the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the time of her delivery was come, brought forth our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, at midnight, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inns at Bethlehem. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O most pure Mother of God; through thy virginal and most joyful delivery, whereby thou gavest to the world thy only Son, our Saviour, we beseech thee obtain for us, through thy intercession, the grace to lead such pure and holy lives in this world, that we may become worthy to sing, without ceasing, the mercies of thy Son, and his benefits to us by thee. Amen. IV. The Presentation of our Blessed Lord in the Temple. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the day of her purification, presented the child Jesus in the Temple, where holy Simeon, giving thanks to God, with great devotion received him into his arms. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O holy Virgin, most admirable mistress and pattern of obedience, who didst present in the Temple the Lord of the Temple; obtain for us, of thy divine Son, that, with holy Simeon and devout Anna, we may praise and glorify him for ever. Amen. V. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how the Blessed Virgin Mary, after having lost, (through no fault of hers) her beloved Son in Jerusalem, sought him for the space of three days; and at length found him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions, being of the age of twelve years. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O holy Virgin, more than martyr in thy sufferings, and yet the comfort of such as are afflicted; by that unspeakable joy wherewith thy soul was filled when at length thou didst find thy well-beloved Son in the Temple, teaching in the midst of the doctors, obtain of him that we may so seek him and find him in his holy Catholic Church, as never more to be separated from him. Amen. The Salve Regina. Hail! Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thy merciful eyes towards us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement! O pious! O sweet Virgin Mary! V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us Pray. Hear, O merciful God, the prayers of thy servants, that we who meet together in the society of the holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, may, through her intercession, be delivered by thee from the dangers that continually hang over us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. O GOD, whose only begotten Son by his life, death, and resurrection, hast purchased. for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that meditating upon these mysteries, in the holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES. I. The Prayer and Bloody Sweat of our Blessed Saviour in the Garden. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how our Lord Jesus was so afflicted for us in the garden of Gethsemane, that his body was bathed in a bloody sweat, which ran down in great drops to the ground. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O holy Virgin, more than martyr; by that ardent prayer which our beloved Saviour poured forth to his heavenly Father in the garden, vouchsafe to intercede for us, that, our passions being reduced to the obedience of reason, we may always, and in all things, conform and subject ourselves to the holy will of God. Amen. II. The Scourging of our Blessed Lord at the Pillar. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered by Pilate to the fury of the Jews, fastened to a pillar, and there most cruelly scourged. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O Mother of God, overflowing fountain of patience; through those stripes thy only and much-beloved Son vouchsafed to suffer for us, obtain of him for us grace to mortify our rebellious senses, to avoid the occasions of sin, and to be ready to suffer every thing rather than offend God. Amen. III. The Crowning of our Blessed Saviour with Thorns. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how those cruel ministers of Satan platted a crown of sharp thorns, and cruelly pressed it on the most sacred head of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Father, &c. Prayer. O Mother of our Eternal Prince, the King of Glory; by those sharp thorns wherewith his sacred head was pierced, we beseech thee obtain, through thy intercession, that we may be delivered from all motions of pride, and at the day of judgment escape that shame which our sins deserve. Amen. IV. Jesus carrying His Cross. Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how our Lord Jesus Christ, being sentenced to die, bore, with the most amazing patience, the |