Nor shall you forget all those who, as Governors, or as Masters, or as Boys, or in whatever station in this School, during more than 350 years have striven with faithful hearts to serve it; their noble deeds and character are ours by inheritance.
Finally, let us pray, that, when our time shall come to fall asleep, we, too, after their example may have faithfully served our generation by the will of God: To whom be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
Let us Pray.
[The two following prayers were written in Latin for the use of Tonbridge School very shortly after its foundation in 1553, A.D.]
ÆTERNE Deus, a quo solo omne bonum consilium, omnis bona cogitatio procedit, gratias tibi maximas agimus, quod viris optimis, et Andreae Judd, militi, Scholam hanc pie instituendi, magnoque sumptu suo exstruendi et dotandi, et quod Thomae Smythe, militi, eam nec minore sumptu suo augendi et in perpetuum faciendi consilium inspirasti; Teque suppliciter oramus, ut eam a calamitate omni tuearis; et Ecclesiae regnoque tuo utilem semper facias; et ut nos cum omni diligentiâ eo contendamus quo pii illi nos pervenire voluerunt, ut bene pieque eruditi Ecclesiae tuae et Reipublicae tandem utiles evadamus, per Iesum Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.
CLEMENTISSIME Pater coelestis, qui coelum et terras et quae in iis sunt omnia summâ sapientiâ condidisti, eâdemque providentiâ tuâ perpetuo regis et conservas,—concede, quaesumus, quemadmodum optimi illi, Andreas Judd, et Thomas Smythe, milites, spectatæ societatis Pellipariorum fide et providentiâ freti, eorum curae hanc Scholam commiserunt,—ut et ipsi, fidei suae his defunctis debitae semper memores, Scholam hanc diligenter curent et tueantur; tandemque, post huius vitae cursum honeste confectum, aetemum fidelissimae illius procurationis suae proemium in coelis consequantur, per Iesum Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.
[Then follow (in Latin) the Prayer of St. Chrysostom and the Blessing.]
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