Full text of "The Roman breviary : reformed by order of the Holy oecumenical council of Trent : published by order of Pope St. Pius V"

THE ROMAN BREVIARY

REFORMED BY ORDER OF THE HOLY
(ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF TRENT;
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF POPE ST
PIUS V.; AND REVISED BY CLEMENT
VIII., URBAN VIII., AND LEO XIII.

TOGETHER WITH THE

OFFICES SINCE GRANTED
AND THE MARTYROLOGY

TRANSLATED OUT OF
LATIN INTO ENGLISH BY

JOHN, MARQUESS OF BUTE, K.T.

A NEW EDITION
FOR USE IN ENGLAND

IN FOUR VOLS.
VOL. I. WINTER

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS

EDINBURGH AND LONDON
M C M V 1 1 I

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

"T^IFFERENT parts of the Roman Breviary have long been trans
lated for the use of the faithful in English-speaking countries.
Nearly all the common books of devotion contain the ordinary form of
Vespers and Compline, and there are Vesper books, containing the
whole of that office, for every day in the year. There are also trans
lations of Prime, Terce, Sext, and None. Of Mattins and Lauds, how
ever, there have only been published those for a few days, such as
Christmas and the last three days of the Holy Week, and the copious
extracts which are contained in the English version of Gueranger s
Liturgical Year.

The object of the Translator in the present work has been to supply
this deficiency by laying open to the English reader the whole of the
Prayer of the Church. He thinks that this may be grateful to a con
siderable number of English-speaking Catholics, who would wish, at
any rate at times, to read the Service of the Church, but are debarred
from doing so by ignorance of the Latin language; and more especi
ally so to converts who have been accustomed to the daily office while
Anglicans. Even to some of the clergy, he is not without hope that
this version may be of interest, since he has taken great pains to elucidate
difficult passages, to explain the historical and other allusions, and, above
all, to verify the references to the Holy Scriptures. If the book should
fall into the hands of persons who are not Catholics, he ventures to
hope that it may at any rate be the means of softening some prejudices.

It is now nearly nine years ago since the Translator began his

vi TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

work, and he cannot conceal from himself that when he did so, he did
not fully realise either how vast a work it has proved to be, or how
little he was himself fitted to execute it satisfactorily. He has bestowed
a great deal of reading and investigation upon it, and he has enjoyed
the advantage of a learned friend s revision; but at the moment of
giving it to the public he feels anything but well content with it, and
can only protest that it is his best, and that it is, in his judgment, better
that the work should be done thus imperfectly than not at all.

In considering the work, the reader will please to understand that
the following are the principles which have been followed. The book
is a translation from the Latin, and where the original texts are Hebrew,
Chaldee, or Greek, it is not these texts but the Breviary Latin rendering
of them which is translated into English, the aim of the Translator having
been merely to give a rendering, in as good, plain, manly, and idiomatic
English as he could command, of the Latin Service-book of the Church.
Accordingly, whenever the Latin has a distinct sense of its own as, for
instance, in Ps. Ixxv. 5 that sense is given simply without any remark,
and the divergence from the original is only pointed out in footnotes
in a few cases where it appeared desirable to know both renderings
in order to understand the context. Moreover, in the Psalter, and in
a few other places, the Rev. James McSwiney, S.J., to whom the Trans
lator has to acknowledge so many obligations, has been kind enough to
bracket the words which are not, now, to be found in the Hebrew at
all. In the case of a single word in Lam. iv. 7, Dr Gesenius rendering
of the Hebrew is put in the text, and the literal translation of the
Latin in a footnote.

In cases where the Latin is obscure, either in its rendering of the
Scripture, or elsewhere, the original has been referred to when possible,
in order to find what the Latin is probably intended to mean, and
here the Translator has again to acknowledge his indebtedness to the
learned Jesuit already named, for his assistance in a work for which the
Translator s own knowledge only most imperfectly qualifies him.

It will be gathered from the above that the Translator has not
followed any existing version exactly in the rendering of the Holy
Scripture. The version, or rather series of versions for there are

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. vii

many different recensions of the text, generally called the Doway Bible,
does not much commend itself to the English ear, and is indeed,
especially in the earlier recensions, difficult to understand for any one
who does not know Latin, and indeed other languages also ; and more
over, none o/ the recensions possess that ecclesiastical authority which is
enjoyed, for instance, in Italy, by the Italian version of Archbishop
Martini. Under these circumstances, it has been the custom for
English - speaking Catholics, in compiling books of devotion, to make
renderings of the Latin at their own convenience, and indeed in the
recently published Hortus Anim&lt;z&gt; which bears the imprimatur of the
Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Psalms in the Little Office of
the Blessed Virgin were translated from the Hebrew without any regard
to the Latin at all. The present Translator has therefore felt himself
abundantly justified in using any good English at his command, while
adhering to the sense of the Latin, of which he trusts that his text
will be found a faithful rendering.

As regards the proper names in the Old Testament, it has seemed
to him most convenient to use the transliteration from the Hebrew
which is most commonly used by the Jews, as well as by the general
world, in this country, instead of reproducing the Vulgate s imperfect
transliteration of the imperfect transliteration of the LXX. from the
Hebrew. But where the names, even of the same persons, occur in
quotations from the New Testament, the transliteration is equally made
from the original, and therefore the Greek form preserved.

In those parts of the office which are not taken from the Scriptures,
such as the readings from the Fathers, the Translator has not been care
ful to give the same word-for-word rendering as in the passages from
Scripture. The genius of the Latin language, its long and involved sen
tences, and such forms as the Ablative Absolute, would make a trans
lation like a school-boy s exercise a piece of very inelegant English com
position, and almost intolerable as a devotional formula. His aim,
therefore, has been to reflect the ideas of the Latin in the best English
mirror he can command, and he must deprecate criticism upon the
mere ground of freedom of translation. Besides this, he has only to
call attention to the treatment of the quotations from Scripture found

viii TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

in the extracts from the Fathers and in the biographical notices. Where
(a) the quotations are very fragmentary, he has usually given them in
full, but wherever this has been done to a very considerable extent, as
by the insertion of whole clauses or sentences, it is indicated either by
a footnote or by the inserted words being put in brackets^ and where
(ft) the quotations are from some version of the Scriptures different to
the present Vulgate, such as the so-called Itala, or literally translated
from the LXX., or seem to be inaccurate quotations from memory, or
various readings created by copyists blunders, he has harmonised them
with the rest of his text, as it seemed to him that to embalm these
eccentricities in an English rendering would be, even were it always
possible, a mere useless piece of Antiquarianism. An exception is made
in the case of a few passages where the sense is clearly and curiously
affected, and these have been invariably pointed out in footnotes.

In the biographical sketches of the lives of the Saints, a few passages
will be found inserted in brackets. These are almost always proper names,
dates, or geographical identifications. They have been inserted with the
idea of making these biographies more interesting and valuable, and are
almost always taken either from Alban Butler s Lives of the Saints, or
from the very valuable French work in seventeen volumes, intituled,
Les Petits Bollandistes. The constant changes in the Translator s place
of abode, and his frequent journeys, rendered it naturally impossible
for him to have always at hand a copy of the Acta Sanctorum them
selves, even had it been needful for his purpose.

The poetical portions of the Breviary have given the Translator
peculiar trouble. Only a few, and those of the more obscure, of the
Hymns, are presented in his own paraphrase. For the rest, he has
sought to obtain the use of the versions which, as far as he could
judge, combined the largest amount of poetical merit with accuracy
in rendering the sense of the originals, and he has not felt it necessary
to take into consideration the religious opinions of those by whom such
translations have been executed. In all his applications, he has been
met with uniform courtesy and compliance with his wishes, and he here
begs to ask pardon for any breach of copyright which he may have
unkno\dlgly committed by reprinting hymns of which he did not know

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. ix

the translator. The source whence each is taken has always been
indicated.

A great number of the hymns are by the late Rev. E. Caswall, of the
Birmingham Oratory, who died during the printing of the work. (R.I. P.)
The Translator expresses his thanks for his constant obliging kindness.

H. E. Cardinal Newman has permitted the Translator the use of all
his published hymns. The hymn for Prime has never been published
before, except in a little book printed by the present Translator a few
years ago, and for which he obtained it from the illustrious writer.
H. E. has also had the goodness to prepare the doxologies, altering with
the Office, belonging to his own hymns.

The Rev. Dr Littledale contributes a considerable number of hymns,
some of which are original, and written expressly for this work.

The elegant hymns for Midsummer Day, one of which is written
expressly for this book, are by a noble friend, who desires to remain
anonymous.

The Translator begs finally to express his sincere thanks to the
Rev. Dr Wallace, the Rev. W. J. Blew, Rev. W. J. Copeland, Mr
J. D. Chambers, the Messrs Novello, and all others to whom he is
indebted for the use of copyright hymns. The Translator tenders to all
his thankful acknowledgment. In regard to the hymns, the alteration
in the last verse, caused by certain Festivals and Seasons, depends in the
original upon the scansion. This distinction, viz., why one hymn should
alter and another not, could not be rationally adopted in the English,
where the metres are not always the same as in the Latin. The Trans
lator, therefore, has provided for the alteration of all the unchanging
hymns, viz., those of the Small Hours, while the hymns of Mattins,
Lauds, and Vespers, which change with the Office, do not here undergo
the alteration of the last verse.

Besides the hymns proper, there are a good many passages, such
as the Blessings at Mattins, and some of the Antiphons and Responsories,
which are either in actual verse or else written with some peculiar rhyme
or rhythm. There are also a certain number of puns. Great care has
been taken, as far as possible, to reproduce these quaint features. They
will jar upon the ear of the English reader, but he may rest assured

x TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

that they cannot offend him more than the originals would have offended
a Roman of the classical age, and to suppress them would have been
to give a false idea of the book. They are usually printed as prose,
as they are in the original.

The feature in which this translation is, so far, more convenient than
the original, is the fact that all the references to Holy Scripture, (except
such as are very commonly known, or have been given shortly before,)
are given, either in footnotes, or, where they occur in the text, (not
itself Scripture,) in brackets inserted in it. The mere work with a
Concordance which this has entailed has been very great, but the
Translator ventures to think the object was well worth it.

The other footnotes are exclusively aimed at the elucidation of the
text. The historical ones are chiefly from Alban Butler or Les Petits
Bollandistes. Those on Scripture are mostly from the annotated English
Bible published by the late Dr Kenrick, Archbishop of New York, a
most valuable work, unhappily but little known in this country. Those
on Isaiah are mainly from Lowth ; those on Daniel from Dr Pusey;
those from the Targums on the Holy Torah, from Etheridge s trans
lation ; those from the other Targums, from the Latin version in Walton s
Biblia Polyglotta. The source has always been indicated, except where
one note closely follows another.

Most part of this work has been submitted in MS., the whole of it
in proof, and part even in revise, to the friendly criticism of the Rev.
James McSwiney, S.J., whom the Translator has already mentioned, and
to whom he desires here to express his sincerest thanks for the long
pains and unwearied patience and kindness which year after year he has
expended upon this matter. He begs also to thank the Superiors of the
Society of JESUS for allowing him the assistance of so valuable a member
of their body. It must, however, be distinctly understood that the work
of Father McSwiney has been almost entirely confined to excision and
pointing out blunders, and that he is objectively responsible for nothing
except the bracketing the passages in the Psalter, as before mentioned,
and a very few of the footnotes.

However, notwithstanding the amount of pains and repeated revision,
and the extraordinary excellence with which the printers have done their

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. xi

work, and for which the Translator desires to make to them his sincerely
felt and thankful acknowledgments, it must needs be that so very large
a work, printed for the first time, contains a considerable number of
oversights. Some of these are already visible to the Translator. He
prefers, however, to leave them to the indulgence of the reader, rather
than revise every word again, in order to encumber the book with a
page or pages of errata and corrigenda.

The translator desires in conclusion to protest that if, (which he
hopes and believes is not the case,) either the translation itself, or the
footnotes, should contain anything which a faithful Catholic ought not
to have written, he has written such passage inadvertently.

RICHMOND, June 27, 1879.

PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION,

TT is now twenty-eight years since the first English Translation of the
Breviary was made, and had the Translator lived to publish this
new edition, it would have appeared a long time ago, for the work
was far advanced, and some portion of it had been printed, before his
death.

This present edition is for use in England ; and it is peculiar in that
it has added to it a translation of the Martyrology, which will be found
in its proper place in the Office.

The Rev. James McSwiney, S.J., and Mr J. H. Stevenson, who
were engaged with the Translator at the time of his death in seeing
the work through the press, were good enough to carry it on until some
three years ago, when the death of the Rev. J. McSwiney occurred.
This misfortune caused delay, but after a time his place was filled by
the Rev. James O Donohoe, S.J., and once again the work went on.

The undertaking has been found to be very complicated in a way
which was not at first foreseen, and although a very complete manuscript
of the unprinted part of the book was left, except three of the recent
offices, and they were partly written, the difficulties have been great.

There have been constant delays owing to unforeseen circumstances,
and needless to say the absence of the Translator himself has been
keenly felt throughout. Frequently it has occurred that points which he
could have decided with a stroke of the pen have had to be made the
subject of much consideration as well as correspondence, for the anxiety
of those engaged on the work has been to complete it if possible exactly

xiv PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

as he would have wished it, and, although the result may fall short,
no pains have been spared to attain this end.

Thanks are offered to all who have given permission to use their
existing translations of hymns, and in one or two cases for new
translations.

That such a work as this should be entirely free from mistakes or
oversights is hardly possible, and more especially considering the cir
cumstances under which it has been finished; the indulgence therefore
of the reader is craved, owing to the extreme difficulty of the task
which has been undertaken.

G. BUTE.

ST JOHN S LODGE, 1908.

CONTExNTS

PAGE

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE ....... v

PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION xiii

THE PIE .......... xix

THE PSALTER

MATTINS
SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

108

THURSDAY .

123

FRIDAY

140

SATURDAY .

157

LAUDS

SUNDAY

MONDAY

8 7

TUESDAY

105

WEDNESDAY .

120

THURSDAY .

I 3 7

FRIDAY

153

SATURDAY .

171

PRIME

SUNDAY

WEEK-DAYS .

TERCE

X vi CONTENTS.

THE PSALTER

SEXT 59

NONE .... 66

VESPERS

SUNDAY . .176

MONDAY . .185

TUESDAY . .188

WEDNESDAY . .190

THURSDAY ... 1 93

FRIDAY . .197

SATURDAY ... . 2OO

COMPLINE . . 20 5

PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON-
ADVENT .... .213

CHRISTMAS ... .271

EPIPHANY ... 33 1

SEPTUAGESIMA . 4M

THE COMMON OF SAINTS

FOR APOSTLES EVES . .461

FOR APOSTLES AND EVANGELISTS . . . 4&2

FOR ONE MARTYR .... .482

FOR MANY MARTYRS .498

FOR ONE BISHOP AND CONFESSOR . . . . S 1 S

FOR A CONFESSOR NOT A BISHOP . . . . -S3 1

FOR DOCTORS . 547

FOR THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY . . . . . .552

FOR VIRGINS .......... 567

FOR HOLY WOMEN . . . . . . . . .580

FOR DEDICATION OF A CHURCH . . . . . . 588

PROPER OFFICE OF THE SAINTS-
FEAST DAYS IN NOVEMBER . . ...

ii DECEMBER .......

.. JANUARY

n FEBRUARY . . . . . .

n MARCH

CONTENTS. xvii

ADDITIONAL SERVICES-
LITTLE OFFICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY . . . 809

OFFICE FOR THE DEAD 820

GRADUAL PSALMS 839

SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS AND LITANY .... 840

GRACE BEFORE AND AFTER MEAT 844

PRAYERS FOR A JOURNEY 846

PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION 848

THANKSGIVING AFTER COMMUNION 854

DEVOTIONS AFTER COMMUNION . . . . . .856

THE VOTIVE OFFICES-
ALL HOLY ANGELS . . . . . . . . .859

ALL THE HOLY APOSTLES 865

ST JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY . . . 867

THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR . . . .875

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST . . . .887

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 896

GENERAL APPENDIX . ... .905

OFFICES PECULIAR TO IRELAND . . 950

ERRATA.

Page 730, 2nd col., last line, delete from the Chapter inclusive,
ii 772, ist col., after line 4, insert MARTYROLOGY.

VOL. I.

PHERE is an Office for every day, and this Office is either (i) Double,
(2) Semi-double, or (3) Simple.

CHAPTER I. OF DOUBLE OFFICES.

The Office is Double from Maundy Thursday to Easter Tuesday, both
inclusive, on Low Sunday, on Ascension Day, on Whitsun Day, and the
Monday and Tuesday following, on Trinity Sunday, on Corpus Christi, and
on the Dedication Feast of the Church where the service is held, or to which
the person praying is attached ; on every Feast-day in the Kalendar marked
Double, and on the Octave-day of every Feast which has an Octave ; more
over, upon the Feast of the Patron or Patrons, or Titular or Titulars, of the
place or Church, and upon the Feast or Feasts of any Saint or Saints which
any particular Church, Order, or Congregation may have been used and have
obtained, or shall obtain, the Sanction of the Apostolic See to observe solemnly,
either with a special Office, or with the Common Office, even although such
Feast be not to be found in the Roman Kalendar. Moreover, the Office for
the Dead is said as a Double upon All Souls Day, and upon the day of the
death or burial of the Deceased for whom it is said, even as is directed in the
Office itself.

2. A Double Feast is kept or commemorated upon its own day, unless it
should be transferred or entirely omitted according to Chapter X. of this Pie.

3. A Double Feast has the whole of both First and Second Vespers, unless
it clash with another like Office, as treated of in Chapter XI. of this Pie,
and the whole Office is then of the Double from the Vespers on the first evening
till Compline on the second, both inclusive unless something special be ordered
in its own place. The Office of the Dead, however, has only one Vesper Service,
Mattins, and Lauds, as given in its own place.

4. On a Double, the Antiphons at both Vespers, at Mattins, and at Lauds
(but not at Prime, Terce, Sext, None, or Compline,) are doubled, that is to say,
are repeated entire both before and after the Psalm or Canticle to which they
respectively belong.

5. At Mattins on a Double are always said three Nocturns, being nine Psalms

1 I.e., parti-coloured. This quaint name is owing to the General Rubrics being usually
printed in black and red.

PIE.

and nine Lessons, that is to say, three Psalms and three Lessons in each Nocturn.
The only exceptions are Easter and Pentecost, with the two days succeeding in
each case, when there is only one Nocturn, with three Psalms and three Lessons,
as there given.

6. On a Double, the Prayers called Preces are omitted at Compline and
Prime, as also the Common Commemorations of the Blessed Virgin, &c., at
Vespers and Lauds.

7. As for anything else, see the Chapters of this Pie treating specially ot

each detail.

CHAPTER II. OF SEMI-DOUBLE OFFICES.

The Office is Semi-double upon all Sundays (except Low Sunday, which is
Double); upon all days within Octaves; upon all Feasts which are marked
Semi-double in the Kalendar, and also upon any Feasts peculiar to particular places
or Congregations, which, in the said places or Congregations it has been usual to
keep more solemnly than if they were Simples.

2. A Semi-double Feast is either kept or commemorated upon its own day,
or entirely omitted, according to Chapter X. of this Pie.

3. A Semi-double Feast has the whole of the Office, from Vespers on the
first evening till Compline on the second, both inclusive, like a Double ; but the
Antiphons are not doubled that is to say, before the Psalm or Canticle only the
first few words of the Antiphon are said, namely, those as far as the asterisk (*),
although at the end of the Psalm or Canticle the whole Antiphon is said entire.

4. At Mattins are said three Nocturns, with three Psalms and three Lessons
in each, except within the Octaves of Easter and Pentecost, when there is only
one Nocturn, with three Psalms and three Lessons. Also on Sundays, when the
Office is of the Sunday, there are twelve Psalms in the first Nocturn, instead of
three.

5. As to anything else, see the Chapters of this Pie treating specially of
each detail.

CHAPTER III. OF SIMPLE OFFICES.

The Office is Simple on all Week-days when the Service is of such ; upon
all days in the Kalendar which are not marked Double, or Semi-double, or of an
Octave ; and in the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin on Saturdays, as appointed
in Chapter VIII.

2. The Office of a Simple Feast is said upon its own day, but is liable to
be overborne by any Office having Nine Lessons, or by that of the Blessed Virgin
on Saturday, or by that of a Week-day having the precedence over it according to
Chapter V. and Chapter IX.

3. The Simple Feast has only one Vesper Office, namely, the first, when the
Service is of the Week-day till the Chapter, exclusive, and then of the Feast from
the Chapter, inclusive, till the end, what is of the Feast being as if of a Semi-
double. However, should this evening be occupied by the Vespers of an Office
of Nine Lessons, the Simple is only commemorated, as regulated in Chapter XI.
A Simple Office always ends with None, inclusive, and has nothing afterwards,
not even a Commemoration.

4. At Mattins, the Office is of the Feast till the Hymn, inclusive ; after which

THE PIE. xxi

are said the Psalms and Antiphons of the Week-day. Then the Office continues
of the Feast, according to what is said in Chapter XXVI.

5. As to anything else, see the Chapters of this Pie treating specially of
each detail.

CHAPTER IV. OF SUNDAYS.

The Office of the Sunday is always said on the Sundays in Advent, and on
those from Septuagesima to Low Sunday, both inclusive, any Double or Semi-
double Feast whatsoever being transferred or reduced to a mere Commemoration
or entirely omitted to make room for them, (as prescribed in Chapter X.,) unless
it be a Double Feast of the First Class. Such Feast is then observed, with a
Commemoration of the Sunday, except on the first Sundays of Advent and Lent,
and Passion, Palm, Easter, Low, Pentecost, and Trinity Sundays, which yield to
nothing. See, as to this, Chapter IX. On other Sundays in the year, the Office
is of the Sunday unless the day be occupied by a Double Office, in which case
the Service is of the Double, with a Commemoration of the Sunday at both
Vespers and at Lauds, and for the Ninth Lesson, the seventh of the Sunday,
or the seventh, eighth, and ninth read as one ; as prescribed in Chapter IX.
A Semi-double clashing with a Sunday is commemorated, according to Chapter X.

2. On the Sundays within the Octaves of Christmas, Twelfth-Day, Ascension
Day, and Corpus Christi, the Service is of the Octave with such variations as are
given in their own place, with Commemoration of the Octave and without either
Preces or the Common Commemorations. On Sundays within other Octaves, the
Service is of the Sunday as given in the Psalter and in the Proper Office of the
Season, with Commemoration of the Octave, but without Preces or the Common
Commemorations. If a Sunday and an Octave-day clash, the Office is of the
Octave-day, being Double, with Commemoration and Ninth Lesson of the
Sunday. The only exception is with the Octave-day of Twelfth-Day, when,
the Service of the Sunday having been said on Saturday, no notice of it is
taken on the Octave-day.

3. Offices are given for six Sundays after the Epiphany and for twenty-four
after Pentecost, so that there shall be no blank upon any of the thirty Sundays
which may occur between Twelfth-Day and Septuagesima, and between Pentecost
and Advent, albeit they may perhaps only be commemorated. Those which are
over and not wanted after Twelfth -Day before Septuagesima are inserted and
used up between the 23rd after Pentecost, and the next before Advent, in the
following order

4. If there are 25 Sundays after Pentecost, the 24th is the 6th after the
Epiphany: if 26 the 2 4 th, the 5th; and the 25th, the 6th: if 27 the 2 4 th,
the 4 th ; the 25th, the 5th ; and the 26th, the 6th : if 28 the 24th, the 3rd ;
the 25th, the 4th; the 26th, the 5th; and the 27th, the 6th. It sometimes
happens that there are only 23 Sundays after Pentecost; in which case, that
next before Advent still keeps its place, and the Office of the 23rd Sunday is
said upon the preceding Saturday, if that day be not occupied by an Office of
Nine Lessons, or, if so occupied, upon the nearest day in that week not so
occupied, a Simple Feast being in such case only commemorated. On this
occasion the Office will be of the Week-day, substituting only the three Lessons,
the Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias, and the Prayer of the Sunday for those
of the Week-day (which are omitted.) However, if the whole of that week be

xxii THE PIE.

occupied by Offices of Nine Lessons, even if transferred thither or belonging to
an Octave, then on the Saturday the Ninth Lesson is the seventh of the Sunday,
or the seventh, eighth, and ninth, read as one, and at Lauds (only) there is made
Commemoration of the Sunday, by its own Antiphon for the Song of Zacharias
and its own Prayer with the Verse and Answer of the Saturday.

5. It will sometimes occur that the 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th Sunday after the
Epiphany is left over and there is no room for it after Pentecost. In that case
it is placed on the Saturday or other day in the week preceding Septuagesima, in
the same manner as described in the foregoing section.

6. What to do when the 2nd Sunday after Twelfth-Day is Septuagesima, is
prescribed in a special Rubric on the subject at p. 359, Note 2.

7. When, in the Breviary, mention is made of the First Sunday of such-
and-such a month, the Sunday meant is that which is on or nearest to the
ist day of such month : thus, if the ist day of the month be a Monday, Tuesday,
or Wednesday, the first Sunday of that month is the Sunday before, albeit actually
in the preceding month, but if the ist day of the month be a Thursday, Friday,
or Saturday, the first Sunday of the month is the Sunday after. However, the
first Sunday of Advent is not taken to be the first Sunday of December, but that
which is either on or nearest to the Feast of St Andrew, viz., November 30.

8. The Sunday Office is Semi-double and begins with Vespers on Saturday,
lasting till Compline on Sunday, inclusive. See, however, the case of its clashing
with other Offices, Chapter XL

9. At Mattins there are Three Nocturns, as in the Psalter, and Nine Lessons,
as in the Office of the Season.

10. As to anything else, see the Chapters of this Pie, treating specially of
such detail.

CHAPTER V. OF WEEK-DAYS.

The Week-day Office, that is to say, the Simple Office of the Season, as
contained in the Psalter and the Proper Office of the Season, is always said in
Advent and Lent, and on Ember Days, Eves, and Rogation Monday, except
when there is a Double or Semi-double Office, or that belonging to some Octave,
on which occasions the Week-day is only commemorated, as given in Chapter IX.
If a Simple Feast occur upon one of these Week-days, it is only commemorated.
Moreover, the Office of the Week-day is said upon any day in the Kalendar
to which no Feast is assigned, which is not within any Octave, and which is
not occupied by the Simple Saturday Office of the Blessed Virgin, or by any
Feast peculiar to the Church or place where the Service takes place or to which
the person praying belongs.

2. In Advent and Lent, and on Ember Days, Eves, and Rogation Monday,
the Office of the Week-day begins with Mattins ; on other days in the year it
begins where the Office of the preceding day ends : thus if the day before
have been Double or Semi-double, it begins with Mattins ; if a Simple, with
Vespers. Moreover, if upon Ember Wednesday and Friday in September, upon
Ash Wednesday, or upon any Eve, there fall a Simple Feast, which is to be
commemorated, this Simple Feast is deprived of its First Vespers, which are
then of the Week-day (unless they be the Second Vespers of some Office of Nine
Lessons) as in the Psalter, without Preces, but with the Prayer of the preceding

THE PIE. xxiii

Sunday, and a Commemoration of the Simple Feast. See Chapter XL The
Office of the Week-day ends with None, if there follow a Double or Semi-
double, but if there follow a Simple, the Office of which is to be said, then
Vespers are of the Week-day till the Chapter exclusive, and with the Chapter
begins the Office of the said Simple, without any further notice of the Week-day.

3. At Mattins is said one Nocturn, with twelve Psalms and three Lessons, as
in the Psalter, and the Proper Office of the Season.

4. From the above rules are entirely excepted the Offices of Maundy
Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Week, and Whitsim Week,
which are perfectly special, as regulated in their own places.

5. As for anything else, see the Chapters of this Pie treating specially of
each detail.

CHAPTER VI. OF EVES.

The Office of the Eve is said upon all Eves which are Fasts, 1 (and which
are marked in the Kalendar with the word "Eve,") unless there occur on such
a day an Office with Nine Lessons, or the Office of some Octave. In such a
case the Ninth Lesson of the said Office is omitted or read as one with the
Eighth, and for the Ninth Lesson is read the whole or the first part of the
Homily for the Eve; and the Eve is commemorated at Lauds (only) by the
Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias and the Verse and Answer belonging to the
Week-day, with the Prayer of the Eve. However, there are some exceptions,
which here follow.

2. If the Eve should be a Sunday, the Office of the Eve is said on Saturday,
or, if Saturday be occupied as mentioned above, it is commemorated, as there
directed. The two exceptions are the Eves of Christmas and Twelfth-Day, the
Offices of which are said even on Sunday, as is noted in their own place. How
ever, if on the day of the Eve should be some Feast of great local importance in
a particular place, or one of those generally more important which are enumerated
hereafter in Chapter IX., as for instance, if Corpus Christi fell upon Midsummer
Eve, no notice whatever is taken of the Eve in the Office. The solitary
exception is the Eve of Twelfth-Day. Moreover, in Advent, Lent, and on
the days of Quarter-Tense, no notice whatever is taken of an Eve.

3. The Office of the Eve begins with Mattins and ends with None.

4. The Office of an Eve is entirely that of the Week-day, (Responsories
included,) except the Three Lessons 2 and the Prayer. Long Preces are said
as in Advent or Lent, and also the Common Commemorations. For anything
else there are special Rubrics hereafter.

5- There are four exceptional cases : a. Whitsun Eve, which is a Semi-
double with Three Nocturns. (3. Christmas Eve, which is a Double, from
Lauds to None, both inclusive, y, 8. The Eves of Twelfth-Day and of the
Ascension. See all these in their own places.

1 There are a good many Eves which are not Fasts, at least in certain countries, but
they appear to have been so formerly, and it is the custom still to recite the Office,
including the Long Preces, as if they had remained so.

2 For the Blessings on them, see the Summary of Blessings and Absolutions hereafter.

xxiv THE PIE.

CHAPTER VII. OF OCTAVES.

An Octave is the repetition of an Office, or at the least the Commemoration
of it, if some Sunday or Festival intervene, for eight days, one after the other,
being the Feast itself and seven days following. This honour is paid to the
Passover, when our Lord rose again, to Ascension Day, to Whitsun Day, to
the Feast of Corpus Christi, to the Dedication of the particular Church, to
the Patronal or Titular Feast of the place or Church, and to Feasts of other
Saints which may have been customarily so treated in any particular Church,
Congregation, or Order. No Octaves are kept between Ash Wednesday and
Easter, nor during the Octave of Pentecost, nor between December 17 and
Christmas ; and even if one of these days, namely, Ash Wednesday, Whitsun
Day, or December 17, should come in the middle of an Octave which has
already been kept for some days, their arrival breaks it off at once.

2. Also, in the cases of Easter and Pentecost the Office of the Octave is
not said after None on the next Saturday.

3. Any Double or Semi-double Feast which falls on any day 1 within an
Octave, is observed, and so also is observed any Feast which may be thither
transferred, but there is then made a Commemoration of the Octave, at both
the Vespers and at Lauds, unless the Feast observed be one of those more
important, hereafter enumerated in Chapter IX., and whereon no Octave is
commemorated ; however, an exception is made in favour of the Octaves of
Christmas, Twelfth-Day, and Corpus Christi, which are always at least com
memorated, whatsoever be the Feast which may occur during their Octaves.
However, within the Octaves of Easter and Pentecost no Feast whatsoever is
kept, even should it be that of the principal Patron or Titular or of the
Dedication of the particular Church. All are transferred out of the Octave,
if this can be done, or are reduced to mere commemorations, as laid down in
Chapter X. Within the Octave of Twelfth -Day (except the Octave -day
itself) may be observed only Double Feasts of the First Class, and that
with Commemoration of the Octave. Within the Octave of Corpus Christi,
only Doubles are observed, and they only those which naturally occur there ;
others are not to be transferred thither, unless they be Feasts of the First or
Second Class ; and Commemoration is always made of the Octave. Semi-
doubles occurring within this Octave are reduced to mere Commemorations.
See Chapter X. Simples which occur within any Octave are merely com
memorated, except upon Easter Monday and Tuesday, and Whitsun Monday
and Tuesday, when all notice of Simples is omitted. See Chapter IX. The
Service upon Sundays within Octaves is as prescribed above, in the Chapter
upon Sundays (IV.) If two Octaves clash (as, for instance, that of Midsummer
Day with that of Corpus Christi, or that of a local Patron or Titular with some
other) when the Office is not of some Festival with Nine Lessons or of the
Sunday, it is of that Octave whose Feast is of the higher rank, with Com
memoration of the other. As for the case of Feasts falling on the actual
Octave-days, see Chapter X.

4. The Office of a day within an Octave has three Nocturns, that is to
say, at Mattins nine Psalms and nine Lessons. The only exceptions are the

1 Except, of course, the Feast itself, the Octave-day, and the Sunday.

THE PIE. XXV

Octaves of Easter and Pentecost, when there is only one Nocturn. Every
thing is as on the Festival, except the Lessons. Of these, the first three are
always from Scripture according to the Season, except within the Octave of
the Assumption, when those days on which the Office is of the Octave have
Scripture Lessons of their own, taken from the Song of Songs. The Lessons
of the Second and Third Nocturns are always given in their own places. It
may happen that an Octave is kept somewhere for some local Patron or Titular
Feast, where there are no special authorised Lessons for the Second and Third
Nocturn : l in this case Lessons are to be taken out of the Common Office, if
the subject be some Saint or Saints, or, if otherwise, the Lessons of the Feast-day
repeated.

5. On the days within the Octave the Office is Semi-double, and on the
Octave-day itself Double. The Vespers every day are the same as the Second
Vespers of the Feast, except the First Vespers of the Octave-day, which are the
same as the First Vespers of the Feast, unless some special direction be given to
the contrary.

6. Within Octaves the Common Commemorations of the Saints are not said
at Vespers and Lauds, nor Preces at Prime and Compline, even if the Office
be of a Sunday or Semi-double. For anything else, see the Chapters of this
Pie treating specially of each detail.

CHAPTER VIII. OF THE OFFICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN AS A SIMPLE

ON SATURDAY.

On every Saturday in the year, with the exceptions hereafter immediately
noted, the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin as placed at the end of the
Common Office for her Festivals, is said in preference to the Office of the
Week-day or the Office of any other Simple Festival, such simple Festival, if
it occur, being merely commemorated. The exceptions are the Saturdays in
Advent and Lent, the Ember Saturdays, Eves, Saturdays to which the Sunday
Office may be transferred according to this Pie, IV. 4, 5, Saturdays on which
Nine Lessons may be read, and the Saturdays within the Octaves of Easter and
Whitsun Day.

2. When this Office is not said, neither is it commemorated. On Semi-
doubles the Blessed Virgin (if her Little Office is not going to be said) has
her Common Commemoration at Vespers and Lauds, along with the others, but
that is all.

3. This Office begins with the Chapter at Vespers on Friday, like other
Simple Offices, and similarly, has a Commemoration at the Friday Vespers,
should those belong to some Office of Nine Lessons, Unless such Office be of
the Blessed Virgin, when the Commemoration of the Simple Office is omitted.
If such Commemoration be made it consists of the Antiphon at her Song, the
Verse and Answer, and the Prayer of the Little Office Vespers ; and no other
Commemoration of her is made.

4. At Mattins, the Invitatory and Hymn are of her ; then follows the one
Nocturn of the Week-day, with its own Psalms and Antiphons ; Verse and
Answer, Absolution, two Responsories, Blessings, and Third Lesson of the

1 There is, however, an approved Octavarium Romanum, or Offices for Octaves, which will
meet nearly every possible contingency.

VOL. I. b 2

XXvi THE PIE.

Blessed Virgin, with two Lessons from Scripture and the Hymn "We praise
Thee, O God, &c.," all as at the end of the Common, as are also Lauds,
Prime, Terce, Sext, and None.

5. Preces are said at Prime and Compline, and the Common Commemora
tions (except her s) at Lauds. After None, nothing is said of her, unless she
is commemorated, among the other Common Commemorations, in the First
Vespers of Sunday.

CHAPTER IX. OF COMMEMORATIONS.

If there come upon the day of a Simple Feast (a) an Office of Nine
Lessons, either always, or transferred thither, (b) a Sunday, (c) some day
belonging to an Octave, (d) a Saturday, or (e) the Office of some Sunday
transferred to a Week-day, then there is made a Commemoration of the
Simple Feast, at First Vespers and at Lauds.

2. Week-days in Advent and Lent, Ember Days, Eves, and Rogation
Monday, are commemorated only, if a Feast of Nine Lessons comes upon
them, but their Office takes precedence of a simple Feast, which, in them, is
only commemorated.

3. If a Double Feast fall upon a Sunday between Pentecost and Advent,
between Twelfth-Day and Septuagesima, or between Low Sunday and Pentecost,
the Sunday is commemorated at both Vespers and at Lauds. A Double Feast
falling upon any of the other Sundays is either transferred or reduced to a mere
Commemoration, as laid down in Chapter X., unless it should be the principal
Patron, or Titular, or the Feast of the Dedication of the Church, (and this
applies only to the Church itself, not to every Side-Chapel or Altar,) in which
case such Patronal, Titular, or Dedication Festival is in that particular place
or Church only, kept instead of the Sunday, but with a Commemoration of
the Sunday at both Vespers and at Lauds. However, from this liability are
excepted the first Sundays in Advent and Lent, Passion, Palm, Easter, Low,
Pentecost, and Trinity Sundays, which cannot be displaced, and any such Festival
occurring on them is to be transferred, as likewise any Feast of the First Class
falling on these Sundays.

4. An Octave is always commemorated, if its office be displaced by a Feast
of Nine Lessons or a Sunday, unless such Feast be that of the Patron, the
Titular, or the Dedication of the particular place, which kind of Feasts admit
of no Commemoration at First Vespers or at Lauds, whether of a Simple, or
of an Eve, (unless it be Twelfth-Day Eve,) or of the Second Vespers of another
Festival going before it, unless such Festival be one of those in this chapter here
after specially enumerated, or of an Octave-day, or of the Second Vespers of a
Sunday, unless that Sunday be one of those of Advent, or one of those between
Septuagesima and Low Sunday, both inclusive, which Sundays, as also the Week
days of Advent and Lent, the Ember Days and Rogation Monday, are always
commemorated in whatsoever Office it be. If such Festival fall on any Sunday,
or upon the Octave-day of some Feast which has an Octave, the Sunday or
Octave-day is commemorated at both Vespers and at Lauds. As regards,
however, the Second Vespers of such Festival, a Commemoration is made of
the First Vespers of any Double, Semi-double, or Sunday occupying the next
day, but not of anything else.

THE PIE. Xxvii

5. The same rule is applied everywhere to certain great Festivals in the year,
viz., Christmas Day, (on which day there is no Commemoration of St Anastasia
in the Office, but only in the Dawn Mass,) Twelfth-Day, Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Day, Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday,
Ascension Day, Whitsun Day, Whitsun Monday, Whitsun Tuesday, Corpus
Christi, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, St Joseph, Midsummer Day, the Holy
Apostles Peter and Paul, the Immaculate Conception, Lady Day and the
Assumption of Blessed Mary, All Saints, St Thomas of Canterbury, 1 St George,
St Augustine of Canterbury, and the Feast of the Dedication of the particular
Church. The rules as to Commemorations on all these are everywhere the
same as if they were the local Patron.

6. There is a second and lower class of Festivals, viz., New Year s Day,
the Holy Name, Trinity Sunday, Candlemas, the Visitation, the Nativity and
the Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary of Blessed Mary, the Feasts of the
Eleven Apostles, of the Evangelists, of the Patronage of St Joseph, of the Most
Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Finding of the Holy Cross,
of St Joachim, father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of St Anne, mother of the
Same, of St Lawrence, of St Gregory the Great, of St Edward, and Michaelmas.
At the First Vespers of these (unless there be a special direction to the contrary)
a Commemoration is made of the Second Vespers of a Double, should there have
been one that day unless the contrary be specially indicated but not of a Sunday,
of a day within an Octave, nor of a Semi-double, any more than on Festivals of
the highest class. If Simple Festivals or Eves fall on the same days as these
Festivals, they have the Ninth Lesson at Mattins and a Commemoration at Lauds
only. At Second Vespers a Commemoration is made of any Festival whatever-
even a Simple, and of a day within an Octave, if the Office of that is to occupy
the next day. The Octaves of Christmas, Twelfth-Day, and Corpus Christi are
special cases; they are always commemorated at Vespers and Lauds, whatever be
the Office of the day.

7. If Sundays and Week-days of Advent and Lent are to be commemorated,
it is done at both Vespers and at Lauds ; if Ember Days, Eves, and Rogation
Monday, at Lauds only; if Simple Feasts (unless in the cases mentioned above)
at First Vespers and Lauds ; if other Sundays or Octaves, at both Vespers and at
Lauds. When a Double or Semi-double is reduced to a mere Commemoration,
it is commemorated at both Vespers and at Lauds in the same way as if it were an
Octave-day or a Sunday, unless the superseding Feast be a Double of the First
Class, in which case no notice of a suppressed Double or Semi-double is taken at
all, except that the First Vespers of such suppressed Double or Semi-double are
commemorated in the Second Vespers of a Double of the First Class, occupying
the immediately preceding day.

8. A Commemoration is made thus. After the Prayer of the Office for the
day are recited ( i ) the Antiphons for the Song of the Blessed Virgin or of
Zacharias, according as the occasion be Vespers or Lauds, then (2) the Verse
and Answer after the Hymn from the same, and then (3) the Prayer, preceded

. l In England St Thomas is the patron of the secular clergy, and for them therefore the
feast is of the First Class, but among some of the regulars it is only of the Second Class. In
the present translation it is given as of the First Class ; but where it is treated as of the Second
Class, the second half of the Vespers on Innocents Day is of the Innocents, with a Com
memoration of him ; and his Commemoration is made after that of the Innocents, while the
Octave of the Innocents lasts.

xxviii THE PIE.

by " Let us Pray," which would have been used in the superseded Office which
is to be commemorated. It sometimes happens, where both the Office of the day
and the Office of a Simple Feast to be commemorated have their Antiphons and
Verse and Answer from the Common Office for Saints of the class, that the
Antiphon and Verse and Answer in the Commemoration would naturally be the
same as those in the Office for the day, and, to avoid this, those of the Com
memoration are taken from Lauds at First Vespers, and from First Vespers at
L au d s unless a special direction be given to the contrary. 1 In like manner, if
the Festival of St Angela (or of any other Holy Woman with an Office of Nine
Lessons) fell on a Friday, and the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin were ta
be said on the Saturday, the Verse and Answer in the Commemoration of the
Blessed Virgin at the Second Vespers of St Angela would naturally be " Grace
is poured into thy lips Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever," but these are
the same Verse and Answer as would already have been said after the Hymn of
St Angela, therefore, in the Commemoration of the Blessed Virgin, the Verse
and Answer are taken from the ensuing Lauds, viz., " Blessed art thou among
women And blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb." And the same system is
adopted in the case of the Prayer ; if the Office for the day and the Office to be
commemorated have both the same Prayer out of one of the Common Offices,
then for the Commemoration a different Prayer is taken from the same Common
Office. If the Office to be commemorated has been reduced to the form of
a Simple Office, and the Antiphons, &c., are taken from the Common Office of
the Feast of the day, then at First Vespers such Antiphons, &c., must be taken
from the Second Vespers of the Common, and if the Feast has both First and
Second Vespers the Antiphon, &c., at Lauds must be taken from First Vespers,
while at Second Vespers the Antiphon will be taken from Lauds and the Verse
from First Vespers unless a special direction be given to the contrary. An
exception, however, is made when a Commemoration of a Holy Virgin is made
on the Feast of another Holy Virgin ; in this case the Antiphon for the Com
memoration at First Vespers must be taken from Lauds. When the reduced
Feast is not commemorated at Second Vespers the rules given above for the
Commemoration of Simple Feasts must be followed.

9. Whenever in an Office of Nine Lessons, Commemoration is made of
any Sunday or Week-day which has an Homily of its own, then such Homily
is the Ninth Lesson at Mattins, being either the first part only, or the whole
three used continuously together as one.

10. So too if Commemoration be made of a Simple Feast, in an Office with
Nine Lessons, the Ninth Lesson is of the Simple Feast; and if the Simple Feast
have two Lessons, then both are read together as one. But this Lesson of the
Feast is omitted, if the Office of the day be that of a Sunday which has a
Ninth Responsory instead of the Hymn, "We praise Thee, O God, &c.,"
and also when the Ninth Lesson is occupied by an Homily, as prescribed above ;
neither is it read in any Office in which there are only three Lessons (as, for
instance, within the Octaves of Easter and Pentecost.) Moreover, when Com-

1 A standing instance is the First Vespers of St Angela on May 30, at which there is always
a Commemoration of the First Vespers of St Petronilla. Both the Office and the Commemora
tion are from the Common Office for a Virgin not a Martyr, but the Antiphon and Verse
and Answer for St Petronilla are taken from Lauds, viz., "The kingdom of heaven, &c.,""
and " Grace is poured, &c.," because " Come, Bride of Christ, &c.," and " In thy comeliness,
&c.," have already been used for St Angela. And at Lauds the case is reversed.

THE PIE. xxix

memoration is made of a day within an Octave, the Ninth Lesson is not of the
Octave albeit it have a proper Gospel and Homily. So also, when a Double or
Semi-double has been reduced to a mere Commemoration, the historical Lessons
of the Second Nocturn of the said suppressed Double or Semi-double are read
together as one Lesson, forming the Ninth Lesson of the superior Office which
has superseded the Double or Semi-double, except if the Office of Corpus Christi
be said on any day within that Octave, in which case any Ninth Lesson of this
sort is omitted.

ii. If several Commemorations are to be made, their order of precedence is
as follows. First, a privileged Sunday ; second, an Octave ; third, a Greater
Double ; fourth, a Double reduced to a Simple Commemoration ; fifth, a Common
Sunday ; sixth, a day within the Octave of Corpus Christi ; seventh, a Semi-
double ; eighth, a day within an Octave when reduced to a Simple Com
memoration ; ninth, a Week-day in Advent or Lent, an Ember Day, Eve, or
Rogation Day; tenth, for a Friday evening, the Simple Office of the Blessed
Virgin, if it is to be said next day ; lastly, a Simple Feast ; and not till after a
Simple (if there be one) are made the Common Commemorations of the Blessed
Virgin, St Joseph, &c., or of the Cross only, as the Season may be. The place
of the local Patron in these Common Commemorations is determined according to
his rank. 1 As to these Common Commemorations, see Chapter XXXV.

CHAPTER X. OF TRANSFERENCES.

If any Double Feast fall upon a Sunday in Advent, or upon any Sunday
between Septuagesima and Low Sunday, both inclusive, upon Christmas Eve
and Christmas Day, upon New Year s Day, from Jan. 6 to 13, both inclusive,
on Ash Wednesday, in Holy Week, or Easter Week, on Ascension Day, or
any day from Whitsun Eve to Trinity Sunday, both inclusive, on Corpus Christi
or its Octave, on the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Dec. 8,
on Lady Day, on Aug. i 5, on Midsummer Day, on March 19, on June 29,
or on Nov. I, then such Feast is transferred to the nearest day which is not
occupied by a Double or Semi-double. The only exception is that Midsummer
Day and the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul may be kept upon the Octave of
Corpus Christi or on the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Moreover,
the special Feast of a particular Church or place may, but only in that particular
Church or place, be kept upon the Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of Lent
and Advent, upon Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima, and upon a
day within the Octave of Twelfth-Day. 2 A solemn primary Feast occurring
on the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus will take precedence of the
latter. Candlemas Day possesses this special privilege, viz., that if it fall on a
Sunday of the Second Class, it is transferred only to Monday, however occupied.
Moreover, if Midsummer Day be Corpus Christi, the Feast of St John is trans
ferred only to the next day, and has Commemoration of the Octave. St John
is only commemorated in the Second Vespers of Corpus Christi, and on the
following days the Office is of the Octave of Corpus Christi, with Commem
oration of the Octave of St John. In this case July i is reckoned to be the
Octave-day of both, and the Service is of the Octave-day of Corpus Christi,

1 I.e., an Angel or St John the Baptist is commemorated before St Joseph.

2 St Joseph, as Patron everywhere, possesses this privilege everywhere.

XXX THE PIE.

with a Commemoration of the Octave-day of St John at both Vespers and at
Lauds.

The above rule is invariable. If a Feast which has an Octave is transferred,
its Octave is not transferred with it; all is done as if the Feast had occupied
its usual place. And if the Feast be transferred beyond what would ordinarily be
its own Octave-day, it is that year kept without any Octave at all ; unless, indeed,
it be a Feast which has some local privilege to the contrary.

Ordinary or lesser Doubles, with the exception of the Feasts of those Saints
who are styled Doctors of the Church, are not transferred if their observance
is impeded by that of some Sunday or greater Festival or Office, but upon their
own day they have a Commemoration at both Vespers and at Lauds, and the
Ninth Lesson at Mattins, that is to say, if the rules applicable to the Feasts
superseding them permit of such Commemoration ; if not, such Double Feast is
for that year entirely omitted (see Chapter IX. par. 7-10, and par. 8 of the
present Chapter.) The same rules apply to any other Double Feasts for which
it may be impossible to find any day within the year to which to transfer them.
When ordinary or lesser Double Feasts, even though they are not of Doctors,
are impeded every year by a higher Office, they are permanently fixed on the
first free day.

2. If a Double of the First or Second Class as enumerated in Chap. IX.
par. 5, 6, fall upon an Octave-day, the Service is of the Festival with Com
memoration of the Octave, unless the day be New Year s Day or January 1 3 ;
any Festival falling upon these two days must be transferred ; but if the Festival
falling upon the Octave-day be not of the First or Second Class, it is transferred
if it be a Greater Double, or the Feast of a Doctor of the Church ; if not, it is
reduced to a mere Commemoration at both Vespers and at Lauds with the Ninth
Lesson at Mattins as above.

3. If some Double 1 Feast falling within an Octave is superseded by some
higher Feast, it is transferred to the next day not similarly occupied, if it be
of the Second Class, or a Greater Double, or the Feast of a Doctor of the
Church, and is kept with Commemoration of the Octave. 2 If it be an ordinary
lesser Double, it is simply reduced to Commemoration at both Vespers and
Lauds, with the Ninth Lesson at Mattins, as above.

4. Sundays within the year other than those above mentioned are superseded
even by an ordinary or lesser Double Feast. The Sunday then has a Com
memoration at both Vespers and Lauds, and a Ninth Lesson at Mattins. See
Chap. IX.

5. If a Semi-double Feast fall upon any of the days above enumerated, or
within the Octave of Corpus Christi, or upon any Sunday, it either has a
Commemoration at both Vespers and at Lauds, and the historical Lessons of
its Second Nocturn are read as one for the Ninth Lesson at Mattins, or it is
totally omitted as above directed in the case of ordinary or lesser Doubles.
But if a Semi-double Feast is impeded every year by a higher Office, it is
permanently fixed on the first free day, as in the case of ordinary or lesser
Double Feasts.

1 This must be understood of the Feast of a Doctor of the Church, of a Greater Double,
a Double of the Second Class, or of a Double of the First Class as mentioned in the latter part
of IX. 3. The end of this paragraph contains a special direction for the suppression instead of
the transference of the ordinary or lesser Doubles.

2 That is, if it is not transferred beyond it.

THE PIE. xxxi

6. If two or more Feasts of Nine Lessons fall on the same day, the higher
in rank is observed, and the others commemorated as above. If they are all
of the same rank, a Primary Feast will take precedence of a Secondary, and
generally the more worthy or solemn is observed, and the others reduced to a
mere Commemoration or omitted altogether, unless they be Feasts of Doctors
of the Church or higher, when they are transferred.

7. If several are to be transferred, the order of precedence is observed as
above, and, lastly, if none is more worthy or solemn than another, they are
taken by priority of date.

8. A Simple Feast is never transferred. If it comes on a day when it
cannot be kept, it is commemorated, and if it cannot be commemorated, it is
omitted altogether.

9. If a Feast of Nine Lessons which has the Commemoration of a Simple
be transferred, the Commemoration is not transferred with it, but is made, if
it can be made, upon its own day, with the Ninth Lesson, if it have one, and
the Office of the day admits of it. The Feast to which it was originally joined
is utterly divorced from it. And the same rule applies to a Commemoration
made on an Eve, if the Feast to which the Eve belongs fall on Monday, and
so the Eve be kept on Saturday; the Commemoration of the Simple stands
unchanged for the Sunday.

CHAPTER XL OF CONCURRENCE.

By Concurrence (as opposed to Occurrence, which is two Offices falling on
the same day,) is meant the case of the Second Vespers of one Office falling
on the same evening as the First Vespers of another.

2. If they are two Doubles of the same rank, the Vespers are divided ;
the former is observed up to the Chapter, and the latter from the Chapter,
inclusive 1 unless there be some special direction to the contrary. If they
are not of the same rank, they are treated according to Chapters IX. and X.
Hence the highest class have the whole of both First and Second Vespers,
with a Commemoration, if proper, of lesser Feasts. But if the Second Vespers
of a Feast of the Second Class fall on the same evening as the First Vespers
of a Feast of the First Class, then the whole is of the Feast of the First
Class, with a Commemoration of the Feast of the Second Class. As regards
precedence, among Feasts of the same Class, the Feasts of our Lord go before
all others, so as to have the whole of both Vespers ; so those of the Blessed
Virgin go before those of other Saints ; so also those of Angels, of St Joseph,
and of the Apostles [and Evangelists] before others ; and those of Saints par
ticularly venerated in the place before the rest.

3. If the Second Vespers of a Double fall on the same evening with the
First Vespers of a Semi-double, a Sunday, a day within an Octave, a Simple
Feast, or the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin on Saturday, the Service is
all of the Double, with a Commemoration of the other, unless indeed it be one
of those Doubles which, according to Chapter IX., exclude certain Com
memorations. When the day after any Office of Nine Lessons is a Week-day
kept as such, no notice of the Week-day so ensuing is taken in the Second

i The Frontal and Vestments are, from the beginning, of the colour which will be proper at
the Song of the Blessed Virgin.

xxxii THE PIE.

Vespers of the Feast; but if it be in Advent or Lent, the Week-day is com
memorated as usual. Also a Commemoration is made of a Simple which is to
be commemorated in the First Vespers of an Office of Nine Lessons occupying
the next day, although this Commemoration cannot be said to proceed from
the Second Vespers of the former Office of Nine Lessons concurring with the
First Vespers of the Simple, seeing that the Simple has no Office, but is because
the Simple occurs on the same day with the latter Office of Nine Lessons.

4. If the Second Vespers of a Semi-double, of a Sunday, or of a day
within an Octave fall on the same evening with the First Vespers of a Double,
the Service is all of the Double, with a Commemoration of the other, unless
the Double be one of those which, according to Chapter IX., exclude such
Commemoration. If the Second Vespers of a Semi -double fall on the same
evening with the First Vespers of another Semi-double or of a Sunday, the
Service is of the former up to the Chapter, and of the latter, from the Chapter,
inclusive. But if the Second Vespers of a Semi-double fall on the same evening
with the First Vespers of a day within an Octave, the Service is all of the former,
with a Commemoration of the latter. But if the Second Vespers of a Semi-
double fall on the same evening with the First Vespers of a Simple, or of
the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin on Saturday, the Service is all of the
former, with a Commemoration of the latter.

5. If the First Vespers of a Semi-double, a day within an Octave, or a
Simple, fall on Sunday evening, the Service is all of Sunday, with a Com
memoration of the other.

6. If the Second Vespers of a day within an Octave fall upon the same
evening with the First Vespers of a Sunday, the Service is of the former up
to the Chapter, and of the latter, from the Chapter, inclusive, with a Com
memoration of the Octave. If the Second Vespers of a day within an Octave
falls upon the same evening with the First Vespers of a Semi -double, the
Service is all of the latter, with a Commemoration of the Octave. Second
Vespers of a day within an Octave can never properly be said to fall on the
same evening with the First Vespers of a Simple, because a Simple in such a
position is always deprived of its Office by that of the next day, but there is
a Commemoration, just as there is at the next Lauds.

7. If the Second Vespers of one Octave-day fall on the same evening with
the First Vespers of another Octave-day, other things being equal, the Service
is of the latter, from the Chapter inclusive, with a Commemoration of the former,
except when the Second Vespers of the Octave of Corpus Christi fall on the
same evening with the First Vespers of the Octave of St John the Baptist,
when the Service is all of Corpus Christi, with a Commemoration of St John,
(which Commemoration is made though the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart
occur), and except also when special directions are given. If the Second Vespers
of an Octave-day fall on the same evening with the First Vespers of a Common
Double, (even one which has got there by transference,) other things being
equal, the Service is of the Octave-day up to the Chapter, and of the ensuing
Double, from the Chapter, inclusive except the Octave-days of the Primary
Feast of the Blessed Virgin, of the Feasts of the Holy Angels, of St John
the Baptist, of St Joseph, and of Apostles, which Octaves have the whole
Service, the Double being only commemorated. But if the ensuing Feast be
a Greater Double, (even one there by transference,) such Double has the

THE PIE. xxxiii

whole Service, with a Commemoration of the Octave except in the case of
the Octave-days of Twelfth-Day, of Easter Day, of the Ascension, and of
other primary Feasts of our Lord, when the ensuing Feast is only commem
orated. However, if the ensuing Feast be one of the Doubles enumerated in
Chapter IX., par. 6, it has the whole Service, the Octave being only com
memorated, [and if one of the highest class, there is no Commemoration.]
If, however, the Feasts of which the Octaves concur are of different rite, or
dignity, the Vespers will be all of the Octave of the Feast which is of higher
rite, or a primary Feast, or of greater dignity, with a Commemoration of the
other, and likewise when an Octave concurs with a Double, exception being
always made of the Octaves of the above-named Feasts of our Lord and the
Blessed Virgin.

8. A Simple never has any Second Vespers ; its Office ends absolutely
with None.

9. A Week-day kept as such cannot be said to have either First or Second
Vespers, the Week-day Office being merely a means of filling up space between
other Offices. The Commemorations made of them in Advent or Lent or at
other times are by occurrence, not concurrence, and to fulfil the rule of the
Church. They cannot extend before midnight ; for instance, if Vespers on
Shrove Tuesday were of the Week-day, the Prayer would be that of Quin-
quagesima Sunday, and the Long Preces would not be said.

10. However, if a Simple Feast fall on a Week-day to be kept as such
(for instance, on Ash Wednesday) it is deprived of its First Vespers, and has
only a Commemoration, whatever be the Office on the preceding evening, or,
if it fall on Maundy Thursday, all observance of it is omitted. This is not
because the Week-day has First Vespers, which is not the case, but because
it would be unseemly for the Simple, which has only a Commemoration at
Lauds, to have First Vespers.

CHAPTER XII. How TO FIND THE OFFICE FOR THE DAY.

If any one wishes to find the Office for the ensuing day, 1 let him look in
the Kalendar and in the Table of Moveable Feasts, 2 and do as he finds there.

2. If the Office be of the Season, that is to say, of some Sunday or Week
day kept as such, the places to look in are the Psalter and the Proper Office
of the Season ; the former contains the general outline of the Service, with the
Psalms, and some other things, and the latter, the Lessons and Responsories,
with some Antiphons, the Prayers, &c., which are not in the Psalter. The
Invitatories, Hymns, Chapters, Verses and Answers, Short Responsories and
Antiphons, given in the Proper Office of the Season for certain times, are
said instead of those in the Psalter ; when there are no others, those in the
Psalter are used.

3. If the Office be of a Saint, the place to look is the Common Office

1 Which is reckoned to begin with Vespers.

2 But this process is now always superseded by the simple plan of consulting the Ordo
Recitandi Divini Officii, or Ecclesiastical Kalendar, published yearly in all dioceses of the
Latin Church. In this translation of the Breviary the Table of Moveable Feasts is omitted,
as it is entirely useless, owing to the multiplicity of yearly almanacks.

xxxiv THE PIE.

of Saints and the Proper Office of Saints ; what is not in the Proper is taken
from the Common. And the Lessons (not the Responsories) from Scripture
are usually those from the Proper Office of the Season. 1

CHAPTER XIII. MATTINS.

Mattins are always said in the following manner according to the Office of the
day, except on certain days, when special directions are given. The "Our
Father," the " Hail Mary," and the " I believe in God " are first said inaudibly.
Then the Officiant makes the sign of the Cross upon his mouth with the thumb of
his right hand, saying aloud at the same time, "O LORD, open Thou my lips."
To which is answered, " And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise." Then
he opens his hand and signs himself again, with the extended fingers, from the
forehead to the breast, and from the left shoulder to the right, saying, "Make
haste, O God, to deliver me." And so on, as is to be found at the beginning of
the Psalter. The same rite is to be observed at the beginning of every Canonical
Hour. Then is said the Invitatory proper to the Office of the day, either of the
Season or of a Feast, with the Psalm, " O come, let us sing unto the LORD,"
all as is to be found at the beginning of the Psalter. 2 When the Psalm is done,
and the Invitatory repeated for the last time, the Hymn proper to the Office
of the day is recited.

2. After this, upon all Doubles and Semi-doubles follow nine Psalms, (upon
Sundays there are more, as will be found in the Psalter,) with the Antiphons and
Verses proper to the Office of the day, either of the Season or Feast, together
with nine Lessons, and either eight or nine Responsories, as marked in the proper
place. The whole is divided into Three Nocturns, as follows

3. In the First Nocturn are said three Psalms with three Antiphons, after
every Psalm an Antiphon : but in the Easter-time, that is, from Low Sunday to
Whitsun Day, (except in the Office of the Ascension,) the three Psalms of each
Nocturn are said with only one Antiphon, which is repeated after the third Psalm.
At the end of the Antiphon after the third Psalm in each Nocturn, is said a Verse
and Response, then the "Our Father," "And lead us not into temptation," to
which is answered, " But deliver us from evil," then the Absolution, that is, the
Prayer " Graciously hear," then the Blessing is asked and pronounced, " May the
Eternal Father," and the other forms which are marked for the first and every
other Lesson. After this are read three Lessons from Scripture, which are those
proper to the Season, unless special Lessons are assigned. After each Lesson
follows a Responsory taken from the Office of the day, which is always the
case, whatever the Lessons be ; as, for instance, on a Saint s Day when no special
Lessons are assigned and the three Lessons from Scripture are accordingly taken

1 Here follow six more paragraphs, describing the contents of the book, which it appears
unnecessary to translate.

2 These invitatories vary with the Office, but are invariably divided into two portions by an
asterisk (*). The entire invitatory is repeated twice before the Psalm, and once after the
first, third, and fifth of the five sections (each consisting of two verses) into which the Psalm
is divided. After the second and fourth sections, is repeated only that part of the Invitatory
which follows the asterisk, and which usually, though not always, consists of the words, "O
come, let us worship Him." The Psalm finished and the entire Invitatory repeated, the
doxology of two verses is said as another section, and then is repeated first the second portioji
of the Invitatory, and then the whole of it once more.

THE PIE. XXXV

from the Proper Office of the Season, the Responsories are nevertheless taken from
the Office of the Saint.

4. In the last Responsory of each Nocturn is said " Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," (without "As it was in the beginning,
&c.") And then part of the Responsory is repeated again, unless a direction be
given to the contrary.

5. In the Second Nocturn are said three more Psalms, with Antiphons, a
Verse and Response, the "Our Father And lead us not into temptation."
Answer, " But deliver us from evil," the Absolution, " May His grace and
mercy," the Blessings, and the rest, with three more Lessons, taken from some
discourse, or from the Life of the Saint whose Office is being said, if it be a
Saint s Day, and after each Lesson a Responsory.

6. In the Third Nocturn are said three more Psalms, with Antiphons, a
Verse and Response, the " Our Father And lead us not into temptation,"
Answer, " But deliver us from evil," the Absolution, " May the Almighty,"
the Blessings, and the rest, as before, with three more Lessons taken from
some Commentary on the Gospel for the day or Feast. After the two first
Lessons (that is, the seventh and eighth of the whole) is said a Responsory,
one after each. Sometimes there is also a Responsory said after the third
(ninth) Lesson, which will be found marked in its proper place. In the last
Responsory, whether it be the eighth or ninth, is said the " Glory be to the
Father" as in the third and sixth, unless the contrary is specially directed. If
there is no ninth Responsory, the last lesson is immediately followed by the
Hymn, "We praise Thee, 6 God."

7. On plain Week-days and Simple Feasts only three Lessons are read.
In that case the Office is the same as above, except that instead of three
Nocturns only one is said. This Nocturn is always that of the Week-day,
whether the Office be said of the Week-day or of a Saint, and consists of
twelve Psalms, and six Antiphons arranged as in the Psalter. In the Easter-
time there is only one Antiphon, that is "Alleluia."

8. After the Psalms and Antiphons follows a Verse and Response. This
is to be found in the Psalter, if the Office be of a Week-day. If the Office is
of a Saint, it is taken from the Common of Saints of that Class, which is to be
found in the same place. Then is said the " Our Father And lead us not into
temptation," Answer, " But deliver us from evil," an Absolution and Blessing,
&c., as will be laid down more at length in the Chapter on Absolutions and
Blessings. Then are read three Lessons. If the Office is of a Week-day,
these are all from the Scripture, as appointed for the Season. If the Office is
of a Saint, if there is one special Lesson appointed, the two first only are of
Scripture, in which case the third may be read along with the second, as one,
at option; if two special Lessons be appointed, then only the first Lesson is from
Scripture, in which case the whole three may be read together as one.

9. After each Lesson is said a Responsory; if the Office be of the Week
day, they will be found marked after the Lessons ; if the Office be of a Feast
they are taken from the Common of Saints of the Class according to the rule
given in Chapter XXVII., as will be laid down more at length in the chapter
on Verses and Responsories. In the case of a Saint s Day, it will be observed
that only two Responsories are said, the third Lesson being followed by the Hymn
"We praise Thee, O God." The same is the case in Easter-time. In both

xxxvi THE PIE.

these cases therefore the second Responsory, being the last, is said with the
" Glory be to the Father, &c.," and the partial repetition of the Responsory itself.

CHAPTER XIV. LAUDS.

When the Hymn "We praise Thee, O God," or the ninth Responsory, as
the case may be, has been said, the Officiant makes the sign of the Cross, saying,
" Make haste, O God, to deliver me," to which is answered, " Make haste to
help me, O LORD," and so on, as at Mattins. But instead of the Invitatory
there follow at once the Psalms, with the Canticle, (which is on Sundays the
Song of the Three Children in the burning fiery furnace, " O all ye works of
the Lord,") all as contained in the Psalter, with the Antiphons proper to the
Office of the day. The same Psalms and Canticle are said upon every Sunday
in the year, on every day in Easter-time, and upon every Feast whatsoever, even
Simples, except only the Sundays from Septuagesima to Palm Sunday inclusively.
Upon the Sundays from Septuagesima to Palm Sunday inclusively the Office is
said as marked in its proper place. The Office on Week-days not in Easter-
time is said as given in the Psalter.

2. If no proper Antiphons are assigned, if the Office be of the Sunday, those
are said which are given in the Psalter ; if the Office be of a Feast, Double or
Simple, they are taken from the Common of Saints of that Class. After the
Psalms follow the Chapter, the Hymn, the Verse and Response, the Antiphon
for the Canticle " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel," the said Canticle itself,
and the Prayer ; all taken from the Office of the day.

3. When the short Responsory prayers called the " Preces " are to be said,
they are said before the Prayer ; and when the Antiphons, Verses, Responses
and Prayers in memory of the Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of St Joseph,
of the Apostles, of the Patron of the Church, Country, Diocese or Place, and
for Peace are to be said, they are said after the Prayer of the day. If a Prayer
is likewise to be said in memory of some Saint with a Simple Feast, such Prayer
is to be said, with its proper Antiphon, Verse and Response, before the Com
memoration of the Cross ; for which fuller directions are given in the special
chapter on the subject.

4. Before the Prayer the Officiant always says, "Hear my prayer, O LORD,"
to which is answered, "And let my cry come unto Thee." 1 Then he says,
"Let us pray," and proceeds. After the last Prayer is again said, "Hear my
prayer, O LORD," Answer, " And let my cry come unto Thee." l Then, " Bless
we the Lord," Answer, "Thanks be to God." " May the souls of the faithful,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace," Answer, "Amen." If the Office is
not to be at once continued, the " Our Father " is then recited inaudibly ; after
which the Officiant says, "The Lord give us His peace," Answer, "And life
eternal. Amen." After this, one of the Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
from the end of Compline, is said, unless Mass, the Office of the Dead, the
Penitential Psalms, or the Litany are to follow at once. If the Office is to
be continued, the Antiphon of the Blessed Virgin is said when it is over.
Respecting the Office of the Dead, the Penitential Psalms and the Litany,
directions are given in their proper place.

1 Instead of this a person in or above Deacon s orders says, " The Lord be with you," and
is answered, "And with thy spirit."

THE PIE. xxxvii

CHAPTER XV. PRIME.
At the beginning of Prime the "Our Father," the " Hail, Mary," and the " I

follow the Psalms, as appointed in the Psalter, according to the day of the
week, except on Feasts and in Easter-time, when the Psalms said are the three
(i) Ps. liii. "Save me, O God, by Thy Name," (2) Ps. cxviii. 1-16,
"Blessed are the undefiled I will not forget Thy word," and (3) Ps. cxviii.
17-32, "Deal bountifully with Thy servant Thou hast enlarged my heart."
Only one Antiphon is said after all the Psalms, which Antiphon is the same
as the first Antiphon at Lauds.

Here it is to be observed that only one Antiphon is said at Prime, Terce,
Sext, and None, one to each, which Antiphon on Feasts is the same as the first,
second, third, and fifth at Lauds, respectively ; but this matter is treated of more
fully further on in the chapter on Antiphons.

2. Immediately after the Antiphon on every Sunday in the year, on every day
in Easter-time, and on every Feast whatsoever, even Simples, is read the Chapter
from i Tim. i. 17, "Unto the King Eternal." When the Office is said of a
Week-day not in Easter-time, the Chapter is the one from Zacharias viii. 19,
"Love peace." Then follows the short Responsory : "Christ, Thou Son of
the Living God, have mercy on us." After the short Responsory, if the Office
be not of a Double or within an Octave, follow the short Responsory prayers
called the " Preces," which begin, "Lord, have mercy upon us," as given in
the Psalter. When the Officiant says the words, "Our help is in the Name
of the LORD," he makes the sign of the Cross from his forehead to his breast.
Then follows the " I confess to God Almighty," " Almighty God, have mercy
on us," "May the Almighty and Merciful Lord." 1 When the Office is of
a Week-day and Preces have been said at Lauds, other Preces are added, as may
be found in the Psalter in the Office of Prime on Week-days. But if the Office
of the day be Double or within an Octave, the Preces are entirely omitted, with
the Confession, and the Officiant, immediately after the short Responsory, says,
"Hear my prayer, O LORD," Answer, "And let my cry come unto Thee,"
"Let us pray," and he says the Prayer, "O Lord God Almighty."

3. Then, if the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin is said, it is done at
once ; otherwise after the Prayer " O Lord God Almighty," is repeated " Hear
my prayer, O LORD," Answer, "And let my cry come unto Thee," then, " Bless
we the Lord," Answer, "Thanks be to God," and in choir the Martyrology
for the day is read at once. All that follows, beginning with " Precious in the
sight of the LORD," is to be said by all in or out of choir, whether they have
read the Martyrology or not. At the end is read one of the short Lessons,
varying with the Season, which are to be found in the Psalter at the end of
Prime. But on Feasts and some other days, instead of one of these short Lessons
is read the Chapter appointed for None ; which days are marked in their place.

1 Here follow in the original some directions for the saying of the Confession by clergymen,
before others, and alone.

xxxviii THE PIE.

CHAPTER XVI. TERCE, SEXT, AND NONE.

Terce, Sext, and None are all similar to one another. At the beginning the
" Our Father " and the " Hail, Mary " are said inaudibly. Then follows, " Make
haste, O God, to deliver me," and the rest as at Mattins, Lauds, and Prime.
After the "Alleluia" or "Ceaseless praise, &c.," follow the Hymn and the
Psalms, as given in the Psalter. One Antiphon is said at each Hour, taken
on Feasts and some other occasions from Lauds, viz., at Terce the second, at
Sext the third, and at None the fifth, as described above. After the Psalms and
Antiphons are said the Chapter and the short Responsory, according to the Office
of the day ; on Sundays and Week-days they are either specially assigned in the
Proper Office of the Season, or are read as in the Psalter ; on Feasts they are
either special, or taken from the Common of Saints of that Class. After the
short Responsory the Officiant says, " Hear my prayer, O LORD," Answer, " And
let my cry come unto Thee," " Let us pray," and he says the proper Prayer of
the day.

2. After the Prayer is repeated " Hear my prayer, O LORD," Answer, "And
let my cry come unto Thee." Then, "Bless we the Lord," Answer, "Thanks
be to God," " May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in
peace," Answer, "Amen." The "Our Father" is then recited inaudibly; as
will be more fully explained hereafter in the chapter on the Lord s Prayer and
the Angelic Salutation.

CHAPTER XVII. VESPERS.

Vespers begin the same as Terce, Sext, and None ; but immediately after the
"Alleluia" or " Ceaseless praise, &c.," there are said five Psalms, with the same
number of Antiphons, taken from the Office of the day ; but it is to be observed
that the Antiphons on Sundays and Week-days observed as such, are almost
invariably those in the Psalter.

2. After the Psalms and Antiphons follow the Chapter, the Hymn, the Verse
and Response, the Antiphon for the Canticle " My soul doth magnify the Lord,"
the said Canticle itself, and the Prayer ; all taken from the Office of the day.

3. When the Preces are to be said, they are said before the Prayer ; and
when the Commemorations of the Cross, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of St
Joseph, the Apostles, and of the Patron of the Church, Country, Diocese, or
Place, and the Prayer for Peace, are to be said, they are said after the Prayer
of the day. Vespers conclude in the same way as Terce, Sext, and None.

CHAPTER XVIII. COMPLINE.

The Blessing having been asked and pronounced, Compline begins at once with
the short Lesson, as given in the Psalter. Then follow, " Our help is in the
Name of the LORD," Answer, " Who hath made heaven and earth." Then
the "Our Father" inaudibly, the "I confess to God Almighty," "Almighty
God, have mercy on us," " May the Almighty and merciful Lord," then " Turn
us, O God of our salvation," Answer, " And cause Thine anger toward us to
cease," " Make haste, O God, to deliver me," and so on, followed by the
Psalms, (which are always the same) under one Antiphon, the Hymn, the
Chapter, the short Responsory, and the Canticle, " Lord, now lettest Thou Thy

THE PIE. xxxix

servant," with its own Antiphon, all as is to be found at the end of the Psalter.
After the Antiphon " Save us," if the Office is not Double or within an Octave
are said the Preces, which begin " Lord, have mercy upon us ; " but if the
Office be Double or within an Octave, the Officiant says at once, " Hear my
prayer, O LORD," Answer, " And let my cry come unto Thee," " Let us
pray," and he proceeds with the Prayer, "Visit, O Lord, we beseech Thee,"
and the rest, exactly as in the Psalter.

2. After the Verse, " May Almighty God," follows one of the Antiphons
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with its Verse and Response, and Prayer, according
to the Season, as is to be found at the end of the Psalter, after Compline. And
after the Verse, " God s most mighty," the " Our Father," the " Hail, Mary,"
and the * I believe in God," are said inaudibly.

CHAPTER XIX. THE INVITATORY.

In every Office an Invitatory is said at Mattins, with the Psalm, " O come,
let us sing unto the LORD," in the manner in which it will be found given for
ordinary Sundays, at the beginning of the Psalter. The Invitatory varies with
the Office, with which it will be found either in the Psalter or the Office proper
to the particular Season, or in the Proper, or Common Office of Saints.

2. The only exception is on Twelfth-Day, and on Maundy Thursday, Good
Friday, and Holy Saturday, when Mattins begin immediately after the " I believe
in God " with the Antiphon for the first Psalm of the Nocturns. Likewise no
Invitatory is said at the beginning of a dirge, except on All Souls Day, the day
of death or burial, and when the whole three Nocturns of the Dirge are to be said.

CHAPTER XX. THE HYMNS.

A Hymn is said at each of the Canonical Hours, except in the Office of the
Dead, and from Maundy Thursday inclusively to the Vespers of Saturday before
Low Sunday exclusively.

2. At Mattins the Hymn is said immediately after the last repetition of the
Invitatory, except on Twelfth-Day, when the Office begins as mentioned in the
last chapter ; at Lauds and Vespers it is said after the Chapter ; at Prime, Terce,
Sext, and None it is said before the Psalms ; and at Compline after the Psalms.

3. The Hymns in the Psalter are said if the Office is of a Sunday or a
Week-day, when no special Hymns are appointed in the Proper Office of the
Season, that is, from the Octave of Whitsun Day to Advent (excepting only the
Sunday within the Octave of Corpus Christi) and from the Octave of Twelfth-
Day to the first Sunday in Lent, exclusively. If the Office is of a Feast, the
Hymns are either special, or taken from the Office common to all Saints of the
particular Class. When a Feast has three special historic Hymns, and the special
Hymn cannot be said in First Vespers, then this Hymn is said at Mattins,
the Hymn for Mattins at Lauds, and the Hymn for Lauds at Second Vespers;
but if the Second Vespers are not of such Feast, the Hymn for Vespers is
joined to the Hymn for Mattins, with one common concluding Verse.

4. From Christmas to Twelfth-Day, on Corpus Christi and throughout the
Octave, and whenever the Office is said of the Blessed Virgin Mary, even in
Easter -time, and whether with nine or three Lessons, the last verse of the

xl THE PIE.

Hymns [at Prime, Terce, Sext, None, and Compline] is altered in honour
of the Incarnation. 1

5. Likewise on Twelfth-Day and throughout the Octave the last verse of
these Hymns is altered in honour of the Revelation of our Lord to the Gentiles.

6. From Low Sunday to Ascension Day, on Whitsun Day and throughout
the Octave, the last verse of these Hymns is altered in honour of the Resurrection
of our Lord from the dead.

7. On Ascension Day and until Whitsun Day the last verse of these Hymns
is altered in honour of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven.

8. On the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord the last verse of these
Hymns is altered in honour of that Mystery. These are the only changes which
the Hymns ever undergo.

CHAPTER XXI. THE ANTIPHONS.

Throughout the whole of the Divine Office the Psalms are never said without
Antiphons, either for each Psalm or each group of Psalms ; which Antiphons vary
with the Office of the day.

2. Except in Advent and Easter-time, if the Office be of a Sunday or Week
day, at Mattins, Vespers, and Compline, those Antiphons are said which are to be
found in the Psalter, even when the day is a Simple Feast. In Advent special
Antiphons are given in the Office proper to that Season, and in Easter-time only
one Antiphon is said, that is, "Alleluia." At Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, and
None those Antiphons are said which are appointed in the Proper Office of the
Season, and if none are so appointed, those are said which are given in the Psalter.

3. When the first Sunday of any particular month is mentioned, that Sunday
is meant which is on or nearest to, either before or after, the first day of the
month named. And at Vespers on the Saturday the Antiphon for the Canticle,
" My soul doth magnify the Lord," is to be taken from the Sunday, and will be
found with the Sunday in its proper place. This Saturday Antiphon is always
taken from that book of Scripture which is to be read at Mattins on the Sunday.

4. On all days when nine Lessons are read the Antiphons at Vespers are
the same as those at Lauds, unless special ones are appointed. And likewise at
Prime, Terce, Sext, and None, if special Antiphons are not appointed, when
Lauds has had proper Antiphons, these are taken in turn, one to each Hour,
omitting the fourth ; so that the first Antiphon is said at Prime, the second at
Terce, the third at Sext, and the fifth at None. All which has been explained
before in Chapter XVI.

5. On Week-days in Advent, if there are no proper Antiphons at Lauds,
the Antiphons for the four short Hours are taken from the Lauds of the
Sunday before.

6. In Easter- time, whether the Office for the day has nine Lessons or
three, there is only one Antiphon to each Nocturn, which Antiphon is to be
found in the Psalter, or in its proper place. Likewise in Easter-time the word
" Alleluia " is added to every Antiphon said, if it be not there already. On
the contrary, from Septuagesima to Easter, if the word " Alleluia " occur it is
omitted, and nothing is said in its place.

1 The divergence of this translation from the original in the matter of these alterations
is explained in the Translator s Preface.

THE PIE. xli

7. Upon Double Feasts at Mattins, Lauds, and Vespers (but not at Prime,
Terce, Sext, None, and Compline,) the Antiphons are said from beginning to
end before, as well as after, the Psalms and Canticles. And this is one of
the reasons why these Feasts get the name of Doubles. At the short Hours
on these days and throughout the whole Office on Semi-doubles, Simples, and
Week-days, the first words only of the Antiphon are said before the Psalm,
but it is said entire at the end. Should the Antiphon happen to consist of the
opening words of the Psalm or Canticle to which it belongs, the beginning of
such Psalm or Canticle is not repeated. Such Psalm or Canticle in that case
begins with the next words after those which form the Antiphon. This does
not cause any difference in the rule as to whether the Antiphon is to be said
before the Psalm entire or not. As, for instance, the first Psalm at Vespers
on Sunday is Psalm cix., which begins, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit
Thou at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool," to which
the Antiphon is, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand."
As it is a Semi-double, the first words only of the Antiphon are said before
the Psalm, "The LORD said." Then the Psalm begins with the words, "Unto
my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies Thy foot
stool." But if "Alleluia" occur at the end of the Antiphon or of the portion
said the Psalm begins as usual.

8. Whenever proper Antiphons are given in the Office of the day, these
Antiphons are invariably to be substituted for those in the Psalter, or the Common
Office of each Class of Saints.

9. When a Commemoration is to be made at Lauds or Vespers, it is done
by reciting once the Antiphon which would be said at Lauds at the Canticle
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel," and at Vespers at the Canticle "My
soul doth magnify the Lord," with the Verse and Response which would follow
the Hymn, and the Prayer which would be said, were the Office of that of which
the Commemoration is made.

10. The Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with their Verses and
Responses and Prayers, which are to be found after Compline, are said as directed
further on in Chapter XXXVI.

CHAPTER XXII. THE PSALMS.

Upon Sundays and Week-days the Psalms are said as they are arranged
in the Psalter, unless some special direction to the contrary is given in the
Office for the Season. On Feasts the Psalms are said as directed in the
Proper Office, or in the Common of the Saints of each Class.

2. The Psalms appointed for Lauds on Sunday, with the Canticle "O all
ye Works of the Lord," are said also on every Feast in the year, and on
every day whatsoever in Easter-time.

3. At Prime the Psalm "O give thanks unto the LORD," and the others
there given are said on every Sunday when the Office is of the Sunday, even
if it be within an Octave, from the third Sunday after Whitsun Day inclusively
till Christmas exclusively, and likewise from the second Sunday after Twelfth-
Day inclusively till Septuagesima exclusively. From Septuagesima till Easter
is said instead Psalm xcii., "The LORD reigneth," because the Psalm "O give
thanks unto the LORD" is at that time said at Lauds after Psalm 1., "Have

Xlii THE PIE.

mercy upon me, O God," as will be found directed in the proper place. Upon
the Sundays from Low Sunday inclusively to Ascension Day exclusively are
said the three Psalms, " Save me, O God, by Thy Name," " Blessed are the
undefiled," and "Deal bountifully with Thy servant," as on Feasts, but with
the addition of the Creed . of St Athanasius. Outside Easter-time when the
Office is of a Week-day, there is substituted for the Psalm " O give thanks
unto the LORD" one of those which are given in the Psalter for that purpose,
under the heading of the Office for Prime on Week-days. But on every day
in Easter-time, upon every Feast-day in the year, and on every Saturday, whether
the Office be of the Blessed Virgin or of the Saturday, even if a Double Feast
is to be kept on the Sunday, the Psalms said are the three, " Save me, O
God, by Thy Name," " Blessed are the undefiled," and " Deal bountifully with
Thy servant."

4. On every Sunday in the year if the Office is of the Sunday, the Creed
of St Athanasius, " Whosoever will be saved," is added to the Psalms at Prime,
as is directed in Chapter XXXIII.

5. At Terce, Sext, None, and Compline the Psalms are the same on every
day in the year.

6. It is to be remarked that the first four Psalms at Vespers on Sundays
are likewise said on nearly every Feast in the year. The fifth changes much
oftener. But these changes, whether of the fifth or of any of the first four,
are all marked in their proper place. If a Feast has an Octave, the same Psalms
are said every day at Vespers during the Octave as have been said at the Second
Vespers of the Feast, except on the evening of the seventh day, being the First
Vespers of the Octave-day, when the Vespers are the same as the First Vespers of
the Feast.

7. At the end of every Psalm is said this Hymn :

" Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.

" As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen."

Except at the end of Psalms Ixii., " O God, Thou art my God : early will I
seek Thee," and cxlviii., "Praise ye the LORD from the heavens," which are
severally united in groups with others, in which case the " Glory be to the
Father " and the Antiphon are said after the group, as if that were only one
Psalm. Moreover, the " Glory be to the Father " is not said at the end of
the Psalms on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, nor in
the Office for the Dead. In the latter case there is said instead :

" O Lord, give them eternal rest,

" And let the everlasting light shine upon them."

Which words are said in the plural even though the Office is being recited for
one dead person.

8. For the sake of uniformity an asterisk (*) is put in the middle of every
verse where the pause is to be made in saying or singing.

CHAPTER XXIII. THE CANTICLES.

Canticles are said every day at Lauds, Vespers, and Compline. When the
Office is of a Sunday or Week-day these are as given in the Psalter.

2. On all Feasts whatsoever, and every day in Easter-time, the first Canticle

THE PIE. Xliii

at Lauds is the same as on Sundays, that is, " O all ye Works of the Lord," at
the end of which the " Glory be to the Father " is not said as it is at the end of
the other Canticles, nor is " Amen " answered. The other Canticles which are
appointed in the Psalter for Lauds on Week-days are said only when the Office
is of the Week-day out of Easter-time.

3. The three Canticles, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel," "My soul
doth magnify the Lord," and " Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant," are always
said every day at Lauds, Vespers, and Compline respectively.

CHAPTER XXIV. THE VERSES AND RESPONSES.

A Verse and Response are always said at Mattins after the last Psalm and
Antiphon of each Nocturn, whether there be one or three. At Lauds and
Vespers they are said immediately after the Hymn. At Prime, Terce, Sext,
None, and Compline they are said together with the short Responsory, at the
end, after the " Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,"
and the repetition.

2. On Easter Sunday and till the Vespers of the Saturday before Low
Sunday, the Verse and Response are said only at Mattins.

3. In Commemorations a Verse and Response are said as prescribed in
Chapter XXI. 9, "On Antiphons."

4. In Easter-time the word "Alleluia" is added to every Verse and every
Response, except those which form part of Preces, those at Prime, " V. Precious
in the sight of the LORD. R. Is the death of His Saints," and those which form
part of the Responsories at Mattins.

5. In the Office of a Simple Feast, when there is only one Nocturn, the
Verse and Response which follow it are taken from the Office Common to
Saints of that Class. On Mondays and Thursdays they are taken from the
First Nocturn of the Common Office ; on Tuesdays and Fridays from the
Second ; on Wednesdays from the Third.

6. If special Verses and Responses are not assigned for Lauds and Vespers,
those are said which are given in the Psalter.

CHAPTER XXV. THE ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS BEFORE THE LESSONS.

At Mattins when nine Lessons are read they are preceded by Absolutions and
Blessings as given in the Psalter ; the only exception being the Dirge, and the
Mattins of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, called the
Office of the Darkness, in which cases they are altogether omitted.

2. When only three Lessons are read, if they are all from Scripture, the
Absolution and Blessings will be, on Monday and Thursday, " Graciously
hear," "May the Eternal Father," "May the Son," and "May the grace; "
on Tuesday and Friday, " May His loving-kindness and mercy," " God the
Father," " May Christ to all His people give," and " May the Spirit s fire ; "
and on Wednesday and Saturday, " May the Almighty and merciful Lord,"
"May the Gospel s," "God s most mighty," and "May He That is the
Angels King."

3. But if only three Lessons are read, and they are all from a Homily upon
the Gospel for the day, the Absolution is taken as above, according to the day of

xliv THE PIE.

the week, but the Blessings are, " May the Gospel s holy Lection," " God s
most mighty," and "May He That is the Angels King." If the Office be of
a Saint, the Absolution is likewise taken according to the day of the week, but
the Blessings are " May His blessing," " He whose birth-day we are keeping,"
and " May He That is the Angels King."

4. When the Office on Saturday is said of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
Absolution and Blessings are those which belong to her Little Office, which will
be found near the end of the Breviary, namely, " By the Prayers," " Bless us,
Mary," "With the Lord," and "He to Whom."

CHAPTER XXVI. THE LESSONS.

Three Lessons are read at the end of each Nocturn of Mattins, after the
Psalms and Antiphons, with a Verse and Response, Absolution, and Blessings,
all as above. On Doubles and Semi-doubles there are three Nocturns, and
consequently nine Lessons ; on Week-days and Simples one Nocturn and three
Lessons.

2. When nine Lessons are read, the first three are always out of Holy
Scripture, and if no special ones are assigned, those are read which are given
for that day in the Proper Office of the Season. If the Office be of a Saint,
the fourth, fifth, and sixth Lesson, viz., those of the Second Nocturn, are either
taken from his Life, or from some appropriate Sermon or Treatise; if no special
ones are assigned, they are taken from the Office common to all Saints of that
Class. If only one or two special Lessons are given, then the three are made up
out of the Common, in which case it is optional to read the whole, namely, if two
Lessons are to be read from the Common, to read the second and third as one,
or if one, to read all three as one. If the Office be of a Sunday, or of any other
day in the year having nine Lessons, or within an Octave, three proper Lessons
are always assigned from some appropriate Sermon or Treatise. In the Third
Nocturn are always read three Lessons from some Homily in Exposition of the
Gospel for the day, which Lessons are, like the Gospel itself, either special, or, if
the Office be of a Saint, most frequently from the Common of Saints. Before
the first of these is always read the beginning of the Gospel which forms the
subject of the Homily, even within Octaves. The only exceptions to these rules
are the Dirge and the Office of the Darkness on the three nights before Easter.

3. If the Office be one of Nine Lessons, in which the Hymn "We praise
Thee, O God " is to be said instead of a ninth Responsory, and some Saint who
has a proper Lesson is to be commemorated, then the ninth Lesson is the Lesson
of the Saint. If the Saint have two Lessons, they are read together as one in the
ninth place. 1 In either case the ninth Lesson belonging to the Office of the day
is either omitted, or read as one Lesson joined on to the eighth. If the day
happen to be a Sunday, or a Week-day which has three Lessons on a special
Gospel, then no Lesson of the Saint is read, but the ninth Lesson will be that of
the Homily ; and it is optional to read the three joined together as one, or the
first only.

4. On a day when there are only three Lessons, if the Office be of the
Week-day, they are all from the Scripture, unless special Lessons are appointed

1 For reduced Feasts see c. ix. n. 10 of this Pie.

THE PIE. xlv

from an Homily on the Gospel, in which case these latter are read, and the
Lessons from Scripture altogether omitted. If, however, the Office be of a Saint,
if he has two proper Lessons they are read in the second and third places, and in
the first is read the first Lesson from Scripture, or the whole three together as
one. If the Saint have only one proper Lesson, that is read in the third place ;
the first Lesson is the first from Scripture, and the second either the second, or the
second and third together. Which rule is likewise to be observed in the Office
of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturdays.

5. Lessons from Scripture are given for nearly every day in the year, and
they are always read in order, whatever the Office is, unless other Lessons be
specially appointed on certain days.

6. The different books of Scripture are nearly always appointed to be begun
on a Sunday. Should it happen that that day is occupied by a Feast with special
Lessons, the book so prevented from being begun must be begun on the next day
which is free. In this case, that the whole book may not get behind-hand, the
Lessons proper to the day to which the commencement of the new book is trans
ferred are to be read joined to them in the form of three Lessons, or else entirely
omitted. If it possibly happened that even more was to be read, the total number
of Lessons would be simply divided into groups in the above manner.

7. Should it happen in Easter-time that one of the Catholic Epistles, or in
November, one of the Minor Prophets is prevented from being begun upon the
proper day by some Feast occurring with special Lessons, it is to be begun upon
the next free day, in the manner described above. Should however another book
be to be begun upon the next free day, the displaced book may be begun on some
day previous to its normal one. But if this is impossible, it must at any rate be
read, even if another book be begun immediately. It may be remarked that in
either of the latter cases the whole book may be read through at once. If two
books be begun on the same day, the beginning must be the beginning of a Lesson
as, for instance, if Book A., divided into three Lessons, be transferred to the
day when Book B. is begun, the Lessons will be, First, A. i, Second, A. 2
and 3, Third, B. 1,2, and 3.

8. Lessons from Scripture are given for as many weeks as there can be under
any circumstances between Twelfth-Day and Septuagesima, and between Whitsun
Day and Advent. If owing to Septuagesima falling earlier there are fewer weeks
between Twelfth-Day and Septuagesima, the Lessons appointed for the super
fluous weeks are simply never read at all, even though by this arrangement a
certain amount of St Paul s Epistles is not read in that year at all. The same
is to be done with the Lessons from the Books of Kings appointed for weeks
which may not occur between the Octave of Whitsun Day and the first week in
August. If, moreover, the Office for one of the Sundays after Twelfth-Day be
read not on the proper Sunday but by anticipation on some other day, the Lessons
read will be those of the Sunday so anticipated, and those on the following days
be those for the days which follow the anticipated Sunday, the Lessons belonging
to the actual days on which the anticipated Office is read being altogether omitted.
And in the same manner if Lessons are appointed for five weeks in a particular
month and that month happen that year to have only four, the omission must be
made as directed in the special rubrics to be found in the proper place.

9. If a Feast have special Lessons from Scripture, these are always read in
place of the ordinary Lessons for the day, which are not read at all, unless they

xlvi THE PIE.

are the commencement of a new book, when they are transferred, as given in
sections 6 and 7. Likewise if a Feast with Nine Lessons is kept in Lent, on
the Ember Days, on Rogation Monday, or on Ascension Eve, the Lessons from
Scripture, that is, the first, second, and third Lessons, are taken from the Office
common to Saints of the Class, because, although the Feast have not proper
Lessons, there are no Lessons from Scripture belonging to the day. However if
one of these days is an Octave-day, the three first Lessons will be the same as
those read on the Feast of which it is the Octave. If it be a day within an
Octave, the three first Lessons are those in the Common Office. And the same
rule is to be observed regarding the Lessons in the other Nocturns, when they are
specially arranged for the Feast, or when a Feast of Nine Lessons is being kept
which has not got approved proper Lessons.

10. Unless special directions are given to the contrary, before the Lessons of
the First Nocturn is given out the place from which they are taken ; likewise in
the Second Nocturn if the Lessons are from a Sermon or Treatise, the name of
the author is announced, but not otherwise ; and likewise also before the Lessons
in the Third Nocturn the title of the Homily, naming the author, is given.

11. At the end of every Lesson he who has read it says, " But Thou, O
Lord, have mercy upon us," to which is answered, "Thanks be to God." And
the same is done after the short Lessons at the beginning of Compline, and the end
of Prime (after the Verse " Precious.") The only exceptions are the Dirge, and
the three nights before Easter, where special directions are given.

CHAPTER XXVII. THE RESPONSORIES AFTER THE LESSONS.

At Mattins a Responsory is said after every Lesson.

2. But on every Feast of Nine Lessons, (except that of the Holy Innocents
if it falls on a Week-day,) and on every Sunday from Low Sunday inclusively to
Advent Sunday exclusively, and from the Sunday after Christmas inclusively to
Septuagesima exclusively, only eight regular Responsories are said, and, instead,
after the ninth Lesson is said the Hymn "We praise Thee, O God." At the
end of the third, sixth, and last Responsory, whether it be eighth or ninth, is said
" Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," (but not
" As it was in the beginning, &c.,") followed by the repetition of part of the
Responsory. The only exceptions are the Dirge, and Passion-tide, which are
given in their place. The words " Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Ghost" will sometimes be found given in the first Responsory also.

3. Nine Responsories are said on the Sundays in Advent, and between
Septuagesima and Palm Sunday inclusively, and likewise on the three nights
before Easter, for then the Hymn " We praise Thee, O God " is not said.

4. When three Lessons only are read, if the Office is of a Feast, and also
every day in Easter-tide, namely, between Low Sunday and Ascension Day,
except Rogation Monday, which has three Responsories, only two Responsories
are said, because after the third Lesson is said the Hymn " We praise Thee, O
God." These Responsories on Feasts are taken from the Common Office of
Saints of the Class, and in Easter-time from the preceding Sunday, thus, unless
proper ones be appointed On Monday and Thursday the first and second
Responsories of the First Nocturn, on Tuesday and Friday of the Second, and
on Wednesday of the Third.

THE PIE. xlvii

5. On plain Week-days out of Easter -time three Responsories are said,
(because the Hymn "We praise Thee, O God" is not then said,) which are
taken from the Sunday before, on Monday and Thursday from the First Nocturn,
on Tuesday and Friday from the Second, and on Wednesday and Saturday (if the
Office is of the Saturday) from the Third. In the Third Nocturn of the Sundays
between the Third Sunday after Whitsun Day inclusively and Advent Sunday
exclusively, there is only one Responsory, namely, the seventh, which can be said
on a Week-day, because there is no ninth, and the Responsory " One Seraph
cried unto another," which is the eighth, is only said on Sundays. In this case
therefore on Wednesday and Saturday the first Responsory is the seventh of the
Sunday, and the second and third are those which are to be said as the second
and third of the Monday, or if none be assigned, the second and third of the First
Nocturn of the Sunday. From the Octave of Twelfth-Day to Septuagesima,
proper Responsories are given for every day, except the Saturdays, in which are
said the Responsories of the Wednesday preceding.

6. When no special Responsories are given, they are taken from the first
Sunday of the month, or the beginning of the Book of Scripture which is then
being read. When proper Responsories are given for every day in the first week
of the month, they are to be repeated on the same days of each succeeding week
until further notice. Where proper Responsories are not given for the Week-days,
they are taken from the Sunday in the order explained above.

7. If a Double Feast falls on a Sunday, and so prevents the Responsories of
the First Nocturn of the Sunday being said, they are transferred to the first free
day in the week, to the total omission of any proper Responsories which that
Week-day may happen to have. If there is no Week-day free, they are carried
on to the next Sunday, if it has none of its own ; if it has, to a free day in that
week. If there is no free day, they are entirely omitted. If a Week-day have
proper Responsories, and they are not said by reason of a Feast, they are not
carried on at all, but simply omitted.

8. In Easter-time, in the Responsory, the word "Alleluia" is inserted before
the Verse.

CHAPTER XXVIII. THE SHORT RESPONSORIES IN THE HOURS.

A short Responsory is said after the Chapter at Prime, Terce, Sext, None,
and Compline, except from Maundy Thursday till None on Saturday before Low
Sunday inclusively, during which time it is omitted. At Prime and Compline it
is always as given in the Psalter. In the other Hours it varies with the Office,
and is to be found either in the Psalter or the Proper Office of the Season or
Feast, or the Common of Saints.

2. At the end of the short Responsory is said " Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost," (but not " As it was in the beginning, &c.,")
followed by the repetition of part of the Responsory. In Passion-tide this is not
done, but instead the whole Responsory is repeated.

3. In the short Responsory at Prime the following changes are made Instead
of the words " Thou That sittest at the right hand of the Father," in Advent,
except only the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and its Octave, is said " Thou That art to come into the world," from Christmas
to Twelfth-Day, at Corpus Christi and throughout its Octave, and in all Offices

xlviii THE PIE.

whatsoever of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and within their Octaves, if they have
any, even though the Office be not of the Octave, "Thou That wast born of
the Virgin Mary." On Twelfth-Day and throughout its Octave, and on the
Feast of the Transfiguration, " Thou That art manifested unto us this day."
From Low Sunday inclusively to Ascension Day exclusively, except in Offices
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "Thou That hast arisen from the dead." From
Ascension Day inclusively to Whitsun Day exclusively, " Thou That art gone
up above the stars." At Whitsun-tide and all the rest of the year, " Thou That
sittest at the right hand of the Father."

4. The short Responsories for the other Hours which are given for Advent
Sunday are used throughout Advent, whenever the Office is of the Season. Like
wise those given on the first Sunday in Lent are used till Passion Sunday
exclusively. Those given on Passion Sunday are used till Maundy Thursday
exclusively. Those given on Low Sunday are used till Ascension Day exclus
ively. Those given on any Feast having an Octave are used every day during
the Octave, when the Office is of the Octave. In all Offices whatsoever of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, except only the Assumption, the short Responsories are
taken from the Common Office of Virgins.

5. In Easter-time, from Low Sunday to the Saturday after Whitsun Day
inclusively, whatsoever the Office be, the word " Alleluia " is repeated twice after
the short Responsory, and twice again after the Verse, as the repetition of the
latter part of the Responsory, and once also after the Verse and the Answer.
Thus it is said ten times, twice after the Responsory both times it is said, twice
after the Verse, twice after the Responsory again, once after the Verse, and once
after the Answer. Out of Easter-time, although the word " Alleluia " is some
times introduced into the short Responsories at Terce, Sext, and None, it does
not thereby affect Prime and Compline.

CHAPTER XXIX. THE CHAPTERS.

A Chapter is always said at Vespers, Lauds, and the other Hours, after the
Psalms and Antiphons, and at Compline after the Hymn, except from Maundy
Thursday to the Saturday before Low Sunday, and in the Office of the Dead.

2. The Chapters at Prime and Compline are always the same, being those
given in the Psalter. The Chapters given in the Psalter for First and Second
Vespers, Lauds, and the Hours on Sundays, are said from the third Sunday after
Whitsun Day till Advent Sunday, and from the second after Twelfth-Day till
Septuagesima. The Chapters for the Week-days are said after the Octave of
Twelfth-Day till the First Sunday in Lent, and after the Octave of Whitsun
Day till Advent Sunday. The Chapters for the other Seasons and for Feasts are
given in the Offices to which they belong.

3. On all the Sundays from Advent till the Octave of Twelfth-Day, and
from Septuagesima till the third Sunday after Whitsun Day, and on every day
in Easter-time, and upon all Feasts, the Chapter given at the First Vespers is
also said at Lauds, at Terce, and at the Second Vespers. There are a few
exceptions, which are marked in their place.

4. On Week-days in Easter-time the Chapter at Prime is that from I Tim.
i. 17, " Unto the King eternal," as on Sundays and Feasts. After the Chapter
is always answered, "Thanks be to God."

THE PIE. xlix

CHAPTER XXX. THE PRAYER OR COLLECT.

The Prayer is said at Vespers and Lauds immediately after the Antiphon
at the Canticles "My soul doth magnify the Lord" and "Blessed be the Lord
God of Israel " respectively, unless the short Responsory prayers called the
" Preces are to be said, in which case it is said after the Preces. At Com
pline the Prayer is said after the Antiphon "O Lord, save us waking," unless
Preces are to be said, when it is said after them.

2. The Prayers for Prime and Compline, given in the Psalter, are said
every day in the year, except the three days before Easter, when the Service is
as it is given in its proper place. The same Prayer which is said at First Vespers
is likewise said at every other Hour, except Prime and Compline. But in Lent,
and on the Ember Days, Eves, and Rogation Monday, the Prayer which has
been said at Lauds is said only at Terce, Sext, and None. In the Vespers, if
they are of the Week-day, the Collect said is either a special one, as in Lent, or
that of the preceding Sunday, as on ordinary Week-days. When the Office is
of a Week-day and no special Prayer is given, that of the preceding Sunday is
used. In the same way in Octaves the Prayer of the Feast is used up to
the Octave-day, inclusively, unless a special one be assigned.

3. Before the Prayer the Officiant always says, 1 " Hear my prayer, O LORD,"
to which is answered, "And let my cry come unto Thee ; " then he says, " Let
us pray," and proceeds with the Prayer. After the Prayers is answered " Amen,"
then, if it is the last or only Prayer, the Officiant says again, " Hear my prayer,
O LORD," Answer, "And let my cry come unto Thee." Then "Bless we the
Lord," Answer, "Thanks be to God," "May the souls of the faithful, through
the mercy of God, rest in peace," Answer, "Amen." Then if the Antiphon of
the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be said, there follows the " Our Father " inaudibly,
"The Lord give us His peace," Answer, "And life eternal, Amen," and the
Antiphon. But the Office stops short after " Thanks be to God " before the
"Precious" at Prime, and the Blessing at Compline, or when the Little Office
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Office of the Dead, or the Penitential
Psalms, or the Litany is immediately to follow. If there are more prayers than
one, they are said after the Prayer for the day, each preceded by its own Antiphon,
Verse and Response, and the words " Let us pray."

4. If the Prayer is addressed to God the Father, it ends "through our Lord
JESUS Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen." If the Prayer is addressed
to God the Son, it ends, " Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the
unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen." If the Prayer
be addressed to God the Father, and God the Son be mentioned in it, it ends
" through the Same our Lord, &c.," and if God the Holy Ghost be mentioned,
instead of " in the unity of the Holy Ghost " there is said " in the unity of the
Same Holy Spirit, &c."

5. If more than one Prayer be said, the ending "through our Lord, &c.,"
is only said with the first and last. The others are said without any ending, but
41 Let us pray" is said before each. The only exceptions are the Office of the
Dead, where will be found in its proper place what is to be done, and the Litany,
where the Prayers are all joined on one to the other.

1 Here in the original are directions for clergymen.
VOL. I.

THE PIE.

CHAPTER XXXI. THE HYMN, " WE PRAISE THEE, O GOD."

The Hymn " We praise Thee, O God," is said on every Feast whatsoever,
and throughout all Octaves, except only the Feast of the Holy Innocents if it
falls on a Week-day, though it is said on the Octave. It is said likewise on all
Sundays from Easter inclusively to Advent exclusively, and from Christmas
inclusively to Septuagesima exclusively, and every day from Low Sunday to
Ascension Day, except Rogation Monday.

2. It is not said on the Sundays in Advent and from Septuagesima to
Palm Sunday, both inclusively, nor on plain Week-days out of Easter-time.

3. Whenever it is said, the ninth or third Responsory is omitted.

4. Whenever it is not said, there is said a ninth or third Responsory, and
as soon as the Hymn or the Responsory is over, Lauds begin, except on
Christmas night, when particular directions are given.

CHAPTER XXXII. THE LORD S PRAYER AND THE ANGELIC SALUTATION.

The Lord s Prayer, which begins " Our Father," and the Angelic Salutation,
which begins " Hail, Mary," are said inaudibly before every Hour, except Com
pline. At Compline, after the Blessing has been asked and given, comes the
Lesson from i Peter v. 8, " Brethren, be sober," then " Our help is in the Name
of the LORD," Answer, "Who hath made heaven and earth," and then the "Our
Father " alone is said inaudibly. Moreover at the very end of Compline the " Our
Father," the "Hail, Mary," and the "I believe in God" are said inaudibly.
At the end of every Hour the " Our Father " is said inaudibly, unless the Little
Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary follow at once, or another of the Canonical
Hours, in which case the " Our Father " is said after that. If Compline
immediately follows Vespers, as soon as " Amen " has been answered to " May
the souls, &c.," is said " Command Thy Blessing, O Lord."

2. Whenever the words "And lead us not into temptation" are said aloud
at the end of the Lord s Prayer, the two first words "Our Father" are also
said aloud. In any other case it is all said inaudibly, except when Preces are
said at Lauds and Vespers on Week-days, in which case the Officiant says the
whole of the Lord s Prayer aloud.

3. The Angelic Salutation is said before each of the Hours in the Little
Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, unless they be added on to the Canonical
Office, in which case it is omitted, as having been already said, at the beginning
of. the whole.

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE APOSTLES CREED AND THE CREED OF
ST ATHANASIUS.

The Apostles Creed is always said before Mattins and Prime, and at the
end of Compline altogether inaudibly. If it is to be said in the Preces at Prime
and Compline the words " I believe in God " are said aloud, and likewise those
at the end, " the Resurrection of the body," to which is answered " and the life
everlasting. Amen."

2. The Creed of St Athanasius is said at Prime, after the Psalm " Deal
bountifully with Thy servant," on all Sundays, when the Office is of the Sunday,

THE PIE. H

except the Sundays after Christmas, Twelfth-Day, Ascension Day, and Corpus
Christi Day, and Easter and Whitsun Day, when only the three usual Psalms
are said, as on Feasts. It is said on the Sundays within other Octaves, and on
Trinity Sunday, but otherwise never. The Hymn " Glory be to the Father,
&c.," is added to it, as to the Psalms.

CHAPTER XXXIV. THE PRECES.

The Preces are certain Verses and Responses which are sometimes said before
the Prayer. They begin either with "Lord, have mercy upon us " or the Lord s
Prayer.

2. The Preces for Prime and Compline on Sundays, given in the Psalter, are
not said on Doubles, nor within Octaves, nor on the Eve of Twelfth-Day, nor
on the Friday and Saturday after the Octave of the Ascension.

3. The Preces for Lauds and the other Hours on Week-days, given in the
Psalter, are said only on Week-days in Advent, Lent, the Ember Days, and
Eves which are fasts, but not on Christmas Eve, nor the Ember Days at
Whitsuntide. They are said kneeling. In the rest of the year only the
Sunday Preces are said, and that standing.

4. On the Week-days in Advent, and Lent, and the Ember Days, Preces
are said at Vespers, if they are of the day. And at Compline the same as on
Sundays, but kneeling. The Preces are said kneeling till the words " Bless we
the Lord " after the Prayer.

5. On Eves the Week-day Preces are not said at Vespers or Compline, because
the Vespers are part of the Feast. But if the Eve of St Matthias fall on Shrove
Tuesday, the Week-day Preces are said at Vespers, though the Prayer is not that
of the Eve, but of the preceding Sunday. The same is the case when the Week
day Office is said on Ember Friday or Ember Saturday in September, when no
Feast of Nine Lessons falls on them ; Preces are said on the Friday, although
the Prayer to be said is not that of the Ember Day but of the preceding
Sunday.

