Hereford Breviary: the ordinary of the psalter (Hereford Use, printed Rouen 1505; ed. Frere and Brown, HBS 26 (1904))

Sunday Matins: the Hereford Lenten Antiphons

At Sunday Matins the hymn is Primo dierum omnium (from the octave of the Epiphany to Lent) or Nocte surgentes (from the octave of Corpus Christi to Advent), and the psalms are said from Ps. 1 onward, as at Sarum. In Lent, Hereford sings its own antiphons on the psalms, which are not in the Sarum books:

On the first nocturn: Blessed are they that meditate continually in thy law, O Lord: blessed are they that, trusting in thee, serve thee in fear: from thy holy hill hear us in thy mercy: rebuke us not in the day of thy wrath.

Thou that savest the upright in heart, whose name is wonderful: deliver us from the gate of death, for we trust in thee, O Lord.

Keep us for ever; enlighten our eyes; give us to know the way of peace, and to call upon thee with fear, who glorifiest all them that fear thee, O Lord.

V. He shall say unto the Lord. R. Thou art my defender and my refuge: my God, in thee will I trust.

Three lessons and responsories according to the order of the season.

On the second nocturn: Grant us, O Lord, understanding to bless thee, that we may deserve to be filled with the joy of thy countenance.

Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear us, thou that savest them that hope in thee.

Our strength, O Lord God, true light and eternal salvation, be thou our refuge in the day of our affliction.

V. He hath delivered me. R. From the snare of the hunters.

On the third nocturn: By the witness of thy law, O Lord, turn us, that enlightened by thy precepts we may be cleansed from our secret faults and from the sins of others.

Hear us in the day when we call upon thy name, O Lord.

Prevent us, O Lord, with heavenly blessing, that rejoicing in thy strength and hoping in thy loving-kindness we may deserve to attain the promised reward of blessed immortality.

V. He shall defend thee under his wings. R. And under his feathers.

Sunday Lauds

Before Lauds, V. The Lord is high above. R. And above the heavens. This versicle is said before Lauds on all Sundays when the office is of the Sunday, from the octave of the Epiphany to Lent, and from the octave of Corpus Christi to Advent.

Antiphons: The Lord hath reigned (Ps. The Lord is King); Let us all know (Ps. O be joyful); I will bless thee (Ps. O God, thou art my God); Every creature (Benedicite); Every spirit (Ps. O praise the Lord). Chapter: Blessing, and glory. Thanks be to God. Hymn: Aeterne rerum conditor.

At the Benedicite, when the prophets are being read, this antiphon (an addition found in one of the manuscripts): The furnace was burning seven times more than it was wont, and thy children, O Lord, sang praises in the midst of the flame. Ananias said, Holy God; Azarias said, Holy and mighty; Misael said, Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

Hymn: Ecce iam noctis (Lo, now the shadows of the night). V. The Lord hath reigned. R. He hath put on glorious apparel, and girded himself with strength.

On weekdays: Chapter: Watch and pray. Hymn: Splendor paternae gloriae, and on the other days the proper ferial hymns. Antiphon to Benedictus: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. The collect according to the season.

Prime: the Close of the Office

After the preces, the collect: O Lord, holy Father. (On Sundays and nine-lesson feasts, and on other days when Te Deum is sung at Matins: In this hour of this day, we beseech thee, O Lord, fill us with thy mercy.) The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The martyrology being read, there follows: V. Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

The prayer, without The Lord be with you and without Let us pray: Holy Mary, Mother of God, and all the saints intercede for us with the Lord, that we may deserve to be helped and saved by him; who in perfect Trinity liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.

Then at once, without interval, the officiant says thrice: O God, make speed to save me. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father. V. Look upon thy servants and upon thy works, and direct their children. Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, direct our actions according to thy good pleasure.

These three prayers, O Lord, holy Father; Holy Mary; and Almighty, everlasting God, with the preces, are said at Prime throughout the year, except from Maundy Thursday to the octave of Easter and on All Souls' Day.

Then follows the lesson, with Pray, sir, a blessing. The officiant says: May the almighty and merciful Lord teach us his wisdom. Then the lesson is read from the homily on the Sunday Gospel; after it the table is read, and the obit is announced if there be one. There follows De profundis for the departed, whether there be an obit or not.

The Ferial Preces

Kyrie eleison (thrice), Christe eleison (thrice), Kyrie eleison (thrice). Our Father. And lead us not.

I said, Lord, be merciful unto me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last. And be gracious unto thy servants.

Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us. As we have hoped in thee.

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness. And let thy saints rejoice.

O Lord, save the king. And hear us in the day when we call upon thee.

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Govern them and lift them up for ever.

Peace be within thy walls. And plenteousness within thy palaces.

