Flight into Egypt, miniature from a French book of hours ( The Hague, KB, 74 F 1, fol. 84v), c. 1450.
Officium Beatae Mariae
Ad Vesperas
The Office of Our Blessed Lady
At Vespers
V: Deus in adiutorium meum intende.
V: Incline unto my aid O God.
R: Domine ad adiuvandum me festina.
R: O Lord make haste to help me.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen. Alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
Ant: O admirabile commercium.
Ant: O admirable intercourse.
Psalmus [109]:
Dixit Dominus Domino meo: sede a dextris meis.
Donec ponam inimicos tuos: scabellum pedum tuorum.
Virgam virtutis tuae emittet Dominus ex Sion: dominare in medio inimicorum tuorum.
Tecum principium in die virtutis tuae in splendoribus sanctorum: ex utero ante luciferum genui te.
Iuravit Dominus, et non paenitebit eum: tu es sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech.
Dominus a dextris tuis: confregit in die irae suae reges.
Iudicabit in nationibus, implebit ruinas: conquassabit capita in terra multorum.
De torrente in via bibet: propterea exaltabit caput.
Psalm [109]:
Our Lord said to my Lord: sit on my right hand.
Until I make thine enemies: thy foot-stool.
Our Lord will send forth the rod of thy strength from Sion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
The beginning with thee in the day of thy strength in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begat thee.
Our Lord sware, and it shall not repent him: thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.
Our Lord on thy right hand: hath broken kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall judge in nations, he shall fill ruins: he shall crush the heads in the land of many.
Of the brook in the way he hath drunk: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: O admirabile commercium, creator generis humani, animatum corpus sumens, de virgine nasci dignatus est: et procedens homo sine semine largitus est nobis suam deitatem.
Ant: O admirable intercourse, the creator of mankind, taking a living body, vouchsafed to be born of a virgin: and coming forth man without seed, hath given unto us his Godhead.
Ant: Quando natus es.
Ant: When as.
Psalmus [112]:
Laudate pueri Dominum: laudate nomen Domini.
Sit nomen Domini benedictum: ex hoc nunc, et usque in saeculum.
A solis ortu usque ad occasum: laudabile nomen Domini.
Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus: et super caelos gloria eius.
Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat: et humilia respicit in caelo et in terra?
Suscitans a terra inopem: et de stercore erigens pauperem.
Ut collocet eum cum principibus: cum principibus populi sui.
Qui habitare facit sterilem in domo: matrem filiorum laetantem.
Psalm [112]:
Praise our Lord ye children: praise ye the name of our Lord.
The name of our Lord be blessed: from henceforth, now and for ever.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down: the name of our Lord is laudable.
Our Lord is high above all nations: and his glory above the heavens.
Who is as the Lord our God that dwelleth on high: and beholdeth the humble things in heaven and earth?
Raising up the needy from the earth: and lifting up the poor out of the dung.
To place him with princes: with the princes of his people.
Who maketh the barren woman to dwell in a house: a joyful mother of children.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: Quando natus es ineffabiliter ex virgine, tunc impletae sunt scripturae, sicut pluvia in vellus descendisti: ut salvum faceres genus humanum: te laudamus Deus noster.
Ant: When as unspeakably thou wast born of the virgin, then were the scriptures fulfilled, thou didst descend like rain into the fleece: that thou mightest save mankind: we praise thee our God.
Ant: Rubum quem viderat Moyses.
Ant: The bush which Moses saw.
Psalmus [121]:
Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus.
Stantes erant pedes nostri: in atriis tuis Hierusalem.
Hierusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas: cuius participatio eius in idipsum.
Illic enim ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini, testimonium Israel: ad confitendum nomini Domini.
Quia illic sederunt sedes in iudicio: sedes super domum David.
Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Hierusalem: et abundantia diligentibus te.
Fiat pax in virtute tua: et abundantia in turribus tuis.
Propter fratres meos, et proximos meos: loquebar pacem de te.
Propter domum Domini Dei nostri: quaesivi bona tibi.
Psalm [121]:
I rejoiced in those things, which were said to me: we shall go into the house of our Lord.
Our feet were standing: in thy courts O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem which is built as a city: whose participation therefore is in itself.
For thither did the tribes ascend, the tribes of our Lord, the testimony of Israel: to confess unto the name of our Lord.
Because seats sat there in judgment: seats upon the house of David.
Ask ye the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance to them that love thee.
Peace be made in thy strength: and abundance in thy towers.
For my brethren, and my neighbours' sakes: I spake peace of thee.
