[Sidenote:  Performed by the early Christians.]

That the early Christians continued after the time of the apostles to observe the hours of prayer above enumerated is proved by Martene (De Ant.  Eccl.  Rit.  T. 3) who has collected many decisive passages from the Greek and Latin Fathers.  We shall content ourselves with one taken from a work on prayer by S. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage in the third century.  Having mentioned Daniel’s practice of praying three times a day, he observes, that it is manifest that there was something mysterious or symbolical in the ancient practice.  “For the holy Ghost descended on the disciples at the third hour; at the sixth hour Peter going to the house-top was instructed by God to admit all to the grace of salvation; and the Lord, who was crucified at the sixth hour, washed away our sins with his blood at the ninth hour, and completed the victory by his passion.  For us however, besides the hours anciently observed, the times and also the symbols of prayer have increased.  For we must pray in the morning, to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord; also when the sun recedes and the day ceases; for Christ is the true sun and the true day, and when we pray that the light of Christ may again come upon us, we pray that his coming may impart to us the grace of eternal light:  and let us who are always in Christ, that is, in the light, not cease from prayer at night”.  See also Dr. Cave’s Primitive Christianity Part. 1, c. 9.

[Sidenote:  Editions of the breviary.]

“The old Roman breviary” says the author of Tract 75 above quoted “had long before Gregory VII’s time been received in various parts of Europe; and in England since the time of Gregory the great who after the pattern of Leo and Gelasius before him had been a reformer of it”.  The people used anciently to join with the clergy in offering this, constant tribute of praise to God; but the duty of daily reciting it is obligatory only upon the Catholic clergy, and religious orders.  S. Benedict shortened it considerably, (as Grancolas observes, Com.  Hist. in Brev.  Rom.) New editions and emendations of it were published successively by the authority of St. Gregory VII, Nicholas III, and Clement VII, and finally the Roman Breviary at present used was restored by order of the Council of Trent, published by Pope Pius V, and revised by Clement VIII, and Urban VIII.  It follows closely, as Merati observes, that first adopted by the regular-clerks in the 16th century, and resembles the edition published by Haymo, general of the Franciscans, and authorised by Nicholas III (A.D. 1278).  Hence it is called by the author of Tract 75 the Franciscan Breviary.  It is however founded upon the old Roman Breviary, which the Franciscans by the direction of their holy founder had adopted:  for according to Rodolfo, dean of Tongres Cap.  XXII, when the Popes dwelt at the Lateran, the office of the Papal chapel was much shorter than that of the other churches of Rome; it was composed by Innocent III, and was adopted by the Franciscans instituted at his time.  Nicolas III ordered that all the Roman churches should use the Franciscan Breviary as reformed by Haymo, in 1241.  “Our own daily service”, says the above-mentioned minister of the church of England is confessedly formed upon the Breviary”.