Mediator betweene thy heauenly Father vs sinners and represent to thee that cruelty wherwith the cursed Iewes stretched forth thy sacred leggs so violently with a cord that all thy veines sinewes were broken and nayled thy holy feet vnto the crosse with great and boystrous nayles throgh thy great patience suffering them to do to thee whatsoeuer they would as if thou hadst said I lye heere to the end I may accomplish my Fathers will and redeeme mankind O what great and excessiue paine caused euery stroke of the hammer vnto thy hart and also to the tender hart of thy blessed Mother O deerest Sauiour we render thee infinite thankes for that most intollerable torment which thou didst endure in that dolourous nayling of thy sacred feet and that immense loue charity wherwith thou didest suffer it most hūbly beseeching thee therby to pardon these soules all they haue committed against thee by sitting or lying sleeping or waking knowing or not knowing or in what sort soeuer through thy painfull lying on the crosse and extreme torments shame and ignominy Miserere THE XIX PRAYER O Most sweet Lord Iesus we humbly salute thee and represent vnto thee that pittifull rearing vp of the crosse wherby thy cruell enemies did miserably shake thy sacred body vsing many clamours opprobries and iniurious despites against thee letting the crosse fall after they had raysed it violently downe into the hole they had made for it in the ground through the force wherof all thy woundes were renewed and most cruelly rent and torne out of which as from riuers flowed forth thy precious bloud in great aboundance O deerest Sauiour with what infinite Charity diddest thou hang there to make satisfaction for all sinnes past present and to come for which we render thee immortall thankes and humbly beseech thee to let one drop of that thy precious bloud which thou didest then shee l descend vpon these Soules for a full satisfaction of all the sinnes they haue committed in the whole course of their life Miserere THE XX. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus who knowest the desires of our harts before they be declared by wordes and represent to thee that great charity wherewith hanging on the crosse thou didest pray for thy enemyes saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they do which mercifull prayer of thine was of such force that it conuerted many of them that were guilty of thy bloud O true comforter of all sorrowfull hartes we beseech thee throgh the merit of that thy Prayer that thou wilt vouchsafe now to pray to thy heauenly Father for these poore soules that they may be as fully pardoned of all their sinnes offences as those who were then receiued into grace through the merit of thy precious bloud Miserere THE XXI PRAYER WE salute thee ô soueraigne Lord Iesus sweet Father of mercy and represent to thee how hanginge betweene two thee us the one wherof blasphemed thee the other besought thee to be myndefull of him when thou camest in thy kingdome whom thou didest bountifully pardon and receiue into thy mercy in such sort as he was the first vnto whom thou didest promise paradise throgh which bottomlesse mercy we beseech thee as also throgh the merits of thy precious bloud which thou impartedst to the Theefe to let the same precious bloud descend now vpon these soules vnto a full forgiuenesse of their sinnes and through thy infinite mercy bring them into thy euerlasting glory Miserere THE XXII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most Blessed Lord Iesus sweet solace of the sorrowfull and offer vnto thee all that internall suffering thou haddest seeing thy deere Mother standing vnder the crosse ouerwhelmed in a sea of deadly anguishes through loue and compassion towardes thee whom thou didest commend to thy beloued Disciple S. Iohn which greately renewed her griefe and bitter sorrow for thy death O deerest Lord through this loue and care thou haddst of thy sweet Mother in thy torments we humbly commend vnto thy mercifull goodnesse these soules beseechinge thee to deliuer them for all paines and torments through thy merites and the merites of thy blessed Mother Miserere THE XXIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus soueraign shepheard of thy holy Church and faithfull forgiuer of sinnes and offer vnto thee that sorrowfull Prayer thou madest vnto thy heauenly Father when thou saidest my God my God why hast thou forsaken me he hauing left thy holy Humanity destitute of all help and comfort in those thy bitter angushes and tormēts for all which we humbly thanke thee beseech thee by them and the merits of thy sacred Prayer that thou wilt mercifully heare our humble prayers which we now present to thee for these poore soules deliuer them through thy infinite mercy and merits from all their paines tormēts Miserere THE XXIV PRAYER WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus fountaine of liuing waters and represent vnto thee how thou saidst I thirst which thirst must needs be excessiue great for that there was not left one drop of