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Matins - Ad Matutinum

The Matins is often a very long text (with its three nocturns and 10 psalms), but the text is of little significance for the identification of the use. An important exception is the presence of the antiphon: "Exaltata es" [Ps.8], which, in combination with the first lesson: "Surge beatissima virgo", is indicative for the use of Paris (and Saint-Pol de Léon).
Appropiate notes from the matins would be:
Invitatorium [Ps.94]: incipit
Hymn: incipit
Antiphon to psalm 8: incipit
Lesson i: incipit. Responsory to lesson i: incipit
Te deum laudamus: incipits of responsory or versicle after the canticle.
(A complete recording of all the 9 lessons with their responsories is useful for research purposes, but without importance for the determination of the use)

Checklist: Ad Matutinum . Matins
Before the reading of the hours was it normally prescribed to read an Ave Maria. It is therefore often written first in the text before the head initial D, especially in Northern France and Flanders c.1400-1450.
Domine labia mea aperies etc.- Deus in adiutorium meum intende etc.
Invitatorium (to Ps.94)Ave Maria (standard)
In honore beatissime virgo maria (Germany and Northern Netherlands)
Psalmus Ps.94 Venite exultemus (divided by the invitatorium)
Hymnus Qvem terra ponthus (Standard)
O quam glorifica luce (Paris, Troyes, Sens etc. Thott 535)
Ave maris stella (Beauvais, Salzburg)
Fit porta xpristi (Watten)
Psalmi
I° noc°.First nocturn (to be read on certain specified weekdays)
Ps.8 Domine, Dominus noster[Ant.Benedicta tu] (Standard)
[Ant.Dignare me] (France, Chartres, Orders+)
[Ant. Exaltata es] (Paris+)
Ps.18 Coeli enarrant[Ant.Sicut myrrha]
Ps.23 Domini est terra[Ant.Ante thorum]
Lessons i-iii(See below)
II° noc°.Second nocturn (to be read on the specified weekdays)
Ps.44 Eructavit cor meum [Ant.Specie tua]
Ps.45 Deus noster refugium[Ant.Adiuvabit eam]
Ps.86 Fundamenta eius[Ant.Sicut letantium]
Lessons iv-vi(See below)
III° noc°.Third nocturn (to be read on the specified weekdays)
Ps.95 Cantate Domino...cantate[Ant.Gaude Maria Virgo]
Ps.96 Dominus regnavit, exultet[Ant.Dignare me]
Ps.97 Cantate Domino...quia [Ant.Post partum]
Lessons vii-ix(See below)

[Absolutio: Precibus et meritis]

Lectiones
The lessons always came in fixed groups of three in the same order. But the groups are placed in different nocturns in different uses. The important feature is which of the groups is placed in the first (and often only) nocturn. They are each followed by a responsory and a versicle, where the sequence of the first and second responsory (R.Sancta et immaculata, and R.Beata es maria) can be reversed (the last is normally always: R.Felix namque es). It is therefore sufficient to note the first lesson in the first nocturn, with its responsory. A more complete survey of the lessons will later be added in the Tutorial, including some rare texts. (A few books of hours has 12 lessons, to make it look like a liturgical office from a breviary). The lessons from rare monastic uses are not included.

Lec.i.In omnibus requiem (Now Use of Rome)
GKS 1607 f.44v°, GKS 1610 f.47, GKS 1611 f.27, Thott 536 f.21, [BR Eccli 24,11-13 R. Sancta et immaculata.]
Lec.ii. Et sic in Sion. [BR Eccli 24,15-16 R. Beata es.]
Lec.iii. Quasi cedrus. [BR Eccli 24,17-20 R. Felix namque es.]

i. Sancta maria virgo virginum (the most common first lesson in the 14th/15th Cent.)
(Lec.i) GKS 1609 f.28v°, Thott 537, Thott 539 f.25, Thott 540 f.44, Thott 542 f.55v°, Thott 543 f.28v°, Thott 545, Thott 544 f.21, Thott 548 f.30v°; R. Beata es; R.Missus est Gabriel Thott 542; (Lec.iv) Thott 535,
ii. Sancta maria piarum piissima
(Lec.ii) GKS 1609 f.29 R. Sancta et immaculata; R.Ave Maria Thott 542; (Lec.v) Thott 535,
iii. Sancta dei genitrix que digne
(Lec.iii) GKS 1609 f.29v°, R. Felix namque es (all with 3 lessons); R.Ecce virgo Thott 542 (9 lessons); (Lec.vi) Thott 535 [Note that Geert Grote for some mysterious reason has reversed the order of the 3rd and the 2nd lesson in his translation into Dutch!]

i. Surge beatissima virgo (Lec.i) GKS 1608 f.30 R. Sancta et immaculata. R. Beata: Thott 535 f.32,
ii. Cecos cordium oculos terge (Lec.ii) GKS 1608 f.30, R.Beata. R.Sancta: Thott 535 f.32
iii. O sacratissima virgo (Lec.iii) GKS 1608 f.31, Thott 535 f.32v°, R.Felix.

i. O beata maria quis tibi (Lec.i) NKS 35 f.18v° R. Sancta et immaculata.,
(Lec.vii) Thott 535, Thott 542 f.64v°, NKS 3758 f.48,
ii. Admitte piissima (Lec.ii) NKS 35 f.19, (Lec.viii) Thott 535, Thott 542 f.65
iii. Sancta maria succurre (Lec.iii) NKS 35 f.19v°, (Lec.ix) Thott 535, Thott 542 f.65v°,

iv. O regina mundi (Lec.iv) Thott 542 f.60
v. Dele virgo beatissime (Lec.v) Thott 542 f.60v°
vi. Placa tuis precibus (Lec.vi) Thott 542 f.61

Hymnus Ambrosianus: Te deum laudamus. [+Responsory and/or Versicle]
[Matins has no concluding prayers, because the Lauds followed immediately after Te Deum without interrruption]


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©CHD Erik Drigsdahl 1997