An exposition upon the song of the blessed virgin Mary, called Magnificat Where unto…An exposicion vpon the songe of the blessed virgine Mary, called Magnificat Where vnto…

¶Seventhly we sing in this song, O clemens, O pia, O dulcis uirgo Maria, that is: O bounteous, O good, O sweet virgin Mary.

¶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 words were wont to be cried out loud, but Baals priests cried out louder, whereof it is written in the third book of the kings the .xviii. Chapter of this manner: And they cried loud and provoked them ⟨image 80⟩selves with knives and •otkens (as their manner was) till the blood followed, but no answer was heard. Wherefore the prophet Elijah mocking them said: Cry loud. For he is a God, peradventure he is musing, or hath somewhat to do, or is gone some journey, or haply he sleepeth, so that he would be waked up. &c. They cried farther yet: ye that even their throat seemed to have brasten asunder, but what they obtained thereby, that may ye read there. And much less shall ye obtain with your loud blaring. For God giveth no ear to loud crying, but to love and mercy. Besides this ascribest thou sweetness, goodness, and righteousness unto a creature which is to be referred unto none but unto God only. Of this sweetness sayeth scripture in the book of wisdom the .xii. Chap. on this wise: O LORD how gracious and sweet is thy spirit in all things. And Joel in the .ii. Chapter: Turn you unto the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful long suffering and of great compassion, and ready to pardon wickedness and to forgive since. &c. David doth likewise exhort us in the .xxxiii. Psalm, saying: Tayste and see how friendly the LORD is, happy is ⟨image 81⟩the man that trusteth in him. Mark well now that ye must seek and look for all goodness, sweetness, mercy and virtue at him only, if ye shall obtain ought, and that ye can do nought without him. This confirmeth the prayer of Anna the wife of Helcana in the first doke of the kings, the second chapter, where she sayeth: There is no man holy as the LORD, for without thee is nothing and there is no comfort like unto our God. And even so no man can, nor may be holy or come to the father, but through the son Christ Jesus as he witnesseth himself.

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 ⟨image 80⟩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 haue 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 loue and mercy. Besydes thys ascrybest thou swetenesse, goodnesse, and ryghteousnesse vnto a creature whyche is to be referred vnto none but vnto God onely. 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 vnto 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 vs in the .xxxiii. Psalme, sayeng: Tayste and se howe frendely the LORDE is, happye is ⟨image 81⟩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 vnto 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 sisters I beseech you for the unspeakable mercy of God to remember and to think that God is wiser than ye: and so doing give your wit and wisdom captive unto the word of God, and than shall happen unto you both health and salvation. But alas it is happened unto us (God amend it) that is spoken of in the .xiiii. Chapter of the book of wisdom, namely that through the beauty of the work, the commune people was deceived, insomuch, that they toke him now for God which a little afore was but honoured as man. Like unto this may ye read Deuteronomy ⟨image 81⟩the .vi. Baruch the last, and in the book of wisdom the .xiii. and .xiiii. chapters besides other places innumerable mo in the bible. If ye look upon these places, ye shall easily see what Idolatry is used daily in Christendom before the painted blocks & stocks. Which I trust shall once be redressed by the power of the word of God, though to some it seem to be unpossible by the reason of the deep rooting of it in some superstitious hearts. But let such call to mind the power of God specified in these words of God by his prophet Isaiah in the .l. chapter Why would no man receive me when I came? and when I called, no man gave answer. Was my hand clean smitten of, that it might not help? Or had I not power to deliver? Send therefore the pure & plain understanding of thy Godly word into our hearts, that the light of the clear understanding of thy word may drive out the darkness of Idolatry and so thine honour be restored unto the again. AMEN.

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 vnto the worde of God, and than shal happen vnto you both health and saluacion. But alas it is happened vnto vs (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 vnto thys maye ye reade Deuteronomy ⟨image 81⟩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 vpon 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 vnto the agayne. AMEN.

¶The true Salve Regina, grounded upon the scripture.

¶The true Salue Regina, grounded vpon the scripture.

Hail Jesus Christ king of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, hail. Unto the do we call the wretched children of Eva: unto the do we call and sigh, weeping & wailing in this valley of tears. Turn therefore thy merciful eyen to us ward thou spechman and advocate of ours, and show us the visage of thy blessed father in the everlasting glory, as thou hast promised us, O gracious, O sweet Christ and son of the virgin Mary.

HAyle Iesu Christ kynge of mercy, oure lyfe, our swetenesse and oure hope, hayle. Vnto the do we call the wretched chyldren of Eua: vnto the do we call and syghe, wepynge & waylynge in thys valley of teares. Turne therfore thy mercyfull eyen to vs warde thou spechman and aduocate of oures, and shewe vs the visage of thy blessed father in the euerlastynge glory, as thou hast promysed vs, O gracious, O swete Christe and sonne of the virgine Mary.

¶The song of Zechariah called Benedictus, usually song at Matins, briefly declared.

¶The songe of Zachary called Benedictus, vsually songe at Mattins, brefely declared.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, for he hath redeemed and visited his people.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, for he hath redemed and visited hys people.

And hath set up an horn of salvation in the house of his servant David.

And hath set vp an horne of saluacyon in the house of hys seruaunt Dauid.

Even as he promised afore time by the mouth of his holy prophets.

Euen as he promysed afore tyme by the mouth of hys holy prophetes.

That he would deliver us from our enemies, and from the hand of all such as hate us.

That he vvolde delyuer vs from oure enemyes, and from the hande of all such as hate vs.

And that he would show mercy unto our fathers, and think upon his holy covenant.

And that he vvolde shevve mercy vnto our fathers, and thinke vpon his holy conuenaunte.

Even the oath that he sware unto our father Abraham, for to give us.

Euen the oth that he svvare vnto oure father Abraham, for to geue vs.

That we delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear all the days of our life, in such holiness and righteousness as is accept before him.

That vve delyuered out of the hande of oure enemyes, myght serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of oure lyfe, in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse as is accepte before hym.