At the Communion.

Sæpe expugnaverunt. Psalm cxxix.

MANY tymes they have fought agaynst me from my youth up : may Israeli nowe saye.
    Yea, many a time have thei vexed me from my youth up : but thei have not prevailed against me.
    The plowers plowed upon my backe : and made long forowes.
    But the righteous Lorde : hath hewen the snares of the ungodly in pieces.
    Let them be confounded and turned backwarde : as many as have evyll wyll at Sion.
    Let them be even as the grasse growyng upon the housetoppes : which withereth afore it be pluckt up.
    Wherof the mower fylleth not hys hande : neither he that bindeth up the sheves, hys bosome.
    So that they which go by, saye not so muche : as the Lord prospere you, we wish you good lucke in the name of the Lorde.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne and to the holy ghost.
    As it was in the begynning, is nowe, and ever shalbe worlde without ende. Amen.

The Collect.
 

Nov. 30

IF thou knowledge [acknowledge] with thy mouthe, that Jesus is the Lord,. and beleve in thy heart that God raised him up from death, thou shalt be safe [saved]. For, to beleve with the hearte justifyeth; and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe. For the scripture saith; whosoever beleveth on hym shall not be confounded. There is no difference betwene the Jewe and the Gentyle. For one is Lorde of all, whyche is ryche unto all that call upon hym. For whosoever doth cal on the name of the Lorde shalbe safe. Howe then shal they call on him, on whom they have not beleved ? How shal they beleve on him, of whom they have not heard? How shal they heare, without a preacher? And how shal they preache except they be sent? As it is written; howe beutiful are the fete of them which bring tidinges of peace, and bring tidynges of good thynges. But they have not al obeyed to the gospel, for Esay [Isaiah] sayeth; Lorde, who hath beleved our saiynges? So then, faith commeth by hearing, and hearing commeth by the worde of God. But I aske; have they not heard? no doubt their sound went out into al landes, and their wordes into the endes of the world. But I demaunde whether Israell dyd knowe or not? fyrst Moyses sayth; I wyll provoke you to envy, by them that are no people, by a folysh nacion I wyll anger you. Esaie [Isaiah] after that is bolde, and sayth; I am found of them that sought me not, I am manyfest unto them that asked not after me. But against Israell he saith, all daye long have I stretched furth my handes unto a people that beleveth not, but speaketh agaynst me.
 

[Romans 10:9-21]

AS Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, he sawe two brethren; Simon, which was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, castyng a net into the sea, (for they were fyshers) and he saieth unto them; folowe me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And they streightway left their nettes, and folowed hym.
    And when he was gone furth from thence, he sawe other two brethren, James the sonne of Zebede, and John hys brother, in the ship with Zebede theyr father, mending theyr nettes: and he called them. And they immediatly left the ship and their father, and folowed hym.

[Matthew 4:18-22]

Beati omnes. Psalm cxxviii.

BLESSED are all they that feare the Lorde : and walke in his wayes.
   For thou shalt eate the labours of thyne handes : O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.
    Thy wife shalbe as the fruitful vine : upon the walles of thyne house.
    Thy chyldren like the Olyve braunches : round about thy table.
    Lo, thus shal the man be blessed : that feareth the lorde.
    The Lorde from out of Syon, shall so blesse thee : that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperytie all thy lyfe long.
    Yea, that thou shalt see thy chylders chyldren : and peace upon Israell.
    Glory be to the father, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, &c.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTIE and* everliving God, whiche for the more confyrmacion of the fayth didst suffer thy holy apostle Thomas to bee doubtfull in thy sonnes resurreccyon; graunte us so perfectly, and without all doubt, to beleve in thy sonne Jesus Christe, that our fayth in thy syghte may* never be reproved; here us, O Lorde, through the same Jesus Christe, to whome with thee and the holy goste be all honour, &c.
 

Dec. 21

NOW ye are not straungers, nor foreners, but citezens with the saintes, and of the houshold of God, and are built upon the foundacion of the apostles and prophetes, Jesus Christ himselfe beeyng the head corner-stone, in whome what building soever is coupled together, it groweth unto an holy temple in the lord,. in whome ye also are built together to be an habitacion of God through the holy gost.
 

