Aberdeen Breviary, summer part (Edinburgh: Chepman & Myllar, 1509-10). Contains: the end of St Diaconan’s commemoration; the office of St Machota the virgin (of Brigid’s company at Abernethy); the beginning of St Caran’s office; the office of St Fotinus (Pothinus) bishop of Lyons; and the beginning of St Genevieve’s office.

[Commemoration] of Saint Diaconan, confessor and martyr, patron of Cean, of the Common of one martyr, with this prayer:

“O God, who did adorn the blessed Diaconan your confessor with the palm of martyrdom: grant propitiously to us your servants, by his glorious passion and merits, to be delivered from the temptation of the enemy of our flesh. Through the Lord.” Then a commemoration of the Advent and of Saint Mary.

At Matins, nine lessons. Lesson 1.

While throughout the whole world the soldiers of our Saviour Jesus Christ fought in his camp and warfare, and the fame of the blessed virgin Brigid flew abroad, promulgated and published by innumerable miracles divinely sent forth — when Domart, son of the king of the Picts, sorely vexed in war by a certain kinsman of his dear to God, fighting against the Britons, was shown for three nights and days a candle of light without measure; and a voice was heard from heaven saying to him: “Rise, and for Brigid your kinswoman, who now dwells in the northern bounds, receive her precepts and counsels and you shall have the victory over your enemies and the palm of glory”; which was at once fulfilled. And when, Lord, have mercy upon us. Lesson 2.

Whereupon the lady Brigid, first divinely certified by the messengers of the king, taking with her nine virgins most chaste in soul and body to accompany her, returned anew from Ireland to Scotland, and came by heaven’s guidance to Abernethy, which is situate not far from the river Tay on its southern side; in which place she built a basilica in honour of almighty God and of the undefiled virgin Mary his Mother; in which, by the preaching of the blessed Brigid and her virgins, the aforementioned king with all his household was baptized to the faith of Christ. And when, Lord, have mercy upon us. Lesson 3.

Now among those most chaste and gentle little virgins, one — most dear to God with singular faith and fervent love which she had toward Christ, whom we worship and venerate the more — Machota by name, a virgin indeed lovely to God, observing chastity inviolably not only in flesh but in mind, and remaining pure until her happy death without any stain of vicious flesh; the bond of matrimony offered her more instantly and frequently by the princes of earthly things, with most opulent riches and wealth, she abnegated, refused and rejected for the love of God, lest she should be compared to those virgins in the Gospel who, not having lamps burning through good works, were driven back outside the door of heaven. And when…

The three middle lessons of St Diaconan the martyr, of the Common of one martyr.

Lesson 4.

Now as a lily set among the budding thorns in a bush — the flowering tree, beautiful though rough and rugged, is chosen by the amiable rather, and is plucked by those who gather it with more avid desire of tasting, and is of greater price — much more this virgin Machota, in whose honour this present day is dedicated, coming to be venerated more than her fellow-virgins by the faithful of Christ, is testified by history to have been adjudged of greater grace with God than the rest. For nothing is doubting or frail, such as those things are which have an end within the world’s term; she set heavenly things before them, which endure perpetually and cannot fail. And when… Lesson 5.

Holy therefore and laudable indeed was the conversation of this virgin before God and men, gracious and lovely; ever meditating the things that are heavenly, so that she had the prerogative of a blessed manner of living easily above the other virgins; nor was she without a share in the miracles of the blessed Brigid, whose footsteps she followed unceasingly; she showed herself a most gentle example of godly and maiden women, and an ornament of chastity, pious, modest and devout, shunning those things which hinder souls from the eternal kingdom; to alms, prayers and fastings she joined herself without ceasing, a ladder to heaven of indissoluble material, and built herself up on high by pious works. Lesson 9.

Moreover the aforementioned most blessed virgins Brigid and Machota, the Catholic faith being received, dedicated the aforementioned basilica built by them by their prayers for ever, and caused it to be consecrated at their own expense by the blessed Patrick, then legate in Scotland. In which the blessed Machota with her other virgins, serving God day and night in sanctity and justice, tarried all the days of her life, and shone with very many miracles, God being the author; but at length by divine disposition the blessed Machota, the prison of the flesh being loosed, departed with her said fellow-virgins successively from the world, and now triumphs with Christ in heaven; and there they were buried. No tongue indeed can tell the great and wondrous miracles which God himself, glorious in the heavens, deigned to make and show to us on earth through the aforementioned Machota. Now her most sacred body being loosed, the divine providence of the faithful, her devotion being heard, translated her to the church of Dulmaose on the river Dee, dedicated in her honour, where the day is solemnly kept on the twelfth of the Kalends of January [21 December]. The rest all of the Common of one virgin not a martyr, with its commemorations at Vespers.

Of Saint Caran, bishop and confessor, who is worshipped at Fetteresso and Prens. At Vespers. Prayer:

“O God, creator and ruler of all things, by whose goodness all things were made out of nothing: hear your servants crying to you continually, that by the intercession of the blessed Caran your confessor and pontiff we may be able to be delivered mercifully from our sins and deserved penalties. Through…”

At Matins, nine lessons, all of the Common of one confessor and pontiff, with the middle prayers. It is said that this is to be noted: the solemnity of the feast of Saint Caran and of Fotinus the martyr is to be deferred until after the Octave of the Epiphany, and there, when it can conveniently be done, let the service of them be made. And this on account of the other greater feasts intervening and the Nativity of the Lord, save in the churches dedicated to them — where, since they are principal feasts in those churches, it is not fitting that they be deferred to this day.