bloud in all thy whole body but chiefly didest thou thirst for our saluation for which we humbly thanke thee as also for the bitter gall eysell thou didest take and the secret sorrow thou hadst remembring that thy bitter death shold be lost on so many soules all which we humbly offer to thee ô most sweet Sauiour and beseech thee that thou wilt let thy precious bloud descend on these poore Soules to refresh them and to deliuer them from all their paines Miserere THE XXV PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus inestimable treasure of the diuine riches and represent vnto thee how in the end of thy life thou calledst to mind all the holy workes thou hadst done all thy life and in one summe offeredst them all vp to thy celestiall Father saying It is consūmate we most humbly beseech thee to offer that inestimable treasure of thy merits which neuer diminisheth vnto thy heauenly Father for these Soules and therewith pay all the debts of their sinnes and all other they are charged with Miserere THE XXVI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus giuer of life to all creatures and soueraigne commaunder of life and death and represent vnto thee thy lamentable hanging vpon the Crosse all deformed with bleedinge woundes a deadly palenesse at the time of thy death when casting downe thy heauēly eyes which were dimmed with tears and began to breake with the anguishes of death and declining thy head which was compassed about with thornes to shew thy Obedience to thy heauenly Father and reconcile thy Church to him thou rendredst thy sacred soule crying with a lowd voyce Father into thy handes I commend my spirit O crucifyed Lord as thou didst commend thy sweet spirit into thy Fathers handes so we commend these poore Soules into thyne beseching thee to reconcile them vnto thy heauenly Father and offer thy precious bloud and
to drinke Matth. 25. Marke how God doth giue them heauen for the doing of good workes Possesse saith he the kingdome for you gaue me to eate to drinke c. And somewhat before in the same Chapter Because thou wert faithfull ouer a few things J will place thee ouer many enter into the ioy of thy Lord. Marke this causall because thou wert faithfull This is the cause for which Christ saith he giueth heauen Let Luther let Caluin let those who care for no good workes name what other cause they please 4. That our good Workes are impetratory that is haue vertue to mooue the liberality goodnesse mercy of God to bestow in regard of them the grant of many fauours when by prayer they are offered vp for this end for if they be not thus offered vp as they are ioyned and applyed to this end by prayer perhaps not any good workes at all are impetratory excepting only prayer it selfe not all prayer but such as containeth some petition That I say good workes are impetratory wheÌ„ they are thus ioyned with prayer is euidently prooued out of that fast of Dauid who with the Prayer made for his sonnes life ioyned also other workes of pennance lying on the ground fasting c. For the child saith he whilst he did yet liue I did fast weepe but now seeing he is dead why should I fast 2. Reg. 12. 5. That our good workes are satisfactory that is that they performed and dignified by Grace graÌ„ted through Christ his merits haue vertue to cancell out sin and the paines due to sin is most cleare in Scripture Heretikes if loathnesse to make satisfaction for their sinnes did not blind them cannot but see it Almesdeeds free froÌ„ death and Almes-deeds it is which purgeth sinne and maketh vs find mercy and life euerlasting Tob. 12. Almes-deeds free from sinne and from death and they do not suffer the soule to goe into darknesse Tob. 4. Water quencheth the burning fier and Almes-deeds resist sinne Eccl. 3. In the eleauenth Chapter of S. Luke our Sauiour speaking to the Scribes and Pharises saith that they shall be condemned in the day of iudgment that the bloud of all the Prophets slaine from the beginning of the world shall be required at their hands and six times one after another he pronounceth Woe against them to those vncleane men our Sauiour at the very same time said Neuerthelesse for that which remaineth giue Almes and behold all things are made cleane vnto you as sinfull people as you are Wherfore let my counsell please thee it is the most excelleÌ„t counsell of the Prophet Daniel redeeme thy sinnes with Almes-deeds and thy iniquityes with the workes of mercy Dan. 4. 