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WINE is brought to the Altar, and in which, if more than the Cup will conveniently hold is required, it is consecrated. The 'RUBRIC directs that it shall be delivered to each Communicant.'Church Dict.

The INSTRUMENTA ECCLESIASTICA furnishes what it considers the most correct designs for the Vessels of the Communion-Table, and which, it adds, cannot be executed by the ordinary silversmiths. With respect to the 'CHALICE,' we read:- Every part is wrought, casting not being allowable. The Knop is generally 'pierced. This, and every other part, may be, and have been, elaborately jewelled, and decorated with enamels. The bowl is circular: yet a CHALICE with a hexagonal bowl is preserved in 'Mainz Cathedral. The foot is nearly always hexagonal: though 'round and octagonal feet have been known. The general type being preserved, an infinite number of patterns of ornament may be employed. One CHALICE, given in the Plate, shows the legend ("Calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen DOMINI invocabo.") engraved on the ancient example preserved at Trinity College, Oxford. Of course the inscriptions may vary. CHALICES are I made also of several sizes.'*-PLATE 55.

II. The Flagon,-The use of the Flagon is either to hold a sufficient quantity of Wine where the number of the Communicants is large, so that it may all receive consecration at one time; or to dispense with the appearance on the CommunionTable of the common black wine-bottle. (See DR. NICHOLLS' account of the Chalice, supra page 597).

BP. WREN in 1636, among other directions issued throughout the Diocese of Norwich, orders:-That no wicker bottles or tavern *pots be brought unto the Communion-Table, and that the BREAD 'be brought in a clean cloth or napkin.'-CARDWELL'S Doc. Ann. II. 205.

The REV. R. HART describes several Vessels used in the Church before the Reformation, answering to our Flagon, thus:- The "Bureta, or Burette, a pitcher, usually of gold or silver, con'taining the Wine which was to be consecrated during the Mass. (Du Cange in voce). The 'Anax' was a larger Flagon, applicable to the same purpose, but belonging to more primitive times. '(Mabillon de Lit. Gal. 63.). Ampullæ vitrea vini et aquæ,' were 'Cruets of glass or crystal upon a stand of metal (which was

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* Mr. KEITH, 59, Britannia Terrace, London, who professes to have worked for the "Ecclesiological Society" for 10 years, advertizes a 'Service' of Church Plate of silver at the following prices. CHALICE £9. (gilt £11.); PATEN £3. 10s. (gilt £4. 108.); FLAGON £13. (gilt £16.). OFFERTORY BASINS in metal-gilt, from £3. 108. to £10.; in silver, from £7. to £40.; in silver-gilt, from £9. to £50. Metal COLLECTING-PLATES, 158. each. Services for the Communion of the Sick,' from £5. 10s. to £10.

'termed, 'pelvicula hamularum.'-Gavant. I. 318.). In these two Cruets the Wine and Water were presented at the Altar before 'consecration. Each had a Cover:-Eccl. Records. p. 235.

DR. HOOK defines the 'FLAGON' as-'A Vessel used to contain 'the Wine, before and at the consecration in the holy Eucharist. In the marginal Rubric in the Prayer of Consecration,' the Priest is ordered to lay his hand upon every Vessel (be it CHALICE 'or FLAGON) in which there is any Wine to be consecrated; but in the same Prayer he is told to take the Cup only in his hand; and the Rubric before the Form of administering the Cup stands thus, ""the Minister that delivereth the Cup." The distinction then 'between the Flagon, and the Cup or Chalice, will be, that the 'latter is the Vessel in which the consecrated WINE is adminisistered; the Flagon that in which some of the WINE is placed for consecration, if there be more than one Vessel used.'-Church

Dict.

The INSTRUMENTA ECCLESIASTICA describes these Vessels under the terms Cruets or Flagons: and gives examples of some with handles and spouts, and others without. It then adds:- Cruets 'must be entirely of hammered metal, and are of difficult execution. Two very appropriate legends are given in the plate: "Gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia:" And "Te laudamus, Tibi bene'dicimus." Where there are many Communicants, our Rubrics 'permit the WINE to be consecrated in the Flagon. Should this not be necessary, the Cruet will of course remain on the 'SideTable.' In any case the Flagon will stand on the Side-Table' until the oblation. It is suggested that a pair of Flagons of 'moderate size are more convenient and more 'beautiful than one 'large one.'-Plate 56.

