are

it were a mere place to lean upon.' Again, modern Altar-Tables 'almost always too low: they ought to be so high, that the Clergyman may kneel at them, and not loll upon them.'-Part II. p. 9.

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Communion-Plate.

CHALICE or CUP. FLAGON. PATEN.

The Vessels necessary for the administration of the Lord's Supper are (1) the Cup or Chalice for the WINE, called in the CANON a Pot or Stoop (Stoup); and (2) the Paten for the BREAD. In some instances (3) a Flagon is employed; either for holding the Wine before consecration: or, as in large Churches where the Communicants are numerous, in order that a sufficient quantity of Wine may be consecrated at one time; and out of which it is poured into the Cup for distribution.

The CANON only enjoins the Pot or Stoop (Stoup), and that it shall be of metal: thus

"The Churchwardens of every Parish, against the time of 'every Communion, shall at the Charge of the Parish, with 'the advice and direction of the Minister, provide a sufficient quantity of fine white BREAD, and of good and wholesome 'WINE, for the number of Communicants that shall from time to time receive there: which Wine we require to be brought to 'the Communion-Table in a clean and sweet standing POT or 'STOUP of pewter, if not of purer metal.-CANON 20.

The RUBRICS of the Liturgy give no distinct direction with respect to supplying these Vessels, yet they assume that they are provided. The Cup is specifically mentioned in the RUBRIC before the Prayer of Consecration,' also at the delivery of the Wine, and where the Officiating Minister is instructed how to proceed to a second Consecration. In the marginal RUBRICS also of this Prayer,' the Priest is ordered to take the PATEN,' and 'the CUP into his hand;' and 'to lay his hand upon every Vessel (be it 'CHALICE or FLAGON) in which there is any Wine 'to be consecrated.'

Here three Vessels are distinctly spoken of;
(1) the Cup or Chalice,
(2) the Flagon,

(3) the Paten:

yet the Flagon is not mentioned elsewhere, either in CANON, OF RUBRIC, and cannot therefore be considered as an indispensable requisite: indeed the Cup or Chalice is the only Vessel that is absolutely ordered, and its material prescribed, which, according to the CANON, must be of 'pewter, or purer metal.' The character of the Paten is nowhere defined, so that in small country Parishes, too poor to furnish a more costly vessel, a common earthenware plate frequently serves the purpose.

Writers on Ecclesiastical Law seem generally to confine themselves to the requirements of the Canon with respect to the Sacramental Vessels.

DR. BURN, after quoting CANON 20, adds:- The Parishioners 'shall find at their own charge the CHALICE or CUP for the Wine '(WINCHELSEA, Lyndw. Prov. Const. Aug. 252.); which, says 'LYNDWOOD, although expressed in the singular number, yet is 'not intended to exclude more than one, where more are necessary. (ib).'-Eccl. L. Phil. i. 370.-This opinion is followed by CRIPPS in L. of Ch. & Cl. p. 418; by SPELLEN in Vestry-Clerk & Par. Law, p. 18; by STEER in Par. Law. ed. Clive, p. 35; by STEPHENS in L. Rel. to Cl. p. 289. But ROGERS in his Eccl. L. (p. 155.) merely quotes the CAÑON.

MR. C. G. PRIDEAUX (Barrister-at-Law), after quoting the CANON, says that the Churchwardens- Are to take care that the 'Church be in like manner provided with a fair Chalice, or Communion Cup with a Cover, and one or more Flagons. '(AYLIFFE'S Par. 304; LYNDW. 252).'-Churchwd. Guide. p. 43.

The usual practice has been for the Church wardens to provide a plated Cup with cover, and a Paten, and in large Parishes a Flagon also. But in some instances a wealthy congregation, or the munificence of an Incumbent, or of some Parishioner, may present a service of Communion-Plate, made of the more precious metals.