6. The Psalm " Have mercy upon me, O God," is said with the Preces at
Vespers only, and "Out of the depths" at Lauds. In the Office of the Dead
those Psalms are said which are there appointed.

CHAPTER XXXV. THE COMMON COMMEMORATIONS, OR SUFFRAGES
OF THE SAINTS.

The Common Commemorations, or Suffrages of the Saints, which are given in
the Psalter, are said at the end of Vespers and Lauds from the Octave of Twelfth-
Day till Passion Sunday exclusively, and from the Octave of Whitsun Day till
Advent exclusively, on Sundays, Week-days, and Feasts, whenever the Office is
not Double nor the day within an Octave. After the Commemoration of the
Apostles is made a Commemoration of St George, Patron of England, except
in the diocese of Hexham, where there is made instead a Commemoration of
St Cuthbert, and before the Commemoration of St George there is made in the
diocese of Northampton a Commemoration of St Thomas of Canterbury, and
in that of Plymouth of St Boniface of Maintz, and after it in the diocese of

Hi THE PIE.

Portsmouth a Commemoration of St Edmund of Canterbury. 1 The last is
always the Suffrage for Peace. On Week-days there is prefixed that Com
memoration of the Cross which is given in the Psalter after Lauds for Monday.

2. In Easter-time the only Suffrage said is the Commemoration of the Cross
for that Season. It is not said on Doubles, nor within Octaves, nor in the
Votive Offices of the Blessed Sacrament and the Passion.

3. If a Commemoration of a Feast is made, it is always put before the
Suffrages, even that of the Cross.

4. The Commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is omitted if her Little
Office is said, or the Office of the day is of her.

CHAPTER XXXVI. THE ANTIPHONS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

AT THE END OF THE OFFICE.

The Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary which are given in the Psalter
at the end of Compline are said according to the season of the year, as there
prescribed, except on the three days before Easter.

2. They are said only at the end of Compline, and at the end of Lauds, or
that aggregation of Offices into which Lauds enters. (However in Choir they
are said every time the Choir is to be left.) They are said kneeling, except
from Saturday evening to Sunday evening both inclusive, and throughout the
whole of Easter-time. They are not said in the morning if the Office is to
be immediately followed by the Dirge, the Penitential Psalms, or the Litany,
or Mass.

CHAPTER XXXVII. THE LITTLE OFFICE, &c.

There are proper Rubrics at the end of the Breviary with directions about
the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Office of the Dead, the
Penitential Psalms, the Litany, and the Gradual Psalms.

2. In Easter-time if the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary be joined
to the Church Office, the word " Alleluia " is added neither to the Antiphons,
Verses and Answers, nor Responsories.

1 This custom is peculiar to England, and is contrary to the general rule ; the original
rubric reads, "There is added [to the other Common Commemorations] a Commemoration
of the Patron or Titular of the Church [in which the service is read, or to which the person
saying the Office is attached, but only if such Church have been consecrated or solemnly
blessed], which is inserted either before or after the Commemorations of St Joseph and of
the Apostles according to his rank." But there is a privilege in the Province of Westminster
according to which it is permitted: "That in the suffrages of the Saints and in the Prayer
A cunctis, a Commemoration shall be made of St George only, and the Commemoration of
any other Saint shall be omitted, except in the case of the Regular Orders as to the Com
memoration of their own founders, and any particular cases exempted by grace of the Holy
See." A grace of this sort has been granted, as stated above, with regard to the Dioceses
of Hexham, Northampton, Plymouth, and Portsmouth.

TWO EASY TABLES. liii

TWO EASY TABLES,

COMPILED FROM THE PIE.

And in which it can be seen at a glance what is to be done

( I ) When the Second Vespers of one Office fall on the same evening with the First
Vespers of another Office.

(2) When two Offices fall on the

same

To use these Tables, find the little square in which lines drawn from the
designations of the two Offices meet at right angles, and then look what direction
is given underneath the Table, with the number inscribed in the square.

For instance, in Table A a Double of the Second Class meets a Semi-double
in a square containing the numeral 4. And 4 gives the Rule " all of the former,
with a Commemoration of the latter," but if the case be reversed they meet in i,
and the Service is " all of the latter, nothing of the former." And so in Table B,
the case of a Double of the Second Class and a Semi-double falling on the same
day is provided for in 4 and 3, and it is ordered that the Semi-double be com
memorated and the Double of the Second Class observed, o indicates a case
which either cannot occur, or which is the subject of special directions in its own
place. However, it is first needful to know the rank of the different Offices.

LIST OF FEASTS ACCORDING TO THEIR CLASS.

Doubles of the First Class.

Christmas Day. Dec. 25.

Twelfth-Day. Jan. 6.

Maundy Thursday.

Good Friday.

Holy Saturday.

Easter Day.

Easter Monday.

Easter Tuesday.

Ascension Day.

Whitsun Day.

Whitsun Monday.

Whitsun Tuesday.

Corpus Christi.

The Sacred Heart.

The Immaculate Conception. Dec. 8.

Lady Day. March 25.

liv TWO EASY TABLES.

The Assumption. Aug. I 5-

The Birthday of St John the Baptist. June 24.

St Joseph. March 19.

SS. Peter and Paul. June 29.

All Saints. Nov. i.

St Thomas of Canterbury. 1 Dec. 29.

St George. April 23.

St Augustine of Canterbury. May 26.

The Dedication of the Particular Church.

The Feast of the Patron, or Titular of the Particular Church.

The Feast of the Chief Patron or Patrons of the diocese.

Doubles of the Second Class.

The Circumcision. Jan. I.

The Holy Name.

The Most Holy Trinity.

The Most Precious Blood.

The Finding of the Cross. May 3.

Candlemas Day. Feb. 2.

The Visitation. July 2.

The Birth of the Blessed Virgin. Sept. 8.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary.

Michaelmas Day. Sept. 29.

The Patronage of St Joseph.

The Feasts of the Eleven Apostles, and of the Evangelists.

St Stephen. Dec. 26.

The Holy Innocents. Dec. 28.

St Lawrence. Aug. 10.

St Anne. July 26.

St Joachim.

St Gregory the Great. March 12.

St Edward. Oct. 13.

Greater Doubles.

The Commemorations

Of the Prayer of our Lord,

Of His Sufferings,

Of His Coronation,

Of His Piercing,

Of His Enshroudment,

Of His Five Wounds,

Of His Precious Blood.
The Transfiguration. Aug. 6.
The Most Holy Redeemer. Oct. 23.
The Exaltation of the Cross. Sept. 14.
Dedication of the Church of St Saviour. Nov. 9.

1 Regarding the rank of this Feast, see note under his day.

TWO EASY TABLES. Iv

The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin. Dec. 18.

Her Espousal. Jan. 23.

Her Sorrows (the two Feasts.)

The Blessed Virgin styled Help of Christians. May 24.

The Blessed Virgin styled of Mount Carmel. July 1 6.

Dedication of St Mary s of the Snows. Aug. 5.

The Name of Mary.

The Blessed Virgin styled of Ransom. Sept. 24.

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin.

Her Motherhood.

Her Purity.

Her Patronage.

Manifestation of St Michael. May 8.

St Gabriel. March 18.

St Raphael. Oct. 24.

The Guardian Angels. Oct. 2.

The Beheading of the Baptist. Aug. 29.

St Peter s Chair at Rome. Jan. 18.

St Peter s Chair at Antioch. Feb. 22.

St Peter s Chains. Aug. i.

The Conversion of St Paul. January 25.

Commemoration of St Paul. June 30.

Dedication of the Churches of SS. Peter and Paul. Nov. 18.

St John before the Latin Gate. May 6.

St Barnabas. June I T .

The Blessed John and his companions. May 4.

St Bede the Venerable. May 27.

St Alban. June 22.

Translation of St Thomas of Canterbury. July 7.

The Holy Relics (second Sunday in July).

St Ursula. Oct. 21.

St Edmund the Martyr. Nov. 20.

St Benedict. March 21.

St Dominic. Aug. 4.

St Francis. Oct. 4.

St Patrick. March 17.

St Francis Xavier. Dec. 3. 1

Sundays of the First Class.

The First Sunday of Advent.
The First Sunday of Lent.
Passion Sunday.
Palm Sunday.
Easter Sunday.
Low Sunday.
Whitsunday.
Trinity Sunday.

1 The Feast was an Ordinary Double when the Office given in this Breviary was printed.

Ivi TWO EASY TABLES.

Sundays of the Second Class.

The Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays in Advent.

Septuagesima Sunday.

Sexagesima Sunday.

Quinquagesima Sunday.

The Second, Third, and Fourth Sundays of Lent.

Greater Week-days.
Those of Advent.
Those of Lent.
The Ember Days.
Rogation Monday.

In the General Appendix will be found the following Greater Doubles.

Translation of the Holy House of Loreto.

The Finding of the Child JESUS in the Temple.

The Holy Home.

The Blessed Thomas Plumtree and his Companions.

The Flight of our Lord JESUS Christ into Egypt.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled of Good Counsel.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled the Mother of the Lord our Shepherd,

Lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled Mother of Grace.

Translation of St Edmund.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled of Perpetual Succour.

The Blessed John Fisher.

The Blessed Thomas More.

Translation of St Cuthbert.

The Blessed Thomas Percy.

LIST OF PRIMARY FEASTS.

I. Doubles of the First Class.
Christmas.
Twelfth Day.
Easter Day.
The Ascension.
Whitsun Day.
Corpus Christi.
The Immaculate Conception.
Lady Day.
The Assumption.

The Birthday of St John the Baptist.
St Joseph.

TWO EASY TABLES. Ivii

SS. Peter and Paul.

All Saints.

St Thomas of Canterbury.

St George.

St Augustine of Canterbury.

The Dedication of the Particular Church.

The Patron or Titular.

The principal Patron or Patrons of the district or diocese.

II. Doubles of the Second Class.

The Circumcision.

The Most Holy Trinity.

Candlemas Day.

The Visitation.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.

Michaelmas Day.

The Feasts of the Eleven Apostles, and of the Evangelists.

St Stephen. Dec. 26.

The Holy Innocents.

St Lawrence.

St Anne.

St Joachim.

St Gregory the Great.

St Edward.

III. Greater Doubles.

The Transfiguration.

The Dedication of St Saviour s.

Dedication of St Mary s of the Snows.

The Angels Guardian.

The Dedication of the Basilicas of SS. Peter and Paul.

St Barnabas.

St Benedict.

St Dominic.

St Francis.

St Gabriel.

St Raphael.

The Blessed John and his Companions.

St Bede the Venerable.

St Alban.

The Holy Relics.

St Ursula.

St Edmund the Martyr.

St Patrick.

St Francis Xavier.

IV. Doubles.
The Birthday (or day kept as such) of each Saint.

VOL. I. C2

Iviii TWO EASY TABLES.

LIST OF SECONDARY FEASTS.

I. Doubles of the First Class.
The Most Sacred Heart of JESUS.

I.I. Doubles of the Second Class.

The Most Holy Name of JESUS.

The Finding of the Holy Cross.

The Feast of the Most Precious Blood.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Rosary.

The Patronage of St Joseph.

III. Greater Doubles.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

The Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin (the two Feasts).

The Blessed Virgin styled of Mount Carmel.

Her Holy Name.

The Blessed Virgin styled of Ransom.

Her Presentation.

The Manifestation of St Michael.

The Beheading of St John the Baptist.

St Peter s Chair at Rome.

St Peter s Chair at Antioch.

St Peter s Chains.

The Conversion of St Paul.

The Commemoration of St Paul.

St John before the Latin Gate.

The Commemorations

Of the Prayer of our Lord,

Of His Sufferings,

Of His Coronation,

Of His Piercing,

Of His Enshroudment,

Of His Five Wounds,

Of His Precious Blood.
Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer.
The Espousal of the Blessed Virgin.
Her Motherhood.
Her Purity.
Her Patronage.

The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin.
The Blessed Virgin styled Help of Christians.
Translation of St Thomas of Canterbury.

All other Feasts of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints not
provided for in these lists.

TWO EASY TABLES.

lix

TABLE A.

If the Second Vespers of

An Higher Sunday (i.e., of the First or

Second Class) ....

An Ordinary Sunday

A Double of the First Class .

A Double of the Second Class

A Patron or Titular

A Greater Double

A Double .

A Semi-double

An Octave-day

A Day within an Octave

i . All of the latter, nothing of the former.

2. All of the former, nothing of the latter.

hrj ""

3. All of the latter, but with a Com

rt
3

memoration of the former.

&lt;

4. All of the former, but with a Com

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P-

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c

a? n

memoration of the latter.

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n&gt;

o
c

5. All of the former till the Chapter, ex

n&gt;

C/3 0)

clusive ; then of the latter, from the

o
[-J

2, ^

Chapter, inclusive, but with a Com

memoration of the former.

P-

6. All of the more important, but with

en
en

a Commemoration of the less

important ; if equal, Vespers of the

latter from the Chapter inclusive.

At the First Vespers of the Octave-days of the Ascension and of Corpus
Christi and of other Primary Feasts of our Lord, the whole Service is of the
Octave. If a Double Feast have occupied the day, it is only commemorated,

Ix TWO EASY TABLES.

unless it be of the First or Second Class, in which case the Service is of it, with
a Commemoration of the First Vespers of the Octave.

If the Second Vespers of the Octave-days of the Feasts of our Lord which
are Primary and more solemn, such as those of Twelfth- Day, Easter, the
Ascension, and the others, clash with the First Vespers of a Double (including
the Octave-day of St John the Baptist), the Double is only commemorated,
unless it be of the First or Second Class, the Patron, Titular, or Dedication
Feast of the particular Church, in which cases the Service is of the Double,
with a Commemoration of the Second Vespers of the Octave.

On the Octave-days of Primary Feasts of the Blessed Virgin, the Angels,
St John the Baptist, St Joseph, and the Holy Apostles, there is only a Com
memoration made of an Ordinary or Lesser Double that precedes or follows.

If a Double or Semi-double Feast have been reduced to the condition of a
Simple according to the Pie, Chap, x., and a Double of the First Class fall
upon the day before, the reduced Feast is commemorated at the Second Vespers
of the Double of the First Class only if it is to be commemorated at the Lauds
of the succeeding day, that is to say of its own day ; but upon Doubles of the
Second Class such a reduced Feast is commemorated at both Vespers in the
same way as an Octave-day or a Sunday would be ; but a day within an Octave
is not commemorated unless the next day s Office be of the same.

When several Commemorations are to be made, they are arranged in the order
of i, Privileged Sunday; 2, Octave-Day; 3, Greater Double; 4, Reduced
Double ; 5, Ordinary Sunday ; 6, Day within the Octave of Corpus Christi ;
7, Semi-double ; 8, Day within an Octave, reduced to the form of Simple ;
9, Greater Week-day or Eve; 10, Simple.

[TABLE B.

TWO EASY TABLES.

Ixi

TABLE B.

A Double of the First Class

A Double of the Second Class .

A Greater Double

A Double of a Doctor

A Double

A Day within an Octave .

An Octave-day

A Semi-double

A Simple

A Greater Week-day

-
3

An Eve .....

i . The former is transferred, and

the latter observed.

"-"

2. The former is observed, and

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the latter transferred.

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3. The latter is observed, and

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the former commemorated.

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4. The former is observed, and

the latter commemorated.

3
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5. The former is altogether

omitted, and the latter

observed.

6. The former is observed, and

the latter altogether omitted.

7. The more important is ob

served, and the less im

portant commemorated.

8. The more important is ob

served, and the less im

portant transferred.

Ixii TWO EASY TABLES.

Note.

A Double of any sort, even the Patron, Titular, or Dedication Feast of the
particular Church, if it fall on Dec. 24, Whitsun Eye, Jan. i or 13, Ash
Wednesday, Holy, Easter, or Whitsun Weeks, Ascension Day, Corpus Christi
Day, March 25, Aug. 15, Dec. 8, Midsummer Day, March 19, June 29, or
Nov. i, is transferred, if it can be transferred, but if not, it is simply com
memorated upon its own day, or totally omitted, as may be directed in the Pie.

Within the Octave of the Epiphany no Feast can be kept except Double
Feasts of the First Class, and that with Commemoration of the Octave. Other
Feasts of Nine Lessons are permanently fixed on the first free day after the
Octave ; Simples are commemorated only. Within the Octave of Corpus Christi,
Semi-doubles are reduced to the rank of Simples and commemorated, neither can
Doubles be transferred thither unless they be of the First or Second Class, and a
Commemoration is always made of the Octave. Within those Octaves, in which
the observance of Feasts is allowed, a Semi-double, if it fall on a Sunday, is
commemorated as prescribed by the Pie.

The Octaves of Christmas, Twelfth -Day, and Corpus Christi, are com
memorated at every Vespers and Lauds, whatever be the Office.

Other Octaves, which are not in the Kalendar, 1 are not observed from Ash
Wednesday to Low Sunday, or Whitsun Eve to Trinity Sunday, both inclusive,
or from Dec. 17 to Jan. 6.

An Octave-day can never be transferred. Therefore, if Corpus Christi fall
on Midsummer Day, and the Feast of St John were consequently kept on June
25, July i would be kept as the Octave of Corpus Christi, with a Commemoration
of the Octave of St John at both Vespers and at Lauds.

If some other Saints be mentioned in the Kalendar on the same day with the
Patron or Titular, the Feast of the Patron or Titular alone is observed. If the
other Feast be a Double or Semi-double, it is permanently fixed on the first free
day and kept as a Semi-double. If it is a Double of the First or Second Class,
it is similarly transferred and kept as on its own day. 2

The Week-days of Advent and Lent, if not kept as such, are always com
memorated at both Vespers and Lauds, whatever be the Office; Ember Days,
Eves, and Rogation Monday, at Lauds only. But if an Eve fall in Advent or
Lent, on an Ember Day, a Double of the First Class, or the Patronal, Titular,
or Dedication Feast of the particular Church, no notice is taken of it, even in
Lauds.

1 But in the diocese of Hexham there is a special privilege permitting the observance of an
Octave in honour of St Cuthbert.

2 I.e., in that particular Church, it has a day fixed other than elsewhere.

KALENDAR. Ixiii

KALENDAR.

JANUARY.

1 . Circumcision of our Lord. Double of the Second Class.

2. Octave of St Stephen. Double. Commemoration of the Octaves of St

Thomas of Canterbury, of St John, and of the Holy Innocents. _

3. Octave of St John, Apostle and Evangelist. Double. Commemoration of

St Thomas of Canterbury, and of the Octave of the Holy Innocents.

4. Octave of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs. Double. Commemoration of St

Thomas of Canterbury.

5. Octave of St Thomas of Canterbury, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of

the Eve of the Epiphany and of St Telesphorus, Pope of Rome, Martyr.

6. EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD. Double of the First Class.

7. Within the Octave of the Epiphany.

8. Within the Octave.

9. Within the Octave.

10. Within the Octave.

11. Within the Octave. Commemoration of St Hyginus, Pope of Rome, and

Martyr.

12. Within the Octave. ni-u

* Lord s Day within the Octave of the Epiphany. [The Finding of the Child

JESUS in the Temple. Greater Double. General Appendix.]

13. Octave of the Epiphany. Double.

* Second Lord s Day after the Epiphany. Feast of the Most Holy Name of

JESUS. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration of the Sunday.

14. Hilary, Bishop [of Poitiers,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double.

Commemoration of St Felix, Priest and Martyr.
i 5. Paul, the First Hermit. Double. Commemoration of St Maurus, Abbat.

1 6. Marcellus, Pope and Martyr. Semi-double.

17. Antony, Abbat. Double.

1 8. The Chair of St Peter at Rome. Greater Double. Commemoration of bt

Paul and of St Prisca, Virgin and Martyr.

19. Wolstan, Bishop [of Worcester,] Confessor. Double. Commemoration of

SS. Maris, Audifax, Abachum, and Martha, Martyrs.

* Third Lord s Day after the Epiphany. [The Feast of the Holy Home,

JESUS, Mary, and Joseph. Greater Double. Gen. App.]

20. Fabian and Sebastian, Martyrs. Double.

21. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. Double.

22. Vincent and Anastasius. Semi-double.

23. Espousal of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St Joseph. Greater Double. Com

memoration of St Joseph and of Emerentiana, Virgin and Martyr.

24. Timothy, Bishop [of Ephesus,] Martyr. Double.

Ixiv KALENDAR.

25. Conversion of St Paul. Greater Double. Commemoration of St Peter.

26. Polycarp, Bishop [of Smyrna,] Martyr. Double.

27. John Chrysostom, Patriarch [of Constantinople,] Confessor and Doctor of

the Church. Double.

28. Raymond of Peiiafuerte, Confessor. Semi-Double. 1 Commemoration of St

Agnes for the second time.

29. Francis de Sales, Bishop [of Geneva,] Confessor, and Doctor of the

Church. Double.

30. Martina, Virgin and Martyr. Semi- Double.

[Double in the Province of Westminster.]

3 1 . Peter Nolasco, Confessor. Double.

* Friday after Septuagesima Sunday, Prayer of our Lord in the Garden of

Gethsemane. Greater Double.

* Friday after Sexagesima Sunday, Sufferings of our Lord. Greater Double.

FEBRUARY.

T. Ignatius, Bishop [of Antioch,] Martyr. Double.

2. Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double of the Second Class.

3. Laurence, Archbishop of Canterbury, Confessor. Double. Commemoration

of Blase, Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, Martyr.

4. Andrew Corsini, Bishop [of Fiesole,] Confessor. Double.

5. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. Double.

6. Titus, Archbishop [of Gortyna in Crete,] Confessor. Double. Commem

oration of St Dorothy, Virgin and Martyr.

7. Romuald, Abbat. Double.

8. John de la Mata, Confessor. Double.

9. Cyril, Pope of Alexandria, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double.

Commemoration of St Apollonia, Virgin and Martyr.
[The Twenty-six Holy Martyrs who suffered in Japan. Double. Gen.

App.]

10. Scholastica, Virgin. Double.

1 1 . Gilbert [of Sempringham,] Confessor. Semi-double.

12. Benedict Biscop, Abbat, Confessor. Double.

13. The Seven Founders of the Servite Order, Confessors. Double.
[Kentigern, Bishop [of Glasgow,] Confessor. Double. Gen. App.]

14. Valentine, Priest and Martyr.

[Thomas Plumtree and his Companions, Martyrs. Greater Double. Gen.
^ App.]
i 5. Faustinus and Jovita, Martyrs.

1 6.

17. [The Flight of our Lord JESUS Christ into Egypt. Greater Double. Gen.

. A PP-]

1 8. Simeon, Bishop [of Jerusalem,] Martyr.
19.

1 See p. 723.

KALENDAR. Ixv

20.
21.

22. The Chair of St Peter at Antioch. Greater Double. Commemoration of St

Paul.

23. Peter Damian, [Cardinal] Bishop [of Ostia,] Confessor, and Doctor of the

Church. Double. Commemoration of the Eve.

24. Matthias, Apostle. Double of the Second Class.
25.

26. Ethelbert, King of Kent, Confessor. Double.

27. [Margaret of Cortona, Penitent. Semi-double. Gen. App.]
28.

In Leap- Year February has 29 days, the additional day is inserted after the
23rd, the 24th is then the Eve of St Matthias, and the following days
are each counted one later, the Feast of St Matthias being the 25th, &c.
* First Friday in Lent, Coronation of our Lord with Thorns. Greater
Double.

Second Friday in Lent, Piercing of Our Lord with Spear and Nails.
Greater Double.

Third Friday in Lent, Enshroudment of our Lord. Greater Double.

Fourth Friday in Lent, The Five Most Holy Wounds of our Lord.
Greater Double.

MARCH.

1. David, Archbishop [of Caerleon,] Confessor. Double.

2. Chad, Bishop [of Lichfield,] Confessor. Double.

3. Aelred, Abbat, Confessor. Semi-double.

4. Casimir, Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of St Lucius, Pope of

Rome, and Martyr.

7. Thomas of Aquino, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double. Com

memoration of SS. Perpetua and Felicitas, Martyrs.

8. Felix, Bishop [of Dunwich,] Confessor. Double.

9. Frances of Rome, Widow. Double.
IO. The Forty Martyrs. Semi-double.
n. John of God, Confessor. Double.

12. Gregory \_the Great, ] Pope of Rome, Doctor of the Church, and Apostle of
England. Double of the Second Class.

16.

17. Patrick, Archbishop [of Armagh,] Confessor. Greater Double.
1 8. The Archangel Gabriel. Greater Double.

19. JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Double of the First
Class.

Ixvi KALENDAR.

20. Cuthbert, Bishop [of Lindisfarne,] Confessor. Double.

[In the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle this Feast has an Octave. See
Gen. App.]

2 1 . Benedict, Abbat and Confessor. Greater Double.

22. Cyril, Bishop [of Jerusalem,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double.
[Edward, King of England, Martyr. Double. Gen. App.]

2 3-
24.

25. ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Double of the First Class.

26. [The Penitent Thief. Double. Gen. App.]

27. John of Damascus, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double.

28. John of Capistrano, Confessor. Semi-double.
29.

30-
31.

* Friday in Passion Week, Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greater
Double.

APRIL.

2. Francis of Paola, Confessor. Double.

3. Richard, Bishop [of Chichester,] Confessor. Double.

4. Isidore, Archbishop [of Seville,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double.

5. Vincent Ferrer, Confessor. Double.
6.

10.

ii. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double.
12.

13. Hermenegild, Martyr. Semi-double.

14. Justin, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of SS. Tiburtius, Valerian, and

Maximus, Martyrs.

15-

1 6.

17. Stephen Harding, Abbat, Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of St

Anicete, Pope of Rome, and Martyr.
18.

19. jElphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr. Double.
20.

2 1 . Anselm, Archbishop [of Canterbury,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double.

22. Soter and Caius, Popes of Rome, and Martyrs. Semi-double.

KALENDAR. Ixvii

23. GEORGE, MARTYR, PATRON OF ENGLAND. Double of the First Class.

24. Faithful of Sigmaringen, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave

of St George and of St Mellitus, Archbishop of Canterbury.

25. Mark, Evangelist. Double of the Second Class.

26. Cletus and Marcellinus, Popes of Rome, and Martyrs. Semi-double. Com

memoration of the Octave of St George.

[The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled of Good Counsel. Greater Double.
Gen. App.]

27. Egbert, Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of the Octave of St

George.

28. Paul of the Cross, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of

St George and of St Vitalis, Martyr.

29. Peter, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St George.

30. Octave of St George, Martyr. Double.

* Third Lord s Day after Easter, Patronage of St Joseph. Double of the

Second Class. Commemoration of the Sunday.
[In some dioceses this Feast has an Octave. See Gen. App.]

MAY.

1 . Philip and James, Apostles. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration

of St Asaph, Bishop of St Asaph.

[* First Lord s Day in May, The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled the Mother
of the Lord our Shepherd. Greater Double. Gen. App.]

2. Athanasius, Pope of Alexandria, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double.

3. Finding of the Holy Cross. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration

of SS. Alexander, Eventius, and Theodulus, Martyrs, and Juvenal, Bishop
of Narni, Confessor.

4. John, Cardinal Bishop of Rochester, Thomas More, and their companions,

Martyrs. Greater Double.

5. Katharine of Sienna, Virgin. Double.

6. John, Apostle and Evangelist, before the Latin Gate. Greater Double.

7. Stanislaw, Bishop [of Crakow,] Martyr. Double.

8. Manifestation of the Archangel St Michael. Greater Double.

9. Gregory of Nazianzus, Patriarch [of Constantinople,] Confessor, and Doctor

of the Church. Double.

10. Antonine, Archbishop [of Florence,] Confessor. Double. Commemoration

of SS. Gordian and Epimachus, Martyrs.

11. Pius V., Pope of Rome, Confessor. Double.

[John Rochester and James Walworth and their Companions, Martyrs.
Double. Gen. App.]

12. Nereus, Achilles, the Virgin Domitilla, and Pancras, Martyrs. Semi-double.
[Lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greater Double. Gen. App.]

13. Walburg, Virgin. Double.

14. Monica, Widow. Double. Commemoration of St Boniface, Martyr.

Ixviii KALENDAR.

15. [Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, Confessor. Double. Gen. App.]

[The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled Mother of Grace. Greater Double.
Gen. App.]

1 6. Simon Stock, Confessor. Double.

17. Paschal Baylon, Confessor. Double.

1 8. Venantius, Martyr. Double.

19. Dunstan, Archbishop [of Canterbury,] Confessor. Double. Commemora

tion of St Pudentiana, Virgin.

20. Bernardine of Sienna. Semi- double.

21. Peter Celestine, Pope of Rome, Confessor. Double.

22. Ubald, Bishop [of Gubbio,] Confessor. Semi-double.

23. John Baptist de Rossi, Confessor. Double.

24. The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled " Help of Christians." Greater Double.
[In the dioceses of Shrewsbury and Westminster, Double of the First Class,

with an Octave. Gen. App.]

25. Aldhelm, Bishop [of Sherborne,] Confessor. Double. Commemoration of

St Urban, Pope of Rome, and Martyr.

26. AUGUSTINE, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, CONFESSOR, APOSTLE OF ENGLAND.

Double of the First Class.

27. Bede the Venerable, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Greater Double.

Commemoration of the Octave of St Augustine and of St John I., Pope
of Rome, and Martyr.

28. Gregory VII., Pope of Rome, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the

Octave of St Augustine.

[The Blessed Margaret Pole, Countess [of Salisbury,] Martyr. Double.
Gen. App.]

29. Eleutherius, Pope of Rome, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the

Octave of St Augustine.

30. John of Nepomuc, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St

Augustine and of St Felix, Pope of Rome, and Martyr.

31. Angela Merici, Virgin. Double. Commemorations of the Octave of St

Augustine and of St Petronilla, Virgin.

* Third Lord s Day after Pentecost, the Most Sacred Heart of JESUS.
Double of the First Class. Commemoration of the Sunday.

JUNE.

1. Within the Octave of St Augustine of Canterbury.

2. Octave of St Augustine of Canterbury. Double. Commemoration of SS.

Marcellinus, Peter, and Elmo, Martyrs.

3. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, Virgin. Double.

4. Francis Caracciolo, Confessor. Double.

5. Boniface, Archbishop [of Maintz,] Martyr. Double.

[In the diocese of Plymouth, a Double of the First Class, with an Octave.
Gen. App.]

6. Norbert, Archbishop [of Magdeburg,] Confessor. Double.
7-

KALENDAR. Ixix

8. William, Archbishop of York, Confessor. Double.

9. Primus and Felician, Martyrs.

\_In the diocese of Portsmouth^ Translation of St Edmund, Archbishop of
Canterbury, Confessor. Greater Double. Gen. App.^j

10. Margaret, Queen of Scots, Widow. Double.

1 1 . Barnabas, Apostle. Greater Double.

12. John of San Fagondez. Double. Commemoration of SS. Basilides, Cyrinus,

Nabor, and Nazarius, Martyrs.

13. Anthony of Padua, Confessor. Double.

14. Basil the Great, Archbishop [of Cassarea-in-Pontus,]] Confessor and Doctor

of the Church. Double.

15. Philip Neri, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of SS. Vitus, Modestus,

and Crescentia, Martyrs.
16.

17. Botolph, Abbat, Confessor. Semi-double.

[Lord s Day before the birth of St John the Baptist, the Blessed Virgin
Mary, styled of Perpetual Succour. Greater Double. Gen. App.j

1 8. Mark and Marcellian, Martyrs.

19. Juliana de Falconieri, Virgin. Double. Commemoration of SS. Gervase

and Protase, Martyrs.

20. Silverius, Pope of Rome, and Martyr.

21. Aloysius Gonzaga, Confessor. Double.

22. Alban, Proto-Martyr of Britain. Greater Double. Commemoration of

Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, Confessor.

[First Free Day after June 22, the Blessed John Fisher, Cardinal Bishop of
Rochester, Martyr. Greater Double. Gen. App.]

23. Etheldreda, Virgin. Double. Commemoration of Midsummer Eve.

24. BIRTH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST. Double of the First Class.

25. William, Abbat, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St

John.

26. John and Paul, Martyrs. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St

John.

27. Within the Octave of the Birth of St John.

28. Leo II., Pope of Rome, and Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of

the Octave of St John, and of the Eve of the Apostles.

29. PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES. Double of the First Class.
[Commemoration of all the Holy Apostles. Gen. App.J

30. Commemoration of St Paul. Greater Double. Commemoration of St Peter,

and of the Octave of St John.

JULY.

* First Lord s Day in July, the Most Precious Blood of our Lord JESUS
Christ. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration of the Sunday.

Octave of the Birth of St John the Baptist. Double. Commemoration of
the Octave of SS. Peter and Paul.

l xx KALENDAR.

2. Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double of the Second Class. Com

memoration of SS. Processus and Martinian, Martyrs.

3. Within the Octave of the Apostles.

4. Within the Octave of the Apostles.

5. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the

Octave of the Apostles.

6. Octave of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Double.

[First Free Day after July 6, the Blessed Thomas More, Martyr. Greater
Double. Gen. App.]

7. Translation of Thomas, Archbishop [of Canterbury], Martyr. Greater Double.
* Second Lord s Day in July, the Holy Relics. Greater Double. Com
memoration of the Sunday.

8. Isabel, Queen of Portugal, Widow. Semi-double.

9. Willibald, Bishop of Eichstad, Confessor. Double.

10. The Seven Brethren and the Holy Virgins Rufma and Secunda, all Martyrs.

Semi-double.
IT. Cyril, Bishop of Moravia, and Methodius, Bishop of Kieff, Confessors.

Double. Commemoration of St Pius I., Pope and Martyr.

12. John Gualberto, Abbat [of Passignano,] Double. Commemoration of SS.

Nabor and Felix, Martyrs.

13. Anaclete, Pope of Rome, and Martyr. Semi-double.

14. " Buona- ventura," [Cardinal] Bishop [of Albano,] Confessor, and Doctor

of the Church. Double.

i 5. Swithun, Bishop [of Winchester,] Confessor. Double.
[The Division of the Apostles. Double. Gen. App.]
[Third Sunday in July, Commemoration of All the Holy Bishops of Rome.

Double. Gen. App.]

1 6. The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled of Mount Carmel. Greater Double.
[In the diocese of Salford, Double of the First Class. Gen. App.]

17. Osmund, Bishop [of Salisbury,] Confessor. Double.

1 8. Camillus de Lelli, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Symphorosa

and her Seven Sons, Martyrs.

19. Vincent de Paul, Confessor. Double.

20. Jerome Miani, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Margaret, Virgin

and Martyr.

21. Henry II., Emperor of the Romans, Confessor. Semi-double. Commem

oration of St Praxedes, Virgin.

22. Mary Magdalen. Double.

23. Apollinaris, Bishop [of Ravenna,] Martyr. Double. Commemoration of St

Liborius, Bishop of Mans, Confessor.

24. Alexis, Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of the Eve of St James,

and of St Christina, Virgin and Martyr.

25. James, Apostle. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration of St Chris

topher, Martyr.

26. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double of the Second Class.
[/ the diocese of Leeds, Double of the First Class. Gen. App.]

27. Pantaleon, Martyr.

28. Nazarius, Celsus, and Victor, Martyrs, and Innocent, Pope of Rome, and

Confessor. Semi-double.

KALENDAR. Ixxi

29. Martha, Virgin. Semi-double. Commemoration of SS. Felix, Simplicius,

Faustinus, and Beatrix, Martyrs.

30. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of SS.

Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs.

31. Ignatius, Confessor. Double.

AUGUST.

1. The Chains of St Peter. Greater Double. Commemoration of the Holy

Machabees, Martyrs.

2. Alphonsus Maryde Liguori, Bishop [of Santa- Agata-de -Goti,] Confessor,

and Doctor of the Church. Double. Commemoration of St Stephen,
Pope of Rome, and Martyr.

3. Finding of the body of St Stephen, the First Martyr. Semi-double.

4. Dominick, Confessor. Greater Double.

5. Dedication of St Mary s of the Snows. Greater Double.

6. Transfiguration of our Lord. Greater Double. Commemoration of St

Xystus, Pope of Rome, and SS. Felicissimus and Agapitus, Martyrs.

7. Gae tan, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Donatus, Bishop of

Arezzo, Martyr.

8. Cyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus, Martyrs. Semi-double.

9. Oswald, King of the Northumbrians, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of

the Eve of St Lawrence, and of St Romanus, Martyr.

O. Lawrence, Martyr. Double of the Second Class.

11. Within the Octave of St Lawrence. Commemoration of SS. Tiburtius and

Susanna.

12. Clare, Virgin. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St Lawrence.

13. Within the Octave of St Lawrence. Commemoration of SS. Hippolytus

and Cassian, Martyrs.

14. Within the Octave of St Lawrence. Commemoration of the Eve of the

Assumption, and of St Eusebius, Confessor.

15. ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Double of the First Class.

* The Lord s Day within the Octave of the Assumption, St Joachim, Con
fessor, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double of the Second Class.
Commemoration of the Sunday.

1 6. Hyacinth, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the two Octaves.

17. Octave of St Lawrence. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of the

Assumption.

1 8. Helen, Empress of the Romans, Widow. Double. Commemoration of the

Octave of the Assumption, and of St Agapitus, Martyr.

19. Within the Octave of the Assumption.

20. Bernard, Abbat [of Clairvaux,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double. Commemoration of the Octave of the Assumption.

21. Jeanne Frances Fremiot de Chantal, Widow. Double. Commemoration of

the Octave of the Assumption.

22. Octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double. Com

memoration of SS. Timothy, Hippolytus, and Symphorian, Martyrs.

Ixxii KALENDAR.

* The Lord s Day after the Octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. [Office of the Most Pure Heart of the Blessed Virgin. Greater
Double. Vol. iii., Gen. App., p. 1028 ; vol. iv., Gen. App., p. 916.]

23. Philip Benizzi, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the Eve of St

Bartholomew.

24. Bartholomew, Apostle. Double of the Second Class.

25. Louis IX., King of France, Confessor. Semi-double.

26. Zephyrinus, Pope of Rome, and Martyr.

27. Joseph Casalanz, Confessor. Double.

28. Austin, Bishop [of Hippo,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double.

Commemoration of St Hermes, Martyr.

29. Beheading of St John the Baptist. Greater Double. Commemoration of St

Sabina, Martyr.

30. Rose of Lima, Virgin. Double. Commemoration of SS. Felix and him

that joined him, Martyrs.

31. Aidan, Bishop [of Lindisfarne,] Confessor. Double.

SEPTEMBER.

1. Raymond the Unborn, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Giles,

Abbat, and of the Twelve Holy Brethren, Martyrs.

2. Stephen, King of Hungary, Confessor. Semi-double.

4. [Translation of St Cuthbert, Bishop [of Lindisfarne] and Confessor. Greater

Double in the diocese of Hexham. Gen. App.]

5. Lawrence de Giustiniani, Patriarch of Venice, Confessor. Semi-double.
6.

8. Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Double of the Second Class. Commem

oration of St Adrian, Martyr.

* The Lord s Day within the Octave, The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin

Mary. Greater Double. Commemoration of the Sunday.

9. Within the Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin. Commemoration of

St Gorgonius, Martyr.

10. Nicolas of Tolentino. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of the Birth

of the Blessed Virgin.

11. Within the Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin. Commemoration of

SS. Protus and Hyacinth, Martyrs.

12. Within the Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin.

13. Within the Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin.

14. Uplifting of the Holy Cross. Greater Double. Commemoration of the

Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin.

i 5. Octave of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin. Double. Commemoration of St
Nicomede, Martyr.

* Third Lord s Day in this Month, The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin

Mary. Greater Double. Commemoration of the Sunday.

KALENDAR. Ixxiii

1 6. Cornelius, Pope of Rome, and Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyrs.

Semi-double. Commemoration of SS. Euphemia, Lucy, and Geminian,
Martyrs.

17. Marking of the Body of St Francis with the marks of Our Lord. Double.

1 8. Joseph of Cupertino, Confessor. Double.

19. Januarius, Bishop [of Benevento,] and his Companions, Martyrs. Double.

20. Eustace, Agapitus, Theopistus, and Theopista, Martyrs. Double. Com

memoration of the Eve of St Matthew.

21. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. Double of the Second Class.

22. Thomas of Villanueva, Archbishop [of Valencia,] Confessor. Double.

Commemoration of St Maurice and his Companions, Martyrs.

23. Linus, Pope of Rome, and Martyr. Semi-double. Commemoration of St

Thecla, Virgin and Martyr.

24. The Blessed Virgin Mary, styled " of Ransom." Greater Double.

25. Ninian, Bishop [of Galloway,] Confessor. Double.

26. Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, Confessor. Double. Commemoration

of SS. Cyprian and Justina, Martyrs.

27. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs. Semi-double.

28. Wenceslaus, Duke [of Bohemia,] Martyr. Semi-double.

29. Dedication of the Church of St Michael, the Archangel. Double of the Second

Class.

[In the dioceses of Menevia and Newport, ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS.
Double of the First Class. Gen. App.]

30. Jerome, Priest, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. Double. Com

memoration of St Honorius, Archbishop of Canterbury.

OCTOBER.

* First Lord s Day in the Month, The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin

Mary. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration of the Sunday.

J . Remy, Bishop of Rheims, Confessor. Simple or Semi-double at will.

2. The Guardian Angels. Greater Double.

3. Thomas, Bishop of Hereford, Confessor. Double.

4. Francis, Confessor. Greater Double.

5. Placidus and his Companions, Martyrs.

6. Bruno, Confessor. Double.

7. Mark, Pope of Rome, Confessor. Commemoration of SS. Sergius and his

Companions, Martyrs.

* Second Lord s Day in the Month. Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Greater Double. Commemoration of the Sunday.

8. Bridget, Princess of Nericia, Widow. Double.

9. Denys, Bishop of Paris, Rusticus, and Eleutherius, Martyrs. Semi-double.
10. Paulinus, Archbishop of York, Confessor. Double.

IT. Francis Borgia, Confessor. Semi-double.

12. Wilfred, Archbishop [of York,] Confessor. Double.

13. Edward, King of England, Confessor. Double of the Second Class.

Ixxiv KALENDAR.

14. Kallistus, Pope of Rome, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave

of St Edward.

* Third Lord s Day in the Month, Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Greater Double. Commemoration of the Sunday.

15. Theresa, Virgin. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of St Edward.

1 6. Within the Octave of St Edward.

17. ladwiga, Widow. Semi-double. Commemoration of the Octave of St

Edward.

1 8. Luke, Evangelist. Double of the Second Class.

19. Peter of Alcantara, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the Octave

of St Edward.
[In the diocese of Shrewsbury, Double of the First Class. Gen. App.]

20. Octave of St Edward. Double.

2 1 . Ursula and her Companions, Virgins and Martyrs. Greater Double. Com

memoration of St Hilarion, Abbat.

* Fourth Lord s Day in the Month, Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Greater Double. Commemoration of the Sunday.

22. John of Kenty, Confessor. Double.

23. Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer. Greater Double.

24. The Archangel Raphael. Greater Double.

25. John of Beverley, Archbishop [of York,] Confessor. Double. Commem

oration of SS. Chrysanthus and Daria, Martyrs.

26. Evaristus, Pope of Rome, Martyr.

27. Eve of SS. Simon and Jude.

28. Simon and Jude, Apostles. Double of the Second Class.
29.

31. Eve of All Saints.

NOVEMBER.

1. FEAST OF ALL THE SAINTS. Double of the First Class.

2. Within the Octave of All Saints. Commemoration of all the Faithful

Departed.

3. Winefrid, Virgin and Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of

All Saints.

4. Charles, [Cardinal] Archbishop [of Milan,] Confessor. Double. Com

memoration of the Octave of All Saints, and of Saints Vitalis and
Agricola, Martyrs.

5. Within the Octave of All Saints.

6. Within the Octave of All Saints.

7. Within the Octave of All Saints.

8. Octave of All Saints. Double. Commemoration of the Four Crowned

Martyrs.

9. Dedication of the Cathedral Church of Our Most Holy Saviour. Greater

Double. Commemoration of St Theodore, Martyr.

KALENDAR. Ixxv

10. Andrew Avellino, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of SS. Tryphon,

Respicius, and the Virgin Nympha, Martyrs, and of St Justus, Bishop of
Rochester, Confessor.

11. Martin, Bishop [of Tours,] Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St

Mennas, Martyr.

12. Martin, Pope of Rome, Martyr. Semi-double.

13. Diego, Confessor. Semi-double.

14. Erconwald, Bishop of London, Confessor. Double.

[Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, Martyr. Greater Double. Gen.

App.]
i 5. Gertrude, Virgin. Double.

1 6. Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury, Confessor. Double.

[In the diocese of Portsmouth, EDMUND OF CANTERBURY. Double of the
First Class. Gen. App.]

17. Hew, Bishop of Lincoln, Confessor. Double.

1 8. Dedication of the Churches of SS. Peter and Paul. Greater Double.

19. Elizabeth, Widow. Double. Commemoration of St Pontian, Pope of

Rome, and Martyr.

20. Edmund, King of the East Angles, Martyr. Greater Double.

2 1 . Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greater Double.

22. Cecily, Virgin and Martyr. Double.

23. Clement, Pope of Rome, Martyr. Double. Commemoration of St Felicity,

Martyr.

24. John of the Cross, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Chrysogonus,

Martyr.

25. Katharine, Virgin and Martyr. Double.

26. Sylvester, Abbat, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St Peter, Pope

of Alexandria, Martyr.

27. Gregory, the Wonder-worker, Bishop [of Neo-Csesarea in Pontus,] Con

fessor. Double.

28. Jehoshaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk, Martyr. Double.

29. Willibrord, Archbishop of Utrecht, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of

the Eve of St Andrew, if out of Advent, and of St Saturninus, Martyr.
[Cuthbert Maine, Martyr. Double. Gen. App.]

30. Andrew, Apostle. Double of the Second Class.

DECEMBER.

1. Felix de Valois, Confessor. Double.

[Edmund Campion and his Companions, Martyrs. Double. Gen. App.]

2. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr. Semi-double.

3. Francis Xavier, Confessor. Doubled

4. Peter Chrysologus, Archbishop [of Ravenna,] Confessor, and Doctor of the

Church. Double. Commemoration of St Barbara, Virgin and Martyr.

1 Since raised to the rank of a Greater Double.

Ixxvi KALENDAR.

5. Brian, Bishop [of Dorchester,] Confessor. Double. Commemoration of St

Saba, Abbat.

6. Nicolas, Archbishop [of Myra,] Confessor. Double.

[In diocese of Liverpool, Double of the First Class. Gen. App.J

7. Ambrose, Bishop [of Milan,] Confessor, and Doctor of the Church.

Double.

8. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Double of the

First Class.

9. Within the Octave of the Conception.

10. Within the Octave of the Conception. Commemoration of St Melchiades,

Pope of Rome, Martyr.
[Translation of the Holy House of Loreto. Greater Double. Gen. App.]

1 1 . Damasus, Pope of Rome, Confessor. Semi-double. Commemoration of the

Octave of the Conception.

12. Within the Octave of the Conception.

13. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr. Double. Commemoration of the Octave of the

Conception.

14. Within the Octave of the Conception.

15. Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin. Double.

1 6. Eusebius, Bishop [of Vercelli,] Martyr. Semi-double.

17-

1 8. The Blessed Virgin Mary looking shortly to be delivered. Greater Double.

19.

20. Eve of St Thomas.

21. Thomas, Apostle. Double of the Second Class.

22.

2 3-

24. Christmas Eve.

25. BIRTHDAY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Double of the First Class.

26. Stephen, the First Martyr. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration

of the Octave of Christmas.

27. John, Apostle and Evangelist. Double of the Second Class. Commemora

tion of the Octaves of Christmas and of St Stephen.

28. The Holy Innocents. Double of the Second Class. Commemoration of the

Octaves of Christmas-, of St Stephen, and of St John.

29. THOMAS, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, MARTYR. Double of the First

Class. 1 Commemoration of the Octaves of Christmas, [of St Stephen,
of St John, and of the Innocents.]

30. Office of the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, or of the Octave.

Commemorations of the Octaves of [Christmas,] of St Thomas of
Canterbury, of St Stephen, of St John, and of the Innocents.

31. Silvester, Pope of Rome, Confessor. Double. Commemoration of the

Octaves of Christmas, of St Thomas of Canterbury, of St Stephen,
of St John, and of the Innocents.

1 See the note to the Office in the Breviary.

PRAYERS. ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS. Ixxvii

PRAYERS. ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS.

A PRAYER BEFORE A SERVICE.

,O Lord, open Thou my mouth that I may bless Thy Holy Name. Cleanse
my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts ; enlighten my under
standing ; kindle my affections, that I may pray to, and praise Thee with
attention and devotion ; and may worthily be heard before the presence of
Thy Divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, in union with that Divine Intention wherewith Thou didst Thyself
praise God, while as Thou wast on earth, I offer these Hours unto Thee.

A PRAYER AFTER A SERVICE.

In respect of which Pope Leo X. has granted to all persons nvho after saying
the Divine Office shall devoutly recite it on their knees , condonation of the shortcomings
and faults committed by them from human frailty in saying the Office.

To the Most Holy and undivided Trinity, to the Manhood of our Lord
JESUS Christ Crucified, to the fruitful Virginity of the most blessed and most
glorious Mary, always a Virgin, and to the holiness of all the Saints be ascribed
everlasting praise, honour, and glory, by all creatures, and to us be granted the
forgiveness of all our sins, world without end. Amen.

Verse. Blessed be the womb of the Virgin Mary which bore the Son of
the Eternal Father.

Answer. And blessed be the paps which gave suck to Christ our Lord.

Then are said the Lord s Prayer and the Angelic Salutation.

SUMMARY OF THE ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS PRONOUNCED AT MATTINS.

In the First Nocturn, and on Monday and Thursday.

Absolution.

Graciously hear, O Lord JESUS Christ, the prayers of Thy servants, and
have mercy upon us : Who livest and reignest with the Father, and the Holy
Ghost, world without end. Amen.

First Blessing.

May the Eternal Father bless us
With an eternal blessing. Amen.

Second Blessing.

May the Son, the Sole-begotten,
Mercifully bless and keep us. Amen.

Ixxviii PRAYERS. ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS.

Third Blessing.

May the grace of God the Spirit

All our heart and mind enlighten. Amen.

In the Second Nocturn, and on Tuesday and Friday.
Absolution.

May His loving-kindness and mercy help us, Who liveth and reigneth with
the Father, and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

Fourth Blessing.

God the Father Omnipotent,

Be to us merciful and clement. Amen.

Fifth Blessing.

May Christ to all His people give,
For ever in His sight to live. Amen.

Sixth Blessing.

May the Spirit s fire Divine

In our hearts enkindled shine. Amen.

In the Third Nocturn, and on Wednesday and Saturday.
Absolution.

May the Almighty and merciful Lord loose us from the bonds of our
sins. Amen.

Seventh Blessing.

May the Gospel s holy lection

Be our safety and protection. Amen.

Eighth Blessing.

God s most mighty strength alway

Be His people s staff and stay. Amen.

For Feasts of Saints.

He (or she or they) whose feast-day we are keeping,
Be our Advocate (or Advocates) with God.

For Feasts of the Blessed Virgin.

She whose feast-day we are keeping
Mary, blessed Maid of Maidens,
Be our Advocate with God.

PRAYERS. ABSOLUTIONS AND BLESSINGS. Ixxix

Ninth Blessing.

May He that is the Angels King

To that high realm His people bring. Amen.

Or, if another Gospel and Homily are to be begun,

May the Gospel s glorious word
Cleansing to our souls afford.

On days of Three Lessons the Absolution and Blessings are as above, according
to the Week-day, with the following exceptions : First Blessing on Wednesday or
Saturday, (not the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin,) if the First Lesson be
not Gospel with Homily,

May His blessing be upon us
Who doth live and reign for ever.

Whenever the First Lesson is Gospel with Homily, the Blessings are from the
Third Nocturn.

If the Office be of a Saint or Saints, the Blessings are :

First Blessing.

May His blessing be upon us
Who doth live and reign for ever.

Second Blessing.

He (or she or they) whose feast-day we are keeping,
Be our Advocate (or Advocates) with God.

Third BL

May He that is the Angels King

To that high realm His people bring. Amen.

The Absolution and Blessings in the Simple Office of the Blessed Virgin for
Saturdays are peculiar to that Office, and are given in their own place.

Cite

OR,

BOOK OF PSALMS,

DIVIDED ACCORDING TO THE DAYS OF THE WEEK, TOGETHER WITH
THE ORDINARY OFFICE FOR THE DIFFERENT SEASONS.

MATTINS, 1 OR MORNING PRAYER.

FOR THE LORD S DAY, SUNDAY.

Before Mat tins, and every other
Hour, except Lauds and Compline,
there is said inaudibly*

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us.
And .ead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

TJAIL, Mary, full of grace;

11 The Lord is with thee .

, , ,

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

Af the beginning of Mattins and

Creed.

1 The proper hour for Mattins is midnight, at which time it is said in many Convents.
In others it is said at 2 or 5 A.M. In the Cathedral of Rome (St. John Lateran s) and
other Churches of the same country, the hour is about 7 A.M. It is allowable to say it at
any hour after the sun has begun to decline, and an ordinary practice is to do so late in the
afternoon.

- The reason why the Lord s Prayer and the Apostles Creed are recited inaudibly during
the Office seems to be, that in the early Church these formulae were concealed from the
unbaptized until very shortly before their baptism. Now, all were allowed to be present
at the Office, of which these formulae are a part, and therefore they were then so said that
the unbaptized could not hear them. The " Hail, Mary," having been added as a sort of
appendix to the Lord s Prayer, follows the same rule with it. The Lord s Prayer is said
aloud during the Canon of the Mass, because only the faithful were then present.

VOL. I. A

THE PSALTER.

I BELIEVE in God the Father
Almighty, Maker of heaven
and earth. And in JESUS Christ,
His only Son, our Lord: Who
was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried : He descended
into hell: the third day He rose
again from the dead : He ascended
into heaven, and sitteth on the right
hand of God the Father Almighty :
from thence He shall come to judge
the quick and the dead. I be
lieve in the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Catholic Church, the Communion
of Saints, the Forgiveness of sins,
the Resurrection of the body, and
the Life everlasting. Amen.

Then is said aloud :

Versed &gt;J O LORD, open Thou
my lips.

Answer. And my mouth shall
show forth Thy praise.

Verse? ^ Make haste, O God,
to deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

3 As it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. Amen, Alleluia. 4

From Sepluagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday instead of Alleluia
is said:

1 Ps. 1. 17.

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

Then is said Psalm xciv. with the
Invitatory. The Invitatory here given
is said from the Octave of the Epiph
any to Septuagesima Sunday, and
from the Octave of Pentecost to Ad
vent Sunday.

Invitatory. Let us worship the
Lord, for * He is our Maker.

Repetition. Let us worship the
Lord, for * He is our Maker.

Psalm XCIV. 5

[Vulgate and LXX., "A song of praise
by David."]

OCOME, let us sing unto the
LORD, let us make a joyful
noise to the God of our Salva
tion : let us come before His
presence with thanksgiving, and
make a joyful noise ^ unto Him
with psalms.

Let us worship the Lord, for He
is our Maker.

For the LORD is a great God, and
a great King above all gods : for the
Lord will not cast off His people :
for in His hand are all the ends of
the earth ; and the heights of the
hills are His also.

He is our Maker.

For the sea is His, and He made
it : and His hands formed the dry
land : 6 O come, let us worship
and fall down ; let us cry unto the

2 Ps. Ixix. 2.

- The Greek original of this Doxology does not contain the words, "As it was in the
beginning" (inserted against the Arians), but runs thus : " Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, both now, and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

4 Or rather, "Hal lu-YAH," " Praise-ye-the- Eternal," a Hebrew phrase which occurs
repeatedly in the Bible. The sound of these words causes the Church such joy that she
denies herself their use during her penitential season. But in order not to remit the praise of
God, she substitutes for the Hebrew phrase a short rhyming Latin one, of similar meaning.

5 This Psalm is not given in the original from the Vulgate, but from some other Latin
translation. 8 Here it is usual to kneel till the *.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

LORD our Maker. * For He is
the Lord our God ; and we are
His people, and the sheep of His
pasture.

Let us worship the Lord, for He
is our Maker.

To-day if ye will hear His voice,
harden not your heart ; as in " the
Provocation," and as in the day of
" Temptation " in the wilderness :
when your fathers tempted Me,
proved Me, and saw My works. 1

He is our Maker.

Forty years long was I grieved
with that generation 2 and said, It is
a people that do alvvay err in their
heart, and they have not known My
ways : unto whom I sware in My
wrath that they should not enter
into My rest.

Let us worship the Lord, for He
is our Maker.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without
end. Amen.

He is our Maker.

Let us worship the Lord, for He
is our Maker.

The following Hymn is then said,
from the Octave of the Epiphany to the
First Sunday in Lent, and from the first
Sunday of October to Advent.

HYMN. 3

T O-DAY the Blessed Three in One
^ Began the earth and skies ;
To-day a Conqueror, God the Son,

Did from the grave arise ;
We too will wake, and, in despite
Of sloth and languor, all unite,
As Psalmists bid, through the dim night
Waiting with wistful eyes.

So may He hear, and heed each vow,

And prayer to Him addrest ;
And grant an instant cleansing now,

A future glorious rest.
So may He plentifully shower,
On all who hymn His love and power,
In this most still and sacred hour,
His sweetest gifts and best.

Father of purity and light !

Thy presence if we win,
Twill shield us from the deeds of night,

The burning darts of sin ;
Lest aught defiled or dissolute
Relax our bodies or imbrute,
And fires eternal be the fruit

Of fire now lit within.

Fix in our hearts, Redeemer dear,

The ever-gushing spring
Of grace to cleanse, of life to cheer

Souls sick and sorrowing.
Thee, bounteous Father, we entreat,
And only Son, awful and sweet,
And life-creating Paraclete,

The Everlasting King.

Amen.

Instead of the foregoing the follow
ing Hymn is said from the Octave of
Pentecost to the first Sunday of Oc
tober.

1 The occasion here referred to is that described in Exodus xvii. 1-7. The children of
Israel while travelling through the desert became rebellious from want of water. It was
given them from the smitten rock. Then is added : " And he [Moses] called the name of
the place Temptation" (Hebrew and LXX. add "and Provocation"), "because of the
chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying : Is the LORD
among us, or not ? "

2 Namely, that particular generation which had come out of Egypt. The next clauses
relate to that which is written in Numbers xiv. 22 : "Because all these men which have
seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness, have tempted
Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice, surely they shall not see the
land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it."
And this is confirmed with an oath, in verse 28 : " As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye
have spoken in Mine ears, so will I do to you : your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, "

3 Ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great, but altered^ one verse omitted, and the last
verse added. Translation by the late Card. Newman.

THE PSALTER.

HYMN. 1

LET us arise and watch by night,
And meditate always ;
And chant as in our Maker s sight
United hymns of praise.

So singing with the saints in bliss,
With them we may attain

Life everlasting after this,
And heaven for earthly pain.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,
And Spirit, God of grace,

To whom all worship shall be done
In every time and place.

Amen.

When the Invitatories, Hymns, &c.,
are different from the above they are
given in the Office to which they be
long.

FIRST NOCTURN, OR WATCH OF
THE NIGHT.

Antiphon for Advent. Behold,
there cometh the King.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
Serve the LORD.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia.

Psalm I.

BLESSED is the man that walk-
eth not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, * nor sitteth in the seat of
the scoffers :

But his delight is in the Law of
the LORD ; * and in His Law doth
he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, *
that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season :

His leaf also shall not wither :
* and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper.

Not so are the ungodly, not so :
* but are like the chaff which the
wind driveth away from the face of
the earth.

Therefore the ungodly shall not
stand in the judgment : * nor sin
ners in the congregation of the
righteous.

For the LORD knoweth the way
of the righteous : * but the way of
the ungodly shall perish.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, * world
without end. Amen.

This Doxology is said at the end of
every Psalm unless special directions
are given to the contrary.

Psalm II.

[In Acts iv. 25, 26, the authorship of this
Psalm is attributed to David.]

WHY do the heathen rage, *
and the peoples devise a
vain thing?

The kings of the earth set them
selves, and the rulers take counsel
together * against the LORD, and
against His Anointed.

Let us break their bands asun
der : * and cast away their yoke
from us.

He That sitteth in the heavens
shall laugh them to scorn : * and
the Lord shall have them in de
rision.

Then shall He speak unto them
in His wrath : * and plague them in
His sore displeasure.

Yet hath He set me for King
upon His holy hill of Zion * to de
clare His decree.

1 Also ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great, although somewhat altered. Translation
by the late Card. Newman.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

The LORD hath said unto me :
* Thou art My Son, this day have
I begotten thee.

Ask of Me, and I shall give
thee the heathen for thine inheri
tance, * and the uttermost parts
of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt rule them with a rod
of iron, * and shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter s vessel.

Be wise now, therefore, O ye
kings ; * be instructed, ye judges
of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear : * and
rejoice with trembling before Him.

Lay hold of instruction, lest the
Lord be angry, * and ye perish from
the righteous way.

When His wrath is kindled sud
denly, * blessed are all they that
put their trust in Him.

Psalm III.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David, when he
fled from Absalom his son." See the his
tory in 2 Kings (Sam.) xv., xvi., xviii. ]

T ORD, how are they increased
. *- * that trouble me ? * many are
they that rise up against me.

Many there be that say of my
soul : * There is no help for him
in his God. 1

But Thou, O LORD, art a shield
for me, * my glory, and the Lifter
up of mine head.

I cried unto the LORD with my
voice : * and He heard me out of
His holy hill. 2

I laid me down and slept ; * I
awaked, for the LORD sustained me.

I will not be afraid of thousands

of people that have set themselves
against me round about : * arise, O
LORD, save me, O my God.

For Thou hast smitten all them
that fought against me without a
cause 3 : * Thou hast broken the
teeth of the ungodly.

Salvation belongeth unto the
LORD : * and Thy blessing is upon
Thy people. 2

Psalm VI.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." The
title also contains directions, probably musi
cal, the meaning of which is now uncertain.]

OLORD, rebuke me not in
Thine anger : * neither
chasten me in Thine hot dis
pleasure.

Have mercy upon me, O LORD,
for I am weak : * O LORD, heal me,
for my bones are shaken.

My soul also is sore vexed : * but
Thou, O LORD, how long ?

Return, O LORD, deliver my soul :
* O save me for Thy mercy s sake.

For in death there is no one that
remembereth Thee : * and in the
grave who shall give Thee thanks ?

I am weary with my groaning,
every night I wash my bed : * I
water my couch with my tears.

Mine eye is grown dim because
of grief : * I am waxen old because
of all mine enemies.

Depart from me, all ye workers
of iniquity : * for the LORD hath
heard the voice of my weeping.

The LORD hath heard my suppli
cation : * the LORD hath received
my prayer.

1 Here occur in the Hebrew the letters SLH, or " Selah." The meaning of this js un
certain. Gesenius thinks "it seems to have been used to mark a short pause in singing
the words of the Psalm, so that the singer would be silent, while the instrumental music
continued." - SLH, again.

3 But the Hebrew reads, not, "without a cause," but, "on the jaw-bone.

THE PSALTER.

Let all mine enemies be ashamed
and sore vexed : * let them return
and be ashamed suddenly.

Antiphon for Advent, Behold,
there cometh the King, even the
Most High, with great power, to
save the nations. Alleluia.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
1 Serve the LORD with fear, and re
joice with trembling before Him.

In Paschal time there is only one
Antiphon to the whole Nocturn.

Second Antiphon for Advent.
Strengthen ye.

Second Antiphon for the rest of the
year. God is a righteous judge.

Psalm VII.

[Intituled "An Hymn of David, which
he sang unto the LORD concerning the words
of Cush the Benjamite." This Cush is sup
posed to be the same as Shimei, whose curs
ing of David is narrated in 2 Kings (Sam.)
xvi. 7, 8, or else a nickname for Saul.]

OLORD my God, in Thee do
I take refuge : * save me
from all them that persecute me,
and deliver me.

Lest he tear my soul like a lion, *
while there is none to deliver, or to
save.

O LORD my God, if I have done
this, * if there be iniquity in mine
hands ;

If I have requited with evil them
that requited me [with good], * may
I then flee empty before mine
enemies.

Let the enemy persecute my soul,
and take it, yea, let him tread down
my life upon the earth, * and lay
mine honour in the dust. 2
1 Ps. ii. ii,

Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger :
* and lift up Thyself against the
borders of mine enemies.

And awake for me, O Lord my
God, according to the decree that
Thou hast made : * so shall the
congregation of the people com
pass Thee about.

For their sakes, therefore, return
Thou on high : * the LORD judgeth
the peoples.

Judge me, O LORD, according to
my righteousness, * and according
to mine integrity that is in me.

let the wickedness of the
wicked come to an end, and es
tablish the just; * God trieth the
hearts and reins.

Mine help is righteous, coming
from the Lord, * Who saveth the
upright in heart.

God is a righteous judge, strong
and patient : * is He not provoked
every day?

If ye turn not, He will whet His
sword : * He hath bent His bow and
made it ready.

And hath fitted thereon the in
struments of death, * He hath
ordained His arrows against the
persecutors.

Behold, he travaileth with iniquity :
* he hath conceived mischief, and
brought forth falsehood.

He made a pit and digged it : *
and is fallen into the ditch which he
made.

His mischief shall return upon
his own head : * and his iniquity
shall come down upon his own
pate.

1 will praise the LORD according
to His righteousness : * and will
sing praise to the name of the
LORD Most High.

2 SLH.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm VIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has
also a title which seems to show that it was
a song for the vintage. ]

OLORD, our Lord, * how ex
cellent is Thy Name in all
the earth!

For Thy glory is exalted * above
the heavens.

1 Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings hast Thou perfected praise
because of Thine enemies, * that
Thou mightest destroy the enemy
and the avenger.

When I consider Thine heavens,
the work of Thy fingers : * the moon
and the stars which Thou hast or
dained :

What is man, that Thou art mind
ful of him ? * or the son of man,
that Thou visitest him ?

Thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels, Thou hast crowned
him with glory and honour, * and
madest him to have dominion over
the works of Thine hands.

Thou hast put all things under
his feet, * all sheep and oxen, yea,
and the beasts of the field.

The fowl of the air, and the fish
of the sea, * that pass through the
paths of the sea.

LORD, our Lord, * how excel
lent is Thy Name in all the earth !

Psalm IX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has
also a superscription the meaning of which
is not now certain. The Targum connects
it with the slaying of Goliath.]

I WILL praise Thee, O LORD,
with mine whole heart : * I will
show forth all Thy marvellous works.

1 will be glad and rejoice in

Thee : * I will sing praise to Thy
Name, O Thou Most High.

When mine enemies are turned
back, * they shall fall and perish at
Thy presence.

For Thou hast maintained my
right and my cause : * Thou satest
in the throne judging right.

Thou hast rebuked the heathen,
and the wicked are perished :
Thou hast put out their name for
ever, even for ever and ever.

The swords of the enemy have
failed utterly : * and their cities
Thou hast destroyed.

Their memorial is perished with
a crash : * and the LORD endureth
for ever.

He hath prepared His throne for
judgment : * and He shall judge
the world in righteousness, He shall
minister judgment to the people in
uprightness.

The LORD also is a refuge for the
poor : * a refuge in times of trouble.

And let them that know Thy
name put their trust in Thee : * for
Thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them
that seek Thee.

Sing praises to the LORD, Who
dwelleth in Zion : * declare among
the people His doings.

For when He maketh inquisition
for blood He remembereth them : *
He forgetteth not the cry of the
afflicted.

Have mercy upon me, O LORD :
* consider my trouble [which I
suffer] of them that hate me.

Thou That liftest me up from the
gates of death : * that I may show
forth all Thy praises in the gates of
the daughter of Zion !

I will rejoice in Thy salvation : *

1 This verse was quoted by our Lord, concerning those who cried Hosannah on Palm
Sunday, Matthew xxi. 16.

THE PSALTER.

the heathen are sunk down in the
pit that they made.

In the net which they hid, * is
their own foot taken.

The LORD is known when He
executeth judgment : * the wicked
is snared in the work of his own
hands. 1

The wicked shall be turned into
hell : * all the nations that forget
God.

For the needy shall not alway be
forgotten : * the expectation of the
poor shall not perish for ever.

Arise, O LORD, let not man pre
vail : * let the heathen be judged in
Thy sight.

Put Thou a master over them, O
LORD : * let the nations know them
selves to be but men. 2

Why standest Thou afar off, O
LORD, * why hidest Thou Thyself
in times of trouble ?

The wicked in his pride doth per
secute the poor : * they are taken
in the devices that they have im
agined.

For the wicked is praised accord
ing to his soul s desire : * and the
unrighteous is deemed blessed.

The wicked provoketh the LORD :
* in the greatness of his scornful
indignation he doth not care.

God is not before his eyes : * his
ways are always grievous.

Thy judgments are far out of his
sight : * he hath dominion over his
enemies.

He hath said in his heart : * I
shall not be moved unto generation
and generation, yea, I shall never
be in adversity.

His mouth is full of cursing, and

bitterness, and fraud : * under his
tongue is mischief and sorrow.

He sitteth in the lurking-places
with the rich : in the secret places
* doth he murder the innocent.

His eyes are privily set against
the poor : * he lieth in wait secretly,
as a lion in his den.

He lieth in wait to catch the
poor : * to catch the poor when
he draweth him [after him].

In his snare doth he bring him
down : * yet shall he himself totter
and fall down, when he hath mas
tered the poor.

He hath said in his heart : God
hath forgotten : * He turneth away
His face so that He shall never see it.

Arise, O LORD, O God, lift up
Thine hand : * forget not the
afflicted.

Wherefore doth the wicked pro
voke God ? * for he hath said in
his heart : He will not require it.

Thou seest it, for Thou beholdest
labour and sorrow : * to deliver
them into Thine own hand.

The poor leaveth himself unto
Thee : * Thou wilt be the helper
of the fatherless.

Break Thou the arm of the
wicked and the evil man : " his
wickedness shall be sought after and
shall not be found.

The LORD shall be King for ever
and ever : * the heathen shall perish
out of His land.

The LORD hath heard the petition
of the poor : * Thine ear hath heard
the desire of his heart.

To judge the fatherless and the
oppressed, * that man may magnify
himself no more upon earth.

1 Here occurs : "Instrumental music SLH." This is a strong argument in favour of
Gesenius opinion, see p. 5, note I.

3 SLH. Here, according to the present Hebrew text, ends Ps. ix.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm X.

[Intituled " Of David." There is also a
superscription perhaps musical, but now of
uncertain meaning.]

TN the LORD put I my trust;
- how say ye to my soul, *
Flee as a bird to the mountain ?

For lo, the wicked bend their
bow, they make ready their arrows
in the quiver, * that they may
privily shoot at the upright in
heart.

For they have destroyed that
which Thou hast established : *
and what hath the righteous done ?

The LORD is in His holy temple :
* the LORD S throne is in heaven.

His eyes behold the poor : * His
eyelids try the children of men.

The LORD trieth the righteous
and the wicked : * but he that
loveth iniquity hateth his own soul.

Upon the wicked He shall rain
snares : * fire, and brimstone, and
an horrible tempest, this shall be
the portion of their cup.

For the righteous LORD loveth
righteousness : * His countenance
doth behold uprightness.

Antiphon for Advent. l Strengthen
ye the weak hands : be strong ; say :
Behold, our God will come, and
save us, Alleluia.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
2 God is a righteous judge, strong,
and patient : is He not provoked
every day?

Third Antiphon for Advent. Re
joice, all ye.

Third Antiphon for the rest of the
year. Thou shalt keep us.

Psalm XI.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with some
other words, of meaning now uncertain, as
before.]

1 Isa. xxxv. 3, 4.
VOL. I.

TTELP, LORD, for the godly

^ -- man ceaseth : * for the truth
faileth from among the children of
men.

They speak vanity every one with
his neighbour : * with flattering lips,
with a double heart, do they speak.

The LORD shall cut off all flat
tering lips, * and the tongue that
speaketh proud things.

Who have said : With our tongue
will we prevail, our lips are our
own : * who is lord over us ?

For the oppression of the poor,
and the sighing of the needy, * now
will I arise, saith the LORD.

I will set him in safety : * I will
deal faithfully with him.

The words of the LORD are pure
words : * silver tried in a furnace,
purged of dross, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep us, O LORD, and
preserve us * from this generation
for ever.

The wicked walk on every side :
* the increase of men is according
to Thy secret counsel.

Psalm XII.

[This Psalm has the same title as the
last.]

TTOW long wilt Thou forget
* -*- me, O LORD ? for ever ? *
How long hidest Thou Thy face
from me?

How long shall I take counsel
in my soul, * having sorrow in mine
heart daily?

How long shall mine enemy be
exalted over me ? * Consider, and
hear me, O LORD my God.

Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the
sleep of death : * lest mine enemy
say : I have prevailed against him.
2 Ps. vii. 12.

THE PSALTER.

Those that trouble me will re
joice if I am moved : * but I have
trusted in Thy mercy.

Mine heart shall rejoice in Thy
salvation ; I will sing unto the LORD
because He hath dealt bountifully
with me : * and I will sing praise
to the name of the Lord Most
High.

Psalm XIII.
[Same title as Psalm x.]

THE fool hath said in his heart :
* There is no God.
They are corrupt, and have be
come abominable in their works :

* there is none that doeth good,
no, not one.

The LORD looked down from
heaven upon the children of men :

* to see if there were any that did
understand, or seek God.

They are all gone aside, they are
altogether become unprofitable : i
there is none that doeth good, no,
not one.

1 Their throat is an open sepul
chre : with their tongues they have
used deceit : * the poison of asps is
under their lips.

Their mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness : * their feet are swift to
shed blood.

Destruction and misery are in
their ways, and the way of peace
they have not known : * there is no
fear of God before their eyes.

Have all the workers of iniquity
no knowledge, * who eat up my
people as they would eat bread ?

They call not upon the LORD : *
there were they in great fear, where
no fear was ;

For the Lord is in the generation
of the righteous : ye have shamed
the counsel of the poor : * because
the LORD is his hope.

O that the salvation of Israel were
come out of Zion ! * when the
LORD bringeth back the captivity of
His people, Jacob shall rejoice and
Israel shall be glad.

Psalm XIV.
[Intituled "A Psalm of David."]

LORD, who shall abide in Thy
tabernacle ? * who shall
dwell in Thine holy hill ?

He that walketh uprightly, * and
worketh righteousness.

He that speaketh the truth in his
heart, * he that deceiveth not with
his tongue.

He that hath not done evil to his
neighbour, * nor taken up a reproach
against his neighbour.

In whose eyes a vile person is
despised : * but he honoureth them
that fear the LORD.

He that sweareth to his neighbour,
and deceiveth him not, * he that
putteth not out his money to usury,
nor taketh reward against the in
nocent.

He that doeth these things, *
shall never be moved.

Antiphon for Advent. 2 Rejoice,
all ye, and be glad : for, behold, the
Lord will come with vengeance, He
will bring a recompense : He will
come and save us.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
3 Thou shalt keep us, O LORD, and
preserve us.

1 The next three verses are not in the Hebrew, although found in the Vulgate and the
LXX., which are supported by Rom. iii. 13-18.

2 Isa. xxxv. 4. Ps. xi. 8.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia. 1 The stone was rolled away,
Alleluia, from the door of the sepul
chre. Alleluia, alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. 2 Out of Zion, the Per
fection of beauty.

Ansiver. Our God shall come
manifestly.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 3 I have remembered Thy
name, O LORD, in the night.

Answer. And have kept Thy
law.

In Lent.

Verse. 4 He hath delivered me
from the snare of the fowler.

Answer. And from the noisome
pestilence.

In Passion time.

Verse. 5 O God, deliver my soul
from the sword.

Ansiver. And my darling from
the power of the dog.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The Lord is risen from
the grave, Alleluia.

Answer. Who hung for us upon
the tree, Alleluia.

Then is said the Lords Prayer.
UR Father (inaudibly), Who

art in heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is

in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Then this Absolution.

/^RACIOUSLY hear, O Lord
^*-X Jesus Christ, the prayers of
Thy servants, and have mercy upon
us : Who livest and reignest with
the Father and the Holy Ghost,
world without end.
Answer. Amen.

Then the reader says :

(; Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

First Blessing.

May the Eternal Father bless us
With an everlasting blessing.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the First Lesson, and at
the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the First Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

Second Blessing.

May the Son the Sole-begotten
In His mercy bless and help us.
Answer. Amen.

3 Ps. cxviii. 55.

1 Mark xvi. 3. 2 Ps. xlix. 2.

4 Ps. xc. 3. 5 Ps. xxi. 2O.

6 Some persons bound to say the Office, when reciting alone, are accustomed to substi
tute for this the words, " Command Thy blessing, O Lord ! "

THE PSALTER.

Then is read the Second Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Second Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Third Blessing.

May the grace of God the Spirit
All our heart and mind enlighten.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Third Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Third Responsory.

SECOND NOCTURN, OR WATCH OF
THE NIGHT.

Antiphon for Advent. Rejoice
greatly.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
Thou hast no need.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia.

Psalm XV.

[Intituled a work "of David," but the
specifically descriptive word is not now of
certain meaning.]

PRESERVE me, O Lord, for in
Thee do I put my trust : *
I have said unto the LORD : Thou
art my God, for Thou hast no need
of my goods.

To the Saints that are in His
land, * He hath made all my will
admirable.

Their sorrows are multiplied, *
that hasten after [a strange god],

1 Zech. ix. 9.

In their assemblies for blood-
shedding will I have no part : * nor
mention their names with my lips.

The LORD is the portion of mine
inheritance, and of my cup : *
Thou art He That shalt restore
mine inheritance unto me.

The lines are fallen unto me in
pleasant places : * yea, I have a
goodly heritage.

I will bless the LORD, Who hath
given me counsel : * my reins also
instruct me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always be
fore my face : * because He is at
my right hand, I shall never be
moved.

Therefore mine heart is glad, and
my tongue rejoiceth : * my flesh
also shall rest in hope,

For Thou wilt not leave my soul
in hell : * neither wilt Thou suffer
Thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou hast shown me the path
of life, Thou shalt fill me with joy
in Thy presence: * at Thy right
hand there are pleasures for ever
more.

Antiphon for Advent. l Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Jerusalem :
behold, thy King cometh into thee,
O Zion ; fear not, for thy salvation
cometh quickly.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
2 Thou hast no need of my goods,
in Thee do I put my trust, preserve
me, O Lord.

In Paschal time there is only one
Antiphon to the whole Nocturn.

Second Antiphon for Advent.
Christ our King.

Second Antiphon for the rest of
the year. By the words.
3 Ps. xv. i, 2.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm XVI.
[Intituled "A Prayer of David."]

HEAR my right, O LORD, *
attend unto my cry.

Give ear unto my prayer, * that
goeth not out of feigned lips.

Let my sentence come forth from
Thy presence : * let Thine eyes be
hold the things that are equal.

Thou hast proved mine heart,
and visited it by night : * Thou
hast tried me with fire, and found
no wickedness in me.

That my mouth may not speak
concerning the works of men : * by
the words of Thy lips I have kept
me to strait paths.

Hold up my goings in Thy paths,
* that my footsteps slip not.

I have called upon Thee, for
Thou hast heard me, O God ; * in
cline Thine ear unto me, and hear
my speech.

Show Thy marvellous loving-
kindness, * O Thou That savest
them which put their trust in Thee !

From those that rise up against
Thy right hand keep me, * as the
apple of the eye.

Hide me under the shadow of
Thy wings, * from the face of the
wicked that oppress me.

Mine enemies compass my soul
round about, they are inclosed in
their own fat : * with their mouth
they speak proudly.

They that drave me out have
now compassed me : * they have
set their eyes bowing down to the
earth.

They have lain in wait for me, as
a lion that is ready for his prey : *
and as it were a young lion lurking
in secret places.

1 John i. 36.

Arise, O LORD, disappoint him,
and cast him down : * deliver my
soul from the wicked, Thy sword
from them that hate Thine hand.

O LORD, part them in their life
from the precious things of the
earth : * their belly is filled with
Thine hidden treasure.

They have children to the full : *
and leave the rest of their substance
to their babes.

As for me, I will behold Thy face
in righteousness : * I shall be satis
fied when Thy glory shall appear.

Antiphon for Advent. Christ
our King cometh, l Whom John
preached, saying ; Behold the Lamb
That should come !

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
2 By the words of Thy lips I have
kept me to strait paths.

Third Antiphon for Advent. Be
hold, I come.

Third Antiphon for the rest of the
year. I will love Thee.

When this Antiphon is used the
Psalm begins with the words, " O
LORD, my strength."

Psalm XVII.

[After a superscription, of meaning now
uncertain, the title of this Psalm proceeds,
" Of David, the servant of the LORD, who
spake unto the LORD the words of this song,
in the day that the LORD delivered him
from the hand of all his enemies, and from
the hand of Saul : and he said : It is
found also, with a few slight differences, in
2 Kings (Sam.) xxii.]

I WILL love Thee, O LORD,
my strength : * the LORD is
my rock, and my fortress, and
my Deliverer.

My God, mine Helper, * in
Whom I trust.

2 Ps. xvi. 4.

THE PSALTER.

My buckler, and the horn of my
salvation, * and my refuge.

I called upon the LORD with
praises, * and am saved from mine
enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed
me : * and the floods of wicked
ness made me afraid.

The sorrows of hell compassed
me about : * the snares of death
came upon me.

In my distress I called upon the
LORD, * and cried unto my God.

And He heard my voice out of
His holy temple : * and my cry
came before Him, even into His
ears.

The earth shook and trembled :

* the foundations of the hills moved
and quaked, because He was wroth.

There went up a smoke in His
wrath, and fire burst forth before
His presence : * coals were kindled
by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and
came down : * and darkness was
under His feet.

And He rode upon the Cherubim l
and did fly : * yea, He did fly upon
the wings of the wind.

And He made darkness His secret
place, His pavilion round about
Him : * dark waters, thick clouds
of the skies.

At the brightness that was be
fore Him, the thick clouds passed,

* hailstones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the

heavens, and the Highest uttered
His voice : * hailstones and coals
of fire.

Yea, He sent out His arrows
and scattered them : * He shot

out many lightnings and discomfited
them.

And the fountains of waters were
seen, * and the foundations of the
world were discovered.

At Thy rebuke, O LORD, * at
the blast of the breath of Thy
wrath !

He sent from above, and took
me ; * and drew me out of many
waters.

He delivered me from the strong
est of mine enemies, and from them
which hated me : * for they were too
strong for me.

They came upon me in the day
of my calamity, * but the LORD was
my stay.

He brought me forth also into a
large place : * He delivered me be
cause He delighted in me.

And the LORD shall reward me
according to my righteousness, i
and according to the cleanness of
mine hands shall He recompense
me.

For I have kept the ways of the
LORD, * and have not wickedly de
parted from my GOD.

For all His judgments were before
me : * and I did not put away His
statutes from me.

I shall also be upright with Him,

* and keep myself from mine in
iquity.

And the LORD shall reward me
according to my righteousness, *
and according to the cleanness of
mine hands in His eye-sight.

With the holy Thou shalt be holy,

* and with the innocent Thou shalt
be innocent.

And with the pure Thou shalt be

1 Of these creatures, frequently mentioned in connection with the Divine manifestation,
an elaborate account will be found in Ezekiel i. (First Sunday of November), and more
shortly in Apoc. iv. (Tuesday in Third Week after Easter).

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

pure, * and with the contentious
Thou shalt be contentious.

For Thou wilt save the afflicted
people, * and bring down high
looks.

For Thou lightest my lamp, O
LORD : * my God, enlighten my
darkness !

For by Thee shall I be delivered
from temptation, * and by my God
shall I leap over a wall.

As for my God, His way is per
fect ; the word of the LORD is tried
in the fire : * He is a buckler to all
those that trust in Him.

For who is God save the LORD ?
* or who is God save our God ?

It is God that girdeth me with
strength, * and maketh my way
perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds
feet, * and setteth me upon mine
high places.

He teacheth my hands to war, *
and maketh mine arms like a bow
of brass.

Thou hast also given me the
shield of Thy salvation : * and Thy
right hand hath holden me up.

Thy correction also hath made
me great : * and Thy chastening it
is that shall teach me.

Thou hast enlarged my steps
under me, * and my feet have not
slipped.

I will pursue mine enemies and
overtake them : * neither will I turn
again till they be consumed.

I will wound them that they shall
not be able to rise : * they shall fall
under my feet.

Thou hast girded me also with
strength unto the battle, * and hast
subdued under me those that rose
up against me.

And hast made mine enemies to
turn their back toward me, * and
hast destroyed them that hate me.
They cried, but there was none
to save them, even unto the LORD,
* but He answered them not.

And I will beat them small, as
the dust before the wind : * I will
cast them out as the dirt in the
streets.

Thou shalt deliver me from the
gainsayings of the people : * Thou
shalt make me the head of the
heathen.

A people whom I knew not have
served me : * as soon as they heard
of me they obeyed me.

The strangers feigned obedience
unto me : * the strangers were
wearied out, and stumbled in their
paths.

The LORD liveth, and blessed be
my God : * and let the God of my
salvation be exalted !

It is Thou, O God, That avengest
me, and subduest the people under
me. * Thou art my deliverer from
my wrathful adversaries.

And Thou shalt lift me up above
those that rise up against me :
Thou shalt deliver me from the
wicked man.

Therefore will I give thanks unto
Thee, O LORD, among the heathen,
* and sing praises unto Thy name.

Great deliverance giveth He to
His king, and showeth. mercy to
His Anointed, to David, * and to
his seed for evermore.

Antiphon for Advent. 1 Behold,
I come quickly, saith the Lord,
and My reward is with Me, to give
every man according as his work
shall be.

1 Apoc. xxii. 12.

THE PSALTER.

Antiphon for the rest of the year,
1 I will love Thee, O LORD, my
strength.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia. 2 Woman, whom seekest
thou ? Alleluia. The Living among
the dead ? Alleluia. Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Adve?it.

Verse. 3 Send forth the Lamb,
O Lord, the ruler of the land.

Answer. From the "Rock" of
the wilderness unto the mount of
the daughter of Zion.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 4 For Thou lightest my
candle, O LORD.

Answer. My God, enlighten my
darkness.

In Lent.

Verse. 5 He shall cover thee with
His wings.

Answer. And under His feathers
shalt thou trust.

In Passion time.

Verse. 6 O Lord, save me from
the lion s mouth.

Answer. And mine affliction from
the horns of the unicorns.

In Paschal time.

Verse. 7 The Lord is risen indeed,
Alleluia.

Answer. And hath appeared unto
Simon, Alleluia.

Then is said the Lord s Prayer.

Father (inaudibly), Who
art in heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Then this Absolution.

A/FAY His loving-kindness and
1V1 His mercy help us, Who
liveth and reigneth with the Father,
and the Holy Ghost, world without
end.

Answer. Amen.

Then the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Fourth Blessing.

God the Father the Almighty,
Show on us His grace and mercy.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Fourth Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Fourth Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

Fifth Blessing.

May Christ to all His people give,
For ever in His sight to live.
Answer. Amen.

1 Ps. xvii. 2. 2 John xx. 15.

3 Isa. xvi. i. The " Rock" is the town of Petra in the wilderness.

4 Ps. xvii. 29. 5 Ps. xc. 3. 6 Ps. xxi. 22.

Luke xxiv. 34.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Then is read the Fifth Lesson, and at
the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Fifth Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Sixth Blessing.

May the Spirit s fire Divine
In our inmost being shine.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Sixth Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Sixth Responsory.

THIRD NOCTURN, OR WATCH OF
THE NIGHT.

Antiphon for Advent. The Angel
Gabriel.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
There is no speech.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia.

Psalm XVIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with the
same farther obscure superscription, as in
Pss. xii. and xiii.]

heavens declare the glory
of God, * and the firmament
showeth His handy-work.

Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth
knowledge.

There is no speech nor lan
guage, * where their voice is not
heard.

Their sound is gone out through
all the earth : * and their words to
the ends of the world.

He hath set His tabernacle in the
sun : x * which is as a bridegroom
coming out of his chamber.

He rejoiceth as a strong man to
run a race : * his going forth is from
the end of the heaven.

And his circuit unto the ends of
it : * and there is nothing hid from
the heat thereof.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul : * the testimony
of the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple.

The statutes of the LORD are
right, rejoicing the heart : * the
commandment of the LORD is clear,
giving light unto the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is holy,
enduring for ever and ever : * the
judgments of the LORD are true,
righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than
gold and store of precious stones,
* sweeter also than honey and the
honeycomb.

Verily, Thy servant keepeth them :

1 So the LXX., as well as the Vulgate. Cf. Ps. cii. 19 ; ciii. 2, 3. The sense seems
to be that the physical source of the li^ht and life of this system is represented as a kind of
celestial counterpart of the tabernacle, which was the centre of the Divine authority as re
vealed upon earth. The Hebrew, however, which is supported by St. Jerome, reads, " In
them (i.e., the starry heavens) hath He set a tabernacle for the sun," and this reading
seems to commend itself to Archbishop Kenrick, who suggests that the " tabernacle " may
signify the region below the horizon, into which the sun retires nightly, as into a tent, to
sleep, and from which he issues in renewed glory every morning. Targum : "In them
hath He set splendour as a tabernacle for the sun."

THE PSALTER.

* in keeping of them there is great
reward.

Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse Thou me from secret faults :

* preserve Thy servant also from
the sins of others.

If they get not dominion over me,
then shall I be undefiled : * and

1 shall be cleansed from the great
transgression.

Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of mine heart,

* be acceptable in Thy sight for
ever,

O LORD mine Helper, * and my
Redeemer !

Antiphon for Advent. l The An
gel Gabriel spake unto Mary, saying :
Hail, thou that art full of grace, the
Lord is with thee : blessed art thou
among women.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.

2 There is no speech nor lan
guage where their voice is not
heard.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon is
said to the whole Nocturn.

Second Antiphon for Advent.
Mary said.

Second Antiphon for the rest of the
year. The LORD.

When this Antiphon is used the
Psalm begins with the words " Hear
thee."

Psalm XIX.

[This Psalm has the same title as the
last.]

THE LORD hear thee in the day
of trouble : * the Name of
the God of Jacob defend thee.

Send thee help from the sanc
tuary, * and strengthen thee out of
Zion.

Remember all thine offerings, *
and accept thy burnt sacrifice. 3

Grant thee according to thine
own heart, * and fulfil all thy
counsel.

We will rejoice in Thy salvation :

* and in the name of our God will
we exult.

The LORD fulfil all thy petitions :

* now know I that the LORD saveth
His Anointed.

He will hear him from His holy
heaven, * strong is the salvation of
His right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some
in horses : * but we will call
upon the name of the LORD our
God.

They are brought down and fal
len : * but we are risen, and stand
upright.

O LORD, save the king : * and
hear us in the day when we call
upon Thee.

Antiphon for Advent. 4 Mary
said : What manner of salutation
is this? My soul is troubled.
Shall I bear the King ? And will
He not break the seal of my vir
ginity ?

Antiphon for the rest of the year.
5 The LORD hear thee in the day of
trouble.

Third Antiphon for Advent. The
King.

Third Antiphon for the rest of the
year. The king.

When this Antiphon is used the
Psalm begins with the words " Shall
joy."

1 Luke i. 28.
4 Luke i. 29.

2 Ps. xviii. 4.
5 Ps. xix. 2.

SLH.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm XX.

[This Psalm also bears the same title as
the xviiith.

H^HE king shall joy in Thy
* strength, O LORD : * and in
Thy salvation how greatly shall he
rejoice !

Thou hast given him his heart s
desire, * and hast not withholden
the request of his lips. 1

For Thou hast met him with the
blessings of sweetness : * Thou hast
set a crown of precious stones upon
his head.

He asked life of Thee : * and
Thou gavest him length of days for
ever and ever.

His glory is great in Thy salva
tion : * honour and great majesty
shalt Thou lay upon him.

For Thou wilt give him to be a
blessing for ever : * Thou shalt
make him exceeding glad with Thy
countenance.

For the king trusteth in the
LORD, * and, through the mercy
of the Most High, he shall not be
moved.

Thine hand shall find out all
thine enemies : * thy right hand
shall find out all those that hate
thee.

Thou shalt make them as a fiery
oven in the time of thine anger : *
the LORD shall cut them off in His
wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

Their fruit shalt thou destroy from
the earth, * and their seed from
among the children of men.

For they intended evil against
thee : t they imagined a device,
which they were not able to perform.

Therefore shalt thou cast them

behind thee : * thou shalt leave
their faces lying in thy track.

Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in
Thine own strength : * we will sing
and praise Thy power.

Antipkon for Advent. The King,
even the Most High, cometh ; there
fore let the hearts of men be purified
to go forth to meet Him, for, behold,

2 He will come and will not tarry.

Antiphon for the rest of the year.

3 The king shall joy in Thy strength,
O LORD.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Alle
luia, Weep not, Mary, Alleluia : the
Lord is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. 4 The Lord cometh out of
His holy place.

Answer. He will come and save
His people.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 5 Be Thou exalted, O
LORD, in Thine own strength.

Answer. We will sing and praise
Thy power.

In Lent.

Verse. 6 His truth shall be thy
shield.

Answer. Thou shalt not be afraid
for the terror by night.

In Passion time.

Verse. 7 Take not away my soul
with sinners, O God !

Answer. Nor my life with bloody
men.

J SLH.

4 Isa. xxxv. 4 ; Micah i. 3.

2 Heb. x. 37.
5 Ps. xx. 14.

3 Ps, xx, 2.
6 Ps. xc. 5. 7 Ps. xxv. 9.

THE PSALTER.

In Paschal time.

Verse. l The disciples were glad,
Alleluia.

Answer. When they saw the
Lord, Alleluia.

Then is said the Lord s Prayer.

OUR Father (inaudibly), Who
art in heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from evil.

Then the Absolution.

MAY the Almighty and merci
ful Lord loose us from the
bonds of our sins.
Answer. Amen.

Then the reader says :
Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

Seventh Blessing.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His word.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Seventh Lesson^ and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Seventh Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

Eighth Blessing.
God s most mighty strength al-

way

Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Eighth Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said the Eighth Responsory,
after which the reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Ninth Blessing.

May He That is the Angels

King
To that high realm His people

bring.
Answer. Amen.

Or, if another Gospel and Homily are
to be read:

May the Gospel s glorious word
Cleansing to our souls afford.

Then is read the Ninth Lesson, and
at the end the reader says :

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said a Ninth Responsory,
unless this Hymn, "We praise Thee,
O God," be substituted for it. The
Hymn "We praise Thee, O God," is
said in this place on every Sunday and
Feast-day in the year (except the Feast
of the Holy Innocents if it fall on a
Week - day} from Easter to Advent
and from Christmas to Septuagesima.
In Advent and from Septuagesima to
Easter it is not said on Sunday, but
only on Feast-days. From Easter to
Pentecost it is said on every day what
soever, except only Rogation Monday.

John xx. 20.

SUNDAY AT MATTINS.

praise Thee, O God: we
acknowledge Thee to be
the Lord.

All the earth doth worship Thee,
the Father everlasting.

To Thee all Angels cry aloud,
the heavens, and all the Powers
therein.

To Thee Cherubim 2 and Sera
phim 3 continually do cry :

Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God of
Sabaoth. 4

Heaven and earth are full of the
majesty of Thy glory.

The glorious company of the
Apostles praise Thee :

The goodly fellowship of the
Prophets praise Thee :

The white-robed army of Mar
tyrs praise Thee :

The holy Church throughout all
the world doth acknowledge Thee :

The Father of an infinite Ma
jesty :

Thine honourable, true and only
Son :

Also the Holy Ghost, the Com
forter.

Thou art the King of glory, O
Christ !

Thou art the everlasting Son of
the Father.

When Thou tookest upon Thee
to deliver man, Thou didst not
abhor the Virgin s womb :

When Thou hadst overcome the
sharpness of death, Thou didst
open the kingdom of heaven to
all believers :

Thou sittest at the right hand of
God, in the glory of the Father :

We believe that Thou shalt come
to be our Judge :

5 We therefore pray Thee, help
Thy servants, whom Thou hast re
deemed with Thy precious Blood.

Make them to be numbered with
Thy Saints in glory everlasting. 6

7 O Lord, save Thy people, and
bless Thine inheritance.

Govern them, and lift them up
for ever.

Day by day we magnify Thee ;

And we worship Thy name,
ever world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day,
to keep us without sin.

8 Have mercy upon us, O LORD,
have mercy upon us.

9 O LORD, let Thy mercy lighten
upon us, as our trust is in Thee.

10 O LORD, in Thee have I trust
ed : let me never be confounded.

If Lauds be not immediately to follow,
Mattins end thus :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Then the Prayer for the day ; then

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Verse. May the souls of the
faithful, through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.

Answer. Amen.

Then the Lord s Prayer.

1 The authorship of this Hymn, which is prescribed in the Rule of St. Benedict (born A.D.
480, died 543), is uncertain. a See Ezek. i. ^ 3 See Isaiah vi. 2.

4 Hebrew feminine Plural, meaning "hosts," "armies.

5 During this verse it is usual to kneel. Here ends the original Hymn.

- .- ... BT&gt;_ xxx ii. 22. 10 Ps. xxx. 2.

7 Ps. xxvii. 9.

Ps. cxxii. 3.

9 Ps. xxxii. 22.

LAUDS, OR THE MORNING PRAISES
OF GOD. 1

THE LORD S DAY.

Verse. *J Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. Amen, Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday instead of "Alle
luia," is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of Heaven.

Then follow at once the Psalms and
Antiphons. From the First Sunday in
Advent till the Sunday after the Octave
of the Epiphany and from Septuagesima
Sunday till the Octave of Pentecost
(and also on all Feasts}, Five Antiphons
are given, -which are then said in the
places here marked. During the rest
of the year only Three Antiphons are
said, which are given here.

Antiphon. Alleluia.

Psalm XCII.

[The Hebrew and the Targum give no
superscription ; but the LXX. and the
Vulgate have "A Song of Praise by David
for the eve of the Sabbath when the earth
was established" i.e., A Song of Praise
proper for the close of Friday before the
setting - in of the Sabbath ; the time of
which it is said (Gen. i. 31, ii. i): "And
God saw every thing that He had made,
and, behold, it was very good. And the
evening and the morning were the sixth
day. Thus the heavens and the earth
were finished, and all the host of them."]

HPHE LORD reigneth, He is
^ clothed with majesty : * the
LORD is clothed with strength, where
with He hath girded Himself.

He hath established the world
also, * that it cannot be moved.

Thy throne is established of old :
* Thou art from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O
LORD, * the floods have lifted up
their voice

The floods lift up their waves. *
But Mightier than the noise of
many waters

Than the mighty breakers of the
sea * is the LORD on high !

1 The proper hour for Lauds is the dawn of day. This is reckoned to be about 3 A.M., at
which time this Office is said in many Convents. For this purpose it is, in choirs, invari
ably (except where it forms part of the same service with the Midnight Mass at Christmas)
said immediately after and as one service with Mattins. Hence it follows 1st, that it is
said late in the afternoon, when Mattins are said at that time, and 2ndly, that the Lord s
Prayer and Angelic Salutation are not said at the beginning. This service is constructed
on the same general principle as Vespers, and answers to that Office as Prime does to
Compline.

SUNDAY AT LAUDS.

Thy testimonies are very sure : *
holiness becometh Thine house, O
LORD, for ever !

When there are Five Antiphons the
First is repeated, and the Second begun
or said through the first time here.

Psalm XCIX.

[Intituled in the Vulgate and the LXX.,
" A Psalm of Thanksgiving. "]

MAKE a joyful noise unto God,
. all ye lands : * serve the
LORD with gladness.

Come before His presence, * with
singing.

Know ye that the LORD, He is
God : * it is He That hath made
us, and not l we ourselves :

We are His people, and the sheep
of His pasture. * Enter into His gates
with thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise : give thanks unto Him,

Praise His Name. For the LORD
is good, His mercy is everlasting :
* and His truth endureth to all
generations.

When there are Five Antiphons the
Second is repeated, and the Third begim
or said through the first time here.

Psalm LXII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David, when he
was in the wilderness of Judah." This was
one of the most perilous periods of David s
life, when he was flying from the pursuit of
Saul, and hiding in different forests and
wildernesses in the south of Palestine. He
was betrayed again and again, and had the
most hairbreadth escapes. The history
will be found in I Kings (Sam.) xxii. and
xxiii.]

OGOD, Thou art my God, *
early will I seek Thee:
My soul thirsteth for Thee, * my
flesh longeth for Thee,

In a dry and desert land, with
out water. So have I appeared
before Thee in the Sanctuary, to see
Thy power and Thy glory.

Because Thy loving-kindness is
better than life, * my lips shall praise
Thee.

Thus will I bless Thee while I
live : * and will lift up mine hands
in Thy name.

My soul shall be satisfied as
with marrow and fatness ; * and
my mouth shall praise Thee with
joyful lips.

When I remember Thee upon my
bed, I meditate upon Thee in the
night watches : * because Thou
hast been mine help :

And in the shadow of Thy wings
will I rejoice. My soul followeth
hard after Thee : * Thy right hand
upholdeth me.

But those that seek my soul to
destroy it, shall go into the lower
parts of the earth : * they shall fall
by the sword, they shall be a portion
for foxes.

But the King shall rejoice in
God : every one that sweareth by
him shall glory : * for the mouth
of them that speak lies shall be
stopped.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

Psalm LXVI.

[Besides a musical superscription, the
Hebrew and the Targum give no title ex
cept " A Psalm, a Psalm. " But the Vulgate
and the LXX. ascribe the authorship to
David.]

GOD be merciful unto us, and
bless us : * cause His face

1 The Hebrew tradition attributes the negative to an eccentric spelling, and translates
and His we are. :

THE PSALTER.

to shine upon us, and be merciful
unto us. 1

That Thy way may be known
upon earth : * Thy saving health
among all nations.

Let the people praise Thee, O
God : * let all the people praise
Thee.

O let the nations be glad and
sing for joy : * for Thou judgest
the people righteously, and govern-
est the nations upon earth. 2

Let the people praise Thee, O
God, let all the people praise Thee.
* The earth hath yielded her in
crease ;

Let God, even our own God,
bless us ; let God bless us : * and
let all the ends of the earth fear
Him.

When there are Five Antiphons, the
Third is repeated, and the Fourth begun
or said through the first time here.

Ordinary Antiphon throughout the
year. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Second Ordinary Antiphon. The
king commanded.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia ; Alleluia,
Alleluia, Alleluia; Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Second Antiphon for Paschal time.
He That delivered.

THE SONG OF THE THREE HOLY
CHILDREN. (Daniel iii. 57.)

[It is well known how the three young
comrades of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, called by the heathen, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, were thrown into
a furnace for refusing to worship an idol,
and remained unhurt amid the flames. In
this strange position Azariah offered a long
prayer. " And the king s servants, that put

them in, ceased not to make the oven hot
with resin, pitch, tow, and small wood, so
that the flame streamed forth above the
furnace forty and nine cubits. But the
Angel of the Lord came down into the
oven together with Azariah and his fellows,
and smote the flame of the fire out of the
oven, and made the midst of the furnace as
it had been a moist whistling wind, so that
the fire touched them not at all, neither
hurt nor troubled them. Then the three,
as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and
blessed God in the furnace, saying" the
Hymn, of which that in the text is a cento.
The first five verses are omitted.]

ALL ye works of the Lord,
bless ye the Lord : * praise
Him, and exalt Him above all for
ever.

O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye
the Lord : * O ye heavens, bless ye
the Lord.

O all ye waters that be above the
heavens, bless ye the Lord : * O all
ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the
Lord.

O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the
Lord : * O ye stars of heaven, bless
ye the Lord.

O ye showers and dew, bless ye
the Lord : * O ye winds of God,
bless ye the Lord.

O ye fire and heat, bless ye the
Lord : * O ye winter and summer,
bless ye the Lord.

O ye dews and rime, bless ye the
Lord : * O ye frost and cold, bless
ye the Lord.

O ye ice and snow, bless ye the
Lord : * O ye nights and days, bless
ye the Lord.

O ye light and darkness, bless ye
the Lord : * O ye lightnings and
clouds, bless ye the Lord.

O let the earth bless the Lord :
* let her praise and exalt Him above
all for ever !

1 SLH. The repetition of the words "be merciful unto us" is peculiar to the Latin.

SUNDAY AT LAUDS.

O ye mountains and hills, bless
ye the Lord : * O all ye green
things upon the earth, bless ye the
Lord.

O ye wells, bless ye the Lord :

* O ye seas and floods, bless ye the
Lord.

O ye whales, and all that move
in the waters, bless ye the Lord :

* O all ye fowls of the air, bless
ye the Lord.

O all ye beasts and cattle, bless
ye the Lord : * O ye children of
men, bless ye the Lord.
. O let Israel bless the Lord : * let
him praise and exalt Him above all
for ever !

O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye
the Lord : * O ye servants of the
Lord, bless ye the Lord.

O ye spirits and souls of the
righteous, bless ye the Lord : * O
ye holy and humble men of heart,
bless ye the Lord.

Ananias, Azarias, and Misael,
bless ye the Lord : * praise and
exalt Him above all for ever.

1 Bless we the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Ghost : * let us
praise and exalt Him above all for
ever.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the
firmament of heaven : * and to be
praised, and glorified, and exalted
above all for ever.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said, nor "Amen"
answered. But the other Canticles are
treated like ordinary Psalvis.

^ When there are Five Antiphons, the
Fourth is repeated, and the Fifth begun
or said through the first time here.

Ordinary Antiphon throughout the

year. The king commanded, and
the Three Children were cast into
the furnace, fearing not the flame
of the fire, but saying : Blessed be
God!

Antiphon for Paschal time. He
That delivered the Three Children
from the burning fiery furnace, even
Christ, is risen from the grave.
Alleluia.

Third Antiphon. Alleluia.

Psalm CXLVIII.

[To this Psalm is prefixed "Alleluia."
The LXX. connect it with the Prophets
Haggai and Zechariah. See Thursday and
Friday in the fifth week of November.]

13RAISE ye the LORD from the
heavens : * praise Him in the
heights.

Praise ye Him, all His Angels : *
praise ye Him, all His hosts.

Praise ye Him, sun and moon :

* praise Him, all ye stars and light.
Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens :

* and all the waters that be above
the heavens. Let them praise the
Name of the LORD !

For He spake, and they were
made 2 : * He commanded, and they
were created.

He hath established them for
ever and ever : * He hath made a
decree which shall not pass.

Praise the LORD from the earth,

* ye dragons, and all deeps :
Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy wind,

* fulfilling His word :
Mountains, and all hills, * fruitful

trees, and all cedars :

Beasts, and all cattle, * creeping
things, and flying fowl :

Kings of the earth, and all people ;

1 This verse is, of course, a later addition ; more than two verses are omitted, and the last
given is one of those omitted at the beginning.

2 Taken from Ps. xxxii. 9.

THE PSALTER.

* princes, and all judges of the
earth :

Young men, and maidens, old
men, and children : let them praise
the Name of the LORD * for His
Name alone is exalted !

His glory is above heaven and
earth. * He also exalteth the horn
of His people,

The praise of all His Saints, *
even of the children of Israel, a
people near unto Him.

[Here "Alleluia."]

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

Psalm CXLIX.
[Here " Alleluia."]

SING unto the LORD a new
song : * His praise in the
congregation of Saints.

Let Israel rejoice in Him That
made him : * and let the children
of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise His Name in
the dance : * let them sing praises
unto Him with the timbrel and
harp.

For the LORD taketh pleasure in
His people : * He also will exalt
the meek unto salvation.

Let the Saints be joyful in glory :

* let them sing aloud upon their
beds:

Let the high praises of God be in
their mouth : * and a two-edged
sword in their hands ;

To execute vengeance upon the
heathen, * and punishments upon
the people ;

To bind their kings with chains,

* and their nobles with fetters of
iron ;

To execute upon them the judg

ment written : * this honour have
all His Saints.

[Here "Alleluia."]

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, c.," is not said.

Psalm CL.
[Here "Alleluia."]

PRAISE the Lord in His sanc
tuary ! * praise Him in the
firmament of His power !

Praise Him in His mighty acts !
* praise Him according to His ex
cellent greatness !

Praise Him with the sound of
the trumpet ! * praise Him with the
psaltery and harp !

Praise Him with the timbrel and
dance ! * praise Him with stringed
instruments and organs !

Praise Him upon the loud cym
bals, praise Him upon the high-
sounding cymbals ! * Let every
thing that hath breath praise the
LORD !

[Here "Alleluia."]

Antiphon. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alle
luia.

(The last of Five Antiphons is, of
course, repeated here.}

Then follows the Chapter. From the
First Sunday in Advent to the Second
Sunday after the Epiphany, and from
Septuagesima Sunday to the Third
Sunday after Pentecost, as also on all
Feasts, a special Chapter is given. On
the remaining Sundays the Chapter is
that given here.

CHAPTER. (Apoc. vii. 12.)

BLESSING, and glory, and wis
dom, and thanksgiving, and
honour, and power, and might be

SUNDAY AT LAUDS.

unto our God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

This answer is always made after
the Chapter.

Then follows the Hymn. From the
First Sunday in Advent till the Octave
of the Epiphany and from the First
Sunday in Lent till the Octave of Pen
tecost, as also on all Feasts, a special
Hymn is given. On the remaining
Sundays the Hymn given here is said,
except between the Octave of Pentecost
and the first Sunday of October.

HYMN. 1

CRAMER of the earth and sky,

Ruler of the day and night,
With a glad variety,
Tempering all, and making light ;

Gleams upon our dark path flinging,
Cutting short each night begun,
Hark ! for chanticleer is singing,
Hark ! he chides the lingering sun.

And the morning star replies,
And lets loose the imprison d day ;
And the godless bandit flies
From his haunt, and from his prey.

Shrill it sounds, the storm relenting
Soothes the weary seamen s ears ;
Once it wrought a great repenting,
In that flood of Peter s tears.

Rouse we ; let the blithesome cry
Of that bird our hearts awaken ;
Chide the slumberers as they lie,
And arrest the sin-o ertaken.

Hope and health are in his strain,
To the fearful and the ailing ;
Murder sheathes his blade profane,
Faith revives when faith was failing.