III. The Paten.-This Vessel, as before observed, is usually of plated metal, or of silver. Sometimes in poor village Churches it is the common earthenware plate of domestic use; and, occasionally, the cover of the Chalice, where such exists, answers the purpose of the Paten.

DR. NICHOLLS (ob. 1712.) says:-'The Paten is the plate in 'which the sacred BREAD is laid. The original word, which is Patena,' signifies a wide open Dish. Thus COLUMELLA speaks of "lata vasa in modum patenarum." (1. i.) And its diminutive 'Patella' is of more common use. In the more primitive times, 'when the Christians were but of mean condition, and their state ' of persecution would not allow them to pretend to anything that I was magnificent, the Sacramental Bread was laid only upon a 'Plate made of osiers or wood. Thus S. JEROM speaks of Rusticus, a pious but parsimonious Bishop...." No one richer than he; and yet he carries the Lord's Body on a wickow plate, and His Blood in a glass Cup." (Ep. IV. ad Rust.). After this (as WALAFRIDUS

Patena, seu Patina, est vasis genus a patendo dictum.' -Isidore.

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STRABO writes, and the Council of Tribur witnesses) Pope ZEPHIRINUS, about the year 230, brought in the use of glass Patens, (De Reb. Eccl. C. 14.). But in the Council of Rhemes, which was held in the year 813, as 'tis quoted by Gratian (Can. ut Calix 'de Consecr. Dist. 1.), 'tis ordered, that Patens, and Chalices, should be made either of gold or silver. But this was the custom 'before in the Churches of wealthy cities. (Vid. CHRYS. Hom. 16; 'ad Eph. 16.; ad Pop. Ant.; S. AUG. Con. 2. in Ps. 113.).'Book of Com. Pr. in loco. (SHEPHERD in his Eluc. of B. of Com. Pr. vol. II. p. 218. gives the substance of this passage.).

COLLIS writes:-'The Priest is to take the Paten into his left 'hand, and then break the BREAD there: and then only lay his 'hand upon the BREAD, in any other Paten. The same he is to do 'by the Cup, holding it in his left hand, and not setting it down 'till the end of the Prayer.' (p. 94.)—On the Rubric.

The Rev. R. HART, speaks of the 'Paten' before the period of the Reformation as-'A Plate usually of silver, on which the host' to 'be consecrated at that Mass is presented by the Deacon to the 'celebrant. It was to be concave, and the rim thin enough to be of use in collecting the sacred particles. (Merati. p. 101.). The "Cover' of the Chalice was however often used as a substitute for 'a' Paten.'-Eccl. Records. p. 235.

DR. HOOK, in explanation of 'Paten,' merely adopts the first two lines of NICHOLLS' comment, quoted above.

The INSTRUMENTA ECCLESIASTICA says:- Patens must present no great inequality on their upper surfaces; which accord'ingly can admit only engraving and enamelling for ornament.... 'A Paten is made to fit the top of the bowl of its Chalice;' whence it has been sometimes called a 'Cover.' Legends and jewelling are 'admissible on the outer rim. The hexagonal form prevails also in the ornamenting of the Paten. If the whole upper surface cannot be gilt, it is usual to gild the middle, as also the inner part of the "bowl of the Chalice.'*-Plate 55.

With respect to the Offertory Basin, we omitted to state that the INSTRUMENTA ECCLESIASTICA observes:-These are made of 'Pewter, or of latten, or of precious metal. The selection of Legend and subject ought to have reference to the purposes of the 'Alms-Basin. The offering of the "Wise Men" from Beato Angelico ...was successfully hammered in silver on a larger scale 'for the Lord Bishop of Fredericton. It is not necessary that the Basin should be very large, since it occupies, when laid on the Altar, a great deal of space. The proper place for the Alms-dish 'is not on the Altar until the Alms are offered in it, but on the Credence.' It is to be regretted that the Chapels Royal, for example, have encouraged the bad practice of placing OffertoryBasins and Salvers on the Altar for the sake of display.'Plate 58.

[Communion-Rails.]

