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XXIV. A brief Survey of a part of Canterbury Cathedral, as described by Eadmer and Gervase: and a Review of Mr. Clarke's Opinion of the original Use of Stone Seats in Chancels. By the Rev. Samuel Denne, F.A.S.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

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Extract

Mr. Clarke has expressed his obligation to me for transmitting his Observations on the Appendages to Altars, of which large remains are frequently to be seen in parish churches; and I have assured him it was with pleasure I discharged the office, because convinced the paper did him much credit; and that, from the information and amusement it afforded, it would be very acceptable to the Society to whom it was presented. A hope I likewise entertain, that our Society will be favoured with more communications from a gentleman studious in investigating subjects of antiquity, and well qualified to illustrate them with his pencil and pen.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1792

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References

page 376 note [a] Johnson's Collection of Ecclesiastical Laws. General Preface, p. xviii. And A. DCI. 2. not. b. and A- DCCXXXIV. 16. not. l.

page 376 note [b] Of the Christian Church, vol. III. p. 151. 8vo edit.

page 377 note [c] Antiquities of the Christian church, vol. III. B. viii. f. 16. 8vo. edit.

page 377 note [d] Cantuaria Sacra, pp. 26, 28.

page 378 note [e] Bedæ Eccles. Hist. Lib. I. c 33. At Augustinus, ubi in regia civitate sedem episcopalem (ut prædiximus) accepit, recuperavit in ea, regio sultus adminiculo, ecclesiam quam Romanorum antiquorum sidelium opere factam suisse didicerat, et earn in nomine sancti salvatoris Dei Domini nostri Jesu Christi sacravit.

page 378 note [f] Erat enim ipsa ecclesia, quod per excessum dici patienter quæso accipiatur, ficut in historiis Bedæ testatur, Romanorum opere facta, ut ex quadam parte ad imitationem ecclesiæ beati Apoctolorum principis Petri, in qua sacratisstimæ reliquiæ totius orbis veneratione celebiantur, composita. Decem Scriptores, col. 129.1.

page 378 note [g] Confessiones appellarunt veteres sepulcra martyrum, seu confessorum, quibus ut plurimum imposita eran; ipta altaria, unde proprie ita dictus locus sub majori altari positus, quo fanclorum reliquiæ ac corpora reconduntur.

page 378 note [h] Archæolagia, vol. X. p. 43.

page 379 note [i] Utpote parieti ecclesiæ qui totius templi complexio erat omnino contiguam. X Script, c. 1292.

page 378 note [k] Cantuaria Sacra, pp. 7. 8.

page 380 note [l] Somner's Antiquities, Appendix, p. I. For totam civitatem Cantuariæ habet rex sacam et socam, excepta terra eccles. S. Trin. et S. Augustini. Quidam præpositus Brumannus nomine T. R. E. cepit consuecue. de extraneis mercator. in terra S. Trin. et S. Augusti, quod postea temp. W. B. archieoiscopum Lanfranc, et episc. Baioc. recognovit se injuse recepisse, p. 47. Nordunda est manerium monachorum sanctæ Trinitatis et in T. R. E. se defendebat pro uno similiter. Eadsham similiter, p. 48. Litelcert iterm. est manerium monachorum, et de cibo eorum, quod in T. E. R. se defeo; ebat. Et ex iis. kabet Will. fil. Hermenfridi dimid. full. et reddit inde altari fancfæ Trinitatis, xxvd.

page 380 note [m] Willelmus Archiepiscopus, qui in gloria magna dedicavit ecciesiam Christi X Script.c 1293. Dedicatio ec iefiæ sanctæ Trinitatis ab archiepiscono Willielmo. Ecclesia sanctæ Trinitaris suit dedicata a presato Willielmo archiepiscopo, quæ postmodum ecclesia Christi Caintuariæ vulgariter nuncupata, Ibid. c. 1799.

page 381 note [n] Capella vero extra murum posita, eidem tamen contigua, &c. X Script, c. 1266. Continebat hic murus monachorum chorum, piesbyterium, altare magnum in nomine Jesu Christi dedicatum. Ibid. c. 1299.

