Residual Images in the Borders: Reading Paratexts of Christian Prayers and Meditations (1569).

This article examines the paratexts of Christian Prayers and Meditations (1569), published by John Day. The study explores the sources of the book's biblical border illustrations, identifying Thielman Kerver's early books of hours as a primary influence. Under the patronage of Archbishop Matthew Parker, John Day and the engraver borrowed Catholic images from these and other sources, strategically drawing on Marian iconography to harness the cultural power of these images, not to revive Catholicism but to strengthen Protestant devotion. The juxtaposition of the Tree of Jesse and Elizabeth I's portrait on the title page underscores this intent, positioning the queen as a new object of reverence. This analysis highlights the persistence and versatility of traditional images in shaping public devotion and consolidating the English church's authority during the Reformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]