24.

tionem sui episcopi offertur, in talibus vestibus applicetur, qualibus semper usa est professioni et sanctimoniæ aptis. Procedente ergo episcopo ad officium more solenni, imponatur antiphona ad introitum, et cetera usque ad Evangelium: professa illa de religiosi habitus observatione perpetua, prosternatur ante altare toto corpore, obsecrans intente consecrationum largitorem, et imponat schola Litaniam. Qua finita, eademque ancilla Dei erecta, et humiliter ante altare nudo capite inclinata, episcopus dicat hanc præfationem in ejus consecrationem.

Præfatio.

Oremus, fratres charissimi, misericordiam Domini, ut illud donum tribuat huic puellæ, quæ Deo votum vovit, vestem candidam perferre cum integritate coronæ in resurrectionem vitæ æternæ, quæ futura est nobis.

Sequitur Benedictio.

Famulam tuam, Domine, tua custodia muniat pietatis, ut virginitatis sanctæ propositum, quod te inspirante suscepit, te protegente illæsum custodiat. Per.

Alia.

Deus, qui habitaculum tuum in corde pudico fundasti, respice super hanc famulam tuam, ut quæ castigationibus assiduis postulat, tua consolatione percipiat. Per.

Sequitur Benedictio.

Benedicat te Deus Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus, in omni benedictione spirituali, ut maneas sine macula sub vestimento sanctæ Mariæ Matris Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Qui vivit. Ad missam. Preces famulæ tuæ, quæsumus Domine. Ut supra. Secreta. Votivis, quæsumus, Domine, famulæ tuæ adesto muneribus, ut te custode servata, hæreditatem benedictionis æternæ percipiat. Per.

Infra agenda.

Hanc igitur oblationem famulæ tuæ N. quam tibi offerimus ob diem natalis sui, quo eam sacro velamine protegere dignatus es, quæsumus Domine placatus accipias, pro qua majestati tuæ supplices fundimus preces, ut in numerum sanctarum virgi

num eam transire præcipias, quatenus tibi sponso suo venienti cum lampade inextinguibili possit occurrere, atque intra regna cœlestia gratias tibi referat, choris sanctarum virginum sociata. Diesque nostros, &c.

Another Form at the Veiling of a Nun, extracted out of the old
Gallican Liturgy.

Benedictio super Virgines.

de Liturg.

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, adjuva quas virginitatis ho- Mabillon. nore dignatus es decorare. Perferant inchoati operis consum- Gallican. matum affectum, et votorum suorum expediant institutum : lib. 3. p.311. virginali habitu perfectam tibi offerant plenitudinem; et initia sua perducere mereantur ad finem: ut matura sanctimoniæ cumulent merita, et centenarium munus de perfecto agone virginitatis accipiant.

Consecratio Virginum.

Castum veri Dei cultum incorrupta religione retinentes, inviolabilis naturæ Dominum suppliciter oremus; ut hanc famulam suam corroboret; quæ sanctam et maximam acceptabilem Deo virginitatem, adsumptis spiritalium cogitationum viribus, dedicavit, bene concepto mentis proposito perseveret : ut virginitas, quæ Ecclesiæ comparatur, et similitudine divinæ immortalitatis induitur, perennitatis gratiam consequatur. Per Dominum.

Deus, castorum corporum benignus habitator, et incorruptarum Deus amator animarum, Deus qui humanam substantiam in primis hominibus diabolica fraude vitiatam, ita in verbo tuo, per quod omnia facta sunt, reparas, ut eam non solum ad primæ originis innocentiam revoces; sed etiam ad experientiam bonorum, quæ in novo sæculo sunt habenda, perducas; et obstrictos adhuc conditione mortalium, jam ad similitudinem provehas angelorum: respice Domine super has famulas tuas, quæ in manu tua continentiæ suæ propositum conlocantes, tibi devotionem suam offerunt, a quo ipsa vota sumpserunt. Quomodo enim animus mortali carne circumdatus, legem naturæ, libertatem licentiæ, vim consuetudinis, et stimulos ætatis evinceret; nisi tu per liberum arbitrium hunc amorem virginitatis clementer accenderes; tu hanc cupiditatem in earum corde benignus aleres; tu fortitudinem ministrares? Effusa namque

VOL. IX.

