Every Service but Compline is commenced with privately saying the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ave Mary, to which the Creed is added before Matins and Prime. In like manner, after Compline, all three are repeated. Every other Service ends with the Lord’s Prayer in private, unless another Service immediately follows. Concerning the introduction of the Ave Mary, vid. supra, p. 11. This use of the Lord’s prayer in private before the beginning of the Service seems to have led the compilers of King Edward’s First Book to open with the Lord’s Prayer, only said aloud, not in private; but a pious custom has brought in again the private prayer, as before, though without prescribing any particular form. The compilers of King Edward’s Second Book prefixed to the Lord’s Prayer, the Sentences, and an Exhortation, Confession, and Absolution of their own. After these follows, “O Lord, open thou our lips,” &c. which stands first in the Breviary Service.
1. Matins, or Night Service, (after One, A.M.)
Introduction.
Verse. O Lord, open Thou my lips. Resp. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. (Each person to sign his lips with the Cross.)
Verse. O God, make speed to save me. Resp. O Lord, make haste to help me. (Each person to sign himself from the forehead to the breast.)
Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was, &c. Amen. (Ordinarily added) Hallelujah. (i.e. Praise ye the Lord.)
Psalm 95.—“O come let us sing,” &c. with a verse called an Invitatory, “Let us worship the Lord: our Maker,” divided into two parts, the whole being used before the 1st, 3rd, and 8th verse, and at the end, and again after the Gloria Patri, and the latter part after the 4th and 9th, and between the Gloria and the whole. This Invitatory varies with the season, but its general character is always preserved; e.g. in Advent, “O Come let us worship: the Lord, the King to come;” or “the Lord is at hand, O come let us worship;” again in Lent, “It is not to you lost labour that ye haste to rise up early: for the Lord hath promised a crown to those who wait for Him.” At Pentecost, “Hallelujah, the Spirit of the Lord hath filled the round world: O come let us worship, Hallelujah.”
A Hymn follows according to the day, and terminates the Introduction; then follow Psalms and Lessons, in one or three Nocturns, according as the Service is for Weekday or Sunday.
On Sunday, Eighteen Psalms with Nine Lessons; viz.
Psalms 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
A passage from Scripture, in three parts—(according to the time
of the Year.)
Psalms 16, 17, 18.
A passage from some Father of the Church, in three parts.
Psalms 19, 20, 21.
A comment on some passage of the Gospel, in three parts.
On Weekdays, Twelve Psalms with Three Lessons, viz.
On Monday.
Psalms 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38.
A passage in three parts from Scripture or the Fathers.
On Tuesday.
Psalms 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52.
A passage in three parts, &c. as on Monday.
On Wednesday.
Psalms 53, 55, 56; 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 66, 68.
A passage, &c.
On Thursday.
Psalms 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80.
A passage, &c.
On Friday.
Psalms 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 94, 96, 97.
A passage, &c.
On Saturday.
Psalms 98, 99, 100, or 92. (according to the day) 101, 102,
103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109.
A passage, &c.
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Then on every day of the week follows the
Te Deum Laudamus.
This noble Hymn follows in this place with especial propriety, on Sundays and other Festivals; viz. after the reading the words of Prophets and Apostles, and the writings and histories of Saints and Martyrs, all of whom are commemorated in it. On all days it impressively winds up the Service which precedes.
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Lauds;—(appended to the Matins towards the first twilight.)
Verse. “O God, make speed, &c. Resp. O Lord, make haste,” Glory be, &c. As it was, &c. Amen. Hallelujah.
Then five Psalms, viz. on
Sunday.
Psalms 93, 100, 63 and 67.
The Song of the Three Children.
Psalms 148-150.
Monday.
Psalms 51, 5, 63. Song of Isaiah. (Is. xii.) Psalm 148.
Tuesday.
Psalms 51, 43, 63. Song of Hezekiah. (Is. xxxviii.) Psalm 148.
Wednesday.
Psalms 51, 65, 63. Song of Hannah. (1 Sam. ii. Psalm 148.)
Thursday.
Psalms 51, 90, 63. Song of Moses. (Ex. xv.) Psalm 148.
Friday.
Psalms 51, 143, 63. Song of Habakkuk. (Hab. iii.) Psalm 148.
Saturday.
Psalms 51, 92, 63. Song of Moses. (Deut. xxxii.) Psalm 148.
The Service ends on all days with a Text (Capitulum), a Hymn and a Collect (Oratio), varying with the day and season; the Song of Zacharias (Benedictus) being interposed between the Hymn and Collect, and several stated Collects, invocations, and Sentences following.