Cranmer's English Litany: An Exhortation unto Prayer and the Litany and Suffrages (published 27 May 1544 by Thomas Berthelet)

FORASMUCHE as prayer is the veray true meane ordeyned of almightye god, and taught as playnly in his holy word, wherby not onely we may, but also by gods holy commandement be bounden to have a recourse and a refuge for helpe and ayde of almightie god our heavenly father, not onely in all our necessities, and tribulations of this world, but also universally in all our affaires and businesses, what soever shalbe fall unto us, orels [or else] what soever thing we shall enterprise or take in hand. And forasmuch also as our father in heaven, of his mere mercie and infinite goodness, hath bounden himself by his owne free promise, and certified us by the same, by his owne sonne, our onely saviour and lorde CHRIST JESU, in his gospel, that what soever we shall aske of him, we shall have it, so that we aske such thinges, and in suche sorte, as we ought to doo. For these causes good christian people, beynge thus grounded upon the sure foundation of goddis [God's] holie & blessed word, which can not deceive us, we are here at this time gathered together, to make our common prayer to our heavenly father. But nowe good christian people, that by the true use of praier we may obteine and enjoye his gratious promise of aide, comforte, and consolation, in all our affayres and necessities: two things, concerning prayer, are specially to be learned. The first is, to knowe, for what thynges we ought to make our request and petition in our praier. The second is, in what wise we shuld make our prayer, in suche sorte as it may be acceptably hearde, and graciously graunted of our heavenly father.

As for the first, we ought instantly to aske of our heavenly father, his holy and blessid spirite, godly wisedome, faith, charitie, and to feare and dreade [=revere] him, and that his holy name in al thinges, and every where thorough al the hole world may be glorified, that his kyngdome may come unto us, that is to saye, that he may reigne in us, by the faith of his welbeloved sonne JESU CHRIST, and after this lyfe also to reigne in us, and over us everlastingly in glorie.

We ought to pray, that his blessed wyl may be fulfylled here in this world emonges [amongst] us his mortall creatures, as it is of his immortall angels, and of al the holy company of the heavenly spirites. We muste pray for our dayly breade, that is, for our necessary fode and sustenance bothe of body and soule. Of body, as meate, drinke, and necessary apparaile, peace, helthe, and what soever god knoweth to be necessary for the behofe [behalf] and conservation of the same, that we may do to our lorde god true service therwith, every man in his state and vocation, whereunto god hath called hym. Of the soule, as the word of god, and the true knowledge of the same, the true conservation of our heavenlye fathers holy and blessid commandementis, the lively bread of the blessed body of our saviour Jesu Christe, the holy and sacrate cuppe of the precious and blessed bludde, whiche was shed for us upon the Crosse, to purchase us pardon and forgyvenes of our synnes. Furthermoe we must pray for the forgyvenes of our synnes, that our heavenly father wyll be mercyfull unto us, and forgyve us our synnes bothe many and great, wherby we offende againste his infinite goodnes, as we do forgive the offences of them that offend us, whiche, howe great so ever they appere unto us, yet in comparison of the offences that we do against god, they be bothe small and few. We muste pray, that our heavenly father suffre us not not to be ledde into temptation, for without his continuall aide and protection, we are but weke and soone overthrowen. Our gostely ennemy is stronge, violent, fierse, subtyll, and exceding cruell. And therfore we muste continually pray, with al instance, that in all his assaultes we may be delivered by the mighty hande of our heavenly father, from all evyll. Finally, and before all thing, as saint Paule exhorteth in the first epistle to Timothe, Let us make our prayers, and supplycations, rendrynge and gyvyng of thankes for all men, and namely for kynges, princis, and al other set in chief dignitie and high roumes, that by theyr godly governance, their true faithfull and diligent execution of justice and equitie on to all their subjectes, our heavenly father may be glorified, the common welth may be daily promoted and increased, and that we al, that are theyr subjectes, may live in peace and quietnes, with al godlines and vertue, and our christen princis & heades in unitie and concorde emonges them selfes, ever callyng uppon theyr heavenly father, whiche is the king of all kynges, and the lorde of all lordes, which shall judge without respecte of persone, accordynge to every mans doing or workes, at whose hande the weake shall take no wronge, nor the myghty mat not by any power escape his juste judgement. That our princes I say, thus calling uppon theyr heavenly father for grace, maye ever in all their affaires be directed and governed by the holie spirite of god, and bothe rule, and be ruled, by his holy feare, to their owne endles joye, compforte, and consolation, and to theyr owne everlastyng salvation, thorough our saviour Jesus Christ.

