“Hail, O Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, sweetness, and hope, Hail!  To thee we cry, banished sons {338} of Eve.  To thee we sigh, groaning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Come then, our Advocate, turn those compassionate eyes of thine on us, and after this exile show to us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb.  O merciful!  O pious!  O sweet Virgin Mary! [Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.  Ad te clamamus exules filii Evae.  Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lachrymarum valle.  Eja ergo Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte, et Jesum benedictum fructum ventris tui nobis post hoc exilium ostende.  O clemens!  O pia!  O dulcis Virgo Maria!]

    “Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy
    of the promises of Christ.” [Ora pro nobis, Sancta Dei Genetrix,
    ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.—­AEst. 151.]

VI.  Unhappily, in the appointed religious services of the Roman ritual, we have too many examples of prayer for benefits spiritual and temporal, addressed directly to the Virgin.  It is in vain to say that all that is meant is to ask her intercession; the people will not, cannot, do not, regard it in that light.  It is affirmed that when the Church of Rome guides and directs her sons and daughters to pray for specific benefits at the hands of the Virgin mother, without any mention of her prayers, without specifying that her petitions are all that they ask; yet they are taught only to ask for her intercession, and are not encouraged to look for the blessings as her gift and at her hands.  But, can this be right and safe?  In an act of all human acts the most solemn and holy, can recourse be had to such refinements without great danger?

Among many others of a similar kind this invocation frequently recurs, “Deem me worthy to praise thee, {339} O sacred Virgin; give to me strength against thy enemies.” [Dignare me laudare te, Virgo sacrata.  Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos.—­AEst. clvi.]

The following seems to be among the most favourite addresses to the Virgin:—­“Hail, Star of the Sea, kind Mother of God, and ever Virgin!  Happy Gate of Heaven, taking that ‘Hail!’ from the mouth of Gabriel, establish us in peace,—­changing the name of Eve.  For the guilty, loose their bonds; bring forth light for the blind; drive away our evils; demand for us all good things.  SHOW THAT THOU ART A MOTHER.  Let Him who endured for us to be thy Son, through thee receive our prayers.  O excellent Virgin, meek among all, us, FREED FROM FAULT, MAKE MEEK AND CHASTE; make our life pure; prepare a safe journey; that, beholding Jesus, we may always rejoice.  Praise be to God the Father, glory to Christ most high, and to the Holy Spirit; one honour to the three.  Amen.”