alms-knights first advance into it, and after double reverences ascend above the haut-passe to the altar. Next the choristers; and in like manner the vicars, petty canons of Windsor, gentlemen of the chapel, and prebends go to their seats.

Then the officers-of-arms pass up, and join to the alms-knights. After this, the knights'-companions enter, and stand before their stalls.

The like doth the black rod, garter, and registrar.

As also the chancellor and prelate.

Then doth the sovereign take his royal stall.

The knights'-companions ascend their stalls.

The officers of the order sit down on their forms. . .. . Then the prelate, with two prebends (appointed to read the Epistle and Gospel), are conducted, the one by the sergeants of the vestry, the other by the verger, up to the altar, (which they approach with the usual reverences,) the prelate passing to the north side, and the prebends to the south, to finish the remaining part of divine service.

Whereupon the officers-of-arms descend into the choir, and the alms-knights go down to their seats, which, while they are so doing, the two prebends put on their copes at the south side of the altar. This done, the prelate begins the second service.”— Ashmole's Order of the Garter, pp, 563-576.

[499]

Procession on Rogation Day.

1632.] "Particularly he loves procession, and maintains it; because there are contained therein four manifest advantages. First, a blessing of GOD for the fruits of the field: secondly, justice in the preservation of bounds: thirdly, charity in loving, walking, and neighbourly accompanying one another; with reconciling of differences at that time, if there be any: fourthly, mercy in relieving the poor by a liberal distribution and largess, which at that time is or ought to be used. Wherefore he exacts of all to be present at the perambulation: and those that withdraw and sever themselves from it, he mislikes and reproves as uncharitably and unneighbourly; and, if they will not reform, presents them."-Herbert's Priest to the Temple. The Parson Condescending.

[500]

1640.] "Doth your minister or curate in the Rogation days go in perambulation about your parish, saying and using the Psalms and suffrages by law appointed, as viz. Psalms ciii. and civ., the Litany and suffrages, together with the homily set forth for that end and purpose? Doth he admonish the people to give thanks to GOD if they see any likely hopes of plenty, and to call upon Him for His mercy if there be any fear of scarcity: and do the churchwardens assist him in it?"-Articles to be enquired of within the Diocese of London, 4to. 1640.

[501]

Procession at the Enthronization of Dr. Cartwright, Bishop of Chester.

1686.] "I went from Wigan towards Chester, accompanied by the mayor and aldermen, and my brethren of the clergy, and lodged at Frodsham; from whence I was conducted, 30 Nov., by the high sheriff and governor, and a great train of the gentry on horseback, and ten coaches, into the city, the guards drawn up from the gates to the palace, and was visited by most of the gentlemen and ladies about the city. Dec. 1st. I was sung into the cathedral by the choir in procession, and enthroned by Mr. Dean, and sung back into the palace after prayers."-The Diary of Dr. Thomas Cartwright, Bishop of Chester. Published by the Camden Society. p. 15, 4to. 1843.

[502]

Ebid. at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.

Circa 1700.]" On the Monday and Tuesday in Rogation week, the sacrist, resident prebendaries, and the members of the choir, assembled at morning prayers with the charity children, each of whom carried a long pole, decked with a profusion of different kinds of flowers. Prayers being finished, the whole assembly marched through the streets with great solemnity, the clergy, singing men and boys, arrayed in their sacred robes, bringing up the rear."-Nightingale's Beauties of England and Wales, Staffordshire, p. 863, cited in Book of Fragments, p. 24.

[503]

bid. at the Consecration of Wilmcote Chapel, Warwickshire. 1841.] "The Bishop of Worcester, with the Archdeacon of Coventry and others, were met at the chapel-gate by the rural dean, about thirty of the neighbouring clergy, and some from a considerable distance, all in surplices, hoods, &c., preceded into the chapel by the choir, consisting of eight men and twelve boys, also in surplices, churchwardens and other officers.... The burial ground was then consecrated, the procession taking place as before, the choir chanting the 39th and 115th Psalms.”—British Magazine, vol. XXI. p. 358.

[504]

Ebid. at the Consecration of the Parish Church of Leeds.

