Imatges de pàgina
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he would vouchsafe to lift up our minds from the love of earthly things unto heavenly desires;" which is suitable unto that versicle which we read in the thirty-fifth psalm of his Lady's psalter: "Inclined the countenance of God upon us: compel him to have mercy upon sinners," the harshness whereof our Romanists have a little qualified in some of their editions, reading thus: "Incline the countenance of thy Son upon us: compel him by thy prayers to have mercy upon us sinners." The psalms of this psalter do all of them begin as David's do: but with this main difference, that where the prophet in the one aimeth at the advancement of the honour of our Lord, the friar in the other applieth all to the magnifying of the power and goodness of our lady. So in the first psalm, "Blessed" is the man," quoth Bonaventure," that loveth thy name, O virgin Mary: thy grace shall comfort his soul;" and in the others following: Lady, how are they multiplied that trouble me? with thy tempest shalt thou persecute and scatter them. Lady, suffer me not to be rebuked in the fury of God, nor to be judged in his wrath. Myi Lady, in thee have I put my trust: deliver me from mine enemies, O Lady. In our Lady put I my trust, for the sweetness of the mercy of her name. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lady, and not deliver me in the day of tribulation? Preservem me, O Lady, for in thee have I

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d Inclina vultum Dei super nos coge illum peccatoribus misereri. Bernard. in psalterio B. Mariæ virg. op. tom. 6. edit. Rom. ann. 1588.

* Inclina vultum filii tui super nos coge illum precibus nobis peccatoribus misereri. Psalter. Bonavent. seorsim edit. Parisiis, ann. 1596. in Capeleto Dominicæ 2.

f Beatus vir qui diligit nomen tuum Maria virgo: gratia tua animam ejus confortabit. Psal. 1.

8 Domina, quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me? in tempestate tua persequeris et dissipabis eos. Psal. 3.

h Domina, ne in furore Dei sinas corripi me; neque in ira ejus judicari. Psal. 6.

Domina mea, in te speravi: de inimicis meis libera me, Domina. Psal. 7. k In Domina confido, propter dulcedinem misericordiæ nominis sui. Psal. 10. Usquequo, Domina, oblivisceris me; et non liberas me in die tribulationis ? Psal. 12.

m Conserva me, Domina, quoniam speravi in te mihique tuæ stillicidia gratiæ impartire. Psal. 15.

put my trust and impart unto me the drops of thy grace. I will love thee, O Lady of heaven and earth: and I will call upon thy name among the nations. The heavens declare thy glory: and the fragrance of thine ointments is spread among the nations. Hear us, Lady, in the day of trouble: and turn thy merciful face unto our prayers. Unto thee, O Lady, have I lifted up my soul: in the judgment of God, by thy prayers, I shall not be ashamed. Judge' me, Lady, for I have departed from mine innocency: but because I will trust in thee, I shall not be weakened. In thee, O Lady, have I put my trust, let me never be confounded in thy favour receive me. Blessed are they whose hearts do love thee, O virgin Mary: their sins by thee shall mercifully be washed away. Lady", judge those that hurt me: and rise up against them, and plead my cause. Waiting' have I waited for thy grace and thou hast done unto me according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name. Lady", thou art our refuge in all our necessities; and the powerful strength treading down the enemy. Have mercy upon me, O Lady, who art

n Diligam te, Domina celi et terræ: et in gentibus nomen tuum invocabo. Psal. 17.

• Cœli enarrant gloriam tuam : et unguentorum tuorum fragrantia in genti.bus est dispersa. Psal. 18.

P Exaudias nos, Domina, in die tribulationis: et precibus nostris converte clementem faciem tuam. Psal. 19.

Ad te, Domina, levavi animam meam: in judicio Dei, tuis precibus non erubescam. Psal. 24.

Judica me, Domina, quoniam ab innocentia mea digressus sum: sed quia sperabo in te, non infirmabor. Psal. 25.

In te, Domina, speravi, non confundar in æternum : in gratia tua suscipe me. Psal. 30.

Beati quorum corda te diligunt, virgo Maria: peccata ipsorum a te misericorditer diluentur. Psal. 31.

u Judica, Domina, nocentes me : et contra eos exurge, et vindica causam meam. Psal. 34.

▾ Expectans expectavi gratiam tuam : et fecisti mihi secundum multitudinem misericordiæ nominis tui. Psal. 39.

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w Domina, refugium nostrum tu es in omni necessitate nostra; et virtus potentior conterens inimicum. Psal. 45.

Miserere mei, Domina, quæ mater misericordiæ nuncuparis : et secundum viscera misericordiarum tuarum, munda me ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis. Psal. 50.

called the mother of mercy; and according to the bowels of thy mercy, cleanse me from all mine iniquities. Save me, Lady, by thy name; and deliver me from mine unrighteousness. Have mercy upon me, O Lady, have mercy upon me: because my heart is prepared to search out thy will: and in the shadow of thy wings will I rest. Let Mary arise, and let her enemies be scattered: let them all be trodden down under her feet. In thee, O Lady, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion: deliver me in thy mercy, and cause me to escape. Give the king thy judgment, O God, and thy mercy to the queen his mother. Ladyd, the Gentiles are come into the inheritance of God: whom thou by thy merits hast confederated unto Christ. Thye mercy, O Lady, will I sing for ever. God is the Lord of revenges: but thou the mother of mercy dost bow him to take pity. Os come let us sing unto our Lady: let us make a joyful noise to Mary our queen that brings salvation. Oh sing unto our Lady a new song: for she hath done marvellous things. Oi give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: give thanks unto his mother, for her mercy endureth for ever. Lady*,

y Domina in nomine tuo salvum me fac: et ab injustitiis meis libera me. Psal. 53.

