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They tell us, that "it is for the ornament of an earthly kingdom, that it should have both a king and a queen: and therefore when any king hath not a wife, his subjects often do request him to take one." Hereupon they say, that "the eternal King and omnipotent Emperor, minding to adorn the kingdom of heaven above, did frame this blessed virgin, to the end he might make her the lady and empress of his kingdom and empire; that the prophecy of David might be verified, saying unto her in the Psalm: Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in clothing of gold." That "shem is an empress, because she is the spouse of the eternal Emperor, of whom it is said: Hen that hath the bride is the bridegroom:" and that "when God did deliver unto her the empire of the world, and all the things contained therein, he said unto her that which we read in the first of the Æneids:

His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono;
Imperium sine fine dedi."

That she is the empress also "of heaven and earth, because she did bear the heavenly emperor; and therefore that she can ask of him what she will and obtain it." That

Et

Ad ornamentum regni terreni est, quod habeat regem et reginam. propter hoc quando aliquis rex non habet uxorem, ejus subditi plerumque ei supplicant ut eam accipiat. Supernum ergo cœlorum regnum volens rex æternus et imperator omnipotens decorare, fabricavit hanc beatissimam virginem, ut illam regni et imperii sui faceret dominam et imperatricem : ut verificaretur prophetia David, Psal. 44. ei dicentis; Astitit regina a dextris tuis in vestitu de aurato, circundata varietate. Bernard. de Bust. Marial. part. 9. serm. 2.

m Est etiam imperatrix, quia æterni imperatoris est sponsa; de quo dicitur Johan. cap. 3. Qui habet sponsam, sponsus est. Quando vero Deus illi tradidit imperium orbis et omnium contentorum in eo: dixit ei illud quod habetur 1. Æneid. Id. part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent. 4.

n John, chap. 3. ver. 29.

• Beata virgo est imperatrix cœli et terræ: quia ipsa genuit cœlestem imperatorem. Et ideo potest ab eo petere quicquid vult et obtinere; quod figuratum fuit 3. Reg. cap. 2. ubi mater Salomonis dixit ei: Petitionem unam peto a te ; ne confundas faciem meam; tunc enim faciem suam confunderet, quando illud quod peteret denegaret. Si ergo imperat filio ratione maternalis jurisdictionis, qui fuit subditus illi (ut habetur Luc. cap. 2.) multo magis imperat omnibus creaturis filio suo subjectis. Id. ibid.

this was figured in the history of the kings, where the mother of Solomon said unto him: "I desire one petition of thee, do not confound my face: for then should he confound her face, if he did deny that which she requested;" and that, "if in respect of her maternal jurisdiction she hath command of her Son, who was subject unto her then much more hath she command over all the creatures that are subject to her Son." That this "mighty God did (as far as he might) make his mother partner of his divine majesty and power: giving unto her of old the sovereignty both of celestial things and mortal: ordering at her pleasure, as the patronage of men did require, the earth, the seas, heaven, and nature; at her liking, and by her, bestowing upon mortal men his divine treasures and heavenly gifts. So as all might understand, that whatsoever doth flow into the earth from that eternal and glorious fountain of good things, doth flow by MARY." That "she is constituted over every creature, and whosoever boweth his knee unto JESUS, doth fall down also and supplicate unto his mother: so that the glory of the Son may be judged not so much to be common with the mother, as to be the very same." That "so great is her glory, that she exceedeth the nature of angels and men, joined together, as far in glory, as the circumference of the firmament

P Luke, chap. 2. ver. 31.

4 Matrem quippe suam præpotens ille Deus divinæ majestatis potestatisque sociam, quatenus licuit, adscivit. Huic olim cœlestium, mortaliumque principatum detulit: ad hujus arbitrium (quoad hominum tutela postulat) terras, maria, cœlum, naturamque moderatur; hac annuente, et per hanc divinos thesauros mortalibus, et cœlestia dona largitur. Ut omnes intelligant, quicquid ab æterno illo augustoque bonorum fonte in terras profluat, fluere per MARIAM. Horat. Tursellin. Jesuit. in epist. dedicat. historiæ Lauretanæ ad cardinalem Aldobrandinum.

