ardian of the vine falls in the vineyard,
The chieftain in the camp, the husbandman in the threshing-floor.

Then the prose is said by all who choose, in surplices before the altar.

"Let the Shepherd sound his trumpet of horn."

Let the choir respond to the chant of the prose after every verse, upon
the letter [super litteram]. {202}

That the vineyard of Christ might be free,
Which he assumed under a robe of flesh,
He liberated it by the purple cross.
The adversary, the erring sheep,
Becomes bloodstained by the slaughter of the shepherd.
The marble pavements of Christ
Are wetted, ruddy with sacred gore;
The martyr presented with the laurel of life.
Like a grain cleansed from the straw,
Is translated to the divine garners.

But whilst the prose is being sung, let the priest incense the altar,
and then the image of the blessed Thomas the Martyr; and afterwards
shall be said with an humble voice: Pray for us, Blessed Thomas.

_The Prayer[71]._ O God for whose Church the glorious {203} high-priest
and martyr Thomas fell beneath the swords of the wicked, grant, we
beseech thee, that all who implore his aid may obtain the salutary
effect of their petition, through Christ.

[Footnote 71: This Collect is still preserved in the Roman
ritual, and is offered on the anniversary of Becket's death. In
a very ancient pontifical, preserved in the chapter-house of
Bangor, and which belonged to Anianus, who was Bishop of that
see (1268), among the "Proper Benedictions for the circuit of
the year," are two relating to Thomas Becket; one on the
anniversary of his death, the other on the day of his
translation. The former is couched in these words: "O God, who
hast not without reason mingled the birthday of the glorious
high-priest, Thomas, with the joys of thy nativity, by the
intervention of his merits" (ipsius mentis intervenientibus),
"make these thy servants venerate thy majesty with the reverence
of due honour. Amen. And as he, according to the rule of a good
shepherd, gave his life for his sheep, so grant thou to thy
faithful ones, to fear no tyrannical madness to the prejudice of
Catholic truth. Amen. We ask that they, by his example, for
obedience to the holy laws, may learn to despise persons, and by
suffering manfully to triumph over tyrannical madness. Amen."
The latter runs thus: "May God, by whose pity the bo