First Prayer Book of Edward VI: Matins and Evensong (1549)

Opening Rubrics and Sentences

AN ORDRE

FOR MATTYNS DAYLY THROUGH THE YERE.

The Lord's Prayer

The Priest beeyng in the quier [choir], shall begynne with a loude voyce the Lordes prayer, called the Pater noster.

OURE father, whiche arte in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kyngdom come. Thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heaven. Geve us this daye oure dayly bread. And forgeve us oure trespasses, as we forgeve them that trespasse agaynst us. And leade us not into temptacion. But deliver us from evell. Amen.

The Opening Versicles

Then lykewyse he shall saye,

O Lorde, open thou my lippes.

Aunswere. And my mouthe shall shewe forth thy prayse.

Priest. O God, make spede to save me.

Aunswere. O Lorde make haste to helpe me.

Priest. Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, and to the holye ghost. As it was in the begynning, is now, and ever shalbe, world without ende. Amen.

Prayse ye the Lorde.

And from Easter to Trinitie Sondaye,

Alleluya. First page of Matins (Morning Prayer), from the 1549 BCP

Then shalbe saied or song without any Invitatori this Psalme, Venite exultemus, etc. in Englishe, as foloweth:

The Venite

Psal. xcv.

O COME lette us syng unto the Lorde: lette us hartely rejoyce in the strengthe of oure salvacion.

Let us come before his presence with thankesgeving: and shewe ourselfe glad in hym with Psalmes.

For the Lord is a great God: and a great kyng above all goddes.

In his hande are all the corners of the yearth: and the strength of the hylles is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and, his handes prepared the drye lande.

O come, let us worship and fall downe: and kneele before the Lorde oure maker.

For he is (the Lord) oure God: and we are the people of his pasture, and the shepe of his handes.

To daye, yf ye wyll heare his voyce, harden not your hartes as in the provocacion, and as in the daie of temptacion in the wildernes.

When your fathers tempted me: proved me, and sawe my workes.

Fourtye yeares long was I greved with this generacion, and sayed: it is a people that do erre in their hartes: for they have not knowen my wayes.

Unto whom I sware in my wrath: that they shoulde not entre into my rest.

Glory be to the father, and to the sonne: and to the holy ghost. As it was in the beginnyng, is nowe, and ever shalbe: worlde without end. Amen.

The Psalms

Then shal folow certaine Psalmes in ordre as they been appointed in a table made for ye purpose, except there be propre Psalmes appointed for that day. And at the ende of every Psalme throughout the yeare, and lykewyse in the ende of Benedictus, Benedicite, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis shalbe repeated.

Glory be to the father and to the sonne, &c.

The First Lesson

Then shalbe read ii. lessons distinctely with a loude voice, that the people maye heare. The fyrst of the olde testament, the second of the newe. Like as they be appoynted by the Kalender, excepte there be propre lessons assigned for that daye: The ministre that readeth the lesson, standing and turnyng hym so as he maye beste be hearde of all suche as be present. And before every lesson, the minister shall saye thus.

The fyrste, seconde, iii. or iiii. Chapter of Genesis, or Exodus, Matthewe, Marke, or other lyke as is appoynted in the Kalender. And in the ende of euery Chapter, he shall saye.

¶ Here endeth suche a Chapter of suche a booke.

And (to thende the people may the better heare) in such places where they doe syng, there shall the lessons be songe in a playne tune after the maner of distincte readyng: and lykewyse the Epistle and Gospell.

After the fyrste lesson shall folowe Te Deum laudamus in Englishe, dayly throughout the yeare, excepte in Lente, all the which tyme in the place of Te Deum shalbe used Benedicite omnia Opera Domini Domino, in Englyshe as foloweth:

Te Deum

Te Deum Laudamus.

We praise the, O God, we knowlage thee to be the Lorde.

All the earth doeth wurship thee, the father everlastyng.

To thee al Angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therin.

To thee Cherubin, and Seraphin continually doe crye.

Holy, holy, holy, Lorde God of Sabaoth.

Heaven and earth are replenyshed with* the majestie of thy glory,

The gloryous company of the Apostles, praise thee.

The goodly felowshyp of the Prophetes, praise thee.

The noble armie of Martyrs, praise thee.

The holy churche throughout all the worlde doeth knowlage thee.

The father of an infinite majestie.

Thy honourable, true, and onely sonne.

