The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Litany · The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Act of Uniformity; Preface; and Of Ceremonies

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1559

	*
HERE	"thy servaunt JAMES our most gracious king and
FOLLOWETH THE	governour." in
LETANI	1604, and changed similarly for Charles I.
TO BE
USED
UPON SONDAIES,
WEDNESDAIES, AND FRIDAYES,
AND AT
OTHER TYMES, WHEN IT SHALBE COMMAUNDED BY THE ORDINARYE.
O
GOD the father of heaven : have mercy upon us miserable synners.
O
God the Father of heaven etc.
O God the sonne redemer of the worlde : have mercye upon us miserable
synners.
O
God the sonne redemer of, etc.
O God the holye Ghoste, proceding from the father and the Sonne : have
mercye upon us miserable synners.
O
God the holy ghoste, proceding from, etc.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, three persons and one god : have
mercy upon us miserable synners.
O
holy, blessed, and glorious trinitye thre persons, etc.
Remember not, Lorde our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers,
neyther take thou vengeaunce of oure synnes spare us good Lorde, spare
thy people whome thou haste redemed with thy moste precious bloude, and
be not angry with us for ever.
Spare
us good Lorde.
From all evil and mischief, from synne, from the craftes and assaultes
of the Devil, from thy wrath, and from everlasting dampnation.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
From all blyndnes of herte, from pride, vayne glorye, and hypocrisy, from
envy, hatred and malice, and all uncharitablenes.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
From fornicacion and all other deadly synne: and frome all the deceiptes
of the worlde, the Fleshe and the Devill.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
From lightninges and tempestes, from plague, pestilence and famine, from
battayle and murther, and from soudeine death.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
From all sedicion and privey conspiracye, from all false doctrine and
heresy, from hardnes of harte, and conternpte of thy worde and commaundement.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
By the misterye of thy holye Incarnacion, by thy holy Nativitie and circumcision,
by thy Baptysme, fastynge and temptacion.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
By thyne agonye and bloudy sweate, by thy crosse and passion, by thy precious
deathe and buriall, by thy glorious resurrection, and ascencion, and by
the commynge of the holy Ghoste.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
In al tyme of our tribulacion, in al tyme of our welth, in the houre of
death, and in the daye of judgement.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
We synners do beseche the to heare us (O Lord God,) and that it may please
the to rule and governe thy holy Churche universally, in the right way.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the, to kepe and strengthen in the true worshipping
of the in righteousnes and holynes of lyfe, thy servaunt Elizabeth our
most gracious Quene and governour.*
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
	*
That it may please the, to rule her harte in thy faith, feare, and love,	added in 1604, and changed appropriately later (see
that she may evermore have affiaunce [faith]	below).
in the, and ever seke thy honoure and glory.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the, to be her defender and keper, geving her the victory
over al her enemyes.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
[That
it may please thee to bless and preserve our gracious Queen Anne, Prince
Henry, and the rest of the King and Queen's Royal issue.
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.]*
That it may please the to illuminate all Byshoppes, Pastours, and ministers
of the Church, with true knowledge, and understanding of thy words, and
that both by their preaching and livinge, they may sette it furth and
shewe it accordingly.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it maye please thee to endue the Lordes of the Counsayle, and all
the nobilitie, with grace, wisedom, and understanding.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please thee to blesse and kepe the Magistrates, geving them
grace to execute justice, and to maynteyne truthe. That
it may please the to blesse, and kepe al thy people.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please thee to geve to all nacions, unitie, peace and concorde.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it maye please the to geve us an harte to love and dread [respect]
the, and diligently to lyve after thy commaundementes.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it maye please the to gyve all thy people encrease of grace, to heare
mekely thy worde, and to receyve it wyth pure affeccion, and to bring
furthe the fruites of the spirit.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to bring into the way of truth all suche as have
erred, and are deceyved.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it maye please thee to strengthen suche as dooe stande, and to comforte,
and helpe the weake-harted, and to rayse theym up that falle, and finally
to beate downe Sathan under our feete.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to succour, helpe and comforte all that be in daunger,
necessitie, and tribulation.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it maye please thee to preserve all that travayle [travel],
by lande or by water, al women labouringe of chylde, all sycke persons
and yonge chyldren, and to shew thy pitye upon all prisoners and captives.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to defende, and provide for the fatherles children
and widowes, and all that be desolate and oppressed.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to have mercy upon all men.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to forgeve our enemyes, persecutours and slaunderers,
and to turne theyr hertes.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to geve and preserve to our use the kindly fruites
of the earth, so as in due tyrne we maye enjoye them.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
That it may please the to geve us true repentaunce, to forgeve us all
our sinnes, negligences, and ignoraunces; and to endue us with the grace
of thy holy spirite, to amende our lyves according to thy holy worde.
