¶ A boke of prayers called y e ordynary fasshyon of good lyurnge Mathewe .vi. ¶ Seke fyrste the kyngdome of god And than all thynges shall be layde before you ¶ He that wyl lyue wel sayth saynt Hierome muste pray at nyght and in y e mornyng at the lest ¶ CVM PRIVILEgio ad imprimendum solum THIS lytell treatyâ—e is made for the erudicion of the simple and yonge babes of god And yet nat to be dispised of the great clerkê myghty ydel loubers y e lyue here in earth lyke as hogges do iÌ„ wodes whiche goeth vnder y e crabbe trees and eate vp the crabbes y e lye vpoÌ„ y e grounde neuer loke vp to the tre from whens they fel but wander on sekyng vpoÌ„ y e grouÌ„de for mo euyn so do these ydel lobers y e deuoure y e gyftes of god do receyue innumerable rewardes benefites at his handes and yet neuer loke vp to gyue him thankes but lyue here in earth ydelly wretchedly as I may say This lytell boke therfore shal be to put them in mynde of a peace of theyr dutye And to exhorte theÌ„ to vse an ordinary fassyon of prayenge bycause they shal nat forget theyr dutye vse therfore prayer at nyght in the mornynge all busynes layde a syde ¶ The exhortacyon to the reder MOst crysten reder I wyll exhorte the to thre thynges that is pray se god feare god and loue god auoyde synne and folowe vertue auoyde I saye all synnes and the occasyons of theÌ„ And specially those abhomynable synnes which aske for vengeauns be fore god as abhomynable Sweryng and blasphymynge the name of god deceyuynge the infaunt the wydowe and the pore man wylfull periury or procuremente of any mannes deathe wrongfully also synne agaynste nature called the dumme synne or wyllyngely to procede and contynue in synne contrarye to the inspyracyon of god these be to abhomynable to be spokeÌ„ of vse therfore vertu meanes to attayne grace which be these ☞ Repentaunce prayer restitucyon reconsylemente almes and fastynge and specially to exersyce that vertue which is contrary to the synne wherein ye are moste corrupted as shal be declared here after but nowe to retourne to my purpose of praysynge god fearynge him Let vs consyder the cause of oure creacyon howe that god hath created vs lyke to his owne Image and hathe gyuen vs a soule wyte reason vnderstandynge more then he hathe done to other beastes And why hathe he created man thus verely nat bycause he shuld only eate and drynke and slepe and take his pleasure in this worlde lyke a swyny or a best or that he shulde gather the goodes of this worlde togyther and stryue with his neyghbour for y e giftê and benefytes that god hath sent theÌ„ lyke as doggê dothe fyght for a bone whiche theyr mayster hath cast them or that he shulde onely folow or occupye his crafte scyence what so euer it be be it neuer so lawful and do nothyng els nay god ordayned nat him therfore but he gaue him wytte and reason because he shulde prayse hys lorde god as the angels do and gyue him thankes for all hys benefyces And therfore he gaue vs this coÌ„mauÌ„dement Remember to kepe holy thy Saboth daye as who shulde saye thou shalt honour me I made the therfore this is the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god which yf we marke wel we may perceyue the cause of our creacion Let vs therfore prayse and magnyfye oure lorde god as our dutye is and lyue in the feare of him let vs feare him I say for he is the lorde of power whiche vtterly abhorreth synne As it appereth in y t he banished Adam from the ioyes of paradyse bycause he agreed to y e sinne of Eue. Also he caused almost y e hole worlde to be drowned at Noyes floud for sine And at another tyme he caused fyre brymstone to rayne downe from heuen vpoÌ„ the cytyes of Sodoma and Gomore for theyr wykednes And so the people ther were brente the cytye sanke into the see yea truly god hated synne so muche that when chryst beynge in the bosomme of his father dyd praye hym to be fauorable and to forgyue the synne of the world yet he wolde nat be intreated but caused his onely soÌ„ne chryst to come downe into the worlde and to take mans shape vpon hym And to suffre dethe he beynge without faute or synne for to redeme vs wretched synners so straytely dothe god loke vpon syne therfore let vs feare hym loue hym Let vs loue hym I saye because he made vs and created vs lyke to his owne Image spared nat