The myroure of Oure Ladye, containing a devotional treatise on divine service, with a translation of the offices used by the sisters of the Brigittine monastery of Sion, at Isleworth, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Edited from the original black-letter text of 1530 A.D., by John Henry Blunt.

¶ Of the psalme Benedictus.

Benedictus, ye haue in youre seruice thre gospels [The Gospel canticles sung standing.] that ys. Benedictus, and Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, and all thre are songe standynge for reuerence of the gospel. ¶ Zacarie saint Iohn̄ baptystes father made Benedictus, and oure Ladye made Magnificat, and the holy man Symeon made Nunc dimittis, ¶ These songes are not songe in the same order that they were made, for Magnificat was made fyrst and then Benedictus, and laste Nunc dimittis, But Benedictus, is songe fyrst [Benedictus the first in order, in ritual use.]

for yt maketh mynde of saynt Iohn̄ baptyste whyche was the forgoer of oure lorde Iesu cryste. as yt is sayde in the same songe. And for saynt Iohn̄ was lykened to the day starre. for as that starre goeth before the sonne. so saint Iohn̄ wente before our lorde in his con∣cepcion & in his byrthe. in his prechynge. & bap∣tysynge. & in his dethe{punctel} therfore thys songe ys songe [Used at day dawn as the day-star goes before the sun.] at laudes. that is the seruyce of the morowetyde when that starre apperith. And also for this songe begynneth with praysyng & thankeyng of god for the redempcion of mankynde. & laudes are sayde to prayse god specyally for the same benefyte as I sayd before at the begynnyng of laudes{punctel} therfore yt is conuenyente that yt be songe at laudes. ¶ The fyrste parte of thys songe speketh of our lorde Iesu crist. And the seconde parte of saint Iohn̄ baptyst. The gospel sayth that after the aungel [Luce primo.] gabryel had tolde Zacharie. how Elizabeth his wyfe shulde bere hym a sonne{punctel} then for he gaue not credence therto{punctel} he abode domme. and myghte not speke from thense fourthe tyl after saynt Iohn̄ was borne. [Folio .lxxj.] But on the eyght day after hys byrthe. When he had wryten that his name was Iohn̄{punctel} anon hys tongue was losed. & he was fylled wyth the holy gooste. and in the spyryte of prophesy he blessed god and sayde. Benedictus dominus deus israel, Blyssed be [Ibidem.] the lorde god of Israel. for he hathe vysyted & made the redempcyon of hys people. ¶ Our lorde Iesu cryste was yet then in his mothers wombe. but Zacarye [The sureness of the fulfilment makes the pro∣phecy speak of future as past.] speketh of tyme to come. as of tyme past. for syker∣nesse of hys prophesy. For yt was syker to be fulfylled. as yf yt had bene done. Et erexit cornu, And he hathe set vp an horne of helthe to vs in the howse of Dauyd hys chylde. ¶ An horne growyth in the hyest parte of a beaste. and yt ys harder then the flesshe. and softer then the bone. and therwyth the beaste defendyth hym ageynste noyous thynges. So

oure lorde Iesu cryste toke hys body of the hyghest and worthyest parte of mankynde that ys our lady. and that manhod of hym ys myghtyer aboue all mankynde, and weker then god. and therwith not onely he ouercame hys enemys. but they also that cleue therto in faythe and deuocyon. maye therby sewrely be defendyd from all contrary powers. And therefore oure lorde Iesu. ys [Christ is our Horn of health.] an horne of helthe to vs. in the howse of Dauid. whiche was goddes chylde. for though he were a greate kynge and a prophete. yet he was meke and obedyente to god. as a chylde to hys father. Sicut locutus est, As he hathe sayde by the mouthe of hys holy prophetes. that are from the begynnynge of the worlde. ¶ Many [Of Him spake many prophets but as with one mouth.] prophetes. & but one mouthe. for as many as were from the begynnynge of the worlde tyl then{punctel} all prophecyed also accordyngely of the comynge of cryste. as yf they had spoken all wyth one mouthe. Before he spake of the horne of helpe{punctel} and now he tellyth what helthe and sayeth. Salutem, Helthe of oure enemyes. and oute of the power of all that haue hated vs. That is to say of fendes. vnder whose power man was broughte by the synne of Adam. but by the passyon of our lorde Iesu cryste he was saued from that power. And why dyd god thus{punctel} Not for eny merytes of man{punctel} but .Ad faciendam, for to do mercy wyth oure fathers. and to haue mynde on hys holy testamente. And what was that testamente Iusiurandum, The othe that he swore to oure father Abraham{punctel} to gyue hymselfe to vs. That was hys testamente. that was hys othe. to [Genesis .xxij.] gyue hymselfe to vs. A greate gyfte and vndeserued. But wherto gaue he vs thys gyfte{punctel} Vt sine timore, That we so delyuered oute of the power of our enemys. serue hym wythout drede. of our enemyes. For hys passyon ys suffycyent shylde to vs{punctel} agenste them all. And how shulde we serue hym. In sanctitate, In holynes of soulle. and of conscyence inwarde. and in

ryghtewsnes of worde. and of dede outwarde. And [Whom we should serve persever∣ingly all our days.] that not to the praysynge of man. but before hym. Not one day to begyn well. a nother day to leue of. but all oure dayes. whyle we lyue. ¶ When Zacharie had thus prophesyed of oure lorde Iesus cryste. he turned hym and spekyth to Iohn̄ hys sonne. and sayeth. Et tu puer, And thow chylde shalte be called [Some think St John understood his father's words though only eight days old:] the prophete of hym that ys hyest. that ys of god. For thow shalte go before the face of the lorde. that ys cryste. to make redy hys wayes. ¶ Here say some doctoures that lyke as saynt Iohn̄ beynge in his mothers wombe felte the voyce of our lady when she gaue gretynge to hys mother Elyzabeth. and ioyed ther [Folio .lxxij.] wyth of the presence of his sauiour{punctel} so now when he was but eyghte dayes olde. he vnderstode the wordes of hys father. And therfore hys father dressyth hys wordes [which was why his father ad∣dressed him.] to hym in this verse, and in the tother that folowyth. ¶ But how shulde Iohn̄ make redy crystes wayes. Ad dandam scienciam. To gyue knowynge of helthe to hys people. that ys. to enforme the people. and to make them knowe that he was crist that cam for helthe. And what helthe; In forgyuenesse of theyre synnes. that ys the helthe. And that by no merytes of man; but Per viscera, By the bowels of mercy of oure god. [St John Baptist's office to prepare] wherein he hathe vysyte vs spryngynge from hyghe. that ys comyng fro heuen. Illuminare, To gyue lyghte to them that syt in darkenesse. that were in the partyes of helle and to them that sytte in the shadowe of dethe. that ys to synners in thys lyfe. and to dresse oure fete that ys oure affeccyons in to the way of peace. For our [for Christ the Peace giver.] lorde Iesu crist made peace. betwene god and man. and betwixte angel and man. and betwyxte man and man. and he geueth man peace in hys owne conscyence.