AND here specially let us pray for our dere and soveraigne lorde the kynges majesty, who doth not onely study and care dayly and hourely for our prosperitie and wealth, but also spareth not, to spende his substance and treasure, yea readye at all tymes to endaunger himself for the tender love and fatherly zeale, that he beareth towarde this his realme, and the subjectes of the same. Who at this present tyme hath taken upon hym the great and dangerous affayres of warre. Lette us praye, that it may please almighty god, lorde of hostes, in whose handes is onely wealthe and victorie, mercifully to assyst him, sending his holy angell, to be his succour, keper, & defender from all his adversaries, and from all evyls. Let us pray for our bretherne, that bende them selves to batail for goddis cause and our defence, that god maye grant them prosperous successe, to our comfort, and the increase of his glory. Let us praye for our selfes that remain at home, that almighty god defende us from synne, sickenes, derth, and all other adversities of bodye and soule.

The seconde thyng to be lerned concernyng praier, is to knowe, howe we shal make true paryer, so that it may be graciously harde, and mercyfully graunted of oure heavenly father. Fyrst of al we must, upon consideration of our heavenly fathers mercy and goodnes towardes us, and of his everlastyng trueth, and free promyse made unto us in his owne holy worde, conceyve a full affiance [=reliance] hoope and trust: and that with out waveryng or doubtfull mistrustyng, either in his trueth, his goodnes, or in his almightie power, certainely assuring ourselfe, that both of his omnipotencie, he may do what soever shall please his goodnes, and also for his infinite goodnes, and fatherlye affection towarde us, that he woll both here and graunt out lawful and godly requestes, after that measure, sort, and degree, as he of his infinite and incomprehensible wisdome knoweth the thynges to be moost mete, moost convenient, and behofeful [= beneficial, profitable] both for his own glorye and honour, and for the profit, behoufe [=need], and commoditie [=value] of his children.

Furthermore also is it necessarily requyred to that, that our prayer may be acceptable unto our hevenly father, to have charitie, and brotherly love betwixt neighbour and neighbour, and towarde all our even christen. So CHRISTE him selfe teacheth us, sayinge whan you stande to praye, forgive, if you have any dyspleasure agaynste any personne: that your father, which is in heaven, maye forgive you. It is a true saying, that saint Augustine sayeth:

There is no good friucte, no goode deede, no good woorke, whiche springeth not out of the roote of charitie. And saincte Paul teacheth plainely, that where as charitie lacketh, nothyng can avayle us.

And moreover we must in our prayer, be ware of vayne glory and prayse of man, outwardly shewing a great pretence of holynes, and being vayne of true godlynes inwardly, onely to have the commendation of men before the world, for if we do, we shall lose the reward and benefit of our prayer, as our saviour CHRIST saieth his owne selfe. We must take hede also, that we thincke not the vertue of prayer, to consist in multiplyeng of many wordes without faythe and godly devotion, thynckyng as the heathen doth, that for our many wordes of muche speaking, we shalbe herde of our heavenly father who so ever doth thinke so, he shall deceyve him selfe, for god doth not regarde neither the swete sound of our voice, not the great number of our woordes, but the ernest ferventnes and true faythful devotion of our hartes. Fynally we muste beware in our praier of that common pestilent infection, and venemetull [=venomous] poyson of all good prayer, that is to say, when our mouthe prayeth, and out hartes pray not.

Of the whiche the prophete Esaie [Isaiah] complaineth sore. And our saviour in sayncte Mathewes gospel rebuketh the pharisees, for the same, saying thus: O hipocrites, Esaie the prophet prophecied well uppon you, when he sayd thus: This people draweth nighe me with theyr lyppes, but their hartes are farre frome me, that is to saye, they speake with their tongue and lippes, the wordes of praier, but in their harte, they mynde nothyng lesse then they speake, as that the goodnes of the prayer stode in the outwarde speaking onely of the woorde, and not in the inwarde, true, and faythful request of the harte. And to the intent therefore your hartes and lyppes maye goo together in praier, it in very convenient, and moche acceptable to god, that you shuld use your private prayer in your mother tongue, that you understandyng what you aske of god, maye more ernestly & fervenctly desyre the same your hartes & myndes agreing to your mouthe and woordes.

