Aberdeen Breviary, winter part (Edinburgh: Chepman & Myllar, 1509-10). Latin office text, extracted from the proprium sanctorum. Contains the end of a virgin saint’s office and the office of St Talaricanus (30 October), patron of Fordyce.

[End of the preceding virgin saint’s office:] … which had been laid, finding it they raised it from the ditch; and by the blessed William, bishop of Trajectum [St Andrews], it was miraculously translated a little after with worthy honour. And when… The rest all of the Common of one virgin not a martyr.

“O everlasting God, fill our hearts, we beseech you, with the inextinguishable love of the blessed Talaricanus your confessor and pontiff, by his intercession and merits, which the rivers of sins can never quench in us. Through the Lord.” At Matins, nine lessons. Lesson 1.

Talaricanus, in whose reverence and honour we keep the present day, drew his origin from noble parents of Ireland; and when he had received the episcopal dignity from the supreme pontiff of the church of Rome, he gave himself to God with a wonderful devotion of mind, so much that there was almost no hour of his life in which he did not offer to almighty God the host of his contemplation. And when he had offered himself with the sacrifice of a contrite heart… And when… Lesson 2.

Now all that he had he gave in alms; and when he came to the hour of offering the sacrifice, as it were wholly dissolved in tears, he bruised himself with great contrition of heart, and washed the stains of his sins with tears; and as a heavenly physician he applied salutary medicaments to each of his vices; and as in the art of medicine hot things are cured by cold and cold by hot, so the blessed Talaricanus himself strove to apply contrary medicaments — continence to luxury, largess to greed, meekness to wrath, humility to pride; and so he set the bridle of the love and fear and charity of God and of his neighbour upon all things contrary to virtue and the law of God, so much that all the vices of the flesh were utterly extinguished in him. Nor did he exercise this that it should rule over him in the fashion of a prince, but that he might leave to others a saving manner of life. By his heavenly preaching and example he converted nearly the whole people of the province from heathendom, and consecrated churches to God in many places, of which not a few consecrated in his honour exist to this day, which can be found in the dioceses of Aberdeen and Moray; and whoever visits them experiences, by the merits of that blessed man, healings of sicknesses and very many miracles. And when, Lord… Lesson 3.

Now the blessed Talaricanus himself, calling together his disciples and companions amid the various perils that threatened in the world, celebrated mass in the wonted manner; and having received the Lord’s body he gave them all peace and benediction in the Lord; and when these things were done he returned to his little bed, and lying there, when he saw his priests and ministers standing round him, plainly knowing that death was at hand, as it were bidding them a last farewell, he admonished them to keep the bond of charity, and preached that they should be united among themselves with what concord they owed. Lesson 5.

All these things being said, he closed his eyes with his own hands, and together with the two-fold… he gave up his spirit to God on the third of the Kalends of November [30 October]. Now his holy soul, coming to the eternal joys, deserved to be loosed from the corruption of the flesh; which we see now placed in heaven with the angels, interceding for us to God, to whom is honour for ever. The last three lessons are of the exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew.

“At that time Jesus said to his disciples this parable: A certain man going into a far country…” and the rest. Homily of the blessed Gregory the pope. Lesson 6.

“It is to be considered that no man is secure, slothful from this receiving of the talent. For there is none who can truthfully say: “I have received no talent; there is no cause why I should be compelled to render an account.” There is the talent of the word: whatever poor man also has received this very thing, he must reckon it, though he has received the least. For one man has received intelligence; he owes the ministry of preaching, and it is reckoned a talent. Another has received earthly substance; he owes the talent’s worth in almsgiving from his goods. Another has received neither intelligence within nor abundance of goods, but has learned an art by which he may live: that very art shall be reckoned to him in the receiving of the talent. Another has obtained nothing of good, yet has deserved to find a place of friendship with a rich man: he has received the talent of familiarity. Therefore let him who says nothing to the needy be condemned for the retaining of the talent. Let him who has understanding take heed lest he be silent. Let him who has abundance of goods watch lest he grow cold in the largess of mercy. Let him who has an art by which he is governed study earnestly that he may share the use and profit of it with his neighbour. You who have a place of speaking with a rich man, let him fear for the retaining of the talent. For if he be able and intercede not for a man with him — for the talent is sought from each one of us, and the judge requires…”