_Certain prayers to be used by the queen’s highness, in the
consecration of the cramp-rings._
Deus misereatur nostri et benedicat nos Deus, illuminet vultum suum
super nos et misereatur nostri.
Ut cognoscamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum.
Confiteantur tibi populi Deus, confiteantur tibi populi omnes.
Laetentur et exultent gentes, quoniam iudicas populos in aequitate, et
gentes in terra dirigis.
Confiteantur tibi populi Deus, confiteantur tibi populi omnes, terra
dedit fructum suum.
Benedicat nos Deus, Deus noster, benedicat nos Deus, et metuent eum
omnes fines terrae.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum,
Amen.
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui ad solatium humani generis, varia ac
multiplicia miseriarum nostrarum levamenta uberrimis gratiae tuae
donis ab inexhausto benignitatis tuae fonte manantibus incessanter
tribuere dignatus es, et quos ad regalis sublimitatis fastigium
extulisti, insignioribus gratiis ornatos, donorumque tuorum organa
atque canales esse voluisti, ut sicut per te regnant aliisque praesunt,
ita te authore reliquis prosint, et tua in populum beneficia conferant:
preces nostras propitius respice, et quae tibi vota humillime fundimus,
benignus admitte, ut quod a te maiores nostri de tua misericordia
sperantes obtinuerunt, id nobis etiam pari fiducia postulantibus
concedere digneris. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
_The rings lying in one bason, or more, this prayer to be said over
them._
Deus coelestium terrestriumque conditor creaturarum, atque humani
generis benignissime reparator, dator spiritualis gratiae, omniumque
benedictionum largitor, immitte Spiritum Sanctum tuum Paracletum de
coelis super hos annulos arte fabrili confectos, eosque magna tua
potentia ita emundare digneris, ut omni nequitia lividi venenosique
serpentis procul expulsa, metallum a te bono conditore creatum, a
cunctis inimici sordibus maneat immune. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
_Benedictio annulorum._
Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, Deus Iacob, exaudi misericors preces nostras,
parce metuentibus, propitiare supplicibus, et mittere digneris sanctum
Angelum tuum de coelis qui sanctificet ✠ et benedicat ✠ annulos istos,
ut sint remedium salutare omnibus nomen tuum humiliter implorantibus,
ac semetipsos pro conscientia delictorum suorum accusantibus, atque
ante conspectum divinae clementiae tuae facinora sua deplorantibus, et
serenissimam pietatem tuam humiliter obnixeque flagitantibus; prosint
denique per invocationem sancti tui nominis omnibus istos gestantibus,
ad corporis et animae sanitatem. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
_Benedictio._
Deus qui in morbis curandis maxima semper potentiae tuae miracula
declarasti, quique annulos in Iuda patriarcha fidei arrabonem, in
Aarone sacerdotale ornamentum, in Dario fidelis custodiae symbolum,
et in hoc regno variorum morborum remedia esse voluisti, hos annulos
propitius ✠ benedicere et ✠ sanctificare digneris: ut omnes qui eos
gestabunt sint immunes ab omnibus Satanae insidiis, sint armati virtute
coelestis defensionis, nec eos infestet vel nervorum contractio, vel
comitialis morbi pericula, sed sentiant te opitulante in omni morborum
genere levamen. In nomine Patris ✠ et Filii ✠ et Spiritus Sancti ✠.
Amen.
Benedic anima mea Domino: et omnia quae intra me sunt nomini sancto
eius. _Here follows the rest of that Psalm._
Immensam clementiam tuam misericors Deus humiliter imploramus, ut
qua animi fiducia et fidei sinceritate, ac certa mentis pietate, ad
haec impetranda accedimus, pari etiam devotione gratiae tuae symbola
fideles prosequantur: facessat omnis superstitio, procul absit
diabolicae fraudis suspicio, et in gloria tui nominis omnia cedant: ut
te largitorem bonorum omnium fideles tui intelligant, atque a te uno
quicquid vel animis vel corporibus vere prosit, profectum sentiant et
profiteantur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
_These prayers being said, the queen’s highness rubbeth the rings
between her hands, saying:_
Sanctifica Domine annulos istos, et rore tuae benedictionis benignus
asperge, ac manuum nostrarum confricatione, quas, olei sacra infusione
externa, sanctificare dignatus es pro ministerii nostri modo, consecra,
ut quod natura metalli praestare non possit, gratiae tuae magnitudine
efficiatur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
_Then must holy water be cast on the rings, saying:_
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. Domine Fili
Dei unigenite, Dei et hominum Mediator, Iesu Christe, in cuius unius
nomine salus recte quaeritur, quique in te sperantibus facilem ad
Patrem accessum conciliasti, quem quicquid in nomine tuo peteretur, id
omne daturum, cum certissimo veritatis oraculo ab ore tuo sancto, quum
inter homines versabaris homo pronunciasti, precibus nostris aures tuae
pietatis accommoda, ut ad thronum gratiae in tua fiducia accedentes,
quod in nomine tuo humiliter postulavimus, id a nobis, te mediante,
impetratum fuisse, collatis per te beneficiis, fideles intelligant.
Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per
omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Vota nostra quaesumus Domine, Spiritus Sanctus qui a te procedit,
aspirando praeveniat, et prosequatur, ut quod ad salutem fidelium
confidenter petimus, gratiae tuae dono efficaciter consequamur. Per
Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Maiestatem tuam clementissime Deus, Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus,
suppliciter exoramus, ut quod ad nominis tui sanctificationem piis hic
ceremoniis peragitur, ad corporis simul et animae tutelam valeat in
terris, et ad uberiorem felicitatis fructum proficiat in coelis.
Qui vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
THE CEREMONIES OF BLESSING CRAMP-RINGS, ON GOOD FRIDAY, USED BY THE
CATHOLICK KINGS OF ENGLAND
_The psalme ‘Deus misereatur nostri, etc.’, with the ‘Gloria Patri’._
May God take pity upon us and blesse us: may he send forth the light of
his face upon us, and take pity on us.
That we may know thy ways on earth: among all nations thy salvation.
May people acknowledge thee, O God: may all people acknowledge thee.
Let nations rejoice and be glad, because thou judgest people with
equity: and doest guide nations on the earth.
May people acknowledge thee, O God, may all people acknowledge thee:
the earth has sent forth her fruit.
May God blesse us, that God who is ours: may that God blesse us: and
may all the bounds of the earth feare him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and for ever and ever.
Amen.
_Then the king reades this prayer:_
Almighty eternal God, who by the most copious gifts of thy grace
flowing from the unexhausted fountain of thy bounty, hast been
graciously pleased for the comfort of mankind, continually to grant us
many and various means to relieve us in our miseries, and art willing
to make those the instruments and channels of thy gifts, and to grace
those persons with more excellent favours, whom thou hast raised to the
royal dignity; to the end that as by thee they reign and govern others,
so by thee they may prove beneficial to them, and bestow thy favours on
the people: graciously heare our prayers and favourably receive those
vows we powre forth with humility, that thou mayest grant to us, who
beg with the same confidence, the favour which our ancestors by their
hopes in thy mercy have obtained, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
_The rings lying in one bason, or more, this prayer is to be said over
them:_
O God, the maker of heavenly and earthly creatures, and the most
gracious restorer of mankind, the dispenser of spiritual grace, and the
origin of all blessings: send downe from heaven thy holy Spirit the
Comforter upon these rings, artificially fram’d by the workman, and by
thy greate power purify them so, that all the malice of the fowle and
venomous serpent be driven out; and so the metal, which by thee was
created, may remaine pure and free from all the dregs of the enemy,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
_The blessing of the rings._
O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, heare mercifully our
prayers. Spare those who feare thee. Be propitious to thy suppliants,
and graciously be pleased to send downe from heaven thy holy angel:
that he may sanctify ✠ and blesse ✠ these rings: to the end they may
prove a healthy remedy to such as implore thy name with humility, and
accuse themselves of the sins which ly upon their conscience: who
deplore their crimes in the sight of thy divine clemency, and beseech
with earnestnes and humility thy most serene pity. May they in fine by
the invocation of thy holy name become profitable to all such as weare
them, for the health of their soule and body, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
_A blessing._
O God, who has manifested the greatest wonders of thy power by the
cure of diseases, and who were pleased that rings should be a pledge
of fidelity in the patriark Judah, a priestly ornament in Aaron, the
mark of a faithful guardian in Darius, and in this kingdom a remedy
for divers diseases: graciously be pleased to blesse ✠ and sanctify ✠
these rings, to the end that all such as weare them may be free from
all snares of the devil, may be defended by the power of celestial
armour, and that no contraction of the nerves or any danger of the
falling-sickness may infest them, but that in all sort of diseases by
thy help they may find relief. In the name of the Father, ✠ and of the
Son, ✠ and of the Holy Ghost ✠. Amen.