Wherefore let us eschewe (good people) in our prayers, al the afore rehersed vices, for elles we shall not obteine our petitions, and requestes, but contrarye wise we shall highly displease god and grevously offende him. Therefore good Christian brethern, seynge we are come together to praye, let us do it according to our bounden duetie, and as it ought to be done. Let us tuuely praye with a faithfull harte, and a sure affiaunce [=reliance] of our heavenly fathers infinite mercy, grace, and goodnes: let us make our prayers, beyng in love and charitie with all and every one of our neighbours, everhavyng in our harte an ernest request and desyre of those godly benefyttes, whiche ar appoynted in goddes worde, that we shulde pray for, and yet not prescribing unto god, either the time, place, measure, or degree of his gracious benefites, but holly committyng our selves to his blessid wyl and pleasure, receyvyng in good woorthe and with thankes gyvyng, what so ever, and when so ever, it shall please his graciouse goodnes, to bestowe his gracious giftes upon us. Let us also fournishe and beautifie this our prayer, that it may plese god the better, and delite the eares of our heavenlie father, with fasting and holsome abstinence, not onely from all delicious living in voluptuouse fare, and from all excesses of meate and drinke, but also to chastyse and kylle the synfull lustes of the body, to make it bowe and redy to obey unto the spirituall mocions of the holie gooste. Let us also furnish it with almes dede, and with the workes of mercie and charitie. For praier is good and acceptable unto god, when it is accompanied with almose dedes, & with the workes of mercy as the holy man Tobye [Tobit] sayth, with the whiche, and usyng the vertues aforerehersed, and also eschewing diligently the foresayde vices, our prayers shalbe of muche price and value, as was the prayers of Hely, [Elijah?] Danyel, & Moyses, before our heavenly father, and that for our saviour Jesus Christes sake, whiche hath redemed us with his precious bloude, and hathe signed & sealed us up to everlasting life. To whom both now and ever, with his father and the holy goost, be glorie and honour without ende. AMEN.

Rubric and Invocations

AS THESE prayers and suffrages folowing, as set furth of most godly zeale for edifying and stirringe of devotion of all true faithfull christen hartes: so is it thoughte convenient in this commune prayer of procession to have it set furth and used in the vulgar tungue: and it shall be every christen mans parte reverently to use the same, to the honour and glory of almyghty god, and the profitte of their owne soules. And such amonge the people as have bokes, and can reade, may reade them quietly and softly to them selfe, and suche as can not reade, let them quietly and attentifely give audience in time of the said praiers, havyng their myndes erect to almighty god, and devoutly praying in theyr hartes, the same petitions whiche do entre in at their eares, so that with one sounde of the hart and one accorde, God may be glorified in his churche.

¶ And it is to be remembered, that that whiche is printed in blacke letters, is to be sayde or songe of the priest with an audible voyce, that is to saye, so loude and so playnely, that it maye well be understande of the hearers: And that which is in the redde, is to be aunswered of the quiere [choir] soberly and devoutly.

O god the father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable synners.

O god, the father of heaven, have mercie upon us miserable synners.

O God the sonne, redemer of the worlde: have mercie upon us myserable synners.

O God the sonne, redemer of the worlde: have mercie upon us miserable synners.

O god the holy ghoste, procedyng from the father and the sonne: have mercy upon us myserable synners.

O god the holy ghoste, procedyng from the father and the sonne: have mercie upon us miserable synners.

O holy, blessed, and glorious trinitie, iii. persons and one God: have mercye upon us myserable synners.

O holy, blessed, and glorious trinitie, thre persons and one god: have mercie upon us miserable synners.

Holy virgin Mary, mother of God our Savyour Jesu Chryst. Praye for us.

All holy Aungels and Archaungels and all holye orders of blessed spirites.

