hovv hastely they draw him forth to heape vpon his tēder bodye more painye and tormentes A Garlande of sharpe thornes they thruste vvith violence on his B. head til the blood ran downe into his eyes nose mouth eares They kneele then downe vvith scornes and rise with reproofes and spitte in his blessed face Se thē how that B. Ladye beateth her brest and vvringeth her hands I trow thou vvilte vveepe for that doleful sighte Looke yet again to thy Lord and see how spitefullie they hale him forth to an high hil there to naile him hand and foote to the Rood Tree See there first how fearsely they pul of his clothes how meekly he goeth then to the Crosse and spreadeth his armes abroad and how with cordes those pitieles Tormentors dravve them forth til his B. senewes Ioyntes al to bruste Then vvith greate boysterous Nayles they make faste to the Crosse his precious handes In the same maner thou may see how greeuosly they drawe his blessed legges and nayle his feete downe to the Tree Se then how they proffer him to drinke bitter galle and isel and knele again before him vvith manie despites Then harken to that good Lord how meekly he taketh his leaue of his gracious Mother and of his deare Apostle betaketh them ether to other as deare Mother and Sonne after vvith a lowd voyce he commendeth his Spirite to his Father in Heauen hanging downe his B. head vpon his breaste Se also how soone after they pearce his harte vvith a Speare in great fury and how bloode and vvater gusheth forth of his B. side Then maiest thou haue ful great pity behoulding that good Ladye how for sorow she shrinketh down in her sisters armes Take heede to the heuy chere of his Apostle S Iohn To the teares of Magdelein and of his other friends I hope among al these thou shalt haue compunction Then is it time to speake for thine owne neede and for al others aliue and dead that trust to thy prayers Caste downe thy bodie to the ground lifte vppe thy harte vvith doliful chere and make thy prayer in maner as foloweth O Lord God Almightie blessed may thou boughtest me thy sufferance is great in me Thou vvouldest not condemne me hauing often times iustly deserued it But thou hast kepte and saued me til I vvould forsake sinne and turne wholy to thee Now Lord with sorowful harte I acknowledge to thy Goodnes that I haue misspente vvithout profite al my vvittes powers and vertues that thou haste geuen me to the helpe of my soule Al the time of my life haue I vvasted in diuers vanities al the līmes of my bodie in sinne and superfluities The grace of my Christendome in pride and other vvretchednes and trulie Lord manie other things haue I loued better then thee and not vvithstanding my great vnkindnes euer thou haste norished me tenderly kepte me Of thy great suffrāce I had ful litle knowledge of thy great rightuosnes I had but litle dreed I tooke no hede to thāke thee for thy great goodnes but in al my life from daye to daye great matter of vvrath haue I heaped vppe through mine owne vvickednes Therfore sweete Lord vvhat I shal say to thee I knovv not But only this vvorde in vvhich I trust God of thy great mercie haue mercie vpō me I acknowledge o Lord al that I haue commeth onlie of thee I knowe wel vvithout thee nothing may be but sinne and vvretchednes vvhich commeth of me Wherfore Lord vvith meke hart I beseche thy goodnes doe not to me as I haue deserued but after thy great mercy send me the grace of the holie Ghost to lighten my hart to comfort my spirite to establish me in the right vvay and to performe thy wil that I may haue perseuerance in that I haue begun and neuer hereafter be seperated from thee by my vnstablenes ne by temptations to my enemie I am vvorthy o Lord to be chastised for my vvicked liuing vvith vvhat rod it pleaseth thee vvelcome be it Pacience good Lord send me gladlie to suffer thy correction comfort me among of thy grace vvhen thy vvil is vvithdraw thy rod take me to thy mercie Ful bitter be the temptations ful greuous to suffer but though they be dreedful I knovv they shal hereafter to my soule be meedful O Lord thou knowest my hart is right feble much is my vnstablenes my knowledg ful litle Therfore good Lord strengthen me establish me and teach me and as thou made and bought me so keepe and defend me Bodie and Soule I commit to