Blesse, O my soule, the Lord: and let all things which are within me
praise his holy name.
Blesse, O my soule, the Lord: and do not forget all his favours.
He forgives all thy iniquities: he heales all thy infirmities.
He redeemes thy life from ruin: he crownes thee with mercy and
commiseration.
He fils thy desires with what is good: thy youth like that of the eagle
shal be renewed.
The Lord is he who does mercy: and does justice to those who suffer
wrong.
The merciful and pitying Lord: the long sufferer and most mighty
merciful.
He will not continue his anger for ever: neither wil he threaten for
ever.
He has not dealt with us in proportion to our sins: nor has he rendred
unto us according to our offences.
Because according to the distance of heaven from earth: so has he
enforced his mercies upon those who feare him.
As far distant as the east is from the west: so far has he divided our
offences from us.
After the manner that a father takes pity of his sons; so has the Lord
taken pity of those who feare him: because he knows what we are made of.
He remembers that we are but dust: man like hey such are his days: like
the flower in the field so wil he fade away.
Because his breath wil passe away through him, and he wil not be able
to subsist: and it wil find no longer its owne place.
But the mercy of the Lord is from all eternity: and will be for ever
upon those who feare him.
And his justice comes upon the children of their children: to those who
keep his wil.
And are mindful of his commandements: to performe them.
The Lord in heaven has prepared himselfe a throne: and his kingdom
shall reign over all.
Blesse yee the Lord all yee angels of his, yee who are powerful in
strength: who execute his commands, at the hearing of his voice when he
speakes.
Blesse yee the Lord all yee vertues of his: yee ministers who execute
his wil.
Blesse yee the Lord all yee works of his throughout all places of his
dominion: my soule praise thou the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and for ever and ever.
Amen.
Wee humbly implore, O merciful God, thy infinit clemency: that as we
come to thee with a confident soule, and sincere faith, and a pious
assurance of mind: with the like devotion thy beleevers may follow on
these tokens of thy grace. May all superstition be banished hence, far
be all suspicion of any diabolical fraud, and to the glory of thy name
let all things succeede: to the end thy beleevers may understand thee
to be the dispenser of all good; and may be sensible and publish, that
whatsoever is profitable to soul or body, is derived from thee: through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
_These prayers being said, the king’s highnes rubbeth the rings between
his hands, saying:_
Sanctify, O Lord, these rings, and graciously bedew them with the dew
of thy benediction, and consecrate them by the rubbing of our hands,
which thou hast been pleased according to our ministery to sanctify by
an external effusion of holy oyle upon them; to the end that what the
nature of the mettal is not able to performe, may be wrought by the
greatnes of thy grace: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
_Then must holy water be cast on the rings, saying:_
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Amen.
O Lord, the only begotten Son of God, mediatour of God and men, Jesus
Christ, in whose name alone salvation is sought for, and to such as
hope in thee givest an easy access to thy Father; who when conversing
among men, thyself a man, didst promise by an assured oracle flowing
from thy sacred mouth, that thy Father should grant whatever was asked
in thy name; lend a gracious eare of pity to these prayers of ours: to
the end that approaching with confidence to the throne of thy grace,
the beleevers may find by the benefits conferrd upon them, that by thy
mediation we have obteined, what we have most humbly beg’d in thy Name;
who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the holy
Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Wee beseech thee, O Lord, that the Spirit, which proceedes from thee,
may prevent and follow on our desires; to the end that what we beg with
confidence for the good of the faithful, we may efficaciously obteine
by thy gracious gift: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O most clement God; Father, Son, and holy Ghost: wee supplicate and
beseech Thee, that what is here performed by pious ceremonies to the
sanctifying of thy name, may be prevalent to the defense of our soule
and body on earth; and profitable to a more ample felicity in heaven.
Who livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.