For the house of the Lord our God: I have sought good things to thee.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: Rubum quem viderat Moyses incombustum, conservatam agnovimus tuam laudabilem virginitatem, Dei genitrix intercede pro nobis.
Ant: The bush which Moses saw unconsuming burn, we acknowledge thy conserved laudable virginity, O mother of God make intercession for us.
Ant: Germinavit radix Iesse.
Ant: The root of Jesse hath budded.
Psalmus [126]:
Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum: in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam.
Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem: frustra vigilat qui custodit eam.
Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere: surgite, postquam sederitis, qui manducatis panem doloris.
Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum: ecce hereditas Domini, filii merces, fructus ventris.
Sicut sagittae in manu potentis: ita filii excussorum.
Beatus vir, qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis: non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta.
Psalm [126]:
Unless our Lord build the house: they have laboured in vain, that built it.
Unless our Lord shall keep the city: he watcheth in vain, that keepeth it.
It is in vain for you to rise before light: rise ye, after ye have sitten, which eat the bread of sorrow.
When he shall give sleep to his beloved behold the inheritance of our Lord, children the reward, the fruit of the womb.
As arrows in the hand of the mighty: so are the children of them that are shaken.
Blessed is the man, that hath filled his desire of them: he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: Germinavit radix Iesse, orta est stella ex Iacob, virgo peperit salvatorem: te laudamus Deus noster.
Ant: The root of Jesse hath budded, a star is sprung out of Jacob, a virgin hath born a saviour: we praise thee our God.
Ant: Ecce Maria.
Ant: Behold Mary.
Psalmus [147]:
Lauda Hierusalem Dominum: lauda Deum tuum Sion.
Quoniam confortavit seras portarum tuarum: benedixit filiis tuis in te.
Qui posuit fines tuos pacem, et adipe frumenti satiat te?
Qui emittit eloquium suum terrae: velociter currit sermo eius.
Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: nebulam sicut cinerem spargit.
Mittit cristallum suum sicut buccellas: ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit?
Emittet verbum suum, et liquefaciet ea: flabit spiritus eius, et fluent aquae.
Qui annunciat verbum suum Iacob: iustitias, et iudicia sua Israel.
Non fecit taliter omni nationi: et iudicia sua non manifestavit eis.
Psalm [147]:
O Jerusalem praise our Lord: praise thy God o Sion.
Because he hath strengthened the locks of thy gates: he hath blessed thy children in thee.
Who hath placed peace thy borders: and filleth thee with the fat of corn?
Who sendeth forth his speech to the earth: his word runneth swiftly.
Who giveth snow as wool: scattereth mist as ashes.
He casteth his crystal as morsels: before the face of his cold who shall abide?
He shall send forth his word, and shall melt them: his spirit shall blow, and flow shall the waters.
Who declareth his word to Jacob: justices, and his judgments to Israel.
He hath not done in like manner to every nation: and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: Ecce Maria genuit nobis salvatorem: quem Ioannes videns exclamavit dicens: ecce agnus Dei: ecce qui tollit peccata mundi, Alleluia.
Ant: Behold Mary hath born to us a saviour: whom John seeing cried out saying: behold the Lamb of God, Behold him which taketh away the sins of the world, Alleluia.
Capitulum (Ecclesiasticus 24):
Ab initio, et ante saecula creata sum, et usque ad futurum saeculum non desinam: et in habitatione sancta coram ipso ministravi.
Chapter (Ecclesiasticus 24):
From the beginning, and before worlds was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease: and in the holy habitation have I ministered before him.
R: Deo gratias.
R: Thanks be to God.
Hymnus:
Ave maris stella,
Dei mater alma,
Atque semper virgo,
Felix caeli porta.
Sumens illud Ave,
Gabrielis ore,
Funda nos in pace,
Mutans Evae nomen.
Solve vincla reis,
Profer lumen caecis:
Mala nostra pelle,
Bona cuncta posce.
Monstra te esse matrem,
Sumat per te preces,
Qui pro nobis natus
Tulit esse tuus.
Virgo singularis
Inter omnes mitis,
Nos culpis solutos,
Mites fac, et castos.
Vitam praesta puram,
Iter para tutum,
Ut videntes Iesum,
Semper collaetemur.
Sit laus Deo patri,
Summo Christo decus,
Spiritui sancto,
Tribus honor unus. Amen.
Hymn:
All hail star of the sea,
God's mother clear and bright,
The happy gate of bliss,
And still in virgin's plight.
Receiving that all hail,
Which Gabriel's mouth did give,
Establish us in peace,
Changing the name of Eve.
The guilty's bands unbind,
Blind men their sight assure:
Ill things from us expel,
All good for us procure.
