15th Century – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

Sarum Kyrie eleison. No. 1.

I. Pater Creator Omnium
On all principal Feasts.

God, Creator of all things, our God, in your pity, have mercy on us.

To you, Christ, King of kings, rejoicing in praise together, we pray, have mercy on us.

To you belongs praise, virtue, peace, and dominion forever and ever, have mercy on us.

Christ, our only king, co-eternal Son of the gracious Father, have mercy on us.

You saved lost humanity, restoring all from death to life, have mercy on us.

Jesus, good Shepherd, so the sheep of your pasture will not perish, have mercy on us.

Spirit, Comforter, we your people pray, have mercy on us.

Lord, our strength and our eternal salvation, have mercy on us.

Supreme and one God, mercifully grant us the gifts of life, and in your kindness, have mercy on us.

Source: The Sarum Missal in English, Part II, Alcuin Club Collections, No. XI,11th-15th centuries

Original (or similar text) in Latin:
Pater creator omnium tu theos ymon nostri pie eleyson .
Tibi laudes coniubilantes regum rex pie orainus te eleyson.
Laus uirtus pax et imperium cui est semper sine fine eleyson .
Christe rex unice patris almi nate coeternęt eleyson.
Qui perditum hominem saluasti de morte reddens uitę eleyson.
Ne pereant pascue oues tuę ihesu pastor bone eleyson .
Kirri soter agye supplices imas te exoramus eleyson.
Uirtus nostra domine atque salus uera in eternum eleyson.
Trine deus et une uite donat nobis tribue misertus nostrique tu digneris eleyson.

For Consolation

O most sweet and loving Lord,
you know my weaknesses,
and the needs I endure.
You know how many evils and sins I am involved in;
how often I am weighed down, tempted, and disturbed by them.
I ask for your consolation and support.
I speak to you, for you know all things,
to you all my inward thoughts are open,
and you alone can perfectly comfort and help me.
You know what things I stand in most need of.
Behold, I stand before you poor and naked,
calling for grace, and imploring mercy.
Refresh your hungry supplicant,
kindle my coldness with the fire of your love,
enlighten my blindness with the brightness of your presence.
Do not let me go away from you hungry and dry,
but deal mercifully with me,
as you always deal wonderfully with your saints.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For You, O Lord

Lord, what is my confidence which I have in this life?
Is it not you, O Lord, my God,
whose mercies are without number?
Where has it ever been well with me without you,
or where could it be ill with me when you were present?
I would rather be a pilgrim on earth,
than possess heaven without you.
Where you are, there is heaven;
and where you are not, there is death and hell.
There is no one who can help me in my needs,
but only you, my God;
you are my hope, you my confidence.
Although you allow temptations and adversities,
yet you order all these to my advantage.
In my trials you should be loved and praised no less
than if you filled me full of heavenly comfort.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

My Salvation and My Redemption

In confidence of your goodness and great mercy, O Lord,
I draw near to you,
as a sick person to the healer,
as one hungry and thirsty to the fountain of life,
a creature to the creator,
a desolate soul to my own tender comforter.
Behold, in you is everything I can or should desire.
You are my salvation and my redemption,
my hope and my strength.
Bring joy, therefore, to the soul of your servant;
for to you, O Lord,
have I lifted my soul.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Trust in You

O Lord my God,
do not be far from me.
My God, have regard to help me.
I have many thoughts and great fears afflicting my soul.
How will I pass through unhurt?
How will I break them to pieces?
This is my hope, my one only consolation,
to flee to you in every tribulation,
to trust in you,
to call on you from my inmost heart,
and to wait patiently for your consolation.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Love of God and His Laws

O most gracious God,
every good and perfect gift comes from you.
Work in us both to will and to act according to your will.
Enlighten our minds that we may know you,
and let us not be unfruitful in that knowledge.
Lord, work in our hearts a true faith,
a purifying hope, and an unfeigned love towards you.
Give us a full trust in you, zeal for you,
reverence of all things that relate to you.
Make us fearful of offending you,
thankful for your mercies,
humble under your corrections,
devout in your service,
and sorrowful for our sins.
Grant that in all things
we may behave ourselves so as befits a creature to his Creator,
a servant to his Lord.
Make us diligent in all our duties,
watchful against all temptations,
pure and temperate and moderate in your most lawful enjoyments,
that they may never become a snare to us.
Help us, O Lord,
to act towards our neighbor
that we may never transgress your royal law
of loving him as ourselves.
Finally, O Lord,
sanctify us throughout,
that our whole spirit, soul and body,
may be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory forever.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For the Holy Spirit

Strengthen me, O God,
by the grace of your Holy Spirit.
Strengthen my inner man,
and empty my heart of all useless care and anguish.
O Lord, grant me heavenly wisdom,
that I may learn to seek and to find you above all things,
to relish and to love you above all things,
and to think of all other things
as being at the disposal of your wisdom.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Friends

Almighty and eternal God,
have mercy on your servants, our friends.
Keep them continually under your protection,
and direct them according to your gracious favor
in the way of eternal salvation.
May they desire whatever pleases you,
and with all their strength strive to do it.
As they trust in your mercy, O Lord,
graciously assist them with your heavenly help,
that they may always diligently serve you,
and be separated from you by no temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

To Do Your Will

O Lord, my God,
to me you are everything good.
Remember me because I am nothing,
I have nothing, and I can do nothing.
You alone are good, just, and holy.
You can do all things,
you accomplish all things,
you fill all things.
Remember your mercies,
and fill my heart with your grace.
You do not want your works to be done in vain.
Do not turn your face away from me.
Do not withdraw your consolation,
lest my soul become as a thirsty land to you.
Teach me, O Lord, to do your will.
Teach me to live worthily and humbly in your sight.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Others

I offer up to you my prayers and intercessions,
for those especially who have in any matter hurt,
grieved, or found fault with me,
or who have done me any damage or displeasure.

For all those also whom, at any time,
I may have vexed, troubled, burdened, and scandalized,
by words or deeds, knowingly or in ignorance;
that you would grant us all equally pardon,
for our offences against each other.

Take away from our hearts, O Lord,
all suspiciousness, indignation, wrath, and contention,
and whatsoever may hurt charity, and lessen brotherly love.

Have mercy, O Lord,
have mercy on those who crave your mercy,
give grace to those who stand in need thereof,
and make us grow to enjoy your grace,
and go forward to life eternal.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.