6. This being thus declared it may easily be vnderstood how things do passe wheÌ„ we offer vp any work for the soules in Purgatory For first the good worke thus offered vp is meritorious and therfore we alwaies merit by it neither can we giue this merit away because reward is only due Scripture promiseth it to those only who shall haue done well wherfore we loose not the least parcell of the merit of our good workes if we do them for the soules in Purgatory yea we much increase it as shal be shewed Secondly the good worke thus offered is impetratory that is it is apt to mooue Gods mercy to graunt that fauour for obtaining of which it is offered wâ—â— as a happy death peace among Christians the long and happy life of our noble King or such like things Now the obtaining of all these requests is not the least hindered but very much as we shall shew furthered though these workes which we do be giuen to the soules in Purgatory and offered vp to God for the satisfaction of the paines due vnto their sinnes not fully satisfied for Thirdly and lastly this good worke which we offer for the soules in Purgatory is satisfactory and according to this satisfactory vertue which it hath not as it is either meritorious or impetratory we do commonly apply it to the soules in Purgatory because the thing which these poore soules stand most in need of is making satisfaction for their sins not fully satisfied for which satisfaction we make in their behalfe as holy Job did in behalfe of his sonnes when he offered daily sacrifices for their sinnes How this is not against Charity towards our selues shall be declared hereafter CHAP. VIII That by offering our actions for the Soules in Purgatory we do not merit lesse but more 1. THat we do not merit lesse is euident out of the last Chapter that we merit more then otherwise we should haue done if we had not applied these our actions to the soules in Purgatory is taught by the Prince of Deuines S. Thomas l. 3. cont Gentes c. 158. in these words The affection of Charity in him who suffereth for his friend doth make his satisfaction more pleasing to God then if he had suffered for his owne selfe And it is certaine out of holy Scripture that Charity doth adde an exceeding worth and value to our least actions for only Charity it is which maketh a cup of cold water giuen for Christs sake to be rewarded in the life to come And only Charity it was which made the poore widdows mite of greater price then the richest guifts 2. Now then all meriting hath for reward some higher degree of celestiall glory which degree should not haue bin purchased without that meritorious worke had bin done so that if there be two men who before were of equall merits the one of theÌ„ should but giue a cup of cold water more for Christs sake then the other should giue this man for this so small a good work should haue a higher degree of glory then the other and consequently he should see God for all eternity more perfectly and be for euer more happy then the other So that if we did truly loue either God or our selues we should thinke all sufferings whatsoeuer euen those of Purgatory to be a small price for the least degree of glory for indeed the least is a good so great that the suffering of neuer so long a Purgatory for purchasing it would not be so much as suffering a flea-bite to purchase the Empire of the whole world It would make a man blesse himselfe to see how starke mad men are in neglecting such a good 3. To our purpose theÌ„ I say that by applying our actions to the soules in Purgatory we do merit more then if we had not applyed them to this end and not onely more but very much more and therefore though we did sustayne other many and great inconueniences yet they were all to be accounted as nothing in comparison of these inestimable treasures of merit which by this deuotion we purchase The causes which make this act of so high merit may be many for as we haue shewed in the sixt chapter this deuotion may be a worke
soules and as they are impetratory they may be offered vp for the obteyning of what we please 2. True it is that sometyms the very thing which we do desire petition in our prayers is the reliefe of the soules in Purgatory we do actually craue intreat and beg for this and vnto this our so earnest request we do ioyne other works of fasting almesdeeds c. to moue the mercy of God to heare graciously this our petitiō then we need not wonder if our prayers as they are impetratory do not impetrate for vs other fauours for we neuer did demand them so when I pray for the health of my Father this prayer of mine doth not impetrate the health of my mother and euen as when I pray for both the health of my Father and of my Mother this prayer of mine is not so efficacious to obtaine the health of my Father as it would haue bin if it had bin made for that end onely and no other so I pray for other things and also for the soules in Purgatory this prayer of mine is not perhaps so efficacious to obtain those other things as it would haue bin if it had bin made for those only and for nothing els I did say perhaps for there be many reasons as we shall see presently for which Prayer thus made becommeth very efficacious for the obtaining those other requestes which I desire to haue granted which perhaps may further the grant of them far more then praying for them alone would do 3. But for the present let vs suppose that such a prayer is lesse effectuall for obtaining of other things yet this ought not to make men more backward to pray for the soules in Purgatory for shall I neuer pray for my Mother because by the same prayer I obtaine some what lesse for my Father then I should haue done if I had prayed for him only In the choice of thes intentions for which we pray we must regard many things as the greater glory of God the necessity of our Neighbour our owne spirituall aduancement the common good of the Church and the like Now perhaps all things well considered there will scarce be found any one thinge which ought so dearly to be commended to our deuotions as praying for the dead in the which among other thinges there is also this to be noted that as S. Thomas saith in suppl 3. p. q. 21. a. 5. God doth rather accept of prayers for the dead then for the liuing because they not being able as the liuing are to help themselues do more stand in need of the help of others To the which we may ad a worthy cōsideration of S. Denis that famous disciple of S. Paul de Eccl. Hier. c. 7. p. 5. to wit that when we pray for the liuing our prayer many times as it is impetratory obtaineth nothing at all because the thing we pray for is not conuenient to be granted or because to vse his example the sins of those we pray for do hinder this effect as the sins of Saul did hinder that the prayers of Samuel could not be heard in his behalf 1. Reg. 15.16 This in praying for the dead doth neuer take place for those who are departed in Gods grace as S. Augustine in Enchir. c. 100. teacheth deserued whilst they liued that these helps of prayers might profit them after their death 4. Let vs come now to the reasōs for which as I began to infinuate our prayers are far more impetratory when we remember the dead in them then when we omit this charitable remembrance The first reason is because this praying for the dead is an act of mercy so excellent that it doth in a super-eminent manner containe and surpasse all the corporall deeds of mercy put together as hath bin demonstrated Now there is no more efficacious meanes to stir vp the mercy and liberality of God towards vs then the exercise of works of mercy and liberality For as our Sauiour saith Math. 6. Blessed be the mercifull because they shall obtaine mercy And againe Marc. 4. In what measure you shall measure vnto others it shall be measured back to goe againe adijcietur vobis and measured back with great increase Will you know with how great S. Luke telleth you A good measure a heaped measure a measure pressed downe running ouer they shall giue into your bosome Luc. 6. With what words could the largnesse of this measure haue bin more fully set forth And indeed of so good a God we could expect no other far be it from him that our liberality should rather shut thē open his hands His deeds will euer prooue his saying true Giue it shall be giuen vnto you in the measure declared vnto you in this very place 5. And we may be the more confident of this particuler act because our Sauiour taketh it as done vnto himselfe and therefore doubtles as those soules which we haue deliuered cannot but be most ready to further any iust petition which we shall make so our deare Lord who counteth himselfe to be the person released will neuer be wāting in the furtherance of whatsoeuer we shall piously desire Now to haue his good word so sure on our side must needs be of greater cōsequence for obtaining any reasonable fauour then any thing we can deuise And as far as my capacity can reach I cannot conceiue in what māner we may more efficaciously compasse the grant of al our most important requests then by thus obliging as I may say Christ our Lord to speake in our behalfe with that earnestnes which we may imagin those soules to vse whom we haue relieued 6. The R. F. Alexis de Salo writeth thus of himselfe Part. 1. § 2. One of my particuler denotions is whensoeuer I desire to obtaine any fauour for my selfe or any other to say some few prayers for the dead and J assure you J haue experienced in my selfe others strange effects Many haue found and still do find wonderfull fauours in their iourneys by offering the labour of that dayes trauell or doing some other good work for the soules in Purgatory so that in some places this is very commonly practised and many such like deuotions are of more admirable effect then men will easily belieue 7. A further reason why our prayers when we remember the soules of Purgatory in them do become of far greater efficacy to obtaine our requests is this Because as hath bin insinuated this prayer though of it selfe it hath not this greater efficacy yet what it wanteth of it selfe it procureth to be far more effectually performed by the help of those voices which it winneth amonge which the first place is to be giuen to the Word incarnate whose words cannot but be heard I did know that thou dost alwayes heare me saith this our Lord Joan. 9. The voices also of Heauens whole Court cannot but ioyne with the Word both because their affections are vnited with an
