[WITH PROPER PSALMES, AND LESSONS FOR DIVERS FEASTES AND DAYES.]*

¶ The fyrst Sonday in Advente.

Beatus vir. Psalm i.

BLESSED is that manne that hath not walked in the counsayle of the ungodly, nor stand in the waye of synners : and hath not sate in the seate of the skornefull;
    But his delight is in the law of the LORD : and in his law will he exercyse himself day and night.
    And he shalbe like a tree planted by the watersyde : that will bring foorth his fruite in due season.
    His leafe also shal not wither : and looke whatsoever he doth, it shall prospere.
    As for the ungodly, it is not so with them : but they are like the chaffe whiche the wynde skatereth awaye (from the face of the yearth).
    Therefore the ungodly shall not be hable to stand in the judgement : neyther the synners in the congregacion of the righteous.
    But the LORDE knoweth the waye of the righteous: and the waye of the ungodlye shal perishe.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne: and to the holye hoste.
    As it was in the begynnyng, is nowe, and ever shalbe : worlde without ende. Amen.

And so must every Introite be ended.

Let us pray.
 

* Found only in the 1549 book.

Psalms are given only in the 1549 Book.

ALMYGHTYE God, geve us grace, that we may cast awaye the workes of darknes, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the tyme of this mortall lyfe, (in the whiche thy sonne Jesus Christe came to visite us in great humilitie;) that in the last daye when he shal come again in his glorious majestye to judge bothe the quicke and the dead, we maye ryse to the lyfe immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy ghoste now and ever. Amen.
 

[Romans 13:8-14]

AND when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were com to Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet, then sente Jesus two [of his]* disciples, saying unto them: Goe into the towne that lyeth over agaynst you, and anone ye shall fynde an Asse bound, and a Colte with her: looce them and bryng them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, say ye, the lord hath neede of them; and straightway he wil let them goe. All this was done that it myghte bee fulfilled, whiche was spoken by the Prophete, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold, thy kyng cummeth unto thee, meke, sitting upon an Asse, and a colt, the fole of the Asse used to the yoke. The disciples went and did as Jesus commaunded them; and brought the Asse, and the Colte, and put on them theyr clothes, and set him theron. And many of the people spred theyr garmentes in the waye. Other cut downe braunches From the trees, and strawed [strew] them in the way. Moreover the people that wente beefore, and they that came after, cryed saying; Hosanna to the sonne of David; Blessed is he that cummeth in the name of the lorde, Hosanna in the higheste. And when he was come to Jerusalem all the citie was moved, saying: who is this? And the people sayde, this is Jesus the Prophete of Nazareth a citie of Galile. And Jesus went into the temple of god, and cast out al them that solde and boughte in the temple, and overthrew the tables of money-chaungers, and the seates of them that solde doves, and said unto them, It is written; My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it denne of theves.

[Matthew 21:1-13]
* added 1552.

WHEN I was in trouble I called upon the Lorde: and he heard me.
    Delyver my soule (o Lorde) from lyinge lippes, and from deceiptfull tongue.
    What reward shal be geven unto thee, thou false tong? even mightie and sharpe arrowes, with hote burnyng coles.
    Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwel with Mesech : and to have mine habitacion among the tentes of Cedar.
    My soule hath long dwelt among them : that be enemies unto peace.
    I labour for peace, but when I speake unto them thereof : they make them to battayl.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the begynnyng, &c.
 

BLESSED lord, which hast caused all holy Scriptures to bee written for our learnyng; graunte us that we maye in suche wise heare them, read, marke, learne, and inwardly digeste them; that by pacience, and coumfort of thy holy woorde, we may embrace, and ever holde fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast geven us in our saviour Jesus Christe.
 

WHATSOEVER thinges are written aforetime, they are written for our learning, that we through pacience, and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. The God of pacience and consolation graunt you to be like-minded one toward another, after the ensaumple [example] of Christ Jesu: that ye all agreeyng together, may with one mouth prayse God the father of our lorde Jesus Christ: wherfore receive ye one another as Christ received us, to the prayse of God. And thys I say, that Jesus Christe is a minister of the circumcision for the trueth of God, to confirme the promises made unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might praise God for his mercie, as it is written. For this cause I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And agayne he sayeth: rejoyce ye Gentiles with hys people. And againe; praise the Lorde, all ye Gentyles, and laude hym all ye nacyons together. And againe Esai [Isaiah] sayeth: there shall be the rote of Jesse, and he that shall ryse to reigne over the Gentiles: in him shal the Gentiles trust. The God of hope fyll you with all joy and peace in belevyng, that ye may be riche in hope, through the power of the holy gost.
 

[Romans 15:4-13]

THERE shalbe signes in the Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the starres; and in the earth the people shalbe at their wittes ende, through despayre. The sea and the water shall roare, and mens heartes shall fayle them for feare, and for loking after those thinges which shall come on the earth. For the powers of heaven shall move. And then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloude, with power and great glorye. When these thynges begynne to come to passe, then loke up, and lyft up your heades, for your redempcion draweth nye. And he shewed them a similytude [parable]: beholde the fygge-tree, and all other trees, when they shote furth their buddes, ye see and knowe of your owne selves that sommer is then nye at hande. So lykewyse ye also (when ye see these thinges come to passe) be sure that the kyngdome of God is nye. Verely I saye unto you: this generacion shall not passe, tyll all be fulfylled: Heaven and earth shall passe: but my worde shall not passe.