JESU, Master ! when we sin,
Turn on us Thy healing Face ;
It will melt the offence within
Into penitential grace :

Beam on our bewildered mind,
Till its dreamy shadows flee ;
Stones cry out where Thou hast shined,
JESU ! musical with Thee.

To the Father and the Son,
And the Spirit, Who in heaven
Ever witness, Three and One,
Praise on earth be ever given.

Amen.

The following Hymn is said from the
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost till the
first Simday of October.

HYMN. 2

pALER have grown the shades of
A night,

And nearer draws the day,
Checkering the sky with streaks of
light,

Since we began to pray :

To pray for mercy when we sin,

For cleansing and release,
For ghostly safety, and within

For everlasting peace.

Praise to the Father, as is meet,

Praise to the Only Son,
Praise to the Holy Paraclete,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent and from Septuagesima
Sunday till the end of Paschal time^ as
also on all Feasts, a special Verse and
Answer are given.

Verse. 3 The LORD reigneth, He
is clothed with majesty.

Answer. The LORD is clothed
with strength, and hath girded Him
self with power.

Then is said the following Song from
the Gospel. It has an Antiphon, whicli
is always special, and which is either

1 By St. Ambrose, or at least of the Ambrosian school, except the last verse. Translation
by the late Card. Newman.

2 By Pope St. Gregory the Great, but a good deal altered. Translation by the late
Card. Newman. 3 Ps. xcii. I.

THE PSALTER.

begun or said through the first time be
fore z /, according as the Office is Double
or not.

THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS.

[On the occasion of the circumcision of
St. John the Baptist. Luke i. 68-79.]

BLESSED be the Lord God of
Israel, * for He hath visited
and redeemed His people.

And hath raised up an horn of
salvation for us, * in the house of
His servant David :

As He spake by the mouth of
His holy Prophets, * which have
been since the world began :

That we should be saved from
our enemies, * and from the hand of
all that hate us :

To perform the mercy promised
to our fathers, * and to remember
His holy covenant :

The oath which He sware to our
father Abraham, * that He would
grant unto us,

That we, being delivered out of
the hand of our enemies, * might
serve Him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness be
fore Him * all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called
the Prophet of the Highest : * for
thou shalt go before the face of the
Lord to prepare His ways :

To give knowledge of salvation
unto His people, * by the remission
of their sins ;

Through the tender mercy of our
God, * whereby the dayspring from
on high hath visited us,

To give light to them that sit
in darkness, and in the shadow of
death, * to guide our feet into the
way of peace.

The Doxology, "Glory be to the

Father, &c.," is said,
Antiphon repeated.

and then the

Then is said :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Then follows the Prayer for the day
at the end of which is answered:

Answer. Amen.

Afterwards are made any Commem
orations necessary, by the Antiphon
for the Song of Zacharias, the Verse
and Answer after the Hymn, and the
Prayer {preceded by " Let us pray ")
from the superseded Office which is to
be commemorated. After which the
following Common Commemorations
are made, if required, according to
Chapter xxxv. of the General Rubrics.

When more than two Prayers are to
be said, the last clause of each (begin
ning "Through our Lord, &c.," or
" Who livest, &c.,") is omitted in all
except the first and the last, nor is
"Amen" answered except after these
two.

{Note that if these Commemorations
be said upon a week-day, kept as such,
out of Paschal time, they are preceded
by the Commemoratioii of the Cross,
given hereafter at the end of the Lauds
of Monday.}

I. Commemoration of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.

{Omitted if the Office of the day is
of the Blessed Virgin, or if her Little
Office is to be said.}

Antiphon. O Holy Mary, be
thou an help to the helpless, a
strength to the fearful, a comfort to
the sorrowful ; pray for the people,
plead for the clergy, make inter
cession for all women vowed to
God ; may all that keep thine holy

SUNDAY AT LAUDS.

might

remembrance, feel the
thine assistance.

Verse. Pray for us, O holy
Mother of God.

Answer. That we may be made
worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

, we beseech Thee, O
Lord God, unto all Thy
servants, that they may continually
enjoy soundness both of mind and
of body, and by the glorious inter
cession of the Blessed Mary, always
a Virgin, may be delivered from
present sadness, and enter into the
joy of Thine eternal gladness.

From the Octave of the Epiphany to
Candlemas, the Antiphon is the same,
but the rest is as follows :

Verse. After thy delivery thou
still remainest a Virgin undefiled.

Answer. Mother of God, pray
for us.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who, by the fruitful
virginity of the Blessed
Mary, hast given unto mankind the
rewards of everlasting life ; grant,
we beseech Thee, that we may con
tinually feel the might of her inter
cession, through whom we have
worthily received the Author of our
life, our Lord JESUS Christ Thy Son.

II. Commemoration of St. Joseph,
Patron of the Universal Church.

(Omitted in his Votive Office^

Antiphon. l JESUS Himself began
to be about thirty years of age, being
(as was supposed) the son of Joseph.

Verse. 2 The mouth of the right
eous speaketh wisdom.

Answer. And his tongue talketh
judgment.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who, in Thine un-
speakable foreknowledge,
didst choose Thy blessed servant
Joseph to be the husband of Thine
Own most holy Mother; mercifully
grant that now that he is in heaven
with Thee, we who on earth do
reverence him for our defender,
may worthily be holpen by the
succour of his prayers to Thee on
our behalf.

III. Commemoration of the Holy
Apostles, Peter and Paul.

(Omitted in the Votive Offi-ce of the
Apostles.}

Antiphon. 3 These are glorious
princes over all the earth, they
loved one another in their lives,
and in their death they were not
divided.

Verse. 4 Their sound is gone out
through all the earth.

Answer. And their words to the
ends of the world.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Whose Right Hand
caught the Blessed Peter
when he walked upon the water,
and began to sink, 5 and thrice de
livered his fellow-Apostle Paul from
the deep of the sea, when he suf
fered shipwreck ; 6 graciously hear
us, and grant, for the sake of them

1 Luke iii. 23.
4 Ps. xviii. 5-

2 Ps. xxxvi. 30.
5 Matth. xiv. 31.

3 2 Kings (Sam.)
6 2 Cor. xi. 25.

30 THE PSALTER.

both, that we also may attain unto For Peace,

everlasting glory. Antiphon. Give peace in our

Note l . time, O Lord, because there is

1 In England in this case, by a special rule, is made

Commemoration of St. George, Patron of England.

Antiphon. * The Saints through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises.

Verse, t O LORD, Thou hast compassed him.
Answer. With Thy favour as with a shield.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who dost gladden us through the worthy deeds and prayers of
Thy blessed Martyr George ; mercifully grant that all they that seek
Thy favour through him, may effectually obtain the gift of Thy grace.
And thus it is said within the Octave.

In the Diocese of Hexham St. George is not commemorated, but instead, the following
commemoration is made of St. Cuthbert :

Antiphon. Holy Cuthbert, our Protector, grace and glory of our father
land, look down upon us from Heaven, and pray God for us, that He grant
us everlasting joy.

Verse. At the prayers of Blessed Cuthbert and for his sake,

Ansiver. Be merciful unto Thy people, O Lord.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who, through the priceless gift of Thy grace, dost make Thine
holy ones glorious, mercifully grant, that the prayers of Thy Blessed
Confessor and Bishop Cuthbert may help us worthily there to attain, where
are the spirits of just men made perfect.

In the Diocese of Northampton the following commemoration of St. Thomas of Canter
bury is made before that of St. George :

Antiphon. +1 am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am
known of Mine, and I lay down My life for the sheep.
Verse. In your patience
Answer. Possess ye your souls.

Let us pray.

C\ GOD, in defence of Whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell
by the swords of wicked men, grant, we beseech Thee, that all that
ask his help may obtain wholesome fruit of their petition.

In the Diocese of Plymouth the following commemoration of St. Boniface of Maintz is
made before that of St. George :

Antiphon. Many nations, many thousands of men, did Blessed Boniface
* Heb. xi. 33. f Ps. v. 13. J John x. 14, 15. Luke xxi. 19.

SUNDAY AT LAUDS. 31

none other that fighteth for us, but our hearts may be set to obey Thy

only Thou, O our God. commandments, and also that by

Verse. l Peace be within thy Thee we being defended from the

walls. fear of our enemies, may pass our

Answer. And prosperity within time in rest and quietness. Through

thy palaces. our Lord JESUS Christ, Thy Son,

Who liveth and reigneth with Thee,

Let us pray. m tne unity of the Holy Ghost, one

God, world without end.

OGOD, from Whom all holy Answer. Amen,

desires, all good counsels,

and all just works do proceed ; give **%**** M ?^ y A after Low St , md f y ,

u u toll th e E ve of the Ascension, instead of

unto Thy servants that peace which the p receding Commemorations, is said

the world cannot give, that both the following:

gain for Christ, and forasmuch as he made himself like unto an Apostle, he
hath purchased unto himself a great reward in Heaven along with the
Apostles.

Verse. Be strong in the Lord, be strong.

Answer. That ye may live for ever with God.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who wast pleased to make the zeal of Thy Blessed Martyr and
Bishop Boniface the mean whereby Thou didst cause many peoples
to know Thy Name, mercifully grant unto us who honour his memory to be
feelingly holpen by the succour of his protection.

(And so it is said within the Octave^

In the Diocese of Portsmouth the following commemoration of St. Edmund of Can
terbury is made after that of St. George :

Antiphon. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and therefore he
died in exile.

Verse. Cast out upon a world of woes,

In exile here we roam.

Answer. O Blessed Edmund, by thy prayers,
Gain us the love of home.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who in the abundance of Thy goodness toward Thy Church
hast made her bright by the illustrious life of Thy blessed Confessor
and Bishop Edmund, and gladdened her by his glorious and wondrous
works, mercifully grant unto Thy servants that they may be bettered in
following after his ensample, and shielded by his protection from all things
that may rise up against them.

1 Ps. cxxi. 7.

THE PSALTER.

Paschal Commemoration of the
Cross.

{Omitted in the Votive Offices of the
Blessed Sacrament and of the Passion?)

Antiphon. He That was cruci
fied is risen from the dead, and
hath redeemed us. Alleluia, Al
leluia.

Verse. x Say among the heathen
Alleluia.

Answer. That the LORD reign-
eth from the tree Alleluia.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who didst send Thy
Son to suffer death for us
upon the Cross, that Thou might-
est deliver us from the power of
the enemy ; grant unto us Thy
servants to be made partakers of
His Resurrection. Through the
Same our Lord JESUS Christ Thy
Son, Who liveth and reigneth with
Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.
Answer. Amen.

After the last Prayer is said :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

If the Office of the Dead or the Litany
(with or without the Penitential Psalms}
is to follow immediately, it is begun
here. Otherwise

There is said in rather a low voice :
May the souls of the Faithful

through the mercy of God rest in
peace.

Answer. Amen.

If Prime is to follow immediately, it
is begun here, a7id what follows is not
said till the end of the whole service.
Otherwise the Office ends thus:

The Lord s Prayer is said inaudibly :

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into temp
tation ; but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Then aloud :

Verse. The Lord give us His
peace.

Answer. And life everlasting.
Amen.

Then follows one of these Four Anti-
phons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ac
cording to the season of the year.

I. From the First Sunday in Ad
vent to Candlemas, both inclusive.

Antiphon. 2 Maiden, Mother of
Him that redeemed us, thou that
abidest

Heaven s open gate, and the Star
of the Sea, come, succour the fallen !

Fallen indeed we are, but fain
would rise by thy succour.

Thou that beyond nature s course,
hast borne in time the Eternal ;

Thou that a Virgin before and
after that childbirth remainest,

1 Ps. xcv. 10, old version.

- i.e. , it is said for the first time after Vespers, if the Antiphon of the B.V. be to be said.
and in any case after Compline, on the Saturday evening before Advent Sunday, and it is
still similarly said after Vespers on February 2, but not after Compline on that day. It is
ascribed to Hermann the Cripple, a monk of Reichenau, who died A.D. 1052. This trans
lation is in the same rhymeless measure as the original,

SUNDAY AT LAUDS.

From the Archangel s lips the
quickening message receiving,

Mother of JESUS and us, turn
thine eyes of mercy on sinners.

Verse. The Angel of the Lord
announced unto Mary.

Answer. And she conceived by
the Holy Ghost.

Let us pray.

beseech Thee, O Lord,
pour Thy grace into our
hearts ; that, as we have known
the Incarnation of Thy Son Christ
by the message of an Angel, so by
His Passion and Cross we may be
brought unto the glory of the
Resurrection. Through the same
Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen.

In and after the First Vespers of
Christmas Day the Verse and Answer
and Prayer are as follows :

Verse. After thy delivery thou
still remainest a Virgin undefiled.

Answer. Mother of God, pray
for us.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who, by the fruitful
virginity of the Blessed Mary,
hast given unto mankind the re
wards of everlasting life ; grant, we
beseech Thee, that we may con
tinually feel the might of her inter
cession, through whom we have
worthily received the Author of
our life, even our Lord JESUS
Christ Thy Son.
Answer. Amen.

II. From Candlemas to Maundy
Thursday, both exclusive^

Antiphon. Hail, O Mary, Queen
of Heaven,

Queen of Angel worlds on high,
Hail, O Rod to Jesse given,
Blessed Portal of the sky,

Hail, O Lady, bright and glorious,
Clad in beauty pure and true,
Virgin ! o er sin s stain victorious,
Sinners for thy succour sue.

Verse. Holy Virgin, my praise
by thee accepted be.

Answer. Give me strength against
thine enemies.

Let us pray.

NT, we beseech Thee, O
most merciful God, a succour
unto the frailty of our nature, that
as we keep ever alive the memory
of the holy Mother of God, so by
the help of her intercession we may
be raised up from the bondage of
our sins. Through the same Christ
our Lord.

Answer. Amen.

III. From Easter Sun day ^ till the
Saturday after Pentecost, both in
clusive.

Antiphon. Rejoice! rejoice! thou
Queen of Heaven, Alleluia,

For He That thee for Son was
given, Alleluia,

As He promised is arisen. Alle
luia.

1 ? .., it is said for the first time after Compline on Feb. 2 (even if the Feast of the
Purification be transferred), and for the last time after Compline on Wednesday in Holy
Week. The authorship is unknown ; it seems to date from about the eleventh century.

i.e., it is said for the first time after Compline on Easter Eve. The date and author
ship are unknown ; but a legend has become attached to it to the effect that St. Gregory
the Great heard the three first lines uttered by an angel, and himself added the fourth, on
the same occasion from which was instituted the procession upon St. Mark s Day.
VOL. I. B

THE PSALTER.

Mother, pray to Him for us. Alle
luia.

Verse. Be glad and rejoice, O
Virgin Mary, Alleluia,

Answer. For the Lord is risen
indeed, Alleluia.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who art pleased to
gladden the whole world by
the resurrection of Thy Son our
Lord JESUS Christ; grant, we be
seech Thee, that by the help of
His Mother the Virgin Mary, we
may finally attain unto the glad
ness of life everlasting. Through
the same Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen.

IV. From Trinity Sunday l till the
Saturday before Advent Sunday,
both inclusive.

Antiphon. Hail, O Queen, Mother
of mercy ! hail, our life, our sweet
ness, and our hope ! To thee we
cry, the banished sons of Eve. To
ward thee we sigh, weeping and
groaning in this vale of tears. Ah,
then, thou our Advocate, turn on us
those merciful eyes of thine ! And,
after this our exile, show to us
JESUS, the blessed Fruit of thy

womb. O merciful, O gracious, O
sweet Virgin Mary !

Verse. Pray for us, O holy Mother
of God,

Answer. That we may be made
worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting
God, Who, by the co-opera
tion of the Holy Ghost, didst make
ready both the body and soul of the
glorious Virgin and Mother Mary
worthily to become a meet dwelling
for Thy Son; grant that as we re
joice in her memory, so by her piti
ful intercession we may be delivered
from the evils that continually hang
over us, and finally from everlasting
death. Through the same Christ
our Lord.

Answer. Amen.

After each of these Antiphons is said
this Blessing:

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Feasts. The above Office, appointed
for Sunday, is also said on all Feasts
whatsoever, even Simples, and every
day in Paschal time.

1 i.e., it is said for the first time after Vespers, if the Antiphon of the B.V. be to be
said, and in any case after Compline, on the Saturday evening before Trinity Sunday. The
last clause is usually admitted to be an exclamation uttered by St. Bernard of Clairvaux in
the Cathedral of Spires ; but the authorship of the rest is disputed, some ascribing it to
Hermann the Cripple, others to one Peter of Monsoro, Bishop of Compostella, others to
one Adhema r, Bishop of Podium (Puy-en-Velay). It seems to have been well known, at
least in Spain, early in the twelfth century.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR. 1

Sitntrag,

THE LORD S DAY.

Before Prime is said inaudibly the
Lords Prayer, the Angelic Salutation,
and the Apostles Creed.

Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as
we forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into tempta
tion ; but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

TTAIL, Mary, full of grace; The
-*- -- Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

T BELIEVE in God the Father
^ Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth. And in JESUS Christ, His
Only Son, our Lord ; Who was con
ceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of

the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead,
and buried : He descended into
hell : the third day He rose again
from the dead : He ascended into
heaven, and sitteth on the right
hand of God the Father Almighty :
from thence He shall come to judge
the quick and the dead. I believe
in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic
Church, the Communion of Saints,
the Forgiveness of sins, the Resur
rection of the body, and the Life
everlasting. Amen.

Then is said alotid :

Verse. *| Make haste, O God,
to deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday instead of "Alle
luia" is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

1 Prime is the first service of the Church for the day-time, Mattins and Lauds being for
the middle and close of night. Its proper hour is when the sun has fairly risen, and day
begun, which is reckoned to be about 6 A.M., about which time it is generally ^aid in
choirs. Sometimes Mattins, Lauds, and Prime are said together early in the morning,
forming the complete morning service of the Church. It is from this aggregation that the
" Morning Prayer" of the Anglican Prayer Book is derived.

THE PSALTER.

Then is said the following :

HYMN. 1

r T*HE star of morn to night succeeds,
* We therefore meekly pray,
May God, in all our words and deeds,
Keep us from harm this day.

May He in. love restrain us still
From tones of strife and words of ill,
And wrap around and close our eyes
To earth s absorbing vanities.

May wrath and thoughts that gender
shame

Ne er in our breasts abide,
And painful abstinences tame

Of wanton flesh the pride ;

So when the weary day is o er,

And night and stillness come once

more,

Blameless and clean from spot of earth
We may repeat with reverent mirth

To God the Father glory be,

And to His Only Son,
And to the Spirit, One and Three,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

The last verse is sometimes said thus,
altered in honour of the Incarnation :

JESU, the Virgin-born, to Thee

Eternal praise be given,
With Father, Spirit, One and Three,

Here as it is in heaven.

Amen.

/;/ Paschal time it is said thus, altered
in honour of the Resurrection :

To Father, Son, and Paraclete,

The slain and risen Son,
Be praise and glory, as is meet,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

// is also occasionally otherwise al
tered, which occasions are marked in
their places.

Then follow the Psalms. They are
all said under one Antiphon, and

when Five Antiphons have been said
at Lauds, the First of these Five
is the Antiphon at Prime, otherwise
that given here is used.

Antiphon. Alleluia.

Psalm LI 1 1.

[The superscription of this Psalm, after
some words which are probably a musical
direction, proceeds "[A Psalm] of David,
when the Ziphim came and said to Saul,
Doth not David hide himself with us?"
This was during the same period of his life
in the South in which he composed Ps.
Ixii. The Ziphim, or peasantry of the
neighbourhood of Ziph, betrayed him twice
to Saul, and both times, especially the first,
he was in imminent peril. I Kings (Sam.)
xxiii. 19-29. xxvi.]

SAVE me, O God, in Thy Name,
* and judge me in Thy
power.

Hear my prayer, O God : * give
ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers are risen up against
me, and oppressors seek after my
soul : * and have not set God be
fore them. 2

Behold God is mine Helper :
and the Lord upholdeth my soul.

Reward Thou evil unto mine
enemies : * and cut them off in
Thy truth.

I will freely sacrifice unto Thee :
* and praise Thy Name, O LORD,
for it is good.

For Thou hast delivered me out
of all trouble : * and mine eye
hath seen [my desire] upon mine
enemies.

The fallowing Psalm, " O give thanks
unto the LORD," is said only on Sun
days, when the Office is of the Sunday,
nor is it said from Easter to Pentecost,
both inclusive. Moreover it is not said
on or after Septuagesima Sunday till

Another Ambrosian hymn. Translation by the late Card. Newman.

2 SLH.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

Easter, but then is substituted for it
Psalm xcii., "The LORD reigneth "
(given at the beginning of Lauds].

Psalm CXVII.

[From some verses it seems as though this
Psalm was written for the Feast of Taber
nacles, and perhaps as a processional at the
entry of the King (David?) into the place
of worship. The Vulgate and the LXX.
prefix the word Alleluia.]

OGIVE thanks unto the LORD,
for He is good : * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

Let Israel now say that He is
good : * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

Let the house of Aaron now say,

* that His mercy endureth for ever.
Let them now that fear the LORD

say, * that His mercy endureth for
ever.

I called upon the LORD in dis
tress : * and the LORD heard me
[and set me] at large.

The LORD is on my side : * I
will not fear what man can do
unto me.

The LORD is on my side : * and
I shall see [my desire upon] them
that hate me.

It is better to put confidence in
the LORD, * than to put confidence
in man.

It is better to trust in the LORD,

* than to trust in princes.

All nations compassed me about :

* but in the Name of the LORD ! x
I was avenged on them.

They compassed me about, yea,
they compassed me about : * but
in the Name of the LORD ! I was
avenged on them.

They compassed me about like
bees ; they burnt out as the fire
of thorns : * but in the Name
of the LORD ! I was avenged on
them.

They thrust sore at me, that I
might fall : * but the LORD helped
me.

The LORD is my strength and
my song, * and is become my
salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salva
tion * is in the tabernacles 2 of the
righteous.

The right hand of the LORD hath
done valiantly. The right hand of
the LORD hath exalted me : * the
right hand of the LORD hath done
valiantly.

I shall not die, but live, * and
declare the works of the LORD.

The LORD hath chastened me
sore : * but He hath not given me
over unto death.

Open to me the gates of right
eousness ; I will go into them and
praise the LORD. * This is the gate
of the LORD, into which the righteous
shall enter.

I will praise Thee, for Thou hast
heard me, * and art become my
salvation.

3 The stone which the builders
refused * is become the head-stone
of the corner.

This is the LORD S doing : * and
it is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day which the LORD
hath made : * let us rejoice and be
glad in it.

Save me now, O LORD ! O LORD,
send Thou prosperity. * Blessed

1 Probably a war-cry.

2 The allusion is to the ceremonial of the Feast of Tabernacles, Lev. xxiii. 42, "Ye shall
dwell in booths seven days."

3 These two verses were quoted by our Lord. Matth. xxi. 42 ; Mark xii. 10.

THE PSALTER.

be he that cometh in the Name of
the LORD ! l

We have blessed you out of the
house of the LORD. * God is the
LORD and hath showed us light :

Keep the solemn feast-day with
leafy boughs, * even unto the horns
of the Altar. 2

Thou art my God, and I will
praise Thee : * Thou art my God,
and I will exalt Thee.

I will give thanks unto Thee, for
Thou hast heard me, * and art be
come my salvation.

O give thanks unto the LORD,
for He is good : * for His mercy
endureth for ever.

Psalm CXVIII. 3

T3LESSED are the undefiled in
U the way, * who walk in the
law of the LORD.

Blessed are they that keep His
testimonies : * that seek Him with
the whole heart.

For they that work iniquity, *
walk not in His ways.

Thou hast commanded us * to
keep Thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed *
to keep Thy statutes.

Then shall I not be ashamed, *

when I have respect unto all Thy
commandments.

I will praise Thee with upright
ness of heart, * when I shall have
learned Thy righteous judgments.

I will keep Thy statutes: * O
forsake me not utterly.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

TIT HERE WITHAL shall a young
* man keep his way ? * By
taking heed unto Thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought
Thee : * O let me not wander from
Thy commandments !

Thy word have I hid in mine
heart, * that I might not sin against
Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O LORD : * teach
me Thy statutes !

With my lips * have I declared
all the judgments of Thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of Thy
testimonies, * as much as in all
riches.

I will meditate on Thy pre
cepts, * and have respect unto
Thy ways.

I will delight myself in Thy
statutes : * I will not forget Thy
word.

1 Notice that this is the very verse which was sung during the Palm Sunday procession.
The word Hosanna is a corruption of its third and fourth words viz., " Ho-shy ah na."

2 Lev. xxiii. 40. "And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees,
branches of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook ; and ye
shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days." As to the Feast of Tabernacles,
the Jewish tradition understands by "goodly trees" the citron, and by "thick trees" the
myrtle. Branches of willow were fastened to the corners of the altar.

3 This long poem in praise of the Divine Law, which the Church recites every day and
all day, is A B C Darian. Its 176 verses are divided into twenty- two sections, of eight
verses each, in each of which sections all the verses begin with the same letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. The . first eight, therefore, begin with Aleph, which somewhat cor
responds to A.

4 Here begins the letter Beth, somewhat represented by B.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

Continuation of the same Psalm.

in\EAL bountifully with Thy ser-
*-J vant, quicken me, * and I
will keep Thy word.

Open Thou mine eyes, * that I
may behold wondrous things out of
Thy law.

I am a stranger in the earth : *
hide not Thy commandments from
me.

My soul is an-hungered for the
longing that it hath unto Thy
judgments * at all times.

Thou hast rebuked the proud : *
they are cursed that do err from
Thy commandments.

Remove from me reproach and
contempt : * for I have kept Thy
testimonies.

Princes also did sit and speak
against me : * but Thy servant did
meditate on Thy statutes.

Thy testimonies also are my de
light, * and Thy precepts my coun
sellors.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

TV /T-Y soul cleaveth unto the
iVA ground : * quicken Thou
me according to Thy word.

I have declared my ways and
Thou heardest me : * teach me Thy
statutes.

Make me to understand the way

of Thy precepts : * so shall I talk
of Thy wondrous works.

My soul sleepeth for heaviness : *
strengthen Thou me according unto
Thy word.

Remove from me the way of lying :

* and grant me Thy law graciously.

I have chosen the way of truth :

* Thy judgments have I not for
gotten.

I cleave unto Thy testimonies, O
LORD : * put me not to shame !

I have run the way of Thy com
mandments, * since Thou hast en
larged mine heart.

The following Creed is only said on
Sundays when the Office is of the Sun
day, and on Trinity Sunday. The ex
ceptions are Easter and Pentecost Sun
days, when it is not said, because they
are treated as Festivals.

THE CREED OF ST ATHANASIUS. 3

WHOSOEVER willeth to be
safe, * before all things it
is necessary that he hold the
Catholic Faith.

Which faith except every one do
keep whole and undenled, * without
doubt he shall perish eternally.

Now the Catholic Faith is this, *
that we worship One God in Trinity,
and Trinity in Unity.

Neither confounding the Persons,

* nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the
Father, another of the Son, * and
another of the Holy Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father,

1 Here begins the letter Ghimel, answering partly to our G.

2 Here begins the letter Daleth, answering partly to our D.

3 The translation largely follows that in the Rev. A. E. Burn s Introduction to the
Creeds. The origin and date of this hymn have been the subject of much discussion.
" It is agreed that it was not written by St Athanasius, and that it was written in Latin.
In the opinion of Mr Burn the indications point to the South of Gaul as its place of origin,
and to the decade A.D. 420-430 as the period of its composition.

THE PSALTER.

of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
is One, * the Glory Equal, the
Majesty Co-Eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the
Son, * and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father Uncreated, the Son
Uncreated, * and the Holy Ghost
Uncreated.

The Father Infinite, the Son In
finite, * and the Holy Ghost In
finite.

The Father Eternal, the Son Eter
nal, * and the Holy Ghost Eternal.

And yet They are not Three
Eternals, * but One Eternal.

As also They are not Three Un
created, nor Three Infinites, * but
One Uncreated, and One Infinite.

So likewise the Father is Almighty,
the Son Almighty, * and the Holy
Ghost Almighty.

And yet They are not Three Al
mighties, * but One Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son
God, * and the Holy Ghost God.

And yet They are not Three Gods,

* but One God.

So the Father is Lord, the Son
Lord, * and the Holy Ghost Lord.

And yet They are not Three
Lords, * but One Lord.

For, like as we are compelled by
Christian truth to acknowledge every
Person by Himself to be God and
Lord, * so are we forbidden by the
Catholic Religion to say, there be
Three Gods or Three Lords.

The Father is made of none, *
neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone :

* not made, nor created, but Be
gotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father,
and the Son : * not made, nor
created, nor begotten, but Pro
ceeding.

So there is One Father, not Three
Fathers ; One Son, not Three Sons ;

* One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy
Ghosts.

And in this Trinity is nothing
afore or after, nothing is greater or
less ; * but the whole Three Per
sons are Co -Eternal together, and
Co-Equal.

So that in all things, as is afore
said, * the Unity in Trinity, and
the Trinity in Unity is to be wor
shipped.

He therefore that willeth to be
safe, * let him thus think of the
Trinity.

But it is necessary to eternal
salvation, * that he also believe
faithfully the Incarnation of our
Lord JESUS Christ.

The right Faith therefore is, that
we believe and confess, * that our
Lord JESUS Christ, the Son of God,
is God and Man.

God, of the Substance of the
Father, Begotten before the worlds :

* and Man, of the substance of His
mother, born in the world.

Perfect God, Perfect Man, * of
a reasoning Soul and human Flesh
subsisting.

Equal to the Father as touching
His Godhead, * inferior to the
Father as touching His Manhood.

Who, although He be God and
Man, * yet He is not Two, but One
Christ.

One, however, not by conversion
of the Godhead into Flesh, * but by
taking of the Manhood into God.

One altogether, not by confusion
of Substance, * but by Unity of
Person.

For as the reasoning soul and
flesh is one man, * so God and
Man is One Christ.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

Who suffered for our salvation,
descended into hell, * rose again
the third day from the dead.

He ascended into heaven, He sit-
teth on the right hand of the Father,
God Almighty, * from whence He
shall come to judge the quick and
the dead.

At Whose coming all men shall
rise again with their bodies, * and
shall give account for their own
works.

And they that have done good
shall go into life eternal, * but
they that have done evil into
eternal fire.

This is the Catholic Faith, * which
except a man believe faithfully and
firmly, he cannot be safe.

Here is said the Doxology, " Glory
be to the Father, &c."

Antiphon. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alle
luia.

In Paschal time is said a fourth
time, Alleluia.

Then is said the Chapter.
CHAPTER, (i Tim. i. 17.)

UNTO the King Eternal, Im
mortal and Invisible, the
only God, be honour and glory for
ever and ever. Amen.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then follows the Short Responsory.

Christ, Thou Son of the Living
God, have mercy on us.

Answer. Christ, Thou Son of the
Living God, have mercy on us.

Verse. Thou That sittest at the
right hand of the Father.

Answer. Have mercy on us.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Christ, Thou Son of the
Living God, have mercy on us.

Verse. 1 Arise, O Christ, and help
us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake.

This Responsory is occasionally al
tered, which alterations are given in
their proper places. From Low Sim-
day inclusive till Ascension Day ex
clusive it is said thus :

Christ, Thou Son of the Living
God, have mercy on us. Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Answer. Christ, Thou Son of the
Living God, have mercy on us. Alle
luia, Alleluia.

Verse. Thou That art arisen
from the dead.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Christ, Thou Son of the
Living God, have mercy on us. Alle
luia, Alleluia.

Verse. Arise, O Christ, and help
us. Alleluia.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake. Alleluia.

From Ascension Day inclusive till
Pentecost exclusive it is the same, ex
cept that instead of "Thou That art
arisen from the dead" is said:

Verse. Thou That art gone up
above the stars.

During the Octave of Pentecost it is
still the same except that this Verse is
said thus :

Verse. Thou That sittest at the
right hand of the Father.

Ps. xliii. 26.

VOL. i.

B 2

THE PSALTER.

After the Short Responsory follow
these prayers called the Preces, except
on Doubles and within Octaves, when
they are omitted down to the mark *.

1 Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

OUR Father (inaudibly), Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.}

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

I BELIEVE (inaudibly) in God
the Father Almighty, Maker of
heaven and earth. And in JESUS
Christ, His only Son, our Lord :
Who was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead, and buried : He de
scended into hell : the third day He
rose again from the dead : He as
cended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of God the Father
Almighty : from thence He shall
come to judge the quick and the
dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the Holy Catholic Church, the Com
munion of Saints, the Forgiveness
of sins. (Aloud.)

Verse. The Resurrection of the
body.

Answer. And the Life everlast
ing. Amen.

Verse. 2 And unto Thee have I
cried, O LORD.

Answer. And in the morning
shall my prayer come betimes be
fore Thee.

Verse. 3 Let my mouth be filled
with Thy praise.

Ansiver. That I may sing of Thy
glory, all the day long of Thy great
ness.

Verse. 4 O Lord, hide Thy face
from my sins.

Answer. And blot out all mine
iniquities.

Verse. Create in me a clean heart,
O God.

Ansiver. And renew a right spirit
within me.

Verse. Cast me not away from
Thy presence.

Answer. And take not Thine
holy Spirit from me.

Verse. Restore unto me the joy
of Thy salvation.

Answer. And uphold me with
Thy free spirit.

Verse. 5 *%* Our help is in the
name of the LORD.

Answer. Who made heaven and
earth.

The General Confession.

I CONFESS to God Almighty,
to the Blessed Mary, always
a Virgin, to the Blessed Michael
the Archangel, to the Blessed John
the Baptist, to the Holy Apostles
Peter and Paul, and to all the
Saints, that I have sinned exceed
ingly in thought, word, and deed,
by my fault, by my fault, by my
most grievous fault. Therefore I
beseech the Blessed Mary, always

1 Greek Litany, signifying " Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercy.""

2 p s . Ixxxvii. 14. 3 Ps. Ixx. 8. 4 Ps. 1. 11-14- 5 Ps. cxxm. 8.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

a Virgin, the Blessed Michael the
Archangel, the Blessed John the
Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter
and Paul, and all the Saints, to
pray to the Lord our God for me.

The Absolution,

A LMIGHTY God have mercy
^*- on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to life everlasting.
Answer. Amen.

Y the Almighty and mer-
ciful Lord grant us pardon,
absolution, and remission of all our
sins.

Answer. Amen.

Then the Office continues as follows :

Verse. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this
day.

Answer. To keep us without
sin.

Verse. Have mercy upon us, O
LORD.

Answer. Have mercy upon us.

Verse. O LORD, let Thy mercy
lighten upon us.

Answer. As our trust is in Thee.

Here the Office is resumed when the
Preces have been omitted.

* Verse. Hear my prayer, O
LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

LORD God Almighty, Who
hast safely brought us to the
beginning of this day, defend us
in the same with Thy mighty power :
and grant that this day we fall into
no sin, but that all our thoughts,

words, and works may be ordered
by Thy governance to do always
that is righteous in Thy sight.
Through our Lord JESUS Christ,
Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth
with Thee, in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Ansiver. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

If the Prime of the Little Office of the
Blessed Virgin Mary is to be said, it is
said now. Then is read the Martyr-
ology of the morrow, if it be to be read,
the reader co?icluding with the words :

And in other places many other
holy Martyrs and Confessors and
holy Virgins.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

After which the Office proceeds thus : *

Verse. 2 Precious in the sight of
the LORD.

Answer.
Saints.

Is the death of His

1X/TAY Holy Mary and all the
*^ * Saints plead for us with the
Lord, that we may worthily be
holpen and delivered by Him Who
liveth and reigneth for ever and
ever.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Verse. Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

1 Whether the Martyrology has been read or not. The Martyrology is never binding
out of Choir. 2 Ps. cxv. 6.

THE PSALTER.

Verse. Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. Amen.

Versed And lead us not into

temptation.
Answer.
evil.

But deliver us from

Verse. * Look upon Thy ser
vants, O Lord, and upon the works
of Thine hands, and order the go
ings of their children.

Answer. And let the beauty of
the LORD our God be upon us,
and establish Thou the work of
our hands upon us, yea, the work
of our hands, establish Thou it.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. As it was in the be
ginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Let us pray.

OLORD God, King of heaven
and earth, may it please Thee
this day to order and to hallow, to

rule and to govern our hearts and
our bodies, our thoughts, our words,
and our works, according to Thy
law and in the doing of Thy com
mandments, that we, being holpen
of Thee, may here, and for ever
and ever, worthily be saved and de
livered by Thee, O Saviour of the
world, Who livest and reignest for
ever and ever.
Answer. Amen.

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

The Blessing.

The Lord Almighty order our
days and deeds in His peace.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Short Lesson. On all
Feasts, even Simples, and some other
days, this is the same as the Chapter
which is to be read at None, which will
be found in its proper place. On other
days one of the following is read, ac
cording to the Season of the year.

i. From the Octave of the Epiphany
till the First Sunday in Lent, and
from the Octave of Pentecost till
Advent Sunday, all exclusive.

2 Thess. iii. 5.

And the Lord direct your hearts
into the love of God, and into the
patience of Christ.

2. From Advent Sunday inclusive till
Christmas Eve exclusive.

Isa. xxxiii. 2.

O LORD, be gracious unto us :
for we have waited for Thee : be
Thou our arm every morning, our
salvation also in the time of
trouble.

1 Ps. Ixxxix. 1 6, 17.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

3. From the First Sunday in Lent in
clusive till Passion Sunday exclusive.

Seek ye the LORD, while He may
be found : call ye upon Him while
He is near.

4. From Passion Sunday inclusive till
Maundy Thursday exclusive.

Isa. 1. 6.

I hid not my face from shame
and spitting. The Lord GOD *
will help me, therefore also shall
I not be confounded.

5. From Easter Sunday inclusive till
Ascension Day exclusive.

Col. iii. i.

If ye be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where
Christ sitteth at the right hand of
God : set your affections on things
above, not on things on the earth.

When the Reader has finished the
Short Lesson, he says:

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Verse. Our help is in the name
of the LORD.

Answer. Who made heaven and
earth.

Verse. Bless ye.

Answer. May God [bless us].

The Blessing.

&gt;J The Lord bless us, and keep
us from all evil, and bring us to life
everlasting ; and may the souls of
the Faithful, through the mercy of
God, rest in peace.

Answer. Amen.

Lastly, unless some other Hour is to
follow immediately, the Lord s Prayer
is said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into tempta
tion ; but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Note. When Office is said in Choir
the Sendee is ended with the Antiphon
of the Blessed Virgin Mary every time
the Choir is left. Otherwise it is only
said as given in this book, at the end of
Lauds (or the aggregation of whicJi
Lauds forms a part) and Compline.

Feasts. The above Office appointed
for Sundays is also said on all Feasts
whatsoever, even Simples, and every
dav in Paschal time.

PRIME ON WEEK-DAYS.

A II the same as on Sunday, except as
otherwise given here.

Ordinary Antiphon during the
year. Blessed are they that walk.

In Advent the Antipho?i is the First
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon in Lent. As I live.

Antiphon for Passiontide. De
liver me, O Lord.

Psalm cxvii., " O give thanks unto
the LORD," is not said. On Saturday
it is simply omitted, and only the three
Feast-Day Psalms (viz. liii. and the two
first sections 0/cxviii.) are said, but on
the other days of the week one of the
Psalms following is put in its place.

1 The Divine Name.

4 6

THE PSALTER.

Psalm XXIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." The
Vulgate and the LXX. add "for the first
day of the week."]

THE earth is the LORD S and
the fulness thereof; * the
world, and they that dwell there
in.

For He hath founded it upon the
seas, * and established it upon the
floods.

Who shall ascend into the moun
tain of the LORD? * or who shall
stand in His holy place?

He that hath clean hands and
a pure heart, * who hath not
lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor
sworn deceitfully unto his neigh
bour.

He shall receive a blessing from
the LORD, * and mercy from the
God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them
that seek Him, * that seek the
face of the God of Jacob. 1

Lift up your gates, O ye princes,
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors! " and the King of glory
shall come in.

Who is this King of glory ? *
The LORD strong and mighty, the
LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your gates, O ye princes,
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors ! * and the King of glory
shall come in.

Who is this King of glory ? *
The LORD of hosts, He is the
King of glory. 1

Psalm XXIV.

[Intituled "Of David." This Psalm is
ABC Darian.]

UNTO Thee, O LORD, do I lift
up my soul : * O my God,
I trust in Thee, let me not be
ashamed.

Neither let mine enemies triumph
over me : * for none that wait on
Thee shall be ashamed :

Let them be ashamed that
transgress * without cause.

Show me Thy ways, O LORD, *
and teach me Thy paths.

Lead me in Thy truth and teach
me; * for Thou art the God of
my salvation : and on Thee do I
wait all the day.

Remember, O LORD, Thy tender
mercies, * and Thy loving-kind
nesses, which have been ever of
old.

Remember not the sins of my
youth, * nor my transgressions :

According to Thy mercy remem
ber Thou me, * for Thy goodness
sake, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD ;
* therefore will He teach sinners
in the way.

The meek will He guide in judg
ment : * the meek will He teach
His way.

All the paths of the LORD are
mercy and truth, * unto such as
keep His covenant and His testi
monies.

For Thy Name s sake, O LORD,
pardon mine iniquity ; * for it is
great.

1 SLH.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

What man is he that feareth the
LORD ? * him shall He teach in the
way that He shall choose.

His soul shall dwell at ease : *
and his seed shall inherit the earth.

The LORD is a strong rock unto
them that fear Him ; * and His
covenant shall be made known to
them.

Mine eyes are ever toward the
LORD : * for He shall pluck my feet
out of the net.

Turn Thee unto me, and have
mercy upon me, * for I am desolate
and afflicted.

The troubles of mine heart are
enlarged : * O bring me out of my
distresses.

Look upon mine affliction and my
pain : * and forgive all my sins.

Consider mine enemies, for they
are many : * and they hate me with
cruel hatred.

O keep my soul, and deliver me :
* let me not be ashamed, for I put
my trust in Thee.

The undefiled and the upright
cleave to me : * for I wait on Thee.

Redeem Israel, O God, * out of
all his troubles !

Psalm XXV.
[Intituled "Of David."]

JUDGE me, O LORD, for I have
walked in mine innocence : * I
have trusted also in the LORD ; I
shall not slide.

Examine me, O LORD, and prove
me : * try as by fire my reins and
mine heart.

For Thy loving-kindness is before
mine eyes : * and I have walked in
Thy truth.

I have not sat with vain persons,

* neither will I go in with wrong
doers.

I hate the congregation of evil
doers : * and will not sit with the
wicked.

I will wash mine hands in inno-
cency, * and I will compass Thine
Altar, O LORD.

That I may hear the voice of
thanksgiving, * and tell of all Thy
wondrous works.

LORD, I have loved the beauty of
Thine house, * and the place where
Thy glory dwelleth.

Make not my soul to perish with
sinners, O God, * nor my life with
bloody men :

In whose hands is mischief, * and
their right hand is full of bribes.

But as for me, I will walk in
mine innocence : * redeem me, and
be merciful unto me.

My foot standeth in uprightness :

* in the congregations will I bless
Thee, O LORD.

Psalm XXII.
[Intituled "A Psalm of David."]

THE LORD is my Shepherd, I
shall not want. * He maketh
me to lie down in green pastures :

He leadeth me beside the still
waters. * He restoreth my soul :

He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness, * for His Name s
sake.

Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil : * for Thou art with
me :

Thy rod and Thy staff * they
comfort me.

4 8

THE PSALTER.

Thou prepares! a table before me,

* in the presence of mine enemies :
Thou anointest mine head with

oil : * and mine overflowing cup, O
how goodly is it !

Surely Thy mercy shall follow me

* all the days of my life :

And I will dwell in the house of
the LORD * for ever.

JFrttiag.

Psalm XXI.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has
a musical (?) superscription, from part of
which it appears that it was written for a
tune called "The hind of the morning."]

1\ /TY God, my God, look upon
*** me 1 : why hast Thou for
saken me ? * the voice of mine of
fences keepeth Thy deliverance far
from me.

O my God, I cry in the day-time,
and Thou hearest not : * and in the
night season and still it is not fool
ishness in me.

But Thou dwellest in holiness, *
O Thou Praise of Israel !

Our fathers trusted in Thee : *
they trusted, and Thou didst deliver
them.

They cried unto Thee, and were
delivered : * they trusted in Thee,
and were not confounded.

But I am a worm and no man : *
a reproach of men, and despised of
the people.

2 All they that see me laugh me to
scorn : * they shoot out the lip, and
shake their head :

He trusted in the LORD, let Him
rescue him : * let Him deliver him,
seeing He delighteth in him.

But Thou art He That took me
out of the womb : * Thou art mine
hope from my mother s breasts. I
was cast upon Thee from the womb :

Thou art my God from my
mother s belly. * Be not far from
me :

For trouble is near : * for there is
none to help.

Many bulls have compassed me :
* strong bulls have beset me round.

They gaped upon me with their
mouths, * as a ravening and a roar
ing lion.

I am poured out like water, * and
all my bones are out of joint ;

Mine heart is like melting wax *
in the midst of my bowels.

My strength is dried up like a
potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to
my jaws : * and Thou hast brought
me into the dust of death.

For many dogs have compassed
me : * the assembly of the wicked
have inclosed me.

They pierced mine hands and my
feet : * they have told all my bones :

They look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them,
and upon my vesture do they cast
lots.

But let not Thine help be far from
me ; O LORD, * haste Thee to save
me.

God, deliver my soul from the
sword : * my darling from the power
of the dog !

Save me from the lion s mouth ; *
and mine affliction from the horns of
the unicorns.

1 will declare Thy name unto my
brethren : * in the midst of the
congregation will I praise Thee.

1 The words "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" were quoted by our
Lord upon the Cross (Matth. xxvii. 46 ; Mark xv. 34).

2 Read Matth. xxvii. 39-44.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR.

Ye that fear the LORD, praise
Him : * all ye seed of Jacob, glorify
Him ;

Let all the seed of Israel fear
Him. * For He hath not despised
nor abhorred the prayer of the
poor;

Neither hath He hid His face
from me : * but when I cried unto
Him, He heard me.

My praise shall be of Thee in the
great congregation : * I will pay my
vows before them that fear Him.

The poor shall eat and be satis
fied, and they shall praise the LORD
that seek Him : * their heart shall
live for ever.

All the ends of the earth * shall
remember and turn unto the LORD.

And all the kindreds of the na
tions * shall worship before Him.

For the kingdom is the LORD S :

* and He hath dominion among the
nations.

All they that be fat upon earth
shall eat and worship : * all they
that go down to the dust shall fall
down before Him :

My soul also shall live unto Him ;

* and my seed shall serve Him :
The generation to come shall tell

it unto the Lord : * and the heavens
shall declare His righteousness unto
a people that shall be born, whom
the Lord hath made.

Saturtiag*

Psalm cxvii. is simply omitted and
no other is substituted for it.

Ordinary Antiphon during the
year. Blessed are they that walk
in Thy law, O Lord.

In Advent the Antiphon is the First
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon in Lent. * As I live,
saith the LORD, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked, but
rather that he turn from his way and
live.

Antiphon for Passiontide. 2 De
liver me, O Lord, and set me be
side Thee : and any man s hand
may fight against me.

CHAPTER. (Zech. viii. 19.)

OVE peace and truth, saith the
Lord Almighty.

If the Preces have not been said at
Lauds, then the Preces are now said,
as on S tin day j but if the Lauds Preces
have been said, the following longer
form is used, all kneeling:

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

BELIEVE (inaudibly) in God
the Father Almighty, Maker of
heaven and earth. And in JESUS

1 Ezek. xxxiii. II.

2 Job xvii. 3.

THE PSALTER.

Christ, His only Son, our Lord :
Who was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead, and buried : He
descended into hell : the third day
He rose again from the dead : He
ascended into heaven, and sitteth
on the right hand of God the
Father Almighty : from thence He
shall come to judge the quick and
the dead. I believe in the Holy
Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints, the For
giveness of sins. (Aloud.}

Verse. The Resurrection of the
body.

Answer. And the Life everlast
ing. Amen.

Verse. And unto Thee have I
cried, O LORD.

Answer. And in the morning
shall my prayer come betimes before
Thee.

Verse. Let my mouth be filled
with Thy praise.

Answer. That I may sing of
Thy glory, all the day long of Thy
greatness.

Verse. O Lord, hide Thy face
from my sins.

Answer. And blot out all mine
iniquities.

Verse. Create in me a clean
heart, O God.

Answer. And renew a right spirit
within me.

Verse. Cast me not away from
Thy presence.

Answer. And take not Thine
Holy Spirit from me.

Verse. Restore unto me the joy
of Thy salvation.

Answer. And uphold me with
Thy free spirit.

Verse. 1 Deliver me, O LORD,
from the evil man.

Answer. And preserve me from
the wicked man.

Verse. 2 Deliver me from mine
enemies, O my God.

Answer. And defend me from
them that rise up against me.

Verse. Deliver me from the
workers of iniquity.

Answer. And save me from
bloody men.

Verse. 3 So will I sing unto Thy
Name for ever.

Answer. That I may daily per
form my vows.

Verse. 4 Answer us, O God of
our salvation.

Answer. Who art the confidence
of all the ends of the earth, and of
them that are afar off upon the sea.

Verse. Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Verse. 5 Holy God, Holy Mighty,
Holy Immortal.

Answer. Have mercy on us.

Verse. 6 Bless the LORD, O my
soul.

Answer. And all that is within
me, bless His holy Name.

Verse. Bless the LORD, O my soul.

Answer. And forget not all his
benefits.

Verse. Who forgiveth all thine
iniquities.

1 Ps. cxxxix. 2. 2 Ps. Iviii. 2, 3. 3 Ps. Ix. 9. 4 Ps. Ixiv. 6.

5 Called the " Trisagion " in the Eastern Church. Its legendary origin is that it was
learnt from angels by a boy who was carried up into the air during a tempest at Con
stantinople in the time of St Proclus (A.D. 434). It is probably much older than his
time. Photius thought it was adapted from Ps. xli. 2. 6 Ps. cii. 1-5.

PRIME, OR THE FIRST HOUR. 51

Answer. Who healeth all thy Answer. Thy youth is renewed

diseases. like the eagle s.

Verse. Who redeemeth thy life Verse. *J Our help is in the

from destruction. name of the LORD.

Answer. Who crowneth thee Answer. Who made heaven and

with loving - kindness and tender earth,
mercies.

Verse. Who satisfieth thy desire Then is made the General Confession,

with good things. and all proceeds as on Sunday.

TERCE, OR THE THIRD HOUR. 1

fiftce for eberg tag in tfje

beginning of Terce the LorcPs
Prayer and the Angelic Salutation are
said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

T T AIL, Mary, full of grace ; The
-* -* Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now, and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

Then is said aloud :

Verse. ^ Make haste, O God,
to deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday instead of "Alle
luia" is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

Then is said the following :

HYMN. 2

COME, Holy Ghost, Who ever One,
Reignest with Father and with

Son,

3 It is the hour, our souls possess
With Thy full flood of holiness.

Let flesh, and heart, and lips, and mind,
Sound forth our witness to mankind ;
And love light up our mortal frame
Till others catch the living flame.

Now to the Father, to the Son,
And to the Spirit, Three in One,
Be praise, and thanks, and glory given,
By men on earth, by Saints in heaven.

Amen.

The last verse is sometimes said thus,
altered in honour of the Incarnation :

JESU, the Virgin-born, to Thee,
To Father, Spirit, One and Three,
Be praise, and thanks, and glory given,
By men on earth, by Saints in heaven.

Amen.

1 The proper hour of Terce is 9 A.M., about which time it is generally said in
communities before the Community Mass.

2 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school. Translation by the late Card. Newman.

3 It was at this the third hour that the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pente
cost. Acts ii. 15.

TERCE, OR THE THIRD HOUR.

In Paschal time it is said thus, al
tered in honour of the Resurrection :

JESU, our Risen Lord, to Thee,
To Father, Spirit, One and Three,
Be praise, and thanks, and glory given,
By men on earth, by Saints in heaven.

Amen.

It is also occasionally otherwise al
tered, which occasions are marked in
their places.

Then follow six sections of Psalm
CX VIII. They are all said under one
Antiphon, and when Five Antiphons
have been said at Lauds, the Second of
these Five is the Antiphon at Terce.
Otherwise those given here are used.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sundays ;
and for every day in Paschal time.
Alleluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week-days.
Lead me.

In Advent the Antiphon is the Second
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its o?vn.

Antiphon in Lent. Behold now
is the day.

Antiphon in Passiontide. O Lord,
Thou hast judged.

Continuation of Psalm C XVII I.

\ rr 1

TEACH me, O LORD, the way of
Thy statutes : * and I shall
keep it unto the end.

Give me understanding, and I
shall keep Thy law : * yea, I shall
observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of Thy

commandments : * for therein do I
delight.

Incline mine heart unto Thy testi
monies, * and not to covetousness.

Turn away mine eyes from be
holding vanity : * quicken Thou me
in Thy way.

Stablish Thy word unto Thy ser
vant, * that he may fear Thee.

Turn away my reproach, which I
dread : * for Thy judgments are
good.

Behold, I have longed after
Thy precepts : * quicken me in
Thy righteousness.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

LET Thy mercy come also unto
me, O LORD : * even Thy sal
vation, according to Thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to
answer him that reproacheth me :
* for I trust in Thy word.

And take not the word of truth
utterly out of my mouth : * for I
have hoped in Thy judgments.

So shall I keep Thy law contin
ually, * for ever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty : * for
I seek Thy precepts.

I will speak of Thy testimonies
also before kings : * and will not be
ashamed.

And I will delight myself in Thy
commandments, * which I have loved.

Mine hands also will I lift up
unto Thy commandments, which I
have loved : * and I will meditate
in Thy statutes.

1 Here begins the letter He, an aspirate, nearly represented by our H.

2 Here begins the letter Vau, variously attempted to be represented by V, W, U,
O, Oo.

THE PSALTER.

Continuation of the same Psalm.

13 EMEMBER Thy word unto
4-^* Thy servant, * upon which
Thou hast caused me to hope.

This is my comfort in mine afflic
tion, * that Thy word hath quickened
me.

The proud have behaved them
selves very wickedly : * yet have I
not turned aside from Thy law.

I remembered Thy judgments of
old, O LORD : * and have comforted
myself.

Horror hath taken hold upon me,

* because of the wicked that forsake
Thy law.

Thy statutes have been my songs

* in the house of my pilgrimage.

I have remembered Thy Name, O
LORD, in the night, * and have kept
Thy law.

This I had, * because I kept Thy
precepts.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

HPHOU art my portion, O LORD,
* * I have said that I would
keep Thy law.

I entreated Thy favour with my
whole heart : * be merciful unto me
according to Thy word.

I thought on my ways, * and
turned my feet unto Thy testi
monies.

I made haste, and delayed not
* to keep Thy commandments.

The bands of the wicked have

compassed me about : * yet have
I not forgotten Thy law.

At midnight I will rise to give
thanks unto Thee, * because of
Thy righteous judgments.

I am the companion of all them
that fear Thee, * and of them that
keep Thy precepts.

The earth, O LORD, is full of
Thy mercy : * teach me Thy
statutes.

Continuation of the same Psalm.

^PHOU hast dealt well with Thy
* servant, O LORD, * according
to Thy word.

Teach me goodness, and judg
ment, and knowledge : * for I have
believed Thy commandments.

Before I was afflicted, I went
astray : therefore now I have
kept Thy word.

Thou art good, * and in Thy
goodness teach me Thy statutes.

The proud have dealt very
wickedly with me : * but I will
keep Thy precepts with my whole
heart.

Their heart is curdled as milk : 4
* but I delight in Thy law.

It is good for me that Thou hast
afflicted me : * that I might learn
Thy statutes.

The law of Thy mouth is better
unto me, * than thousands of gold
and silver.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

1 Here begins the letter Zain, answering to Z.

2 Here begins the letter Kheth, a strong guttural, variously represented by Kh and Hh.

3 Here begins the letter Teth, represented by T.

4 " Gross as fat is their heart " (Leeser). The idea conveyed is that of stupidity.

TERCE, OR THE THIRD HOUR.

THINE hands have made me and
fashioned me : * give me
understanding, that I may learn
Thy commandments.

They that fear Thee will be glad
when they see me : * because I have
hoped in Thy word.

I know, O LORD, that Thy judg
ments are right, * and that Thou
in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Let Thy merciful kindness be for
my comfort, * according to Thy
word unto Thy servant.

Let Thy tender mercies come unto
me, that I may live : * for Thy law
is my delight.

Let the proud be ashamed, for
they dealt wrongfully with me with
out a cause : * but I will meditate
in Thy precepts.

Let those that fear Thee turn
unto me, * and those that know
Thy testimonies.

Let mine heart be undented in
Thy statutes, * that I be not
ashamed.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sundays.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Antiphon for every day in Paschal
time. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week
days. 2 Lead me in the path of
Thy commandments, O Lord.

In Advent the Antipho?i is the Second
Antiphon which has been said at Laiids
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon in Lent. Behold now
is the day of repentance, to redeem
sin, and save the soul.

Antiphon in Passiontide. 3 O
Lord, Thou hast judged the cause
of my soul. Thou hast redeemed
my life, O Lord my God.

Then follows the Chapter and the
Short Responsory. When they are not
given specially, one of the following is
used. After the Chapter is always an
swered, " Thanks be to God."

On Sundays, from the Third Sun
day after the Epiphany inclusive until
Septuagesima Sunday exclusive, and
from the Third Sunday after Pentecost
inclusive until Advent Sunday exclusive
are said the following, and the Respon-
sory is used moreover till the First
Sunday in Lent exclusive.

CHAPTER, (i John iv. 16.)

GOD is love : and he that dwell-
eth in love dwelleth in God,
and God in him.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

4 Incline mine heart unto Thy
testimonies, O God.

Answer. Incline mine heart unto
Thy testimonies, O God.

Verse. Turn away mine eyes from
beholding vanity : quicken Thou me
in Thy way.

Answer. Unto Thy testimonies,
O God.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Incline mine heart unto
Thy testimonies, O God.

Verse. 5 I said, LORD, be merci
ful unto me.

Answer. Heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee.

1 Here begins the letter Jod, variously represented by J, Y, I, Ee.

2 Ps. cxviii. 35. 3 Lam. iii. 58. 4 Ps. cxviii. 36, 37.

5 Ps. xl. 5.

THE PSALTER.

On ordinary Week-days throughout
the year are said the following :

CHAPTER. (Jer. xvii. 14.)

T T EAL me, O LORD, and I shall
* * be healed : save me, and I
shall be saved : for Thou art my
praise.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

Heal my soul, for I have sinned
against Thee.

Answer. Heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee.

Verse. I said, LORD, be merciful
unto me.

Answer. For I have sinned against
Thee.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee.

Verse. x Be Thou mine Helper,
neither leave me,

Answer. Nor forsake me, O God
of my salvation.

In Advent are said the following (but
the Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Jer. xxiii. 5.)

T3EHOLD, the days come, saith
U the LORD, that I will raise
unto David a righteous branch : and
a King shall reign in wisdom, and
shall execute judgment and justice
in the earth.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

Come and save us, O Lord God
of hosts.

1 Ps. xxvi. 9.

Ps. Ixxix. 4.

Answer. Come and save us, O
Lord God of hosts.

Verse. 2 Cause Thy face to shine,
and we shall be saved.

Answer. O Lord God of hosts.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Come and save us, O
Lord God of hosts.

Verse. 3 The heathen shall fear
Thy Name, O LORD.

Answer. And all the kings of
the earth Thy glory.

In Lent are said the following (but the
Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Joel ii. 12, 13.)

^PURN ye to Me with all your
- heart, with fasting, and with
weeping, and with mourning. And
rend your heart and not your gar
ments, saith the Lord Almighty.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

4 He hath delivered me from the
snare of the fowler.

Answer. He hath delivered me
from the snare of the fowler.

Verse. And from the noisome
pestilence.

Answer. From the snare of the
fowler.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. He hath delivered me
from the snare of the fowler.

Verse. He shall cover thee with
His wings.

Answer. And under His feathers
shalt thou trust.

3 Ps. ci. 1 6.

4 Ps. xc. 3.

TERCE, OR THE THIRD HOUR.

In Passiontide are said the following
(but the Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Jer. xvii. 13.)

OLORD, all that forsake Thee
shall be ashamed : they that
depart from Thee shall be written
in the earth : because they have
forsaken the LORD, the fountain of
living waters.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

1 O God, deliver my soul from
the sword.

Answer. O God, deliver my soul
from the sword.

Verse. And my darling from
the power of the dog.

Answer. My soul from the sword.
O God, deliver my soul from the
sword.

Verse. O Lord, save me from
the lion s mouth.

Answer. And mine affliction
from the horns of the unicorns.

In Paschal time are said the following
(but the Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Rom. vi. 9.)

/CHRIST, being raised from the
K- dead, dieth no more, death
hath no more dominion over Him.
For in that He died, He died unto
sin once ; but in that He liveth, He
liveth unto God.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

The Lord is risen from the grave,
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Answer. The Lord is risen from
the grave, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Who hung for us upon
the tree.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. The Lord is risen from
the grave, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. 2 The Lord is risen in
deed, Alleluia.

Answer. And hath appeared to
Simon, Alleluia.

After the Short Responsory, if the
Preces have been said at Lauds, all kneel
down and the following are said; but
if the Preces have been omitted at Lauds,
the?i these are also omitted down to the
mark *.

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

OUR Father (inaudibly\ Who
art in heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from evil.

Verse. 3 Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts.

Answer. And cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Verse. Arise, O Christ, and help
us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake.

Here the Office is continued when the
above has been omitted.

Ps. xxi. 21.

2 Luke xxiv. 34.

3 Ps. Ixxix.

THE PSALTER.

* Verse. Hear my prayer, O
LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Here is said the Prayer for the day,
after which :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

If the Little Office of the Blessed
Virgin Mary is to follow immediately,
it is begun here, and what follows is not
said. Otherwise the Office ends thus :

Verse (said in a somewhat lower
voice]. May the souls of the Faith
ful, through the mercy of God, rest
in peace.

Answer. Amen.

Lastly, unless Sext follow, the Lord s
Prayer is said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Note. When Office is said in Choir
the Service is ended with the Antiphon
of the Blessed Virgin Mary every time
the Choir is left. Otherwise it is only
said as given in this book, at the end
of Lauds (or the aggregation of which
Lauds forms a part] and Compline.

Feasts. The above Office, appointed
for all Sundays and Week-days through
out the year, is likewise said on all
Feasts.

SEXT, OR THE SIXTH HOUR. 1

fSce for eforg foag in tfje

At the beginning of Sext, the Lortfs
Prayer and the Angelic Salutation are
said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL, Mary, full of grace ; The
Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now, and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

Then is said aloud :

Verse. *J Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is

now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. Amen. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday, instead of " Alle
luia" is said :

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of Heaven.

Then is said the following :
HYMN. 2

OGOD, Who canst not change nor
fail,

Guiding the hours, as they roll by,
Brightening with beams the morning

pale,
And burning in the mid-day sky ;

Quench Thou the fires of hate and

strife,

The wasting fever of the heart ;
From perils guard our feeble life,
And to our souls Thy peace impart.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,
And Holy Spirit, God of grace,
To Whom all glory, Three in One,
Be given in every time and place.

Amen.

The last verse is sometimes said thus,
altered in honour of the Incarnation :

Hear, JESU, Virgin-born, our cry,
With Father and with Holy Ghost,
To Whom be praise, here as on high,
On earth as mid the Angelic Host.

Amen.

1 The proper hour for Sext is 12 noon. In Choirs it is generally said after the Com
munity Mass.

2 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school, with one word altered. Translation by the
late Card. Newman.

THE PSALTER.

In Paschal time it is said thus, altered
in honour of the Resurrection :

To Thee, our Risen Lord, we cry,
With Father and with Holy Ghost,
To Whom be praise, here as on high,
On earth as mid the Angelic Host.

Amen.

// is also occasionally otherwise al
tered, which occasions are marked in
their places.

Then follow six sections of Psalm
CXVIII. They are all said under one
Antiphon, and when Five Antiphons
have been said at Lauds the third of
these Five is the Antiphon at Sext.
Otherwise those given here are itsed.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sundays
and for every day in Paschal time.
Alleluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week-days.
Hold Thou me up.

In Advent the Antiphon is the Third
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon in Lent. Let us ap
prove ourselves.

Antiphon in Passiontide. O My
people.

Continuation of Psalm CXVIII.

1V/TY soul fainteth for Thy salva-
* tion : * but I hope in Thy
word.

Mine eyes fail for Thy word, *
saying : When wilt Thou comfort
me?

For I am become like a wine
skin in time of frost : * yet do I
not forget Thy statutes.

How many are the days of Thy
servant? * when wilt Thou execute
judgment on them that persecute
me?

The wicked have spoken lies
unto me, * which are not after Thy
law.

All Thy commandments are faith
ful : * they persecute me wrongfully,
help Thou me.

They had almost consumed me
upon earth : * but I forsook not
Thy precepts.

Quicken me after Thy loving-
kindness : * so shall I keep the
testimony of Thy mouth.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

FOR ever, O LORD, * Thy word
is settled in heaven.

Thy faithfulness is unto all genera
tions : * Thou hast established the
earth, and it abideth.

The day continueth by Thine
ordinance : * for all things serve
Thee.

Unless Thy law had been my
delight, * then perchance I should
have perished in mine affliction.

I will never forget Thy precepts :
* for with them Thou hast quick
ened me.

I am Thine, save me : * for
have sought Thy precepts.

The wicked have waited for me,
to destroy me : * but I considered
Thy testimonies.

I have seen an end of all perfec
tion : * but Thy commandment is
exceeding broad.

* Here begins the letter Caph, a guttural variously represented by C, Q, Ch, &c.
2 Here begins the letter Lamed, answering to L.

SEXT, OR THE SIXTH HOUR.
Continuation of the same Psalm.

HOW I love Thy law, O Lord !

* it is my meditation all the

day.

Thou, through Thy command
ments, hast made me wiser than
mine enemies : * for they are ever
with me.

I have more understanding than
all my teachers : * for Thy testi
monies are my meditation.

I understand more than the an
cients, * because I keep Thy pre
cepts.

I have refrained my feet from
every evil way ; * that I might keep
Thy word.

I have not departed from Thy
judgments : * for Thou hast taught
me.

How sweet are Thy words unto
my taste ! * yea, sweeter than honey
to my mouth.

Through Thy precepts I get un
derstanding : * therefore I hate every
false way.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

THY word is a lamp unto my feet,
* and a light unto my path.
I have sworn, and am stedfastly
purposed, * to keep Thy righteous
judgments.

I am afflicted very much, O
LORD : * quicken me according to
Thy word.

Accept, I beseech Thee, the free

will offerings of my mouth, O LORD :
* and teach me Thy judgments.

My soul is continually in mine
hand : * yet do I not forget Thy law.

The wicked have laid a snare for
me : * yet I erred not from Thy
precepts.

Thy testimonies have I taken as
an heritage for ever : * for they are
the rejoicing of mine heart.

I have inclined mine heart to
perform Thy statutes always, * be
cause of the reward.

Contmuatio7i of the same Psalm.

T HATE the unrighteous : * but
Thy law do I love.

Thou art mine Helper and my
Protector : * and in Thy word do
I hope.

Depart from me, ye evil-doers :
* for I will keep the commandments
of my God.

Uphold me according to Thy
word, and I shall live : * and let me
not be ashamed of mine hope.

Hold Thou me up and I shall be
safe : * and I will have respect unto
Thy statutes continually.

Thou hast trodden down all them
that err from Thy statutes : * for
their thought is falsehood.

I hold all the wicked of the earth
as liars : * therefore I love Thy
testimonies.

Make Thou my flesh to tremble
for fear of Thee : * for I am afraid
of Thy judgments.

Here the Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

1 Here begins the letter Mem, answering to M.

2 Here begins the letter Nun, answering to N.

3 Here begins the letter Samech, somewhat represented by S.

THE PSALTER.

HAVE done judgment and jus-
tice : * leave me not to mine
oppressors.

Be surety for Thy servant for
good : * let not the proud oppress
me.

Mine eyes fail for Thy salva
tion, * and for the word of Thy
righteousness.

Deal with Thy servant according
unto Thy mercy : * and teach me
Thy statutes.

I am Thy servant : * give me un
derstanding, that I may know Thy
testimonies.

It is time for Thee, LORD, to work :
* they have made void Thy law.

Therefore I love Thy command
ments * above gold and the topaz
stone.

Therefore did I turn to all Thy
commandments : * I hate every
false way.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sunday.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Antiphon for every day in Paschal
time. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week-days.
2 Hold Thou me up, O Lord, and I
shall be safe.

In Advent the Antipho?i is the Third
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon in Lent. Let us ap
prove ourselves in much patience, in
much fasting, by the armour of

vi rrV*i-or\n o vi^oo

righteousness.

Antiphon in Passiontide. 3 O My
people, what have I done unto thee,
and wherein have I wearied thee?
Testify against Me.

Then follows the Chapter and the
Short Responsory. When they are not
given specially, one of the following is
used. After the Chapter is always an
swered, " Thanks be to God."

On Sundays, from the Third Sunday
after the Epiphany inclusive until Sep-
tuagesima Sunday exclusive, and from
the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost in
clusive until Advent Sunday exclusive,
are said the following, and the Re-
sponsory is used moreover until the
First Su?iday in Lent, exclusive.

CHAPTER. (Gal. vi. 2.)

EAR ye one another s burdens,
and so shall ye fulfil the law
of Christ.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

4 For ever, O LORD, Thy word is
settled [in heaven].

Answer. For ever, O LORD, Thy
word is settled [in heaven].

Verse. Thy faithfulness is unto
all generations.

Answer. Thy word is settled [in
heaven].

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. For ever, O LORD, Thy
word is settled [in heaven].

Verse. 5 The LORD is my Shep
herd, I shall not want.

Answer. He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.

1 Here begins the letter Ayin, or Chain, as to the sound of which the learned are not
agreed.

2 Ps. cxviii. 117. 3 Micah vi. 3. 4 P s . cxviii. 89. 5 Ps. xxii. i, 2.

SEXT, OR THE SIXTH HOUR.

On ordinary Week-days throughout
the year are said the following :

CHAPTER. (Gal. vi. 2.)

BEAR ye one another s burdens,
and so shall ye fulfil the law
of Christ.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

1 1 will bless the LORD at all
times.

Answer. I will bless the LORD
at all times.

Verse. His praise shall continu
ally be in my mouth.

Answer. At all times.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. I will bless the LORD
at all times.

Verse. The LORD 45 my Shep
herd, I shall not want.

Answer. He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.

In Advent are said the following (but
the Chapter on Week-days only] :

CHAPTER. (Jerem. xxxiii. 16.)

T N those days shall Judah be
^ saved, and Israel shall dwell
safely : and this is the name where
by she shall be called, The LORD
our Righteousness.

Ansiver. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

2 Show us Thy mercy, O LORD.

Answer. Show us Thy mercy, O
LORD.

Verse. And grant us Thy sal
vation.

Answer. Thy mercy, O LORD.

1 Ps. xxxiii. 2. 2 Ps. Ixxxiv. 8.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Show us Thy mercy, O
LORD.

Verse. 3 Remember us, O LORD,
with the favour that Thou bearest
unto Thy people.

Answer. O visit us with Thy
salvation.

In Lent are said the following (but
the Chapter on Week-days only} :

CHAPTER. (Isa. lv. 7.)

ET the wicked forsake his way,
* * and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and let him return unto
the LORD, and He will have mercy
upon him ; and to our God, for He
will abundantly pardon.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

4 He shall cover thee with His
wings.

Ansiver. He shall cover thee
with His wings.

Verse. And under His feathers
shalt thou trust.

Ansiver. With His wings.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. He shall cover thee
with His wings.

Verse. His truth shall be thy
shield.

Answer. Thou shalt not be
afraid for the terror by night.

In Passion fide are said the following
(but the Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Jerem. xvii. 18.)

T ET them be confounded that per-
-* secute me, but let not me be
confounded ; let them be dismayed,

3 Ps. cv. 4. 4 Ps. xc. 4.

6 4

THE PSALTER.

but let not me be dismayed ; bring
upon them the day of evil, and de
stroy them with double destruction,
O Lord our God.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

1 O Lord, save me from the lion s
mouth.

Answer. O Lord, save me from
the lion s mouth.

Verse. And mine affliction from
the horns of the unicorns.

Answer. From the lion s mouth,
O Lord, save me from the lion s
mouth.

Verse. 2 Make not my soul to
perish with sinners, O God.

Answer. Nor my life with bloody
men.

In Paschal time are said the follow
ing (but the Chapter on Week-days
only) :

CHAPTER, (i Cor. xv. 20.)

NOW is Christ risen from the
dead, the first-fruits of them
that sleep ; for since by man came
death, by man came also the res
urrection of the dead. For as in
Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Answer. The Lord is risen in
deed, Alleluia.

Verse. And hath appeared to
Simon.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. The Lord is risen in
deed, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. 3 The disciples were glad,
Alleluia.

Answer. When they saw the
Lord, Alleluia.

After the Short Responsory, if the
Preces have been said at Lauds all kneel
down and the following are said, but if
the Preces have been omitted at Lauds
then these are also omitted, down to the
mark *.

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

OUR Father (inaudibly), Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done* on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from i
evil.

Verse. Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts !

Answer. And cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Verse. Arise, O Christ, and help
us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy I
Name s sake.

Here the Office is continued when the
above has been omitted.

* Verse.
Lord.

Hear my prayer,

Ps. xxi. 22.

2 Ps. xxv. 9.

3 John xx. 2O.

SEXT, OR THE SIXTH HOUR.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Here is said the Prayer for the day,
after which :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O Lord.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

If the Little Office of the Blessed Vir
gin Mary is to follow immediately, it
is begun here, and what follows is not
said. Otherwise the Office ends thus :

Verse (said in a somewhat lower
tone}. May the souls of the Faithful,
through the mercy of God, rest in
peace.

Answer. Amen.

Lastly, unless None follow, the Lord s
Prayer is said inaudibly.

Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Note. When Office is said in Choir
the Service is ended with the An tip/ion
of the Blessed Virgin Mary every time
the Choir is left. Otherwise it is only
said as given in this book, at the end of
Lauds (or the aggregation of which
Lauds forms a part} and Compline.

Feasts. The above Office, appointed
for all Sundays and Week-days through
out the year, is likewise said on all
Feasts.

VOL. I.

NONE, OR THE NINTH HOUR. 1

ffice for e&erg fcag in tfje

y4/ /&gt;%* beginning of None the Lord s
Prayer and the Angelic Salutation are
said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL, Mary, full of grace ; The
Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now, and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

Then is said aloud :

Verse. ^ Make haste, O God,
to deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday instead of " Alle
luia" is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

HYMN. 2

OGOD, Unchangeable and True,
Of all the Light and Power,
Dispensing light in silence through
Every successive hour ;

Lord, brighten our declining day,

That it may never wane,
Till death, when all things round decay,

Brings back the morn again.

This grace on Thy redeemed confer,

Father, Co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,

Eternal Three in One.

Amen.

The last verse is sometimes said thus,
altered in honour of the Incarnation :

JESU, the Virgin-born, to Thee,

Eternal praise be given,
With Father, Spirit, One and Three,

Here as it is in heaven.

Amen.

1 The proper hour for None is 3 P.M., but in Choirs it varies.

2 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school, with one word altered. Translation by the
late Card. Newman.

NONE, OR THE NINTH HOUR.

hi Paschal time it is said thus, al
tered in honour of the Resurrection :

To Father, Son, and Paraclete,

The slain and risen Son,
Be praise and glory, as is meet,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

// is also occasionally otherwise al
tered, which occasions are marked in
their places.

Then follow six sections of Psalm
CXVIIL They are all said under o?ie
Antiphon, and when Five Antipkons
have been said at Lauds, the Fifth of
these Five is the Antiphon at None.
Otherwise those given here arc used.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sundays
and for every day in Paschal time.
Alleluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week-days.
Look Thou upon me.

In Advent the Antiphon is the Fifth
Antiphon which has been said at Lauds
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its own.

Antiphon for Week-days in Lent.
Let us approve ourselves.

Antiphon for Week-days in Pas-
siontide. Did not they reward me
evil for good ?

Continuation of Psalm CXVIIL

D 1

^HY testimonies are wonderful :
* therefore doth my soul keep
them.

The unfolding of Thy words
giveth light : * yea, it giveth under
standing unto the simple.

I opened my mouth and panted :
* for I longed for Thy command
ments.

Look Thou upon me, and be
merciful unto me, * as Thou usest
to do unto those that love Thy
Name.

Order my steps in Thy word : *
and let not any iniquity have do
minion over me.

Deliver me from the oppression
of man : * and I will keep Thy
precepts.

Make Thy face to shine upon
Thy servant : * and teach me Thy
statutes.

Rivers of water run down mine
eyes : * because they keep not Thy
law.

The Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, c.," is not said.

ID IGHTEOUS art Thou, O
^^ LORD : * and upright are
Thy judgments.

Thy testimonies that Thou hast
commanded are righteous, * and
very faithful.

My zeal hath consumed me, *
because mine enemies have for
gotten Thy words.

Thy word is tried to the utter
most : * and Thy servant loveth it.

I am small and despised : * yet
do I not forget Thy precepts.

Thy righteousness is an ever
lasting righteousness : * and Thy
law is the truth.

Trouble and anguish have taken
hold upon me : * Thy command
ments are my delight.

The righteousness of Thy testi
monies is everlasting : * give me
understanding, and I shall live.

1 Here begins the letter Pe, represented by P, Ph. F.

2 Here begins the letter Tzade, represented by Tz or Ts.

THE PSALTER.

Continuation of the same Psalm.

I CRIED with my whole heart,
hear me, O LORD : * I will
keep Thy statutes.

I cried unto Thee, save me :
and I will keep Thy command
ments.

Before the dawning of the morn
ing, I cried : * for I hoped in Thy
word.

Mine eyes look up to Thee
early : * that I may meditate in
Thy word.

Hear my voice according unto
Thy loving-kindness, O LORD : *
and quicken me according to Thy
judgment.

They that persecute me draw nigh
to sin : * but are far from Thy
law.

Thou art near, O LORD : * and
all Thy ways are truth.

Concerning Thy testimonies I
have known of old : * that Thou
hast founded them for ever.

The Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

/CONSIDER mine affliction, and
^-" deliver me : * for I do not

forget Thy law.

Give judgment concerning me,
and deliver me : * quicken me for
the sake of Thy word.

Salvation is far from the wicked :
* for they seek not Thy statutes.

Great are Thy tender mercies, O

LORD : * quicken me according to
Thy judgments.

Many are my persecutors, and
mine enemies : * yet do I not turn
aside from Thy testimonies.

I beheld the transgressors, and
was grieved : * because they kept
not Thy word.

Consider how I love Thy pre
cepts, O LORD : * quicken me
according to Thy loving-kindness.

Thy word is true from the be
ginning : * and every one of Thy
righteous judgments endureth for

ever.

Continuation of the same Psalm.

PRINCES have persecuted me

without a cause : * but mine

heart standeth in awe of Thy word.

I will rejoice at Thy word, * as
one that findeth great spoil.

I hate and abhor wickedness : *
but Thy law do I love.

Seven times a day do I praise
Thee, * because of Thy righteous
judgments.

Great peace have they that love
Thy law : * and for them there are
no stumbling-blocks.

LORD, I hope for Thy salvation :

* and I love Thy commandments.
My soul hath kept Thy testimonies,

* and loved them exceedingly.

I have kept Thy precepts and
Thy testimonies ; * for all my ways
are before Thee.

The Doxology, " Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is not said.

1 Here begins the letter Koph, generally represented by Ch or Q.

2 Here begins the letter Resh, analogous to R, but concerning the precise sound of
which the learned are not agreed.

3 Here begins the letter Shin, somewhat represented by S and Sh.

NONE, OR THE NINTH HOUR.

n 1

T ET my cry come near before
" Thee, O LORD: * give me
understanding according to Thy
word.

Let my supplication come before
Thee: * deliver me according to
Thy word.

My lips shall utter praise, *
when Thou hast taught me Thy
statutes.

My tongue shall speak of Thy
word : * for all Thy commandments
are righteousness.

Let Thine hand help me : * for I
have chosen Thy precepts.

I have longed for Thy salvation,

LORD : * and Thy law is my de
light.

My soul shall live, and it shall
praise Thee : * and Thy judgments
shall help me.

I have gone astray like a lost
sheep : * seek Thy servant : for

1 do not forget Thy command
ments.

Ordinary Antiphon for Sundays.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Antiphon for every day in Paschal
time. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Al
leluia.

Ordinary Antiphon for Week-days.

2 Look Thou upon me, O Lord, and
be merciful unto me.

In Advent the Antiphon is the Fifth
Antiphon which has been said at Lands
on Sunday, unless the day have a set of
its oivn.

Antiphon for Week-days in Lent.

3 Let us approve ourselves in much

patience, by the armour of righteous
ness, by the power of God.

Antiphon for Week-days in Pas-
siontide. 4 Did not they reward me
evil for good ? for they digged a pit
for my soul.

Then follows the Chapter and the
Short Resppnsory. When they are not
given specially, one of the following is
used. After the Chapter is always an
swered: " Thanks be to God."

On Sundays, from the Third Sunday
after the Epiphany inclusive until Sep-
tuagesima Sunday exclusive, and from
the Third Sunday after Pentecost in
clusive till Advent Sunday exclusive,
are said the following, and the Respon-
sory is used moreover till the First
Sunday in Lent exclusive.

CHAPTER, (i Cor. vi. 20.)

R ye are bought with a great
price. Glorify God, and bear
Him in your body.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

5 1 cried with my whole heart,
hear me, O LORD.

Answer. I cried with my whole
heart, hear me, O LORD.

Verse. I will keep Thy statutes.

Answer. Hear me, O LORD.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. I cried with my whole
heart, hear me, O LORD.

Verse. 6 Cleanse Thou me from
secret faults, O Lord.

Answer. Preserve Thy servant
also from the sins of others.

1 Here begins the letter Tau, corresponding somewhat to T or Th.

2 Ps. cxviii. 132. :&gt;J 2 Cor. vi. 4, 7. 4 Jer. xviii. 20.

5 Ps. cxviii. 145.

Ps. xviii. 13, 14.

THE PSALTER.

On ordinary Week-days throughout
the year are said the following:

CHAPTER, (i Cor. vi. 20.)

FOR ye are bought with a great
price. Glorify God, and bear
Him in your body.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

1 Redeem me, O Lord, and be
merciful unto me.

Answer. Redeem me, O Lord,
and be merciful unto me.

Verse. For my foot standeth in
uprightness.

Answer. And be merciful unto
me.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Redeem me, O Lord,
and be merciful unto me.

Verse. Cleanse Thou me from
secret faults, O Lord.

Ansiver. Preserve Thy servant
also from the sins of others.

In Advent are said the following (but
the Chapter on Week-days only) :

CHAPTER. (Isa. xiv. i.)

HER time is near to come, and
her days shall not be pro
longed. For the LORD will have
mercy on Jacob, and Israel shall be
saved.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

2 The LORD shall arise upon thee,
O Jerusalem.

Answer. The LORD shall arise
upon thee, O Jerusalem.

Verse. And His glory shall be
seen upon thee.

Answer. Upon thee, O Jerusalem.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. The LORD shall arise
upon thee, O Jerusalem.

Verse. Come, O Lord, and make
no tarrying.

Answer. Pardon the sins of Thy
people.

In Lent are said the following (but
the Chapter on Week-days only} :

CHAPTER. (Isa. Iviii. 7.)

DEAL thy bread to the hungry,
and bring the poor that are
cast out to thine house : when thou
seest the naked, cover him, and
hide not thyself from thine own
flesh.

Ansiver. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

His truth shall be thy shield.

Answer. His truth shall be thy
shield.

Verse. Thou shalt not be afraid
for the terror by night.

Answer. Thy shield.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. His truth shall be thy
shield.

Verse. 3 God hath given His
angels charge over thee.

Answer. To keep thee in all thy
ways.

1 Ps. xxv. 11, 12.

2 Isa. Ix. 2.

3 Ps. xc. ii.

NONE, OR THE NINTH HOUR.

In Passiontide are said the following
(but the Chapter on Week-days only} :

CHAPTER. (Jer. xviii. 20.)

T3 EMEMBER that I stood before
4- * Thee, to speak good for them,

and to turn away Thy wrath from

them.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

1 Make not my soul to perish with
sinners, O God.

Answer. Make not my soul to
perish with sinners, O God.

Verse. Nor my life with bloody
men.

Answer. With sinners, O God.
Make not my soul to perish with
sinners, O God.

Verse. 2 Deliver me, O LORD,
from the evil man.

Answer. Preserve me from the
wicked man.

In Paschal time are said the follow
ing (but the Chapter on Week-days only):

CHAPTER, (i Pet. iii. 18.)

/CHRIST hath once suffered for
^-" our sins, the Just for the un
just, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory.

3 The disciples were glad. Al
leluia, Alleluia.

Answer. The disciples were glad.
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. When they saw the Lord.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. The disciples were glad.
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. 4 Abide with us, Lord.
Alleluia.

Answer. For it is toward even
ing. Alleluia.

After the Short Responsory, if the
Preces have been said at Lauds, all
kneel dowii, and the following are said.
But if the Preces have been omitted at
Lauds, then these are also omitted down
to the mark *.

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

OUR Father (inaudibly\ Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from evil.

Verse. Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts.

Answer. And cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Verse. Arise, O Christ, and help
us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake.

Here the Office is continued when the
above has been omitted.

* Verse. Hear my prayer, O
LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

1 Ps. xxv. 9.

Ps. cxxxix. 2.

John xv. 20.

4 Luke xxiv. 29.

THE PSALTER.

Let us pray.

Here is said the Prayer for the day,
after which :

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

If the Little Office of the Blessed Vir
gin Mary is to follow immediately, it
is begun here, and what follows is not
said. Otherwise the Office ends thus :

Verse (said in a somewhat lower
voice]. May the souls of the Faithful,
through the mercy of God, rest in
peace.

Answer. Amen.

Lastly, unless Vespers follow, the
Lord*s Prayer is said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into temp
tation ; but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Note. When Office is said in Choir,
the service is ended with the Antiphon
of the Blessed Virgin Mary every time
the Choir is left. Otherwise it is only
said as given in this book, after Lauds
(or the aggregation of which Lauds
forms a part] and Compline.

Feasts. The above Office, appointed
for all Sundays and Weekdays through
out the year, is likewise said on all
Feasts.

JHUmbap at

THE SECOND DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sundays, except as other
wise given here.

Invitatory. O come, * let us sing
unto the LORD.

When this Invitatory is used the
Psalm begins with the words, " Let us
make a joyful noise."

Invitatory in Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, * Alleluia.

On Simple Feasts tJie Invitatory is
special.

On Simple Feasts the Hymn is special,
but on Week-days kept as such the fol
lowing is said from the Octave of the
Epiphany till the first Monday in Lent,
and from the Octave of Pentecost to Ad
vent. The Hymns for the other seasons
are given in the proper office of the
Seasons.

HYMN. 1

CLEEP has refreshed our limbs, we

spring

From off our bed, and rise ;
Lord, on Thy suppliants while they

sing,
Look with a Father s eyes.

Be Thou the first on every tongue,

The first in every heart ;
That all our doings all day long,

Holiest ! from Thee may start.

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school,
late Card. Newman.
VOL. I.

Cleanse Thou the gloom, and bid the

light

Its healing beams renew ;
The sins, which have crept in with

night,
With night shall vanish too.

Our bosoms, Lord, unburthen Thou,

Let nothing there offend ;
That those who hymn Thy praises now

May hymn them to the end.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.

Antiphon. The LORD is the de
fence.

In Paschal time there is only one
Antiphon to the whole Nocturn, Al
leluia.

Psalm XXVI.

[Intituled Of David. " The Vulgate and
the LXX. add " before his anointing." See
2 Kings (Sam.) ii. 4. Monday, fifth week
after Pentecost.]

" I ^HE LORD is my light and my
^ salvation ; * whom shall I
fear?

The LORD is the defence of my
life : * of whom shall I be afraid ?

with two words altered. Translation by the
C 2

THE PSALTER.

When the evil-doers come upon
me, * to eat up my flesh,

Mine enemies that trouble me, *
they stumble and fall.

Though an host should encamp
against me, * mine heart shall not
fear.

Though war should rise against
me, * in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the
LORD, that will I seek after, * that
I may dwell in the house of the
LORD all the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the
LORD, * and to visit His temple.
For He hath hidden me in His
pavilion : * in the secret of His
tabernacle hath He hidden me in
the day of trouble.

He hath set me up upon a rock :
* and now hath He lifted up mine
head above mine enemies.

I will offer in His tabernacle
the sacrifice of joy : * I will sing,
yea, I will sing praises unto the
LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with
my voice : * have mercy on me and
answer me.

My heart said unto Thee, My
face hath sought Thee : * Thy face,
LORD, will I seek.

Hide not Thy face far from
me : * turn not away in anger from
Thy servant.

Be Thou mine Helper, * neither
leave me, nor forsake me, O God of
my salvation.

When my father and my mother
forsake me, * then the LORD taketh
me up.

Teach me Thy way, O LORD : *
and lead me in a plain path, because
of mine enemies.

Deliver me not over unto the will
of mine enemies : * for false wit

nesses are risen up against me, and
iniquity hath belied itself.

I believe that I shall yet see the
goodness of the LORD * in the land
of the living.

Wait on the LORD, be of good
courage : * and thine heart shall be
strengthened, wait, I say, on the
LORD.

Psalm XXVII.
[Also intituled " Of David."]

UNTO Thee will I cry, O LORD;
my God, be not silent to me :

* lest, if Thou be silent to me, I be
come like them that go down into
the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplica
tion, O Lord, when I cry unto Thee,

* when I lift up mine hands toward
Thine holy temple.

Draw me not away with the wick
ed : * and destroy me not with the
workers of iniquity.

Who speak peace with their
neighbour : * but mischief is in
their hearts.

Give them according to their
deeds, * and according to the wick
edness of their inventions.

Give them after the works of their
hands : * render to them their desert.

Because they regard not the works
of the LORD, or the operation of His
hands, * Thou shalt destroy them,
and not build them up.

Blessed be the LORD : * because
He hath heard the voice of my
supplication.

The LORD is my strength and my
shield : * mine heart trusted in Him
and I am holpen.

And my flesh greatly rejoiceth : *
and with my whole heart I will
praise Him.

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

The LORD is the strength of His
people : * and He is the saving
strength of His Anointed.

O Lord, save Thy people, and
bless Thine inheritance : * and gov
ern them, and lift them up for ever.

Antiphon. l The LORD is the de
fence of my life.

Second Antiphon. Worship.

Psalm XXVIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." The
Vulgate and the LXX. add "for the going
forth from the tabernacle, or ending of the
tabernacle," apparently meaning the con
clusion of the Feast of Tabernacles.]

IVE unto the LORD, O ye sons
of God : * give unto the
Lord young rams.

Give unto the LORD glory and
honour, give unto the LORD the
glory due unto His Name : * wor
ship the LORD in His holy courts.

The voice of the LORD is upon
the waters, the God of glory thun-
dereth : * the LORD is upon many
waters.

The voice of the LORD is power
ful : * the voice of the LORD is full
of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaketh
the cedars : * yea, the LORD break
eth the cedars of Lebanon.

He smiteth them down as though
it were a calf in Lebanon, * and the
beloved [forest is felled] like a young
wild bull.2

The voice of the LORD forketh
the flames of fire : * the voice of
the LORD shaketh the wilderness,

1 Ps. xxvi. i.

yea, the LORD also shaketh the
3 wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD maketh
the hinds to calve, and discovereth
the thickets : * and in His temple,
every one uttereth His glory.

The LORD fixeth the flood : * yea,
the LORD sitteth King for ever.

The LORD will give strength unto
His people : * the LORD will bless
His people with peace.

Psalm XXIX.

[Intituled "A song of rejoicing at the
opening of the house of David." The pal
ace, for the inauguration of which this song
was written, is thus mentioned in 2. Kinas
(Sam.) v. 9-11. "So David dwelt in the
fort (on Sion) " and called it the city of
David. And David built round about from
Millo and inward. And David went on
and grew great; and the LORD God of
Hosts was with him. And Hiram, King of
Tyre, sent messengers to David, and cedar-
trees, and carpenters, and masons ; and they
built David an house."]

T WILL extol Thee, O LORD, for
Thou hast lifted me up, * and
hast not made my foes to rejoice
over me.

O LORD my God, I cried unto
Thee, * and Thou hast healed me.

O LORD, Thou hast brought up
my soul from the grave : * Thou
hast saved me from being one of
them that go down into the pit.

Sing unto the LORD, O ye Saints
of His! * and give thanks to the
memorial of His holiness.

For there is terror in His anger :

* and in His favour is life.
Weeping may endure for a night :

* but joy cometh in the morning.

skip like a calf, Lebanon an

f PaleStine amid which is

the town of

7 6

THE PSALTER.

And I, in my prosperity I said :
I shall never be moved.

LORD, in Thy favour, * Thou hast
made my glory to stand so fast.

Thou didst hide Thy face from
me, * and I was troubled.

I cried unto Thee, O LORD : *
and unto my God I made supplica
tion :

What profit is there in my blood,
* when I go down to corruption ?

Shall the dust praise Thee, * or
shall it declare Thy truth?

The LORD heard me, and had
mercy upon me : * the LORD be
came mine Helper.

Thou hast turned for me my
mourning into rejoicing: Thou
hast put off my sackcloth, and
girded me with gladness.

To the end that my glory may
sing praise unto Thee, and may not
be silent : * O LORD my God, I will
give thanks unto Thee for ever.

Antiphon. J Worship the LORD
in His holy courts.

Third Antiphon. Deliver me.

Psalm XXX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David" with the
same farther superscription as Pss. xii. xiii.
The Vulgate and the LXX. add " of haste "
or "distraction," meaning apparently that
David wrote it, on recovering from the
mental condition in which he had exclaimed
(v. 23), " I am cut off from before Thine
eyes. "]

IN Thee, O LORD, do I put my
trust, let me never be ashamed :
* deliver me in Thy righteousness.

Bow down Thine ear unto me : *
deliver me speedily.

Be Thou to me a God, a Pre

server, and an house of defence, *
to save me.

For Thou art my strength and
my refuge : * and for Thy Name s
sake Thou wilt lead me and nourish
me.

Thou wilt pull me out of the net,
that they have laid privily for me : *
for Thou art my Preserver.

2 Into Thine hands I commend my
spirit : * Thou hast redeemed me,
O LORD God of truth !

I have hated them that regard *
lying vanities.

But I trust in the LORD : * I will
be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy.

For Thou hast considered my
trouble : * Thou hast saved my soul
in adversity ;

And hast not shut me up into the
hand of the enemy : * Thou hast
set my feet in a wide place.

Have mercy upon me, O LORD,
for I am in trouble : * mine eye is
consumed with grief, my soul, and
my belly.

For my life is spent with grief, *
and my years with sighing.

My strength faileth because of
mine affliction, * and my bones are
consumed.

I was a reproach among all mine
enemies, and among my neighbours
specially, * and a fear to mine ac
quaintance.

They that did see me without fled
from me : * I am forgotten as a
dead man out of mind.

I am like a broken vessel : * for
I have heard the slander of many
on every side :

When they took counsel together
against me, * they devised to take
away my life.

1 Ps. xxviii. 2.

2 This verse was quoted by our Lord on the Cross, Luke xxiii. 46.

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

But I trusted in Thee, O LORD :
* I said : Thou art my God, my
lot is in Thine hand.

Deliver me from the hand of
mine enemies, * and from them that
persecute me.

Make Thy face to shine upon Thy
servant, save me in Thy mercy : *
let me not be ashamed, O LORD, for
I have called upon Thee.

Let the wicked be ashamed and
let them go down into the grave : *
let the lying lips be put to silence ;

Which speak grievous things
proudly and contemptuously *
against the righteous.

O how great is Thy goodness,

Lord, * which Thou hast laid up
for them that fear Thee !

Which Thou hast wrought for
them that trust in Thee, * before
the sons of men !

Thou shalt hide them in the
covert of Thy presence * from the
troubling of men.

Thou shalt keep them secretly in
Thy pavilion * from the strife of
tongues.

Blessed be the LORD : * for He
hath showed me His marvellous
kindness in a strong city.

For I said in mine haste : * I
am cut off from before Thine
eyes.

Nevertheless Thou heardest the
voice of my supplication, ** when

1 cried unto Thee.

O love the LORD, all ye His
Saints : * for the LORD loveth truth
fulness, and will plentifully reward
the proud doers.

Be of good courage and let your
heart be strengthened, * all ye that
hope in the LORD.

Psalm XXXI.
[Intituled "A didactic (?) poem of David."]

T3LESSED are they whose trans-
^ gressions are forgiven, * and
whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom
the LORD imputeth not iniquity, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Because I kept silence, my bones
waxed old, * while I groaned all the
day long.

For day and night Thine hand was
heavy upon me : * I turned in mine
anguish while the thorn was fastened
in me. 1

I acknowledged my sin unto
Thee : * and mine iniquity I hid
not.

I said : I will confess against
myself my transgression, unto the
LORD : * and Thou forgavest the
iniquity of my sin. 1

For this shall every one that is
godly pray unto Thee, * in a season
able time.

Surely in the floods of great
waters, * they shall not come nigh
unto him.

Thou art mine hiding-place from
the trouble that compasseth me : *
O Thou That art my joy ! deliver
me from them that compass me
round about. 1

I will give thee understanding,
and teach thee in the way which
thou shalt go : * I will keep Mine
eyes upon thee.

Be ye not as the horse and as
the mule, * which have no under
standing.

Whose mouths thou boldest fast
with bit and bridle, * else they will
not come unto thee.

1 SLH.

THE PSALTER.

Many sorrows shall be to the
wicked : * but he that trusteth in
the LORD, mercy shall compass him
about.

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice,
ye righteous, * and shout for joy,
all ye that are upright in heart.

Antiphon. l Deliver me in Thy
righteousness.

Fourth Antiphon. Praise is comely.

Psalm XXXII.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. ascribe this
psalm " to David."]

D EJOICE in the LORD, O ye
*r^- righteous : * praise is comely
for the upright.

Praise the LORD with harp : *
sing unto Him with the psaltery
of ten strings.

Sing unto Him a new song : *
play skilfully unto Him with a loud
noise.

For the word of the LORD is
right : * and all His works are done
in truth.

He loveth mercy and judgment : *
the earth is full of the goodness of
the LORD.

By the word of the LORD were
the heavens made, * and all the
host of them by the breath of His
mouth.

He gathereth the waters of the
sea together as an heap : * He lay-
eth up the depths in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the LORD :

* let all the inhabitants of the world
stand in awe of Him.

For He spake, and it was done :

* He commanded, and it was made.
The LORD bringeth the counsel

of the heathen to nought : * He
maketh the devices of the people of
none effect, and setteth aside the
counsel of princes.

But the counsel of the LORD
standeth for ever, * the thoughts of
His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God
is the LORD, * the people He hath
chosen for His own inheritance.

The LORD looketh from heaven :

* He beholdeth all the sons of men.
From the set place of His habi
tation * He looketh upon all the
inhabitants of the earth.

He fashioneth the heart of every
one of them : * He considereth all
their works.

There is no king saved by the mul
titude of an host : * a mighty man is
not delivered by much strength.

An horse is a vain thing for safety :

* by his great strength he shall not
escape.

Behold, the eyes of the LORD are
upon them that fear Him, * and
upon them that hope in His mercy.

To deliver their soul from death,

* and to feed them in time of famine.

Our soul waiteth for the LORD : *
for He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him :

* because we have trusted in His
holy Name.

Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon
us, * according as we hope in Thee.

Psalm XXXI 1 1.

[Intituled "Of David, when he changed
his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove
him away and he departed." This incident
is thus described in I Kings (Sam.) xxi. 10.
" And David arose and fled that day for fear
of Saul, and went to Achish" (otherwise
called Abimelech) "the King of Gath. And

1 Ps. xxx. 2.

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

the servants of Achish said unto him : Is
not this David the King of the land ? Did
they not sing one to another of him in
dances saying, Saul hath slain his thou
sands, and David his ten thousands ? And
David laid up these words in his heart, and
was sore afraid of Achish the King of Gath.
And he changed his behaviour before them,
and feigned himself mad in their hands,
and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and
let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
Then said Achish to his servants : Lo, ye
see the man is mad ; wherefore have you
brought him to me ? Have I need of mad
men, that ye have brought this fellow to
play the madman in my presence? Shall
this fellow come into mine house ? xxii.
David therefore departed thence, and es
caped to the cave of Adullam." This Psalm
is A B C Darian.]

WILL bless the LORD at all
times : * His praise shall con
tinually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in
the LORD : * the humble shall hear
thereof, and be glad.

magnify the LORD with me : *
and let us exalt His Name together.

1 sought the LORD, and He heard
me, * and delivered me from all my
distress.

Draw near unto Him, and be light
ened, * and your faces shall not be
ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the
LORD heard him, * and saved him
out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encampeth
round about them that fear Him, *
and delivereth them.

O taste and see that the LORD is
good : * blessed is the man that
trusteth in Him.

O fear the LORD, all ye His Saints :

* for there is no want to them that
fear Him.

The mighty lack and suffer hunger :

* but they that seek the LORD shall
not want any good thing.

Come, ye children, hearken unto
me : * I will teach you the fear of
the LORD.

What man is he that desireth life,

* that loveth to see good days?
Keep thy tongue from evil, * and

thy lips from speaking guile.

Depart from evil and do good : *
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are upon
the righteous : * and His ears are
open unto their cry.

But the face of the LORD is against
them that do evil, * to cut off the
remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry and the LORD
heareth, * and delivereth them out
of all their troubles.

The LORD is nigh unto them that
are of a broken heart, * and saveth
such as be of a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the
righteous : * but the LORD will de
liver them out of all.

The Lord keepeth all their bones :

* not one of them shall be broken.
The death of sinners is grievous :

* and they that hate the righteous
shall be guilty.

The LORD redeemeth the souls of
His servants : * and none of them
that trust in Him shall be guilty.

Antiphon. l Praise is comely for
the upright.

Fifth Antiphon. Fight against
them.

Psalm XXXIV.

[Intituled " Of David."]

DO me right, O LORD, against
them that strive with me : *
fight against them that fight against
me.

1 Ps. xxxii. i.

THE PSALTER.

Take hold of arms and buckler : *
and stand up for mine help.

Draw out also the spear, and stop
the way against them that persecute
me : * say unto my soul : I am thy
salvation.

Let them be confounded and put
to shame, * that seek after my soul.

Let them be turned backward and
brought to confusion, * that devise
mine hurt.

Let them be as dust before the
wind : * and let the Angel of the
LORD drive them.

Let their way be dark and slip
pery : * and let the Angel of the
LORD chase them.

For without cause have they hid
den for me the deadly trap of their
net : * without cause have they
digged a pit for my soul.

Let the snare come upon him at
unawares, and let his net, that he
hath hid, catch himself: * and into
that very snare let him fall.

And my soul shall be joyful in
the LORD : * it shall rejoice in His
salvation.

All my bones shall say : * LORD,
who is like unto Thee ?

Who deliverest the poor from
them that are too strong for him, *
the poor and the needy from them
that spoil him?

False witnesses did rise up, * they
laid to my charge things that I knew
not.

They rewarded me evil for good,

* to put all men far off from me.
But as for me, when they were

sick, * my clothing was sackcloth.
I humbled my soul with fasting :

* and my prayer shall return into
mine own bosom.

I behaved myself as though he
1 (Literally,) "

had been my friend or brother : * I
bowed down as one that mourneth
and is heavy.

But against me they rejoiced and
gathered themselves together : *
slanders were collected against me,
and I knew it not.

They disappeared, yet they ceased
not ; they assailed me, they laughed
me bitterly to scorn : * they gnashed
upon me with their teeth.

Lord, how long wilt Thou look
on ? * Rescue my soul from their
destruction, my darling 1 from the
lions.

I will give Thee thanks in the
great congregation : * I will praise
Thee among much people.

Let not them that are mine ene
mies wrongfully rejoice over me, *
they that hate me without a cause
and wink with the eye.

For they spoke to me peaceably :
* but by their leasing they stirred
up the land to anger against me, yea,
they plotted against me.

Yea, they opened their mouth
wide against me : * they said, Aha,
Aha, our eyes have seen it.

This Thou hast seen, O LORD,
keep not silence : * O Lord, be not
far from me.

Stir up Thyself, and awake to my
judgment, * unto my cause, my God
and my Lord.

Judge me, O LORD my God,
according to Thy righteousness, *
and let them not rejoice over me.

Let them not say in their hearts :
Aha, Aha, so would we have it ; *
neither let them say : We have
swallowed him up.

Let them be ashamed and brought
to confusion together, * that rejoice
at mine hurt,
mine only one."

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

Let them be clothed with shame
and dishonour, * that magnify them
selves against me.

Let them shout for joy and be
glad, that favour my righteous cause :
* and let them that have pleasure
in the prosperity of His servant
say continually, Let the LORD be
magnified.

And my tongue shall speak of
Thy righteousness ; * of Thy praise,
all the day long.

Psalm XXXV.

[Intituled " Of David, the servant of the
LORD," and a farther superscription not
now understood.]

THE wicked saith plainly in his
own heart, that he will go on
still in sin : * there is no fear of
God before his eyes.

For he flattereth himself in his
own eyes, * f until his iniquity be
found hateful.

The words of his mouth are ini
quity and deceit : * he willeth not
to understand, that he may do
good.

He deviseth mischief upon his
bed : * he setteth himself in every
way that is not good, but he ab-
horreth not evil.

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the
heavens : * and Thy faithfulness
reacheth unto the clouds.

Thy righteousness is like the
mountains of God : * Thy judg
ments are a great deep.

O LORD, Thou preservest man
and beast : * How excellent is Thy
loving-kindness, O God !

And the children of men * shall
put their trust under the shadow of
Thy wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied
with the fatness of Thine house, * and
Thou shalt make them drink of the
river of Thy pleasures.

For with Thee is the fountain of
life : * and in Thy light shall we see
light.

O continue Thy loving-kindness
unto them that know Thee, * and
Thy righteousness to the upright in
heart.

Let not the foot of pride come
against me : * and let not the hand
of the wicked remove me.

There are the workers of iniquity
fallen : * they are cast out, neither
are they able to stand.

Antiphon. 1 Fight against them
that fight against me.
Sixth Antiphon. Show.

Psalm XXXVI.

[Intituled "Of David." It is A B C
Darian ; the first, third, and fifth verses, and
so on, begin with the corresponding letters
of the alphabet.]

FRET not thyself because of the
evil-doers : * neither be thou
envious against the workers of
iniquity.

For they shall soon dry up like
the grass, * and wither quickly as
the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good :
* and dwell in the land, and thou
shalt be fed with the riches thereof.

Delight thyself in the LORD : *
and He shall give thee the desires
of thine heart.

Show thy way unto the LORD,
trust also in Him : * and He shall
bring it to pass.

And He shall bring forth thy

Ps. xxxiv. I.

THE PSALTER.

righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noon-day : * rest in
the LORD, and make thy prayer unto
Him.

Fret not thyself because of him
that prospereth in his way, * be
cause of the man that bringeth
wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger and forsake
wrath : * fret not thyself to do evil.

For evil-doers shall be cut off : *
but those that wait upon the LORD,
they shall inherit the earth.

For yet a little while, and the
wicked shall not be : * yea, thou
shalt search for his place, and thou
shalt not find it.

1 But the meek shall inherit the
earth : * and shall delight themselves
in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plotteth against the
just, * and gnasheth upon him with
his teeth.

But the Lord shall laugh at him :

* for He seeth that his day is
coming.

The wicked have drawn out the
sword, * they have bent their bow,

To cast down the poor and the
needy, * to slay such as be upright
of heart.

Their sword shall enter into their
own hearts : * and their bow shall be
broken.

A little that a righteous man hath

* is better than great riches of the
wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall
be broken ; * but the LORD up-
holdeth the righteous.

The LORD knoweth the days of
the undefiled : * and their inheri
tance shall be for ever.

They shall not be ashamed in the

evil time, and in the days of famine

1 Matth. v. 4 seems

they shall be satisfied : * for the
wicked shall perish.

Yea, the enemies of the LORI
no sooner than they be honourabl&lt;
and exalted, * shall pass away,
pass away like smoke.

The wicked borroweth and pay-
eth not again : * but the righteous
showeth mercy and giveth.

For such as bless him shall in
herit the earth : * but they
curse him shall be cut off.

The steps of a [good] man ar
ordered by the LORD : * and He d&lt;
lighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be
utterly cast down : * for the LORD
upholdeth him with His hand.

I have been young, and now ai
old: * yet have I not seen th&lt;
righteous forsaken, nor his se&lt;
begging bread.

He is ever merciful and lendeth
* and his seed shall be blessed.

Depart from evil and do good : *
and dwell for evermore.

For the LORD loveth judgment,
and forsaketh not His saints : * they
shall be preserved for ever.

The unrighteous shall be pun
ished : * and the seed of the wicked
shall be cut off.

But the righteous shall inherit the
land : * and dwell therein for ever.

The mouth of the righteous speak-
eth wisdom, * and his tongue talketh
judgment.

The law of his God is in his
heart, * none of his steps shall
slide.

The wicked watcheth the right
eous, * and seeketh to slay him.

But the LORD will not leave him
in his hands, * nor condemn him
when he is judged.

to be quoted from this.

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

Wait on the LORD and keep His
way, and He shall exalt thee, to in
herit the land : * when the wicked
are cut off thou shalt see it.

I have seen the wicked in great
power, * and exalted like a cedar in
Lebanon.

And I passed by, and, lo, he was
not : * and I sought him, and his
place was not found.

Keep innocency, and look to the
thing that is right : * for the peace
maker shall have a reward here
after.

But the transgressors shall be cut
off together : * the end of the wicked
is destruction.