As these Vessels belong to the Parish, they are generally under the custody of the Churchwardens; who secure them in a strong chest, deposited either in

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the Vestry-Room, or in the residence of the Minister, or of one of themselves. Sometimes there is a Cupboard (Aumbry, Ambry, Almery,) in the VestryRoom made especially safe for this purpose. In the generality of instances, however, the keeping of the Communion-Plate is entrusted to the Incumbent : for, in administering the Holy Sacrament to the Sick, Clergymen who are not provided with a 'Pocket Service' of these Vessels, and others who object to the use of toy Services' (as they designate these diminutive specimens), frequently employ the Church Plate for such occasions. To convey the Cup and Paten, and the 'Elements', to the house of a sick parishioner a light portable Box, lined with baize, and provided with proper compartments, is extremely useful, and far preferable to a Bag, or Basket. At every administration' the Officiating Minister should take care to see that the Sacred Vessels are clean, and in proper condition.

We may add a few historical remarks, and Ecclesiastical opinions on the usage of these Vessels.

I. The Chalice or Cup.-In the first Liturgy of Edward VI. (1549), one of the marginal Rubrics at the 'Prayer of Consecration' directed the Priest when to take the Cuppe into his 'handes:' but these Rubrics were omitted in the Review of 1552, and were not restored till the last Revision in 1662. (CLAY'S B. of C. Pr. Ill. p. 118.)

In the survey of the Church goods of the county of Northampton, ordered by EDWARD VI. in 1552, the Commissioners were required to leave in every Parish Church or Chapel of common resort, one, two, or more CHALICES or CUPS, according to the multitude of the people in every such Church or Chapel.'CARDWELL'S Doc. Ann. i. 101.

In 1553, and 1554. BONNER, Bp. of London, issued a monition that a Chalice (Calicem) among other things should be provided in each Parish of his Diocese. ib. 115, 143).

In 1569. ABP. PARKER inquires- Whether they do minister in any prophane cuppes, bowles, dishes, or Chalices heretofore used at Masse, or else in a decent Communion-Cuppe provided and kept for the same purpose only.'-(ib. 321.). So likewise enjoined ABP. GRINDAL (Art. 7.), according to BP. COINS (in NICHOLLS' Add. Notes p. 40.)

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BP. ANDREWES, (1643), at the conclusion of the Offertory Sentences,' says:-Into his hands the Priest from a by-standing Table on the south side, reaches first the WAFER-BREAD, in a 'Canister close covered and lined with Linnen. 2ndly. The WINE ' in a barrel or a cradle with four feet.'-(Add. Notes to NICHOLLS' Com. Pr. p. 40.). In the description of the furniture of BP. ANDREWES' Chapel, given in the HIERURGIA ANGLICANA, mention is made of "The silver and gilt canister for the WAFERS, like a wicker basket, and lined with cambric laced. The Tonne (flagon) upon a cradle. The Chalice, having on the outside of the bowi, Christ with the lost sheep on His shoulders; on the top of the cover the Wise Men's star, both engraven; it is covered with a linen napkin (called the aire) embroidered with coloured silks. Two Patens. The Tricanale, being a round ball with a screw cover whereout issue three pipes, and is for the Water of mixture.' (p. 8.).

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DR. NICHOLLS (ob. 1712) gives an historical account of these Vessels; thus-The CUP, which the consecrated Wine is delivered in, is called by this name (Chalice). That in the earlier times of Christianity the CHALICES were made of wood is evident 'from that remarkable passage in the council of Tribur, (A. D. 811.) 'as 'tis mentioned in GRATIAN (Decr. de Consecr. Dist. i. c. 44. "Vasa &c). "The vessels in which the holy mysteries are 'performed are Chalices and Patens, of which BONIFACE, Martyr "and Bishop, being once asked if it were lawful to consecrate in "wooden Chalices, he made this answer :-Formerly golden Priests "made use of wooden Chalices, but now wooden Priests do consecrate in gold." About the 2nd century they began to 'leave off the wooden Chalices, unless in very poor Churches, and to use glass ones, or some finely cut out of marble; this use is said to be brought in by ZEPHIRINUS bp. of Rome, after 'the year 200. Of these glass Chalices, TERTULLIAN (de Pudic.) 'takes notice. And of this sort must that Chalice be, which 'ATHANASIUS was accused to have broken in his passion. (ATH. Apol. 2.). Upon these glass Chalices in Tertullian's time, which was the beginning of the 3rd century, there seems to have been engraved or painted, the picture of our Saviour, or the good Shepherd carrying his lamb upon his shoulders, as PAMELIUS interprets the place....When the government became Christian, golden and silver Chalices came in use. ANASTASIUS (Life of Silvester) says, that to the Church which Constantine built at Rome, he gave a silver Paten weighing 20 lbs., and twenty ministerial Chalices to deliver the Wine in, weighing 3 lbs. a piece. And the same writer (in Life of Adrian) says, that he gave a Paten and a Chalice to St Peter's of Rome, made of pure gold, weighing together 24lbs. And indeed the Furniture of the Altars in those times was so pompous, that it drew the envy 'of the heathen upon the Christians, and occasioned that remark of the Questor FELIX (recorded in THEOD. Eccl. Hist. III. c. 12.), 'who seeing so many costly vessels of silver and gold in the temple of Antioch, cryed out, "With what sumptuous Vessels do they 'minister to the Son of Mary! By a Canon of the Council of 'Rhemes, in CHARLES the Great's time, all Churches were obliged 'to have Chalices of some purer metal. Wooden Cups are forbid 'because of their porosity, glass ones because they are so liable to 'be broken, brazen ones because of their ill smell; therefore this

