YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Presented by
Gerard L. Carroll
and
Joseph B. Murray, '10S
Trustees of
The Michael P. Grace, II, Trust
for
The St. Thomas More Project

Richard de Hynde, unto the moost studpous and vertuous ponge mayde Fraunces. S. Sendeth gretpnge and well to fare.

Haue herde many men put great dout, whether it thulde be expedpent and re, quisite oz nat/a woman to haue lernyng in bokes of latyn and greke. And some butterly affyrme that it is nat onely/no, ther necessarie noz p[ro]fyletable, but also very noz some and ieoperdous: Allegyng fo, their opinion that the fraple kynde of women, beyng enclyned of their owne corage vnto vice, & mutable at eue, ry newelty, if they thulde haue skyll in many this, ges, that be written in the latyn and greke tong, compiled and made with great crakte & eloquye, ce, where the mater is happely f[ot]pyme moze wete vnto the eare/than holsome fo, þ mynde/it wolde of lykelyhode, bothe enklanie their stomakes a great deale the moze/ to that vice/that men fape they be to moche gyue vnto of their owne nature alredy, and enstructe them also with moze subtil, lyte and conuepaunce/ to fette fo, warde and acco, plys, the their frowarde entente and purpose. But these men that so say, do in my iugement, eyther regarde but lytell what they speke in this mater, oz els, as they be fo, þ moze parte vnlerned, they enup it, and take it soze to hert, that other thulde haue þ precious iewell, whiche they nother haue thep, selfe/no, can fynde in their hertes to take

a.ij. the payne

YALE

the payne to gette. For fyrste/ where they reken
suche instabilite and mutable nature in women/
they saye therin their pleasure of a contensious
mynde/ for the mayntenaunce of their mater/for
if they wolde loke theron with one euyn eye/and
cosydre the mater equally/ they chulde fynde and
well pceyue/ that women be nat onely of no lesse
constancy and discrecion than men/but also more
stedfast and sure to truste vnto/than they. ❧

For whether I praye you was more light and
more to be discomended/Helen that with moche
labour and lute/and many crafty meanes/was
at the last ouercome and inticed to go away with
the kynges Sonne of Troye: Or Parys/Whiche
With ones lyght of her/was so doted in her loue/
that nepther the great chere and kyndenesse thes
wed vnto hym of her hus både kyng Menelaus/
noz chame of the abomynable dede/noz keare of
the peryll that was lyke to come therupon/noz
the dzede of god/myght let hym to conuep her as
Waye/contrary to all gentylnesse/contrary to all
ryght/all lawes and conscience: For the woman
casteth her mynde nepther to one noz other of her
owne proper wyll/Whiche thyng is a sure token
of an vpryght and a stedfaste mynde/but by the
lute and meanes of the man: When he with one
loke of her/is rauished of all his wpttes. Nowe
if here parauenture a man wolde saye/yes/they
be moued as well as men/but they dissemble/for
beare/and wyll nat vtter theyr stomakes/nother
it is so couenpent the womã to speke as the man:
that

that shall nat helpe his excuse/but rather hyndze
it/so they be the more worthy to be allowed/that
Wyll nat be so farre ouersene in that affectiō/whis
che is so naturally gpen to all thynges lyupng/
but that they can remembre theyr duetie and hos
nestie/where the man is many tymes so farre bes
side his reason/p he seeth nother where no/ whā/
nother to whom/no/ howe to behaue hym selke/
nother can regarde/ what is comely and what is
nat. So/ verily/ it is as vnconvenient so/ the man
to demaunde that thynge that is vnlaukfull/ if he
coude perceyue/ as so/ the woman. And if bothe
theyr byces were all open and shewed/the man
shulde haue moche more that he ought to be altha
med of/ saupng that he is also in that popnt wor/se
than the woman/in as moche as the is a shamed
of her faute/be it neuer so small: and he is so farre
from that vertue/ p whan he hath done nought/
he reiopseth of it & auaučeth hym selke/as though
it were well done. And yet he is so vnreasonable
in iugyng the woman/ that as I socrates say the
wherin he hathe no conspderation/ howe ofte oz
howe soze he offende his wyfe: He Wyll nat suffre
ones to be offeded hym selke by her neuer so lytell:
where he wolde that the shulde take his dedes all
well in wor the. Wherfore in dede/women be in
gaye case and happy/ if their honestie and prayse
must hange at the gyrdelles of suche people. ≫
Nowe as so/ lernyng/ if it were cause of any yuell
as they say it is/it were wor se in the man than in
the woman/ bicause (as I haue said here before)

a.iiij. he can

he can bothe wozle staye and refrayne hym selfe/
than she. And moreouer than that/ he cometh ofte
ter and in mo occalypons thafie the woman / in as
moche/ as he lyueth moze forthe abzode amonge
company naply/ where he shalbe moued to vtter
suche crafte as he hath gotten by his lernynge.
And women abyde moolt at home/ occupied euert
with some good oz necessarypulsnyesse. And the la-
tyn and the greke tonge/ I se nat but there is as
lytell hurt in them/ as in bokes of Englishthe and
kreche/ whiche men bothe rede them selfe/ for the
proper paſtymes that be written in them/and for
the witty and craftie conueayunce of the makyns-
ges: And also can beare well ynoughe/ that wo-
men rede them if they wyll/ neuer so moche/ whi
che comoditeis be farre better handled in the la-
tyn & greke/ than any other lagaage: and in them
be many holp doctours wriitinges/ so devout and
effectuous/ that who soeuer redeth them/ muſte
nedes be eyther moche better oz lesse yuell/ whi
che euery good body bothe man and woman wyll
rede and folowe/ rather than other. But as for
that/ that I here many men ley for the greattest
teorpdy in this mater/ in good faythe to be playne
methynke it is so folysſthe/ y scantly it is wozthy/
eyther to be reherſed oz anſwered vnto. That is/
where they ſaye/ if their wyues coulde Latyn oz
greke/ than myght they talke moze boldely with
preeſtes and freres/ as who ſayth/ there were no
better meanes (if they were yll dyſpoſed ) to exe-
cute their purposes/ than by ſpekynge Latyn oz
greke/

greke/ outher els / that pzeestes and freres were
comenly so well lerned / that they can make their
bargepne in latyn & greke so redily / whiche thing
is also farre contrary / þe suppos[e] nowe a dayes
a man coude nat deuyse a better waye to kepe his
wyke safe from them / than if he teche her the la-
tyn and greke tonge/ and suche good sciences as
are written in them: the whiche nowe moost parte
of pzeestes/ and specially suche as be nought/ ab-
hore and flye from: ye/ as falte in a maner / as
they flye from beggars/ that as ke them almesse
in the strete. And where they fynde faute with ler
nyng/ bycause they say / it engendreth wytte and
crakte / there they reprehende it/ for that that it is
moost worthy to be commended for / and the whis
che is one singuler cause wherfor lernyng ought
to be desyred/ for he that had leuer haue his wyke
a foole than a wyse woman / holde hym wort[e]
than twyse frantyke. Also/ redyng and studyng
of bokes so occupieth the mynde / that it can haue
no lepser to mule oz delyte in other fantasies / wha
in all handy werkes / that men saye be more mete
for a woman / the body may be busy in one place/
and the mynde walkyng in another: as while they
fyt lowing & spinnynng with their fyngers / maye
calte and compasse many peupl[he] fantaspes in
their myndes / whiche must nedes be occupyed/
outher with good oz badde / so long as they be wa-
kynge. And thos[e] þe puell dispos[e]d / wyll fynde
the meanes to be nought / though they can neuer
a letter on the booke / and the that wyll be good/
lernyng

lernynge / Thall cause her to be moche the better.
For it sheweth the ymage and wapes of good ly-
upnge / cupn right as a myzrour sheweth the sy-
mylitude and p[ro]p[or]cion of the body. And dout-
lesse / the daylye exp[er]pence p[ro]outhe / that suche
as are nought / are th[os]e that neuer knewe what
lernyng ment. For I neuer herde tell / no[ur] reed of
any woman well lerned / that euer was (as plen-
tuous as yuell tonges be) spotted or infamed as
bicious. But on the other side / many by their ler-
nyng taken suche encreace of goodnesse / þ[ou] many
may beare them w[yo]tnesse of their vertue / of whi-
che sozte I coulde reherse a great n[om]b[re] / bothe
of olde tyme and late / Sauynge that I wyll be
contente as for nowe / With one example of oure
owne countre and tyme / that is : this gentylwo-
man / whiche translated this lytell boke herafer-
folowyng: Whose vertuous couer[sa]cion / lyþyng/
and s[ad]de demeanoure / m[a]pe be p[ro]fe euydente
ynough / what good lernynge dothe / Where it is
surely roted: of whom other women may take ex-
ample of p[ru]d[et] / humble / and w[p]fely behauour/
charitable & verp ch[ri]st[é] vertue / with whiche the
hath with goddes helpe endeuedred her selfe / no
lesse to garnis[he] her soule / than it hath lyked his
goodnesse with louely beaut[y] and comelynesse / to
garnis[he] and s[et]te out her body: And vndouted
is it / that to thyncrease of her vertue / the hath ta-
ken and taketh no lytell occas[ion] of her lernyng /
besydes her other many folde and great comodye
teis taken of the same / amonge whiche comodye
teis /

