The Book of Common Prayer
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    Collects, Epistles, and Gospels
from the 1549, 1552 and 1559 Books of Common Prayer

 
 

The Assencion Day.

Proper Psalmes and Lessons.

At Matins.

Psalms viii. xv. xxi.

The Second Lesson, John xiv. unto the end.

At the Communion.]*

Omnes gentes plaudite. Psalm xlvii.

O CLAP your handes together (all ye people) : O syng unto God with the voyce of melody.
   For the Lorde is hye, and to bee feared : he is the greate kyng upon all the yearth.
    He shall subdue the people under us : And the nacions under our fete.
    He shall chose out an heritage for us : Even the worship of Jacob whom he loved.
    God is gone up with a mery noyse : And the Lorde with the sounde of the trompe [trumpet].
    O syng prayses, syng prayses unto oure God : O syng prayses, syng prayses unto our kyng.
    For God is the kyng of al the yearth : syng ye praises with understandyng.
    God reigneth over the heathen : god sitteth upon his holy seate.
    The princes of the people are joined to the people, of the God of Abraham : for God (whiche is very hye exalted) doth defende the earth, as it were with a shylde.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the begin : &c.
 

The Collect.

GRAUNTE we beseche thee, almightie god, that like as we doe beleve thy onely-begotten sonne our lorde to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascende, and with him continually dwell[, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, one God world without end]*.
 

 

 

 

 

* 1549 only

* Added after 1604.
 

The Epistle. Acts i.

IN the former treatise (deare Theophilus) we have spoken of all that Jesus began to dooe and teache, until the day in which he was take up, after that he through the holy goste, had geven commaundementes unto the Apostles, whome he had chosen: to whome he also shewed himselfe alive after his passion, (and that by many tokens,) appearyng unto them xl dayes, and speaking of the kingdom of god; and gathered them together, and commaunded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem: but to wayte for the promes [promise] of the father, wherof (sayth he) ye have heard of me. For John truely baptised with water; but ye shalbe baptised with the holy goste, after these fewe dayes. When they therfore were come together, they asked of him, saying; lord, wilt thou at this time restore agayn the kingdorne of Israell? And he sayde unto them; it is not for you to knowe the times or the seasons, whiche the father hath put in hys owne power. But ye shall receyve power after that the holy gost is come upon you. And ye shall bee witnesses unto me, not onely in Jerusalem, but also in all Jewry [=Judea], and in Samaria, and even unto the worldes ende. And when he had spoken these thynges, while they behelde, he was taken up on hye, and a cloud received him up out of their sight. And while they loked stedfastly up toward heaven as he went, beholde, two men stoode by them in white apparel, whiche also sayde: ye men of Galile, why stand ye gasyng up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, even as ye have sene him goe into heaven.
 

 

 

[Acts 1:1-11]

The Gospel. Mark xvi.

JESUS appeared unto the eleven as they sate at meate: and cast in their teth [=upbraided] there [their] unbelefe and hardnes of heart, because they beleved not them which had sene that he was risen agayn from the dead: and he sayd unto them; goe ye into all the world, and preache the gospel to all creatures: he that beleveth, and is baptised, shalbee saved; But he that beleveth not shalbee damned. And these tokens shal folowe them that beleve. In my name they shall cast out devils, they shal speake with new tonges, they shall dryve away serpentes. And if they drinke any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall laye their handes on the sycke, and they shall recover. So then when the lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, and is on the right hand of God. And they wente furth and preached every where; The lord working with them, and confirming the word with miracles folowing.

Proper psalmes and lessons at Evensong.

Psalms xxiv. lxviii. cxlviii.

The Seconde Lesson, Ephe. iv. unto the ende.]*

 

 

[Mark 16:14-20]

 

 

* 1549 only
 

The Sonday after the Ascencion.

Dominus regnavit. Psalm xciii.

THE lorde is king, and hath put on glorious apparel : the lord hath put on his apparell, and girded himselfe with strength.
    He hath made the round world so sure : that it cannot be moved.
    Ever sence the worlde began hath thy seate bene prepared : thou art from everlasting.
    The fluddes are risen, O Lorde, the fluddes have lifte up theyr noyse : the fluddes lift up theyr waves.
    The waves of the sea are mightie, and rage horrybly : but yet the Lorde that dwelleth on hygh is mightier.
    Thy testimonies, O Lorde, are very sure : holynes becommeth thine house for ever.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was, &c.
 

