Isidore writes that they come from Greek liturgy and the
opening words _Kyrie eleison_ seem to indicate remnants of an old
litany. Formerly they were read oftener during the liturgical year than
we now are called on to repeat them. They are sometimes referred to as
the _preces flebiles_, tearful prayers, because they are said in times
of penance, and are formed to excite tears. In choir recitation they are
said kneeling. When the preces or the preces feriales are said the sign
of the cross is made from the forehead to the breast, at the words
_Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini_. Then the Confiteor is said.

The Confiteor was from an early date a prayer said privately as a
preparation for Mass. It is found in several forms; _Confiteor Deo,
beatae Mariae, omnibus sanctis et vobis_ (Sarum Missal), but since the
time of St. Pius V. (1566-1572) our present form alone was followed and
allowed (S. R. C., 13th February, 1666). If the Office be recited
privately or with one or two companions, the _confiteor_ is said once
only and simultaneously in the preces, and the words _vobis fratribus_
and _vos fratres_, which priests say in the opening prayer of Mass are
omitted. It should be remarked, too, that the _Misereatur_ and
_Indulgentiam_ have not in this location _vestri, vestris, vos,_ but
_nostri, nostris, nos_. Sometimes errors in this part of the recitation
of the Office are unnoticed, and this pronoun error makes the formula
meaningless.

After the _Indulgentiam_ come the concluding versicles of the preces,
Dignare ... sine peccato ... miserere ... miserere ... Fiat ...
Quemadmodum ... Domine ... Et ... Dominus vobiscum, Et cum spiritu tuo,
and the prayer _Domine Deus Omnipotens_ ... Amen. ... Dominus vobiscum,
Et cum spiritu tuo. ... Benedicamus Domino, Deo gratias. If the Office
be said in choir, the martyrology is read at this part of Prime. The
reading of the martyrology is not of obligation in private recitation of
the Office; but the reading of it was highly recommended, even in
private recitation, by Pope Gregory XIII. (14th January, 1584; see his
words in the beginning of the Martyrology).

Then are said, Pretiosa ... mors ... sancta Maria ... Deus in
adjutorium... Domine ad adjuvandum (both the latter being repeated
thrice) ... Gloria Patri ... Sicut erat ... Kyrie eleison ... Christe
eleison ... Kyrie eleison ... Pater Noster (silently) until words "Et
ne nos" ... Sed libera ... Respice ... Et sit ... Gloria P