[Ephesians 2:19-22]

THOMAS one of the twelve, which is called Didimus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therfore sayed unto hym, we have sene the lord. But he sayd unto them; except I see in hys handes the printe of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and thrust my hande into his syde, I will not beleve.
    And after eighte dayes, agayne hys disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus when the doores were shut, and stode in the middes [midst] and sayd; peace be unto you.. And after that he sayde to Thomas; bring thy finger hither, and. see my handes, and reache hither thy hande, and thruste it into my syde, and be not faythlesse, but beleving. Thomas aunswered and sayde unto hym; my lorde and my God. Jesus sayd unto him; Thomas, because thou hast sene me, thou hast beleved; blessed are they that have not sene, and yet have beleved. And many other sygnes truely dyd Jesus in the presence of his disciples, whiche are not written in thys booke. These are written, that ye myght beleve that Jesus is Christe the sonne of God, and that (in beleving) ye myght have lyfe through hys name.

[John 20:24-31]

GOD, whiche haste taughte all the worlde, through the preachyng of thy blessed apostle saincte Paule; graunt, we beseche thee, that we whiche have hys wonderfull conversion in remembraunce, maye folowe and fulfill the holy doctryne that he taughte; through Jesus Christ our Lorde.

Jan. 25

[Acts 22:1-22a]

AND Saul yet breathyng out threatnynges, and slaughter agaynste the Disciples of the lord, went unto the hye prieste, and desired of him letters to cary to Damasco [Damascus], to the Sinagoges; (that if he founde any of this waye, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.) And when he jorneied, it fortuned that as he was come nigh to Damasco, sodenly there shined round about him a light from heaven, and he fel to the earth, and heard a voyce, saying to him; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he sayde: what art thou Lorde. And the Lord sayd; I am Jesus whome thou persecuteste. It is harde for thee to kicke agaynste the pricke [i. e., It is hard for you to resist prodding. (this and the following sentence do not appear in modern translations)]. And he both trembling and astonied [astonished], sayd; lorde, what wilt thou have me to doe? And the lorde sayde unto hym; aryse, and goe into the citie, and it shalbe tolde thee what thou must doe. The men whiche journeyed with hym, stoode amased, hearing a voyce, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and when be opened hys eyes, he saw no man; But they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damasco. And he was three dayes without sight, and neyther did eate nor drynke. And there was a certayn disciple at Damasco, named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision; Ananias? and he sayd; bebolde I am here lorde. And the lord sayd unto him; arise and goe into the strete (whiche is called streighte) and seke in the house of Judas, after one called Saul of Tharsus. For beholde, he prayeth, and hath seene in a vision a man, named Ananias, cummyng in to hym, and puttyng hys handes on hym, that he mighte receyve hys sighte. Then Ananias aunswered; Lorde, I have hearde by many of thys man, howe muche evill he hath doone to thy sainctes at Jerusalem; and here he hath aucthorytye of the hye pryestes, to bynde all that call on thy name. The Lorde sayde unto hym; goe thy waye, for he is a chosen vessell unto me, to beare my name beefore the Gentyles, and kynges, and the chyldren of Israell. For I will shewe hym, howe great thynges he muste suffer for my names sake. And Ananias wente hys way, and entred into the house, and put hys handes on hym, and sayde: brother Saul, the Lorde that appeared unto thee in the way as thou cameste, hath sent me, that thou mighteste receyve thy syghte, and be filled with the holy goste. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, and he receyved syghte and arose, and was baptised, and received meate and was coumforted. Then was Saul a certayne dayes with the discyples whiche were at Damasco. And straightway be preached Christe in the Sinagoges, howe that he was the sonne of God. But all that hearde hym were amased, and sayde: is not thys he that spoyled [=seized] them whiche called on thys name in Hierusalem [Jerusalem], and came hither for that entente that he mighte bring them bounde unto the hye priestes? But Saul encreased the more in strength, and confounded the Jewes whiche dwelte at Damasco, affirming that thys was very Christe.
 