teis this is nat the leest/that with her vertuous/
worshipfull/wyse/and well lerned hus bande/the
hath by the occasion of her lernynge/and his des
lyte therin/suche especiall confozte/pleasure/and
paltyme/as were nat well pollyble for one vnler-
ned couple/eyther to take togpyder of to concepue
in their myndes/what pleasure is therin. Thers
foze good Fraunces/leyng that suche frute/pzoz
fite and pleasure cometh of lernyng/take uo hede
unto the leude wozdes of thofe that dispzepse it/
as verily no man dothe/auue suche as nepther ha
ue lernyng/noz wotteth what it meaneth/which
is in dede the moost parte of men/ as the moost
parte and the best parte be nat alwape of one my
de/so if this mater chulde be trped/nat by wytte
and reason/but by heedes of handes/the greater
parte is lyke as it often dothe/to vanquish the and
ouercome the better/foz the best parte (as I reken)
whom I accompte the wyflest of euery age/as a
mong the Gentyls the olde philosophers/and as
mong the chzistemen/the ancient doctors of Chzi
stes churche/all affyzme lernyg to be very good.
pffitable/nat onely foz men but also foz women/
Whiche Plato the wyse philosopher calleth a brz
dell foz yonge people a gaynst vice. Wherfoze good
Fraunces/take you the best parte and leaue the
moost/folowe the wyse men and regarde nat the
folysthe sozte/but applye all your myght/wyll/
Dilp gence to optayne that especiall treasure/whi
che is delectable in pouthe/ cófoztable in age/and
pzofytable at all seasons: Df whom wout doute/

b cometh

cometh moche goodnesse and vertue. Whiche beue
tue who so lacketh/he is without that thing that
onely maketh a man: ye and without the whiche
a man is wortse than an unreasonable beest/noz
ones wortthy to haue the name of a man. It ma-
keth kape and ampable/that that is of nature de
formed: as Diogynes the philosopher/ when he
sawe a pong man foule and yuell fauvoured of per
sone/but very vertuous of lyuenge: thy vertue
sayd he/maketh the beautifull: And that that is
goodly of it selfe alredy/it maketh more excellent
and bright. Whiche as Plato ò wyse philosopher
saythe/if it coude be sene with our bodily epes/it
wolde make men wonderfly enamored and taken
in the loue of it. Wherfore vnto those especiall gik-
tes of grace that god hath lent you/and endowed
you with all/endeuer poure selfe that this precy-
ous diamòde and ornament be nat lackyng/whi-
che had/shall kozilthe and lyghten all your other
giftes of grace/and make them more gape: and
lacked/shall darke and blempylthe them soze. ≡
And surelp the beautie of it/though ye had none
other/shall gette you bothe greatter loue/more
faithfull and lengar to còtynue of all good folkes/
than shall the beautie of the body/be it neuer so
excellent/whose loue decapeth toguyder/with it ò
was the cause of it/and moost comenly before/as
by daply experypèce we maye se/them that go to/
guyder for the loue of the bodily beautie/within
a small whyle whan their appetyte is satisfyed/
repent the selfe. But the loue that cometh by the

means

meanes of vertue & goodnesse shall euer be fresshe
and encreafe/ryght as dothe the vertue it selfe.
And it shall you come by non otherwise so redily/
as if you contynue the study of lernyng/ whiche
you be entred well in all redy: And for your tyme
and age/ I wolde faye/had greatly p[ro]futed/ las
uynge that chyldes age is so frayle accompted/
that it nedeth rather monicion and c[ot]pnuall cal
lynge vpon/ than the deferued p[ra]p[le]. Howe be it
I haue no doute in you/ whome I fe naturally
borne vnto vertue/ and hauyng so good br[ig]yng
bp of a babe/nat onely among your honourable
vncles ch[plv]dzen/ of whose conuercsacion and com
pany/ they that were right yuell/might take oc
casyon of goodnelfe and amendement/ But also
with your owne mother/ of whose p[re]ceptes and
teachyng/ and also very vertuous lyueng/ if you
take hede/as I put no feare you vptyll and also do/
you can nat fayle to come to fuche grace and good
nelfe/ as I haue euer had oppnion in you that ye
thulde. Wherfor[ez]e I haue euer in my mynde fauos
red you/ and for[thered to my power your p[ro]fite/
and encreafe ther vnto/ and shall as long as I fe
you delpte in lernynge and vertue/no kynde of
payne or labour refuld on my partie/ that maye
do you good. And as a token of my good mynde/
and an instrument towarde your successe and fur
theraunce I fende you this boke/ lytell in quan
tite but bigge in value/tourned out of latyn in to
englyfthe by your owne for[en]amed kynswoman/
Whose goodnelfe and vertue/two thynges there

b.i j.

be that

be that let me moche to speke of. The one/bicaufe
it were a thyng superfluous to spende many worz
des vnto you about that mater / which your selke
knowe well ynough / by long experience and daply
vse. The other cause is/ foz I wolde eschewe the
sclaundre of flatery: howe be it I count it no klaz-
tery to speke good of them that deferue it/but yet
I knowe that she is as lothe to haue prayse gy-
wyn her/as she is wort hy to haue it/ and had lea-
uer her prayse to reste in mennes hertes / than in
their tonges / or rather in goddes estimacion and
pleasure / than any mannes worzes or thought:
and as touchynge the boke it selke / I referre and
leauie it to the iugementes of those that shall rede
it/ and vnto suche as are lerned / þonely name of
the maker putteth out of question/ the goodnesse
and perectyon of the worke / whiche as to myne
owne opinyon and fantasye / can nat be amended
in any popnte: And as for the translacion therof/
I dare be bolde to say it/ that who so lyst and well
can conferre and exampyne the translacyon w the
originall/ he shall nat kayle to fynde that she hath
thewed her selke / nat onely erudite and elegant in
eyther tong/ But hath also vsed suche wysedom/
suche dyscrete and substancypall iudgement in ex-
presseynge lyuely the latyn/as a man maye para-
venture mylfe in many thynges / translated and
tourned by them that bare þ name of rightwise &
very well lerned men: As the laboure that I haue
had with it about the printing/ I yelde holly and
frely gyue vnto you / in whose good maners and
vertue/

vertue/as in a chylde/ I haue so great affection/
and vnto your good mother/vnto whom I am so
moche beholden/of whole company I take so great
ioye and pleasure/in whole godly communica-
tion I kynde suche spytituall frute and swetnesse/
that as okte as I talke with her/ so okte me thyke
I fele my selfe the better. Therfore nowe good
fraunces folowe styll on her steppes/ looke euer
vpon her lyfe/to enfourme pour owne therafter/
lyke as ye wolde loke in a glasse to tyze your body
by: ye/ and that more diligentlye/in so moche as
the beautie of the body though it be neuer so well
attended/ wyll soone fade and fall awaye: good ly
uyng and vertue ones gotten tarieth styll/ whole
frute ye shall fele/nat onely in this worlde whiche
is transytozie and of thorte contynuaunce/but al-
so in another: And also it thulde be great thame/
dishonestye/ and rebuke vnto you bozne of suche
a mother/ and also nouryshed vp with her owne
teate/ for to degenerate and go out of kynde. Be-
holde her in this age of hers/ in this almost con-
tynuall disease and lyckenesse/ howe busye the is
to lerne/ and in the small tyme that the hath had/
howe moche the hath yet pfited in the latin tõge/
howe great comforte the taketh of that lernynge
that the hath gotten/ and conspizie therby what
pleasure and proude you maye haue here after (if
god lende you lyfe ( as I praye he do) of the lers
nyng that you may haue or you come to her age/
if you spende your tyme well: whiche doyng you
shall be able to do yourselve good/ and be great

b.iii.

ioye

Here after folow we the seuyn peticions of the
Pater noster/translated out of La-
tyn in to Englysshe.