thee not as I vvil but as thou wilt Lord so be it And novv good Iesu Gods Sonne that knowest al things helpe me in al vvicked thoughts that I displese thee not in liking or consenting Ful oft I haue offended thee in diuers thoughtes against thy vvil much to my liking therfore it is thy rightuousnes that I be trubled with other thoughts at thy pleasure that be greuos to me But swete Iesus vvhen thy vvil is put them from me and take me to mercie O Lord Iesus Christ Gods Sonne keep my mind that I dilight not in vaine thoughts Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhich stood stil before a Iudge nothing to him answering vvith draw my tongue til I consider hovv and vvhat I shal speake that may be to thy vvoorshippe Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhose hands vvere bound ful sore for my loue guide gouerne my hands al my other members that my vvorkes may euer beginne to thy vvorship and graciously end to thy moste honoure Arise o Lorde and helpe vs And for thy holie names-sake saue deliuer vs. O Lord Iesus Christ cause me to haue in thy loue a meane vvithout mesure an afection vvithout meane a longing without order a burning desire vvithout ceassing O Lord I beseche thee of mercie also for al thos that doe desire my prayers though I be a most vvretched sinner vnvvorthy to be hard haue regard to their humilitie and deuotion and vvhat they desire to thy vvorship graunt thē for thy goodnes Graunt them and me to al other that I am behoulding to or bound to pray for grace to loue vvhat is moste to thy liking thee to loue aboue al thinges nothing to desire that should thee displese Al temptations mightily to withstand al other vanities o Lord for thy loue to dispise Thee good Lord euer to haue in minde and in thy seruice to abide to our liues ende and if thou graunt vs anie thing to doe that shal be to vs meedful graūt part o Lord to the Soules departed abidig thy mercie in the paynes of Purgatorye Amen In such maner thou maiest pray in the beginning and vvhen thou art entred in deuotion thou shalt percas haue better feeling in praier and holy meditations then I can shew Good brother or sister pray then forme vvrit by the teching of Almighty God haue vvhich
Capacity which are calleed the mightes of the Soule invvard The gifts of Nature as beauty comly shape strength agility and svviftnes My v. wits corporal limms and menbers as hands feete mouth nose eyes and eares vvhich be the mightes of the Bodye outvvard And vvith these also the gifts of fortune as meate drinke and cloth vvorldly riches and al other things necessary for Body Soule vvhich many a good creature that hath serued thee better then I haue wante Al honour and praise be to thee for al these thy louing kindnes that thou o Lord hast shewd to me and I not withstanding haue bene so vnkind to the in mispending these thy giftes litle concidering thy aboundant goodnes I humbly aske mercy o Lor for thes my trespasses and loueingly I thāke thee for thy greate Grace and goodnes Praises to God for his gracious visitation Inspiration and Preseruation AL honour and Prayse be to thee o Lord for thy manifolde mercies in hauing so often visyted my harte vvith thy Graces spiritual motions and good Inspirations And also hast kepte defended and deliuered me this day night and al the daies and times of my life vnto this howre from many perils and dangers of body and soule As from fire and vvater lightning thunder and tempeste from slanders shames and rebukes of this vvorld and many other mischiefes into vvhich for my sinnes I might iustly haue fallen thou o Lord hauinge suffred many a vvorthier person then I both in strength beauty cunning sodainly to be punished for their defaultes But merciful Lord me thou hast spared and forborne hast suffred me in al my great and greuos trespasses vvhich I haue don against thee more then they paciently abiding alway for my conuersion and amēdment vvhen rightfully thou might haue slaine me and damned me also perpetuallye Others Lord thou hast punished by great troubles many vvaies as by imprisonment hunger thirst could and heate blindnes and madnes by bakbiting and open infamy and me vnkinde vvretch thou caledst by friendly chastisings as by bodily sicknes by death of frendes or losse of vvorldly goods And