The Thankes Geuing of Women After Childe Birth, Commonly Called the Churchyng Of Women.

The 1552 Book of Common Prayer

Source: F.E. Brightman, The English Rite II (London: Rivingtons, 1915), 883ff

The woman shall come into thc churche, and there shall knele downe in some conueniente place, nighe unto the place where the table standeth: and the prieste standyng by her, shall say these wordes, or suche like, as the case shal require

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased almightie God of his goodnes to geue you safe deliueraunce, and hath preserued you in the great daunger of childe birth: ye shall therefore geue harty thankes unto god, and praye.

Then shall the priest say thys Psalme

I HAUE lyfted up myne eyes unto the hilles: from whence cometh my helpe.
My helpe cometh euen from the lord: which hath made heauen and earth.
He wil not suffre thy fote to be moued: and he that kepeth thee wil not slepe.
Beholde, he that kepeth Israel: shall neither slumber nor slepe.
The lorde hymselfe is thy keper: the lorde is thy defence upon thy right hande.
So that the Sunne shal not burne thee by day : neyther the Moone by nyghte.
The Lorde shall preserue thee from al euil: yea, it is euen he that shal kepe thy soule.
The Lord shall preserue thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time furth for euermore.

Glory be to the father, and to the sonne, and to, &c.
As it was in the begynnyng, is nowe, and euer, &c.

Lorde, haue mercy upon us.
Christe, haue mercy upon us.
Lorde, haue mercy upon us.

Our Father, which, &c.

And leade us not into temptacion.
Aunswere. But delyuer us from euill. Amen.
Priest. O Lorde, saue this woman thy seruaunt
Aunswere. Which putteth her trust in thee.
Priest. Be thou to her a strong tower.
Aunswere. From the face of her enemye.
Priest. Lorde, heare our prayer.
Aunswere. And let our crie come unto thee.

Priest. Let us praye.

O ALMIGHTIE god, whiche hast delyuered this woman thy seruant from the great paine and peryl of childe birth: Graunte, we beseche thee, (most mercifull father,) that she through thy helpe, maye both faythfully lyue and walke in her vocacion, accordyng to thy wyl in thys lyfe present; and also maye bee partaker of euerlastinge glorye in the life to come: through Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen.

The woman that cometh to geue her thankes, muste offre accustomed offeringes: and if there be a Communion, it is conueniente that she receye the holy Communiyon.


This text marked up by Michael Fraser, April 1995