The perfect practice of all conteynd in this Books pag. 166. FINIS THREE AND THIRTY most godly deuout Prayers or Salutations to be recited in honour of the Sacred Life Passion of our Blessed Sauiour sweet Iesus for faithfull Soules departed After ech wherof must be said the Psalme Miserere The Preamble or Introduction O Most sweet Lord Iesus most mercifull pardoner of our sinnes and Sauiour of our soules we hūbly beseech thee by all the mercies that euer thou hast shewed to sinners from the first instant of thy birth vnto this presēt houre that thou wilt not refuse the prayers of vs poore sinners for this Soule or these Soules but be pleased to deliuer them from all paine graunt thē eternall rest through thy bottōles mercy for that to saue vs thou didst assume our poore humanity THE I. PRAYER WE salute thee Eternall word and wisdome of the Father beseech thee by that infinite charity which drew thee from the bosome of thy eternall Father to chose the pure immaculate Virgin to be thy mother as also through that admirable worke thou wroughtest in her sacred wombe when thou didst cloath thy Glorious Diuinity with our base flesh and in that sort becamest our brother and didest giue thy glorious mother vnto vs for an Aduocate and mother for which cause we hūbly haue recourse vnto her hoping what our owne merites cannot obtaine to impetrate by her confident wherof we conuert our selues to thee ô sweet Mother of mercy and by that inestimable treasure which was inclosed in thy Virginal wombe which neither heauen nor earth could containe O daughter of the eternall Father mother of the sonne and spouse of the holy Ghost we beseech thee that thou wilt vouchsafe by thy intercession to open vnto vs the same diuine treasure and beseech thy beloued sonne that throgh the loue he bore thee he will receiue our petitions for this Soule or these Soules and forgiue thē in whatsoeuer they haue offended and by his holy birth by which he hath broken Adams chaines wil be pleased to vnloose these poore Soules from the chaines of their sinnes Miserere mei Deus c. THE II. PRAYER WE salute thee O most sweet Lord Iesus fountaine of mercy and bright Mirrour of al vertue beseech thee throgh the extreme pouerty and other afflictions that thou didest endure in thy holy birth and tender infancy as also by thy great humility penance fasting watching praying and other austerities that thou didest liuing here vpon earth for the space of 33. yeares by thy painful foot-steps going bare-foote and bare head throgh the hunger thirst cold and heate labour wearines the other miseries thou sufferedst euery hower and moment during thy life for our saluation that immense charity wherby thou didest offer all those thy suffrings to thy celestiall Father for the satisfaction of our sinnes that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue commited against thee in pride vain-glory couetousnes sensuality vaine cares of temporall things vanities impure thoughtes wordes and actions throgh the merits of all thy sufferances labours and most holy life and conuersation Miserere THE III. PRAYER WE salute thee ô Eternall comfort sweet solace of our soules and beseech thee by that infinite loue mercy thou hast awayes shewed to sinners so immense that no vnderstanding is able to comprehend it by that loue which made thee who art an incomprehensible treasure to permit thy selfe to be sold for thirty pence by that infinite charity wherewith thou didest giue thy selfe in the diuine Sacrament to thy Apostles vnder the species of bread and wine to vs all as a pledge of our saluation through this thy liberality we beseech thee ô bread of Angels and Sauiour of soules the giuer and the gift that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue commited against thee by vnworthy receauing of this holy Sacramēt without due contrition right confession and entire satisfactiō forgiue thē ô Lord throgh thy infinite mercy Miserere THE IV. PRAYER WE salute thee ô bread of Angells and comforter of sorrowfull hartes beseech thee by thy profound humility with which thou didst bow downe thy knees at thy disciples feet washed them as also through that holy Sermon thou didest make vnto them and the sorrowfull wordes thou spakest saying My soule is sorrowfull vnto death vntil now you haue not prayed pray for whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you O louing Lord through this thy promise we beseech thy blessed Father through thee his only deere beloued sonne that he wil remēber the great anxiety thy sacred humanity did indure when it beheld all those intollerable torments death it was to vndergoe by the bitter anguish therof we beseech him and thy sacred selfe mercifully to pardon these Soules all they haue offended in vaine solace and admit them into thy eternall glory Miserere THE V. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most mercifull Lord Iesus sweet sheepheard of our Soules who for our redemption hast drunke the chalice of thy bitter passiō besech thee by that painful agony which thou didst willingly endure when kneeling and prostrate on the ground thou didst pray three seuerall times to thy celestiall Father saying Father if it be possible let this Chalice passe from me yet not my will but thyne be done at which time thou didest sweat water bloud through the bitternesse of thy anguish and an Angell came frō heauen to cōfort thee saying Arise go forward coragiously you shal appease your Fathers wrath you shall breake Adams bandes redeeme mankind after which thou wentest to thy Disciples finding them a sleep saidst do you sleep now Arise let vs go for he that betrayeth me is at hand O deere Lord through that thy willing resignation to suffer death to fulfill the will of thy heauenly Father and through thy dolourous agonye and blouddy sweat we beseech thee mercifuly to pardon these poore soules all the offences they haue committed against thy diuine pleasure or the Obedience of their Superiours and through thy holy feruēt prayer receiue our humble prayers and petitions for them Miserere THE VI. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus beseech thee by that inflamed charity wherwith thou didest go to meet the traitor Iudas asking him the rest whō they soght they answering Iesus of Nazareth thou answeredst I am he through the power of which wordes they all fell two seuerall times downe to the ground after which giuing them power to rise thou didest meekly receiue the kisse of the traytor Iudas saying to him Friend whereto art thou come dost thou betray the sonne of man with a kisse We thanke thee O most sweet Sauiour for all these mercies and beseech thee throgh the merits of them to forgiue these soules whatsoeuer they haue offended in detraction
offences which they haue committed against thee Miserere THE XII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus souerain king of Angels and shining crowne of the Saintes and represent vnto thee how those cruel miscreats after they had so inhumanly scourged thee set vpon thy sacred head a Crowne of sharpe and pricking thornes which they strooke with cruell blowes into thy head and kneeling downe before thee in scorne saluted thee saying All haile king of the Iewes after which they pulled of the Crowne of thornes and set it on againe with intollerable tormentes to thee spitting on thy diuine face which was all ouer imbrued with bloud swelled disfigured and deformed giuing thee cruell buffets scorning and deriding thee O deerest Lord Iesus O most mercifull Father and Sauiour we represente vnto thee all these paines and do giue thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and those most cruell torments thou enduredst in thy sacred head most humbly beseeching thee by thē mercifully to pardon these poore soules all they haue offēded by their head either in hearing seeing speaking eating drinking or vaine attyring of their heads or by euill vsing the three powers of their soule forgiue it thē sweet Lord throgh thy infinit mercy Miserere THE XIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus eternall king of glory and represent vnto thee the intollerable shame and torment thou didest endure when Pilate led thee out to the people wearing the crowne of thornes and purple garment said Behold the man and the cursed multitude seeing thee so miserably disfigured wounded rent and torne had no compassion on thee but most vnhumanly cryed out take him a way take him a way crucify him crucify him O deerest Lord we render infinite thankes to thee for these thy cruell torments shame and ignominies and beseech thee to present now thy selfe with them and all thy other merites vnto thy heauenly Father for these soules for their eternall reconciliation and cloath them with thy merites and so present them to him as a fruite of thy better passion Miserere THE XIV PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus God of infinit Power and Maiesty and represent vnto thee how Pilate going to his Iudgment seat caused thee to be broght againe before him where thou stoodst hūbly with declined head eyes said to the Iewes I haue corrected him will you that I dismisse him but they al cryed out crucify him crucify him then Pilate said Will you that I dismisse Barabbas and crucify Iesus they all cryed out yes let him be crucified for he hath deserued the shamfull death of the Crosse then Pilate washed his hands and said I am innocent of the bloud of this iust man but they all cryed out let his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our Children O deerest Sauiour O foūtaine of all goodnesse O Father of mercy and God of all consolation we call vpon thee with all our hartes and with our soule powers forces and affections most humbly beseeching thee that thou wilt vouchsafe to let thy precious bloud come as truly vpon these poore soules to the forgiuenes remission of all their sinnes as it hath done vpon the Iewes to their eternall cōdemnation Then Pilate gaue the sentence of death against Iesus O deerest Sauiour through this sentence of death which thou receiuedst with so great humility we humbly beseech thee mercifully to pardon these poore Soules in whatsoeuer they haue offended by any euill or rash iudgmēt of their neighbour either in thought word or deed Miserere THE XV. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus most meeke bearer of our infirmities and offer vnto thee that great charity wherwith thou didest imbrace the heauy Crosse that the cruell Iewes laid vpon thy wounded shoulders the weight wherof caused thee to bow downe euen to the ground being so faint that thou couldst scarce go or draw thy breath in which pittifull plight thou wert dragged forward by the Iewes who often strooke thee on thy sacred head and cast stones filth at thee O deerest Lord through the heauy burthen of the Crosse which thou so willingly cariedst for our sins we besech thee that thou wilt deliuer these Soules from all their paines through the great wound that the heauy Crosse made in thy wounded shoulder we beseech thee to comfort them in the same holy wound and by thy painfull footsteps forgiue them their sinnefull footsteps lead them into thy eternall glory and through the sorrow of thy blessed Mother compassion thou haddest of her pardon these poore Soules whatsoeuer they haue offended by omission of their duty toward their parents either corporall or spirituall Miserere THE XVI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus Christ who cloathest the lillyes flowers with colours and beauty and represent vnto thee thy painfull vnclothing when before so many and so great a multitude of people they so furiously pulled of thy garments which stuck so fast to thy woundes that with the force of pulling them off they tore off also thy skin and flesh with most intollerable paine and torment to thee who stoodest in that miserable plight all ouer wounded rent torne naked trembling with cold and shame in the view of all the world powring from all partes of thy sacred body streames of most precions bloud O most sweet Iesus neuer did Bridegroome goe to the chamber of his spouse with so great a loue as thou wentest towardes the Crosse O deerest Sauiour neuer did Prince go to receiue his Crowne more willingly then thou wētest to the crosse wheron those impious vile miscreāts most furiously cast thee thou most willing didst stretch forth thy holy body vpon it suffering them most inhumanly to stretch forth and to nayle thy right Hand thereunto with a rough and boystorous nayle O soueraigne Lord and sweet Redeemer we rēder infinite thākes to thy goodnesse for all these thy cruell paines and torments and beseech thee by them all to forgiue these poore Soules all they haue offēded throgh pride of cloaths or any other offence or sinne Miserere THE XVII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus deere Father of our soules and present to thee that furious cruelty wherwith those barbarous wretches drew thy other Hand with a cord vnto the hole they had made in the Crosse in such sort that thy bones were disioynted thy woundes rent wider and all thy veines and sinewes broken and then they nayled that hand vnto the Crosse as they had done the other O deerest Lord we render thee infinite thankes for that intollerable torment thou didst endure in that cruell nayling of thy Handes vnto the crosse and beseech thee by it by the sacred woundes of them that thou wilt mercifully pardon these poore Soules all the sinnes and offences which by their handes they haue committed against thee Miserere THE XVIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus mercifull
murmuration vnprofitable friendship or any other offences beseech thee by that infinite loue and charity wherwith thou didest desire to haue pardoned Iudas that thou wilt haue mercy vpon these poore Soules and pardon them all the sinnes they haue committed against thee Miserere THE VII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus and represent vnto thee that Patience wherwith thou didest suffer thy selfe to be furiously apprehended by the wicked Iewes who seized vpon thee as thou hadst beene some theefe or wicked malefactour and bound thy sacred handes so cruelly behind thee that the bloud sprung forth of thy nayles then wert thou forsaken of all thy friendes and lefte in the cruell handes of those impious and most inhumaine slaues who pulling haling thee gaue thee many cruell buffets spurnes and blowes and in that manner led thee vnto the house of Annas the high Priest who imperiously examininge thee of thy Disciples and doctrine thou answeredst I haue taught openly in the tēple whither all the people resorte and in secret I haue said nothing why askest thou me aske those that heard me for which one of the seruantes that stood by gaue thee so cruell a blow on the race that thy teeth loosened in thy head saying answerest thou the high Priest so Others spurned thee strooke thee on the necke and spit vpon that diuine face which celestiall spirits are neuer satisfied to behold O dearest Lord Iesus we render infinite thankes to thy immense charity for all these thy sufferinges and humbly beseech thee by them by those merciful eyes wherwith thou didest behold S. Peter that thou wilt with the same eye of pitty looke vpon these soules loose them from all their chaines and forgiue them all their sinnes through the manifold