We
beseche the to heare us good Lorde.
Sonne of God we beseche thee to heare us.
Sonne of God: we beseche
thee to heare us.
O
Lambe of God, that takest away the synnes of the worlde.
Graunt us thy peace.
O Lambe of God that takest awaye the synnes of the worlde,
Have mercy upon us.
O Christ heare us.
O Christe heare us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
Christe have mercy upon us.
Christe have mercy upon
us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
Our father whiche art in heaven. &c.
And leade us not into temptacion.
But
delyver us from evyll.
Amen.
The Versycle. O Lorde deale not with us after our synnes.
The Aunswere. Neither rewarde us after our iniquities.
Let
us praye.
O GOD merciful father, that
dispisest not the syghing of a contrite hart, nor the desyre of suche
as be sorowfull, mercyfully assiste our praiers that we make before the,
in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppresse us. And
graciouslye hear us, that those evilles, whiche the crafte and subtiltie
of the devel, or man worketh against us, be broughte to noughte, and by
the providence of thy goodnesse they may be dispersed, that we thy Servauntes,
beyng hurt by no persecucions, may evermore geve thanckes to the, in thy
holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
Lord aryse, helpe us, and deliver us for thy names
sake.
GOD
we have hearde with our eares, and our fathers have declared unto
us the noble worckes that thou diddeste in their dayes, and in the olde
tyme before them.
O
Lord aryse, helpe us, and delyver us, for thyne honoure.
Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, and to the holye Goste.
As it was in the beginninge, is nowe, and ever shalbe
worlde without ende. Amen.
From our enemues defende us, O Christ.
Graciously
loke upon our afflictions.
Pitifully beholde the sorowes of our harte.
Mercifully
forgeve the synnes of thy people.
Favourably with mercy heare our prayers.
O
sonne of David have mercy upon us.
Bothe now and ever, vouchesafe, to heare us, O Christe.
Graciously
hear us, O Christ,
Graciously heare us, O Lorde Christ.
The Versycle. O Lorde let thy mercy be shewed upon us.
The Aunswere. As we do put our trust in the.
Let
us praye.
WE
humbly beseche the, O father, niercifullye to loke upon oure infirmities,
and for the glory of thy names sake, turne from us all those evilles that
we moste righteously have deserved: and graunte that in all oure troubles
we maye put our whole truste and confydence in thy mercye, and evermore
serve the in holynes and purenes of living, to thy honour and glory :
throughe our onely mediatoure and advocate Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen.
Prayer
for the Queenes Majesty.
O	* Replaced
LORD our hevenly father, high and mighty king of kynges, Lorde of lordes,	by a prayer for the King in 1604 (see below)
the onely ruler of princes, which doest from thy throne beholde all the
dwellers upon earth, most hartely we beseche the with thy favoure to beholde
our mooste gracious soveraigne Lady Quene Elizabeth*, and so replenyshe
her with the grace of thy holy spirit, that she may alway incline to thy
wil, and walcke in thy waye: Indue her plentifully wyth heavenly gifts:
Graunt her in health and wealthe longe to live: strength her that she
may vanquish and overcome al her enemies: And finally after this life
she may attaine everlasting joye and felicitie, thorowe Jesus Christ our
Lorde. Amen.
A
Prayer for the Queen and Prince, and other the King and Queen's children.	This
ALMIGHTY	prayer added in 1604 (see below for variations).
