66 66 making, the priest and clergy sing or repeat anthems; and then, the body being interred with a certain formulary, another anthem is sung or said. The same order is found in the ancient rituals of the eastern and western churches. The only thing worthy of notice in this part of the English ritual is, the form repeated by the priest, beginning, “ For"asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God," &c. This form of committing the " body to the ground; "earth to earth, ashes to ashes," &c. seems, as far as I can judge, to be peculiar to our church; as we find that most other rituals of the east and west appoint some psalm or anthem to be sung or said while the body is placed in the tomb: but the same form nearly has been used in the English church for many ages, though anciently it followed after the body was covered with earth, and not while the earth was placed upon it. The anthems which precede and follow this formulary have generally been very anciently used in the English church on occasions connected with that which we at present consider. Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the Idead which die in the Lord: even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours. Sancte Deus, Sancte fortis, Sancte et misericors Salvator; amaræ morti ne tradas nos. Noli claudere aures tuas ad preces nostras, Sancte fortis. Qui cognoscis occulta cordis, Sancte parce peccatis nostris. et misericors Salvator amaræ morti ne tradas nos P. Commendo animam tuam Deo Patri omnipotenti; terram terræ, cinerem cineri, pulverem pulveri in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti 9. Audivi vocem de cœlo, dicentem mihi, Scribe, Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur, amodo enim jam dicit Spiritus, ut requiescant a laboribus suis, opera enim illorum sequuntur illos '. After this anthem is concluded, the prayers commence with the short litany, which is followed by p Brev. Sarisb. Psalt. fol. 55. humatio defuncti. r Man. Sar. Antiphona in 9 Manuale Sar. fol. 149. In- Vigil. Mortuorum, fol. 112. the Lord's Prayer, two collects, and a benediction. The ancient manuals of the English church appointed a similar order to succeed the burial; but the collects which we use in this place are not of great antiquity, though the preface of the first is found in the manual of Salisbury, and in some very ancient monuments of the western church. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, &c. Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity, &c. Kyrie eleison. Pater noster qui es in cœlis, sanctificetur nomen tuum, &c.s Deus, apud quem spiritus mortuorum vivunt, et in quo electorum animæ deposito carnis onere plena felicitate lætantur, præsta supplicantibus nobis ut anima famuli tui, &c. t s Man. Sar. Inhumatio defuncti, fol. 151. t Ibid. fol. 148. 238 Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth. CHAP. X. CHAPTER X. THE THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN AFTER CHILD-BIRTH. How long a particular office has been used in the Christian church, for the thanksgiving and benediction of women after child-birth, it would be difficult to say; but it is probably most ancient, since we find that all the western rituals, and those of the patriarchate of Constantinople, contain such an officea. That which we use in the English ritual occurs in the ancient Manual of the church of Salis bury, with little variation. It begins with a short address to the woman, followed by two psalms. The address seems peculiar to the English ritual; but two psalms were repeated at the beginning of the office, according to the Salisbury manual", though they were different from those used at present. The remainder of the office will speak for itself, on comparison. Our Father, which art in heaven, &c. Min. O Lord, save this woman thy servant ; Answ. Who putteth her trust in thee. Min. Be thou to her a strong tower, Ans. From the face of her enemy. Min. Lord, hear our prayer. Answ. And let our cry come unto thee. Min. Let us pray. O Almighty God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this woman from the great pain and peril of child-birth; Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live, and walk according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Pater noster qui es in cœlis, sanctificetur, &c. Domine salvum fac ancillam tuam ; Deus meus, sperantem in te. Esto ei, Domine, turris fortudinis, A facie inimici. Domine exaudi orationem meam. Et clamor meus ad te ve niat. Oremus. Deus, qui hanc famulam tuam de pariendi periculo liberasti, et eam in servitio tuo devotam esse fecisti: concede ut temporali cursu fideliter peracto, sub alis misericordiæ tuæ vitam perpetuam et quietem consequatur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen c. c Man. Sarisb. fol. 46. |