Createspace Independent Publishing Platform Breviary offices: from lauds to compline inclusive translated and arranged for use from the sarum book, paperback/catholic church

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THAT a community of women should offer to the English Church a new book of Offices, appears presumptuous as well as unnecessary, unless some explanation be given of the causes which led to the attempt.

Margaret's Sisterhood, founded by the Rev.

Neale, in 1854, was early provided with a MS.

Translation, abridged and simplified, of the shorter Sarum Hours, and with various other Offices, selected from Roman or Gallican uses, where Sarum was insufficient or apparently unsatisfactory.

For although Dr.

Neale considered the Sarum book as that of whieh the adoption was generally binding upon us, he preferred a degree of eclecticism to a servile following of the old English use, when better Offices were to be found elsewhere.

Other persons, aware of our possessing many MSS.

, asked us to prepare a book which should supply Offices yet wanting in existing manuals, and provide abundance of materials for devotion from which they might select portions suitable for use.

We have thus endeavoured to respond to their request, and the present volume is the careful, but very imperfect result of our labours, containing-, besides much supplementary matter, the Breviary Offices from Prime to Compline inclusive, Matins being already in course of publication separately.

In this compilation, our founder's plan has been retained: i.

Sarum has been followed wherever possible.

The Psalter, and Proper of Seasons exactly reproduce Sarum, with a few abbreviations and simplifications; except a few alterations mentioned below.

If it be asked why the Roman books would not suffice us, and why we should try to resuscitate a use long dead, we answer that the Gallican breviaries present us with rich and varied treasures of Scriptural applications and mystical interpretations, which might be sought vainly in the Roman forms; and that Sarum far surpasses Rome in the dignity and variety of its daily office; in its absence of unseemly haste (as when Rome continually replaces longer Psalms by Ps.