The compleat office of the Holy Week with notes and explications / translated out of Latin and French ; published with allowance.

The General Absolution.

Upon Holy Thursday, in the Morning, according to the good and laudable custom of France, the General Absolution is given in the great Hall at the King's Court, where his most Christian Majesty, with many Princes, and his whole Court, are present. First begins a Sermon; the Bishop, in his Robes, accompanied with his Clergy, gives the Absolution, and all upon their knees sing the Miserere mei Deus, with the Verses and Prayers following. This Ceremony is a sign of the Sacramental Absolution, which heretofore was given to those sinners who had done Penance in the Lent. And this day is also called Ab∣solution Thursday, because Penitents are then absolved, and ad∣mitted to participate of the Eucharist, it being that day on which Jesus Christ instituted it: and thereby the Church shews us, that at present she inflicts not so severe Penances now as formerly, yet she teaches them to do fruits worthy of Penance, that they may be admitted to participate of this Holy Sacrament, on this day, whereon Christ our Saviour began, by his Passion, the Work of our Redemption to God his Father.

LOrd, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Pater noster, &c.

And lead us not into temptation.

But deliver us from evil. Amen.

V. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.

R. Nor yet reward us according to our ini∣quities.

V. O Lord, remember not our past offences.

R. But let thy mercies soon prevent us.

V. Turn thy face towards us, though a little.

R. And graciously hear thy servants.

V. O Lord, save thy servants, and thy hand∣maids.

R. Trusting in thee, O my God.

V. Be unto them, O Lord, a Tower of strength.

R. Against the assaults of the enemy.

V. Send them, O Lord, thy help from thy holy place.

R. And out of Sion protect them.

V. O Lord, hear my Prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

V. Our Lord be with you.

R. And with thy Spirit.

Let us Pray.

HEar, O Lord, our Supplications, and gra∣ciously regard me, who in the first place have need of thy mercy: and as thou hast been pleased to chuse me by thy grace, not for my merit, to be thy Minister in this action; Grant, that I may faithfully acquit my self of the Charge comitted to me, and co-operate, by our ministring, the effect of thy bounty: Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God for ever. Amen.

Let us Pray.

WE beseech thee, O Lord, grant thy ser∣vants grace, to do fruits worthy of penance, that, having obtained pardon for their sins, they may be resetled pure and clean in thy Church, from the integrity of which they have gone astray: Through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. Amen.

Let us Pray.

O Lord, I beseech thy Majesty, that, out of thy bounty, thou wilt be pleased to give thy pardon to these thy servants, confessing their sins and offences, and to loosen the bonds of their past crimes; who didst carry upon thy shoulders the strayed sheep back to thy fold, and hast graciously heard the prayers of the publican, look down also favourably upon these penitents, and incline unto their petitions, that, by their perseverance in confessing and tears, they may obtain what they desire, and being readmitted to a participation of thy holy Altar, they may have fresh hopes of Eternal Glory: Who livest and reignest, &c.

Let us Pray.

O God, who of thy goodness hast created, and of thy mercy repaired mankind, and

by the blood of thine onely Son hast redeemed man, deprived of eternal life, through the ma∣lice of the Devil; Grant a new life to these pe∣nitents, thy servants, whose death thou desirest not: And as thou forsakest not even those who go astray, receive those who return to repen∣tance. O Lord, mercifully regard the tears and sighs of thy servants; heal their wounds, stretch forth thy helping hand to them cast down be∣fore thee; to the end thy Church may not lose any part of its body; lest thy flock be lessened, lest the enemy insult over the loss of thy family; lest those who have been regene∣rated by the wholsome water of baptism, fall into a second death. We therefore, O Lord, offer up unto thee our most humble Prayers; we shed the tears of our hearts before thee, in testimony of our regret. Pardon those that confess unto thee, to the end, that through thy mercy they may escape condemnation at the last judgment. Let them be ignorant of that which terrifies in darkness of torments in flames; and grant, that, returning from their errours, to the path of justice, they may not hereafter receive new wounds, but that they may re∣main entire and perpetual, in that which thy Grace has conferred, and thy Mercy restored. By the same our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. Amen.

The Bishop then takes the Crosier, and, stretching his right hand over the People, says,

Let us Pray.

OUr Lord Jesus Christ, who, by giving up himself, and shedding his immaculate blood, did vouchsafe to take away the sins of the whole world, and who said to his Disciples, and, in them, to their successours, (among whom thou art pleased to make me one, though unworthy) Whatsoever you shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatso∣ever you loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Hea∣ven; may he vouchsafe, through this my Mini∣stry, by the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, of St. Michael the Arch∣angel, of the Apostle St. Peter, to whom the power of binding and loosing was given, and of all Saints, by vertue of his sacred blood, shed for the remission of sins, to grant you absolution of all your offences, negligently committed, in thought, word, or deed; and that, after you are quit from the bonds of sin, he will please to restore you to the Kingdom of Heaven. Who, with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

ALmighty God, grant unto you absolution and remission of all your sins, space of true penance and amendment of life. Amen.

Then the Bishop gives his solemn Benediction, saying,

V. Blessed be the Name of our Lord.

R. Now and for evermore.

V. Our help is in the Name of our Lord.

R. Who made Heaven and Earth.

Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless you all. Amen.

After the solemn Benediction is given, the Deacon, in his Dalmatique, kneeling down to the Bishop, asks his Blessing for the reading of the Gospel; and, having received it, sings the Gospel out of that day's Mass, Ante diem festum, &c.

The Bishop, setting aside his Mitre, stands upright, holding the Crosier in both his hands, till the end of the Gospel, to teach us to listen with respect to God's Holy Word, and testifie our Faith of the Resurrection.

After the Deacon hath read the Gospel, he presents the Book to the Bishop, to kiss; to testifie the Union and Charity, which all Christians ought to have in the observation of the Word of God, to obtain pardon for their sins, and reconcile themselves to God.

The King washes the feet of thirteen poor people, and attends on them at the Table, in great ceremony, in imitation of Christ's Humility; who washed his Apostles feet, who were thirteen, comprehending St. Paul.

At Paris the Archbishop gives the same general Absolution on Wednesday-afternoon, at our Lady's Church, and on Thurs∣day-morning at the Church-yard of the Holy Innocents.