The holy gost also beeying the coumforter.*

Thou art the kyng of glory, O Christe.

Thou art the everlastyng sonne of the father.

Whan thou tookest upon thee to delyver manne, thou dyddest not abhorre the virgins wombe.

Whan thou haddest overcomed the sharpenesse of death, thou diddest open the kyngdome of heaven to all belevers.

Thou sittest on the ryght hande of God, in the glory of the father.

We beleve that thou shalt come to be our judge.

We therfore praye thee, helpe thy servauntes, whom thou haste redemed with thy precious bloud.

Make them to be noumbred with thy sainctes, in glory everlastyng.

O Lorde, save thy people: and blesse thyne heritage.

Governe them, and lift them up for ever.

Day by day we magnifie thee.

And we wurship thy name ever world without ende.

Vouchsafe, O Lorde, to kepe us this daye without synne.

O Lorde, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us.

O Lorde, let thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trust is in thee.

O Lorde, in thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.

* Also the Holy Ghost, the comforter in some printings

Benedicite

Benedicite omnia opera domini domino.

O ALL ye workes of the Lorde, speake good of the Lorde:

prayse hym, and set hym up for ever.

O ye Angels of the Lorde, speake good of the Lorde: prayse hym, and set hym up for ever.

O ye heavens, speake good of the Lorde: prayse hym, and set him up for ever.

O ye waters that be above the fyrmamente, speake good of the Lorde: prayse hym, and set hym up for ever.

O all ye powers of the Lord, speake good of the Lord: prayse hym, and set hym up for ever.

O ye Sonne and Moone, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye sterres of heaven, speake good of the lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye showers, and dewe, speake good of the lord: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye windes of God, speake good of the Lord: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye fier and heate, prayse ye the Lorde: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye winter and summer, speake good of the Lorde: praise him and set him up for ever.

O ye dewes and frostes, speake good of the Lord: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye frost and colde, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye yse and snowe, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye nyghtes and dayes, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye light and darkenes, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye lighteninges and cloudes, speake good of the Lord:

prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O let the yearthe speake good of the Lord: yea, let it prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye mountaynes and hilles, speake good of the Lord: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O all ye greene thynges upon the earth, speake good of the Lorde: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye welles, speake good of the Lorde: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye seas, and floudes; speake good of the Lord: praise him, and set him up for ever.

O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, speake good of the Lorde: prayse hym, and set hym up for ever.

O all ye foules of the ayre, speake good of the lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O all ye beastes, and catell, speake ye good of the Lord: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye children of men, speake good of the lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O let Israel speake good of the lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye priestes of the Lord, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye servauntes of the Lord, speake good of the Lord: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye spirites and soules of the righteous, speake good of the Lorde: prayse him, and set him up for ever.

O ye holy and humble men of heart, speake ye good of the Lorde: prayse ye him, and set him up for ever.

O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, speake ye good of the Lorde: prayse ye him, and set him up for ever.

Glory be to the father, and to the sonne: and to the holy gost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shalbe: worlde without ende. Amen.

The Second Lesson

And after the seconde lesson, throughout the whole yere, shalbe used Benedictus dominus deus Israel, etc. in Englishe as followeth:

Benedictus

Benedictus. Luc. i

BLESSED be the lorde God of Israel: for he hath visited and redemed his people.

And hath lyfted up an home of salvacyon to us: in the house of his servaunt David.

As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophetes: which hath bene syns the world began.

That we shoulde be saved from our enemies: and from the handes of all that hate us.

To perfourme the mercy promised to our fathers: and to remember his holy covenaunt.

To perfourme the othe [oath] whiche he sware to our father Abraham: that he would geve us.

That we being delivered out of the handes of our enemies might serve him without feare,

In holynesse and ryghteousnes before him all the dayes of our lyfe.

And thou childe, shalte bee called the prophete of the highest: for thou shalte goe hefore the face of the Lord, to prepare his wayes.

To geve knowledge of salvacion unto his people: for the remission of their sinnes.

Through the tender mercie of our god: whereby the dayespryng from an hygh hath visited us;

To geve lighte to them that sitte in darkenes, and in the shadowe of death: and to guide our fete into the way of peace.

Glory be to the father, &c.

As it was in the beginnyng, &c.

The Lesser Litany and Suffrages

Then shalbe said dailye through the yere the praiers folowing, as well at evensong as at Matins, all devoutely kneelyng.

