where loue is there art thou and he that loueth his brother is born of thee and dwelleth in thee and thou in him And where brethren doe glorifie Sobriety watcheth her mouth Voluptuousnesse â—yoteth Let vs which are of the day be sober 1. Thess. 5. For it is suffycient for vs c. 1. Pet. 4. thee with one accord there doest thou poure out thy blessing vpon them Loue vs therefore O Lord and shead thy loue into our hartes that we may loue thee and our bretheren in thee and for thee as all children to thee through Iesus Christ Amen ⧠A Prayer for the afflicted and persequuted vnder the tiranny of Antichrist O Mercifull Father who neuer doest forsake such as put their trust in theé stretch forth thy mighty arme to the defence of our brethren by the rage of enemies persequuted and greéuously tormented in sundry places for the true profession of thy holy Gospell who in their extreém necessitie cry for comfort vnto theé Let not thy long suffering O Lord Whose apparailing let not be c. 1. Pet. 3· The steps of a strange woman c. Prouerb 5. Chastitie is secrete and clean Vncleanes is like a Goate be an occasion either to increase the tyranny of thy enemies or to discourage thy children but with speéde O lord consider their great miseries and afflictions Preuent the cruell deuise of Haman Stay the rage of Holophernes Breake the counsell of Achitophell Let not the wicked say Where is now their God Let thy afflicted flock feéle present ayde and releéfe from theé O Lord look down vpon them with thy pitifull eye from thy holy habitation send terror and trembling among their enemies make an end of their outragious tiranny beate back their boldnes in suppressing thy truth in destroying thy true seruants in defacing thy glory and in setting vp Antichrist Let them not thus proudly aduaunce themselues against theé and thy Christ but let them vnderstand and feéle that against theé PerseueraÌ„ce â—ndureth to the end Reuolting a Sow in the mire If they continue grounded in faith 1. Tim. 2. He that endureth to the end shal be saued Mat. 10 they fight Preserue and defend the vine which thy right hand hath planted and let all nations seé the glory of thine annoynted Amen * A Prayer for our bretheren that are in aduersitie MOst gratious and merciful sauiour we finde by experience almost euery minute of an houre that this life of oures is fraughted with aduersities which grow vnto euery of vs either out of the sinfulnes of the flesh or of ech mannes own folly or of other mennes spitefulnes Besides this other mennes misfortunes are both an increase and an example of our own For we seé by them that the like may befall vs and brotherly charity compelleth vs to be sory for them In respect wherof thou also hast commaunded vs to weépe with them Charitie feedeth the hungry I was an hungry and ye gaue me meate Mat. 25. If thine enemy hunger feede him Prouer. 25 â–ª that weépe and to mourn with theÌ„ that mourn and to be like minded one towards another as members all of one body Thou therfore O mercifull Redeémer which hast borne our infirmities harken to the prayers which we poure out before theé for the releéfe of our bretherens aduersities increase not our sorrowes by the sorrowes of our frends Rid them out of their miseries that they may the more quietly set their minds vpoÌ„ theé we through thy gratious goodnesse be discharged of no small peéce of our heauines Or if it be not expedient either for them or vs for thou only knowest what is expedient for euery man at least wise giue them power of minde and strength of bâ—dy to bear their sore crosses the easilyer so as neither their bodies may be vnable to abide and indure the paines nor their harts quayle vnder the grief Charitie geueth drinke to the thirsty I thirsted and you gaue me drink Mat. 25. The Niggard witholdeth drinke from the thirsty Esay 32. wherby they might be dryuen to doe say or thinke any thing which thou mightest mislike of or which might turne to their own hurt through impatience or dispayre Amen ⧠A Prayer for them that be in pouertie THey that are snarled and intangled in the extreém penury of things neédfull for the body cannot set their minds vpoÌ„ theé O Lord as they ought to doe but when they be disapoynted of the thinges which they doe so mightely desire their harts are cast down and quaile for excesse of grief Haue pitie vpon them therfore O mercifull father and releéue their misery through thine incredible riches that by thy remouing of their vrgent necessitie they may rise vp vnto theé in minde Thou O Lord prouidest inough for all men Charitie harboâ—eth strangers I was a stranger ye lodgeed me Mat. 25. I haue not suffered a stranger to lye without Iob. 31. with thy most liberall and bountifull hand but wheras thy gifts are in respect of thy goodnes freé fauor made common to all men we through our naughtines nigardship and distrust doe make them priuate and peculiar Correct thou the thing which our iniquity hath put out of order let thy goodnes supply that which our niggardlynes hath plucked away Geue thou meate to the hungry and drinke to the thirsty Comfort thou the sorrowfull Cheére thou vp the dismayd StreÌ„gthen thou the weake Deliuer thou them that are prisoners And geue thou hope and courage to them that are out of hart O Father of all mercy haue compassion of so great misery O Fountain of all good thinges and of all blessednes wash thou away these so sundry so manifold so great miseries of oures Charitie clotheth the naked I was naked ye clothed me Mat. 25 If a brother or Sister be naked or destitute Iames. 