Edward I. was married at Canterbury to Margaret, sister to the King of France, by Archbishop Winchelsea, "in ostio ecclesiæ versus claustrum*." The following rubric occurs in a missal, printed at Paris in 1515, secundum usum Sarum: "statuantur vir et mulier ante ostium ecclesiæ, sive in faciem ecclesiæ coram Deo, et sacerdote, et populo;" &c. which points out the use of the porch in the performance of this rite. By the rituals under the article, "de benedictione mulieris post partum," i. e. churching women, it appears, that the priest goes to the door of the church, where the woman is to receive ecclesiastical benediction, kneeling down; the 23d psalm is said, with some responses, after which she is led into the church, the conclusion being made before the altar. But the most particular use of the porch was in administering the sacrament of baptism. "Stans igitur in ecclesia limine sacerdos, interrogat catechizandum stantem ad fores ecclesiæt." Here the necessary questions being asked, and prayers being said, "ducat eum vel eam in ecclesiam dicendo, Ingredere in sanctam ecclesiam Dei ut accipias benedictionem cœlestem a Domino Jesu Christo." Nothing can be more apparent, than that the performance of these rites would have been many times impracticable, not to say dangerous to the health of persons so tender as women generally are at the time of churching, and particularly infants when baptized, had it not been for the kind invention of the porch, which effectually secured them against the inclemency of the seasons, and by which every necessity for delaying these duties was removed. Entering the body of the church, or "aula ecclesiæ," the font is discovered usually placed near the doors at the west end. They are to be met with of very ancient forms; many, as may be conjectured from their decorations, seeming to have remained since the Norman, and even the Saxon times; nor has due attention been wanting to these venerable remains of sacred antiquity, though the reason for their vast capacity is as yet, in some measure, to be freed from doubt. Respecting the font itself, it should, by a constitution of Archbishop Edmund, be placed in every church where baptism might be performed; also the font, or "baptisterium," must be "lapideum, vel aliud competens, scil. quod baptizandus possit in eo mergi 1," according to Lynwood, which may be assigned as one sufficient cause of its largeness: it Hist. Canterbury, 167, + Missale Rom. secundum Usum Romana Ecclesix, Lugduni, 1525, + Gibson's Codex, vol. I. 435. should also be inclosed within a lattice, nor should the water be kept in it, according to the said constitution, above seven days. As the method of baptizing throws some light on the subject, it will be worth the insertion. By the 42d apostolic canon, three ablutions of one mystery were commanded on pain of being deposed; this seems to have been the usual practice of the church. The mode of baptizing was thus, according to the practice of the Roman court: "tune baptizèt eum sub trina mersione sanctam trinitatem seniel invocando, sic dicens, Nego te baptizo in nomine patris, et merget semel, et filii, et merget secundo, et spiritus sancti, et. merget tertio*." I shall now beg your attention towards the chancel, at the entrance of which, placed on the "gradus chori," (where many things were read in the jejune seasons of the year,) stands the skreen dividing it from the " aula." This is frequently of excellent work, but too well known to need any description, though it will not be impertinent to remark, that in the above will of Henry VI. there is mention of a "reredosse (skreen), bearing the rood-loft parting the choir and the body of the churcht." At the north end of the skreen, in many old churches, the entrance of a small staircase seems worthy of attention. This leads up to a door,. at a moderate height from the pavement. At this door was the place of the pulpit, probably the rood-loft, as appears from the following rubrics: "Jucepta vero ultima oratione ante epistolam subdiaconus per medium chori ad legendum epistolam in pulpitum accedat."—" Quando epistola legitur duo pueri in superpelliciis, facta inclinatione ad altare ante gradum chori in pulpitum per medium chori ad gradale incipiendum se preparent et suum versum cantandum‡" There is also another, for reading the gospel towards the north, in the same place by the deacon, attended by the subdeacon, who holds the book; as also by two clerks, bearing candles, with a third, having the "thuribulum." As it would be impossible for so many to perform their duty with propriety, circumscribed in the narrow limits of the present pulpit, it is natural to conclude, the pulpit to which these stairs led might be the rood-loft, particularly as it appears to have been placed over the skreen, as is manifest from the will of Henry VI, and that the upper stair usually ascends nearly even with the top of the skreen. From this place also the sermon was made, the curate being obliged to * Missale, 1528. Royal Wills, 302. + Missale, 1515. preach four times in the year, by an ecclesiastical constitution of Archbishop Peckham, in which this injunction is worth remarking:Exponat populo vulgariter absque cu-juslibet subtilitatis textura fantastica*" From which reading and preaching to the people assembled in the nave, “ubi insident ipsi parochiani laicit," it may be concluded, the body of the church received the name of "auditorium." The chancel itself comes next in order to be considered. Lynwood says, "Cancellus est intersticium inter propugna. cula murorum quale est quod claudit chorum a nave ecclesiat.” This seems to have been considered, in all ages, as the most sacred part of the church. We find, by the 19th Laodicean canon, none were admitted but those of the priesthood during the oblation: and women were totally excluded by the 44th canon of the same council. From the present remains of our old parochial chancels it is natural to conclude them to have been adapted to the most solemn acts of religion. Upon entering it from the nave, we observe, on either hand, the remaining stalls, with desks before them, appropriated to the use of the choir; which, notwithstanding, the