somtime thou admonished me calling me againe vvith ful benigne and tender loue by exāple of others that haue ben drowned slaine or dead sodainly in my company and I spared and saued vvhich if I had then finished my life as they did I had ben vnready to thee dyed in my sinne Thus then hast thou saued me both soule and body from many perils and dangers diuersly for the which I geue thee most harty and louing thankes For the multitude of al these thy mercies forgeue me I beseeche thee o Lord my great offences and remember not my sinnes and Iniquities but of thy goodnes pardone me geue me grace cōtinuallye to yelde acceptable thankes vnto thee for al thy B. Benefites Laude Praise for our Sanctification Vocation to the Vnitie of the Catholike Churche ABoue al these thy mercies hast thou o Lorde of thy especial grace and goodnes knit me to thee by calling me to the knowledge of thy selfe and making me a member of thy Church catholike wheras many thousand Iewes Turkes Infidels that haue bene borne since I was haue died in their iniquities and many hundred thousand also since the beginning of the world vntil this time more worthy and noble then I if it had plesed thee o Lord thou mightest haue made me one of them and so to haue liued and died as they did But of thy especial mercy and tender loue hast thou chosen me among so many thousāds to be one of thy darlings borne now in the time of grace among Christian people and vnder the Keyes suffrages of holy Church for the which al honour be to thee for euermore Amen Thankes and praise to our Sauiour Iesus for the Benefices of Redemption Glorification and fruition O Blessed Iesus I Laude and honoure thee vvhich for my sake vvas borne of the B. Virgin and suffred here for the space of xxxiij yeres hunger thirst cold and heate and after al dispite and painfull death And by that thy death and bitter Passion thou bought vs out of the thraldome of the fiende the third daye thy Soule and body being knit again together by thy glorious Resurrection And in thy Ascention hast thou abled be to be a Prince or Princes in the high Blisse of Heauen not ten or xx yeares as earthly Princes liue here in this life But euer to liue vvorld vvithout end in al Ioye Blisse endles Felicitye Great is the revvarde o Lord thou hast prepared for me if I leue my sinne continue in thy seruice to my liues end That is three dovvries in my soule and fiue in my bodye The three of my soule be these perfect loue and Charity in thy Diuine Maiestie Clere Inspection of thy B. Godhead And true knitting and perpetual vnion to thee vvithout dissolution or departing from thee And the bodie shal be indued vvith v. special giftes As brightnes svviftnes subtilnes able to pearse euery thing as the Sunne pearseth the Glasse impassibilitie neuer to suffer paine of hunger or thirst could or heate sorovv ne sicknes trouble or heauines and Imortality euer to liue in Ioy and al felicitie and neuer die Al vvhich vvhen I concider perceiue and that thou o Lord might haue made me a stone stub or anie other deade creature and haste not so done But of thy especial great mercye hast aduanced me so worthilye hauing made and abled me to be an heyre and to Inherite the high blisse of heauen in the companies of Angels and al Sainctes there with them thee to praise thee to loue and in thee to Ioye world without end I cannot but with sorowful harte lament my great Ingratitude towards thee O merciful Lord for thy great mercye forgeue me al my sinnes I beseech thee according to the multitude of thy compassions take pitie vppon me And geue me grace daile to goe forward in thy holy seruice Faith Feare and Lone and in the same to continue to my liues end A Praier for mercy and forgeuenes of sinnes and for Grace to geue God thankes for his Benefites HAue mercy on me o God and of thy especial Grace graūt me that I may with al my wits bodily ghostly thanke thee entirly for al thy benefits calling to my helpe our Blessed Ladie with al the number of Electe to Praye and beseche thee Lord of thy great goodnes to graunt the same and to haue mercie on me and forgeue me my sinnes That we together may thanke praise laud thee nowe and euerlasting Amen O Lord for the gifts of Fortune we Laude and praise thee saying Laudamus te And for the giftes of Nature