Prison-pietie, or, Meditations divine and moral digested into poetical heads, on mixt and various subjects : whereunto is added a panegyrick to the right reverend, and most nobly descended, Henry Lord Bishop of London / by Samuel Speed ...

THE PRAYER OF St. Thomas Aquinas, WHICH He used to say before he went to study.

OUnspeakable Creator, who from the treasure of thy Wisdom hast appointed three Hierarchies of Angels, and placed them by a wonderful Order above the Heaven; and hast most ad∣mirably distributed the parts of the World. Thou, which art called the true Fountain of Light, of Wisdom, and the Highest Being; vouchsafe to pour down upon the darkness of my Understanding in the which I was born, the double Beam of thy Brightness, re∣moving

from me Darkness, or the clouds of Sin and Ignorance. Thou which ma∣kest eloquent the Tongues of men, and givest the benefit of Utterance, instruct my Tongue, and pour into my Lips the grace of thy Blessing: Give me quick∣ness of Understanding, capacity of Re∣taining, judgment in Interpreting, faci∣lity of Learning, and copious Grace of Speaking: Guide my going in, direct my going forward, and accomplish my going forth: Teach me to instruct o∣thers in thy fear, that they and I may sing Praises to thee and to the Lamb for evermore.

Amen.