Exposition of Marys Magnificat, Prayer – Confutation
The prayer that kynge Salomon prayed, a patron for all princes, taken out of the .iii. chapter of the iii. boke of the kynges.
THe LORDE appeared vntounto Salomon at Gibeon in a dreame of the nyght, & God ſayd: Are what I ſhall geue the. Salomon ſayde: Thou haſt done greate mercy vntounto my father Dauid thy ſeruaunte, ſo that he walked before the in faythfulneſſe & ryghteouſneſſe, and in a true harte wyth the, and thys mercy haſt thou layed vp for hym, and geuen hym a ſonne to ſyt vponupon hys ſeate, as it is now come to paſſe.
Now LORDE my God, thou haſte made thy ſeruaunt kynge in my father Dauids ſteade: As for me, I am but a ſmal yōge man, knowynge nother myne outgoyng nor ingoynge. And thy ſeruaunt is amonge the people whome thou haſt choſen, whych is ſo great, that no man can nombre them nor deſcribe thē for multytude. Geue thy ſeruaūte therfore an obediente harte, that he maye iudge thy people, and vnderſtande that what is good or bad: for who is able to iudge thys thy myghty people?
Thys pleaſed the LORDE well, that Salomon axed ſuch a peticion. And God ſayd vntounto Salomon: For ſo muche as thou axeſt thys, and deſyreſt not lōge lyfe, nother ryches, nother the ſoules of thyne enemyes, but vnderſtandynge to heare iudgement, beholde therfore hauehave I done accordyng to thy wordes. Beholde I hauehave geuen the an harte of wyſedome and vnderſtandynge, ſo yt ſuche one as thou, hath not ben before the, nother ſhal ryſe vp after the. Yee and that thou haſt not prayed for, hauehave I geuen the alſo, namely: ryches and honoure, ſo that amonge the kynges of thy tyme ther is not ſuch one as thou. And yf thou wylt walke in my wayes, ſo that thou kepe myne ordinaunces and lawes, as Dauid thy father hath walked, than wyll I geue the a longe lyfe.
FINIS.
¶A confutaciō of the ſonge called Salue Regina, prouyng by ſcriptures layed therto, that it is rather Idolatry, than lawfull to be ſonge of true Chriſten men.
¶Grace, mercy and ſtrength of ſprete that commeth of God the father and our LORD Ieſu Chriſt do I wyſh vntounto the gentle reader.
SEynge welbeloued brethren and ſyſters that nowe by the boūteous goodneſſe & mercy of God, the mooſt clere and ſhyninge lyght of the Goſpel is declared vntounto vsus agayne in thys preſēt world, therfore may we ryght well thanke & prayſe God that he hath wytſafe vsus to come vntounto the ryghte vnderſtandynge & knowlege by ye power of hys lyuyng worde: Namely, that we knowe perfectlye now how and after what faſhiō we ought to prayſe and to thanke God, & how to vtter & declare thankfully our fayth, (whych nother can, nor ought be ſloggyſh) not only inwardly, but alſo outwardly, (as Dauid ye prophete dyd) thankynge and prayſynge the LORDE Ieſus wyth ſonges and melody: as Paul exhorteth hys Coll. iii. to do. For yf a man beleue from the harte, he ſhalbe made ryghteous: and yf a mā knowlege wyth the mouth, he ſhalbe ſaued. Rom. x.
By thys is it lykely that the ſonges whiche are nowe vſed in churches eueryevery where were fyrſt inſtitute of the fathers for thys intēt: namely, ſo to declare & boldlye to exercyſe openly the inwarde fayth. For it is manifeſt that we hauehave no commaundemēt concernynge thys in all the new teſtament. And for thys cauſe ought we Chriſtians to hauehave ſuch ſonges and ballades now alſo, wherewyth the name of God be auaunced and magnifyed, and not diſhonoured nor blaſphemed.
