Book of Common Prayer · The Litany (1662) · All versions
The King's Primer: The Litany and Suffrages (published 29 May 1545; the primer Henry VIII ordered to be used alone)
The 1544 Litany taken into the King's Primer, the authorised English book of private devotion, a year later, where it follows the seven penitential psalms. The text is Cranmer's, with minor changes. Burton modernised the spelling; the rubric about red and black letters is kept, though this reprint shows the red letters as italics. The 1544 Exhortation is not included.
Source: E. Burton (ed.), Three Primers put forth in the reign of Henry VIII (Oxford, 1834), pp. 480–487 (Internet Archive). Public domain.
The Litany
Rubric and Invocations
The Litany and Suffrages.
As these holy prayers and suffrages following are set forth of most godly zeal for edifying and stirring of devotion of all true faithful Christian hearts; so it is thought convenient in this common prayer of procession, to have it set forth and used in the vulgar tongue, for stirring the people to more devotion; and it shall be every Christian man's part reverently to use the same, to the honour and glory of Almighty God, and the profit of their own souls. And such among the people as have books, and can read, may read them quietly and softly to themselves; and such as cannot read, let them quietly and attentively give audience in time of the said prayers, having their minds erect to Almighty God, and devoutly praying in their hearts the same petitions which do enter in at their ears, so that with one sound of the heart, and one accord, God may be glorified in his church.
And it is to be remembered, that that which is printed in black letters, is to be said or sung of the priest with an audible voice, that is to say, so loud and so plainly, that it may be well understood of the hearers. And that which is in the reda, is to be answered of the choir, soberly and devoutly.
O GOD, the Father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God, the Father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God, the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O God, the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.
Holy Virgin Mary, mother of God our Saviour Jesu Christ:
Pray for us.
All holy angels and archangels, and all holy orders of blessed spirits:
Pray for us.
All holy patriarchs and prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, and all the blessed company of heaven:
Pray for us.
Remember Not and the Deprecations
Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers, neither take thou vengeance of our sins: spare us good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever:
Spare us good Lord.
From all evil and mischief, from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil, from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation:
Good Lord deliver us.
From blindness of heart, from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy, from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness:
Good Lord deliver us.
From fornication, and all deadly sin, and from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil:
Good Lord deliver us.
From lightning and tempest, from plague, pestilence, and famine, from battle and murder, and from sudden death:
Good Lord deliver us.
From all sedition and privy conspiracy, from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and all his abominable enormities, from all false doctrine and heresy, from all hardness of heart and contempt of thy word and commandment:
Good Lord deliver us.
The Obsecrations
By the mystery of thy holy incarnation, by thy holy nativity and circumcision, by thy baptism, fasting, and temptation:
Good Lord deliver us.
By thine agony and bloody sweat, by thy cross and passion, by thy precious death and burial, by thy glorious resurrection and ascension, by the coming of the Holy Ghost:
Good Lord deliver us.
In all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth, in the hour of death, in the day of judgment:
Good Lord deliver us.
The Suffrages
We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God, and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy church universal in the right way:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to keep Henry the Eighth, thy servant and our king and governor:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to rule his heart in thy faith, fear, and love, that he may ever have affiance in thee, and ever seek thy honour and glory:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to be his defender and keeper, giving him the victory over all his enemies:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to keep our noble Queen Catherine in thy fear and love, giving her increase of all godliness, honour, and children:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to keep and defend our noble prince Edward, and all the king's majesty's children:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to illuminate all bishops, pastors, and ministers of the church, with true knowledge and understanding of thy word, and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to endue the lords of the council, and all the nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understanding:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to bless and keep the magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to give all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly thy word, and receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand, and comfort and help the weak hearted, and to raise up them that fall, and finally to beat down Satan under our feet:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all that be in danger, necessity, and tribulation:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water, all women labouring of child, all sick persons and young children, and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows, and all that be desolate and oppressed:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to give to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them, and to preserve them:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
That it may please thee to give to us true repentance, to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances, and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to thy holy word:
We beseech thee to hear us good Lord.
Son of God, Lamb of God, Kyrie
Son of God: we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God: we beseech thee to hear us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:
Grant us thy peace.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy upon us.
O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
The Lord's Prayer and Versicles
Our Father, which art in heaven, with the residue of the Pater-Noster.
And suffer us not to be led into temptation:
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
The versicle. O Lord, deal not with us after our sins.
The answer. Neither reward us after our iniquities.
O God, Merciful Father, and the Anthem
Let us pray.
O GOD, merciful Father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful, mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us. And graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtlety of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought, and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed, that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy church, through Jesu Christ our Lord.
O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy name's sake.
O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them.
O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy honour.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it hath been from the beginning, is, and shall be ever, world without end. Amen.
From our enemies defend us, O Christ:
Graciously look upon our afflictions.
Pitifully behold the dolor of our heart:
Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people.
Favourably with mercy hear our prayers:
O Son of David, have mercy upon us.
Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, Christ:
Graciously hear us, O Christ:
Graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.
The versicle. O Lord, let thy mercy be shewed upon us.
The answer. As we do put our trust in thee.
We Humbly Beseech Thee and the Closing Prayers
Let us pray.
WE humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities, and for the glory of thy name sake, turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved. Grant this, O Lord God, for our Mediator and Advocate Jesu Christ's sake. Amen.
The Further Collects
O GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petition, and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us, for the honour of Jesu Christ's sake, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everliving God, which only workest great marvels, send down upon our bishops and curates, and all congregations committed to their charge, the healthful spirit of thy grace, and that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator Jesu Christ. Amen.
WE beseech thee, O Lord, to shew upon us thine exceeding great mercy, which no tongue can worthily express; and that it may please thee to deliver us from all our sins, and also from the pains that we have for them deserved. Grant this, O Lord, through our Mediator and Advocate Jesu Christ. Amen.
GRANT, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we in our trouble put our whole confidence upon thy mercy, that we against all adversity be defended under thy protection. Grant this, O Lord God, for our Mediator and Advocate Jesu Christ's sake. Amen.
The Prayer of St Chrysostom and the Grace
A prayer of Chrysostome.
ALMIGHTY God, which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee, and dost promise that when two or three be gathered in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests: fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.