1841.] "About eleven o'clock, on the day before mentioned, [Sept. 2,] his grace the Lord Archbishop of the province, and the Bishop of the diocese, accompanied by the Bishop of Ross and Argyle, and the Bishop of New Jersey, were received at the north door of the church by the vicar and clergy of the parish and the churchwardens, and by them conducted to the vestry. Their lordships having put on their episcopal robes, left the vestry by the north-east door, and followed by the commissary and registrar of the diocese, all the clergy present, robed in their surplices, the churchwardens and patrons of the living, re-entered the church by the south-west door, where a petition was presented to the bishop by Henry Hall, Esq., senior patron, praying his lordship to consecrate the church. The same having been read, and the lord bishop of the diocese having declared his readiness to consecrate the church according to the petition; the procession moved up the nave of the church, the bishop and the clergy alternately repeating the xxivth Psalm."-British Magazine, vol. xx. p. 477.

[505]

Ebid. at the site of the Church of the Holy Cross, Leeds. 1842.] "Sept. 15. At the conclusion of the service, the clergy and choir of the parish church proceeded in their surplices from the door of the school-room, up the field to the site of the intended church, solemnly chanting the 153rd Psalm as they went."-British Magazine, Oct. 1842.

[506]

Ibid. at S. James's, Enfield.

1843.] "Service being ended, the children of the schools formed into rank in the churchyard, carrying garlands; boys in surplices, bare-headed, carrying crosses and banners, followed by the clergy and a long line of laymen in orderly procession for the schoolrooms, about a mile distant. As the procession moved slowly along the road, the Litany was solemnly chanted by priests and people."— English Churchman, cited in "How shall we Conform to the Liturgy?" p. 328, note, 2nd edit.

[507]

Ibid. at Tubney, Oxfordshire.

1844.] "On Monday last, July the 22nd, the first stone of a new church, dedicated to S. Lawrence, was laid at Tubney, in the diocese of Oxford.... The President and Fellows of Magdalene College, Oxford, who are the principal landowners of the place, have, for some years, been contemplating the erection of a new church, and the good work is now happily commenced. The day fixed for the purpose was the festival of the Saint from whom their College is named and after having attended in their chapel the commemoration service of their munificent founder and benefactors, many of the members of the College, including the choir-clerks and choristers, proceeded to Tubney, a distance of about seven miles, and having vested themselves in surplices at the curate's house, walked to the spot selected for the site, which is a piece of ground scooped, as it were, out of the forest, of beautifully modest and retired character. The procession reached the churchyard just as they were chanting the 6th verse of the 132nd Psalm, 'Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata, and found it in the wood,' which they had commenced singing as they approached the ground; and as they reached the site, 'This shall be my rest for ever: here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein,' were the appropriate sounds that fell upon the ear. The order for laying the foundation stone, used upon this occasion, was one which has been lately published by Burns, having been compiled from ancient sources, and having received the sanction of the Bishop of the diocese. The service was admirably chanted by one of the members of the college, and well supported by the responses of the quire, who also sung with much taste a very suitable anthem

composed for the occasion by one of the clerks, 'How dreadful is this place, &c.' One of the Fellows having laid the stone upon a brass plate, with an inscription commemorating the occasion and the date, the service was finished."-English Churchman, July 25, 1844.

[508]

Ebid. at the Enstallation of the Lord Bishop of Fredericton. 1845.] "On Wednesday, the 11th inst, the day of the Feast of S. Barnabas the Apostle, the ceremony of the installation of the Right Rev. John Medley, D.D., the first bishop of Fredericton in the Province of New Brunswick, took place. His lordship, accompanied by several of the clergy who had come to Fredericton to wait upon their new Diocesan, moved in procession from the residence of the Venerable the Archdeacon, to the Province building, the bishop in his episcopal robes, with his crosier borne before him, his chaplain in a surplice, and the rest of the clergy in gowns."English Churchman, No. 132.

[509]

Ebid. at the Opening of Leamington Church.

Ibid.] "On Thursday the 17th inst. [July], the reopening of the new church of Leamington, on the completion of the choir, took place with considerable solemnity. At about eleven o'clock a procession of more than fifty clergymen in their surplices, stoles, and the hoods of their respective degrees, left the vicarage, and passed round the east end and south side of the church to the western entrance. They were preceded by the choir, and chanted (to the 8th Gregorian tone, 2nd ending) the 126th, the 122nd, and the 132nd Psalms. The procession, which was conducted by the Rev. E. Fortescue, entered the church at the western door, and proceeded to the altar, within the rails of which the Rural Deans and distinguished ecclesiastics from distant parts, were accommodated; the rest of the clergy sat in the choir on either side."Ibid. No. 134.