But alas thys coſtume is not only come to ſuch myſuſe, that Chriſtes honoure is not vttered therin, but alſo that Lucifer ye prince of thys worlde hath thereby confirmed and fortifyed hys kyngdome: ſo yt ther is noughte vſed therin now ſaue only the byſhop of Romes fayres: and the thynge wherein the ſeruice and honoure of God was ſuppoſed to hauehave conſyſted, hauehave ben occupyed wyth nothynge ſaue byenge and ſellynge, choppynge and chaungynge, yee playne vſury. Euen as Eſay doth featly prophecy of them, ſpeakyng in the perſone of almyghtye God on thys wyſe: It is ye that hauehave burnte vp my vyneyard, the robbery of ye poore is in your houſe &c. vponupon whom Chriſt alſo geueth a fearfull ſentēce ful of dredful curſes, ſayenge: Wo vntounto you ſcrybes & phariſes, ye hypocrites, that deuoure wedowes houſes, and that vnderunder the coloure of prayenge longe prayers: therfore ſhall ye receaue the greater damnacyon. As though he wolde ſaye: wyth youre great howlynge do ye deceaue the poore innocentes, of whoſe ſweate and bloude ye fyll your paunches, ſo ful that one wolde thynke ye had eaten euen the poore innocentes houſes alſo. But ſeynge they ſtudy nothynge ſo earneſtly as to ſerue theyr God ye belly, therfore do not they care for ye worde of God, but do ruffle it vponupon an heape: yee & ſell Chriſte and hys worde, as it may be wel perceaued of them that take diligent hede vntounto it. But what nede more wordes hereof, ſeyng we ſe dayly one bayte▪ after the other put at the angle to catch and to ſeduce the ſymple people the more, whyche now is partely delyuered from the Babilonicall captiuite. For the pardōs (where by they were wonte to ſcrape a good ſumme of pens) that once were refuſed begynne now to preaſſe in agayne in an other hue & vyſoure, namely that they ſhall be had frely. Neuertheleſſe the ende wyll declare to what intente thys be inſtitute.
I counſell therfore eueryevery Chriſten brother and ſyſter, that deſyreth to be a membre of Chriſte, to abyde by theyr heade Ieſus Chriſte lokynge for the true pardons of his merites, ſuckynge the pardonynge and forgeuynge of theyr ſynnes out of hys paſſion & woūdes only. I wyll paſſe ouer to ſpeake of thys matter at thys tyme, for it is not now myne …ntent ſo to do, leſt I go to farre fro my purpoſe: that is, ye I wolde hauehave eueryevery man to geue diligent hede vntounto the ſonges that be vſually ſonge in our churches or temples, and ſpecially of one, the whyche by the inſpiracyon of the deuel is ſo ryfe and ſo corrupped, ye God is therby depryued of his honoure, (contrary to the fyrſt commaundement) and it is geuen vntounto a creature. This maye be proued in the ſonge of prayſe that is ſonge to the bleſſed virgine Mary the mother of Chriſt, wherin we imagine to do her hygh ſeruice and worſhip, whyche notwythſtandynge is pytefully diſhonoured & mocked therewyth: for therin is great ydolatry, ſo that no greater ſpyte can be done to her, than to ſynge ſuch ſonges of prayſe vntounto her, wherin hyr ſonne Ieſus Chriſte, by whome ſhe receaued all mercy▪ grace, vertue, goodneſſe and holyneſſe, accordyng to hyr owne confeſſion Luke in the fyrſt chapter, ſayeng▪
My ſoule magnifyeth the LORDE.
And my ſprete reioyceth in God my Saueoure.
For he hath loked vponupon the lovve degre of hys handmayden.
Beholde, from hence forth ſhal al generacions call me bleſſed.
For he that is myghty hath done great thynges vntounto me, and Holy is hys name.
&c.
In the whych wordes ſhe confeſſeth God to be hyr Saueoure, whych muſt ſaue vsus all alſo, or els we ſhall be damned for euer. We ought therfore to go to hym aſkynge mercy and grace of hym, for he is our hope, aduocate and ſaluacion.
Wyll ye therfore worſhippe Mary aryght, worſhip her in Ieſu Chriſt hir ſonne, thankynge and prayſynge him for workynge ſo wonderfull power (whyche he tofore had promyſed vntounto the fathers) in that veſſell. Now yf thy contemplacion or inwarde deuocion doth chaūce vponupon the maydē, (which thorowe hyr conſtaunte fayth dyd brynge forth our Saueoure the ſonne of God, with out ony ſpot of nature, only by the ouerſhadowynge of the holy gooſt, remaynyng pure virgyn & mother as the ſcripture doth playnly beare wytneſſe) than may ye ſalute her with the ſame ſalutacion, that the angel Gabriel ſaluted her: but ye ſhall worſhyp God only in the trine of perſons, namely ye father ye ſōne and holy gooſt. Thys doynge, ye ſhal do the hygheſt worſhippe vntounto Mary yt can be done, accordynge to the iudgement of the ſcripture.