The first petition.

Acer nosfer qui es in celis / sancſtificetur
nomen tuum. Here D father in
heupn the petycions of thy chyl-
den/ whiche thoughe they be as
pet bodilp in erthe / nat withstan-
dynge/ in mynde euer they desyre
and long to come to y countre celestiall/ a fathers
house/ where they well knowe and vnderstande/
that the treasur of euerlastyng welthe and kely-
cite/ that is to ſape/ the inherptaunce of lyfe im-
mortall/ is or dayned for theym. We acknowledge
thyne excellency/ D maker/ ſaupour/ and gouer
nour of all thyng/ conteplned in heuen & in erthe/
And agayne we acknowledge & confesse our owne
bylenesse/ & in no wyſe we durſt be so bolde to call
the father ( whiche are farre vnwozthy to be thy
bonde men ) ne take upon vs the moſt honozaſble
name of thy children/ whiche vnneſth thou vouch
ſauſet thyne angelles/ except thy mere goodnesse
hadde: by adoptpon receyued vs in to the great
honour of this name. The tyme was/ whan we
were ſeruauites to wyckednesse and ſynne/ by the
miserable generacion of Adam: we were also chil
dren of the ſende/ by whose instinction and ſpyzite
we were dzuuen and compelled to euery kynde of
myschefe and offrece. But that thou of thyne infis-


nyte

nite mercy / by thyne onely begoten Sonne Jesus/
made vs free from the thzaldome of fyne / et delys/
teredest vs frô the deuyll our father / et by violèce
riddest vs frô thinheritaunce of eternall fyze / et at
the last / þ vouchsaffest to adopt vs by kaythe and
baptyme / as membzes in the moott holy body of
thy Sonne : nat onely in to the felowshyppe of thy
name / but also of thyne inheritaunce. And bycau-
se we thulde nothying mystrult i thy loue towarde
vs / as a sure token therof / thou sendest from he-
uen downe in to oure hertes / the moott holy spyl-
rite of thy Sonne : Whiche (all seruauntlye feares
thaken of ) boldely cryeth out in our hertes with-
out cellyng / abba pater / Whiche in Englysshe is
as moche to saye / as D father father : et this thy
Sonne taught vs / by whome ( as mynister) thou
gyuest vs all thynge : That whan we were as it
were bozne agayne by thy spylrite / and at the fot-
stone in baptyme / renounced and forsaken our fa-
ther þ deuyll / and had begon to haue no father in
erthe / than we thulde aknowledge onely oure fa-
ther celest yall : By wholse marueplous power we
were made somwhat of ryght nought : by wholse
goodnesse we were restozed / whan we were loste :
by wholse wysedome incomparable / euermoze we
are gouerned / kepte / that we fall nat agayne in
to distruction. This thy Sonne gaue vs full truste
to call vpon the / he assigned vs also away of pray-
ing to the / aknowlege therfore the desire / payer
of thy Sonne / aknowlege the spirite of thy Sonne/
Whiche prayeth to thy maiestie for vs by vs : Do
thou

Þnat disdayne to be called father of thoselwhom
thy sonne moost lyk est thy pmage/vouchesake to
call his bzethern/and yet we ought nat herdpon
to take lykyng in our selfes/but to gyue glozie to
the and thy sonne foz that great gentylnesse:lithe
no man can here of hym selfe ought deferue/but
that thyng whatsoeuer good it be/cometh of thy
onely and free lyberalite.Thou delytest rather in
names louyng and charitable/than terrible and
fearefull:Thou desyest rather to be called a fas-
ther/thanne a lozde oz maister:Thou woldest we
chulde rather loue the as thy chilznen/than feare
the as thy seruautes and bonde men:Thou fyest
louedest vs/and of thy goodnesse also it cometh/
and thy rewarde/that we do loue the agayne.

Gyue care/D father of spperites to thy chyldren
spprituall/whiche in spperite pape to the:Foz thy
sonne tolde vs/that in thoselthat so pape thy de
lyte was/whom therkoze þe sedest in to the worlde
that he chulde teache vs all verte and trouthe.

Here nowe the desyres of vnyte and concozde/foz
it is nat spitting ne agreable/that bzetherne whos
thy goodnesse hath put in equall honoure/chulde
disagre oz barry among themselve/by ambitious
desyre of Wozldely promocion/by contencious de-
bate/hatered oz enup/all we hang of one father/
we all one thyng pape foz and desyre/no man als
keth ought foz hym selfe specially oz a parte/but
as membres of one body/quyckened and releued
With one soule: We requpze and pape in comen/
foz that whiche indyfferestly chalbe expedient and

c

necessary

necessary for all. And in dede we dare none other
than thyng desyre of the / than what thy sonne com
mauded vs / ne otherwise as ke / than as he apoynt
ed vs / for in so as kyng / his goodnesse p[ro]nounced
we Thulde optayne / what soever we prayed for in
his name. And for as moche as whan thy sonne
was here in erthe / he nothyng more seruently de
s[ty]ed / than that thy moost holyname Thulde ap-
pere and thyne / nat onely in Ju[de]a / but also tho
rowe all the worlde / besyde we also / bothe by his
encoraging and en[ample] / this one thing above
all desyre / that the glorie of thy moost h[ol]y name,
maye replenish[]e and full[]yll bothe heuen & erthe,
so that no creature be whiche d[r]edeth nat thy hye
power and maiest[]e / whiche do nat worl[dy]ippe and
reuer[]e also thy w[ys]dome eternall and maruey-
lous goodnesse / for thy glorie as it is great / so ney
ther hau[ng] begynnyng no[]r endyng / but euer in
it selfe / lo[ry]ss[hy]nge / can neyther en[cre]ace no[]r de-
crease / but it skylleth yet m[ä]kynde nat a ly[te]il / þ
euer[]y man it knowe and magnifye / for to knowe
and cofesse the onely very god. And I[Jes]us Christ
whom thou kende[st] in to þ worlde, is as moche to
vs / as lyke eternall. Let the clere [h]ynyng of thy
name / shadowe & quenche in vs all worl[dy]y gl[or]y.
Suffre no man to p[re]sume to take vp[ō] hym selfe
any y[te] of gl[or]y / for gl[or]y out of þ is non / but very
s[clau]d[ie] & rebuke. The course of nature also in car
nall childe[n]en this thyng causeth / that they great
lye desyre the good fame and honest reputacion of
their father: for we maye se howe glad they be / se
howe

howe they reioyce / howe happy also they thynke
them selke / if happen their fathers any great hos
noure / as goodly tryumphe / or their ymage and
picture to be brought in to þ court or comen place
with an honourable preface / or any other goodly
royalte what soeuer it be. And agayne we se how
they wayle / and howe agast and altonped they be/
if chaunce their fathers sclaundre or infamp. So
depely hath this thyng naturall affection routed
in mannes hert / that the fathers reiopse in their
childrens glozry / and their children in the glorie of
their fathers. But for asmoche as þ gostly loue and
affection of god / farre palfeth and excedeth þ car
nall affecion of mā: therfor we thy spirituall chil
dren / moche moze fervently thurt and despye the
glozry and honour of thy most holy name / great
ly are bened and troubled in hert / if he to whom
alone all glozry is due chaunce rebuked or sclaun
dred to be / nat that any sclaundre or rebuke can
myniffthe or defoule the clerenesse of thy glozry / but
that we / as moche as lyeth in vs / in a maner do
wonge and inu ry to thy name / whan soeuer the
gentyls eyther nat knowyng / or elles dispisynge
the maker and originall of all / do worlchippe and hos
mage to creatures most vyle / as made of tymbre
or stone or other peynted images / some also to oxe
some to bulles / and suche other lyke: And mozeos
uer / in all these soule and wycked deuplles / in hos
nour of the they sing hymnes: to these they do fas
crifyce / before these they burne enience and other
swete favours / than we thy spirttuall chyldren /

