aliis vestibus honorifice reindutus, procedet humiliter ad altare feretri antedicti. Quo cum advenerit, dictus archiepiscopus, sive episcopus, revestitus eodem modo quo fuerat quando missam celebravit, alias coronas capitibus regis et reginæ reverenter imponet. Qui sic a dicto pontifice coronati, et sceptra' tantum de regalibus in manibus portantes, a dicto feretro per magnum altare, et dictum pulpitum ascendentes, per medium chori eadem via qua venerant in ecclesiam, prænominatis comitibus prædictos gladios coram rege deferentibus, cum magna gloria sunt reversuri.

"Dicta vero sceptra liberabuntur, statim finito prandio et rege thalamum ingresso, abbati Westmonasteriensi sive alio monacho ad hoc assignato, per manus dictorum regis et reginæ, ut una cum aliis regalibus in dicto monasterio, prout per bullas papales, et regum chartas, ac antiqua et semper observata consuetudine, plenius habetur; quod sit locus regiæ institutionis et coronationis, ac etiam repositorium regalium insignium in perpetuum, sub hac enim ratione in rescriptis papalium privilegiorum et regalium cartarum, ecclesia præfata, scilicet ecclesia beati Petri Westmonasterii, diadema regni nominatur, caput pariter et corona, tanquam ea quæ sola inter ceteras Angliæ ecclesias speciali prærogativa præfulget.

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1 Servit ea die senescallia comes Leceystriæ, licet comes Norfolchiæ illud sibi vendicaverit obsequium. De mappario serviet .N. de Hastyng, qui extractas post prandium mappas tanquam suas recipiet. Salarium et cultellos apponet .N. de Bello Campo de Dumely, cujus est officium panetariæ. De officio pincernariæ serviet comes de Arundell."

In the above the word "pincerna" or "pincernarius" is thus

h Conventus habet illo die de rege, etc.

* Deliberatio sceptrorum.

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Domini servientes in die.

Spelman in his glossary says that the simnels were made of the

explained by Ducange. "Qui vinum convivis miscet. Catholicon parvum, Pincerna, Bouteiller. Joan de Janua. Pincerna dicitur vini dispensator, vel potius propinator, qui porrigit ex officio poculum domino suo."

The word "simila" also occurs, which is thus explained by Ducange. "Simila, ut simenellus, panis ex simila, vel etiam placentulæ species, quæ alibi foliata dicitur." "Panis similaceus, ex Simila, Græcis σeμidadírns, cui secundum inter panes bonitatis locum assignat Galenus lib. 1. de aliment. Anglis simnelbread. Inde regiis mensis ministrari olim solitus. Liber de situ ecclesiæ Belli in Anglia. Constituens in primo monachis ejusdem ecclesiæ ad cotidianos usus panem regiæ mensæ aptum, qui Simenel vulgo vocatur. Bromptonus ann. 1044. "Eo die præcentor loci recipiat de fisco regio dimidiam marcam, et conventus centum simenellos, et unum modium vini." Glossarium in verb.

*The town of Devizes, in Wiltshire, has long been famous for these "simnels:" and at present, I am told, they are made of

best, and not of any inferior wheat: "Panis purior, sic dictus, quod a simila, hoc est, puriori farinæ parte efficitur." This certainly would have been a reason why the simnels should be especially given to the monks of Westminster, on the festival of a coronation. At any rate it is to be hoped that, whatever they were made of, they were more tempting to look at, (of the taste I cannot speak) than simnels of the present day, which are really offensive in their appearance; * and cannot but be, as another old writer, Constantinus Africanus, has described them, "very indigestible," although possibly "very nutritious." We must commiserate the daily fare of the convent of Westminster, when simnels, such as these, were an extraordinary treat.

flour, yeast, saffron, currants, and spice. They are first boiled, and afterwards baked.