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O.JEWITT

Representation of a Burial in the Thirteenth Century.

From a drawing by Matthew Paris.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE

FUNERAL SOLEMNITIES OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

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WHEN we attribute to the mission of Augustine the propagation of Christianity in this island, we do not from thence infer that during the six previous centuries no tidings of the gospel had reached our shores; for we have undoubted testimony that from the second century, and perhaps even from an earlier period, there was in Britain a Christian community, but that no general conversion had taken place, or regular hierarchy been established, which had any material influence towards abolishing the idolatrous practices of Paganism, until the dawn of the seventh century. • Tertullian, adv. Judæos, c. vii.

From that period till about the middle of the eighth century, the Anglo-Saxon Christians were accustomed to inter their dead in the open fields, no burials within the precincts of towns being allowed: and even Augustine, who died A. D. 611, was buried outside of the city of Canterbury, near the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, then unfinished; but, on the dedication of that church, his body was removed, and deposited in the north porch, where the five succeeding archbishops were also buried; Theodosius, the seventh archbishop, who died A. D. 690, being the first that obtained burial in the church itself,-the porch not being large enough to contain more bodies. It was not till Cuthbert, eleventh archbishop of Canterbury, obtained (A. D. 752) permission from the Pope to allow cemeteries to be contiguous to those churches which were erected within the walls of cities, that the general appropriation of churchyards, or burial places adjoining churches, was made.

In the ordinary funerals of the Anglo-Saxons, the body, enveloped in linen, was carried to the grave by two persons, one supporting the head, the other the feet; the priest then censed it, and, whilst the bearers were depositing it in the grave, uttered over it certain accustomed prayers, with benedictions. A little more ceremony was observed at the exequies of persons of note, and hymns were sung by the attendant priests, who accompanied the body in procession.

In the ages subsequent to the Norman invasion, the church of Rome having impressed on the minds of the laity a firm belief in the doctrine of the purgation of the soul in a future state, taught them also that the fiery pains oċcasioned thereby might be mitigated, or partly remitted, through the medium of masses and other services performed after death for the repose of the soul of the deceased, and which might be obtained by donations to the church.

p Bede. Eccl. Hist. Lib. ii. c. iii.

These doctrines, inculcated by a hierarchy esteemed as infallible by the greater part of its votaries, occasioned, as might be expected, no little anxiety amongst all classes, especially as the hour of death approached, to ensure the future welfare of their souls; and the rich and powerful, who were as deeply imbued as others with the superstitious notions of those ages, were gladly persuaded to purchase a fancied atonement and remission of their offences, by bequeathing a part of the possessions they could no longer retain, to the church, for religious purposes.

In accordance also with the conceived opinions of the times, it became customary for the noble and wealthy to bequeath their bodies to be buried in some particular monastery or church; and these bequests were accompanied by gifts of land, money, jewels, or other valuable articles, in order that masses might be sung for the more speedy deliverance of the testator's soul from purgatory.9

Thus it was that the religious houses were so wonder.. fully enriched,r "for in regard of burial," says Weever, "abbeyes were most commonly preferred before other churches whatsoever, and he that was buried therein in a friars habite, if you will beleeve it, never came into hell."

There is a passage in Bede, in which, after describing the state of souls in purgatory, which would be redeemed at the day of judgment, he observes, "Multos autem preces viventium et eleemosynem, et ieiunia, et maxime celebratio missarum, ut etiam ante diem judicii liberentur adjuvant."-Eccl. Hist. Lib. v. c. xiii. —But Matthew Paris is even more explicit on this point: "Per missas vero, psalmos eleemosynas et orationes ecclesiæ generalis, et per specialia amicorum auxilia, aut Purgandorum tormenta mitigantur aut de ipsis suppliciis ad minora transferuntur donec pænitus liberentur."-Hist Angl. Ed. Watts, p. 76.

r In the Vision of Piers l'lowman, written in the fourteenth century, the religious orders are satirically exposed for their neglect of the poor, whilst for gain's sake they were constant attendants at the funerals of the rich :

"Freers folowed folke that wer riche,

"And folke that wer pore at litle price they set.

"And no cors in hir kyrkeyard nor kyrke was buried

"But quick he bequeth hem ought, or quit part of his dets."

And not only the church, but the very spot where the testator wished his body to be interred, was often specified in his will; and even the solemnities to be performed at the funeral, and number of lights to be burnt, were minutely enumerated.