Lorde have mercie upon us. Christe have mercie upon us. Lorde, have mercie upon us.

The Creed

Then the minister shal say the Crede and the Lordes praier in englishe, with a loude voice, &c.

Answere. But deliver us from eivill. Amen.

Priest. O Lorde, shewe thy mercie upon us.

Answere. And graunt us thy salvacion.

Prieste. O Lorde save the kyng.

Answere. And mercifully heare us when we cal upon thee.

Prieste. Indue thy ministers with righteousness.

Answere. And make thy chosen people joyfull.

Prieste. O Lorde, save thy people.

Answere. And blesse thyne inheritaunce.

Prieste. Geve peace in oure time, O Lorde.

Answere. Because there is none other that fyghteth for us, but only thou, O God.

Prieste. O God, make cleane our hartes within us.

Answere. And take not thyne holye spirite from us.

Prieste. The lorde be with you.

Answere. And with thy spirite.

The Collects

Then shall dayly folowe three Collectes. The firste of the day, which shalbe the same that is appointed at the Communion. The seconde for peace. The thirde for grace to lyve wel. And the two laste Collectes shall never alter, but dailye bee saide at Matins throughout at the yere as foloweth. The priest standyng up, and saiyng,

Let us praye.

¶ Then the Collect of the daie.

¶ The second Collect: for peace.

O GOD, which art author of peace, and lover of concorde, in knowledge of whome standeth oure eternall life, whose service is perfect fredome: defende us, thy humble servautes, in al assaultes of our enemies, that wee surely trustyng in thy defence, maye not feare the power of any adversaries: through the myght of Jesu Christ our lorde. Amen.

The thyrde Collecte: for grace.

O LORDE oure heavenly father, almightye and everlivyng God, whiche haste safelye brought us to the beginning of this day: defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and graunt that this daye wee fall into no synne, neyther runne into any kinde of daunger, but that al our doinges may be ordered by thy governaunce, to do alwaies that is righteous in thy sight: through Jesus Christe our lorde. Amen.

Opening Rubrics and Sentences

AN ORDRE

For Evensong through-

out the yeare.

The Lord's Prayer

The prieste shall saye.

OURE FATHER, &c.

The Opening Versicles

Then likewise he shall saye.

O God, make spede to save me.

Answere. O Lorde, make haste to helpe me.

Prieste. Glory be to the father, and to the sonne: and to the holy ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now: and ever shall be, worlde without ende. Amen. Prayse ye the lorde.

And from Easter to Trinitie Sonday.

Alleluya.

As before is appointed at Matins.

The Psalms

Then Psalmes in ordre as they bee appointed in the Table for Psalmes, except there be proper psalmes appointed for that daye. Then a lesson of the olde testamente, as is appointed likewise in the kalender, except there be proper Lessons appointed for that daye. After that, (Magnificat anima mea dominum) in Englishe, as foloweth.

Magnificat

MY soule doth magnifie the lorde.

And my spirite hath rejoyced in God my savioure.

For he hathe regarded the lowelinesse of hys handemaiden.

For beholde, from henceforth all generacions shal cal me blessed.

For he that is mightye hath magnified me, and holy is his name.

And his mercie is on them that feare him throughoute all generacions.

He hath shewed strength with his arme, he hath scatered the proude in the imaginacion of their hartes.

He hath put down the mightie from their seate: and hath exalted the humble and meeke.

He hathe filled the hungrye, with good thynges: and the riche he hath sente awaye emptye.

He remembring his mercie. hath holpen his servaunt Israel: as he promised to oure fathers, Abraham and his seede for ever.

Glory be to the father and to the sonne and to the holy gost.

As it was in the beginning, & is now, and ever shall be worlde without ende. Amen.

The Second Lesson

Then a lesson of the newe testamente. And after that (Nunc dimittis seruum tuum) in Englishe as foloweth.

Nunc dimittis

LOrde, nowe lettest thou thy servaunte departe in peace: accordyng to thy woorde.

For myne iyes have sene thy salvacion.

Whiche thou haste prepared, before the face of all thy* people;

To be a lyght for to lighten the Gentiles: and to bee the glorye of thy people of Israel.

Glorye be to the father, &c.

As it was in the beginnyng, &c.

