The Annunciation, miniature from a French book of hours ( The Hague, KB, 74 F 1, fol. 29r), c. 1450.
Officium Beatae Mariae
Ad Matutinum
The Office of Our Blessed Lady
At Matins
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen. Alleluia.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end, Amen. Alleluia.
Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum.
Hail Mary, full of grace: Our Lord is with thee.
Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum.
Hail Mary, full of grace: Our Lord is with thee.
Venite exultemus Domino, iubilemus Deo salutari nostro: praeoccupemus faciem eius in confessione: et in psalmis iubilemus ei.
Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum.
Quoniam Deus magnus Dominus, et Rex magnus super omnes deos: quoniam non repellet Dominus plebem suam: quia in manu eius sunt omnes fines terrae, et altitudines montium ipse conspicit.
Dominus tecum.
Quoniam ipsius est mare, et ipse fecit illud: et aridam fundaverunt manus eius: venite adoremus, et procidamus ante Deum: ploremus coram Domino, qui fecit nos: quia ipse est Dominus Deus noster: nos autem populus eius, et oves pascuae eius.
Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum.
Hodie si vocem eius audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra, sicut in exacerbatione secundum diem tentationis in deserto: ubi tentaverunt me patres vestri: probaverunt, et viderunt opera mea.
Dominus tecum.
Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic et dixi, semper hi errant corde: ipsi vero non cognoverunt vias meas: quibus iuravi in ira mea, si introibunt in requiem meam.
Ave Maria, Gratia plena: Dominus tecum.
Come let us rejoice unto our Lord, let us make joy to God our saviour: let us approach to his presence in confession, and in Psalms let us make joy unto him.
Hail Mary, full of grace: our Lord is with thee.
For God is a great Lord, and a great King above all Gods: because our Lord repelleth not his people: for that in his hand are all the bounds of the earth, and he beholdeth the heights of the mountains.
Our Lord is with thee.
For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands founded the dry land: come let us adore, and fall down before God: let us weep before our Lord, that made us: because he is the Lord our God: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Hail Mary, full of grace: our Lord is with thee.
Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me: proved, and saw my works.
Our Lord is with thee.
Forty years was I nigh unto this generation: and said, they always err in heart: and they have not known my ways, to whom I swear in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest.
Hail Mary, full of grace: our Lord is with thee.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end, Amen.
Quem terra, pontus, aethera
Colunt, adorant, praedicant,
Trinam regentem machinam,
Claustrum Mariae baiulat.
Cui Luna, Sol, et omnia
Deserviunt per tempora:
Perfusa caeli gratia,
Gestant puellae viscera.
Beata mater munere,
Cuius supernus artifex,
Mundum pugillo continens,
Ventris sub arca clausus est.
Beata caeli nuncio,
Foecunda sancto spiritu,
Desideratus gentibus,
Cuius per aluum fusus est.
Gloria tibi Domine,
Qui natus es de virgine,
Cum patre, et sancto spiritu,
In sempiterna saecula, Amen.
Whom earth, and sea, and eke the skies,
Adore, and worship, and declare,
As ruler of the triple frame,
The closure of Maria bare.
Whom both the Moon, the Sun and all,
Do serve in their due time and space,
A maiden's inward parts doth bear,
Bedewed with celestial grace.
Blest is the mother by this gift,
Whose womb as in a coffer held,
The maker that surmounteth all,
Who in his hand the world doth weld.
She blessed is by heavenly news,
And fruitful by the holy Ghost,
From out whose womb was yielded forth,
Whom nations had desired most.
Glory be unto thee O Lord,
That born was of the virgin pure,
With the Father and Holy Ghost,
All ages ever to endure, Amen.
On Tuesdays and Fridays, continue with "Specie tua / By thy beauty"
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, continue with "Gaude Maria virgo / Rejoice o virgin Mary"
Back to the Book of Hours, Table of Contents