A Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to Sarum Use

This formula for the Rosary of the BVM is taken from The Encheiridion, republished in 1860 from the vernacular primer published in London in 1531 by the printer Robert Copeland, who translated it from the French of its original compiler, John Quentyn of Paris.

There were no opening prayers, nor were there any closing words other than “Amen”.  The Rosary is composed for a chaplet of five decades, to be said straight through, and there is a meditation for each of the small beads.  The larger beads at the time served merely as boundaries between decades, the same way beads were placed between knots on Orthodox prayer ropes.

The form of the Hail Mary, or Ave Maria, is that in the primer mentioned above.  This was the same form in the Canon of the Mass in Sarum Use, save that the latter dropped the cognomen “Christ” from the prayer.

From The Encheiridion:

HERE BEGINNETH THE ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

Virgin!  This golden Rosary to thee I make oblation; which decked with Jesus’ life shall be, rehearsed in brief narration.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom of the Holy Spirit, thou virgin pure conceivedst, when Gabriel’s word, with meekest bow assenting, thou believedst.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Thou great with him, forthwith didst haste to give thy cousin greeting; he the unborn John inspired and blest at that most hallowed meeting.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

In Bethlehem whom, a Holy Seed, thou didst bring forth with gladness; in that thy wondrous labour freed from human pangs and sadness.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Scion of royal David’s line, new-born thou didst adore him; whose nurturing breast with love benign a wailing infant bore him.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom in the manger thou didst lay with swathing bands enfolding, and him to cherish, day by day, no pains or care withholding.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom brightest Angels at his birth with laud and carol hailing, praised God; announcing peace on earth, good will and love unfailing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom wondering shepherds as of all the Shepherd Prince declaring, yet found, a stable mean and small with ass and oxen sharing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who, as for human kind was meet, enduring circumcision, was called Jesus, name most sweet, in token of his mission.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who was by Eastern kings adored, as homage due they proffered; when him confessing for their Lord, their noblest gifts they offered.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom thou upon the fortieth day in his own House presenting, didst freewill offerings duly pay to Moses’ law consenting.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom safe to Egypt thou didst bear whilst Herod’s rage was swelling; but bring back with maternal care, to Nazareth thy dwelling.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom once as lost thou didst deplore, when from the Feast returning; but in the Temple find once more, ‘midst doctors him discerning.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom thou didst bring up at thy side, due care and toil expending; and for his food and needs provide, his holy childhood tending.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom, when baptized in Jordan’s flood, John, his forerunner, blesseth; and pointing out the Son of God, his glorious Name confesseth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom Satan laboured to delude, with threefold guile assailing; but he the Tempter vile withstood, in wisdom all prevailing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who erst the water changed to wine, thou for that boon beseeching; so, by a miracle divine, his weak disciples teaching.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who many souls from sin released, with saving power restoreth; and health upon the poor diseased, ofttimes in mercy poureth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who Lazarus and the widow’s son with mighty word did quicken; and back to life and parents won a maid with sickness stricken.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who oft on earth to eat and live with guilty men consented; pleased all their errors to forgive, if truly they repented.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whose feet the sinning woman laved with tears in deep contrition; whom he in gracious pity saved from her forlorn condition.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Transfigured who, on Tabor’s height, himself with light arrayeth; and clad in robes of glistening white, his majesty displayeth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom Jews in pomp, with palms escort into the Holy City; yet that fame evening set at nought, reviling without pity.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who washed his own disciples’ feet, at that Last Supper seated; then unto them that noblest meat, his blood and body meted.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

With anxious soul, he many an hour within the garden spendeth; his sweat for sorrow, like a shower of blood, to earth descendeth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

See! wicked foes at that great Feast, with staves and swords assail him; and unto Annas, the High Priest, in bonds a prisoner hale him.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

With shame and spitting, ruffian bands his countenance disgracing, his beauty with relentless hands, and cruel blows defacing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom unto Pilate’s judgment seat they hurry, there to try him; and with false witness and deceit most guilefully belie him.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom Pilate, brought forth to the Jews, to Herod’s rule commendeth; who him doth scornfully refuse, and back to Pilate sendeth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Now to the gory pillar bound, n purple robe they dress him; with thorns his noble brow is crowned, with scourges they distress him.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom soldiers, galled with wounds, deride with ribald jests and noises; and Jews all “Crucify Him!” cried, with loud and savage voices.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom Pilate, by his stern decree, guilty of death declareth: Lo I on his shoulders, he, the Tree, the Cross, for sinners beareth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Him of his garments they denude, to Calvary they hale him; and there, unto the Holy Rood, by hands and feet they nail him.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Where for his torturers he prayed, so vile, with kind compassion; even when in agony he laid

thereon in saddest fashion.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who put all his offence away from that good thief believing, him into Paradise that day to promised rest receiving.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who unto John the Apostle, thee commended for a mother; and him for thine own son to be appointed as a brother.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whom, when in agony he prayed, and all His friends were failing, his enemies with taunts upbraid, blaspheme and wound with railing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Then as full mournfully he cried, “I thirst,” with vigor wasted, unto his lips by guards applied, vinegar and gall he tasted.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

So, by his Passion and his Cross, the prophecies fulfilling; and, for our first forefathers’ loss to pay the ransom willing.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Now to his Father’s hands on high his spirit he restoreth; and “Eli,” his last doleful cry, with mournful voice outpoureth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

So thus he slept at last in peace, this death of woe enduring, and entered Hell’s domains, release for his elect procuring.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

And now behold! his sacred side, the soldier’s spear is rending;  whence gusheth forth a plenteous tide of blood with water blending.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Whose sacred body, stark and dead, down from the Cross they hurry, and in a Sepulchre’s hard bed, new-made and clean, they bury.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who in the morning from the tomb, by his own power arising, roused his disciples from their gloom; thee, too, with joy surprising.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who o’er the stars full mightily to heaven in state ascended, at God’s Right Hand sits gloriously, through ages never ended.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who on the Day of Pentecost sent down from highest Heaven the promise of the Holy Ghost upon the great Eleven.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who now for thee to glory raised, a blessed rest provideth, at his right hand in honour placed, where he in bliss abideth.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who of the sins of earth shalt come once more the Judge unbending, each work shalt try, and fitting doom assign for years unending.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Who wicked men to endless woe shalt hurl in flames infernal; but on his own elect bestow rewards and joys eternal.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Thy Mother's Rosary of gold, sweet Jesus, we repeat thee; so may thy Father us behold with favour, we entreat thee.

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace, the Lord is with thee!  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Christ!

Amen.