page 381 note [o] Wilkins' Concil. vol. I. p. 334.

page 381 note [p] Dean and Chapter News from Canterbury, by Richard Culmer; 2d. edit. p. 18.

page 382 note [q] Archæologia, vol. X. pp. 267, 305.

page 383 note [r] Wheatley on the Common Prayer, p. 264.

page 386 note [r] Wilkins' Concil. II. p. 280; and Lyndwood, Provinciale, p. 252.

page 386 note [s] Wilkins' Concil. I. p. 733. In singulis quoque ecclesiis, quarum facultates ad hoc sufficiunt, sint unus diaconus, et subdiaconus in eisdem, ut decet ministrantes. In aliis vero ecclesiis fit saltem clericus unus honestus, qui sacerdoti cum habitu convenienti in divinis ministret officiis.

page 386 note [t] Ibid. vol. III. p. 61.

page 386 note [u] X. Script c. 2098, 9, Ordinatio vicariæ de Lenham. Dictus autem vicarius ct: successorcs deierviet, seu deservient honeste dicta ecclesiæ de Lenham et capellæ de Rayton per se et alterura idoneum capellanum et luminaria invenient in eisdem more debito et consueto. Mr. Hasted (History of Kent, voh II. p, 452.) has misconstrued the passage, in suggesting, that the vicar and his successors should perform the duty of the church by themselves or other proper curate.

page 387 note [w] Wilkins, Concil. II p. 295. Volumus insuper, quod in singulis ecclesiis, quæ ad quinquaginta marcarum (summam), vel ultra communitei sunt taxatæ, sint unus diaconus, ct unus subdiaconus, continuè ministrantes, et unum ad minus vestimentum soienne, ac tunica et dalmatica competens.

page 388 note [x] Noticed by Mr. Clarke in Gent Mag. vol. LVII. p. 662.

page 388 note [y] Dupin (Eccles. Hist. VII. p. 138,) writes, that the canons which bear the name of council of Nantes are only a collection of several constitutions made at different places. The third canon is, “Ut nulla fœmina ad altare præsumat accedere, aut presbytero ministrare, aut infra cancellos stare:” Dufresne; thus translated in the English edition of Dupin: “The third forbids a priest to have any woman with him, yea those that are accepted by the canons. It forbids also woman to approach the altar, officiate as priests, or fit within the rails.”

page 388 note [z] Collection of Ecclesistical Laws, A. 994. VI.

page 388 note [a] Specimen of a Parochial History, page 5, note g,

page 389 note [b] Wilkins' Concil. I. 625. Constitut. W. de Bleys Wigorn. Epi. A. 1299 ut laici non sedeant in choro inter clerios,–p. 666. Constitut, W. de Cantelupe, Wigorn. Epi. A. 1239, “Nec laici itent in cancellis dum celebrantur divina, salva tamen reverentia patronorum er suolimium personarum,” p. 707. Constitut. Willielmi de Kirkham, Epi Dunelm. A. 1255. “Provideant autem recteres, vicarii, et sacerdotes, ne passim laici sedant et stent in cancello dum divina officia celebrantur, nisi sorsan patroni, aut alia vencrabilis perisona ad hoc ob reverentiain admittatur.” Concil Scotianum, A. 1225. The king and the nobles are excepted. “Excepto domino rege et majoribus regni quibus propter suam excellentiam in hac parte doximus deterendu.” Ib. vol. I. p. 618.

page 389 note [c] Registrum Rossense, p. 239. cathedræ fen' pro chore, cum lectri no feri' ejusdem sectæ. By the canon of Council of Laodicea, it was ordered that none but the canon chapters who sit in high chairs, and read in books, should sing in the choir.

page 390 note [d] Bishop Kennet's Case of Impropriations, p. 34.

page 390 note [e] Ibid. pp. 21. 25.

page 390 note [f] Ibid. p. 405, note. At the beginning of the Civil Wars, Dr. Featley made this reckoning of 9000 livings with cure in this kingdom; there are above 4000 so castrated by sacrilegious appropriations, that in very many places of this kingdom, that which remaineth for the incumbent is no way sufficient to support him and his family. Sacra Nemesis, 4to. p. 63. It is certain the disproportion is much greater; above 6000 impropriations to 3000 presentative rectories.