[Luke 21:25-33]

HEARE me when I call, o God of my ryghteousnes : thou hast set me at libertie when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and herken unto my prayer.
    O ye sonnes of menne, howe long will ye blaspheme myne honor? and have such pleasure in vanitie, and seke after easing?
    Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himselfe the manne that is godly : when I call upon the Lord, he will heare me.
    Stande in awe, and synne not : common [commune] with your owne hearte, and in youre chambre, and be still.
    Offer the sacrifice of righteousnes : and put your trust in the Lorde.
    There be many that will saye: who wyll shewe us any good?
    Lorde lift thou up: the light of thy countenaunce upon us.
    Thou hast put gladnes in mine heart : sence the tyme that their corne and wyne, (and oyle) increased.
    I will lay me downe in peace, and take my rest : for it is thou, Lorde, onely, that makest me to dwell in safetie.
    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever &c.
 

* added in late 1500's

LORD, we beseche thee, geve eare to our prayers, and by thy gracious visitacion lighten the darkenes of our hearte, by our Lorde Jesus Christe.
 

The Epistle. 1 Cor. iv.

LET a man this wise esteme us, even as the ministers of Christ and stewardes of the secretes of God. Furthermore, it is required of the stewardes, that a man be founde faithfull: with me it is but a very small thing that I should be judged of you, eyther of mannes judgement: no I judge not mine owne selfe, for I know nought by myselfe, yet am I not therby justified. It is the Lorde that judgeth me. Therfore judge nothing before the tyme, untyll the Lorde come, whiche wyll lighten thynges that are hydde in darkenesse, and open the counsayles of the heartes and then shall every manne have prayse of God.
 

[1 Cor.  4:1-5]

The Gospel. Matt. xi.

WHEN John beeyng in pryson hearde the workes of Christe he sente two of his disciples, and sayed unto hym; Art thou he that shall come? or doe we looke for another? Jesus aunswered and sayd unto them: Goe and shewe John agayrne what ye have hearde and seen: The blynde receive their sight, the lame walke, the Lepers are clensed, and the deafe heare, the dead aryse up, and the poore receyve the gladde tydinges of the gospel, and happy is he that is not offended by me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the people concernyng John; What went ye out into the wildernes to see? A rede that is shaken with the wynde? Or what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft rayment? behold, they that weare soft clothing, are in kinges houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophete? verely I saye unto you, and more then a Prophete. For this is he of whom it is wrytten, beholde, I sende my messenger before thy face, whiche shall prepare thy waye before thee.

[Matthew 11: 2-10]

PONDER my woordes, O Lorde : considre my meditacion.
   O herken thou unto the voyce of my calling, my kyng, and my God : for unto thee wyll I make my prayer.
    My voyce shalt thou heare betymes, o Lorde : early in the morning will I directe my prayer unto thee, and will looke up.
    For thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednes : neither shall anye evill dwell with the.
    Suche as be foolishe shalle not stande in thy sight : for thou hatest all them that worke vanitie.
    Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing [=lies] : the Lord will abhorre both the bloud-thirstie and deceiptfull man.
    But as for me, I will come into thy house, even upon the multitude of thy mercy : and in thy feare I wyl wurship towarde thy holy temple.
    Leade me (o Lorde) in thy righteousnes, because of myne enemyes : make thy waye playne before my face.
    For there is no faythfulnes in his mouthe : their inwarde partes are very wickednes.
    Their throte is an open sepulchre : they flatter with their tongue.
    Destroy thou them, O God; let them peryshe through their owne imaginacions : cast them out in the multitude of their ungodlines; for they have rebelled agaynst thee.
    And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoyce : they shall ever be gevyng of thankes, because thou defendest them; they that love thy name shalbe joyfull in thee.
    For thou, Lord, wilt geve thy blessyng unto the righteous and with thy favorable kyndnes wylt thou defende him as his shelde.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.
    As it was in the begynnyng, is now, and ever &c.
 

* added in late 1500's

LORDE rayse up (we pray the) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our synnes and wickednes, we be soore lette [=obstructed] and hindred, thy bountifull grace and mercye, through the satisfaccion of thy sonne our Lord, may spedily deliver us; to whom with thee and the holy gost be honor and glory, worlde without ende.
 

REJOYCE in the Lord alway, and againe I saye, rejoyce. Let your softnes be knowen unto all men: the Lord is even at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in all praier and supplicacion let your peticions be manifest unto God, with gevyng of thankes. And the peace of God (whiche passeth all understandyng) kepe your heartes and myndes through Christe Jesu.
 

[Phil. 4:4-7]

THIS is the recorde of John, when the Jewes sent priestes and Levites from Jerusalem to aske him; what art thou? and he confessed, and denied not, and sayd playnly: I am not Christ. And they asked him, what then? art thou Helyas [Elijah]? and he sayeth: I am not. Art thou that Prophete? and he aunswered, no. Then sayed they unto him; what art thou? that we may geve an aunswer unto them that sent us? what sayest thou of thy selfe? he said: I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernes, make straight the way of the lorde, as said the prophete Esai [Isaiah]. And they whiche were sente were of the Phariseis, and they asked hym, and sayde unto hym, why baptisest thou then, if thou be not Christe, nor Helyas [Elijah], neither that prophet? John aunswered them, saying: I baptise with water: but there standeth one among you, whome ye know not: he it is which though he came after me, was before me, whose shooe-latchet, I am not woorthie to unlooce. These thinges were doen at Bethabara [Bethany] beyond Jordane, where John did baptise.

[John 1:19-28]