Praye for us.

All holy patriarkes, and Prophetes, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, & Virgins, and all the blessed company of heaven:

Praye for us.

Remember Not and the Deprecations

Remember not Lord our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers, neither take thou vengeaunce of our synnes: spare us good Lorde, spare thy people, whom thou hast redemed with thy most precious bloude, and be not angry wyth us for ever:

Spare us good Lorde.

From all evyll and myschief, from synne, from the craftes and assaultes of the devill, from thy wrath, and from everlastyng damnacion.

From blindnes of hearte, from pryde, vaynglory, and hypocrisy, from envy, harred and malice, and all uncharytablenes:

Good lorde deliver us.

From all fornycacion and all deadly synne, and from all the deceiptes of the worlde, the fleshe, and the devill:

Good lorde deliver us.

From lightnyng and tempast, from plage, pestilence and famyne, from battayle and murder, & from sodaine death:

Good lorde deliver us.

From all sedycion and privey conspiracie, from the tyranny of the bisshop of Rome and all his detestable enormyties, from all false doctrine and heresye, from hardnes of hearte, and conmtempte of thy worde and commaundemente:

Good lorde deliver us.

The Obsecrations

By the mystery of thy holy incarnacion, by thy holye nativyte and cirumcysyon, by the baptyisme, fastynge and temptacyon:

Good lorde deliver us.

By thyne agony and bluddy sweate, by thy crosse and passion, by thy precious death and buryal, by thy glorious resurrectyon and ascension, by the commyng of the holy Ghost:

Good lorde delyver us.

In al time of our tribulacion, in al tyme of our wealth, in the hour of death, in the day of judgment:

Good lorde deliver us.

The Suffrages

We synners do beseche the to heare us (O lord god) and that it may please the to rule and governe thy holy church universall in the ryght way.

we beseeche the to here us good Lorde.

That it may please the to kepe Henry the. viii. thy servaunt and our kyng and governoure:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maie please the to rule his hearte in thy faithe, feare, and love that he maye ever have affyaunce [= reliance] in the, & ever seke thy honour & glory

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to be his defendour and keper, gyvyng hym the vyctorye over all his enemyes:

We beseche the to here us good Lorde.

That it maye please the to kepe oure noble Quene Catherin in thy feare and love, gyvynge her increase of all godlynes, honour, and chyldren.

We beseche the to here us good lorde.

That it maye please the to kepe and defende oure noble Prynce Edward, and all the kynges majesties chyldren.

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to illumynate al bishoppes pastours and mynisters of the church, wyth true knowlege and understandynge of thy word, and that both by their preachyng and lyvynge, thei maie set it forth and shewe it accordyngly:

We besech the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to endue the Lordes of the counsayle, and the nobylytie wyth grace, wysedome, and understandynge:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to blesse and kepe the magistrates, gyvyng them grace to execute justice, & to mayntayne truthe:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to blesse & kepe all thy people:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to gyve to all nacyons unytie peace and concorde:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to geve to us an harte to love and dread [=revere] the, and dilygentlye to lyve after thy commaundementes:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to gyve all thy people increase of grace, to here mekelye thy worde, and to receive it with pure affection, and to brynge forth the fruites of the spirit:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to bryng into the waie of truth all suche as have erred and are deceyved:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to strengthen such as do stande, and to comfort and helpe the weake hearted, and to rayse up them that fall, and fynallye to beate downe Sathan under our feete:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to succour helpe and comfort al that be in daunger, necessitie and trybulacion:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye plese the to preserve all that travayle by lande or by water, all women labouryng of childe, al sicke persons and yonge children, and to shewe thy pytie upon all prysoners and captyves:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to defende and provyde for the fatherles chyldren and wyddowes, and all that be desolate and oppressed:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to have mercye upon all men:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to forgeve our enemies, persecutours and slaunderers, and to turne theyr heartes:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to gyve to our use the kyndlye fruytes of the earth, so as in due tyme we may enjoy them, and to preserve them:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

That it maye please the to gyve us true repentaunce, to forgeve us al our synnes, negligences and ignoraunces, & to endue us with the grace of the holy spirite, to amend our lyves accordynge to thy holye worde:

We beseche the to here us good lord.