2. with one drop of the water of thy mercy for thine only Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen * A Prayer to be sayd for our Euilwillers MOst mercifull Redeémer thou hast commaunded vs to pray for them both which wish vs euill and as much as in them lyeth doe worke vs euill and that hast thou done not only in
granÌ„t vs liue eternally * A Prayer for the obtayning of a sound minde O Lord Iesu Christ the light of al them that put their trust in theé and the only Phisition of our soules the light of mind which thou hadst put into vs by creation is dimmed defaced and in maner extinguished by the fall of our first Father Adam and a horrible maime and disorder is fallen vpoÌ„ all the powers sences of our soules Our wit reason iudgement discretion vnderstanding and will are vtterly corrupted so as of our selues we can not seé nor discern any thing aright The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obey vnto thee Countreywoman â–ª Away with butter cheése For thy life thou must leese The Nurse Geue sucke no more For I am at the dore Create thou a pure hart in vs and renue a right spirite in vs Binde thou vp the sores of our soules wash them with the wine of thy precyous bloud and annoynt them with the oyle of thy holynes Repair that heauenly Image which is defaced in vs through sinne and adorne it agayne with thine own righteousnes That we being set in perfect state by thy meanes may sing acceptable prayses euerlastinglye to theé in thy holy church Amen ¶ A Prayer to be sayd for newnesse of life VNto theé O Lord doe I lift vp my hart In theé my God doe I trust let me not be put to shame Shepeheardes wife Be thou young or olde Thou must enter into my folde ¶ Aged woman Be the day neuer so long At last commeth Euensong From earth we came to earth we shall For sinne by death hath made vs thrall Shew me thy wayes and teach me thy pathes lead me forth in thy righteousnes and guide me for thou art my sauyour in theé is my trust all the day long Teach me thy way O Lord guide me in the right path for feare of mine enemies A cleane hart create in me O God and a right Spirite renue within my bowels Thrust me not out of thy sight O Lord neither take thy spirit froÌ„ me Geue me agayne the comfort of thy help and strengthen me with a principall Spirite Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walke in thy truth Knit my hart vnto theé that it may fear thy name geue thy seruaÌ„t streÌ„gth and saue the sonne of thy handmayd The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obey vnto thee The Creeple Be thou poore or disesed Thou must with me be pleased The poore woman Be thou neuer so poore Thou must enter at my â—ore Make me to vnderstand the wayes of thy commaundements and I will talke of thy wonders Remoue from me the way of lying and geue me thy law Set thy law O Lord and the way of thy statutes before me that I may euer keép them Geue me vnderstanding that I may obserue thy law keép it continually Leade me forth in the pathes of thy commaundements for in them is my delight Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes Let not the foote of pride come neare me nor the hand of sinne touch me Turne away mine eyes from vanitie and quicken me in thy way StrengtheÌ„ thy seruant in thy word that I may feare theé The Infant Loe this little hart I strike with my dart The Foole. Of foolish and fond I break the bond No state no might young nor old To resist death daâ—â— behold Behold I haue lusted for thy commaundements quicken me in thy righteousnes Let thy mercy come vpon me O Lord let thy sauing health light vpon me according to thy word A Prayer for true mortification Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne ¶ The Emperor Of Monarch Emperor I am the conqueror ¶ The king Keisar or king I must theé bring ¶ The Duke Duke though thou be daunce after me ¶ The Marques Marques of state march with thy mate Dukes and Marques we haue been Nought now but bones are to be seen For if thy sonne our sauiour euer wont to obay thy good will prayed so hartely and often Not my will but thy will be We Earles and Barons were sometime Now wrapt in lead are turnd to slime ¶ The Baron Barons of nobilitie sweare to me fealty ¶ The Vicount Earle or Vicount geue thy account done wherby he declareth himself to be very man how can it be but we whose nature is corrupt not only in natiuity but in the rest of our whol life also shall finde both our hands full in great and greéuous temptations wholy