Less important illegal ceremonies.

Use of sacring bells.

Agnus Dei.

Interpolation of prayer for the dead.

Admitting acolytes.

Elevation of the

is to be used at the north side of the Table so that the minister looks south, whether a broader or a narrower side of the Table be towards the north. It is mentioned that Mr. Purchas's Chapel does not stand in the usual position, and that, in fact, he occupied the east side when he stood with his back towards the people. If it had happened, as it does in one of the Chapels Royal, that the north side had been where the west side usually is, a question between the letter and the spirit of the rubrics would have arisen. But the respondent seems to us to have departed both from the letter and the spirit of the rubrics, and our advice to Her Majesty will be that a monition should issue to him as to this charge also."

In addition to the matters already noticed at length, other less important proceedings of a ceremonial nature were, in the Purchas Case, decisively condemned. It will suffice merely to mention them. They were

1. The ringing "a small bell at divers times during the Prayer of Consecration." (b)

2. The "saying or singing before the reception of the elements, and immediately after the Prayer of Consecration, the words or hymn or prayer commonly known as the Agnus Dei." (c)

3. The interpolation between the Collect for the Queen and the Epistle of a prayer for a deceased person. (d)

4. "The making, receiving, or admission of a new acolyte or choir boy immediately before the commencement of Evening Prayer, and in the presence of the congregation then assembled. to hear Divine Service." (e)

5. The elevation of the alms contributed at the offertory, and offertory alms. the placing them on the credence table instead of allowing them to remain on the holy table. (ƒ)

(c) Ibid.

(b) L. R. 3 Adm. & Eccl. 98. (d) Ibid. (e) Ibid. (f) Ibid. 100. See also Flamank v. Simpson, L. R. 2 Adm. & Eccl. 116, 218, where the defendant admitted that he "placed the alms and the basin containing them on a stool used as a credence table, but he denied that he did so otherwise than to obtain more room upon the Holy Communion Table"; and this was adjudged to be an offence.

CHAPTER VI.

SUBSIDIARY MATTERS IN THE NATURE
OF CEREMONIES.

ESIDES the acts and proceedings which are Optional usages. included under the term Ceremonies, as em

ployed in the Prayer Book, whose legality or not therefore depends entirely upon the provisions of the rubrics in that behalf; other matters there are which very closely resemble ceremonies, and which, in ordinary conversation, would be so designated, but whose employment, nevertheless, is entirely optional. "In the same spirit, usages not prescribed by the Prayer Book during the Service have been allowed, such as turning to the east while the creeds are read; the Glory be to Thee, O Lord,' before the reading of the Gospel, and the expression of thanks after the reading of it; the use of hymns-a use, perhaps, not only not ordered, but contrary to the order of the Prayer Book; and an inscription on a tombstone, of 'pray for the soul' of a departed person, has been by express judicial decision pronounced not to be contrary to the articles, canons, constitutions, doctrine, and discipline of the Church." (b)

Turning to the east at creeds,

&c.

The great difficulty lies in determining what usages are thus What are optional. Now here, by way of abundant caution, it must be optional.

(b) Per Sir Robert Phillimore, L. R. 2 Adm. & Eccl. 201, referring to Breeks v. Woolfrey, 1 Curt. 880.

Where discre

tion given by rubrics to ministers.

Singing and choral services.

Hymns.

reiterated "that it is not open to a minister of the Church, or even to their lordships in advising Her Majesty, as the highest ecclesiastical tribunal of appeal, to draw a distinction in acts which are a departure from or violation of the rubric, between those which are important and those which appear to be trivial." (c) If certain proceedings are of a ceremonial nature, they must fall within the rule of Westerton v. Liddell; (d) and if so, no matter how trivial or insignificant they may be, their legality will be determined exclusively by their conformity to the rubrics, or the contrary-"no omission and no addition can be permitted."

This being premised: first, whenever the rubrics give a discretion to the minister in matters of liturgy or ceremonial, it follows ex necessitate rei that the non-observance of such cannot constitute an offence. The chief instances of such discretion have already been enumerated. (e)

Secondly, singing and, within certain limits, music and choral services, are also, as have been seen, (f) in the discretion of the minister, subject to the supervision of the minister.

Thirdly, as to hymns. Sir Robert Phillimore has said that their use is "perhaps not only not ordered, but contrary to the order of the Prayer Book;" (g) but he added, that by long usage such a practice has become allowable. The latter portion of his statement is, perhaps, scarcely correct, if intended to refer to the use of hymns at any period of the services other than those where an anthem or optional singing is permitted. It can scarcely be legal to commence the Service, as is sometimes done, with a hymn or psalm. One of these periods is after the collect "for Grace," where the rubric expressly says, "Here followeth the Anthem." In reference to this anthem it has been well observed, "that since it has become a custom in a great many

churches to sing a psalm in metre in the middle of the Service, it seems more proper to sing it here than just after the Second Lesson, where a hymn is purposely provided by the Church to follow it. The singing the hymn itself in metre is irregular, and to sing a different psalm between the lesson and psalm appointed, is no less irregular. And therefore this must be the most proper place for singing (if there must be singing before the Service is ended), since it seems more timely and conformable to the rubric." (h)

(2) Wheatly "On the Common Prayer," 157.

The Albe.

The Girdle.

The Amess.

CHAPTER VII.

VESTMENTS.

SECTION I.-Explication of Terms.

HE following are descriptions of the chief Vestments employed in Divine Worship:

The Albe was a long white tunic of fine linen with tight sleeves (en gigot). It was not open in front like a surplice, but was passed over the head and shoulders and girded round the loins. Sometimes it had a richly-embroidered collar and cuffs, and also an oblong piece of embroidery upon its lower extremity in front, in which case it was termed "Alba Parata" (an apparelled albe), and these ornamental additions were termed by our ancestors apparelles. On great festivals in the Romish Church albes are sometimes used formed almost entirely of point lace.

The Girdle was composed of fine flax plaited and tasselled. A Bishop's girdle was gradually enlarged towards the ends, presenting an embroidered flat surface, and this ornamental addition was termed succingulum.

The Amess or Amice was composed of fine white linen, and might be used to cover the head and shoulders, as represented on the Percy tomb in Beverly Minster, but it was generally rolled back, so as to be only slightly visible under the chin.