Bell's Cathedrals: Southwark Cathedral / Formerly the Collegiate Church of St. Saviour, Otherwise St. Mary Overie. A Short History and Description of the Fabric, with Some Account of the College and the See

[33] The explanations in the footnotes have been kindly furnished by Mr. F.C. Eeles, Secretary to the Alcuin Club.

[34] The term "vestment" was often used to include not merely the chasuble, but also the other vestments of the celebrant and his assistant ministers; sometimes it also included the vestments of the altar, the frontal and upper frontal; it nearly always included the apparels, sometimes also the albe and amice, but at other times these were reckoned separately among the linen.

Sometimes the vestments for the celebrant, the gospeller, and the epistoler, were called "priest, deacon, and subdeacon," instead of chasuble, dalmatic, and tunicle. Sometimes the last two vestments (often identical in appearance) were both called dalmatics, or "deacons," or were both called tunicles.

Apparels were pieces of coloured or embroidered material sewn on to the albe and amice; they were on the skirt and sleeves of the former, and the amice apparel was like a large embroidered collar. These additions to the albe and amice were always used in England, and of course lace was unknown in old times.

[35] The amices are here called "head-pieces," as they were properly little hoods which could be turned up so as to cover the head, and were actually so worn out of doors. The Dominican Friars still wear the amice on the head when approaching the altar at mass.

Sets of vestments often had copes belonging to them. The cope was required not only for use when censing altars at choir services, but also for the celebrant in the procession which (like our Litany) preceded the principal celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays.

[36] Fannelles = fanons or maniples.

[37] Cloth of gold.

[38] Hangings for lecterns.

[39] Probably the last Prior, alias Linstede.

[40] "Work-day vestments" means vestments for use on weekdays at low masses.

[41] A vestment with a Latin cross on the back of the chasuble; these were common in England in the sixteenth century.

[42] Vide the design on the coffin-lid now preserved in the North Transept (p. 89).

[43] A small banner which was hung on the processional cross.

[44] Probably curtains for hanging behind the rood.

[45] Canopies for hanging above the pyx, which contained the reserved Sacrament, and was, as usual in England, suspended over the high altar. N.B.—The Roman form of altar-tabernacle seldom if ever seems to have been used in England.

[46] Burses, to keep the corporals in.

[47] The "table of the high altar" was the reredos, only exposed on high days, this cloth or upper frontal concealing it at other times. The reredos must not be confused with the great altar screen: it was quite small, and was immediately at the back of the altar itself.

[48] "Hangings for altars above and beneath" include frontals and upper frontals, the latter taking the place of the reredos, or being used to cover it at ordinary times. Some of these hangings may be "riddels" or curtains to hang at the ends of the altar. These used to hang at right angles to the reredos, and close to the altar ends.

[49] I.e., a funeral pall.

[50] Shamrock or trefoil.

[51] A cushion to lay the altar book upon. Such cushions were often very rich and handsome, and in the days of large books and fine bindings were almost necessary. They were much more general than desks.

[52] I.e., a frontal; the same word is used in the Canon of 1603, which orders a frontal.

[53] Four great standard candlesticks to stand on the pavement before the altar. Large churches often had more than two standard lights. The pair of small standards (the next entry) were probably for one of the lesser altars.

[54] Probably included under "Latten" by mistake or carelessness.

[55] Ibid.

[56] Ibid.

[57] This ornament was used in one or two processions when the Holy Eucharist was carried. The "burrall" is the glass in the middle wherein the Sacrament was placed. Only rich churches possessed this ornament, which was of very late introduction. It is needless to add that the still more modern service of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was never in use in England.

[58] Probably to stand on the high altar.

[59] Perhaps held a relic.

[60] To stand on the high altar for ornament.

[61] Two censers were commonly carried side by side in procession in England.

[62] Incense-boat.

[63] The "maser" is quoted as "given to the Wardens when they meet to drink on."