XI.

¶ THE PRAYER'.

O MOST mighty God, the Lord of hosts, the governour of all creatures, the only giver of all victories, who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy name, and trusting in thee: Defend, O Lord, thy servant, and our governour under thee, our Queen Elizabeth, and all thy people committed to her charge. O Lord, withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternal word, as to their own natural prince and country, and manifestly to this crown and Realm of England, which thou hast of thy divine providence assigned in these our days to the government of thy servant, our sovereign, and gracious Queen. O most merciful Father, if it be thy holy will, make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy truth, and seek either to trouble the quiet of this Realm of England, or to oppress the crown of the same; and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, that we and they may jointly glorify thy mercies. Lighten, we beseech thee, their ignorant hearts, to embrace the truth of thy word; or else so abate their cruelty (O most mighty Lord), that this our Christian region, with others that confess thy holy gospel, may obtain by thine aid and strength surety from all enemies, without shedding of christian blood, whereby all they which be oppressed with their tyranny may be relieved, and they which be in fear of their cruelty may be comforted and finally, that all christian Realms, and specially this Realm of England, may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospel, and enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and security; and that we for these thy mercies.

[See p. 476. This prayer, and the fourth part of the 'Homilie against disobedience and wylfull rebellion,' were appended to a Form of prayer, which Charles the first caused to be printed at Oxford in 1643 by the university printer, Leonard Lichfield, for a 'solemne Fast the second Friday in every moneth, beginning on the tenth day of November.'"]

jointly all together with one consonant heart and voice may thankfully render to thee all laud and praise, that we, knit in one godly concord and unity amongst our selves, may continually magnify thy glorious name, who with thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, art one eternal, almighty, and most merciful God: To whom be all laud and praise, world without end. Amen.

XII.

¶ A THANKSGIVING for the suppression of the last rebellion.

O1 HEAVENLY, and most merciful Father, the defender of those that put their trust in thee, the sure fortress of all them that flee to thee for succour: who of thy most just judgments for our disobedience and rebellion against thy holy word, and for our sinful and wicked living, nothing answering to our holy profession, whereby we have given an occasion that thy holy name hath been blasphemed amongst the ignorant, hast of late both sore abashed the whole Realm and people of England with the terror and danger of rebellion, thereby to awake us out of our dead sleep of careless security; and hast yet by the miseries following the same rebellion more sharply punished part of our countrymen, and Christian brethren, who have more nearly felt the same; and most dreadfully hast scourged some of the seditious persons with terrible executions2, justly inflicted for their disobedience to thee, and to thy servant their sovereign, to the example of us all, and to the warning, correction, and amendment of thy servants, of thine accustomed goodness turning always the wickedness of evil men to the profit of them that fear thee: who, in thy judgments remembering thy mercy, hast by thy assistance given the victory to thy servant our Queen, her true nobility, and faithful subjects, with so little, or rather no effusion of Christian blood, as also might justly have ensued, to the exceeding comfort of all sorrowful christian hearts; and that of thy fatherly pity, and merciful goodness only, and even for thine own name's sake, without any our desert at all. Wherefore we render unto thee most humble and hearty thanks for these thy great mercies shewed unto us, who had deserved sharper punishment; most humbly beseeching thee to

[See p. 525.]

[2 Stow (p. 1125) says, on the fourth and fift of Januarie [1570], did suffer at Durham to the number of threescore and sixe Constables and other: then sir George Bowes, Marshall, finding many to be faultors [guilty] in the foresaid rebellion, did see them executed in euery market towne and other places, betwixt Newcastle and Wetherby, about 60. miles in length, and 40. miles in breadth, as himselfe reported unto me.']

grant unto all us that confess thy holy name, and profess the true and perfect religion of thy holy Gospel, thy heavenly grace to shew our selves in our living, according to our profession: that we, truly knowing thee in thy blessed word, may obediently walk in thy holy commandments, and that we, being warned by this thy fatherly correction, do provoke thy just wrath against us no more; but may enjoy the continuance of thy great mercies toward us, thy right hand, as in this, so in all other invasions, rebellions, and dangers, continually saving and defending our Church, our Realm, our Queen and people of England; that all our posterities ensuing, confessing thy holy name, professing thy holy Gospel, and leading an holy life, may perpetually praise, and magnify thee, with thy only Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost: to whom be all laud, praise, glory, and empire for ever and ever. Amen.

XIII. ¶ A FORM OF COMMON PRAYER to be used, and so commanded by authority of the Queen's Majesty, and necessary for the present time and state. 1572. 27. Octob.

The Preface.

FIRST, that all Parsons and Curates shall every Sunday, at convenient times, exhort their parishioners to endeavour themselves to come to the Church, with as many of their family, as may be spared from their necessary business and they to resort thither, not only upon Sundays and Holydays, but also upon Wednesdays, and Fridays, specially in Cities and great Towns, during these dangerous and perilous times of the troubles in Christendom; exhorting them there reverently and godly to behave themselves, and with penitent minds, kneeling on their knees, to lift up their hearts, and pray to the merciful God, to turn from us of this Realm, and all the rest of Christendom, those plagues and punishments, which we and others through our unthankfulness and sinful lives have deserved.

Secondly, that the said Parsons and Curates, shall then distinctly and plainly read the general confession appointed in the book of service, with the residue of the morning prayer, unto the first Lesson.

Then for the first Lesson shall be read one of the Chapters hereafter following, or so much thereof as is appointed.

Any of these Chapters may be read for the first Lesson, at the disposition of the Minister, in the week days: and upon the Sunday or holy days for the second Lessons.

Matthew the third, the whole Chapter.

Matthew the fifth, (to this place,) Ye are the salt of the earth.

Matthew the sixt, whole.

Matthew the seventh, whole.

Matthew the tenth, (beginning,) Behold, I send you forth as sheep. &c. to the end.

Matthew the sixteenth, whole.

Matthew the four and twentieth, whole.

Matthew the five and twentieth, whole.