wee Blesse thee saying Benedicimus te For thy giftes of Grace we Adore and worship thee saying Adoramus te And for thy merciful keeping guiding and gouerning vs in this life we glorify thee sayinge Glorificamus te And for thy great mercy and metit of our last reward Gratias agimus tibi propter Magnam gloriam tuam Amen Praise to God for his long suffrance and calling and receauing sinners to his Mercy O Lord God almighty I Laud glorifie thee for al thy mercies which thou hast alwaies shewed to sinners paciently abiding for them mercifully Calling them benignely Receiuing them aboundantly geuing grace to them and to such familiarity admitting them as though they had neuer sinned O merciful Lord and pacient God what shal I say to thee for al these thy benefits What lauds and thankings shal I yeld to thee For if al my sinnes were auoided from me yet were I not worthy for the least of them to geue condigne thankes vnto thee but as a wretched sinner may with al my harte I Laude thee I Thanke thee I Honoure and worshippe thee And al Laude and Prayse be euer geuen vnto thee worlde without ende Amen The Conclusion O Holy Trinitie in Vnitie Vnitie in Trinite three in one and one in Three merciful and pitiful in al thy workes gracious in thy giftes and God of al bounty vouchsafe to heare benignely me thy wretched and sinful seruant and with me al the Sainctes of thy Heauenlye Courte beseeching thee of mercye and forgeunes for my great ingratitude towards thee This Praise and thankes geuing o Lord which I presume to offer and yelde vnto thy Diuine Maistie Be it through the merits of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the prayers and of al thy Elect accepted and alowed in the Eares of thy mercy and pitie Raise me vp o Lord and mercifully releeue me Graunt pardon of al my sinnes paste forgeue my gilte present defend me from al to come Amen Pater Aue. Credo Te deum
A BREEFE COLLECTION CONCERNING THE LOVE of God tovvards Mankinde hovv for diuers causes vve are iustlie bounde to loue serue him WITH PREPARATION TO Prayer and certaine necessarie prayers and thankesgeuing to God for his benefites daylie to be vsed Also a deuote Meditation to procure Contrition and excite Deuotion With other vertuous prayers ECCLESIAST 18. Before Prayer prepare thy Soule be not as a man that tempteth God Printed at Doway by LAVRENCE KELLAM at the signe of the holie Lambe 1603. BEing desirerous good Reader to haue published some short Collection of most necessairie praiers but hindred by diuers vrgēt occatiōs I thought good in respect of my duty to God and necessity of the time presēt rather vvith the poore vvidovve to offer vnto him this simple Mite for the increase of his honour in helping of the godly then altogether to geue ouer my purpose And vvheras true vertue cōsisteth principallye in the loue of God vvithout vvhieh our praiers are of no force I haue here prepared a litle Treatise concerning that matter and in vvhat respect vvee are bounde to serue him In vvhich as in a glasse vve may clerelie behold our ingraitude tovvardes so louing a Lord. And because manie rather of custome then true deuotion so rashlie goe about that holie vvoorke of prayer I haue set doūe a preparation thereunto vvith necessarie prayers Meditations and thankesgeuing to be vsed daylie Farevvell A BREFE COLLECTION CONcerning the Loue of God towards Mankinde howe wee are for diuers causes bound to serue loue him THE great and incomprehensible charitye of our Lorde towardes Mankinde maye be cōsidred fower sundrye wayes First in the dignitie of our Creation Secondly in taking our coruptible nature Thirdly in susteining for vs his B. passion And fourthly in his great benefits and bountiful giftes both spiritual corporal which may iustly kindle inflame the hartes of al true Christians to render to him again that which he requireth of vs which is nothing else but a loueing harte a iuste vpright life In the dignitie of our Creation hath he shewed that he loued vs more then any other creature in the world that in two things First in creating making vs acording to his owne Image likenes secondly in constituting vs Lords and Gouerners ouer al his other creatures In taking of our nature he hath also shewed that he loued Mankind better then Angels that in