God, which hast promised to be a Father of thine Elect, and of their seed,	*
We humbly beseech thee to bless our gracious Queen Anne, Prince Henry,	sometimes "issue"
and all the King and Queen's royal progeny*: endue them with thy holy
Spirit, enrich them thy heavenly grace, prosper them with all happiness,
and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY
and everlastinge God, whiche onely workest great mervailes, sende downe
upon our Bishoppes and Curates, and al congregacions committed to their
charge, the healthful spirit of thy grace, and that they may truely please
thee, Powre upon them the continuall deawe of thy blessinge: Graunte this,
O Lorde, for the honour of our advocate and mediatoure, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
¶
A Prayer of Chrisostome.
ALMIGHTY
God, which hast geven us grace at this tyme with one accorde, to make
our common supplications unto thee, and doest promyse that when two or
three be gathered together in thy name thou wilt graunt their requestes:
fulfyl nowe, O Lorde, the desyres and peticions of thy servauntes, as
may be most expedient for them, graunting us in this world knowledge of
thy truthe, and in the world to come lyfe everlasting. Amen.
¶
ii. Corin. xiii.
THE
grace of oure Lorde Jesus Christe, and the love of God, and the felowship
of the holye ghoste, bee wyth us all evermore. Amen.
¶
For rayne, yf the tyme requyre.
O GOD
heavenly father, whiche by thy Sonne Jesus Christe, haste promysed to
all theim that seke thy kingdome and the righteousnes therof, all thinges
necessary to their bodelye sustenaunce: Sende us, we beseche the, in this
oure necessitie, such moderate raine and showers, that we may receyve
the fruytes of the earthe to our comforte and to thy honoure, throughe
Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen.
¶
For fayre weather.
O LORDE
God, which for the synne of man diddest ones drowne al the world, excepte
eyght persons, and afterward of thy great mercy diddest promise never
to destroy it so againe: we humblye beseche the, that althoughe we for
our iniquities have worthely deserved this Plague of raigne and waters;
yet upon oure true repentaunce, thou wilt sende us suche wether, wherby
we may receyve the fruites of the yearth in due season, and learne bothe
by thy punishment to amende our lives, and for thy clemency to geve thee
prayse and glorye, throughe Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen.
¶
In the tyme of dearth and famyne.
O GOD
heavenly Father, whose gyft it is that the rayne dothe fall, the earth
is frutefull, beastes encrease, and fyshes do multiply: Behold, we beseche
thee, the afflictions of thy people, and graunte that the scarcitye and
dearthe (which we do now moste justly suffer for our iniquitye) maye through
thy goodnes be mercifully tourned into cheapnesse and plenty, for the
love of Jesu Christ our Lorde, to whome with thee and the holye Ghoste
be Prayse for ever. Amen.
¶
In the tyme of Warre.
O ALMIGHTY
God, king of al kinges, and governoure of al thinges, whose power no creature
is hable to resiste, to whome it belongeth justly to punyshe synners,
and to be mercyfull unto then that truely repente, Save, and deliver us
(we humbly beseche thee) from the handes of our enemyes, abate their pryde,
aswage theyr malyce, and confounde theyr devyses, that we beynge armed
with thy defence, rnaye be preserved evermore from all peryls to glorifye
thee, whiche art the onely gever of all victory, throughe the merites
of thy onely sonne Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen.
¶
In the tyme of any common plague or syckenesse.
O ALMIGHTYE
God, whiche in thy wrathe, in the tyme of king David didst slea [slay]
with the plague of pestilence, thre score and ten thousande, and yet remebringe
thy mercy, diddest save the rest: have pitie upon us miserable synners,
that nowe are vysited with great sicknesse, and mortalitie, that like
as thou diddest then commaunde thyne angel to cease from punishing; So
it may now please thee to withdrawe from us this plague, and grevous syckenesse,
throughe Jesus Christe oure Lorde. Amen.
