A song of rejoicing for the prosperous Reign of our most gracious Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth.

Made to the tune of the 25. Psalm.

AMEN.

Imprinted at London

by Christopher Barker, Printer to

the Queenes Maieftie,

Cum priuilegio.

XV.

THE ORDER OF PRAYER upon Wednesdays and Fridays, to avert and turn God's wrath from us threatened by the late terrible earthquake, to be used in all Parish Churches.

Whereof the last prayer is to be used of all housholders with their whole families.

Set forth by authority.

Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker, Printer to the
Queen's Majesty.

[The following letter (Bibl. Lans. 30. art. 49.) is worth reprinting, as well on account of the information which it furnishes respecting the present Order, as because it clearly establishes the fact, that Strype, notwithstanding he consulted it, misunderstood the circumstances of the case. See p. 464.

My verie good L. I receued yo' letters at the verie instant when I was redie to departe from Fulham to sitt in the Consistorie [Convocation]; besechinge the same to hold me excused, in that I could not returne my answer thereto soe speedelie as my duetie required. As touchinge the matte' I cannot but much thank God for yo' L. care, to haue all thinges donne as much as might be to the Capacitie and edifynge of the people. But for yt in my simple judgm', vnder yo' L. correccion, yt were requisit, the state of the tyme wth the mallic of o' Enemies considered, wch commonlie vpbraid vs, that we neue' fast, and seldom pray, wthout further delaye to geue some ordre and direccion to stirre vp the people to devocion, and to turne awaye Godes wrath threatened by the late earthquake. And for that the compyling of a new forme of prayer would aske a long tyme, I think if it might so please yo honorable L. yt would doe much good, if the forme alredie presented to yo' L. myght be followed, speciallie for that the people is presentlie much moued wth the p'sent warninge, and are of such nature, as commonlie they make it but a ix. daies wondre; for, as he saith, Cito arescit lacryma: and we maie saye that Multo citius indolescit animus. Therefore it were necessarie that it were done out of hand. But what shall seeme best to you I wilbe readie to followe. I did not send it to yo' L. written, because I ment it but onelie to my owne diocesse; and also because I hadd followed yo' L. instruccions from hir Mat, wch would not haue anie solempne matte' made of it. And likewise the forme of praye' vpon hir Matie daye [November the 17th, see p. 549] hath the psalmes as they stand in the Psalter whout alteracion of verses.

The Order of prayer for Wednesdays and Fridays.

First, the Minister shall use the order set down in the book of Common Prayer, to the end of O come, let us sing unto the Lord.

Then shall follow these three Psalms, the 30. 46. and 91.

Also for the first Lesson, some one of these three chapters, the 1. or 2. of Joel, or the 58. of Isaiah, and after that, Te Deum or Benedicite, with a Chapter of the New Testament for the second Lesson, according to the book aforesaid.

Then after the Litany shall be said this prayer, Oh Eternal, mighty, and most loving Father. &c.

Then shall be read the Homily of repentance, or a part thereof, as in the book of homilies it is divided, if there be no sermon.

Also after the sermon, or homily, shall be sung the 46. Psalm in Metre. Moreover, that the Preachers and Curates do exhort their flock to refrain those ii. days weekly from one meal, and to bestow the value or some part thereof (as God shall stir up their devotion) upon the poor, teaching them that such alms is more acceptable to God, than that which cometh by constraint of law3.

Also that they call upon their parishioners to cause their family every night, before their going to bed, all together to say the prayer set out for that purpose, meekly kneeling upon their knees.

Psal. 30.1 Psal. 46. Psal. 91.

Then shall be read, for the first Lesson, some one of these three Chapters following.

The i. Chapter of Joel.

The ii. Chapter of Joel

The lviii. Chapter of Isaiah.

And soe right humblie I take my leaue of yo' honorable L. From my howse in London, this xxiith of Aprill, 1580.

Y L. humbly to command in X°.

To the right honorable and my

JOHN LONDON.

singule' good L. the L. high

Treasore of England.]

In the Form put forth for both provinces, it is,-The order of prayer, and other exercises vpon Wednesdayes and Frydayes, to be vsed throughout the Realme by order aforesaide.]