his onely sonne chryst for our sakes but sende hym downe for to make vs fre and to redeme vs wheÌ„ as our synnes coulde nat be taken away by any other meanes but onely by hym y t was without sinne And let vs loue him also because he taketh vs nat awaye at y e worste out of this preseÌ„t lyfe but suffreth vs to liue that we myght repente and ler ne to knowe him it is he also y e preserueth vs. And dayly gyueth vs meate and drynke al thynges necessary to our lyuyng when we be synners do nothyng deserue it yet dothe he preser ue vs then holdeth his holy hande ouer vs or els the deuyl myght teare vs in peces as we go or we inyght syncke into the earthe for our synnes as we be wel worthy but onely that god is more mercyfull to vs then we do deserue let vs therfore prayse him loue hi for his great fauour mercy shewed to vs so many waies As in y t he hath redemed vs by his onely soÌ„ ne Jesu chryst And also hath apoynted y t y e selfe same chryst our mercyful lorde which suffred death for vs shal be our iudge at the great daye of iudgemente here is comforte who can dispayre or what herte wyll nat be in flamed nowe to loue god And to magnyfye him and thanke him for all his benefytes And to kepe his lawe euen for very pure loue consyderynge hys greate mercy and loue towarde vs so many wayes or who wyll nat feare him consyderynge the thynges before rehersed therfore yf thou haste eyther eyes to rede this or eares to here it and vnderstandynge for to perceyue it then consyder who hath gyuen the these giftes And who may punisshe y â— sodaynly and take theÌ„ away agayne consyder therfore the goodnes of god and cause of thy treacion And prayse him contynually And folowe the example of holy men as Dauyd Iob. Danyell dyuers other whiche vsed customably to make their prayers vnto god at dyuers tymes bothe in the daye and in the nyght bycause they wolde nat forget theyr dutye towarde hym As Dauyd sayth Psal 42. My herte was troubled at mydnyght and I called vpon the lorde and watred my bedde with y e teares of myne eyes Also he sayth Psal 54. I wyll crye to god And my
Lorde great ryches or extreme pouerte gyue me nat but ê“uyde for me in the meane accordinge to thy wyl pleasure for by hauyng the one I shall forget the by hauynge the other I shal be 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 enter and come into this noble house of thyne whiche is y e house of prayer but lorde beholde I come as a penyeÌ„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 vntd y e which yf I wolde I can nat hyde froÌ„ the for thou arte y e lorde of power y u knoweste the secretes of our hertes haue mercy therfore on me O Lorde accordinge to thy great mercy and let me nat cast awaye y â— thynge throught 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 sacrameÌ„t of messe BLessed praysed be the father of heuen y t seÌ„t downe his onely soÌ„ne Chryst for to redeme vs. And blessed be our lorde Jesus chryst y t 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 y t 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 sufficeÌ„t oblacion and satystactyon 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 y e pax say thus to your selfe O Lorde gyue me grace to forgyue myne aduerlaryes frely for thy sake y t I may kysse worthely togither w t my neyghbours in y e holy kysse of charyte accordiÌ„g to thy coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t ¶ When ye take holy breade say thus to your selfe LYke as ther be many graynes of corne in thê brede euyn so be we al meÌ„bres of one bodi iÌ„ our lord Jesê° chryst in whoÌ„ there was neuer malyce nor coÌ„trauersyfouÌ„d let vs therfore agre togyther as the members of one body And so take brede louingly togyther Amen ¶ When ye take holy water say thus BLessed and praysed be our lorde Jesus 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 be fore meate LEt vs eate in the name of y e lorde and satysfye our body temporaly with suche meate as he hath sente ¶ The answere ANd let vs desyre hym lyke wese to satysfy our soule with y â— gyfte of good lyuynge that we may be euer as redy to all good workes as we be nowe to our meate Grace to be sayde after meate THankes be to our lord god that hathe sente vs thus ☞ The answere ANd let vs prayse hym that causeth bothe 