The Collect.

O GOD, the kyng of glory, which hast exalted thine only sonne Jesus Christe, with great triumphe unto thy kingdom in heaven; we beseche thee, leave us not comfortles; but sende to us thine holy ghost to comfort us, and exalte us unto the same place whither our saviour Christe is gone before; who lyveth and reigneth &c.
 

 
"The Sundaye after the Ascension daye." in 1552; "Sunday after Ascension day." in 1604.

The Epistle. 1 Peter iv.

THE ende of all thinges is at hand; be ye therfore sobre, and watch unto praier. But above all thinges have fervent love among yourselves: for love shal cover the multitude of synnes. Be ye herberous [harborous, i. e., hospitable] one to another without grudgyng. As every man hath received the gyfte, even so minister the same one to another, as good ministers of the manifold grace of God. If any man speake, let him talke as the wordes of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the habilitie [ability] whiche God ministreth to him; that God in all thinges may be gloryfied through Jesus Christ; to whome be prayse and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
 

 

 

[1 Peter 4:7-11]

The Gospell. John xv. xvi.

WHEN the comforter is come whom I will sende unto you from the father (even the spirite of trueth, which procedeth of the father,) he shall testyfye of me. And ye shall beare witnes also, because ye have bene with me from the begynnyng.
    These thinges have I said unto you, because ye should not be offended. They shall excommunicate you: yea the tyme shall come, that whosoever kylleth you, wyll thinke that he doeth God service. And such thinges will they do unto you, because they have not knowen the father, neyther yet me. But these thinges I have told you, that whan the tyme is come, ye may remembre then that I tolde you. These thinges sayde I not unto you at the beginning, because I was presente with you.

 

 

[John 15:26-16:4]

Last sentence (v. 4b) dropped in 1552.
 

Whit-Sunday.

Proper Psalms and Lessons at Matins.

Psalm xlviii. lxvii. cxlv.

The Second Lesson, Acts x. "Then Peter opened his mouth," unto the end.

At the Communion.

Exultate justi in Domino. Psalm xxxiii.

REJOICE in the Lorde, O ye righteous : for it becommeth well the juste to be thankfull.
    Prayse the Lorde with harpe : syng psalmes unto him wyth the lute and instrumente of ten stringes.
    Syng unto the Lorde a new song : sing prayses lustely (unto him) with a good courage.
    For the worde of the Lord is true and al his workes are faythfull.
    He loveth ryghteousnes and judgement : the earth is full of the goodnes of the Lorde.
    By the worde of the Lord were the heavens made : and all the hoostes of them, by the breath of hys mouth.
    He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon a heap : and layeth up the depe as it were in a treasure-house..
    Let all the earth feare the Lorde : stande in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the worlde.
    For he spake and it was done : he commaunded, and it stoode faste.
    The Lorde bringeth the counsayll of the heathen to noughte : and maketh the devyses of the people to be of none effect, (and casteth out the counsailes of prynces.)
    The counsaill of the Lord shal endure for ever : and the thoughtes of hys harte from generacion to generacion.
    Blessed are the people whose God is the Lorde Jehovah : and blessed are the folke that have chosen hym to be theyr inheritaunce.
    The lorde loked downe from heaven, and beheld all the chyldren of menne : from the habitacion of hys dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell in the earth.
    He fashyoneth all the heartes of them : and understandeth all theyr workes.
    There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of an hoste : neyther is anye myghtye man delyvered by muche strength.
    A horse is counted but a vayne thyng to save a man : neither shall he deliver any man by hys great strength.
    Beholde, the eye of the lorde is upon them that feare him and upon them that put theyr truste in his mercye.
    To deliver theyr soules from deathe : and to feade them in the tyme of derth [dearth].
    Our soule hath paciently taryed for the lorde : for he is our helpe and our shielde.
    For our heart shall rejoyce in him : because we hoped in his; holy name.
    Let thy mercifull kyndnes, O lorde, be upon us : lyke as we have put our trust in thee.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, &c.


The Collect.

GOD, whiche as upon this daye haste [hast] taughte the heartes of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the lyght of thy holy spirite; graunte us by the same spirite to have a right judgement in al thinges, and evermore to rejoyce in hys holy coumforte; through the merites of Christ Jesus our saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unitie of the same spirite, one God, worlde without ende.
 

 

[Pentecost]

 


[Acts 10:34-48]; 1549 only

The Epistle. Acts ii.