three respectes First in honour because he assumpted our nature not the nature of Angels Secondly in loue in that he repayred Mankinde with his precious bloud not them And thirdly in vision because in heauen we shall possesse more ioye in Contemplation of Christes Humanitie then the Angels in that we shal see our nature vnited to the deuine Nature But in suffring his B. Passion he hath shewed as we may say that he loued vs better then him selfe geuing for our Saluation freely his whole Body life And here marke that in this B. Passion of our Sauiour we may learne fiue notable thinges First it teacheth vs to geue him hartie thanks for the glorious fruite which we haue receiued by the same which gratfulnes is a thing so acceptable vnto-him as S. Aug. saith that nothing maybe more This B. Lambe of God which was conceiued borne without sinne wold thus suffer for vs that by his painful Passion he might pul vs backe from the filthy pleasure of sinne He suffred in all his members that with our mēbers we might willingly serue him Hee offered for vs his precious blood the price of our Redemption that we might offer our bodies with al the force of the same to doe him seruice Secondly it teacheth vs to loue him because aboue all things he loued vs. Thirdly it teacheth vs how much we ought to detest hate sinne for which he susteined such a painful dolorous Passion yea he abhorreth it so much that not withstanding his great desire of our Saluation he condemneth the sinner for one deadly offence to perpetuall payne tormente Fourthly it teacheth vs Fortitude to withstand strongly any aduersity paine or tribulation for the honour loue of him that loued vs so much also for our owne Saluation because tribulation in this world paciently sustained is the ready way to heauen This blessed Passion being called to remēbrāce there is nothing so harde as S. Isidore saith which is not with an equal minde tolle rated Let vs therfore as true Souldiers diligently studye to suffer with him thē no doubte we shall as S. Paule saith be pertakers of his cōsolatiōs Ioyes Fiftly it teacheth vs Humilitie for if Christ which was the Sonne of God abased humbled him selfe so much as to descēd from his glorious Kingdome into this vale of misery to take vppon him oure base Nature suffer such an ignominious death with what face can man lifte vp him selfe in pride contemne so louing a Redeemer This Humility is the ground foundation of all Vertue without that no vertue can be acceptable in the sight of God which caused our Sauior so carefully in his holye Gospell to admonish vs of the same saying Learne of me for I am meke humble in hart And S. Ambrose saith that how much more abiect a man is in this life so much the more he shal be exalted in the world to come Woulde thou haue al vices saith one destroied within thee Learne then to be truely humble To which agreeth S. Agust saying Humilitie is the Quene of vertues the death of vyces the looking glasse of virgins the harboure of the holy Trinitie It is only humilitye saith S. Bernard that exalteth she alone leadeth to life because saith he this is the way ther is none other And therfore S. Gregory saith well that whatsoeuer a man doth is lost if it be not kepte by humility God graunt vs to imbrace this Vertue to imitate that swete Lambe which as S. Bernard saith was borne poore liued poore dyed poore Now touching his bountiful Giftes it driueth me into a mase to remember them First how he hath made vs as is before said to his owne B. Image and likenes geueing vs the noble giftes of Memorye Reason Will hath made the Soule of man so noble that nothing is able to fill or satisfie it but him selfe alone It may well be occupied as S. Bernarde saith vvith all other thinges but filled or satisfied can it not bee He doth inrich vs also vvith his grace doth visite comforte strength vs vvith his good inspirations motions to Vertue And in the end hath prepared such Ioyes for vs as passeth all vnderstanding either of man or Angels And for the giftes corporall they be also such so many as are maruelus to cōsider He hath created for our behoofe the Elements vvith the Sunne to geue vs light by day the Moone to illuminate the night