Hence the funeral ceremonies observed in the ages preceding the Reformation, varied as much in the religious services performed, as they did afterwards in pomp and splendour, according to the rank and wealth of the deceased. From an ancient manuscript ritual, in which the burial service is contained, it appears that before the body was

8 Penes Auc.-I have transcribed the rubric at length, as here subjoined :-"Sciendum est quod quodcumque deportatur corpus ad ecclesiam in cimiterio humandum. In primum aspergatur aqua benedicta super corpus exanime, et interim dicitur psalmum De profundis,' cum orationibus 'Inclina' et Fidelium.' Cum vero corpus defuncti deportatur ad ecclesiam dicitur hæc antiphona Subvenite,' versum 'Suscipiat te Christus' Repetatur antiphona. Deinde dicitur psalmum 'De profundis,' et post unumquemque versum repetatur antiphona, si necesse fuit. Postea dicitur psalmum 'In exitu,' ordine superdicta In introitu cimiterii incipiatur rogatio 'Libera me, Domine, de morte,' et dicitur cum uno versu Dies illa.' Ad introitum etiam cimiterii aspergatur corpus aqua benedicta. Nunquam enim portatur corpus alicujus defuncti circa cimiterium, sed directe in ecclesiam. In introitu ecclesie dicitur antiphona In paradisum,' et cantetur versus Requiem eternam.' Repetatur antiphona. Sequatur Kyrie eleison.' 'Christe eleison.' Kyrie elcison.' Tunc sacerdos aspergit corpus aqua benedicta et thurificet rogans orare sic: Pro anima N. et pro animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum,' ' Pater noster,' 'Et ne nos,' ' A porta,' ' Non intres,' ‚''Dominus vobiscum,' oratio, Suscipe, Domine,' et cet. sicut habetur in manuali usque ad finem, cum hac addicione, 'Anima ejus et anime omnium fidelium defunctorum per Dei misericordiam requiescant in pace. Amen.' Statim eat sacerdos ad signandum locum ubi sepeliendus fuit mortuus, et signo crucis signet locum, et postea aspergatur aqua benedicta. Deinde accipiat fossarum vel aliquid instrumentum et aperiat terram in modum crucis ad formam corporis defuncti, dicens aperite in portas justicie ingressus in eas, confitebor domino, hec porta domini justi intrabunt in eam.' Quibus dictis dicitur ingressio mortuorum et postea completorium de die more solito. Ubi vero in die sepulturæ portatur corpus ad ecclesiam, tunc immediate post predictam orationem, Suscipe Domine,' dicitur, commendacio animarum solemnitur hoc modo, Antiphona Requiem eternam,' psalmum Beati immaculati' usque ad dominum cum tribu.' Finitur psalmus cum predicta antiphona. Sequitur Kyrie eleison.' 'Christe eleison.' 'Kyrie eleison.' 'Pater noster,' deinde sine pronunciacione et ne nos,' dicitur psalmus Dominus probasti,' sive non et cet. Quo finito statim incipiatur missa pro defunctis."

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carried out to be buried, it was sprinkled with holy water, and the 129th psalm, “De profundis," was sung, with the prayers beginning with Inclina, and Fidelium. And, whilst it was being carried to the church, the " De profundis” was again sung, together with the 113th psalm, beginning In exitu. At the entrance of the burial ground the body was again sprinkled with holy water, certain psalms or hymns were sung or said, and it was then carried into the church. At the church porch the service commenced with the anthem "In paradisum," and then the " Requiem eternam" was sung; after which followed the " Kyrie eleison," &c. and the officiating priest again sprinkled the body with holy water, and censed it, uttering the prayers following: anima N. et pro animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum— Pater noster-Et ne nos-A porta inferi-Non intresDominus vobiscum-Suscipe Dominus," and so on to the close of the office, as laid down in the manual, with this additional prayer, "Anima ejus et animæ omnium fidelium defunctorum per Dei misericordiam requiescant in pace. Amen." This being done, the priest proceeded to mark the spot where the body was finally to be deposited with the sign of the cross, and to sprinkle it with holy water; and after several other prayers and anthems, the service concluded with the office of the mass for the dead.

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During these ceremonies the body, properly dressed or shrouded, if not enclosed in lead or wood, was anciently laid out on a bier, and thus carried to the grave, where the coffin, if of stone, was already conveyed, and lowered to receive it, and into which it was then carefully deposited, and the lid placed over it: and Stow, in speaking of the funeral of the Conqueror, says, "Now mass being ended, the masons had prepared the stone chest or coffin in the

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