a penitentiary, who took
cognisance of crimes, to which public penance was annexed by the
canons. At Rome also there was a cardinal penitentiary long before
the fourth council of Lateran, which in 1215 prescribed that bishops
should appoint penitentiaries, for Berthod priest of Constance relates
in his chronicle, that in the year 1084 he was promoted to the dignity
of cardinal-priest and penitentiary of the Roman church.]

CHAP III.

ON THE DIVINE OFFICE, AND THE OFFICE OF TENEBRAE IN PARTICULAR.

_CONTENTS._

PART 1. _Introductory_. Breviary--Divine office, its
origin--performed by the early Christians--ancient and modern
editions of the breviary. PART 2. _Descriptive_. Office of
Tenebrae--Matins and Lauds--extinction of the lights--meaning
of this ceremony--chant, lamentations--conclusions of the
office--_Miserere_, its music--Card. Penitentiary at S. Mary
Major's. _Trinita dei Pellegrini_.

"_I will bless the Lord at all times_: _his praise shall
always be in my mouth_". Ps. XXXIII, 2.

"_He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross_". Phil. II, 8.

[Sidenote: P. I. Breviary.]

We shall not hesitate to borrow the following account of the church
office contained in the Roman Breviary from a Protestant divine
(Tracts of the Times no. 75). "The word _Breviarum_ first occurs
in the work of an author of the eleventh century (Micrologus) and
it is used to denote a compendium or systematic arrangement of the
devotional offices of the church. Till that time they were contained
in several independent volumes, according to the nature of each. Such,
for instance, were the _Psalteria_, _Homilaria_, _Hymnaria_, and the
like, to be used in the service in due course. But at his memorable
era, and under the auspices of the Pontiff who makes it memorable,
Gregory VII, an Order was drawn up, for the use of the Roman church,
containing in one all these different collections, introducing the
separate members of each in its proper place, and harmonising them
together by the use of rubrics.

[Sidenote: Divine office, its origin.]

"Gregory VII did but restore and harmonise these offices; which seem
to have existed more or less the same in constituent parts, though not
in order and system, from Apostolic times. In their present shape they
are appointed for seven distinct seasons in the twenty four hours,
and consist of prayers, praises and t