c.ii. lepng

seyng all this / doubly are agreued / bothe þ thou
hast nat that honour whiche is due to the / that
these wretches perilthe by their owne madnesse &
follye. The iewes also neuer cesse in their sinagos
ges and resor te of people / from dispitetull and ab-
omnable bacbytinge of thy onely Sonne / wherby
in the meane tyme they sclaundre the / sithe it can
nat be chosen whan thy Sonne is mil kamed (whis
che is þ very clerenesse of thy glorie ) but that in-
kamp also must redounde in the. They cast eke in
our tethe / as a thyng of great dishonestie / þ most
glorious name of thy chyldren / sapeng / þ it were
better to be called theues or manquellers / thaine
christen men and folowers of Christ. They lep a-
gaynst vs also that thy Sonne was crucified / whis
che is to vs great glorie and renoume / We maye
thake thy mercy father of all this thyng that we
haue / and acknowledge the as originall and cau-
ser of all oure helthe / that we worlhoppe also thy
sonne in egall authorite with the / that we haue
recepued in to our hertes the spirite of you bothe.
But yet good father in heuen / we pray þ to thewe
thy mercy to those also / that bothe the gëtyls lea-
upng and forlakping the worlhippnyng & homage
of counterfaite ymages : maye do all honour and
reuerence to thy maieltie alone / and the iewes re-
leued with the spirite / renounsing their superstiti-
cious blyng of the lawe maye confesse god / from
whom all thyng so abundantly cometh / may con-
fesse the Sonne of god / by whome we recepue all :
maye confesse the holYGolٹ / parttaker and felowe
of the

of the diuyne nature/Let them worchippe in thre
persons/one and egall maiestie/and acknowledge
thre persons as one proper persone/ so that euery
nacpon/ euery tonge/ euery seete/ euery age/as
well olde as yong/maye with one assent auauunce
and p[ra]ise thy mooſt holy name. And J wold to
god that we also/ whiche beare the name of thy
children/were nat diſhonestie to thy glozie/amon
gest thole y knowe the nat: for lyke as a good and
wise ſonne is the glozie and honour of his father/
so a foliffe and vnthizity childe/ getteth his father
dishonestie and chame/ and he is nat a naturall and
pper childe/ whoſoever do nat labour all that he
can to folowe and be like his father in wytte and con
ditions: But thy ſonſe J[es]us is a very kynde and
naturall childe/ for he is a very full and perſite y[
mage and similitude of the/ whom holly he is lyke and
representeth. We whiche are become thy children
by adoption and nat by nature/confering our
ſelves after his enſample/ endeauer as moche as
lyeth in vs/ to come to ſome maner lykenſſe of y[
that lyke wise as thou wale moſt parkitely exal[
ted and glozified in thy ſonſe J[es]us: so as farforſt
as our weakenſſe wyll suffre/thou mayſt be glo[
rified also in vs/but the wayes howe thou mayſt
be glozified in vs/is/ if the worlde perceyue that
we lyue after y teaching and doctrine of thy ſonſe
that is to ſay/ik they ſe that we loue the aboue all
thyng/ and our neighbour and brother no leſſe than
our owne ſelves/ and that we euer beare good myde
and loue to our ennemy and aduerſary/ also well

c.jii.

dopng

Doing and profying those/ whiche do vs iniurp &
Wong: For thele chynges thy sonne badde vs we
Thulde do / whan he p[ou]oked vs to the solowyng
and likenesse of our father in heuen/ whiche com
maundeth his sonne to thyne vpon good and yuell:
And howe great a chame and dychoneste are they
to thy glorie/ whiche whau they haue p[ro]fessed &
taken vpon them thy name / nat withstandynge/
do robbery and theke: commyt aduoutrie: chyde
and bzaule: study to reuege: go about to disceyue:
for were theym selke by thy moost holy name: as
monge also sclaundze and backebyte: haue their
belly as their god: dispyce the / and do seruice and
homage to worldely richesse. And truely the com
men forzte of people for the moost pte / esteme god
after the lyueng and codicions of his seruautes.
For if they may parceyue that they whiche haue
p[ro]fessed thy name/ lyue viciouslye: thanne they
crpe our and laye. What a god is he / that hath su
the maner of wo[sh]ippers: I ye on suche a mays
ster that hath so vnrewly seruauntes: Dut vpon
suche a father/ whose chilzen be so leude: Bamts
ched be suche a kyng / þ hath suche maner of peo
ple and subiectes. Thy sonne therforze confyding
this/ taught vs / that lykewise as he bothe lyues
eng and dyeng euer glorified thy name / so we al
so all that we might/ thulde endeuer by chaſt and
blamelesſe condicions / to auauunce and p[re]p[le] the
clerenesſe of thy glorie/ lay eng vnto vs. Let your
light shine in the ſight of men / that they maye ſe
your good wo[ke]ſ / & in thofe gloriſp your father
in heuen/

in heuen. But in vs a good father/there is no
lyght at all / excepte it wyll please the to sende vs
any/ whiche arte the contynuall and euerlastyug
spring of all lyght: nor we of our selkes can bring
forthe no good workes. Thertoze good lorde we
praye the / lette thy goodnelle worke in vs / thы
clere lyght chine in vs: as in all thynge that thou
hast created/ dothe chine thy eternall and endlesse
power/thy wypdome vnable to be expressend thы
wonderfull goodnelle whiche moost specially/ yet
thou vouchsafest to chewe to mankynde. Nowe
than whyder soeuer we loke/ all thynges gloriye
thy name: the erthely spirites bothe day & nyght
neuer lynne pray eng their lorde and kyng: þ wos
derfull also th heuenly ingen that we beholde: the
disagreyng concorde mozeouer of the elamentes:
the flowing and ebbyng of the see: þ bubliflhyng
of rypers: the enduring courses of waters: so ma
ny dyuers kydes of thynges/ so many kyndes of
trees and of herbes/ io many of creatures/ and
to euery thyngh the proper apoynted and sette na
ture: As in þ Adamant stone to drawe yon/ þ her
bes to cure and heale diseales and sickencesse : All
these thynges I saye/ what other thyngh do they
chewe to vs than the glorie of thy name/ th that
thou arte onely very god/onely immortall/onely
of all power and might/onely wypse/onely good/
onely mercypfull/onely Juste/onely trewe/onely
marueplous/onely to be loued & had in reuerèce.
Than father/we may well se that he doth wrong
to thy glorious name/ who soeuer take vpon him
selke to

self to be called by any of these names / for though
there be in us any of these rehearsed vertues / pet
all that cometh to us from thy liberall goodnesse.
Graunt nowe therforee father / that thy name on
every side be glorified / and that the light and glo-
ry of thy name/mape no lesse appere and thyne in
our maners and lyuenge / than it chyneth in thy
Angels / and in all thynge that thou hast created
and made: that in lykewise as they / whiche be
holde and loke upon this worlde of the woderfull
and marueplous wozkeman shippe / do guesse the
excellency of the maker therof: so they that knowe
the nat / moued and stered by our example / mape
bothe cōfesse their owne misery and wretchednes
and marueile thy liberall goodnesse / and by these
meanes turned and couerted / may togyer with
us glorify the most holy name of the / of thy sove-
and of the holy goest / to whom indifferently all ho-
nour and glorie is due for ever. Amen. ✿

### The seconde peticion.

A due niat regnum tuum. D father in heuen/
whiche arte the onely causer / maker / sa-
uiour / restor er / ſe gouernour of all / bothe i heuen
and in erthe / out of whom cometh ſpocedeth all
authorite / power / kyngdome / and rule / as well to
thynges vncreated as created / as well to thinges
imuible as visible / whose trone and seate of ma-
iestie is the heuen: ſe the erthe as fotestole: whose
kyngly septre & mace / is thyne eternall and most
estably lshed

established Wyll/whom no power is able to with
stāde. Dnes thou promisest thy people by þ mous
thes of thy prophetes/ for the helth of mākynde/
a certayne spirituall realmie/ whiche chulde byg
into liberte/those that were thyne & borne anewe
in the/ and chulde delyuer them out of the tyrans
nous hādelyng of the kende/ whiche in tyme past
raigned as prince in the worlde/ soze entangled &
combzed with synne. And to the gettyng & optayn
nynge of this realme/ thou bouchslauelt to kende
from heuen downe into the erthe thy onely soñe/
whiche with the lolle of his owne lyke/ redemp
ge vs/ where we were afoze seruauntes of the de
upll/chulde make vs the children of god: and be
rily thy sonne/ while he lyued here in erthe/ was
wont to call his gospel/the heuenly kyngdome &
the realme of god: whose knowlege yet he sayde/
to be hydde and kepte secrete from vs/but nat w
standyng/thy children humbly require/and with
feruente desyre/beseke the that this realme/whis
che our lorde Jesus chalēged for the/ myght day
lpe more and more be disclosed and opyned here in
erth/bntyll that tyme come/in whiche that same
thy sonne shall restore and rendre it vp to the full
and hole/whan all those haue subdued themselke/
whom thy goodnesse or the begynyng of þ worlde
hath apoynted to dwell in this realme. And wha
all obstinate and rebelleous spirites/ and all mas
lycious and puell desyres be fully quenched & wyp
ped away/whiche hiden to and at this day/make
warre and insurrection agaynst thy maielte/whi