and mittigation of thy Iustice towardes vs nowe in the howre of our Death at our Iudgement perticuler genarall Grant this Lord Iesus Amen Deuoute Praiers Blessings to be vsed at the beginning of Praier for obtaining Grace assistance of the Holy Ghoste IN the name of God Amen In the name of the Father of the Sonne of the Holye Ghoste Amen By the signe of the holye Crosse and vertue of oure Lordes Passion from our enemies visible inuisible deliuer vs o Lorde our God The Grace of the Holy Ghost lighten our hartes and Sensces and be vvith vs. Amen Come Holy Ghoste fill the hartes or all faithful people kindle in them the fyre of thy deuine Loue. O God be our helper in vvhose Name by vvhose vvorde all things are done Who hath made heauen and earth O Lord in thy Name shal I lift vp my handes and harte that my Prayers may ascend be acceptale vnto thee as an Euening Sacrifice In thy Name o Lorde shal I receiue helthe helpe in thy Name by thy Power shal I be made safe And in thy Vertue thou shall Iudge me The triumphant Crosse victorious Passion of our Lord and the glorious Name IESVS honored in heauen and earth be our defence safety sheeld protection he blesse kepe vs novv euer Amen IESVS vvho is the vvisdome of the Father geue vs health of Body Soule Amen God Almighty blesse directe me be vvith me nowe euer in my beginning proceeding ending Amen GOd be in my head in my being God be in my mind vnderstanding God be in my eyes in my Seeing God be in my Eares in my hearing God be in my mouth in my speaking God be in my harte in my thinking God keepe me from al euel in my vvorking touching smelling al my other sences God be at my ending and my departing Blesse me o God the Father vvho hath made me and Created me Blesse me o God the Sonne vvho Suffered for me and Redeemed me Blesse me o God the Holye Ghoste who in Baptisme hath Sanctified me since hath called defended norished me O Holye Trinitie of thy Incomprehensible goodnes lighten my harte sences my minde vnderstanding my soule bodie vvith the light of thy grace be vvith me now euer Amē The Manner to offer your selfe Prayers to God first last O My moste swete Lord Iesus Christ in the Vnitie and Vnion of loue that thou did praise pray to thy Father take great paine laboure for vs sinners duringe thy life-time here on earth I offer vnto thee this Prayer and Prayse this Laude and labour and my selfe bodye soule vvith all the partes powers actions therof To doe all to the honoure glorie of thy holie name the weale of the true Catholike Church the furtherance and increase of Vertue helping of souls to euerlasting blisse O moste deare Lorde Iesus Christe In the Vnitie Vnion of Loue that moued thee to be Incarnate become Man and dye for vs sinners I offer vnto thee this prayse this praier this vvorke labour my selfe bodie and soule to doe thy vvil in all thinges now and alwayes Amen O Good Lord Iesus Christ I offer vn to thy Father for the Remission of my sinnes and all others the paines bitter Passion and Death that thou did suffer for me and all Mankinde Forget good Lord and cleerly remit the sinnes offences of vs our parents and be not reuēged on our demerits but spare forgeue vs thy people penitentes vvith thy Bloode precious from sinne from tormentes boughte Redeemed And euer let mercy temper thy vvrath against vs our follye As our hope is in thee our trust affiance Amē to this say vve with hart true cōsciēce Graunt these my praiers most B. Lord Iesus To vvhom be al praise glory now euer blessed Certaine necessarie praiers to be daily vsed morning euening with others And first A thankesgeuing to God at your vprisinge I Geue thee thankes laude and praise o most holie blessed Trinitie one omnipotent and eternal Maiestie who haste this night preserued defended visited me thy vnworthie seruant N. and hast caused me thus to come to the beginning of this daie and for all thy other benefites which of thy onlie goodnes thou haste bestowed on me O Father most merciful I besech thee of mercie and forgeuenes how soeuer I haue this night offended thy diuine Maieste and graunte me grace so to spend this day in thy holie seruice faith feare and loue that vvith all humilitie charitie diserction deuotion obedeence I may be able to doe all my deedes and seruices due as they may be best pleasinge and most acceptable vnto thee In all my thoughtes vvordes and workes and