9. And note that bells are commonly rung for the Divine Offices [Footnote 356] twelve times during the twelve hours of the day: namely, once at prime, and in like manner once at the last hour, because all things come from one God, and God is One, All in All. At tierce they are rung three times, for the second, third, and fourth hours which are then chanted. In like manner three times at sexts, for the fifth, sixth, and seventh hours. Also three times at nones for the three hours. But at vespers, which is the twelfth hour, not one only but many times are they rung, because in the time of grace the preaching of the Apostles was multiplied. Also in the night for matins they are rung often, because we ought often to call out, 'Wake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.' [Footnote 357] [Footnote 356: The reader will scarcely need reminding that the day is canonically divided into two parts of twelve hours each, beginning' at six o'clock respectively. Prime therefore is at our six a.m., tierce at nine, sexts at twelve, nones at three p.m., vespers at six p.m., and compline at bedtime. Haec sunt septenis propter quae psallimus horis. _Matutina_ ligat Christum, qui crimina purgat: _Prima_ replet sputis; causam dat _Tertia_ Mortis: _Sexta_ Cruci nectit: latus Ejus _Nona_ bipertit: _Vespera_ deponit: tumulo _Completa_ reponit. Which may thus be translated; At _matins_ bound: at _prime_ revil'd: condemn'd to death at _tierce_: Nail'd to the cross at _sexts_: at _nones_ His blessed side they pierce: They take him down at _vesper_-tide; in grave at _compline_ lay Who thenceforth bids His Church to keep her sevenfold hours alway. The twelve hours of the night are divided into three nocturns, which may be supposed to be said at twelve, two, and four, and are immediately followed by lauds at five. Nocturns and lauds (together called matins), with the six hours above-mentioned, make the seven canonical hours. On this subject we can but refer our readers to the extremely beautiful fifth book of Durandus, and particularly his first chapter, in which all the pregnant symbolism of the canonical hours is set forth. Hugo de Sancto Victore has briefly touched upon the same in the third chapter of the _In Speculum Ecclesiae_, but nearly the whole of his account is contained in Durandus. See also S. Isidore 'De Eccles. Offic.' lib, I, cap. xix--xxiii; and Belethus whose account is valuable for its conciseness. 'Explic. Divin. Offic.' Caps, xxi--xxix.