Have mercy on me, God, accor- [1]
dynge to thy great tendernes
of herte, for I am sore pressed wyth
synnes, I can beare them no longer,
of thy bountyful mercy wype away
my trespas. Tenne thousande myl-
lions of golde I owe the, Lorde, I
am not able to paye, I can not dis-
charage my selfe. Washe me cleane [2]
from my errours, clense me not only of
my synnes passed, but also of my
hoole lyfe to come. Wyth the ploun-
gynge of spirite in thy fyre of thyne
illuminacion baptyse me, whyche is
the myght and strength of baptisme,
which we receaved in our chyldhod.
The same spirite mought alway con-
ducte us, tyl the infeccion & vyce which
we have dronken in by Adam, be perfe-
ctly taken away in the mounte of flesh:
I knowlege o lord my transgression, [3]
afore myne eyes are my trespases,
my studies and doynges be al toge-
ther synne. Certes, unto the alone [4]
have I synned, juste and true arte
thou in the worde of thy promyse,
whiche Christe declared unto us, I
meane, that by him our synnes be re
leased. If eyther the ungodly per-
sons, or myne unfaythfull conscience
wyll stryve agaynst the, & holde plee
that thou forgevest not the belever,
undoubtedly thou shalte overcome
them, and prove them lyers. Declare
thy truth, graunt grace so as my syn-
nes beynge forgeven, I may know-
lege thy bountye & truth, for in wyc- [5]
kednes borne I was, and in synnes
my mother conceaved me, so that of
my nature what so ever I am, I am [6]
but synne. Thys my knowlegynge
of the truth, I wote wel is ryght ac-
ceptable unto the, wher as in that most
parte of other persons thou hast ey-
ther hydde the same or made it un-
knowen. Purge and sprynkle me [7]
wyth the bloud of Jesu Christ thyn
unspotted lambe. Yf thou wash me,
I shalbe as whyte as snowe, so shal
I receave these glad tydynges into
my herte, that my synnes be forge-
ven. Replenysh my bones wyth the [8]
joye of spirite, whych now, consyde-
ringe thy sharpe judgementes be al
to shaken and brused. For my spirite
is stryken into a deadly dompe, and
therfroe my bones be dryed up.
Turne away thy face from my syn- [9]
nes, and then for joye of thy fovou-
rable forgyvenes I shall forget them.
Myne owne proper workes Lorde
examyne not roughly, whych (I con-
fesse) be nothynge but synnes. Yea
yf thou laye them to my charge as
I have deserved, I muste nedes a-
byde the chylde of damnacion. Thyne
unspeakeable mercye wyth humble
prayer I demande and crave upon
the, whych thou hast promysed, say-
enge: Hys synnes I wyl not remem-
bre. Do away therfore my synnes.
A cleane herte (my god) make in me, [10]
restore in me a wyllynge and ryghte
spirite. Banysh me not from thy syght
blinde not mine eyes. Let not an un
repentaunt herte growe in me, ney-
ther let me despayre on thy goodnes.
Denye me not thy holy gooste, take [11]
not awaye agayne from me that which
thou hast ones gyven. Render solace [12]
unto me, for doubtles the helth and
salvacion shich I loke for in Christ
doth assuredly appease & ascertayne
my conscience upon remission of my
synnes. Stablysh me wyth the spi- [13]
rite of lybertie, so shall I beynge in
fayth and spirite purified and made
stronge teach the wycked and suche
as know the not, the waye that lea-
deth unto the, so that they also shall
be turned unto the. Lorde God dis- [14]
charge me of my hydde and houge
synnes which be knyt to my corrupt
nature, I meane, werynes of thy
worde, grutchyng agaynst thy com-
maundementes, and blasphemy. My
tonge then beynge furnyshed wyth
boldnesse of spirite shall frankely &
wythout tremblynge teach, confesse,
& blowe abrode thy ryghtuousnes,
wythout whyche no man is ryghtu-
ous. Lorde thou shalt open my lyp- [15]
pes &then my mouth shall set forth
thy prayses and thy wayes. Graunt
me such mouth and wysedome, as
myne adversaries shall not be able
to stryue against, namely in the qua-
rel of thy worde. Indowe me wyth [16]
grace, to thyntent I may offre sacri-
fices of thankes, for nothing els ve-
rely requyrest thou. Albeit yet thou [17]
despysest not the oblacion and sacri-
fyce of a contrite spirite, I meane,
the mortifyenge of oure owne luste
and wyll, and of that olde Adam,
that sojourneth in us, untyll we
maye be able to offre the sacrifice of
thankes, and wyth glad semblaunt
embrace & celebrate thy ryghtuous-
nes espyed in the releasynge of our
synnes. Wherfore for as muche as [18]
we of our selves can perfourme no-
thynge that good is, blesse thou O
Lorde of thy benignitie and father-
ly benevolence thy Christen people.
Let the walles of Hierusalem be
made up agayne by thyne aucto-
ritie, let good workemen be sette
on worke, I meane, true teachers,
pastours, and prophetes, and let us
be fashioned for luvuely stones to the
holy buyldynge, let them edifye the
people ryghtely, let us obey theyr in-
structions duly. Thou art the good
man of the house, thurst thou oute the
workemen into the harvest, that they
maye gather by thy worde of fayth
the people now rype and redy to be
reaped into the heavenly barnes, which
workemen onles thou sende forthe,
shall runne of themselves vaynly.
For how shulde they preach not be-
ynge sent. Surely, in vayne we shal
auaunce eyther our learnyng or ha-
bilite, yf thou tempre not the successe
of our thynges, yf thou forther not
our doynges, yf thou sende us not.
Lo then thou shalt receave continu- [19]
al sacrifices of ryghteousnes, for on
thy aulter we shal then laye the bul-
lockes & fatte sacrifices of oure lyv-
ves, yea and our owne selfes therto,
praysynge and worshyppynge the
wythout styntynge. Amen.