the nocturns were still to be divided, or were to be said distinct from Lauds: but it is probable that the night service was attended generally by the people. Two hundred years after, Elfric in his pastoral epistle, calls the first canonical hour, " matins, with the after song appertaining thereto." Lyndwood's authority must not be omitted: he tells us the "Divine Offices" consist "in septem horis canonicis, videlicet matutinis, prima, tertia, sexta, nona, vesperis, et completorio." He enumerates the same in another place, when the text having "Matutinæ et aliæ hora," he has to explain what the other hours are.10 I must add here also the names given by the AngloSaxons to the canonical Hours: uhtsang, primesang, undersang, middaysang, noonsang, evensang, and nightsang." The times of saying the Offices were insisted upon with great exactness in the earliest ages: thus Leo IV. exhorts in his homily de cura Pastorali: "Omni nocte ad nocturnas horas surgite: cursum vestrum certis horis decantate." Other instances are cited by Martene, but the Church was satisfied, if the Hours 12 Compare the canon of a council in the intermediate century the 15th of Cloveshoo, A.D. 747. "Ut septem canonicæ orationum diei et noctis horæobserventur." Wilkins. Concilia. Tom. 1. 97. 9 Lib. 1. Tit. x. Sint ecclesiarum. Lyndwood, Lib. 3. Tit. xxiij. Ad excitandos. verb. Noc turnum. explains in what consist the Nocturnal and Diurnal Offices. The first in Matins, Prime, and Compline the other in Tierce, Sext, Nones, and Vespers. This throws light upon the passage above: "nocturnalis synaxis." 10 Lib. 1. Tit. 14. Presbyteri. 11 Canons of Ælfric. xix. Wilkins. Concilia. Tom. 1. 252, were observed nearly about their proper times, viz. Prime, Tierce, Sext, and Nones, at the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, counting from six in the morning. Vespers, at the eleventh hour, and Compline at the twelfth, Matins was always to be said at some time after midnight.13 These rules, within certain limits, were subject to the custom and practice of different places; and a more exact observance was required of those who officiated in choir, than of those who recited the offices in private: which latter might be done in any place, provided only that it was decent, and the attention not disturbed. Not only was the day thus divided into seven parts, but reasons were given for this arrangement. In seven days the creation was completed. Again, seven times a day, the Scripture tells us, that the just man falls: there are seven graces of the Holy Spirit, seven divisions of the Lord's prayer, and seven ages of a man's life. The mystery of our redemption was begun and ended in the night: in the middle of the night our Blessed Lord was born, and rose again from the dead. The Hours also, had each its mystical reference to certain sacred occurrences.1 I shall extract these from 12 Tract. de antiqua Ecclesiæ disciplina. Cap. 1. vj. 13 As to Matins, we find the following, among the statutes drawn up by Archbishop Walter de Gray, of York, for the hospital of S. John, at Nottingham. A.D. 1291. Insuper statuimus ut omnes fratres simul surgant ad Matutinas, et ita tempestive, ut 66 possint Matutinæ percantari ante auroram, vel ex ortu auroræ, de festo S. Michaelis usque ad Pascha." Dugdale. Monast. Ang, Vol. vj. p. 679. 14 These, to mention only one primitive authority, are to be found in Apost. Const. Lib. 8, Cap. xxxiv. cited above. an edition of the Salisbury Prymer.15 They are commonly to be found in the Horæ, Prymers, and Enchiridions of about the same date, placed under woodcuts of the subjects. Ad laudes. De beata Maria. ¶ Ad primam. How Jesu chryst ryght poorely borne was, Ad tertiam. How an aungell appered in the morne, 15 The prymer of Salysbury vse, set out a long wout ony serchyng, with many prayers, and goodly pyctures- -And be newly enprynted at Rowen. M.ccccc.xxxviij. 8vo. 16 I have little doubt that this word is meant for cribbe: the foreign printers were sadly puzzled occasionally with English words. An edition of the Salisbury Prymer, 12mo. printed at Paris by Kerver, 1532, has "oribbe." An Enchiridion of the same printer, 1528, and another by German Hardouyn, read "stall." The later Prymers after 1540 do not contain these verses. 17 The other editions correctly read "sayng." Ad sextam. How thre kynge of straunge nacyons, ¶ Ad nonam. Symeon at Crystes cyrcumcision, These wordos unto the iewes dydes tell, Myn eyen Ad vesperas. How Mary and Joseph with Jesu were fayne, In to Egypt, for socour to fle: Whan the Innocentes for his sake were slayne, ¶ Ad completorium. How mary assumpted was aboue the skyes, Receyued there among the Jerarchyes, And crowned her the quene of glory. Generally, as in this edition, the Hours "de Cruce" are added, with verses both in Latin and in English: much more to the purpose. How iudas came about ye houre of mydnyght, ¶ Patris sapientia veritas divina, A notis discipulis cito derelictus, ¶ Ad primam. How Jesu chryst was taken at pryme, How Pylate wenyng to delyuer our lorde, ¶ Crucifige clamitant hora tertiarum, Ad sextam. At the hour of sext Christ was crucified, Hora sexta Jesus est cruci conclavatus, 18 The Enchiridions have "et." The Prymer, 1532, “ac." |