An epitome of the Psalmes, or briefe meditacions vpon the same, with diuerse other moste christian prayers, translated by Richard Tauerner

¶ PRAYERS FOR SVC∣cours and reliefes of lyfe, for wysdome, for hu∣mylitie and for o∣ther naturall gyftes

A prayer of Salomon for a competency of lyfe. Prouerb. 30.

TWo thinges I require of the, that thou wylte not denye me before I dye. Remoue from me va∣nitie and lyes, gyue me neyther po∣uertie nor ryches, only graunt me a necessary lyuyng, least yf I be to ful I mought happely denye the, & say what felow is the lorde? or constray∣ned through pouerty, I mought fal vnto stealyng, & forsweare the name of my god. Amen.

A prayer for obteynyng of wysdome.

Sap. 9.

GOd of my fathers, and lorde of mercyes, thou that haste made all thinges with thy worde, and or∣dined man thoroughe thy wisdome, that he shulde haue dominion ouer the creature which thou haste made that he shulde ordre the worlde ac∣cordynge to equitie & ryghteousnes and execute iudgemente with a true herte, gyue me wisdome, which is e∣uer about thy seate, and put me not out from amonge thy chyldren. For I thy seruaūt and sōne of thy hāde∣mayde am a feble person, of a short tyme, and to yonge to the vnderstā∣dinge of iudgement & of thy lawes. Yea though a man be neuer so per∣fect among the childern of men, yet yf thy wisdome be not with him, he shalbe nothing worth. Oh send her out of thy holye heauens, and from

y^e trone of thy maiestie, that she may be with me & labour with me that I maye knowe what is acceptable in thy syght. For she knoweth and vnderstādeth al thinges, & she shall conducte me ryght soberly in my workes, and preserue me in her po∣wer. So shall my workes be accep∣table. Amen.

A prayer for mekenes and the obteyning of chastitie Eccle. 23.

O Lord thou father & god of my lyfe, let me not haue a proude loke. But turne awaye all voluptu∣ousnes from me. Take from me the lustes of the bodye, let not the desy∣res of vnclennes take holde vpon me, and gyue me not ouer into an vnshamefast and obstinate mynde. Amen.

The prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirache, in ne∣cessitie and for wisdome. Eccle. the laste.

I Thanke the O Lorde and king, and prayse the o god my sauiour I wil yelde prayses vnto thy name, for thou art my defender and helper frō the snare of traitorours tōges, and from them that are occupied in lyes. Thou hast bene my helper frō suche as rose agaynst me, and haste deliuered me according to thy great mercy, and for thy holy names sake. Thou hast delyuered me from the roarynge of them that prepared thē selues to deuoure me, out of the hā∣des of such as sought after my lyfe, frō the multitude of them that trou¦bled me and went aboute to set fyer vpon me on euery syde, so that I was not brent in the myddes of the fyer. From the depe of hell, thou delyueredst me, from the vncleane

tongue, from lyenge wordes, from the wycked iuge, and from the vn∣ryghteouse tōgue. My soule shall prayse the Lorde vnto death, for my lyfe drewe nye vnto hel. They com∣pased me roūd about on euery syde, and ther was no man to helpe me, I loked about me, if ther were anye man that wold socoure me, but ther was none. Then thought I vpon thy mercy, O Lorde, and vpon thy actes that thou haste done euer of olde, namely that thou delyuereste such as put their trust in the, & ryd∣dest them out of the handes of the false panims. Thus lyfted I vp my prayer from the earth, and prayed for delyueraunce from death, I cal∣led vpon the lord my father, that he wolde not leaue me with out healpe in the daye of my trouble, and in the tyme of the proude. I praysed thy

name continually, yelding honour and thākes vnto it, and so my pray∣er was herde. Thou sauedst me frō destructiō and delyueredst me from the vnrighteouse tyme. Therfore wil I knowledge, and prayse the, & auaūce the name of the Lord. Whē I was yet but yonge, or euer I wēt a straye, I desired wisdome openly in my prayer, I came therfor before the temple and I sought her very busyly. Then floryshed she vnto me as a grape that is sone rype. My herte reioysed in her, then wente my fote y^e right waye, yea frō my youth sought I after her, I bowed downe my eare and receyued her, I founde in my selfe much wisdome & prospe∣red greatly in her. Therfore wyll I gyue y^e glory vnto him that gyueth me wisdome, for I am aduised to do therafter, I wil be gelouse to cleaue

