S. Petri ad Vincula.

Cum autem productúrus eum esset Heródes, in ipsa nocte erat Petrus dórmiens inter duos mílites, vinctus caténis duábus; et custódes ante óstium custodiébant cárcerem. Et ecce Angelus Dómini ástitit: et lumen refúlsit in habitáculo: percussóque látere Petri, excitávit eum, dicens: Surge velóciter. Et cecidérunt caténæ de mánibus ejus. Dixit autem Angelus ad eum: Præcíngere, et cálcea te cáligas tuas. Et fecit sic. Et dixit illi: Circúmda tibi vestiméntum tuum, et séquere me.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Now ye are full, now ye are rich: ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to Angels, and to men.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Et éxiens sequebátur eum, et nesciébat quia verum est, quod fiébat per Angelum: existimábat autem se visum vidére. Transeúntes autem primam et secúndam custódiam, venérunt ad portam férream, quæ ducit ad civitátem: quæ ultro apérta est eis. Et exeúntes processérunt vicum unum, et contínuo discéssit Angelus ab eo. Et Petrus ad se revérsus, dixit: Nunc scio vere quia misit Dóminus Angelum suum, et erípuit me de manu Heródis, et de omni exspectatióne plebis Judæórum.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place, and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless: being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the earth, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons, I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ; yet have ye not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Cum ígitur Póntifex Románam caténam cum ea, quæ Jerosólymis alláta fúerat, contulísset, factum est ut illæ inter se sic connecteréntur, ut non duæ, sed una caténa ab eódem artífice confécta esse viderétur. Quo miráculo tantus honor sacris illis vínculis habéri cœpit, ut proptérea hoc nómine sancti Petri ad Víncula ecclésia título Eudóxiæ, dedicáta sit in Exquíliis, ejúsque memóriæ dies festus institútus Kaléndis Augústi.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

So much power then as have preachers, so much garniture have the heavens. Wherefore again it is written: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made. For the Word of the Lord is the Son of the Father. But, to the end that all the Holy Trinity may be made manifest as the Maker of the heavens, (that is, of the Apostles,) it is straightway added touching God the Holy Ghost: and all the host of them by the Breath of His mouth. Therefore the might of the same heavens is the might of the Spirit, for they had not braved the powers of this world, unless the strength of the Holy Ghost had comforted them. For we know what manner of men the Teachers of the Holy Church were before the coming of this Spirit: and since He came we see in Whose strength they are made strong.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Quo ex témpore honos, qui eo die profánis Gentílium celebritátibus tríbui sólitus erat, Petri vínculis habéri cœpit: quæ tacta ægros sanábant, et dǽmones ejiciébant. Quo in génere anno salútis humánæ nongentésimo sexagésimo nono áccidit, ut quidam comes, Othónis imperatóris familiáris, occupátus ab immúndo spíritu, seípsum déntibus dilaniáret. Quare is jussu imperatóris ad Joánnem Pontíficem dúcitur: qui, ut sacra caténa cómitus collum áttigit, erúmpens nefárius spíritus hóminem líberum relíquit: ac deínceps in Urbe sanctórum vinculórum relígio propagáta est.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

Verily, if we ask of the damsel that kept the door, she will tell us what was the measure of weakness and of strength in that Shepherd? of the Church nigh to whose most holy body we are now sitting, before that the Spirit came. He was so stricken by the words of one woman, that for fear of death, he denied Life. And we may well remember that Peter denied in captivity Him, Whom the thief confessed, even when He was lifted up upon the Cross. But let us hear what that craven was after that the Spirit came. When the rulers and elders were gathered together, the Apostles were beaten, and commanded not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. And Peter answered with great boldness, We ought to obey God rather than men.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Si tam medicábilis fuit obumbrátio visitántis, quanto magis caténa vinciéntis? Si inánis quædam spécies vácuæ imáginis habére pótuit in se vim salútis, quanto plus de córpore meruérunt attráhere salubritátis férreo póndere sacris impréssa membris víncula passiónis? Si ad præsídia supplicántium tam potens fuit ante martýrium, quanto magis éfficax post triúmphum? ¶ Felíces illi nexus, qui de mánicis et compédibus in corónam mutándi, Apóstolum contingéntes Mártyrem reddidérunt. Felícia víncula, quæ reum suum usque ad Christi crucem non tam condemnatúra, quam consecratúra misérunt.
Tu autem Dómine miserére nobis.
℟. Deo grátias.

In the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, and when the dead shall rise again from corruption incorruptible, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones of judgment, condemning the twelve tribes of Israël, because, when ye believed in Me, they would not. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. This place agreeth well with that other where the Saviour saith: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. Every one, therefore, that hath set no store by affection, and riches, and the pleasures of the world, for Christ’s faith’s sake, and the preaching of the Gospel, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. ¶ By reason of these words, an hundredfold, some will have it that there shall be a thousand years after the resurrection, wherein they that have forsaken all things shall receive an hundredfold of those things which they have forsaken, and shall inherit everlasting life. Such men consider not that though in other things this were worthy, as touching wives it is unseemly: for it becometh us not to think that he that hath forsaken one wife in this world, shall receive an hundred wives in that which is to come. But the meaning is this, that every one that for the Saviour’s sake hath forsaken earthly things, shall receive spiritual things: which things, being rightly weighed against earthly things, are as though an hundredfold were weighed against one.
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.
℟. Thanks be to God.