WHEN the fiftie dayes were come to an end, they were al with one accorde together in one place. And sodenly there came a sound from heaven, as it had bene the comming of a mighty wind, and it filled al the house where they sate. And there appered unto them cloven tonges, like as they had bene of fyre, and it sate upon eche one of them; and they were al filled with the holy gost, and began to speake with other tonges, even as the same spirite gave them utteraunce. There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jewes, devout men out of every nacion of them that are under heaven. When thys was noysed about,['At this sound' in modern translations] the multitude came to gether and were astonied [astonished], because that every man heard them speake with his owne language. They wondred all, and merveiled, saying among themselfes; behold, are not al these, which speake, of Galile? And how heare we every man his owne tong, wherin we were borne? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia, and of Jewry [Judea], and of Capadocia, of Pontus and Asia, Phrigia and Pamphilia, of Egipte, and of the parties of Libia, whiche is beside Siren [Cyrene], and straungers of Rome, Jewes and Proselites, Grekes and Arrabians we have heard them speake in our owne tongues the great weorkes of God.
 

 

 

[Acts 2:1-11]

The Gospel. John xiv.

JESUS sayde unto his disciples; If ye love me kepe my commaundementes, and I wil pray the father, and he shall geve you another camforter, that he maye abyde with you for ever; even the spirite of trueth, whome the worlde cannot receive, because the worlde seeth him not, neither knoweth hym. But ye knowe hym; for he dwelleth with you, and shalbe in you. I will not leave you coumfortles; but will come to you. Yet a litle while, and the worlde seeth me no more; but ye se me. For I lyve, and ye shall lyve. That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father, and you in me, and I in you. He that hath my commaundementes, and kepeth them, the same is he that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shalbe loved of my father; and I will love him, and wil shewe mine owne selfe unto hym. [Judas sayeth unto hym (not Judas Iscariot:) Lord, what is done that thou wylt shewe thy self unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus aunswered and sayd unto them: if a man love me, he wyl kepe my sayinges: and my father wyll love him: and we wyl come unto him, and dwell wyth hym. He that loveth me not, kepeth not my sayinges. And the word which ye heare, is not myne, but the fathers whych sente me. These things have I spoken unto you, beynge yet present wyth you. But the comforter, which is the holy ghost whom my Father wyll sende in my name, he shall teache you all thynges, and bryng all thynges to your remembraunce whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you: my peace I geve unto you: not as the worlde geveth, geve I unto you. Let not youre heartes be greved, neyther feare.
Ye have heard howe I said unto you: I go, and come agayne unto you. Yf ye loved me, ye woulde verely rejoyce, because I sayde: I go unto the father: for the father is greater then I. And now I have shewed you before it come that, when it is come to passe, ye myght beleve. Hereafter wyll I not talke many wordes with you. For the prince of this worlde cometh, and hath naught in me. But that the worlde may knowe that I love the father. And as the father gave me commaundement, even so do I.]*

 

 

[John 14:15-31a]

* vs. 22 - 31a added in 1552.

 

 

Proper psalmes and lessons at Evensong.

Psalms ciiii. cxlv.

The ii Lesson, Actes xix. "It fortuned when Apollo wente to Corinthum," unto " After these thinges."

 

 

 

[Acts 19:1-20]; 1549 only

 

Monday in whitsonweke.

Jubilate Deo. Psalm c.

O BE joyful in the Lorde (all ye landes) : serve the Lord with gladnes, and come before his presence with a song.
    Be ye sure that the lord he is God : it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselfes; we are hys people, and the shepe of his pasture.
    O goe your way into his gates with thankesgeving, and into his courtes with praise : be thankeful unto him, and speake good of his name.
    For the lorde is gracious, hys mercie is everlasting : and his trueth endureth from generacion to generacion.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the be : &c.


The Collect.

    ¶ God, which, &c. as upon witsonday.

 

The Epistle. Acts x.