Of Saint Fotinus, bishop and martyr. Prayer:

“O everlasting God, who did grant to all your saints such grace of faith, that being kept by us they might readily suffer death in the body for the most sweet preaching: grant to us your servants, we beseech you, to be made partakers of the passion of Saint Fotinus your martyr and pontiff, and by his intervening merits to escape everlasting death to come. Through the Lord.” At Matins, nine lessons, of which the first lessons are of the history of Saint Fotinus, the three last of the Common of one martyr and pontiff. Chapter: “The strong pontiff.” Lesson 1.

The blessed Fotinus, born of a noble family of the Gauls, was bishop of Lyons; and when he was ninety years old and beyond, being set in that age for the defence of the faith of Christ which he had preached, he was brought before Marcus Antoninus, Nero, Lucius and Commodus Aurelius, emperors and persecutors of the faith of Christ, that he might undergo the capital sentence or sacrifice to those gods. Lesson 2.

Now being set, an old man, before the princes in the tribunal of the impious nation, the Christian Fotinus lifted up his cry from beneath and thundered; and being asked by the president of what faith or profession he was, he answered that he was a Christian and prepared to suffer all kinds of punishments for the name of Christ. And the ministers of the judge, like mad dogs kindled with fury, laid their hands sharply upon the man of God and struck him cruelly. Lesson 3.

But the man of God, not at all fearing the threats of those men for the love of Christ, patiently sustained all things laid upon him; and those mangles, not fearing the just justice of God, afflicted the sacred old man, decrepit in form, with the greatest torments — some plucking out his hairs, others giving him blows in the face, and deriding him they blasphemed, drawing him now here now there, before and behind, so much that they rendered him half-dead with diverse punishments; and led thus inhumanly into prison, a little after he rendered up his spirit to God. The middle lessons of the same martyr, all of the Common of one martyr.

Lesson 7.

Now the fame of the blessed Fotinus flying through the parts of the world — especially those who dwell in the confines of Britain in the northern region of the same, in which, not far from the sight of the river Dee, a basilica is built in his honour — a certain young man, lame from his birth, so that the nerves of his feet were contracted cleaving inseparably together, so much that he could not move in the going of his feet, by the counsel of his parents they brought him to Saint Fotinus, and bore him among them into a certain oratory there beside the basilica; who persevering for three days in prayers, by the merits of the blessed Fotinus was to be restored to health. Lesson 8.

The miracle being divulged at once, a certain dropsical man, incurable by the medicinal art in any wise, undertook the journey to the holy Fotinus; and likewise a poor woman grievously vexed for five years with a certain aposteme, so much that she would choose to die rather than be tortured with so great a pain — who had vowed to make pilgrimage to the blessed Fotinus; and coming there together, both were healed of their sicknesses by the divine cure through the glorious prayers of the blessed Fotinus. Lesson 9.

Moreover it happened that a certain nurse had overlain an infant in bed by chance, whereby it was stifled to death; for which crime the lord of that nurse, indignant, most bitterly commanded her to be put to death. But the nurse, trembling, took up the dead infant and poured forth prayers to almighty God and the blessed virgin Mary with many tears; and coming to the church of the blessed Fotinus the martyr with sighs and weepings, she placed the infant before the altar of the said martyr; in which she remained persevering for three days in fastings, vigils and prayers; and at length, wearied with vigils, sleeping a little, the blessed Fotinus, clothed in pontifical vestments, touched the infant in her dreams; and by his touch he at once revived by divine virtue, and applauding sent forth tears to his nurse; at which great miracle the whole people gave praise to God. And when… The rest of the Common of one martyr and pontiff, with its verses and chapters of one martyr.

Of Saint Genevieve the virgin, not a martyr. At Vespers, antiphons and psalms as on the day of the Circumcision of the Lord. Chapter: “He who glories.” Verse: “The kingdoms of the world.” Hymn: “O offspring of the virgin.” Verse: “Pray for us.” Antiphon: “O happy handmaid of God, raise up the burdened us; lift the wearied; deliver the faint from sins; and make that the knees may be open to us at your supplication. O pure virgin, wise and honest virgin, heal the sick, sweet comforts of the pious.” Psalm: Magnificat. Prayer:

“O most high God, have mercy upon us sinners, and by the intercession of the blessed virgin Genevieve grant us health of mind and body, and honest living; and secure… Through our Lord.” Then all is said with commemoration as noted within the Octave of the Circumcision, with commemoration of St John the Apostle and Evangelist and of Saint Mary. At Matins, nine lessons with commemoration, and the middle lessons of the Octave of the Evangelist. Lesson 1.

The blessed Genevieve was born of honest parents — her father Severus by name, her mother Gerontia — at Nanterre, a village not far from the city of Paris. Now when she was going in the church on the solemn day, and Genevieve, being called by name, remained, at once, as it were a blow having come upon her face, she lost her light; but afterwards by the prayers of the holy ones she was restored to her former health. Lesson 2.