Albert Way

“ An ancient writer on ritual observances, cited by Martene, states that it was customary to place over the head of the corpse a sigillum of wax, fashioned in the form of a cross: that the bodies of persons who had received sacred orders ought to be interred in the vestments worn by them at ordination; and that on the breast of a priest ought to be placed a chalice, which, in default of such sacred vessel of pewter, should be of earthen-ware [25] . Numerous instances of the discovery of a chalice and paten in the grave of an ecclesiastic have been noticed ”

“ They may claim attention, on account of the perfection or profuse variety of their decoration, bestowed by that unsparing liberality of former times in all occasions wherein veneration for the house of God, or the services of the Church, could be evinced. They present also the most choice examples of various decorative arts, of which such objects, preserved on account of their sacred character, now supply almost the only evidence, whilst the richest ornaments of personal and unhallowed use have been destroyed under the capricious influence of fashion. ”

“ Sepulchral brasses afford many interesting illustrations of the form of the chalice, and of the usage of its deposit in the tomb of a priest. The effigies of priests, at North Mimms, Herts, and Wensley, Yorkshire, supply very richly decorated examples. Both of these are of the fourteenth century, and a fine specimen is given by Mr. Shaw, from the memorial of a chancellor of Noyon Cathedral, who died 1358 [31] . Many other instances may readily be enumerated; most commonly the wafer is represented, placed over the chalice, and occasionally with rays radiating from it. ”

“ The chalice is usually held between the hands, but sometimes it is placed upon the body, as in the figure of the priest at North Mimms, already noticed.
There is an incident in the history of our country, at a very interesting period, to which it may not be inappropriate to advert, in concluding these notices of the most sacred of the ornaments of churches. In the year 1193 the Emperor Henry had thrown Richard king of England into a dungeon in the Tyrol ”

“ Subsequently, the bowl was made of smaller proportions, the administration of the wine to the laity being forbidden; and, as a precaution against the risk of its being overturned, the foot was made very wide, with indentations, intended, according to De Vert, to keep the chalice steady, when it was laid to drain on the paten, after celebration, in accordance with an ancient usage [6] . The knop and foot were decorated in the most sumptuous manner, the bowl being usually quite plain ”

“ These large chalices furnished with handles were occasionally suspended in churches with coronæ and other ornaments, and are termed by Agnelli calices appensorii, they may be seen in the illuminations of the Bible of Charles le Chauve, and other MSS. In many cases the calices ansati appear to have been used as receptacles for wine, in place of the stoup or flagon of recent times; being ill suited, on account of their large dimensions, for the purpose of administration. ”

“ To enumerate and explain the various artistic processes, which, according to the curious descriptions preserved in ancient documents, were employed to enrich these accessories of the service of the altar, would extend this notice beyond the limits suitable to the Archæological Journal. If any of our readers should desire to ascertain the customary and appropriate character of these decorations, the inventories of St. ”