THEN Peter opened his mouth and sayd; of a truth I perceyve that there is no respecte of persones with God, but in all people, he that feareth hym, and woorketh righteousnesse, is accepted with hym. Ye knowe the preachyng that God sente unto the children of Israell, preachyng peace by Jesus Christe, whiche is Lorde over all thynges; whiche preachyng was published throughoute all Jewrye [=Judea], (and began in Galile, after the baptisme whiche John preached) how God annointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holye goste, and with power. Whiche Jesu went about doyng good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devill. For God was with hym. And we are witnesses of all thynges whiche he did in the land of the Jewes and at Jerusalem, whome they slewe and hanged on tree: Hym God raysed up the thirde day, and shewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto us witnesses, (chosen before of god for the same entente;) whiche dyd eate and drynke with hym, after he arose from deathe. And he commaunded us to preache unto the people, and to testifye that it is he, whiche was ordayned of God to be the judge of quicke and dead. To hym geve all the Prophetes witnesse, that through his name whosoever beleveth in him, shall receyve remission of synnes.
    Whyle Peter yet spake these woordes, the holy goste fel on all them whiche heard the preachyng. And they of the circumcision which beleved, were astonied, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentyles also, was shed out the gift of the holy goste. For they hearde them speake with tongues, and magnifye God. Then aunswered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these shoulde not be baptised whiche have receyve the holy goste as well as we? And he commaunded them to bee haptised in the name of the Lorde. Then prayed they him to tary a fewe dayes.
 

 

 

[Acts 10:34-48]

The Gospel. John iii.

SO God loved the worlde, that he gave his only-begotten sonne that whosoever beleveth in him, shoulde not perishe, but have everlastyng lyfe. For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the worlde, but that the worlde through him mighte be saved. He that beleveth on hym is not condemned. But he that beleveth not, is condemned already, because he hath not beleved in the name of the onelye-begotten sonne of God. And thys is the condemnacyon; that lyghte is come into the worlde, and menne loved darkenes more then lighte, because theyr dedes were evill. For every one that evill doeth, hateth the light, neither cummeth to the lighte, leste his dedes shoulde bee reproved. But he that doth trueth cummeth to the light, that his dedes may be knowen, how that they are wrought in God.
 

 

 

[John 3:16-21]

 

Tuesday.

At the Communion.

Misericordiam. Psalm ci.

MY song shall bee of mercye and judgemente : unto thee (O Lorde) will I sing.
    When wilte thou come unto me? I will walke in my house with a perfect heart.
    I wil take no wicked thing in hand; I hate the sinnes of unfaythfulnes : there shall no such cleave unto me.
    A frowarde hearte shall departe from me : I will not knowe a wicked persone.
    Whoso prievely slaundereth his neighbour : him will destroye.
    Whoso hath also a proude looke and an hie stomake :  I will not suffer him.
    Myne eyes looke unto such as be faythfull in the land :  that they may dwell with me.
    Whoso leadeth a godly lyfe : he shalbe my servaunte.
    There shal no deceiptfull persone dwell in my house :  he that telleth lyes shall not tary in my syght.
    I shall soone destroy all the ungodly that are in the lande : that I may roote out all wicked dooers from the citie of the Lorde.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, &c.


The Collect.

    GOD, which &c., as upon witsonday.

 

"The Tuesdaie after Whytsundaye" in 1552; "Tuesday in Whitsun Week" in late 1500's

 

The Epistle. Acts viii.

WHEN the Apostles whiche were at Jerusalem heard saye, that Samaria had receyved the woord of god, they sent unto them Peter and John. Whiche, when they were come downe, prayed for them, that they mighte receive the holy goste: for as yet he was come on none of them; but they were baptised onely in the name of Christ Jesu. Then layde they theyr handes on them, and they receyved the holy gost.
 

 

 

[Acts 8:14-17]

The Gospell. John x.

VERELY, verily I say unto you; he that entreth not in by the dore into the shepe folde, but climeth up some other way, the same is a thefe and a murtherer. But he that entreth in by the doore, is the shepeheard of the shepe: To hym the porter [=gatekeeper] openeth, and the shepe heare his voyce, and he calleth hys owne shepe by name, and leadeth them out. And when he hath sent furth his owne shepe, he goeth beefore them, and the shepe folow him: for they knowe his voyce. A straunger wil they not folowe; but will flye from hym; for they knowe not the voyce of straungers.
    This proverbe spake Jesus unto them, but they understoode not what thynges they were whiche he spake unto them. Then sayde Jesus unto them agayne: verely, verely, I saye unto you; I am the doore of the shepe. All (even as many as came before me) are theves and murtherers, but the shepe did not heare them. I am the dore, by me if any enter in, he shalbe safe, and shall goe in and out, and fynde pasture. A thefe cummeth not but for to steale, kill, and destroy. I am come that they might have lyfe, and that they mighte have it more aboundauntlye.

 

 

[John 10:1-10]


 
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