to resine our selues vnto theé Graunt therfore deére Father for thy Christes sake I most hartely beseéch theé thy grace and holy spirite to be effectual in me that dayly I may accustome my selfe to deny my will in more easie and pleasant things of this life that when neéde shall be I may come vnto theé with a resined will alwayes stedfastly expecting thy mercy and in the meane season continually obaying theé with readines and willingnes doing whatsoeuer may most plese theé through Christ our Lord which liueth and raigneth with theé and the holy Ghost world without end Amen ¶ The Archbishop Archb. Metropolite theé thy Prouince I visite ¶ The Bishop Bishops graue old are sheép of my fold Bishops we haue taught the lord That all must enter deathes dore A prayer for coÌ„tinuance in seking after christ by S. Augustine Both sheep and shepheard all must dye We taught the same the same we try ¶ The Doctor Doctor diuine at last thy reading houre is past ¶ The Preacher Preach no more about thy glas is run out ¶ The lord Come lordings all daunce at my call ¶ The Knight Goe hence sir knight t is almost night We Lords and Knights of late Now lie in low estate Behold the Squire as in a glas For as thou art so he was ¶ The Esquire Esquire the braue It bootes not to craue ¶ The Gentleman Lusty or sad Thou must be had ¶ The Iudge â–ª Come on iudge With me to trudge ¶ The iustice Sir Iustice arise come to my assise Iudge and Iustice sentence haue To ly as captiues in the graue In such sort therefore O my God thou art layde vp for them that feare theé as thou mayst be found of them that hope in theé So thou doest prolong to be found of them that seéke theé the sooner to approch to them that perseuere in seéking No law no plea no drift From death can make a shift ¶ Sergeant at law Leaue the Lawes heare my cause ¶ The Attorâ—ey Plead as thou lust With me thou must O my mercy and my refuge my deliuerer and defender so geue me feare as also I may loue so put me in feare as thou increase also the desire of theé and so make me one of those that feare and keépe thy commaundements that by the obedience of thy feare I may
nor good workes at all to alleadge before thee But as for euill workes I haue alas to many of them Neuertheles my hope is that I shal be reckned in the number of the righteous by meanes of thy righteteousnes For my sake wast thou borne for my sake didst thou thirst for my sake wast thou huÌ„gry for my sake diddest thou teach for my sake diddest thou Vse gayn of gold and liue in cost So as by death life be not lost ¶ The Marchant Neither craft nor trade Can â—e perswade ¶ The Citizen Of towne and citie I haue no pitie pray for my sake didst thou fast for my sake didst thou perfourme the great number of good works in this life for my sake didst thou suffer so many bitter panges for my sake didst thou geue ouer thy precious life to the death Let the things profite me which thou hast geueÌ„ me of thine own free will thou I say which hast geuen thy self wholy for me Let thy bloud wash away the spots of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide mine vnrighteousnes Let thy deseruings commend me to the soueraign Iudge As my greef and disease increase so increase thou thy grace Let not my faith wauer Let not my hope staggar Let not my charity waxe colde Let not my humain infirmitie be cast down with the dread of death But euen when death shall haue cloased ¶ The Printers Leaue setting thy page spent is thine age Pressmen goe play printing must stay We Printers wrote with wisdomes pâ—n She liues for aye we die as men the eyes of my body let the eyes of my minde looke still vpon thee with out wauering aside And when it shal haue bereft me of the vse of my tung let my hart cry stedfastly still vnto thee Into thy hands I commit my spirite O Lord to whom be honor prayse world without end Amen ⧠A Prayer to be sayd in the Plague time IT is no maruail O most righteous Father that the elementes of this world are fearce against vs sometime with earthquakes sometime with tempestes and lightnings sometime with ouerflowing of seas and Riuers sometime with pestilent concourses of the heauenly lights and sometime with corruption of the infected ayre for we doe commonly abuse thy gifts Death takes no bribe of wealth Death forceth not long health ¶ The Riche man Thy siluer nor golde froÌ„ death can theé withhold ¶ The aged man By right I must be bold with theé that liuest so old We acknowledge that euen in this case also the creatures serue and obay their Creator whose coÌ„maundements we neglect so oftentimes Also we acknowledge thy fatherly nurturing of vs wherby thou callest vs back from the trust of this world with gentle correction and drawest vs to the desire of the euerlasting life ¶ The Artificer No compas or arte can cause me depart The Husbandman Labour no more For I haue store No one deuise no arâ— no toyle Could make vs geue to death the foil A Prayer for health both of body and minde DOubtles the only true health is to be found in that