vnto that is good, so shal I not be cōfounded. My soule hath wrestled with her, and I haue bene diligent to be occupied in her. I lyfted vp myne hādes on hygh, then was my soule lyghtened thorough wysdome so that I knowledged my folysh∣nes. I ordred my soule after her, she and I were one herte from the be∣gynnyng, and I found her in clen∣nesse, and therfore shal I not be for∣saken. My hart longeth after her & I gate a good treasure. Thorough her the lorde hath gyuen me a newe tongue, wherwith I wil prayse him Oh come vnto me ye vnlerned, and dwel in the house of wysdome, with drawe not your selues from her, but talke and comon of these thynges, for your soules are very thursty. I opened my mouth and spake, Oh come and bye wysdom without mo∣ny,

bow down your necke vnder her yoke, and your soule shal reaceyue wisdome, she is euen at hande and is content to be found. Behold with your eyes, how I haue had but ly∣tle labour, & yet haue found muche rest. Oh receyue wisdome, & ye shall haue plenty of syluer and golde in your possession. Let your mynde re∣ioyce in her mercy, and be not asha∣med of her prayse, worke her worke by tymes, & she shal gyue you youre rewarde in due tyme.

The prayer of Abacuc the pro∣phete for ignorancies Abacuc. 5.

O Lord when I herde speake of the, then I was afrayde. The worke that thou hast taken in hand shalt thou performe in his tyme, O Lorde when thy tyme cometh thou shalt declare it. In thy very wrath

thou thinkest vpon mercy. The lord God is my strength, he shall make my fete as y^e fete of an herte, and he which gyueth the victory, shal bring me to my hye places syngyng vpon psalmes. Amen.

A prayer of the faythful congregacion that they maye speake the word of god boldely Actu. 4.

LOrde thou arte god, which hast made heauen and earth, the see and al that in them is, which by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid hast sayde, why dyd the heathen rage, & the people ymagyne vayne thyn∣ges? The kynges of the earth stode vp, and the rulers came togyther a∣gaynst the Lorde and agaynst his Christ. For suerly agaynst his holy son Iesus, whom thou hast anoyn∣ted, both Herode and also Poncius Pylate with the Panyms and the

people of Israel gathered them sel∣ues togyther to do euen what so e∣uer thyn handes and thy counsayle determyned before to be done. And now Lord behold their threatenyn∣ges, and graunt vnto thy seruaun∣tes with al confidence to speake thy word, & that thou wolt stretch forth thyne hande, to thin∣tente that healyng, syg∣nes, and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy sonne Iesus. Amen.

¶ A PRAYER VNTO THE Lorde Iesus for the peax of the church, made by the most excellent clerke Erasmus.

LOrde Iesus Christe whiche of thyne almyghtynes madest al creatures both visible and invisi∣ble, which of thy godly wisdom go∣uernest & settest al thinges in moste goodly ordre, which of thyn vnspea¦keable goodnes, kepest, defendest, and furderest al thinges, whiche of thy botomles mercy restorest the de∣cayed, renewest the fallē, raysest the deade, vouchesaue (we praye the) at last to cast down thy countenaunce vpon thy beloued spouse the church but let it be that amyable and mer∣cyful countenaunce wherwith thou pacifyest al thinges in heauen, in

erth, and that be aboue heuens and vnder the erth, vouchesaue to cast vpon vs those tendre and pytiful eyes with whiche thou ones dydest behold Petre that greate shepeherd of thy churche, and forthwith he re∣membred himself and repēted, with which eyes, thou ones dydest vewe the skattered multitude & wert mo∣ued with compassion that for lacke of a good shepeherd they wādred as shepe disperpled and strayed a sun∣der. Thou seist (O good shepeherd) what sundry sortes of wolues haue broken into thy shepecotes, of whom euery one cryeth, here is Christ, here is Christ, so that if it were possible the very perfecte persons shulde be brought into errour. Thou seest w^t what wyndes, with what waues, with what stormes thy sely shippe is tossed, thy shippe wherin thy lytle