But the salvation of the righteous
is of the LORD : * and He is their
strength in the time of trouble.

And the LORD shall help them,
and deliver them : * He shall de
liver them from the wicked, and
save them, because they trust in
Him.

Psalm XXXVII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." It has
a further superscription of (now) unknown
meaning. The Vulgate and the LXX. con
nect it with the Sabbath.]

LORD, rebuke me not in Thy
wrath, * neither chasten me
in Thine hot displeasure.

For Thine arrows stick fast in
me : * and Thou hast laid Thine
hand heavily upon me.

There is no soundness in my
flesh, because of Thine anger : *
neither is there any rest in my bones
because of my sins.

For mine iniquities are gone over
mine head : * and as an heavy bur
then they are too heavy for me.

My wounds stink and are cor
rupt, * because of my foolishness.

I am troubled and bowed down
exceedingly : * I go mourning all
the day long.

For my loins are filled with a
loathsome disease : * and there is
no soundness in my flesh.

I am feeble and sore broken : *
I groan aloud by reason of the dis-
quietness of mine heart.

Lord, all my desire is before
Thee : * and my groaning is not hid
from Thee.

Mine heart panteth, my strength
faileth me : * as for the light of
mine eyes, it also is gone from
me.

My friends and my neighbours *
draw near, and stand over against
me.

And they that are nearest to me
stand afar off : * they also that
sought after my life have used
violence against me.

And they that seek mine hurt have
spoken mischievous things, * and
imagined falsehoods all the day
long.

But I, as a deaf man, hear not, *
and as a dumb man that openeth
not his mouth.

Thus I was as a man that heareth
not, * and in whose mouth are no
reproofs.

For in Thee, O LORD, do I
hope : * Thou wilt hear me, O Lord
my God !

For I said : Let not mine ene
mies rejoice over me : * when my
feet slip they magnify themselves
against me.

For I am ready for the scourges :

* and my sorrow is continually be
fore me.

For I will declare mine iniquity,

* and think upon my sin.

But mine enemies are lively, and

8 4

THE PSALTER.

they are strengthened against me : *
and they that hate me wrongfully
are many.

They that render evil for good
speak against me, * because I have
followed goodness.

Forsake me not, O LORD my
God : * be not far from me.

Make haste to help me, * O
Lord God of my salvation !

Antiphon. l Show thy way unto
the LORD.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. 2 Out of Zion, the Perfec
tion of beauty,

Answer. Our God shall come
manifestly.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 3 Thy mercy, O LORD, is
in the heavens.

Answer. And thy faithfulness
reacheth unto the clouds.

/;/ Lent.

Verse. 4 He hath delivered me
from the snare of the fowler.

Answer. And from the noisome
pestilence.

In Passion time.

Verse. 5 O God, deliver my soul
from the sword.

Answer. And my darling from
the power of the dog.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The Lord is risen from
the grave, Alleluia.

Answer. Who hung for us upon
the tree, Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the First Noc-
turn of the preceding Sunday, only the
Lessons and sometimes the Responsories
are those of the day.

Simple Feasts. It is to be remem
bered that when a Simple Feast is kept
on Monday, the Invitatory and Hymn
are of the Feast, being taken from the
Common of Saints of the class, unless
specially given. Then the Psalms and
Antiphons of the week-day, as given
above. Then is said a Verse and
Answer as follow :

In the Simple Office for one or many
Martyrs in Paschal time.

Verse. O ye saints and right
eous, rejoice in the Lord, Alleluia.

Answer. 6 God hath chosen you
for His own inheritance. Alleluia.

/;/ the Simple Office for one Martyr
(out of Paschal time).

Verse. 7 Thou hast crowned him
with glory and honour, O Lord.

Answer. And madest him to
have dominion over the works of
Thine hands.

In the Simple Office for many Martyrs
(put of Paschal time).

Verse. 8 Be glad in the LORD
and rejoice, ye righteous.

Answer. And shout for joy, al
ye that are upright in heart.

In the Simple Office for Confessors
(whether Bishops or nof).

Verse. 9 The Lord loved him anc
beautified him.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

1 Ps. xxxvi. 5.
4 Ps. xc. 3.
7 Ps. viii. 6, 7.

2 Ps. xlix.
5 Ps. xxi.
8 Ps. xxxi

2, 3-

21.
II.

3 Ps. xxxv. 6.
6 Ps. xxxii. 12.
9 Ecclus. xlv. 9.

MONDAY AT MATTINS.

Answer. And clothed him with
a robe of glory.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

In the Simple Office for one Holy
Woman, of any class.

Verse. l In thy comeliness and
thy beauty.

\In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Answer. Go forward, fare pros
perously and reign.

\In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

The others, as well as what follows,
to the end of the service, are taken from
the First Nocturn of the Office Common
to Saints of the class, unless something
special be appointed. The Lessons are
arranged according to the rules in
Chapter xxvi. 4, of the general Rubrics.
The Hymn, "We praise Thee, O God,"
is said at the end, instead of a third
Responsory. The Responsories are
arranged according to the rules in
Chapter xxvii. 4, of the general Rubrics.
Thus:

The Lord s Prayer is said :

OUR Father (inaudibly], Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Then this Absolution :

/^RACIOUSLY hear, O Lord
^J Jesus Christ, the prayers of
Thy servants, and have mercy
upon us : Who livest and reignest

1 Ps.

with the Father, and the Holy
Ghost, world without end.
Answer. Amen.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be from
Scripture.

May the Eternal Father bless us
With an everlasting blessing.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be of an
Homily.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His W T ord.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing on a Simple Feast.

May His blessing be upon us
Who doth live and reign for ever.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the First Lesson from
Scripture or from the Homily, or on a
Simple Feast either the First from
Scripture, or, if the Saint or Saints
have two Lessons, the whole three from
Scripture read together as one.

Then the First Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the First Responsory of
the preceding Sunday. On a Simple
Feast, the first Responsory in the Com
mon Office for the class to which the
Saint belongs.

Then the Reader says :
Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May the Son the Sole-begotten
In His mercy bless and help us.
Answer. Amen.

xliv. 5.

THE PSALTER.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be from
an Homily.

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Second Blessing, for a Simple Feast.

He (or she or they) whose feast-day

we are keeping
Plead for us before the Lord.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Second Lesson, either
from Scripture or from an Homily, or
on a Simple Feast either the Second
and TJiird Lessons from Scripture
read together as one, or if the Saint
or Saints have two Lessons, the first
of these.

Then the Second Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the Second Responsory
of the preceding Sunday, but in Paschal
time there is added to it :

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

And the Answer of the Responsory is
repeated again.

On a Simple Feast the Second Res
ponsory in the Common Office for the
class to which the Saint belongs, with
the addition of "Glory be to the
Father," &&amp;gt;., and the repetition of
the Answer.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Third Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May the grace of God the Spirit
All our heart and mind enlighten.
Answer. Amen.

Third Blessing, for a Simple Feast, or
if the Lesson be from an Homily.

May He That is the Angels King
To that high realm His people bring.
Answer. Amen.

Theji is read the Third Lesson either
from Scripture, or of the Homily, or on
Simple Feasts the Second or only Lesson
of the Saint.

Then, on Simple Feasts and on any
day in Paschal time is said the Hymn,
"We praise Thee, O God." But on
week-days kept as such out of Paschal
time the Third Responsory of the pre
ceding Sunday.

THE SECOND DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as other
wise given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Anfiphon. Have mercy.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Upon me, O
God."

Psalm L.

[This Psalm has a musical (?) superscrip
tion, and the title then proceeds, "A Psalm
of David, when Nathan the Prophet came
unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-
sheba." The whole history is in 2 Kings
(Sam.) xi. xii. (Saturday, 5th week after
Pentecost, and 6th Sunday.)]

TTAVE mercy upon me, O God,
* * * after Thy great mercy :

And according to the multitude
of Thy tender mercies * blot out my
transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from mine
iniquity : * and cleanse me from my
sin.

For I acknowledge my trans
gression : * and my sin is ever
before me.

Against Thee, Thee only, have I
sinned, and done evil in Thy sight :
* that Thou mightest be justified
when Thou speakest, and be clear
when Thou art judged.

For behold, I was shapen in in
iquity : * and in sin did my mother
conceive me.

For behold Thou desirest truth :

* the hidden secrets of Thy wisdom
Thou hast made manifest unto me.

Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I
shall be clean : * wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and glad
ness : * that the bones which Thou
hast broken may rejoice.

Hide Thy face from my sins : *
and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O
God : * and renew a right spirit
within me.

Cast me not away from Thy
presence : * and take not Thine
holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy
salvation : * and uphold me with
Thy free Spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors
Thy ways : * and sinners shall be
converted unto Thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness,
O God, Thou God of my salvation :

* and my tongue shall sing aloud 1
of Thy righteousness.

O LORD, open Thou my lips, *

1 So the Hebrew, the LXX., and all the versions, including Doway, but the Latin
text has the curious mistake of exultabit for exaltabit.

THE PSALTER.

and my mouth shall show forth Thy
praise.

For Thou desirest not sacrifice,
else would I give it : * Thou de-
lightest not in burnt-offering.

The sacrifice of God is a broken
spirit : * a broken and a contrite
heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Do good in Thy good pleasure
unto Zion : * to build the walls of
Jerusalem.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with
the sacrifices of righteousness, with
burnt-offering and whole burnt-offer
ing : * then shall they offer bullocks
upon Thine altar.

Antiphon. Have mercy upon me,
O God.

Second Antiphon. Consider.

Psalm V.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with a
musical (?) superscription.]

GIVE ear unto my words, O
LORD, * consider my suppli
cation.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry,

* my King and my God !

For unto Thee will I pray. * O
LORD, in the morning Thou shalt
hear my voice :

In the morning will I stand before
Thee and look up. * For Thou art
not a God that hath pleasure in
wickedness :

Neither shall the evil dwell with
Thee, * nor the unrighteous stand
in Thy sight :

Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

* Thou shalt destroy all them that
speak leasing :

The LORD abhorreth the bloody
and deceitful man. * But as for me,
in the multitude of Thy mercy

I will come into Thine house : *
I will worship toward Thine holy
temple in Thy fear.

Lead me, O LORD, in Thy
righteousness/, * because of mine
enemies ; make my way straight
before Thy face.

For there is no faithfulness in
their mouth : * their inward part
is very wickedness.

Their throat is an open sepulchre ;
they flatter with their tongue. *
Judge Thou them, O God!

Let them fall by their own coun
sels ; cast them out in the multi
tude of their transgressions, * for
they have rebelled against Thee, O
Lord!

And let all those that put their
trust in Thee, rejoice : * let them
ever shout for joy, because Thou
dwellest in them :

Let them also that love Thy Name
be joyful in Thee. * For Thou wilt
bless the righteous.

O LORD, Thou hast compassed
us * with Thy favour as with a
shield.

Antiphon. Consider my suppli
cation, O Lord.

Third Antiphon. O God, Thou
art my God.

If this Antiphon is used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Early will I
seek Thee."

Psalms LXIL, LXVI.

O God, Thou art my God, &c.

(P. 23)-

Antiphon. O God, Thou art my
God, early will I seek Thee.

Fourth Antiphon. Thine anger
is turned away.

MONDAY AT LAUDS.

8 9

THE SONG OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET.

[Isa. xii. i. The description of the res
toration of Israel in Isa. xi. (Second Sun
day in Advent) is continued to the end
of that Chapter, and this Song is then
introduced by the words, And in that
day thou shalt say : "]

OLORD, I will praise Thee,
though Thou wast angry with
me, * Thine anger is turned away,
and Thou comfortest me.

Behold, God is my salvation : *
I will trust and not be afraid :

For the LORD is my strength
and my song : * He also is become
my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw
water out of the wells of the Saviour :
* and in that day shall ye say :
Praise the LORD and call upon His
Name!

Declare His doings among the
people, * tell them that His Name
is exalted.

Sing unto the LORD, for He hath
done glorious things: " make ye
this known in all the earth.

Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabi
tant of Zion : * for great is the
Holy One of Israel in the midst of
thee!

Antiphon. Thine anger is turned
away, and Thou comfortest me.
Fifth Antiphon. Praise ye.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words "the LORD
from the heavens."

Psalms CXLVIII., CXLIX., CL.

Praise ye the LORD from the
heavens, &c. (pp. 25, 26).

Antiphon. Praise ye the LORD
from the heavens.

From Advent Sunday till the Octave
of the Epiphany and from the First
Sunday in Lent till the Octave of Pente
cost special Chapters are given. At
other times the following is said on all
week-days observed as such.

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

THE night is far spent, the day
is at hand : let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and
let us put on the armour of light :
let us walk honestly as in the day.

HYMN. 1

OF the Father Effluence bright,
Out of Light evolving light,
Light from Light, unfailing Ray,
Day creative of the day.

Truest Sun, upon us stream
With Thy calm perpetual beam,
In the Spirit s still sunshine
Making sense and thought divine.

Seek we too the Father s face,

Father of almighty grace,

And of majesty excelling,

Who can purge our tainted dwelling ;

Who can aid us, who can break
Teeth of envious foes, and make
Hours of loss and pain succeed,
Guiding safe each duteous deed.

And, infusing self-control,
Fragrant chastity of soul,
Faith s keen flame to soar on high,
Incorrupt simplicity.

Christ Himself for food be given,
Faith become the cup of heaven,
Out of which the joy is quaff d
Of the Spirit s sobering draught.

With that joy replenished
Morn shall glow with modest red,
Noon with beaming face be bright,
Eve be soft without twilight.

It has dawned : upon our way,
Father, in Thy Word, this day,
In Thy Father, Word Divine,
From Thy cloudy pillar shine.

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school, slightly altered. Translation by the late
Card. Newman.

THE PSALTER.

To the Father and the Son,
And the Spirit, Three and One,
As of old, and as in heaven,
Now and here be glory given.

Amen.

Verse. l Thou hast satisfied us
early with Thy mercy.

Answer. We rejoice and are
glad.

Antiphonfor the Songof Zacharias.
Blessed * be the Lord God of Israel.

After the repetition of the Antiphon
after the Song of Zacharias, on the
week-days of Advent and Lent, the
Ember Days, and all Vigils which are
fasts except Christmas Eve and the
Eve and Ember Days of Pentecost, all
kneel down, and the following prayers
called the Preces are said :

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

Then the Lord s Prayer is said aloud.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;

Answer. But deliver us from evil.

Verse. 2 1 said : LORD, be mer
ciful unto me.

Answer. Heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee.

Verse. 3 Return, O LORD, how
long?

Answer. And let it repent Thee
concerning Thy servants.

Verse. 4 Let Thy mercy, O LORD,
be upon us.

Answer. According as we hope
in Thee.

Verse. 5 Let Thy priests be
clothed with righteousness.

Answer. And let Thy saints
shout for joy.

Verse. 6 O LORD, save the King.

Answer. And hear us in the day
when we call upon Thee.

Verse. 7 O LORD, save Thy peo
ple, and bless Thine inheritance.

Answer. And govern them, and
lift them up for ever.

Verse. 8 Remember Thy congre
gation.

Answer. Which Thou hast pur
chased of old.

Verse. 9 Peace be within thy
walls.

Answer. And prosperity within
thy palaces.

Verse. Let us pray for the faith
ful departed.

Answer. O Lord, grant them
eternal rest, and let the everlasting
light shine upon them !

Verse. May they rest in peace.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Let us pray for our ab
sent brethren.

Answer. 10 O Thou my God,
save Thy servants that trust in
Thee.

Verse. Let us pray for the sor
rowful and the captives.

Answer. n Redeem them, O God
of Israel, out of all their troubles.

Verse. 12 O Lord, send them help
from the sanctuary.

1 Ps. Ixxxix. 14. 2 Ps xl&lt; s 3 Ps lxxxix

Ps. xxxii. 22. 5 p s cxxxi 9

Ps. xix. 10. This verse never varies, whatever the form of government.

Ps. xxvii. 9. 8 p s&gt; ixxiij. 2 . 9 Ps. cxxi. 7.

10 Ps. Ixxxv. 2. n P s . xxiv. 22. 13 Ps. xix. 3.

MONDAY AT LAUDS.

Answer. And strengthen them
out of Zion.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Psalm CXXIX.

[Intituled "A Song of Degrees." The
meaning of this title is not certain. The
Psalms so called may perhaps, like the
" Graduals " of the Roman Liturgy, be
"step-songs," intended to be sung during
processions, Liturgical or of pilgrims.]

OUT of the depths have I cried
unto Thee, O LORD ! * Lord,
hear my voice.

Let Thine ears be attentive * to
the voice of my supplication.

If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark
iniquities, * O Lord, who shall
stand ?

But there is forgiveness with
Thee : * because of Thy law, I wait
for Thee, O LORD !

My soul waiteth on His word : *
my soul hopeth in the Lord.

From the morning watch even
until night * let Israel hope in the
LORD :

For with the LORD there is mercy,
* and with Him is plenteous re
demption.

And He shall redeem Israel, *
from all his iniquities.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is

now, and ever shall be, world with
out end. Amen.

Verse. l Turn us again, O LORD
God of hosts !

Answer. And cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Verse. 2 Arise, O Christ, and
help us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Then follows the Prayer of the Day.

All proceeds to the e?id of the service
as on Sunday, except that when Suf
frages are said, the following is said
before the Commemoration of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.

Commemoration of the Cross.

Antiphon. Through Thy Cross s
holy sign, JESUS, guard this soul of
mine, from my ghostly enemy.

Verse. 3 Let all the earth worship
Thee, and sing unto Thee.

Answer. Let them sing praises
unto Thy Name, O Lord !

Let us pray.

OLORD, we beseech Thee, keep
us in continual peace, whom
it hath pleased Thee to redeem by
the tree of the Holy Cross.

1 Ps. Ixxix. 2O.

2 Ps. xliii. 26.

3 Ps. Ixv. 4.

9 2

at JRattins.

THE THIRD DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as other
wise given here.

Invitatory. Let us make a joyful
noise to * the God of our salvation.

Invitatory in Paschal time.
luia, Alleluia, * Alleluia.

Alle-

On Simple Feasts the Invitatory is
special.

On Simple Feasts the Hymn is
special, but on Week-days kept as such
the following is said from the Octave
of the Epiphany till the first Tuesday
in Lent, and from the Octave of Pente
cost till Advent. The Hymns for the
other Seasons are given in the proper
Office of the Seasons.

HYMN. 1

OGOD from God, and Light from
Light,

Who art Thyself the Day,
Our chants shall break the clouds of

night ;
Be with us while we pray.

Chase Thou the gloom that haunts the

mind,

The thronging shades of hell,
The sloth and drowsiness that bind
The senses with a spell.

Lord, to their sins indulgent be,
Who, in this hour forlorn,
By faith in what they do not see,
With songs prevent the morn.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,
And Spirit, God of grace,
To Whom all worship shall be done
In every time and place.

Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.
Antiphon. That I sin not.

In Paschal time there is only one An
tiphon to the whole Nocturn, Alleluia.

Psalm XXXVIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with a
farther notice of meaning now uncertain.
It is addressed to Jeduthun, concerning
whom it is said, in I Par. (Chron.) xvi. 42,
that David appointed, along with the Priests
who officiated before the Ark, " Heman
and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen,
who are expressed by name, to give thanks
to the LORD, because His mercy endureth
for ever. And with them Heman and
Jeduthun, with trumpets and cymbals, for
those that should make a sound, and with
musical instruments of God. " The Targum
says that it was to be used by Jeduthun for
his watch in the Sanctuary.]

T SAID : I will take heed unto
^ my ways, * that I sin not with
my tongue.

I kept a watch upon my mouth, *
while the wicked stood up against
me.

I was dumb, and humbled myself,
I held my peace even from good :

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school. Translation by the late Card. Newman.

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

* and my sorrow was stirred up
afresh.

Mine heart was hot within me :

* and while I was musing the fire
kindled.

I spake with my tongue : * LORD,
make me to know mine end ;

And the measure of my days
what it is ; * that I may know how
frail I am.

Behold, Thou hast made my days
as a span : * and mine age is as
nothing before Thee.

Verily every man living * is
altogether vanity. 1

Surely every man flitteth by like
a shade : * he is disquieted also in
vain.

He heapeth up riches, * and
knoweth not who shall gather them.

And now for what wait I ? Is it
not for the Lord ? * and mine hope
is with Thee.

Deliver me from all my transgres
sions : * Thou hast given me for a
reproach unto the foolish.

I was dumb and opened not my
mouth, because Thou didst it : *
remove Thy strokes away from me.

I am consumed by the blow of
Thine hand : * Thou, with rebukes
dost correct man for iniquity.

And Thou makest his beauty to
consume away like a spider s web :

* surely every man is disquieted in
vain. 1

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and my
cry : * give ear unto my tears.

Hold not Thy peace : for I am a
stranger with Thee, and a sojourner,

* as all my fathers were.

O spare me, that I may recover
strength, before I go hence, * and
be no more.

Psalm XXXIX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David " and with
the same (now) uncertain superscription as
Ps. xii.]

T WAITED patiently for the
* LORD, * and He inclined unto
me,

And heard my cry : * He brought
me up also out of an horrible pit,
and out of the miry clay.

And set my feet upon a rock ; *
and ordered my goings.

And He hath put a new song in
my mouth, * even praise unto our
God.

Many shall see it, and fear, * and
shall trust in the LORD.

Blessed is that man whose trust
is the Name of the LORD : * and
who respecteth not pride and lying
vanities.

Many, O LORD my God, are Thy
wonderful works which Thou hast
done : * and in Thy thoughts there
is none like unto Thee.

If I would declare and speak of
them, * they are more than can be
numbered.

Sacrifice and offering Thou hast
not desired ; * but mine ears hast
Thou opened.

Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast
Thou not required : * then said I :
Lo, I come.

In the beginning of the book it is
written of me that I should fulfil
Thy will: * O my God, I delight
to do it, yea, Thy law is within mine
heart.

I have preached Thy righteous
ness in the great congregation : * lo,
I have not refrained my lips : O
LORD, Thou knowest.

SLH

THE PSALTER.

I have not hidden Thy righteous
ness within mine heart : * I have
declared Thy faithfulness and Thy
salvation.

I have not concealed Thy loving-
kindness, and Thy truth * from the
great congregation.

Withhold not Thou Thy tender
mercies from me, O LORD : * let
Thy loving-kindness and Thy truth
continually preserve me.

For countless evils have com
passed me about : * mine iniquities
have taken hold upon me, and I am
not able to look up.

They are more in number than
the hairs of mine head : * and mine
heart faileth me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver
me : * O LORD, look upon me to
help me.

Let them be ashamed and con
founded together that seek after my
soul, * to destroy it.

Let them be driven backward,
and put to shame, * that wish me
evil.

Let them quickly bear their
shame, * that say unto me : Aha,
Aha.

Let all those that seek Thee re
joice and be glad in Thee : * and
let such as love Thy salvation say
continually : The LORD be mag
nified.

But I am poor and needy : * the
Lord thinketh upon me.

Thou art mine Helper and my
Deliverer : * make no tarrying, O
God.

1 That I sin not with

Antiphon.
my tongue.

Second Antiphon.

Heal.

Psalm XL.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with
some other words, of meaning now un
certain, as in some other Psalms.]

13LESSED is he that considereth
*-* the poor and needy : * the
LORD will deliver him in time of
trouble.

The LORD preserve him, and
quicken him, and make him to be
blessed upon the earth : * and de
liver him not unto the will of his
enemies !

The LORD strengthen him upon
his bed of suffering ! * Thou hast
made all his bed in his sickness.

As for me, I said : LORD, be
merciful unto me : * heal my soul,
for I have sinned against Thee.

Mine enemies speak evil of me :
* When shall he die, and his name
perish ?

If he came to see me he spake
vanity : * his heart gathereth iniquity
to itself.

He went out, * and told it.

All they that hate me whispered
together against me : * against me
did they devise mine hurt.

They plotted together to do me
evil : * Now that he lieth, surely he
shall rise up no more.

Yea, mine own familiar friend in
whom I trusted, * who did eat of
my bread, hath lifted up his heel
against me. 2

But Thou, O LORD, be merciful
unto me, and raise me up : * and I
will requite them.

By this I know that Thou de-
lightest in me : * because mine
enemy cannot triumph over me.

But as for me, Thou upholdest

1 Ps. xxxviii. 2.

2 Quoted by our Lord. John xiii. 1 8.

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

me, because of mine innocence : *
and settest me before Thy face for
ever.

Blessed be the LORD God of
Israel from everlasting, and to
everlasting. * Amen, Amen. 1

Psalm XLI.

[This Psalm has a superscription, the
meaning of which is not now certain, but
which seems in part to imply that it was a
didactic poem written to be sung by the
choir of the Korahites, a family of Levites
and singers in the time of David.]

A S the hart panteth after the
^~^ water -brooks : * so panteth
my soul after Thee, O God !

My soul is athirst for God, for
the mighty God, for the living God :

* when shall I come and appear
before God?

My tears have been my meat day
and night, * while they daily say
unto me : Where is thy God ?

When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul in me : * for
I will go unto the place of the
wondrous Tabernacle, even unto
the house of God.

With the voice of joy and praise,

* the noise of a multitude that keep
holiday.

Why art thou cast down, O my
soul, * and why art thou disquieted
in me?

Hope thou in God, for I shall yet
praise Him, * the Health of my
countenance and my God.

My soul is cast down within me :

* therefore will I remember Thee
from the land of Jordan, and from

the mountains of Hermon, 2 from the
Little Hill. 3

Deep calleth unto deep, * at the
noise of Thy waterspouts.

All Thy waves and Thy billows *
are gone over me.

The LORD hath commanded [the
praise of] His loving- kindness in
the day-time, * and in the night
His song.

Mine shall it be to pray unto the
God of my life. * I will say unto
God : Thou art my refuge.

Why hast Thou forgotten me ? *
and why go I mourning, while the
enemy oppresseth me?

While my bones are broken, *
they that trouble me, even mine
enemies, reproach me ;

While they say daily unto me :
Where is thy God ? * Why art thou
cast down, O my soul, and why art
thou disquieted within me ?

Hope thou in God, for I shall yet
praise Him : * the Health of my
countenance and my God.

Antiphon. 4 Heal my soul, O
Lord, for I have sinned against Thee.
Third Antiphon. Mine heart.

Psalm XLIIL

[This Psalm has the same uncertain
[? musical] superscription as some others,
and the Targum farther ascribes its author
ship to David.]

have heard with our ears,
O God : * our fathers have
told us,

What work Thou didst in their
days, * and in the times of old.

1 With this Psalm ends the first of the five books into which the Psalter is divided.

a A chain of mountains in the north-east of Palestine, stretching down on the eastern
side of Jordan.

3 Or rather, the hill Mizar (viz. the Little), proper name of a mountain on the eastern
ridge of Lebanon. May it not be that the Korahites were among the Levitical families
which had cities in the north and north-east districts ? 4 Ps. xl. 5.

9 6

THE PSALTER.

Thine hand scattered the heathen,
and planted them : * Thou didst
afflict the people and cast them out.

For they got not the land in pos
session by their own sword : * neither
did their own arm save them.

But Thy right hand, and Thine
arm, and the light of Thy counten
ance : * because Thou hadst a favour
unto them.

Thou art my King and my God :
* Who commandest victories for
Jacob !

Through Thee shall our horn toss
our enemies : * through Thy Name
will we tread them under that rise
up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow : *
neither shall my sword save me.

For Thou hast saved us from them
that afflicted us, * and hast put to
shame them that hated us.

In God will we glory all the day
long, * and will praise Thy Name
for ever. 1

But now Thou hast cast off and
put us to shame : * and Thou, O
God, wilt not go forth with our
armies.

Thou hast turned us back behind
our enemies : * and they that hate
us take spoil for themselves.

Thou hast given us like sheep ap
pointed for meat, * and hast scat
tered us among the heathen.

Thou hast sold Thy people for
nought, * and hast not increased
Thy wealth by their price.

Thou makest us a reproach to our
neighbours, * a scorn and a derision
to them that are round about us.

Thou makest us a by-word among
the heathen, * a shaking of the head
among the peoples.

My confusion is all day long be

fore me, * and the shame of my face
hath covered me,

For the voice of him that reproach-
eth and blasphemeth, * by reason of
the enemy and avenger.

All this is come upon us, yet have
we not forgotten Thee : * neither
have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant.

Our heart also is not turned back :

* neither have our steps strayed
from Thy way ;

Though Thou hast sore broken us
in the place of affliction, * and the
shadow of death hath covered us.

If we have forgotten the Name of
our God, * or stretched out our
hands to a strange god ;

Shall not God search this out ? *
for He knoweth the secrets of the
heart.

Yea, for Thy sake are we killed all
the day long : * we are counted as
sheep for the slaughter.

Awake, why sleepest Thou, O
Lord? * arise, and cast us not off
for ever.

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face,

* and forgettest our affliction and
our oppression ?

For our soul is bowed down to
the dust : * our belly cleaveth unto
the earth.

Arise, O Lord, help us : * and
redeem us for Thy Name s sake.

Psalm XLIV.

[This Psalm has a long superscription, the
exact meaning of which is not now certain.
It seems to have been a marriage-song writ
ten to be sung by the Korahites. The Tar-
gum ascribes it to the time of Moses, but it
seems rather to belong to that of the Jewish
Monarchy.]

1\ /TINE heart is overflowing wit

a good matter : * I speak
my works unto the king.

1 SLH.

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

My tongue is the pen * of a ready
writer.

Thou art fairer than the children
of men, grace is poured into thy lips :

* therefore God hath blessed thee
for ever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, *
O most mighty !

In thy comeliness, and thy beauty,

* go forward, fare prosperously, and
reign,

Because of truth, and meekness,
and righteousness : * and thy right
hand shall lead thee wonderfully.

Thine arrows are sharp (the
people shall fall under thee) * into
the heart of the King s enemies.

1 Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever : * the sceptre of Thy
kingdom is a right sceptre.

Thou hast loved righteousness,
and hated iniquity : * therefore,
God, thy God, hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

Thy garments smell of myrrh, and
aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory
palaces, * whereby kings daughters
among thine honourable women have
made thee glad.

Upon thy right hand did stand
the queen in a vesture of gold, *
bedecked with divers colours.

Hearken, O daughter, and con
sider, and incline thine ear : * for
get also thine own people, and thy
father s house :

And the King shall greatly de
sire thy beauty : * for He is the
Lord thy God, 2 and Him shall they
worship.

And the daughters of Tyre shall

entreat thy favour * with gifts, even
all the rich among the people.

The King s daughter is all glo
rious within, * in a vesture of gold,
clad in divers colours.

After her shall virgins be brought
unto the king: * her fellows shall
be brought unto thee.

With gladness and rejoicing shall
they be brought : * they shall enter
into the King s palace.

Instead of thy fathers shall be
thy children : * thou shalt make
them princes over all the earth.

They shall be mindful of thy
name, * unto all generations.

Therefore shall the people praise
thee for ever, * yea, for ever and
ever.

Antiphon. 3 Mine heart is over
flowing with a good matter.
Fourth Antiphon. Our help.

Psalm XLV.

[This Psalm has a superscription of un
certain meaning, but of which part seems
to imply that it was to be sung by treble
voices, from the choir of the Korahite
family. And the Targum ascribes it, but
apparently by a mere guess, to the time when
Korah and his fellow-rebels were destroyed
by an earthquake in the wilderness, but
"the children of Korah died not" (Num.
xxvi. 10, n).]

GOD is our refuge and strength,
* our help in trouble, which
is come upon us exceedingly.

Therefore will we not fear, though
the earth be removed, * and though
the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea ;

Though the waters thereof roar

1 So are these words translated in Heb. i. 8, 9.

2 The word "God" is not in the Hebrew, and the original meaning, addressed to the
bride, is, "He is thy lord, and bow thou to him." So also St Jerome.

3 Ps. xliv. 2.

VOL. I. D

9 8

THE PSALTER.

and be troubled ; * though the
mountains shake with the swelling
thereof. 1

[There is] a river, the streams
whereof make glad the city of God :
* the Most High hath hallowed His
Tabernacle.

God is in the midst of her, she
shall not be moved : * God shall
help her right early.

The heathen raged, and the king
doms were moved : * He uttered
His voice, the earth melted.

The LORD of hosts is with us : *
the God of Jacob is our refuge. 1

Come and behold the works of
the LORD, what wonders He hath
wrought in the earth ; * He maketh
wars to cease unto the end of the
earth.

He breaketh the bow and cut-
teth the weapons in sunder : * and
burneth the shields in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am
God : * I will be exalted among
the heathen, and I will be exalted
in the earth.

The LORD of hosts is with us : *
the God of Jacob is our refuge. 1

Psalm XLVI.

[Intituled " A Psalm of the sons of
Korah," with another (now uncertain) direc
tion.]

CLAP your hands, all ye
people : * shout unto God
with the voice of triumph.

For the LORD Most High is ter
rible : * He is a great King over all
the earth.

He hath subdued the people
under us, * and the nations under
cur feet.

He hath chosen His own inheri-

1 SLH.

tance for us, * the excellency of
Jacob, whom He loved. 1

God is gone up with a shout, *
and the LORD with the sound of a
trumpet.

Sing praises to our God, sing
praises : * sing praises unto our
King, sing praises.

For God is the King of all the
earth : * sing ye praises with under
standing.

God reigneth over the heathen :

* God sitteth upon the throne of
His holiness.

The princes of the people are
gathered together with the God of
Abraham : * for the mighty ones
of the earth are greatly exalted.

Antiphon. 2 Our help in trouble.

Fifth Antiphon. Great is the

LORD.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins ivith the ivords, " And greatly to
be praised."

Psalm XLVII.

[Intituled "A Song. A Psalm of the
sons of Korah." The Vulgate and the
LXX. assign it to the second day of the
week.]

GREAT is the LORD, and greatly
to be praised * in the city of
our God, in the mountain of His
holiness.

Beautiful for situation, the joy of
the whole earth, is mount Zion, *
on the sides of the north, the citj
of the great King.

God is known in her palaces *
for a refuge.

For, lo, the kings were assembled :

* they passed by together.

They saw, and so they marvelled;

2 Ps. xlv. 2.

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

they were troubled, they hasted
away : * fear took hold upon them

There, pain, as of a woman in
travail. Thou shalt break the
ships of Tarshish l with a mighty
wind.

As we have heard, so have we
seen in the city of the LORD of
hosts, in the city of our God : *
God hath established her for ever. 2

We have received Thy loving-
kindness, O God, * in the midst
of Thy temple.

According to Thy Name, O God,
so is Thy praise unto the ends of
the earth : * Thy right hand is full
of righteousness.

Let mount Zion rejoice, and let
the daughters of Judah be glad, *
because of Thy judgments, O Lord.

Walk about Zion, and go round
about her : * tell the towers thereof.

Mark ye well her bulwarks : *

I and consider her palaces ; that
ye may tell it to the generation
following.
For this God is our God for ever
and ever : * He shall be our guide
for ever.

Psalm XLVI II.

[This Psalm has the same title as Ps.
xlvi.]

IT EAR this, all ye people: *
** -*- give ear, all ye inhabitants
of the world ;

Both low and high : * rich and
poor together.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom :
* and the meditation of my heart
shall be of understanding.

I will incline mine ear to a par
able : * I will open my saying
upon the harp.

1 A very flourishing colony and emporium

Wherefore should I fear in the
day of evil ? * The iniquity of them
that dog mine heels shall compass
me about,

They that trust in their own
strength, * and boast themselves
in the multitude of their riches.

Can a man redeem, redeem his
brother ? * He cannot give to God
a ransom for himself

Nor yet a redemption for his own
soul, * if he should work for ever,
and live even unto the end.

Nay, though he should not see
destruction, when he beholdeth
wise men die * likewise the
fool and the brutish person perish,

And leave their wealth to others :
* and their grave shall be their
house for ever

Even their dwelling-place to all

generations :

they called their

lands after their own names.

For man, having been created
in honour, hath had no understand
ing : * he hath made himself like
unto the beasts that understand
not, and is become like unto
them.

This their way is a stumbling-
block for themselves : * yet their
posterity will approve their sayings. 2

Like sheep they are laid in the
grave : * death will pasture them.

And the upright shall have do
minion over them in the morning :
* and the beauty of their strength
shall waste away in the grave.

But God will redeem my soul
from the power of the grave, *
when He shall receive me. 2

Be not thou afraid when one is
made rich, * and when the glory
of his house is increased.

For when he dieth he shall carry
of the Phoenicians in Spain. 2 SLH.

100

THE PSALTER.

nothing away, * his glory shall not
descend with him.

Though while he lived he blessed
his soul ; * and praised thee when
thou didst well to him.

He shall go to the generation of
his fathers : * and shall never see
light.

Man, having been created in
honour, hath had no understand
ing : * he hath made himself like
unto the beasts that understand
not, and is become like unto them.

Antiphon. l Great is the LORD,
and greatly to be praised.

Sixth Antiphon. The God of
gods.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, "Even the
LORD."

Psalm XLIX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph." This
Asaph was a Levite, chief of the singers
appointed by David. I Par. (Chron.) xvi.
4. "And he (David) appointed certain of
the Levites to minister before the Ark of
the LORD, and to record, and to thank
and praise the LORD God of Israel. Asaph
the chief, and next to him Zachariah, Jeiel,
Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah,
and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom ;
and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps ;
but Asaph made a sound with cymbals."]

THE God of gods, even the
LORD, hath spoken, * and
called the earth,

From the rising of the sun unto
the going down thereof. * Out of
Zion, the Perfection of beauty,

God shall come manifestly, *
even our God, and shall not keep
silence.

A fire shall devour before Him :
* and it shall be very tempestuous
round about Him.

1 Ps. xlvii. 2.

He shall call to the heavens from
above, * and to the earth, that
He may judge His people.

Gather His saints together unto
Him, * those that have made a
covenant with Him by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare
His righteousness : * for God is
Judge Himself. 2

Hear, O My people, and I will
speak ; O Israel, and I will testify
against thee ; * I am God, even
thy God.

I will not reprove thee for thy
sacrifices : * for thy burnt -offerings
are continually before Me.

I will take no bullock out of thine
house, * nor he -goats out of thy
folds.

For every beast of the forest is
Mine, * the cattle and the bulls
upon the mountains.

I know all the birds of the sky :

* and the beauty of the field is
Mine.

If I were hungry, I would not
tell thee : * for the earth is Mine,
and the fulness thereof.

Will I eat the flesh of bulls, *
or drink the blood of goats ?

Offer unto God the sacrifice of
praise : * and pay thy vows unto the
Most High :

And call upon Me in the day of
trouble : * I will deliver thee, and
thou shalt glorify Me.

But unto the wicked, God saith :

* What hast thou to do to declare
My statutes, that thou shouldest take
My covenant in thy mouth ?

Seeing thou hatest instruction, *
and easiest My words behind thee ?

When thou sawest a thief then
thou tookest pleasure in him : * and
hast been partaker with adulterers.
3 SLH.

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

101

Thy mouth aboundeth with evil :

* and thy tongue frameth deceit.
Thou satest and spakest against

thy brother, and slanderedst thine
own mother s son : * these things
hast thou done, and I kept silence.

Thou thoughtest wickedly that I
was such an one as thyself: * I will
reprove thee, and set them in order
before thine eyes.

Consider ye this, ye that forget
God : * lest He tear you in pieces,
and there be none to deliver.

The sacrifice of praise shall honour
Me : * and there is the path where
in I will show unto him the salvation
of God.

Psalm LI.

[After another uncertain superscription,
the title of this Psalm proceeds: "[A
Psalm] of David, when Doeg the Edomite
came and told Saul, and said unto him :
David is come to the house of Ahimelech."
The circumstances may be read in i Kings
(Sam.) xxii. (Saturday, fourth week after
Pentecost). After Doeg told Saul, the
latter sent for Ahimelech and the other
Priests, and ordered them to execution.
" But the servants of the king would not
put forth their hand to fall upon the Priests
of the LORD. And the king said to Doeg :
Turn thou, and fall upon the Priests. And
Doeg the Edomite turned and fell upon the
Priests, and slew on that day four-score and
five persons that did wear a linen ephod."
The inhabitants of the Priestly city of Nob
were also brutally massacred. One of the
sons of Ahimelech escaped and told David.]

WHY boastest thou thyself in
mischief, * O thou that art
mighty in iniquity?

Thy tongue deviseth unrighteous
ness all the day long : * like a sharp
razor hast thou wrought treachery.
Thou lovest evil more than good ;

* iniquity rather than to speak of
uprightness. 1

Thou lovest all deadly words, *
O thou deceitful tongue !

Therefore God shall destroy thee
for ever : * He shall take thee away,
and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-
place, and root thee out of the land
of the living. 1

The righteous shall see it, and
fear, and shall laugh at him, and
say : * Lo, this is the man that
made not God his strength ;

But trusted in the abundance of
his riches : * and hardened himself
in his wickedness.

But I am like a fruitful olive-
tree in the house of God, * I trust
in the mercy of God for ever and
ever.

I will praise Thee for ever, be
cause Thou hast done it : * and I
will wait on Thy name, for it is
good before Thy saints.

Antiphon. 2 The God of gods,
even the LORD, hath spoken.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. Send forth the Lamb, O
Lord, the ruler of the land.

Answer. From the " Rock " of
the wilderness unto the mount of
the daughter of Zion.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 3 Offer unto God the sac
rifice of praise.

Answer. And pay thy vows un
to the Most High.

In Lent.

Verse. He shall cover thee with
His wings.

1 SLH.

2 Ps. xlix. I.

3 Ps. xlix. 14.

102

THE PSALTER.

Answer. And under His feath
ers shalt thou trust.

In Passion time.

Verse. O Lord, save me from
the lion s mouth.

Ansiver. And mine affliction
from the horns of the unicorns.

/;/ Paschal time.

Verse. The Lord is risen in
deed, Alleluia.

Answer. And hath appeared un
to Simon, Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the Second
Nocturn on the preceding Sunday, only
the Lessons, and sometimes the Respon-
sories, are those of the day.

Simple Feasts. It is to be remembered
that when a Simple Feast is kept on
Tuesday, the Invitatory and Hyvm are
of the Feast, being takeji from the Com
mon of Saints of the class, unless speci
ally given.

Then the Psalms and Antiphons of
the Week-day, as given above. Then is
said a Verse and Answer as follows :

I 71 the Simple Office for one or ma?iy
Martyrs in Paschal time.

Verse. The everlasting light
shall shine upon Thy Saints, O
Lord. Alleluia.

Answer. Even unto everlasting.
Alleluia.

/;/ the Simple Office for one Martyr
(put of Paschal time}.

Verse. * Thou hast set a crown,
O Lord, of precious stones.
Answer. Upon his head.

In the Simple Office for many Martyrs
(put of Paschal time].

Verse. 2 Let the
joice before God.

1 Ps. xx. 4.
4 Ps. xxxvi. 30.

righteous re

Answer. Yea, let them exceed
ingly rejoice.

In the Simple Office for a Bishop and
Confessor.

Verse. 3 The Lord chose him for
a priest unto Himself.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Answer. To offer up unto Him
the sacrifice of praise.

[7;z Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

In the Simple Office for a Confessor
not a Bishop.

Verse. 4 The mouth of the right
eous shall speak wisdom.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Answer. And his tongue talk of
judgment.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
For one Holy Woman, of whatever kind.

Verse. 5 God shall give her the
help of His countenance.

\In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Ansiver. God is in the midst of
her, she shall not be moved.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

The others, as well as what follows,
to the end of the Service, are taken from
the Second Nocturn of the Office common
to Saints of the class, unless something
special be appointed. The Lessons are
arranged according to the rules in Chap
ter xxvi. 4 of the general Rubrics.
The Hymn, " We praise Thee, O God,"
is said at the end, instead of a Third
Responsory. The Responsories are ar
ranged according to the rules i?i Chapter
xxvii. 4 of the general Rubrics. Thus ;

The Lords Prayer is said :

OUR Father (inaudibly), Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy

3 Cf. Ecclus. xlv. 1 6, 27.

Ps. Ixvii. 4.

Ps. xlv. 6 (Alexandrian version).

TUESDAY AT MATTINS.

103

will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.}

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Then this Absolution :

\l\ AY His loving kindness and

^ * mercy help us, Who liveth

and reigneth with the Father, and

the Holy Ghost, world without end.

Answer. Amen.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be from
Scripture.

God the Father the Almighty
Show on us His grace and mercy.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be of an
Homily.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His Word.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing on a Simple Feast.

May His blessing be upon us,
Who doth live and reign for ever.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the First Lesson from
Scripture or from the Homily, or, on a
Simple Feast, either the First from
Scripture, or, if the Saint or Saints
have two Lessons, the whole three Scrip
ture Lessons read together as one.

Then the First Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the First Responsory of
the Second Nocturn of the preceding

Sunday. On a Simple Feast, it is the
first Responsory in the Common Office
for the class to which the Saint belongs.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May Christ to all His people give
For ever in His sight to live.
Answer. Amen.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be from
an Homily.

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Second Blessing, for a Simple Feast.

He (or She or They) whose feast-day

we are keeping
Plead for us before the Lord.
Answer. Amen.

77^7? is read the Second Lesson, either
from the Scripture or from an Homily,
or, on a Simple Feast, either the Second
and Third Lessons from Scripture read
together as one, or, if the Saint or Saints
have two Lessons, the first of these.

Then the Second Responsory, unless
otlierwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the Second Responsory
of the preceding Sunday, but in Paschal
time there is added to it :

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

And the Answer of the Responsory is
repeated again.

On a Simple Feast the Second Re
sponsory i?i the Common Office for the
class to which the Saint belongs, with the
addition of " Glory be to the Father,"
&*c., and the repetition of the Answer.

IO4

THE PSALTER.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Third Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May the Spirit s fire divine
In our inmost being shine.
Answer. Amen.

Third Blessing, for a Simple Feast, or
if the Lesson be from an Homily.

May He that is the Angels King
To that high realm His people bring.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Third Lesson either
from Scripture, or of the Homily, or,
on Simple Feasts, the Second or only
Lesson of the Saint.

Then, on Simple Feasts and on any
day in Paschal time save Rogation
Monday is said the Hymn, " We praise
Thee, O God." But on week-days kept
as such out of Paschal time the Third
Responsory of the preceding Sunday.

105

THE THIRD DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. O Lord.

Psalm L.
Have mercy upon me, &c. (/.

8 7 ).

Antiphon. O Lord, blot out my
transgressions.

Second Antiphon. The health.

Psalm XLII.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. ascribe this
Psalm "to "David."]

JUDGE me, O God, and plead
my cause against an ungodly
nation : * O deliver me from the
unjust and deceitful man.

For Thou, O God, art my strength :
* why dost Thou cast me off? and
why go I mourning, because of the
oppression of the enemy ?

O send out Thy light and Thy
truth : * let them lead me and bring
me unto Thine holy hill, and unto
Thy tabernacles !

Then will I go unto the Altar
of God, * unto God, the Gladdener
of my youth !

VOL. i.

Upon the harp will I praise
Thee, O God, my God ! * why art
thou cast down, O my soul? and
why dost thou disquiet me ?

Hope thou in God : for I will still
praise Him, * Who is the health of
my countenance, and my God.

Antiphon. The health of my
countenance, and my God.
Third Antiphon. Early.

Psalms LXII., LXVI.

O God, Thou art my God, &c.

(/ 23).

Antiphon. Early will I seek Thee,
O God.

Fourth Antiphon. Save us.

THE SONG OF HEZEKIAH, KING OF
JUDAH. (Isa. xxxviii. 10.)

[Intituled "The writing of Hezekiah,
King of Judah, when he had been sick, and
was recovered of his sickness." The his
tory will be found in 4 (2) Kings xx. (nth
Sunday after Pentecost).]

T SAID, In the midst of my days,
-* * I shall go to the gates of the
grave :

I looked for the rest of my
years. * I said, I shall not see the
D 2

io6

THE PSALTER.

LORD my God l in the land of the
living :

I shall behold man no more, *
with the dwellers in the land of
rest.

Mine age is departed, and is
rolled up from me, * as a shepherd s
tent :

My life is cut off as by a weaver :
my web was scarce begun when He
cut me off: * from day even to
night wilt Thou make an end of
me.

I thought I might live till morn
ing : * as a lion, so doth He break
all my bones :

From day even to night wilt Thou
make an end of me. Like a

swallow s fledgling so did I twitter,
I did coo as a dove :

Mine eyes fail, * with looking
upward.

LORD, I am seized, undertake
for me. * What shall I say, or what
will He answer me, seeing that He
Himself hath done it?

1 will call to remembrance before
Thee all my years * in the bitter
ness of my soul.

O Lord, if by these things men
live, and in such things is the life
of my spirit, so mayest Thou chasten
me, and make me to live. ; Be
hold, mine anguish is [turned] into
peace :

But Thou hast delivered my soul
from destruction : * Thou hast cast
all my sins behind Thy back.

For the grave cannot praise Thee,
death cannot celebrate Thee : * they
that go down into the pit cannot
hope for Thy truth.

The living, the living, he shall

praise Thee, as I do this day : *
the father to the children shall make
known Thy truth.

O LORD, save me : * and we will
sing our songs all the days of our
life in the house of the LORD.

Antiphon. Save us all the days of
our life, O Lord.

Fifth Antiphon. Praise ye the
LORD.

Psalms CXLVIII., CXLIX., CL.

Praise ye the LORD from the
heavens, &c. (pp. 25, 26).

Antiphon. Praise ye the LORD
from the heavens, all His Angels.

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

The night is far spent, &c. (as on
Monday, p. 89).

HYMN. 2

DAY S herald bird
At length is heard,
Telling its morning torch is lit,
And small and still
Christ s accents thrill
Within the heart, rekindling it.

Away, He cries,

With languid eyes,
And sickly slumbers profitless !

I am at hand,

As watchers stand,
In awe, and truth, and holiness.

He will appear,

The hearts to cheer
Of suppliants pale and abstinent ;

Who cannot sleep

Because they weep
With holy grief and violent.

1 " My God " is not in the Hebrew, but the Divine Name is repeated.
- Author of original, Aurelius Prudentius Clemens: b. 348 A.D., d. after 405 A.D.
Translation by the late Card. Newman.

TUESDAY AT LAUDS.

107

Keep us awake,

The fetters break,
JESU ! which night has forged for us ;

Yea, melt the night

To sinless light,
Till all is bright and glorious.

To Father, Son,

And Spirit, one,
To the Most Holy Trinity,

All praise be given

In earth and heaven,
Now, as of old, and endlessly. Amen.

Verse. 1 Thou hast satisfied us
early with Thy mercy.

Answer. We rejoice and are glad.

Antiphonfor the SongofZacharias.
The Lord hath raised up * an horn
of salvation for us, in the house of
His servant David.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other general Commemorations, and
Long Preces in Advent and Lent, and
on Fast-days, as on Monday.

Ps. Ixxxix. 14.

loS

8ftebtu0baj! at Jftattin*.

THE FOURTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday except as otherwise
given here.

Invitatory. In Thy hand, O
Lord, * are the inmost depths of
the earth.

HYMN. 1

WHO madest all and dost control,
Lord, with Thy touch divine,
Cast out the slumbers of the soul,
The rest that is not Thine.

Look down, Eternal Holiness,

And wash the sins away
Of those, who, rising to confess,

Outstrip the lingering day.

Our hearts and hands by night, O Lord,

We lift them in our need ;
As holy Psalmists give the word,

And holy Paul the deed.

Each sin to Thee of years gone by,
Each hidden stain lies bare ;

We shrink not from Thine awful eye,
But pray that Thou wouldst spare.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To Whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place. Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.
Antiphon. God bringeth back.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon
is said to the whole Nocturn. Alleluia.

Psalm LI I.

[Intituled "of David," with a further
superscription, perhaps musical, but of a
(now) uncertain meaning. The Targum
gives it the additional superscription, "to
render praise, for the reward of the impious
who blasphemed the Name of the Lord."
It is a repetition of Ps. xiii.]

THE fool hath said in his heart :
* There is no God.

Corrupt are they and have done
abominable iniquity : there is
none that doeth good.

God looketh down from heaven
upon the children of men, * to see
if there be any that will understand,
or that will seek God.

Every one of them is gone back,
they are altogether become unprofit
able : * there is none that doeth
good, no, not one.

Have the workers of iniquity no
knowledge, * who eat up my people
as they eat bread ?

They have not called upon God :
* there were they in great fear,
where no fear was.

For God hath scattered the bones
of them that work that which is
pleasing in the sight of men : *
they are put to shame, because God
hath despised them.

O that the salvation of Israel

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school. Translation by the late Card. Newman.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

I0 9

were come out of Zion ! * when
God bringeth back the captivity of
His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and
Israel shall be glad.

Psalm LIV.

[This Psalm has a superscription of which
nothing can now be certainly interpreted,
except the ascription of authorship " To
David."]

IVE ear to my prayer, O God,
and despise not my suppli
cation : * attend unto me and hear
me.

I mourn in my exercise ; * and
am troubled, because of the voice
of the enemy, and because of the
oppression of the wicked.

For they cast iniquity upon me :

* and in wrath they hate me.
My heart is sore pained within

me : * and the terrors of death are
fallen upon me.

Fearfulness and trembling are
come upon me : * and darkness
hath overwhelmed me.

And I said : O that I had wings
like a dove, * for then would I fly
away and be at rest !

Lo, then would I wander far off,

* and remain in the wilderness. 1

I waited for Him Who hath de
livered me * from distress of spirit
and from tempest.

Destroy, O Lord ! divide their
tongues : * for I have seen iniquity
and strife in the city.

Day and night iniquity goeth
round about upon her walls : *
trouble also and unrighteousness are
in the midst of her.

Usury and guile * depart not
from her streets.

For if mine enemy had reproached
me, * then I could have borne it.

If he also that hated me had
magnified himself against me, *
then haply I would have hidden
myself from him.

But it was thou, a man like-
minded, * my guide and mine ac
quaintance :

We took pleasant meats together :

* we walked unto the house of God
in company.

Let death come upon them : *
and let them go down quick into
hell;

For wickedness is in their dwell
ings, * among them.

But as for me I have called upon
God : * and the LORD shall save
me.

Evening, and morning, and at
noon will I complain and cry aloud,

* and He shall hear my voice.

He shall deliver my soul in
peace from them that draw nigh
against me : * for there were many
against me.

God shall hear and afflict them,

* even He That abideth of old. 1
Because they have no changes,

therefore they fear not God. * He
hath stretched forth His hand to
requite them.

They have broken His covenant :
the anger of His countenance hath
put them to flight, * and His wrath
pursueth them.

His words were softer than oil,

* yet were they drawn swords.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD,

and He shall sustain thee : * He
shall never suffer the righteous to
be moved.

But Thou, O God, shalt bring
them down * into the pit of destruc
tion.

Bloody and deceitful men shall

1 SLH.

THE PSALTER.

not live out half their days : * but
I will trust in Thee, O Lord.

Antiphon. l God bringeth back
the captivity of His people.
Second Antiphon. For my soul.

Psalm LV.

[This Psalm has a long and very obscure
superscription. From part of this it seems
that it was written to be sung to a tune
called "The dumb dove among foreigners."
The authorship is ascribed "To David,
when the Philistines took him in Gath."
This may either be the occasion described
in the note on Ps. xxxiii. (p. 78), or that
narrated thus in I Kings (Sam.) xxvii.
" And David said in his heart : I shall now
perish one day by the hand of Saul ; there
is nothing better for me than that I should
speedily escape into the land of the Philis
tines ; and Saul shall despair of me, to
seek me any more in any coast of Israel ;
so shall I escape out of his hand. And
David arose, and he passed over, with the
six hundred men that were with him, unto
Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
. . . And it was told Saul that David was
fled to Gath, and he sought no more again
for him."]

IT) E- merciful unto me, O God, for
*- man treadeth me down : * he
fighteth all the day long, and op-
presseth me.

Mine enemies tread me down all
the day long : * for they be many
that fight against me.

The height of the morning makes
me afraid, r but I will trust in
Thee.

In God I will praise His word,
in God I have put my trust : * I
will not fear what flesh can do unto
me.

All the day long- they wrest my
words : * all their thoughts are
against me for evil.

They gather themselves together

and hide themselves : * they mark
my steps.

When they wait for my soul,
for nothing shalt Thou deliver
them : * in Thine anger Thou
shalt cast down the people.

God, I have declared my life
unto Thee, * Thou hast put my
tears in Thy sight,

Even as Thou hast promised. *
Then shall mine enemies turn back,

In whatsoever day I cry unto
Thee : * behold, I know that Thou
art my God.

In God will I praise His word,
in the LORD will I praise His
word : * in God have I put my
trust, I will not be afraid what
man can do unto me.

Thy vows are upon me, O God,
* I will pay them, even praises
unto Thee.

For Thou hast delivered my
soul from death, and my feet from
falling ; * that I may walk before
God in the light of the living.

Psalm LVI.

[Another long title of uncertain meaning.
The Psalm seems to have been written for
a tune called "Destroy not," "by David,
when he fled from Saul in the cave" I
Kings (Sam.) xxii. I "David therefore
departed thence" (viz. from Gath) "and
escaped to the cave Adullam." See the
note on Ps. xxxiii., p. 78.]

T3E merciful unto me, O God,
-*- be merciful unto me : * for
my soul trusteth in Thee.

Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings
will I make my refuge, * until this
iniquity be overpast.

1 will cry unto God Most High :
* unto God, That performeth all
things for me.

1 Ps. lii. 7.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

Ill

He hath sent from heaven, and
saved me : * He hath given for a
reproach them that trod me down. 1

God hath sent forth His mercy
and His truth ; * and delivered my
soul from among the lions whelps ;
I was troubled in my sleep.

As for the sons of men, their
teeth are spears and arrows, * and
their tongue a sharp sword.

Be Thou exalted, O God, above
the heavens : * and let Thy glory
be over all the earth.

They prepared a net for my
steps ; * and bowed down my soul.

They digged a pit before me : *
into the midst whereof they are
fallen themselves. 1

Mine heart is ready, O God,
mine heart is ready : * I will sing,
and give praise.

Awake up, my glory ; awake,
psaltery and harp : * I will awake
early.

I will praise Thee, O Lord, among
the people ; * and sing unto Thee
among the nations.

For Thy mercy is great unto the
heavens, * and Thy truth unto the
clouds.

Be Thou exalted, O God, above
the heavens : * and let Thy glory
be above all the earth.

Antiphon. 2 For my soul trusteth
in Thee.

Third Antiphon. Judge uprightly.

Psalm LVII.

[This Psalm has the same title as the last,
except the historical reference.]

F ye indeed speak righteousness,
* judge uprightly, O ye sons of
men.

1 SLH.

Yea, in heart ye work wickedness :
* your hands weigh out violence in
the earth.

The wicked are estranged from
the womb, they go astray from the
belly, * speaking lies.

Their poison is like the poison of
a serpent : * they are like the deaf
adder, that stoppeth her ears ;

That will not hearken to the
voice of charmers, * nor of the
sorcerer charming never so wisely.

God shall break their teeth in
their mouth : * the LORD shall
break off the great teeth of the
lions.

They shall melt away as waters
which run down : * He bendeth
His bow until they be shattered.

They shall melt away like melting
wax : * fire taketh hold upon them
and they see not the sun.

As thorns that are plucked up
before ever they be grown into a
bush : * so even in their greenness,
shall He root them up in His
anger.

The righteous shall rejoice when
he seeth the vengeance : * he shall
wash his hands in the blood of the
wicked.

And man shall say : Verily, there
is a reward for the righteous,
verily there is a God That judgeth
the earth.

Psalm LVII1.

[This Psalm has the same title as the two
last, with the addition : " when Saul sent,
and they watched the house, to kill him."
The occasion is thus described in I Kings
(Sam.) xix. 1 1. " Saul also sent messengers
unto David s house, to watch him, to slay
him in the morning ; and Michal, David s
wife, told him, saying : If thou save not thy

2 Ps. Ivi. 2.

112

THE PSALTER.

life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain.
So Michal let David down through a
window, and he went, and fled, and
escaped."]

F^VELIVER me from mine ene-
*-^ mies, O my God : * and

defend me from them that rise up
against me.

Deliver me from the workers of and hunger like dogs:
iniquity : * and save me from bloody round about the city&lt;
men.

And at the end they shall be
spoken of for cursing and lying :
* and in the wrath at the end they
shall perish.

And they shall know that God
ruleth in Jacob, * and unto the
ends of the earth. 1

They shall return at

evening,
and go

For, lo, they lie in wait for my
life : * the mighty have fallen upon
me.

Not for my transgression, not for
my sin, O LORD ; * I ran and
ordered myself without fault.

Awake to meet me, and behold :

* O Thou, the LORD God of hosts,
the God of Israel !

Awake to visit all the heathen :

* be not merciful to any wicked
transgressors. 1

They come at evening and hunger
like dogs ; * and go round about
the city.

Behold, they yelp with their
mouth, and a sword is in their lips :

* for who, say they, doth hear ?
But Thou, O LORD, shalt laugh

at them : * Thou shalt bring all
the heathen to nought.

O my strength, I will wait upon
Thee, for Thou, O God, art my
defence : * the mercy of my God
shall receive me.

God shall let me see all my
desire upon mine enemies : slay
them not; * lest my people forget.

Scatter them by Thy power : *
and bring them down, O Lord our
shield !

For the sin of their mouth, and
the words of their lips : * let them
even be taken in their pride ;

1 SLH.

They shall wander up and down
for meat ; * and grudge if they be
not satisfied.

But I will sing of Thy power :

* yea, I will sing aloud of Thy
mercy in the morning.

For Thou hast been my defence,

* and refuge in the day of my
trouble.

Unto Thee, O my strength, will
I sing, for God is my defence, *
the God of my mercy.

Antiphon. 2 Judge uprightly, O
ye sons of men.

Fourth Antiphon. Give us.

Psalm LIX.

[This Psalm has a superscription, prob
ably musical, but the meaning of which is
now uncertain. It then proceeds : " Of
David, when he strove with Mesopotamia,
and with Western Syria, when Joab re
turned and smote of Edom in the valley
of Salt " (viz. the Jordan valley near the
Dead Sea) "twelve thousand." The oc
casion was some very successful wars which
David carried on against several neighbour
ing kings, and which are described in 2
Kings (Sam.) viii. and I Par. (Chron.)
xviii. The Psalm seems to have been
written under some temporary reverses
during the campaign.]

GOD, Thou hast cast us off,
and scattered us : * Thou
hast been displeased, and hast had
mercy upon us.

a Ps. Ivii. 2.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

Thou hast made the earth to
tremble, and hast broken it : *
heal the breaches thereof, for it
shaketh.

Thou hast showed Thy people
hard things : * Thou hast made
us to drink the wine of astonish
ment.

Thou hast given a warning to
them that fear Thee, * that they
may fly from before the bow. 1

That Thy beloved may be deliv
ered : * save with Thy right hand,
and hear me.

God hath spoken in His holi
ness : * I will rejoice and divide
Shechem, and mete out the valley
of booths. 2

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh
is mine : * Ephraim also is the
strength of mine head. 3

Judah is my King : * Moab is
the vessel [of the triumph] of mine
hope. 4

Over Edom will I cast out my
shoe : * over the " Strangers " 5
have I triumphed.

Who will bring me into the
strong city? * who will lead me
into Edom ?

Wilt not Thou, O God, Who
hast cast us off? * and wilt not
Thou go out with our armies, O
God?

Give us help from trouble :
for vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do vali
antly : * for He it is That shall
tread down our enemies.

Psalm LX.

[Intituled "of David. : It has also a
musical (?) superscription now of uncertain
meaning.]

HEAR my cry, O God : * attend
unto my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I
cried unto Thee : * when mine
heart was overwhelmed, Thou didst
lift me up upon a rock.

Thou didst lead me, for Thou
hast been a shelter for me, * a
strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Thy tabernacle
for ever : * I will make my
refuge in the covert of Thy
wings. 1

For Thou, O God, hast heard
my vows : * Thou hast given the
heritage to those that fear Thy
name.

Thou wilt prolong the King s
life : * and his years to many
generations.

He shall abide before God for
ever : * who will seek for His
mercy and truth ?

So will I sing praise unto Thy
name for ever : * that I may daily
perform my vows.

Antiphon. 6 Give us help from
trouble, O Lord.

Fifth Antiphon. Doth not my
soul.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
commences with the words " Wait upon
God."

1 SLH.

2 Shechem, now Nablus, in the valley between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, called the
" valley of booths " from those which Jacob erected there for his cattle. Gen. xxxiii. 17.

3 These three form the central district of the Land of Promise.

4 The Hebrew is" Moab is my wash-pot," that is, a receptacle for off-scounngs.
comparison is with the Divinely appointed sovereignty of Judah, respecting whom see
Gen. xlix. 10.

5 That is, the Philistines. 6 Ps. lix. 13.

114

THE PSALTER.

Psalm LXI.

[This Psalm has exactly the same super
scription as Ps. xxxviii.]

not my soul wait upon
God ? * for from Him com-
eth my salvation.

He only is my God and my
salvation : * He is my defence, I
shall not be greatly moved.

How long will ye run together
against a man ? " Do ye slay, all
of you [one that is] as a bowing
wall and as a tottering fence ?

Truly they imagined to cast me
down from mine honour, when I
ran in my thirst : * they blessed
with their mouth and cursed in
their heart. 1

But wait thou on God, O my
soul : l for mine expectation is
from Him.

For He only is my God and my
salvation : * He is mine helper, I
shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my
glory : * He is the God of my
strength, and my refuge is in God.

Trust in Him, ye congregation
of the people, pour out your heart
before him : * God is our help for
ever. 1

Surely the sons of men are vanity,
the sons of men are a lie in the
balance : * they are a deceit, alto
gether lighter than vanity.

Trust not in iniquity, and desire
not robbery : * if riches increase,
set not your heart upon them.

God hath spoken once, these two
things have I heard ; that power be-
longeth unto God : also unto Thee, O
Lord, belongeth mercy : * for Thou
shalt render to every man according
to his works.

Psalm LXIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David " with a
farther superscription of meaning now
uncertain.]

TT EAR my voice, O God, in my
* -^ prayer : * preserve my life
from fear of the enemy.

Thou hast hidden me from the
secret counsel of the wicked, * from
the insurrection of the workers of
iniquity.

For they whet their tongue like
a sword : * they bend their
bow, even bitter words, that they
may shoot in secret at the per
fect.

Suddenly do they shoot at him
and fear not : * they encourage
themselves in evil purpose.

They commune of laying snares
privily : * they say : Who shall see
them ?

They search out iniquities : *
they accomplish a diligent search.

Man shall attain to thoughts that
are very deep : * but God shall
[still] be exalted.

The arrows of babes have pierced
them : * and their tongues are
weakened against them.

All that saw them were moved :

* and all men feared,

And declared the work of
God, * and understood His
doings.

The righteous shall be glad in
the LORD, and shall trust in Him :

* and all the upright in heart shall
glory.

Antiphon. 2 Doth not my soul
wait upon God ?

Sixth Antiphon. O bless our
God.

1 SLH.

2 Ps. Ixi. 2.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm LXV.

[Except the words " Psalm or Song" the
title of this Psalm is not now certainly
understood. The Vulgate and the LXX.
add "for the uprising."]

TV /T AKE a joyful noise unto God,
f ** all ye lands, sing forth the
honour of His name : * make His
praise glorious.

Say unto God : How terrible art
Thou in Thy works, O Lord! *
through the greatness of Thy power
shall Thine enemies feign to submit
themselves unto Thee.

Let all the earth worship Thee,
and sing unto Thee : j let them
sing praises to Thy Name. 1

Come and see the works of God ;

* He is terrible in His counsels
toward the children of men.

He turned the sea into dry land,
they went through the flood on foot :

* there did we rejoice in Him.

He ruleth by His power for ever,
His eyes behold the nations : * let
not the rebellious exalt themselves. 1

bless our God, ye people : *
and make the voice of His praise to
be heard.

Who holdeth my soul in life :

* and suffereth not my feet to be
moved.

For Thou, O God, hast proved
us : * Thou hast tried us with fire,
as silver is tried.

Thou broughtest us into the net,
Thou laidst affliction upon our
back : * Thou hast caused men to
ride over our heads.

We went through fire and through
water : * and Thou broughtest us
out into a place of refreshment.

1 will go into Thine house with

1 SLH.

2 "The LORD" is here, as elsewhere, substituted out of profound reverence for the real
name of God, the Unspeakable Word, called the " Tetragrammaton," from its four letters.

burnt-offerings : * I will pay Thee
my vows, which my lips have uttered,

And my mouth hath spoken, *
when I was in trouble.

I will offer unto Thee burnt-
sacrifices of fatlings, with the in
cense of rams : * I will offer unto
Thee bullocks with goats. 1

Come, hear, all ye that fear God,
and I will declare * what He hath
done for my soul.

I cried unto Him with my mouth,

* and extolled Him with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in mine heart,

* the Lord will not hear me.
Therefore God hath heard me,

* and attended to the voice of my
prayer.

Blessed be God, * Who hath not
turned away my prayer, nor His
mercy from me.

Psalm LXVII.

[The meaning of the title of this Psalm,
except the ascription of authorship " To
David," is now uncertain.]

LET God arise, and let His
enemies be scattered : * let
them also that hate Him flee before
Him.

As smoke is driven away, so let
them be driven away: : " as wax
melteth before the fire, so let the
wicked perish at the presence of
God.

But let the righteous be glad, and
rejoice before God : * yea, let them
exceedingly rejoice.

Sing unto God, sing praises to
His name : * spread a path before
Him That rideth upon the heavens :
The LORD 2 is His name.

THE PSALTER.

Rejoice before Him : * fear shall
go before the face of Him That is
the Father of the fatherless, and the
Jucjge of the widows :

Even God in His holy habitation :

* God, That maketh men to be of
one mind in an house.

He bringeth out those which are
bound with chains, * but they that
provoke Him dwell among the
graves.

O God, when Thou wentest
forth before Thy people, * when
Thou didst march through the
wilderness l

The earth shook ; the heavens
also dropped at the presence of the
God of Sinai, * at the presence of
the God of Israel.

Thou, O God, didst send a plen
tiful rain 2 upon Thine inheritance :

Thou didst refresh Thine inheri
tance when it was weary.

Thy flock dwelt therein : * Thou,
O God, didst provide in Thy good
ness for the poor.

The Lord gave the word * to
the great company that published
it.

3 The king of the hosts is [fallen
into the hands] of the Well-beloved :

* and the fair ones that tarried at
home have divided the spoils.

Though ye have lien among the
sheep-folds, 4 yet shall ye be as the
wings of a dove, covered with silver,

* and her tail-feathers with yellow
gold.

When the [God] of heaven had
scattered kings in it, then white as
with snow was Salmon, 5 * that hill
of God, that fruitful hill.

An hill of many peaks, a fruitful
hill : * why look ye enviously upon
the high hills ?

This 6 is the hill which God de-
sireth to dwell in : * yea, the LORD
will dwell in it unto the end.

The chariots of God are many
times ten thousand, even thousands
of the blessed : * the Lord is among
them; [as] in Sinai, [so] in the
Holy place.

Thou hast ascended on high,
Thou hast led captivity captive : *
Thou hast received gifts among
men,

Even them that believe not *
that the LORD God dwelleth among
them.

Blessed be the Lord daily : * the
God of our salvation maketh our
way prosperous. 7

He That is our God is the God
of salvation : * and unto the LORD,
even the Lord, belong the issues
from death.

But God shall wound the head
of His enemies : * the hairy scalp
of such an one as goeth on still
in his trespasses.

The Lord said : I will bring

SLH. a Perhaps the manna is meant.

3 It need not be remarked that the sense of this verse is very obscure. In the view of
the Greek^translatois there seems to be a play upon the name of David, which signifies
" Beloved." Perhaps an allusion to an army camping out in the fields.

& A mountain in Samaria, near Shechem, where David won great victories over some
neighbouring kings. See Ps. lix., p. 63. Gesenius thinks that "white as with snow " is
to be understood "white with the bleached bones of the slain." But a modern writer,
describing a battle in the Soudan, and the defeat and flight of the Dervishes, says, " they
broke, and fled, leaving the field white with jibbah-clad corpses, like a meadow dotted
with snowdrifts."

6 Namely, perhaps, the group of hills on which Jerusalem stands, as opposed to the
higher and more picturesque mountains at Shechem. 7 SLH.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

117

them again from Bashan l : * I will
bring them back from the depths
of the sea.

That thy foot may be dipped in
the blood of thine enemies, * the
tongue of thy dogs in the same.

They have seen Thy goings, O
God, * even the goings of my God,
my King, Which dwelleth in the
sanctuary.

The singers went before, the
players on instruments followed
after, * among the damsels playing
with timbrels.

Bless ye God in the congrega
tions, even the Lord, * ye that are
of the fountains of Israel !

There is little Benjamin, * in the
joy of his heart,

The princes of Judah, their
leaders, * the princes of Zabulon,
the princes of Nephthali.

Command it, O God, in Thy
strength : * strengthen, O God, that
which Thou hast wrought for us.

Because of thy temple at Jeru
salem, * shall kings bring presents
unto Thee.

Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, 2
the multitude of the bulls with the
cows of the people, * [who watch]
that they may cut off them that are
tried like silver. 3

Scatter Thou the people that de
light in war : ambassadors shall come
out of Egypt : * Ethiopia shall soon
stretch out her hands unto God.

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of
the earth : * O sing praises unto
the Lord. 4

O sing praises unto God, even
unto Him that rideth upon the
heaven of heavens * from the day-
spring.

Lo, He shall send out His voice,
and that a mighty voice. Ascribe
ye strength unto God ; * over Israel
is His excellency, and His strength
is in the clouds.

God is wonderful in His holy
places : the God of Israel is He
That shall give strength and power
unto his people : * blessed be God.

Antiphon? O bless our God, ye
people.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. The LORD cometh out of
His holy place.

Answer. He will come and save
His people.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 6 O God, I have declared
my life unto Thee.

Answer. Thou hast put my tears
in Thy sight.

In Lent.

Verse. His truth shall be thy
shield.

Answer. Thou shalt not be
afraid for the terror by night.

In Passion time.

Verse. Take not away my soul
with sinners, O God.

1 The campaign of David related in 2 Kings (Sam.) viii. and I Par. (Chron.) xviii.
extended to this neighbourhood.

2 Perhaps meaning wild buffaloes. As to the comparison of the enemy to wild cattle,
compare Ps. xxi. 13, " Many bulls have compassed me, strong bulls have beset me round."

3 If the words are to be taken thus, the reference is perhaps to David s veterans, but the
meaning seems more likely to be " those that submissively offer in tribute pieces of silver."

4 SLH, 5 Ps. Ixv. 8. 6 Ps. lv. 9.

THE PSALTER.

Answer. Nor my life with bloody
men.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The disciples were glad,
Alleluia.

Answer. When they saw the Lord,
Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the Third
Nocturn of the preceding Sunday, ex
cept necessary differences. The Lessons
are those of the day. The Responsories
are arranged according to the rules in
Chapter xxvii. 4, 5, of the General
Rubrics.

Simple Feasts. It is to be remem
bered that when a Simple Feast is kept
on Wednesday, the Invitatory and Hymn
are of the Feast, being taken from the
Common of Saints of the class, imless
specially given. Then the Psalms and
Antiphons of the -week-day, as given
above. Then is said a Verse and An
swer as follows :

For one or many Martyrs in Paschal
time.

Verse. x Everlasting joy upon
their heads, Alleluia.

Answer. They shall obtain joy
and gladness, Alleluia.

For one Martyr, (out of Paschal time.}

Verse. 2 His glory is great in
Thy salvation.

Answer.- Honour and great ma
jesty shalt Thou lay upon him.

For many Martyrs, (out of Paschal
time}

Verse. 3 The righteous shall live
for evermore.

Answer. Their reward also is
with the Lord.

For a Bishop and Confessor.

Verse. 4 Thou art a Priest for
ever.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
1 Isa. xxxv. 10. 2 Ps. xx. 6. 3 Wisd.

Answer. After the order of Mel-
chisedeck.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
For a Confessor not a Bishop.

Verse. 5 The law of his God is
in his heart.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Answer. And his steps shall not
slide.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
For one Holy Woman of any kind.

Verse. God hath chosen her, and
fore-chosen her.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
Answer. He hath made her to
dwell in His tabernacle.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

The others, as well as what follows,
to the end of the Service, are taken from
the Third Nocturn of the Office Common
to Saints of the class, unless something
special be appointed, except necessary
differences. The Lessons are arranged
according to the rules in Chapter xxvi.
4, of the general Rubrics. 7^he Hymn
" We praise Thee, O God," is said at
the end, instead of a Third Responsory.
The Responsories are arranged accord
ing to the Rules in Chapter xxvii. 4, 5, of
the General Rubrics. Thus :

The Lord s Praer is said :

Father (inaudibly], Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy
will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud?)

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

v. 1 6. 4 Ps. cix. 4.

Ps. xxxvi. 31.

WEDNESDAY AT MATTINS.

119

Then this Absolution :

MAY the Almighty -and merciful
Lord loose us from the bonds
of our sins.

Answer. Amen.

Then the Reader says :
Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be from
Scripture.

May His blessing be upon us,
Who doth live and reign for ever.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be of an
Homily.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His Word.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing on a Simple Feast.
May His blessing be upon us
Who doth live and reign for ever.
Answer. Amen.

Then the First Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the First Responsory of
the preceding Sunday. On a Simple
Feast, the First Responsory in the Com
mon Office for the class to which the
Saint belongs.

Then the Reader says :
Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture or from an Homily.

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Second Blessing, for a Simple Feast.

He (or She or They) whose feast-day

we are keeping
Plead for us before the Lord.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Second Lesson, either
from Scripture or from an Homily, or
on a Simple Feast either the Second
and Third Lessons from Scripture
read together as one, or if tJie Saint
or Saints have two Lessons, the first
of these.

TJien the Second Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the Second Responsory
of the preceding Sunday, but in PascJial
time there is added to it :

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

And the Answer of the Responsory is
repeated again.

On a Simple Feast the Second Re
sponsory in the Common Office for the
class to which the Saint belongs, with
the addition of "Glory be to the
Father," fr-v., and the repetition of
tJie Answer.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Third Blessing.

May He That is the Angels King
To that high realm His people bring.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the TJiird Lesson either
from Scripture, or of the Homily, or on
Simple Feasts the Second or only Lesson
of the Saint.

Then, on Simple Feasts and on any
day in Paschal time is said the Hymn,
"We praise Thee, O God." But on
week-days kept as such out of Paschal
time the Third Responsory of the pre
ceding Sunday.

120

THE FOURTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as oji Sundays, except as other
wise given here,

The Psalms are as follows :

Antiphon. Wash me.

Psalm L.
Have mercy upon me, &c., (j&gt;.

8 7 ).

Antiphon. Wash me throughly
from mine iniquity, O Lord.

Second Antiphon. Praise be-
cometh Thee.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, " O God, in
Zion."

Psalm LXIV.

[Intituled "A Psalm. A Song of
David," with a musical (?) superscription.
The Vulgate adds that its use was pre
scribed by Jeremiah and Ezekiel to the
exiles when they began to return from
the Captivity.]

pRAISE becometh Thee, O God,
*- in Zion : * and unto Thee
shall the vow be performed in Jeru
salem.

Hear my prayer : * unto Thee
shall all flesh come.

Iniquities prevail against us : *
but as for our transgressions, Thou
shalt purge them away.

Blessed is the man whom Thou
choosest, and causest to come near
unto Thee : * he shall dwell in
Thy courts :

We shall be satisfied with the
goodness of Thine house : * Thy
temple is holy, terrible in right
eousness.

Answer us, O God of our salva
tion : * Thou that art the confidence
of all the ends of the earth, and
of the uttermost parts of the sea !

Thou that by Thy strength settest
fast the mountains, being girded
with power : * Thou that stirrest
up the depth of the sea, and the
noise of his waves !

The heathen shall be troubled.
They that dwell in the uttermost
parts shall be afraid at Thy tokens :
* Thou makest the outgoings of the
morning and evening to rejoice.

Thou visitest the earth and water-
est it : * Thou greatly enrichest it :

The river of God is full of water :
Thou makest ready their corn, * for
Thou hast so prepared it.

Drench her furrows, increase the
fruits thereof : * the springing there
of shall rejoice at her showers.

Thou crownest the year with Thy
goodness : * and Thy fields teem
with fruitfulness.

The green places of the wilder-

WEDNESDAY AT LAUDS.

121

ness wax fruitful : * and the little
hills are girded with joy.

The pastures are clothed with
flocks ; the valleys also overflow
with corn : * they shout for joy,
yea, they sing.

Antiphon. Praise becometh Thee,
O God, in Zion.

Third Antiphon. O my God.

Psalms LXIL, LXVI.
O God, Thou art my God, &c.,
(P- 23).

Antiphon. O my God, my lips
shall praise Thee while I live.

Fourth Antiphon. The LORD
shall judge.

THE SONG OF HANNAH, (i Kings
(Sam.) ii.)

[Composed by her when she brought her
son Samuel and presented him to the LORD.
See i Kings (Sam.) i. ii., (Monday and
Tuesday after Trinity Sunday.)]

IV /TINE heart rejoiceth in the
**-* LORD, * and mine horn is
exalted in my GOD : 1

My mouth is enlarged over mine
enemies : * because I rejoice in Thy
salvation.

There is none holy as the LORD ;
for there is none beside Thee : *
neither is there any mighty like our
God.

Talk no more " so exceeding
proudly.

Let your old arrogancy depart out
of your mouth : for the LORD is a
God of knowledge, * and by Him
thoughts are judged.

The bows of the mighty men are
broken, * and they that stumbled
are girded with strength.

They that were full have hired
out themselves for bread : * and
they that were hungry are filled.

So that the barren hath borne
fruitfully : * and she that had many
children is waxed feeble.

The LORD killeth, and maketh
alive : * He bringeth down to the
grave, and bringeth up.

The LORD maketh poor, and
maketh rich : * He bringeth low,
and lifteth up.

He raiseth up the poor out of the
dust, * and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill,

To set them among princes, * and
to make them inherit the throne of
glory :

For the pillars of the earth are
the LORD S, * and He hath set the
world upon them.

He will keep the feet of His
saints, and the wicked shall be silent
in darkness : * for by his strength
shall no man prevail.

The adversaries of the LORD shall
be made to fear Him : * out of
heaven also shall He thunder upon
them.

The LORD shall judge the ends
of the earth : and He shall give
strength unto His King, * and exalt
the horn of His Anointed.

Antiphon. The LORD shall judge
the ends of the earth.

Fifth Antiphon. Praise God.

Psalms CXLVIIL, CXLIX., CL.

Praise ye the LORD from the
heavens, &c., (pp. 25, 26).

Antiphon. Praise God, ye heavens
of heavens.

1 The Divine Name.

122

THE PSALTER.

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

The night is far spent, &c., (as on
Monday, p. 89).

HYMN. 1
gloom

and flitting

HAUNTING
shades,
Ghastly shapes, away !
Christ is rising, and pervades
Highest Heaven with day.

He with His bright spear the night

Dazzles and pursues ;
Earth wakes up, and glows with light

Of a thousand hues.

Thee, O Christ, and Thee alone,

With a single mind,
We with chant and plaint would own :

To thy flock be kind.

Much it needs Thy light divine,

Spot and stain to clean ;
Light of Angels, on us shine

With Thy face serene.

To the Father, and the Son,

And the Holy Ghost,
Here be glory, as is done

By the angelic host. Amen.

Verse. Thou hast satisfied us
early with Thy mercy.

Answer. We rejoice and are glad.

Antiphonfor the Song of Zacharias.
O Lord, save us * from the hand of
all that hate us.

Commemoration of the Cross before the
other Commemorations, and Long Preces
in Advent and Lent, on the Ember
Wednesdays (except that of Pentecost)
and on Fast-days, as on Monday.

1 Hymn founded on hymn in the Cathemerinon of Prudentius ; translation by the late
Card. Newman.

123

THE FIFTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as other
wise given here.

Invitatory. It is the Lord That
hath made us : * O come, let us
worship Him.

HYMN. 1

ALL tender lights, all hues divine,
The night has swept away ;
Shine on us, Lord, and we shall shine
Bright in an inward day.

The spots of guilt, sin s wages base,
Searcher of hearts, we own ;

Wash us and robe us in Thy grace,
Who didst for sins atone.

Psalm LXVIII.

[Intituled "Of David," with a (now un
certain) musical (?) direction.]

SAVE me, O God ; *
waters are come in
soul.

for the
unto my

* where

I sink in deep mire,
there is no standing.

I am come into the depth of the
sea, * and the flood overfloweth me.

I am weary of my crying, my
throat is dried: " mine eyes fail,
while I wait for my God.

They that hate me without a

The sluggard soul,
mark,

Shrinks in its silent lair,
Or gropes amid its chambers dark

For Thee, Who art not there.

Redeemer ! send Thy piercing rays,

That we may bear to be
Set in the light of Thy pure gaze,

And yet rejoice in Thee.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.
Antiphon. Make haste.

In Paschal time only one Antipho?i
is said to the whole Nocturn. Alleluia.

that bears their cause, * are more than the hairs of
mine head.

They that would destroy me,
being mine enemies wrongfully, are
mighty : * then I restored that
which I took not away.

O God, Thou knowest my fool
ishness : * and my faults are not
hid from Thee.

Let not them that wait on Thee,
O Lord, be ashamed for my sake, *
Thou LORD of hosts.

Let not those that seek Thee *
be confounded for my sake, O God
of Israel.

Because for Thy sake I have
borne reproach : * shame hath
covered my face.

1 Ambrosian hymn ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

I2 4

THE PSALTER.

I am become a stranger unto my
brethren, * and an alien unto my
mother s children.

For the zeal of Thine house hath
eaten me up : * and the reproaches
of them that reproached Thee are
fallen upon me.

And I chastened my soul with
fasting : * and that was to my re
proach.

I made sackcloth also my gar
ment, * and I became a proverb to
them.

They that sat in the gate spake
against me, * and I was the song of
the drunkards.

But as for me, my prayer is unto
Thee, O LORD : * in an acceptable
time, O God !

In the multitude of Thy mercy
hear me, * in the truth of Thy
salvation !

Deliver me out of the mire, that
I sink not : * deliver me from them
that hate me, and out of the deep
waters.

Let not the waterflood overflow
me, neither let the deep swallow me
up, * and let not the pit shut her
mouth upon me.

Hear me, O LORD, for Thy
loving - kindness is good : * turn
unto me according to the multitude
of Thy tender mercies.

And hide not Thy face from Thy
servant, * for I am in trouble ; hear
me speedily.

Draw nigh unto my soul, and re
deem it : * deliver me because of
mine enemies.

Thou knowest my reproach, and
my shame, * and my dishonour.

Mine adversaries are all before
Thee : * mine heart hath looked for
reproach and bitterness.

And I looked for some to take

pity on me, and there was none : *
and for comforters, and I found
none.

They gave me also gall for meat :

* and in my thirst they gave me
vinegar to drink.

Let their table be made a snare
before them, * and a recompense,
and a stumbling-block.

Let their eyes be darkened, that
they see not : * and ever bow Thou
down their back.

Pour out Thine indignation upon
them, * and let Thy wrathful anger
take hold of them.

Let their habitation be desolate :

* and let none dwell in their tents.
For they persecute him whom

Thou hast smitten : * and they
embitter the pain of my wounds.
Add iniquity unto their iniquity :

* and let them not come into Thy
righteousness.

Let them be blotted out of the
book of the living : * and not be
written with the righteous.

But I am poor and sorrowful : *
Thy salvation, O God, hath set me
up on high.

I will praise the name of God
with a psalm, * and will magnify
Him with thanksgiving.

And it shall please GOD better
than a young bullock, * that hath
horns and hoofs.

Let the humble see this and be
glad, * seek God, and your soul
shall live.

For the LORD heareth the poor :

* and despiseth not His prisoners.
Let the heaven and earth praise

Him, * the sea, and everything
that moveth therein.

For God will save Zion, * and
the cities of Judah shall be built
up.

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

125

And they shall dwell there, *
and have it in possession.

The seed also of His servants
shall inherit it, * and they that
love His name shall dwell therein.

Psalm LXIX.

[Intituled {; Of David, to bring to re
membrance " with another (now uncertain)
musical (?) superscription. The Vulgate
and the LXX. add to remembrance how
the Lord had saved him " ; the Targum
associates the Psalm with the offering of
the incense. This Psalm is a repetition
: of the last four verses of Ps. xxxix.]

TV/TAKE haste, O God, to de-
V*- liver me : * make haste to
help me, O LORD.

Let them be ashamed and con
founded, * that seek after my
soul.

Let them be turned backward
and put to confusion, * that de
sire mine hurt.

Let them be turned back with
shame, * that say unto me, Aha,
Aha.

Let all those that seek Thee be
joyful and glad in Thee, * and let
such as love Thy salvation say con
tinually : Let the Lord be magnified.

But I am poor and needy : *
help me, O God.

Thou art mine help and my
deliverer : * O LORD, make no
tarrying.

Antiphon. l Make haste, O Lord
God, to deliver me.

Second Antiphon. Be Thou my
God.

Psalm LXX.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. give the
heading, " A Psalm of David ; of the Sons
of Jonadab, and the first Captives." The

sons of Jonadab are the descendants of
Jonadab, the son of Rechab, of whose
faithfulness to observe a nomadic life,
and to abstain from wine, it is written
in Jer. xxxv. 19: "Therefore thus saith
the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel :
Jonadab, the son of Rechab, shall not
want a man to stand before me for
ever." They had taken refuge at Jeru
salem to escape the incursions of Nebu
chadnezzar, and the meaning seems to
be that when they and others were carried
away as captives, they made special use
of this Psalm.]

T N Thee, O LORD, have I put
^ my trust, let me never be put
to confusion : * deliver me in Thy
righteousness, and cause me to es
cape.

Incline Thine ear unto me, *
and save me.

Be Thou my God, my Pro
tector, and my strong habitation,

* to save me.

For Thou art my rock, * and
my fortress.

Deliver me, O my God, out of
the hand of the wicked, * and out
of the hand of the unrighteous and
cruel man.

For Thou art mine hope, O Lord :

* O LORD, Thou art my trust from
my youth.

By Thee have I been holden up
from the womb : * Thou art my
defence from my mother s bowels.

My praise shall be continually
of Thee : * I am a wonder unto
many : but Thou art my strong
refuge.

Let my mouth be filled with
Thy praise, that I may sing of
Thy glory, * all the day long of
Thy greatness.

Cast me not off in the time of
old age : * forsake me not when
my strength faileth.

1 Ps. Ixix. i.

126

THE PSALTER,

For mine enemies speak against
me, * and they that lay wait for
my soul take counsel together,

Saying : God hath forsaken him :
persecute and take him, * for there
is none to deliver him.

O God, be not far from me : *
O my God, make haste for mine
help.

Let them be confounded and
consumed that are adversaries to
my soul : * let them be covered
with reproach and dishonour, that
seek mine hurt.

But I will hope continually, *
and will yet praise Thee more and
more.

My mouth shall show forth Thy
righteousness, * Thy salvation all
the day.

And because I know not the tale
thereof, I will go in the strength of
the Lord : * O LORD, I will make
mention of Thy righteousness, even
of Thine only.

God, Thou hast taught me
from my youth : * and hitherto
have I declared Thy wondrous
works.

Now also when I am old and
grey-headed, * O God, forsake me
not,

Until I have showed Thy strength
* unto all generations, that are to
come.

Thy power and Thy righteous
ness, O God, are in the highest,
Who hast done great things : * O
God, who is like unto Thee ?

Thou Who hast showed me great
and sore troubles, shalt quicken me
again : * and bring me up again
from the depths of the earth.

Thou hast increased Thy great
ness : * and again comforted me.

1 will also praise Thee on . the

psaltery, even Thy truth :
God, unto Thee will I sing with
the harp, O Thou Holy One of
Israel !

My lips shall be fain when I sing
unto Thee, * and my soul which
Thou hast redeemed.

My tongue also shall talk of Thy
righteousness all the day long : * for
they are confounded and brought
unto shame that seek mine hurt.

PSALM LXXI.

[Intituled " Of Solomon," that is, written
concerning him.]

GIVE the king Thy judgment, O
God, * and Thy righteousness
unto the king s son.

To judge Thy people with right
eousness, * and Thy poor with
judgment.

The mountains shall receive peace
with the people, * and the little hills
righteousness.

He shall judge the poor of the
people, and save the children of the
needy, * and shall break in pieces
the false accuser.

And he shall endure with the sun,
and before the moon, * throughout
all generations.

He shall come down like rain
upon a fleece, * and as showers that
water the earth.

In his days shall righteousness
flourish, and abundance of peace,
* so long as the moon endureth.

He shall have dominion also from
sea to sea : * and from the river
unto the ends of the earth.

The Ethiopians shall fall before
him : * and his enemies shall lick
the dust.

The kings of Tarshish, and of the
.isles shall bring presents : * the

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

127

kings of Arabia and Saba 1 shall
offer gifts.

Yea, all the kings of the earth
shall fall down before him : all
nations shall serve him.

For he shall deliver the needy
from the strong, * the poor also that
hath no helper.

He shall spare the poor and
needy, * and shall save the souls of
the needy.

He shall redeem their soul from
fraud and violence : * and precious
shall their name be in his sight.

And he shall live, and to him
shall be given of the gold of Arabia ;
prayer also shall be made for him
continually ; * all the day long shall
he be blessed.

And there shall be a staff of
bread in the land, upon the top of
the mountains ; the fruit thereof
shall be higher than Lebanon : *
and they of the city shall flourish
like grass of the earth.

Blessed be his name for ever : *
his name endureth as long as the sun.

And in him shall all the kindreds
of the earth be blessed : * all nations
shall call him blessed.

Blessed be the LORD God of Is
rael, * Who only doth wondrous
things.

And blessed be His glorious
Name for ever : * and let the w r hole
earth be filled with his glory : Amen,
Amen. 2

Antiphon. 3 Be Thou my God,
my protector.

Third Antiphon. Thou hast re
deemed the rod.

Psalm LXXII.
[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph."]

"TRULY God is good to Israel, *
^ to such as are upright in
heart.

But as for me, my feet were al
most gone : * my steps had well
nigh slipped.

For I was envious at the un
righteous, * when I saw the pros
perity of the wicked.

For they have no thought of
death : * and they are uncon
cerned in trial.

They are not in trouble as other
men, * neither are they plagued like
other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them
about, * violence and ungodliness
cover them as a garment.

Their iniquity ariseth as it were
from fatness : * they have more
than heart could wish.

They think and speak wickedness :
* they speak loftily concerning op
pression.

They set their mouth against the
heavens, * and their tongue walketh
through the earth.

Therefore my people turn aside
after them : * and the men of their
day run after them.

And they say : How doth God
know, * and is there knowledge in
the Most High ?

Behold, these are the ungodly,
who prosper in the world, * they
increase in riches.

And I said : Then I have cleansed
mine heart in vain, * and washed
mine hands in innocency.

1 This seems to be Meroe, a province of Ethiopia.

2 After this, there is the following notification, "The prayers of David, the son of
Jesse, are ended," and this is the end of the second of the five books into which the
Psalter is divided. 3 Ps. Ixx. 3.

128

THE PSALTER.

For all the day long have I been
plagued, * and chastened every
morning.

If I say : I will speak thus : *
behold, I should disown the gener
ation of Thy children.

And I thought to know this, *
it was too hard for me ;

Until I went into the Sanctuary
of God, * and understood their
hereafter.

Surely Thou dost set them in
slippery places : * Thou easiest
them down even in their pros
perity.

How are they brought into deso
lation ? In a moment are they
perished, * they are utterly con
sumed because of their wickedness.

As a dream when one awaketh,

Lord, * Thou shalt bring their
image to nought in Thy city.

For mine heart was on fire, and

1 was pricked in my reins ; * and I
was brought to nothing and knew
not :

I became as a beast before Thee :

* nevertheless I am continually with
Thee:

Thou hast holden me by my
right hand, and guided me accord
ing to Thy will, * and received me
to glory.

For what have I in heaven, * and
what is there upon earth that I
desire beside Thee ?

My flesh and mine heart faileth :

* Thou art the God of mine heart,
and God is my portion for ever.

For, lo, they that go far from
Thee shall perish : * Thou hast
destroyed all them that go a whor
ing from Thee.

But it is good for me to draw
near to God : * to put my trust in
the Lord GOD,

That I may declare all Th]
praises, * in the gates of the
daughter of Zion.

Psalm LXXIII.

[Intituled " A didactic (?) Psalm of
Asaph."]

OGOD, why hast Thou cast us
off for ever : * why doth
Thine anger smoke against the
sheep of Thy pasture?

Remember Thy congregation, *
which Thou hast purchased of
old.

Thou hast redeemed the rod of
Thine inheritance : * Mount Zion
wherein Thou hast dwelt.

Lift up Thine hands against their
perpetual pride : * even all that
the enemy hath done wickedly in
the sanctuary !

They also that hate Thee roar, *
in the midst of Thy solemn con
gregation.

They set up their ensigns for
trophies * on the pinnacles [of Thy
temple] as though it had been the
gate [of their own city] ; and con
sidered not !

As the fellers in a wood of thick
trees, so did they hew down the
gates thereof: * they have broken
it down with axes and hammers.

They have set on fire Thy Sanc
tuary : * they have defiled the
dwelling - place of Thy name by
casting it down to the ground.

The sort of them said in their
hearts with one consent : * Let us
put away the feast-days of God out
of the land.

We see not our signs, there is no
more any prophet : and none
knoweth us any more.

O God, how long shall the ad-

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

I2 9

versary reproach ? * Shall the enemy
blaspheme Thy name for ever?

Why withdrawest Thou Thine
hand, even Thy right hand, * from
Thy bosom for ever ?

But God is our King of old, *
working salvation in the midst of
the earth.

Thou by Thy strength didst
make the sea to stand on an heap :
* Thou brakest the heads of the
dragons in the waters.

Thou brakest the heads of le
viathan in pieces : * Thou gavest
him to be meat to the people 1 of
Ethiopia.

Thou didst cleave the fountains
and the floods : * Thou driedst up
the rivers of Ethan. 2

The day is Thine, the night also
is Thine : * Thou hast created the
light and the sun.

Thou hast set all the borders of
the earth : * Thou hast made
summer and spring.

Remember this, that the enemy
hath reproached the LORD : * and
that a foolish people have blas
phemed Thy name.

O deliver not unto beasts the
souls of them that praise Thee : *
and forget not the souls of Thy poor
for ever.

Have respect unto Thy cove
nant : * for the dark places of the
earth are full of the habitations of
cruelty.

O let not the oppressed return
ashamed : * let the poor and needy
praise Thy name.

Arise, O God, judge Thine own

cause : * remember how the foolish
man reproacheth Thee daily.

Forget not the voice of Thine
enemies : * the pride of them that
hate Thee ascendeth continually.

Antiphon. 3 Thou hast redeemed
the rod of Thine inheritance.

Fourth Antiphon. And we will
call.

Psalm LXXIV.

[Intituled " A Psalm A Song of Asaph,"
with a superscription of meaning now un
certain, but, in part, indicating the tune
"Destroy not." The Targum says that it
was composed as a thanksgiving at the time
when David said " Destroy not thy people,"
and the occasion meant is probably that of
the plague provoked by David s number
ing of the people, as related in the last
chapter of 2 Kings (Sam.)]

T INTO Thee, O God, will we
^- give thanks : * we will give
thanks and call upon Thy name.

We will declare Thy wondrous
works : * when I shall take a set
time, I will judge uprightly.

The earth and all the inhabitants
thereof are dissolved : * I bear up
the pillars of it. 4

I said unto the wicked : Deal
not wickedly : * and to the evil
doers : Lift not up your horn on
high.

Lift not up your horn on high :
speak not wickedness against
God.

For neither from the east, nor
from the west, nor from the desert
mountains : * for God is the judge :

He putteth down one, and setteth
up another : * for in the hand of the

1 People probably referring to the wild beasts, (as in Proverbs xxx. 25, 26, "The ants
are a people not strong the conies are but a feeble folk ") who ate the dead bodies of the
Egyptians (whose power seems meant by the leviathan) washed upon the shores of the
Red Sea.

2 Ethan = continuity "The continuously flowing streams."

3 Ps. Ixxiii. 2. 4 SLH.

VOL. I. E

130

THE PSALTER.

LORD there is a cup of strong wine
full of mixture. 1

And he turneth it this way and
that : surely the dregs thereof are
not wrung out : * all the wicked of
the earth shall drink them.

But I will declare for ever : * I
will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

All the horns of the wicked also
will I break : * and the horns of the
righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm LXXV.

[Intituled " A Psalm A Song of Asaph,"
with a farther superscription similar to the
preceding. The Vulgate and the LXX. add
"against the Assyrians " ; the meaning pro
bably is that it was found appropriate as a
Psalm of thanksgiving after the destruction
of the Assyrians (3 (2) Kings xix. 35).]

IN Judah is God known : * His
name is great in Israel.
And His tabernacle is in "Peace," 2

* and His dwelling-place in Zion.
There brake He the arrows of the

bow, * the shield, the sword, and
the battle. 3

When Thou didst make Thy light
to shine forth right wondrously from
the everlasting hills : * all they that
were foolish of heart were troubled :

They have slept their sleep :
and all the men of riches have found
nothing in their hands.

At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,

* they that rode upon horses are
cast into a dead sleep.

Thou art to be feared ; and who
shall withstand Thee, * when once
Thou art angry ?

Thou didst cause judgment to
be heard from heaven : * the earth
trembled and was still,

When God arose to judgment, *
to save all the meek of the earth. 3

For the thoughts of man shall
praise Thee : * the remainder of
his thoughts shall keep holy his days
before Thee.

Vow, and pay unto the LORD
your God : * all ye that are round
about Him bring presents,

Even unto Him That ought to be
feared, and that cutteth off the spirit
of princes, * to Him That is terrible
among the kings of the earth.

Antiphon. 4 And we will call
upon Thy name, O Lord.

Fifth Antiphon. Thou art the
God.

Psalm LXXVI.

[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph," with a
musical (?) direction, addressed to Jeduthun.]

I CRIED unto the Lord with my
voice ; * even unto God with
my voice, and He gave ear unto
me.

In the day of my trouble I
sought the Lord ; in the night with
my hands I sought Him * and failed
not.

My soul refused to be comforted :

* I remembered God, and rejoiced,
and pondered, and my spirit was
overwhelmed. 3

Mine eyes anticipated the night
watches : * I was troubled, and
spake not.

I have considered the days of old,

* and had in mind the everlasting
years.

In the night also I commune with
mine own heart : * and I mused,
and searched out mine own spirit.

1 Aromatic herbs, &c., were mixed with wine to make it more intoxicating. See
Smith s Diet, of the Bible, Wine.

2 Peace a translation of "Salem." SLH. 4 Ps. Ixxiv. 2.

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

Will God cast off for ever? * or
will He be favourable no more ?

Or will He put away His mercy
for ever, * to generation and genera
tion ?

Or hath God forgotten to be
gracious ? * or will He in His anger
shut up His tender mercies ? l

And I said : Now have I begun :
* the change cometh of the right
hand of the Most High.

I remembered the works of the
LORD : * surely I will remember
Thy wonders of old.

I will meditate also of all Thy
work : * and talk of Thy doings.

Thy way, O God, is in the sanc
tuary. Who is so great a God as our
God? * Thou art the God That
doest wonders.

Thou hast declared Thy strength
among the people : * Thou hast with
Thine arm redeemed Thy people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph. 1

The waters saw Thee, O God,
the waters saw Thee : * and they
were afraid, the depths also were
troubled.

There was a noise as of many
waters, * the clouds sent out a
-.sound.

Thine arrows also went abroad :
* the voice of Thy thunder rolled.

Thy lightnings lightened the
world : * the earth trembled and
:shook.

Thy way is in the sea, and Thy
paths in the great waters : * and
Thy footsteps are not known.

Thou leddest Thy people like a
flock, * by the hand of Moses and
Aaron.

Psalm LXXVII.

[Intituled " A didactic (?) poem of
Asaph."]

E ear, O my people, to my
law : * incline your ears to
the words of my mouth.

1 will open my mouth in para
bles : I will utter dark sayings
of old.

Which we have heard and known,

* and our fathers have told us.
They are not hidden from their

children, * in the generation to
come :

Showing the praises of the LORD,
and His mighty acts, * and His
wonderful works that He hath done.

He established also a testimony
in Jacob, * and appointed a law
in Israel.

Which He commanded our fathers
that they should make known to
their children : * that the generation
to come may know them,

Even the children which shall be
born and arise, * and declare them
to their children ;

That they may set their hope in
God, and not forget the works of
God, * but keep His command
ments.

And may not be as their fathers,

* a stubborn and rebellious gen
eration,

A generation that set not their
heart aright, * and whose spirit
was not steadfast with God.

2 The children of Ephraim bend
ing and shooting with bows, * turned
back in the day of battle.

They kept not the covenant of

1 SLH.

2 The next few verses perhaps relate to the refusal of the children of Israel to in
vade the Land of Promise when they first reached it, owing to fear of the inhabitants.
INumb. xiv.

132

THE PSALTER.

God, * and refused to walk in
His law.

And forgot His works, H and
His wonders that He had showed
them.

Marvellous things did He in the
sight of their fathers, in the land of
Egypt, * in the plain of Tanis. 1

He divided the sea, and caused
them to pass through, * and He
made the waters to stand as an
heap.

In the day - time also He led
them with a cloud, * and all the
night with a light of fire.

He clave the rock in the wil
derness, * and gave them drink
as out of the great depth.

He brought water also out of
the rock, * and caused waters to
run down like rivers.

And they sinned yet more against
Him, * and provoked the Most
High in the wilderness.

And they tempted God in their
hearts, * to ask meat for their
lust.

Yea, they spake against God : *
they said : Can God furnish a table
in the wilderness?

Behold, He smote the rock, and
the waters gushed out, * and the
streams overflowed.

Can He give bread also, * or
furnish a table for His people?

Therefore the LORD heard this,
and was wroth : * so a fire was
kindled against Jacob, and anger
came up against Israel.

Because they believed not in
God, * and trusted not in His
salvation.

And He commanded the clouds

from above, * and opened the
doors of heaven.

And rained down manna upon
them to eat, * and gave them of
the bread of heaven.

Man did eat Angels oread : *
He sent them meat to the full.

He caused an east wind to
blow in the heaven : * and by His
power He brought in the south
wind.

He rained flesh also upon them
as dust, * and feathered fowls like
as the sand of the sea.

And it fell in the midst of their
camp, * round about their habita
tions.

So they did eat, and were well
filled, and He gave them their own
desire : * they were not disap
pointed of their lust.

But while their meat was yet in
their mouths : * the wrath of God
came upon them,

And slew the fattest of them, *
and smote down the chosen men
of Israel.

For all this they sinned still, *
and believed not in His wondrous
works.

Therefore their days were con
sumed in vanity, * and their years
in trouble.

When He slew them, they sought
Him : * and they returned, and
enquired early after God.

And they remembered that God
was their strength, * and the High
God their redeemer.

Yet they flattered Him with their
mouth, * and lied unto Him with
their tongue.

For their heart was not right

1 An ancient city (mentioned here and subsequently) in Lower Egypt, called both by
a Shemitic name, Zoan, as well as by its Egyptian name, surrounded by plains, and close to
the natural and constant border of Palestine.

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

133

with Him, * neither were they
steadfast in His covenant.

But He being full of compassion,
forgave their iniquity, ^ and de
stroyed them not.

Yea, many a time did He turn
His anger away, * and did not stir
up all His wrath.

He remembered also that they
were but flesh ; * a wind that
passeth away and cometh not
again.

How often did they provoke
Him in the wilderness? * grieve
Him to anger in the desert?

Yea, they turned again, and
tempted God, * and provoked the
Holy One of Israel.

They remembered not His hand,
in the day when He delivered
them from the hand of the op
pressor.

How He set His signs in Egypt,

* and His wonders in the plain of
Tanis.

And turned their rivers into
blood : * and their floods, that
they could not drink.

He sent divers sorts of flies
among them, which devoured them :

* and frogs, which destroyed them.
He gave also their increase unto

the caterpillar, * and their labour
unto the locust.

And He destroyed their vines
with hail, * and their sycamore
trees with frost.

He gave up their cattle also to
the hail, * and their flocks to hot
thunderbolts.

He cast upon them the fierceness
of His anger, * indignation, and
wrath, and trouble, by sending evil
Angels among them.

He made a way to His anger;
He spared not their soul from

death, * and cut off their cattle in
death with them.

He smote also every first-born in
the land of Egypt : * the first-fruits
of all their labour in the tabernacles
of Ham.

And made His own people to go
forth like sheep : * and guided them
in the wilderness like a flock.

And He led them on in hope,
and they feared not : * and He
overwhelmed their enemies in the
sea.

And He brought them to the
mountain of His Sanctuary, * even
the mountain, which His right hand
hath purchased.

He cast out the heathen also
before them, * and allotted the land
among them by line,

And made the tribes of Israel to
dwell * in their tents.

Yet they tempted and provoked
the Most High God, * and kept not
His testimonies.

And turned back, and observed
not His covenant, like their

fathers ; they were turned aside like
a deceitful bow.

They provoked Him to anger
with their high places, * and moved
Him to jealousy with their graven
images.

God heard it and cast them out :
* and brought Israel utterly to
nought.

He forsook also the tabernacle of
Shiloh, * even His tabernacle, where
He dwelt among men.

And He delivered their strength
into captivity, * and their beauty
into the enemy s hand.

He gave His people over also
unto the sword : * and cast off His
inheritance.

The fire consumed their young

134

THE PSALTER.

men : * and their maidens made no
funeral song.

Their priests fell by the sword :

* and their widows made no lamen
tation.

Then the Lord awaked as one
out of sleep, * like a mighty man
heated with wine.

And He smote His enemies in
the hinder part : * He put them to
a perpetual shame.

Moreover, He refused the taber
nacle of Joseph, * and chose not the
tribe of Ephraim.

But chose the tribe of Judah, *
Mount Zion, which he loved.

And He built His sanctuary like
the horn of an unicorn upon the
earth, * which He hath established
for ever.