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 〈◊〉 â—â—ath O Lorde I thanke the for y t thou hast preserued me from al soden death And hast gyuen me nowe this syckenes and knolege of my death ende that I myght repente beleue and trust in the my lorde god which art mercyfull and dost all thynges for the best for I knowe that thou louest them whom thou dost chastyse And I thaÌ„ked the y t y u hast gyuen me know lege and faithe in thy sone lesu 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 âšœ That he myhht here the greuous syghes of the peniteÌ„t and y t he myght saue and delyuer the chyldren of theÌ„ 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 y e East the west And so farre hath y e lorde set our sines froÌ„ vs ⧠Let vs therfore praise hi coÌ„tinual ly y t was borne of the virgyn Mary âšœ And suffred death for vs so mercy fully and ascended vp into heuen so glorously ¶ To prepare a waye for vs and to be our medyatour contynually before god the father ⧠And wyll be our iudge at y e great daye of Judgemente 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 ¶ Here after foloweth rules of wysdome vertue .xx. i noÌ„ber MAke thy prayer to god twyse in a day at the leaste 2 ¶ Auoyde ydelnes be alwayes occupyed in soÌ„me honest busynes or studye 3 ☞ Be obedyeÌ„t to kynges princes and to theyr offycers 4 ⧠Here muche but be nat rasshe thy selfe in spekynge 5 †Use sobrenes humylyte and thou shalt be called wyse 6 âšœ Rebuke lyght wanton ê‘soÌ„s and specyally swerers 7 ⧠Shewe good example of vertuous lyuynge to the people 8 †Order thy housholde quietly instructe them in goddes wordes 9 âšœ Yf thou be called to promocion mynyster Justyce without brybes or false dissymulacyon 10 ☞ Gyue faire language to all people and specyally to pore folkes 11 ⧠Be nat percial for fauour or lucre nor agre nat to wronge doers 12 ¶ Get thy goodes truly and spende them acordynge to thy degre mesurably 13 ¶ In ê“speryte beware of pryde remember thy olde estate and lyue in the feare of god 14 ☞ Desyre some frende of thyne to tell the of thy fautes and so shalte thou lyue suerly 15 âšœ Here thy frende in wysedome and mystrust euer thyne owne iudgemente 16 ¶ In matters of wayght be nat hasty in answerynge but take respyte 17 ☞ For of hasty answeryng par adueÌ„ture repentaunce myght folowe but in proces of tyme commethe wysdome and knolege 18 †In aduersite forgyue and be pacyent and trust to goddes helpe 19 âšœ Studye alwayes howe to be stowe thy tyme here in this worlde to goddes pleasure 20 ⧠RemeÌ„ber well thy last daye and thynke often vpon death ⧠FINIS ¶ Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the George nexte to saynt Dunstons churche by Wyllyam Myddylton
lorde wyl saue me at nyght and in the mornynge at mydday shal I pray hertely vnto him that he maye here my voyce Lo here Dauyd doth prescrybe thre solempne tymes whan a man ought to praye As at nyght whā he goeth to bedde in y e mornynge when he ryseth at mydday when he goeth to meate Danyell also the prophete vsed to pray thre tymes in the day at whose example the churche dyd ordayne the thre houres which be songe or sayd at this present daye in the churche after pryme And therof the thre houres toke they re begynnyg with diuers other examples which were to long to reherse but let vs take an example at thē for to serue god in prayer twyse a day at y e least y e is at euenyng mornyng al busynes layde a syde accordyng as I haue exhorted you before And it were conuenyent that we shulde also gyue thankes vnto hym at our meale tymes tor who wyll gyue a man his dyner And wyl nat loke to be thanked of him for it or who wyl gyue a chylde but anapple and loke nat to haue thankes for it muche more arre we bounde to thanke and magnyfie our lorde god that fedeth vs dayly and asketh none of our goodes for it who dar therfore sytte downe at his table excepte he be worse then a best and eate of the meate that god hath sente nat giue him thankes for it or who dare ryse in the mornynge and loke vpon the bryght sone whiche god hath created for to gyue lyght vnto vs wyll nat thanke hym for it or who darre go abrode in the worlde amongest his enemyes and amonge the temptacyons of the deuyl And wyl nat call fyrste vpō god for helpe or who dare go to bedde at nyght lyke a beast without thankes gyuynge to