Letters to the Clergy on the Lord's Prayer and the Church Part 22

Mr. Ruskin having kindly entrusted me with his valuable English thirteenth century MS. service book, referred to p. 295, I have thought it would be interesting to the readers of this volume to see a little more in detail some of the origins of our Litany and Collects. I think it will be owned that our Reformers failed to mend some of them in the translation. I am quite unversed in the reading of ancient MSS., but I hope the following, with the translation, will not be found incorrect. I have preserved neither the contractions nor the responses repeated after each pet.i.tion, and have changed the mediaeval "e" into "ae," as "terre"

into "terrae."--EDITOR.

Ut dompnum apostolic.u.m et omnes gradus ecclesiae in sancta religione conservare digneris.

_Te rogamus, audi nos, Domine._

Ut episcopum nostrum et gregem sibi commissum conservare digneris.

_Te rogamus...._

Ut regi nostro et principibus nostris pacem et veram concordiam atque victoriam, donare digneris.

Ut episcopos et abbates nostros et congregationes illis commissas in sancta religione conservare digneris.

Ut congregationes omnium sanctorum in tuo sancto servitio conservare digneris.

Ut cunctum populum Christianum precioso sanguine tuo conservare digneris.

Ut omnibus benefactoribus nostris sempiterna bona retribuas.

Ut animas nostras et parentum nostrorum ab eterna dampnatione eripias.

Ut mentes nostras ad celestia desideria erigas.

Ut obsequium servitutis nostrae rationabile facias.

Ut loc.u.m istum et omnes habitantes in eo visitare et consolari digneris.

Ut fructus terrae dare et conservare digneris.

Ut inimicos sanctae Dei ecclesiae comprimere digneris.

Ut oculos misericordiae tuae super nos reducere digneris.

Ut miserias pauperum et captivorum intueri et relevare digneris.

Ut omnibus fidelibus defunctis requiem eternam dones.

Ut nos exaudire digneris.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

_Parce n.o.bis Domine._

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

_Exaudi nos._

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

_Miserere n.o.bis._

Deus cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere suscipe deprecationem nostram et quos delictorum cathena constringit misericordia tuae pietatis absolvas, per Jesum Christum.

Ecclesiae tuae Domine, preces placatus admitte ut destructis adversitatibus universis secura tibi serviat libertate.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus qui facis mirabilia magna solus pretende super famulum tuum episcopum nostrum et super cunctas congregationes illi commissas spiritum gratiae tuae salutaris et ut in veritate tibi complaceant perpetuum eis rorem tuae benedictionis infunde, per Jesum.

Deus in cujus manu corda sunt regum qui es humilium consolator et fidelium fort.i.tudo et protector omnium in te sperantium, da regi nostro et reginae populoque Christiano, triumphum virtutis tuae scienter excolere, ut per te semper reparentur ad veniam.

Pretende Domine et famulis et famulabus tuis dexteram celestis auxilii ut te toto corde propinquant atque digne postulationes a.s.sequantur.

Deus a quo sancta desideria recta consilia et justa sunt opera, da servis tuis illam quam mundus dare non potest pacem ut et corda nostra mandatis tuis et hostium ublata formidine tempora sint tua protectione tranquilla.

Ure igne sancti spiritus renes nostros et cor nostrum, Domine, ut tibi corde casto serviamus et mundo corpore placeamus.

TRANSLATION

That it may please Thee to keep the apostolic lord (_i.e._ the Pope) and all ranks of the Church in Thy holy religion.

_O Lord, we beseech Thee, hear us._

That it may please Thee to keep our bishop, and the flock committed to him.

That it may please Thee to give to our king and our princes (or chief lords), peace, and true concord, and victory.

That it may please Thee to keep our bishops and abbots, and the congregations committed to them, in holy religion.

That it may please Thee to keep the congregations of all saints in Thy holy service.

That it may please Thee to keep the whole Christian people with Thy precious blood.

That it may please Thee to requite all our benefactors with everlasting blessings.

That it may please Thee to preserve our souls and the souls of our kindred from eternal d.a.m.nation.

That it may please Thee that Thou wouldest lift up our hearts to heavenly desires.

That it may please Thee to make the obedience of our service reasonable.

That it may please Thee to visit and to comfort this place, and all who dwell in it.

That it may please Thee to give and preserve the fruits of the earth.

That it may please Thee to restrain the enemies of the Holy Church of G.o.d.