And that we maye be the more aſſured and certifyed of thys, we wyll conferre this ſonge of Salue regina wyth the ſcripture, & ſe how they accorde. But yf it doth not agre wyth Gods worde, I requyre you for the honoure of God to leaue it, and cleue vntounto the worde of God: & ſo doynge ye ſhalbe the brethren and ſyſters of Chriſte, accordynge to hys owne wytneſſe. Luke .viii. And what ſo euer is not hys, that is agaynſt hym, and venyme of the ſoule, for the whyche we oughte earneſtly to beware, leſt after thys tranſitory lyfe we be robbed of the eternal glory, the which God omnipotent raygnynge for euer graunt vsus all. Amen.
¶A refutacion of the ſonge called Salue regina.
BLeſſed be God and the father of our LORDE, Ieſus Chriſt, which accordynge to hys greate mercye hath begotten vsus agayne vntounto a lyuely hope, by the ryſynge agayne of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead vntounto an vncorruptible and vndefyled enheritaunce, whyche neuer ſhall fayde awaye. &c. Thus wryteth Peter in hys fyrſt canonicall epiſtle the fyrſt chapter, wyllynge vsus to thanke, prayſe and bleſſe God alwaye, for delyuerynge vsus from death euerlaſtynge thorowe hys only ſonne Ieſus Chriſte. Thys hygh and mooſt laudable benefyte as no tunge can expreſſe it, ſo can no tunge alſo prayſe it ynough. And therfore doth Paule exhorte & warne vsus of the abuſe of thys benefite, ſayenge .i. Corin. vii. Ye are dearly bought (namely, wyth the bloude of Ieſus Chriſt) be not ye ſeruaūtes of mē. &c. Now to ſynge, cenſe, praye and to do lyke reuerence vntounto a creature, or an ymage of wood or ſtone, and vntounto that ymage to attribute ſuch prayſe, thanke and worſhip as belōgeth vntounto God only, what is that els ſaue a ſeruice of men, whereby God & his worde are blaſphemed, denyed and ſet at nought? as it ſhalbe brefely declared hereafter.
¶Fyrſt we ſynge Salue regina miſericordiae, that is to ſaye: Hayle quene of mercy.
Here is fyrſt denyed the ſayeng of Eſay recyted of S. Paule Rom. xiiii. As truly as I lyue (ſayeth the LORDE) all knees ſhall bowe vntounto me, and al tunges ſhal knowlege vntounto God. And agayne the ſayenge of Moſes Deuteronomy the .vi. Chapter. Heare O Iſraell, the LORDE our God is one LORDE only. And thou ſhalte louelove the LORDE thy God wyth all thyne harte, wyth all thy ſoule, wyth all thy myght. The ſayenge alſo of the prophete Eſaye in the .xlii. Chapter is here denyed, where God ſayeth: I my ſelfe, whoſe name is the LORDE, whych geue my power to none other, nother myne honoure to the goddes. &c.
Marke now earneſtly how featly & wel theſe ſayenges agre wt thys ſalutaciō or gretyng of Mary: verely as wel as day & nyght Marke how our carnall deuocion and good meanyng accordeth with God & hys worde: euen ſo wel, that God ſayeth by the prophet Eſay in the .lv. chapter: My thoughtes are not youre thoughtes, and youre wayes are not my wayes: But as farre as the heauēs are hygher than the earth, ſo farre do my wayes excede youres, & my thoughtes, youres. Hereby maye it be ſene what thys ſaluacion is, namely that God doth not geue hys honoure to none of the goddes. Now conſyſteth hys honoure in nothynge ſo greatly, as in thankefulneſſe and prayſynge hym for hys infinite mercy & goodneſſe ſhewed vntounto vsus in ſuffrynge for vsus that were in thraldom and the deuels daunger, and ſo delyuered vsus therout: whyche nother the bleſſed virgine Mary, Peter, nor Paule, nor none of al the ſayntes hath done. It followeth than that ſhe is not the quene of mercy.
¶Secondarely we ſynge: Vita, dulcedo et ſpes noſtra ſalue ▪ that is: Hay…e our lyfe, our ſwetneſſe and our hope.
