First We Sing Salve Regina Misericordiae, That Is to Say: Hail, Queen of Mercy

Here is first denied the saying of Isaiah recited by Saint Paul (Romans 14): As truly as I live, says the LORD, all knees shall bow to me, and all tongues shall acknowledge to God. And again the saying of Moses, Deuteronomy chapter 6: Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD only. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. The saying also of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 42 is here denied, where God says: I myself, whose name is the LORD, which give my power to none other, nor my honor to the gods, etc.

Mark now earnestly how aptly and well these sayings agree with this salutation or greeting of Mary: truly as well as day and night. Mark how our carnal devotion and good meaning accords with God and his word: even so well, that God says by the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55: My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways: But as far as the heavens are higher than the earth, so far do my ways exceed yours, and my thoughts, yours. Hereby may it be seen what this salutation is, namely that God does not give his honor to none of the gods. Now his honor consists in nothing so greatly, as in thankfulness and praising him for his infinite mercy and goodness showed to us in suffering for us that were in thralldom and the devil's danger, and so delivered us from it: which nor the blessed virgin Mary, Peter, nor Paul, nor none of all the saints has done. It follows then that she is not the queen of mercy.