A Zealous prayer to God, vsed and said euery day by the poore Prisoners of the Marshalsey, for all their good Benefactors.
O Most gratious God and our louing Father, looke downe for Iesus Christ his sake, vpon vs thy poore children with thine eyes of mercy, and let thine eares be opened vnto our prayers. We confesse holy Father, that we are not worthy to open our sinfull mouthes to speake vnto thy holy Maieste nor to receiue any good thing from thée, because we haue like Prodigall children misspent thy blessings, and in the whole course of our liues haue erred and strayed from thee, and thy holy waies, and thereby haue dishonoured thee and giuen euill example vnto others. We confesse also that thou hast iustly shut vs vp in prison, as men vnworthy of the liberty and Communion of Saintes, so as we cannot visit thy holy Temple to see the beauty of thy face by hearing of thy worde, and praise thee in the congregation as they doe. O that we had eyes to see and hearts to lament our sinnes, that haue brought this vpon vs: Sathan hath blinded vs so as we cannot see, and hardned our hearts, so as we cannot lament: O thou most gratious God and louing Father, take pittie on vs thy poore children for Christ his sake, and shew thy mercy in sending thy holy Spirit into vs, to destroy this power of Sathan within vs, and to sanctifie vs throughout in bodies and in soules, that from hencefoorth we may glorifie thee with our bodies and soules.
And where as now by reason of our imprisonment, we can not goe abroad to labour for our liuing, we might starue and perish, were it not but that thou of thy mercy and goodnes hast stirred vp many of thy children to reléeue vs, we doe most humbly thank thée for them, and doe hartely beséech thée euen for Iesus Christ his sake, to reward them seauen-fould, and to let thy blessing euer remaine vpon them and theirs. We beséech thee also for our enemies, that it would please thee to forgiue them, and to graunt vs also grace to forgiue them. And wherein-soeuer wee haue giuen iust cause of offence vnto them we beseech thee to forgiue vs, and to graunt them grace also to forgiue vs. And in thy good time giue deliueraunce vnto vs from our imprisonment, in the meane while continue thy goodnes towardes vs, and aboue all graunt vs patience and the inward strength and comfort of thy Holy Spirit and grace to profit dayly more and more to amendment of lite by thy correction, to thy glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Christ Iesus our Lord, to whom with thée and the holy Ghost, be all honor, thankes, praise and glorie, both now and for euermore. Amen.