author of "The Kentish Traveller's Companion" (who observes, the sacred offices of superstition were sung in this place) thinks was composed of priests officiating at the altars of chauntries, founded in the church or parish: and Dr. Harris, or Mr. Thorpe || after him, supposes them to be for accommodating the clergy attending the archbishops residing at their mansion: who might have seen them in churches not of the peculiars, and where there never were any episcopal mansions. But as stalls are found in churches where it is improbable there should be priests officiating in chauntries sufficient to fill perhaps a dozen or more seats, and also where no great Hocks of clergy had occasion to come, the choir might have been composed of such of the parishioners as should choose to sing, there being no reason for excluding the laity from thence, since the establishment of St. Stephen's, Westminster, and several other foundations of that kind, admitted of choristers, an office not included in the seven degrees of orders in the church. Proceeding up the chancel, we ascend three steps, on which once stood the high altar, now occupied by the cammunion table. The altar should be of stone, and conse❤ crated by the bishop. The ends were termed its horns; *Gib. Codex. Ibid. 222, Page 71. that on the right being the "cornu epistolæ," from the Epistle being read there, as the Gospel was on the left, Near the altar, in the South wall of the chancel, are to be observed three seats frequently under as many beautiful subdivided Gothic arches, supported by buttresses, and enriched with finials, &c. Seats of this nature are still to be met with at Cliff, at Cobham, and the cathedral at Rochester, in Kent; at which last they are at a great distance from the East end of the choir; and it is probable, the high altar was not fixed against the wall, but had a space behind it, which is common in places of this kind, and called "concameratio;" by means of which it was possible for the altar to be surrounded in processions by the monks*. The very agreeable Gothic structure at Camberwell, in Surrey, also furnishes seats of this kind; not to mention many other places. Between the last seat and the East wall, is a small nich, generally in the same style, and frequently appearing like a fourth arch. The nich is also to be met with where the seats are wanting; and in other parts of the church be sides the chancel the bottom is also hollowed, and sometimes a double hollow. The intention of these seats has been of late a matter of doubt; they were by many thought to have been for hearing confessions, which opinion has been sufficiently controverted. They have been also supposed for accommodating the visitor and his two attendants, with perhaps as little probability. For it cannot be argued that they, were brought into use at the general visitation held for centuries before the Reformation in much the same manner as at present, viz. in some convenient part in each diocese, and at one time. Nor does it seem reasonable that the chancel should be incumbered with three seats, which at most could come but into annual use by the archdeacon in the parochial visitation; at which time a single seat appears more to the purpose, he being allowed six, not two, attendants; for each of whom he received an equal procuration. It must also be acknowledged he could only be seated in service-time, since an actual survey was to be taken of the building itself, its books and ornaments, which no one can suppose could be done in the chancel. The archdeacon might also visit several churches in one day; whence it must be impossible he should be obliged to hear service performed. But shortly after the time of Archbishop Langton, who was succeeded in the see of Canterbury 1228, archdeacons began to perform *Fuller's Church History, 286. their visitations by inquiry at two annual chapters; so that, soon after that period, there could be no more necessity for these seats in parochial than general visitations. I shall now, Mr. Urban, with the merited deference to the judgment of yourself and antiquarian readers, endeavour to point out what appears to have been the purpose of the nich and seats in question. It will be necessary just to hint, that the mass, the most august of all the ceremonies of the church, was performed in the chancel; and from thence take occasion to conclude it to have been furnished with every thing necessary for the due solemnity of its celebration, either when said by a single clergyman, or by several, accompanied by the choir. In a rubic, " De Junctione Manuum," it is mentioned, "Vadit (sacerdos) ab altare ad piscinam et revertitur;" and, in another place, "declinet ad abluendum manus*;" also, "reliquus (sc. ceroferarius) pelvim cum aqua et manutergio portet +." These will beexplained by another, from a missal of later date, in which it is said the altar should be provided with "parva campanula, ampullæ vitrea vini et aquæ cum pelvicula et manutergio mundo, in fenestella seu parva mensa ad hæc præparata." Now it is very plain, by what is here termed "fenestella," is signified the small nich above described; and this particularly points out the places once occupied by altars. As a further proof of this, "two altars stood in either wing of the choir (at Canterbury) viz. in each semicircle there is one §." On the right hand side, in each of these places, a small nich, or fenestella, of this kind, yet remains. By the word, "piscina" a vessel or bason for washing hands, &c. seems to be designed, as "pelvis" assuredly. signifies, which probably filled up the hollow found in the fenestella. Two pair of such basons were bequeathed by Cardinal Beaufort to the altar of the chauntry by him founded in his cathedral at Winchester. The present method of making the "lavabo" rather differs; for "accedit (sacerdos) ad cornu epistolæ ubi stans ministro aquam fundente lavat manus." The triple seat comes next under discussion, and I flatter myself its use will be pretty well explained by what immedi ately follows: " Quo facto sacerdos et sui ministri in sedibus *Missal. 1528. † Ibid. 1515. Ex Decreto Concilii Trideu. Coll. Agrip. 1658. # Missal. 1658. |