[ See p. 593, note 1.]

[The Gloria Patri does not come after any of these psalms, which, like the lessons, are printed entire.]

A prayer to be used of all housholders, with their whole family, every Evening before they go to bed, that it would please God to turn his wrath from us, threatened in the last terrible earthquake.

Set forth by authority.

Он eternal, mighty, and most loving Father, which hast no desire of the death of a sinner, but that he convert and live, and unto whom nothing is so pleasant as the repentant, contrite and sorrowful heart of a penitent person: for thou art that kind Father that fallest most lovingly upon the neck of the lost son, kissest, embracest and feastest him, when he returneth from the puddle of pleasures and swill of the swine, and disdainest not the repentant prayer of thy poor and sinful servants, whensoever with true faith they return and call upon thee, as we have most comfortable examples in David, Manasses, Magdalene, Peter, and the thief upon the gibbet: we most heartily and humbly beseech thy fatherly goodness, to look down from the throne of thy mercy-seat upon us most miserable and sinful slaves of Satan, which with fearful and trembling hearts do quake and shake at the strange and terrible token of thy wrath and indignation appearing most evidently unto us, by thy shaking and moving of the earth, which is thy footstool; whereby (if we be not utterly destitute of grace) we be warned that thy coming down amongst us, to visit our sins in most terrible manner, can not be far off, seeing thou treadest so hard upon this thy footstool the earth, which we most shamefully have polluted and defiled with our most wicked, sinful, and rebellious lives, notwithstanding thy continual crying and calling upon us by thy servants, the Prophets and preachers, by whom we have learned to know thy will, but have not followed it; we have heard much and done little, yea, nothing at all; but like most perverse and unthankful children have made a mock of thy word, derided thy ministers, and accounted thy threatenings trifles, and thy warnings of no weight or moment: wherefore we have justly deserved to taste most deeply of the bitter cup of thy anger and vengeance, by wars, famine, pestilence, yea, and eternal death, if thou shouldest not temper the rigour of thy justice

with the mildness of thy mercy.
But such is thy fatherly
affection towards us, that thou shewest thyself slow to anger,
long suffering, and of much patience and mercy. Yea, thou
art a thousand times more ready to forget and forgive, than
we to ask and require forgiveness. Therefore, though we be
not worthy of the least mite of thy mercy, yet, gracious Lord,
look not upon us and our sins, but upon thy own self and thy
Son Jesus Christ, the fountain of grace, the treasure of mercy,
the salve of all sickness, the Jewel of joy, and the only haven.
of succour and safety by him we come to thee, in him and
for him we trust to find that we have lost, and gain that he
hath got he is the scale2 of Jacob, by whom we climb up to
thee, and thou by the Angels of thy mercy comest down to
us: him we present unto thee, and not ourselves, his death
and not our doings, his bloody wounds and not our detestable
deservings, whose merits are so great, as thy mercy can not
be little, and our ransom so rich, that our beggarly and beastly
sins are nothing in thy sight, for the great pleasure and satis-
faction that thou takest of his pains and passion. Turn this
Earthquake, O Lord, to the benefit of thine elect, as thou
didst when thou shookest the prison, loosedst the locks,
fetters, and chains of thy servants, Paul and Silas, and
broughtest them out of prison, and converted their keeper:
so, gracious Lord, strike the hearts of tyrants with the terror
of this thy work, that they may know that they are but men,
and that thou art that Sampson, that for their mocking and
spiting of thee and thy word can shake the pillars of their
palaces, and throw them upon the furious Philistines' heads.
Turn thy wrath, O Lord, from thy children that call upon
thy Name, to the conversion or confusion of thine enemies
that defy and abhor thy Name, and deface thy glory. Thou
hast knocked long at their doors, but they will not open to
let thee in burst open therefore the brasen gates of their
stony hearts, thou that art able of stones to raise up children
to Abraham and, finally, so touch our hearts with the finger
of thy grace, that we may deeply muse upon our sinful lives,
to amend them, and call for thy mercy to forgive and pardon
them, through Christ our Lord, who liveth with thee, and the

:

[The title of one of Becon's treatises. See his works, Catechism, &c., p. 411.].

[Scale: ladder.]

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