Versions of the Lords Prayer.

1. From a MS. in the Library of Caius College, Cambridge, of the 13th Century: and printed in the Reliquiæ Antique, vol. i. p. 282.

Pater noster. Fader oure that art in heve, i-halgeed bee thi nome, i-cume thi kinereiche, y-worthe thi wylle also is in hevene so be on erthe, oure iche-dayes-bred zif us to day, and forgif us oure gultes, also we forzifet oure gultare, and ne led ows nowth into fondingge, auth ales ows of harme. So be it.

ij. From the MS. Cotton, Cleopatra, B. vi. fol. 201, of about the middle of the thirteenth century. Also printed in Reliquia Antiquæ, vol. i. p. 22.

Ure fader that hart in hevene,

halged be thi name with giftis sevene:

samin cume thi kingdom,

thi wille in herthe als in hevene be don :

ure bred that lastes ai,

3yve it hus this hilke dai:

and ure misdedis thu forsyve hus,

als we forsyve tham that misdon hus:

and leod us in tol na fandinge,

bot frels us fra alle ivile thinge. Amen.

Several other very early versions may be found in the same volume, pages, 35, 38, 42, 57, 159, 169.

iij. From a MS. in the British Museum, Bibl. Reg. 5, C. v. of the fourteenth Century: formerly belonging to the Abbey of Sempringham: written on a blank leaf at the end.

Oure Fader that art in Heuenes, and in alle holy men: hallewed be thi name in us, so that we be holy

in thi name come thi kyngdom vntill us, so that we tharunto come: 3ef us to do thi wille in Erthe, als thin halwes it don in euene: 3eue us to dai and eueri dai al that we to mister haue: and forgif us oure misdedes, als we forgeuen hem that us misdon: and lat us nouzt be fonded of sinne, bot thu zif us thor zein to standen : deliure us out of this wikke werlde: and tak us to thi self into Heuene. Amen.

iv. From a MS. No. 142. in S. John's College Library, Cambridge, of the fourteenth Century.

Fader oure that art in heuene, halwed be thi name: come thi kyngdom: fulfild be thi wil in heuene as in erthe oure ech day bred zef vs to day, and forseue vs oure dettes as we forgeueth to oure detoures: and ne led vs nouz in temptacion, bote deliuere vs of euel. So be it.

v. From the MS. Douce, 246. In the Bodleian Library, fol. 15 of the fifteenth Century.

Pater noster. Fader oure that art in heuenes, halwed be thy name: thy kyngedom come to thee: thy wille be do in erthe as in heuen: oure eche dayes brede zeue us to daye and forgeue us oure dettes as we forzeue to oure dettoures: and lede us nozte into temptacion: bot delyver us from yvel. Amen.

vj. From the Prymer in English and Latin, 8vo. Paris, 1538. fol. xxxvj. In my possession.

Our father whiche art in heuen, halowed be thy name. Let thy kyngdome cum vnto vs. Thy wyll be fulfylled as well in erthe, as it is in heuen. Gyue vs this daye our daylye breade. And forgyue vs our trespasses, as we forgyue them that trespas agaynst vs. And lede vs nat in to temptacyon. But delyuer vs from euyll. So be it.

Versions of the Creed.

i. From the MS. Cotton. Cleopatra. B. vi. fol. 201. of the 13th. Century: printed in Reliquiæ Antiquæ. Vol. i. p. 22.

I true in God, fader hal-michttende, that makede heven and herdethe: and in Ihesu Krist, is ane lepi sone, hure laverd, that was bigotin of the hali gast, and born of

the mainden marie, pinid under Punce Pilate, festened to the rode, ded and dulvun, licht in til helle, the thride dai up ras fra dede to live, stez in til hevenne, sitis on his fadir richt hand, fadir al-waldand, he then sal cume to deme the quike an the dede. Hy troue hy theli gast, and hely kirke, the samninge of halzes, forzifnes of sinnes, uprisigen of fleyes, and life withhuten ende. Amen.

ij. From MS. Harleian. 3724. fol. 44. of the 13th. Century: also printed in Reliquiæ Antique. Vol. 1. p. 57.