K

in omnes gentes gratia tua, ex omni natione quæ est sub cœlo, in stellarum innumerabilem numerum Novi Testamenti hæredibus adoptatis, inter cæteras virtutes, quas filiis tuis non ex sanguinibus, nec voluptate carnis, sed de tuo Spiritu genitis, indidisti, etiam hoc donum in quorumdam mentes de largitatis tuæ fonte defluxit: ut cum honorem nuptiarum nulla interdicta minuissent, ac super copulam tua benedictio permaneret; existerent tamen sublimiores animæ, quæ non hoc concupiscerent, quod habet mortale connubium; sed hoc eligerent, quod præmittit divinum Christi Ecclesiæque sacramentum. Agnovit auctorem suum beata virginitas: et æmula integritatis angelicæ illius thalamo, illius cubiculo se devovit, qui sic perpetuæ virginitatis est sponsus, quemadmodum perpetuæ virginitatis est filius. Implorantibus ergo auxilium tuum Domine, et confirmari ex benedictionis tuæ consecratione cupientibus, da protectionis tuæ munimen ne hostis antiquus, qui excellentiora studia subtilioribus infestat insidiis, ad obscurandam perfectæ continentiæ palmam per aliquam serpat mentis incuriam; et rapiat de proposito virginum, quod etiam moribus decet inesse nuptiarum, sit in eis, Domine, per donum Spiritus tui prudens modestia: et quod sunt professa custodiant, scrutatori pectorum non corpore placituræ, sed mente. Transeant in numerum sapientium puellarum; ut cœlestem sponsum accensis lampadibus cum oleo præparationis expectent: nec turbatæ improvisi regis adventu, secuturæ cum lumine, ut præcedentium choro jungantur, occurrant ; nec excludantur cum stultis. Regalem januam cum sapientibus virginibus licenter introeant; et in Agni tui perpetuo comitatu probabiles mansura castitate permaneant. Per.

Accipe puella pallium, quod perferas sine macula ante tribunal Domini nostri Jesu Christi: cui flectit omne genu cælestium, et terrestrium, et infernorum. Benedicat te Conditor cœli et terræ, Deus Pater omnipotens : qui te eligere dignatus est ad instar sanctæ Mariæ Matris Domini nostri Jesu Christi ad integram et immaculatam virginitatem, quam professa es coram Deo et angelis sanctis. Idcirco serva propositum; serva castitatem per patientiam: ut coronam virginitatis tuæ accipere merearis. Nunc exoro Domini nostri Jesu Christi divinam misericordiam; ut hanc virginem consecrare ac sanctificare dignetur usque in finem. Per.

Benedicat te Deus Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus

omni benedictione spiritali: ut maneas sine macula sub vestimento sanctæ Mariæ Matris Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculorum.

XXXV.

The Opinion of Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, concerning the Articles presented to the King's Highness by the Princes of Germany at the Conference at Smalcald: where the Articles were proposed to the King's Agents, the Bishop of Hereford, &c. An. 1536.

As touching the first Article.

fol. 213.

If this article be granted, then shall the King's Highness be Cleop. v. bound unto the Church of Germany; and without their consent Gardiner may not do that the Word of God shall permit, unless the was then common consent doth concur hereunto.

Whereupon if this capitulation be lawful, and shall bind, then shall the bishop of Rome draw it for an argument to his part, that the Word of God may be restrained to a common assent.

Wherefore a league or band herein, in such terms, is in my judgment incompatible: for by the Word of God, both they may reform their opinion without our assent, and we without theirs, whatsoever league were made to the contrary.

And as for the world, inasmuch as the King's Highness being of the estate of a king, and in his realm an emperor, and head of the Church of England: and among the princes of Germany, only dukes, and lower degrees, such also as knowledge the emperor for their supreme lord. By reason whereof, the same reasons whereby we prove by Scripture the King's Majesty head of the Church of England, we prove also the emperor head of their Churches. How shall they, then, without the consent of the head of their Church, which is the emperor, establish with us the agreement upon their religion? Or how shall we, without derogating the king's cause of his prerogative and supremacy, covenant with them in that behalf, whom we know are no heads of their Church, but inferior members, as long as they knowledge a superior in the same Church; that is to say, themselves as subjects to the emperor? For as we must be ordered by our head, the King's Highness,

25.

ambassador in France.

so will the emperor also that they should be ruled by him, according to the Word of God. If they herein will not agree with us, then shall we vary in a great matter. For either they must deny the emperor their superior, wherein they be very scrupulous, and seem to attribute very much unto him; or else, granting that, they must, according to our opinion, which is truth, grant him the head of the Church. Then it follows, that without him they can establish nothing, but such as he alone, by the Word of God, may reform at all times.

As touching the second.

The King's Highness might make such a promise unto them as is contained in this article, and thereby be bound, so as by the Word all were discussed. But on their part, I see not how their promise can stand, and be sure, because they knowledge a subjection to the emperor.

To the third Article, as concerning the Council to be indicted as they have answered to the Bishop of Rome.

Inasmuch as the King's Highness hath nothing to do with the emperor, I see not how his grace should agree to any council to be indicted by the said emperor; and yet this article doth import that effect in that it makes an exception of such a council as should be indicted according to the answer made to Peter Paul.

:

As touching the fourth Article.

The King's Highness may accomplish this article on his part; but I see not how they could do any thing again for their part, in letting the council, for as much as touches them in case the emperor would as emperor call the council.

To the fifth Article.

Me seemeth the word association sounds not well, ne it were convenient that the King's Highness should have any lower place than to be chief, principal, and head of the league; and the rest not to be associate, but adherent and dependent hereunto as contrahents: and if any were, only the duke of Saxony to be associate, whom, for that he is elector, the