University of Virginia Library

The maner of true and perfecte prayer instituted by our sauiour Iesus Christe, the only sonne of God, the wisdom of the father, and seconde person in trinitie.

The syxt of mathewe if ye reade
example ye may finde.
What praier is and how to vse
the same in perfecte kynde.

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41

For Christ our only mercy seate,
So soundly hath vs taughte,
That in his gospell we may fynde,
Not els where to be sought.

When thou doste praye sayth Christe our Lorde
Se that thou doe refuse,
The vayne glory that hippocrites
Doe in their prayers vse.

For they wyll in the synagoges,
Their prayers to appere,
In open stretes or in suche place,
As moste men may them here.

For whiche their folysh vaynglorie,
That would of men be hearde,
The prayse of men whiche they desyre,
Is only their rewarde.

But at suche tyme as thou wylt praye,
Into thy chamber go,
A faythfull and a contrite harte
Prayer must Issue fro.

And when thou hast closed thy bore,
And shut out wordly care,

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[41]

And vayn thoughtes of this wretched worlde
Thy prayer then declare.

Unto thy god and father dere,
Whiche is in secrete still:
Seing the bothom of eche harte,
Eche thought, eche worke and wyll.

Whoe will rewarde thee in such wise
That it shall well appere,
That he hath heard thy hartes requeste,
Moste lyke a father dere.

But in thy prayer bable not
With many wordes and vayne,
As Heathen men whiche thinke therby
their purpose to obteyne.

It is the harte and not the lyppes
Wherby thou mayste aspyre,
Thy sute to god for to attayne,
And to haue thy desyre:

The harte I saye both cleane and pure
Must be the very meane,
For lips doe but prouoke gods wrath
Where hartes be founde vncleane.

For god doth knowe before you speake
Your nede and all your lacke,
And wyll you kepe if you be iuste,
That nought shall goe to wracke.

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42

And erre thou praye bethynke thy self,
Who did the hurt or greue,
Refrayne thy wrath in continent
And louyngly forgeue

If thou forgeue not other men,
Their trespasses and cryme,
Thinke not that god will thee forgeue,
Thy faultes at any time.

Contrariwyse if thou forgeue,
Suche as did the vnryght,
God by his promis wyll thee here
And shewe the mercy bryght.

Aud where thou hast done any hurte,
It is not worth the whyle
To praye before thou make amendes,
And thy selfe reconcyle.

But when thou art prepared thus,
In all pointes as I saye:
With pure harte in moste humble wyse,
On this sorte see thou praye.

Pater noster.

O Lorde that art our only god
And father of vs all,
In heauen whiche arte resident,
To thee we crie and call.

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[42]

Thy holy and thy blessed name,
That we may sanctifie:
Graunt that we may for euer vse
The same reuer ently.

Oh let thy kyngdom downe descende,
And alwayes vs protecte:
That we may reigne in peace and ioye
Whiche are thyne owne electe.

Thy worthy wyll let it be done
Of worldly wretches here:
As it in heauen euer is
Among thy saintes moste dere.

Our daily bread geue vs this daye,
Our bodies to susteyne:
And to our soules thy blessed worde,
Thy truthe styll to mainteyne.

Both for the body and the soule,
Relieue vs with thy store:
That we therby may taste thy grace,
This daye and euer more.

Our trespasses & our great sinnes,
Redeme and clene forgeue,
As we forgeue and mercy take,
On them that doe vs greue.

O lorde into temptation
Aboue our strengthe and powre,
Doe not leade vs at any tyme,
Least Sathan vs deuowre.

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43

But with thy grace defende vs styll,
Let not thy goodnes cease:
But from all euylles vs defende,
Delyuer and release.

For onely to thee doth belonge
The kyngdome very ryght,
The power and gloryous maiestie,
For euer so be it.