[Acts 9:1-22]

[¶ At Evensong.

¶ The Second Lesson, Acts xxvi. unto the end.]*

[Matthew 19:27-30]

The Epistle.

The same that is appoynted for the Sondaye.
 

WHEN the tyme of their Purificacion (after the lawe of Moses) was come, they brought him to Hierusalem [Jerusalem], to present hym to the Lorde, (as it is written in the Lawe of the Lorde: every manne child that first openeth the matrix [=womb], shalbe called holy to the lorde;) and to offre (as it is saied in the Lawe of the Lorde) a payre of turtle Dooves, or twoo young Pigions. And beholde, there was a man in Hierusalem, whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and godly, and loked for the consolacion of Israeli, and the holy Goste was in hym. And an answere had he received of the holy Goste, that he should not see death, excepte be firste sawe the Lordes Christe. And he came by inspiracion [=the spirit] into the temple.

[Luke 2:22-27a]

ALMYGHTYE God, whiche in the place of the traytor Judas, didst chose thy faythfull servaunte Mathie [Matthias] to be of the number of thy twelve Apostles; Graunt that thy churche, being alway preserved from false Apostles, may be ordred and guided by faythfull and true pastors; Through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
 

Saint Matthias
Feb. 24

IN those dayes, Peter stode up in the middes [midst] of the disciples, and sayd; (the numbre of names that were together, were about an cxx,) Ye men and brethren, thys scripture must nedes have bene fulfilled, which the holye Ghoste, throughe the mouthe of David, spake before of Judas, whiche was guyde to them that toke Jesus. For he was numbred with us, and had obteined felowship in this ministracion [=ministry]. And the same hath now possessed a plat [plot] of ground with the rewarde of iniquitie; and when he was hanged, he burst asunder in the middes, and all his bowels gusshed out: And it is knowen unto all the inhabiters of Hierusalem [Jerusalem]; insomuche that the same fielde is called, in theyr mother tongue, Acheldama, that is to saye, the bloude fielde. For it is written in the boke of Psalmes: his habitacion be voyde, and no man be dwelling therein, and his bishoprike [=office] let another take. Wherfore, of these menne whiche have companyed with us (al the tyme that the lorde Jesus had al his conversacion [=ministry] emong us, beginning at the baptisme of John unto that same day, that he was taken up from us) must one be ordayned, to be a witnes with us of his resurreccion. And they appoynted two, Joseph whiche is called Barsabas, (whose simame was Justus,) and Matthias. And when they prayed, they sayde: Thou Lorde, which knowest the heartes of al menne, shew whether of these two thou haste chosen; That he may take the roume [=place] of this ministracion and Apostleship, from whiche Judas by transgression fel, that he might goe to his own place. And they gave furth theyr lottes; and the lot fel on Matthias, and he was coumpted with the eleven Apostles.
 

[Acts 1:15-26]

IN that tyme Jesus aunswered, and sayde: I thanke thee, (O father,) Lorde of heaven and yearth, because thou hast hyd these thynges from the wise and prudent, and hast shewed them unto babes: verely father, even so was it thy good pleasure. All thynges are geven over unto me of my father. And no manne knoweth the sonne, but the father; neither knoweth any man the father, save the sonne, and he to whomesoever the sonne will open hym. Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are laden, and I wil ease you. Take my yoke upon you, and learne of me; for I am meke and lowly in heart: and ye shal fynd rest unto your soules, for my yoke is easie, and my burden is light.
 

[Matthew 11:25-30]

Domine, non est exal. Psalm cxxxi.

LORDE, I am not hye-mynded : I have no proude lookes.
    I doe not exercise myselfe in great matters : whiche are to hye for me.
    But I refrayne my soule, and kepe it low, lyke as a chyld that is weaned from hys mother : yea, my soule is even as a weaned chylde.
    O Israell, trust in the Lorde : from thys tyme foorth for evermore.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, &c. Amen.