flock is in peryl to be drowned, And what is now left but that it vtterly synke and we all perishe? Of this tempest and storme we may thanke our own wyckednes and synfull ly∣uyng, we espye it wel and confesse it. We espye thy rightuousnes and we bewayle our vnrightuousnes, but we appele to thy mercy which (accor¦ding to the psalme of thy prophete) surmounteth all thy workes. We haue now suffred moch punishemēt beyng sowsed with so many warres, cōsumed with such losses of goodes, skourged with so many sortes of dis¦eases and pestilencies, shaken with so many floudes, feared with so ma∣ny straunge sightes from heauen, & yet appere there no where any hauē or port vnto vs being thus tyered & forlorne amonges so straūge euyls, but styl euery daye more greuouse

punishementes & more seme to hāge ouer our heddes. We complaine not of thy sharpenes most tendre Sa∣uiour, but we espy here also thy mer¦cye, forasmoche as moch greuouser plages we haue deserued. But O most mercyful Iesu, we beseche the that thou wilt not cōsidre ne weygh, what is due for our deseruīges, but rather what becommeth thy mercy, without which neither the Angelles in heuen can stande sure before the, moch les we sely vessels of clay. Haue mercy of vs O redemer which art easie to be entreated, not that we be worthy of mercy, but gyue thou this glory vnto thyne owne name. Suffre not, that the Iues, the Tur∣kes, and the rest of Panyms, which eyther haue not known the, or do en∣uye thy glorye, shulde continually tryumphe ouer vs, and say, wher is

their god, where is their redemer, wher is their sauiour, wher is theyr brydegrome that they thus bost on? These opprobrious wordes and vp∣braydinges redownde vnto the O lorde while by our euils men weygh and esteme thy goodnes, they thinke we be forsaken whome they se not a∣mēded. Ones whē thou slepst in the ship, and a tempest sodenly arisyng thretned death to all in the shippe, thou awookest at the out crye of a fewe disciples, and streight weye at thyn almyghty word the waues cou¦ched, the wyndes fel, the storme was sodenly tourned into a great calme. The dombe waters knewe their ma¦kers voyce. Now in this farre grea∣ter tempest, wherin not a few mens bodies be in daunger, but innume∣rable soules, we beseche the at the crye of thy hole church which be in

daunger of drowning that y^u wolt awake. So many thousandes of mē do crye, lord, saue vs, we perish. The tempest is past mans power, yea we se that the indeuours of them that wold helpe it do turne clene a cōtra∣rie wey. It is thy worde that must do the dede Lord Iesu. Onlye saye thou w^t a word of thy mouth, Cease o tempest, and forthwith shal the de∣syered cawme appere. Thou wol∣dest haue spared so many thousan∣des of most wycked men, yf in y^e citie of Sodome had bene founde but tenne good men. Now here be so ma¦ny thousandes of men, whyche loue the glorie of thy name, whych syghe for the bountie of thy house, & wylte thou not at these mens prayers let go thyne anger and remēber thyne accustomed & olde mercyes? Shalte thou not wyth thy heauenly policie

turne our foly into thy glorye? Shalte thou not turne the wycked mens euels to thy churches good? For thy mercy is wonte then moost of al to succoure when the thynge is wyth vs past remedye, and neyther the myghte, nor wysdome of mē can helpe it. Thou alone bryngest thyn∣ges that be neuer so oute of order into order agayne, whyche arte the only author & maynteyner of peax. Thou framedst that olde confusion whych we call Chaos, wherin wyth out order, wythout fashion confuse∣ly laye the discordaunt sedes of thyn¦ges, and with a wonderful order the thynges that of nature fought toge¦ther thou dyddest alye and knytte in a perpetuall bande. But how muche greater confusion is thys, where is no charitie, no fidelitie, no bondes of loue, no reuerence neyther of lawes