He chose David also His servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds :

* from following the ewes great with
young He brought him,

To feed Jacob His servant, * and
Israel His inheritance.

So he fed them according to the
integrity of his heart : * and guided
them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Antiphon. l Thou art the God
That doest wonders.

Sixth Antiphon. Be merciful.

Psalm LXXVIII.
[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph."]

OGOD, the heathen are come
into Thine inheritance, Thine
holy temple have they denied : *
they have made Jerusalem like an
heap of stones in an orchard.

The dead bodies of Thy servants
have they given to be meat unto
the fowls of the heaven, * the flesh

1 Ps.

of Thy saints unto the beasts of the
earth.

Their blood have they shed like
water round about Jerusalem : * and
there was none to bury them.

We are become a reproach to our
neighbours, * a scorn and derision
to them that are round about us.

How long, LORD? wilt Thou be
angry for ever ? * shall Thy jealousy
burn like fire ?

Pour out Thy wrath upon the
heathen, that have not known Thee,

* and upon the kingdoms that have
not called upon Thy name !

For they have devoured Jacob,

* and laid waste His dwelling-place.
O remember not against us our

former iniquities, let Thy tender
mercies speedily overtake us : * for
we are brought very low.

Help us, O God of our salvation,
and for the glory of Thy name de
liver us, O Lord : * and forgive our
sins, for Thy name s sake.

Lest haply they should say among
the heathen : Where is their God ?

* And make known among the
nations in our sight

The vengeance of the blood of
Thy servants, which is shed : * let
the sighing of the prisoners come
before Thee.

According to the greatness of
Thine arm, * preserve Thou the
children of the slain.

And render unto our neighbours
sevenfold into their bosom : * their
reproach wherewith they have re
proached Thee, O Lord !

But we Thy people, and sheep
of Thy pasture, * will give Thee
thanks for ever :

We will show forth Thy praise *
to all generations.
Ixxvi. 15.

THURSDAY AT MATTINS.

135

Psalm LXXIX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph," with a
direction, perhaps musical, the meaning
of which is not now certain. The LXX.
adds "concerning the Assyrian," probably
meaning that it was used as a prayer
after the destruction of Jerusalem by
Nebuchadnezzar. ]

GIVE ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
* Thou That leadest Joseph
like a flock.

Thou That sittest upon the Cheru
bim, * shine forth before Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Stir up Thy strength, and come

* and save us.

Turn us again, O God, * and
cause Thy face to shine, and we
shall be saved.

O LORD God of hosts, * how
long wilt Thou be angry against the
prayer of Thy servant ?

Wilt Thou feed us with the bread
of tears, * and give us tears to drink
in great measure ?

Thou makest us a strife unto our
neighbours : * and our enemies jest
upon us.

Turn us again, O God of hosts :

* and cause Thy face to shine, and
we shall be saved.

Thou hast brought a vine out of
Egypt : * Thou hast cast out the
heathen and planted it.

Thou preparedst room before it :

* Thou didst cause it to take deep
root, and it filled the land.

The hills were covered with the
shadow of it, * and the cedars of
God with the boughs thereof.

She sent out her boughs unto the
sea, * and her branches unto the
river. 1

Why hast Thou broken down her

hedge ? * so that all they which
pass by the way do pluck her?

The boar out of the wood doth
root it up, * and the wild beast of
the field doth devour it.

Return, O God of hosts : * look
down from heaven, and behold, and
visit this vine ;

And protect that Thy right hand
hath planted, * and the son of man
whom Thou madest strong for Thy
self.

It is burnt with fire, and cut
down : * they shall perish at the
rebuke of Thy countenance.

Let Thine hand be upon the man
of Thy right hand, * and upon the
son of man whom Thou madest
strong for Thyself.

So will we not go back from
Thee ; * quicken us, and we will
call upon Thy name.

Turn us again, O LORD God of
hosts : * and cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Antiphon. 2 Be merciful unto our
sins, O Lord.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. Out of Zion, the Per
fection of beauty,

Answer. Our God shall come
manifestly.

During the rest of the year.

Verse. 3 My lips shall be fain
when I sing unto Thee.

Answer. And my soul, which
Thou hast redeemed.

1 That is, the dominion of the Israelites stretched from the Mediterranean to the
Euphrates. 2 Ps. Ixxviii. 9. 3 Ps. Ixx. 23.

136

THE PSALTER.

/;/ Lent.

Verse. He hath delivered me
from the snare of the fowler.

Answer. And from the noisome
pestilence.

In Passion time.

Verse. O God, deliver my soul
from the sword.

Answer. And my darling from
the power of the dog.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The Lord is risen from
the grave, Alleluia.

Answer. Who hung for us upon
the tree, Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the First
Nocturn on the preceding Sunday, only
the Lessons, and sometimes the Respon-
sories, are those of the day.

137

THE FIFTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

A II as on Sunday , except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :

Antiphon. Against Thee, Thee
only.

Psalm L.

Have mercy upon me, &c., (p.

87).

Antiphon. Against Thee, Thee
only, have I sinned, have mercy
upon me, O Lord !

Second Antiphon. Lord.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, "Thou hast
been."

Psalm LXXXIX.

[Intituled "A Prayer of Moses the man
of God."]

ORD, Thou hast been our re-
i fuge * in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought
forth, or ever the earth and the
world were formed, * even from
everlasting to everlasting, Thou art
God.

Turn not man to destruction ; *
for Thou sayest, Return, ye children
of men.

For a thousand years in Thy sight
* are but as yesterday when it is past,

And their years shall be reckoned
VOL. i.

as nothing, * even as a watch in
the night.

In the morning they are like
grass which soon fadeth away : in
the morning it flourisheth, and
then it fadeth away : * in the
evening it is cut down, drieth up,
and withereth.

For we are consumed by Thine
anger : * and by Thy wrath are
we troubled.

Thou hast set our iniquities be
fore Thee, * our life in the light
of Thy countenance.

For all our days are passed away,..
* and we are consumed by Thine,
anger.

The works whereon we toil all
our years are but frail structures
like a spider s web : * the days of
our years are threescore years and
ten :

And if by reason of strength they
be fourscore years, * yet is their
increase but labour and sorrow :

For weakness cometh, * and we
are cut off.

Who knoweth the power of Thine
anger, * or can measure Thy wrath,
that he may fear Thee as Thou
oughtest to be feared?

Show Thou the might of Thy
right hand ; * and apply our hearts
to wisdom.

E 2

138

THE PSALTER.

Return, O LORD, how long? *
and let it intreat Thee concerning
Thy servants.

Thou hast satisfied us early with
Thy mercy, * and we rejoice and
are glad all our days.

We are gladdened for the days
wherein Thou hast afflicted us ; *
for the years wherein we have seen
evil.

Look upon Thy servants, and
upon Thy works, * and establish
their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD
our God be upon us ; and establish
Thou the work of our hands upon
us : * yea, the work of our hands
establish Thou it.

Antiphon. Lord, Thou hast
been our refuge.

Third Antiphon. I meditate.

Psalms LXIL, LXVI.
O God, Thou art my God, &c.,

Antiphon. I meditate upon Thee
in the night watches.

Fourth Antiphon. Let us sing.

If this Antiphon be used the Canticle
begins with the words, " Unto the
LORD."

THE SONG OF MOSES (Exod. xv.)

[On the occasion of the successful escape
of the Israelites through the Red Sea.]

LET us sing unto the LORD, for
He hath triumphed gloriously :
* the horse and his rider hath He
thrown into the sea.

The LORD is my strength and
my song, * and He is become
my salvation :

1 But in the present Hebrew text,

He is my God, and I will glorify
Him : * my father s God, and I
will exalt Him.

The LORD is like a man of war :
"THE ALMIGHTY" 1 is His name.

* Pharaoh s chariots and his host
hath He cast into the sea.

His chosen captains are drowned
in the Red Sea. * The depths have
covered them : they sank into the
bottom as a stone.

Thy right hand, O LORD, is be
come glorious in power: Thy right
hand, O LORD, hath shattered the
enemy. * And in the greatness
of Thy majesty Thou hast over
thrown them that rose up against
Thee.

Thou sentest forth Thy wrath,
which consumed them as stubble.

* And with the blast of Thy fury
the waters were gathered together,

The floods stood upright, * and
the depths were congealed in the
heart of the sea.

The enemy said : I will pursue
and overtake, * I will divide the
spoil ; my soul shall be sated upon
them :

I will draw my sword, * mine
hand shall destroy them.

Thy wind blew, and the sea
covered them ; * they sank as lead
in the mighty waters.

Who is like unto Thee, O LORD,
among the mighty? * who is like
unto Thee, glorious in holiness,
terrible, and worthy to be praised,
doing wonders?

Thou stretchedst out Thy right
hand, and the earth swallowed them.
* Thou in Thy mercy hast led
forth the people which Thou hast
redeemed :

And hast borne them in Thy
here stands again the Divine name.

THURSDAY AT LAUDS.

139

strength, * unto Thine holy habi
tation.

The people came up and were
angry : * sorrow took hold on the
inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the princes of Edom were
amazed, the mighty men of Moab,
trembling took hold upon them : *
all the inhabitants of Chanaan
melted away.

Let fear and dread fall upon
them, * by the greatness of Thine
arm :

Let them be as still as a stone :
till Thy people pass over, O LORD,

* till Thy people pass over, which
Thou hast purchased.

Thou shalt bring them in and
plant them in the mountain of
Thine inheritance, * in Thy most
sure dwelling, which Thou hast
made, O LORD :

In the Sanctuary, O Lord, which
Thine hands have established.

* The LORD shall reign for ever
and ever.

For the horse of Pharaoh went
in with his chariots and with his
horsemen into the sea, * and the
LORD brought again the waters of
the sea upon them :

But the children of Israel went on
dry land * in the midst of the sea.

Antiphon. Let us sing gloriously
unto the LORD.

Fifth Antiphon. Praise God.

Psalms CXLVIII., CXLIX., CL.
Praise ye the LORD, &c., (pp. 25,

26).

Antiphon.
Sanctuary.

Praise God in His

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

The night is far spent, &c., (as
on Monday, p. 89).

HYMN. 1

CEE, the golden dawn is glowing,
^ While the paly shades are going,
Which have led us far and long,
In a labyrinth of wrong.

May it bring us peace serene ;
May it cleanse, as it is clean ;
Plain and clear our words be spoke,
And our thoughts without a cloak ;

So the day s account shall stand,
Guileless tongue and holy hand,
Steadfast eyes and unbeguiled,
" Flesh as of a little child."

There is One Who from above
Watches how the still hours move
Of our day of service done,
From the dawn to setting sun.

To the Father, and the Son,
And the Spirit, Three and One,
As of old, and as in Heaven,
Now and here be glory given.

Amen.

Verse. Thou hast satisfied us
early with Thy mercy.

Answer. We rejoice and are
glad.

Antiphon for the Songof Zacharias.
Let us serve the Lord * in holiness,
and He will deliver us from our
enemies.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other Commemorations, and Long
Preces in Advent and Lent, and on
Fast-days, as on Monday.

1 Extracted from hymn by Prudentius ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

140

Jfribap at Jftattin*.

THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

Invitatory. Let us worship the
Lord, for * He is our Maker.

HYMN. 1

MAY the dread Three in One, Who
sways

All with His sovereign might,
Accept from us this hymn of praise,
His watchers in the night.

For in the night, when all is still,
We spurn our bed and rise,

To find the balm for ghostly ill,
His bounteous hand supplies.

If e er by night our envious foe
With guilt our souls would stain,

May the deep streams of mercy flow,
And make us white again ;

That so with bodies braced and bright,

And hearts awake within,
All fresh and keen may burn our light,

Undimmed, unsoiled by sin.

Shine on Thine own, Redeemer sweet !

Thy radiance increate
Through the long day shall keep our
feet,

In their pure morning state.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.

Antiphon. Sing aloud.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, " Unto God our
strength."

In Paschal time o?ily one Antiphon is
said for the whole Nocturn. Alleluia.

Psalm LXXX.

[Intituled "Of Asaph." It has a super
scription of meaning now uncertain, but
part of which perhaps means that it was
a Hymn for the vintage.]

O ING aloud unto God our strength :
^ * make a joyful noise unto the
God of Jacob.

Take a psalm, and bring hither
the timbrel: * the pleasant harp
with the psaltery.

Blow the trumpet in the new
moon, 2 * in the time appointed,
on our solemn feast-day.

1 From a hymn of the Ambrosian school, very slightly altered ; translation by the late
Card. Newman.

2 The ordinance referred to in this and the next verses is found in Numb. x. " And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying : Make thee two trumpets of silver, of a whole piece shalt
thou make them. . . . And in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and
in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings,
and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings ; that they may be to you for a memorial
before God. I am the LORD your God."

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

141

For this is a statute for Israel :

* and a law of the God of Jacob.
This He ordained in Joseph for

a testimony, when he went out of
the land of Egypt : * he heard a
language that he understood not.

He removed his shoulder from
the burden, * his hands were done
with slaving over the baskets.

Thou calledst upon Me in trouble,
and I delivered thee : * I answered
thee in the secret place of thunder : I
proved thee at the waters of strife. 1

Hear, O My people, and I will
testify unto thee : * O Israel, if
thou wilt hearken unto Me, there
shall no strange god be in thee,
neither shalt thou worship any
strange god.

For I am the LORD thy God,
Who brought thee out of the land
of Egypt : * open thy mouth wide
and I will fill it.

But My people would not hearken
unto My voice : * and Israel would
not obey Me :

So I gave them up unto their
own hearts lust : * they walked
in their own counsels.

that My people had heark
ened unto Me, * that Israel had
walked in My ways!

1 should quickly have brought
their enemies under them, * and
turned Mine hand against their
adversaries.

The haters of the LORD would
have feigned submission unto Him :

* but their time should have en
dured for ever.

He would have fed them also
with the finest of the wheat : *
and with honey out of the rock
would He have satisfied them.

1 SLH. For "the waters of Meribah " or

2 SLH. 3 This verse was quoted by

Psalm LXXXI.
[Intituled "A Psalm of Asaph."]

standeth in the congrega
tion of the mighty : * He
judgeth among the judges.

How long do ye judge unjustly,
* and accept the person of the
wicked ? 2

Defend the poor and fatherless :

* do justice to the afflicted and
needy.

Deliver the poor, * and rid the
needy out of the hand of the wicked.

They know not, neither do they
understand, they walk on in dark
ness : * all the foundations of the
earth are out of course.

3 1 have said : Ye are gods, *
and all of you are children of the
Most High;

But ye shall die like men : *
and fall like one of the princes.

Arise, O God, judge the earth :

* for Thou shalt inherit all na
tions.

Antiphon. 4 Sing aloud unto
God our strength.

Second Antiphon. Thou alone.

Psalm LXXXI I.

[Intituled "A Song. A Psalm of
Asaph."]

OGOD, who shall be likened
unto Thee? * hold not Thy
peace, and be not still, O God.

For, lo, Thine enemies make a
tumult : * and they that hate Thee
have lifted up the head.

They have taken crafty counsel
against Thy people, * and con
sulted against Thine holy ones.

"strife," see note on Ps. xciv., p. 2.

our Lord. John x. 34. 4 Ps. Ixxx. 2.

142

THE PSALTER.

They have said : Come and let
us cut them off from being a na
tion : * that the name of Israel
may be no more in remembrance.

For they have consulted together
with one consent : * they are con
federate against Thee : the taberna
cles of Edom, 1 and the Ishmaelites.

Of Moab, and the Hagarenes ;
Gebal, and Ammon, Amalek, * the
"Strangers" with the inhabitants
of Tyre.

Assur also is joined with them :

* they have holpen the children
of Lot. 2

Do unto them as unto Midian, 3
and Sisera : * as unto Jabin, at
the brook of Kishon.

They perished at Endor : * they
became as dung for the earth.

Make their nobles like Oreb
and like Zeeb; * as Zebah and
Zalmunna,

All their princes : * who said :
Let us take to ourselves the Sanc
tuary of God in possession.

O my God, make them like a
wheel [of whirling dust] ; * and as
the stubble before the wind !

As the fire that burneth a wood,

* and as the flame that setteth the
mountains on fire.

So pursue them with Thy tem
pest, * and trouble them in Thine
anger.

Fill their faces with shame : * and
they will seek Thy Name, O LORD !

Let them be confounded and
troubled for ever : * yea, let them
be put to shame and perish.

And let men know that Thy
name is the LORD : * Thou alone
art the Most High over all the
earth.

PsalmLXXXIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of the sons of
Korah." It has the same superscription as
Ps. Ixx., referring possibly to the vintage.
It reads as if it were a pilgrim-song refer
ring to the going up of all the males of
Israel to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of
Tabernacles, when harvest and vintage were
over.]

HOW lovely are Thy taberna
cles, O LORD of hosts ! *
my soul longeth and fainteth for
the courts of the LORD :

Mine heart and my flesh * rejoice
for the living God.

Yea, the sparrow hath found an
house, * and the dove a nest for
herself, where she may lay her
young,

Even Thine altars, O LORD of
hosts, * my King and my God !

Blessed are they that dwell in
Thine house, O Lord; * they will
be ever praising Thee. 2

Blessed is the man whose strength
is from Thee ; * who hath settled in
his heart to go up [to thy Sanctu
ary,] through the vale of tears, 4 to
the place which he hath appointed.

He That hath given the Law will

1 Of the list of tribes in the next few verses, the Ishmaelites are the inhabitants of Edom;
Moab, and the Hagarenes, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, tribes to the south and south-east of
Canaan ; the " Strangers " are the Philistines ; Assur is Assyria j the children of Lot are

the Moabites and Ammonites.

SLH.

The Midianites invaded Israel during the Judgeship of Gideon, who defeated them.
Barak had previously, by a great victory between the Kishon and Endor, delivered his
people from the tyranny of Jabin king of the Canaanites. whose general, Sisera, lost his life
on the occasion. Oreb and Zeeb were two princes, and Zebah and Zalmunna two kings of
the Midianites, whom the Israelites took prisoners and put to death on the second occasion.
See Judges iv.-viii. .

4 Hebrew, "of Baca," probably the proper name of a place, but, literally, weeping.

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

give His blessing ; they shall go
from strength to strength : * they
appear before the God of gods in
Zion.

LORD God of hosts, hear my
prayer : * give ear, O God of Ja
cob ! 1

Behold, O God, our shield : *
and look upon the face of Thine
Anointed.

For a day in Thy courts is better

* than a thousand.

1 had rather be a menial in the
house of my God, * than to dwell
in the tents of wickedness.

For God loveth mercy and truth :

* the LORD will give grace and
glory.

No good thing will He withhold
from them that walk uprightly. *
O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man
that trusteth in Thee !

Antiphon. 2 Thou alone art the
Most High over all the earth.
Third Antiphon. LORD.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words " Thou hast been
favourable."

Psalm LXXXIV.

[Intituled "A Psalm of the sons of
Korah," with the usual (now uncertain)
superscription.]

LORD, Thou hast been favour
able unto Thy land : * Thou
hast brought back the captivity of
Jacob.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of
Thy people : * Thou hast covered
all their sins. 1

Thou hast taken away all Thy
wrath : * Thou hast turned Thyself
from the fierceness of Thine anger.

Turn us, O God of our salvation,

* and cause Thine anger towards us
to cease.

Wilt Thou be angry with us for
ever? * wilt Thou draw out Thine
anger to all generations ?

God, Thou shalt again quicken
us : * and Thy people shall rejoice
in Thee.

Show us Thy mercy, O LORD ! *
and grant us Thy salvation.

1 will hear what the LORD God
will speak in me : * for He will
speak peace unto His people,

And to His saints, * and unto
them that are changed in heart.

Surely His salvation is nigh them
that fear Him, * that glory may
dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met to
gether : * righteousness and peace
have kissed each other.

Truth hath sprung out of the
earth : * and righteousness hath
looked down from heaven.

Yea, the LORD shall give that
which is good : * and our land shall
yield her increase.

Righteousness shall go before
Him : * and shall set His footsteps
in the way.

Psalm LXXXV.
[Intituled "A Prayer of David."]

BOW down Thine ear, O LORD,
and hear me : * for I am poor
and needy.

Preserve my soul, for I am holy :

* O Thou my God, save Thy servant
that trusteth in Thee.

Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for
I cry unto Thee all the day long : *
rejoice the soul of Thy servant, for

1 SLH.

Ps. Ixxxii. 19.

THE PSALTER.

unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my
soul.

For Thou, Lord, art good and
ready to forgive, * and plenteous
in mercy to all them that call upon
Thee.

Give ear, O LORD, unto my
prayer : * and attend to the voice
of my supplication.

In the day of my trouble I called
upon Thee, * for Thou hast heard
me.

Among the gods there is none like
unto Thee, O Lord : * neither are
there any works like unto Thy works.

All nations whom Thou hast
made shall come and worship be
fore Thee, O Lord : * and shall
glorify Thy name.

For Thou art great and doest won
drous things : * Thou art God alone.

Teach me Thy way, O LORD,
and I will walk in Thy truth : *
let mine heart be glad, that it may
fear Thy name.

I will praise Thee, O Lord my
God, with all mine heart, * and I
will glorify Thy name for evermore.

For great is Thy mercy toward
me : * and Thou hast delivered my
soul from the lowest hell.

O God, the wicked are risen
against me, and the assemblies of
violent men have sought after my
soul, * and have not set Thee before
them.

But Thou, O Lord, art a God full
of compassion and gracious, * long-
suffering, and plenteous in mercy
and truth.

O look upon me, and have mercy
1 Ps. Ixxxiv. 2.

upon me : * give Thy strength unto
Thy servant, and save the son of
Thine handmaid !

Show me a token for good, that
they which hate me may see it and be
ashamed : * because Thou, O LORD,
hast holpen me, and comforted me.

Antiphon. 1 LORD, Thou hast
been favourable unto Thy land.
Fourth Antiphon. Her foundation.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, "Is in the holy
mountains."

Psalm LXXXVI.

[Intituled "A Psalm. A Song of the
sons of Korah." The Targum adds that it
was based upon words of the ancients,
perhaps meaning that the two first verses
before the SLH were an ancient saying to
which the rest was a later addition.]

TTER foundation is in the holy
*1 mountains : * the LORD lov-
eth the gates of Zion more than all
the dwellings of Jacob !

Glorious things are spoken of
thee, * O city of God ! 2

I will make mention of Rahab 3
and Babylon * that know me.

Behold the "Strangers," 4 and
Tyre, and the people of Ethiopia, *
these were there

And of Zion shall it not be said :
This and that man was born in her,
* and the Highest Himself hath
established her? 5

The LORD shall make count,
when He writeth up the people [and
the princes,] 6 * of all that are in her. 2

All they that dwell in thee * are
in gladness.

2 SLH.

3 That is "the Insolent One," namely, Egypt. 4 I.e., the Philistines.

5 Is the meaning that Jerusalem shall be illustrious as the birth-place of all kinds of
distinguished persons ? The Targum, curiously enough, says that the persons meant are
David and Solomon, whereas David is a native of Bethlehem.

6 Displaced from the beginning of the next verse.

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

Psalm LXXXVII.

[This Psalm has a long superscription, in
which its authorship is attributed to Heman
the Ezraliite, one of five brothers, descen
dants of Zarah, the son of Judah. Four of
them were celebrated for wisdom. 3 (i)
Kings iv. 31. This Psalm was written for
the sons of Korah, and intended to be sung
with an accompaniment of pipes and flutes.]

OLORD God of my salvation, *
I have cried day and night
before Thee.

Let my prayer come before Thee ;

* incline Thine ear unto my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles : *

and my life draweth nigh unto the
grave.

I am counted with them that go
down into the pit : * I am as a
man that hath no strength, lying
nerveless among the dead,

Like the pierced that lie in the
grave, whom Thou rememberest no
more : * and they are cast off from
Thine hand.

They have laid me in the lowest
pit, * in darkness and in the shadow
of death.

Thy wrath lieth hard upon me,

* and Thou hast afflicted me with
all Thy waves. 1

Thou hast put away mine ac
quaintance far from me : they
have made me an abomination unto
them.

I am shut up, and cannot come
forth : * mine eyes fail by reason
of affliction.

LORD, 1 have called daily upon
Thee : * I have stretched out my
hands unto Thee !

Wilt Thou show wonders to the
dead ? * or can physicians quicken
them, so that they may praise
Thee ? !

Shall Thy loving - kindness be
1 SLH.

declared in the grave, * and Thy
faithfulness in destruction ?

Shall Thy wonders be known in
the dark, * and Thy righteousness
in the land of forgetfulness ?

But unto Thee have I cried, O
LORD : * and in the morning shall
my prayer come before Thee.

LORD, why easiest Thou off my
prayer, * why hidest Thou Thy face
from me?

I am afflicted, and in toil from
my youth up : * and when I was
lifted up, then was I brought down
and troubled :

Thy fierce wrath goeth over me,

* and Thy terrors have troubled me.
They came round about me all

the day like a flood : * they com
passed me about together.

Friend and neighbour hast Thou
put far from me, * mine acquaint
ance also, because of my misery.

Antiphon. 2 Her foundation is
in the holy mountains.
Fifth Antiphon. Blessed.

Psalm LXXXVII I.

[Intituled " A didactic (?) Poem of Ethan
the Ezrahite." This Ethan was a brother
of the author of the last Psalm. ]

T WILL sing of the mercies * of
^ the LORD for ever.

With my mouth will I make
known Thy faithfulness * to all
generations.

For Thou hast said : Mercy shall
be built up for ever in the heavens :

* Thy faithfulness shall be estab
lished in them.

I have made a covenant with My
chosen, I have sworn unto David
My servant : * thy seed will I
establish for ever.

2 Ps, Ixxxvi. I.

146

THE PSALTER,

And build up thy throne * to
all generations. 1

And the heavens shall praise Thy
wonders, O LORD ; * Thy faithful
ness also in the congregation of the
Saints

For who in heaven can be com
pared unto the LORD ? * Who
among the sons of God can be
likened unto GOD ?

God, Which is glorious in the
assembly of the saints, * great
and terrible to all them that are
about Him.

O LORD God of hosts, who is
like unto Thee ? * Thou art strong,
O LORD, and Thy faithfulness is
round about Thee !

Thou rulest the raging of the
sea : when the waves thereof
arise Thou stillest them.

Thou hast broken the " Inso
lent " one, 2 as one that is slain :,
* Thou hast scattered Thine ene
mies with Thy strong arm.

The heavens are Thine, the
earth also is Thine, as for the
world and the fulness thereof
Thou hast founded them : * the
North and the South Thou hast
created them :

3 Tabor and Hermon shall re
joice in Thy name. * Thou hast
a mighty arm.

Strong is Thine hand, and high
Thy right hand : * justice and
judgment are the foundations of
Thy throne.

Mercy and truth shall go before
Thy face. * Blessed is the people
that know the joyful sound !

They shall walk, O LORD, in
the light of Thy countenance, and
in Thy name shall they rejoice all
the day : * in Thy righteousness
also shall they be exalted.

For thou art the glory of their
strength : * and in Thy favour
our horn shall be exalted.

For of the LORD is our de
fence, * and of the Holy One of
Israel is our King.

Then Thou spakest in vision to
Thine holy ones, and saidst : * I
have laid help upon one that is
mighty, and have exalted one
chosen out of My people.

I have found David My ser
vant : * with Mine holy oil have I
anointed him.

For Mine hand shall help him :
* Mine arm also shall strengthen
him.

The enemy shall prevail nothing
against him : * nor the son of
wickedness afflict him.

And I will beat down his foes
before his face, * and put them
that hate him to flight.

And My truth and My mercy
shall be with him : * and in My
Name shall his horn be exalted.

I will set his hand also in the
sea, * and his right hand in the
rivers. 4

He shall cry unto me : Thou
art my Father, * my God, and
the rock of my salvation.

5 Also I will make him My first
born, * higher than the kings of
the earth.

My mercy will I keep for him

1 SLH. 2 R a hab *.., Egypt.

3 Two prominent mountains in the North of Syria.

4 That is ; " I will make his power to be bounded on the West by the Mediterranean,
and on the East by the Tigris and Euphrates. "

5 The next verses are a sort of quotation of the Divine message given by Nathan to
David, z Kings (Sam.) vii. 14-16.

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

for evermore, * and My covenant
shall stand fast with him.

His seed also will I make to
endure for ever, * and his throne
as the days of heaven.

But if his children forsake My
law, * and walk not in My judg
ments,

If they break My statutes, * and
keep not My commandments,

Then I will visit their trans
gressions with the rod, * and
their iniquity with stripes.

Nevertheless My loving-kindness
will I not utterly take from him,

* nor fail in My truth.

My covenant also will I not break,

* nor make void the thing that is
gone out of My lips.

Once have I sworn by Mine
holiness, that I will not lie unto
David : * his seed shall endure for
ever,

And his throne, as the sun before
Me : * and as the full moon for
ever, and as the faithful witness in
heaven. 1

But Thou hast cast off and de
spised, * Thou hast put away Thine
Anointed.

Thou hast made void the cove
nant of Thy servant : * Thou hast
profaned his crown [by casting] it
to the ground.

Thou hast broken down all his
hedges : * Thou hast brought his
strongholds to ruin.

All that pass by the way spoil
him : * he is a reproach to his
neighbours.

Thou hast set up the right hand
of his adversaries : * Thou hast
made all his enemies to rejoice.

Thou hast turned the edge of his-
sword, * and hast not upholden him
in battle.

Thou hast made his brightness to
cease, * and cast his throne down
to the ground.

The days of his youth hast Thou
shortened : * Thou hast covered
him with shame. 2

How long, LORD, wilt Thou hide
Thyself, for ever? * Shall Thy
wrath burn like fire?

Remember how short my time is :
* wherefore hast Thou made all the
sons of men in vain ?

What man is he that liveth, and
shall not see death ? * Shall he
deliver his soul from the hand of
the grave ? 2

Lord, where are Thy former lov
ing-kindnesses, * which Thou swarest
unto David in Thy truth ?

Remember, Lord, the reproach of
Thy servants, * (that I bear in my
bosom) even the reproach of many
people

Wherewith Thine enemies have
reproached, O LORD * wherewith
they have reproached the woes of
Thine Anointed.

Blessed be the LORD for ever
more ! * Amen, Amen. 3

Psalm XCIII.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. ascribe this
Psalm to David, and assign it to the fourth
day of the week. ]

HTHE LORD God to Whom ven-
* geance belongeth, * the God
to Whom vengeance belongeth hath
shown Himself.

Lift up Thyself, Thou judge of

1 SLH. Is the "faithful witness" the rainbow? See Gen. ix. (Thursday after Sexa-
gesima Sunday. ) 2 SLH.

3 Here ends the third of the five books into which the Psalter is divided.

148

THE PSALTER.

the earth : * render a reward to the
proud.

LORD, how long shall the wicked,

* how long shall the wicked
triumph ?

How long shall they utter and
speak iniquity ? * all the workers of
wickedness boast themselves ?

They crush Thy people, O LORD !

* and afflict Thine heritage.

They slay the widow and the
stranger, * and murder the father
less.

Yet they say : The LORD shall
not see, * neither shall the God of
Jacob understand.

Understand, ye brutish among the
people ! * and ye fools, some time
be wise !

He That planted the ear, shall He
not hear ? * or He That formed the
eye, can He not see ?

He That chastiseth the heathen,
shall not He correct? * He That
teacheth man knowledge?

The LORD knoweth the thoughts
of men, * that they are vanity.

Blessed is the man whom Thou
chastenest, O LORD, * and teachest
out of Thy law.

That Thou mayest give him rest
from the days of adversity, * until
the pit be digged for the wicked.

For the LORD will not cast off
His people, * neither will He for
sake His inheritance.

Until righteousness return unto
judgment, * and all the upright in
heart follow it.

Who will rise up for me against
the evil-doers ? * or who will stand
up with me against the workers of
iniquity ?

Unless the LORD had been mine
help, * my soul had almost dwelt
in the grave.

When I said : My foot slippeth
* Thy mercy, O LORD, held me
up.

In the multitude of the sorrows
within mine heart, * Thy comforts
delight my soul.

1 Hath the throne of iniquity
fellowship with Thee? * which
frameth mischief by a law?

They that gather themselves
together against the soul of the
righteous, * and condemn the in
nocent blood ?

But the LORD is my refuge, *
and my God is the stay of my
trust.

And He shall bring upon them
their own iniquity, and shall cut
them off in their own wickedness :
* the LORD our God shall cut
them off.

Antiphon. 2 Blessed be the LORD
for evermore.

Sixth Antiphon. Sing.

Psalm XCV.

[In I Par. (Chron.) xvi. it is stated ths
David gave this Psalm to Asaph and his
brethren upon the day that the ark was
brought to Jerusalem. The text is there
given somewhat differently, and the whole
forms the second part of one Psalm, of
which the first part consists of the first
fifteen verses of Ps. civ. The Vulgate and
the LXX. note that it was sung at the
rebuilding of the Temple after the Cap
tivity.]

OSING unto the LORD a new
song : * sing unto the LORD,
all the earth.

Sing unto the LORD, and bless

1 This verse is translated according to the sense of the Hebrew, the LXX., Aquila,
Symmachus, Theodotion, and St Jerome, but the Latin has the second, instead of the
third, person singular in the last clause. 2 Ps. Ixxxviii. 53.

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

149

: His Name : * show forth His sal
vation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the
heathen, * His wonders among all
| people.

For the LORD is great, and greatly
to be praised : * He is to be feared
above all gods.

For all the gods of the heathen
are devils : * but the LORD made
the heavens.

Praise and beauty are before
Him : * holiness and majesty are
in His sanctuary.

Give unto the LORD, O ye kin
dreds of the people, give unto the
LORD glory and honour : * give
unto the LORD the glory due unto
His name.

Bring sacrifices, and come into
His courts : * O worship the LORD
in His holy temple !

Let all the earth fear before
Him. Say among the heathen,
The LORD reigneth !

He hath established the world
also, that it shall not be moved :
* He shall judge the people right
eously.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let
the earth be glad, let the sea roar,
and the fulness thereof: * let the
fields be joyful and all that is
therein.

Then shall all the trees of the
wood rejoice before the LORD, for
He cometh, * for He cometh to
judge the earth.

He shall judge the world with
righteousness : * and the people
with His truth. 1

Psalm XCVI.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. have the
superscription "[A Psalm] of David when
his country was re - established " per
haps meaning after the usurpation of Ab-
solom.]

LORD reigneth ; let the
* earth rejoice : * let the mul
titude of isles be glad thereof.

Clouds and darkness are round
about Him : * righteousness and
judgment are the foundation of
His throne.

A fire shall go before Him. * and
burn up His enemies round about.

His lightnings enlightened the
world : * the earth saw and trem
bled.

The hills melted like wax at
the presence of the LORD, * at
the presence of the Lord of the
whole earth.

The heavens declared His right
eousness, * and all the people
saw His glory.

Confounded be all they that
worship graven images, * and that
boast themselves of idols.

Worship Him, all ye His An
gels ! * Zion heard, and was glad.

And the daughters of Judah
rejoiced, * because of Thy judg
ments, O LORD !

For thou, LORD, art high above
all the earth : * Thou art exalted
far above all gods.

Ye that love the LORD, hate evil :
* the Lord preserveth the souls of
His saints ; He delivereth them out
of the hand of the wicked.

Light is sprung up for the

1 In I Par. (Chron.) xvi. the Psalm continues: "O give thanks unto the LORD, for
He is good : for His mercy endureth for ever. And say ye : Save us, O God of our
salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give
thanks to Thy holy Name, and glory in Thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of
Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said : Amen and praised the LORD"
possibly in Ps. cxxxv.

150

THE PSALTER.

righteous, * and gladness for the
upright in heart.

Rejoice in the LORD, ye right
eous, * and give thanks to the
memorial of His holiness !

Antiphon. l Sing unto the LORD,
and bless His name.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
In Advent.

Verse. Send forth the Lamb, O
Lord, the ruler of the land.

Answer. From the "Rock" of
the wilderness unto the mount of
the daughter of Zion.

During the rest of the year.
Verse. 2 Let my prayer come
before Thee, O Lord.

Answer. Incline Thine ear unto
my cry.

In Lent.

Verse. He shall cover thee with
His wings.

Answer. And under His feath
ers shalt thou trust.

In Passion time.

Verse. O Lord, save me from
the lion s mouth.

Answer. And mine affliction
from the horns of the unicorns.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The Lord is risen in-
deed, Alleluia.

Answer. And hath appeared un
to Simon, Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the Second
Nocturn on the preceding Sunday, only
the Lessons, and sometimes the Respon-
.sories, are those of the day.

1 Ps. xcv. 2.
4 Ps. Ixvii. 3.

2 Ps. Ixxxvii. 3.
5 Ecclus. xlv. 1 6

Simple Feasts. It is to be remembered
that when a Simple Feast is kept on
Friday, the Invitatory and Hymn are
of the Feast, being taken from the Com
mon of Saints of the class, unless speci
ally given.

Then the Psalms and Antiphons of
the Week-day, as given above. Then is
said a Verse and Answer as follows :

In the Simple Office for one or many
Martyrs in Paschal time.

Verse. The everlasting light
shall shine upon Thy Saints, O
Lord. Alleluia.

Ansiver. Even unto everlasting.
Alleluia.

In the Simple Office for one Martyr,
(out of Paschal time}.

Verse. 3 Thou hast set a crown,
O Lord, of precious stones.
Answer. Upon his head.

In the Simple Office for many Martyrs,
(put of Paschal time].

Verse. 4 Let the righteous re
joice before God.

Ansiver. Yea, let them exceed
ingly rejoice.

In the Simple Office for a Bishop and
Confessor.

Verse. 5 The Lord chose him for
a priest unto Himself.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
Answer. To offer up unto Him
the sacrifice of praise.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

In the Simple Office for a Confessor
not a Bishop.

Verse. 6 The mouth of the right
eous shall speak wisdom.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]
Answer. And his tongue talk of
judgment.

[In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

3 Ps. xx. 3.
6 Ps. xxxvi. 30.

FRIDAY AT MATTINS.

For one Holy Woman, of whatever
kind,

Verse. l God shall give her the
help of His countenance.

\In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

Answer. God is in the midst of
her, she shall not be moved.

\In Paschal time, add Alleluia.]

The others, as well as what follows,

\ to the end of the Service, are taken from

! the Second Nocturn of the Office common

to Saints of the class, tmless something

special be appointed. The Lessons are

arranged according to the rules in Chap

ter xx vi. 4 of the general Rubrics.

\ The Hymn, " We praise Thee, O God,"

is said at the end, instead of a Third

Responsory. The Responsories are ar

ranged according to the rules in Chapter

xxvii. 4 of the General Rubrics. Thus:

The Lord s Prayer is said:

Father (inaudibly), Who art
in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy
will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our tres
passes, as we forgive them that tres
pass against us. (Aloud.}

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Then this Absolution :

MAY His loving kindness and
mercy help us, Who liveth
and reigneth with the Father, and
the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Answer. Amen.

Then the Reader says :
Sir, be pleased to give the bless

ing.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be from
Scripture.

God the Father, the Almighty,
Show on us His grace and mercy.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessing, if the Lesson be of an
Homily.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His Word.
Answer. Amen.

First Blessi?ig on a Simple Feast.

May His blessing be upon us,
Who doth live and reign for ever.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the First Lesson from
Scripture or from the Homily, or, o?i a
Simple Feast, either the First from
Scripture, or, if the Saint or Saints
have two Lessons, the whole three Scrip
ture Lessons read together as one.

Then the First Responsory, unless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the First Responsory of
the preceding Sunday. On a Simple
Feast, it is the First Responsory in the
Common Office for the class to which
the Saint belongs.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May Christ to all His people give
For ever in His sight to live.
Answer. Amen.

Second Blessing, if the Lesson be from
an Homily.

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

1 Ps. xlv. 5, (Alexandrian version).

152

THE PSALTER.

Second Blessing, for a Simple Feast.

He (or She or They) whose feast-
day we are keeping
Plead for us before the Lord.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Second Lesson, either
from the Scripture or from an Homily,
or, on a Simple Feast, either the Second
and Third Lessons from Scripture read
together as one, or, if the Saint or Saints
have two Lessons, the first of these.

Then the Second Responsory, tmless
otherwise directed. On a week-day kept
as such, this is the Second Responsory
of the preceding Sunday, but in Paschal
time there is added to it :

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

A?td the Answer of the Responsory is
repeated again.

On a Simple Feast the Second Re
sponsory in the Common Office for the
class to which the Saint belongs, with the
addition of " Glory be to the Father,"
&C., and the repetition of the Answer.

Then the Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

Third Blessing, if the Lesson be of
Scripture.

May the Spirit s fire divine
In our inmost being shine.
Answer. Amen.

Third Blessing, for a Simple Feast, or
if the Lesson be from an Homily.

May He that is the Angels King
To that high realm His people bring.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read the Third Lesson either
from Scripture, or of the Homily, or,
on Simple Feasts, the Second or only
Lesson of the Saint.

Then, on Simple Feasts and on any
day in Paschal time is said the Hymn,
"We praise Thee, O God." But on
week-days kept as such out of Paschal
time the Third Responsory of the pre
ceding Sunday.

153

Jfribap at

THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as other
wise given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. Uphold mine heart.

Psalm L.
Have mercy upon me, &c., (/.

Antiphon. Uphold mine heart
with Thy free spirit, O God.

Second Antiphon. In Thy faith
fulness.

Psalm CXLII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," and
the Vulgate and the LXX. add, "when
he was being persecuted by Absolom his
son."]

HEAR my prayer, O LORD,
give ear to my supplication
in Thy faithfulness : * answer me,
in Thy righteousness.

And enter not into judgment
with Thy servant : * for in Thy
sight shall no man living be jus
tified.

For the enemy hath persecuted
my soul : * he hath smitten my
life down to the ground :

He hath made me to dwell in
darkness, as those that have been

long dead. Therefore is my

spirit overwhelmed within me : mine
heart within me is troubled.

I remember the days of old :
I meditate on all thy works : *
I muse on the works of Thine
hands.

I stretch forth mine hands unto
Thee : * my soul [thirsteth] after
Thee, as a thirsty land. 1

Hear me speedily, O LORD : *
my spirit faileth :

Hide not Thy face from me, *
lest I be like unto them that go
down into the pit.

Cause me to hear Thy loving-
kindness in the morning : * for
in Thee do I trust :

Cause me to know the way
wherein I should walk : * for I
lift up my soul unto Thee.

Deliver me, O LORD, from
mine enemies : I flee unto Thee
to hide me. * Teach me to do
Thy will : for Thou art my God.

Let Thy good Spirit lead me
into the land of uprightness.
For Thy name s sake, O LORD,
Thou shalt quicken me in Thy
righteousness.

Thou shalt bring my soul out
of trouble : * and of Thy mercy
cut off mine enemies,.

SLH.

154

THE PSALTER.

And destroy all them that af
flict my soul : * for I am Thy
servant.

Antiphon. In Thy faithfulness,
answer me, O Lord.

Third Antiphon. O Lord.

Psalms LXIL, LXVI.
O God, Thou art my God, &c.,

(/-

Antiphon, O Lord, cause Thy
face to shine upon us.

Fourth Antiphon. O LORD, I
have heard.

If this Antiphon be used the Can
ticle begi?is with the words, "Thy
speech."

THE SONG OF HABAKKUK THE
PROPHET. (Hab. iii.)

[Intituled "A prayer of Habakkuk the
Prophet" with a direction, perhaps musi
cal.]

LORD, I have heard tell of
Thee : * and was afraid :

O LORD, revive Thy work

the midst of the years ;

In the midst of the years shalt
Thou make it known : * in wrath,
Thou wilt remember mercy.

God shall come from " the
South," * and the Holy One
from Mount Paran. 1

His glory covered the heavens,.
* and the earth was full of His
praise.

His brightness was as the light :.
r He had horns 2 coming out of
His hand :

There was the hiding of His
power. * Before Him went death.

And the destroyer went forth
at His feet. * He stood and mea
sured the earth :

He beheld, and drove asunder
the nations : * and the everlast
ing mountains were crushed :

The everlasting hills did bow : *
because the Eternal passed by. 3

I saw the tents of Ethiopia in
affliction : * the curtains of the
land of Midian did tremble. 4

Wast Thou displeased against
the rivers, O LORD ? * was Thine
anger against the rivers? Thy
wrath against the sea?

That Thou didst ride upon
Thine horses, * and Thy chariots
were salvation ?

Thou didst seize and draw Thy
bow, * according to the oaths that
Thou utteredst unto the tribes. 5

Thou didst cleave the rivers of
the earth : the mountains saw Thee
and they trembled : * the overflow
ing of the water passed by :

The deep uttered his voice : *"
he lifted up his hands on high.

The sun and moon stood still

1 SLH. "The South" is, in the original, "Teman," the name of a country and nation
eastward of Idumea, but used for the south generally. Paran, or Pharan, is an uncultured
and mountainous region, lying between Arabia Petreea, Palestine, and Idumea. The pas
sage is an imitation of the words of Moses when blessing the tribes. Deut. xxxiii. 2. " The
LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them ; He stirred forth from Mount
Paran, and He came with ten thousands of Saints : from His right hand went a fiery law
for them."

" Gesenius says " Horns is here used of flashes of lightning, just as the Arabian poets-
compare the first beams of the rising sun to horns, and call the sun itself a gazelle."

3 The present Hebrew simply is The ways are everlasting to Him. "

4 Proper name of an Arabian nation whose territory lay from the eastern shore of the
/Elanitic Gulf as far as the land of Moab. 5 SLH.

FRIDAY AT LAUDS.

155

in their habitation : * at the light
of Thine arrows they went forth, at
the shining of Thy glittering spear.

Thou didst tread down the
land in indignation : * Thou didst
! thresh the heathen in anger.

Thou wentest forth for the sal-
! vation of Thy people, * even for
salvation with Thine Anointed. 1

Thou didst smite the head of
; the house of the wicked : 2 * Thou
didst lay bare the foundation unto
the neck. 3

Thou didst curse his sceptre,
even the head of his fighting men,

* when they came out as a whirl
wind to scatter me :

Their rejoicing was as the re
joicing of him * that devoureth
I) the poor secretly.

Thou didst make a way in the
sea for Thine horses, * through
the mire of great waters.

I heard, and my belly trembled :

* my lips quivered at the voice :
Let rottenness enter into my

bones, * and corruption swarm
under me :

That I may rest in the day of
trouble : * that I may go up unto
I our people that are girded. 4

Although the fig-tree shall not
blossom, * neither shall fruit be
in the vines :

The labour of the olive shall
fail, * and the fields shall yield
no meat :

The flock shall be cut off from
the fold, * and there shall be no
herd in the stalls :

Yet will I rejoice in the LORD :

* I will joy in the God of my
salvation. 5

The LORD God is my strength :

* and He will make my feet like
hinds feet:

And He will lead me forth, to
make me to walk upon mine high
places, * as a conqueror, to sing
praises unto Him. 6

Antiphon. O LORD, I have heard
Thy speech, and was afraid.
Fifth Antiphon. Praise God.

Psalms CXLVIIL, CXLIX., CL.

Praise ye the LORD, from the
heavens, &c., (pp. 25, 26).

Antiphon. Praise God with the
timbrel and dance.

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

The night is far spent, &c., (as on
Monday, p. 89).

HYMN. 7

GLORY of the eternal Heaven,
Blessed Hope to mortals given,
Of the Almighty Only Son,
And the Virgin s Holy One ;
Raise us, Lord, and we shall rise

In a sober mood,
And a zeal which glorifies
Thee from gratitude.

Now the day-star keenly glancing,
Tells us of the sun s advancing ;
While the unhealthy shades decline,
Rise within us, Light Divine !

1 Moses? Pharaoh?

3 SLH. Some critics read " of the rock " instead of " unto the neck."

4 Accinctum. The Latin translator probably meant "girt," as the dead were girt, cf.
John xi. 44. 5 Jesu Meo. So the Hebrew.

6 This last clause seems to be only a musical direction, which has got confounded wit!
the text. Some translate it : " Given to the leader of the string band."

7 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, slightly altered ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

156

THE PSALTER.

Rise, and, risen, go not hence,

Stay and make us bright,
Streaming through each cleansed
sense,

On the outward night.

Then the root of faith shall spread
In the heart new fashioned ;
Gladsome hope shall spring above,
And shall bear the fruit of love.
To the Father, and the Son,

And the Holy Ghost,
Here be glory, as is done,

By the Angelic host.

Amen.

Verse. Thou hast satisfied us
early with Thy mercy.

Answer. We rejoice and are
glad.

Antiphon for the Song of Zach-
arias. Through the tender mercy
of our God * the day-spring from on
high hath visited us.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other Commemorations, and Long
Preces in Advent and Lent, and on
Fast-days, as on Monday.

157

bat) at Jttattins.

THE SABBATH.

All as on Sunday, except as other
wise given here.

Invitatory. O come, let us wor
ship * the Lord our God.

HYMN. 1

FATHER of mercies infinite,
Ruling all things that be,
Who, shrouded in the depth and height,
Art One, and yet art Three ;

Accept our chants, accept our tears,
A mingled stream we pour ;

Such stream the laden bosom cheers,
To taste Thy sweetness more.

Purge Thou with fire the o ercharged
mind,

Its sores and wounds profound;
And with the watcher s girdle bind

The limbs which sloth has bound.

That they who with their chants by
night

Before Thy presence come,
All may be fill d with strength and light

From their eternal home.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Only one Nocturn is said.
Antiphon. For the Lord.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon is
said for the whole Nocturn. Alleluia.

Psalm XCVII.

[Intituled " A Psalm." The Vulgate and
the LXX. ascribe it to David.]

SING unto the LORD a new
song : * for He hath done
marvellous things.

His right hand, and His holy arm,

* have gotten Him the victory.
The LORD hath made known His

salvation : * His righteousness hath
He openly showed in the sight of
the heathen.

He hath remembered His mercy,

* and His truth towards the house
of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have
seen * the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise unto the
LORD, all the earth, * make a
loud noise and rejoice, and sing
praise.

Sing unto the LORD with the
harp, with the harp and the voice
of a psalm. * With trumpets and
sound of cornet,

Make a joyful noise before the
LORD, the King. * Let the sea
roar, and the fulness thereof, the
worltf and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands,
let the hills be joyful together be-

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school, considerably altered ; translation by the late
Card. Newman.

158

THE PSALTER.

fore the LORD. * For He cometh
to judge the earth :

With righteousness shall He judge
the world, * and the people with
equity.

Psalm XCVIII.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. ascribe this
Psalm to David.]

LORD reigneth, be the
people never so impatient : *
He sitteth upon the Cherubim, be
the earth never so unquiet.

The LORD is great in Zion : i
and He is high above all people.

Let them praise Thy great and
terrible Name, for it is holy :
and the King s majesty loveth judg
ment.

Thou dost establish equity :
Thou executest judgment and right
eousness in Jacob.

Exalt ye the LORD our God, and
worship at His footstool : " for it
is holy.

Moses and Aaron among His
priests, * and Samuel among them
that call upon His name.

They called upon the LORD, and
He answered them. * He spake
unto them in the cloudy pillar :

They kept His testimonies,
and the ordinance that He gave
them.

Thou answeredst them, O LORD
our God! * O God, Thou forgav-
est them, though Thou tookest
vengeance of their inventions.

Exalt the LORD our God and
worship at His holy hill : * for the
LORD our God is Holy.

When the following Psalm, "Make
a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands,"
is to be said at Lauds (as would be the
case, for instance, if Christmas Eve fell
on a Saturday) it is not said here, nor
its A ntiphon. But instead is said Psalm
xci., " It is a good thing to give thanks
unto the LORD," from the Saturday
Lauds which are to be displaced, with
the Antiphon, "It is a good thing * to
give thanks unto the LORD," in which
case the Psalm begins with the words
" To give thanks unto the LORD."

Second Antiphon.
noise.

Make a joyful

If this Antiphon be tised, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Unto GOD, all
ye lands."

Psalm XCIX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of thanksgiving."
The Targum has " A Psalm for the Sacrifice
of thanksgiving."]

AKE a joyful noise unto GOD,
all ye lands : * serve the
LORD with gladness.

Come before His presence, * with
singing.

Know ye that the LORD, He is
God : * it is He That hath made
us, and not we ourselves :

We are His people, and the
sheep of his pasture. * Enter into
His gates with thanksgiving, and i
into His courts with praise : give
thanks unto Him,

Praise His Name. For the LORD j
is good, His mercy is everlasting : *
and His truth endureth to all gen-
erations.

Antiphon. x For the Lord hath
done marvellous things.

1 Ps. xcvii. i.

Psalm C.
[Intituled "A Psalm of David."]

t WILL sing of mercy and judg
ment, * unto Thee, O LORD !

I will sing and behave

myself

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

159

wisely in a perfect way. * O when
wilt Thou come unto me ?

I walked within mine house, * in
the innocence of mine heart.

I set no wicked thing before mine
eyes : * I hate the work of them
that turn aside.

A froward heart cleaveth not
unto me : * the wicked person that
turned aside from me, I would not
know.

Whoso privily slandered his neigh
bour, * him did I expose.

Him that had an high look and
a proud heart : * with him I will
not eat.

Mine eyes are upon the faithful
of the land, that they may dwell
with me : * he that walked in a
perfect way, he ministered unto
me.

He that doeth proud things shall
not dwell within mine house : * he
that speaketh wickedness was not
upright in my sight.

I will early destroy all the wicked
of the land : * that I may cut off
all wicked doers from the city of the
LORD.

Antiphon. l Make a joyful noise
unto GOD, all ye lands.
Third Antiphon. O God.

Psalm CI.

[Intituled "A Prayer of the afflicted,
when he is overwhelmed, and poureth
out his complaint before the LORD."]

TJEAR my prayer, O LORD, *
-*- -^ and let my cry come unto
Thee.

Hide not Thy face from me : *
in the day when I am in trouble
incline Thine ear unto me.

In the day when I call upon
Thee, * answer me speedily.

For my days are wasted away like
smoke : * and my bones are con
sumed as a firebrand.

I am smitten like grass, and mine
heart is withered : * for I have
forgotten to eat my bread.

By reason of the voice of my
groaning * my bones cleave to my
flesh.

I am like a pelican of the wil
derness : * I am like an owl in his
hole.

I watch, * and am as a sparrow
alone upon the house-top.

Mine enemies reproached me
all the day : * and they that
praised me are sworn together
against me.

For I have eaten ashes like bread,
* and mingled my drink with weep
ing :

Because of thine indignation and
wrath : * for Thou hast lifted me up
and cast me down.

My days are like a shadow that
declineth : * and I am withered like
grass.

But Thou, O LORD, endurest for
ever, * and Thy remembrance unto
all generations.

Thou shalt arise and have mercy
upon Zion : * for the time to
favour her, yea, the set time, is
come.

For Thy servants take pleasure
in her stones : * and have pity on
her dust.

So the heathen shall fear Thy
name, O LORD, * and all the kings
of the earth Thy glory.

When the LORD shall build up
Zion, * He shall appear in His
glory.

i6o

THE PSALTER.

He hath had regard unto the
prayer of the destitute, * and hath
not despised their supplication.

Let this be written for the gen
eration to come : * and the people
which shall be created shall praise
the LORD.

For He hath looked down from
the height of His sanctuary : *
from heaven did the LORD behold
the earth :

To hear the groaning of the
prisoners, * to loose the children
of the slain.

To declare the name of the
LORD in Zion, * and His praise in
Jerusalem.

When the people are gathered
together, * and the kings, to serve
the LORD.

1 He answered him in the way
of his strength : * Show me the
shortness of my days.

Call me not away in the midst of
my days : * Thy years are unto all
generations.

Thou, Lord, in the beginning,
hast laid the foundation of the
earth : * and the heavens are the
works of Thine hands.

They shall perish, but Thou re-
mainest : * and they all shall wax
old as doth a garment :

And as a vesture shalt Thou
change them, and they shall be
changed : * but Thou art the
Same, and Thy years shall not
fail.

The children of Thy servants shall
continue : * and their seed shall be
established for ever.

Psalm CII.
[Intituled "of David."]

BLESS the LORD, O my soul : * f
and all that is within me, bless 4
His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, * and L
forget not all His benefits.

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities : I
* Who healeth all thy diseases.

Who redeemeth thy life from |
destruction : * Who crowneth thee
with loving - kindness and tender
mercies.

W T ho satisfieth thy desire with
good things : * thy youth is re
newed like the eagle s.

The LORD executeth mercy, * and
judgment for all that are oppressed.

He made known His ways unto
Moses, * His will unto the chil
dren of Israel.

The LORD is merciful and gra
cious : * slow to anger, and plen
teous in mercy.

He will not always chide : *
neither will He keep His anger for
ever.

He hath not dealt with us after
our sins : * nor rewarded us accord
ing to our iniquities.

For as the heaven is high above
the earth, * so great is His mercy
toward them that fear Him.

As far as the east is from the
west, * so far hath He removed our
transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his chil-i
dren, so the LORD pitieth them that (
fear Him. * For He knoweth our
frame ;

1 "He" may be taken for the "afflicted man" who has just given utterance to his
hopes of a brighter future. The Hebrew, (as now pointed,) reads : " He afflicted in the*
way his (my) strength, he cut short my days." The Alexandrian translators, using an!
unpointed text, took the opening word of the clause to mean "he answered" instead;
of "he afflicted" as they might easily do, the letters being the same for either word.

The Hebrew text itself is not quite settled.

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

161

He remembereth that we are
dust : * as for man, his days are as
grass, as a flower of the field so
shall he flourish.

For the wind passeth over it, and
it is gone, * and the place thereof
shall know it no more.

But the mercy of the LORD is
from everlasting * to everlasting
upon them that fear Him,

And His righteousness unto chil
dren s children ; * to such as keep
His covenant,

And to those that remember His
commandments, * to do them.

The LORD hath prepared His
throne in heaven, * and His king
dom shall rule over all.

Bless the LORD, all ye His
Angels, * that excel in strength,
that do His commandments, to
hearken unto the voice of His
word.

Bless ye the LORD, all ye His
hosts : * ye ministers of His that
do His pleasure.

Bless the LORD, all His works :
* in all places of His dominion ;
bless the LORD, O my soul !

Antiphon. 1 O God, let my cry
come unto Thee.

Fourth Antiphon. Bless the
LORD.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, " O my soul."

Psalm CIII.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. ascribe this
Psalm to David.]

13 LESS the LORD, O my soul : *
i-* O LORD my God, Thou art

very great !

Thou art clothed with honour and

majesty, * covering Thyself with
light as with a garment !

Who stretchest out the heavens
like a curtain, * Who coverest their
upper chambers with the waters !

Who makest the clouds Thy
chariot, * Who walkest upon the
wings of the wind !

Who makest Thine Angels spi
rits : * and Thy ministers a flame
of fire ! 2

Who layest the foundations of the
earth ; * it shall not be removed for
ever !

Thou coveredst it with the deep
as with a garment, * the waters
stood above the mountains.

At Thy rebuke they fled : * at
the voice of Thy thunder they hasted
fearfully away.

The mountains go up, and the
valleys go down, * into the place
which Thou hast founded for them.

Thou hast set a bound, that
they may not pass over : * that
they turn not again to cover the
earth.

Who sendeth springs into the
valleys : * the waters run among
the hills.

All the beasts of the field drink
thereof : * the wild asses seek them
in their thirst.

By them build the fowls of the
heaven their habitation ; * they sing
among the rocks.

He watereth the hills from His
upper chambers : * the earth is
satisfied with the fruit of Thy
works.

He causeth the grass to grow for
the cattle, * and herb for the service
of men :

That Thou mayest bring forth
food out of the earth, * and wine

1 Ps. ci. i.

VOL. I.

So is this passage translated, Heb. i. 7,

162

THE PSALTER.

that maketh glad the heart of

man ;

Oil to make his face to shine, *
and bread to strengthen man s
heart.

The trees of the field are filled
[with sap], the cedars of Lebanon
also, which He hath planted:
there the birds make their nests.

The stork s nest is the highest
among them : * the high hills are a
refuge for the wild goats, and the
rocks for the conies.

He hath appointed the moon for
seasons : * the sun knoweth his
going down.

Thou makest darkness, and it is
night : * wherein all the beasts of
the forest do come forth.

The young lions roar after their
prey, * and seek their meat from
God.

The sun ariseth, and they gather
themselves together: * and lay
them down in their dens.

Man goeth forth unto his work,

* and to his labour, until the even
ing.

O LORD, how manifold are Thy
works ! * in wisdom hast Thou
made them all : the earth is full of
Thy riches.

So is this great and wide sea :

* wherein are things creeping in
numerable.

Both small and great beasts : *
there go the ships;

There is that Leviathan whom
Thou hast made to play with him :

* these all wait upon Thee, that
Thou mayest give them their meat
in due season.

That thou givest them, they
gather : * when Thou openest Thine
hand, they are all filled with good.

Thou hidest Thy face, they are
troubled : * Thou takest away their
breath, they die, and return to their
dust.

Thou sendest forth Thy spirit,
and they are created : * and Thou
renewest the face of the earth.

Let the glory of the LORD endure
for ever ! * the LORD shall rejoice in
His works.

He looketh on the earth and
maketh it to tremble : * He touch-
eth the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing unto the LORD as long
as I live : * I will sing praise to my
God while I have my being.

My meditation of Him shall be
sweet : * I will be glad in the
LORD.

Let the sinners be consumed out
of the earth, and let the wicked be
no more : * bless thou the LORD, O
my soul ! l

Psalm CIV.

[The first fifteen verses of this Psalm
are found in a slightly different edition in
I Par. (Chron.) xvi. as the first part of a
Psalm given by David to Asaph and his
brethren, on the day that the ark was
brought to Jerusalem. The rest is our
present Psalm xcv., which see with the
notes, p. 148. The Vulgate and the LXX.
prefix "Alleluia."]

OGIVE thanks unto the LORD,
and call upon His name : *
make known His deeds among the
heathen.

Sing unto Him, and sing psalms j
unto Him: * talk ye of all His
wondrous works.

Glory ye in His holy name: *
let the heart of them rejoice that ;
seek the LORD.

Seek the LORD, and be strong:
* seek His face evermore.

1 "Alleluia" is here appended in the Hebrew.

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

Remember His marvellous works
that He hath done: * His won
ders and the judgments of his
mouth.

O ye seed of Abraham, His ser
vant, * ye children of Jacob His
chosen !

He is the LORD our God : * His
judgments are in all the earth.

He hath remembered His cove
nant for ever, * the word which
He commanded to a thousand gen
erations

[The covenant] that He made
with Abraham : * and His oath
unto Isaac.

And He confirmed the same
unto Jacob for a law, * and to
Israel for an everlasting covenant.

Saying : Unto thee will I give
the land of Canaan, * the lot of
your inheritance.

When they were but a few men
in number, * very few, and strangers
in it.

And they went from one nation
to another, * and from one king
dom to another people.

He suffered no man to do them
wrong : * yea, He reproved kings
for their sakes.

Touch not Mine anointed, * and
do My prophets no harm. 1

Moreover He called for a famine
upon the land : * and brake the
whole staff of bread.

He sent a man before them : *
Joseph was sold for a servant :

Whose feet they hurt with fetters,
the iron entered into his soul. *
Until his word came,

The word of the LORD tried
him : * the king sent and loosed
him ; even the ruler of the people,
and let him go free.

He made him lord of his house,

* and ruler of all his substance.

To instruct his princes at his
pleasure, " and teach his elders
wisdom.

Israel also came into Egypt, *
and Jacob sojourned in the land
of Ham.

And He increased His people
greatly : * and made them stronger
than their enemies.

He turned their heart to hate
His people, * and to deal subtilly
with his servants.

He sent Moses His servant, *
and Aaron whom He had chosen.

He showed signs among them,

* and wonders in the land of
Ham.

He sent darkness and made it
dark : * He made not His words
of none effect.

He turned their waters into
blood, * and slew their fish.

Their land brought forth frogs, *
in the chambers of their kings.

He spake, and there came divers
sorts of flies, * and lice in all their
coasts.

He gave them hail for rain, *
flaming fire in their land.

He smote their vines also and
their fig-trees, * and brake the trees
of their coasts.

He spake, and the locust came,
and the caterpillar, * without
number,

And ate up all the herb in their
land, * and devoured all the fruit
of their ground.

He smote also all the first-born
in their land, * the chief of all
their travail.

He brought them forth also with
silver and gold : * and there was

1 Here ends the portion found in I Par. (Chron.) xvi. 22.

164

THE PSALTER.

not one feeble person among their
tribes.

Egypt was glad when they de
parted : * for the fear of them fell
upon them.

He spread a cloud for a cover
ing, * and fire to give light in the
night.

They asked, and the quail came,
* and He satisfied them with the
bread of heaven.

He opened the rock and the
waters gushed out, the rivers
ran through the dry places.

For He remembered His holy
promise, * that He made unto
Abraham His servant.

And He brought forth His people
with joy, * and His chosen with
gladness.

And gave them the lands of the
heathen, * and they inherited the
labour of the peoples.

That they might observe His
statutes, * and keep His laws.

[Here the Hebrew adds "Alleluia."]

Antiphon. 1 Bless the LORD, O
my soul !

Fifth Antiphon. Visit us.

Psalm CV.

[Superscribed "Alleluia."]

OGIVE thanks unto the LORD,
for He is good : * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

Who can utter the mighty acts
of the LORD? * who can show
forth all His praise?

Blessed are they that keep judg
ment, * and they that do righteous
ness at all times.

Remember us, O LORD, with

1 Ps.

the favour that Thou showest unto
Thy people : * O visit us with
Thy salvation :

That I may see the good of Thy
chosen, that I may rejoice in the
gladness of Thy people, * that
Thou mayest be praised in Thine
inheritance.

We have sinned with our fathers :

* we have done wickedly, we have
committed iniquity.

Our fathers considered not Thy
wonders in Egypt : * they remem
bered not the multitude of Thy
mercies,

But provoked Him when they
went up unto the sea, * even the
Red Sea.

Nevertheless He saved them for
His name s sake, * that He might
make His mighty power to be
known.

He rebuked the Red Sea also,
and it was dried up : * and He
led them through the depths as
through the wilderness.

And He saved them from the
hand of them that hated them, *
and redeemed them from the hand
of the enemy.

And the waters covered their
enemies : * there was not one of
them left.

And they believed His words :

* and sang His praise.

They soon forgot His works : *
and waited not for His counsel.

And lusted exceedingly in the
wilderness : * and tempted God
in the desert.

And He gave them their request,

* and sent fulness into their soul.
They provoked Moses also in the

camp, * and Aaron, the saint of the
LORD.

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

The earth opened and swallowed
up Dathan, * and covered the com
pany of Abiram. 1

And a fire was kindled in their
assembly, * the flame burned up
the wicked.

2 They made a calf also in
Horeb, * and worshipped the
graven image.

Thus they changed their Glory *
into the similitude of a calf that
eateth grass.

They forgat God their Saviour,
* Who had done great things in
Egypt, wondrous works in the land
of Ham, terrible things by the Red
Sea.

Therefore He said that He would
cut them off, * had not Moses His
chosen stood before Him in the
breach,

To turn away His wrath, lest
He should destroy them : * yea,
they despised the pleasant land ;

They believed not His words :
but murmured in their tents : *
they hearkened not unto the voice
of the LORD.

He also lifted up His hand
against them, * to overthrow them
in the wilderness.

To overthrow their seed also
among the nations, * and to scat
ter them in the lands.

They joined themselves also unto
Baal-peor, 3 * and ate the sacrifices
of the dead.

And they provoked Him to
anger with their inventions : * and
the carcasses lay thick among
them.

Then stood up Phinehas and
made a propitiation : * and the
plague was stayed.

And that was counted unto him
for righteousness, * unto all genera
tions for evermore.

They angered Him also at the
waters of " Provocation," 4 * so
that it went ill with Moses for
their sakes ; because they provoked
his spirit ;

So that he spake unadvisedly with
his lips. 5 * They did not destroy
the nations concerning whom the
LORD commanded them : 6

And they were mingled among
the heathen, and learned their
works, and served their idols : *
and it became a snare to them.

Yea, they sacrificed their sons
* and their daughters unto devils.

1 Numbers xvi. They tried to stir up a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, upon
levelling principles, "and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up," while
some of their partizans were consumed by a fire which issued from the sanctuary.

2 For the well-known history of the golden calf, see Exod. xxxii.

3 I.e., "the Lord of Mount Peor," an idol of the Moabites. The whole history of this
lapse of the Israelites, and how Phinehas stopped the plague by killing one pair of
the transgressors, is in Numbers xxv. "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying:
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest, hath turned My wrath
away from the children of Israel. . . . Behold, I give unto him My covenant of
peace; and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting
Priesthood."

4 Meribah. See note on Ps. xciv., p. 3.

5 Numbers xx. 10. "And Moses . . . said unto them: Hear now, ye rebels, must
we fetch you water out of this rock?" v. 12. "And the LORD spake unto Moses
and Aaron : Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children
of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have
given them."

6 In Judges i. 21 to the end, is a long list of the districts of idolaters whom they left in
Canaan and among whom they lived.

1 66

THE PSALTER.

And shed innocent blood, * even
the blood of their sons and of their
daughters, whom they sacrificed unto
the idols of Chanaan :

And the land was polluted with
blood. They were defiled also
with their own works, * and went
a whoring with their own inven
tions.

Therefore was the wrath of the
LORD kindled against His people,

* and He abhorred His own in
heritance.

And He gave them into the hand
of the heathen : * and they that
hated them ruled over them.

Their enemies also oppressed
them, and they were brought into
subjection under their hand. *
Many times did He deliver them,

But they provoked Him with
their counsel, * and they were
brought low for their iniquity.

But He regarded their affliction,

* and heard their cry.

And He remembered His cove
nant, * and repented according to
the multitude of His mercies.

He made them also to be pitied

* of all those that carried them
captives.

Save us, O LORD our God, *
and gather us from among the
nations !

To give thanks unto Thy holy
Name, * and to triumph in Thy
praise.

Blessed be the LORD God of
Israel from everlasting to everlast
ing : * and let all the people say :
Amen, Amen.

[The Hebrew adds "Alleluia," which
the Vulgate and the LXX. prefix to
the next Psalm. Here ends the fourth
of the five books into which the Psalter
is divided.]

Psalm CVI.

OGIVE thanks unto the LORD,
for He is good : * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the LORD
say so, whom He hath redeemed
from the hand of the enemy : *
and gathered them out of the
lands,

From the rising of the sun and
from the setting thereof, * from
the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness
in a dry land : * they found no
pathway to a city to dwell in :

Hungry and thirsty, * their soul
fainted in them.

Then they cried unto the LORD
in their trouble ; * and He de
livered them out of their distresses.

And He led them forth by the
right way, * that they might go
to a city to dwell in.

O that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness : * and for
His wonderful works to the children
of men !

For He satisfieth the longing
soul : * and filleth the hungry soul
with goodness.

Such as sit in darkness and in
the shadow of death, * being bound
in affliction and iron.

Because they rebelled against the
words of God, * and contemned the
counsel of the Most High.

Therefore their heart was brought
down with labour : * they fell down,
and there was none to help.

Then they cried unto the LORD
in their trouble : * and He de
livered them out of their distresses.

And He brought them out of
darkness and the shadow of death :
* and brake their bands in sunder.

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

16;

O that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness : * and
for His wonderful works to the
children of men !

For He hath broken the gates
of brass, * and cut the bars of iron
in sunder.

He saved them from the way
of their transgression : * for they
were afflicted because of their in
iquities.

Their soul abhorred all manner
of meat : * and they drew near even
unto the gates of death.

Then they cried unto the LORD
in their trouble : * and He de
livered them out of their dis
tresses.

He sent His word and healed
them, * and delivered them from
their straits.

O that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness : * and for
His wonderful works to the children
of men !

Yea, let them sacrifice the sacri
fice of thanksgiving, * and declare
His works with rejoicing.

They that go down to the sea
in ships, * and do business in great
waters ;

These see the works of the LORD,

* and His wonders in the deep.

He commandeth, and the stormy
wind riseth, * and the waves thereof
are lifted up.

They mount up to the heaven,
and go down again to the depths :

* their soul is melted because of
trouble.

They reel to and fro, and stagger
like a drunken man, * and are at
their wits end.

Then they cry unto the LORD
in their trouble, * and He delivereth
them out of their distresses.

And He maketh the storm a
calm, * and the waves thereof are
still.

And they are glad because [the
breakers] be quiet : * so He
bringeth them unto their desired
haven.

O that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness : * and for
His wonderful works to the children
of men !

Let them exalt Him also in the
congregation of the people, * and
praise Him in the assembly of the
elders.

He turneth the rivers into a
wilderness, * and the water-springs
into dry ground ;

A fruitful land into a salt desert,
* for the wickedness of them that
dwell therein.

He turneth the wilderness into a
standing-water, * and dry ground
into water-springs.

And there He maketh the hungry
to abide, * and they prepare a city
to dwell in :

And sow the fields, and plant
vineyards, * and bring forth fruits
of increase.

He blesseth them also, and they
are multiplied greatly : * and He
suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

Again they are minished, * and
brought low, through oppression,
affliction, and sorrow.

He poureth contempt upon prin
ces, * and He causeth them to
wander in the wilderness, and in
the land where there is no way.

Yet helpeth He the poor from
affliction, * and maketh him fami
lies like a flock.

The righteous shall see it and
rejoice : * and all iniquity shall stop
her mouth.

i68

THE PSALTER.

Who is wise, and will observe
these things ? * even he shall un
derstand the loving-kindness of the
LORD.

Antipkon. * Visit us with Thy
salvation, O LORD.

Sixth Antiphon. I will greatly
praise.

Psalm C VI I.

[Intituled "A Song. A Psalm of David."
It is a compilation of Ps. Ivi. 8-12, and
Ps. lix. 6-14.]

A/TINE heart is ready, O God,
V * mine heart is ready : * I
will sing and give praise, even with
my glory.

Awake up, my glory, awake,
psaltery and harp ! * I will awake
right early.

I will praise Thee, O LORD,
among the people : * and sing unto
Thee among the nations.

For Thy mercy is great above the
heavens : * and Thy truth unto the
clouds.

Be Thou exalted, O God,
above the heavens, and let Thy
glory be above all the earth : *
2 that Thy beloved may be de
livered :

Save with Thy right hand and
hear me. * God hath spoken in
His holiness :

I will rejoice, and divide She-
chem, * and mete out the valley of
booths.

Gilead is mine ; and Manasseh
is mine : Ephraim also is the
strength of mine head :

Judah is my King : * Moab is
the vessel [of the triumph] of mine
hope.

Over Edom will I cast out my
shoe : * over the " Strangers " have
I triumphed.

Who will bring me into the strong
city ? * who will lead me into
Edom ?

Wilt not Thou, O God, Who
hast cast us off? * and wilt not
Thou go forth with our armies,
O God?

Give us help from trouble : * for
vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do val
iantly : * and He it is That shall
tread down our enemies.

Psalm CVIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with a
superscription, probably musical, but now
uncertain.]

HOLD not Thy peace, O God
of my praise : * for the
mouth of the wicked, and the
mouth of the deceitful are opened
against me :

They have spoken against me
with a lying tongue : they com
passed me about also with words of
hatred : * and fought against me
without a cause.

In return for my love they were
mine adversaries : * but I gave
myself unto prayer.

And they have rewarded me evil
for good, * and hatred for my love.

Set Thou a wicked man over
him : * and let the devil stand at
his right hand.

When he is judged, let him go
forth condemned : * and let his
prayer become sin.

Let his days be few; * and let
another take his office.

1 Ps. cv. 4.

2 Here begins the extract from Ps. lix. See that Psalm and notes on it, p. 112.

SATURDAY AT MATTINS.

169

Let his children be fatherless, * for Thy name s sake, O Lord, *

because Thy mercy is good.

and his wife a widow.

Let his children be continually Deliver Thou me, for I am

vagabonds, and beg : * and let poor and needy : * and mine heart

them be driven out of their dwell- is wounded within me.
m S s - I am gone like the shadow when

Let the extortioner catch all that it declineth : * and tossed up and

he hath : * and let the stranger spoil down as the locust.

his labour.

Let there be none to extend
mercy unto him : * and let there
be none to have pity on his little
ones.

My knees are weak through
fasting : * and my flesh faileth
of fatness.

I became also a reproach unto
them : * they looked upon me,

Let his posterity be cut off: * in and shaked their heads,
one generation let their name be Help me, O LORD my God !

O save me according to Thy

blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be mercy
remembered before the LORD : * That they also may know that
and let not the sin of his mother be this is Thine hand : * and Thou,

LORD, hast done it !

Let them curse, but bless Thou :

blotted out.

Let them be before the LORD

continually, and let their memory * when they arise against me let
be cut off from the earth. * Be- them be ashamed : but let Thy
cause that he remembered not to
show mercy,

servant rejoice.

Let mine adversaries be clothed
But persecuted the poor and with shame : * and let them be
needy man, * and the broken in covered with their own confusion
heart, that he might slay him. as with a mantle.

As he loved cursing, so let it I will greatly praise the LORD

come unto him : * as he delighted with my mouth : * yea, I will
not in blessing, so let it be far praise Him among the multitude.

from him

For He standeth at the right

As he clothed himself with curs- hand of the poor, * to save my
ing, like as with a garment, * so soul from them that persecute me.
let it come into his bowels like
water, and like oil into his bones. Antiphon. 1 I will greatly praise

Let it be unto him as the gar- the LORD with my mouth.
ment which covereth him, * and Antiphon in Paschal time. Al-

for a girdle wherewith he may be leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
girded continually.

Let this be the reward of mine
adversaries from the LORD : * and
of them that speak evil against my
soul.

And do Thou for me, O LORD, His holy place.

1 Ps. cviii. 30.

VOL. I. F 2

Then is said a Verse and Answer.

In Advent.
Verse, The LORD cometh out of

THE PSALTER.

Answer. He will come and save
His people.

During the rest of the year.
Verse. l Hear my prayer, O
LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

In Lent.

Verse. His truth shall be thy
shield.

Answer. Thou shalt not be
afraid for the terror by night.

In Passion time.

Verse. Take not away my soul
with sinners, O God.

1 Ps.

Answer. Nor my life with bloody
men.

In Paschal time.

Verse. The disciples were glad,
Alleluia.

Answer. When they saw the Lord,
Alleluia.

The rest is the same as the Third
Nocturn of the preceding Sunday, ex
cept necessary differences. 7~he Lessons
are those of the day. 7^he Responsories
are arranged according to the rules in
Chapter xxvii. 4, 5, of the General
Rubrics.

No Festal Office can occur, except
that of the Immaculate Conception of
the Blessed Virgin Mary.

ci. 2.

THE SABBATH.

All as oji Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. Do good. .

Psalm L.

Have mercy upon me, &c., (/.
87).

Antiphon. Do good, O Lord, in
Thy good pleasure.

Second Antiphon. It is a good
thing.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, "To give
thanks."

Psalm XCI.

[Intituled "A Psalm. A Song for the
Sabbath Day."]

FT is a good thing to give thanks

^ unto the LORD, * and to sing
praises unto Thy name, O Most
High!

To show forth Thy loving-kind
ness in the morning, * and Thy
faithfulness in the night ;

Upon an instrument of ten
strings : * upon the harp with a
solemn sound.

For Thou, LORD, hast made me

glad through Thy work : * and I
will triumph in the works of Thine
hands.

O LORD, how great are Thy
works ! * Thy thoughts are very
deep.

A brutish man knoweth not : *
neither doth a fool understand this.

When the wicked spring up like
grass : * and when all the workers
of iniquity are seen,

It is that they may be destroyed
for ever : * but Thou, LORD, art
Most High for evermore.

For, lo, Thine enemies, O LORD,
for, lo, Thine enemies shall perish :
* and all the workers of iniquity
shall be scattered.

But mine horn shall be exalted
like the horn of an unicorn : * and
mine old age shall be crowned with
Thy mercy. 1

Mine eye also shall look upon
mine enemies : * and mine ear shall
hear of the wicked that rise up
against me.

The righteous shall flourish like
the palm tree : * he shall grow like
a cedar in Lebanon.

Those that are planted in the
house of the LORD, * in the courts
of the house of our God shall
flourish.

Hebrew : " I am anointed with fresh oil."

172

THE PSALTER.

They shall still bring forth fruit
in old age : * they shall flourish,
to declare :

That the LORD our God is up
right : * and that there is no un
righteousness in Him.

Antiphon, It is a good thing to
give thanks unto the LORD.

Third Antiphon. Let all the
ends.

Psalms LXIL, LXVI.

O God, Thou art my God, &c.,
(p. 2 3)-

Antiphon. Let all the ends of
the earth fear the Lord.

Fourth Antiphon. Ascribe ye
greatness.

THE SONG OF MOSES. (Deut. xxxii.)

[Deut. xxxi. 28: "Gather unto me,"
(said Moses) "all the elders of your tribes,
and your officers, that I may speak these
words in their ears, and call heaven and
earth to record against them. For I know
that after my death ye will utterly corrupt
yourselves and turn aside from the way
which I have commanded you ; and evil
will befall you in the latter days ; because
ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to
provoke Him to anger through the work of
your hands. And Moses spake in the ears
of all the congregation of Israel the words
of this song, until they were ended : "]

GIVE ear, O ye heavens, and I
will speak ; * and hear, O
earth, the words of my mouth.

My teaching shall drop as the
rain, * my speech shall distil as the
dew;

As the small rain upon the
tender herb, and as the showers
upon the grass : * because I will
proclaim the name of the LORD.

Ascribe ye greatness unto our
God. * The works of God are

perfect : and all His ways are judg
ment :

A God of truth, and without
iniquity, just and right is He. *
They have sinned against Him,
and by their defilement they are
not His children :

They are a perverse and crooked
generation. * Do ye thus requite
the LORD, O foolish people and
unwise ?

Is not He thy Father? * That
hath bought thee, and made thee,
and created thee ?

Remember the days of old, *
consider generation after genera
tion :

Ask thy father, and he will show
thee * thine elders, and they will
tell thee.

When the Most High divided
the nations, * when He separated
the sons of Adam,

He set the bounds of the people

* according to the number of the
children of Israel.

For the LORD S portion is His
people : * Jacob is the lot of his
inheritance.

He found him in a desert land,

* in the waste and howling wilder
ness :

He led him about and instructed
him, * and kept him as the apple
of His eye.

As the eagle that stirreth up her
young to fly, * and fluttereth over
them,

So spread He abroad His wings,
and took him, * and bore him on
His pinions ;

The LORD alone did lead him,

* and there was no strange god
with him.

He made him ride upon the
high places of the earth, * that

SATURDAY AT LAUDS.

173

he might eat the increase of the
fields :

And He made him to suck
honey out of the rock, * and oil
out of the flinty rock :

Butter of kine, and milk of
sheep, * with fat of lambs and
rams of the breed of Bashan :

And goats, with the fat of wheat,

* and to drink the pure blood of
the grape.

The "Beloved" 1 waxed fat, and
kicked : he was waxen fat, he
was grown plump, he was covered
with fatness :

He forsook God That made him,

* and departed from the God of
his salvation.

They provoked Him to jealousy
with strange gods, * and with
abominations provoked they Him
to anger.

They sacrificed unto devils, and
to things that were no gods, * to
gods whom they knew not,

New gods that came newly up,

* whom their fathers feared not.
The God That begat thee hast

thou forsaken, * and hast forgotten
God That formed thee.

When the LORD saw it, He was
roused to anger, * because of the
provoking of His sons and of His
daughters.

And He said : I will hide My
face from them, * and see what
their end shall be :

For they are a very froward
generation, * children in whom is
no faith.

They have moved Me to jealousy
with that which is not God, * and
provoked Me to anger with their
vanities :

And I will move them to jealousy
with those who are not a people,

* and provoke them to anger with
a foolish nation.

A fire is kindled in Mine anger,

* and shall burn unto the lowest
hell,

And shall consume the earth with
her increase, * and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains.

I will heap mischiefs upon them,

* and will spend Mine arrows upon
them.

They shall be wasted with hun
ger, * and the birds of the air
shall prey on them with a very
grievous devouring ;

I will send the teeth of beasts
upon them, ** with the poison of
serpents creeping in the dust.

The sword without and terror
within shall destroy * both the
young man and the virgin, the
suckling with the man of grey
hairs.

I said : Where are they ? * I
will make the remembrance of
them to cease among men :

But I forbore because of the
wrath of the enemy, * lest their
adversaries should triumph,

And lest they should say : Our
high hand, and not the LORD, *
hath done all this.

They are a nation void of coun
sel, neither is there any under
standing in them. * O that they
were wise, and that they understood
this, and would consider their latter
end!

How should one chase a thou
sand, * and two put ten thousand
to flight !

Except their God had sold them,

1 Jeshurun but that this pet-name of the Israelite people means "Beloved" is not
now reckoned certain.

174

THE PSALTER.

* and the LORD had delivered them
up !

For their gods are not as our
God, * even our enemies them
selves being judges.

Their vine is of the vine of
Sodom, * and of the fields of Go
morrah :

Their grapes are grapes of gall,

* and their clusters are bitter :
Their wine is the poison of

dragons, * and the cruel venom of
asps.

Is not this laid up in store with
Me, * and sealed up among My
treasures ?

To Me belongeth vengeance,
and I will repay in due time, * to
make their foot to slide.

The day of their calamity is at
hand, * and the things that shall
come upon them make haste.

The LORD shall judge His people,

* and take pity on His servants,
When He seeth that their hand

is weakened, * and there is none
shut up and left, and that they
that remained are consumed.

And He shall say : Where are
their gods, * in whom they trusted ?

Of whose sacrifices they did eat
the fat, * and drank the wine of
their drink-offerings ?

Let them rise up, and help you,

* and be your protection in the
time of need.

See now that I, even I, am
He, * and there is no god with
Me:

I kill, and I make alive : I wound
and I heal : * neither is there any
that can deliver out of Mine hand.

I will lift up Mine hand to
heaven, and say : * I live for ever.

If I whet My glittering sword,
* and Mine hand take hold on
judgment ;

I will render vengeance to Mine
enemies, * and will requite them
that hate Me.

I will make Mine arrows drunk
with blood, * and My sword shall
devour flesh ;

With the blood of the slain * and
of the captives, and of the despoiled
chief of the enemy.

Rejoice with His people, ye
nations : * for He will avenge the
blood of His servants,

And will render vengeance to
their adversaries, * and will be
merciful unto the land of His
people.

Antiphon. Ascribe ye greatness
unto our God.

Fifth Antiphon. Praise God.

Psalms CXLVIII., CXLIX., CL.

Praise ye the LORD from the
heavens, &c., (pp. 25, 26).

Antiphon. Praise God upon the
loud cymbals.

CHAPTER. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

The night is far spent, &c., (as
on Monday, p. 89).

HYMN. 1

n^HE dawn is sprinkled o er the sky,
-A- The day steals softly on ;
Its darts are scattered far and nigh,
And all that fraudful is, shall fly

Before the brightening sun ;
Spectres of ill, that stalk at will,

And forms of guilt that fright,
And hideous sin, that ventures in

Under the cloak of night.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, considerably altered ; translation by the late Card.
Newman.

SATURDAY AT LAUDS. 175

And of our crimes the tale complete, Answer. We rejoice and are glad.

Which bows us in Thy sight,

Up to the latest, they shall fleet, , ^-^ 7 /- /7

Out-told by our full numbers sweet, Antiphon for the Song of Zacha-

And melted by the light. rias. Give light, O Lord, * unto

To Father, Son, and Spirit, One, them that sit in darkness, and guide

Whom we adore and love, our f eet i nto t h e way of peace, O

Tho ^od of Israel !

Amen. Commemoration of the Cross before

the others, and Long Preces in Ad-

Jr r^, r. , vent and Lent, and on Fast-days.

Verse. Thou hast satisfied us except the ^ of Christmas

early with Thy mercy. Pentecost.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG. 1

THE LORD S DAY.

At the beginning of Vespers the
Lord s Prayer and the Angelic Salu
tation are said inaudibly.

TTAIL, Mary, full of grace; The
-1 * Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now, and at the hour
of our death. Amen.

Then is said aloud:

Verse. ^ Make haste, O God,
to deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help
me, O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

From Septuagesima Sunday to
Maundy Thursday i?istead of "Alle
luia" is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

Then follow the Psalms. They are
said under Five Antiphons, except in
Paschal time when there is only one,
and when these are not specially given,
those given here are used.

Antiphon. The LORD said.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words " Unto my
Lord."

Antiphon for Paschal time. Al
leluia.

Psalm CIX.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David." The
first verse was quoted by our Lord. Matth.
xxii. 44 ; Mark xii. 36 ; Luke xx. 42.]

THE LORD said unto my Lord :
* Sit Thou at My right hand,
Until I make Thine enemies *
Thy footstool.

The LORD shall send the rod of
Thy strength out of Zion : * rule
Thou in the midst of Thine ene
mies.

1 The proper hour for Vespers is sunset, reckoned to be about 6 P.M. In private
recitation, they ought not usually to be begun before noon.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

177

Thine shall be the dominion in
the day of Thy power, amid the
brightness of the saints : * from the
womb, before the day-star have I
begotten Thee.

The LORD hath sworn, and will
not repent : * Thou art a Priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedek.

The Lord at Thy right hand *
shall strike through kings in the
day of His wrath.

He shall judge among the hea
then, He shall fill the places with
dead bodies : * He shall wound the
heads over many countries.

He shall drink of the brook in
the way : * therefore shall he lift
up his head.

Antiphon. The LORD said unto
my Lord : * Sit Thou at My right
hand.

Second Antiphon. All His com
mandments.

covenant.

He will show His

people the power of His works,

That He may give them the
heritage of the heathen. * The
works of His hands are verity and
judgment :

All His commandments are sure ;
they stand fast for ever and ever, *
being done in truth and uprightness.

He sent redemption unto His
people : He hath commanded His
covenant for ever :

Holy and terrible is His Name.

* The fear of the LORD is the be
ginning of wisdom :

A good understanding have all
they that do His commandments :

* His praise endureth for ever.

Antiphon. 1 A11 His command
ments are sure ; they stand fast for
ever and ever.

Third Antiphon. In His com
mandments.

Psalm CX.

[The Hebrew prefixes "Alleluia," and
begins, " I will praise the LORD." The
Psalm is A B C Darian.]

T WILL praise Thee, O LORD,
^ with my whole heart : * in the
assembly of the upright, and in the
congregation.

The works of the LORD are great,
* meet to serve for the doing of
His will.

His work is honourable and glo
rious, * and His righteousness en
dureth for ever.

He hath made a memorial of

His wonderful works : the LORD

is gracious and full of compassion.

* He hath given meat unto them

that fear Him :

He will ever be mindful of His

i Ps.

Psalm CXI.

[The Hebrew prefixes "Alleluia." The
Vulgate adds to the superscription "on the
return of Haggai and Zechariah [from the
Captivity]." See Thursday, fifth week in
November. The Psalm is A B C Darian.]

BLESSED is the man that fear-
eth the LORD : * that de-
lighteth greatly in His command
ments.

His seed shall be mighty upon
earth ; * the generation of the up
right shall be blessed.

Glory and riches shall be in his
house : * and his righteousness en
dureth for ever.

Unto the upright there ariseth
light in the darkness : he is

gracious, and full of compassion,
and righteous,
ex. 8.

THE PSALTER.

Happy is the man that showeth
favour and lendeth ; he will guide
his words with discretion : * surely
he shall not be moved for ever :

The righteous shall be in ever
lasting remembrance. * He shall
not be afraid of evil tidings :

His heart is ready, trusting in the
LORD. His heart is established, *
he shall not be afraid until he see
his desire upon his enemies.

He hath dispersed, he hath given
to the poor : his righteousness en-
dureth for ever : * his horn shall
be exalted with honour.

The wicked shall see it, and be
grieved ; he shall gnash his teeth,
and melt away : * the desire of
the wicked shall perish.

Antiphon. In His command
ments he delighteth greatly.

Fourth Antiphon. Blessed be the
Name.

Psalm CXI I.
[The Hebrew prefixes "Alleluia."]

PRAISE the LORD, O ye His
servants, * praise the Name
of the LORD.

Blessed be the Name of the
LORD, * from this time forth, and
for evermore !

From the rising of the sun unto
the going down of the same, * the
LORD S Name is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all
nations, * and His glory above the
heavens.

Who is like unto the LORD our
God, Who dwelleth on high, *
and beholdeth what is lowly in
heaven, and in the earth?

He raiseth up the poor out of

the dust, * and lifteth the needy
out of the dung-hill ;

That He may set him with
princes, * even with the princes
of His people.

He maketh the barren woman
to keep house, * and to be a joy
ful mother of children.

[The Hebrew adds " Alleluia," which
the Vulgate and the LXX. prefix to the
next Psalm.]

Antiphon. Blessed be the Name
of the LORD for evermore.

Fifth Antiphon. We that live.

Psalm CXIII.

WHEN Israel went out of Egypt,
* the house of Jacob from
a people of strange language,

Judah was His sanctuary, * and
Israel His dominion.

The sea saw it and fled : * Jor
dan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams,

* and the little hills like lambs.
What ailed thee, O thou sea,

that thou fleddest? * and thou
Jordan, that thou wast driven back ?

Ye mountains, that ye skipped
like rams? * and ye little hills,
like lambs?

The earth trembled at the pres
ence of the Lord, * at the presence
of the God of Jacob :

Who turned the rock into a
standing water, * and the flint into
a fountain of waters. 1

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us:

* but unto Thy Name give glory,
For Thy mercy, and for Thy

truth s sake. * Wherefore should
the heathen say : Where is now
their God?

1 In the Hebrew here ends Ps. cxiv. and the next words begin cxv.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

179

But our God is in the heavens :
* He hath done whatsoever He
hath pleased.

The idols of the heathen are
silver and gold, * the work of
men s hands.

They have mouths, but they
speak not : * eyes have they, but
they see not.

They have ears, but they hear
not : * noses have they, but they
smell not :

They have hands, but they handle
not : feet have they, but they walk
not : * neither speak they through
their throat.

May they that make them be
like unto them : * even every one
that trusteth in them.

The house of Israel trusteth
in the LORD : * He is their help
and their shield.

The house of Aaron trusteth in
the LORD : * He is their help and
their shield.

They that fear the LORD trust
in the LORD : * He is their help
and their shield.

The LORD hath been mindful of
us, * and blessed us :

He hath blessed the house of Is
rael : * He hath blessed the house
of Aaron.

He hath blessed them that fear
the LORD, * both small and
great.

The LORD increase you more
and more, * you and your chil
dren.

Ye are blessed of the LORD, *
Who made heaven and earth.

The heaven of heavens is the
LORD S : * but the earth hath He
given to the children of men.

The dead shall not praise Thee,
O LORD, * neither all they that go
down into the grave.

But we that live bless the LORD,
* from this time forth for evermore.

[The Hebrew adds "Alleluia."]

Antiphon. We that live bless the
LORD.

Antiphon for Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Here follows the Chapter. When a
special one is not given, the following is
used:

CHAPTER. (2 Cor. i. 3.)

T3LESSED be God, even the
*-* Father of our Lord JESUS
Christ, the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort, Who com-
forteth us in all our tribulation.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

This Answer is always made after
the Chapter.

Then follows the Hymn. When a
special one is not given, the following
is used:

HYMN. 1

T7 ATHER of Lights, by Whom each
* day

Is kindled out of night,
Who, when the heavens were made,

didst lay

Their rudiments in light ;
Thou, Who didst bind and blend in one
The glistening morn and evening pale,
Hear Thou our plaint, when light is

gone,
And lawlessness and strife prevail.

Hear, lest the whelming weight of crime
Wreck us with life in view ;

Lest thoughts and schemes of sense

and time
Earn us a sinner s due.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, very slightly altered ; translation by the late Card.
Newman.

i8o

THE PSALTER.

So may we knock at Heaven s door,
And strive the immortal prize to win,
Continually and evermore
Guarded without and pure within.

Grant this, O Father, Only Son,

And Spirit, God of grace,
To Whom all worship shall be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Then is said a Verse and Answer.
If a special one is not given, the follow
ing is used :

Verse. 1 Let my prayer, O Lord,
be set forth.

Ansiver. As incense before
Thee.

Then is said the following Canticle
from the Gospel. It has an Antiphon
which is always special, and which is
either begun or said through the first
time before it, according as the Office is
Double or not.

THE SONG OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY. (Luke i. 46.)

MY soul * doth magnify the
Lord:

And my spirit hath rejoiced * in
God my Saviour.

For He hath regarded the low
liness of His handmaiden : * for, be
hold, from henceforth all generations
shall call me blessed.

For He That is Mighty hath done
to me great things : * and holy is His
name.

And His mercy is on them that
fear Him, * from generation to gen
eration.

He hath showed strength with
His arm : * He hath scattered the
proud in the imagination of their
heart.

He hath put down the mighty

from their seat, * and exalted them
of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with
good things, * and the rich He hath
sent empty away.

He hath holpen His servant Is
rael, * in remembrance of His
mercy :

As He spake to our fathers, *
to Abraham, and to his seed for
ever.

The Hymn, " Glory be to the Father,
&c.," is said, and then the Antiphon re
peated.

Then is said:

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Then follows the Prayer for the day,
at the end of which is answered;

Answer. Amen.

Afterwards are made any Commemo
rations necessary, by the Antiphon for
the Song of the Blessed Virgin, the Verse
and Answer after the Hymn, and the
Prayer, (preceded by " Let us pray,")
from the superseded Office which is to
be commemorated. After which the fol
lowing Common Commemorations are
made, if required, according to Chapter
xxxv. of the General Rubrics.

When more than two Prayers are to
be said, the last clause of each (beginning
"Through our Lord, c.," or "Who
livest, &c.") is omitted in all except the
first and the last, nor is " Amen " an
swered except after these two.

(Note that if these Commemorations,
with the exception of those of St Joseph,
and SS. Peter and Paul, be said upon
a week-day, kept as such, out of Paschal
time, they are preceded by the Commem
oration of the Cross, given hereafter at
the end of the Lauds of Monday.}

I s.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

181

I. Commemoration of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.

(This Commemoration is omitted if
the Office of the day be of the Blessed
Virgin, or if her Little Office is to be
said.)

Antiphon. O Holy Mary, be thou
an help to the helpless, a strength to
the fearful, a comfort to the sorrow
ful ; pray for the people, plead for
the clergy, make intercession for all
women vowed to God ; may all that
keep thine holy remembrance, feel
the might of thine assistance.

Verse. Pray for us, O holy Mother
of God.

Answer. That we may be made
worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

GRANT, we beseech Thee, O
Lord God, unto all Thy ser
vants, that they may continually
enjoy soundness both of mind and
body, and by the glorious inter
cession of the Blessed Mary, always
a Virgin, may be delivered from
present sadness, and enter into the
joy of Thine eternal gladness.

From the Octave of the Epiphany to
Candlemas, the Antiphon is the same,
but the rest is as follows :

Verse. After thy delivery thou
still remainest a Virgin undefiled.

Answer. Mother of God, pray
for us.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who, by the fruitful vir
ginity of the Blessed Mary,
hast given unto mankind the rewards
of everlasting life ; grant, we beseech
Thee, that we may continually feel

the might of her intercession, through
whom we have worthily received the
Author of our life, our Lord JESUS
Christ Thy Son.

II. Commemoration of St Joseph,
Patron of the Universal Church.

(Omitted in the Votive Office of St

rV / 7 \ JJ J

Joseph.)

Antiphon. 1 Behold a faithful and
wise servant whom his Lord hath
made ruler over His household.

Verse. 2 Glory and riches shall
be in his house.

Answer. And his righteousness
endureth for ever.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who, in Thine unspeak-
able foreknowledge, didst
choose Thy blessed servant Joseph
to be the husband of Thine Own
most holy Mother; mercifully
grant that now that he is in heaven
with Thee, we who on earth do
reverence him for our defender,
may worthily be holpen by the
succour of his prayers to Thee
on our behalf.

III. Commemoration of the Holy
Apostles, Peter and Paul.

( Omitted i?t the Votive Office of the
Apostles.)

Antiphon. Peter the Apostle,
and Paul the Teacher of the Gen
tiles, have taught us Thy law, O
Lord.

Verse. 3 Thou shalt make them
princes over all the earth.

Answer. They shall be mindful
of Thy Name, O Lord.

1 Matth. xxiv. 45.

2 Ps. cxi. 3.

3 Ps. xliv. 17, 1 8.

1 82 THE PSALTER.

Let us pray. the deep of the sea, when he suf-

OGOD, Whose Right Hand fered shipwreck; graciously hear

caught the Blessed Peter us &gt; and S rant &gt; for the sake of them

when he walked upon the water, both &gt; that we also ma Y attain unto

and began to sink, and thrice de- everlasting glory,
livered his fellow- Apostle Paul from N ote i.

1 In England, by a special rule in this case, is made

Commemoration of St George, Patron of England.

Antiphon. The Saints through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises.

Verse. O LORD, Thou hast compassed him.
Answer. With Thy favour as with a shield.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who dost gladden us through the worthy deeds and prayers
of Thy blessed Martyr George; mercifully grant that all they
which seek Thy favour through him, may effectually obtain the gift of
Thy grace.

(And thus it is said within the Octave.}

In the Diocese of Hexham St George is not commemorated, but instead the following
commemoration is made of St Cuthbert :

Antiphon. Holy Cuthbert, our Protector, grace and glory of our father
land, look down upon us from Heaven, and pray God for us, that He grant
us everlasting joy.

Verse. At the prayers of Blessed Cuthbert and for his sake,

Answer. Be merciful unto Thy people, O Lord.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who, through the priceless gift of Thy grace, dost make
Thine holy ones glorious, mercifully grant, that the prayers of Thy
Blessed Confessor and Bishop Cuthbert may help us worthily there to
attain, where are the spirits of just men made perfect.

In the Diocese of Northampton the following commemoration of St Thomas of
Canterbury is made before that of St George :

Antiphon. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am
known of Mine, and I lay down My life for the sheep.
Verse. In your patience
Answer. Possess ye your souls.

Let us pray.

GOD, in defence of Whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas
fell by the swords of wicked men, grant, we beseech Thee, that all
that ask his help may obtain wholesome fruit of their petition.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG. 183

For Peace. Let us pray.

Antiphon. Give peace in our r\ GOD, from Whom all holy

time, O Lord, because there is ^^ desires, all good counsels,

none other that nghteth for us, and all just works do proceed;

but only Thou, O our God. give unto Thy servants that peace

Verse. Peace be within thy which the world cannot give, that

wa lls- both our hearts may be set to

Answer. And prosperity within obey Thy commandments, and also

thy palaces. that by Thee we being defended

In the Diocese of Plymouth the following commemoration of St Boniface of Maintz is
made before that of St George :

Antiphon. Many nations, many thousands of men, did Blessed Boniface
gain for Christ, and forasmuch as he made himself like unto an Apostle
he hath purchased unto himself a great reward in Heaven along with
the Apostles.

Verse. Be strong in the Lord, be strong.

Answer. That ye may live for ever with God.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who wast pleased to make the zeal of Thy Blessed Martyr
and Bishop Boniface the mean whereby Thou didst cause many
peoples to know Thy Name, mercifully grant unto us who honour his
memory to be feelingly holpen by the succour of his protection.

(And so it is said within the Octave?)

In the Diocese of Portsmouth the following commemoration of St Edmund of Canter
bury is made after that of St George :

Antiphon. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and therefore
he died in exile.

Verse. Cast out upon a world of woes,

In exile here we roam.

Answer. O Blessed Edmund, by thy prayers,
Gain us the love of home.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who in the abundance of Thy goodness toward Thy Church
hast made her bright by the illustrious life of Thy blessed Confessor
and Bishop Edmund, and gladdened her by his glorious and wondrous
works, mercifully grant unto Thy servants that they may be bettered in
following after his ensample, and shielded by his protection from all
things that may rise up against them.

1 84

THE PSALTER.

from the fear of our enemies, may
pass our time in rest and quiet
ness. Through our Lord JESUS
Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity
of the Holy Ghost, one God,
world without end.
Answer. Amen.

From the Monday after Low Sunday
till Rogation Tuesday, instead of the
preceding Commemorations, is said the
following:

Paschal Commemoration of the
Cross.

(Omitted in the Votive Offices of
the Blessed Sacrament, and of the
Passion.}

Antiphon. JESUS, our trium
phant Head,

On the Cross s transom dread

The Hands of power and mercy
spread

That brake the prison of the
dead. Alleluia.

Verse. Say among the heathen
Alleluia.

Answer. That the LORD reign
eth from the tree, 1 Alleluia.

Let us pray.

OQOD, Who didst send Thy
Son to suffer death for us
upon the Cross, that Thou might-
est deliver us from the power of
the enemy; grant unto us Thy
servants to be made partakers of
His Resurrection. Through the
Same our Lord JESUS Christ Thy
Son, Who liveth and reigneth with
Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.
Answer. Amen.

After the last Prayer is said:

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then is said in rather a low voice :

May the souls of the Faithful,
through the mercy of God, rest in
peace.

Answer. Amen.

Then, unless Compline follow, the
Lords Prayer inaudibly :

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Note. When Office is said in Choir,
the service is ended with the Antiphon
of the Blessed Virgin Mary every time
the Choir is left. Otherwise it is only
said as given in this book, after Lauds,
(or the aggregation of which Lattds
forms a part} and Compline. When
ever it is said, except after Compline, it
is preceded by:

Verse. ^ The Lord give us His
peace.

Answer. And life everlasting.
Amen.

Ij the Office of the Dead follow im
mediately, the above prayer for the
Faithful departed, and the "Our Fa
ther," are omitted.

Feasts. The above Office, appointed
for Sunday, is also, speaking in a gen
eral sense, used on all Feasts above the
rank of Simples.

1 Ps. xcv. 10, old version.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

I8 5

JHontrag.

THE SECOND DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows ;

Antiphon. The Lord hath in
clined.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon
is said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXIV.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. prefix "Al
leluia."]

T AM well pleased, because the
^ LORD hath heard * the voice
of my supplication :

Because He hath inclined His ear
unto me, * therefore will I call upon
Him all my days.

The sorrows of death compassed
me : * and the straits of hell found
me :

Sorrow and trouble did I find.

* Then called I upon the name of
the LORD :

LORD, deliver my soul. * Gra
cious is the LORD, and righteous :
yea, our God is merciful.

The LORD preserveth the simple :

* I was brought low and He helped
me.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul :

* for the LORD hath dealt bountifully
with thee.

For He hath delivered my soul
from death, * mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling.

1 will walk before the LORD * in
the land of the living.

Antiphon. l The Lord hath in
clined His ear unto me.

Second Antiphon, I believed.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, " Therefore have
I spoken."

Psalm CXV.

[In the Hebrew this Psalm is a continua
tion of the last. The Vulgate and the LXX.
prefix "Alleluia."]

I BELIEVED, therefore have I
* spoken : * but I was greatly
afflicted.

I said in my haste : * All men
are liars.

What shall I render unto the
LORD * for all His benefits toward
me?

I will take the cup of salvation,

* and call upon the name of the
LORD.

I will pay my vows unto the LORD
in the presence of all His people.

* Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of His Saints.

LORD, truly I am Thy servant :

* I am Thy servant, and the son of
Thine handmaid :

Thou hast loosed my bonds. * I
will offer to Thee the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and will call upon the
name of the LORD.

1 will pay my vows unto the LORD,
in the presence of all His people : *
in the courts of the LORD S house, in
the midst of thee, O Jerusalem !

[Here the Hebrew appends "Alle
luia," which the Vulgate and the LXX.
prefix to the next Psalm.]

Antiphon. I believed, therefore
have I spoken.

Third Antiphon. O praise.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, "The LORD."

1 Ps. cxiv. 2.

1 86

THE PSALTER.

Psalm CXVI.

O PRAISE the LORD, all ye
nations : * praise Him, all
ye people.

For His merciful kindness is great
toward us : * and the truth of the
LORD endureth for ever.

[Here the Hebrew appends " Alle
luia," which the Vulgate and the LXX.
prefix to the next Psalm.]

Antiphon. O praise the LORD,
all ye nations.

Fourth Antiphon. I cried.

Psalm CXIX.

[This is the first of the " Songs of De
grees," or "Gradual Psalms." See note
to Ps. cxxix., p. 91.]

IN my distress I cried unto the
LORD, * and He heard me.

Deliver my soul, O LORD, from
lying lips, * and from a deceitful
tongue.

What shall be given unto thee, or
what shall be done unto thee, * thou
false tongue ?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, * with
hot burning coals.

Woe is me ! that my sojourn is
long : I dwell with the dwellers of
Kedar. 1 * My soul hath long dwelt
as an exile

With them that hate peace. I
was peaceable : when I spoke
unto them, they fought against me
without a cause.

Antiphon. 2 I cried, and He heard
me.

Fifth Antiphon. From whence
cometh.

Psalm CXX.
[Also a Song of Degrees.]

I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the
hills, * from whence cometh
mine help.

Mine help cometh from the LORD,
* Who made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy feet to be
moved : * He That keepeth thee
will not slumber.

Behold, He That keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is thy keeper : the
LORD is thy shade * upon thy right
hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by
day, * nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall keep thee from
all evil : * the Lord shall keep thy
soul.

The LORD shall keep thy coming
in and thy going out, * from this
time forth and for evermore.

Antiphon. 3 From whence cometh
mine help.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HYMN. 4

LORD of unbounded space,
Who, lest the sky and main
Should mix, and heaven should lose its

place,
Didst the rude waters chain ;

Parting the moist and rare,
That rills on earth might flow

To soothe the angry flame, whene er
It ravens from below ;

Pour on us of Thy grace

The everlasting spring,
Lest our frail steps renew the trace

Of the ancient wandering.

This was the name of a son of Ishmael, and of an Arabian

2 Ps. cxix. i. 3 Ps. cxx. I.

4 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, almost unchanged; translation by the late Card.
Newman.

1 Properly " Black-skin."
tribe sprung from him.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

187

May faith in lustre grow,
And rear her star in heaven,

Paling all sparks of earth below
Unquenched by damps of even.

Grant it, O Father, Son,

And Holy Spirit of grace,
To Whom be glory, Three in One,

In every time and place.