Separating the Communion-Table by Rails is not enjoined in any CANON, LAW, or RUBRIC of the Church, possessing authority at the present day. It has, however, been the custom from the time of ABP. LAUD, or rather from the period of the Restoration, almost universally, to enclose the Communion-Table with Rails, in order to prevent it from being profaned and desecrated. An injunction to this end was first issued by LAUD in 1633 (see page 544 supra), but it did not generally take effect, says CARDWELL, till 1636; and then not without the greatest opposition. (Doc. Ann. II. 187. n.).

BP. WREN in 1636, in his directions to the Clergy of the Diocese of Norwich, required-That the Rail be made before it (the • Communion-Table) according to the Archbishop's late injunc" tions, reaching cross from the north wall to the south wall, near 6 one yard in height, so thick with pillars, that dogs may not get 'in.'-(ib. 202.)

In 1640. the Convocation through the influence of LAUD passed a set of CANONS, in the 7th of which it was ordered, that the Communion-Table should be separated by 'Rails.' The binding authority of these CANONS upon the Clergy of modern times has been already discussed at large and disavowed in page 294; to which the Reader is referred for fuller information in respect of their legal force. As regards, however, the particular subject under our consideration, the Canon thus enjoins:

'And because experience hath shewed us, how irreverent the 'behaviour of many people is in many places, some leaning, others casting their hats, and some sitting upon, some standing, and 'others sitting under the Communion-Table' in time of Divine 'Service: for the avoiding of these, and the like abuses, it is thought meet and convenient by this present Synod, that the said Communion-Table' in all Chancels or Chappels be decently 'severed with Rails, to preserve them from such or worse pro'fanations.'-(See supra p. 295. n; and p. 544; and SPARROW'S Coll. 361.).

These 'Rails' ought properly to extend completely across the Chancel; yet they need not of necessity be fixtures. In some Churches, indeed, they are removed when there is no administration of the Holy Communion; or they are so contrived as to fold back against the north and south walls, or to fall into the

floor. They are rendered almost indispensable from the assistance they afford to the aged and infirm in kneeling, and rising up. The repair of the Communion-Rails devolves upon the Churchwardens, and of course at the charge of the Parish. (See the case of Newson v. Baldry. p. 487. supra).

DR. HOOK, in his explanation of these Rails, says:—' Altar'Rails as such, and as distinguished from the Chancel Screen, were not known before the Reformation. We probably owe them 6 to ABP. LAUD, who, when the Chancel and Altar-Screen had been 'broken down, and a Table set up in the Nave by Ultra-Protestants, in the Church, ordered an Altar-Table to be placed in 'the Chancel, and protected from rude approach by Rails. As "the use of Altar-Rails arose out of, and visibly signified respect 'for, the great mysteries celebrated at the Altar, they were, of course, a mark for the hostility of the Puritans, and accordingly, in the journal of William Dowsing, Parliamentary Visitor of Churches in the great Rebellion, we find that they were every 'where destroyed. They have generally, however, been restored; ' and there are now few Churches in England, where they are not 'found.'-Church Dict.

The REV. J. C. ROBERTSON, referring to the CANON of 1640. directing Rails to be set up, states:-The Commons soon after '' ordered that the Tables should be removed into the body of the 6 Church, and that the Rails should be taken away.' He adds in a note (Sept. 8th, 1641. (Nalson. ii. 482.). The order was pub'lished without the concurrence of the other House')....' From 'what we have seen, it may be concluded,' (among other things)... that whereas some of our "Ecclesiologists," who in general make 'much of Laud's authority, are earnest for the abolition of Rails, 'the introduction of this protection was one of his chief measures 'for the ordering of Churches.' In a Note is added-('Altar-Rails are sanctioned by the Roman Church, as well as the Rails or 'Screens which separate the Chancel from the Nave.') (p. 160162.).-How Shall We Conform to the Lit.

The INSTRUMENTA ECCLESIASTICA, describing its illustration, says:-The Kneeling-Rail is of iron, and will stand firmly by its own weight. The ornamental scroll-work may be omitted if found too expensive. Fixed Altar-Rails are not to be recom'mended: and the present Rail is proposed for occasional use, when required at Communion by infirm or aged persons. It will 'then be placed in the middle before the Altar. It may also be 'used at the West end of the Church for the Churching of "Women.'-Plate 72.