In the Ancient Way of Offices. WITH PSALMS, HYMNS, AND PRAYERS, FOR Every Day of the WEEK, AND Every HOLIDAY in the YEAR. Reformed by a Person of QUALITY, Hon AND Published by George Hickes, D. D. The III. Edition, more correct than the former. LONDON: Printed by E. Mead, for John Micholson, at the King's-Arms; and John Sprint, at the Bell, in Little-Britain. 1706. TO THE READER. I which I acknowledge T is not the Respect for the Reformer of these Devotions, to be very great, nor any Thoughts of advantaging the Bookfeller, for which I write this Preface, but a pure, and uninteressed Defire to give fome Account, and Character of this Book, which, in one Dress or other, hath been sent Abroad no less than Twelve times into the World. It hath had Four Editions unreform'd from the Roman Catholicks, in the last of which is added, The Office for the Blefsed Virgin, which J. S. in the Epiftle Dedicatory before the Second Edition, affures us, was begun by the excellent Author before he died, who intended to annex it to his Devotions; and truly, I cannot but wonder, who he was that durst undertake to finis a Piece, that this Apelles left imperfect, especially after so great a Fudge of Sense, and Stile as Mr. S. had said, that was so inimitably excellent, that scarce any would be found, in all Respects, A 2 It able |