O
GOD, whose nature and propertie is ever to have mercy,
and to forgeve, receyve our humble peticions: and
thoughe we be tyed and bounde with
the chayne of our synnes, yet let
the pitifulnes of thy great mercy
lose us, for the honoure of
Jesus Christes sake,
our mediatoure
and advocate.
Amen.
The
following Thanksgivings were added in 1604:
A
thanksgiving for Rain
O
GOD our heavenly Father, who by thy gracious providence dost cause the
former and the latter rain to descend upon the earth, that it may bring
forth fruit for the use of man; We give thee humble thanks that it hath
pleased thee, in our greatest necessity, to send us at the last a joyful
rain upon thine inheritance, and to refresh it when it was dry, to the
great comfort of us thy unworthy servants, and to the glory of thy holy
Name; through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A thanksgiving for fair Weather.
O
LORD God, who hast justly humbled us by thy late plague of immoderate
rain and waters, and in thy mercy hast relieved and comforted our souls
by this seasonable and blessed change of weather; We praise and glorify
thy holy Name for this thy mercy, and will always declare thy loving-kindness
from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A thanksgiving for Plenty.
O
MOST merciful Father, which of thy gracious goodness hast heard the devout
prayers of thy Church, and turned our dearth and scarcity into cheapness
and plenty; We give thee humble thanks for this thy especial bounty; beseeching
thee to continue this thy loving-kindness unto us, that our land may yield
us her fruits of increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
A thanksiving for peace and victory.
O
ALMIGHTY God, which art a strong tower of defence unto thy servants against
the face of their enemies; We yield thee praise and thanksgiving for our
deliverance from those great and apparent dangers wherewith we were compassed.
We acknowledge it thy goodness that we were not delivered over as a prey
unto them; beseeching thee still to continue such thy mercies towards
us, that all the world may know that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A thanksgiving for Deliverance from the Plague
O
LORD God, which hast wounded us for our sins, and consumed us for our
transgressions, by thy late heavy and dreadful visitation; and now, in
the midst of judgment remembering mercy, hast redeemed our souls from
the jaws of death; We offer unto thy fatherly goodness ourselves, our
souls and bodies which thou hast delivered, to be a living sacrifice unto
thee, always praising and magnifying thy mercies in the midst of the Congregation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or
this.
WE
humbly acknowledge before thee, O most merciful Father, that all the punishments
which are threatened in thy law might justly have fallen upon us, by reason
of our manifold transgressions and hardness of heart: Yet seeing it hath
pleased thee of thy tender mercy, upon our weak and unworthy humiliation,
to asswage the noisome Pestilence wherewith we lately have been sore afflicted,
and to restore the voice of joy and health into our dwellings; We offer
unto thy Divine Majesty the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, lauding
and magnifying thy preservation and providence over us; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Variations in the State Prayers*

Date	Prayer	Prayer
	for the King's / Queen's Majesty	for the Royal Family
1559	Sovereign Lady Queen	[prayer
	Elizabeth	added 1604]
1603	Sovereign	Queen Anne, Prince
	Lord King James	Henry ...
1613	Queen Anne, Prince
	Charles, Fredericke the Prince Elector Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth his
	wife ...
1619	Prince Charles, Frederick
	the Prince Elector Palatine, the Lady Elizabeth his wife ...
1621	Prince Charles, Frederick
	the Prince Elector Palatine, the Lady Elizabeth his wife with all their
	royall [or
	princely] issue ...
1625	Sovereign	Queene Mary, Fredericke
	Lord King Charles (I)	the Prince Elector Palatine. the Lady Elizabeth his wife ...
1630	Queen Mary, our Noble
	Prince Charles, Fredericke the Prince Elector Palatine, the Lady Elizabeth
	his wife with their princely issue...
1633	Queen Mary, our Noble
	Prince Charles, the Lady Mary & the Lady Elizabeth ...
1634	Queen Mary, Prince
	Charles and the rest of the royal progeny
The
Book of Common Prayer was not published from 1643 through 1659.
1660	Sovereign	Queen Mary, Prince
	Lord King Charles (II)	James Duke of York and the rest of the royal progeny
A
number of variaitons on the exact wording of the State Prayers exist.

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