Let us pray for the faithful departed. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

For our brethren and benefactors. Save thy servants and thy handmaids, O my God, who put their trust in thee.

For the afflicted and captives. Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

For our sins and negligences. O Lord, remember not our old iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation. And for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us, and be merciful to our sins for thy name's sake.

Hear my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto thee. Have mercy upon me, and hear me.

Psalm: Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness. Glory be to the Father. As it was in the beginning.

Arise, O Lord, and help us. And deliver us for thy name's sake.

Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts. Show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

O Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto thee. The Lord be with you. And with thy spirit. The collect as the season requires.

These preces are said with prostration on weekdays through the year, when the office is of the feria, at Matins and at Vespers when preces are said; and likewise at Terce, Sext and None, except that the four versicles For our brethren, For the afflicted, For our sins, and Help us, with their responses, are not said at those hours.

Terce, Sext and None

At Terce, hymn: Nunc sancte nobis spiritus. On Christmas Day and daily until the Circumcision, at Terce, this hymn instead: He put on the form of a body that must fall, limbs liable to death, lest the race should perish, sprung from the first-formed man, which the deep law had plunged into guilty hell: world without end. O that blessed birth, when the Virgin and mother, made fruitful by the Holy Spirit, brought forth our salvation, and the child, Redeemer of the world, showed his sacred face: world without end. To thee, O Christ.

Psalm 119, Legem pone; Memor esto; Bonitatem fecisti. On Sundays, antiphon: Praise and everlasting. Chapter: The grace of the Lord. R. Incline my heart. V. Turn away mine eyes. V. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me. R. Heal my soul.

On weekdays at Terce, antiphon: Let thy loving mercies come unto me. Chapter: Heal me, O Lord. Thanks be to God. R. Heal my soul. V. I said. V. My helper, forsake me not. R. Neither despise me.

At Sext, hymn: Rector potens, verax Deus. From Christmas to the Circumcision instead: Lo, he whom the seers sang in ages long ago, whom the faithful pages of the prophets had promised, shines forth, promised of old: let all things praise him together, world without end. Let the height of heaven sing praises, let all the angels sing, whatever power there is anywhere, let it sing to the praise of God; let no voice of tongues be silent, and let every one sound in accord, world without end. To thee, O Christ.

Psalm 119, Defecit; Quomodo dilexi; Iniquos odio habui. On Sundays, antiphon: Glory of praise. Chapter: God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him, and let us abide in him. R. For ever, O Lord. V. Thy word endureth in heaven. V. The Lord is my shepherd.

On weekdays at Sext, antiphon: Let me not be confounded. Chapter: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. R. I will bless. V. His praise shall ever be. V. The Lord is my shepherd. R. In a green pasture.

At None, hymn: Rerum Deus tenax vigor. On Christmas Day and daily through the octave instead: Just judge of the dead, just King of the living, who at the right hand in the Father's citadel art renowned for thy powers, thence to come, the just avenger of all crimes: world without end. Thee old age and thee youth, thee the choir of little ones, the throng of mothers and maidens, simple young girls, with voices in accord shall loudly praise in chaste harmonies: world without end. Grant, O Father [To thee, O Christ].

Psalm 119, Mirabilia; Clamavi; Principes. On Sundays, antiphon: Of whom are all things. Chapter: There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. R. I call with my whole heart. V. Thy statutes. V. Cleanse thou me from my secret faults. R. And from those of others.

On weekdays at None, antiphon: According to thy word. Chapter: For ye are bought with a great price: glorify and bear God in your body. R. Deliver me. V. My foot. V. From my secret faults.

This order for Sundays and weekdays at Terce, Sext and None is kept through the year when the office is of the Sunday or weekday, from the octave of the Epiphany to Septuagesima and from the octave of Corpus Christi to Advent; but the Sundays from Septuagesima to Lent have their own chapters at the hours.

Monday Vespers: Psalm 120, Ad Dominum, and Psalm 121, Levavi oculos, with the antiphons I cried and My help. Chapter: The Lord. Hymn: Immense caeli conditor. Antiphon to Magnificat: Let us magnify Christ the King, the Lord, who humbleth the proud and exalteth the humble.

Saturday Vespers (of the Sunday): Chapter: Blessed be God. Hymn: O lux beata Trinitas. V. Let our evening prayer ascend. R. And let thy mercy descend upon us. This chapter, hymn and versicle are said at Saturday Vespers when the office is of the Sunday, from the octave of the Epiphany to Lent and from the octave of Corpus Christi to Advent, except that the chapter is not said from Quinquagesima to Lent.

The preces and collect at ferial Vespers as above. The Psalter ends with the Te Deum (the canticle of Ambrose and Augustine), Benedicite, Benedictus, Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, followed by the Litany.