D the vere

the bepe and vnquiete thy communaltè/What time
thy roialme chalbe in sure peace and tràquillite:
For verily as yet the worlde/ by all the meanes &
subtilties it can/oppresse thy childre/ Wâdzyng
here bodily in erth as yet: also corrupt & vnclene
affections/and olde original synue/rebell & striue
ayenst the Spirite: as yet noyous and wycked spi-
rites/Whiche thou banpydde dest/ and put out of
the heuely cite/ do affaut with fyzely dartes from
aboue thole/ whom thou of thy mere goodnesse
haft deuyd ed fro this worlde/ and as chosen folke
and parttakers of thy lone/ haft apoynted to thy
roialme. Graunt father of all myght/ that they/
Whom thy goodnesse ones hath delyuered fro the
tyżany of synne/ and aspygned to dwell in thy roj-
alme/maye by the benifitte of the same benygne
goodnesse contynue/and stedfastly abyde in theyz
liberte and fredome: and that none leauynge and
kayling from the and thy lonne/ retourne agayne
in the tyzannous seruice of the deuyll: ſo bothe
We by thy lonne chall raigne in the to our welthe/
and thou in vs to thy glorie: for thou art glorified
in our blyſſe/ and our blyſſe is of thy goodnesse.
Thy lone Jefus taught vs we chuid edispice the
realme of this worlde/ whiche standeth all by ry-
chelſe/ and is holde vp by garriſons of men/ by ho-
ſtes and armour/ which alio what ſoEUER it doth/
dothe by pryde and violence/ and is both gotten/
kept/ and defended by fierſe cruelnelfe: ſt he with the
holy gooſt/ ouercame ſy wycked Spirite that ruled
as chelſe and heed in the worlde: afore he by inno-
cency

cency and purenesse of lyuyng/had the victorie of
synne/by mekenesse venqueshed cruelnesse/by
suffraunce of many dispitefull rebukes/recovered
euerlau tyng gloz p/by his owne deth restozed life/
and by his ctoisse had triumphe vpon the wycked
spirites. Thus woderfully haſt thou father war
red and ouercome:after this maner thou both tri
umpheſt & reigneſt in thy ſonne Jesus/by whom
it hath pleased the of thy goodnesse/to take vs in
to the cōgregació of the dwellers in thy royalme.
Thus also thou tryu pheſt and reigneſt in thy ho
ly martyzs/in thy chaſt virgins and pure confes
ſours/ whiche yet nepther by thep z owne stregh
noz power/dyde ouercome the fierſenesſe and diſ
pleasure of iyzantes/ne the raging oz the wanto
neſſe of the kieſſhe/ne the maliciousneſſe of this
worlde. But it was thy ſpirite father/ Whiche it
pleased the to gyue them to þ gloz ie of thy name/
and the helthe of mankynde/ that was bothe the
begyner and ender of all this in them: And we fa
ther/hertely desire the/ that thy realme may flo
riffthe also in vs: whiche all though we do no my
racles/ for asmoche as nepther tyme noz mater re
quireth:albe it we be nat impzy ſoned noz turmen
ted: though we be nat wouſed noz bi ent/althogh
we be nat crucified noz dz owned: though we be
nat beheeded:p et nat withstandyng/the strengthe
and clereneſſe of thy realme:may ſhine and be no
ble in vs/ if the worlde perceyue/ that we by the
helpe of thy ſpirite/ande ſtedfaſt & ſure agaynſt
all allauſes of the deuill/ and agaynſt the kieſſhe:

D.ii.

Whiche

whiche alwaye stereth and prouoketh vs to thole
thynges/that be contrary to the spirite/ et agayst
the worlde/ whiche by all the wapes it can/mo-
ueth vs to forſake and leaue the truſt that we ha-
ue ones put in the/ As often so euer as for thy loue
we despice and ſette nought by the realme of this
worlde/ and with full truſt hange vpon the heuë-
ly kyngdome/ that thou haſt p[roni]ſed vs: as of-
ten also/ as we forſake and leaue honourynge of
erthely richeſſe/ and onely worſhyp and enbace þ
pr[ecious and goſtly lernyng of the goſpell/ as of-
ten as we refuse thole thy ges/ that for the ſeason
ſeme ſwete and pleaſaunt to the kiffely carnal
appetite/ and in hope and truſt of eternall felicite
We suſſre paciently and valiantly all thynge/be it
neuer so harde: as often also as we can be content
to forſake our naturall affections/ and that whi-
che we haue moost dere/ as our fathers and mo-
thers/wpues/chypdren/ and kynſefolke/ for the
loue of the: Likewise as often as we oppr[es]ſe and
rekrayne þ furious and fierſely vrapdes of angre/
and gyue mylde et meke wordes/ to thole þ chyde
and vzaule with vs/and do good to them/whiche
do vs unurp and w[ronge]: and all for thy ſake.

So often father thou warrest in vs / and ouercos-
meſt the realme of the deuill / et openyſt þ myght
and power of thy realme. Thus it hath pleſed
and lyked thy wypdome father/by continuall and
greuous bataple/to exerciſe/conſyrme/and make
itedſaſte the vertue and ſtrength of thy people.
Encreaſe ſuche ſtrength in thy childe/that they
may

maye euer retourne stronger from their bataple,
and that whan by lytell and lytell / their enemies
and aduersaries myght is minyllhed and broken
thou mayest euery day more and more raygne in
vs: But the tyme is nat yet come good father / in
whiche all the worlde haue subdued them selfe to
thy poke: For as yet / that tyrannous fende hath
a do with many and diuers nacions: There is nat
yet one herde / and one herde maplter / whiche we
hope chalbe / whan the iewes also chall bryng and
subimyt them selfe to the spirituall and golestely ler
nyng of þ gospell: for yet many knowe nat howe
great a liberté it is / and what a dignite / and how
great a felicite / to be subiectes to the heuenly re-
alme: and that is the cause why they had rather
be the seruantes of the deuill / than thy children
inheritours with Jesu / and parttakers of þ kyrge
dome of heuen / and amongst thos[e] two father /
that walke within the clopiter of thy churche / Æ
feme as chefe in thy realme / there are nat a fewe /
(alas) which holde on their aduersaries side: and
as moche as lyeth in them / abate / chame / a dis-
honest the glory of thy realme. Werkoze we specis
ally desyre and wiffhe for that tyme / whiche thou
woldest none to knowe but thy selfe alone / in Whi-
che / acordyng to the p[ro]mple of thy sonne / chy an-
gels chall come and make clene the flooze of thy
churche / and gader to guether into thy barne the
pure corne / deuyped and feuered fro the cockle / Æ
plucke out of thy realme / all maner occasyon of
schaundze / What tyme there chall nepther be hun-
d. liij. ger noz

D. liij.

ger noz

ger noz pouerte: no necessite of clothig: no disease:
no dethe: no pursuer: no hurt oz puell at all/ne as
ny feare oz suspicion of hurte but than all the bo
dy of thy dere sonne heaped togyder in theyr heed/
shall take fruicion and pleasure of thy blessed com
pany of heuen. As they whiche in the meane tyme
had rather serue the tyzannous fende/shall togys
ther with their maister be banysshed and sente as
wape to euerlastyng punithement: And trewely
this is the realme of Israel/ whiche whan Ies
us Christ forsoke the erthe/ returned agayne
to his disciples/desyred/ myght shortly be restos
red. Than thou madest heuen free and rydde ki
all rebellion/ what tyme Lucifere with his com-
pany was calte out. So ones in the day of dome
and ingement whan the bodyes shall atyre/thou
thalte departe the sheepe from the gottes: than
who so cuer hath here with all diligéce embraled
the spirytuall and goostely realme of the gospell/
thalbe desyred and brought to the/to the inherp-
taunce of the euerlast pnge kyngdome/to þ whiche
thy goodnesse had apoynted theym oz the worlde
was made. This fortunate and happy day whis
the thy sonne Iesus promyſed chulde come/We
thy children good kather/greatlye desyre/whiche
dwelle here in erthe as outlawes in cryle/so re lo
dened with the hugenesſe of the erthely body/suf-
frying in the mean tyme/ many greuous displea
sures/ and sozowyng that we be withdrawn frō
thy company/ wherof than we shall haue perfite
pleasure and fruicion/ When face to face we shall
ſe and

se and beholde our kyng and father/raignyng in
his great glorie. And yet we haue nat this hope &
truste of our owne merites and desertes / whiche
we knowe verily as non/but onely of thy liberall
goodnesse: Wherby it lyked the to bestowe thyne
owne Sonne holly for vs/ and to sende vs the holy
goolt as pledge and token of this inheritaunce: T
if it will please the also to graunt / that we maye
stedfastly and without any waueryng / contynue
in thy Sonne Jesus: than thou canst nat departe
vs from the company of thy realme: To whome
with that same thy Sone and the holy goolt/all re
nome/honour / and glorie is due worlde without
ende.

Amen.

## The thyrd de peticion.

Jat volumtas tua sient in celo et in terra. D kat
ther whiche art the noz pleyher and ordeier of
all/ whom it pleaseth thy Sonne to aknowlege as
his bretherne / and he so aknowlegeth all thole þ
in pure kape the pleyesselth his name in baptysme:
Thy children here in erthe call and crye to þ dwel
lyng in heuen/a place farre out of all chaungeable
mutabilite of thynges created/despyng in dede/
to come to thy heuenly and celestiall company/ whi
che is defouled with no maner spotte of yuell/ sa
upng they knowe well that non can be taken and
receyued in to so great a tranquillite & quietnesse/
but onely they/ whiche with busye studye/ whyle
they lyue here/labour to be such as ther must be:

Therfore

Therfore it is all one realme/ bothe of heuen and
erthe/ Sauyng this difference / that here we haue
soze & greuous conflicte w the fellethe/ the worlde/
and the deuill : and there all though there is no:
thyng that might minythe or defoyle the welthe
of blessed soules : Yet as touchynge the full perfe:
ction of felicite/ there is some maner mylle / whi:
che is / that all the membzes and partes of thy
sonne be gathered together/ and that the hole bo:
dy of thy lonne / sake and founde be iopned to his
heed/ Wherby nepther Christe shall lacke any of
his partes and membzes / noz good mennes soules
theyr bodyes: whiche lykewise as they were euer
here in erthe parttakers of theyr punis[h]ementes
and afflictiös: so their desyse is to haue them com
paniös of their ioye in heuen. And they finally in
this worlde/go about to folowe the vnite and con:
cozde of the heuenly kyngedome / whiche all the
tyme theyp lyue bodily in erthe/as it becometh na:
turall and obedient children / studye with all dili:
gence to fulfyll thos[e] thyn ges/ whiche they knowe
shall cötent thy mynde & pleasure / and nat what
their owne sensuall appetite gyueth them / ne iu:
gyng or disputyng why thou woldest this or that
to be done / but thynkyng it sufficient / that thus
thou woldest it / whom they knowe surely to wyl
nothing / but that that is best. And what thy will
is / we lerned sufficient[ly] of thy onely begotton &
moost dere sonne. He was obeydient to thy wyl/
eupn to his owne dethe/ and thus he sayd / so our
lernyng and instruction. Father/ if it may conue:
niently

nyently be/suffre this drynke of my passyon to be
withdawen from me/howe be it/ yet thy wyll be
fulfylled and nat myne. So that thâ nedes must
man be a chamed/to prieferre ſet forzth his owne
wyll/ if Christ our maister was côtent to cast his
owne wyll awaye/ and subdue it to thyne.

The fleſſhe hath his p[ro]p[er]e wyll and delyte/whiſ
the man naturally deſyzeth to kepe and folowe.
The worlde also hath a wyll by it ſelke/and the de
upll his wyll/ farre contrarpe to thyne. Foz the
ſleſſhe coueteth agaynſt the ſpirite whiche we ha
ue receyued of the: and the worlde entyſeth vs to
ſette our loue on frayle and vanp[er]ſhyng thynges:
and the deupll laboureth about that/ that might
b[ring] mâ to euerlaſting diſtruction. No[te] it is nat
inough/ þ in baptyme we haue p[re]ſſed/ þ we wyll
be obedient to thy p[re]ceptes/ and there to haue re
nounced the deuils ſeruice/ excepte we labour all
our lyfe/to perſourme ſtedfastly that/ whiche we
haue p[re]ſſed: But that we can nat perſourme/
but if thou gyue vs strengthe/to helpe ſo[the] our
purpose: so that our wyll haue no place in vs/ but
let thy wyll father worke in vs that/ whiche thy
w[or]d[ome] iudgeth and thynketh best ſo[th] vs. Who
so ever lpueth after the fleſſhy ſ carnall appetite
they are deed to the/ and than nat as thy child[re].
Ye/ and we thy children also/ as longe as we are
here bodil[yn] in erthe/ haue among nat a litell bus[is]
nelle and a do/in venqueſſhing the fleſſhy delite:
Whiche labo[re]eth to p[re]uent thy w[or]ll: but graunt
good father/ that thyne euer ouercome ſ haue þ
better

e

better

better/Whether it lyke the we lyue o'r dye /o'r to be  
punishted for our correction /o'r be in p[ro]sperite/to  
the entent we thulde gyue the thankes for thy lice  
herall goodnelle. And they folowe and obe ye the  
wyl of the deuyl/Whiche do sacrifice and homage  
to idols/Whiche sclauderoullp backebite thy most  
honorable sonne/ and for enuy and puell wyll/go  
about to brynge theyr nepghbour in to perill and  
distru[ct]ion: and so they may shortly waxe ryche/  
care nat whether they do rpyght o'r w[or]ong/and are  
a fullfylled with corrupt and vnclene thoughtes/  
But this is thy wyll father /that we thulde kepe  
both our body and mynde chaft and pure from al  
vnclenesse of the worlde /and that we thulde pre[  
ferre and set mo[re] by thyne honour & thy sonnes/  
th[au] all other thynges besyde. And that we thulde  
be angry with no man/ne enupe o'r reuenge any  
man/but alway be redp to do good for puell: ye/&  
to be content rather with turmentes/hüger/im[  
p[ri]sonement/banys[hem]ent/and dethe/than in  
any thynge to be contrarpe to thy pleasure: And  
that we may be able euery day mo[re] and mo[re]/to  
perfourme all this/helpe vs D father in heuen/  
that þ[er] klessthe may euer mo[re] and mo[re] be subiect  
to the S[pir]ite/and our S[pir]ite of one affent/and one  
mynde with thy S[pir]ite. And likewyse as nowe in  
dyuerse places thy children/ Whiche are obedient  
to the go[sp]ell/obey and do after thy wyll: to graut  
they may do in all the worlde besyde /that euery  
man may know and vnderstáde /that thou alone  
art the onely heed and ruler of al thyng/and that  
in like

in lyke wyle as there are none in heuen / Whiche mutter and rebell agaynst thy wyll / so let euery man here in erthe / with good mynde and gladde there obey thy wyll and godly preceptes. Noz we can nat effectually and fully mynde what þ good lozde wyllest / exeepte it wyll pleale the to plucke & dize we vs therto. Thou cōmaundelt vs to be obe dyent to thy wyll and pleasure / and in dede they are nat wORTHY to be called childeen / but if in all payntes they folowe and obey theyr fathers byd dyng: but lithe it hath liked thy goodnesse to take vs / although farre vnworthy into so great an hou sour of thy name: let it pleale the alio of the gen tylnesse to gyue vs a redy and stedfast wyll / that in nothynge we ouer hippe or be agaynst that / whi che thy godly and divine wyll hath apoynted vs / but that we kyll and mortifye our fleshly and car nall lustes / and by the spirite be ledde to þ dopng of all good wozkes / and al thyng that is pleasaunt vnder thy light. Wherby þ father mayst aknow ledge vs as thy childeen naturall / and nat out of kynde / and thy sonne as kynde & good byetherne: that is to saye / that bothe twayne maye aknow ledge in vs his owne prieple benefyte / to whome with the holy goost equall and indifferent / glozie is due for ever. Amen. ♦

The fourth petition.