Son of God, Lamb of God, Kyrie

Sonne of God: we beseche the to here us.

Sonne of god, we beseche the to heare us.

O lambe of god, that takest away the sines of the world: Graunt us thy peace.

O lambe of god, that takest awaye the synnes of the worlde:

have mercy upon us.

O Christe heare us.

O christ heare us.

Lorde have mercy upon us

Lorde have mercy upon us.

Christ have mercy upon us.

Christe have mercy upon us.

Lorde have mercy upon us.

Lorde have mercy upon us.

The Lord's Prayer and Versicles

Oure father whiche art in heaven.

With the reading of the Pater noster

And suffer us not to be led into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

The versicle. O Lorde, deale not with us after our synnes.

The aunswere. Neither rewarde us after our iniquities.

O God, Merciful Father, and the Anthem

Let us praye.

O God, mercifull father, that dyspysest not the sighyng of a contrite hearte, nor the desire of suche as be sorowfull, mercifully assiste oure prayers, that we make before the in all our troubles and adversities, when soever they oppresse us. And graciousely heare us, that those evils, whiche the craft and subtiltie of the devill or man worketh against us, be brought to nought, & by the providence of thy goodnes, thei meye be dispersed, that we thy servauntes, being hurt by no persecucions, may evermore give thankes unto the, in the holy churche, through Jesu Christe our Lorde.

O lorde, arise, halp us & deliver us for thy names sake.

O god, we have heard with oure eares, and our fathers have declarid unto us the noble workes that thou dyddest in their dayes, and in the olde tyme before them.

O lorde, arise, help us, and delyver us for thy honour.

Glorye to the father, the sonne, and to the holye ghost, as it hath ben from the begynnyng, is & shalbe ever world without ende. Amen.

From our enemies defende us O Christe.

Graciousely looke upon our afflictions.

Pitifully beholde the dolour of our hearte.

Mercyfully forgyve the synnes of thy people.

Favourably with mercye heare our prayers.

O son of David have mercy uppon us.

Bothe nowe & ever vouchesaufe us Christe.

Graciousely here us, O Christe.

Graciousely heare us, O Lorde Christe.

The Versicle. O lorde, let thy mercye be shewed upon us.

The aunswere. As we do put our truste in the.

We Humbly Beseech Thee and the Closing Prayers

Let us praye.

WE humbly beseche the O father, mercifully to loke upon our infirmities, and for the glorye of thy name sake, turne from us all those evylles, that we moost ryghteouslye have deserved. Graunt thys O Lorde God for our mediatour and advocate Jesu Christes sake. Amen.

The Further Collects

O GOD, whose nature and properte is ever to have mercye and to forgeve, receive our humble peticion, and thoughe we be tyed and bound with the chain of our sinnes: yet let thy pitifulnes of thy great mercye leuse us for the honour of Jesu Christes sake, our mediatour and advocate. Amen.

ALmightye and ever lyvyng God, whiche only workest great mervayles, send downe upon our byshoppes and curates, and al congregacyons, commytted to theyr charge, the healthfull spirite of thy grace, and that they maye trulye please the: powre upon theym the contynuall dewe of thy blessing. Graunt this (O Lord) for the honoure of oure advocate and mediatour Jesu Christe. Amen.

WE beseche the (O lord) to shewe excedyng greate mercye, whyche no tounge can wortheyle expresse, and that it maye please the, to deliver us from all our synnes, and also from the paynes, that we have for them deserved. Graunte this (O Lorde) through our mediatour and advocate Jesu Christ. Amen.

GRaunt, we beseche the, O almighty god, that we in oure trouble put oure whole confydence upon thy mercy, that we may agaynst all adversytie be defended under thy protection. Graunt this O Lorde God, for oure mediatour and advocate Jesu Christis sake. Amen.

ALmighty god, which haste given us grace at this tyme with one accorde to make our commune supplications unto the, and doost promise, that whan two or thre be gathered in thy name, thou wilt graunt their requestes: fulfil nowe, o lord, the desires and petytions of thy servauntes, as maye be mooste expedient for them, graunting us in this world knowledge of thy thruthe, & in the wordle to come lyfe everlastynge. Amen.