graunt me by thy grace alvvayes to liue according to thy holie vvill And all the dayes and time of my life I commend vnto thee my soule bodie my faith my life and my death to be preserued protected and directed by thee novve and for euer Amen An other thenkesgening to be vsed euery night with a Confession also of our sinnes OMnipotent Father most worthy of all adoration who bearest a louing and fatherly care tovvards vs thy vnvvorthy children I render vnto thee most harty thanks for keping preseruing me this day past and for other thy great giftes benefits spiritual corporal bestowed on me vnkind vvretch deseruing rather to haue bene sharply punished for my greeuous sinne and ingratitude and also for my deliuery from diuers sundry perils bodely ghostlye into the vvhich many haue fallen I Confesse vnto thee o most louing father with sorowful hart that this day I haue offended thy diuine Maiesty in wicked thoughtes wordes workes and especially in this maner place and time here let him examine his cōscience and be sorovvful for his sinnes committed o moste louing peetiful father I hūbly beseech thee by the immaculate life and painful Passion of thy deare Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ of mercie and forgeuenes hovvsoeuer I haue offended this day ether of frailtie ignorance or malice against thee my neighbore or my selfe Amen Blessed Father and God of al mercy I humblie beseech thee to geue me the grace of true contrition penance that I maye vvith a sorovvful hart bevvaile my sinnes committed and with firme purpose forsake and detest them from hence forvvard vvalke in newnes of life agreable to thy vvill my vocation Create in me o Lord a clane harte geue me chastitie of bodie soule Graunt that thy holy Angell maye keepe vs and this house in peace that so vve maye passe the night vvithout sinne to thine honoure oure saluation Amen I commend vnto thee O Lord my bodie soule friends enemies sicke vvhole all
euil teach and illuminate my minde gouerne me both within and without strengthen my weake spirite against inordinate pusillanimitie and superfluous scruples of Conscience and humble it that it fal not into presumption Geue me right Faith vnmoueable Hope sincere perfect Charity that I may sweet lie delight in thee I may loue thee hartelie and euery vvhere I may fulfill thy holy vvill and pleasure O Holy blessed Trinitie God omnipotet I comment vnto thee al my bussines both spiritual and corporal I cōmend vnto thee my benefactours my neyghbours my friends my familiars al for whom I ought to pray al those which haue desired or doe desire my prayers I cōmend vnto thee the whole Catholike Church renew in it I beseeche thee purity of life graunt that ech one may corect him selfe norish kepe amog them that are members of the same Church mutual charitie and continually to loue thee Such as doe erre call backe into the way of Saluation extinguish al heresies conuert those to the knowledge of thy Faith which as yet doe not know thee Comfort and lift vp al that are trubled in mind and conscience such as are opressed with temptations and calamities All Hayle o holy Virgin Marye the white Lillie of the B Trinitie of whom the king of Heauen Iesus Christ the brightnes of his Fathers glory wolde be borne and with they sweet milke be fedde and norished O blessed mother assist my weaknes in al temptations and necessities in al peril of sinne and in the howre of my death that thou helping and protecting me I may be safe in our Lord. O Blessed Spirits Angellical pray for me and espicially thou holy Angel the keper of my soule and body haue thou faithful care ouer me O al ye holy Sainctes of God which haue passed ouer the troubles and vexations of his exile and haue atained most happily to come to the porte of the celestial countrie I most humbly cal you vnto my protections helpe with your metites and praiers both now in the howre of my death Amen A Praier to be vsed at the begining of worke O Most glorious and indeuided Trinitie the Father Sonne and holie Ghost vvho art the onlie and euer lasting goodnes vvithout vvhom nothing may be parfecte I besech thee by thy almighty povver confirme streng then my memory by thy vvisdome lighten mine vnderstanding and by thy goodnes reforme and make perfect my vvill that