The Collect.

WE beseche thee, Lorde, powre thy grace into our heartes; that, as we have knowen Christ, thy sonnes incarnacion, by the message of an Angell; so by hys crosse and passion, we maye be brought unto the glory of his resurreccion; Through the same Christe our Lorde.
 

March 25

GOD spake once agayne unto Ahaz, saying; require a token of the Lorde thy God; whether it be towarde the depth beneth, or towarde the heigth above. Then sayde Ahaz; I will require none, neyther will I tempte the Lorde. And he sayed; hearken to, ye of the house of Davyd; is it not ynoughe for you that ye bee grevous unto menne, but ye muste greve my God also? And therefore the Lorde shall geve you a token; beholde a virgin shall conceive, and beare a sonne, and his mother shall call hys name Emanuell. Butter and Hony shall he eate, that he maye knowe to refuse the evill, and chose the good.
 

[Isaiah 7:10-15]

AND in the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriell was sente from GOD unto a citie of Galile, named Nazareth, to a virgyn spoused to a manne, whose name was Joseph, of the house of Davyd, and the virgins name was Mary. And the Angel went in unto her, and sayd, Haile ful of grace, the Lorde is with thee; Blessed arte thou among weomen. When she sawe hym, she was abasshed at hys saying, and caste in her mynde, what maner of salutacyon that shoulde be. And the angel said unto her; feare not Mary; for thou hast found grace with God. Beholde, thou shalt conceive in thy wombe, and beare a sonne, and shalt call his name Jesus: He shall be greate, and shalbe called the sonne of the highest. And the Lorde God shall geve unto hym, the seat of his father David, and he shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever, and of hys kyngdome there shalbe none end. Then said Mary unto the angel; How shall this be, seeing I knowe not a man? And the Angel aunswered and sayde unto her, the holy gost shal come upon thee, and the power of the highest shal overshadowe thee. Therfore also that holy thing which shal be borne, shall be called the sonne of God. And beholde, thy cosin Elizabeth, she hath also conceyved a sonne in her age. And this is her sixth moneth, which was called baren: for with god shal notbing be unpossible. And Mary sayde: beholde the handmayde of the lorde: be it unto me, according to thy woorde. And the Angell departed from her.
 

[Luke 1:26-38]

April 25

UNTO every one of us is geven grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christe. Wherfore he sayeth; when he went up an hie, he led captivitie captive, and gave giftes unto menne. That he ascended, what meaneth it, but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth? he that descended, is even the same also that ascended up above all heavens, to fulfill all thinges. And the verye same made some Apostles, some prophetes, some Evangelistes, some Shepheardes and teachers; to the edifying of the sainctes, to the worke and minystracyon, even to the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unitie of fayth, and knowledge of the sonne of god, unto a perfecte man, unto the measure of the full perfect age of Christe. That we hencefurth should be no more children, wavering and caryed about with every winde of doctrine, by the wylinesse of men, through craftines, wherby they lay awaite for us, to deceive us. But let us folowe the trueth in love, and in all thynges growe in him, which is the head, even Christe, in whome if all the body be coupled and knit together, throughout every joint, wherwith one ministreth to another, (according to the operacion, as everye parte hath his measure) he encreaseth the body, unto the edifying of itselfe thorow love.
 

[Ephesians 4:7-16]

I AM the true Vine, and my father is an housbandeman. Every braunche that beareth not fruite in me, he will take awaye. And everye braunche that beareth fruite, will he pourge [=prune], that it may bring furth more fruite. Nowe are ye cleane through the woordes whiche I have spoken unto you. Bide in me, and I in you. As the braunche cannot beare fruite of itselfe, except it bide in the Vine; no more can ye, except ye abyde in me. I am the Vyne, ye are the braunches. He that abydeth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth furth muche fruite. For without me, can ye doe nothing. If a manne hyde not in me, he is caste foorth as a braunche, and is withered; And menne gather them, and caste them into the fyer, and they burne. If ye byde in me, and my woordes abyde in you, aske what ye will, and it shalbe dooen for you. Herein is my father glorifyed. that ye beare muche fruite, and become my Disciples. As the father hath loved me, even so have I also loved you. Continue ye in my love. If ye kepe my commaundementes, ye shall byde in my love, even as I have kept my fathers commaundementes, and abyde in hys love. These thynges have I spoken unto you, that my joye mighte remayne in you, and that your joy might be full.

