There were also gifts to be purchased for the clergy and parish
church. Or already ordered and ready to be picked up. The gifts are duly
recorded in the accounts of the church of Mary Hill, London, in 1485.
Item, six copes for children of [diverse] sorts, and 8 small stre[a]mers
of the gyfte of Mr. Remyngton and Mr. Revett, and of square ban[n]er.
Item, a m[i]ter for a byshop at Seint Nicholas t[i]de, garnyshed
with sylver and [annealed], and perle and counterfe[it] stone.
Item, two [chairs][1]
of iron for Recters copes.
Item, a pyx clothe for the hight aulter of [Cyprus silk] fr[i]nged
with golde, with [knobs] of golde, and sylke of Spaynshe makyng, of the gyfte
of Mr. Doctor Hatclyff, [parson].
Item, a pyx clothe of [Cyprus] frenged with grene sylke and
red, with [knobs] silver and gylt with corners goyng, of M[ist]res. Sucklyng's
gyfte.
Item, three crosse stav[e] clothes gyldyd with ymages of
golde.
Item, a canape for the pyx of whyte Baudekyn lyke these.
Etc.[2]
The “six copes for children” and “m[i]ter for a byshop at Seint Nicholas t[i]de” refer to a charming Christmas tradition at many churches and cathedrals. Mary Hill was not an episcopal seat. Nor was the purchase a gift to be sent to the bishop at his diocesan seat.
The miter and accompanying vestments were being purchased for
the annual procession of the elected Boy-Bishop of the parish. He and his
boy-retinue would assume their offices in most churches on the day of the vigil
of St. Nicholas’ (December 5) and would serve through St. Nicholas Day
(December 6).
George Oliver provides a redaction of the boy-bishop ritual
preserved 1377 Ordinale of the Cathderal of Exeter.[3]
There the boy-bishop served from the evening of the vigil of the Feast of the Holy
Innocents (December 27) through the end of that feast day (December 28).
In the same Ordinale, fol. 30, is given an account of the Episcopus Puerorum, or Boy-Bishop, or Barn-Bishop[4], as he is called in the inventory of Lincoln Cathedral. This custom prevailed also at York and at Salisbury. From a manuscript in our city archives the election of the chorister appears to have taken place on the Vigil of St. Thomas the Apostle (20th December). His term of office, however, did not begin until the evening of the 27th, and expired with the evening of the following day, the Feast of the Holy Innocents. A collection was made in the city and suburbs for the benefit of the youth in future life;.... At the first vespers of the Holy Innocents, the child appointed to act the part of the Boy-Bishop, attended with his chorister-companions, all in silk copes, proceeded to the altar-steps, when the diocesan made the sign of the cross on the child " who was to personate Christ, the true and eternal High-Priest," and then intoned the response to the lesson of the first nocturn of the matins, "Centum quadraginta quatuor millia." Revelations xiv. This was taken up by the choir and sung throughout. A procession was then formed, during which were sung, " Hi empti sunt," "Vidi sub," &c., from the same chapter. On returning to the High Altar, the cambucarius, or crosier-bearer, of the Lord Bishop, took the crosier from the prelate, and, turning towards him, sung the antiphon, "Princeps Ecclesise;" and when he came to the words "cum mansuetudine," he turned to the choir, and sung the remainder. At the end, the choir responded "Deo gratias," and the crosier was redelivered to the Lord Bishop. Then the Boy-Bishop, making the sign of the cross on his breast, intoned [a collect].
It is clear that the boy elected was certain to be from
among the families of the flock that could afford a quality education. It is
quite possible that he was always selected from among the choir boys or altar boys.
At
complin[e] he officiated, and repeated the benediction as before. On the
following day he assisted at the cathedral service in his silk cope, and gave
the solemn benediction.
The cathedrals that elected a boy-bishop in the Christmas
season were, by all appearances, uniformly respectful of the church and clergy.
The same could not be said of the lesser churches, especially into the Tudor
era. The tradition descended into parody in many places.
On July 22, 1542, Henry VIII issued a proclamation
forbidding the practice, concluding,
And whereas heretofore dyvers and many superstitions and chyldysh
observauncis have be used, and yet to this day are observed and kept, in many
and sundry partes of this Realm, as upon Saint Nicholas, the Holie Innocents,
and such like, children be strangelie decked and [appareled] to counterfeit
Priests, Bishops, and Women, and to be ledde with songes and dances from house
to house, blessing the people, and gathering of money; and boyes do singe masse
and preache in the pulpitt, with such other unfittinge and inconvenient usages,
rather to the derysyon than [any] true glorie of God, or honour of his Sayntes.
The Kynge’s Majestie w[i]lleth and commaundeth that henceforth all such
superstitious observations be left and clerely extinguished [through]out all
this Realme and Dominions.[5]
[1]
chairs] forms to drape copes over.
[2] Illustration
of the Manners and Expenses of Antient Times In England (1797). 114.
[3]
Oliver, George. Lives of the Bishops of Exeter, And a History of the
Cathedral (1861). 227-8.
[4] barn-bishop] surely derived from "bairn-bishop".
[5]
Brand, john. Observations on Popular Antiquities (1900).
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
2 comments:
There's no November 31st date on the calendar.
Thanks for the Heads up, Brian. Corrected now.
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