Ave, and Eva
January 15, 2018
Illuminated Manuscript; Harley 2877 f. 18v British Library
OUR LADY’S SALUTATION
— St. Robert Southwell (1561-1595)
Spell “Eva” back and “Ave” you shall find,
The first began, the last reversed our harms;
An angel’s witching words did Eva blind,
An angel’s “Ave” disenchants the charms.
Death first by woman’s weakness entered in;
In woman’s virtue life doth now begin.
O Virgin’s breast, the heavens to thee incline,
In thee they joy and sovereign they agnize;
Too mean their glory is to match with thine,
Whose chaste receipt God more than heaven did prize.
Hail, fairest heaven, that heaven and earth do bless,
Where virtue’s star, God’s sun of justice, is.
With haughty mind to godhead man aspired,
And was by pride from place of pleasure chased;
With loving mind our manhood God desired,
And us by love in greater pleasure placed.
Man, laboring to ascend, procured our fall;
God, yielding to descend, cut off our thrall.
