The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods True Saints Part 1 and 2, Part 2 · Chapter 8 · Incipit 1
Incipit Ordo Romanus, ad Benedicendum Imperatorem
Orationem primam det Episcopus de Castello Albanensi ante portam Argenteam. Oremus.
Deus in cujus manu corda sunt Regum, inclina ad preces humilitatis nostrae aures misericordiae tuae, & Principi nostro regimen tuae appone sapientiae, ut haustis de tuo fonte confiliis, & tibi placeat, & super omnia Regna praecellat. Per Dominum.
Orationem secundam det Episcopus Portuensis intra Ecclesiam beati Petri Apostoli, in medio rotae.
Deus inenarrabilis auctor mundi, ut supra scriptum est in ordinatione Regis.
Deinde vadat ante confessionem beati Petri Apostoli, & prosternat se pronus in terram, & archidiaconus faciat litaniam. Qua finita, Episcopus Ostiensis ungat ei oleo exorcizato brachium dextrum & inter scapulas, & dicat orationem istam.
Domine Deus omnipotens cujus est omnis potestas & dignitas, te supplici devotione atque humillima prece deposcimus, ut huic famulo tuo N. prosperum Imperatoriae dignitatis concedas effectum, ut in tua dispositione constituto, ad regendam Ecclesiam tuam sanctam nihil praesentia officiant, futuraque non obsistant, sed inspirante sancti Spiritus tui dono, populum sibi subditum aequo justitiae libramine regere valeat, & in omnibus operibus suis te semper timeat, tibi jugiter placere contendat. Per.
Pontifex ergo stet sursum ante altare, & imponat ei diadema super caput, dicens:
Accipe signum gloriae in nominae Patris, & Filii, & Spiritus sancti, ut spreto antiquo hoste, spretisque contagiis omnium vitiorum, sic judicium & justitiam diligas, & misericorditer vivas, ut ab ipso Domino nostro Jesu Christo in consortio Sanctorum aeterni regni coronam percipias. Qui cum Patre & Spiritu tuo sancto vivit & regnat Deus, per insinita secula seculorum. Resp.
Amen.
Alia coronae impositio.
Accipe coronam à Domino Deo tibi praedestinatam, habeas, teneas, atque possideas, & filiis tuis post te futuris ad honorem Deo auxiliante derelinquas.
Exaudi Domine preces nostras, & famulum tuum N. ad regendum Rom. imperium constitutum, ut per te regere incipiat, & per te fideliter Regnum custodiat. Qui vivit & regnat.
Oremus.
Prospice omnipotens Deus serenis obtutibus hunc gloriosum Imperatorem nostrum N. & sicut benedixisti Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, Require supra in benedictione Regis.
Alia.
Deus pater aeternae gloriae, sit adjutor tuus & Protector, & omnipotens benedicat tibi, preces tuas in cunctis exaudiat, et vitam longitudine dierum adimpleat, et semper in sua voluntate custodiat, thronum Regni corroboret, gentes populumquetuum ad nutum tuum subjiciat, et à peste et fame tuis temporibus conservet, inimicos tuos confusione i…duat, et super te Christi sanctificatio floreat, et super caetera regna excellentiorem faciat, ut qui tribuit in terris imperium, ipse tibi in coelis cum electis suis conferat habere consortium. Per.
To this … shall subjoyn the Ceremonies and Prayers made at the Coronation of the Emperor of Russi…, recorded both in Latin and English in the*Paul Od rburn in vita Theod. Res…. … Lugd. B…t. 10, o p 284. Marginal Authors.