[John 15:1-11]

Ecce, quam bonum! Psalm cxxxiii.

BEHOLDE, how good and joyfull a thing it is : brethren to dwell together in unitie.
    It is lyke the precious oyntmente upon the head, that ran down unto the beard : even unto Aarons bearde, and wente downe to the skirtes of hys clothing.
    Lyke the dewe of Hermon : whiche fell upon the Hyll of Sion.
   For there the Lorde promised hys blessyng : and lyfe for evermore.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, is now, &c.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTIE God, whome truely to knowe is everlasting lyfe; Graunt us perfectely to knowe thy sonne Jesus Christe to bee the way, the trueth, and the lyfe, as thou hast taught sainct Philip and other the Apostles; Through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
 

May 1

[Acts 8:1a-13]

JAMES the servaunt of God, andof the Lorde Jesus Christe, sendeth greeting to the twelve Tribes whiche are scattered abrode. My brethren, counte it for an excedynge joye, when ye fall into diverse temptacions; Knowyng thys, that the trying of youre faythe, gendreth pacyence: and lette pacience have her perfecte woorke, that ye may bee perfecte and sounde, lackyng nothyng. If anye of you lacke wisedome, let him aske of him that geveth it; even God, whiche geveth to all men indifferentley and casteth no man in the teeth [i. e., does not reproach anyone], and it shalbe geven hym. But let hym aske in fayth, and waver not; for he that doubteth, is like a wave of the sea, whiche is tost [tossed] of the windes, and caryed with violence. Neyther let that man thynke that he shall receyve any thing of the Lorde.
    A waveryng-mynded manne is unstable in all hys wayes. Let the brother whiche is of lowe degree, rejoyce when he is exalted. Agayne, let him that is ryche, rejoyce when he is made lowe. For even as the flower of the Grasse, shall he passe away. For as the sunne riseth with heate, and the grasse withereth, and his flower falleth away, and the beauty of the fashion of it perisheth; even so shall the ryche man perishe in hys wayes. Happie is the man that endureth temptacyon; For when he is tryed, he shall receive the croune of lyfe, which the Lorde hath promised to them that love hym.
 

[James 1:1-12]

AND Jesus sayde unto hys disciples, let not your hearte bee troubled. Ye beleve in God, beleve also in me. In my fathers house are many Mansions. If it were not so, I woulde have tolde you. I goe to prepare a place for you. And if I goe to prepare a place for you, I will come agayne, and receyve you, even unto myselfe: that where I am, there may ye bee also. And whither I goe, ye knowe, and the waye ye knowe. Thomas sayeth unto hym. Lorde wee knowe not whither thou goeste. And howe is it possible for us to knowe the waye? Jesus sayeth unto hym; I am the way, and the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the father but by me: if ye had knowen me, ye had knowen my father also: And nowe ye knowe hym, and have seene hym. Philip sayeth unto him; Lord, shewe us the father, and it suffiseth us. Jesus sayeth unto him, have I bene so long tyme with you; and yet haste thou not knowen me? Philip, he that hath sene me, hath sene my father, and how sayest thou then, shew us the Father? Belevest thou not that I am in the father, and the Father in me? The woordes that I speake unto you, I speake not of myselfe: But the father that dwelleth in me, is he that dooeth the woorkes. Beleve me that I am in the father and the father in me. Orelles beleve me for the woorkes sake. Verely, verely I say unto you; he that beleveth on me, the workes that I do, the same shal he doe also, and greater woorkes than these shall he do, because I goe unto my father. And whatsoever ye aske in my name, that will I dooe, that the father may be glorifyed by the sonne. If ye shall aske any thyng in my name, I will doe it.