tormentes thou didst endure that night Miserere THE VIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Sauiour sole comfort of sinners and represent vnto thee how furiously those cruell Tygers led thee boūd to Cayphas before whō thou stoodest like a meeke Lambe and heardest the false witnesse they brought against thee How thou wentest about to seduce the people and taughest them false doctrine That thou saidst thou couldst destroy the temple in three dayes readify it Then Cayphas adiured thee by the liuing God to tell him if thou wert Christ the sonne of the liuing God vnto whom thou answeredst thou saiest that I am Whereupon he rent his cloathes and said He hath blasphemed what need we any more witnesses at which they all cryed out he is worthy of death and furiously running vpon thee vnmeasurably spit in thy face buffeted and beat thee cruelly striking thee on thy holy necke and face and head blindfolding thee and giuing thee cruell blowes and saying in derision and scorne Prophesy ô Christ who it is that stroke thee for all which sufferances paines most in human iniuries we render thee infinite thankes O most sweet Lord Iesus and humbly beseech thee by the merits of thē to forgiue these soules if at any time they haue detracted and through all thy tormentes pardon them whatsoeuer they haue committed against thee Miserere THE IX PRAYER WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus almighty power in comprehensible wisdom of God represent vnto thee how these raging dogges led thee furiously vnto Pilate demaunding the sentence of death against thee he then sent thee to Herod who greatly reioyced at thy comming hoping to haue seene some miracle wrought by thee but thou didest not answere him one word but stoodst like a milde lābe holding thy peace which Herode seeing he caused thee to be mocked scorned and cloathed in a white garment like a foole setting in derision a crowne vpō thy head and spiting in thy face striking thee and saying All hayle king of Israel After which he sent thee back to Pilate saying he thought he had sent him a wise 〈…〉 saw he was a very foole O sweet Sauiour how many 〈◊〉 did they to thee by the way casting stones and filth at thee O eternall wisdome of the Father how art thou derided how art thou defiled and iniured O deerest Lord we render infinite thankes to thee for all these thy cōtumelies scornes iniuries and hūbly beseech thee by them to pardon these soules all their vnthankefulnese for thy bitter passion and all want of charity towards their neighbour Miserere THE X. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus eternall God true man and represent vnto thee the great humility wherwith thou stoodest before Pilate meeke and silent ready to suffer all shame and confusion outrages iniuries they could do against thee Pilate said vnto thee what hast thou done that all the world is thus offended against thee as also many other questions he asked thee vnto which thou didest not answere any thing then Pilate said he found no cause of death in thee but they all cryed and exclamed against thee saying Thou wert a breaker of the law calledst thy selfe the sonne of God vnto whome thou answeredst Thou hast said that I am for this cause came I into the world that I should giue testimony of the truth after which Pilate said againe to the Iewes I find no cause of death in this man but they with furious clamors said He is worthy of death Pilate then answered I wil correct him and dismisse him O good Iesus ô sonne of the liuing God ô soueraigne king of glory we render thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and humbly beseech thee by them to pardon these poore Soules all the offences they haue committed against thee through false bitter angry or vaine wordes Miserere THE XI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus and represent vnto thee thy shamfull vncloathing when the cruell souldiers with furious hast pulled off thy garments thou meekly helpedst them it being thy desire to suffer for vs who hauing striped thee naked bound thee to a Piller with such vnhumane cruelty that thy bloud gushed forth at thy nayles and they scourged thee so barbarously with whips wherin were Iron hooks laying stripe vpon stripe and wound vpon wound that they rente tore thy sacred body all ouer and lefte not so much as one whole peece of skin vpon thee then they vnbound thee turning thy breast forward bound thy handes ouer thy head and scourged thee againe so cruelly on that side that all thy sacred flesh being rent off thy bones and bowells were discouered then they vnloosed thee from the Pillar and in that lamentable manner all-ouer wounded and imbrewed with thy bloud they put an old purple robe in scorne vpō thee O deerest Lord I render thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and intollerable shame torments and humbly beseech thee by all the merits of them and of thy sacred wounds and all the dropps of thy most precious bloud that thou wilt haue mercy on these poore Soules and pardon all their sinnes