The cōtrary to thys wytneſſeth Chriſt hymſelfe Ioh. xiiii. ſayeng: I am ye waye, the truth and the lyfe. &c. And Eſaye ſayeth lyke wyſe in the .xlv. Chapter in the perſone of God: Turne you vntounto me all ye endes of ye worlde, and ye ſhalbe ſaued: for I am God, and ther is els none. To thys agreeth alſo Paule .i. Cor. iii. ſayenge: Other foundamēt can no man laye, than that whyche is layed already, whych is Chriſt Ieſu. Theſe confortable wordes do we nother kepe nor beleue, ſeynge we confeſſe wyth our mouthes, and wyth the dede ſeke another lyfe or ſaluacion thā the true and only lyfe and ſaluacion, namely Ieſus Chriſte. Yee thus doynge we make not God true in hys promyſe, that he ether can not or wyll not do for vsus as he ſayeth eueryevery where in the ſcripture: or els do not we beleue ye ſayenge of ye boke of wyſedome the .xv. Chapter, where it is thus written: Thou (our God) arte ſwete, longe ſufferynge, & true, & in mercy ordreſt thou al thinges, & ſo forth. And Chriſt ſpeakynge of hym ſelfe Ioh. vi. ſayeth: Who ſo cōmeth vntounto me, hym wyll not I caſt out. And agayne in the x. chapter he ſayeth: My ſhepe heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they followe me, and I geue them euerlaſtyng lyfe, & they ſhal neuer peryſh. Where is ony ſuch worde of comforte, lyfe, hope or ſwetneſſe ſpoken of in the ſcriptures of God of the bleſſed virgine Mary or ony creature? and yf ther be not, what madneſſe is it of vsus ether to cal or to take them for our hope and refuge, which do ſo lowly alway ſubmitte themſelues both to God and hys creatures? Yf we wolde a lytle ponder theſe wordes of the ſalutation of Mary, conferrynge them with the ſayeng of Dauid Pſalm. C.ii. where he ſayeth: Lyke as a father pytyeth hys owne chylderen, euē ſo is the LORDE mercyfull vntounto them that feare hym: we ſhulde eaſyly ſe howe farre & abtrunnynge we be both from God and his true worde. We ſe than welbeloued brethrē and ſyſters, that yf we beleued theſe foreſayd wordes aryghte, we ſhulde nede none other ſaluacion, hope nor lyue ſaue only Chriſte, which is geuen vsus of the father to be a mediatour betwene him & vsus, as ye ſhal heare hereafter. But alas it is come to ye poynte wyth vsus, that we aſke lyfe of them, that do not lyue themſelues, as Salomon ſayeth in hys boke called the boke of Wyſedome, the .xiii. Chapter.
God ſayeth in the .li. chapter of Eſay: I ame he that in al thynges geueth you conſolatiō. What arte thou than that feareſte a mortall man, the chylde of man, which goeth awaye as doth the flore? and forgetteſt the LORD that made the? In the boke of wyſedome the xvi. chapter it is thus written: It is thou O LORDE that haſte the power of lyfe and death, thou leadeſte vntounto deathes dore, and bryngeſt vp agayne. This is he in whome only ye ought to hope, & to hauehave confidence, hym only ſhall ye feare, to hym only muſte ye ſygh & ſobbe: for ther is but one only that is mooſte hygheſt creatoure of all thynges, mooſt puyſſaūt and myghty, that is greatly to be feared and dradde, as Ieſus Sirak exhorteth vsus to do, in the fyrſt chapter of Eccleſiaſticus, ſayenge: Ther is one, euen the Hygheſt, the maker of all thynges, the Almyghty, the kynge of power (of whome men ought to ſtande greatly in awe,) whiche ſytteth vponupon hys trone, beynge a God of dominion, and ſo forth. Thanke therfore & prayſe hym only, feare and drede hym, and thā ſhall not ye be deceaued. For yf ye truſt in men, or ony creature, callynge vponupon them, than veryly ſhal ye be deceaued, vnhappy & accurſed as teſtifye both Ieremy in the .xvii. chap. and Dauid in the .C.xiii. Pſalme ſayenge: Curſed be the man, that putteth hys truſt in man. Let therfore thē that feare the LORD, put theyr truſte in hym: for he is theyr ſuccoure and defence, and thynke, yee be aſſured, thys kynde of worſhyp to be nought but a deuyce and imaginacion of men only, the which are ydle and vayne as ſayeth Ieremy in the .x. chapter. And Chriſte alſo ſayeth Mathe. xv. that he is worſhypped in vayne, whyle they teach ſuche doctrines as are nothynge but the commaundementes of men. Though they approche neare vntounto me with the Pater noſter, callynge me father, LORDE and God: yet do they runne to other fathers, gods and ſaueoures in thys vale of teares. Drawe therfore backegood brethren and ſyſters your ſtrayenge ſteppes & wende them in the wayes of the LORDE, yeldyng you rather to hym and hys worde: for ye hauehave more aſſuraunce to be herde when ye call to hym, yf ye ſo do, than ye hauehave of followynge mans voyce. Dauid ſayeth Pſalm. xlix. in the perſone of God: Call vponupon me in the tyme of trouble, ſo wyll I heare the, that thou ſhalt thanke me. Where is ther ony ſuch promyſe or comfortable worde in all ye ſcripture of the bleſſed virgine, or ony other page missing name, he ſhall geue it you. Yf ye therfore beleue theſe wordes ſtedfaſtlye, than nede ye none other meane. Or thynk ye that he wyl lye ether for you, or for youre ſynnes, whych only is the truth hymſelfe, and hath taken a waye the ſynnes of the worlde, as Eſaye doth expreſſely wryte of hym in the .liii. chapter, and Ihon baptiſte doth by mouth?