A mother show thy self,
He take our plaints by thee,
That being for us born,
Vouchsafe thy son to be.
O rarest virgin pure,
Of all that meekest waste,
Discharged of our sin,
Make thou us meek, and chaste.
Grant that our life be pure,
Make safe for us the way,
That while we Jesus see,
Our joy may last for ay.
To God the father praise,
To Christ high worship be,
And to the holy Ghost,
One honour unto three. Amen.
V: Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis.
V: Grace is poured out in thy lips.
R: Propterea benedixit te Deus in aeternum.
R: Therefore God hath blessed thee forever.
Ant: Magnum hereditatis mysterium.
Ant: A great mystery of heritage.
Canticum beatae Mariae virginis (Luc. 1):
Magnificat: anima mea Dominum
.
Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo
.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: ecce enim ex hoc
beatam me dicent omnes generationes
.
Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est: et sanctum nomen eius
.
Et misericordia eius, a progenie in progenies: timentibus
eum
.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente
cordis sui
.
Deposuit potentes de sede: et exaltavit humiles
.
Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes
.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum: recordatus misericordiae
suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros: Abraham, et semini eius
in saecula
.
The Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Luke 1):
My soul: doth magnify our Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced: in God my saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.
And his mercy from generation unto generations: to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath deposed the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble.
The hungry he hath filled with good things: and the rich he hath sent away empty.
He hath received Israel his child: being mindful of his mercy.
As he spake to our fathers: to Abraham, and his seed for ever.
Gloria Patri, et Filio: et Spiritui sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper: et in saecula saeculorum, Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
Even as it was in the beginning, and now, and ever: and world without end. Amen.
Ant: Magnum hereditatis mysterium, templum Dei factus est uterus, nesciens virum: non est pollutus ex ea carnem assumens: omnes gentes venient dicentes: gloria tibi Domine. Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Ant: A great mystery of heritage, the womb that never knew man, is made the temple of the holy Ghost: he is not polluted by taking flesh of her: all nations shall come, saying: glory be to thee o Lord. Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us.
V: Domine exaudi orationem meam.
V: O Lord graciously hear my prayer.
R: Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
R: And let my cry come unto thee.
Oratio:
Deus, qui salutis aeternae beatae Mariae virginitate fecunda, humano generi praemia praestitisti: tribue quaesumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus auctorem vitae suscipere Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Prayer:
O God, which by the fruitful virginity of the blessed virgin Mary, hast given unto mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: Grant we beseech thee, that we may perceive her to make intercession for us, by whom we have deserved to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ thy son. Who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
R: Amen.
R: Amen.
Pro Sanctis
For the Saints
Ant: Sancti Dei omnes intercedere dignemini pro nostra omniumque salute.
Ant: O all ye saints of God vouchsafe to make intercession of our and all others' salvation.
V: Laetamini in Domino, et exultate iusti.
V: Be glad in our Lord, and rejoice ye just.
R: Et gloriamini omnes recit corde.
R: And glory all ye right of heart.
Oratio:
Protege Domine populum tuum: et apostolorum tuorum Petri et Pauli, et aliorum apostolorum patrocinio confidentem, perpetua defensione conserva.
Omnes sancti tui quaesumus Domine nos ubique adiuvent: ut dum eorum merita recolimus, patrocinia sentiamus: et pacem tuam nostris concede temporibus: et ab Ecclesia tua cunctam repelle nequitiam: iter, actus, et voluntates nostras, et omnium famulorum tuorum in salutis suae prosperitate dispone: benefactoribus nostris sempiterna bona retribue: et omnibus fidelibus defunctis requiem aeternam concede. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Prayer:
Protect O Lord thy people: and conserve the confident in the patronage of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and the other Apostles, with perpetual defence.
O Lord we beseech thee, that all thy saints may everywhere help us: that while we reverently recognise their merits, we may feel their patronages: and grant us thy peace in our times: from thy Church repel all wickedness: and dispose our way, acts, and wills, and of all thy servants in the prosperity of thy salvation: and yield unto our benefactors perpetual good things: and grant eternal rest to all faithful departed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy son: Who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
R: Amen.
R: Amen.
V: Domine exaudi orationem meam.
V: O Lord graciously hear my prayer.
R: Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
R: And let my cry come unto thee.
V: Benedicamus Domino.
V: Bless we our Lord.
R: Deo gratias.
R: Thanks be to God.
V: Fidelium animae per misericordiam Dei requiescant in pace.
V: The souls of the faithful by the mercy of God rest in peace.
R: Amen.
R: Amen.
On to Compline
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