page 391 note [g] The only stalls of wood yet discovered in a chancel in England are in Rodmersham church. But, in Millin's Antiquités Nationales, there is a beautifully carved plate of a triple feat, of the same material in the church of St. Spire at Corbeil, on the Epistle side of the altar, now, or rather lately used by the officiating priests. It is of the 16th century, and supposed to have been a present from Francis I. whose device, a salamander, appears in the pediment of the Gothic arch over them. As the royal device is placed over the centre feat, which is raised above the collateral feats, might it not be originally constructed to accommodate that monarch?

page 391 note [h] It seems pretty remarkable, that within the compass of 100 years there should have been fix priors of Christchurch, Canterbury, who made architecture their study, and of whose taste and skill we see many proofs at this time. Mr. Gostling's Canterbury Walk. p. 252.

page 392 note [i] In the South wall of the chancel of St. Mary's at the castle, Leicester, are three pointed stalls of different heights, with zigzag arches of nail-head quatrefoils; the pillars have flowered capitals, and are double with an interval between each pair. In the South wall of the North aile are three stalls with four zigzag arches and round columns, separated as the foregoing, with flowered capitals. From this style of building one is naturally led to conclude, that these stalls were not later than the reign of Henry III. and that John of Gaunt only rebuilt the nave and tower, and perhaps the South aile. It was collegiate before the Conquest, and rebuilt, 1107, by Robert earl of Leicester, of whose time this Saxon work probably is. It is the only instance I have seen of such a style of architecture in these stalls.

page 394 note [i] Bridges, vol. II. pp. 438, 840. On the South side of the altar, under old Gothic arches, are four seats one above the other. William Wyntringham, provost of this collegiate chantry, by his will, dated August 8, 1415, directed his body to be buried near the lavatory, on the South side the chancel of St. Andrew's church at Cotherstock. And on the South side the chancel near the altar steps, is an oblong grey stone, on which is, in brass, the portrait of the provost, in his habit, under an arch or stall, with a pyramid above, and spikes on each side, flanding on a pedestal with steps.

page 394 note [k] Archæologia, vol. X, p. 300.

page 395 note [l] Such was king Edward's avowed purpose in giving this chair*, and not, as Mr. Clarke is inclined to imagine, for the use of the abbat, unless he was the celebrant at mass. But, in the abbey church of Peterborough, there was on the South side of the altar a chair for the sole use of the abbat. “The table (of the antient high altar) was a spacious free-stone, many years ago removed from its place, and now lying in the adjoining steps. It is twelve feet two inches long, and in breadth four feet eight inches. In the place of it was set a table of wood, at the South end of which stood the abbai's chair of stone, said to be the model of St. Peter's chair, which continued some years after.” Bridges, Hist. Vol. II. p,567.

page 395 note * Liber contrarotulat, p. 66. Walsingham Ypodig. Neustria, p. 485.

page 396 note [m] Alanns de Rupe, a Dominican monk, scruples not to raise the power of the priest above that of God himself; alledging, that God spent a whole week in creating the world, and disposing it into proper order; whereas a priest, every time he says mass, with a word or two produces not a mere creature, but the supreme uncreated Being himself, the origin of all things: a citation of Keysler in his Travels (vol. I. p. 414), after relating that, about the beginning of this century, a priest was hanged at Milan for celebrating mass before he had received his bull of ordination, though it was upon the road from Rome; the thumbs with the fore and middle finger of both the hands, between which at the elevation he had held the host, being first burnt. In 1463, Simon Harrison, in the habit of a Dominican frier, was apprehended by the domestics of archbishop Bourchier, on a suspicion of having celebrated mass in Lambeth church, without being in priest's orders. When examined by the convocation assembled at St, Paul's (July 16), he confessed that he had committed idolatry, having for a long time performed mass, though he was only an acolyth (Wilkins' Concil. vol. Ill, p. 585), He was delivered for punishment to the bishop of Winchester, and the sentence passed on him is probably entered in the bishop's register, or in the consistiorial acts of that diocese.