¶Then shall be sung the hymn following, or any other that the Reader may appoint.

BLESSED Saviour, Lord of all,

Vouchsafe to hear us when we call ;
And now to us propitious be,

Who in our prayer do bow to Thee,
Still to be kept from misery.

Great Ruler of the day and night,
On our darkness cast Thy light;
And let Thy passion pardon win,
For what we have offended in,
Or thought, or deed, or word of sin.

And as Thy mercy wipes away
What we have done amiss to-day,

So now the night returns again,
Our bodies and our souls refrain,
From being soiled with sinful stain.

Let not dull sleep oppress our eyes,
Nor us the enemy surprise;

Nor fearful dreams our minds affright,
While yet the darkness of the night
Holds from our eyes the cheerful light.

To Thee, Who dost by rest renew
Our wearied strength, we humbly sue,
That, when we shall unclose our eyes,
We may both pure and chaste arise,
To make our morning sacrifice.

Honour, Lord, to Thee be done,
O Thou blessed Virgin's Son,
With the Father and the Spirit,
As is Thine eternal merit,

Ever and ever to inherit. Amen.

Then shall be said the following text, or any other the Reader may select.

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, who comforteth us in all our tribulations.

Let our prayer, O Lord, be set forth in Thy sight, as the incense,

And the lifting up of our hands, as the evening sacrifice.

Thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise Thee;

Let Thy merciful kindness be ever more and more towards us.

Abide with us, O Lord, our Saviour,
For the time is far spent.

Yea, the shadows of the evening are stretched out,

us,

And the day is declining upon us.

Let Thy strength be made perfect,
In our weakness:

For as the day is,

So life is near its end.

O Lord, let Thy mercy be shewed upon

Like as we do put our trust in Thee.

Let us pray.

LORD, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, by Whose providence both the day and night are governed, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, as Thou hast this day preserved us by Thy goodness, so still this night to shelter us beneath the shadow of Thy wings, that the powers of darkness may not hurt us; that we may be preserved from all adversities, which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O THOU, that art the Light eternal, and the Sun of righteousness, evermore arising and never going down, giving life and food and gladness unto all things, mercifully shine evermore upon us, and Vouchsafe to cast Thy blessed beams upon the darkness of our understandings, that we may walk in the light of Thy truth, and may at length attain unto the light of everlasting life, through Thy merits, O blessed Jesus, Who didst die, and wast buried, and didst rise again for us, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Lord's name be praised,

From the rising up of the sun to the going down of the same.

NOW unto Him, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto Him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

MAY Thy blessing rest upon us, and Thy gracious Presence evermore abide with us. Amen.

N.B. This and the short offices for the "Third" and "Sixth" may be lengthened if desired, by the addition of Psalms or Collects.