CHD Tutorial - Hours of the Virgin
Hore Beate Marie Virginis - Index to a Selection of Uses
The selective collection of incipits from the Hours of the Virgin is slowly increasing, and more details will be added, each time there has been an opportunity to verify new principal sources. It is not possible to establish a search function, but you are welcome to email any query to me (but I can't promise a satisfactory outcome if you only furnish the incipits from Prime and None, as in the old invalid Madan Tests). A new updated version is under preparation, see the CHD Tests. Not a real key, but only a guide to the final verification via this collection of incipits. A unique combination at Prime and None is only unique until another has been found. As long as the Madan principle is followed will you not discover any new uses. Before you spend too much time on the identification of a new source is it a good idea to check if the first antiphon at Vespers has the incipit "Dum esset". In that case is it Horae ad usum Romanum, and you can save yourself any further efforts.
Do not be surprised if the hymn precedes the chapter at compline in your source! It is normal in 30-40 percent of the uses, but I forgot from the start to create a special template for the display. It will be corrected along the way, in connection with the running addition of the collects.
Next step will be to include the many notes from unidentified offices from Northern France. Please let me know if you have comments or special wishes. Any localization of a Book of Hours must also include key notes from the Calendar, the saints in the Litany and notes on the Office of the Dead. (The special office for the Virgin during Advent, sometimes found in late books of hours, has not been recorded).