¶Syxtly it followeth in the ſonge Et Ieſum benedictum fructum uentris tui nobis poſt hoc exilium oſtende. that is: And ſhewe vsus Ieſu ye bleſſed frute of thy wombe after thys exilyng & bannyſhynge.
Yf you wyll hauehave her to ſhewe you Ieſus, than muſt ye fyrſte let hym ſhewe you her in thys myſery and heare what ſhe ſayd Luke in the fyrſt chapter, where it is wryttē: He remembreth mercy, and helpeth vp hys ſeruaunte Iſrael. Euen as he promyſed vntounto oure fathers, Abraham and to hys ſede for euer. Here ſayeth Mary that vntounto Abraham and hys ſede was promyſed ſaluacion thorowe Chriſte Ieſu, which thynge is playnly declared in Geneſis the .xxii. Chap. where God ſayd to Abraham: In thy ſede ſhall all nacions be bleſſed: and Abraham beleuynge thys was ſaued thereby. And Geneſis. xvii. was Iſaac promyſed vntounto Abraham and Abraham beleuynge the ſame lykewyſe was ſaued thereby. VntoUnto Dauid was lyke promyſe made .ii. Regum the .vii. chapter on thys wyſe: Whan the tyme is fulfylled that thou ſhalte ſlepe wt thy fathers, I wyll rayſe thy ſede after the. I wyll be hys father, and he ſhalbe my ſonne, and wyll ſtablyſh ye ſeate of hys kyngdome for euer. This dyd Dauid beleue, and was alſo ſaued. Beholde, thus hath now Abraham receaued hys chylde ſayeth Mary, as it was promyſed vntounto Abrahā and hys poſterite. Wyll ye now therfore be alſo ſaued, then muſt ye let Ieſus be ſhewed vntounto you, as Mary doth ſhewe hym here in the Magnificat: namely that he is the bleſſynge of all nacyons, and ſo to beleue & faythfully to truſt in Ieſu Chriſt only: for by thys fayth only ſhall ye be ſaued. Yee muſt hauehave thys fayth only in hym in thys vayle of teares, and ſo ſe hym here: and not let hym be ſhewed vntounto you by other meanes after this myſerable exilynge, as it is ſunge in thys ſonge of prayſe. Thus muſt we hauehave hym ſhewed vntounto vsus in thys vayle of teares, as he was ſhewed vntounto ye patriarkes, and prophetes, that we maye knowe hym in thys mortall lyfe & beleue in hym, as they hauehave done: and than ſurely ſhall he ſhewe hymſelfe wel ynough after thys exilynge and banyſhmēt. Yf els hys wordes be true that he hath ſpoken. Ioh. xi. I am the reſurreccion and ye lyfe. He that beleueth on me, ſhall lyue, thoughe he were dead already. And Ioh. iii. He that beleueth on me ſhal not be condēned. Thus muſt thou than knowe Ieſu Chriſte as one that taketh awaye thy ſynnes, dyenge ye bytter death for them. But yf ye know hym not here, than maye he not be ſhewed you after thys partynge of bodye and ſoule, nother of Mary, nor of ony body els.
¶Seuenthly we ſynge in thys ſonge, O clemens, O pia, O dulcis uirgo Maria, that is: O bounteous, O good, O ſwete virgine Mary.
