The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

REFORM OF THE BREVIARY. I95
so called, that, except on festival days, the recitation of the
Divine Office took an unreasonably long time. The directions,
moreover, for the prayers which were to be said each day
were not arranged in any clear way, but entailed prolonged
search in various parts of the breviary, and much loss of
time.
The breviary which Pius V., in continuation of the work of
his predecessor, brought forward for discussion,^ and eventually
placed in the hands of the clergy, accompanied by a bull of
July 9th, 1568,2 sought to obviate all these difficulties.^ The
Psalter and the Holy Scriptures were restored to their proper
importance, and provision was made for due order and clear-
ness. The changes now made were principally in the direction
of a rearrangement of the breviary lections. Many things
that were spurious or incredible were expunged, thus giving
full recognition to the science of historical criticism which
had been inaugurated by humanism ; even certain feasts,
such as those of St. Anne and St. Joachim, and the Presen-
tation of the Blessed Virgin in the Temple, were sacrificed out
of regard for similar considerations.* The passion of the time
for good latinity was taken into account in composing the
historical lections, the compilation of which was the work of
the first humanist of the day, Giulio Poggiani.^ The efforts of
^ Every Wednesday there were consultations on the reform
of the Breviary (*Strozzi, October 19, 1566, State Archives.
Vienna). For the purpose of these meetings on the breviary
Savelli proposed Sirleto to the Pope, but Pius V. made difificulties
about this, as Sirleto was bound by his duty of residence in his
own diocese (*Avviso di Roma of October 26, 1566, Urb. 1040,
p. 312, Vatican Library). Cf. Taccone Gallucci, 40.
2 Bull. Rom., VII., 685 seq. The bull was published on July 16
(*Avviso of July 17, 1568, sent by Cusano, State Archives, Vienna).
On August 17, 1568 Bonelli wrote to Castagna : " Si e dato fuori
il Breviario riformato." Corresp. dipl., II., 433.
^ SCHMID, loc. cit., 634. Baumer, 438.
* ScHMiD, loc. cit., 647, 649. Baumer, 441, 450.
* PoGiANi Epist., II., xxiii. For the time being the hymns of
the Breviary remained untouched, though Seripando wished for
their correction (letter of Capilupi, January 13, 1563, in Arch.