vouchsafe to grant unto me Thy grace and mercy; unto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to Thy Church, peace and concord; to us sinners, life and glory everlasting. Who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

FOR THE HOUR OF PRIME
The Versicle

LORD, by Thy sweet and saving Sign,

The Responsory

Defend us from our foes and Thine.

V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord,
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.
V. O God, make speed to save me.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

V. Glory be, etc.

R. As it was, etc.

THE HYMN

The early Prime blushes to say
She could not rise so soon, as they

Call'd Pilate up, to try if he

Could lend them any cruelty;

Their hands with lashes arm'd, their tongues with lies,

And loathsome spittle, blot those beauteous eyes, The blissful springs of joy; from whose allcheering ray

The fair stars fill their wakeful fires, the sun himself drinks day.

The Antiphon

Victorious Sign

That now dost shine,
Transcribed above

Into the land of light and love;
O let us twine

Our roots with Thine,
That we may rise

Upon Thy wings and reach the skies.

The Versicle

Lo, we adore Thee,

Dread Lamb, and fall

Thus low before Thee.

The Responsory

'Cause by the covenant of Thy Cross Thou hast saved at once the whole World's loss.

The Prayer

O Lord JESU CHRIST, Son of the living God, interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own precious Death, Thy Cross and Passion, betwixt my soul and Thy Judgment, now and in the hour of my death. And vouchsafe to grant unto me Thy grace and mercy; unto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to Thy Church, peace and concord; to us sinners, life and glory everlasting. Who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

THE THIRD

The Versicle

LORD, by Thy sweet and saving Sign,

The Responsory

Defend us from our foes and Thine.
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord,
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.
V. O God, make speed to save me.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to, etc.

R. As it was in the, etc.

THE HYMN

The third hour's deafen'd with the cry
Of "Crucify Him, crucify."

So goes the vote (nor ask them, why?)
"Live Barabbas! and let God die."
But there is wit in wrath, and they will try
A "Hail" more cruel than their "Crucify."
For while in sport He wears a spiteful crown,
The serious showers along His decent Face run
sadly down.

The Antiphon

Christ when He died
Deceived the Cross;

And on Death's side

Threw all the loss.

The captive World awaked and found
The prisoners loose, the jailer bound.

The Versicle

Lo, we adore Thee,

Dread Lamb, and fall

Thus low before Thee.

The Responsory

1

'Cause by the covenant of Thy Cross Thou hast saved at once the whole World's loss.

The Prayer

O Lord JESU CHRIST, Son of the living God, interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own precious Death, Thy Cross and Passion, betwixt my soul and Thy Judgment, now and in the hour of my death. And vouchsafe to grant unto me Thy grace and mercy; unto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to Thy Church, peace and concord; to us sinners, life and glory everlasting. Who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

THE SIXTH

The Versicle

LORD, by Thy sweet and saving Sign,

The Responsory

Defend us from our foes and Thine.

V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord,

R And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.

V. O God, make speed to save me.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be, etc.

R. As it was, etc.

THE HYMN

Now is the noon of Sorrows night:
High in His patience, as their spite,
Lo, the faint Lamb, with weary limb,
Bears that huge tree which must bear Him.
The fatal plant, so great of fame,
For fruit of sorrow and of shame,
Shall swell with both, for Him, and mix
All woes into one crucifix.

Is tortured thirst itself too sweet a cup?

Gall, and more bitter mocks, shall make it up.
Are nails blunt pens of superficial smart?
Contempt and scorn can send sure wounds to search

the inmost heart.

The Antiphon

O dear and sweet dispute

'Twixt Death's and Love's far different fruit! Different as far

As antidotes and poisons are

By that first fatal tree 1

Both life and liberty

Were sold and slain

;

By this they both look up, and live again.

1 The tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden.