[Breviarium Basiliense]

Hain 3801.

To the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his most glorious mother, the Virgin Mary, under whose gracious patronage the distinguished cathedral church of Basel rejoices. Under the most reverend father in Christ and lord, the Lord Johannes von Venningen, the most worthy prelate of the same church, in the twentieth year of his episcopate; and with his consent and will, and also with the earnest instigation of the venerable man, the Lord Burckhard Hansstengel, his vicar in spiritual matters, this present book of canonical hours of prayer has been printed, and most accurately collected and most diligently revised, corrected, and examined according to the manner and custom of the choir of the said church of Basel.

For the said Lord Bishop, considering the great variation in the form of praying the canonical hours within his own diocese, and that books of this kind were so corrupt and incorrect, and that the clergy themselves were neglecting those same prayers in a disorderly fashion, and, through the defect of books, were performing them as if not praying well, so that they risked falling into no small offense and the wrath of almighty God—he has caused the form of this present book to be most diligently made and completed by learned and suitable men, so that they may exercise themselves more cautiously, securely, and fruitfully regarding those divine prayers, according to which they may follow in praying canonically.

He also desires and exhorts all and singular the clergy of his diocese that, having examined their consciences, they follow this same form and imitate the custom of his cathedral church, which embraces other lesser ones as if a mother. Yet, he does not intend by this to derogate from any laudable and introduced custom of any college or other church of his diocese for performing such hours. Rather, he permits those colleges to preserve their own custom in chanting and reading their canonical hours, and other churches in celebrating the feasts of their patrons; provided, however, that insofar as they are able, they endeavor to imitate the use, rite, and custom of his said cathedral church, as contained in the present book. Through this, they shall receive greater grace for themselves, especially before God and the most glorious Virgin Mary, and eternal rewards in the future. Given in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and seventy-eight, on the fourteenth day of May.

m wenssler? (mischung mit antiqua)