part which is cheéfest in vs and lykest vnto theé O Lord that is to say to haue the soul allyed In song in daunce in pipes in play We lost our life now wrapt in â—la◠¶ The Musâ—â—iâ—n Strike vp thy play Daunce with me away and knit vnto theé as neare as is possible by louing and worshipping of theé which art our only welfare But forasmuch as the same is annexed to the body it feéleth the affections therof and is moued by them As for salues and medicines they doe good when thou listest but they be superfluous and to no purpose if thou list not to worke by them Thou I say which art the founder of them and of al naturall things Thine only will is the cause of life and death and of health and sicknes which thou layest vpon vs most commonly to chastise and bridle this body of oures which rusheth forth into vnruly losenes in all things like an vnweldy vnbrideled beast ouerwhelming vs with forgetfulnes of the true health when it groweth to strong and ouerlusty But thou O Father graunt vs so ¶ The Shepeheard Leaue thy shepâ— And with me crepe ¶ The Foole. Of foolish and fonde I breake the bonde The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obay vnto me to be hole in body as our minds may also be hole and sound Or if it be not for our benefite to haue health of body at least wise geue vs a healthy minde and lend vs power strength to beare our sicknes that the greéfe and weakenes of the body appaire not the soule Amen A Prayer in affliction or aduersitie MOst mercifull Redeémer which art alwayes full of compassion thou art alwayes our preseruer whether thou send vs aduersitie or prosperitie For great is thy mercy compassion in that thou healest the inward man by outward afflictions as it were by bitter medicines and preparest vs to euerlasting ioyes by temporal troubles And for as much as thou thy selfe hast traced vs out this true way to felicitie Time to liue time to dy God grant vs liue eternally ¶ The Begâ—ar Begging is done For I am come The Roge. Thinke I am best For I bring rest by thine own footesteps graunt that I may paciently and obediently drinke this cup which thou reachest vnto me Greéuous in deéde are these thinges vnto my nature but yet hast thou suffered greéuouser things for me and I haue deserued far greéuouser things for I haue deserued hel fire Notwithstanding thou knowest the frailety of mans state and therfore like the mercifull Samaritane thou pourest wine into our wounds which maketh our vices to smart but yet thou alayest it with the oyle of thy comfort to the end we should indure the things which also would be intollerable If thou thinke meéte to increase our greéfes increase thou also the gift of pacience graunt that these afflictions may turne me to the amendement of my misdeédes Or if thy Fatherly louing kindnes thinke ¶ Youth Young olde Come to my folde ¶ Of Infancy Feare not me though I grisly be Time to liue â— time to dy God grant vs liue eternally this thy chastising of me to be sufficient let this storme passe into calme wether that I may thanke theé in both respects as well for that thou hast amended thine vnprofitable seruant by gentlenes as also for that thou hast put away the bitternes of the affliction by the sweétnes of thy comfort hauing in the one case respect of necessity and in the other being mindfull of our infirmities To theé therfore be prayse and thanks for euer Amen ⧠A Prayer vpon the minding of death WHat doe we dayly all our life long but heape sinne vpon sinne and lode wickednes vpon wickednes so as euery day becomes worse then other by increasing the number of our offences and the wrath that is
earth we came to earth we shall For sinne by death hath made vs thrall the mind And the more gentlenes that is vsed towards this most vnkind and leud bondseruaÌ„t the body so much the worse and more wicked doth it become If we follow it it caryeth vs into destruction turning vs away from God to it own earthlines and rottennes O how vnseémly an incounter is this wherin the flesh being matched against the Spirite that is to say the bondslaue against his Lord striueth with him for victory and prehemineÌ„ce sometime getting the vpper hand so as his master is not able erewhiles to represse his boldnes malapertnes and lustines because he bare with him to long and to often But thou O Lord Christ to whom all power is geuen both in heauen and earth which camest to vndo the works of the deuill which onlye art able to make the thing cleane which is conceiued The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obey vnto me The Creeple Be thou poore or disesed Thou must with me be pleased The poore woman To thou neuer o poore Thou must enter at my â—ore of vncleane seéde Reforme our vnderstanding and will Cleanse our harts Circumcise our mindes Wash our soules Stablish thy freé and mighty spirite in vs Subdue vs wholy to thy good pleasure And restore vs the state by thy goodnes which we haue lost through our own naughtines so as our flesh may be in subiection to the spirite and our affections be