nor yet of rulers, no agrement of o∣pinions, but as it were in a mysor∣dred quere euery man syngeth a con¦trary note? Amonge the heauenly planetes is no dissension, al foure e∣lementes kepe theyr place, euery one do theyr office whervnto they be ap∣poynted. And wylt thou suffre thy spouse, for whose sake all thynges were made, thus by continuall dys∣cordes to perysh and go to wreke? Shalt thou suffre the wycked spiri∣tes, whyche be authours & workers of discorde to beare suche a swynge in thy kyngdome vnchecked? Shalt thou suffre that stronge captaine of myschefe, whom thou ones ouerthre¦west, agayne to inuade thy tētes & to spoyle thy souldyours? When thou wert here a man conuersaunt amō∣ges men, at thy voyce fled y^e deuels. Sende forth, we besech the o Lorde,

thy spirite, whiche may dryue away out of the brestes of al thē that pro∣fesse thy name the wycked spirites, maisters of ryotte, of couetise, of vayne glorie, of carnal lust, of mis∣chief and of discord. Create in vs, O our God and king, a cleane hart, and renew thy holy spirite in our brestes plucke not from vs thy holy gost. Rendre vnto vs y^e ioye of thy sauīg helth, and with thy princypal breath strengthen thy spouse and the herd∣men therof. By this spirite thou re∣conciledst the erthly to the heuenly, by this thou didest frame and reduce so many tonges, so many nations, so many sundry sortes of men into one bodie of a church, which body by the same spirite hāgeth to the their hed.

This spirite, if thou wol vouche∣saue to renewe in al mēs hartes, thā shal also these forein miseryes cease

or if they cease not, at lest they shal turne to the profite & auaile of them which loue the. Stey this confusion set in ordre this horrible Chaos (O Lorde Iesu) let thy spirite stretche out it self vpon these waters of euil waueryng opinions. And bicause thy spirite, which accordyng to thy prophetes sayng conteyneth al thin∣ges, hath also y^e science of speaking, make, y^t lyke as vnto al them which be of thy house is al one lyght, one baptisme, one God, one hope, one spirite: so they maye haue also one voyce, one note and song, professing one catholike trouth. When thou didest mounte vp to heuen trium∣phauntlike thou threwest about frō aboue thy precious thynges, thou gauest gyftes amonges men, thou dealtest sundry rewardes of thy spi∣rite. Renewe agayn from aboue thy

old bowntifulnes, gyue that thinge to thy churche nowe feyntynge and growyng downward, that thou ga∣uest vnto her shoting vp at her first begynyng. Gyue vnto princes and rulers the grace to stande in awe of the, that they so may guyde the cō∣mon weale, as they shuld shortly rē∣dre accōptes vnto the that arte king of kinges, gyue wysdome to be al∣weyes assistēt vnto them, that what so euer is best to be done, they maye espye it in their myndes and pursue the same in their doynges. Gyue to thy bishops the gyft of prophecye, y^t they may declare and interprete holy scripture not of their own brayn but of thyne inspyring. Gyue them the threfold charitie, whiche thou ones demaundedst of Peter what tyme y^u didest betake vnto him the charge of thy shepe. Gyue to thy prestes the

loue of sobernes and of chastitie.

Gyue to thy people a good wyl to folowe thy commaundementes and a redynes to obey suche persons, as y^u hast appoynted ouer thē. So shal it come to passe, if throughe thy gyft thy princes shal cōmaund that thou requyrest, if thy pastours and herd∣men shall teache the same, and thy people obeye them bothe, that the olde dignitie and tranquilitie of the church shal retourne agayne with a goodly ordre vnto the glorie of thy name. Thou sparedst the Niniuites appointed to be destroied as sone as they conuerted to repentaunce. And wilt thou despice thy house falling down at thy fete, whiche in stede of sacke cloth hath syghes, and in stede of asshes teares? Thou promisedst forgiuenes to such as tourne vnto the, but this selfe thing is thy gyft, a

mā to tourne with his hole hart vn∣to the, to thintent al our goodnes shuld redoūd vnto thy glorie. Thou art y^e maker, repare thy worke that thou hast fashioned. Thou art the redemer, saue that thou hast bought Thou arte the Sauiour, suffer not them to perish that do hang on the. Thou art the Lord and owner, cha∣leng thy possession. Thou art y^e hed, helpe thy membres, Thou arte the kinge, gyue vs a reuerence of thy lawes. Thou art the prince of peax, breath vpō vs brotherly loue. Thou art the god, haue pytie on thy hum∣ble besechers, be thou accordinge to Paules sayng, al thinges in al men to thintēt y^e hole quere of thy church with agreyng myndes and conso∣naunt voyces for mercy obteyned at thy handes may gyue thankes to y^e father, son and holy gost, whiche af∣ter

the most perfect exemple of con∣cord be distincted in propertie of persons and one in nature, to whom be prayse and glorie eternally. Amen.