god for suche be nefytes as he hath receyued that day and for suche dangers as he hath escaped yea and also knoweth nat whether he shall lyue tyl the next morowe or no let vs therfore repēt euery houre call vpon god for mercy truste onely in hym And let vs take an example at these holy fathers to vse an ordynary fasshyon of prayeng because we shall nat forget our dutye And chefely let vs folowe the example of our mayster chryst VVhiche prayed vnto god his father dyuers tymes in the mounte olyuete and also when he made he last soper dyd institute y e sacramente of his moste blessed body he bothe prayed and gaue thankes to his father in heuen And also he commaunded his discyples and apostels to pray contynually lest they shuld be led into temptacion let vs therfore to lowe both his example cōmaundementes yf we wyl be called his discyples or crysten men And let vs nat leade oure lyfe lyke beastes but lyke men and remember as I sayde fyrst the cause of our creacyon and vse an ordynary fasshyon of prayenge And although that I haue appointed thre tymes in the day for prayer as in the mornynge at mydday and at nyghte as tymes most cōuenyent and approbated by Dauyd other holy fathers yet wolde I that euery man shulde pray as ofte as he is moued in spryte nat to deferre it to these thre tymes onely nor agayne I wolde nat that any man shulde thynke that I wolde bynde him of necessyte to these thre tymes a day as to a thynge which may nat be lefte vndone vpō payne of vtter damnacyon nay truely I wolde nat haue any man so scrupulous but yet I wolde nat haue them leaue it vndone specyally at nyght and in the mornynge And although y t I oughte nat to teache other mē but haue more nede to lerne my selfe yet I maye exhorte them as one cristen man shulde do an other for as this ordynary fasshyon of prayenge And suche other trustynge that by my exortacyon they wyl nat do y e worse but rather amēde and procede by lytel and lytel to most parfyte perfeccyō to which he brynge vs all that lyueth reygneth worlde without ende Amen ¶ In the mornynge blesse the and say thus BLessed be the name of the father the sōue y e holy gost nowe for euer more And blessed be the father of heuen that made me blessed be his sonne Jesu Chryst that redemed me and blessed be the holy gost that preserueth me to thē thre as to one god and one power which is my lorde and god in whom I truste be all honor and prayse worlde without ende Amen Our father whiche arte in heuen c. ¶ And then saye this prayer folowynge O Lorde I thanke the for all thy benefites for that thou haste preserued me alyue this nyght and brought me forthe to the begynnyng of this day beholde therfore lorde I enter into it all thynges to do accordynge to thy wyll pleasure kepe me lorde and defēde me and sēde downe thy holy spryte for to istructe me that I may lyue this day in thy seruyce ¶ An other prayer for mornynge O Lorde my god most mighti and mercyfull haue mercy on me wreched liner 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 vpon for helpe dsyrynge y e to strenght me this day agaynst al y e teptacions and assaultes of the deuyll and the worlde and to confyrme me with thy pryncypal spryte that I may cōtinue thys day in thy seruice gyue me therfore lorde these gyftes Gyue me the herte that may repente the wyll and desyre to haue knowlege of thy lawe and cōmaundementes 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 shal be foūde no deceyte y e tonge y t maye euer shewe forth thy prayse to whō be all honour and glory by the mouthes of all men worlde withoute ende Amen ¶ Also say this prayer LOrde behold me y t am thy handy worke put forth thy helpynge hande vnto me ⧠And when ye haue sayd thus thē go aboute youre wordly busynes remembrynge alwayes this great and special cōmaūdmēt of god which is ☞ Thou shalte nat do nor go about to do y e thyng to an other which thou 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 thy kneys make thy confession to god and aske hym mercy and repent truly in thy herte ¶ Repentaunce TRue repētaūce is to lament be sory for thy synnes vtterly to forsake thē neuer to vse thē agayne ☞ But to vse and practyse y t vertue which is contrary to the vyce wherin ye arre most corrupted ☞ As cōtrary to couetousnes make restitucyon agayne out of hāde wher