[John 14:1-14]

Voce mea ad Dominum. Ps. cxlii.

I CRYED unto the Lord with my voyce : yea even unto the Lord did I make my supplicacion.
    I powred out my complayntes before him : and shewed him of my trouble.
    When my spirite was in heavines thou kneweste my path : in the waye wherein I walked, have they prievely layed a snare for me.
    I loked also upon my right hande; and see, there was no man that would knowe me.
    I had no place to flye unto : and no man cared for my soule.
    I cryed unto thee, O Lorde, and sayd : Thou art my hope and my porcion in the lande of the living.
    Consider my complaynt : for I am brought very low.
    O delyver me from my persecutours : for they are to strong for me.
    Bryng my soule out of prieson, that I may geve thankes unto thy name : which thing if thou wilt graunt me, then shall the righteous resort unto my company.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, is now, &c.

The Collect.

LORDE Almightie, whiche hast indued thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singuler giftes of thy holy goste; let us not be destytute of thy manyfold giftes, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
 

Saint Barnabas
June 11

TYDINGES of these thinges came unto the eares of the congregacyon which was in Hierusalem [Jerusalem]. And they sente furth Barnabas, that he should goe unto Antioche. Which when he came, and had seene the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart, they would continually cleave unto the Lorde. For he was a good man, and ful of the holy gost, and of fayth, and much people was added unto the Lorde. Then departed Barnabas to Tharsus, for to seke Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioche. And it chaunsed, that a whole yere they had theyr conversacyon [=ministry] with the congregacion there, and taught muche people, insomuche that the disciples of Antioche were the first that were called Christen [Christians]. In those dayes came Prophetes from the citie of Hierusalem unto Antioche. And there stoode up one of them, named Agabus, and signifyed by the spirite, that there should be great dearth [=famine] throughout al the world, which came to passe in the Emperour Claudius dayes. Then the disciples, every man accordyng to his habilitie, purposed to send succour unto the brethren whiche dwelt in Jewry [=Judea]: which thyng they also dyd, and sent it to the elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saul.
 

[Acts 11:22-30]

THIS is my commaundemente, that ye love together, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man, then thys; that a man bestowe his lyfe for hys frendes. Ye are my frendes, if ye doe whatsoever I commaunde you. Hencefurth call I you not servauntes, for the servaunt knoweth not what his Lorde doeth. But you have I called frendes; for all thynges that I have heard of my father, have I opened to you: ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordayned you to goe and bring furth fruit, and that your fruit shoulde remayn: that whatsoever ye aske of the father in my name, he may geve it you.

[John 15:12-16]

¶ The Second Lesson, Acts xv. (unto) "After certayne dayes."

[Acts 15:1-35]

Domine, exaudi. Psalm cxliii.

HEARE my prayer, O Lord, and considre my desyre : herken unto me for thy trueth and righteousnes sake.
    And entre not into judgement with thy servaunt : for in thy sighte shall no man living be justifyed.
    For the enemie hath persecuted my soule, he hath smitten my life down to the ground : he hath layed me in the darkenes, as the men that have bene long dead.
    Therfore is my spirite vexed within me : and my heart within me is desolate.
    Yet doe I remember the time past, I muse upon al thy workes : yea I exercise myself in ye workes of thy handes.
    I stretche foorth my handes unto thee : my soule gaspeth unto thee as a thirstie lande.
    Heare me, O Lord, and that soone, for my spirite wexeth faynt : hyde not thy face from me, lest I be lyke unto them that goe downe into the pit.
    O let me heare thy lovyng-kyndenesse betymes in the mornyng, for in thee is my trust : shewe thou me the way that I should walke in, for I lift up my soule unto thee.
    Delyver me, O Lorde, from myne enemyes : for I flye unto thee to hyde me.
    Teache me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God : let thy loving spirite leade me foorth unto the land of righteousnes.
    Quicken me O Lorde, for thy names sake : and for thy ryghteousnes sake, bryng my soule out of trouble.
    And of thy goodnes slay myne enemyes : and destroye all them that vexe my soule, for I am thy servaunt.
    Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, &c.
    As it was in the beginning, &c. Amen.
 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTIE God, by whose providence thy servaunte John Baptiste was wonderfully borne, and sente to prepare the way of thy sonne our saviour, by preaching of penaunce; make us so to folowe his doctrine and holy lyfe, that we may truely repent accordyng to his preachyng; and after his example constantly speake the trueth, boldly rebuke vice, and paciently suffre for the truethes sake; through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
 

June 25

Lessons for Matins & Evensong, 1549 only.

