¶Becauſe that whan thou go
eſt to ſtudy in holy ſcripture, thou ſhuldeſt do it with reuerence, ther
fore for thy inſtruction & louynge admonicion therto, the Reue-
rende father in god, Nicolas, Biſihoppe of Saliſbury hath
preſcrybed the this prayer folowynge, taken
out of the ſame.
Lorde God almyghtye whiche longe agoo ſaydeſt by the mouthe of James thyn Apoſtle: If any of you lacke wyſdom, let hym aſke it of God whiche geueth it plenteouſly to all men, and caſteth no man in the tethe, and it ſhal be geuen hym.[1] Heare my peticion for this thy promes ſake. Heare my peticion for this thy promece feile. Let my prayer aſcende luckely in to thy ſyght lyke incenſe.[2] Let thyn eare be attent vnto my depe deſyre. Geue me wyſdome which is euer aſſiſtent about thy ſeate.[3] And put me not out from amonge thy chyldren,[4] for I am thy ſeruaunt and ye ſonne of thy handmayde & ſende her(I meane thy godly wyſedome) out of thyne holy heauens, and from the trone of thy maieſtye, that ſhe maye be with me, and laboure with me, yt I may knowe what is acceptable in thy ſyght. Oh lerne me goodnes, nurtoure, and knowlege, for I beleue thy commaundementes.[5] Thou art good and gracyous, inſtructe me in thyne ordynaunces. Let myne hertie beſechynge aſcende in to thy preſence. Geue me vnderſtondynge accordynge to thy worde. Oh geue me vnderſtōdynge, and I ſhall kepe thy lawe, Yee I ſhall kepe it with all myne herte. Shewe me thy wayes o Lorde, & teache me thy patthes.[6] Leade me in to thy trueth and lerne me, for thou art the God of my helth.
And on the do I depende alway.[7] Heare now my voyce O Lorde with which I haue cryed vnto the. Haue mercy vpon me, and gracyouſlye heare me for Jeſus Chriſtes ſake oure Lorde, which lyueth and reygneth with the his father & the holy gooſt worlde without ende. Amen.
¶After the ende of any Chapter(yf thou wylt) thou
mayeſt ſaye theſe verſes folowynge.
LEade me(o Lorde) in thy waye, and let me walke in thy trueth.[8]
Oh let myne herte delyte in fearynge thy name.
Ordre my goynges after thy worde, that no wyckednes reygne in me.
Kepe my ſteppes within thy patthes, leſt my fete turne in to any contrary waye.
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