Brett, Thomas, LL.D., a Nonjuror, was born at Bettishanger, Kent, 1G07, graduated at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, 1689, and received deacon's orders in the following year. In 1703 he became rector of Bettis- hanger, and two years after of Rucking. After this period he began to entertain scruples of the lawfulness of the oath of allegiance to William and Mary ; and he entered the communion of the Nonjurors under Bishop Ilickes, July 1, 1715. He lived in obscurity after this, and died March 5, 1743. He was learned and indefatigable ; of his numerous writings we men- tion, An Account of Church Government and Governors (Lond. 1707, 8vo ; best ed. 1710, 8vo) :— The Honor of the Christian Priesthood (new ed. Oxf. 1838) : — Various Works on Lay Baptism: — Six Sermons (1715): — The Independency of the Church upon the State as to its Spirit- ual Powers (Lond. 1717, 8vo): — The Divine, Bight of Episcopacy (1718, 2d ed. 1728, 8vo) :— A Collection of and Dissertation on the Principal Liturgies used in the Christian Church (1720, 8vo). — New Gen. Biog. Diet, v, 44; Hook, Eccl. Biog. iii, 92-115.
Breviary (Breviariuiri), the daily service-book of the priests of the Roman Church. It was originally called the Cursus. The origin of the name Breviary is not very certain ; the most likely derivation is from brevis, denoting that the service-book called Breviary was originally an abridged one, as contrasted with Plenarium officium. It contains pravers for Matins, Lauds (3 A.M.), Prime (6 A.M.), Tierce, Sext (all be- fore 12 M.), Nones, Vespers (P.M.), and Compline (be- fore going to sleep). Kocturn was properly a night service. The custom of saying prayers at these dif- ferent hours is very ancient. The author of the Apos- tolical Constitutions directs that prayer should be made " Mane, Tertiei, Sexta, Nona, Vesjwe, atq. ad galli can- turn" (Const. 8). Basil speaks of seven distinct ap- pointed hours of prayer, and Tertullian mentions Tierce, Sext, and None, which he calls apostolical hours of prayer (lie Jejuniis, c. 11). Cyprian also speaks of -Ilnrir initie/iiitus obserratee orandi" (De Orat. Domin.\ Gregory VII (1074) compiled the first Breviary which came into general use. As most churches possessed compilations of the offices severally in use among them, there are various Breviaries differing one from another. Attempts have been made to amend the Breviary at different times, and so there are many differences among them in different dioceses. That of Rome, however (Bririariuin Bimittniini), is most widely circu- lated, and of late has been introduced into many dio- ceses which long resisted it. It consists of four parts : the Psul/eriuni, or psalms for the canonical hours ; Pro- pria m de Tempore, for Advent and other festivals com- memorative of Christ ; Proprium de Sanctis, for saints' davs ; Commune Sanctorum, for festivals to which no special hours of prayer are assigned. Besides psalms, lessons, homilies, and prayers, it contains many foolish legends and absurd stories about saints, which are cause of scandal to the better sort of Romanists. In fact, a proverb in use among scholars of the Roman ( 'hurch says of a liar, Mentitnr sicut secundus nocturnus. As to the dutj' of using the Breviary, it was at first en- joined on both clergy and laity; but, by degrees, the obligation was reduced to the clergy only, who are re- quired, under penalty of mortal sin and ecclesiastical censures, to recite it at home when they can not attend in public (Cone. Trid. sess. xxiv, cap. 12). In the
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fourteenth century there was a reserve granted in fa- vor of bishops, who were allowed, on particular occa- sions, to pass three days without rehearsing the Brevi- ary. One of the best editions of the Breviarium Ro- manuni is that of Mechlin, 1836 (4 vols. 12mo). For a full account of its history and contents, see Lewis, Bi- ble, Missal, and Breviary (Edinb. 1853, 2 vols. 8vo).
The Breviary of the Greeks, which they call by the name ilpoXoyiov (horologiuni), dial, is the same in al- most all the churches and monasteries which follow the Greek rites. The Greeks divide the Psalter into twen- ty parts, called KaQivfiara (sedilla), seats, because they are a kind of pauses or rest's. In general, the Greek Breviary consists of two parts, the one containing the office for the evening, the other that for the morning, divided into matins, lauds, first, third, sixth, ninth, •vespers, and the compline ; that is, of seven different hours, on account of that saying of David, "Seven times in the day will I praise Thee." The compline is the last office at night, by which the work of the day is complete (Fr. compline, Lat. completinum). — Bergier, s. v. Office Divin; Bingham, Orig. Eccl. bk. xiii, ch. ix, § 8 ; Procter, On Common Prayer, p. 11. See Lit- urgy.
Brevint, Daniel, D.D., was born at Jersey in 1G16, and studied first at Saumur, and afterward at Ox- ford, where he became a fellow of Jesus College 1G38. Being ejected for refusing the Covenant, he went to France, and was employed in the negotiations for con- ciliating the members of the Church of Pome and Prot- estants. After the Restoration, he became prebendary of Durham 1661, and dean of Lincoln 1681. He died in 1695. Brevint was a learned divine, especially in the Romish controversy. He w rote Missale Romano- rum, or the Depth and Misery of the Roman Mass laid open (Oxford, 1672, 8vo) : — The Christian Sacrament and Sacrifice (1672); both these are reprinted under the title Brevint on the Mass (Oxford, 1838, 8vo) -.—Ecclesice Prim. Sacramentum et Sacrifirium a pnntijiciis corrup- telis, etc. . . . liberum. Waterland (Works, viii, 167) speaks in the highest terms of Brevint.