General Introductory Rubrics. for the Priest at Commu nion. the officiating priest at Communion was instructed1 to wear 'a white albe plain, with a vestment or cope,' and the assistant priests or deacons, 'albes with tunicles.' 2 In the Second Book of Edward VI. these ornaments were reduced to the smallest possible amount; it was Vestments then ordered, that the minister at the time of the Com-the Second munion, and at all other times in his ministration, shall use neither alb, vestment, nor cope: but being archbishop, or bishop, he shall have and wear a rochette: and being a priest or deacon, he shall have and wear a surplice only.' The Rubric in Elizabeth's Prayer Book did not specify the vestments of the clergy, but referred to her Act of Uniformity, which was prefixed to the Book, and which retained the ornaments of the second year of Edward, until other order should be taken by the Queen. Owing to the prevalence of great irregularities, it was necessary to publish this further order, which was done in the 'Advertisements' of 1564. These Articles carefully specified the public and private 'apparel of persons ecclesiastical.' The vestments for the public ministration 1 Fourth rubric before the Communion Office (1549). 2 The tunicle, tunica, tunicella, dalmatica, originally had no sleeves, and was often called colobium. It is said that wide sleeves were added in the West about the fourth century; and the garment was then called dalmatic, and was the deacon's vestment when assisting at the Holy Communion; while that worn by subdeacons called by the AngloSaxons 'roc,' and tunicle generally after the thirteenth century-was of the same form, but smaller and less ornamented. Palmer, p. 314; Rock, ib. p. 383. See also an article on 'Church Vestments,' in the Contemporary Review (Aug. 1866), pp. 537 sqq.; Blunt, Annotated Prayer Book, Appendix VI. p. 587; and Vestiarium Christianum,—the origin 3 Second General Rubric before were 4 These Advertisements, compiled by Archbp. Parker and other bishops acting as ecclesiastical commissioners, by the Queen's command, but not with the full concurrence of her council. They were not signed by the Queen, and they were only enforced by the bishops on their own canonical authority. In practice, however, they have been uniformly treated as having the full authority of Injunctions,' and are recognised in the Canons of 1604 (Can. xxiv.). See Cardwell, Doc. Ann. LXV. and note, pp. 321 sq. ordered in Book of Edward VI. in the Advertise ments of Elizabeth, Introductory 'Rubrics. General in collegiate churches at Communion were copes, and at all other prayers or sermons surplices with hoods: and for parish priests in saying prayers, or ministering the sacraments, or other rites of the Church, 'a comely surplice with sleeves, to be provided at the charges of the parish.'1 The Canons (1604) direct surplices to be worn in college chapels on Sundays, holydays, and their eves, and hoods by graduates: copes to be worn at the ministration of the Holy Communion in cathedral and collegiate churches, and surplices and hoods at other times; and a surplice by every minister in parish churches.2 and in the Canons. Ornaments of the Church. bidden in the Injunctions (1549). 6 (4) What are the legal ornaments of the church? No direction was given upon this subject in Edward's First Prayer Book, or in the Act of Uniformity which sanctioned it but the publication of the book was immediately followed by Injunctions, condemning sundry popish ceremonies, and among them forbidding to set Candles for any light upon the Lord's board at any time.'3 This was especially mentioned, since the Injunctions of 1547 had forbidden candles before pictures or images, but allowed only two lights upon the high altar, before the sacrament, for the signification that Christ is the very true light of the world.'4 Although these Injunctions (1549) have not the authority of Parliament, yet they were undoubtedly issued with the intention of promoting that uniformity in all parts of Public Worship which had been enjoined by statute, and under the large notions of the royal supremacy which then prevailed. They may fairly be considered as affording evidence of the contemporary practice, and of the intention of the authors of the Prayer Book in matters of rites and ceremonies. Persons who yield the amount of authority to these 1 Cardwell, Doc. Ann. LXV. p. 326. 2 Canons 17, 24, 25, and 58. 3 Cardwell, Doc. Ann. XV.; above, p. 29, note 7. 4 Ibid. II. § 3. General Introductory Rubrics. of Elizabeth which is readily given to other Injunctions, consider that candles the Communion Table are ornaments upon which were forbidden in the second year of Edward VI., and therefore are not authorized by our present rubric.1 On the other hand, the terms of Elizabeth's Act of Uniformity, and of the Rubric of her Prayer Book, seem intended to distinguish between the customs of The customs 1549, represented by Edward's Injunctions of that year, and those which, not being mentioned and forbidden in the statute, might be considered as authorized by the Parliament in 1549. And she certainly gave this practical interpretation to her own law, since in the royal chapel 'the cross stood on the altar, and two candlesticks, and two tapers burning.'2 But it must be also observed that such a practice was not acceptable to the bishops; Opinion of and their opinion was plainly expressed to the effect that the law did not mean to enforce a general return to - 1 Cardwell, Doc. Ann. I. p. 74, note. The latest decision upon this rubric is thus expressed :-The propositions which their lordships understand to have been established by the judgment in the case of "Westerton v. Liddell" may be thus settled :1. The words authority of Parliament, in the rubric, refer to and mean the Act of Parliament 2d and 3d Edward VI. cap. I, giving parliamentary effect to the first Prayer Book of Edward VI., and do not refer to or mean canons or royal injunctions, having the authority of Parliament, made at an earlier period. 