The Lesser Litany and Suffrages

Then the suffrages before assigned at Matins, the clerkes kneelyng likewise, with three Collectes. Fyrst of the daye: Seconde of peace: Thirde for ayde agaynste all perilles, as here foloweth. Whiche ii. laste collectes shall bee daylye saide at Evensong without alteracion.

The seconde Collecte at Evensong.

O God from whom all holy desyres, all good counsayles, and all juste workes do procede: Geve unto thy servauntes that peace, which the world cannot geve, that both our hartes maye be sette to obey thy commaundementes, and also that by thee, we being defended from the feare of oure enemies, may passe oure time in rest and quietnesse; throughe the merites of Jesu Christe our saviour. Amen.

The thirde Collect for ayde agaynste all perils.

LYghten our darkenes we beseche thee, O lord, & by thy great mercy defende us from all perilles and daungers of thys nyght, for the love of thy onely sonne, our saviour Jesu Christ. Amen.

¶ In the feastes of Christmas, Thepiphanie, Easter, Thascencion, Pentecost, and upon Trinitie Sonday, shalbe song or sayd immediatly after Benedictus this confession of our christian fayth.

WHOSOEVER will be saved: before all thinges it is necessarye that he holde the Catholyke fayth.

Whiche fayth except every one dooe kepe holy and undefyled: without doubt he shal perishe everlastingly.

And the Catholike faith is this: that we wurship one God in Trinitie, and Trinitie in unitie.

Neyther confounding the persones: nor devidyng the substaunce.

For there is one persone of the father, another of the sonne: and an other of the holy gost.

But the godhead of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy Goste, is all one: the glorye equall, the majestie coeternall.

Such as the father is, suche is the sonne, and suche is the holy gost.

The father uncreate, the sonne uncreate: and the holy gost uncreate.

The father incomprehensible, the sonne incomprehensible and the holy gost incomprehensible.

The father eternall, the sonne eternall: and the holy gost eternall.

And yet they are not three eternalles: but one eternall.

As also there be not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated: but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So lykewyse, the father is almyghtie: the sonne almightie, and the holy gost almightie.

And yet are they not three almyghtyes: but one almightie.

So the father is God, the sonne God: and the holye gost God.

And yet are they not three Goddes: but one God.

So lykewise the father is Lord, the sonne Lord: and the holy gost Lorde.

And yet not three Lordes: but one Lorde.

For like as we be compelled by the christian veritie: to acknowlege every persone by hymselfe to be god & lord:

So are we forbidden by the Catholike religion: to say there be three goddes, or three lordes.

The father is made of none: neyther created nor begotten.

The sonne is of the father alone: not made nor created, but begotten.

The holy gost is of the father and of the sonne: neyther made nor created, nor begotten, but proceding.

So there is one father, not three fathers; one sonne, not three sonnes: one holy gost, not three holy gostes.

And in thys trinitie none is afore nor after other: none greater nor lesse then other.

But the whole three persones: be coeternall together and coequall.

So that in all thinges, as it is aforesayd: the unitie in trinitie, and the trinitie in unitie is to be wurshipped.

He therefore that will bee saved: must thus thinke of the trinitie.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvacion: that he also beleve ryghtly in the incarnacion of oure Lorde Jesu Christe.

For the ryght fayth is that we beleve and confesse: that our Lorde Jesus Christe the sonne of God, is God and man;

God of the substaunce of the father, begotten before the worldes: and man of the substaunce of his mother, borne in the worlde.

Perfecte God, and perfecte man: of a resonable soule, and humayne fleshe subsisting.

Equall to the father as touchyng his Godhead: and inferior to the father touchyng his manhoode.

Who although he be God and man: yet he is not two, but one Christe.

One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by takyng of the manhoode into God;

One altogether, not by confusion of substaunce: but by unitie of person.

For as the reasonable soule and fleshe is one man: So God and man is one Christe.

Who suffered for oure salvacion: descended into hell, rose agayne the third daye from the dead.

He ascended into heaven, he sytteth on the right hand of the father, God almighty: from whence he shall come to judge the quicke and dead.

At whose commyng all men shall ryse agayne with theyr bodyes: and shall geve accompt of theyr owne workes.

And they that have done good, shall goe into life everlastyng: and they that have done evyll, into everlastyng fyre.

This is the Catholyke fayth: whiche excepte a man beleve faythfully, he cannot be saved.

Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.

As it was in the begynnyng, &c.

Thus endeth the ordre of Matyns and Evensong, through the whole yere.