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 damnation.
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
God.
That it may please Thee to look upon us with eyes of mercy.
That it may please Thee to behold and relieve the miseries of the poor
and the prisoners.
That it may please Thee to give eternal peace to all the faithful
departed.
That it may please Thee to hear us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
_Spare us, O Lord._
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
_Hear us, O Lord._
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world.
_Have mercy on us, O Lord._
O God, whose property it is always to pity and to spare, receive our
supplications, and by the mercy of Thy fatherly love, loose those whom
the chain of their sins keeps bound, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
O Lord, receive with indulgence the prayers of Thy Church, that all
adversities being overcome, it may serve Thee in freedom without fear.
Almighty, Eternal God, who alone doest great wonders, grant to Thy
servant our bishop, and to all the congregations committed to him, the
healthful spirit of Thy grace; and that they may please Thee in truth,
pour out upon them the perpetual dew of Thy blessing.
O God, in whose hand are the hearts of kings, who art the consoler of
the meek and the strength of the faithful, and the protector of all that
trust in Thee, give to our king and queen and to the Christian people
wisely to manifest the glory of Thy power, that by Thee they may ever be
restored to forgiveness.
Extend, O Lord, over Thy servants and handmaidens, the right hand of Thy
heavenly aid, that they may draw near unto Thee with all their heart,
and worthily obtain their petitions.
Kindle with the fire of Thy Holy Spirit our reins and our hearts, O
Lord, that we may serve Thee with a clean heart, and please Thee with a
pure body.
O God, from whom are all holy desires, right counsels, and just works,
give unto Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that both
our hearts (may obey) Thy commands, and the fear of the enemy being
taken away, we may have quiet times by Thy protection.
* * * * *
Upon one of the blank leaves of this MS. are some interesting remarks
upon its probable date, furnished by Mr. Ruskin himself. "The style, and
pieces of inner evidence in all this book speak it clearly of the first
half of the thirteenth century. The architecture is all round
arched--the roofs of Norman simplicity--unpinnacled--the severe and
simple forms of letter are essentially Norman, and the leaf and ball
terminations of the spiral of the extremities, exactly intermediate
between the Norman and Gothic types. The ivy and geranium leaves begin
to show themselves long before the end of the thirteenth century, and
there is not a trace of them in this book." This evidence of early date,
however, is qualified by the further statement, "old styles sometimes
hold on long in provincial MSS."