Book of Common Prayer · The Catechism (1662) · All versions
Ælfric: The Lord's Prayer and Creeds in English (Old English) (c. 990–995)
English translation by Benjamin Thorpe (1846) from the Old English. Read the Old English edition. Words in [brackets] are supplied or summarise omitted matter.
The Old English Pater Noster, Apostles' ("Minor") Creed and Nicene ("Mass") Creed that Ælfric of Eynsham appended to his Catholic Homilies "for laymen who know not Latin", with two short prayers; prefaced by his rule from the Lenten homily on penance (p. 605) that every Christian must know the Pater noster and Creed. These were the whole of lay catechesis before Pecham. English translation by Benjamin Thorpe (1846); OCR corrected.
Source: B. Thorpe (ed. and trans.), The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church, vol. 2 (Ælfric Society, 1846), pp. 596–599, 604–605 (Internet Archive). Public domain.
Gebedu on Englisc (Prayers in English)
Every Christian Shall Know the Pater Noster and Creed
Every christian man shall know his Pater noster and his Creed. With the Pater noster he shall pray, and with the Creed he shall confirm his belief. The teacher shall say to the laymen the sense of the Pater noster and of the Creed, that they may know what they pray for to God, and how they shall believe in God.
For Laymen Who Know Not Latin
Here is belief, and prayer, and blessing, for laymen who know not Latin.
The Pater Noster in English
Thou our Father, who art in heaven, be thy name hallowed. Thy kingdom come. Be thy will as in heaven so also on earth. Give us to-day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Be it so.
The Minor Creed
I believe in God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and I believe in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of Mary the maiden, suffered under Pontius Pilate, hanged on a cross, he was dead and buried, and he went down to hell, and he arose from death on the third day, and he went up to heaven, and sitteth now at the right of God the Almighty Father, thence he will come to doom both the quick and the dead. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, and the holy church, and the communion of saints, and the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection of the flesh, and the everlasting life. Be it so.
The Mass Creed
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Christ, the Lord Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father, by whom are all things made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnated by the Holy Ghost and by Mary the maiden, and became man. He suffered also, hanged on a rood for us, and he was buried, and he arose on the third day, as writings verify, and he went up to heaven, and he sitteth at his Father's right, and he will come again with glory to doom the quick and the dead, and of his kingdom there will be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Life-giving God, who goeth from the Father and from the Son, and who is adored and glorified with the Father and with the Son, and who spake through prophets. I acknowledge the one holy and the believing and the apostolic church, and one baptism in forgiveness of sins; and I expect the resurrection of dead men, and the everlasting life of the world to come. Be it so.
Prayers in English
Thou Almighty and thou Everlasting God, direct our deeds in thy benevolence, that we may merit, in the name of thy beloved Son, to abound in good works. Amen.
We pray thee, Lord, that thou increase in us thy faith, and ever kindle the light of the Holy Ghost in us. Amen.