Amen.

Antiphonfor the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. My soul doth magnify the
Lord, * for God hath regarded my
lowliness.

After the repetition of the Antiphon
after the Song of the Blessed Virgin, on
the Week-days of Advent and Lent, the
Ember Days, and all Vigils which are
Fasts, except Christmas Eve and the
Eve and Ember Days of Pentecost, all
kneel down, and the following prayers,
called the Preces, are said:

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

Then the Lord s Prayer is said aloud.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into tempta
tion.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

Verse. I said : LORD, be merci
ful unto me.

Answer. Heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee.

Verse. Return, O LORD, how
long?

Answer. And let it repent Thee
concerning Thy servants.

Verse. Let Thy mercy, O LORD,
be upon us.

Answer. According as we hope
in Thee.

Verse. Let. Thy priests be clothed
with righteousness.

Answer. And let Thy Saints
shout for joy.

Verse. O LORD, save the King.

Answer. And hear us in the day
when we call upon Thee.

Verse. O Lord, save Thy people,
and bless Thine inheritance.

Answer. And govern them, and
lift them up for ever.

Verse. Remember Thy congre
gation.

Answer. Which Thou hast pur
chased of old.

Verse. Peace be within thy
walls.

Answer. And prosperity within
thy palaces.

Verse. Let us pray for the Faith
ful departed.

Answer. O Lord, grant them
eternal rest, and let the everlasting
light shine upon them.

Verse. May they rest in peace.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Let us pray for our absent
brethren.

Answer. O Thou, my God, save
Thy servants that trust in Thee.

Verse. Let us pray for the sorrow
ful and the captive.

Answer. Redeem them, O God
of Israel, out of all their troubles.

Verse. O Lord, send them help
from the sanctuary.

Ansiver. And strengthen them
out of Zion.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O
LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

i88

THE PSALTER.

Psalm L.

Have mercy upon me, O God,
&c., (/. 87).

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

Verse. Turn us again, O LORD
God of Hosts.

Answer. And cause Thy face to
shine, and we shall be saved.

Verse. Arise, O Christ, and help
us.

Answer. And deliver us for Thy
Name s sake.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Ansiver. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.
Here follows the Prayer of the Day.

All proceeds to the end of the service as
on Sunday, except that when Suffrages
are said, the following is said before the
Commemoration of the Blessed Virgin
Mary.

Commemoration of the Cross.

(Omit ted in the Offices of the Blessed
Sacrament, and of the Passion.}

Antiphon. Through Thy Cross s
holy sign, JESUS, guard this soul of
mine, from my ghostly enemy.

Verse. Let all the earth worship
Thee, and sing unto Thee.

Answer. Let them sing praises to
Thy name, O Lord.

Let us pray.

LORD, we beseech Thee, keep
us in continual peace, whom

Thou hast vouchsafed to redeem by
the tree of the Holy Cross.

Simple Feasts. If the Vespers of a
Simple Feast be kept on a Monday, the
Office is of the Feast, from the Chapter
inclusive.

THE THIRD DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. Let us go.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon is
said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXXI.
[Intituled "A Song of Degrees, of David."]

T WAS glad when they said unto
J- me : * Let us go into the house
of the LORD.

Our feet have been wont to stand

* within thy gates, O Jerusalem !
Jerusalem is builded as a city *

that is compact together :

Whither the tribes go up, the
tribes of the LORD, * the testimony
of Israel, to give thanks unto the
name of the LORD.

For there are set thrones for judg
ment, * the thrones for the house of
David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem :

* they shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls, * and

prosperity within thy palaces.

For my brethren and companions
sakes, * I will now say Peace be
within thee !

Because of the house of the LORD
our God, * I will seek thy good.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

189

Antiphon. Let us go with glad
ness into the house of the LORD.

Second Antiphon. O Thou That
dwellest.

Psalm CXXII.
[Intituled "A Song of Degrees."]

UNTO Thee lift I up mine eyes,
* O Thou That dwellest in
the heavens !

Behold, as the eyes of servants *
look unto the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maiden unto
the hand of her mistress : * so
our eyes look unto the LORD our
God, until that He have mercy
on us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD,
have mercy upon us : * for we are
I exceedingly filled with contempt.
Our soul is exceedingly filled

* with the scorning of those that
are at ease, and with the con
tempt of the proud.

Antiphon. O Thou That dwell
est in the heavens, have mercy
upon us.

Third Antiphon. Our help.

Psalm CXXIII.

[Intituled "A Song of Degrees," to which
the Hebrew and the Targum add " of
David," but this ascription of authorship
does not occur in the Vulgate or the LXX.]

TF it had not been the LORD
* Who was on our side now
may Israel say * if it had not
been the LORD Who was on our
side,

When men rose up against us :

* then they had swallowed us up
quick,

When their wrath was kindled

against us : * then the waters had
overwhelmed us,

The stream had gone over our
soul : * then the overwhelming
waters had gone over our soul.

Blessed be the LORD, * Who hath
not given us as a prey to their teeth.

Our soul is escaped as a bird *
out of the snare of the fowlers :

The snare is broken, * and we
are escaped.

Our help is in the name of the
LORD, * Who made heaven and
earth.

Antiphon. l Our help is in the
name of the LORD.

Fourth Antiphon. Do good, O
LORD.

Psalm CXXIV.
[Intituled " A Song of Degrees."]

"PHEY that trust in the LORD
* shall be as Mount Zion : *
he that dwelleth in Jerusalem
shall never be moved.

The mountains are round about
Jerusalem : * and the LORD is
round about His people, from
henceforth, and for ever.

For the Lord will not suffer
the rod of the wicked to rest upon
the lot of the righteous : * lest
the righteous put forth their hands
unto iniquity.

Do good, O LORD, to the good,
* and to them that are upright in
their hearts.

As for such as turn aside unto
their crooked ways, the LORD
shall lead them forth with the
workers of iniquity : * peace be
upon Israel !

Antiphon. Do good, O LORD,

1 Ps. cxxiii. 8.

190

THE PSALTER.

to the good, and to them that are
upright in their hearts.

Fifth Antiphon. We were like.

Psalm CXXV.
[Intituled "A Song of Degrees."]

WHEN the LORD turned again
the captivity of Zion, * we
were like them that come again
from sickness.

Then was our mouth filled with
laughter, * and our tongue with
singing.

Then said they among the hea
then : * The LORD hath done great
things for them.

The LORD hath done great things
for us : * whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O
LORD, * as the streams in the
south.

They that sow in tears * shall
reap in joy.

They go forth weeping, * sow
ing their seed;

They shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, * bringing their
sheaves with them.

Antiphon. We were like them
that come again from sickness.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HYMN. 1

A LL-BOUNTIFUL Creator, Who,
** When Thou didst mould the

world, didst drain
The waters from the mass, that so
Earth might immovable remain ;

That its dull clods it might transmute
To golden flowers in vale or wood,
To juice of thirst-allaying fruit,
And grateful herbage spread for food ;

Wash Thou our smarting wounds and

hot,

In the cool freshness of Thy grace ;
Till tears start forth the past to blot,
And cleanse and calm Thy holy place,

Till we obey Thy full behest,

Shun the world s tainted touch and

breath,

Joy in what highest is and best,
And gain a spell to baffle death.

Grant it, O Father, Only Son,
And Holy Spirit, God of grace,
To Whom all glory, Three in One,
Be given in every time and place.

Amen.

Antiphon for the Song of the
Blessed Virgin. Let my spirit re
joice * in God my Saviour.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other general Commemorations, and
Long Preces at certain times as on
Monday.

Simple Feasts. If the Vespers of a
Simple Feast be kept on a Tuesday, the
Office is of the Feast from the Chapter
inclusive.

THE FOURTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. He shall not be
ashamed.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon
is said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXXVI.

[Intituled "A Song of Degrees, of Solo
mon." The LXX. omits the ascription to
Solomon.]

the LORD build the
house, * they labour in vain
that build it :

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, hardly altered ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

Except the LORD keep the city,
* the watchman waketh but in
vain.

It is vain for you to rise up
early, * rise up when ye are
rested,, ye that eat the bread of
sorrow :

For He giveth His beloved sleep.
Lo, children are an heritage of the
LORD, * the fruit of the womb is His
reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a
| mighty man, * so are the children
of the out-cast.

Happy is the man that hath his
desire satisfied with them : * he shall
not be ashamed when he speaketh
with his enemies in the gate.

Antiphon. He shall not be a-
shamed when he speaketh with his
enemies in the gate.

Second Antiphon. Blessed.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
commences with the words, "Is every

Psalm CXXVII.
[Intituled "A Song of Degrees."]

T3LESSED is every one that feareth
*-* the LORD, * that walketh in
His ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of
thine hands : * happy shalt thou be
and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine
* on the sides of thine house :

Thy children like olive plants *
round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man
be blessed * that feareth the
LORD.

The LORD bless thee out of

Zion : * and mayest thou see the
good of Jerusalem all the days of
thy life.

Yea, mayest thou see thy chil
dren s children, * and peace upon
Israel.

Antiphon. Blessed is every one
that feareth the LORD.

Third Antiphon. Many a time.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Have they
afflicted me."

Psalm CXXVI II.
[Intituled " A Song of Degrees."]

ANY a time have they warred
against me from my youth
* may Israel now say :

Many a time have they warred
against me from my youth : * yet
they have not prevailed against
me.

1 The ploughers ploughed upon
my back : * they made long their
furrows.

The LORD is righteous, He hath
broken the necks of the wicked. *
Let them all be confounded and
turned back that hate Zion.

Let them be as the grass upon
the house - tops, * which withereth
before it is plucked up :

Wherewith the mower filleth not
his hand, * nor he that bindeth
sheaves his bosom.

Neither do they that go by say :
The blessing of the LORD be upon
you ! * we bless you in the name of
the LORD !

Antiphon. Many a time have they
afflicted me from my youth up.

Le.,

"They furrowed my back with stripes as the ground is furrowed with the

plough. " Gesenius.

THE PSALTER.

Fourth Antiphon.
depths.

Out of the

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Have I cried
unto Thee."

Psalm CXXIX.

OUT of the depths have I cried
unto Thee, O LORD ! * Lord,
hear my voice.

Let Thine ears be attentive * to
the voice of my supplication.

If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark
iniquities, * O Lord, who shall
stand ?

But there is forgiveness with Thee :

* because of Thy law, I wait for
Thee, O LORD!

My soul doth wait on His word :

* my soul hopeth in the Lord.
From the morning watch even

until night * let Israel hope in the
LORD :

For with the LORD there is mercy,

* and with Him is plenteous redemp
tion.

And He shall redeem Israel, *
from all his iniquities.

Antiphon. Out of the depths have
I cried unto Thee, O LORD.

Fifth Antiphon. Let Israel hope.

Psalm CXXX.

[Intituled "A Song of Degrees," to which
the Hebrew and the Vulgate, but not the
Targum or the LXX., add "of David."]

T ORD, mine heart is not haughty,
*- * nor mine eyes lofty :

Neither do I exercise myself in
great matters, * or in wonderful
things that are above me.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, somewhat
Newman.

If I have not thought lowly of
myself * (but lifted up my soul)

Even as a child that is weaned
from his mother : * so be my soul
rewarded.

Let Israel hope in the LORD, *
from henceforth and for ever.

Antiphon. Let Israel hope in the
LORD.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HYMN. 1

OLORD, Who throned in the holy
height,

Through plains of ether didst diffuse
The dazzling beams of light,
In soft transparent hues ;

Who didst, on the fourth day, in

heaven,
Light the fierce cresset of the sun,

And the meek moon at even,

And stars that wildly run ;

That they might mark and arbitrate
Twixt alternating night and day,

And tend the train sedate

Of months upon their way ;

Clear, Lord, the brooding night within,
And clean these hearts for Thy abode,

Unlock the spell of sin,

Crumble its giant load.

Grant it, O Father, Only Son,
And Holy Spirit, God of grace,

To Whom all praise be done

In every time and place.

Amen.

Antiphon at the Song of the
Blessed Virgin. The Lord hath
regarded * my lowliness, and He
That is mighty hath done in me
great things.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other general Commemorations, and

altered ; translation by the late Card.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

193

Long Preces in Advent and Lent, and
on Fast-days, as on Monday.

Simple Feasts. If the Vespers of a
Simple Feast be kept on a Wednesday,
the Office is of the Feast from the Chap
ter inclusive.

THE FIFTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. And all.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon
is said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXXXI.

[Intituled "A Song of Degrees." It
reads like a Processional for some transla
tion of the Sacred Ark, perhaps that de
scribed in 3 (i) Kings vii. (Saturday before
8th Sunday after Pentecost.)]

T ORD, remember David, * and
J all his meekness :

How he sware unto the LORD : *
he vowed a vow unto the God of
Jacob ;

Surely I will not come into the
tabernacle of mine house, * nor go
up into my bed ;

I will not give sleep to mine eyes,

* or slumber to mine eyelids ;

I will not give the temples of
mine head any rest, until I find out
a place for the LORD, * an habita
tion for the God of Jacob.

1 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah :

* we found it in the fields of "the
Wood."

We will go into His tabernacle :

* we will worship in His footprints.
Arise, O LORD, into Thy rest,

* Thou and the ark of Thine
holiness.

Let Thy priests be clothed with
righteousness, * and let Thy Saints
shout for joy.

For Thy servant David s sake,

* turn not away the face of Thine
Anointed.

The LORD hath sworn in truth
unto David, and He will not turn
from it : * Of the fruit of thy body
will I set upon thy throne.

If thy children will keep My
covenant, * and My testimony
that I shall teach them,

Then their children for ever *
shall sit upon thy throne.

For the LORD hath chosen Zion :

* He hath chosen it for His habita
tion.

This is My rest for ever : * here
will I dwell, for I have chosen it.

I will abundantly bless her
widows : * I will satisfy her poor
with bread.

I will clothe her Priests with
salvation : * and her Saints shall
shout aloud for joy.

There will I make the horn of
David to bud : * I have ordained
a lamp for Mine Anointed.

His enemies will I clothe with
shame : * but upon him shall My
sanctification flourish.

Antiphon. And all his meekness.
Second Antiphon. Behold.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " How good and
how pleasant."

1 This verse relates to the fetching of the ark from Kirjath-jearim, (literally "The
town-of-the-woods,") which stood at the borders of the territory of Ephraim, here called
Ephratah. See 2 Kings (Sam.) vi. (Thursday, 5th week after Pentecost.)

VOL. I. G

194

THE PSALTER.

Psalm CXXXII.

[Intituled " A Song of Degrees," to which
the Hebrew and the Vulgate, but not the
Targum or the LXX., add "of David."]

BEHOLD, how good and how
pleasant it is * for brethren
to dwell together in unity.

1 It is like the precious oint
ment upon the head, * that ran
down upon the beard, even Aaron s
beard,

That went down to the skirts
of his garments. * As the dew of
Hermon, that descendeth upon
the mountains of Zion ; 2

For there the LORD commanded
the blessing, * even life for evermore.

Antipkon. Behold, how good
and how pleasant it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity.

Third Antiphon. Whatsoever.

Psalm CXXXIV.
[To this Psalm is prefixed "Alleluia."]

PRAISE ye the Name of the
LORD, * praise Him, O ye
servants of the LORD !

Ye that stand in the house of
the LORD, * in the courts of the
house of our God :

Praise the LORD, for the LORD
is good : * sing praises unto His
Name, for it is pleasant.

For the LORD hath chosen Jacob
unto Himself, * and Israel for
His peculiar treasure.

For I know that the LORD is
great, * and that our Lord is above
all gods.

Whatsoever the LORD pleased,
that did He in heaven and in
earth, * in the seas, and all deep
places :

Causing the vapours to ascend
from the ends of the earth : *
He maketh lightnings for the rain ;
He bringeth the wind out of
His treasures. * He smote the
first-born of Egypt, from man even
unto beast.

He sent tokens and wonders
into the midst of thee, O Egypt,
* upon Pharaoh and upon all his
servants.

He smote great nations, * and
slew mighty kings.

3 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan, * and
all the kingdoms of Canaan.

And gave their land for an
heritage, * an heritage unto Israel
His people.

Thy Name, O LORD, endureth for
ever ! * Thy memorial, O LORD,
throughout all generations !

For the LORD will judge His
people, * and will repent Himself
concerning His servants.

The idols of the heathen are
silver and gold, * the work of
men s hands.

A mouth have they, but they
speak not : * eyes have they, but
they see not.

Ears have they, but they hear
not : * neither is there any breath
in their mouths.

Let them that make them be
made like unto them, * and every
one that trusteth in them.

1 The reference is to the unction of Aaron with holy chrism at his consecration,
described in Lev. viii. 12.

2 Probably not the mountain at Jerusalem, but one of the chain of Hermon, which is
once mentioned elsewhere. Deut. iv. 48.

3 Sihon, a king of the Amorites, reigning in Heshbon ; Og, a giant, king of Bashan.
They were both defeated and slain by the Israelites. Num. xxi.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

195

Bless the LORD, O house of
Israel ! * bless the LORD, O house
of Aaron !

Bless the LORD, O house of
Levi ! * ye that fear the LORD,
bless the LORD !

Blessed be the LORD out of
Zion, : Which dwelleth at Jeru
salem !

[The Hebrew adds "Alleluia," which
the Vulgate places at the beginning of
the next Psalm.]

Antiphon. Whatsoever the LORD
pleased, that did He.

Fourth Antiphon. For His
mercy.

Psalm CXXXV.

[It is not improbable that this Psalm was
sung at the Dedication of the Temple, for,
in 2 Par. (Chron.) vii. 3, it is said that when
the congregation on that occasion saw the
fire miraculously descending upon the sac
rifice, " they bowed themselves with their
faces to the ground upon the pavement, and
worshipped, and praised the LORD, for He
is good, for His mercy endureth for ever. "
It looks very like a continuation of the song
given by David to certain singers, I Par.
(Chron.) xvi. 7, especially as it is afterwards
said that some of them were chosen " to give
thanks to the LORD, because His mercy
endureth for ever." Some consider that
the latter verses refer to the return from the
captivity, but these may be an addition.]

OGIVE thanks unto the LORD,
for He is good! * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of
gods ! * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

O give thanks to the Lord of
lords ! * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

To Him Who Alone doeth great
wonders * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

To Him That by wisdom made the

VOL. I.

heavens * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

To Him That spread out the
earth above the waters * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

To Him That made great lights

- * for His mercy endureth for
ever.

The sun to rule by day * for
His mercy endureth for ever.

The moon and stars to rule by
night * for His mercy endureth for
ever.

To Him That smote Egypt in their
first-born * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

To Him That brought out Israel
from among them * for His mercy
endureth for ever.

With a strong hand and with a
stretched out arm * for His mercy
endureth for ever.

To Him That divided the Red
Sea into parts * for His mercy
endureth for ever.

And made Israel to pass through
the midst of it * for His mercy
endureth for ever.

But overthrew Pharaoh and his
host in the Red Sea * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

To Him That led His people
through the wilderness * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

To Him That smote great kings

- * for His mercy endureth for
ever.

And slew mighty kings * for His
mercy endureth for ever.

Sihon, king of the Amorites

* for His mercy endureth for
ever. .

And Og, the king of Bashan

* for His mercy endureth for
ever.

And gave their land for an heri-
G 2

196

THE PSALTER.

tage * for His mercy endureth for
ever.

Even an heritage unto Israel His
servant * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

Who remembered us in our low
estate * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

And hath redeemed us from our
enemies * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

Who giveth food to all flesh
* for His mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of
heaven ! * for His mercy endureth
for ever.

O give thanks unto the Lord of
lords ! * for His mercy endureth for
ever.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, * let
my right hand forget her cunning

Let my tongue cleave to the roof
of my mouth, * if I do not remember
thee,

If I prefer not Jerusalem * above
my chief joy.

Remember, O LORD, th-e chil
dren of Edom, * in the day of
Jerusalem :

Who said : Rase it, rase it * even
to the foundation thereof.

O daughter of Babylon, doomed
to destruction, * happy shall he be
that rewardeth thee, as thou hast
served us !

Happy shall he be that taketh, *
and dasheth thy little ones against
the rock.

Antiphon. For
dureth for ever.

Fifth Antiphon.
the songs.

His mercy en- Antiphon. Sing us one of the
songs of Zion.

Sing us one of Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Psalm CXXXVI.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. connect this
Psalm with the name of Jeremiah. They
also style it a Psalm of David, the apparent
meaning of which would seem to be that it
was composed in imitation of his poems.]

13 Y the rivers of Babylon, there we
- sat down, yea, we wept, * when
we remembered Zion.

We hung our harps upon the
willows * in the midst thereof.

For there they that carried us
away captive required of us * a
song;

And they that had taken us
said : * Sing us one of the songs
of Zion.

How shall we sing the LORD S
song * in a strange land ?

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, slightly
Newman.

HYMN. 1

OGOD, Who hast given
The sea and the sky,
To fish and to bird
For a dwelling to keep,
Both sons of the waters
One low and one high,
Ambitious of heaven,
Or sunk in the deep ;

Save, Lord, Thy servants,
Whom Thou hast new made
In a laver of blood
Lest they trespass and die ;
Lest pride should elate,
Or sin should degrade,
And they stumble on earth
Or be dizzied on high.

To the Father, and Son,
And the Spirit be done,
Now and always,
Glory and Praise. Amen.

altered ; translation by the late Card-

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

197

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. O God, * show strength with
Thine arm : put down the mighty,
and exalt them of low degree.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other general Commemorations and
Long Preces in Advent and Lent, and
on Fast- days, as on Monday.

THE SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. Behold the Angels.

In Paschal time only one Antiphon is
said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXXXVII.

[Intituled "Of David," to which the
LXX. adds "of Haggai and Zechariah,"
the meaning apparently being that it was
his composition, but that they made some
special regulation as to its use.]

T WILL praise Thee, O Lord, with
^ my whole heart : * because
Thou hast heard the words of my
mouth.

Before the Angels will I sing
praise unto Thee. * I will worship
toward Thine holy temple, and
praise Thy Name.

For Thy loving-kindness, and for
Thy truth : * for Thou hast mag
nified Thine holy Name above
every name.

In whatsoever day I call upon
Thee, answer me : * Thou wilt
strengthen my soul exceedingly.

Let all the kings of the earth

praise Thee, O LORD, * for they
have heard all the words of Thy
mouth.

Yea, let them sing of the ways of
the LORD : * that great is the glory
of the LORD.

For the LORD is high, yet hath
He respect unto the lowly : * but
the proud He knoweth from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of
trouble Thou wilt revive me : *
Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand
against the wrath of mine enemies,
and Thy right hand shall save me.

The LORD will give recompense
on my behalf: * Thy mercy, O
LORD, endureth for ever : forsake
not the works of Thine own hands.

Antiphon. Before the Angels
will I sing praise unto Thee, O
my God.

Second Antiphon. O LORD.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
commences with the words, " Thou hast
searched me."

Psalm CXXXVIII.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with a
musical (?) direction, the meaning of which
is not now certain.]

LORD, Thou hast searched
me, and known me : * Thou
knowest my down-sitting and mine
up-rising :

Thou understandest my thoughts
afar off. * Thou searchest my path,
and my line,

And art acquainted with all my
ways : * before there is a word on
my tongue.

Lo, O LORD, Thou knowest all
things both new and old : * Thou
hast made me, and laid Thine hand
upon me.

198

THE PSALTER.

Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me : * it is high, and I cannot
attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from Thy
Spirit? * or whither shall I flee
from Thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, Thou
are there : * if I go down into hell,
Thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morn
ing, * and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea;

Even there shall Thine hand lead
me, * and Thy right hand shall hold
me.

If I say : Surely the darkness
shall cover me : * even the night
shall be light about me in my
pleasures.

: For the darkness is not darkness
to Thee : and the night shineth as
the day : * the darkness and the
light to Thee are both alike.

For Thou didst form my reins :
* Thou hast upholden me from
my mother s womb.

I will praise Thee, for Thy great
ness is terrible : * marvellous are
Thy works : and that my soul
knoweth right well.

My bones were not hid from
Thee, when Thou madest me in
secret : * nor my substance in the
lower parts of the earth.

Thine eyes beheld my substance
yet being imperfect : and in Thy
book all were written : * day by day
were they to be fashioned, when as
yet there was none of them.

But to me, O God, Thy friends
are exceeding honourable : * their
power is waxen right strong.

If I should count them, they are
more in number than the sand : * I
arose, and am still with Thee.

Surely Thou wilt slay the wicked,
O God : * depart from me, ye bloody
men.

For ye say in thought : * In
vain shall Thy people take Thy
cities.

Do not I hate them, O LORD,
that hate Thee? * and am not I
grieved at those that rise up against
Thee ?

I hate them with perfect hatred :
* they are to me as enemies.

Search me, O God, and know
mine heart : * try me and know my
thoughts.

And see if there be any wicked
way in me : * and lead me in the
way everlasting.

Antiphon. O LORD, Thou hast
searched me and known me.
Third Antiphon. Preserve me.

Psalm CXXXIX.

[Intituled " A Psalm of David," with the
same musical (?) direction as before.]

T^vELIVER me, O LORD, from
"-^ the evil man : * preserve me
from the wicked man :

Which imagine mischiefs in their
heart : * continually are they gath
ered together for war.

They have sharpened their tongues
like a serpent : * adders poison is
under their lips. 1

Keep me, O LORD, from the hands
of the wicked : * and preserve me
from the evil man :

Who purpose to overthrow my
goings. * The proud have hid a
snare for me :

And spread a net with cords : *
by the way-side have they set a trap
for me. 1

1 SLH.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

199

I said unto the LORD : Thou art
my God : * hear the voice of my
supplication, O LORD !

LORD, my Lord, Thou Strength
of my salvation, * Thou hast covered
mine head in the day of battle !

Give me not up, O LORD, to the
desires of the wicked : * they take
counsel together against me : forsake
me not, lest they exalt themselves. 1

As for the head of those that
compass me about, * let the mis
chief of their own lips cover them.

Let burning coals fall upon them ;
let them be cast into the fire: * when
they are in trouble they will not be
able to stand.

An evil-speaker shall not prosper
in the earth : * evil shall hunt the
wicked man, to overthrow him.

1 know that the LORD will main
tain the cause of the afflicted, * and
will revenge the poor.

Surely the righteous shall give
thanks unto Thy Name ; * and the
upright shall dwell in Thy presence.

Antiphon. Preserve me, O Lord,
from the wicked man.

Fourth Antiphon. LORD.

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, "I cry unto
Thee."

Psalm CXL.
[Intituled "A Psalm of David."]

T ORD, I cry unto Thee : hear
!* me ! * give ear unto my voice
when I cry unto Thee.

1 SLH.

2 The Targum is, "They are torn away from the house of instruction by the strong
hands of their judges." The Syriac, "And their judges are crushed by the strong hand."
Messrs Jennings and Lowe render, "When their judges have been thrown down the sides
of the rock, then they shall hear my words as welcome;" and continue, "When the
usurping rulers have been deposed, and the disappointed rabble has executed its ven
geance on them, it shall bethink it again of David s divinely constituted authority, and
gladly recall him to the throne. This is the only rational interpretation oMhe verse.
For the mode of punishment mentioned, cf. 2. Chron. xxv. 12, Luke iv. 29."

Let my prayer be set forth as in
cense before Thee : * the lifting-up
of mine hands as the evening sacri
fice.

Set a watch, O LORD, before my
mouth : * keep the door of my lips.

Incline not mine heart to any evil
word, * to excuse myself in my sins,

With men that work wickedness ;

* and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let the righteous smite me in
kindness : and let him reprove me :

* but the oil of the wicked shall not
anoint mine head :

For yet my prayer shall be against
their lusts. * 2 Their judges shall
be left [to their fate beside] in the
hands of the rock :

[And] they [that have wreaked
their vengeance on them] shall hear
my words, that they are mighty. *
Like clods of earth broken by the
ploughman,

So are our bones scattered at the
grave s mouth. * But mine eyes are
unto Thee, O LORD, my Lord : in
Thee is my trust, leave not my life
to destruction.

Keep me from the snare which
they have laid for me, * and the gins
of the workers of iniquity.

The wicked shall fall into their
own net ; * as for me, I dwell alone,
until I depart hence.

Antiphon. LORD, I cry unto Thee,
hear me.

Fifth Antiphon. O Lord, let my
portion.

200

THE PSALTER.

Psalm CXLI.

[Intituled " A didactic (?) Psalm of David.
A Prayer when he was in the cave," namely,
on the same occasion as that on which he
wrote Psalm Ivi. See note on that Psalm,
p. no.]

T CRIED unto the LORD with my
voice : * with my voice unto
the LORD did I make supplication.

I pour out my complaint before
Him : * before Him also I show my
trouble.

When my spirit faileth from me,

* then Thou knewest my path.

In the way wherein I walked *
have they privily laid a snare for me.

I looked on the right hand, and
beheld : * but there was no man
that would know me :

Refuge failed me : * and no man
cared for my soul.

I cried unto Thee, O LORD ! * I
said : Thou art my refuge, and my
portion in the land of the living.

Attend unto my cry, * for I am
brought very low :

Deliver me from my persecutors :

* for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison, that

I may praise Thy Name : * the
righteous wait for me, till Thou deal
bountifully with me.

Antiphon. O Lord, let my por
tion be in the land of the living.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HYMN. 1

\X,rHOM all obey,
v v Maker of man ! Who from Thy

height

Badest the dull earth bring to light
All creeping things, and the fierce might
Of beasts of prey ;

And the huge make
Of wild or gentler animal.
Springing from nothing at Thy call,
To serve in their due time, and all

For sinners sake ;

Shield us from ill !
Come it by passion s sudden stress,
Lurk in our mind s habitual dress,
Or through our actions seek to press

Upon our will.

Vouchsafe the prize
Of sacred joy s perpetual mood,
And service-seeking gratitude,
And love to quell each strife or feud,

If it arise.

Grant it, O Lord !
To Whom, the Father, Only Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
In heaven and earth all praise be done

W T ith one accord.

Amen.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. He hath put down the
mighty, * that persecute His Saints :
and hath exalted them of low degree,
that confess His Christ.

Commemoration of the Cross before
the other general Commemorations, and
Long Preces in Advent and Lent, and
on Fast- days, as on Monday.

Simple Feasts. If the Vespers of a
Simple Feast be kept on a Friday, the
service is of the Feast from the Chapter
inclusive.

Saturfcag.

THE SABBATH.

All as on Sunday, except as otherwise
given here.

The Psalms are as follows :
Antiphon. Blessed.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, considerably altered ; translation by the late Card.
Newman.

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

2OI

If this Antiphon be used, the Psalm
begins with the words, " Be the LORD
my God."

In Paschal time only one Antiphon is
said, Alleluia.

Psalm CXLIII.

[Intituled " Of David. " The Vulgate and
the LXX. add "against Goliath."]

T3LESSED be the LORD my God,
*~J Which teacheth mine hands
to war, * and my fingers to fight.

My goodness, and my fortress : *
my strength, and my Deliverer :

My shield, and He in Whom I
trust : * Who subdueth my people
under me.

LORD, what is man, that Thou
takest knowledge of him ? * or the
son of man, that Thou makest ac
count of him ?

Man is like to vanity : * his days
are as a shadow that passeth away.

Bow Thy heavens, O LORD, and
come down : * touch the mountains,
and they shall smoke.

Cast forth the bright lightning,
and scatter them : * send out
Thine arrows, and make them to
quake.

Send Thine hand from above :
rid me, and deliver me out of great
waters, * from the hand of strange
children :

Whose mouth speaketh vanity : *
and their right hand is a right hand
of falsehood.

I will sing a new song unto Thee,
O God ; * upon a psaltery of ten
strings will I sing praises unto
Thee:

Who hast given salvation unto
kings : * Who deliveredst David
Thy servant from the hurtful sword.
Rid me,

And deliver me from the hand

of strange children, whose mouth
speaketh vanity : * and their right
hand is a right hand of falsehood :

Whose sons may be as saplings
grown up * in their youth ;

Their daughters decked out, *
adorned after the similitude of the
temple :

Their garners full, * affording
stores upon store :

Their sheep fruitful in young,
countless in their pastures : * their
oxen fat :

There is no breach in their walls,
nor inroad : * nor wailing in their
streets.

Happy is that people, that is in
such a case : * happy is that people
whose God is the Lord.

Antiphon. Blessed be the LORD
my God.

Second Antiphon. Every day.

Psalm CXLIV.

[Intituled " David s song of praise." It is
ABC Darian.]

T WILL extol Thee, my God, O
1 King! * and I will bless Thy
name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless Thee ; *
and I will praise Thy name for ever
and ever.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to
be praised : * and His greatness is
unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Thy
works to another, * and shall declare
Thy mighty acts.

They shall speak of the glorious
honour of Thy Majesty, * and tell of
Thy wondrous works.

And men shall speak of the might
of Thy terrible acts, * and declare
Thy greatness.

202

THE PSALTER.

They shall abundantly utter the
record of Thy great goodness, *
and shall sing of Thy righteous
ness.

The LORD is gracious and full of
compassion : * slow to anger and of
great mercy.

The LORD is good to all, * and
His tender mercies are over all His
works.

May all Thy works praise Thee,
O LORD ! * and let Thy saints bless
Thee!

They shall speak of the glory of
Thy kingdom, * and talk of Thy
power ;

To make known to the sons of
men Thy mighty acts, * and the
glorious majesty of Thy king
dom.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, * and Thy dominion
endureth throughout all genera
tions !

The Lord is faithful in all His
words, * and holy in all His
works.

The LORD upholdeth all that fall,
* and raiseth up all those that be
bowed down.

The eyes of all wait upon Thee,
O Lord ! * and Thou givest them
their meat in due season.

Thou openest Thine hand, * and
fillest all things living with plenteous-
ness.

The LORD is righteous in all
His ways, * and holy in all His
works.

The LORD is nigh unto all them
that call upon Him, * to all that call
upon Him in truth.

He will fulfil the desire of them
that fear Him : * He also will hear
their cry and will save them.

The LORD preserveth all them

that love Him, * but all the wicked
will He destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise
of the LORD ; * and let all flesh
bless His holy Name for ever and
ever.

Antiphon. Every day will I bless
Thee, O Lord.

Third Antiphon. While I live.

Psalm CXLV.

[To this Psalm is prefixed "Alleluia."
The Vulgate and the LXX. connect it with
the names of Haggai and Zechariah. ]

TDRAISE the LORD, O my soul;
while I live will I praise the
LORD : * I will sing praises unto my
God while I have being.

Put not your trust in princes, *
in the son of man, in whom is no
help.

His breath goeth forth, and he
returneth to his earth : * in that
very day their thoughts perish.

Happy is he that hath the God
of Jacob for his help, his hope is
in the LORD his God : * Who made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that therein is :

Who keepeth truth for ever.
Who executeth judgment for the
oppressed : * Who giveth food to
the hungry.

The LORD looseth the prisoners :
* the LORD openeth the eyes of the
blind :

The LORD raiseth them that are
bowed down : * the LORD loveth
the righteous :

The LORD preserveth the stran
gers ; He defendeth the fatherless
and widow : * but the way of the
wicked He will turn aside.

The LORD shall reign for ever !

VESPERS, OR EVENSONG.

203

even thy God, O Zion, * unto all
generations !

[The Hebrew adds " Alleluia," which
the Vulgate and the LXX. prefix to the
next Psalm.]

Antiphon. While I live will I
praise the LORD.

Fourth Antiphon. Let the praise
of our God.

Psalm CXLVI.

[The Vulgate and the LXX., as stated,
prefix "Alleluia," and the LXX. adds "of
Haggai and Zechariah."]

ye the LORD, for it is
good to sing praises : * the
praise of our God is pleasant and
comely.

The LORD doth build up Jeru
salem : * He gathereth together
the outcasts of Israel.

He healeth the broken in heart, *
and bindeth up their wounds.

He telleth the number of the
stars ; * and calleth them all by
their names.

Great is our Lord, and of great
power : * and His understanding is
infinite.

The LORD lifteth up the meek ; *
but He casteth the wicked down to
the ground.

Sing unto the LORD with thanks
giving : * sing praise upon the harp
unto our God.

Who covereth the heaven with
clouds : * and prepareth rain for the
earth,

Who maketh grass to grow upon
the mountains, * and herbs for the
service of men :

He giveth to the beast his food,
* and to the young ravens which cry
unto Him.

He delighteth not in the strength
of an horse ; * neither taketh He
pleasure in the legs of a man.

The LORD taketh pleasure in them
that fear Him, * and in those that
hope in His mercy.

Antiphon. Let the praise of our
God be pleasant.

Fifth Antiphon. Praise the LORD.

If this Antiphon be used the Psalm
begins with the words, " O Jerusalem."

Psalm CXLVII.

[In the Hebrew this is the continuation
of the preceding Psalm. The Vulgate and
the LXX. prefix "Alleluia," and the LXX.
adds "of Haggai and Zechariah."]

PRAISE the LORD, O Jerusalem !
* praise thy God, O Zion !

For He hath strengthened the
bars of thy gates : * He hath blessed
thy children within thee :

He maketh peace in thy borders :
* and filleth thee with the finest of
the wheat.

He sendeth forth His command
ment upon earth : * His word run
neth very swiftly.

He giveth snow like wool : * He
scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.

He casteth forth His ice like
morsels : * who can stand before
His cold?

He sendeth out His word, and
melteth them : * He causeth His
wind to blow, and the waters flow.

He declareth His word unto
Jacob, * His statutes and His
judgments unto Israel.

He hath not dealt so with any
nation : * neither hath He made
known to them His judgments.

[The Hebrew adds "Alleluia," which
the Vulgate and the LXX. prefix to the
next Psalm.]

204

THE PSALTER.

Antiphon. Praise the LORD, O
Jerusalem.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

From Advent Sunday till the Octave
oj the Epiphany, and from Septuagesima
Sunday till the Octave of Pentecost spe
cial Chapters are given.

At other times the following is said:
CHAPTER. (Rom. xi. 33.)

OTHE depth of the riches and
wisdom and knowledge of
God : how unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past find
ing out !

The following Hymn and Verse and
Answer is used during the same seasons
as the above Chapter, and likewise from
Septuagesima to Lent.

HYMN. 1

/ T^HE red sun is gone,

Thou Light of the heart,
Blessed Three, Holy One,
To Thy servants a sun
Everlasting impart.

There were Lauds in the morn,
Here are Vespers at even :
Oh, may we adorn
Thy temple new born
With our voices in Heaven.

To the Father be praise,
And praise to the Son,
And the Spirit always,
While the infinite days
Of eternity run.

Amen.

Verse. Let the evening prayer
ascend unto Thee, O Lord.

Ansiver. And let there descend
upon us Thy mercy.

The following Antiphon is said only
from the Octave of the Epiphany till
Septuagesima.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. God hath holpen His ser
vant Israel : * as He spake to
Abraham and to his seed, to exalt
them of low degree for ever and
ever.

Prayer of the succeeding Sunday.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, altered almost beyond recognition ; translation by
the late Card. Newman.

205

COMPLINE. 1

fiftce for tberg fcag in tl)e

^4/ the beginning of Compline the
Reader says :

Sir, be pleased to give the bless
ing.

The Blessing.

May the Almighty Lord grant us
a quiet night and a perfect end.
Answer. Amen.

Then is read this Short Lesson.
SHORT LESSON, (i Pet. v. 8.)

T3RETHREN, be sober, be vigil-
U ant : because your adversary
the devil as a roaring lion walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour:
whom resist ye, stedfast in the faith.

But Thou, O Lord, have mercy
upon us.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Verse. *J* 2 Our help is in the
Name of the LORD.

Answer. Who made heaven and
earth.

kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation ;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

After this is said the General Confes
sion and Absolution.

T CONFESS to God Almighty, to
* the Blessed Mary, always a
Virgin, to the Blessed Michael the
Archangel, to the Blessed John the
Baptist, to the Holy Apostles Peter
and Paul, and to all the Saints, that
I have sinned exceedingly in thought,
word, and deed, by my fault, by my
fault, by my most grievous fault.
Therefore I beseech the Blessed
Mary, always a Virgin, the Blessed
Michael the Archangel, the Blessed
John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles
Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to
pray to the Lord our God for me.

The Absolution.

Then the Lord s Prayer is said in-
audibly.

A LMIGHTY God have mercy
** on us, forgive us our sins,

UR Father, Who art in heaven, and bring us to life everlasting.
Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Answer. Amen.

1 Compline (Completorium) is the last office of the Church, and is proper to the end of
the evening before going to bed, reckoned to be about 9 p.m., but it may be said any time
before midnight. It is very frequently recited along with Vespers, thus forming the com
plete Evening Service of the Church, and it is from this aggregation that the " Evening
Prayer " of the Anglican Prayer Book is derived. 2 Ps. cxxiii. 8.

206

THE PSALTER.

*J*1\/TAY the Almighty and mer-
*- ciful Lord grant us pardon,
absolution, and remission of all our
sins.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. l Turn us, O God of our
salvation.

Answer. And cause Thine anger
toward us to cease.

Verse. ^ Make haste, O God, to
deliver me.

Answer. Make haste to help me,
O LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

From the Saturday before Septua-
gesima Sunday to Maundy Thursday
i7isteadof" Alleluia " is said:

Ceaseless praise to Thee be given,
O Eternal King of heaven.

Then follow the Psalms. They are
all said under one Antiphon.

Antiphon. Have mercy.
Antiphon in Paschal time. Alle
luia.

Psalm IV.

[Intituled "A Psalm of David," with a
musical (?) direction of (now) uncertain
meaning.]

TWHEN I called, the God of my
* * righteousness heard me : *
Thou hast enlarged me when I was
in distress :

Have mercy upon me, * and hear
my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long
will ye be dull of heart ? * Why
will ye love vanity, and seek after
leasing ? 2

1 Ps. Ixxxiv. 5.

But know that the LORD hath set
apart for Himself him that is holy :

* the LORD will hear me when I
call unto Him.

Be ye angry and sin not : * what
ye speak in your heart, repent upon
your bed. 2

Offer the sacrifices of righteous
ness, and put your trust in the LORD.

* There be many that say : Who will
show us any good ?

LORD, Thou hast set upon us the
light of Thy countenance. * Thou
hast put gladness in my heart,

More than in the time that
their corn, and wine, and oil *
increased.

I will both lay me down in peace,

* and sleep,

For Thou, LORD, only * makest
me to dwell in safety.

Psalm XXX.

[The first eight verses of Psalm xxx., p.
76.]

IN Thee, O LORD, do I put my
trust, let me never be asham
ed ; * deliver me in Thy righteous
ness.

Bow down Thine ear to me, *
deliver me speedily.

Be Thou to me a God, a Pre
server, and an house of defence, *
to save me.

For Thou art my strength and
my refuge, * and for Thy Name s
sake Thou wilt lead me and nourish
me.

Thou wilt pull me out of the net,
that they have laid privily for me,

* for Thou art my Preserver.
Into Thine hands I commend my

spirit : * Thou hast redeemed me,
O LORD God of truth!
2 SLH.

COMPLINE.

2O7

Psalm XC.

[The Vulgate and the LXX. give the
heading, "A Psalm of praise of David."]

HE that dwelleth in the help of
the Most High, * shall abide
under the shadow of the God of
heaven.

He will say to the LORD : Thou
art my refuge, and my fortress, *
my God, in Him will I trust.

For He shall deliver me from the
snare of the fowler, * and from the
noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with His
wings, * and under His feathers
shalt thou trust :

His truth shall be thy shield. *
Thou shalt not be afraid for the
terror by night ;

For the arrow that flieth by day,
for the pestilence that walketh in
darkness, * for the evil spirit that
wasteth at noon-day.

A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right
hand : * but it shall not come
nigh thee.

Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou
behold : * and see the reward of
the wicked.

Because Thou, O LORD, art my
trust : * thou hast made the Most
High thy refuge.

There shall no evil befall thee, *
neither shall any plague come nigh
thy dwelling.

For He hath given His Angels
charge over thee, * to keep thee in
all thy ways :

They shall bear thee up in their
hands, * lest haply thou dash thy
foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the adder
and the cockatrice : * the lion also
and the dragon shalt thou trample
under feet.

Because he hath set his trust
upon Me, therefore will I deliver
him : * I will defend him because
he hath known My Name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will
answer him : * I am with him in
trouble : I will deliver him and
glorify him.

With long life will I satisfy him :
* and show him My salvation.

Psalm CXXXII1.
[Intituled "A Song of Degrees."]

OEHOLD now, bless ye the
*-* LORD, * all ye servants of the
LORD.

Which stand in the house of the
LORD, * even in the courts of the
house of our God,

By night. Lift up your hands
toward the sanctuary, * and bless
the LORD.

The LORD That made heaven
and earth, * bless thee out of
Zion !

Antiphon. l Have mercy upon
me, O Lord, and hear my prayer.

Antiphon in Paschal time. Al
leluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then is said the following :

HYMN. 2

NOW that the clay- light dies away,
By all Thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.

1 Ps. iv. 2.

2 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, very slightly altered; translation by the late Card.
Newman.

208

THE PSALTER.

Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,

The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath Thine
eye,

Pure in our foes despite.

This grace on Thy redeemed confer,

Father, Co-equal Son,
And Holy Ghost, the Comforter,

Eternal Three in One.

Amen.

The last verse is sometimes said thus,
altered in honour of the Incarnation :

JESU, the Virgin-born, to Thee

Eternal praise be given,
With Father, Spirit, One and Three,

Here as it is in heaven.

Amen.

hi Paschal time it is said thus, al
tered in honour of the Resurrection :

To Father, Son, and Paraclete,

The slain and risen Son,
Be praise and glory, as is meet,

While endless ages run.

Amen.

// is also occasionally otherwise al
tered, which occasions are marked in
their places.

Then follows the
CHAPTER. (Jer. xiv. 9.)

YET Thou, O LORD, art in the
midst of us, and Thine holy
Name is called upon us : x leave us
not, O LorcJ our God.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

Then the Short Responsory.

2 Into Thine hands, O Lord, I
commend my spirit.

Answer. Into Thine hands, O
Lord, I commend my spirit.

Verse. Thou hast redeemed us,
O LORD God of truth.

Answer. I commend my spirit.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Into Thine hands, O
Lord, I commend my spirit.

Verse. 3 Keep us, O Lord, as
the apple of the eye.

Answer. Hide us under the
shadow of Thy wings.

from the Saturday after Easter in
clusive to the Saturday after Pentecost
exclusive, the above is said thus :

Into Thine hands, O Lord, I com
mend my spirit. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Answer. Into Thine hands, O
Lord, I commend my spirit. Al
leluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Thou hast redeemed us,
O LORD God of truth.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Into Thine hands, O
Lord, I commend my spirit. Alle
luia, Alleluia.

Verse. Keep us, O Lord, as the
apple of the eye. Alleluia.

Answer. Hide us under the
shadow of Thy wings. Alleluia.

Then is said the following Canticle
from the Gospel, with its Antiphon.

Antiphon. O Lord, keep us.

1 The allusion seems to be to the invocation of the Name upon Israel by the Priests,
Numb. vi. 22. "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying : Speak unto Aaron, and unto
his sons, saying, On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto them The
LORD bless thee and keep thee ; the LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious
unto thee ; the LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace and they
shall put My Name upon the children of Israel ; and I will bless them. "

2 Ps. xxx. 6. 3 Ps. xvi. 8.

COMPLINE.

209

THE SONG OF SIMEON. (Luke ii. 29.)

[Uttered by Simeon at the presentation
of our LORD in the Temple. " Then took
he Him up in his arms, and blessed God,
and said : "]

T ORD, now lettest Thou Thy
"-* servant depart in peace, *
according to Thy word :

For mine eyes have seen * Thy
Salvation,

Which Thou hast prepared *
before the face of all people ;

A Light to lighten the Gentiles,
* and the glory of Thy people
Israel.

The Doxology, "Glory be to the
Father, &c.," is said.

Antiphon. O Lord, keep us
waking, guard us sleeping : that
we may wake with Christ and rest
in peace.

In Paschal time, "Alleluia."

Then follow these short prayers, called
the Preces. Th ey are omitted on Doubles
and within Octaves. In Advent, Lent,
and the Ember Days they are said
kneeling.

Kyrie eleison.

Answer. Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

Father, (inaudibly,) Who
art in heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is
in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. (Aloud}

Verse. And lead us not into
temptation.

Answer. But deliver us from
evil.

1 Dan. iii,

T BELIEVE (inaudibly} in God
-* the Father Almighty, Maker of
heaven and earth. And in JESUS
Christ, His only Son, our Lord ;
Who was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead, and buried: He
descended into hell : the third day
He rose again from the dead : He
ascended into heaven, and sitteth
on the right hand of God the
Father Almighty. From thence He
shall come to judge the quick and
the dead. I believe in the Holy
Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church,
the Communion of Saints, the For
giveness of sins, (aloud}

Verse. The Resurrection of the
body.

Answer. And the Life ever
lasting. Amen.

Verse. l Blessed art Thou, O
Lord God of our fathers,

Answer. And to be praised and
glorified above all for ever.

Verse. Bless we the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Let us praise and exalt
Him above all for ever.

Verse. x Blessed art Thou, O
Lord, in the firmament of heaven,

Answer. And to be praised, and
glorified, and exalted above all for
ever.

Verse. May the Lord, the Al
mighty and merciful, bless and
keep us.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this
night,

Answer. To keep us without sin.

Verse. Have mercy upon us, O
LORD.

Answer. Have mercy upon us.
52, 56.

2IO

THE PSALTER.

Verse. O LORD, let Thy mercy
lighten upon us.

Answer. As our trust is in Thee.

Here the service is resumed, when
the above has been omitted.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

VISIT, we beseech Thee, O
Lord, this habitation, 1 and
drive far from it all snares of the
enemy : let Thine holy Angels dwell
herein, to keep us in peace, and
may Thy blessing be always upon
us. Through our Lord JESUS Christ,
Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth
with Thee, in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.

Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.

Answer. Thanks be to God.

The Blessing.

May the Almighty and Merciful
Lord, *%* the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost, bless and keep us.

Answer. Amen.

Then follows immediately one of
these Four Antiphons of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, according to the season
of the year.

I. From the Vespers of the Saturday
before Advent Sunday till those of
Candlemas, both inclusive.

Antiphon. Maiden ! Mother of
Him Who redeemed us, thou that
abidest

Heaven s open gate, and the Star
of the Sea, come, succour the fallen !

Fallen indeed we are, but fain
would rise by thy succour.

Thou that beyond nature s course
hast borne in time the Eternal ;

Thou that a Virgin before, and
after that childbirth remainest,

From the Archangel s lips the
quickening message receiving,

Mother of JESUS and us, turn
thine eyes of mercy on sinners.

Verse. The Angel of the Lord
announced unto Mary,

Answer. And she conceived of
the Holy Ghost.

Let us pray.

WE beseech Thee, O Lord, pour
Thy grace into our hearts ;
that, as we have known the Incar
nation of Thy Son JESUS Christ by
the message of an Angel, so by His
Passion and Cross we may be
brought unto the glory of His
Resurrection. Through the same
Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen.

From the First Vespers of Christmas
inclusive, the Verse and Answer and
Prayer are as follows :

Verse. After thy delivery thou
still remainest a Virgin undefiled.

Ansiver. Mother of God, pray
for us.

Let us pray.

OGOD, Who, by the fruitful
virginity of the Blessed Mary,
hast given unto mankind the re
wards of everlasting life; grant, we
beseech Thee, that we may con
tinually feel the might of her in-

1 This Office was originally the last Prayer before going to rest for the monks of the
Order of St Benedict.

COMPLINE.

211

tercession ; through whom we have
worthily received the Author of
our life, our Lord JESUS Christ
Thy Son.

Answer. Amen.

II. From the Compline of the 2nd
day of February inclusive to
Maundy Thursday exclusive.

Antiphon. Hail, O Mary, Queen
of heaven,

Queen of Angel worlds on high,
Hail, O Rod to Jesse given,
Blessed Portal of the sky,

Hail, O Lady, bright and glorious,
Clad in beauty, pure and true,
Virgin ! o er sin s stain victorious,
Sinners for thy succour sue.

Verse. Holy Virgin, my praise
by thee accepted be.

Answer. Give me strength against
thine enemies.

Let us pray.

MOST merciful God, grant, we
beseech Thee, a succour
unto the frailty of our nature, that
as we keep ever alive the memory
of the holy Mother of God, so by
the help of her intercession we may
be raised up from the bondage of
our sins. Through the same Christ
our Lord.

Answer. Amen.

III. From the First Compline of
Easter inclusive till the First
Vespers of Trinity Sunday ex
clusive.

Antiphon. Rejoice! rejoice! thou
Queen of Heaven, Alleluia,

For He That thee for Son was
given, Alleluia,

As He promised is arisen. Alle
luia.

Mother, pray to Him for us,
Alleluia.

Verse. Be glad and rejoice, O
Virgin Mary, Alleluia,

Answer. For the Lord is risen
indeed. Alleluia.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who dost vouchsafe to
gladden the whole world by
the resurrection of Thy Son our
Lord JESUS Christ ; grant, we be
seech Thee, that by the help of
His Mother the Virgin Mary, we
may finally attain unto the glad
ness of life everlasting. Through
the same Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen.

IV. From the First Vespers of
Trinity Sunday inclusive till the
Vespers of Saturday before Ad
vent Sunday exclusive.

Antiphon. Hail, O Queen, Mo
ther of mercy ! hail, our life, our
sweetness, and our hope. To thee
we cry, the banished sons of Eve.
Toward thee we sigh, weeping and
groaning in this vale of tears. Ah,
then, thou our Advocate, turn on us
those merciful eyes of thine ! And,
after this our exile, show to us JESUS,
the blessed Fruit of thy womb. O
most merciful, O most gracious, O
most sweet Virgin Mary ! 1

Verse. Pray for us, holy Mo
ther of God.

Answer. That we may be made
worthy of the promises of Christ.

1 Of these four Antiphons, "Maiden Mother" is ascribed to Hermann the Cripple, a
monk of Reichenau, who died A.D. 1052. The authorship of the second is unknown : it

212

THE PSALTER.

Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting
God, Who, by the co-opera
tion of the Holy Ghost, didst make
ready both the body and soul of
the glorious Virgin and Mother
Mary worthily to become a meet
dwelling for Thy Son; grant that
as we rejoice in her memory, so
by her pitiful intercession we may
be delivered from the evils that
continually hang over us, and finally
from everlasting death. Through
the same Christ our Lord.
Ansiver. Amen.

After each of these Antiphons is said
this Blessing:

God s most mighty strength alway
Be His people s staff and stay.
Answer. Amen.

Lastly, whether Mattins be to follow
immediately, or not, the Lord s Prayer,
the Angelic Salutation, and the Apos
tles Creed are said inaudibly.

OUR Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done on earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us. And lead us
not into temptation ; but deliver
us from evil. Amen.

HAIL, Mary, full of grace ; the
Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray
for us sinners, now, and at the
hour of our death. Amen.

T BELIEVE in God, the Father
* Almighty, Maker of heaven
and earth. And in JESUS Christ,
His Only Son, our Lord, Who
was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried : He descended
into hell : the third day He rose
again from the dead : He ascended
into heaven, and sitteth at the right
hand of God the Father Almighty :
from thence He shall come to
judge both the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the
Holy Catholic Church, the Com
munion of Saints, the Forgiveness
of sins, the Resurrection of the
body, and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Thus ends the Office of Compline
throughout the year, in which Office
the words, " May the souls, &c.," are
omitted, and the Verse and Answer,
" The Lord give us, &c.," are not said
before the Antiphon of the Blessed
Virgin.

seems to date from about the eleventh century. The date and authorship of the third are
likewise unknown ; but a legend has become attached to it, to the effect that St Gregory
the Great heard the three first lines uttered by an angel, and himself added the fourth, on
the same occasion on which was instituted the procession upon St Mark s Day. The
authorship of " Hail, O Queen" is disputed. The last clause is usually admitted to be an
exclamation uttered by St Bernard of Clairvaux in the cathedral of Spires. But the
authorship of the rest is disputed, some ascribing it to Hermann the Cripple, others to
one Peter of Monsoro, bishop of Compostella, others to one Adhemar. bishop of Podium
(Puy-en-Velay). It seems to have been well known, at least in Spain, early in the
twelfth century.

proper &gt;fltce of tfje Reason.

, or ommg=tim.

In Advent the Common Commemora-
tions are never said at Lauds and Ves
pers. During Advent Simple Feasts
are not observed, but merely com
memorated. If a Feast of a higher
rank falls after Advent Sunday it is
commemorated; or transferred to the
next day not so impeded, except a Feast
of the First Class, of which the Im
maculate Conception is one.

Before JUwenf

VESPERS.

All of the Saturday except the
following.

The Chapter is taken from Lauds.

Hymn. 1

S~* REATOR of the starry pole,
^ Saviour of all who live,
And light of every faithful soul,
JESU, these prayers receive.

Who sooner than our foe malign

Should triumph, from above
Didst come, to be the medicine

Of a sick world, in love ;

And the deep wounds to cleanse and cure

Of a whole race, didst go,
Pure Victim, from a Virgin pure,

The bitter Cross unto.

Who hast a Name, and hast a Power,
The height and depth to sway,

And Angels bow, and devils cower,
In transport or dismay ;

Thou too shalt be our Judge at length ;

Lord, in Thy grace bestow
Thy weapons of celestial strength,

And snatch us from the foe.

Honour and glory, power and praise,

To Father, and to Son,
And Holy Ghost, be paid always,

The Eternal Three in One. Amen.

Verse. 2 Drop down, ye heavens,
from above, and let the skies pour
down the Righteous One.

Answer. Let the earth open, and
let her bring forth the Saviour.

A?itiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 3 Behold, the name of the
LORD * cometh from far, and the
whole earth is full of His glory.

Prayer from Lauds.

atibent Stmlmg.

The First Lord^s Day in Coming- Time.

MATTINS.

Invitatory. The Lord, He is our
King that is to come. * O come, let
us worship Him.

1 Another hymn of the Ambrosian school, altered almost beyond recognition ; one verse
omitted ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

2 Isa. xlv. 8. 3 i sa . xxx 2&gt;

VOL. I.

2I 4

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Hymn?-

SUPERNAL Word, proceeding from
The Eternal Father s breast ;
And in the end of ages come,
To aid a world distrest ;

Enlighten, Lord, and set on fire,

Our spirits with Thy love,
That, dead to earth, they may aspire

And live to joys above.

That, when the judgment-seat on high

Shall fix the sinner s doom,
And to the just a glad voice cry,

Come to your destined home ;

Safe from the black and yawning lake

Of restless, endless pain,
We may the face of God partake,

The bliss of heaven attain.

To God the Father, God the Son,

And Holy Ghost, to Thee,
As heretofore, when time is done,

Unending glory be. Amen.

FIRST NOCTURN.
First Lesson. (Isa. i. I.)

"PHE vision of Isaiah, the son of
Amoz, which he saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of
2 Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and
give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath
spoken : I have nourished and brought
up children : and they have rebelled
against Me. The ox knoweth his
owner, and the ass his master s crib :
but Israel doth not know Me, and My
people doth not consider.

First Responsory.

I look from afar, and, behold, I see
the Power of God coming, 3 and a
cloud covering all the land. 4 Go ye
out to meet Him, and say : 5 Tell us if

Thou art He, 6 That shalt reign over
God s people Israel.

Verse. 7 Both low and high, rich
and poor together.

Answer. Go ye out to meet Him,
and say.

Verse. 8 Give ear, O Shepherd of
Israel^ Thou That leadest Joseph like
a flock.

Answer. Tell us if Thou art He.

Verse. 9 Lift up your gates, O ye
princes ; and be ye lift up, ye everlast
ing doors, and the King of glory shall
come in.

Answer. That shalt reign over
God s people Israel.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. I look from afar, and,
behold, I see the Power of God coming,
and a cloud covering all the land. Go
ye out to meet Him, and say : Tell us
if Thou art He, That shalt reign over
God s people Israel.

Second Lesson.

E to the sinful nation, a people
laden with iniquity, a seed of
evil-doers, children that are corrupters :
they have forsaken the LORD, they
have provoked the Holy One of Israel
unto anger : they are gone away back
ward. Upon what part shall I smite
you any more, ye that revolt more and
more ? The whole head is sick, and
the whole heart faint : from the sole
of the foot even unto the head there is
no soundness in it, but wounds and
bruises and putrifying sores : they have
not been closed, neither bound up,
neither mollified with ointment.

1 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, very much altered ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

2 Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz were the great-grandfather, grandfather, and father of their
successor on the throne of Judah, Hezekiah, concerning whom see the eleventh week after
Pentecost. According to the common tradition, Isaiah survived Hezekiah and was martyred
under his son Manasseh. Lowth thinks that the prophecy which forms the first chapter was
uttered towards the end of the reign of Jotham when " the LORD began to send, against Judah,
Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the son of Remaliah," king of Israel. 4 (2) Kings xv. 37.

3 Ezek. xxxviii. 9. 4 Matth. xxv. 6. 5 Matth. xi. 3 ; Luke vii. 19.

6 i Kings (Sam.) ix. 17. 7 Ps. xlviii. 3. 8 Ps. Ixxix. 2. 9 Ps. xxiii. 7.

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

215

Second Responsory.

1 I saw in the night visions, and,
behold, the Son of man came with the
clouds of heaven, and there was given
Him a Kingdom, and glory : and all
people, nations, and languages shall
serve Him.

Verse. His dominion is an ever
lasting dominion which shall not pass
away, and His Kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed.

Answer. And all people, nations,
and languages shall serve Him.

Third Lesson.

W OUR country is desolate, your
cities are burned with fire ; your
land, strangers devour it in your pres
ence, and it is desolate, as overthrown
by strangers. And the daughter of
Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard,
and as a lodge in a garden of cucum
bers, and as a besieged city. Except
the LORD of hosts had left unto us a
seed, we should have been as Sodom,
and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah.

Third Responsory.

2 The Angel Gabriel was sent to
Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph,
to bring unto her the word of the
Lord : and 3 when the Virgin saw the
light she was afraid. Fear not, Mary,
for thou hast found grace from the
Lord. Behold, thou shalt conceive
and bring forth a son, and He shall
be called the Son of the Highest.

Verse. The Lord God shall give
unto Him the throne of His father
David, and He shall reign over the
house of Jacob for ever.

Answer. Behold, thou shalt con
ceive, and bring forth a son, and He
shall be called the Son of the Highest.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Behold, thou shalt con
ceive and bring forth a son, and He
shall be called the Son of the Highest.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of 4 Pope St Leo [the Great,] (%th
on the December Fast, and alms
giving. ]

/^VUR Saviour Himselt instructed
His disciples concerning the
times and seasons of the coming of
the Kingdom of God and the end of
the world, and He hath given the
same teaching to the Church by the
mouth of His Apostles. In connec
tion with this subject then, Our Lord
biddeth us beware lest we let our
hearts grow heavy through excess of
meat and drink, and worldly thoughts.
Dearly beloved brethren, we know
how that this warning applieth par
ticularly to us. We know that that
day is coming, and though for a
season we know not the very hour^
yet this we know, that it is near.

Fourth Responsory.

5 Hail,. Mary, full of grace ; the
Lord is with thee : the Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power
of the Highest shall overshadow thee :
therefore also that Holy Thing Which
shall be born of thee shall be called
the Son of God.

Verse. How shall this be, seeing I
know not a man ? And the Angel
answered and said unto her,

Answer. The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee ; there-

1 Dan. vii. 13, 14. 2 Luke i. 26, 30-33.

3 Compare the Apocryphal " Gospel of the Nativity of Mary," ch. ix.

4 April ii. 5 Luke i. 28, 34, 35,

216

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

fore also that Holy Thing Which shall
be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God.

Fifth Lesson.

ET every man then make himself
ready against the coming of the
Lord, so that He may not find him
making his belly his god, or the
world his chief care. Dearly beloved
brethren, it is a matter of every day
experience that fulness of drink dulleth
the keenness of the mind, and that
excess of eating unnerveth the strength
of the will. The very stomach pro-
testeth that gluttony doth harm to the
bodily health, unless temperance get
the better of desire, and the thought
of the indigestion afterward check the
indulgence of the moment.

Fifth Responsory.

1 We look for the Saviour, the Lord
JESUS Christ ; Who shall change our
vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto His glorious Body.

Verse. 2 We should live soberly,
and righteously, and godly in this
present world, looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of
the great God.

Answer. Who shall change our
vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto His glorious Body.

Sixth Lesson.

HP HE body without the soul hath no
desires ; its sensibility cometh
from the same source as its move
ments. And it is the duty of a man
with a reasonable soul to deny some
thing to his lower nature and to keep
back the outer man from things un
seemly. Then will his soul, free from
fleshly cravings, sit often at leisure in
the palace of the mind, dwelling on

the wisdom of God. There, when the
roar and rattle of earthly cares are
stilled, will she feed on holy thoughts
and entertain herself with the expecta
tion of the everlasting joy.

Sixth Responsory.

3 O my Lord, send I pray Thee,
Him Whom Thou wilt send ; see the
affliction of Thy people. As Thou
hast promised, come and deliver us.

Verse. 4 Give ear, O Shepherd of
Israel, Thou That leadest Joseph like
a flock, Thou That sittest upon the
Cherubim !

Answer. As Thou hast promised,
come.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And deliver us.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (xxi. 25.)

A T that time : JESUS said unto His
^^ disciples ; There shall be signs
in the sun, and in the moon, and in
the stars, and upon the earth distress
of nations. And so on.

Homily by 5 Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (ist on the Gospels.}

Our Lord and Saviour wisheth to
find us ready at His second coming.
Therefore He telleth us what will be
the evils of the world as it groweth
old, that He may wean our hearts
from worldly affections. Here we read
what great convulsions will go before
the end, that, if we will not fear God
in our prosperity, we may at least be
scourged into fearing His judgment
when it is at hand.

Phil. iii. 20.

4 Ps. Ixxix. i.

2 Tit. ii. 12.

3 Exod. iv. 13.
5 March 12.

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

Seventh Responsory.

1 Behold, the Virgin shall conceive,
and bear a son, saith the Lord, 2 and
His name shall be called Wonderful,
the Mighty God.

Verse. He shall sit upon the throne
of David, and upon his kingdom for
ever.

Answer. And His name shall be
called Wonderful, the Mighty God.

Eighth Lesson.

T MMEDIATELY before the passage
which hath just been read from
the Gospel, are found the following
words of our Lord, " Nation shall
rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom, and great earth
quakes shall be in divers places, and
pestilences and famines." Then, after
a few more verses, cometh to-day s
Gospel. " There shall be signs in
the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars ; and upon the earth distress of
nations with perplexity, the sea and
the waves roaring." Now some of
these things are come to pass already,
and we fear the others are not far off.

Eighth Responsory.

3 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye
nations, and declare it in the ends of
the earth, and in the isles afar off, and
say : Our Saviour shall come.

Verse. Declare it and make it
known, lift up your voice and cry
aloud.

Answer. And in the isles afar off,
and say : Our Saviour shall come.

Ninth Lesson.

T N these our days we see nation rise

against nation, and their distress

over all the earth, more than we read

in books hath ever come to pass of

old time. Ye know also how often
we hear of earthquakes overwhelming
countless cities in other parts of the
world. As for pestilences, we suffer
from them ourselves, with hardly any
intermission. As yet we do not see
signs in the sun, and in the moon,
and in the stars ; but the changes of
seasons and climates warn us that we
may look for these also before long.

The Hymn, "We praise Thee, O
God," is not said in the Office of the
Season till Christmas. A Ninth Re
sponsory is said instead.

Ninth Responsory.

4 Behold, the days come, saith the
LORD, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch ; and a King shall
reign in wisdom and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth :
and this is His name whereby He
shall be called ; The LORD our Right
eous one.

Verse. In His days Judah shall be
saved, and Israel shall dwell safely.

Answer. And this is His name
whereby He shall be called.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. The LORD our Righteous
one.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. 5 In that day *
the mountains shall drop down sweet
wine, and the hills shall flow with
milk and honey. Alleluia.

Second Antiphon. 6 Sing, O daugh
ter of Zion, * and rejoice with all the
heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. Alle
luia.

Third Antiphon. 7 Behold, the
LORD shall come, * and all His
saints with Him ; and it shall come

1 Isa. vii. 14. Isa. ix. 6, 7. 3 Jer. xxxi. 10.

5 Joel iii. 18. 6 Zeph. (Soph.) iii. 14.

4 Jer. xxiii. 5 ; i Cor. i. 30.
7 Zech. xiv. 5, 6.

218

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

to pass in that day that the light
shall be great. Alleluia.

Fourth Antiphon. l Ho, every one
that thirsteth * come ye to the waters :
seek ye the LORD while He may be
found. Alleluia.

Fifth Antiphon. Behold, a great
Prophet * shall arise, and He shall
build up a new Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Chapter. (Rom. xiii. I I.)

TV/T Y brethren, it is now high time to
awake out of sleep. For now
is our salvation nearer than when we
believed.

Hymn?

HARK, a joyful voice is thrilling,
And each dim and winding way
Of the Ancient Temple filling ;
Dreams, depart ! for it is day.

Christ is coming ! from thy bed,

Earth-bound soul, awake and spring,

With the sun new-risen to shed
Health on human suffering.

Lo ! to grant a pardon free,

Comes a willing Lamb from Heaven ;
Sad and tearful, hasten we,

One and all, to be forgiven.

Once again He comes in light,
Girding earth with fear and woe ;

Lord, be Thou our loving might,
From our guilt and ghostly foe.

To the Father and the Son,
And the Spirit, Who in heaven

Ever witness, Three and One,

Praise on earth be ever given. Amen.

Verse. 3 The voice of one crying in
the wilderness : Prepare ye the way of
the Lord.

Answer. Make His paths straight.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
4 The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee, * O Mary ; fear not, thou shalt
bear in thy womb the Son of God.
Alleluia.

Prayer.

5 CTIR up, O Lord, we pray Thee,
*P Thy strength, and come among
us, that whereas through our sins and
wickedness we do justly apprehend
Thy wrathful judgments hanging over
us, Thy bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us ;
Who livest and reignest with God
the Father, in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.
Amen.

The same Prayer is used throughout
the day and week, except at Prime and
Compline.

PRIME.

Antiphon. In that day, &c., (First
Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the short Responsory instead of
the Verse "Thou That sittest," &c., is
said :

Verse. Thou That art to come into
the world.

And the change is made every day in
Advent till Christmas, except on the
Feast and within the Octave of the
Immaculate Conception.

TERCE.

Antiphon. Sing, O daughter of
Zion, &c., (Second Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter from Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. Behold the LORD, &c.,
( Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Rom. xiii. 12.)

"PHE night is far spent, the day is
" at hand : let us therefore cast
off the works of darkness, and let
us put on the armour of light.

1 Isa. Iv. i, 6. Possibly in allusion to the baptisms at the Epiphany.

2 Hymn of the Ambrosian school, freely altered ; translation by the late Card. Newman.

3 Matth. iii. 3; (Isa. xl. 3.) * Luke i. 35. 5 Ps. Ixxix. 3.

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

2I 9

NONE.

Antiphon. Behold, a great Pro
phet, &c., (Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Rom. xiii. 13.)

T ET us walk honestly as in the day,
not in rioting and drunkenness,
not in chambering and wantonness,
not in strife and envying, but put
ye on the Lord JESUS Christ.

VESPERS.

Antiphons, Chapter and Prayer as at
Lauds.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday Rvening.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. * Fear not, Mary, * for thou
hast found grace with the Lord ; be
hold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son. Alleluia.

After " Bless we the Lord," are said
the Vespers of the Dead.

Second Day.
MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on the last
Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (i. 16.)

2 VWASH you, make you clean, put
away the evil of your imag
inations from before Mine eyes ; cease
to do evil, learn to do well : seek judg
ment, relieve the oppressed, judge the
fatherless, plead for the widow. Come
now, and let us reason together, saith

the LORD. Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ;
and though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.

First Responsory.

Receive, O Virgin Mary, receive the
word of the Lord, which is sent thee
by His Angel : thou shalt conceive,
and shalt bring forth God and Man
together. And thou shalt be called
blessed among all women.

Verse. Thou shalt bring forth a
son, and remain a maiden undefiled :
thou shalt conceive and be a Mother,
still Virgin unspotted.

Answer. And thou shalt be called
blessed among all women.

Second Lesson.

T F ye be willing and obedient, ye
shall eat the good of the land.

But if ye refuse and provoke Me to
anger, ye shall be devoured with the
sword, for the mouth of the LORD hath
spoken it. How is the faithful city
become an harlot ! It was full of
judgment ; righteousness lodged in it ;
but now murderers. Thy silver is
become dross ; thy wine mixed with
water. Thy princes are rebellious
and companions of thieves ; every
one loveth gifts and followeth after
rewards. They judge not the father
less, neither doth the cause of the
widow come unto them.

Second Responsory.

3 Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful, O
earth ; and break forth into singing, O
mountains, for our Lord will come, and
will have mercy on His afflicted.

Verse. 4 In His days shall right
eousness flourish and abundance of
peace.

1 Luke i. 31.

2 This refers to the words immediately preceding : " Your hands are full of blood."

3 Isa. xlix. 13. 4 p s&gt; ] xxi&lt; 7

220

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Answer. And will have mercy
upon His afflicted.

Third Lesson.

"THEREFORE saith the LORD God
of hosts, the Mighty One of
Israel : Ah ! I will ease Me of Mine
adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine
enemies. And I will turn My hand
upon thee, and purely purge away thy
dross, and take away all thy tin ; and
I will restore thy judges as at the first,
and thy counsellors as at the begin
ning : afterward thou shalt be called,
The City of righteousness, The faith
ful City. Zion shall be redeemed with
judgment, and they shall restore her
with righteousness : and the destruc
tion of the transgressors and of the
sinners shall be tog ether ; and they
that forsake the LORD shall be con
sumed.

Third Responsory.

1 There shall no strangers pass
through Jerusalem any more, for in
that day the mountains shall drop
down sweet wine, and the hills shall
flow with milk and honey, saith the
Lord.

Verse. 2 God shall come from
Lebanon, and the Holy One from the
thick and shady mountain.

Answer. For in that day the
mountains shall drop down sweet
wine, and the hills shall flow with
milk and honey, saith the Lord.

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the LORD, and to
the house of the God of Jacob : and
He will teach us of His ways, and
we will walk in His paths, for out

of Zion shall go forth the law, and
the word of the LORD from Jeru
salem.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as at
Vespers on Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
The angel of the Lord * announced
unto Mary, and she conceived of the
Holy Ghost. Alleluia.

Prayer as on Sunday.

Note. This rule is invariable that
when a special Prayer is not assigned
and the Office is of the Season, the
Prayer of the preceding Sunday is
used.

After " Bless we the Lord " is said
the Dirge.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Responsory at
Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

"PHE sceptre shall not depart from
Judah, nor the law-giver from
his loins, until he that shall be sent
cometh ; and unto him shall the desire
of the Gentiles be.

This Chapter is to be said every
week-day evening till Christmas Eve
exclusive.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Lift up thine eyes, * O
Jerusalem, and see that thy King is
mighty : behold, thy Saviour shall
come and loose thee from thy chain.

1 Joel iii. 17, 18.

2 Hab. iii. 3, substituting Lebanon for Teman, and translating Paran.

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

221

Third Day.
MATTINS.

Inmtatory and Hymn as on Sunday,
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (ii. I.)

1 "PHE word that Isaiah, the son of
Amoz, saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem. And it shall come
to pass in the last days that the
mountain of the LORD S house shall
be established in the top of the
mountains and shall be exalted above
the hills : and all nations shall flow
unto it. And many people shall go
and say : Come ye, and let us go
up to the mountain of the LORD,
and to the house of the God of
Jacob ; and He will teach us of His
ways, and we will walk in His paths,
for out of Zion shall go forth the
law, and the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem.

First Responsory.

2 O ye mountains of Israel, shoot
forth your branches and blossom and
bring forth fruit. 3 The day of the
LORD is at hand to come.

Verse. Drop down, ye heavens,
from above, and let the skies pour
down the Righteous One : let the
earth open, and let her bring forth
the Saviour.

Answer. The day of the LORD
is at hand to come.

Second Lesson.

AND He shall judge among the

nations, and shall rebuke many

people : and they shall beat their

swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning - hooks : nation
shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us
walk in the light of the LORD. For
Thou hast forsaken Thy people, the
house of Jacob ; because they be
replenished as aforetime, and have
soothsayers like the Philistines, and
cleave unto the children of strangers.

Second Responsory.

Let the mountains break forth into
singing, and the hills bring forth right
eousness : for the Lord, the Light of
the world, cometh with power.

Verse. 4 Out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem.

Answer. For the Lord, the Light
of the world, cometh with power.

Third Lesson.

"THEIR land is full of silver and
gold, neither is there any end
of their treasures : their land also is
full of horses, neither is there any
end of their chariots. Their land
also is full of idols : they worship
the work of their own hands, that
which their own fingers have made.
And the mean man boweth down,
and the great man humbleth him
self; therefore forgive them not.

Third Responsory.

Behold, I, the Lord your God,
come from the South, to visit you
in peace.

Verse. I will look again upon you
and make you to increase : ye shall be
multiplied, and I will establish My
covenant with you.

Answer. To visit you in peace.

1 Here begins the second prophecy, comprising chapters ii., Hi., and iv., and "probably
delivered in the time of Jotham, or perhaps in that of Uzziah."

2 Ezek. xxxvi. 8. 3 Joel ii. i. 4 Isa. ii. 3.

VOL. I. H 2

222

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Answer. To visit you in peace.

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)
Come ye, &c., (as yesterday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as at
Lauds on Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
1 Before they came together, * Mary
was found with child of the Holy
Ghost. Alleluia.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon-
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)
The sceptre, &c., (as yesterday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 2 Seek ye the LORD * while
He may be found ; call ye upon Him
while He is near. Alleluia.

Fourth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on Sunday.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (iii. i.)

T7OR behold, the Lord, the LORD

of Hosts, doth take away from

Jerusalem and from Judah the strength

and the might, the whole stay of bread
and the whole stay of water : the
mighty man and the man of war :
the judge, and the Prophet, and the
soothsayer, and the ancient : the cap
tain of fifty, and the honourable man,
and the counsellor, and the cunning
artificer, and the eloquent orator.
And I will give children to be their
princes ; and 3 boys shall rule over
them.

First Responsory.

Christ our King" cometh. 4 And
John hath testified of Him, that He
is the Lamb that should come !

Verse. 5 The kings shall shut their
mouths at Him, all nations shall serve
Him.

Answer. And John hath testified
of Him, that He is the Lamb that
should come !

Second Lesson.

AND the people shall oppress every
^^ one another, and every one his
neighbour : the child shall behave
himself proudly against the ancient,
and the base against the honourable.
For a man shall take hold of his
brother of the house of his father,
saying : Thou hast clothing, be thou
our ruler : and let this ruin be under
thy hand. And in that day shall he
swear, saying : I am not an healer,
and in my house is neither bread,
nor clothing : make me not a ruler
of the people.

Second Responsory.

Of a long time said Ezekiel the Pro
phet : 6 I saw the gate shut : behold,
God went forth from it before the ages
for the salvation of the world. And it
was shut again, for it is a figure of the
Virgin, in that after child-birth she re
mained a Virgin still.

1 Matth. i. 18.
4 John i. 29.

2 Isa.
5 Isa.

Iv. 6.
Hi. 15.

3 Efteminati.
6 Ezek. xliv. 2.

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

22 3

Verse. The Lord alone shall enter
by the gate that thou sawest.

Answer. And it was shut again,
for it is a figure of the Virgin, in that
after child-birth she remained a Virgin
still.

Third Lesson.

erusalem is ruined, and Judah
is fallen : because their tongue
and their imaginations are against the
LORD, to provoke the eyes of His
glory. The show of their countenance
doth witness against them ; and they
declare their sin as Sodom, they hide
it not. Woe unto their soul, for their
evil is repaid unto them. Say unto
the righteous that it shall be well with
him, for he shall eat the fruit of his
doings. Woe unto the wicked, it
shall be ill with him ; for the reward
of his hands shall be given him.

Third Responsory.

Behold the days come, &c., (Ninth
Responsory on Sunday. ,)

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)
Come ye, &c., (as on Monday. ]

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Sunday.

A?itiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Out of Zion * shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)
The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. * There cometh One mightier
* than I after me, the latchet of Whose
shoes I am not worthy to unloose.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on Sunday.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (iv. i.)

2 AND in that day seven women
shall take hold of one man,
saying : We will eat our own bread
and wear our own apparel ; only let
us be called by thy name ; take thou
away our reproach. In that day shall
the Branch of the LORD be beautiful
and glorious, and the fruit of the earth
shall be excellent, and a rejoicing for
them that are escaped of Israel. And
it shall come to pass that he that is
left in Zion and he that remaineth in
Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even
every one that is written among the
living in Jerusalem.

First Responsory.

Receive, O Virgin Mary, &c., (First
Responsory on Monday.}

Second Lesson. 3 (v. i.)

T WILL sing to my well-beloved a

song of my beloved touching his

vineyard. My well - beloved hath a

1 Mark i. 7.

2 This follows the last verses of the third chapter, wherein it is said that the number of men
killed in battle will make them so scarce that (iv.) seven women, &c.

3 "This chapter stands single and alone, unconnected with the preceding or following."

224

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And
he fenced it, and gathered out the
stones thereof, and planted it with the
choicest vine, and built a tower in the
midst of it, and also made a wine-press
therein : and he looked that it should
bring forth grapes, and it brought
forth wild grapes. And now, O in
habitants of Jerusalem, and men of
Judah, judge betwixt me and my vine
yard. What could have been done
more to my vineyard, that I have
not done in it ? wherefore, when I
looked that it should bring forth
grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ?

Second Responsory.

I saw in the night visions, &c.,
(Second Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

AND now I will tell you what I will
^^ do to my vineyard : I will take
away the hedge thereof, and it shall be
eaten up : I will break down the wall
thereof, and it shall be trodden down.
And I will lay it waste ; it shall not be
pruned nor digged : and there shall
come up briars and thorns : I will also
command the clouds that they rain no
rain upon it. For the vineyard of the
LORD of hosts is the house of Israel ;
and the men of Judah His pleasant
plant : and I looked for judgment, but
behold, oppression ; for righteousness,
but, behold, a cry.

Third Responsory.

The angel Gabriel, &c., (Third Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)
Come ye, &c., (as on Monday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Blessed art thou * among women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphon as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)
The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. I will wait * upon the Lord
my Saviour, and come before Him
when He is near.

Sixth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on Sunday.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (vi. I.)

TN the year that King Uzziah died,
* I saw the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and His
train filled the temple. Above it stood
the T Seraphim ; each one had six
wings ; with twain he covered his face,
and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly. And one
cried unto another, and said : Holy,
Holy, Holy, is the LORD God of
hosts ; the whole earth is full of His
glory.

1 Or, "burning-ones."

FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT.

225

First Responsory.

Hail, Mary, &c., {Fourth Responsory
on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

AND the posts of thJploor moved at
*^ the voice of him that cried, and
the house was filled with smoke.
Then said I : Woe is me, for I am
silent, because I am a man of unclean
lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips, and mine eyes
have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the Seraphim unto
me, having a live coal in his hand,
which he had taken with the tongs
from off the altar. And he laid it
upon my mouth and said : Lo, this
hath touched thy lips, and thine in
iquity is taken away, and thy sin
purged.

Second Responsory.

We look for the Saviour, &c.,
{Fifth Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

A LSO I heard the voice of the LORD
^^ saying : Whom shall I send ?
and who will go for us ? Then said
I : Here am I ; send me. And He
said : Go, and tell this people : Hear
ye indeed, but understand not ; and
see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people dull,
and make their ears heavy, and shut
their eyes ; lest haply they see with
their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and
be converted, and I should heal them.

Third Responsory.

O my Lord, &c., (Sixth Responsory
on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)
Come ye, &c., (as on Monday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
He that is both God and man * shall
come of the house of David and sit in
David s seat. Alleluia.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteratio?i in the Short Respon
at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)
The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. T Out of Egypt * have I
called My Son : He shall come to
save His people.

The Sabbath.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on Sunday.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (vii. I.)

A ND it came to pass in the days
^^ of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the
son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that
Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah,

Matth. ii. 15. (Hos. xi. i.)

226

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

the son of Remaliah, king of Israel,
went up toward Jerusalem, to war
against it : but could not prevail
against it. And it was told the
house of David, saying : Syria is
confederate with Ephraim. And his
heart was moved, and the heart of
his people, as the trees of the wood
are moved with the wind. Then said
the LORD unto Isaiah : Go forth to
meet Ahaz, thou, and he that is left,
even Jashub thy son, at the end of the
conduit of the upper pool, in the high
way of the fuller s field.

First Responsory.

Behold, the Virgin, &c., (Seventh
Responsory on Sunday, ,)

Second Lesson.

A ND say unto him : Take heed
*^^ and be quiet : fear not ; neither
be faint-hearted for the two tails of
these smoking firebrands, for the
fierce anger of Rezin, king of Syria,
and of the son of Remaliah ; be
cause Syria, Ephraim, and the son
of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel
against thee, saying : Let us go up
against Judah, and vex it, and take
it for ourselves, and set a king in
the midst of it, even the son of
Tabeal.

Second Responsory.

Hear the word of the LORD, &c.,
(Eighth Responsory on Sunday. ,)

Third Lesson. ( i o. )

lyrOREOVER the LORD spake
again unto Ahaz, saying : Ask
thee a sign of the LORD thy God
either in the depth beneath or in
the height above. But Ahaz said :
I will not ask, neither will I tempt
the LORD. And he said : Hear ye

now, ye house of David : Is it a
small thing for you to weary men,
but will ye weary my God also ?
Therefore the LORD Himself shall
give you a sign. Behold the Virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Emmanuel. But
ter and hone* shall he eat, until he
may know to refuse the evil, and
choose the good.

Third Responsory.

Behold, the days come, &c., (Ninth
Responsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)
Come ye, &c., as on Monday.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias*
Fear not * Zion, behold, thy God
cometh, Alleluia.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

The Chapter is taken from the
Lauds of the succeeding Sunday.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
last Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Come, O Lord, * visit us in
peace, that we may rejoice before Thee
with all our heart.

The Prayer is taken from the Lauds
of the succeeding Sunday.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

227

Second Suntrag in gfobent.

The Second Lord s Day in Coming-
Time.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on the last
Sunday.

FIRST NOCTURN.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xi. i.)

1 AND there shall come forth a
*^ rod out of the stem of Jesse,
and a flower shall grow out of his
roots. An^d the Spirit of the LORD
shall rest upon him ; the Spirit of
wisdom, and understanding, the Spirit
of counsel and might, the Spirit of
knowledge and of godliness : and
he shall be filled with the Spirit of
the fear of the LORD. He shall not
judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reprove after the hearing of
his ears ; but with righteousness shall
he judge the poor, and reprove with
equity for the meek of the earth.

Second Lesson.

A ND he shall smite the earth with
the rod of his mouth, and with
the breath of his lips shall he slay
the wicked. And righteousness shall
be the girdle of his loins, and faith
fulness the girdle of his reins. The
wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and
the leopard shall lie down with the
kid ; the calf and the young lion
and the fatling together, and a little
child shall lead them. The heifer
and the she - bear shall feed : their
young ones shall lie down together,
and the lion shall eat straw like the
ox.

Second Responsory.

4 Behold, the LORD shall come, and
all His saints with Him, and it shall
come to pass in that day that the light
shall be great ; and they shall go out
from Jerusalem like clean water ; and
the LORD shall be King for ever, over
all the earth.

Verse. Behold, the Lord cometh
with an host, and in His hand are
the kingdom, and power, and do
minion.

Answer. Over all the earth.

First Responsory.

2 Thy salvation cometh quickly, O
Jerusalem ; why art thou wasted with
sorrow ? Is there no counsellor in
thee, that pangs have taken thee ?
Fear not, for I will save thee and
deliver thee.

Verse. 3 For I am the LORD, thy
God, the Holy One of Israel, thy
Saviour.

Answer. Fear not, for I will save
thee, and deliver thee.

Third Lesson.

AND the sucking child shall play
"^ on the hole of the asp ; and
the weaned child shall put his hand
on the cockatrice den. They shall
not hurt, nor destroy in all My holy
mountain, for the earth shall IDC full
of the knowledge of the LORD, as
the waters cover the sea. In that
day there shall be a root of Jesse,
which shall stand as an ensign of
the people, to it shall the Gentiles

1 Ch. viii. commences with the birth of Maher-shalal-hash-baz the son of Isaiah and "the
Prophetess," giving occasion to a prophecy stretching to the end of ch. xii., foretelling the
deliverance of Israel not only from Rezin and Pekah, but from her other enemies, and an
ultimate time of blessedness and prosperity. The passage in the text is to be understood of
the Messiah. (Rom. xv. 12.)

2 A paraphrase of Micah iv. 8-10. 3 Isa. xliii. 3. 4 Zech. xiv. 5-9.

228

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

seek ; and the place of his rest shall
be glorious.

Third Responsory.

O, thou city of Jerusalem, weep not,
for the Lord hath repented Him con
cerning thee. And He will take away
from thee all distress.

Verse. l Behold, the LORD shall
come with might, and His arm shall
rule.

Answer. And He will take away
from thee all distress.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And He will take away
from thee all distress.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Com
mentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah
made by 2 St Jerome, Priest [at
Bethlehem,] (Book iv. c. xi.)

" A ND there shall come forth a
^^ rod out of the stem of Jesse."
From the beginning of the Book of
this Prophet till the xiiith chapter,
where commenceth the vision, or bur
den of Babylon, the whole of the vision
of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, is one con
tinual prophecy of Christ. We must
explain it part by part, for if we were
to take it all at once, the memory of
the reader would be confused. Ac
cording to the Jewish commentators,
the rod and the flower would both re
late to the Lord Himself. They take
the rod to mean the sceptre of His
Royal dominion, and the flower the
loveliness of His beauty.

Fourth Responsory.

Behold, there cometh the Lord,
our defender, the Holy One of Israel,

wearing a royal crown upon His
head.

Verse. 3 And His dominion shall
be from sea even to sea, and from the
river even to the ends of the earth.

Answer. Wearing a royal crown
upon His head.

Fifth Lesson.

, however, understand that the
rod out of the root of Jesse
signifieth the holy Virgin Mary. She
was a clean stem that had as yet put
forth no shoot ; as we have read above :
" Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and
bear a son." (Isa. vii. 14.) And the
flower we believe to mean the Lord
our Redeemer, Who hath elsewhere
compared Himself to a flower ; " I am
a flower of the plain, and a lily of the
valleys." (Cant. ii. i.)

Fifth Responsory.

4 As a mother comforteth her chil
dren, so will I comfort you, saith the
Lord ; My help also cometh unto you
out of Jerusalem, the city which I have
chosen. And when ye see this, your
heart shall rejoice.

Verse. 5 I will place salvation in
Zion and in Jerusalem My glory.

Answer. And when ye shall see
this, your heart shall rejoice.

Sixth Lesson.

"PHE Spirit of the Lord then shall
rest upon this flower ; this flower
which shall come forth from the stem
and roots of Jesse by means of the
Virgin Mary. And truly the Spirit of
the Lord did rest upon our Redeemer.
It is written that " In Him dwelleth
all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
(Col. ii. 9.) The Spirit was not shed
on Him by measure, as it is upon the

Isa. xl. 10.

Sept. 30.

3 Zech. ix. 10. 4 Isa. Ixvi. 13, 14.

5 Isa. xlvi. 13.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

229

Saints. To Him we may apply the
words of the Hebrew Gospel used by
the Nazarenes ; " The whole fountain
of the Holy Ghost shall be poured
forth upon Him : " " The Lord is a
spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Cor.
iii. 17.)

Sixth Responsory.

1 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon
thy mountains, O Jerusalem : thou
shalt sing for joy, for the day of the
Lord cometh ; arise, O Zion, and turn
unto the Lord thy God ; rejoice and
be glad, O Jacob. For thy Saviour
cometh from the midst of the nations.

Verse. Sing aloud for joy, O daugh
ter of Zion ; shout with gladness, O
daughter of Jerusalem.

Answer. For thy Saviour cometh
from the midst of the nations.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. For thy Saviour cometh
from the midst of the nations.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (xi.

2-)

A T that time : When John had heard
""^ in the prison the works of Christ,
he sent two of his disciples, and said
unto Him : Art Thou He That should
come, or do we look for another ?
And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (lotk Homily on the Gospels.}

The sight of so many signs and so
many mighty works should have been
a source of wonder, and not a stum
bling-block. And yet the unfaithful

ijer. xxxi. 5.

found these very works a rock of
offence, when they afterwards saw Him
Who had worked so many miracles
dying on the Cross. Hence Paul
saith : " We preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumbling-block and
unto the Gentiles foolishness." (i Cor.
i. 23.) It is indeed folly in the eyes
of men to say that the Author of life
died for men : and thus men put as
a stumbling-block to hinder them from
coming to JESUS, the very thing that
doth oblige them the most unto Him.
For the more humbling God hath under
gone for man s sake, the more worthy
is He that man should worship Him.

Seventh Responsory.

The Lord shall go forth out of
Samaria unto the gate that looketh
toward the East ; and He shall come
into Bethlehem, walking upon the
waters of the redemption of Judah.
Then shall every one be saved : for,
behold, He cometh.

Verse. 2 And in mercy shall His
throne be established, and He shall
sit upon it in truth.

Answer. Then shall every one be
saved : for, behold, He cometh.

Eighth Lesson.

"AND blessed is he, whosoever shall
^"^ not be offended in Me." Now
what is this, but a plain mention of
that time, when He afterwards hum
bled Himself, becoming obedient unto
death, even the death of the Cross ?
It is as if He said : " I indeed do
wonderful works, but the day will
come when I shall not refuse to suffer
shame and evil treatment. Take heed
then, ye who now worship Me for the
works sake, that when I come to die
ye despise Me not for My death s
sake."

2 Isa. xvi. 5.

230

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Eighth Responsory.

Make haste, O LORD, make no
tarrying. And deliver Thy people.

Verse. O Lord, come and make
no tarrying : loose the bonds of Thy
people.

Answer. And deliver Thy people.

Ninth Lesson.

AND, as the disciples of John de
parted, what did JESUS say unto
the multitudes concerning this same
John? Let us hear. "What went
ye out into the wilderness to see ? A
reed shaken with the wind ? " Here
our Lord teacheth not by assertion,
but by negation. Now a reed is a
thing so made that as soon as the
wind blov/eth upon it, it bendeth it
over toward the opposite quarter. And
the fleshly-minded man is like a human
reed. As he is praised or blamed so
he bendeth himself in the one direction
or the other.

Ninth Responsory.

Behold, the Lord cometh down with
glory, and His host is with Him. To
visit His people in peace, and to estab
lish them in life everlasting.

Verse. Behold, our Lord cometh
with an host.

A?iswer. To visit His people in
peace, and to establish them in life
everlasting.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. To visit His people in
peace, and to establish them in life
everlasting.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. Behold, the Lord
* cometh in the clouds of heaven with
great power. Alleluia.

Second Antiphon. * Our Zion is a

strong city, * the Saviour will God ap
point in her for walls and bulwarks ;
open ye the gates, for God is with us.
Alleluia.

Third Antiphon. * Behold, the
Lord * shall appear and not lie :
though He tarry, wait for Him, be
cause He will come and will not tarry.
Alleluia.

Fourth Antiphon. 3 The mountains
and the hills * shall break forth before
God into singing, and all the trees of
the wood shall clap their hands : for
the Lord the Ruler cometh, and He
shall reign for ever and ever. Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Fifth Antiphon. Behold, our Lord
* cometh with power, and He shall
lighten the eyes of His servants.
Alleluia.

Chapter. (Rom. xv. 4.)

"DRETHREN, whatsoever things
were written were written for our
learning, that we through patience and
comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Now when John * had heard in the
prison the works of Christ, he sent
two of his disciples and said unto
Him : Art Thou He That should come,
or do we look for another ?

Prayer.

CTIR up our hearts, O Lord, to
make ready the ways of Thine
Only-begotten Son, that by His com
ing our minds being purified, we may
the more worthily give up ourselves to
Thy service : through the same Our
Lord JESUS Christ Thy Son, Who
liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the

1 Isa. xxvi. i.

2 Cf. Hab. ii. 3.

3 Isa. Iv. 12.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

231

unity of the Holy Ghost, One God,
world without end. Amen.

PRIME.

Antiphon. Behold, the Lord, *
&c., (First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the Short Repoiisory the same
alteration as last week.

TERCE.

Antipho?i. Our Zion is a strong
city, * &c., (Second Antiphon at
Lauds. }

The Chapter is taken from Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. Behold, the Lord, *
&c., (Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Rom. xv. 5.)

"M" OW the God of patience and con
solation grant you to be like-
minded one toward another, according
to Christ JESUS : that ye may with one
mind and one mouth glorify God, even
the Father of our Lord JESUS Christ.

NONE.

Antiphon. Behold, our Lord, *
&c., (Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Rom. xv. 13.)

]\J OW the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing ;
that ye may abound in hope, and in
the power of the Holy Ghost.

VESPERS.

Antiphons and Chapter as at Lauds.
Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the first evening.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Art Thou He * That should
come, or do we look for another ?
Tell John what things ye have seen :
The blind receive their sight, the dead
are raised up, the poor have the
Gospel preached to them. Alleluia.

After " Bless we the Lord " are said
the Vespers of the Dead.

Second Day.
MATTINS.

Iwvitatory and Hymn as on the
First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book 01
the Prophet Isaiah (xiii. i.)

inP HE burden of Babylon, which
Isaiah, the son of Amoz, did
see. Lift ye up a banner upon the
cloudy mountain, exalt the voice,
beckon with the hand, and let the
nobles enter in at the gates. I have
commanded My sanctified ones, I
have also called My mighty ones for
Mine anger, even them that rejoice in
My highness. The noise of a multitude
in the mountains, like as of a great
people : a tumultuous noise of kings ;
even of nations gathered together.

First Responsory.

Receive, O Virgin Mary, &c., (First
Responsory on the Monday in the First
Week. }

Second Lesson.

HTHE LORD of hosts mustereth the

1 host of the battle, they come

from a far country, from the end of

1 Chap. xiii. i to xiv. 27 "contain one entire prophecy, foretelling the destruction of
Babylon by the Medes and Persians; delivered probably in the reign of Ahaz."

232

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

heaven ; even the LORD and the
weapons of His indignation, to destroy
the whole land. Howl ye, for the
day of the LORD is at hand ; it shall
come as a destruction from the l Lord.
Therefore shall all hands be faint, and
every man s heart shall melt, and they
shall be afraid. Pangs and sorrows
shall take hold of them, they shall be
in pain as a woman that travaileth ;
they shall be amazed one at another,
their faces shall be as scorched faces.

Second Responsory.

Sing, O heavens, &c., (Second Re
sponsory on Monday in the First
Week.}

Third Lesson.

1DEHOLD, the day of the LORD
cometh, cruel, and full of wrath
and fierce anger, to lay the land
desolate, and He shall destroy the
sinners thereof out of it. For the
stars of heaven, and the constellations
thereof, shall not give their light : the
sun shall be darkened in his going
forth, and the moon shall not cause
her light to shine. And I will punish
the world for their evil, and the wicked
for their iniquity ; and I will cause the
arrogancy of the unfaithful to cease,
and will lay low the haughtiness of the
terrible.

Third Responsory.

There shall no strangers pass, &c.,
(Third Responsory o?t Monday in the
First Week.}

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
The Lord the Ruler * cometh from
heaven, and in His hand are honour
and dominion.

Prayer as on Sunday.
After " Bless we the Lord " is said
the Dirge.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Responsory
at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Behold, the Lord cometh *
the King of all the earth, to take off
from us the yoke of our captivity.

Third Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on the
First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xiv. i.)

2 TIER time is near to come, and
her days shall not be pro
longed. For the LORD will have
mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own
land ; the strangers shall be joined
with them, and they shall -cleave to
the house of Jacob. And the people

1 Hebrew, " the Almighty."

2 I.e., Babylon s. The hour of her destruction is no longer to be postponed.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

233

shall take them and bring them to
their place ; and the house of Israel
shall possess them in the land of
the LORD, for servants and hand
maids ; and they shall take them
captive whose captives they were,
and they shall rule over their op
pressors.

First Responsory.

O ye mountains, &c., (First Respon-
sory on Ttiesday in the First Week.}

Second Lesson.

A ND it shall come to pass in the
" day that the LORD shall give
thee rest from thy sorrow, and from
thy fear, and from the hard bondage,
wherein thou wast made to serve :
that thou shalt take up this pro
verb against the King of Babylon,
and say : How hath the oppressor
ceased, the exaction ceased ? The
LORD hath broken the staff of the
wicked, the sceptre of the rulers, the
staff of him who smote the people
in wrath, with a continual stroke, of
him that ruled the nations in anger,
of the cruel persecutor.

Second Responsory.

Let the mountains, &c., (Second
Responsory on Tuesday in the First
Week.}

Third Lesson. ( 1 2 . ) x

TJ OW art thou fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morn
ing ? How art thou cut down to
the ground, which didst weaken the
nations ? For thou hast said in
thine heart : I will ascend into
heaven, I will exalt my throne above

the stars of God, I will sit upon the
mount of the covenant, in the sides
of the north ; I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds, I will be
like the Most High. Yet thou shalt
be brought down to hell, to the depth
of the pit.

Third Responsory.

Behold I, c., (Third Responsory on
Tuesday in the First Week.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hyjnn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
2 The LORD shall arise * upon thee,
O Jerusalem, and His glory shall be
seen upon thee.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday
in the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. The voice * of one crying
in the wilderness : Prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make His paths
straight.

1 In the intervening verses the ghost of the king of Babylon is described entering the nether
world, and greeted with vindictive joy by the ghosts of his wronged victims, who find him at
last reduced to their own level. They address him as Lucifer, i.e., the morning-star, now
dropped out of that (political) firmament of which he had used to be the brightest luminary.

2 Isa. Ix. 2.

234

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Fourth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on the
First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xvi. i.) l

2 CEND forth the Lamb, O Lord,
**-* the Ruler of the land, from

the rock in the wilderness unto the
mount of the daughter of Zion. For
it shall be, that as a wandering
bird, and as fledglings that fly from
the nest, so the daughters of Moab
shall be at the fords of Arnon. Take
counsel, call together a council ; make
thy shadow as the night, in the midst
of the noon-day : hide the outcasts,
and bewray not him that wandereth.

3 Mine outcasts shall dwell with thee :
Moab, be thou a cover to them from
the face of the spoiler.

First Responsory.

Christ our King", &c., (First Respon
sory on Wednesday in the First Week. )

Second Lesson.

4 For the grinding down is at an
end, the beggar ceaseth, they that
trod down the land are consumed.
And in mercy shall the throne be
established, and He shall sit upon
it in truth in the tabernacle of David,
judging and seeking judgment, and

executing justice speedily. We have
heard of the pride of Moab, he is
very proud : his haughtiness, and his
pride, and his wrath are greater than
his strength.

Second Responsory.

Of a long time, &c., (Second Respon
sory on Wednesday in the First Week. )

Third Lesson.

"THEREFORE shall Moab howl un
to Moab, every one shall howl :
tell her strokes, ye that rejoice in
the "Walls -of -brick." 5 For the
fields of Heshbon languish, the lords
of the nations have broken down the
vine of Sibmah : their scourge is
come even unto Jazer, they wandered
through the wilderness, her branches
are left desolate, they are gone over
the sea.

Third Responsory.

Behold, the LORD, &c., (Second Re
sponsory on Sunday,} with this ad
dition,

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Ansiver. Over all the earth.

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week. }

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Simday.

1 This is an extract from the prophecy against Moab, comprised in chaps, xv. and xvi,

2 The opening words are of extreme difficulty, and translators are much divided. Lowth, on
divers grounds, renders it, "I (God) will send forth the son of the ruler of the land from Selah
{Petra) in the desert unto the Mount of the daughter of Zion " i.e., in the misfortunes of Moab,
the son of their king will escape from the country and seek an asylum at Jerusalem.

3 According to Lowth : " Let the outcasts of Moab sojourn with thee" (viz. with Judah)
" be thou a cover to them," c.

4 Lowth suggests that the reference is to the misfortunes inflicted upon Judah by Israel in the
time of Ahaz, the cessation of which left them at liberty to show hospitality.

5 Kir-hareseth a fortified city on the borders of Moab.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

235

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
1 Behold I send My angel * which
shall prepare My way before Thy
face.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration i?i the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Thou shalt yet be built
anew, * O Zion, and thou shalt
see thy Righteous One, Who shall
come in thee.

one against his brother, and every one
against his neighbour, city against city,
and kingdom against kingdom.

First Responsory.

Thy salvation, &c., {First Responsory
on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

AND the spirit of Egypt shall fail in
"^ the midst thereof, and I will
destroy the counsel thereof: and they
shall seek to their idols, and to their
charmers, and to them that have
familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
And the Egyptians will I give over
into the hand of cruel lords ; and a
fierce king shall rule over them, saith
the Lord 2 GOD of hosts. And the
waters shall fail from the sea : and the
river shall be wasted, and dried up,
and the brook shall fail and the
streams in the furrows shall be emptied
and dried up.

Fifth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on the
First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book
of the Prophet Isaiah (xix. I.)

pHE burden of Egypt. Behold the
LORD shall ride upon a swift
cloud, and shall come into Egypt ; and
the idols of Egypt shall be moved at
His presence, and the heart of Egypt
shall melt in the midst of it. And I
will set the Egyptians against the
Egyptians : and they shall fight, every

i Mark i. 2.

Second Responsory.

Behold, the LORD, &c., (Second Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson, (v. n.)

""PHE princes of Tanis are fools, the
wise counsellors of Pharaoh have
given brutish counsel : how say ye
unto Pharaoh : I am the son of the
wise, the son of ancient kings ? Where
are now thy wise men ? Let them
tell thee, and show thee what the LORD
of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
The princes of Tanis are become fools,
the princes of Memphis are deceived ;
they have seduced Egypt, even they
that are the corner-stone of the tribes
thereof.

" The Divine Name.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Third Responsory.

O thou city of Jerusalem, &c.,
( Third Responsory on Sunday. )

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
O Lord, Thou art He That should
come, * for Whom we look, that Thou
shouldest save Thy people.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Responsory
at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. J He it is * Who, coming-
after me, is preferred before me,
Whose shoe s latchet I am not worthy
to unloose.

First Lesson.

The Lesson taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxiv. i.)

2 T3EHOLD, the LORD shall make
*" the earth empty, and make it
waste, and afflict the surface thereof;
and scatter abroad the inhabitants
thereof. And it shall be, as with
the people, so with the priest ; as
with the servant, so with his master ;
as with the maid, so with her mis
tress ; as with the buyer, so with
the seller ; as with the lender, so
with the borrower ; as with the
creditor, so with the debtor. The
land shall be utterly emptied, and
utterly spoiled. For the LORD hath
spoken this word.

First Responsory.

Behold, there cometh, &c., (Fourth
Responsory on Sunday. )

Second Lesson.

/ T*HE earth mourneth and fadeth
away, and languisheth ; the
world fadeth away, the haughty people
of the earth do languish. The earth
also is defiled under the inhabitants
thereof; because they have trans
gressed the laws, changed the ordi
nance, broken the everlasting cove
nant. Therefore shall the curse
devour the earth, and they that dwell
therein are guilty, therefore they that
till it shall become mad, and few
men shall be left.

Sixth Day.

MATTINS.

Second Responsory.

on the As a mother, &c., (Fifth Responsory
on Sunday.}

1 John i. 27.

2 Delivered probably in the beginning of Hezekiah s reign ; but concerning the particular
subject of the chapter, interpreters are not at all agreed.

Invitatory and Hymn
First Sunday.

SECOND WEEK IN ADVENT.

237

Third Lesson.

HHHE new wine mourneth, the vine
languisheth, all the merry-hearted
do sigh. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth,
the noise of them that rejoice endeth,
the joy of the harp ceaseth. They
shall not drink wine with a song ;
strong drink shall be bitter to them
that drink it. The city of confusion
is broken down, every house is shut up
that no man may come in. There is
a cry for wine in the streets ; all joy
is darkened, the mirth of the land is
gone. In the city is left desolation,
and the gate is smitten with de
struction. For thus it shall be in the
midst of the land, among the people ;
as a few olives that remain after the
olive-tree is shaken, and as the glean
ing grapes when the vintage is done.
Those shall lift up their voice and sing
praises ; when the LORD is magnified
they shall cry aloud from the sea.
Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in your
teaching, even the name of the LORD
God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
From the uttermost part of the earth
have we heard the voice of praise, even
glory to the Righteous One.

Third Responsory.

Thou shalt yet plant vines, &c.,
(Sixth Responsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song oj Zacharias.
1 Say : * Ye that are of a fearful heart,
be strong ; behold, the Lord our God
will come.

Prayer as on Sunday.

1 Isa. xxxv. 4.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Re
sponsory at Prime.

VESPERS.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as 071
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 2 Sing unto the LORD * a
new song : from the end of the earth
let the voice of praise be heard.

The Sabbath.
MATTINS.

Iwuitatory and Hy?)in as on the
First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
Isaiah (xxv. I.)

C\ LORD, Thou art my God, I will
^^^ exalt Thee, I will also praise
Thy name ; for Thou hast done
wonderful things, Thy counsels of old
are faithful. Amen. For Thou hast
made of a city an heap, of a defenced
city a ruin, a house of strangers, so
that it is no more a city, neither shall
it ever be built any more. Therefore
shall the strong people glorify Thee,
the city of the terrible nations shall
fear Thee. For Thou hast been a
strength to the needy in his distress ;
a refuge from the storm, a shadow
from the heat.

" Isa. xlii. 10.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

First Responsory.

The Lord shall go forth, &c.,
(Seventh Responsory on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

T7 OR the blast of the terrible ones
is as a storm against the wall.
Thou shalt bring down the noise of
strangers, as the heat in a dry place ;
and Thou shalt bring low the blast
of the terrible ones even as the heat
with the shadow of a cloud. And
in this mountain shall the LORD of
hosts make unto all people a feast
of fat things, a feast of wines on
the lees, of fat things full of marrow,
of wines on the lees well refined.
And He will destroy in this moun
tain the face of the band tied upon
all people, and the veil that is spread
over all nations.