2. The term ornaments in the rubric means those articles the use of which in the services and ministrations of the Church is prescribed by that Prayer Book. 3. The term ornaments is confined to those articles. 4. Though there may be articles not expressly mentioned in the rubric, the use of which would not be re strained, they must be articles which 'The lighted candles are clearly not 'It is improper, as well as illegal, case 2 Strype infers that the cross was a crucifix. Annals, I. pp. 175 sq. the Bishops. General Introductory Rubrics. Communion Tables to be decently covered. The Commandments to be set up. Chancels. the use of all the ornaments which had been found in churches in the second year of Edward and previously to the Injunctions, but only to sanction those ornaments which the Queen chose to retain.1 And the Injunctions issued in 1559 made no mention of such ornaments, but, with the removal of monuments of superstition from the shrines, and walls, and windows of the churches, directed the holy table to be decently made and set where the altar stood, and there commonly covered, as thereto belongeth, and as shall be appointed by the visitors.'2 The Advertisements of 1564 directed this covering to be of 'carpet, silk, or other decent covering,' and ordered the Ten Commandments to be set up on the east wall over the said table.3 Another intention of these Rubrics was to preserve the chancels from the violence of a class of reformers, who were not satisfied with destroying rood-lofts, but took away the chancel-screens and stalls, under the pretence of providing that the people might hear the prayers. This purpose was answered by permitting the prayers to be said in whatever part of the church was most convenient; and it was then ordered that the chancels should remain as they had done in times past,'-a direction which still forms a part of our Rubric. 1 Above, p. 62. 3 2 Cardwell, Doc. Ann. I. p. 234. Ibid. p. 326. This order had been given in 1561; see above, p. 65. The things appertaining to churches,' specified in the Canons (1604), are, a great Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the books of Homilies; a font of stone; a decent communion table, to be covered, in time of Divine Service, with a carpet of silk or other decent stuff, and with a fair linen cloth at the time of the ministration; the Ten Commandments to be set up on the east end of every church; chosen sentences to be written upon the walls; a convenient seat for the minister to read service in; a pulpit ; a chest for alms; a surplice with sleeves. It is observable that the only vessel for the Communion mentioned in the Canons is 'a clean and sweet standing-pot or stoop of pewter, if not of purer metal,' in which the wine should be brought to the communion table. See Canons 20, 58, 80-84. 4 Bishop Cosin explains this, that the chancels should remain 'dis SECT. III.-MORNING PRAYER. The Sentences, Exhortation, Confession, and Absolution. This commencement of our Service was prefixed in 1552 to the older formularies. Reference has been made for its supposed original to the forms of worship used by the French and German congregations in England, and severally drawn up by Valerandus Pollanus and John à-Lasco.1 But if the idea of placing a confession at the opening of the Service was taken from the book of Pollanus, the peculiar doctrines of the French Reformers were carefully avoided.2 This addition to the old Service may be explained, however, without any distinct reference to these foreign forms. It was not the custom of the period to leave much to the uncertain care or discretion of private individuals; and hence Homilies were provided to be read by those priests who were not allowed to preach, and addresses to the people were put into the Prayer Bock, wherever the priest was required to exhort them in the course of the Occasional Services. This instruction, therefore, as to the necessity of a daily confession of sins to God, and of a comfortable trust in God's promises of pardon to the penitent through faith in Jesus Christ,—the great subject of the teaching of the Reformers, was naturally placed at the beginning of tinguished from the body of the church by a frame of open work.' Nichols, Addit. Notes, p. 16. The chancel (cancellus) is so called à cancellis, from the bars or lattices separating it from the body of the church. Chancels date from the thirteenth century. Guericke, Manual of Antiq. p. 104 (Morison's translation). 1 See above, pp. 49 sqq.. 2 The followers of Calvin never lost an opportunity, especially in such a form as a Confession, of tracing our actual sins to the original corruption of our nature; see the The Sentences, &c. (1552). Reason of this addition in 1552. |