prayeres

of thy

G

6 This is the other of the two prayers torn away from my MS. I have given the collect in the text, from the Douce M.S. 246.

7 Secure.

8 Not repeated in the M.S. having occurred before. See p. 76.

9 The arrangement is the same here as usually in the editions. up to 1545. But in the Prymers of Queen Mary another prayer is inserted between Fidelium Deus and Pietate tua, which I now cite from the edition of 1555, 4to, by John Waylande.

For the kinge and Quene. Domine Deus exercituum.

Lorde god of hostes, kinge most mighty and stronge, by whome kinges doe reigne, and in whose

handes are the hertes of all kinges: graunte vnto thy welbeloued seruauntes, P. & M, our king and Quene continual helthe of bodye and soule, that their hertes alwayes enclinynge to holsome and godly counselles: and the enemies of the common welth being vanquished, we may long enioye under them perpetuall peace, and brotherlye concord. By christ our lorde. Amen.

I need scarcely refer the reader to the second Collect for the Queen in our present Liturgy of which the above seems rather to be the type, than the fragments which are cited by Mr. Palmer: Orig: Liturg: Vol. 2. p. 38. The same occurs in the Prayer Book of K. Edward, being introduced from

ancient sources.

call it Agenda "quia agere significat celebrare." Gavantus.2.264. Another name, was Exequiæ, of which Durand gives us the explanation, lib. 7. cap. 35. "Officium seu obsequium in sepulturis mortuorum exequiæ vocantur, quia celebratur, dum mortui extra vivos sepeliendi feruntur: vel quia extra horas canonicas speciales, et singulares habent observantias." Donatus on the contrary, cited by Gavantus, defines Exequias "quia mortuus præibat, cæteri sequebantur in funere. Cum autem hodie," adds that very learned ritualist, "in funere præcedat clerus cadaver mortui, dicere possumus, nos mortuum sequi, quia obiit ille prius." These are the most reasonable interpretations of the still common word Obsequies, or Exequies; and I leave entirely to the reader's judgment the decision, which is the best.

The Office of the Dead (or Dirge) consisted of two parts: the Evensong or Vespers and the

:

Matins, which latter are occasionally divided into three Nocturns and Lauds. It had first Vespers only: either for the less solemnity as Gavantus supposes: or

mystically, "quod hoc officium finem habebit, quando animæ ab omni pœna liberatæ Deo fruentur." Beleth. cap. 160.

Antiently the Clergy were bound to say this office very frequently, and daily during Lent. In choir, after the corresponding hours appointed for the day. This, most probably was the antient rule in England, as it now is in the Church of Rome; but I must remark it was not invariable. For example: the Dirge and Placebo are (as usual) ordered to be said daily in the regulations drawn up, A. D. 1293, for the Hospital of S. Leonard, York. But the words of the Statute are:- -“respiciant libros usque primam pulsationem Vesperarum: et tunc durante prima pulsatione Vesperarum, et secunda, dicant Placebo et Dirige: classico pulsato, incipiant Vesperas, &c." i:e: de die. Dugdale Monast. Anglic. Vol. 6. p. 610. Again, by the Statutes of the founder of the Hospital of Elsing Spital, in London, A. D. 1332; "Conveniant omnes-singulis diebus ante horam Vesperarum, in capella, et servitium mortuorum pro omnibus fidelibus defunctis,

devote et aperta pronuntiatione, dicant. Quo dicto, simul omnes, superpelliceis et anmuciis induti, Vesperas et Completorium, de die, decantent." Dugdale. Monast. Ang. Vol. 6. p. 706.

But certain seasons were excepted: viz: during Easter-tide, and the three days of the Great Week. The first was forbidden on account of the joy of the Resurrection, with which nothing should be suffered to interfere; the latter because all our sorrow ought to be directed at such a time solely to the sufferings of our Blessed Lord. This general obligation was removed from the Clergy of the Roman Communion, by the Bull of Pope Pius V. except (as it would seem from the rubric prefixed to the office in the Breviary,) once a month, upon the first day, not impeded by a Feast of nine Lections: but Gavantus argues, that the only day now of obligation, is the 2nd of November, "Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum." The same Pope extended the time of not saying it, to the whole of

the Great Week. The student must remember, that anciently this Office might be recited, when it was not lawful to say Masses for the dead: upon which point, see Gavantus, Tom 2. p. 266.

It is not known by whom this office was originally composed: some give it to one, some to another: Durand says that Origen added to it, having been handed down from the Apostolic age: and cites S. Augustin as an authority: Rational. lib. vij. cap. 35. By others it is attributed to S. Augustine himself, or to S. Ambrose. On one point all ritualists that it is of the highest antiquity, and was used in the earliest ages of the Church. It probably had its origin from the sacred Diptychs.

agree:

I must refer the reader to Merati's additions to the Commentary of Gavantus, Vol. 2. p. 267. for an account of the reasons why the memory of the dead was anciently more particularly observed upon the 3rd, 7th and 30th days from the death, or deposition, and on Anniversaries. The term De