this vvorke vvhich I now goe about may begin ende to thine honor glory to the help and confort of my neighbour and saluation of my soule the vvhich vvorke my selfe also body soule I humbly offer to thee Conuert me to thee o heauēly Artificer driue away the olde man with al his vicious inclinations and make me anew Create in me o Lord a cleane harte an vpright intention in this all other my vvorkes that both in me and them thy holy name may be glorified and thy B. vvil fulfilled An other to be vsed at the ende of worke TO thee o God be al praise which hast permitted me to acōplish this vvorke Graūt O Lord it may be to thee acceptable to me healthfull and to others profitable Not vnto vs o Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy holy name geue golrye Amen A Deuoute Meditation to procure Contrition and kindle the fyre of Douotion and feruore in Prayer VVritten by the Reuerent and Deuout Richard Roule Eremite at Hampoole VVHen thou preparest thy selfe to Praier desirest to haue therein Deuotion Seeke some connenient place free from noise and trouble that thou maiest haue ther some time of quiet vvithout disturbāce sit or kneele as thou thinkest moste conuenient Then be thou Emproure Kinge or Prince Lorde or Ladye or any other persone of vvhat state soeuer Consider vvell there is a God that hathe made thee of nothing to his ovvne Image and likenes and hath bestovved on thee my righte vvittes and Sences my limes all other features of bodye with manye greate giftes grace spiritual corporal As memory vnderstanding wil also strengthe bewtye comlye shape with worldly ease pleasures that diuers others vvant vvhich liue in great distresse and much anguishe of bodie minde All vvhich thou maiest daily see and behoulde before thee Thinke also hovv frayle and sinfull thou arte and vvithout the keeping of that good Lorde thou sholdest fall into al kind of sinne and iniquity through thine ovvne vvretchednes and frailtye And further thou maiest thinke as of thy selfe there is no more sinfull a creature then thou art and if thou haue any grace of good lyfe in liuing more vprightly then some others Consider it commeth of God not of thy selfe by him that grace is freely geuen thee Call also to mind how longe God hath suffered thee in thy sinns and how often he might haue punished thee with perpetual payne vvhere-as by offending him thou deseruedst it yet of his great mercie and goodnes hath he spared thee for the amendment of thy lyfe that thou myghtest aske mercye and loueinglie hath he abiden thee vntil thou vvoldst come vnto him leaue thy sinne and returne vnto good life For lothe he vvere to forsake or lose that by death he bought ful deere vvith bittter paynes and the price of his most precious Blood Also thou mayest yet further considder that because he vvold not lose thee he became Man and vvas borne of a Virgin he liued here in pouertie anguishe and tribulation al his life and after that death he vvold suffer to saue thee by his mercye and bye thee againe that vvas loste by sinne and folie In this manner or the like thou mayest consider of his great goodnes and benefites And for obtayning of more grace and deuotion in thy Prayers and to get thee compunction Behoulde here vvith the ghostlie Eye of thy Soule Christs pitious paynful Passion FIrste Imagin in thy harte that thou seest thy Lord taken of his enemies vvith many reproofs dispites brought before a Iudge falsly there accused of manie vvicked men and answered right nought but meekly sufred their wicked and reprochful wordes They were desirous to haue him deade but first to suffer paynes Behould then that good Lord chiuering quaking al his bodie naked boūd to a piller and aboute him standing wicked men voyde of al reason sore scourging his moste blessed bodie vvith out anie pitye See now how they sease not from theire furious strokes though they see him stande in his owne blood From the toppe of his head to the sole of his foote hole skin they leue none his fleshe they rese to the bone for werines of them slues they leue him almoste for dead Looke then aside vpon his blessed Mother see vvhat sorowe she maketh for her deere Sonne haue compassion of her paine vvhich lyeth there in a swoone Turne then again to thy Lord and see hovv rudelie they vnbynde him