made obedient to right and vncorrupted reason Or at least wise that although the flesh rebell and fight against the spirit yet the power of y minde may be so strong â–ª and the strength of our reason so mighty through thy grace as they may get the vpper hand in all incounters and finally ouercome all assaultes to the praise of the working of thy holy spirit Amen ⧠A Prayer to be sayd against the deuill The Infant Loe this little hart I strike with my dart The Foole. Of foolish and fond I break the bond No state no might young nor old To resist death dare be bold IEsus Christ our Lord God our shield our fortres our strong rock our only defence thou knowest and it greeueth vs to feel with how great force and perilous pollicie that olde enemy of oures the wily serpent that beguiled our first parents in paradise the roaring Lyon that goeth about night and day seeking whom he may deuoure That destroyer waster and accuser of the saynts the deuill commeth vpon vs to assayl vs thou knowest how small or rather no power at al we haue of our selues to withstand him so that vnlesse thou succour vs he will easely deceaue vs by his craftynes ouerthrow vs by his mightynes and rend vs in peeces by his cruelty But we know that if thou doe but shew thy selfe to him aloof thou shalt driue him away with thine only looke For thou hast ouercome Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne The Emperor Of Monarch Emperor I am the conqueror ¶ â—he king Keisar or king I must theé bring him by thy death thou hast bound him disarmed him and spoyled his house thou hast bereft him of all lordship and power thou hast crushed his head thou hast cast down hys throne and dispossessed him of hys kingdome thou hast led away captiuity captiue thou hast cancelled the obligation that he had of oures and nayled it to thy crosse and finally thou hast tryumphed ouer him in our nature to our benefite and behoofe We therfore being weake feeble naked vnarmed vnskilfull ignorant and of no forecast but yet thy members through thy grace beseech thee which art strong almighty only wise and prudent vouchsafe to defend maintayn preserue vs continually from that merciles dragon Be thou our eye our eare our hand our loads man guide and captayn Set thy selfe ¶ The Duke Duke though thou be daunce after me ¶ The Marques Marques of state match with thy mate Dukes and Marques we hauâ— bene Nought â—ow but â—oâ—es are to be seen in our defence against this our vnappeasable aduersary disappoynt his practises confound his deuices break his bow knap asunder his speare ouerthrow his holds quench his fiery darts put his armies to flight and geue thy seruants the vpper hand of him and his or rather ouercome thou him and his in vs and by vs. Doe but aduaunce the standard of thy crosse in our harts and thou dryuest him out of the field Vnder this baÌ„ner dare we march boldly against him assuring our selues that by the power thereof thou wilt delyuer vs from the hands of our enemies and of all that hate vs so as we may serue thee in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life Which we beseech thee to graunt vs for thy mercies sake to the euerlasting honor of thy most holy name Amen We Earles and Barons were sometime Now wrapt in lead are turnd to flime ¶ The Baron Barons of nobilitie sweare to me fealty ¶ The Vicount Earle or Vicount geue thy account ⧠A Prayer to be sayd of a woman with Child THy wisedome and power shine forth in all thy workes O Lord but yet much more greater more manifest and more wonderfull are they in the shaping of man Of how small beginning doest thou make so marueilous a liuing thing sheading a soule into it whose originall is from heauen to the intent he should long to returne thether as into his countrey ¶ The Archbishop Archb. Metropolite theé thy Prouince I visite ¶ The Bishop Bishops graue old are sheép of my fold Bishops we haue taught the lore That all must enter deathes dore O most gracious workman let thy pitifulnes amend the thing which our sinfulnes hath marred and eyther abate my payne that I may not haue neéde of so great strength tendance cunning or els increase my strength power and courage that I may be able to ouercome all the payn of my trauell Amen * A Prayer to be sayd of such as be vnder the Crosse. HOw long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Both sheep and shepheard all must dye We taught the same the same we try ¶ The Doctor Doctor diuine at last thy reading houre is past ¶ â—he Preacher Preach no more â—bout thy glas is run out Unto theé O Lord haue I cryed all the day long haue I stretched out my hands vnto theé Wilt thou worke wonders among the dead or shal the dead arise praise theé shall any man shew thy mercy in the graue or thy truth in destruction Shall thy wonders be knowen in the darck or thy righteousnes in the land of forgetfulnes Why doest thou thrust back my soul O Lord and hide thy face from me no man is mindful of theé in death and who will prayse theé in the graue Be stil before God O my soule for