Second Responsory.

Make haste, &c., (Eighth Responsory
on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

TT E will utterly destroy death for
ever ; and the Lord l GOD will
wipe away tears from all faces, and
the rebuke of His people shall He
take away from off all the earth ;
for the LORD hath spoken it. And
it shall be said in that day : Lo,
this is our God, we have waited for
Him, and He will save us ; this is
the LORD, we have waited for Him,
we will be glad and rejoice in His
salvation. For on this mountain shall
the hand of the LORD rest ; and Moab
shall be trodden down under Him,
even as straw is trodden down on
the threshing-floor. And He shall
spread forth His hands in the midst
of them, as he that swimmeth spread-

1 The Name.

- Isa. xi. 12,

eth forth his hands to swim ; and
He shall bring down their pride to
gether with the spoils of their hands.
And the bulwark of thine high walls
shall He bring down, lay low, and
bring to the ground, even to the
dust.

Third Responsory.

Behold, the Lord, &c., (Ninth Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sttnday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
2 The Lord shall lift up a standard *
unto the nations, and shall gather to
gether the outcasts of Israel.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.

The Chapter is taken from the Lauds
of the succeeding Sunday.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 3 Before Me * there was no
god formed, neither shall there be
after Me : for unto Me every knee
shall bow, and every tongue shall
swear.

The Prayer is taken from the Lauds
of the succeeding Stmday.

3 Isa. xliii. 10 ; xlv. 24.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

239

1 Hose Suntmg in

The Third Lord^s Day in Coming-
Time.

MATTINS.

Invitatory. 2 The Lord is now at
hand : * O come, let us worship
Him.

This Invitatory is said every day
till Christmas Eve exclusive.
Hymn as on First Sunday.

FIRST NOCTURN.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxvi. I.)

T N that day shall this song be sung
in the land of Juaah. 3 Zion is
our strong city, the Saviour will God
appoint in her for walls and bulwarks.
Open ye the gates, that the righteous
nation which keepeth the truth may
enter in. The former wandering is
past : Thou shalt keep lasting peace,
because our trust is stayed on Thee.
Ye trust in the LORD for ever, in
the LORD GOD mighty for ever.
For He bringeth down them that
dwell on high, the lofty city, He
shall lay it low, He shall lay it low,
even to the ground, He shall bring
it even to the dust. The foot shall
tread it down, even the feet of the
poor, and the steps of the needy.

First Responsory.

4 Behold, the Lord shall appear
upon a white cloud, and ten thou
sand of His saints with Him ; and
He shall have on His vesture, and

on His thigh a name written : King
of kings, and Lord of lords.

Verse. He shall appear and not
lie ; though He tarry, wait for Him,
because He will surely come.

Answer. And ten thousand of His
saints with Him ; and He shall have
on His vesture, and on His thigh a
name written : King of kings, and
Lord of lords.

Second Lesson.

n^HE way of the just is upright,
the path wherein the just walk-
eth is upright. Yea, in the way of
Thy judgments, O LORD, have we
waited for Thee ; the desire of our
soul is to Thy name, and to the re
membrance of Thee. With my soul
have I desired Thee in the night ;
yea, with mine inmost spirit will I
seek Thee early. When Thy judg
ments are in the earth, the inhabitants
of the world will learn righteousness.
Though mercy be shown to the wicked,
yet will he not learn righteousness ; in
the land of uprightness will he deal
unjustly, and will not behold the ma
jesty of the LORD.

Second Responsory.

5 Thou, Bethlehem, art the city of
the Most High God, out of thee shall
He come forth That is to be Ruler
in Israel ; Whose goings forth have
been from of old, from everlasting,
and now shall He be great unto the
ends of the earth. And this Man
shall be the peace in our land, when
He shall come.

Verse. He shall speak peace unto
the Gentiles, and shall have dominion
from sea to sea.

1 The penitential character of the season is relaxed as on the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Rose-
coloured (i.e., reddish brown) vestments may be worn instead of purple, and it is allowed to put
flowers on the altar and to play the organ. Phil. iv. 5.

3 Zion not in the Hebrew. 4 Jude 14 ; Apoc. xix. 16. 8 Micah v. 2, 4, 5.

240

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Answer. And this Man shall be
the peace in our land, when He shall
come.

Third Lesson.

T ORD, i let Thy hand be lifted up,
J - and let them not see ; let them
see and be ashamed for their envy at
the people ; yea, let the fire devour
Thine enemies. LORD, Thou wilt
ordain peace for us, for Thou hast
also wrought all our works for us.
O LORD, our God, other lords be
side Thee have had dominion over
us ; but by Thee only will we make
mention of Thy name. They are
dead, they shall not live, the giants
shall not rise. Therefore hast Thou
visited and destroyed them, and made
all their memory to perish.

. Third Responsory.

2 He That shall come, will come,
and will not tarry ; and there shall
no more be fear in our borders.
For He is our Saviour.

Verse. 3 He shall tread down all
our iniquities, and cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.

Answer. For He is our Saviour.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. For He is our Saviour.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St Leo [the Great,] (Second
on the December Fast, and Alms
giving.}

Q EARLY beloved brethren, with

the care which becometh us as

the shepherd of your souls, we urge

upon you the rigid observance of this
December Fast. The month of De
cember hath come round again, and
with it this devout custom of the
Church. The fruits of the year, which
is drawing to a close, are now all
gathered in, and we most meetly offer
our abstinence to God as a sacrifice
of thanksgiving. And what can be
more useful than fasting, that exercise
by which we draw nigh to God, make
a stand against the devil, and over
come the softer enticements of sin ?

Fourth Responsory.

Weep not, O Egypt, for the Ruler
cometh unto thee, and the depths shall
be moved at His presence. To de
liver His people out of the hand of
the mighty.

Verse. Behold, the Lord of hosts,
thy God, cometh with great power.

Answer. To deliver His people out
of the hand of the mighty.

Fifth Lesson.

TOASTING hath ever been the bread
of strength. From abstinence
proceed pure thoughts, reasonable
desires, and healthy counsels. By
voluntary mortifications the flesh dieth
to lust, and the soul is renewed in
might. But since fasting is not the
only mean whereby we get health for
our souls, let us add to our fasting
works of mercy. Let us spend in
good deeds what we take from in
dulgence. Let our fast become the
banquet of the poor.

Fifth Responsory.

4 Her time is near to come, and her
days shall not be prolonged. For the

1 Lowth " Thy hand is lifted up, yet will they not see : but they shall see, with confusion,
Thy zeal," &c.

2 Heb. x. 37. 3 Micah vii. 19. 4 Isa. xiv. i.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

241

LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and
Israel shall be saved.

Verse. 1 Turn again, O Virgin of
Israel, turn again to thy cities.

Answer. For the LORD shall have
mercy on Judah, and Israel shall be
saved.

Sixth Lesson.

T ET us defend the widow and serve
the orphan ; let us comfort the
afflicted and reconcile the estranged ;
let us take in the wanderer and suc
cour the oppressed ; let us clothe the
naked and cherish the sick. And may
every one of us that shall offer to the
God of all goodness this Advent sacri
fice of fasting and alms be by Him
fitted to receive an eternal reward in
His heavenly kingdom ! We fast on
Wednesday and Friday ; and there is
likewise a Vigil on Saturday at the
Church of St Peter, that by his good
prayers we may the more effectually
obtain what we ask for, through our
Lord JESUS Christ, Who with the
Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth
and reigneth, one God, world without
end. Amen.

Sixth Responsory.

2 The Lord shall come down like
rain upon a fleece. In His days shall
righteousness flourish, and abundance
of peace.

Verse. All the kings of the earth
shall fall down before Him, all nations
shall serve Him.

Answer. In His days shall right
eousness flourish, and abundance of
peace.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. In His days shall right
eousness flourish, and abundance of
peace.

THIRD NOCTURN.
Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (i. 19.)

AT that time : The Jews sent Priests
and Levites from Jerusalem to
John to ask him : Who art thou ?
And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (Jf/i on the Gospels.}

Dearly beloved brethren, the first
thing which striketh us in to-day s
Gospel is the lowly - mindedness of
John. He was so great that it was
thought he might be the Christ ; yet
he soberly chose rather to seem only
what he really was, than to let the
belief of men invest him with a dignity
which did not belong to him ; for " he
confessed, and denied not, but con
fessed, I am not the Christ," at the
same time he would not deny what
he was in reality ; and thus his very
truth - speaking made him a member
of Him Whose title he would not by
falsehood take. In that he arrogated
not to himself the name of Christ, he
became a member of Christ. While
he humbly strove to confess his own
weakness, he earned by his simplicity
a part in the grandeur of his Master.

Seventh Responsory.

O Lord, come and make no tarry
ing ; loosen the bonds of Thy
people. And gather again into their
own land them that are scattered
abroad.

Verse. 3 O Lord, stir up Thy
strength, and come and save us.

Answer. And gather again into
their own land them that are scat
tered abroad.

1 Jer. xxxi. 21.

2 Ps. Ixxi. 6, 7, ii.

3 Ps. Ixxix. 3.

2 4 2

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Eighth Lesson.

T N considering this subject we find
an apparent contradiction between
one of John s statements, and the
saying of our Redeemer recorded in
another part of the Gospel. (Matth.
xvii. 10-12.) When His disciples
asked our Lord regarding the coming
of Elias, He answered : " Elias is
come already, and they knew him
not, but have done unto him whatso
ever they listed." "And if ye will
receive it, this " (that is, John) " is
Elias." (Matth. xi. 14.) But when
John was asked if he was Elias, he
answered, " I am not." How comes
it then, dearly beloved brethren, that
we find the Truth Itself asserting what
the prophet of the Truth denied ? It
must evidently be that our Lord meant
one thing and John another, when the
Lord said, "This is," and John, " I am
not." For how can he be the prophet
of truth, if he speak not according to
the word of Him Who is the Eternal
Truth ?

Eighth Respoitsory.

1 Behold, there shall be a root of
Jesse, which shall come for salva
tion unto the people, to it shall the
Gentiles seek, and His name shall be
glorious.

Verse. 2 The Lord God shall give
unto Him the throne of His father
David, and He shall reign over the
house of Jacob for ever.

Answer. And His name shall be
glorious.

Ninth Lesson.

T ET us then more minutely examine
these words, and we shall find
that there is no real contradiction.
When the Angel announced to Zacha-
rias the coming birth of John he said :
" He shall go before Him in the spirit

and power of Elias," (Luke i. 17.)
As the old Elias will come again be
fore the Second Advent of the Lord,
so did John, as the new Elias, go be
fore the First Advent, in the spirit
and power of Elias. As the old Elias
will be the Fore-runner of the Judge,
so the new Elias was the Fore-runner
of the Saviour. John then was Elias
in spirit, but not in person ; and our
Lord asserteth of the spirit what John
denieth of the person.

Ninth Responsory.

3 The Lord will teach us of His
ways, and we will walk in His paths.
For out of Zion shall go forth the
law, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem.

Verse. Come ye, and let us go up
to the mountain of the LORD, and to
the house of the God of Jacob.

Answer. For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the
LORD from Jerusalem.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the
LORD from Jerusalem.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. 4 The Lord will
come, * and will not tarry ; He both
will bring to light the hidden things
of darkness, and will make Himself
manifest to all people. Alleluia.

Second Antiphon. Rejoice greatly,
O Jerusalem, * for thy Saviour cometh
unto thee. Alleluia.

Third Antiphon. 5 I will place sal
vation in Zion, * and My glory in
Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Fourth Antiphon. 6 Every moun
tain and hill * shall be made low, and

1 Isa. xi. 10.
4 i Cor. iv. 5,

- Luke i. 32.
8 Isa. xlvi. 13.

3 Isa. ii. 3.
6 Isa. xl. 4.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

243

the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough places plain : O Lord,
come and make no tarrying. Alleluia.
Fifth Antiphon. l We should live
* righteously and godly, looking for
that blessed hope and the coming of
the Lord.

Chapter. (Phil. iv. 4.)

"DRETHREN, Rejoice in the Lord
alway : again I say, rejoice. Let
your moderation be known unto all
men : for the Lord is at hand.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
.the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
He shall sit * upon the throne of
David, and upon his kingdom for ever.
Alleluia.

Prayer.

r\ LORD, we beseech Thee, merci-
^^^ fully incline Thine ears unto our
prayers, and lighten the darkness of
our minds by the grace of Thy heavenly
visitation ; Who livest and reignest
with God the Father, in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, one God, world with
out end. Amen.

PRIME.

Antiphon. The Lord will come, *
c., (First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the Short Responsory the same
alteration as before.

TERCE.

Antiphon. Rejoice greatly, c.,
(Second Antiphon at Lauds.}

The Chapter is taken from Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. I will place salvation,
c., (Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

i Tit. ii. 13.

Chapter. (Phil. iv. 6.)

T)E anxious for nothing, but in every
thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known unto God.

NONE.

Antiphon. We should live, * c.,
(Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Phil. iv. 7.)

AND the peace of God which pass-
^^ eth all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds, through Christ
JESUS our Lord.

VESPERS.

Antiphons and Chapter as at Lauds.
Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin (unless supplanted by the great
Antiphon, O Wisdom.) 2 Blessed art
thou, * O Mary, that hast believed the
Lord : for there shall be a performance
of those things which were told thee
from the Lord. Alleluia.

After " Bless we the Lord " are said
the Vespers of the Dead.

The Seven Days preceding Christ
mas Eve are marked by the Church
with two observances; \st, The series
of Antiphons called the Great O s, and
2nd, by a special series of Antiphons
at Lauds. The rules which apply to
them are different.

i. The Great O s.

The Great O s are a series of Anti
phons at the Song of the Blessed Virgin,

2 Luke i. 45.

244

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

one for every evening from Dec. 17 to
23 inclusive. They sitpplant any other
Antiphon of the Office of the Season,
(as, for instance, if the I jth Dec.
should be the Third Sunday of Advent,
the Antiphon, " Blessed art thou " is
displaced for "O Wisdom.") The
Great O s however can be supplanted
by Feasts, (as, for instance, " O Wis
dom " and " O Adonai " by the Feast of
the Expectation, and " O Day-Spring,"
by the Feast of St Thomas, ] and then
they are treated as the Antiphon for
the Week-day, forming part of the
Commemoration. They are always
said entire both before and after the
Canticle, like the Antiphon on Dottble
Feasts.

Dec. 17.

^C\ WISDOM, That comest out of
V the mouth of the Most High,
^That reachest from one end to another,
and dost mightily and sweetly order
all things : come, to teach us the way
of prudence !

Dec. 1 8.

r\ 3 ADONAI, and Ruler of the
^^ house of Israel, Who didst ap
pear unto Moses in the burning bush,
and gavest him the law in Sinai : come,
to redeem us with an outstretched
arm !

Dec. 19.

^C\ ROOT of Jesse, Which standest
^-^ for an ensign of the people,
5 at Whom the kings shall shut their
mouths, 4 unto Whom the Gentiles
shall seek : come, to deliver us, make
no tarrying !

Dec. 20.

*r\ KEY of David, and Sceptre of

^ the house of Israel ; That open-

est, and no man shutteth ; and shuttest

and no man openeth : come, 7 to bring
out the prisoners from the prison, and
them that sit in darkness, and in the
shadow of death !

Dec. 21.

DAY-SPRING, 9 Brightness of
the everlasting Light, 10 Sun of
Righteousness, come, 8 to give light to
them that sit in darkness, and in the
shadow of death !

Dec. 22.

C\ KING of the Gentiles, yea, and
^ n Desire thereof, 12 O Corner
stone that makest of twain one : come,
to save man, whom Thou hast made
of the dust of the earth !

Dec. 23.

r*\ EMMANUEL, our King and our
^^ Law - giver, 13 Longing of the
Gentiles, yea, and Salvation thereof:
come to save us, O Lord our God !

2. Special series of Antiphons at
Lauds.

The following series of Antiphons
are used on Week-days at Lauds, and,
consequently, the First, Second, Third,
and Fifth at Prime, Terce, Sext, and
None, on the seven days preceding
Christmas Eve, beginning like the
Great O s on the \-jth Dec. They
differ from the Great O s in that they
can be wholly supplanted. This is
always the case on two days, which
are necessarily, one a Sunday, and the
other the Feast of St Thomas. There
fore Jive sets only are given. If the
i jth be the Sunday, the series is begun
o?i Monday.

The set which fall upon the day

i Ecclus. xxiv. 5. 2 Wisd. viii. i.

3 I.e., Lord. This is the Hebrew word which the Jews substitute for any endeavour to

pronounce the Name. 4 Isa. xi. 10. 5 Isa. lii. 15.

6 Apoc. iii. 7. 7 Isa. xlii. 7. 8 Luke i. 78, 79. 9 Wisd. vii. 26.

10 Mai. iv. 2. 11 Hag. ii. 8. i 2 Eph. ii. 14, 20. i3 Gen. xlix. 10.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

245

when the Feast of St Thomas occurs
are transferred to the next Saturday,
. and said then, except the Fourth, which
is omitted, and the Antiphon, "My
teaching shall drop, &c." said in its
place. If, however, the Su?iday to
follow be Christmas Eve, then on
Saturday are said the Antiphons of
the Lauds of the Fourth Sunday in
Advent, except the Fourth, which is
omitted, and the Antiphon " My teach
ing shall drop, &c." said in its place.
The Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias
and the Prayer will then be those pro
per to the Day, as Ember Saturday.
In this case the set of Antiphons
which fell upon the day occupied by
the Feast of St Thomas will be alto
gether omitted; and the Antiphon "My
teaching shall drop, &c." will likewise
be altogether omitted should the Feast
of St Thomas come on the Saturday.

Here follow the five sets of Antiphons.
First set.

First Antiphon. Behold, the Lord
cometh, * 1 the Prince of the Kings
of the earth : blessed are they that are
ready to go forth to meet Him.

Second Antiphon. 2 When the Son
of man cometh, * shall He find faith
on the earth ?

Third Antiphon. 3 Behold, the ful
ness * of the time is come, when God
sent forth His Son into the world.

Fourth Antiphon. 4 With joy *
shall ye draw water out of the wells
of the Saviour.

Fifth Antiphon. The Lord goeth
forth * from His holy place ; He com
eth to save His people.

Second set.

First Antiphon. 5 Drop down, ye
heavens, from above, * and let the

skies pour down the Righteous One :
let the earth open and let her bring
forth the Saviour.

Second Antiphon. 6 s en( j f orth the
Lamb, O Lord, * the Ruler of the land,
from the rock of the wilderness unto
the mount of the daughter of Zion.

Third Antiphon. 7 That Thy way,
O Lord, * may be known upon earth,
Thy saving health among all nations.

Fourth Antiphon. 8 O Lord, *
reward them that wait for Thee, and
let Thy Prophets be found faithful.

Fifth Antiphon. 9 The law was
given by Moses, * but grace and truth
came by JESUS Christ.

Third set.

First Antiphon. The Prophets
foretold * that the Saviour should be
born of the Virgin Mary.

Secofid Antiphon. 10 The Spirit of
the Lord * is upon Me, because He
hath anointed Me to preach the
Gospel to the poor.

Third Antiphon. n For Zion s sake
* will I not hold my peace, until her
Righteous One go forth as brightness.

Fourth Antiphon. Behold, the Lord
cometh, * 12 to sit among princes, and
to inherit the throne of glory.

Fifth Antiphon. Tell it out among
the people, * and say: Behold, God.
our Saviour cometh.

Fourth set.

First Antiphon. The Lord, the
Almighty, * cometh out of Zion, to
save His people.

Second Antiphon. Turn Thee, O
Lord, * at the last, and tarry not to
come unto Thy servants.

Third Antiphon. The Lord That
shall rule * shall come forth from Zion,
Emmanuel is His name, and His name
is great.

1 Apoc. i. 5.

5 Isa. xlv. 8.

9 John i. 17.

VOL. I.

2 Luke xviii. i
6 Isa. xvi. i.
10 Luke iv. 18.

Gal. iv. 4.
Ps. Ixvi. 3.
Isa. Ixii. i.

4 Isa. xii. 3.
8 Ecclus. xxxvi. 18.
12 i Kings (Sam.) ii. 8.
I

246

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Fourth Antiphon. l Behold, He is
my God, * and I will glorify Him ; my
father s God, and I will exalt Him.

Fifth Antiphon. The Lord our
Law-giver, * the Lord our King, cometh
to save us.

Fifth set.

First Antiphon. 2 Stand still * and
see the salvation of the LORD.

Second Antiphon. 3 Unto Thee, O
LORD, * lift I up my soul : come and
deliver me, O Lord, in Thee do I put
my trust.

Third Antiphon. Come, O Lord, *
and make no tarrying: loosen the
bonds of Thy people Israel.

Fourth Antiphon. 4 God shall
come from Lebanon, * and His bright
ness shall be as the light.

Fifth Antiphon. 5 Therefore I will
look unto the LORD, * I will wait for
the God of my salvation.

The Saturday.

If the Saturday be not Christmas
Eve, the Antiphons will be one of the
above sets, as directed by the Rubric
above, with the exception of the Fourth
(i.e., that for the Song of Moses], which
will be as follows :

Fourth Antiphon. 6 My teaching
shall drop * as the rain, and our God
shall come down upon us as the dew.

On the Feast of St. Thomas, at the
Commemoration of the Week-day at
Lauds, the Antiphon is as follows :

Antiphon. Fear not: * yet five
days and the Lord shall come unto
you.

If the Feast of St Thomas should
happen to be transferred to the Monday,

this last Antiphon is said at the Song
of Zacharias on the Fourth Sunday of
Advent, instead of the Antiphon,
"Hail, Mary, &c."

7.^rd Dec.

On this day the Antiphon at the
Song of Zacharias is :

Behold, all things are fulfilled, *
which were spoken by the angel con
cerning the Virgin Mary.

Second Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxviii. i.)

A VTOE to the 7 crown of pride, to the
* * drunkards of Ephraim, to the
fading flower of their glorious beauty ;
which are upon the head of the fat
valley, overcome with wine. Behold
the Lord is mighty and strong, as a
tempest of hail, and as a destroying
storm, as a flood of mighty waters
overflowing, sent forth over the breadth
of the land. The crown of pride, the
drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden
under foot.

First Responsory.

Behold, the Lord shall appear, &c.,
(First Responsory on Sunday.}

2 t^,,, 3 Ps. xxiv. i.

i Exod. xv. -2. I Exod xv. 13. 6 Deut&gt; xxxii&gt; 2&lt;

flowers?worn upon their heads on occasions of festivity." And he cites Wisd. n. 7, 8.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

247

Second Lesson.

A ND the fading flower of their
glorious beauty, which is upon
the head of the fat valley, shall be as
the hasty fruit before the ripening of
Autumn ; which when he that looketh
upon it seeth, while it is yet in his
hand, he eateth it up. In that day
shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown
of glory, and for a diadem of beauty
unto the residue of His people ; and
for a spirit of judgment to him that
sitteth in judgment, and for strength to
them that turn from the battle to the
gate. But they also have erred
through wine, and through strong
drink are out of the way : the priest
and the prophet have erred through
strong drink, they are swallowed up of
wine.

Second Responsory.

Thou, Bethlehem, &c., (Second Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson. ( 1 6 . )

TTHEREFORE thus saith the Lord
1 GOD : Behold I lay in Zion for
a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner-stone, a sure found
ation. Let not him that believeth
make haste. Justice also will I lay to
the plummet and righteousness to the
line : and the hail shall sweep away
the refuge of lies, and the waters shall
overflow the hiding-place. 2 And your
covenant with death shall be disan
nulled, and your agreement with hell
shall not stand.

Third Responsory.
He That shall come, &c., (Third

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
There shall come forth a rod * out of
the stem of Jesse, and the whole earth
shall be rilled with the glory of the
Lord, and all flesh shall see the salva
tion of God.

Prayer as on Sunday.
After "Bless we the Lord" is said
the Dirge.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Responsory
at Prime.

Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and A?isiver as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the So Jig of the Blessed
Virgin. 3 A11 generations shall call
me blessed, * for God hath regarded
the lowliness of His hand-maiden.

Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Day.
MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

i The Name.

^ 2 The allusion is to v. 15, where the inhabitants of Jerusalem are represented as saying,
We have entered into a covenant with death a kind of proverbial expression to denote
perfect security from evil." 3 L u ke i. 48.

248

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxx. 18.)

^PHE LORD waiteth that He may be
gracious unto you ; and there
fore will He be exalted, that He may
have mercy upon you, for the LORD
is a God of judgment ; blessed are all
they that wait for Him. For the
people of Zion shall dwell in Jeru
salem, thou shalt weep no more,
He will be very gracious unto thee ;
at the voice of thy cry when He
shall hear it, He will answer thee.
Though the LORD give you bread in
scarcity and water in short measure :
yet will He not make thy teacher to
fly from thee any more ; and thine
eyes shall see thy teacher.

First Responsory.

Weep not, O Egypt, &c., (Fourth
Responsory on Sunday.}

Second Lesson. ( v. 22.)

"THOU shalt say unto it, J Get thee
hence, and the rain shall fall
upon thy seed, that thou shalt sow
the ground withal ; and the bread of
the increase of the earth shall be fat
and plenteous. In that day shall
thy lambs feed in large pastures ;
thine oxen likewise, and the young
asses that till the ground shall eat
mixed provender, as that which hath
been winnowed on the threshing-floor.
And there shall be upon every high
mountain, and upon every high hill
rivers of running waters, in the day
of the great slaughter, when the
2 towers fall.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.
Second Responsory.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the

ier time is near to come, &c., same alteration in the Short Respon-
(Ftftk Responsory on Sunday.} S ory at Prime.

Third Lesson.

IX/TOREOVER, the light of the
^^ moon shall be as the light
of the sun, and the light of the sun
shall be sevenfold, as the light of
seven days, in the day that the
LORD bindeth up the breach of His
people, and healeth the stroke of
their wound. Behold, the name of
the LORD cometh from far, burning
with His anger, and the burden
thereof is heavy : His lips are full
of indignation, and His tongue as
a devouring fire. His breath, as an
overflowing stream, shall reach to
the midst of the neck, to destroy
the nations to the uttermost, and
as a bridle causing them to err
shall it be in the jaws of the
peoples.

Third Responsory.

The Lord shall come down, &c.,
(Sixth Responsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
3 Thou, Bethlehem, * in the land of
Judah, shalt not be the least [among
the princes of Judah] : for out of thee
shall come a Ruler, That shall rule my
people Israel.

Prayer as on Sunday.

The allusion is to the ornament of a molten image.
2 7 - - the m ghty men. s Matth. ii. 6 ;

Micah v. 2.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

249

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 1 Awake, awake, * arise, O
Jerusalem : loose thyself from the
bands of thy neck, O captive daugh
ter of Zion.

6m8etr

The Fourth Day in Quarter-Week.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (i. 26.)

AT that time : The Angel Gabriel
"^^ was sent from God, unto a city
of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a vir
gin espoused to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David :
and the virgin s name was Mary.
And so on.

Homily by 2 St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan,] (Bk. ii. on Luke.}

The mysteries of God are unsearch
able, and it is especially declared by
a Prophet, that a man can hardly know
His counsels. (Wisd. ix. 13.) Never
theless, some things have been revealed
to us, and we may gather from some
of the words and works of the Lord
our Saviour, that there was a special
purpose of God, in the fact that she

who was chosen to be the mother of
the Lord was espoused to a man.
Why did not the power of the High
est overshadow her before she was
so espoused ? Perhaps it was lest
any might blasphemously say that
she had conceived in adultery the
Holy One.

First Responsory.

3 O thou that bringest good tidings
of peace to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice
with strength ! Say unto the cities of
Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jeru
salem : Behold, our God will come, for
Whom we waited.

Verse. O thou that tellest good
tidings to Zion : get thee up into
the high mountain, lift up thy voice
with strength.

Answer. Say unto the cities of
Judah, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem : Behold, our God will
come, for Whom we waited.

Second Lesson.

" A ND the Angel came in unto
"^^ her." Let us learn from this
Virgin how to bear ourselves, let us
learn her modesty, let us learn by
her devout utterance, above all let
us learn by the holy mystery en
acted. It is the part of a maiden
to be timid, to avoid the advances
of men, and to shrink from men s
addresses. Would that our women
would learn from the example of
modesty here set before us. She
upon whom the stare of men had
never been fixed was alone in her
chamber, and she found herself alone
with Angels. There was neither
companion nor witness there, that
what passed might not be debased
in gossip : and the Angel saluted
her.

1 Isa. lii. i, 2.

Dec. 7.

Isa. xl. 9, 10.

250

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Second Responsory.

1 There shall come a Star out of
Jacob, and a Man shall rise out of
Israel, and shall smite through all
the princes of the aliens. And all
the earth shall be His possession.

Verse. 2 All kings shall fall down
before Him, all nations shall serve
Him.

Answer. And all the earth shall
be His possession.

Third Lesson.

"THE message of God to the Virgin
was a mystery, whifh it was not
lawful for the mouth of men, but only
of Angels, to utter. For the first time
on earth the words are spoken : "The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee."
The holy maiden heareth, and be-
lieveth. At length she said : " Be
hold the handmaid of the Lord : be
it unto me according to thy word."
Here is an example of lowliness,
here is a pattern of true devotion.
At the very moment that she is
told she is chosen to be the mother
of the Lord she at once declareth
herself His handmaid. The know
ledge that she was mother of God
caused in the heart of Mary only
an act of humility.

Third Responsory.

The Lord, the Ruler, cometh quickly.
3 And His name shall be called Em
manuel.

Verse. 4 In His days shall right
eousness flourish, and abundance of
peace.

Answer. And His name shall be
called Emmanuel.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And His name shall be
called Emmanuel.

1 Numb. xxiv. 17. 2 Ps lxxi It

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
The angel Gabriel * was sent to Mary,
a virgin espoused to Joseph.

Prayer.

QRANT, we beseech Thee, Almighty
God, that the solemn Feast of our
redemption, which is now at hand, may
both help us in the life which now is,
and further us toward the attaining of
Thine eternal joy in that which is
to come. Through our Lord JESUS
Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reign-
eth with Thee in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, One God world without
end. Amen.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Responsory
at Prime.

Prayer as at Lauds.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, c., (as on Monday in
the First Week. )

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Behold the handmaid * of
the Lord ; be it unto me according to
thy word.

Prayer as on Sunday.
Matth. i. 23 ; Isa. vii. 14. 4 p s&gt; ] xx j &gt; 7&lt;

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

251

Fifth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxxiii. I.)

E to thee that spoilest, shall
not thou also be spoiled ? and
dealest scornfully, shall not they also
deal scornfully with thee ? When thou
shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be
spoiled ; when thou shalt be weary
and make an end to deal scornfully,
they shall deal scornfully with thee.
2 O LORD, be gracious unto us ; for
we have waited for Thee : be Thou
our arm every morning, our salvation
also in the time of trouble.

First Responsory.

3 The LORD shall go forth and fight
against the nations. And His feet
shall stand upon the mount of Olives
on the east.

Verse. 4 And it shall be exalted
above the hills, and all nations shall
flow unto it.

Answer. And His feet shall stand
upon the mount of Olives on the east.

Second Lesson.

5 A T the voice of thy messenger the

people fled, and at the lifting

up of thyself the nations were scattered.

And your spoil shall be gathered like
the gathering of the locust, when the
trenches are filled therewith. 6 The
LORD is exalted, for He dwelleth on
high : He hath filled Zion with judg
ment and righteousness : and 7 thy
times shall be faithful ; wisdom and
knowledge shall be the riches of thy
salvation ; the fear of the LORD is
his treasure.

Second Responsory.

8 The Fore-runner is for us entered,
even the Lamb without spot : made an
High Priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedek.

Verse. This is that King of Right
eousness without descent, nor end of
life.

Answer. Made an High Priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedek.

Third Lesson. (14.)

1 T^HE sinners in Zion are afraid,
fearfulness hath surprised the
hypocrites. Who among you can
dwell with the devouring fire ? who
among you shall dwell with everlasting
burnings ? He that walketh right
eously, and speaketh uprightly, he
that refuseth the gain of leasing, and
shaketh his hands from holding of
bribes, that stoppeth his ears from
hearing of blood, and shutteth his
eyes from seeing evil. He shall dwell
on high, his place of defence shall be
the munitions of rocks : bread shall be
given him, his waters shall be sure.
His eyes shall see the King in his
beauty : they shall behold the land
that is very far off.

1 "The prophet addresses himself to Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians, who was threaten
ing the destruction of the Jewish kingdom."

"The Jews are here introduced imploring the protection of God."
3 Zech. xiv. 3, 4. 4 Isa. ii. 2.

5 "The Prophet, in the name of God, or, rather, God Himself, is introduced, addressing
Himself to Sennacherib."

6 "A chorus of Jews is introduced acknowledging the mercy and power of God."

7 Viz., those of Hezekiah. 8 Heb. vi. 20; vii. 2, 3.
9 The Prophet is speaking in the name of God.

252

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Third Responsory.

1 The Gentiles shall see thy Right
eous One, and all kings thy Glorious
one. And thou shalt be called by a
new name, which the mouth of the
LORD hath named.

Verse. Thou shalt also be a crown
of glory in the hand of the LORD, and
a royal diadem in the hand of thy
God.

Answer. And thou shalt be called
by a new name, which the mouth of
the LORD hath named.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And thou shalt be called
by a new name, which the mouth of
the LORD hath named.

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on the First
Monday. )

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Let your soul watch, * the Lord our
God is nigh at hand. (See the Rubric
on the Feast of St Thomas, 6. 244.)

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.")

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

1 Isa. Ixii. 2, 3.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 2 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem,
* and be glad with her, all ye that
love her for ever.

The Sixth Day in Quarter- Week.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (i. 39.)

AT that time : Mary arose, and went

into the hill country with haste,

into a city of Judah, and entered into

the house of Zacharias, and saluted

Elizabeth. And so on.

Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan,] (Commentary on Luke, Bk. ii.
fti.)

When any one asketh another for
credence, he is bound to give some
reasonable ground. And- so the Angel,
when he announced to Mary the coun
sel of God, gave, as a proof, the con
ception of Elizabeth, then aged and
barren, that Mary might perceive, by
this example, that with God nothing-
is impossible. When the holy Virgin
had heard it, she arose and went to
visit her cousin. She did not go to
see if what she had heard was true,
because she did not believe God, or
because she knew not who the mes
senger had been, or yet because she
doubted the fact adduced in proof.
She went joyfully as one who hath
received a mercy in answer to his vow
goeth to pay the same. She went
with devotion, as a godly person goeth
to execute a religious duty. She went
2 Isa. Ixvi. 10.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

253

into the hill country in joyful haste.
And is it not something that she
went up into the hills ? God was
already in her womb, and her feeling
bore her continually upward. The
grace of the Holy Spirit knoweth
no slow working.

First Responsory.

Send forth the Lamb, O Lord, the
Ruler of the land ; from the rock in
the wilderness unto the mount of the
daughter of Zion.

Verse. Show us Thy mercy, O
LORD, and grant us Thy salvation.

Answer, From the rock in the
wilderness unto the mount of the
daughter of Zion.

Second Lesson.

/^ODLY women will learn from the
example of the Mother of God to
take a tender care of their kinswomen
who are with child. In pursuance of
this charity, Mary, who had hitherto
remained alone at home, was not de
terred by her maidenly shyness from
entering on a public journey ; she faced
for this end the hardships of mountain
travelling ; and encountered with a
sense of duty the weary length of the
way. The Virgin left her home, and
went into the hill country with haste,
unmindful of the trouble, and remem
bering only the office to which her
cousinly love prompted her, in spite
of the delicacy of her sex. Maidens
will learn from her not to idle about
from house to house, to loiter in the
streets, nor to take part in conver
sations in public. Mary, as she was
hasteful to pass through the public
roads, so was she slow again to enter
on them : she abode with her cousin
about three months.

Second Responsory.

Drop down, ye heavens, from
above, and let the skies pour down
the Righteous One. Let the earth
open, and let her bring forth the
Saviour.

Verse. Send forth the Lamb, O
Lord, the Ruler of the land, from the
rock in the wilderness unto the mount
of the daughter of Zion.

Answer. Let the earth open, and
let her bring forth the Saviour.

Third Lesson.

A S the modesty of Mary is a pattern
for the imitation of all maidens,
so also is her humility. She went to
see Elizabeth, like one cousin going to
visit another, and as the younger to the
elder. Not only did she first go, but
she first saluted Elizabeth. Now, the
purer a virgin is, the humbler ought
she to be. She will know how to
submit herself to her elders. She that
professeth chastity ought to be a very
mistress of humility. Lowly-minded-
ness is at once the very ground in
which devotion groweth, and the first
and principal rule of its teaching. In
this act of the Virgin then we see the
greater going to visit and to succour
the lesser Mary to Elizabeth, Christ
to John.

Third Responsory.

The waste places have brought
forth sweet-smelling buds for Israel ;
for, behold, our God will come with
power. And His brightness is with
Him.

Verse. l Out of Zion the perfection
of beauty, our God shall come mani
festly.

Answer. And His brightness is
with Him.

1 Ps. xlix. 2.

VOL. I.

254

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And His brightness is
with Him.

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
1 As soon as the voice of thy salutation
* sounded in mine ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for joy. Alleluia.

Prayer.

CTIR up, O Lord, we pray Thee,
Thy might, and come among us ;
that we, trusting only in Thy mercy,
may by Thee be speedily delivered
from all adversity : Who livest and
reignest with God the Father, in the
unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,
world without end. Amen.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon-
sory at Prime.

Prayer as at Lauds.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. 2 John bare witness of Him,

1 Luke i. 44.

* saying : He That cometh after me is
preferred before me.

Prayer as on Sunday.

The Sabbath in Quarter- Week.

(May be displaced by the Office of the
Fourth Sunday.}

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (iii. i.)

T N the fifteenth year of the reign of

Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate

being governor of Judaea. And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (zoth on the Gospels.}

The date, at which the Fore-runner
of our Redeemer entered on his public
office of preaching, is indicated to us
by the name of the ruler of the Roman
Commonwealth, and by those of the
princes of Palestine. The time of his
preaching is indicated by these names,
because he came as the Fore-runner of
Him Who was to be the Redeemer of
some Jews and many Gentiles. More
over in the enumeration of these
worldly monarchs there is a fore
shadowing of the fact, that the Gen
tiles were about to be gathered into
one, and the Jews to be scattered
abroad in punishment of their unbelief ;
in the whole heathen Commonwealth
we find the title of one Emperor, but
in the small kingdom of Judaea are
mentioned four masters.

2 John i. 15.

THIRD WEEK IN ADVENT.

255

First Responsory.

There shall come forth a rod out of
the stem of Jesse, and a flower shall
grow out of his roots. And righteous
ness shall be the girdle of his loins,
and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Verse. And the Spirit of the LORD
shall rest upon him : the spirit of
wisdom and understanding : the spirit
of counsel and might.

Answer. And righteousness shall
be the girdle of his loins, and faithful
ness the girdle of his reins.

Second Lesson.

/ T*HE blessed voice of the Saviour
itself hath said, " Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to
desolation" (Luke xi. 17.) And we
may well look for the ruin of the
Jewish state when we see it divided
among so many rulers. We observe
likewise that the names of the reigning
priests as well as kings are given.
The Evangelist Luke hath left on
record the chiefs both of the mon
archy and of the priesthood who held
office when John the Baptist began
to preach, because John preached
Him Who is at once our Priest
and our King.

Second Responsory.

1 Behold, the root of Jesse that
shall arise to bring forth judgment to
the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles
trust. And his name shall be blessed
for ever.

Verse. 2 The Kings shall shut their
mouths at him, to him shall the Gen
tiles seek.

Answer. And his name shall be
blessed for ever.

Third Lesson.

" A ND he came into all the country
about Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance 3 for the remis
sion of sins." It is evident from these
words that John the Baptist not only
preached, but also administered the
baptism of repentance, and yet that
baptism of repentance which he gave,
was not really a baptism for the re
mission of sins. For there is only one
baptism for the remission of sins, and
that is our Christian baptism. It is
worthy of note here that the words
used are, " preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins,"
for he himself owned that his baptism
was not the true baptism that washes
away sin. Even as the Eternal Word
of God made Flesh was greater than
the preacher that went before Him, so
was His holy baptism, by which our
sins are washed away, far greater than
that baptism of repentance which the
Fore-runner preached, and which could
never wash away sin.

Third Responsory.

O Lord, come, and make no tarry
ing : loosen the bonds of Thy people.
And gather together into their own
land them that are scattered abroad.

Verse. Stir up, O Lord, Thy
power, and come among us, to save
us.

Answer. And gather together in
to their own land them that are
scattered abroad.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. And gather together into
their own land them that are scattered
abroad.

1 Isa. xi. 10 ; xlii. i. 2 j sa&gt; ij^ -^

^ 3 The translator ^holds himself justified in adopting this rendering of "metanoia," (lit.

change of mind,") by the authority of Archbishop Kenrick in his version of the New
Testament. (Matth. iii. 2.)

256

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
O thou Angel of God, * how shall this
be, seeing I know not a man ? Hear,
O Virgin Mary ! the Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power
of the Highest shall overshadow
thee !

See, however, the Rubrics concern
ing Dec. 21 and 23, (p. 244,) both
as to this and the following days.

Prayer.

C\ GOD, Who seest that by reason
^^ of our sins we are sorely
afflicted, mercifully grant unto us by
Thy visitation effectually to be com
forted : Who livest and reignest with
God the Father, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, one God, world without
end. Amen.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon-
sory at Prime.

Prayer as at Lauds.

VESPERS.

Chapter and Prayer from next morn
ing s Lauds.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Jourtft Suntiag in

The Fourth Lord^s Day in Coming-
Time.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xxxv. i.)

^PHE wilderness and the solitary
place shall be glad, and the
desert shall rejoice and blossom as
the lily. It shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice, even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon is given unto
it, the excellency of Carmel and
Sharon ; they shall see the glory of
the LORD and the excellency of our
God. Strengthen ye the weak hands
and confirm the feeble knees. Say
to them that are of a fearful heart :
Be strong, and fear not, behold, your
God will come with recompense of
vengeance ; God Himself will come
and save you. Then the eyes of
the blind shall be opened, and the
ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an
hart, and the tongue of the dumb
shall sing : for in the wilderness are
waters broken out, and streams in
the desert. And the parched ground
shall become a pool, and the thirsty
land springs of water.

First Resfionsory.

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, call
together the nations, tell it out among
the people, and say : Behold, God our
Saviour cometh.

FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT.

257

Verse. Tell it out and make it to
be heard ; speak aloud and cry

Answer. Behold, God our Saviour
cometh.

Second Lesson.

T N the habitations where dragons lay
shall rise the green freshness of
the reed and the bulrush. And an
highway shall be there and a way,
and it shall be called, The way of
holiness : the unclean shall not pass
over it, and it shall be unto you a
straight way, that fools shall not err
therein. No lion shall be there, nor
any ravenous beast shall go up there
on, it shall not be found there : but
the redeemed shall walk there, and
the ransomed of the LORD shall re
turn and come to Zion with songs ;
and everlasting joy upon their heads,
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee
away.

Second Responsory.

The sceptre shall not depart from
Judah, nor the law-giver from his loins,
until he that shall be sent cometh.
And unto him shall the longing of
the Gentiles be.

Verse. l His eyes shall be bright
with wine, and his teeth white with
milk.

Answer. And unto him shall the
desire of the Gentiles be.

Third Lesson (xli. I.)

2 T/ EEP silence before Me, O is-
lands, and let the peoples re
new their strength ; let them come
near and then let them speak ; let
us come near together to judgment.
Who raised up the 3 righteous man
from the East, and called him to

follow Him ? Who gave the nations
before him, and made him to rule
over kings ? Who gave them as
the dust to his sword, as driven
stubble to his bow ? He pursueth
them, he passeth safely, his feet see
not the way ! Who hath wrought
and done it, calling the generations
from the beginning ? I, the LORD,
the First and the Last, I am He.

Third Responsory.

4 I must decrease, but He must
increase : He it is Who, coming
after me is preferred before me :
Whose shoe s latchet I am not
worthy to unloose.

Verse. 5 I baptize you with water ;
but He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Whose shoe s latchet I
am not worthy to unloose.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Whose shoe s latchet I
am not worthy to unloose.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fotirth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St Leo [the Great,] (\st on
the December Fast, and almsgiving. )

T\ EARLY beloved brethren, if we
*-^ study attentively the history of
the creation of our race, we shall
find that man was made in the
image of God, that his ways also
might be an imitation of the ways
of his Maker. This is the natural,
real, and highest dignity to which
we are capable of attaining, that the
goodness of the Divine nature should

1 Gen. xlix. 12.

2 From a prophecy of Isaiah distinct from any of the foregoing, and beginning with ch. xli.

3 "The righteous man" is perhaps Abraham, but most commentators are of opinion that
us is meant. 4 John iii. 30; u 27. 5 Matth. iii, n.

Cyrus

2 5 8

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

have a reflection in us, as in a glass.
As a mean of reaching this dignity,
we are daily offered the grace of our
Saviour, for as in the first Adam all
men are fallen, so in the Second
Adam can all men be raised up again
(i Cor. xv. 22).

Fourth Responsory.

1 Unto us shall a Child be born, and
His name shall be called the Mighty
God. He shall sit upon the throne of
His father David, and shall reign, and
the government shall be upon His
shoulder.

Verse. 2 In Him shall all the kin
dreds of the earth be blessed ; all
nations shall serve Him.

Answer. He shall sit upon the
throne of His father David, and shall
reign, and the government shall be
upon His shoulder.

Fifth Lesson.

/^\UR restoration from the conse
quences of Adam s fall is sheer
mercy of God, and nothing else ; we
should not have loved Him unless He
had first loved us, (i John iv. 19,) and
scattered the darkness of our ignorance
by the light of His truth. This the
Lord promised by the mouth of Isaiah,
where He saith, (Isa. xlii. 16,) "I will
bring the blind by a way that they
knew not, and I will lead them in
paths that they have not known : I
will make darkness light before them,
and crooked things straight. These
things will I do unto them and not
forsake them." And again, (Isa. Ixv.
i, 2; Rom. x. 20,) "I was found of
them that sought Me not ; I was
made manifest unto them that asked
not after Me."

Fifth Responsory.

3 Behold, the fulness of the time is
come, wherein God hath sent forth
His Son into the world, born of a
Virgin, made under the law : to re
deem them that were under the law.

Verse. 4 God, for His great love
wherewith He loved us, hath 5 sent
His own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh.

Answer. To redeem them that were
under the law.

Sixth Lesson.

AND we know from the Apostle
John how God fulfilled His
promise, (i John v. 20.) "We know
that the Son of God is come, and
hath given us an understanding, that
we may know Him That is True, and
be in Him That is True, even in His
Son." And again, (iv. 19,) "Let us
therefore love God, because He first
loved us." For His great love then
wherewith he hath loved us, (Eph. ii.
4,) God reneweth H;s likeness in us.
And, moreover, in order that He may
find in us the reflection of His good
ness, He giveth us that whereby to
work along with Himself, (Who work-
eth all in all,) lighting, as it were,
candles in our dark minds, and kind
ling in us the fire of His love, to make
us love not Himself only, but likewise,
in Him, whatsoever He loveth.

Sixth Responsory.

6 O virgin of Israel, turn again to
thy cities. How long wilt thou go
about sorrowing? Thou shalt bring
forth the Lord thy Saviour, a new
offering in the earth ; men shall walk
in paths of salvation.

Verse. I have loved thee with an

1 Isa. ix. 6.
4 Eph. ii. 4.

1 Ps. Ixxi. 17, ii.
5 Rom. viii. Q.

3 Gal. iv. 4, 5.
6 Jer. xxxi. 21, 3.

FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT.

259

everlasting love : therefore with loving-
kindness have I drawn thee.

Answer. How long wilt thou go
about sorrowing ? Thou shalt bring
forth the Lord thy Saviour, a new
offering in the earth.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Men shall walk in paths
of salvation.

THIRD NOCTURN.
Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (iii. i.)

T N the fifteenth year of the reign of
^ Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate
being governor of Judaea. And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (iQth on the Gospels.}

"John said unto the multitude, that
came forth to be baptised of him : O
generation of vipers, who hath warned
you to flee from the wrath to come ? "
"The wrath to come" in one sense
signifieth the great vengeance of the
Latter Day : the sinner that repenteth
not of his sin now, will have no mean
whereby to flee from punishment then.
Let us remark that addressing evil
children copying the example of evil
parents, the Baptist calleth them a
generation of vipers : in that they were
envious at the righteous, and perse
cuted them ; that they repaid evil for
evil ; that they hunted out ways of
harming their neighbours, in all these
things following the pattern of carnal
parents, the prophet likeneth them to
a venomous brood hatched from a
venomous stock.

Seventh Responsory.

1 I have sworn, saith the Lord, that
I will not be wroth any more with the

1 Isa. liv. 9. 2 Isa. Ivi. i.

earth ; for the mountains and the hills
shall receive My righteousness. And
the covenant of My peace shall be in
Jerusalem.

Verse. 2 My salvation is near to
come, and My righteousness to be re
vealed.

Answer. And the covenant of My
peace shall be in Jerusalem.

Eighth Lesson.

also have sinned, we have fallen
into wicked habits. What must
we do, if we would flee from the wrath
to come ? Let us hear John. "Bring
forth fruits worthy of repentance." In
which words let us remark that the
Friend of the Bridegroom demandeth
not only fruits of repentance, but fruits
worthy of repentance. The former are
one thing, and the latter another. In
considering then what are fruits worthy
of repentance, we may remark that if
we had done nothing unlawful we
might have had free use of things
which are lawful, and been able to
sanctify ourselves without abstaining
from indulgence in the things of the
world.

Eighth Responsory.

3 We will not go back from Thee.
Thou, O Lord, shalt quicken us, and
we will call upon Thy name. Cause
Thy face to shine upon us, and we
shall be saved.

Verse. 4 Remember us, O LORD,
with the favour that Thou showest
unto Thy people ; O visit us with Thy
salvation.

Answer. Cause Thy face to shine
upon us, and \ve shall be saved.

Ninth Lesson.

T&gt;UT if any one, for example, hath
*? fallen into fornication, or per
haps, into what is much worse, adul-

3 Ps. Ixxix. 19.

Ps. CV. 4.

26o

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

tery, he ought to make up for his
lawless pleasure by abstaining in some
degree from lawful enjoyments. He
that hath sinned less is not bound to
mortify himself as much as he that
hath sinned more, nor he that is in
nocent like him that is guilty. Let
every one hearing these words "bring
forth fruits worthy of repentance," pro
ceed to judge himself by his own
conscience, and the more he perceiveth
that he hath sinned, the greater pen
ance let him do.

Ninth Responsory.

1 Consider how great this man is,
who is entered in for the salvation of
the nations ; he is King of Righteous
ness ; without descent, nor end of
life.

Verse. The Fore-runner is for us
entered, made an High Priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedek.

Answer. Without descent, nor end
of life.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Without descent, nor end
of life.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. 2 Blow ye the
trumpet * in Zion, for the day of
the LORD is nigh at hand: behold,
He cometh to save us ! Alleluia,
Alleluia.

Second Antiphon. 3 Behold, the de
sire * of all nations shall come ; and
the house of the Lord shall be filled
with glory. Alleluia.

Third Antiphon. 4 The crooked *
shall be made straight, and the rough
places plain ; O Lord, come, and make
no tarrying. Alleluia.

Fourth Antiphon. The Lord com

eth ! * Go ye out to meet Him, and
say: How. great is His dominion,
and of His kingdom there shall be
no end ! He is the mighty God,
the Ruler, the Prince of Peace 1
Alleluia, Alleluia^.

Fifth Antiphon. 5 Thine Almighty
Word, * O Lord, shall leap down out
of Thy royal throne. Alleluia.

Chapter, (i Cor. iv. I.)

"DRETHREN, let a man so account
of us as of the ministers of Christ,
and stewards of the mysteries of God,
Moreover it is required in stewards
that a man be found faithful.

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias*
6 Hail, Mary, full of grace, * the Lord
is with thee : blessed art thou among
women. Alleluia.

See however the Rubrics concerning
Dec. 21 and 23, (p. 244.)

Prayer.

CTIR up, O Lord, we pray Thee,
Thy power, and come among us,
and with great might succour us, that
whereas through our sins and wicked
ness we are sore let and hindered,
Thy bountiful grace and mercy may
speedily help and deliver us ; Who
livest and reignest with God the
Father, in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.
Amen.

PRIME.

Antiphon. Blow ye the trumpet, *
&c., (First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the Short Responsory the same
alteration as before.

1 Heb. vi. 20; vii. 2-4.
4 Isa. xl. 4.

2 Joel ii. i.

5 Wisd. xviii. 15.

3 Hag. ii. 8.
6 Luke i. 28.

FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT,

261

TERCE.

Antiphon. Behold, the desire, *
c., (Second Antiphon at Lauds.}

The Chapter is taken from Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. The crooked, * c.,
Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter, (i Cor. iv. 3.)

UT with me it is a very small thing
that I should be judged of you,
or of any man s judgment ; yea, I
judge not mine own self.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xli. 8.)

AND thou, Israel My servant, Jacob,
"^^ whom I have chosen, the seed of
Abraham My friend : in whom I have
taken thee from the ends of the earth,
and called thee from the uttermost
parts thereof, and said unto thee :
Thou art My servant, I have chosen
thee, and not cast thee away. Fear
thou not, for I am with thee ; be not
dismayed, for I am thy God ; I have
strengthened thee, yea, I have up-
holden thee, and the right hand of My
Righteous One comforteth thee.

NONE.

Antiphon. Thine Almighty Word,
&c., (Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

First Responsory.

Blow ye the trumpet, c., (First
Responsory on Sunday.}

Chapter, (i Cor. iv. 5.)

HP HEREFORE judge nothing before
the time, until the Lord come,
Who both will bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will
make manifest the counsels of the
hearts : and then shall every man have
praise of God.

VESPERS.

Antiphons and Chapter from Lauds.
Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

After " Bless we the Lord," are said
the Vespers of the Dead.

Second Day.
MATTINS.

Invitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

Second Lesson.

T3EHOLD, all they that fight against
thee shall be ashamed and con
founded : they shall be as nothing, and
the men that strive with thee shall
perish. Thou shalt seek them and
shalt not find them, even them that
contended with thee ; they that war
against thee shall be as nothing and
as a thing of nought. For I the
LORD thy God will hold thy right
hand, saying unto thee : Fear not, I
have holpen thee.

Second Respo?isory.

The sceptre shall not depart, &c.,
(Second Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

TI^EAR not, thou worm Jacob, ye

dead ones in Israel ; I have

holpen thee, saith the LORD, and thy

Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

262

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Behold, I have made thee a new sharp
threshing wain, having teeth ; thou
shalt thresh the mountains, and beat
them small, and shalt make the hills
as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and
the wind shall carry them away ; and
the whirlwind shall scatter them ; and
thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, thou
shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Third Respo?isory.

I must decrease, &c., (Third Re-
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Thus saith the Lord, * 1 Repent ye,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Alleluia.

Prayer as on Sunday.
After " Bless we the Lord," is said
the Dirge.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Responsory
at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Mojiday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Third Day.
MATTINS.

tnvitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (xlii. I.)

"D EH OLD My servant whom I will
uphold, Mine elect in whom My
soul delighteth : I have put My spirit
upon him, he shall bring forth judg
ment to the Gentiles. He shall not
cry, nor have respect of persons,
neither shall he cause his voice to be
heard in the street. A bruised reed
shall he not break, and the smoking
flax shall he not quench ; he shall
bring forth judgment unto truth. He
shall not fail nor be discouraged till he
have set judgment in the earth ; and
the isles shall wait for his law.

First Responsory.

Unto us shall a Child, &c., (Fourth
Responsory on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

saith God the LORD, He
That created the heavens and
stretched them out, He That estab
lished the earth and that which cometh
out of it ; He That giveth breath unto
the people upon it, and spirit to them
that walk therein. I the LORD have
called thee in righteousness, and held
thine hand and kept thee, and given
thee for a covenant of the people, for a
light of the Gentiles ; to open the blind
eyes, to bring out the prisoners from
the prison, and them that sit in dark
ness out of the prison-house.

1 Matth. iii. 2.

FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT.

26 3

Second Responsory.

Behold, the fulness of the time, &c.,
(Fifth Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson. ( i o. )

CING unto the LORD a new song,
*^ His praise from the end of the
earth, ye that go down to the sea, and
all that is therein, the isles and the
inhabitants thereof. Let the wilder
ness and the cities thereof lift up their
voice, they that dwell in the tents
of Kedar. 1 Sing, O ye inhabitants
of Petra, 2 shout from the top of the
mountains. Let them give glory unto
the LORD, and declare His praise in
the islands. The LORD shall go forth
as a mighty man, He shall stir up
jealousy like a man of war ; He shall
cry, yea, roar ; He shall prevail against
His enemies.

Third Responsory.

O virgin of Israel, &c., (Sixth Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
3 Awake, awake, * put on strength, O
arm of the LORD !

See however the Rubrics on Dec. 2 1
and 23, (p. 244.)

Prayer as on Sunday.

. VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Fourth Day.
MATTINS.

Invitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Less O7i.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (li. I.)

TTEARKEN to me, ye that follow
after righteousness and seek the
LORD ! Look unto the rock whence ye
are hewn, and to the hole of the pit
whence ye are dug. Look unto Abra
ham your father, and unto Sarah that
bare you ; for I called him when he
was alone, and blessed him, and in
creased him. Therefore the LORD
shall comfort Zion ; He also will com
fort all her waste places : and He
will make her wilderness a place of
delights, and her desert like the
garden of the LORD. Joy and glad
ness shall be found therein, thanks
giving", and the voice of praise.

First Responsory.

I have sworn, &c., (Seventh Respon
sory on Sunday.}

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE. Second Lesson.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the TTEARKEN unto Me, My people,
fie alteration in the Short Responsory and give ear unto Me, O My

Prime. nation : for a law shall proceed from

1 The name of a son of Ishmael. 2 A large city in Northern Arabia. 3 Isa. li. 9.

same

at Prime.

264

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Me, and I will make My judgment
to rest for a light of the people.
My Righteous One is near, My
Saviour is gone forth, and Mine
arms shall judge the people : the
isles shall wait upon Me, and on
Mine arm shall they trust. Lift up
your eyes to the heavens, and look
upon the earth beneath ; for the
heavens shall vanish away like smoke,
and the earth shall wax old like a
garment, and they that dwell therein
shall perish in like manner : but My
salvation shall be for ever, and My
righteousness shall not pass away.

Second Responsory.

We will not go back, &c., (Eighth
Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

TUT EARKEN unto me, ye that know
righteousness, My people in
whose heart is My law : fear ye not
the reproach of men, neither be ye
afraid of their revilings. For the
worm shall eat them up like a gar
ment, and the moth shall eat them
like wool: but My salvation shall
be for ever, and My righteousness
from generation to generation.

Third Responsory.

Consider how great, &c., (Ninth
Responsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
1 I will place salvation * in Zion,
and My glory in Jerusalem. Alle
luia.

See however the Rtibrics on Dec. 2 I ,
and 23, (p. 244.)

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Fifth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (Ixiv. i.)

C\ THAT Thou wouldest rend the
heavens, that Thou wouldest
come down ! that the mountains
might flow down at Thy presence !
They would pass away like a fire
that is burnt out, the fires would
cause the waters to boil, to make
Thy name known to Thine adver
saries, that the nations may tremble
at Thy presence ! When Thou doest
terrible things we shall not abide it :

1 Isa. xlvi. 13.

FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT.

265

Thou earnest down, the mountains
flowed down at Thy presence. From
the beginning of the world men have
not heard, nor perceived by the ear ;
the eye hath not seen, O God, be
side Thee, what Thou hast prepared
for them that wait for Thee !

First Responsory.

Blow ye the trumpet, c., (First
Responsory on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

"THOU meetest him that rejoiceth,
and worketh righteousness ; they
will remember Thee in Thy ways :
behold, Thou art wroth, for we have
sinned : in those was continuance and
we shall be saved. But we are all
as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags : l
and we all do fade as a leaf, and
our iniquities, like the wind, have
taken us away. There is none that
calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth
up himself to take hold of Thee :
Thou hast hid Thy face from us,
and hast consumed us by the hand
of our iniquities.

Our holy and our beautiful house,
where our fathers praised Thee, is
burned up with fire, and all our
pleasant things are laid waste.

Third Responsory.

I must decrease, &c., (Third Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.

Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
2 Comfort ye, comfort ye, * My people,
saith the Lord your God.

See however the Rubric on Dec. 23,

(P. 244.)

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

Second Responsory.

The sceptre shall not depart, &c.,
(Second Responsory on Sunday.}

Third Lesson.

A ND now, O LORD, Thou art our
^^ Father ; we are clay, and Thou
our Potter, and we all are the work
of Thine hand. Be not wroth very
sore, O LORD, neither remember our
iniquity for ever : behold, see, we are
all Thy people. The city of Thy
sanctuary is a wilderness, Zion is a
wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

1 Pannus menstruatae.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

Sixth Day.

MATTINS.

Invitatory as on the Third Sunday.
Hymn as on the First Sunday.

2 Isa. xl. i.

266

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah (Ixvi. 5.)

TTEAR the word of the LORD, ye
that tremble at His word ; your
brethren that hated you, and cast you
out for My name s sake, said : Let the
LORD be glorified, and we shall see it
in your joy but they shall be ashamed.
A voice of people from the city, a voice
from the temple, a voice of the LORD
that rendereth recompense to His ene
mies. Before she travailed, she brought
forth : before her pain came she was de
livered of a man child. Who hath heard
such a thing ? or who hath seen such
things ? Shall the earth bring forth in
one day ? or shall a nation be born at
once ? for as soon as Zion travailed she
brought forth her children.

First Responsory.

Unto us shall a Child, &c., (Fourth
Responsory on Sunday.}

Second Lesson.

CHALL not I Myself bring forth,
saith the LORD, That make
others to bring forth ? Shall I Myself
be barren, That cause others to beget
children ? saith the Lord thy God.
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad
with her, all ye that love her : rejoice
for joy with her, all ye that mourn for
her, that ye may suck, and be satisfied
with the breasts of her consolations :
that ye may milk out, and be delighted
with the abundance of her glory. For
thus saith the LORD : Behold, I will
extend the glory of the Gentiles to her
like a flowing stream, whereof ye shall
suck ; ye shall be borne upon her
breasts, and be dandled upon her
knees.

Second Responsory.

Behold, the fulness of the time, &c.,
(Fifth Responsory on Sunday.)

Third Lesson

A S one whom his mother comfort-
eth, so will I comfort you, and
ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
When ye see this, your heart shall
rejoice, and your bones shall flourish
like an herb : and the hand of the
LORD shall be known towards His
servants, and His indignation towards
His enemies. For, behold, the LORD
will come with fire ; and His chariots
like a whirlwind, to render His anger
with fury, and His rebuke with flames
of fire : for by fire and by His sword
will the LORD plead with all flesh, and
the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Third Responsory.

O virgin of Israel, &c., (Sixth Re
sponsory on Sunday.}

LAUDS.
Chapter. (Isa. ii. 3.)

Come ye, &c., (as on Monday in the
First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Sunday.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Behold, all things are fulfilled * which
were spoken by the Angel concerning
the Virgin Mary.

Prayer as on Sunday.

PRIME, TERCE, SEXT, NONE.

Antiphons as on Sunday, and the
same alteration in the Short Respon
sory at Prime.

VESPERS.
Chapter. (Gen. xlix. 10.)

The sceptre, &c., (as on Monday in
the First Week.}

Hymn and Verse and Answer as on
the First Saturday.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

26;

Cljrfettnas 3be,

The Eve of the Lord s Birth.

If Christmas Eve does not fall on a
Sunday, the Office is of the Eve. If it
fall on a Sunday, the Office is of the
Sunday, save that the Invitatory is of
the Eve; all is then of the Sunday till
the Verse and Answer of the Third
Nocturn : the Verse and Answer, Gos
pel and Homily, are then of the Eve;
what follows is of the Eve, and at
Lauds there is a Commemoration of
the Sunday.

MATTINS.

Of the week-day, except the following.

Invitatory. This day ye shall know
that the Lord cometh : * x and in the
morning, then ye shall see His glory.

Hymn as on the First Sunday.

Verse. This day ye shall know that
the Lord cometh.

Answer. And in the morning, then
ye shall see His glory.

First [or Seventh} Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (i.
18.)

A IT HEN as Mary, the Mother of
* * JESUS, was espoused to Joseph,
before they came together, she was
found with child of the Holy Ghost.
And so on.

Homily by St Jerome, Priest [at
Bethlehem,] (\st Bk. of Commentaries,
on Matth. i.)

Why was the Lord conceived of an
espoused virgin rather than of a free ?
First, for the sake of the genealogy of
Mary, which we have obtained by that

1 Exod. xvi. 6, 7. 2 Exod. xix. 10.

of Joseph. Secondly, because she was
thus saved from being stoned by the
Jews as an adulteress. Thirdly, that
Himself and His mother might have
a guardian on their journey into Egypt.
To these, Ignatius, the martyr of
Antioch, has added a fourth reason :
namely, that the birth might take
place unknown to the devil, who
would naturally suppose that Mary
had conceived by Joseph.

First \pr SeventJi\ Responsory.

2 Sanctify yourselves to-day, and be
ready : for on the morrow ye shall see
the majesty of God upon you.

Verse. This day ye shall know that
the Lord cometh, and in the morning,
then ye shall see

Answer. The majesty of God upon
you.

Second [or Eighth"] Lesson.

u "DEFORE they came together, she
was found with child of the
Holy Ghost." She was found, that is,
by Joseph, but by no one else. He
had already almost an husband s privi
lege to know all that concerned her.
" Before they came together." This
doth not imply that they ever did come
together : the Scripture merely show-
eth the absolute fact that up to this
time they had not done so.

Second [or EightJi\ Responsory.

3 Stand still, and ye shall see the
help of the Lord with you : O Judah
and Jerusalem, fear not. To-morrow
ye shall go out, and the Lord will be
with you.

Verse. Sanctify yourselves, O ye
children of Israel, and be ready.

Answer. To-morrow ye shall go
out, and the Lord will be with you.

3 Exod. xiv. 13 ; 2 Par. (Chron.) xx. 17.

268

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Third [or Ninth\ Lesson.

" T^HEN Joseph her husband, being
a just man, and not willing to
make her a public example, was
minded to put her away privily." If
any man be joined to a fornicatress
they become one body ; and according
to the law they that are privy to a
crime are thereby guilty. How then
can it be that Joseph is described as
a just man, at the very time he was
compounding the criminality of his
espoused? It must have been that
he knew her to be pure, and yet
understood not the mystery of her
pregnancy, but, while he wondered at
that which had happened, was willing
to hold his peace.

Third [or Ninth} Responsory.

Sanctify yourselves, O ye children
of Israel, saith the Lord : for on the
morrow the LORD will come down.
And will take away from you all
sickness. 1

Verse. On the morrow the sins of
the earth shall be washed away, and
the Saviour of the world will be our
King.

Answer. And will take away from
you all sickness.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And will take away from
you all sickness.

The rest of the day is observed as a
Double Feast.

Second Antiphon. 3 This day ye
shall know * that the Lord cometh :
and in the morning, then ye shall see
His glory.

Third Antiphon. On the morrow *
the sins of the earth shall be washed
away, and the Saviour of the world
will be our King.

Fourth Antiphon. The Lord com
eth ! * Go ye out to meet Him,
and say : How great is His dominion,
and of His kingdom there shall be
no end : He is the Mighty God, the
Ruler, the Prince of Peace, Alleluia !

Fifth Antiphon. On the morrow *
ye shall be saved, saith the Lord God
of hosts.

Chapter. (Rom. i. i.)

a servant of JESUS Christ,
called to be an Apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, which He
had promised afore by His Prophets,
in the holy Scriptures, concerning His
Son, Which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh.

Hymn as on the First Sunday.

Verse. On the morrow the sins of
the earth shall be washed away.

Answer. And the Saviour of the
world will be our King.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
The Saviour of the world shall rise
like the sun, and come down into the
womb of the Virgin as the showers
upon the grass. Alleluia.

LAUDS.
Psalms of the Sunday.

First Antiphon. 2 O Judah and
Jerusalem, * fear not : to-morrow ye
shall go out, and the LORD will be
with you.

1 Deut. vii. 15.

Prayer.

C\ GOD, Whose mercy doth year by
^^^ year cause us to rejoice, looking
forward to our deliverance, grant that
as we now make ready with gladness
to receive Thine Only-begotten Son as
our Saviour, so we may see Him with-

2 2 Par. (Chron.) xx. 17. 3 Exod. xvi. 6, 7.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

269

out dread at His second and terrible
coming as our Judge, even our Lord
JESUS Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, one God, world without
end. Amen.

PRIME.
As on Doubles.

Antiphon. O Judah and Jerusalem,
* &c., (First Antiphon at Lauds.}

The same alteration as before in the
Short Responsory.

MARTYROLOGY (all standing}.

Upon the 25th day of December ;

In the year 5199 from the creation
of the world, when in the beginning
* God created the heavens and the
earth ;

In the year 2959 from the flood ;

In the year 2015 from the birth of
Abraham ;

In the year 1510 from the going forth
of the people of Israel out of Egypt
under Moses ;

In the year 1032 from the anoint
ing of David as King ;

In the 65th week according to the
prophecy of Daniel ;

In the 194 Olympiad ;

In the 752 from the foundation of
the city of Rome ;

In the 42nd year of the reign of the
Emperor Octavian Augustus ;

In the 6th age of the world, while
the whole earth was at peace, JESUS
Christ, Himself Eternal God and Son
of the Eternal Father, being pleased to
hallow the world by His most gracious
coming, having been conceived of the
Holy Ghost, and when nine months
were passed after His conception,

(all kneel down]

was born of the Virgin Mary at Beth
lehem of Juda made Man, our Lord

JESUS Christ was born according to
the flesh.

(All rise and sit. .)

Upon the same 25th day of Decem
ber, were born into the better life

At Rome, in the Apronian cemetery,
the holy virgin Eugenia, who in the
time of the Emperor Gallienus, after
many works of power, and after enlist
ing bands of sacred virgins for Christ,
suffered long under Nicetius, Prefect of
the city, and at length was slain with
the sword [about 258].

At Nicomedia, many thousand holy
martyrs. Upon the feast of Christ s
birth they had come together unto the
Lord s house, and the Emperor Diocle
tian ordered the doors of the church
to be shut, and all things made ready
for fire round about it ; then he set a
tripod and incense in front of the door,
and sent an herald to proclaim in a
loud voice that whosoever would escape
burning should come forth and offer
incense unto Jupiter. Whereunto they
all replied with one voice, that they
would far rather die for Christ s sake,
whereupon he kindled the fire and they
were consumed, and were born in
heaven upon that same day where
upon it had pleased Christ to be born
into this world to save it.

At Barcelona, in Spain [in the year
1256], the holy confessor Peter Nolasco,
founder of the Order of the Blessed
Virgin Mary of Ransom for the re
demption of captives. He was famous
for his graces and miracles, and
Alexander VIII. commanded his
feast to be kept upon the last day
of January.

Chapter at the end. (Rom. i. 5.)

Y Whom we have received grace
and Apostleship, for obedience
to the faith among all nations, by His
name, among whom are ye also the
called of our Lord JESUS Christ.

270

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

TERCE.

Antiphon. This day ye shall know,
&c., {Second Antiphon at Lands. ]

Chapter from Lauds.

Short Responsory.

This day ye shall know that the
Lord cometh.

Answer. This day ye shall know
that the Lord cometh.

Verse. And in the morning, then
ye shall see His glory.

Answer. That the Lord cometh.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. This day ye shall know
that the Lord cometh.

Verse. Stand ye still.

Answer. And ye shall see the
salvation of the LORD with you.

Prayer as at Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. On the morrow, * &c.,
( Third Antiphon at Lauds.*}

Chapter. (Rom. i. 4.)

O is declared to be the Son of
God with power, according to
the spirit of holiness, by the resur
rection of our Lord JESUS Christ from
the dead.

Short Responsory.

On the morrow the sins of the earth
shall be washed away.

Answer. On the morrow the sins
of the earth shall be washed away.

Verse. And the Saviour of the
world will be our King.

Answer. The sins of the earth
shall be washed away.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. On the morrow the sins
of the earth shall be washed away.

Verse. On the morrow ye shall be
saved.

Answer. Saith the Lord God of
hosts.

Prayer as at Lauds.

NONE.

Antiphon. On the morrow, * &c.,
(Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.*]

Chapter as at the end of Prime.

Short Responsory.

On the morrow ye shall be saved.

Answer. On the morrow ye shall
be saved.

Verse. Saith the Lord God of
hosts.

Answer. Ye shall be saved.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. On the morrow ye shall
be saved.

Verse. On the morrow the sins of
the earth shall be washed away.

Answer. And the Saviour of the
world will be our King.

Prayer as at Lauds.

The Feast begins at sunset.

From henceforth until the Epiphany,
the last verse of all the hymns at
Prime, Terce, Sext, None, and Com
pline, is altered in honour of the
Incarnation.

271

or Drtstmag liag,

Efje Birt^Bag * of % ILortu

Double of the First Class, with an Octave.

Everything as on Sundays except
what is otherwise given here.

FIRST VESPERS.

First Antiphon. King Peaceful ex
ceeded all the kings of the earth, and
all the earth sought to Peaceful. 2

Second Antiphon. King Peaceful
exceeded all the kings of the whole
earth.

Third Antiphon. 3 The days of
Mary were accomplished that she
should bring" forth her first-born Son.

Fourth Antiphon. 4 Know ye that
the kingdom of God is at hand : Amen
I say unto you, it will not tarry.

Fifth Antiphon. 5 Lift up your
heads : behold, your redemption
draweth nigh.

Psalm CXVI.
O praise the LORD, &c., (p. 186.)

Chapter. (Tit. iii. 4.)

n^HE kindness and love of God our

Saviour appeared, not by works of

righteousness which we have done, but

JESUS, the Ransomer of man,
Who, ere created light began,
Didst from the Sovereign Father spring,
His power and glory equalling.

Thou brightness of Thy Father s rays,
Thou hope and end of all our ways :
With gracious ears the prayers attend,
Which round the world to Thee ascend.

Remember, Lord, that heretofore,
When Thee Thy Virgin Mother bore,
Thou from her womb didst breathe our air,
And human nature for us bear.

To Thee, this present solemn day,
We yearly adorations pay ;
The world s Redeemer Thee we own,
Descending from Thy Father s throne.

The joyful heavens, earth and main,
With whatsoever they contain,
In new, harmonious accents sing
New life restored by the new-born King.

We, ransomed by that bloody tide,
That issued from Thy sacred side,
With double hymns of heart and voice,
For this Thy natal day rejoice.

To JESUS, from a Virgin sprung,
Be glory given, and praises sung :
The like to God the Father be,
And Holy Ghost eternally. Amen.

Verse. On the morrow the sins of

according to His mercy He saved us. the earth shall be washed away.

1 Nativitas.

2 This passage is in 3 (i) Kings x. 23, 24, and relates to Solomon, but by translating his
name, which, in the Hebrew, means " Peaceful," it is made to apply to Christ the true " Prince
of Peace." 3 Luke ii. 6, 7. 4 Luke xxi. 31. 5 Luke xxi. 28.

6 This hymn, except the last verse, is of the Ambrosian school, though altered almost beyond
recognition : the translation is extracted from the " Hortus Animae."

2J2

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

First Lesson. 3 (Isa. ix. I.)

A T the first He lightly afflicted the
land of Zabulon and the land
of Naphtali : and afterward did more
grievously afflict the way of the sea,
beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gen
tiles. The people that walked in
darkness have seen a great light :
they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath
the light shined. Thou hast multi
plied the nation and 4 not increased
the joy. They shall joy before Thee
according to the joy in harvest, as
men rejoice when they divide the
spoil. For Thou hast broken the
yoke of his burden, and the staff
of his shoulder, and the rod of his
oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
For every battle of the warrior is
with confused noise, and garments
rolled in blood, and it shall be with
burning and fuel of fire. For unto
us a Child is born, and unto us a
Son is given : and the government
is upon His shoulder, and His name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsel
lor, The Mighty God, The Ever
lasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

First Responsory.

This is the day whereon the King of
heaven was pleased to be born of a
Virgin, that He might bring back to
heaven man who was lost. There is
joy among the hosts of Angels, be
cause eternal salvation hath appeared
unto men.

Verse. 5 Glory to God in the high
est, and on earth peace, to men of
goodwill. 6

Answer. There is joy among the

3 Cf. Isa. ix. 6.

.is not given out. Lowth translates the first words : " In the former time He
j&gt;t Zabulon, &c.," (referring to the invasion under Tiglath Pileser,) "but in
trie latter time He hath made it glorious, even the way of the sea, &c."

ll ibrew tradition, accepted by Lowth, attributes the negative to an eccentric spelling,
and translates : " and increased their joy."

Luke " X 4- 6 I.e., the objects of God s good-will.

Answer. And the Saviour of the
world will be our King.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. * Or ever the sun be risen,
ye shall see the King of kings coming
forth from the Father, as a bridegroom
out of his chamber.

Prayer as at the following Lattds.

MATTINS.

Invitatory. 2 Unto us a Christ is
born : * O come, let us worship Him.

Hymn as at Vespers.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. The LORD hath
said unto Me : * Thou art My Son,
this day have I begotten Thee.

Psalm II.

Why do the heathen rage ? &c.,

(P- 40

Second Antiphon. The Lord is as
a bridegroom * coming out of his
chamber.

Psalm XVIII.

The heavens declare, &c. (p. 17.)

Third Antiphon. Grace is poured
into Thy lips: * therefore God hath
blessed Thee for ever.

Psalm XLIV.

Mine heart is overflowing, &c., (p.
96.)

Verse. The Lord is as a bride
groom.

Answer. Coming out of his cham
ber.

YULE OR CHRISTMAS DAY.

273

hosts of Angels, because eternal sal
vation hath appeared unto men.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. This is the day whereon
the King of heaven was pleased to
be born of a Virgin, that He might
bring back to heaven man who was
lost. There is joy among the hosts
of Angels, because eternal salvation
hath appeared unto men.

Second Lesson. l (Isa. xl. i.)

/COMFORT ye, comfort ye, My
^ people, saith your God. Speak
ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry
unto her that her warfare is accom
plished, that her iniquity is pardoned ;
for she hath received of the LORD S
hand double for all her sins. The
voice of him that crieth in the wilder
ness : Prepare ye the way of the
LORD, make straight in the desert
an highway for our God. Every
valley shall be exalted, and every
mountain and hill shall be made
low : and the crooked shall be made
straight, and the rough places plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall
be revealed, and all flesh shall see
it together ; for the mouth of the
LORD hath spoken it. The voice
said, Cry. And I said : What shall
I cry ? All flesh is grass, and all
the goodliness thereof is as the flower
of the field. The grass withereth and
the flower fadeth, because the spirit
of the LORD bloweth upon it : surely
the people is grass. The grass with
ereth and the flower fadeth : but the
word of our " 2 Lord endureth for ever.

Second Responsory.

This day is the true peace come
down unto us from heaven. This

day throughout the whole world the
skies drop down sweetness.

Verse. This day is the daybreak
of our new redemption, of the re
storing of the old, of everlasting-
joy.

Answer. This day throughout the
whole world the skies drop down
sweetness.

Third Lesson. l (Isa. Hi. i.)

A WAKE, awake, put on thy strength,
"^^ O Zion : put on thy beautiful gar
ments, O Jerusalem, thou city of the
Holy One ! for henceforth there shall
no more come into thee the uncircum-
cised and the unclean. Shake thyself
from the dust, arise, sit down, O Jeru
salem : loose thyself from the bands of
thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion !
For thus saith the LORD : Ye have
sold yourselves for nought, and ye
shall be redeemed without money.
For thus saith the Lord 3 GOD : My
people went down aforetime into
Egypt, to sojourn there : and the
Assyrian oppressed them without
cause. Now, therefore, what have
I here, saith the LORD, that My
people is taken away for nought ?
They that rule over them do evil,
saith the LORD, and My name con
tinually every day is blasphemed.
Therefore My people shall know My
Name in that day : they shall know
that I am He That spake, behold,
it is I.

Third Responsory.

O ye shepherds, speak, and tell us
what ye have seen ; who is appeared
in the earth ? We saw the new-born
Child, and Angels singing praise to
the Lord.

Verse. Speak ; what have ye seen ?
And tell us of the Birth of Christ.

Answer. We saw the new-born

Not given out.

2 Hebrew, " our God."

3 The Divine Name.

274

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Child, and Angels singing praise to
the Lord.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. We saw the new-born
Child, and Angels singing praise to
the Lord.

SECOND NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. We have drunk
in Thy loving-kindness, * O God,
in the midst of Thy temple.

Psalm XLVIL
Great is the LORD, &c., (p. 98.)

Second Antiphon. In the Lord s
days * shall abundance of peace arise
and flourish.

Psalm LXXI.

Give the king Thy judgment, c.,
(P. 126.)

Third Antiphon. Truth is sprung
out of the earth, * and righteousness
hath looked down from heaven.

Psalm LXXXIV.

LORD, Thou hast been favourable,

&c, (p. 143.)

Verse. * Thou art fairer than the
children of men.

Answer. Grace is poured into thy
lips.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St Leo [the Great,] (ist for
Christmas. )

"P) EARLY beloved brethren, Unto

us is born this day a Saviour,"

(Luke ii. n.) Let us rejoice. It

would be unlawful to be sad to-day,
for to - day is Life s Birthday : the
Birthday of that Life, Which, for
us dying creatures, taketh away the
sting of death, and bringeth the
bright promise of the eternal glad
ness hereafter. It would be unlaw
ful for any man to refuse to partake
in our rejoicing. All men have an
equal share in the great cause of
our joy, for, since our Lord, Who
is the destroyer of sin and of death,
findeth that all are bound under the
condemnation, He is come to make
all free. Rejoice, O thou that art
holy, thou drawest nearer to thy
crown ! Rejoice, O thou that art
sinful, thy Saviour offereth thee par
don ! Rejoice also, O thou Gentile,
God calleth thee to life ! For the
Son of God, when the fulness of the
time was come, which had been fixed
by the unsearchable counsel of God,
took upon Him the nature of man,
that He might reconcile that nature
to Him Who made it, and so the
devil, the inventor of death, is met
and beaten in that very flesh which
hath been the field of his victory.

Fourth Responsory.

How great is this mystery, how
wonderful is the teaching of the faith !
The beasts saw the new-born Lord
lying in a manger. Blessed is that
Virgin whose womb was made meet
to bear our Lord Christ.

Verse. Hail, Mary, full of grace :
the Lord is with thee.

Answer. Blessed is that Virgin
whose womb was made meet to bear
our Lord Christ.

Fifth Lesson.

A XT HEN our Lord entered the field

of battle against the devil, He

did so with a great and wonderful

1 Ps. xliv. 3.

YULE OR CHRISTMAS DAY.

275

fairness. Being Himself the Almighty,
He laid aside His uncreated Majesty
to fight with our cruel enemy in our
weak flesh. He brought against him
the very shape, the very nature of our
mortality, "yet without sin." (Heb.
iv. 15.) His birth however was not
a birth like other births for no other
is born pure, nay, not the little child
whose life endureth but a day on the
earth. 1 To His birth alone the throes
of human passion had not contributed,
in His alone no consequence of sin
had had- part. For His Mother was
chosen a Virgin of the kingly lineage
of David, and when she was to grow
heavy with the sacred Child, her soul
had already conceived Him before her
body. She knew the counsel of God
announced to her by the Angel, lest
the unwonted events should alarm
her. The future Mother of God knew
what was to be wrought in her by the
Holy Ghost, and that her modesty was
absolutely safe.

Fifth Responsory.

Blessed * is God s holy Mother,
Mary, maiden undefiled. This day
hath she brought forth the Saviour
of the world.

Verse. 2 Blessed is she that be
lieved ; for there is a performance of
all those things which were told her
from the Lord.

Answer. This day hath she
brought forth the Saviour of the
world.

Sixth Lesson.

"THEREFORE, dearly beloved bre-
thren, let us give thanks to
God the Father, through His Son, in
the Holy Ghost : Who, " for His great
love wherewith He loved us," hath
had mercy on us : and, " even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened

us together with Christ," (Eph. ii. 4,
5,) that in Him we might be a new
creature, and a new workmanship.
Let us then put off the old man with
his deeds (Col. iii. 9) ; and, having
obtained a share in the Sonship of
Christ, let us renounce the deeds of
the flesh. Learn, O Christian, how
great thou art, who hast been made
partaker of the Divine nature, (2 Pet.
i. 4,) and fall not again by corrupt
conversation into the beggarly ele
ments above which thou art lifted.
Remember Whose Body it is Whereof
thou art made a member, and Who
is its Head, (i Cor. vi. 15.) Re
member that it is He That hath
delivered thee from the power of
darkness ai%(d hath translated thee
into God s llight, and God s king
dom, (Col. i. 13.)

Sixth Responsory.

O Mary, how holy and how spotless
is thy virginity I am too dull to
praise thee ! For thou hast borne in
thy breast Him Whom the heavens
cannot contain. 3

Verse. Blessed art thou among
women, and blessed is the fruit of
thy womb.

Answer. For thou hast borne in
thy breast Him Whom the heavens
cannot contain.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. For thou hast borne in
thy breast Him Whom the heavens
cannot contain.

THIRD NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. He shall cry unto
Me, (Alleluia) * Thou art My Father,
(Alleluia.)

Job xiv. 4. (LXX.)

2 Luke i. 45.

3 3 (i) Kings viii. 27.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Psalm LXXXVIIL

I will sing of the mercies, &c., (p.

MS-)

Second Antiphon. Let the heavens
rejoice, * and let the earth be glad
before the LORD, for He cometh.

Psalm XCV.
O sing unto the LORD, &c., (p. 148.)

Third Antiphon. The Lord hath
made known, (Alleluia,) * His salva
tion, (Alleluia.)

Psalm XCVII.
O sing unto the LORD, &c., (p. 157.)

Verse. He shall cry unto Me,
(Alleluia.)

Answer. Thou art My Father,
(Alleluia.)

Seventh Blessing.

May the Gospel s saving Lord
Bless the reading of His Word.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (ii. i.)

A T that time : There went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be enrolled.
And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great,] (Wi on the Gospels.}

By God s mercy we are to say three
Masses to-day, so that there is not
much time left for preaching ; but at
the same time the occasion of the
Lord s Birth-day itself obliges me to

speak a few words. I will first ask
why, when the Lord was to be born,
the world was enrolled ? Was it not
to herald the appearing of Him by
Whom the elect are enrolled in the
book of life ? Whereas the Prophet
saith of the reprobate : " Let them
be blotted out of the book of the
living, and not be written with the
righteous." (Ps. Ixviii. 29.) Then,
the Lord is born in Bethlehem. Now
the name Bethlehem signifieth " the
House of Bread," and thus it is the
birth-place of Him Who hath said,
" I am the Living Bread, Which came
down from heaven." (John vi. 51.)
We see then that this name of Bethle
hem was prophetically given to the
place where Christ was born, .because
it was there that He was to appear
in the flesh by Whom the souls of
the faithful are fed unto life eternal.
He was born, not in His Mother s
house, but away from home. And
this is a mystery, showing that this
our mortality into which He was born
was not the home of Him Who is
begotten of the Father before the
worlds.

Seventh Responsory.

Blessed be the womb of the Virgin
Mary, which bore the Son of the
Eternal Father, and blessed be the
paps which give suck to Christ our
Lord. This day hath He been pleased
for the salvation of the world to be
born of a Virgin.

Verse. This day which is breaking
is holy : O come, ye Gentiles, and
worship the Lord.

Answer. This day hath He been
pleased for the salvation of the world
to be born of a Virgin.

Eighth Blessing.

May the Gospel s glorious word,
Cleansing to our souls afford.

YULE OR CHRISTMAS DAY.

277

Eighth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (ii. 15.)

A T that time : The shepherds said
^^ one to another : Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us.
And so on.

Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan,] (Book ii. on Luke ii.)

Behold the beginning of the Church.
Christ is born, and the shepherds
watch ; shepherds, to gather together
the scattered sheep of the Gentiles,
and to lead them into the fold of
Christ, that they might no longer be
a prey to the ravages of spiritual wolves
in the night of this world s darkness.
And that shepherd is wide awake,
whom the Good Shepherd stirreth up.
The flock then is the people, the night
is the world, and the shepherds are
the Priests. And perhaps he is a
shepherd to whom it is said, " Be
watchful and strengthen," (Apoc. iii.
2,) 1 for God hath ordained as the
shepherds of His flock not Bishops
only, but also Angels.

Eighth Responsory.

2 The Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us. And we beheld
His glory, the glory as of the Only-
begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth.

Verse. All things were made by
Him, and without Him was not any
thing made.

Answer. And we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the Only -be
gotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. And we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the Only - be
gotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth.

Ninth Blessing.

Christ That sent the Gospel preacher,
In his meaning be our Teacher.

Ninth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (i. i.)

T N the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. And so on.

Homily by St Austin, Bishop [of
Hippo,] (\st Tract on John. ]

Lest thou shouldest think all things
mean, as thou art accustomed to think
of things human, hear and digest this
" The Word was God." Now per
haps there will come forward some
Arian unbeliever, and say that the
Word of God was a creature. How
can the Word of God be a creature,
when it was by the Word that all
creatures were made ? If He be a
creature, then there must have been
some other Word, not a creature, by
which He was made. And what
Word is that ? If thou sayest that it
was by the word of the Word Himself
that He was made, I tell thee that
God had no other, but One Only-
begotten Son. But if thou say not
that it was by the word of the Word
Himself that He was made, thou art
forced to confess that. He by Whom
all things were made was not Himself
made at all. Believe the Gospel.

The Hymn, "We praise thee, O
God, &c." is said.

1 Addressed to the Angel of the Church of Sardis.
VOL. I.

2 John i. 14, 3.
K

2/8

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

After this the Service proceeds as
follows : *

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Let us pray.

Here follows the Prayer from Lauds,
at the end of which is answered :

Answer. Amen.

Verse. Hear my prayer, O LORD.
Answer. And let my cry come
unto Thee.

Verse. Bless we the Lord.
Answer. Thanks be to God.

In communities the Midnight Mass
is now celebrated, and immediately
afterwards Lauds are begun.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. O ye shepherds,
speak, * and tell us what ye have
seen ; who is appeared in the earth ?
We saw the new - born Child, and
angels singing praise to the Lord.
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Second Antiphon. 2 The Mother
brought forth the King, * Whose name
is called THE ETERNAL ; the joy of a
Mother was hers, remaining a Virgin
unsullied ; neither before nor hence
forth hath there been or shall be such
another. Alleluia.

Third Antiphon. 3 The Angel said
unto the shepherds : * I bring you
good tidings of great joy ; for unto you
is born this day a Saviour of the
world. Alleluia.

Fourth Antiphon. 3 There was with
the Angel a multitude of the heavenly
host, * praising God, and saying :

Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, to men of good will.
Alleluia.

Fifth Antiphon. Unto us this day
a little Child is born, * and His name
shall be called the Mighty God. Alle
luia, Alleluia.

Chapter. (Heb. LI.)

/^OD, Who by divers portions and
^"^ in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the Prophets :
hath in these last days spoken unto us
by His Son, Whom He hath appointed
heir of all things, by Whom also He
made the worlds.

"CROM where the sunrise had its birth,
A Unto the farthest bounds of earth,
The Virgin Mary s Child we sing,
With notes of gladness, Christ the King.

Blest Maker of the world, He came
And clad Him in a servant s frame,
Our flesh with His own Flesh to aid,
Lest those should perish whom He made.

His Mother pure becomes the place
Wherein abides celestial grace,
She bears within her maiden breast
A secret by herself unguessed.

Soon rises in that modest shrine
The Temple of the Lord Divine :
The stainless and unwedded one
Within her womb conceived the Son.

Him in that wondrous birth she bore
Whom Gabriel announced before ;
Whom John while yet unborn perceived,
And, leaping in the womb, believed.

On hay reclined, the Lord Most High,
Within a manger deigned to lie :
And He who feeds the birds of air
Vouchsafed a little milk to share.

The Heavenly choirs now rejoice,
The Angels lift to God their voice,
The Shepherd Who the world hath made
Before the shepherds lies displayed.

1 But if there is to be no Mass, Lauds are begun at once.

2 This Antiphon has a sort of rhythm like Hexameters, which has been preserved in the
translation. 3 Luke ii. 10, 13, 14.

4 Hymn attributed to Ccelius Sedulius, a poet of the fifth century. It is slightly altered.
The translation is by the Rev. Dr Littledale. In the original, and in the Breviary, the verses
begin with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, respectively.

YULE OR CHRISTMAS DAY.

279

O Lord, from spotless Virgin sprung,

All glory unto Thee be sung,

To Father, and to Spirit be

Like honour paid eternally. Amen.

Verse. The Lord hath made known.
Alleluia.

Answer. His salvation. Alleluia.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
Glory to God in the highest, * and on
earth peace, to men of good-will. Al
leluia, Alleluia.

Prayer throughout the Office.

, we beseech Thee, Almighty
God, that we who groan under
the burthen of our sins, may, by the
new Birth of Thine Only-begotten Son
in the flesh, mercifully be freed and
delivered. Through the Same our
Lord JESUS Christ Thy Son, Who
liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the
unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,
world without end. Amen.

PRIME.

Prime is said at dawn.

Antiphon. O ye shepherds, &c.,
(First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the short Responsory instead of
the Verse "Thou That sittest at the
right hand of the Father," is said:

Verse. Thou That wast born of the
Virgin Mary.

And the same alteration is made
every day till Twelfth Day.

MARTYROLOGY.

On the 26th day of December, was
born into the higher life

At Jerusalem, holy Stephen, the
first Martyr. He was stoned by the
Jews not long after the Ascension of
the Lord.

At Rome, holy Marinus, of the
Senatorial order. He was arrested
under the Emperor Numerian and the
Pnefect Marcian, on the charge of
being a Christian. He was tortured
as they used to do to slaves, on the
rack and with iron claws. They threw
him into a furnace, but the fire was
turned into dew, and he was delivered.
He was thrown to wild beasts, but
they left him unharmed. He was
led again to the altar, and, when he
prayed, the idols fell down. Then
they smote him with the sword, and
he became more than conqueror
through up-lifting of his testimony.

Likewise, at Rome, on this day was
laid to sleep [in the year 269] beside
the Appian Road the holy Pope Denys,
who worked hard for the Church, and
is a bright ensample of faith.

At the same place [in the year
417], the holy Pope and confessor
Zosimus.

In Mesopotamia, the holy Bishop
Archelaus, well known for his teaching
and holiness.

At Verona [in the year 380], holy
Bishop Zeno.

At Rome, holy Theodore, the cham
berlain of St Peter s church, of whom
mention is made by blessed Pope
Gregory.

And in divers places an exceeding
great multitude of holy Martyrs and
Confessors and holy Virgins.

Chapter at the end. (Heb. i. 1 1.)

"THEY shall perish, but Thou re-
mainest, and they all shall wax
old as doth a garment, and as a
vesture shalt Thou change them, and
they shall be changed : but Thou art
the Same, and Thy years shall not
fail.

In Communities the Dawn Mass is
now celebrated.

280

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

TERCE.

Antiphon. The Mother, &c.,
(Second Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter from Lauds.

Short Responsory.

The Word was made flesh. Alle
luia, Alleluia.

Answer. The Word was made
flesh. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. And dwelt among us.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. The Word was made
flesh. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. He shall cry unto Me,
Alleluia.

Answer. Thou art My Father. Al
leluia.

SEXT.

Antiphon. The Angel said, &c.,
(Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Heb. i. 10.)

AND: Thou, Lord, in the begin-
^ ning hast laid the foundation of
the earth, and the heavens are the
works of Thine hands.

Short Responsory.

The LORD hath made known. Al
leluia, Alleluia.

Answer. The LORD hath made
known. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. His salvation.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. The LORD hath made
known. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. All the ends of the earth
have seen Alleluia.

Answer. The salvation of our God.
Alleluia.

NONE.

Antiphon. Unto us this day, &c. r
(Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter as at the end of Prime.

Short Responsory.

All the ends of the earth have seen,
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Answer. All the ends of the earth
have seen, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. The salvation of our God.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. The Word was made flesh.
Alleluia.

Answer. And dwelt among us.
Alleluia.

SECOND VESPERS.

First Antiphon. Thine shall be the
dominion in the day of Thy power,
amid the brightness of the saints : *
from the womb before the day-star
have I begotten Thee.

Second Antiphon. The Lord sent re
demption unto His people, * He hath
commanded His covenant for ever.

Third Antiphon. Unto the upright
there ariseth light in the darkness : *
the Lord is gracious, and full of com
passion, and righteous.

Fourth Antiphon. With the LORD
there is mercy, * and with Him is
plenteous redemption.

Psalm CXXIX.
Out of the depths, c., (p. 91).

Fifth Antiphon. Of the fruit of thy
body * will I set upon thy throne.

Psalm CXXXI.

LORD, remember David, &c., (p.
193).

Chapter and Verse and Answer from
Lauds.

Hymn as at the First Vespers.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. This day the Christ is born :

ST STEPHEN S DAY.

281

this day the Saviour is appeared : *
this day the Angels sing praise in the
earth and the Archangels rejoice : this
day the righteous are glad and say :
Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia.

Commemoration of ST STEPHEN.

Antiphon. 1 And Stephen, full of
grace and power, did great wonders
among the people.

Verse. Thou hast 2 crowned him
with glory and honour, O Lord.

Answer. And madest him to have
dominion over the works of Thy
hands.

Let us pray.

r^ RANT, O Lord, that we may have
^- J grace to tread in his footsteps
whom we honour, and learn to love
and bless our enemies by the ex
ample of Thy First Martyr Stephen,
who prayed even for his murderers to
JESUS Christ, Thy Son ; Who liveth
and reigneth with Thee in the unity
of the Holy Ghost, one God, world
without end. Amen.

Dec. 26.

St Stqrfjnt g 3iag +

The Feast of St Stephen the First
Martyr.

Double of the Second Class, with an
Octave.

All from the Common Office for one
Martyr except what is otherwise given
here.

MATTINS.

Invitatory.

3 He That once a little Child,

Shivering in the manger lay,
Set on Stephen s blessed head
A crown that fadeth not away.

* O come, let us worship Him !

FIRST NOCTURN.
First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Acts of
the Apostles (vi. 2.)

T N those days, when the number of
the disciples was multiplied, there
arose a murmuring of the Grecians
against the Hebrews, because their
widows were neglected in the daily
ministration. Then the twelve called
the multitude of the disciples unto
them, and said : It is not reasonable
that we should leave the Word of
God, and serve tables. Wherefore,
brethren, look ye out among you
seven men of honest report, full of
the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually
to prayer, and to the ministry of the
word.

First Rcsponsory.

And Stephen, full of grace and
power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people.

Verse. There arose certain of the
synagogue, disputing with Stephen ;
and they were not able to resist the
wisdom, and the Spirit which spake.

Answer. Did great wonders and
miracles among the people.

Second Lesson.

A ND the saying pleased the whole
"^^ multitude. And they chose Ste
phen, a man full of faith and of the
Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Pro-
chorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and
Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of
Antioch. Whom they set before the
Apostles : and when they had prayed,
they laid their hands on them. And
the word of God increased ; and the
multitude of the disciples multiplied
in Jerusalem greatly ; and a great

1 Acts vi. 8.

2 The name Stephen means a crown.

The original has a rhyme.

282

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

multitude of the priests were obedient
to the faith. And Stephen, full of
grace and power, did great wonders
and miracles among the people.

Second Responsory.

1 All that sat in the council, looking
steadfastly on Stephen, saw his face
as it had been the face of an angel
standing among them.

Verse. Full of grace and power, he
did great wonders and miracles among
the people.

Answer. His face as it had been
the face of an angel standing among
them.

Third Lesson.

^PHEN there arose certain of the
synagogue, which is called the
synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyre-
nians, and Alexandrians, and of them
of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with
Stephen. And they were not able
to resist the wisdom and the Spirit
which spake. Then they suborned
men, which said they had heard him
speak blasphemous words against Moses
and against God. And they stirred up
the people, and the elders, and the
scribes ; and came upon him, and
caught him, and brought him to the
council, and set up false witnesses,
which said : This man ceaseth not to
speak words against this holy place,
and the law.

Third Responsory.

2 The blessed Stephen looked up
steadfastly into heaven, and saw the
glory of God, and said : Behold, I
see the heavens opened, and the Son

of Man standing at the right hand of
the power of God.

Verse. But Stephen, being full of
the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and said :

Answer. Behold, I see the heavens
opened, and the Son of man standing
at the right hand of the power of
God.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Behold, I see the heavens
opened, and the Son of Man standing
at the right hand of the power of God.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of St Fulgentius, Bishop [of Ruspa.] 3
(On St Stephen.}

VT ESTERDAY we were celebrating
the birth in time of our Eternal
King ; to-day we celebrate the vic
tory, through suffering, of one of His
soldiers. Yesterday our King was
pleased to come forth from His royal
palace of the Virgin s womb, clothed
in a robe of flesh, to visit the world ;
to-day His soldier, laying aside the
tabernacle of the body, entereth in
triumph into the heavenly palaces.
The One, preserving unchanged that
glory of the Godhead which He had
before the world was, girded Himself
with the form of a servant, and en
tered the arena of this world to fight
sin ; the other taketh off the garments
of this corruptible body, and entereth
into the heavenly mansions, where he
will reign for ever. The One cometh

1 Acts vi. 15. " Acts vii. 55.

3 Now called Alfaques, in the district of Tunis, in North Africa. The Martyrology (Jan. i)
says that "in the persecution by the Vandals he suffered much for the Catholic faith, and, on
account of his great learning, was banished by the Arians into the isle of Sardinia ; but, after
ward permitted to return to his Bishopric, renowned for his life and preaching, made an holy
end." Born, A.D. 468. Died, 533.

ST STEPHEN S DAY.

283

down, veiled in flesh ; the other goeth
up, clothed in a robe of glory, red
with blood.

Fourth Responsory.

1 They stoned Stephen, calling upon
God and saying : Lord JESUS Christ,
receive my spirit ; and lay not this sin
to their charge.

Verse. And he kneeled down, and
cried with a loud voice, saying :

Answer. Lord JESUS Christ, re
ceive my spirit ; and lay not this sin
to their charge.

Fifth Lesson.

*T*HE One cometh down amid the
jubilation of angels ; the other
g oeth up amid the stoning of the
Jews. Yesterday the holy angels were
singing, " Glory to God in the high
est ; " to-day there is joy among them,
for they receive Stephen into their
company. Yesterday the Lord came
forth from the Virgin s womb ; to-day
His soldier is delivered from the prison
of the body. Yesterday Christ was
for our sakes wrapped in swaddling
bands ; to - day He girdeth Stephen
with a robe of immortality. Yester
day the new -born Christ lay in a
narrow manger ; to-day Stephen en-
tereth victorious into the boundless
heavens. The Lord came down alone
that He might raise many up ; our
King humbled Himself that He might
set His soldiers in high places.

Fifth Responsory.

2 They ran upon him with one ac
cord, and cast him out of the city,
calling upon God, and saying : Lord
JESUS, receive my spirit.

Verse. And the witnesses laid
down their clothes at a young man s

1 Acts vii. 59, 60.

feet, whose name was Saul ; and they
stoned Stephen, calling upon God,
and saying :

Answer. Lord JESUS, receive my
spirit.

Sixth Lesson.

TV/T Y brethren, it behoveth us to con-
*"** sider with what arms Stephen
was able, amid all the cruelty of the
Jews, to remain more than conqueror,
and worthily to attain to so blessed
a triumph. Stephen, in that struggle
which brought him to the crown
whereof his name is a prophecy, had
for armour the love of God and man,
and by it he remained victorious on
all hands. The love of God strength
ened him against the cruelty of the
Jews ; and the love of his neighbour
made him pray even for his murderers.
Through love he rebuked the wander
ing, that they might be corrected ;
through love he prayed for them that
stoned him, that they might not be
punished. By the might of his love
he overcame Saul his cruel persecutor ;
and earned for a comrade in heaven,
the very man who had done him to
death upon earth.

Sixth Responsory.

The ungodly fell upon the righteous,
to put him to death. But he received
the stones with joy, that he might earn
a crown of glory.

Verse. They stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord.

Answer. But he received the
stones with joy, that he might earn
a crown of glory.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. But he received the
stones with joy, that he might earn
a crown of glory.

2 Acts vii. 56-58.

284

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (xxiii.
34.)

A T that time : JESUS said unto the
^^ Scribes and Pharisees : Behold,
I send unto you Prophets, and wise
men, and Scribes ; and some of them
ye shall kill and crucify. And so on.

Homily on this passage by St
Jerome, Priest [at Bethlehem.] (Bk.
iv. Commentary on Matth. xxiii.)

We have already remarked that the
Lord s words, " Fill ye up the measure
of your fathers," (32,) refer in the first
place to Himself, Whom the Jews
afterwards put to death. In a second
ary sense it may likewise be applied
to His disciples, of whom He saith,
" Behold, I send unto you Prophets,
and wise men, and Scribes." Here
observe that, according to the Apostle
writing to the Corinthians, ( I Cor. xii.
4,) there are diversities of gifts among
Christ s followers. Some are Prophets
of that which is to come ; some are
wise men, who know the due season
for rebuke and exhortation ; some are
Scribes learned in the law. And of
these they stoned Stephen, slew Paul
with the sword, crucified Peter, and
scourged the Disciples mentioned in
the Acts of the Apostles. (v. 40 ;
xvi. 23.)

Seventh Responsory.

Stephen, the servant of God, who
was stoned by the Jews, saw the
heavens opened : he saw and entered
in. Blessed is he, unto whom the
heavens were opened.

Verse. While his poor body was
crushed by the hurtling shower of
stones, God s brightness broke upon
him out of the heavenly palaces.

Answer. Blessed is he unto whom
the heavens were opened.

Eighth Lesson.

T T is a subject of dispute among
commentators who is meant by
Zacharias the son of Barachias. We
read of several persons of the name
of Zacharias. But here, in order to
prevent any mistake, it is particularly
said, "Whom ye slew between the
temple and the altar." I have read
various opinions in various places upon
this question, and I will give each.
First, some hold that Zacharias the
son of Barachias is the eleventh of
the twelve Minor Prophets ; and this
opinion is supported by the father s
name. But the Bible nowhere telleth
us that this Prophet was slain between
the temple and the altar ; and it is
hardly possible that he can have been,
for in his time it could scarcely be
said that even the ruins of the temple
were in existence. Secondly, others
maintain that this Zacharias was
Zacharias, the father of John the
Baptist. This interpretation is de
rived from the dreams of the Apocry
phal Gospels, wherein it is asserted
that he was martyred for preaching
Christ s coming.

Eighth Responsory.

The gates of heaven were opened
to Christ s blessed martyr Stephen,
and he is the first of all the martyrs.
Wherefore he reigneth crowned in
heaven.

Verse. For he was the first to
make an offering of his death to that
Saviour Who vouchsafed to suffer
death for us.

Answer. Wherefore he reigneth
crowned in heaven.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

ST STEPHEN S DAY.

285

Answer. Wherefore he reigneth
crowned in heaven.

Ninth Lesson.

A THIRD school will have it that this
*"*" Zacharias, the son of Barachias,
was that Zacharias of whom we read,
in 2 Chron. xxiv. 22, that he was
slain by Joash, king of Judah, between
the temple and the altar. Against
this it is to be remarked, that that
Zacharias was not the son of Barachias,
but of Jehoiada the priest ; whence it
is written, "Joash remembered not
the kindness which Jehoiada his father
had done to him." The question
therefore ariseth, if this opinion be
true, why, the name and manner of
death both agreeing with this explana
tion, Zacharias is called the son, not
of Jehoiada, but of Barachias. In
Hebrew, Barachias signifieth the
Blessed of the LORD, and Jehoiada
proves his Righteousness. In the
Gospel used by the Nazarenes the
name of Jehoiada is used instead of
Barachias.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. l They stoned
Stephen, * calling upon God, and
saying : Lay not this sin to their
charge.

Second Antiphon. The stones of
the brook * were sweet to him : all
the souls of the righteous follow him.

Third Antiphon. O my God, my
soul followeth hard after Thee, * for
my flesh hath been stoned for Thy
sake.

Fourth Antiphon. Stephen saw the
heavens opened ; * he saw and en
tered in : blessed is he unto whom the
heavens were opened.

Fifth Antiphon. * Behold, I see *
the heavens opened, and JESUS stand
ing on the right hand of the power of
God.

Chapter. (Acts vi. 8.)

AND Stephen, full of grace and
^ power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people.

Verse. 3 Devout men carried Ste
phen to his burial.

Answer. And made great lamen
tation over him.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias,
and Prayer throughout the Office from
the Commemoration of the preceding
evening.

Commemoration of Christmas from
the Lauds of yesterday.

PRIME.

Antiphon. They stoned Stephen,
&c., (First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the Short Responsory the same
alteration as yesterday.

MARTYROLOGY.

Upon the 27th day of December
were born into the better life

At Ephesus, the holy Apostle and
Evangelist John. After the writing of
his Gospel after his return from exile,
and after the Revelation which God
gave unto him, he lived on until the
time of the Emperor Trajan, and
founded and governed the churches of
all Asia. He died of old age in the
sixty-eighth year after the death of
Christ [about the year 101], and was
buried hard by the city of Ephesus.

At Alexandria, holy Maximus, Pope
of that See, who was eminently worthy
to be called a confessor [in the year
282],

At Constantinople the holy brethren
Theodore [Grapt] and Theophanes.
They were bred up from their child
hood in the monastery of St Saba, and
afterwards stoutly contended for the
honouring of holy images against the

1 Acts vii. 58, 59.

VOL

2 Acts vii. 55.

3 Acts viii. 2.
K 2

286

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Emperor Leo the Armenian, for the
which he caused them to be beaten
and sent into exile, and after his death
they still stoutly withstood the Emperor
Theophilus, who was held captive by
the same ungodliness, for the which he
also caused them to be again beaten
and driven into exile. Theodore died
in prison, but Theophanes, after that
peace was given back to the Church,
was made Bishop of Nice, and fell
asleep in peace in the Lord [ninth cen
tury].