'Council enjoins, "That every PATEN and CHALICE, if it be 'not of gold, must be at least of silver or tin." (Conc. Rhem. Can. 6.). The ancient Chalices were of two kinds; the greater, which were in the nature of our Flagons, containing a large 'quantity of Wine, which was all consecrated in them together; and the lesser, which were otherwise called Ministeriales, because 'the Priest delivered the WINE to be drank out of them: for Com'munion in one kind was not then invented by the Romish Church; 'for these 20 ministerial Chalices, which Constantine gave to the 'Church that he built at Rome, were something too many for the Priests, who officiated in that Church to drink out of; but were 'few enough for so vast a Communion as there must be in that 'populous city.'-Book of Com. Pr. in loco. (SHEPHERD in his Elucid. of B. of Com. Pr. vol. II. p. 219; gives the substance of the above. MR. STEPHENS, in his Book of Com. Pr. E. H. S. p. 1205, quotes this passage in full.).

BINGHAM (ob. 1723), speaking of the Sacramental Vessels, states that 'The materials were sometimes no better than plain glass or wood': and after referring to the authority of Irenæus. Epiphanius, and others, he mentions Jerom, who speaking of Exuperius, 'bp of Tholouse, and commending his frugality, tells us that he 'ministered the body of Christ in a basket of osiers, and the blood in a glass cup...I shall only add, that in one of our own Synods 'here in England, the Synod of Calcuth, anuo 787, there is a Canon 'which forbids the use of horn cups in the celebration 'charist, which seems to imply that they were in use before.'.. The author then mentions that the wealthier Churches had their 'Sacred Vessels of Silver and Gold.'-Antiq. of Chr. Ch. VIII. c. 6. §. 20.

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The REV. W. GOODE writes:-'Besides the Vessels immediately required for the ministration of the Holy Communion, namely, "the" Paten," ""Cup" and "Chalice or flagon" containing the WINE to be consecrated,' (mentioned in the marginal Rubric 'of the Prayer of Consecration,) the only ornament' &c. (p. 82.)— Cer. of Ch. of England.

The REV. R. HART, describing the Altar- Plate of the Romish Church, says;-'The Chalice, (was that) in which the Wine and 'Water were placed in order to their consecration, having a node or pomum in the centre of its stem, and generally a cover... Pugillares, or Canaliculi, were pipes or tubes of gold or silver, through 'which the Laity received the Wine out of the Chalice before the use ' of that Element was denied them altogether. (Staveley p. 190)'.— Eccl. Record. p. 235.

DR. HOOK, explaining the word 'CHALICE', says: The Cup in 'which the consecrated Wine for the Eucharist is administered. The primitive Christians, desirous of honouring the holy purpose 'for which it was used, had it made of the most costly substances 'their circumstances would allow-of glass, crystal, onyx, sard'onyx, and gold.' (He then quotes the Canon of the Council of Rheims from Nicholls, as given above)..... Under the Word "CUP", the same author writes: 'The sacred Vessel in which the consecrated Wine in the Lord's Supper is conveyed to 'the Communicant, distinguished from the Flagon, in which the