A prayer before thou takest bodily sustenaunce

WE wretched & alweis nedynge bodyes, for this meate whiche thou hast halowed and giuen vs for the relief and sustētation of our bo∣dyes do reuerently giue thākes vn∣to the O God almyghty and heuē∣ly father, beseching the also here w^t, to bestow and comunicate vnto vs y^e meate of Angels, that true heuēly breade, I meane our Lorde Iesu Christ, so as w^t him our mynde may

be fedde, and that by his fleshe and bloude we maye be fostered, nouri∣shed, and made stronge. Amen.

A prayer after thou hast taken bodely sustenaunce

Forasmoch as O Lord almighty and moste mercifull God thou hast with thy gyftes liberally fedde vs and refreshed our bodyes: cause that after this repast, we maye dili∣gētlie obserue what thing y^u woldest haue done by vs and what not, and also fulfyll and execute in dede the same with a redye and pure mynde accordingly, By Iesus Christe our Lorde. So be it.

For spirituall ioy.

LOrd Iesu, thou that art the re∣demer & confortor of mankind, which to suche as renounce and ab∣horre

for loue of the al the vayne & false pleasures of this worlde haste prepared by thy holy gost farre bet∣ter and higher pleasures whiche the worlde knoweth not, and doest tem∣pre the greuaunce and incommodi∣tie of this lyfe with inward & preuye consolacions by renewyng vnto vs euer amonge some token & ynklyng of the blesse to come, wherby we be∣yng refreshed & recreate might with more cherefull myndes runne vnto the. I beseche the that the annoyn∣tyng of thy holye spirite maye euer∣more shake of from me the werines of this wretched worlde and cheare my harte with a blessed and holsom ioye, which said spirite did also an∣noynte the O Lord what tyme thou wert here cōuersaunt amonges vs with the oyle of ioye before thy fe∣lawes and brethern whiche with the

father and y^e same spirite doest lyue and raygne for euer and euer. Amē.

For the kepyng and defense of a good name and fame.

THat wise man which was pri∣uie of thy secretes O heuenly father) taught vs y^t an honest fame is a treasure right preciouse, when he saith, Better it is to haue a good name then preciouse oyntmentes. But this so excellēt and good thing we neyther can get nor kepe but by thy ayde and helpe. Now suerly the wel and fountaign of a good name is a fautles lief. This therfor in es∣pecial we demaunde and craue of y^e O Lorde almyghty. Yet neuerthe∣les forasmoch as oftentymes inno∣cencie and fautles liuinge is not y∣nough neyther yet a suer buckler &

defense namely against such as vn∣der their lyppes beare the poyson of serpentes, yea & oftentymes it hap∣peneth that when we suppose to be amonges our trusty frēdes we dwel with Ezechiel amonges scorpions and venemouse serpentes: we crye with thy holy prophete, O Lord de∣lyuer my sowle from wycked lyp∣pes and a gylefull tonge. But if ne∣uerthelesse it be sene to thy goodnes to exercise thy seruauntes also with this affliction to thintent they may the better be brought to godlynes & perfection: graūt (we the praye) that with Paule thy most valyaūt Chā∣pion we may by reproche and glory by infamye and good name abyde styl in thy cōmaūdemētes throughe Iesu Christ which also himself whā he walked here in erth, was reuiled,

sklaūdered, euyl spoken of, and cal∣led to hys tethe a Samaritane, a wyne drynker, a deceyuer of the people, and one that had a deuil. The same nowe raigneth with the in glorie togi∣ther w^t the holy gost Amen.