Likewise, at Constantinople, the
holy virgin Niceras, who was emi
nent for her holiness, in the time of
the Emperor Arcadius [about the
year 440].

Chapter at the end. (Acts vii. 59.)

AND he kneeled down, and cried
^"*" with a loud voice, saying : Lord,
lay not this sin to their charge. And
when he had said this, he fell asleep
in the Lord.

TERCE.

Antiphon. The stones of the brook,
* c., (Second Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter from Lauds.

NONE.

SEXT.

Antiphon. O my God, &c., ( Third
Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Acts vi. 9.)

HTHEN there arose certain of the
synagogue of the Libertines, and
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of
them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing
with Stephen, and they were not able
to resist the wisdom, and the Spirit
which spake.

1 When this is the first or last Prayer, it has, of course, the usual termination, " Through our
Lord, &c."

Antiphon. Behold, I see, * &c. r
(Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter as at the end of Prime.

VESPERS.

All as the Second Vespers of Christ
mas^ till the Chapter.

Chapter from Lauds.

Verse. Stephen saw the heavens
opened.

Answer. He saw and entered in :
blessed is he unto whom the heavens
were opened.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Devout men carried Stephen
to his burial, and made great lamenta
tion over him.

Commemoration of ST JOHN.

Antiphon. This is that John,
which leaned on the Lord s Breast at
supper ; even that blessed Apostle,
unto whom were made known the
secret things of heaven.

Verse. Very worshipful is blessed
John.

Answer. Which leaned on the
Lord s Breast at supper.

Let us pray.

TV/TERCIFUL Lord, we beseech
*" Thee to cast Thy bright beams
of light upon Thy Church, that it,
being enlightened by the doctrine of
Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist
John, may at length attain to the light
of everlasting life. 1

Commemoration of Christmas from
the Second Vespers of that day.

ST JOHN S DAY.

287

Dec. 27.

Tke Feast of St John, Apostle and
Evangelist.

Double of the Second Class, with an
Octave.

All from the Common Office of
Apostles except the following :

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

first Lesson.

Here beginneth the First Epistle of
the Blessed Apostle John (i. i.)

HPHAT Which was from the begin
ning, Which we have heard,
Which we have seen with our eyes,
Which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of
life, (and the Life was manifested, and
we have seen It, and bear witness, and
show unto you that Eternal Life,
Which was with the Father, and was
manifested unto us) That Which we
have seen and heard declare we unto
you, that ye also may have fellowship
with us, and our fellowship be with the
Father, and with His Son JESUS
Christ. And these things we write
unto you that ye may rejoice, and that
your joy may be full. This then is
the message which we have heard
of Him, and declare unto you : That
God is light, and in Him is no dark
ness at all.

First Responsory.

Very worshipful is blessed John,
which leaned on the Lord s Breast at
supper. To Him did Christ upon the
Cross commit His mother, maiden to
maiden.

Verse. The Lord chose him for his
clean maidenhood, and loved him
more than all the rest.

Answer. To him did Christ upon
the Cross commit His mother, maiden
to maiden.

Second Lesson.

T F we say that we have fellowship
with Him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth. But if
we walk in the light, as He is in the
light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of JESUS Christ
His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we
make Him a liar, and His word is not
in us.

Second Responsory.

1 This is the disciple which testifieth
of these things, and wrote these things.
And we know that his testimony is
true.

Verse. He drank in the rivers of
the Gospel from the Lord s Breast as
from an holy fountain.

Answer. And we know that his
testimony is true.

Third Lesson, (ii. i.)

IV/TY little children, these things
write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, JESUS Christ
the righteous : and He is the propitia
tion for our sins ; and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the whole
world. And hereby we do know that
we know Him, if we keep His com
mandments. He that saith, I know
Him, and keepeth not His command-

1 John xxi. 24.

288

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him. But whoso keepeth His word,
in him verily is the love of God
perfected.

Third Responsory.

This is that most blessed Evangelist
and Apostle John. Who was found
worthy that the Lord should honour
him more than all the rest, by a
special privilege of love,

Verse. l This is the disciple whom
JESUS loved, which also leaned on the
Lord s Breast at supper.

Answer. Who was found worthy
that the Lord should honour him more
than all the rest, by a special privilege
of love.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Who was found worthy
that the Lord should honour him more
than all the rest, by a special privilege
of love.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book on
Ecclesiastical writers, written by St
Jerome, Priest [at Bethlehem.]

^THE Apostle John "whom JESUS
loved " was a son of Zebedee,
and brother of the Apostle James, who
was beheaded by Herod soon after our
Lord suffered. He was the last of the
Evangelists to write his Gospel, which
he published at the request of the
Bishops of Asia, against Cerinthus and
other heretics, and particularly against
the then spreading doctrine of the
Ebionites, who asserted that Christ
had had no existence before Mary.
It was therefore needful for the Evan
gelist to declare His Eternal and
Divine Generation.

Fourth Responsory.

2 Him that overcometh will I make
a pillar in My temple, saith the Lord,
and I will write My name upon him,
and the name of the city, which is
New Jerusalem.

Verse. 3 To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the Paradise
of My God.

Answer. And I will write My
name upon him, and the name of the
city, which is New Jerusalem.

Fifth Lesson.

T N the fourteenth year after Nero,
Domitian stirred up the second
persecution, and John was exiled to
the island of Patmos, where he wrote
his Apocalypse, which hath been ex
plained by Justin the Martyr and
Irenaeus. When Domitian was killed,
the Senate annulled all his acts, on
account of his savage cruelty, and the
Apostle returned to Ephesus, during
the reign of Nerva. He remained at
Ephesus until the time of Trajan, and
founded and governed all the Churches
of Asia. There, in an extreme old
age, he died, in the sixty-eighth year
after the Lord s passion, and was
buried near the city.

Fifth Responsory.

JESUS loved him, because his singu
lar gift of purity made him more worthy
of love. He chose him for a virgin
unto Himself, and he remaineth a
virgin for ever.

Verse. At the end, when He was
dying upon the Cross, to him did
He commit His mother, maiden to
maiden.

Answer. He chose him for a
virgin unto Himself, and he remaineth
a virgin for ever.

John xxi. 20.

2 Apoc. iii. 12.

Apoc. ii. 7.

ST JOHN S DAY.

289

Sixth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Com
mentary upon the Epistle to the
Galatians, by the same author
(iii. 6.)

HPHE Blessed Evangelist John lived
at Ephesus down to an extreme
old age, and, at length, when he was
with difficulty carried to the Church,
and was not able to exhort the
congregation at length, he was used
simply to say at each meeting, " My
little children, love one another." At
last the disciples and brethren were
weary with hearing these words con
tinually, and asked him, " Master,
wherefore ever sayest thou this only ? "
Whereto he replied to them, (worthy
of John,) " It is the commandment
of the Lord, and if this only be done,
it is enough."

Sixth Responsory.

1 T N the midst of the congregation
did the Lord open his mouth.
And filled him with the spirit of
wisdom and understanding.

Verse. He made him rich with joy
and gladness.

Answer. And filled him with the
spirit of wisdom and understanding.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. And filled him with the
spirit of wisdom and understanding.

THIRD NOCTURN.
Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (xxi. 19.)

AT that time: JESUS saith unto
Peter : Follow Me. Peter, turn
ing about, seeth the disciple whom
JESUS loved, following. And so on.

1 Ecclus. xv. 5, 6. 2 Hag

Homily on this passage by St Austin,
Bishop [of Hippo,] (i 24^/2 Tract on
John.}

The Church knoweth of two different
lives which God hath revealed and
blessed : one is the life of faith, the
other the life of knowledge : one the
life of this pilgrimage, the other the
life of the eternal mansions ; one the
life of work, the other the life of rest :
one the life of the journey, the other
the life of home ; one the life of action,
the other the life of contemplation.
The one escheweth evil and doeth
good ; the other hath no evil to
eschew, and only an exceeding good
to enjoy. The one striveth with the
enemy, the other hath no enemies,
and reigneth.

Seventh Responsory.

2 In that day will I take thee, O My
servant, and will make thee as a
signet before Me. For I have chosen
thee, saith the LORD.

Verse. 3 Be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown
of life.

Answer. For I have chosen thee,
saith the LORD.

Eighth Lesson.

n^HE one succoureth the needy ; the
other is where there are no needy
to succour. The one forgiveth them
that trespass against it, that its own
trespasses may be forgiven ; the other
neither hath trespasses to forgive nor
to be forgiven. The one is chastened
with evil, lest it be exalted above
measure by good ; the other enjoyeth
such a fulness of grace that it feeleth
no evil, and cleaveth so firmly unto
the Highest Good, that it hath no
temptation to pride.

. ii. 24. 3 Apoc. ii. TO.

290

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Eighth Responsory.

This is that John which leaned on
the Lord s Breast at supper even that
blessed Apostle unto whom were made
known the secret things of heaven.

Verse. He drank in the rivers of
the Gospel from the Lord s Breast, as
from an holy fountain.

Answer. Even that blessed Apostle
unto whom were made known the
secret things of heaven.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Even that blessed Apostle
unto whom were made known the
secret things of heaven.

Ninth Lesson.

V\^HEREFORE the one is good,
but still sorrowful ; the other is
better and perfectly blessed. And of
these two lives there are types, of the
one in the Apostle Peter, of the other
in John. The one laboureth here even
unto the end, and findeth its end here
after ; the other stretcheth out into the
hereafter, and in eternity findeth no
end. Therefore is it said unto the
one, " Follow Me ; " but of the other,
" If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee ? Follow thou
Me." What is the meaning of these
words ? who can know ? who can
understand ? what is it ? is it " Follow
thou Me, imitating Me in the bear
ing of earthly sorrow; let him tarry
till I come again, bringing the ever
lasting reward ? "

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. Very worshipful *
is blessed John, which leaned on the
Lord s Breast at supper.

Second Antiphon. This is the dis
ciple * which testifieth of these things,

1 Matth. xvi. 28.

and we know that his testimony is
true.

Third Antiphon. This is My dis
ciple : * if I will that he tarry till I
come ?

Fourth Antiphon. l There be some
standing here, * which shall not taste
of death, till they see the Son of man
in His kingdom.

Fifth Antiphon. 2 Behold My ser
vant, * whom I have chosen, I have
put My spirit upon him.

Chapter. (Ecclus. xv. i.)

TIE that feareth the Lord will do
good : and he that keepeth
righteousness shall obtain her, and as
an honoured mother shall she meet
him.

Verse. This is the disciple which
testifieth of these things.

Answer. And we know that his
testimony is true.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias,
and Prayer throughout the Office from
the Commemoration at the preceding
Vespers.

Commemorations of Christmas and
of St Stephen from the Second Vespers
of Christmas Day.

PRIME.

Antiphon. Very worshipful, * &c.,
(First Antiphon at Lauds.}

In the Short Responsory the same
alteration as before.

MARTYROLOGY.

Upon the 28th day of December,
were born into the better life

At Bethlehem of Judah, the holy
innocent little children who were slain
for Christ s sake by Herod the King.

At Ancyra, in Galatia, the holy

2 Matth. xii. 18.

ST JOHN S DAY.

291

-martyrs Eutychius the priest and
Domitian the deacon.

In Africa, the holy martyrs Castor,
Victor, and Rogatian.

At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs,
Indes the eunuch, the virgins Domna,
Agape, and Theophila, and their com
panions, who after long contendings
by divers kinds of death gained the
crown of martyrdom in the persecu
tion under the Emperor Diocletian.

At Neo-Cassarea, in Pontus, in the
persecution under the Emperor Decius,
the holy martyr Troadius ; as he was
dying the ghost of holy Gregory the
wonder-worker appeared to him and
strengthened him to undergo mar
tyrdom.

At Arabissa, in the lower Armenia,
the holy martyr Caesarius, who suffered
under the Emperor Galerius Maxi-
mian.

At Lyons, in Gaul, the holy con
fessor Francis de Sales [1567-1622],
Bishop [and Prince] of Geneva, whose
name was enrolled among those of the
Saints by Pope Alexander VII. on
.account of his burning zeal for the
conversion of heretics. His feast is
kept by command of the said Pope
upon the 2 9th day of January, being
that day whereon his sacred body was
brought to Annecy from Lyons. Pope
Pius IX., in accordance with a vote of
the Congregation of Sacred Rites, de
clared him a doctor of the universal
Church.

At Rome, the holy priest Domnio.

In Egypt, the holy monk Theodore
[the Sanctified, Abbat from 348,
death of St Pachom of Tabenno,
in Egypt. He lived from 3i4-April
27, 367], a disciple of holy Pachom.
In the monastery of Lerins the holy
monk Anthony, famous for his miracles.
[A monk of Lerins, which monastery
he entered about 523. He died about
525.]

1 Apoc.

Chapter at the end. (Ecclus. xv. 5.)

T N the midst of the congregation did
the Lord open his mouth, and
filled him with the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, and clothed him
with a robe of glory.

TERCE.

Antiphon. This is the disciple, *
&c., (Second Antiphon at Lauds. ]

Chapter from Lauds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. This is My disciple, *
&c., (Third Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Ecclus. xv. 3.)

the bread of life and under-
standing did the Lord our God
feed him, and gave him the healthful
water of wisdom to drink.

NONE.

Antiphon. Behold My servant, *
&c., (Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}
Chapter as at the end of Prime.

VESPERS.

All as at the Second Vespers of
Christmas, till the Chapter.

Chapter as at Lauds.

Verse and Answer as at the Com
memoration in the preceding Vespers.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. There went this saying abroad
among the brethren, that that disciple
should not die ; yet JESUS said not :
He shall not die ; but, If I will that he
tarry till I come.

Commemoration of the HOLY
INNOCENTS.

Antiphon. l These are they which
were not defiled with women : for they

xiv. 4.

292

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

are virgins, and follow the Lamb
whithersoever He goeth.

Verse. Herod was exceeding wroth,
and slew many children.

Answer. In Bethlehem Judah, the
city of David.

Let us pray.

f~\ GOD, Whose praise Thine Inno-
^^ cent Martyrs did this day set
forth, not in confession but in death,
mortify and kill all vices in us, that
we, whose mouths profess Thy faith,
may by our lives also give glory to the
same. 1

Commemorations of Christmas and
of St Stephen from the Second Vespers
of Christinas Day.

What is the gain of such a sin?
What doth his crime for Herod win?
Saved only from so many slain,
Away uninjured Christ is ta en.

JESU, to Thee be glory paid,

Born for us of a stainless maid ;

To Father, and to Spirit blest,

Like praise be evermore addrest. Amen.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Book of
the Prophet Jeremiah (xxxi. 15.)

Dec. 28.

Cfjtltiertnas

The Feast of the Holy Innocents,
Martyrs.

Double of the Second Class, with an
Octave.

All from, the Common Office for
Many Martyrs, except what is other
wise given here.

MATTINS.
Hymn?

moody tyrant hears aghast
News that the King of kings, at last,
Hath come to rule o er Israel s name,
And David s Royal throne to claim.

Mad at the tidings is his cry !
"A King, who drives me forth, is nigh
Haste ye, my guard, with hand on glaive,
Till ye in blood all cradles lave."

1 When this is the first or last Prayer, it has, of course, the usual termination, "Through
our Lord, &c."

* Verses from a hymn by Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, b. 348, d. after 404 : translation by
the Rev. Dr Littledale. 3 Ramah. * Apoc. xiv. 2, 4 ; vii. 14.

^PHUS saith the LORD: A voice
was heard in the " Lofty City," 3
lamentation and weeping, and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her
children, refused to be comforted for
them, because they were not. Thus
saith the LORD : Refrain thy voice
from weeping, and thine eyes from
tears : for thy work shall be rewarded,
saith the LORD, and they shall come
again from the land of the enemy.
And there is hope in thine end, saith
the LORD, and thy children shall
come again to their own border.

First Respojisory.

4 An hundred, forty, and four thou
sand, which were redeemed from the
earth ; these are they which were not
defiled with women. For they re
mained virgins ; therefore are they
kings before God, and the Lamb of
God is with them.

Verse. These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes in the Blood of the
Lamb.

Answer. For they remained vir
gins ; therefore are they kings before
God, and the Lamb of God is with
them.

CHILDERMAS DAY.

293

Second Lesson.

T HAVE surely heard Ephraim be
moaning himself thus : Thou hast
chastised me ; and I was chastised as
a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke.
Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned ;
for Thou art the LORD my God. For
after that Thou hadst turned me, I
repented : and after that Thou hadst
instructed me, I smote upon my thigh :
I was ashamed, yea, even confounded,
because I did bear the reproach of my
youth. Is Ephraim My dear son ?
Is he a beloved child ? For since I
spake against him, I do earnestly
remember him still.

Second Responsory.

1 I heard under the altar the voices
of them that were slain, saying : How
long dost Thou not avenge our blood ?
And it was said unto them from God :
Rest yet for a little season, until the
number of your brethren be fulfilled.

Verse. I saw under the altar of
God the souls of them that were slain
for the Word of God, and for the
testimony which they held, and they
cried with a loud voice, saying :

Answer. How long dost Thou not
avenge our blood ? And it was said
unto them from God : Rest yet for a
little season, until the number of your
brethren be fulfilled.

Third Lesson.

CET thee up way-marks, make thee
^ 2 monuments of thy grief, set
thine heart toward the high-way, even
the way which thou wentest : turn
again, O Virgin of Israel, turn again
to these thy cities. How long wilt
thou wander hither and thither, O

thou back-sliding daughter ? for the
LORD hath created a new thing in
the earth : a woman shall compass a
man. Thus saith the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel : As yet they shall
use this speech in the land of Judah,
and in the cities thereof, when I shall
bring again their captivity: The LORD
bless thee, O habitation of righteous
ness, and mountain of holiness !

Third Responsory.

3 They worshipped Him That live th
for ever and ever. And cast their
crowns before the throne of the Lord
their God.

Verse. And they fell down upon
their faces before the throne, and
blessed Him That liveth for ever and
ever.

Answer. And cast their crowns be
fore the throne of the Lord their God.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Ansiver. And cast their crowns be
fore the throne of the Lord their God.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of 4 St Austin, Bishop [of Hippo.]
(\Qth on the Saints.}

"p\ EARLY beloved brethren, to-day
*-^ we keep the birthday of those
children, who, as we are informed by
the Gospel, were massacred by the
savage King Herod. Therefore let
earth rejoice with exceeding joy, for
she is the mother of these heavenly
soldiers, and of this numerous host.
The love of the vile Herod could

1 Apoc. vi. 9, 10, ii.

2 I.e., (perhaps) in going into exile, mark the road, since it will soon have to be retraced.

3 Apoc. iv. 10.

4 Some liturgical scholars question this ascription to St Austin, and pronounce the homily tc
be a composition from various writers. See Revue Benedictine, 1891, p. 272.

294

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

never have crowned these blessed
ones as hath his hatred. For the
Church testifieth by this holy solem
nity, that whereas iniquity did speci
ally abound against these little saints,
so much the more were heavenly bless
ings poured out upon them.

Fourth Responsory.

1 The blood of Thy saints have they
shed like water round about Jerusalem.
And there was none to bury them.

Verse. The dead bodies of Thy
servants have they given to be meat
unto the fowls of the air, the flesh of
Thy saints unto the beasts of the
earth.

Answer. And there was none to
bury them.

Fifth Lesson.

IDLES SED art thou, O Bethlehem
in the land of Judah, which hast
suffered the cruelty of King Herod in
the slaughter of thy children ; who art
found worthy to offer at once to God a
whole white-robed army of guileless
martyrs ! Surely, it is well to keep
their birth-day, even that blessed birth
day which gave them from earth to
heaven, more blessed than the day that
brought them out of their mother s
womb. Scarcely had they entered on
the life that now is, when they obtained
that glorious life which is to come.

Fifth Responsory.

These holy ones suffered for Thy
sake, O Lord : take vengeance for
them. For day by day they cry unto
Thee.

Verse. Avenge, O Lord, the blood
of Thy saints which is shed.

Answer. For day by day they cry
unto Thee.

Sixth Lesson.

\\ 7"E praise the death of other
martyrs because it was the
crowning act of an undaunted and per
sistent testimony ; but these were
crowned at once. He That maketh
an end to this present life, gave to
them at its very gates that eternal
blessedness which we hope for at its
close. They whom the wickedness of
Herod tore from their mothers breasts
are rightfully called the flowers of
martyrdom ; hardly had these buds
of the Church shown their heads
above the soil, in the winter of un
belief, when the frost of persecution
nipped them.

Sixth Responsory.

2 These are they which have not de
filed their garments. They shall walk
with Me in white, for they are worthy.

Verse. These are they which were
not defiled with women : for they are
virgins.

Answer. They shall walk with Me
in white, for they are worthy.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. They shall walk with Me
in white, for they are worthy.

THIRD NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. 3 The Righteous
live * for evermore ; their reward also
is with the Lord.

Second Antiphon. These are they
which came out of great tribulation,
and have washed their robes in the
blood of the Lamb.

Third Antiphon. Behold, how
great with God is the reward * of
His Saints : 4 yea, they who died for
Christ s sake shall live for ever and

1 Ps. Ixxviii. 3, 2.

Apoc. iii. 4.

3 Wisd. v. 16.

4 Matth. v. 12.

CHILDERMAS DAY.

295

Seventh Lesson,

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (ii.
I3-)

A T that time : The angel of the
*"* Lord appeareth to Joseph in a
dream, saying : Arise, and take the
young Child, and His mother, and flee
into Egypt : and be thou there until I
bring thee word. And so on.

Homily by St Jerome, Priest [at
Bethlehem.] (Book i. Comment, on
Matth. ii.)

He took the young Child, and His
mother, and fled into Egypt, by night
and in darkness ; and the darkness of
that night was a figure of the darkness
of ignorance in which they left the un
believers from whom they fled. But
when they returned into Judaea, we
learn not from the Gospel that it was
by night, or in darkness ; which is
an image of that light which will
lighten tlie Jews, when, at the end of
the world, they shall receive back the
faith, which now lighteneth the Gen
tiles, even as Judaea received Christ
returning from Egypt.

Seventh Responsory.

The saints sung a new song before
the throne of God and the Lamb : and
their voices were echoed on earth.

Verse. These were redeemed from
among men, being the first-fruits unto
God, ar.d to the Lamb, and in their
mouth was found no guile.

Answer. And their voices were
echoed on earth.

Eighth Blessing.

They whose feast-day we are keeping,
Be our advocates with God.

Eighth Lesson.

" ^THAT it might be fulfilled which
was spoken of the Lord by the
Prophet, saying : Out of Egypt have
I called My Son." Those who go
about to deny the authority of the
Hebrew Scriptures, ask where any
such passage is to be found in the
Septuagint. But, although they find
it not there, I tell them that the fact
of its being written in the Prophet
Hosea (xi. i) can be proved by the
texts which I have lately * published.

Eighth Responsory.

I saw under the Altar of God the
souls of them that were slain for the
word of God, which they held, and
they cried with a loud voice : Avenge,
O Lord, the blood of Thy saints,
which is shed.

Verse. Under the throne of God
all the saints cry aloud :

Answer. Avenge, O Lord, the
blood of Thy saints, which is shed.

If this day be Sunday the following
is added :

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Avenge, O Lord, the
blood of Thy saints, which is shed.

Ninth Lesson.

" "THEN was fulfilled that which
was spoken by Jeremy the
Prophet, saying ; In Rama was there
a voice heard, weeping and great
mourning ; Rachel weeping for her
children." The child of Rachel was
Benjamin, and Bethlehem is not a
town belonging to his tribe. We
must therefore seek another reason
why Rachel should weep for the

1 viz., circ. A.D. 400. The reading of the LXX. is: "I loved [Israel], and called his sons
out of Egypt."

296

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON,

children of Judah, to whom Bethlehem
belongeth, as for her own. The plain
answer is that she is buried at Ephrath
close to Bethlehem, and she is called
Mother on account of the resting-place
of her earthly tabernacle being there.
It is possible also that she is called
Mother because the tribes of Judah
and Benjamin were joined together,
and Herod slew not only all the
children that were in Bethlehem, but
also in all the coasts thereof.

If it be Sunday, the Hymn, "We
praise Thee, O God, &c.," is said, but
if not, then the following :

Ninth Responsory.

What are these which are arrayed
in white robes ? and whence came
they ? And he said to me : These are
they which came out of great tribu
lation, and have washed their robes,
and made them white in the Blood of
the Lamb.

Verse. I saw under the Altar of
God the souls of them which were
slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held.

Answer. These are they which
came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them
white in the Blood of the Lamb.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. These are they which
came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them
white in the Blood of the Lamb.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. Herod was ex
ceeding wroth, * and slew many chil
dren in Bethlehem Judah, the city of
David.

Second Antiphon. Herod slew many
children * from two years old, and
under, for the Lord s sake.

Third Antiphon. J Their angels *
do always behold the face of My
Father.

Fourth Antiphon. In Rama was
there a voice * heard, weeping and
mourning, Rachel weeping for her
children.

Fifth Antiphon. Under the throne
of God * all the saints cry aloud :
Avenge our blood, O our God !

Chapter. (Apoc. xiv. i.)

LOOKED, and, lo, a Lamb stood
on the mount Sion, and with Him
an hundred, forty, and four thousand ;
having His name and His Father s
name written in their foreheads.

Hymn?

A LL hail ! ye infant Martyr flowers !

Cut off in life s first dawning hours,
As rose-buds snapped in tempest strife,
When Herod sought your Saviour s life.

You, tender flock of lambs, we sing,
First victims slain for Christ your King :
Beneath the altar s heavenly ray,
With martyr palms and crowns ye play.

For their Redemption, glory be,
O JESUS, Virgin-born, to Thee !
With Father, and with Holy Ghost,
For ever from the Martyr-host ! Amen.

Verse and Answer, Antiphon at
the Song of Zacharias, and Prayer
throughout the Office, all from the
Commemoration at the preceding
Vespers.

Commemoration of Christmas, of Sf
Stephen, and of St John from their
respective Lauds.

1 Matth. xviii. 10.

2 Additional verses from the same hymn by Aurelius Prudentius Clemens ; translation by the
late Rev. Dr Neale.

CHILDERMAS DAY.

297

PRIME.

Antiphon. Herod was exceeding
wroth, * &c., (First Antiphon at
Lauds. )

In the Short Responsory the same
.alteration as before.

MARTYROLOGY.

Upon the 2 9th day of December
were born into the better life

At Canterbury, in England, the holy
martyr Thomas, Archbishop of that
see, who for his contending for right
eousness and for the privileges of the
Church, was smitten with the sword in
his own cathedral by a band of wicked
men, and so passed away to be with
Christ [in the year 1 170].

At Jerusalem, holy David, the King
and Prophet [in the year of the world
2950].

At Aries, holy Trophimus, of whom
St Paul maketh mention in writing
unto Timothy. He was ordained
bishop by this same Apostle Paul,
and was the first who was sent to
Aries to preach the Gospel of Christ,
and it was a spring, as holy Pope
Zosimus writeth, whence streams of
faith ran into all Gaul.

At Rome, the holy martyrs Callistus,
Felix, and Boniface.

In Africa, the holy martyrs Dominic,
Victor, Primian, Lybosus, Saturninus,
Crescentius, Secundus, and Honoratus.

At Vienne, in Gaul, holy Crescens,
the disciple of the blessed Apostle
Paul and the first bishop of the said
city.

At Constantinople, holy Marcellus
[of Apamea] Abbat [of the Accemeti in
the year 485 or 486 in that city].

At Hiesmes, in the time of King
Childebert, the holy confessor Evroul,
Abbat [of the monastery of Ouche, in
the diocese of Lisieux, in Normandy.
He was born at Bayeux in 517,
founded the Abbey of Ouche and be

came a monk in 567, and died on
December 29, 596].

Chapter at the end. (Apoc. xiv. 4.)

T^HESE were redeemed from among
men, being the first-fruits unto
God and to the Lamb, and in their
mouth was found no guile ; for they
are without blemish before the throne
of God.

TERCE.

Antiphon. Herod slew many chil
dren, * &c., (Second Antiphon at
Lauds. )

Chapter from Lattds.

SEXT.

Antiphon. Their angels, &c., ( Third
Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter. (Apoc. xiv. 4.)

"THESE are they which were not
defiled with women : for they
are virgins. These are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoever He
goeth.

NONE.

Antiphon. Under the throne of God,
* &c., (Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.")
Chapter as at the end of Prime.

VESPERS.

All as the Second Vespers of Christ
mas, till the Chapter.

Then of St Thomas of Canterbury
(where he is of the First Class}, from
the Office of One Martyr and the
following.

Prayer.

r\ GOD, in defence of Whose
^^^ Church the glorious Bishop
Thomas fell by the swords of wicked
men, grant, we beseech Thee, that all
that ask his help, may obtain whole
some fruit of their petition. Through
our Lord JESUS Christ Thy Son, Who

298

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the
unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,
world without end. Amen,

A Commemoration is made of the
Holy Innocents.

Antiphon. Innocent babes were
killed for Christ s sake, yea, the un
righteous king slew the sucklings : now
they follow the Lamb whithersoever
He goeth, they are without fault before
the throne of God, and say continu
ally : Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

Verse. Under the throne of God
all the saints cry aloud :

A?iswer. Avenge our blood, O our
God.

Prayer as during the day.

If this be Saturday evening, a Com
memoration is then made of the Sun
day, taken from the Lauds of that day,
which will be found under December
30, (p. 305.)

Then, in. any case, a Commemoration
of Christmas (and, where St Thomas
of Canterbury is not of the First Class,
Commemorations of St Stephen, and of
St John, from the Second Vespers of
each respectively}.

Dec. 29.

St l)oma0, arcpisfjop of
(Eanterimrg, fKartjjr*

The Feast of St Thomas, Archbishop
[of Canterbury, ~\ Martyr.

Double of the First 1 Class, with an
Octave.

All from the Common Office for One
Martyr, except what is otherwise given
here.

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

Lessons from Acts xx. 1 7, as in the
Common Office for a Martyr.

SECOND NOCTURN.

/ T V HOMAS was born in London, [in
the year of our Lord 1 1 17,] and
succeeded Theobald in the Archbishop
ric of Canterbury [in 1 162]. He had
previously filled with great distinction
the office of Lord Chancellor, and
showed an indomitable firmness in his
duty as Primate. When Henry II.,
King of England, in an assembly of
the Bishops and great men of his
realm, endeavoured to pass laws detri
mental to the advantage and dignity
of the Church, he opposed himself so
steadily to the king s wishes, that,
neither promises, nor threats availing
to shake him, he was about to be cast
into prison, had he not made good his
escape in time. The whole of his
kinsfolk without regard to age or sex,
his friends, and his advisers, were then
banished the kingdom, and those who
were able, were bound by an oath to
make their way to the presence of
Thomas, in the hope that though care
less of his own sufferings, he might
yield at the sight of their misery. But
neither flesh and blood, nor the plead
ings of natural affection could make
him swerve from the line of his pastoral
duty.

Fifth Lesson.

T T E betook himself to Pope Alex
ander III., by whom he was
graciously received, and who com
mitted him to the care of the Cister-

1 In England St Thomas is the patron of the secular clergy, and for them therefore the
feast is of the First Class, but among some of the regulars it is only of the Second Class.
In the present translation it is given as of the First Class ; but where it is treated as of the
Second Class, the second half of the Vespers on Innocents Day is of the Innocents, with a
Commemoration of him ; and his Commemoration is made after that of the Innocents,
while the Octave of the Innocents lasts.

ST THOMAS, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, MARTYR. 299

cians at Pontigni. As soon as this
came to the knowledge of King Henry,
he sent threatening letters to the
monks, in order to drive Thomas from
this shelter. The saint was unwilling
that the Cistercian Order should suffer
on his account, and therefore volun
tarily withdrew from Pontigni, and
accepted the invitation of Lewis VII.,
King of France, to go to his court.
He remained here, until his banish
ment was recalled at the intercession
of the Pope and of the King of France,
and he returned to England amid
great public joy. He was quietly con
tinuing the work of a faithful shepherd
of souls, when certain calumniators
denounced him to the king as a plotter
against the crown and the public peace.
Henry, deceived by these libels, cried
out that it was hard that one priest
should never let him have quiet in his
kingdom.

Sixth Lesson.

COME wicked servants of the king,
^ hearing his words, and thinking
to do him pleasure, betook themselves
to Canterbury to rid him of the Arch
bishop. They entered the cathedral
in the evening as Thomas was pro
ceeding to assist at Evensong. The
clergy in attendance on him, conscious
of the attempt about to be made,
wished to bolt the doors. But the
saint caused them to be again opened,
saying, " The Church of God is not to
be made a castle of, and for the cause
of God s Church I am willing to die."
He then said to his murderers, " I
charge you in the name of the Al
mighty God to hurt none of my
people." With these words he fell on
his knees, and commended himself to
God, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to
St Denis, and to the other holy
Patrons of the Church of Canterbury.
He presently offered his sacred head

for the stroke of death, and received it
from the swords of those wicked men
with the same constancy with which
he had withstood the commands of
the unrighteous king. The murderers
pulled out his brains and strewed them
all about the floor of the Church. He
testified on the 29th day of December,
in the [53rd] year of [his own age and
of] our Lord 1170, and, being after
wards honoured with many miracles,
was canonised by Pope Alexander III.
[in 1173].

THIRD NOCTURN.

SeventJi Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (x. n.)

A T that time : JESUS said unto the
"^^ Pharisees : I am the Good Shep
herd. The Good Shepherd giveth His
life for the sheep. And so on.

Homily by l St John Chrysostom,
Patriarch [of Constantinople.] (59^
on John.}

Dearly beloved brethren, the Bishops
of the Church hold a great office, an
office that needeth much that wisdom
and strength whereof Christ hath given
us an example. We must learn of
Him to lay down our lives for the
sheep and never to leave them ; and
to fight bravely against the wolf.
This is the difference between the true
shepherd and the hireling". The one
leaveth the sheep and seeketh his own
safety, but the other recketh not of his
own safety, so as he may watch over
the sheep. Christ then having given
us the pattern of a good shepherd,
warneth us against two enemies ; first,
the thief that cometh not but to kill
and to steal, and, secondly, the hire
ling that standeth by, and defendeth
not them that are committed to his
charge.

1 Jan. 27.

300

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Eighth Lesson.

"PZECHIEL hath said of old time,
" (xxxiv. 2): "Woe be to the
shepherds of Israel ! do they not feed
themselves ? Should not the shep
herds feed the flocks ? " But they did
the contrary, a great wickedness and
the root of many evils. "Therefore,"
he saith, "they brought not back that
which was gone astray : neither did
they search for that which was lost :
neither did they bind up that which
was broken, nor strengthen that which
was sick ; for they fed themselves, and
not the flock." And Paul hath the
same in other words, where he saith,
(Phil. ii. 21): "All seek their own,
not the things which are JESUS
Christ s."

Ninth Lesson.

/CHRIST showeth Himself very dif-
^^ ferent from either the thief or
the hireling ; whereas the thief cometh
to destroy, He came that they might
have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly. The hireling fleeth,
but He layeth down His life for the
sheep, that the sheep perish not. When
then the Jews went about to kill Him,
He ceased not to teach : He gave not
up them that believed in Him, but
stood steadfast and died. Wherefore
He hath good title often to say, " I am
the Good Shepherd." It was but a
little while, and He showed us how He
could lay down His life for the sheep.
And if it appeareth not as yet how
they have life, and have it more
abundantly, (but it shall appear, in
the world which is to come,) we may
well be persuaded of the truth of the
second promise, who have seen the
fulfilment of the first.

If the day be Sunday, the above
Ninth Lesson is read as one with
the Eighth to leave room for the
Homily of the Sunday, which will.

be found under December 30, (p. 304,)
and the three Lessons of which are
read together as one preceded by the
Blessing.

May the Gospel s glorious word
Cleansing to our souls afford.

At Lauds, if the day be Sunday,
a Commemoration is made of that day
which will be found under December
3) (P 35j) ana then, in any case,
a Commemoration of the Octave of
Christmas, (and where the Feast of St
Thomas of Canterbury is not a Double
of the First Class, Commemorations of
the Octaves of St Stephen, St John,
and the Holy Innocents from their re
spective Lauds.}

At Prime, the same alteration in the
Short Responsory as before.

MARTYROLOGY.

Upon the 3oth day of December
were born into the better life

At Spoleto, under the Emperor
Maximian, the holy martyrs Sabinus,
bishop of that see ; the deacons
Exuperantius and Marcellus, and the
President Venustian along with his
wife and children. Marcellus and
Exuperantius were first racked then
heavily cudgelled, then mangled with
hooks, and their sides were afterwards
burnt until they died. Venustian and
his wife and children were shortly
afterward put to the sword ; holy
Sabinus had his hands cut off, and
was long imprisoned, and at length
lashed to death. These did not
all suffer at the same time, but
they are all commemorated upon the
same day.

At Alexandria, the holy martyrs
Mansuetus, Severus, Appian, Donatus,
Honorius and their companions.

At Thessalonica, the holy martyr
Anysia [about the year 303]. There
likewise holy Anysius, bishop of that

OFFICE OF THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS.

301

city. [He succeeded S. Ascole, and
died about the year 404.]

At Milan, the holy confessor Eu-
genius, bishop of that city.

At Ravenna, holy Liberius, bishop
of that city.

At Aquila, in the Abruzzi, holy
Rainerius, bishop of that city [in the
twelfth century].

At Vespers the service as at the
Second Vespers of Christmas until the
Chapter exclusive. The rest is of
St Thomas (where he is of the First
Class], from the Common Office for a
Martyr, with the special Prayer. A
Commemoration is made of the Sunday
within the Octave of Christmas, the
Office of which will be found under
Dec. 30, or of the Day within the
Octave, whichever is the next day. If
the former, then a Commemoration of
Sunday and then of the Octave of
Christmas only ; if the latter, a Com
memoration of the Octave of Christmas
and then of Sunday only. If the day
itself be actually Sunday then the
Commemoration is taken from the
Second Vespers, as follows :

Antiphon. The child Jesus in
creased in age and wisdom before
God and man.

Verse. The Word was made flesh.
Alleluia.

Answer. And dwelt among us.
Alleluia.

Prayer.

^ ALMIGHTY, &c., (as at Lauds.
^^^ But if this day be any other
than Sunday, the Commemoration is
taken entirely from Lauds. )

Then a Commemoration of Christ
mas, (and, where St Thomas of Can
terbury is not of the First Class,
Commemorations of St Stephen, St

John, and the Holy Innocents, from
the Second Vespers of each respec
tively. )

Note. If December 25, 26, 27, 28,
or 30 fall on a Sunday, the Office of
the Sunday is said upon December 30.
But if the Sunday should be the i^th
or the 3 ij/, the Sunday is commemor
ated in the usual manner with the
Ninth Lesson, &&amp;gt;., in the Office of
St Thomas of Canterbury or of St
Silvester.

If Dec. 29 fall on a Friday, the
Office of Saturday is of the Octave of
Christmas, as given immediately here
after, and the Office on Sunday is of St
Silvester, with merely a Commemora
tion of Sunday.

Dec. 30.

fflice of tfje ctabe of
dfjrtstmas.

Semi-double.

All as on Christmas Day, except what
is otherwise given here, and that the
Antiphons are not doubled.

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

Here beginneth the Epistle of the
Blessed Apostle Paul to the Romans
(i. i.) 1

, a servant of JESUS Christ,
called to be an Apostle, separated
unto the Gospel of God, which He had
promised afore by His Prophets in the
holy Scriptures, concerning His Son,
That was born of the seed of David

1 Archbishop Kenrick says that "this letter has been placed at the head of the letters
of St Paul, on account of the dignity of the Roman Church." "It is probably sixth in the
order of time, having been written in the year 58, from Corinth, or Cenchrea." N. T., p. 459.

302

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

according to the flesh, and determined
to be the Son of God with power, ac
cording to the Spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection of our Lord JESUS Christ
from the dead : by Whom we have re
ceived grace and apostleship, for obedi
ence to the faith among all nations,
for His name, among whom are ye
also the called of JESUS Christ : to all
that be in Rome, beloved of God,
called to be saints. Grace to you,
and peace from God our Father, and
the Lord JESUS Christ.

First Responsory.

This day is the true peace, &c., (Se
cond Responsory on Christmas Day. )

Second Lesson.

THIRST, I thank my God, through
JESUS Christ, for you all, that
your faith is spoken of throughout the
whole world. For God is my witness,
Whom I serve with my spirit, in the
Gospel of His Son, that without ceas
ing I make mention of you always in
my prayers ; making request, if by any
means now at length I might have a
prosperous journey, by the will of God,
to come to you. For I long to see
you, that I may impart unto you some
spiritual gift, to the end ye may be
established : that is, that I may be
comforted together with you by the
mutual faith both of you and me.

Second Responsory.

O ye shepherds, &c., (Third Re
sponsory on Christmas Day,} omitting
the last Verse and Answer.

Third Lesson.

"M" OW I would not have you ignor
ant, brethren, that oftentimes I
purposed to come unto you (but was

hindered hitherto,) that I might have
some fruit among you also, even as
among other Gentiles. I am debtor
both to the Greeks and to the Bar
barians, both to the wise and to the
unwise : so, as much as in me is, I
am ready to preach the Gospel to you
that are at Rome also. For I am not
ashamed of the Gospel. For it is the
power of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth, to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek. For therein
is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith, as it is written :
1 The just shall live by faith. For
the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold
the truth of God in unrighteousness :
because that which may be known of
God is manifest in them ; for God
hath showed it unto them.

Third Responsory.

How great is this mystery, &c.,
(Fourth Responsory on Christmas

Day.}

At the end is added :

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Blessed is that virgin
whose womb was made meet to bear
the Lord Christ.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St Leo [the Great.] (qth
on Christmas.")

"Q EARLY beloved brethren, the

greatness of God s work, in its

breadth and height, passeth the power

of man s utterance ; and, therefore,

Hab. ii. 4.

OFFICE OF THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS.

303

when we must needs not keep silence,
we find it hard to know what to say.
The words of the Prophet "Who
shall declare His generation?" (Isa.
liii. g) look not only to the Divine,
but also to the human birth of JESUS
Christ, the Son of God. Faith be-
lieveth, but words cannot explain, how
the two natures were joined in one
Person, and therein we find that
we shall never lack matter of praise
in Him, Whose abundance ever out-
runneth the power of our expression.

Fourth Responsory.

Blessed is God s holy mother, &c.,
(Fifth Responsory on Christmas Day.}

Fifth Lesson.

"THEREFORE let us rejoice, that
this mystery of mercy is greater
than we can ever speak ; and let us
feel that it is good for us to fail if
we try to express the height and depth
of redeeming love. He cometh nearest
to the knowledge of the truth, who,
the farther he advanceth, seeth all the
more clearly that he can never overtake
that whereafter he searcheth. For he
that imagineth therein that he hath
ever attained unto the goal, hath not
found that which he seeketh, but hath
altogether missed.

Fifth Responsory.

O Mary, how holy, &c., (Sixth Re
sponsory on Christinas Day,} down to
the Verse, " Glory, &c.," exclusive.

Sixth Lesson.

T)UT lest we should be confounded
at the weakness of our mortality,
we have help in the words of the
Prophets and Evangelists ; and they
are able so to inflame and teach us
that we may see the Birth of the

Lord, wherein the Word was made
Flesh, not so much as a thing past,
as a thing present. The proclamation
of the angel to the shepherds who
watched their flocks by night, ringeth
in our ears also ; and for this end are
we appointed to rule the Lord s flock,
that we may ever keep in our heart
the word revealed from heaven, and
say unto you, as we do this day :
" Behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people ;
for unto you is born this day, in the
city of David, a Saviour, Which is
Christ the Lord ! "

Sixth Responsory.

Blessed be the womb, &c., (Seventh
Responsory o?i Christmas Day.}

At the end is added :

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. This day hath He been
pleased for the salvation of the world
to be born of a Virgin.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.
(If a week-day. }

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (ii. 15.)

A T that time : The shepherds said
^"^ one to another : Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste. And so
on.

Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan.] (Bk. ii. on Luke ii.)

The shepherds came with haste..
This is how every one cometh who is
really earnestly seeking Christ. The
shepherds believed the angel. Wilt

304

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

not thou believe Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, Angels, Prophets, and
Apostles ? Here also remark how
carefully every word in the Scripture
is chosen. They came with haste to
see this "Word," (as the original text
hath it. 1 ) A Word, indeed ; the
Word of God. He that saw the
Lord s Flesh, saw the Word, that is,
God the Son.

(If Sunday. }

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (ii. 33.)

A T that time : Joseph and Mary the
**"* mother of JESUS, marvelled at
those things which were spoken of
Him. And so on.

Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan.] (Bk. ii. on Luke ii.)

We see that God s abounding grace
is poured forth on all by the birth of
the Lord, and that the gift of prophecy
is not denied to the righteous, but to
the unbelieving. Simeon prophesieth
that our Lord JESUS Christ is set for
the fall and rising again of many in
Israel, setting forth that the just and
the unjust reap different fruits from the
coming of the Saviour ; so will it be
with us ; according to our individual
works will the True and Just Judge
apportion to us punishment or reward.

Seventh Responsory.

The Word was made Flesh, &c.,
(Eighth Responsory on Christmas Day,}
.down to the Verse "Glory, &c." ex
clusive.

Eighth Lesson.
(If a week-day.}

gECAUSE the office of a shepherd

is mean, think not meanly of the

example of their faith. Verily, that

1 Gr. Rhema.

which is poorest in learning is richest
in faith. The Lord seeketh not for
schools crowded with wise men, but
for a people of a single heart unused
to overlay and to disguise what they
learn, by vain and superfluous adorn
ments. He will have straightforward
ness rather than vain-glory.

(If Sunday.}

" "WE A, a sword shall pierce through
thine own soul also." We have
no record or tradition that Mary left
this world by suffering a violent death,
and the material sword can pierce the
body only, and not the soul. Where
fore here we see the wisdom of Mary
in that she was not ignorant of the
heavenly mysteries. For, "the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart :
for all things are naked and opened
unto the eyes " 2 of the Son of God,
from Whom also the secret things of
our conscience are not hidden.

Eighth Responsory.

How is the King of heaven at
tended ? He that containeth the world
is laid in a stable : lying in a manger,
reigning in heaven.

Verse. Unto us is born, this day,
in the city of David, a Saviour, Which
is Christ the Lord.

Answer. Lying in a manger, reign
ing in heaven.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. Lying in a manger, reign
ing in heaven.

2 Heb. iv. 12, 13.

OFFICE OF THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS.

305

Ninth Lesson.
(If a week-day.}

"PHINK not meanly either of the
shepherds words. The shep
herds strengthen the faith even of
Mary ; the shepherds lead God s
people to His worship. For, "all
they that heard it, wondered at those
things which were told them by the
shepherds. But Mary kept all these
things and pondered them in her
heart." Let us learn the modesty of
the Holy Virgin, that modesty of
speech as of body, whereby she laid
up in her heart the evidences of her
faith.

(If Sunday.}

^PHERE had been a triple prophecy ;
the prophecy of Simeon had fol
lowed the prophecy of the virgin, and
the prophecy of the wife ; those,
namely, of Mary and Elizabeth. And
now ought the widow also to prophesy,
that no sex nor state might be want
ing. And Anna is brought before us
with such a title from her widowhood
and her life, that we may well believe
that she received the grace to an
nounce the Advent of the Redeemer.
In our exhortation addressed to widows
we have already treated of her gifts at
length, and, as we have much matter
before us, we will not now again enter
on the subject.

The Hymn, "We praise Thee, O
God, &c.," is said.

LAUDS.

If a week-day, are the same as on
Christmas Day, but if a Simday, they
have the following :

Chapter. (Gal. iv. i.)

"DRETHREN : The heir, as long as

he is a child, differeth nothing

from a servant, though he be lord of

all ; but is under tutors and governors
until the time appointed by the father.

Verse. The Word was made Flesh.
Alleluia.

Answer. And dwelt among us.
Alleluia.

Antiphon at the So?^g of Zacharias.
While all things were in quiet silence,
and that night was in the midst of her
swift course, Thine Almighty Word, O
Lord, leapt down out of Thy Royal
Throne. 1

Prayer.

Q ALMIGHTY and everlasting
God, do Thou order all our
actions in conformity with Thy good
pleasure, that through the name of
Thy well-beloved Son, we may worthily
abound in all good works. Through
the same our Lord JESUS Christ, Thy
Son, Who liveth and reigneth with
Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
one God, world without end. Amen.

Whether Week-day or Sunday, Com
memorations are made of St Thomas,
of St Stephen, of St John, and of
the Holy Innocents.

PRIME.
MARTYROLOGY.

Upon the 3ist day of December
were born into the better life

At Rome, holy Pope Silvester [I.]
who [was said by tradition to have]
baptized the Emperor Constantine the
Great, confirmed the decrees of the
Council of Nice, wrought many other
holy works, and fell asleep in peace [in
the year 335.]

Likewise at Rome, at the cemetery
of Priscilla upon the Salarian Way, the
holy martyrs Donata, Paulina, Rustica,
Nominanda, Serotina, Hilaria, and
their companions.

At Sens, blessed Sabinian [First]

1 Wisd. xviii. 14, 15.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

bishop of that see, and Potentian, who
were sent thither to preach by the
Roman Pontiff, and adorned that city
by their last testimony. [He was the
Apostle of Sens.] There also in the
persecution under the Emperor Aure-
lian the holy virgin and martyr Colum-
ba, who conquered fire and was slain
with the sword [third century.]

At Rhessara, the holy exorcist
Hermes.

At Catania, in Sicily, the holy
martyrs Stephen, Pontian, Attalus,
Fabian, Cornelius, Sextus, Flos, Quin-
tian, Minervinus and Simplician.

On the same day holy Zoticus, a
Roman priest, who went to Constanti
nople, and busied himself with the
care of orphans.

At Ravenna, the holy confessor the
priest Barbatian.

On the same day holy Melania, the
younger, who left Rome along with
her husband Pinian [son of the Pre
fect of Rome], and went to Jerusalem
where she became a nun, and he a
mon k and both died holy deaths.
[She was born in 383, married 410,
and died in 439.]

If the Office be not of the Sunday, it
continues as on Christmas Day, but if
of the Sunday it is as of Christmas
Day, with the following differences.

Chapter at the. end. (Gal. iv. 7.)

HEREFORE he is no more a
servant, but a son ; and if a
son, then an heir of God.

TERCE.

The Chapter from Lauds.

SEXT.

Chapter. (Gal. iv. 4.)

T)UT when the fulness of the time

was come, God sent forth His

,Son, made of a woman, made under

the law, to redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons.

NONE.

Chapter as at the end of Prime.

Vespers of the following, with the
same Commemorations as at Lauds.

Dec. 31.

St Silvester [/.], Pope of Rome,
Confessor.

Double.

All from the Common Office for a
Bishop and Confessor, except what is
otherwise given here.

The first Vespers are of Christmas.
Double to the Chapter exclusive.

Commemorations of Christmas, St
Thomas of Can,terbury, St Stephen,
St John, and the Holy Innocents,
as at the second Vespers of each, are
made, preceded, if Saturday evening,
by a Commemoration of the Sunday.

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Epistle
of the Blessed Apostle Paul to the
Romans (ii. I.)

T^HEREFORE, thou art inexcus
able, O man, whosoever thou art
that judgest ; for wherein thou judgest
another, thou condemnest thyself; for
thou that judgest, doest the same
things. But we are sure that the
judgment of God is according to truth
against them which commit such

HOGMANAY.

307

things. And thinkest thou this, O
man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou
shalt escape the judgment of God ?
Or despisest thou the riches of His
goodness, and forbearance, and long-
suffering ? Knowest thou not that the
goodness of God leadeth thee to re
pentance ?

Second Lesson.

T)UT, after thy hardness and impeni-
tent heart, treasures! up unto
thyself wrath, against the day of wrath
.and revelation of the righteous judg
ment of God, Who will render to every
man according to his deeds : to them
who, by patient continuance in well
doing, seek for glory and honour and
immortality, eternal life ; but unto
them that are contentious and do not
obey the truth, but obey unrighteous
ness, indignation and wrath.

Third Lesson.

^TRIBULATION and anguish upon
every soul of man that doeth evil,
of the Jew first, and also of the Gen
tile, 1 but glory and honour and peace,
to every man that worketh good, to
the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. 1
For there is no respect of persons with
God. For as many as have sinned
without law shall also perish without
law ; and as many as have sinned
under law, shall be judged by law.
For not the hearers of the law are
just before God, but the doers of the
law shall be justified.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

C ILVESTER [I.] was a Roman by

birth, and his father s name was

Rufinus. He was brought up from a

very early age under a Priest named
Cyrinus, of whose teaching and ex
ample he was a diligent learner. In
his thirtieth year he was ordained
Priest of the Holy Roman Church by
Pope Marcellinus. In the discharge
of his duties he became a model for
all the clergy, and, after the death of
Melchiades, he succeeded him on the
Papal throne, [in the year of our Lord
314,] during the reign of Constantine,
who had already by public decree pro
claimed peace to the Church of Christ.
Hardly had he undertaken the govern
ment of the Church when he betook
himself to stir up the Emperor to pro
tect and propagate the religion of
Christ. Constantine was fresh from
his victory over his enemy Maxentius,
on the Eve whereof the sign of the
Cross had been revealed to him limned
in light upon the sky ; and there was
an old story in the Church of Rome
that it was Silvester who caused him
to recognise the images of the Apostles,
administered to him holy Baptism, and
cleansed him from the leprosy of mis
belief.

Fifth Less 071.

HP HE godly Emperor had already
granted to Christ s faithful people
permission to build public churches,
and by the advice of Silvester he
himself set them the example. He
built many Basilicas, and magnificently
adorned them with holy images, and
gifted them with gifts and endowments.
Among these there were, besides
others, the Church of Christ the
Saviour, hard by the Lateran Palace ;
that of St Peter, upon the Vatican
Mount ; that of St Paul, upon the
road to Ostia ; that of St Lawrence,
in Verus field ; that of the Holy
Cross at the Sessorian hall ; that of
St Peter and St Marcellinus, upon the
Lavican Way ; and that of St Agnes,

Gneci.

308

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

upon the road to Mentana. Under
this Pope was held the first Council of
Nice, presided over by the Papal
Legates, and in the Presence of Con-
stantine, and three hundred and eigh
teen Bishops, where the holy and
Catholic Faith was declared, and
Arius and his followers condemned ;
which Council was finally confirmed
by the Pope, at the request of all the
assembled Fathers, in a synod held
at Rome, where Arius was again con
demned. This Pope issued many use
ful ordinances for the Church of God.
He reserved to Bishops the right of
consecrating the Holy Chrism ; ordered
Priests to anoint with Chrism the
heads of the newly baptised ; settled
the officiating dress of Deacons as a
dalmatic and a linen maniple ; and
forbade the consecration of the Sacra
ment of the Altar on anything but a
linen corporal.

Sixth Lesson.

HP HIS Silvester is likewise said to
have ordained that all persons
taking Holy Orders should remain a-
while in each grade before being pro
moted to a higher ; that laymen should
not go to law against the clergy ; and
that the clergy themselves were not to
plead before civil tribunals. He de
creed that the first and seventh days of
the week should be called respectively
the Lord s Day and the Sabbath, and
the others, Second Day, Third Day,
and so on. In this he confirmed the
use of the word " Feria " for the week
days, the which use had already begun
in the Church. This word signifieth
an " holiday," and pointeth to the duty
of the clergy ever to lay aside all
worldly labour, and leave themselves
free to do continually the work of the
Lord. The heavenly wisdom with
which he ruled the Church of God,
was joined in him to a singular holi

ness of life, and an inexhaustible
tenderness towards the poor ; in which
matter he ordained that the wealthy
clergy should each relieve a certain
number of needy persons ; and he also
made arrangements for supplying the
consecrated virgins with the neces
saries of life. He lived as Pope
twenty - one years, ten months and
one day, and was buried in the
cemetery of Priscilla on the Salarian
Way, [in the year 335.] He held
seven Advent ordinations, and made
forty-two Priests, twenty-five Deacons,,
and sixty-five Bishops of various sees.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Lessons from Luke xii. 35, with
the Homily of St Gregory, as in the
Common Office for a Confessor not a
Bishop. If it be Sunday, the last
Lesson is omitted, or read as one
with the Eighth, and the Ninth Lesson
is the whole or the first part of the
Homily of the Sunday, already given
in the preceding Office preceded by the
Blessing :

May the Gospel s glorious word
Cleansing to our souls afford.

At Lauds, if Sunday, Christmas is
commemorated from the Lauds of that
day after the Commemoration of the
Sunday. Then Commemorations of St
Thomas of Canterbury, St Stephen,
St John, and the Holy Innocents, as
at the Lauds of each.

At Prime the same alteration as be
fore in the Short Responsory.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is the Octave of the
Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon
the which day is commemorated His
Circumcision.

Upon the same ist day of Jan
uary, were born into the better life

NEW YEAR S DAY.

309

At Rome, the holy martyr Al-
machius, who was slain by gladiators
[about the year 404] at the command
of Alpius, prefect of the city, be
cause he said : " This is the Octave
of the Lord s Birth, cease from your
idolatrous superstitions, and your
unclean sacrifices."

Likewise at Rome, upon the Appian
Way, thirty holy soldiers who were
crowned with martyrdom, under the
Emperor Diocletian.

Likewise at Rome, the holy virgin
Martina, who was put to divers tor
ments, under the Emperor Alexander,
and at length gained the crown of
martyrdom by the sword, whose feast
we keep upon the 3oth day of the
month of January.

At Spoleto, in the time of the
Emperor Antonine, the holy martyr,
the priest Concordius. He was first
cudgelled, then racked, and afterwards
suffered imprisonment wherein he
was comforted by a visit of angels,
and at length was delivered from this
life by the sword.

On the same day, the holy martyr
Magnus.

At Caesarea, in Cappadocia, the
burial of the holy Basil, bishop of
Cassarea [in the year 379], whose
feast we keep upon the I4th day of
June. Which is the day whereon he
was ordained a bishop.

In Africa, blessed Fulgentius, bishop
of the Church of Ruspa [in the year
508], who at the time of the per
secution under the Vandals, suffered
much at the hands of the Arians be
cause of his Catholic faith, and his
eminent teaching. He was exiled to
Sardinia [in the year 510]; but was
at length [in the year 523] allowed
to return to his own church, where
[in the year 533] he died a holy
death, famous for his life and his
words.

At Chieti, in Abruzzo Citeriore,
VOL. I.

holy Justin, bishop of that city, famous
for the holiness of his life, and for the
miracles worked through him [in the
year 543].

At the monastery of St Claude, upon
the Jura Mountains, in the country of
Lyons, holy [4th] Eugendus, Abbat
[of Condat], whose life was illustrious
for his graces and miracles [in the
year 5 i o].

At Senlis [in the year 1049], hc-ty
Odilo, [6th] Abbat of Cluni [elected
in the year 994], who first com
manded that in his monasteries a
commemoration of all the faithful
departed should be made upon the
first day after the festival of All
Saints, the which custom the Uni
versal Church hath since approved
by adopting it.

At Monte Senario, in Tuscany, the
blessed confessor Bonfiglio, one of the
seven founders of the order of ser
vants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to
whom he was devoted and by whom
he was suddenly called away to heaven
[in the year 1262].

At Alexandria [in the year 470], the
burial of the holy virgin Euphrosyne,
who shone in her nunnery as a great
light by the power of her self-denial
and her miracles.

The Vespers are of the Circumcision,
without any Commemorations.

Jan. i.

gear s

The Circumcision of the Lord, and
Octave of His Birth.

Double of the Second Class.

Everything as on Sundays except
what is otherwise given here.

3io

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

FIRST VESPERS.

Antiphons, Chapter, Verse and An
swer, and Prayer from Lauds.

Psalms as in the Common Office for
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin.

Hymn from the Vespers of Christmas
Day.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. J God, for His great love
wherewith He loved us, sent His Own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Alleluia.

No Commemorations.

Verse. The Lord is as a bride
groom.

Answer. Coming out of His
chamber.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Epistle
of the Blessed Apostle Paul to the
Romans, (iii. I.)

MATTINS.

Invitatory and Hymn as on Christ
mas Day.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. The Lord hath
said unto Me : Thou art My Son, *
this day have I begotten Thee.

Psalm II.

Why do the heathen rage, &c.,
(P&gt; 4-)

Second Antiphon. In the sun hath
He set His tabernacle : * and He is
as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber.

Psalm XVIII.
The heavens declare, &c., (p. 17.)

Third Antiphon. Be ye lift up, ye
everlasting doors, * and the King of
glory shall come in.

Psalm XXIII.

The earth is the LORD S, &c., (p.
46.)
1 Eph. ii. 4 ; Rom. viii. 3. 2 Ps. 1. 6.

advantage then hath the
Jew ? or what profit is there
of circumcision ? Much every way.
Chiefly, because that, unto them were
committed the oracles of God. For
what if some did not believe ? Shall
their unbelief make the faith of God
of none effect ? God forbid. Yea,
God is true : but every man a liar,
as it is written : " That Thou might-
est be justified in Thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when Thou art
judged." 2 But if our unrighteous
ness commend the righteousness of
God, what shall we say ? Is God
unrighteous, Who taketh vengeance ?
( I speak as a man. ) God forbid : for
then how shall God judge this world ?

First Responsory.

3 Behold the Lamb of God, behold
Him Which taketh away the sins of
the world ; behold Him of Whom I
said unto you : He That cometh after
me is preferred before me ; Whose
shoe s latchet I am not worthy to
unloose.

Verse. 4 He that is of the earth
speaketh of the earth ; He That com
eth from heaven is above all.

Answer. Whose shoe s latchet I
am not worthy to unloose.

Second Lesson, (iii. 29.)

TS He the God of the Jews only?

Is He not also of the Gentiles ?

Yea, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it

John i. 29. 4 John iii. 31.

NEW YEAR S DAY.

is one God Which justifieth the cir
cumcision by faith, and uncircumcision
through faith. Do we then make
void the law through faith ? God
forbid : yea, we establish the law.
(iv. i.) What shall we then say that
Abraham, our father, hath found,
according to the flesh ? For if
Abraham were justified by works, he
hath whereof to glory, but not before
God. For what saith the Scripture ?
1 " Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness."
Now to him that worketh is the re
ward not reckoned of grace, but of
debt. But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on Him That justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness, according to the gracious
purpose of God. Even as David also
describeth the happiness of the man,
unto whom God imputeth righteous
ness without works : 2 " Blessed are
they whose iniquities are forgiven, and
whose sins are covered."

Second Respo?isory.

This day which is breaking is holy :
O come, ye Gentiles, and worship the
Lord. For this day is much light
come down unto us from heaven.

Verse. 3 This is the day which the
LORD hath made, let us rejoice and
be glad in it.

Answer. For this day is much
light come down unto us from heaven.

Third Lesson.

COMETH this blessedness then
upon the circumcision only, or
upon the uncircumcision also ? For
we say that faith was reckoned to
Abraham for righteousness. How
then was it reckoned ? When he was
in circumcision or in uncircumcision ?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircum
cision. And he received the sign of

circumcision, a seal of the righteous
ness of the faith which he had, yet
being in uncircumcision ; that he might
be the father of all them that believe,
though they be not in circumcision, that
it might be imputed to them also for
righteousness ; and the father of cir
cumcision to them who are not of the
circumcision only, but who also walk
in the steps of that faith of our father
Abraham, which he had, being yet in
uncircumcision.

Third Responsory.

4 Blessed be He That cometh in
the name of the LORD ! God is the
LORD Which hath showed us light.
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. This is the day which the
LORD hath made, let us rejoice and
be glad in it.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer. Alleluia, Alleluia.

SECOND NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. Thou art fairer
than the children of men, * grace is
poured into Thy lips.

Psalm XLIV.

Mine heart is overflowing, &c.,
(p. 96.)

Second Antiphon. This man was
born in her, * and the Highest Him
self hath established her.

Psalm LXXXVI.
Her foundation, &c., (p. 144.)

Third Antiphon. All the trees of
the wood shall rejoice * before the
LORD, for He cometh.

1 Gen. xv. 6.

2 Ps. xxxi. i,

3 Ps. cxvii. 24.

4 Ps. cxvii. 26, 27.

3 I2

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Psalm XCV.

O sing unto the LORD, &c., (p.

148.)

Verse. Thou art fairer than the
children of men.

Answer. Grace is poured into thy
lips.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St Leo [the Great.] (7th
for Christmas.}

"P) EARLY beloved brethren, who-
*-^ soever will keep truly and honour
piously this day s festival, it is neces
sary for him neither to think falsely
of the Lord s Incarnation, nor meanly
of the Lord s Godhead. For as there
is danger, on the one hand, of denying
the truth of Christ s participation of
our nature, so is there no less danger,
on the other, of doing despite to the
equality of His glory with the glory
of the Father. Wherefore, when we
draw near to understand the mystery
of Christ s Birth, wherein He was
born of the Virgin Mary, we must
leave the clouds of earthly imagina
tion behind and pierce the fog of
human wisdom with the eye of en
lightened faith.

Fourth Responsory.

Rejoice with me, all ye that love
the Lord. For while I was yet little I
pleased the Most High, and from my
womb have I brought forth God and
man.

Verse. All generations shall call me
blessed, for God hath regarded the
lowliness of His hand-maiden.

Answer. For while I was yet little
I pleased the Most High, and from
my womb have I brought forth God
and man.

Fifth Lesson.

HP HE authority on which we believe
* is the authority of God Himself;
the teaching which we follow is the
teaching of God Himself. Wherefore
whether we lend the ear of our mind
to the testimony of the Law, or to the
revelations of the Prophets, or to the
full pealing of the Gospel trumpet,
that is true, which John the Son of
Thunder, uttered, when he was filled
with the Holy Ghost, and said : " In
the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word
was God. The Same was in the
beginning with God. All things were
made by Him, and without Him was
not anything made." True also is his
witness when he saith : " The Word
was made Flesh, and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the Only-begotten of the Father."
(John i. 1-3, 14.)

Fifth Responsory.

The heart of the Virgin was fixed,
when the Angel declared unto her the
mystery of God and she conceived :
then did she receive in her pure womb
Him That is fairer than the children
of men. And, she that is blessed for
ever, brought forth for us God and
man.

Verse.

Soon rises, in that modest shrine,
The Temple of the Lord Divine :
The stainless and unwedded one,
Within her womb conceived the Son,

Answer. And, she that is blessed
for ever, brought forth for us God and
man.

Sixth Lesson.

H^HE Person of the Son of God

* therefore remaineth unchanged

and one, though He have two natures,

NEW YEAR S DAY.

313

keeping His own, and taking ours.
He appeareth as man to be the re
storer of men, but abideth all the
while in His immutable Godhead.
That Godhead which He shareth with
the Father was not a whit the less
Almighty, nor did the form of a ser
vant touch the form of God to dero
gate from it. The Most High and
Everlasting Being, bending down for
man s salvation, took the Manhood
into His glory ; He ceased not to be
That which He is from everlasting.
Hence we see the Only-begotten Son
of God in one place confessing that
the Father is greater than He, (John
xiv. 28,) and in another declaring
that He and the Father are One,
(x. 30.) This is an evident proof of
the distinction of His two natures, and
the unity of His Person ; for He is
inferior to the Father as touching His
Manhood, and yet equal to the Father
as touching His Godhead, and yet,
though He be God and Man, He is
not two, but One Christ.

Sixth Responsory.

Blessed and worshipful art thou, O
Virgin Mary; from thee, still maiden
undefiled, the Saviour came a little
Child. He Whose glory filled the
heavens lay in a manger.

Verse. l O LORD, I have heard
Thy speech and was afraid ; I con
sidered Thy works and trembled. O
Thou [That dwellest] between the two
living creatures !

Answer. He Whose glory filled the
heavens lay in a manger.

Verse. Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost.

Answer. He Whose glory filled the
heavens lay in a manger.

THIRD NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. In the beginning,
and before the worlds, the Word was
God, * and this day is He born the
Saviour of the world.

Psalm XCVI.
The LORD reigneth, &c., (p. 149.)

Second Antiphon. The Lord our
Saviour, * begotten before the day-
star, and before the worlds, hath this
day vouchsafed to be born.

Psalm XCVI I.
O sing unto the LORD, &c., (p. 157.)

Third Antiphon. When the Lord
was born the Angels sang together, *
saying : 2 Salvation to our God, Which
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb.

Psalm XCVI II.
The LORD reigneth, &c., (p. 158.)

Verse. The LORD hath made known.
Alleluia.

Answer. His salvation. Alleluia.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Luke (ii. 21.)

AT that time : When eight days
were accomplished for the cir
cumcision of the Child, His name was
called JESUS. And so on.

Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
Milan.] (Book ii. on Luke ii.)

So the Child is circumcised. This
is the Child of Whom it is said :

1 Hab. iii. 2. As to the "two living creatures," compare Exod. xxv. 22, &c. But this
reading of the Song of Habakkuk is not that of the present authorised version. (P. 1154.)

2 Apoc. vii. io.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

" Unto us a Child is born, unto us a
Son is given," (Isa. ix. 6.) "Made
under the law to redeem them that
were under the law." (Gal. iv. 4.)

" To present Him to the Lord,"
(22.) In my Commentary on Isaiah
I have already explained what is
meant by being presented to the
Lord in Jerusalem, and therefore I
will not enter into the subject again.
He that is circumcised in heart gain-
eth the protection of God, for "the
eyes of the LORD are upon the
righteous." (Ps. xxxiii. 16.) Ye will
see that as all the ceremonies of
the old law were types of realities
in the new, so the circumcision of the
body signified the cleansing of the
heart from the guilt of sin.

Seventh Responsory.

O Mary, how holy and how spotless
is thy virginity ! I am too dull to
praise thee : for thou hast borne in
thy breast Him Whom the heavens
cannot contain.

Verse. Blessed art thou among
women, and blessed is the fruit of
thy womb.

Answer. For thou hast borne in
thy breast Him Whom the heavens
cannot contain.

Eighth Lesson.

T)UT since the body and mind of
man remain yet infected with a
proneness to sin, the circumcision of
the eighth day is also a type of that
complete cleansing from sin which we
shall have at the resurrection. This
ceremony was also performed in
obedience to the commandment of
God : 1 " Every male that openeth the
womb shall be called holy unto the
Lord." These words were written
with especial reference to the delivery

of the Blessed Virgin. Truly He That
opened her womb was holy, for He
was altogether without spot, and we
may gather that the law was written
specially for Him from the words of
the Angel : " That Holy Thing Which
shall be born of thee, shall be called
the Son of God."

Eighth Responsory.

The Virgin-Mother that knew not
a man, bore, but travailed not.

She fed the Saviour of the world,.
The King of Angel hosts above,
JESUS, our Redeemer blest,
From the fountain of her breast..

Verse.

Soon rises in that modest shrine,.
The Temple of the Lord Divine ;
The stainless and unwedded one,
Within her womb conceived the Son.

Answer.

She fed the Saviour of the world,
The King of Angel hosts above,
JESUS, our Redeemer blest,
From the fountain of her breast.

Verse. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Answer.

She fed the Saviour of the world,
The King of Angel hosts above,
JESUS, our Redeemer blest,
From the fountain of her breast.

Ninth Lesson.

A MONG all that are born of women
^^ the Lord JESUS Christ stood
alone in holiness. Fresh from His
immaculate Birth, He felt no con
tagion from human corruption, and

1 Luke ii. 23.

NEW YEAR S DAY.

His heavenly Majesty drove it away.
If we are to follow the letter and say
that every male that openeth the womb
is holy, how shall we explain that so
many have been unrighteous ? Was
Ahab holy ? Were the false prophets
holy ? Were they holy on whom
Elijah justly called down fire from
heaven ? But He to Whom the sacred
commandment of the law of God is
mystically directed is the Holy One of
Israel ; Who also alone hath opened
the secret womb of His holy Virgin-
bride the Church, filling" her with a
sinless fruitfulness to give birth to
Christian souls.

The Hymn, " We praise Thee, O
God, 3 c., is said.

LAUDS.

First Antiphon. How wonderful is
the dealing here ! * The Maker of
man hath taken to Himself a living
body, and hath been pleased to be
born of the Virgin : He is come forth
conceived without seed, and hath
made us partakers of His Divine
nature.

Second Antiphon. When, in an
unspeakable manner, * Thou wast
born of a Virgin, the Scriptures were
fulfilled ; to save man, Thou earnest
down as dew upon the fleece : we
praise Thee, O our God !

Third Antiphon. Mother of God,
when Moses * saw the bush uncon-
sumed, we own that it was a figure of
the preservation of thy most wonder
ful virginity : pray for us.

Fourth Antiphon. The Root of
Jesse hath blossomed : * the star is
arisen out of Jacob, the Virgin hath
given birth to the Saviour : we praise
Thee, O our God !

Fifth Antiphon. Behold, Mary
hath borne * for us a Saviour ; John
beheld Him and cried, saying : Be
hold, the Lamb of God, behold Him

that taketh away the sins of the world.
Alleluia.

Chapter. (Tit. ii. n.)

HTHE grace of God our Saviour
hath appeared, teaching us, that,
denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, right
eously, and godly in this present
world.

Hymn from the Lauds of Christmas
Day.

Verse. The Word was made Flesh.
Alleluia.

Answer. And dwelt among us.
Alleluia.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias.
This day is set forth a wonderful mys
tery, * a new thing hath been created
in the earth God is made man.
That which He was He remaineth,
and that which He was not He taketh,
suffering therein neither confusion nor
division.

Prayer throughout the Office.

r\ GOD, Who, by the fruitful vir
ginity of the Blessed Mary,
hast given unto mankind the rewards
of everlasting life ; grant, we beseech
Thee, that we may continually feel
the might of her intercession, through
whom we have worthily received the
Author of our life, our Lord JESUS
Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, one God, world with
out end. Amen.

PRIME.

Antiphon. How wonderful, &c.,
(First Antiphon at Lauds. ,)

In the Short Responsory the same
alteration as before.

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is the Octave of holy
Stephen the Proto-Martyr.

At Rome are commemorated upon
the same day many holy martyrs
who defied the edict of the Emperor
Diocletian whereby it was commanded
to give up the holy books, they
being willing rather to give over
their own bodies to the executioners
than to give unto dogs that which
was holy.

Upon the same 2nd day of Jan
uary, were born into the better
life

At Antioch, blessed Isidore, Bishop
[in the year 420].

At Tomi, in Pontus, under Emperor
Licinius, the three holy brethren,
Argeus, Narcissus, and Marcellinus.
Argeus and Narcissus were slain with
the sword. Marcellinus was a boy,
he was taken among the recruits, and
for as much as he would not be
a soldier he was grievously flogged,
and after suffering long in prison
was drowned in the sea [in the year
320].

At Milan [after the year 431],
holy Martinian [i7th] bishop of that
see.

At Nitria, in Egypt, the blessed
confessor Isidore [Bishop of Hermo-
polis in the fourth century].

Upon the same day the holy Bishop
Siridion.

In the Thebaid the holy Abbat
Macarius of Alexandria [about the year
395]-

Chapter at the end. (Heb. ii. 1 1.)

"THEY shall perish, but Thou re-
mainest ; and they all shall wax
old as doth a garment, and as a
vesture shalt Thou change them,
and they shall be changed ; but
Thou art the Same, and Thy years
shall not fail.

TERCE.

Antiphon. When in an unspeak
able manner, &c., {Second Antiphon
at Lauds. )

Chapter as at Lauds.
Short Responsory as at Terce on
Christmas Day.

SEXT.

Antiphon. Mother of God, &c.,
( Third Antiphon at Lauds. )

Chapter. (Heb. i. 10.)

A ND : Thou, Lord, in the begin-
"^^ ning hast laid the foundation of
the earth : and the heavens are the
works of Thine hands.

Short Responsory as on Sext on
Christmas Day.

NONE.

Antiphon. Behold, Mary, c.
(Fifth Antiphon at Lauds.}

Chapter as at the end of Prime.
Short Responsory as at None on
Christmas Day.

VESPERS.

Antiphons, Chapter, and Prayer
from Lauds.

Psalms as in the Common Office for
Feasts of the Blessed Virgin.

Hymn and Verse and Answer from
the Vespers of Christmas Day.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed
Virgin. Herein is a great mystery of
heirship ; the womb of her that knew
not a man is become the temple of
God : in taking of her flesh He was
not defiled : all nations shall come
and say, Glory be to Thee, O Lord !

OCTAVE OF ST STEPHEN.

317

Commemoration of ST STEPHEN.

Antiphon. Stephen, full of grace
and power, did great wonders among
the people.

Verse. Stephen saw the heavens
opened.

Answer. He saw and entered in :
blessed is he unto whom the heavens
were opened.

Let us pray.

r\ ALMIGHTY and everlasting
^ God, Who hast dedicated the
first-fruits of Thy Martyrs with the
blood of the Blessed Stephen ; grant,
we beseech Thee, that the same may
pray for us also, who prayed even for
his murderers to our Lord JESUS
Christ Thy Son ; Who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, one God, world with
out end. Ame7i.

No other Commemoration.

Jan. 2.

Double.

All as on the Feast-day, (p. 281),
except the following.

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

persecuted ? And they have slain
them which showed before of the
coming of the Just One ; of Whom
ye have been now the betrayers and
murderers : who have received the
law by the disposition of Angels,
and have not kept it." When they
heard these things they were cut
to the heart, and they gnashed on
him with their teeth.

Second Lesson.

T)UT he, being full of the Holy
Ghost, looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and JESUS standing on the right hand
of God. And said : " Behold, I see
the heavens opened, and the Son of
man standing on the right hand of
God." Then they cried out with a
loud voice, and stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord.
And they cast him out of the city and
stoned him : and the witnesses laid
down their clothes at a young man s
feet, whose name was Saul. And
they stoned Stephen, calling upon
God, and saying : " Lord JESUS, re
ceive my spirit."

Third Lesson.

A ND he kneeled down and cried
^^ with a loud voice, saying :
" Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge." And when he had said
this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
(viii. i.) And Saul was consenting
unto his death. And at that time

The Lesson is taken from the Acts of there was a S reat P ersecution against

the Apostles (vii. 51.)

1 u

the Church which was at Jerusalem :
and they were all scattered abroad

stiff-necked, and uncircum- throughout the regions of Judea and
cised in heart and ears, ye Samaria except the Apostles. And
do always resist the Holy Ghost ; as devout men carried Stephen to his
your fathers did, so do ye. Which burial and made great lamentation
of the Prophets have not your fathers over him.

1 The end of the speech of the Saint before the Council.

VOL. I.

L 2

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Ser
mons of l St Austin, Bishop [of
Hippo.] (-2nd on St Stephen.}

after the glory of yesterday,
bright with the splendour of
Christ our Saviour s Birth, this day
findeth itself an illumination of its own
from the crown of the blessed Martyr
Stephen. The whole earth knoweth
how manfully he fought and con
quered : for he suffered at the very
fountain-head of the Church, that is
to say, in Jerusalem. It was in the
Church there that he ministered as a
Deacon : and in the youthful spring
time of life dyed with his blood the
lily of his purity. His Passion is
very glorious, and many ways wonder
ful, and when we read it in the Acts
of the Apostles, we seem rather to see
than to hear.

Fifth Lesson.

C* HRIST, the Captain of the Martyrs,
^ hath first suffered for us, leaving
us an example that we should follow
His steps, (i Pet. ii. 21.) And truly,
Blessed Stephen followed them, when,
having confessed Christ, he was stoned
to death by the Jews, and obtained the
crown which his name had foreshown.
For the meaning of the Greek name
"Stephanos" is "a crown." Already
he had a crown for his name, a fore
shadowing of the martyr s palm which
he beareth in heaven.

Sixth Lesson.

\\7HEN they stoned him he did not

rejoice at the thought that God

would take vengeance on his perse

cutors. On the contrary, he prayed

that they might be forgiven. For he
remembered the word of the Lord, that
saith : " Vengeance belongeth unto
Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord,"
(Heb. x. 30,) and again: "Say not
thou ; I will recompense evil [to mine
enemies], but wait on the LORD, and
He shall save thee." (Prov. xx. 22.)
The Lord God biddeth us also be
patient, knowing that in the great day
of retribution, we, as well as His holy
martyrs, shall be righted.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (xxiii.
34-)

A T that time : JESUS said unto the
^^ Scribes and Pharisees : Behold,
I send unto you Prophets, and wise
men, and scribes : and some of them
ye shall kill and crucify. And so on.

Homily by St Jerome, Priest [at
Bethlehem.] (Bk. iv. Comment, on
Matth. xxiii.)

" O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killest the Prophets." The Jerusalem
that killed the Prophets was not the
material stone and houses, but they
that dwelt therein. He wept over her
with a father s love, as also it is written
in another place that, when He saw
the city, He wept over it. (Luke xix.
41.) "How often would I have
gathered thy children together." Here
observe that Christ avoweth that He
had been the Sender of all the former
Prophets. " Even as an hen gathereth
her chickens under her wings." A
similar figure is found in the Song of
Moses in Deuteronomy, xxxii. 1 1, "As
an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth
over her young, spreadeth abroad her

1 Some parts are certainly by St Austin ; others are probably not.

OCTAVE OF ST STEPHEN.

319

wings, taketh them, and beareth them
on her wings." l

Eighth Lesson.

" T3EHOLD, your house is left unto
you desolate." God had al
ready spoken these things once before,
by the mouth of Jeremiah, where He
saith : "I have forsaken Mine house,
I have left Mine heritage ; Mine in
heritance is become unto Me like an
hyaena s den." 2 (xii. 7.) The house
of the Jews, which was to be left unto
them desolate, is that Temple, whose
splendour they loved only too well,
when they slew the Owner of it for the
sake of it, and said of Christ, " This is
the heir ; come, let us kill Him, and
the inheritance shall be ours." ( Matth.
xxi. 38.)

Ninth Lesson.

" T7OR I say unto you, Ye shall not
see Me henceforth, till ye shall
say : Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord." Here He speaketh
to Jerusalem and to the Jewish people.
The words, "Blessed is He That
cometh in the name of the Lord,"
were indeed spoken by babes and
sucklings when the Saviour entered
Jerusalem in triumph, " and they
that went before and they that fol
lowed, cried, saying, Blessed is He
That cometh in the name of the
Lord ; Hosanna in the highest, "
(Mark xi. 9,) but they are originally
taken from Psalm cxvii. 26. Which
Psalm is all evidently written in
honour of the coming of our Lord.

LAUDS.

Commemorations of St Thomas of
Canterbury, of St John, and of the

Holy Innocents from their respective
Lauds.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is the Octave of the
holy Apostle and Evangelist John.

Upon the same 3rd day of January,
were born into the better life

At Rome, upon the Appian Way,
holy Pope Anterus, who suffered under
the Emperor Julius Maximian, and was
buried in the cemetery of Callistus.
[He reigned i month and 12 days in
the year 236.]

Upon the same day, holy Peter, who
suffered the death of the cross at the
city of Aulone. [In the year 311 or
291.]

On the Hellespont, the holy martyrs
Cyrinus, Primus, and Theogenes
[about the year 320.]

At Caesarea, in Cappadocia, the holy
centurion Gordius [about the year
320], in whose praise Basil the Great
delivered a noble discourse upon his
feast day.

In Cilicia, the holy martyrs Zozi-
mus and Athanasius the Notary, also
the holy martyrs Theopemptus and
Theona, who suffered an illustrious
martyrdom in the persecution under
Diocletian.

At Padua, the holy martyr Daniel
[in the year 168.]

At Vienne, in Gaul, holy Florence,
[8th] bishop of that see [successor to
S. Paracodius], who was exiled in the
time of the Emperor Gallienus, and
there finished his testimony [in the
year 252.]

At Paris [in the year 512], the holy
virgin [and Patron of Paris] Genevieve,
who was dedicated to Christ by blessed
Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, and was
famous for her wondrous graces and
miracles.

1 In the original this quotation is made from a different version to that in the Psalter (p. 172).

2 This passage in Jeremiah is somewhat obscure. See it, on Wednesday in Holy Week,
where the translation in the text is altogether different.

320

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

VESPERS.

Antiphons from Lauds.
Psalms as on Sunday, except the
last, which is :

Psalm CXV.

I believed, therefore have I spoken,
&c, (p. 185.)

From the Chapter inclusive the Ves
pers are of the Octave of St John.

Chapter. (Ecclus. xv. I.)

TJ E that feareth the Lord will do
good ; and he that keepeth
righteousness shall obtain her, and as
an honoured mother shall she meet
him.

Hymn from the Common Office for
Apostles.

Verse and Answer, Antiphon at the

Song of the Blessed Virgin, and Prayer,

from the Commemoration of St John in

the Second Vespers of St Stephen, (p.

286.)

Commemoration of St Thomas of
Canterbury and of the Holy Innocents
from the Second Vespers of their Feasts
respectively.

Jan. 3.

Double.

All as on the Feast-day, (p. 287,)
except the following.

MATTINS.
FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the 1 Apoca-
lypse of the Blessed Apostle John,

(iv. i.)

A FTER this I looked ; and, behold,
*^~^ a door was opened in heaven ;
and the first voice which I heard, was
as it were of a trumpet talking with
me, which said : Come up hither, and
I will show thee things which must be
hereafter. And immediately I was in
the Spirit ; and, behold, a throne was
set in heaven, and One sat on the
throne. And He That sat was to look
upon like a jasper and a sardine
stone ; and there was a rainbow round
about the throne, in sight like unto an
emerald ; and round about the throne
were four-and-twenty seats ; and upon
the seats I saw four-and-twenty 2 elders
sitting, clothed in white raiment ; and
they had on their heads crowns of
gold.

Second Lesson.

A ND out of the throne proceeded
^*" lightnings, and voices and thun-
derings ; and there were seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne, which
are the seven spirits of God. And
before the throne there was a sea of
glass like unto crystal ; and in the
midst of the throne, and round about
the throne, were four living creatures
full of eyes before and behind. And

1 I.e., "Unveiling" or " Revelation."

2 "Seniores." But the Greek is " Presbyteroi," generally translated, or, rather, contracted,
"Priests." It may be suggested, with great reverence, that the arrangement described is
similar to that in the most ancient Churches, some of which still exist. In these the East end
has a large arch, here represented by the rainbow, opening into a semi-circular apse, which is
here represented by the hollow vault of heaven. At the end of the apse is a " throne for the
Bishop, and the Presbyters sit round the apse on either side of him. On the chord of the apse
stands the Altar, and the Celebrant occupies the place "in the midst of the throne and the
elders," assigned by St John to the True High Priest, looking at the people over the Altar. The
" sea of glass " is described as in the place where there is a paved enclosure for the Choir, viz.
just westward of the Altar. Under the Altar are placed the reliques of the Saints, (in primitive
times always martyrs Rev. vi. 9,) and lighted lamps hang before it.

OCTAVE OF ST JOHN.

321

the first living creature was like a lion,
and the second living creature like a
calf, and the third living creature had
the face as a man, and the fourth liv
ing creature was like a flying eagle.
And the four living creatures had each
of them six wings about him ; and they
are full of eyes about and within.

Third Lesson.

A ND they rest not day and night,
^^ saying : Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord
God Almighty, Which was, and is,
and is to come. And when those
living creatures gave glory and honour
and blessing to Him That sat upon
the throne, Who liveth for ever and
ever, the four-and-twenty elders fell
down, and worshipped Him That
liveth for ever and ever, and cast
their crowns before the throne, saying :
Thou art worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory, and honour, and
power ; for Thou hast created all
things, and for Thy pleasure they are
and were created.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from a treatise of
St Austin, Bishop [of Hippo,] on
John. (36.)

C\F the Four Evangelists, or, rather,
^^ the Four Writers of the one
Evangel, the holy Apostle John hath
not unworthily been compared by
spiritual writers to an eagle, because
of the lofty and glorious flight of his
teaching, soaring above the other
three ; a flight that raiseth not him
self alone, but also the hearts of all,
whosoever will hear him. The other
three writers walk with the Lord
upon earth, as with a man, and enlarge
little upon His Godhead ; but John,
as though it had wearied him to

walk upon earth, in the very first words
of his writing, riseth not above the
earth only, or above the firmament,
and the heavens, but above every
angel, and above every power of
things unseen, and flieth directly to
Him by Whom all things were made,
saying : "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God."

Fifth Lesson.

T^HEN he goeth on worthily of such
a beginning, and speaketh of the
Lord s Godhead as none hath ever
spoken, uttering freely the things
which he had heard. It is not with
out cause that it is told of him in
that Gospel how he lay on JESUS
Breast at supper. Truly he drank
secretly from that Breast, and what
he drank secretly he hath uttered
openly, that all men may know not
only how the Son of God became
man, suffered, and rose again for us,
but likewise how He was with the
Father before He took flesh, the Only-
begotten Son, the Word of the Father,
co-eternal with Him that begat Him,
equal to Him That sent Him.

Sixth Lesson.

JOHN is an eagle that soareth up
to the things that are not made,
and fixeth his eye unquailing upon
the secret and eternal Light. It is
said that the father-eagle taketh his
young in his talons and flieth with
them, that they may look at the sun.
Them that look at it boldly, he
acknowledgeth for his own offspring,
but them whose eyes shrink, he letteth
fall from his claws as bastards. Let
us consider, then, how mightily he
must speak who is likened to an
eagle ; and yet we who are reptiles
crawling on earth, weak, and of small
consideration even among men, dare

322

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

take in hand these utterances, to treat
of them, and to explain them, and
think that our intelligence understand-
eth them, or our speech commendeth
them.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (xxi. 19.)

A T that time : JESUS saith unto
** Peter : Follow Me. Then Peter,
turning about, seeth the disciple whom
JESUS loved following. And so on.

Homily by St John Chrysostom,
Patriarch [of Constantinople.] (Qyt/i
Horn, on John.}

Christ had made known great things
to Peter, charged him with the care
of the whole world, announced to him
his future martyrdom, and given him
testimony of His especial love. Peter
then would have John for a fellow and
helper, and he said, " What shall this
man do?" as it were, "Shall not he
also follow the same path with me ? "
At the supper, when Peter would ask
a question of the Lord, he dared not,
but got John for his spokesman ; and
now Peter asketh that which he
thought John fain would know, but
dared not ask for himself. Christ
" saith unto him : If I will that he
tarry till I come, what is that to
thee ? "

Eighth Lesson.

pETER asked because of his great
love for John, hoping not to be
parted from him, and Christ answered
him, that with whatever affection he
loved him, he could not love him as
He loved him. " If I will that he
tarry till I come, what is that to
thee ? " Let us learn from these
words, by the teaching of Christ,

neither to chafe, nor to enquire too
curiously, where the will of God is
concerned. For when Peter would
be still asking, the Lord at length
checked him in these words for his
continued curiosity.

Ninth Lesson.

" HTHEN went this saying abroad
among the brethren, that that
disciple should not die ; yet JESUS
said not unto him, He shall not die ;
but, If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee ? " That is, He
would not have it thought that He
had disposed of them both in the
same way. He spoke thus that He
might check the untimely motion of
affection, and the desire to continue
the old companionship. The Apostles
were about to take in charge the whole
earth, and it behoved them no more
to continue together, lest the world
should suffer. Therefore the Lord
saith to Peter : " Thou hast received
thy task ; bend thyself to it, and do
it ; work and fight ; what is it to thee
if I will that he tarry here ? Turn
thou to thine own appointed labour
and finish it."

LAUDS.

Commemoration of St Thomas oj
Canterbury and of the Holy Innocents
from their proper Lauds.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is Octave of the Holy
Innocents.

Upon the same 4th day of January,
were born into the better life

In Crete, holy Titus, whom the
Apostle Paul ordained Bishop for the
Cretans. When he had faithfully
brought to an end [about the year
105], his work of preaching, he ob-

OCTAVE OF CHILDERMAS.

323

tained a blessed death, and was buried
in that church whereof the blessed
Apostle had appointed him a worthy
minister. His feast is kept upon the
6th day of the month of February.

At Rome, the holy martyrs the
priest Priscus, the clerk Priscillian,
and the devout woman Benedicta,
who won martyrdom by the sword in
the time of the wicked Emperor Julian
[the Apostate].

Likewise at Rome, the blessed
martyr Dafrosa, wife of the holy
martyr Flavian [mother of St Bibi-
ana]. After the execution of her
husband she was first sentenced to
exile, and then put to death under
the aforesaid Emperor Julian.

At Bologna, the holy martyrs
Hermes, Aggaeus, and Caius, who
suffered under the Emperor Maxi-
mian.

At Adrumetum, in Africa, the holy
martyr Mavillus, whom the cruel
President Scapula condemned to the
wild beasts in the persecution under
the Emperor Severus, and who thus
received the crown of martyrdom.

Likewise in Africa, the illustrious
martyrs Aquilinus, Geminus, Eugenius,
Marcian, Quintus, Theodotus, and
Tryphon [about end of fifth century].

At Langres, holy Gregory, bishop
of that see, famous for miracles [in
the year 539].

At Rheims, in Gaul [in the year
743], the holy confessor Rigobert,
bishop [in the year 722] of that see.

VESPERS.

Antiphons from Lauds.

Psalms from the Common Office for
.the Second Vespers of Apostles.

Commemoration of St Thomas of
Canterbury from his Second Vespers,
and of the Holy Innocents from their
roer Lauds.

Jan. 4.

Octave of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs.
Double.

All as on the Feast-day, except the
following.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Epistle
of the Blessed Apostle Paul to the
Romans (v. i.)

"THEREFORE being justified by
faith, let us have peace with
God through our Lord JESUS Christ ;
by Whom also we have access by
faith into this grace, wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of the
sons of God. And not only so, but
we glory in tribulations also, knowing
that tribulation worketh patience, and
patience proof, and proof hope ; and
hope maketh not ashamed, because
the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost, Which is
given unto us.

Second Lesson.

T^OR wherefore, when we were yet
without strength, did Christ in
due time die for the ungodly ? For
scarcely for a righteous man will one
die ; yet peradventure for a good man
some would even dare to die. But
God commendeth His love towards
us ; in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us ; much more then
being now justified by His Blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through
Him.

324

THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

Third Lesson.

T7 OR if, when we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God by the
death of His Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by His
life. And not only so, but we also
joy in God, through our Lord JESUS
Christ, by Whom we have now re
ceived the Atonement. Moreover,
as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin, so also
death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of l St Austin, Bishop [of Hippo.]
( I st for Childermas. )

HPHE Lord is born, and sorrow
breaketh out, not in heaven but
on earth ; to mothers is proclaimed
lamentation, to angels joy, to children
translation. God is born, and inno
cence must be offered up to Him Who
cometh to condemn the malice of the
world. The Lamb that taketh away
the sins of the world is come to be
crucified, and the tender flock is
brought to the sacrifice. But the
mothers will lament over them whose
inarticulate bleating is silenced for
ever. Let us turn a look on this
great martyrdom, this heart-rending
sorrow. The sword is drawn, though
there is no offence to punish, only
jealousy shrieking for Him Who is
born, and doth no violence. And
here are mothers weeping over the
lambs of the flock. "In Ramah was
there a voice heard, weeping and
great mourning." 2 They are pledges

[which shall be returned hereafter],
but they are pledges taken with
out being given, impounded without
being entrusted.

Fifth Lesson.

"M"ATURE is herself our witness of
what the scene must have been
when the tyrant dashed the little ones
against the stones. The childless
mothers tore their hair ; those, whose
infants had still escaped, strove vainly
to hide them, and their very cries
betrayed them, too young to have
learnt the silence of fear. Sometimes
the wretched mother struggled with
the executioner, as he dragged the
child to which she clung from her
arms. The fruit of her body is torn
from her breast. Was it for this that
her womb bore it, and her paps gave
it suck ? Had she carried it so ten
derly, that the murderer might seize
it ? It had come of her body only
to be dashed against the stones.

Sixth Lesson.

COMETIMES a broken-hearted
woman cried to the ruffian to
kill her also ; wherefore leave her to
her childless widowhood ? If fault
there were, the fault was hers, then
why not let her suffer and follow her
lost one ? Some must have cried out
that all were being slain for the sake
of One, and that One had escaped.
And surely some called for the com
ing of the Messiah to deliver them.
" Come, come, O Saviour, how long
do we wait for Thee ? Thou art Al
mighty come, and save our chil
dren." And so the cry of the mother
and the sacrifice of her offspring went
up together to heaven.

1 There are good grounds for doubting the ascription of the Sermon to St Austin.

2 Pignora sunt, non credita sed creata, non deposita sed exposita. The passage is very
obscure. The imagery seems to be taken from a pawn-shop.

OCTAVE OF CHILDERMAS.

32$

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (ii.
130

A T that time : The Angel of the
" Lord appeared to Joseph in a
dream, saying : Arise, and take the
young Child, and His Mother, and
flee into Egypt : and be thou there
until I bring thee word. And so on.

Homily by St John Chrysostom,
Patriarch [of Constantinople. ] ( 8th on
Matthew. )

When Joseph had heard this he
was not troubled, neither did he say,
" This is doubtful, or at least obscure.
Thou saidst not long ago, that He
shall save His people, and now appar
ently Himself He cannot save ; but
we are to flee, and journey far, and
dwell in a strange land. Thy works
belie thy words." But Joseph said
none of these things, for he was faith
ful ; neither did he curiously ask of
the angel the time of his return, which
God was not pleased to show him,
but only to send him that word, " Be
thou there until I bring thee word."

Eighth Lesson.

"LJT E was not slothful, but obeyed
cheerfully, and by faith bore all
tribulations with joy. God in His
mercy mingled some joy with his
sorrow, as He doth in all the saints,
whom He will have to abide continu
ally neither in sorrow, nor in joy : but
weaveth their life ever with a strange
diversity. And let us consider how
He did it here.

The Eighth Responsory is added to,
as when the Feast falls on Sunday.

Ninth Lesson.

St Joseph knew that the
Virgin was with child, he was
greatly troubled ; but forthwith an
Angel came to take away his fears.
The Lord was born and he rejoiced with
exceeding joy ; but straightway came
the great danger, when all Jerusalem
was troubled, the king in great wrath,
and murderers seeking the young
Child s life. The star shone over
Bethlehem, and the wise men came
to worship ; but Herod sought to slay
the Saviour ; and they arose, and fled
into a far country.

The Hymn, "We praise Thee, O
God, &c.," is always said.

At Lauds a Commemoration is made
of St Thomas of Canterbury, from the
Lauds of his feast.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is the Eve of the
Epiphany of the Lord, the same day
is the Octave of the holy martyr
Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Upon the same 5th day of January,
were born into the better life

At Rome, the holy Pope Teles-
phorus, who toiled much for Christ,
and under the Emperor Antoninus
Pius obtained by his testimony a
glorious martyrdom.

In Egypt are commemorated many
holy martyrs who were slain in the
Thebaid in divers ways, in the perse
cution under the Emperor Diocletian.

At Antioch, the holy monk Simeon,,
who lived for many years standing
upon a pillar, whence he is called
Stylitis [from the Greek style, which
is being interpreted a pillar], whose
life and conversation was wonderful
[in the year 459].

In England, the holy King Edward,
famous for his gift of chastity and of
the power of working miracles. By

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THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

pleasure, that through the name of
Thy well-beloved Son, we may worthily
abound in all good works.

Commemoration of * ST TELESPHORUS,
Pope and Martyr.

All from the Lauds of the Common
Office of one Bishop and Martyr.

Prayer. O God, Who year by year
dost gladden us by the solemn feast-
day of Thy blessed Martyr and Bishop
Telesphorus, mercifully grant that we
who keep his birthday, may ever
feel the joyful effects of his pro
tection. Through our Lord JESUS
Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, one God, world with
out end. Amen.

Jan. 5.

command of Pope Innocent XI. his
feast is kept upon the I3th day of
October, which is the day of the trans
lation of his sacred body [in the year
1066.]

At Alexandria [in the fourth cen
tury], holy Syncletica, whose noble
acts holy Athanasius hath set before
us in his writing.

At Rome, the holy virgin ^Emiliana,
father s sister to holy Gregory the
Great. Her sister Tharsilla, who had
.gone to God before her, came and
called her, and upon the same day she
passed hence to be for ever with the
Lord [sixth century].

Upon the same day, the holy virgin
Apollinaris [about the year 440].

VESPERS.

Antiphons from Lauds.

Psalms as on Sundays, except the
last, which is Ps. cxv., " I believed,
&c.," p. 185.

The Office is then of St Thomas of
Canterbury, as in the Office of One
Martyr.

Prayer, p. 297.

Commemoration of the Holy Inno
cents, also from p. 298, with the
Prayer, p. 292.

Commemoration of TWELFTH-DAY
EVE.

Antiphon. The Child JESUS in
creased in stature and wisdom before
God and man.

Verse. .The LORD hath made
known. Alleluia.

Answer. His salvation. Alleluia.

Let us pray.

r\ ALMIGHTY and everlasting
^^ God, do Thou order all our
actions in conformity with Thy good

1 The First Vespers of the Common Office for one Martyr being already in use for the
Octave of St Thomas, the Commemoration of St Telesphorus is taken from the Lauds,
according to the Pie, ix. 8.

Which day is also Twelfth-Day Eve.
Double.

All from the Common Office for One
Martyr, except the Prayer, which is
as on his feast, p. 297, and the fol
lowing :

MATTINS.

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Epistle
of the Blessed Apostle Paul to the
Romans (vii. I.)

T^NOW ye not, brethren, (for I
*^" speak to them that know the
law,) how that the law hath dominion

OCTAVE OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY.

327

over a man, so long as he liveth ?
For the woman which hath an hus
band is bound up by the law to her
husband so long as he liveth : but if
the husband be dead, she is loosed
from the law of her husband. So
then, if, while her husband liveth, she
be married to another man, she shall
be called an adulteress ; but, if her
husband be dead, she is free from the
law of her husband ; so that she is no
adulteress, though she be married to
.another man.

Second Lesson.

Vy HEREFORE, my brethren, ye
also are become dead to the
law by the body of Christ ; that ye
should be married to another, even to
Him Who is raised from the dead ;
that we should bring forth fruit unto
God. For when we were in the flesh,
the motions of sin which were by the
law, did work in our members, to
bring forth fruit unto death. But now
we are delivered from the law of
death wherein we were held, that we
should serve in newness of spirit, and
not in the oldness of the letter.

Third Lesson.

HAT shall we say then ? Is the
law sin ? God forbid. Nay,
I had not known sin, but by the law.
For I had not known lust, except the
law had said : Thou shalt not covet.
But sin, taking occasion by the com
mandment, wrought in me all manner
of concupiscence. For without the
law sin was dead. For I was alive
without the law once : but when the
commandment came sin revived.

SECOND NOCTURN.
Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Exposi
tion of the hundred-and-eighteenth

Psalm by St Ambrose, Bishop [of
M ilan. ] (zist Sermon. )

" PRINCES have persecuted me
without a cause : but my
heart standeth in awe of Thy word."
These are rightly the words of a
martyr, who beareth unjustly the tor
ments of the persecutors, who hath
robbed no man, who hath violently
oppressed no man, who hath shed the
blood of no man, who hath imagined
to defile the bed of no man, who is
debtor to the laws in nothing, and who
is punished more grievously than if he
were a robber : who speaketh right
eousness, and there is none that will
hear : who speaketh salvation, and all
men fight against him : who is able to
say : " When I spoke unto them, they
fought against me without a cause."
(Ps. cxix. 7.) They fight against him
without a cause, who can lay no sin to
his charge : they fight against him as
an evil-doer, who is by their own ac
knowledgment righteous : they fight
against him as a warlock, who glorieth
in the name of the Lord, and who
doeth all things well because he doeth
all things for God s sake.

Fifth Lesson.

HP HEY fight against him in vain who
is accused of ungodliness among
the ungodly and the unfaithful, because
he teacheth Faith. Verily, him that
is fought against without a cause it
behoveth to be strong and patient.
Wherefore then saith he : " My heart
standeth in awe of Thy word ? " Awe
is the mark of the weak, the timid, and
the fearful. But there is also a weak
ness unto salvation, there is a fear
which is an holy fear. " O fear the
LORD, all ye His Saints." (Ps. xxxiii.
10.) And again: "Blessed is the
man that feareth the LORD." (Ps.
cxi. i.) And wherefore is he blessed ?

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THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

because he "delighteth greatly in His
commandments."

Sixth Lesson.

H^HINK, then, how the martyr
standeth between two dangers.
On the one hand the wild beasts,
roaring for his blood, do indeed strike
terror ; he heareth the hissing of the
plates of white-hot metal, and seeth
surging up the flames of the fiery
furnace ; behind him is the clanking
of fetters, and beside him the execu
tioner, stained with fresh blood ; think
of him there, face to face with the
apparatus of death but think again
of what thinketh he ? Of the Law of
God, of the everlasting fire, of the
eternal flames wherein the unbelieving
shall burn for ever, of that torture
whereof the agony is for ever new.
And then indeed his heart faileth for
fear, lest by giving way under torment
here, he should give himself up to
everlasting torment hereafter : then
indeed he trembleth, when Faith
maketh to glitter before his eyes the
awful sword of the judgment to come.
And in this, the faithful trembling of
the true-hearted, are there not both
unshaken hope of the eternal things,
and awe of the things of God ?

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to John (x. 1 1.)

AT that time : JESUS said unto the
Pharisees : I am the Good Shep
herd. The Good Shepherd giveth
His life for His sheep. And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory [the
Great] (i^th on the Gospels.}

Dearly beloved brethren, ye have
heard from the Holy Gospel what is

at once your instruction, and our
danger. Behold, how He Who, not
by the varying gifts of nature, but of
the very essence of His being, is
Goodness, behold how He saith : " I
am the Good Shepherd." And then
He saith what is the character of His
goodness, even of that goodness of
His which we must strive to copy :
" The Good Shepherd giveth His life
for the Sheep." As He had foretold,
even so did He ; as He had com
manded, so gave He ensample. The
Good Shepherd gave His life for the
sheep, and made His Own Body and
His Own Blood to be our Sacramental
Food, pasturing upon His Own Flesh
the sheep whom He had bought.

Eighth Lesson.

T_T E, by despising death, hath shown
us how to do the like ; He hath
set before us the mould wherein it be-
hoveth us to be cast. Our first duty
is, freely and tenderly to spend our
outward things for His sheep, but
lastly, if need be, to serve the same
by our death also. From the light
offering of the first, we go on to the
stern offering of the last, and, if we be
ready to give our life for the sheep,
why should we scruple to give our
substance, seeing how much " more is
the life than meat?" (Matt. vi. 25.)
And some there be which love the
things of this world better than
they love the sheep ; and such as
they deserve no longer to be called
shepherds. These are they of whom
it is written : " But he that is an hire
ling, and not the shepherd, whose own
the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth" (12.) He is not a shepherd
but an hireling which feedeth the
Lord s sheep, not because he loveth
their souls, but because he doth gain
earthly wealth thereby. He that

OCTAVE OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY.

329

taketh a shepherd s place, but seeketh
not gain of souls, that same is but
an hireling ; such an one is ever
ready for creature-comforts, he loveth
his pre-eminence, he groweth sleek
upon his income, and he liketh well
to see men bow down to him.

Ninth Blessing.

May the Gospel s glorious word
Cleansing to our souls afford.

Ninth Lesson. (For the Eve of
the Epiphany.)

The Lesson is taken from the Holy
Gospel according to Matthew (ii.
I9-)

A T that time : When Herod was
dead, behold, an Angel of the
Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph
in Egypt, saying : Arise and take the
young Child and His Mother, and
go into the land of Israel. And so

Homily by St Jerome, Priest [at
Bethlehem.] (Bk. i., Comm. on
Matth. ii.)

From the words, " they are dead,"
(in the Plural), which are used in this
passage of the Gospel, we may under
stand that there were others beside
Herod "which sought the young
Child s life" probably the Priests
and Scribes. " And he " (Joseph)
" arose, and took the young Child
and His Mother." It is not written,
" He took his wife and child," but
"he took the young Child and His
Mother ; " whence it is clear that the
holy Evangelist willeth to imply that
Joseph was not the father, but the
Guardian of JESUS, not the husband,
but the Betrothed of Mary.

" But when he heard that Archelaus
did reign in Judea, in the room of his
father Herod, he was afraid to go
thither." There are some persons
so grossly ignorant of history that
they confuse themselves over the two
Herods, as if the one mentioned here
were the same who afterwards set
our Lord at nought during His Pas
sion, and they cannot understand how
he should now be said to be dead.
The Herod who was made friends
with Pilate over Christ s death, was
the son of the Herod who massacred
the infants of Bethlehem, and the
brother of Archelaus.

"He shall be called a Nazarene."
The Evangelist, in quoting these words,
saith that they were "spoken by the
Prophets," (Plural). If he had been
citing any one precise passage he
would have said " by the Prophet,"
in the Singular. But he is citing
the sense of the Prophets, and not
any individual passage in any of
their writings. He seemeth to refer
to the fact that in Hebrew the word
" Nazarene " signifieth " holy," and
that Christ is the Holy One of God
is the common declaration of all the
Scriptures. 1

The Hymn, " We praise Thee, O
God, &c.," is said.

At Lauds a Commemoration is made
of the Eve of the Epiphany, from the
Lauds of the Sunday within the Octave
of Christmas, p. 305.

Then of St Telesphorus, from the
First Vespers of One Martyr Prayer
as on the preceding evening.

MARTYROLOGY.

The morrow is the Epiphany of
the Lord.

Upon the same 6th day of January,
were born into the better life

1 Judges xiii. 5, however, contains almost the precise phrase, and is very like Luke i. 31,
;and Matth. i. 21.

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THE PROPER OFFICE OF THE SEASON.

In the country of Rheims, by
command of the President Rictio-
varus, in the persecution under the
Emperor Diocletian, the holy virgin
and martyr Macra she was first
cast into the fire but remained un
hurt, whereupon her breasts were
cut off, and she was thrust into a
prison and rolled upon sharp pot
sherds and live coals unti