Anem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. D fa ther in heue/whiche of thy excedyng good nesse/moost plentuously fedelt all thynges þ thou e.ij. halte

hast so wonderfully created/ provided for by thy child,
dren/whiche are chosen to dwell in thy celestiall
and heuely house/and that hang holly and onely
of thy sonne/some spirituall and goostly fode/that
we obeyng thy will and preceptes/may dayly en
crease and waxe bigger in vertue/bntyl after the
course of nature we haue optayned and gathered
a full and ptyte strength in our lorde Jesu Christ.
The children of this worlde/so longe as they are
nat banyshted ne out of theyr frendes fauour/all
that tyme they take lytell care of their meate and
drynke: sithe their fathers of their tendre loue tos
ward them/make sufficient provision for them.
Than moche lesse ought we to be carefull or studi
ous/whom thy sonne Jesus taught thulde caste
away all care of the morowe meale/perwadyng
and assuring vs/that so riche a father/so gentyll/
so louynge/and that had so great mynde of vs/for
whiche sente meat to the lytell byrdes/and so no:
bly clotheth þe lles in the medowe/wolde nat su:
fre his childre/whiche he hath endued with so ho
nourable a name/to lacke meate and bodily appa
rayle: but all thyng lette aspde that belongeth to
the body/We thulde specially and above all/seke
and labour about thole thynges/whiche pertay:
neth and belongeth to thy realme/and the iustice
therof.For as touching the iustes of the pharises
that sauereth all carnally/thou ytterly dispysest
and lettest nought by: For the spirituall iustes of
thy realme/staeth by pure faythe and vnkyned
charyte. And it were no great mater or chewe of
thy

thy plentye / to fede with bzeed made of cornne the
body / whiche althoughe it perillhed nat for hun-
ger / yet it must nedes dye & perillthe within that
space / ether by spckenesse / age / or other chaunce /
but we they spirituall and goostly children / desyre
and craue of our spirituall father / that spirituall
& celestiall bzeed / wherby we are verily relyued /
whiche be verily and truely called thy children: þ
bzeed is thy worde full of all power / bothe the gy-
uer and noyissher of lyke: Whiche bzeed þ vouches
sauest to lende vs downe from heuen / what tyme
we were lyke to haue perillhed for hügre. For be-
rily / the bzeed and teachynge of the proude philo-
sophers and pharises / coude nat suffice and con-
tent our mynde: But that bzeed of thyne / whiche
thou lendest vs / restored deed men to lyke / of whi-
che who soeuer dothe eate shall neuer dye. This
bzeed relyued vs : by this bzeed we are noyisshed
and fatted : and by this we come vp to the perfite
and full strength of þ spirite. This bzeed though
day by day it be eaten and distributed to euery bo
well of the soule / yet but if thou father doest gyue
it / it is nat hollsome noz any thyng auayleth. The
blessed body of thy dere sonne is the bzeed / wher-
of we be all parttakers / þ dwell within thy large
house of the churche. It is one bzeed that indiffe-
rently belogeth to us all / lykewyse as we are but
one body / made of sondrye and diuers membres /
but yet quickened with one spirite: and though al
take of this bzeed / yet to many it hath ben dethe
and destruction / for it can nat be relefe / but to lu-
e.iii. the as

the as thou reachest it vnto / impnglynge it with
thy heuenly grace / by the reason wherof it maye
be holsome to the receyvours. Thy softe is verite
and trouth/trouth also is the bzeed and teachpyng
of the gospell / Whiche he lefte behynde hym for
our spirituall fode / and this bzeed likewile to ma-
ny hath ben vnkaucry / which haue had y mouth
of theyr soule out of tafte / by the feuer of cozrupte
affectiós. But and it wyll please the good father
to gyue forthe this bzeed / than it must of necessite
be swete ſ pleasaunt to the eaters: thâ it chal cóforzt
thofe that be in tribulation / and plucke vp thofe
that be flydden ſ fallen downe / and make stronge
thofe that be sicke and weake / and finally brynge
vs to euerlasting lyfe. And for aimoche as the im
becilite and weakenesse of mânes nature / is euer
redy ſ apt to declyne into the worlde / as the soule of
man so côtynually assauited ſ layde at with so ma-
ny subtile ingyns / it is expedient and necessaryp/
that thou daply make stronge & hert thy childefen
With thy bzeed / whiche elles are farre vnable to
resyst so many and so stronge ennemyes so many
assautes / and so many kearefull & terrible dartes.
For who father might abyde to be had in derision
of the worlde / to be outlawed and banisshed / to be
putte in prison : to be fettred and manacled : to be
spoyled of all his goodes / and by stronge hande/
be depriued of the company of his moost dere wypke
and welbeloued childefen / but if nowe and thâ / he
were hertened with thy hcuely and goſtly bzeed:
He that teacheth the lernpyng of the gospell / he is
he that

he / þ gyueth vs for the this breed / whiche yet he
gyueth all in bayne / except it be also gyuen by þ.
Many there are / whiche receyue the body of thy
sonne / and that here the worde and doctryne of the
gospell / But they departe fro thence no stronger
than they came / by cause they haue nat deferred
that thou good father / shuldest priuely and inuis
sibly reache it for the vnto them. This breed / D
most benigne father / gyue thy childre euery day /
vntpIl that tyme come / in whiche they shall eate
of it / at thy heuenly and celestiall table: Wherby
the children of thy realme shall be fulfylled with þ
plentuous abundancye of euerlastynge trouthe.
And to take fruicio therof / it were a marueplous
felicite and pleasure / whiche hath nede of none os
ther thyng at all / neyther in heuen no<sup>r</sup> erthe: For
in the D father alone is all thynge / out of whom
is right nought to be desyred / whiche toguyther
with thy sonne and the holy goolte / raygnest for
euer. Amen. ☞

### The fykte peticion.

A dimitte nobis debita nostra / sicut et nos dimittis
mus debitoribus nostris. This is thy wyll and
mynde D father in heuen / whiche art the maker
of peace and fauourer of concorde / that thy chyl-
dren / whom it hath pleased thy goodnes to cou-
ple and iopne in the bodes of one assent: That
thou quickenest with one spirit / with one bap-
tysme purgest and makest clene / and in one house
of the

of the churche acōpanyest/and with the cōmen fa
cramentes of the churche doest nozisſhe: ſ whom
thou haſt indifferently called to the inheritaunce
of the kyngedome of heuen/byaſſe they ſhulde
be of moſe ſtrength/and ſhulde lyue toguyder in
thy house of one mynde: and that there ſhulde be
no ſtryke of contencion amongſt the partes and
membres of one body/ but eche to lyue in charite
With other: Yet in ſo moche as they are ſapne to
kepe ſtyll theyz moſtall body/ it can nat be choſe/
but by reaſon of the weakenesse and frailte of na-
ture amonge/displeasure & offences ſhall chaunce/
Whereby though the clerenſſe of brotherly loue &
concozde be nat betterly extint and quenched/yet
it is made all ſapnt and colde/ and lyke in conclu-
sion to be quenched: Except þ father of thy great
gentylnſſe & mercy/ ſhuldeſt daply forgyue thowe
that euery day offended the: for as often as we of
ſende our brother/ ſo often also we offende and diſ
please þ father/ whiche cōmaſſeddeſt we ſhulde
loue our brother as our owne ſelke/ but thy ſonne
knowyng well inough the imbecilite and weake-
nſſe of this membze/ ſhewed vs a remedy ther-
koze/gyupng vs ſure hope þ thy goodnſſe wolde
remytte and forgyue vs all our offences/ if we on
the other ſide with all our hert wolde forgyue our
brother/what ſo euer he trefpaceth agaynste vs/
and this is a very equall and indifferent waye to
optayne pdon and forgyuenſſe/ whiche thy ſone
Jesus hath assigned: For howe can any mā be ſo
volde to desyre his father to withdrawe his reue/
gyng

gginge hande from hym / if he hym selfe go about
to reuenge a lytell offence in his brother / or who
is of so chameleesse boldenesse / that wolde nat be a
frayde to faye to the / Slake thy angre / whan he
contynueth in rancoure and malyce styll towarde
his brother : And howe can he surelp boost and a
uaunce hym selfe as a membze of thy sonne / whi-
che beþng fre from all synne hym selfe / p[ray]de the
to forgyue the theues on the crosse / if he all entan
gled with synne / and a synner coulde nat fynde in
his hert to forgyue his brother / agapnst whome
nowe and than he offendeth : so that amōgest vs
it mape be called rather as mutuall chaige of þ-
done / than þerp forgyuenesse : that sacrifice is im
pleasaunt in thy sight / whiche is offred in reme-
braunce of displeasure or neglygence / of reconcy-
lyng his brothers good will . Therefore thy sonne
gaue vs this in cōmaundement / that we thulde
leau[e] our offring eupn at þauter / þh[e]e vs a pace
to our brother / and labour to be in peace with hþ /
and than returne agapne / ofþre vp our rewarde :
Lawe nowe / we folowe þ thy sonne hath taught
vs / we endeuer to performre that he hath done / if
thou knowlege the couenant & bargapne made
of thy so[n]e / as we dout nat but thou doest / graut
vs we beleke the / that thyng wherof we had full
hope & trust by thy sonne : Thus he bad vs p[ray]e
whan he answered nat a fewe tymes / þ we thulde
optapne what socuer we delved of þ in his name
he made vs bolde to p[ray] to the / vouche[s]ke thou
by him / to forgyue thole that call upon the : We a

