A GROUP OF CHURCH-PLATE.
most simple kind. The silver chalice, formerly exhibited to pilgrims at Jerusalem as the cup used by ourSaviour at the Last Supper, was formed, as described by Bede, with two handles ; and, although the antiquityof the tradition may be questionable, it is not improbable that in many instances the shape of the calix ansatusmay have been assimilated to such a revered model. In later times, a plain cup was used, somewhat moreelevated in its proportions, fashioned with a knop, or pomellum, beneath the bowl, whereby it might be securelyheld, and it was occasionally inscribed or marked by some appropriate symbol. Subsequently the bowl wasmade of smaller proportions, the administration of the wine to the laity being forbidden, and, as a precautionagainst the risk of its being overturned, the foot was made very wide, with indentations, intended, accordingto De Vert, to keep the chalice steady when it was laid to drain on the paten after celebration, in accordancewith ancient usage. The knop and foot were decorated in the most sumptuous manner, the bowl beingusually quite plain, nielli, enamels, gems, and other precious objects, were incrusted amongst the elaborately-chased or graven ornaments of the lower parts of the chalice.”
Unfortunately, from the indiscriminate zeal of the Puritanic movement, and the carelessness, and evencupidity, of those whose duty it was, in past ages, to guard the sacred treasures committed to their charge,nearly every vestige of the ordinary church-plate, as used in this country, has passed away. In some fewparish churches, however, ancient chalices may yet be found, and many are preserved in the old Catholicfamilies of the land. From the practice which existed of burying with every ministering priest a model of hischalice, types of the peculiar English forms of the plainer description of these vessels are not rare; but whenwe endeavour to acquire any information concerning the richer and more elaborate specimens, it is only fromancient inventories, and similar documents, that we can glean any authentic particulars. An extract from twoof these descriptions will furnish some indication of their minute detail, and of the splendour of the objectsthey describe. Dugdale, who presents us with a glowing picture of the glorious riches of old St. Paul’s, haspreserved the following account of the precious chalices and patens which belonged to the sacristy of thatcathedral.
“ From the inventory of old St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, — £ Calix de auro qui fuit Alardi Decani pon-deris cum patena xxxv s . x d . Et continet in pede vii lapides, et in patena est medietas ymaginis Salvatoris.Item, calix de auro cum pede cocleato, et in patena manus benedicens cum stellulis in circuiter impressisponderis cum patena xli s . vii d . Item, calix de auro quern dedit Will, de Bunera ponderis cum patena conti-nente manum benedictionis £x v s . v d . Item, calix de auro, qui fuit Henrici de Wengham Episcopi, continensin pede circulos aymalatos, et circa pomellum sex perlas, et in patena Agnus Dei ponderis cum patinaxlviii 8 . iiii d . Item, calix argenteus deauratus, qui fuit, ut dicitur, Magistri Rogeri Capellani, cum flosculis inpede levatis, et in patena plena Majestatis ponderis cum patena lii s . Item, calix argenteus Henrici de North-amton deauratus, cum pede cocleato & scalopato et pincato ponderis cum patena I s .’”
For the benefit of those to whom the monkish Latin may not be perfectly intelligible, we add an extractof a similar nature from the inventory of Lincoln Minster :—“ Imprimis, a chalice of gold, with pearls anddivers precious stones in the foot and in the knot, with a paten of the same, having graven, £ Coena Domini,’and the figure of our Lord with the twelve Apostles, weighing thirty-and-two ounces. Item, one greatchalice, silver and gilt, with the paten, weighing seventy-four ounces, of the gift of Lord William Wickham,Bishop of Winchester, some time Archdeacon of Lincoln, having in the foot the Passion, the Resurrection ofour Lord, and the Salutation of our Lady; and in the paten, the Coronation of our Lady, having a roll inthe circumference, written, £ Memoriale Domini Willielmi Wickham.’ Item, a chalice, silver and gilt, with oneplain paten, chased in the foot, with a written knop, with one gilded spoon, containing a scripture, £ Blessedbe God, ’ having a scripture in the bottom, ‘Johannes Cynwith,’ weighing thirty-eight ounces and a quarter.Item, a chalice, chased in the foot, silver and gilt, with a paten, graven with a lamb and four Evangelists,weighing three-and-twenty ounces. Item, a chalice, silver and gilt, with an image of the crucifix in the foot,
with a paten, our Saviour sitting upon the rainbow, weighing -. Item, one chalice, silver and gilt,
having about the cup, £ Laudato Domino in Ecclesia Sanctorum,’ and on the foot, £ Totus mundus est Ecclesia,’
and on the paten, £ Enixa est Puerpera,’ &c., of the gift of the Lord Charles Boothe, Bishop of Hereford.”
From documents similar to the above Ave might quote numerous descriptions of the ornamented flagonsand precious book-covers once in constant use in the cathedrals and other churches of England. But as thestyle of their execution, and the ornaments that were made subservient to their enrichment, were in general
similar to those of the ancient chalice, we should fatigue the reader, and exceed our necessary limits, by
enumerating them