BE of good chere my people, O ye Prophetes, comfort my people, sayeth your God, comfort Jerusalem at the heart, and tell her, that her travayle is at an ende, that her offence is pardoned, that she hath received of the Lordes hand sufficient correccion for all her sinnes. A voyce crieth in wyldernes, Prepare the way of the Lorde in the wyldernes, make straight the path for oure God in the desert. Let all valleyes be exalted, and every mountayne and hyll be layde lowe: whatso is croked, let it be made straight, and let the rough be made plain fieldes. For the glory of the lord shal appeare, and all fleshe shall at once se it: for why? the mouth of the Lorde bath spoken it.
    The same voyce spake, Nowe crye. And the prophet answered; what shall I crye? that all fleshe is grasse, and that all the goodlynes therof is as the floure of the fedle [field]. The grasse is withered, the floure falleth awaye. Even so is the people as grasse, when the breath of the Lorde bloweth upon them. Neverthelesse, whether the grasse wyther, or that the floure fade away, yet the worde of our God endureth for ever. Go up unto the hye hil (O Sion,) thou that bringest good tydinges, lift up thy voyce with power, O thou preacher, Jerusalem; Lift it up without feare, and say unto the cities of Juda; Beholde your God: behold, the lorde God shall come with power, and beare rule with his arme. Beholde, he bryngeth his treasure with hym, and his workes go before hym. He shall feede his flocke lyke an herdman. He shall gather the lambes together with his arme, and carye them in his bosome, and shall kyndely entreat [=lead] those that beare yong.
 

[Isaiah 40:1-11]

ELIZABETHES tyme came that she should be delivered, and she brought furth a sonne. And her neighbours and her cosyns heard howe the Lorde had shewed great mercy upon her, and they rejoysed with her. And it fortuned, that in the eight day they came to circumcise the child; and called his name Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and sayd; not so, but he shalbe called John. And they sayd unto her. There is none in thy kynred that is named with this name. And they made signes to his father, how he would have hym called. And he asked for writyng tables [tablets], and wrote, saying; his name is Jhon. And they mervayled all. And his mouth was opened immediatly, and his tongue also, and he spake and praysed God. And feare came on all them that dwelt nye unto them. And al these sayinges were noysed abrode throughout all the hyll countrey of Jury [=Judea]: and all they that heard them layd them up in their heartes, saying; what maner of childe shal this be? And the hand of the Lorde was with hym. And his father Zacharias was fylled with the holy ghost, and prophecied, saying; Praysed be the lorde God of Israell, for he hath visited and redemed his people. And hath raysed up an horne of salvacion unto us, in the house of his servaunt David. Even as he promised by the mouth of his holy prophetes, which were sence the worlde began. That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. That he would deale mercifully with our fathers, and remembre his holy covenaunt. And that he would perfourm the othe which he sware to our father Abraham. for to geve us. That we delivered out of the handes of our enemies, might serve hym without feare, all the daies of our life in suche holines and righteousnes as are acceptable before him. And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lorde to prepare his wayes; to geve knowledge of salvacion unto his people, for the remission of synnes. Thorough the tendre mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring from an hye hath visited us. To geve light to them that sate in darkenes and in the shadow of death, to guide our fete into the waye of peace. And the childe grewe, and weaxed strong in spirit, and was in wyldernes till the day came, when he shoulde shewe himselfe unto the Israelites.

[Luke 1:57-80]

The First Lesson, Malachi iii. unto the end.

The Second Lesson, Matt. xiv. (unto) "When Jesus heard."