ſ knowlege

gaynst euery yuell affaut / yet whan we consydzre
howe weake and fraile the nature of man is/ and
howe ignorant also we be / whome thy goodnesse
wylt judge and thynke worthy the contynuaunce
in thy loue/ to the ende of this lyfe / in whiche as
long as we are / a thousande maner of wayes we
be stered to fall and ruyne / therfore we can nat be
utterly seker and carelesse: all this lyfe is rounde
about be sette with the dyuelles snares/ he neuer
tesseth temptynge vs / whiche was nat a frayde
with craftie subtylteis to sette vpon thy sonne Je
sus/ We call to mynde howe greuouſly the fende
affauted thy ſeruaunt Job: We remembre howe
Saull was fyrst thy electe and choſen ſeruaunt/ a
within a while after cast out of they sight: We can
nat forget howe Daupd whom þ calleddeit a ma
eupn after thyne owne appetyte / was drawn to
that great villany of ſynne/ that he mengled ad
uoutre with maſ laughter: We consydzre howe So
lomon whom in the begynnynge of his rule/ thou
gauest wyſedome aboue all men/was brought to
that madnesse and folly / that he dyde sacrifyce to
strange & utter goddes: We remembre also/ what
befell the chefe and heed of thyne apostles / whi
che after that he had so valiantly p[ro]ſessed / that
he wolde dye with his maylter/ nat with stádyng
thrize forſware his mailter. These and ſuche ma
ny other/ whan we consydzre / we can nat but keare
and abozre the icopardy of temptacion: and thy
fatherly loue wolde vs alway to be in this keare/
bycause we thulde nat fluggilſhely & slouthfully

k. 11.

begyn

begyn to trust in our owne helpe / but defeide and
arme our selfe agapnst euery saute of temptacion
with lobze temperaunce / watche / et prayer: wher
by we thulde neyther prouoke our ennemy / reme
bzing our owne feblenesse / noz be ouerthzone in y
storme of temptacion trustyng to thy ayde / with
out whiche we are able to do right nought / y suf-
frest among teptacion to fall / eyther to proue and
make itedfast the suffraunce & pacience of thy chil-
dren / as Job and Abraham were tempted / or els
by suche courges to correcte and chaften our offe-
ces: but howe often soever thou suffrest this / we
praye the thou wylt bing that same temptacion
to good and lucky ende / et gyue vs strength egall
to the mou'tenaunce & weight of the puels y come
upon vs / it is no lytell ieopardy whan soever we
be thretned with losse of our goodes / w banyllhes-
ment / rebukes / impri'sonment / with bandes and
bodily turmentyng / et horrible and fearfull dethe
But we are in no lesse peryll atall / whan p'sperite
to moche laugheth on vs / than whan we be ouer
moche feared with trouble and aduerlyte: They
are an innumerable softe whiche fall on euery side /
some for feare of punyshment do sacrifyce to wic-
ked deuyls / some ouerthzone and a stonyed with
puels and vexacíos / do blasphemie thy most holy
name: et agapne / some drowned with ouermoche
worldely welthe / sette at nought and dyspice thy
gyktes of grace / and retourne agapne in to their
olde and former fylthynesse / as the sonne that the
scripture speketh of / whiche after tyme he hadde
spent

YALE

spent and revelled out all his fathers substaunce,
by vnthzikty and vngracious rule / was brought
to that misery and wretchednesse / that he employed
the swyne their chaffe. We knowe well good fas-
ther / that our aduerary hath no power ouer vs
at all / but by thy suffraunce: Wherfore we be cō-
tent to be put to what soeuer ieopardy it pleaseth
the / so it wyll lyke thy gentylnesse to measure our
ennemys affaute and our strength / for so though
we be somtyme in the fyzt mettng to weake / yet
thy wysedome in the concluſyon wyll tourne it to
our welthe. So thy moſt dere and honorable ſon/
was euer wonte to ouercome the deuyll: thus the
ſelecte: and thus the worlde: that when he ſemed
moſt to be oppressed / he than moſt specially tri-
umphed / and he fought for vs / he ouercame for
vs / and triumphed for vs : Let vs also ouercome
by his enſample with thy helpe / and by the holy
goofft / procedyng fro bothe for euer. Amen

## The Seventh Peticion.

Ed libera nos a maſo. Dalmyghty father/
it hath pleased thy mere and liberall good
nesſe/ones whan we were rydde from ſyne/to de-
lyuer vs by thy ſonſe Jelus Christ/ out of the ha-
des of our moſt foule and vnclene father the de-
uyll/ to electe / take vs in to the honour bothe of
thy name and thyne inherptaunce: but yet of this
condicion that all the while we lyue here in erthe
we chulde be in cōtynuall batell with our enemp/

f.iiij. whiche

Whiche lealtest no wayes vnassaped/ wherby he
might drawe and plucke vs agayne in to his po-
wer and authorite/ we quake & trymble in herte/
as often tymes as we remembre howe shamefull
a father we had / whan we were thzall and bonde
to synne/ and to howe wzetched and vnhappy in-
heritaunce we were apoynted / & howe curryslye
and vngentll a mayster we serued. & we knowe
well inoughe/ his obstinate and frowarde malice
and yuell wyl/ whiche alwaye layeth wayte and
lyeth redy bent to our distuction/ nat onely with
violence and stronge hande/ but also with trays
nes & subtell wyles, he neuer slepeth noz resteth/
but alway roneth vp and downe hyther and thy-
ther lyke a rauenous lyon/ lyeng in wayte/ seký-
ge and huntynge about/ whom he maye deuoure.
Wherily father he is farre vulyke the/ for thou art
naturally good and gentll/ thou carpest home a
gayne to the klocke/ the wandringe and strayeng
thepe: thou curest and makest hole the sicke and
scabbe thepe/ and releuest the deed: ye/ and thyne
ennemyes also / & blasphemers of thy holy name
thou pzeuentest with thy loue/ and callest mooft
graciously to euerlastyng helthe: But he of an vn
reasonable and vnscayable hatered towarde vs/
whiche neuer dyde hym displeasure/ laboureth &
gothe about nothyng elles / than to bringe with
hym as many as he can in to distuction: It is a
signe and token of an excedyngemalyce / one for
nought & without any comodyte of his owne / to
endeuer to distroy hym of who he was neuer wzo-
ged/but

but this euyn w his owne hurte / wayteth thosel
hurt and domage / whome thou haft taken a lyde
vnder thy protection: thou madest hym nat luche
but he fyll in to this great malyce / after tym he
begon to stande in his owne concept / and refused
to be subiet and ovedypent to thy maestie: Whers
foze he beyng pricked all with enuy / by crafty bes
legyng / entyzed to distruction our firste p[ro]genys
tours / enuyeng them the iopes of paradyse / for
as moche as he had depriued hym selke of þ glads
nesse and myrthe of heuè / but nowe he is of farre
greater enuy / bicause thou cariest them out of pa
radyse in to heuen: and where as they were afoze
a popnted to dethe and dampnacton / thou by rea
son of the faythfull trust whiche they haue put in
thy Sonne J[es]us / callest the to euerlastyng blysse:
and also / that thou tournest his owne malyce in
to thencrease of thy glorie and our helthe: Whers
foze though he nat without a cause / he is of many
to be feared: yet thy goodnesse dothe conforte vs /
whiche is able to do moze to our helthe and saluas
tion / than all his malyce to our distruction. We as
knowlege our owne imbecilite and feblenesse / but
yet we feare nat our ennemyes assaute / whyther
we lyue or dye / all the whyle we descrue to haue þ
our protectour and defender / we feare no dystru-
tion of that puell and wicked deuyll / all þ whyle
it is our chaunce to stycke to hym that is so good.
These despyes and petycions of thy chyldren / D
immortall father / if they be good & after þ for me
and order apoynted of thy Sonne J[es]us / than we
nothyng

nothving mystrust/but that thou wylte performe
that whiche we desyre of the. Amen.

Thus endeth the expoficion of the Pater nofter.
Imprinted at London in Fletestrete/in the
house of Thomas Berthelet nere to the
Cundite/at the ligne of Lucrece.

Lum privilegio a rege in dukto.