z Miserere mei, Domina, miserere mei: quia paratum est cor meum exquirere voluntatem tuam : et in umbra alarum tuarum requiescam. Psal. 56.

a Exurgat Maria, et dissipentur inimici ejus: conterantur omnes sub pedibus ejus. Psal. 67.

b In te, Domina, speravi, non confundar in æternum : in tua misericordia libera me, et eripe me. Psal. 70.

c Deus judicium tuum regi da; et misericordiam tuam reginæ matri ejus. Psal. 71.

d Domina, venerunt gentes in hæreditatem Dei: quas in meritis tuis Christo confœderasti. Psal. 78.

e Misericordias tuas, Domina, in sempiternum decantabo. Psal. 88.

f Deus ultionum Dominus: sed tu mater misericordiæ ad miserandum inflectis. Psal. 93.

• Venite, exultemus Dominæ nostræ; jubilemus salutiferæ Mariæ reginæ nostræ. Psal. 94.

h Cantate Dominæ nostræ canticum novum: quia mirabilia fecit. Psal. 97. i Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus: confitemini matri ejus, quoniam in seculum misericordia ejus. Psal. 106. et 117.

* Domina, laudem meam ne despexeris: et hoc dedicatum tibi psalterium digneris acceptare. Psal. 108.

despise not my praise, and vouchsafe to accept this psalter which is dedicated unto thee. The' Lord said unto our Lady sit thou, my mother, at my right hand. They that trust in thee, O mother of God, shall not fear from the face of the enemy. Except" our Lady build the house of our heart: the building thereof will not continue. Blessed are all they who fear our Lady: and blessed are all they who know to do thy will, and thy good pleasure. Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lady: Lady hear my voice. Lady", remember David, and all that call upon thy name. Or give thanks unto the Lord, because he is good because by his most sweet mother the virgin Mary is his mercy given. Blesseds be thou, O Lady, which teachest thy servants to war, and strengthenest them against the enemy;" and so the last psalm is begun with, "Praise our Lady in her saints; praise her in her virtues and miracles:" and ended accordingly with, "Omnis spiritus laudet Dominam nostram. Let every spirit (or, every thing that hath breath) praise our Lady.”

To this we may adjoin the psalter" of the salutations of the virgin, framed by John Peckham, archbishop of Canterbury, which is not yet printed. His preface he beginneth thus:

1 Dixit Dominus Dominæ nostræ : sede mater mea a dextris meis. Psal. 109. m Qui confidunt in te, mater Dei, non timebunt a facie inimici. Psal. 124. n Nisi Domina ædificaverit domum cordis nostri : non permanebit ædificium ejus. Psal. 126.

• Beati omnes qui timent Dominam nostram : et beati omnes qui sciunt facere voluntatem tuam, et beneplacitum tuum. Psal. 127.

P De profundis clamavi ad te, Domina: Domina, exaudi vocem meam. Psal. 129.

¶ Memento, Domina, David; et omnium invocantium nomen tuum. Psal. 131. r Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus est: quoniam per suam dulcissimam matrem virginem Mariam datur misericordia ejus. Psal. 135.

• Benedicta sis, Domina, quæ instruis servos tuos ad prælium: et eos roboras contra inimicum. Psal. 143.

Laudate Dominam in sanctis ejus: laudate eam in virtutibus et miraculis ejus. Psal. 150.

" Psalterium meditationum B. Mariæ, vocatur a Jo. Pitsio, de illustr. Angl. scriptorib. pag. 380.

Mente concipio laudes perscribere
Sanctæ virginis; quæ nos a carcere
Solvit per filium, genus in genere
Miri vivificans effectus opere.

and endeth with a prayer to the blessed virgin, that she "would release the sins of all those for whom he prayed, and cause both his own name and theirs to be written in the book of life."

Nec non et omnibus relaxes crimina,
Pro quibus supplicans fundo precamina:
Nostrumque pariter et horum nomina
Conscribi facias in vitæ pagina.

Then followeth his first psalm, wherein he prayeth, that she would "make us to meditate often God's law," and afterwards" to be made blessed in the glory of God's kingdom;"

Ave virgo virginum parens absque pari,
Sine viri semine digna fœcundari :

Fac nos legem Domini crebro meditari,
Et in regni gloria beatificari.

His other 149 psalms, which are fraught with the same kind of stuff, I pass over. But Bernardinus de Senis his boldness may not be forgotten: who thinketh that God" will give him leave to maintain, that "the virgin Mary did more unto him, or at least as much, as he himself did unto all mankind, and that we may say for our comfort, forsooth, that in respect of the blessed virgin (whom GOD himself did make notwithstanding) GoD after a sort is more bound unto us, than we are unto him." With

w Sola benedicta virgo Maria plus fecit Deo vel tantum (ut sic dicam) quam fecit Deus toti generi humano. Credo etenim certe quod mihi indulgebit Deus, si nunc pro virgine loquar. Congregemus in unum quæ Deus homini fecit: et consideremus quæ Maria virgo Domino satisfecit, &c. Reddendo ergo singula singulis, sc. quæ fecit Deus homini, et quæ fecit Deo beata virgo; videbis quod plus fecit Maria Deo, quam homini Deus: ut sic pro solatio dicere liceat, quod propter beatam virginem, quam tamen ipse fecit, Deus quodammodo plus obligetur nobis, quam nos sibi, Bernardin. Senens. serm. 61. artic. 1. cap. 11.

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