The versus Rex caeli – another look at the so-called archaic sequence

Abstract

The changes in the chant and liturgy which took place in northern Europe during the eighth and ninth centuries affected not only those portions of the rite based on biblical texts, but also included modifications of portions using non-biblical texts. These texts were generally in the form of poetry or rhythmic prose – such as the hymns of the office, processional chants for Sundays and feast days between Terce and Mass, and (in the ninth century) the sequence following the alleluia of the mass.