Constituta quippe est super omnem creaturam; et quicumque JESU curvat genu, matri quoque pronus supplicat: et filii gloriam cum matre non tam communem judico, quam eandem. Arnold. Carnoten. tract. de laudib. Virginis.

• Tanta est gloria virginis matris Dei; quod tantum excedit in gloria naturam angelicam et humanam simul junctam, quantum circumferentia firmamenti excedit in magnitudine suum centrum: cum intelligat in filio suo se quasi alterum ipsum Deitate vestitam. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 12. serm. 2. in excellent. 21.

exceedeth his centre in magnitude: when she understandeth herself in her son to be, as his other self, clothed with the Deity." That she being "thet mother of God, doth assume unto herself of the omnipotency of her Son (upon which she leaneth) as much as she pleaseth;" and that she "doth" come before the golden altar of human reconciliation, not entreating only, but commanding; a mistress, not a maid."

They tell us, that the blessed virgin herself appeared once unto Thomas Becket, and used this speech unto him: " Rejoice" and be glad, and be joyful with me; because my glory doth excel the dignity and joy of all the saints and all the blessed spirits; and I alone have greater glory than all the angels and saints together. Rejoice, because that as the Son doth enlighten the day and the world, so my brightness doth enlighten the whole celestial world. Rejoice, because the whole host of heaven obeyeth me, reverenceth and honoureth me. Rejoice, because my Son is always obedient unto me, and my will, and all my prayers he always heareth," or as others do

Qui enim alicui rei innititur, virtutem ejus sibi assumit, et ea sicut vult utitur. Et similiter ipsa Dei mater de omnipotentia filii sui cui est innixa, quan · tum vult sibi assumit. Bernard. de bust. Marial. part. 12. serm. 2. in excellent. 28: "Accedis ante illud aureum humanæ reconciliationis altare, non solum roPetr. Damian. serm. 1. de nativit. gans, sed imperans; Domina, non ancilla. B. Mariæ.

tem.

w Gaude et lætare, ac exulta mecum ; quia gloria mea excellit dignitatem et lætitiam omnium sanctorum et cunctorum spirituum beatorum, et majorem gloriam habeo ipsa sola quam omnes simul angeli et sancti. Gaude, quia sicut Sol illuminat diem ac mundum, sic claritas mea illuminat totum orbem cœlesGaude, quia tota militia cœli mihi obedit, me veneratur et honorat: Gaude, quia filius meus mihi semper est obediens, et meam voluntatem, et cunctas preces meas semper exaudit. Gaude, quia Deus semper ad beneplacitum meum remunerat servitores meos in hoc seculo et in futuro. Gaude, quia proxima sedeo sanctæ Trinitati, et vestita sum corpore meo glorificato. Gaude, quia certa sum et secura, quod hæc mea gaudia semper stabunt et nunquam finientur vel deficient. Et quicunque cum his gaudiis spiritualibus lætando in hoc seculo me venerabitur, in exitu animæ suæ de corpore præsentiam meam obtinebit; et ipsam animam ab hostibus malignis liberabo, et in conspectu filii mei ut mecum gaudia possideat præsentabo. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 10. serm. 2. sect. ult.

relate it: "The will of the blessed Trinity and mine is one and the same; and whatsoever doth please me, the whole Trinity with unspeakable favour doth give consent unto." "Rejoice, because God doth always at my pleasure reward my servitors in this world, and in the world to come. Rejoice, because I sit next to the holy Trinity, and am clothed with my body glorified. Rejoice, because I am certain and sure that these my joys shall always stand and never be finished or fail. And whosoever by rejoicing with these spiritual joys shall worship me in this world, at the time of the departure of his soul out of the body he shall obtain my presence: and I will deliver his soul from the malignant enemies, and present it in the sight of my Son, that it may possess joys with me." They tell us, "that many (many whores" for example, that "would not sin on Saturday, for the reverence of the Virgin;" whatsoever they did on the Lord's day) "seem to have the blessed virgin in greater veneration than Christ her Son, moved thereunto out of simplicity more than out of knowledge. Yet that the Son of God doth bear with the simplicity of these men and women:" because he is not ignorant, that "the honour of the mother doth redound to the child." They argue further, that "if" a cardinal have this privilege, that if he put his cap upon

