CIRCLE or THE HOURS. 395 



Aurora lucem provehit, 

 Cum luce nobis prodeat, 

 In Patre totus Filius, 

 Et totus in Verbo filter. 

 Deo Patri ^it trloria, 

 Ejusque soli Filio, 

 Cuu) Spiritu Paraclito, 

 Nunc, & per oiuiie saeculu. 



VI. O'CLOCK. PRIME. 



06s. At, or even before, the clock strikes six, the office of Prime 

 formerly began ; and nowadays, from the laziness of the times, the 

 Matins and Laudes often takes place at the same hour. We have 

 before explained why this office is called Prima, and not the Sexta, 

 which latter office is recited at midday, the hours of the day being 

 counted from the mean time of sunrise, which is six in the morning. 

 The almost universal custom of ringing one of the church bells at 

 six is derived from those times when, every church being Catholic, 

 the bell used to go for Prime. 'J'he bell which at some places goes 

 at noon is a remnant of the Angelus Bell, still rung in convents 

 everywhere, and at every church of the Catholic religion. The 

 eii;ht o'clock bell is the Curfew, established by William the First 

 after the jNorman conquest. 



The chimes usually play at six, b^^ing one of the canonical hours, 

 and one pf the great cardusal points of the day. 



The appearance of nature at this time of the morning in spring 

 is most delightful, particularly when in April the rising sun first 

 warms the cool air of the passed night ; and the burst of songs from 

 the choral grove first salutes our ear. amid the occasional notes of 

 the Cuckoo, newly arrived. 



' The following is the Hymn at Prime, of which we have given 

 another version in the body of this work, on the 6th of March. The 

 same is also the hymn recited btfoie breakfast. Most of these an- 

 cient verses were composed by Prudentius in the fourth century, or 

 else by St. Ain!jro.se : 



Hijmmis in ojlicio Primae. 

 (Also said before Breakfast, and Uknvise at Sunrise.) 



lam lucis orto sidere, 

 Deum precemur supplices, 

 Ul in diurnis autibus 

 Nos servet a noceiitibus. 

 Liimuani refrenans ttniptret, 

 Ne litis horror iiisaiet : 

 Visum foveiido coute^at, 

 Me vanitates liauriat. 

 isiiit pura cordis iiitinia, 

 Absistat & vecordia: 

 Carnis terat superbiam 

 Potus cluique parcilas : 

 Vt ciim dies abscesserit. 