I bileve in God fadir almichty, sshipper of hevene and eorthe: and in Ihesus Crist, his onlepi sone, ure loverd, that is i-vang thurch the holy gost, bore of Marie Mayden, tholede pine under Pounce Pilat, picht on rode tre, ded and y-buriid, licht in to helle, the thridde day fram deth aros, steich in to hevene, sit on his fadir richt honde, God almichti, thenne is cominde to deme the quikke and the dede. I bileve in the holy gost, al holy chirche, mone of alle halwen, forzivenes of sinne, fleiss uprising, lyf withuten ende. Amen.

Several other versions may be seen in the same collection, particularly one which renders carnis resurrectionem by "arysnesse of flesse." Vol. 1. p. 282.

iij. From the MS. Harleian. 2343. fol. 2. of the xiv. Cent. In the British Museum.

I bileue into god, fader almy3ti, maker of heuene and of erthe: and into Iesu Crist his onli sone, oure lord, which was conceyued of the holi goost, borun of the virgyne marie, he suffrid passioun Pilat of pounce, crucified, deed and buried: he wente doun to helle, the thridde day he roos azen from deeth to liif, he stized to heuene: there he sittith on the rizthalf of god the fadir almy3ti: and fro thens he is to come to deeme the quyke and the deede. I belieue in the holi goost, al holi chirche, communynge of seyntis, forzeuenes of synnes, azenrisyng of fleisch, and euerlastyng liif. Amen.

iv. From the Douce MS. 246. In the Bodleian Library: of the xvth. Century.

I bileue in God, Fadre alle my3ty, shapere of heuene and of erthe. And in Ihesu Crist his oonlepye sone, oure Lord oon: whiche was conceyvede of the Holy Goost: borne of the mayden Marye: suffrede undir the Ponce Pilate: crucifyede, and dede: and is buriede: cometh doun to helles: the thridde day he roos from deethis: steyed up to heuenes: sitteth on his Fadre rizte side, God alle my3hty: and fro thense he is to come for to deeme the qwyke and dede. I bileue in the Holy Spirit, holy chirche, comunyng seyntes, forzeuenesse of synnes, risyng of flesshe unto ay lastynge lif. So mote it be. Amen.

of

From the Prymer in English and Latin. 8vo. Paris. 1538. fol. xxix. In my possession.

I beleue in god, the father almyghty, maker of heuen and earthe. And in Iesu Chryst hys onely sonne our Lorde. Whiche was conceyued by the holy

ghoste, and borne of the virgyn Mary. Which suffred deathe under Pons Pylate, and was crucifyed, deade, and buryed. Which descendyd to hell, the thyrde day, rose from death to lyfe. Whiche ascendyd into heuen, and syttheth at the ryzt hande of god, the father almyghtye. And from thens, shall come for to iudge both the quycke and the deade. I beleue in the holy ghoste. The holy churche catholike, the communyon of sayntes. The remyssyon of synnes. The resurrectyon of the flesshe. And the lyfe euerlastynge. So be it.

To the above may be added, a paraphrase, rather than version, of the Creed: from a MS. in the British Museum. Bibl. Reg. 17. B. 17. of the fifteenth Century. I follow the transcript in Casley's Catalogue.

I byleue stedfastely in my lord god almy3hty, that is fadur and sone and holy goost, thre persones and on god. I byleue that his sone tooke fleessche and blood in our ladye, clene modur wiif and mayden, by ly3eyns of the holy gooste, as his wille was: I byleue that goddis sone suffryd also deeth for me and alle mankynde. And also I byleue that he was in the sepulcur and that his soule went down to helle, and broust out soulis that weren therinne: and that he roos from deeth to lyue on the thridde day, and he stey to heuene on hooly thursday, and set hym on his fadur rizt hond and that he schal comen agen to the general iugement, to reward yche man aftur his deseruyng. I byleue in sacrament of hooly chyrch, a 3yft of the fadur and of the son and of the hooly goost, thre persones in o godhed. I byleue also in hooly chirch ordrynge us. I byleue in the sacrament of goddis flesche and his blood that he shedde on the blessid

rood tre for me, and for alle mankynd.