ered us until now to go unpunished. Long have
we deserved to be cast away from thy face, and made a by-word on earth,
as were the sinful inhabiters of the five cities, consumed with fire
and brimstone; but thy marvellous long-suffering hath dealt graciously
with us. I give thanks unto thee, vile and unworthy though I be, and
insufficient of myself to glorify thy greatness. And, by thine infinite
compassions, I pray thee, Lord Jesu Christ, Son and Word of the
invisible Father, who madest all things by thy word, and sustainest
them by thy will; who hast delivered us thine unworthy servants from
the bondage of the arch-fiend our foe: thou that wast stretched upon
the Rood, and didst bind the strong man, and award everlasting freedom
to them that lay bound in his fetters: do thou now also stretch forth
thine invisible and almighty hand, and, at the last, free thy servant
my father from that cruel bondage of the devil. Show him full clearly
that thou art the ever living true God, and only King, eternal and
immortal. Behold, O Lord, with favourable and kindly eye, the
contrition of my heart; and, according to thine unerring promise, be
with me that acknowledge and confess thee the Maker and protector of
all creation. Let there be a well of water within me springing up, and
let utterance be given unto me that I may open my mouth, and a mind
well fixed in thee, the chief corner-stone, that I, thine unprofitable
servant, may be enabled to preach to my father, as is right, the
mystery of thine Incarnation, and by thy power deliver him from the
vain deceit of wicked devils, and bring him unto thee his God and Lord,
who willest not the death of us sinners, but waitest for us to return
and repent, because thou art glorified for ever and ever. Amen."

When he had thus prayed, and received fulness of assurance that he
should not miscarry in his desire, he took courage by the tender mercy
of Christ, and arose thence, with his royal bodyguard, and arrived at
his father's palace. When it was told unto his father, "Thy son is
come," he went forth straightway for to meet him, and embraced and
kissed him lovingly, and made exceeding great joy, and held a general
feast in honour of the coming of his son. And afterward, they two were
closeted together.

But how tell of all that the son spake with his father, and of all the
wisdom of his speech? And what was that speech but the words put into
his mouth by the Holy Ghost, by whom the