The Solemities used at the Russe Emperors Coronation, are on this manner. In the great Church of Precheste (or our Lady) within the Emperors Castle is erected a Stage, whereon standeth a Skreen, that beareth upon it the Imperial CapDr. Giles, Fletch…r his Treatise of the State of Rusfia, c. …. Mr. samuel purchas his Pilgrim, l. 3 c 1: … 420, 421. and Robe of very Rich stu…. When the day of the Inauguration is come, there resort thither, first, the Patriarch with the Metropolitans, Abchbishops, Bishops, Abbots, and Priors, all richly clad in their Pontificalibus. Then enter the Deacons with the Q…ier of Singers. Who so soon as the Emperor setteth foot into the Church, begin to sing: Many years may live Noble Theodore Juanowich, &c. whereunto the Patriarch Se…dens Titles of Honor, part 1. ch. 8. p. 185, 186.and Metropolitan, with the rest of the Clergy, answer with a certain Hymn, in form of a Prayer, singing it altogether with a great noise. The Hymn being ended, the Patriarch with the Emperor mount up the Stage, where standeth a Seat ready for the Emperor. Whereupon the Patriarch willeth him to sit down; and then placing himself by him upon another Seat provided for that purpose, boweth down his head towards the ground and saith this Prayer: O Lord God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, which by thy Prophet Samuel did dest choose thy Servant David, and anoint him for King over thy People Israel, hear now our Prayers, and look from thy Sanctuary upon this thy Servant Theodore, whom thou hast chosen, and exalted for King over these thy holy Nations; anoint him with the Oyl of gladnesse, protect him by thy Power, put upon his Head a Crown of Gold and precious Stones, give him length of daies, place him in the seat of Justice, strenthen his Arm, make subject unto him all the barbarous Nations. Let thy fear be in his whole heart, turn him from an evil Faith, and from all error, and shew him the salvation of thy holy, and universal Church, that he may judge thy People with justice, and protect the children of the poor, and finally attain everlasting life. This Prayer he speaketh with a low voyce, and then pronounceth aloud: All praise and power to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Prayer being ended, he commandeth certain Abbots to reach the Imperial Robe, and Cap: which is done very decently, and with great solemnity, the Patriarch withall pronouncing aloud: Peace be unto all. And so he beginneth another Prayer to this effect: Bow your selves together with us, and pray to him that reigneth over all. Preserve him (O Lord) under thy holy protection, keep him, that he may do good and holy things, let Justice shine forth in his daies, that we may live quietly without strife and malice. This is pronounced somwhat softly by the Patriarch, whereto he addeth again aloud: Thou art the King of the whole world, and the Saviour of our Souls; to thee the Father, Son, and the holy Ghost, be all prayse for ever and ever. Amen. Then putting on the Robe and the Cap, he blesseth the Emperor with the sign of the Crosse: saying withall, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. The like is done by the Metropolites, Archbishops and Bishops: who all in their order come to the Chair, and one after another blesse the Emperor with their two fore-fingers. Then is said by the Patriarch another Prayer, that beginneth: O most holy Virgin Mother of God, &c. After which a Deacon pronounceth with a high loud voyce: Many years to Noble Theodore, good, honourable, beloved of God, great Duke of Volodemer, of Mosko, Emperor and Monarch of all Russia, &c. whereto the other Priests and Deacons, that stand somewhat far off by the Altar or Table, answer singing, Many years, Many years to the Noble Theodore; The same note is taken up by the Priests and Deacons that are placed at the right and left side of the Church, and then altogether they chaunt and thunder out, singing: Many years to the Noble Theodore, good, honourable, beloved of God, great Duke of Volodemer, Mosko, Emperor of all Russia, &c. These Solemnities being ended, first commeth the Patriarch with the Metropolites, Archbishops and Bishops, then the Nobility and the whole Company in their Order, to do homage to the Emperor, bending down their heads, and knocking them at his feet to the very ground.
To these Prayers and Acclamations used at the Coronations of Christian Emperors, I shall only annex the Prayer of the very Turks themselves, at the Coronation of their Mahometan Emperors (which they doubtlesse derived from the Christians) thus briefly related by Leunclavius. When *Supplementum Annal. Turcorum, Anno 1566. seldens Titles of Honor, p. 185.Selim the 2d. after the death of his Father Soliman was placed in the Imperial Throne, Inde per urbem, proclamationes more majorum factae, quibus, vota primum concipiebant…r ut anima Solimanis in paradiso foelix aevum ager…t, ac in perpetua gloria quiesceret: deinde, multos ut annos viveret Sultanus Selimes Chan, prosperique status incremento continuo frueretur.
I now proceed to the Prayers and Benedictions used at the Coronation of Christian Kings and Queens, beginginning with those in forein pa…ts.
*Bibl. …attum Tom. 8. p. 464, 465, 466, 467.Ordo Romanus Antiquus, de divinis Ecclesiae Catholicae Officiis, contains and relates them in this manner,