Hereford Breviary: Office for the Dead (printed edition 1505)

Vespers of the Dead (Placebo)

Ant. I will walk before the Lord [in the land of the living]. Psalm 116 (I am well pleased).

Ant. Woe is me, that my sojourning [is prolonged]. Psalm 120 (When I was in trouble).

Ant. The Lord preserveth thee [from all evil]. Psalm 121 (I will lift up mine eyes).

Ant. If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark [what is done amiss]. Psalm 130 (Out of the deep).

Ant. [Despise not] the works of thine own hands. Psalm 138 (I will give thanks unto thee).

Ant. I heard a voice [from heaven]. The Magnificat.

After the antiphon I heard a voice, following the Magnificat, Psalm 146 (Praise the Lord, O my soul) is said, with the prayers as follows.

If it is a death-day, these prayers are said: O God, the Lord of forgiveness… O God, who didst make [thy servant] among the apostolic priests… O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful… Who livest.

If it is not a death-day: O God, who didst make among the apostolic priests… Almighty, everlasting God, to whom never… O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful.

If the body is present: Almighty, everlasting God, to whom never… O God, who didst make among the apostolic priests… O God, the creator and redeemer of all the faithful.

The Prayers at Lauds

At Lauds, if it is a death-day: Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the soul… O God, whose mercy… To the souls, we beseech thee, O Lord…

If it is not a death-day: O God, whose mercy… Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God, that the soul… To the souls, we beseech thee, O Lord…

If the body is present: Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God, that the soul… O God, whose mercy… To the souls, we beseech thee, O Lord…

For the body of a woman present: We beseech thee, O Lord, of thy goodness… At Lauds: Grant, we beseech thee, almighty God, that the soul…

Matins of the Dead (Dirige)

At Matins throughout the year when the service of the dead is held, "O Lord, open thou our lips" and "O God, make speed to save us" are not said, but he who stands first in order begins Matins thus:

First nocturn. Ant. Direct [my way in thy sight, O Lord my God]. Psalm 5 (Ponder my words). Ant. Turn thee, O Lord. Psalm 6 (O Lord, rebuke me not). Ant. Lest he devour [my soul like a lion]. Psalm 7 (O Lord my God). V. From the gate of hell. R. Deliver their souls, O Lord. "And lead us not" is not said before the lessons. The lessons are read from Job.

First lesson (Job 7): Spare me, O Lord. "But thou, O Lord" is not said at the end of the lessons on this day. R. I believe that my Redeemer [liveth]. V. Whom I shall see.

Second lesson (Job 10): My soul is weary. R. Thou who didst raise Lazarus. V. Thou who shalt come.

Third lesson: Thine hands have made me. R. O Lord, when thou comest. For I have sinned. V. My misdeeds.

On All Souls' Day the third, sixth and ninth responsories are repeated.

Second nocturn. Ant. In a green pasture. Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd). Ant. The sins of my youth. Psalm 25 (Unto thee, O Lord). Ant. I believe that I shall see. Psalm 27 (The Lord is my light). V. Deliver not [unto the beasts]. R. And the souls.

Fourth lesson (Job 13): How many are mine iniquities. R. Woe is me, O Lord. V. My soul.

Fifth lesson (Job 14): Man that is born of a woman. R. Remember not. V. Direct, O Lord.

Sixth lesson (Job 14): O that thou wouldest [hide me]. R. O Lord, according to my deeds. V. Wash me throughly.

Third nocturn. Ant. Be pleased [O Lord, to deliver me]. Psalm 40 (I waited patiently). Ant. Heal [my soul], O Lord. Psalm 41 (Blessed is he that considereth). Ant. My soul is athirst. Psalm 42 (Like as the hart). V. May their souls dwell at ease.

R. …[earth]. Seventh lesson (Job 17): My breath is corrupt. R. … me daily. V. O God, in thy name.

Eighth lesson (Job 19): My bone [cleaveth to my skin], my flesh being consumed. R. Rest eternal. V. Thou who didst raise Lazarus.

Ninth lesson (Job 10): Wherefore [hast thou brought me forth] out of the womb? R. Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death in that dreadful day, when the heavens and the earth shall be moved, when thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. V. That day, a day of wrath, of calamity and misery, a great and exceeding bitter day. When. V. What then shall I, most wretched, say or do, when I bring nothing good before so great a judge? When. V. The righteous shall scarcely be saved; and where shall I, a wretch, appear? V. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. When. R. Deliver me. And this ninth responsory is said on this day with all its verses given above.

V. I heard a voice from heaven saying. R. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.

Lauds of the Dead

Ant. [The bones that thou hast broken] shall rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 51 (Have mercy upon me). Ant. Hear my prayer. Psalm 65 (Thou, O God, art praised in Sion). Ant. [Thy right hand] hath upholden me. Psalm 63 (O God, thou art my God). Ant. Thou hast delivered, O Lord, [my soul]. The Song of Hezekiah (I said, in the cutting off of my days). Ant. Let every spirit [praise the Lord]. Psalms 148–150 (O praise the Lord).

Ant. I am the resurrection. The Benedictus.

On whatever day of the year the service of the dead is held, except All Souls' Day, the antiphon after the Benedictus is always the end. At once follow Our Father and Hail Mary, with Psalm 30 (I will magnify thee, O Lord) and Psalm 130 (Out of the deep), without Glory be. He who carries out the office, without changing his place or dress, says the verse Rest eternal, and the rest, as above at the Vespers of the dead.

The Commendation of Souls

Then follows the Commendation of souls. Ant. Come to his aid, saints of God. V. May Christ receive.

Prayer. Unto thee, O Lord, we commend… Another prayer. We are constrained, O Lord, [to ask] thy mercy…

Ant. May Christ receive you. Psalm 114 (When Israel came out of Egypt), without Glory be.

Prayer. Almighty, everlasting God, who didst vouchsafe to breathe into the human body… Who livest and reignest in perfect Trinity.

Ant. May the choir of angels [receive you]. And all the psalms are said together as far as Psalm 120 (When I was in trouble), without Glory be.

Prayer. Struck by the freshness of a grievous wound…

Then is said Our Father. Hail Mary. And lead us not.

V. Enter not into judgement with thy servants, O Lord. R. For in thy sight shall no man living be justified. V. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord. R. And let light perpetual shine upon them. V. From the gate of hell. R. Deliver their souls, O Lord. V. O Lord, hear [my prayer]. R. And let my cry [come unto thee]. V. The Lord be with you.

Prayer. May he obtain a part in the blessed resurrection… Another prayer. O God, to whom alone [it belongs to give healing after death]… Another prayer. Absolve, we beseech thee, O Lord…

May the souls of thy servants and handmaids, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.