* Quod summæ Trinitatis et mea est una voluntas; et quodcunque mihi placuerit, tota Trinitas ineffabili favore consentit. Promptuar. discipuli, de miraculis B. Mariæ, exempl. 14. pag. 8. edit. Mogunt. ann. 1612.

* Multæ meretrices in die sabbati non peccarent propter reverentiam virginis. Et multi videntur beatam virginem in majori veneratione habere, quam Christum filium ejus; magis ex simplicitate moti quam scientia. Sed quia honor matris redundat in filium, Prov. cap. 17. patientiam habet filius Dei, de hac quorundam virorum et mulierum simplicitate. Bernardin. de Bust. part. 6. serm. 2. memb. 3.

z Prov. chap. 17. ver. 6.

a Si hoc privilegium habet cardinalis, quod si ponat pileum sive capellum suum super caput illius qui ducitur ad justitiam, liberatur : (secundum Baldum et Paulum de Castro, in 1. addictos. C. de appel.) a fortiori, pallium beatæ virginis potest nos ab omnibus malis liberare. Tam lata enim est ejus misericordia, quod si aliquem devote facientem coronam suam viderit in medio millium dæmonum trahi ad supplicium, eum protinus liberabit: nec permittet aliquem male finiri, qui ejus coronam reverenter studuerit facere. Id. part. 12. serm. 1. memb. 3.

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the head of one that is led unto justice, he is freed thereby: then by an argument drawn from the stronger, the cloak of the blessed virgin is able to deliver us from all evil: her mercy being so large, that if she should see any man who did devoutly make her crown," that is to say, repeat the rosary or chaplet of prayers made for her worship, " to be drawn unto punishment in the midst of a thousand devils, she would presently rescue him, and not permit that any one should have an evil end, who did study reverently to make her crown." They add moreover, that "for every of these crowns a man shall obtain two hundred and seventy-three thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight days of indulgence:" and that "pope Sixtus the fourth granted an indulgence of twelve thousand years for every time that a man in the state of grace should repeat this short orison or salutation of the virgin, which by many is inserted into her crown. Hail most holy Mary, the mother of God, the queen of heaven, the gate of paradise, the lady of the world. Thou art a singular and pure virgin: thou didst conceive Christ without sin: thou didst bear the Creator and Saviour of the world, in whom I do not doubt. Deliver me from all evil, and pray for my sins. Amen."

In the crown composed by Bonaventure, this is one of the orisons that is prescribed to be said: "Oc empress and our most kind lady, by the authority of a mother command thy most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that

b Sic in summa erunt ducenta septuaginta tria millia septingenti quinquaginta octo dies indulgentiæ pro qualibet corona. Felicis autem recordationis Sixtus papa quartus, omnibus dicentibus in statu gratiæ infra scriptam orationem sive salutationem ipsius virginis, quæ a multis dicitur in corona, concessit indulgentiam duodecim millium annorum pro qualibet vice qua dicitur. Ave sanctissima Maria, mater Dei, regina cœli, porta paradisi, domina mundi. Singularis et pura tu es virgo. Tu concepisti Christum sine peccato. Tu peperisti creatorem et salvatorem mundi, in quo non dubito. Libera me ab omni malo; et ora pro peccatis meis. Amen. Bernard. de Bust. part. 12. serm. 1. memb, 3. O imperatrix et Domina nostra benignissima, jure matris impera tuo dilectissimo filio Domino nostro Jesu Christo, ut mentes nostras ab amore terrestrium ad cœlestia desideria erigere dignetur. Bonaventur. corona B. Mariæ virginis, op. tom. 6. edit. Rom. ann. 1588.

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