Theſe wordes were wonte to be cryed out loude, but Baals preſtes cryed out louder, whereof it is wrytten in the thyrd boke of the kynges the .xviii. Chapter of thys maner: And they cryed loude and prouoked thē ſelues wyth knyues and …otkens (as theyr maner was) tyll the bloude followed, but no anſwere was herde. Wherfore the prophete Elias mockyng them ſayd: Crye loude. For he is a God, peraduēture he is muſynge, or hath ſōwhat to do, or is gone ſome iourney, or happly he ſlepeth, ſo that he wolde be waked vp. &c. They cryed farther yet: yee that euen theyr throte ſemed to hauehave braſten aſū der, but what they optayned thereby, that maye ye reade there. And much leſſe ſhal ye optayne wyth your loude blaryng. For God geueth no eare to loude cryenge, but to louelove and mercy. Beſydes thys aſcrybeſt thou ſweteneſſe, goodneſſe, and ryghteouſneſſe vntounto a creature whyche is to be referred vntounto none but vntounto God onelyonly. Of thys ſweteneſſe ſayeth ſcripture in the boke of wyſedome the .xii. Chap. on thys wyſe: O LORDE how gracious and ſwete is thy ſprete in all thynges. And Ioel in the .ii. Chapter: Turne you vntounto the LORDE youre God, for he is gracious and mercyfull longe ſufferynge and of great compaſſion, and ready to pardon wyckedneſſe and to forgeue ſynnes. &c. Dauid doth lykewyſe exhorte vsus in the .xxxiii. Pſalme, ſayeng: Tayſte and ſe howe frendely the LORDE is, happye is the man that truſteth in hym. Marke well now that ye muſt ſeke and loke for all goodneſſe, ſweteneſſe, mercy and vertue at hym only, yf ye ſhall optayne ought, and that ye can do nought wythout hym. Thys confirmeth the prayer of Anna the wyfe of Helcana in the fyrſte doke of the kynges, the ſeconde chapter, where ſhe ſayeth: Ther is no man holy as the LORDE, for wythout the is nothyng and ther is no comforte lyke vntounto oure God. And euen ſo noman can, nor maye be holy or come to the father, but thorowe the ſonne Chriſt Ieſu as he wytneſſeth hymſelfe.
To conclude good brethren and ſyſters I beſeke you for the vnſpeakeable mercy of God to remembre and to thynke that God is wyſer than ye: and ſo doynge geue youre wytte and wyſedom captiue vntounto the worde of God, and than ſhal happen vntounto you both health and ſaluacion. But alas it is happened vntounto vsus (God amende it) that is ſpoken of in the .xiiii. Chapter of the boke of wyſedome, namely that thorowe the bewty of the worke, the commune people was deceaued, inſomuche, that they toke hym now for God whyche a lytle afore was but honoured as man. Lyke vntounto thys maye ye reade Deuteronomy the .vi. Baruch the laſte, and in the boke of wyſedom the .xiii. and .xiiii. chapters beſides other places innumerable mo in the bible. Yf ye loke vponupon theſe places, ye ſhall eaſely ſe what Idolatrye is vſed daylye in Chriſtendome before the paynted blockes & ſtockes. Whych I truſte ſhall once be redreſſed by the power of the word of God, though to ſome it ſeme to be vnpoſſible by the reaſō of the depe rootynge of it in ſome ſuperſticious hartes. But let ſuche call to mynde the power of God ſpecifyed in theſe wordes of God by hys prophete Eſaye in the .l. chapter Why wolde no man receaue me whan I came? and whan I called, no man gaue anſwere. Was my hande clene ſmytten of, that it myght not helpe? Or had I not power to delyuer? Sende therfore the pure & playne vnderſtādynge of thy Godly worde into oure hartes, that the lyght of the clere vnderſtandynge of thy worde maye dryue out the darkeneſſe of Idolatry and ſo thyne honoure be reſtored vntounto the agayne. AMEN.
¶The true Salue Regina, grounded vponupon the ſcripture.
HAyle Ieſu Chriſt kynge of mercy, oure lyfe, our ſweteneſſe and oure hope, hayle. VntoUnto the do we call the wretched chyldren of Eua: vntounto the do we call and ſyghe, wepynge & waylynge in thys valley of teares. Turne therfore thy mercyfull eyen to vsus warde thou ſpechman and aduocate of oures, and ſhewe vsus the viſage of thy bleſſed father in the euerlaſtynge glory, as thou haſt promyſed vsus, O gracious, O ſwete Chriſte and ſonne of the virgine Mary.