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substance closely resemble thofe of the thirteenth century. The Petitions are fewer, but the "Ora pro nobis" is fubjoined to a very large number of Welsh or Armorican Saints, while several of those named in the later English Litanies are omitted. Beda in his Commentary on S. Luke (Opera Colon. v. 260) and Archbishop Theodore in his Penitential (xlviii. 1, 2), whilft explaining the difference between the douλia (fervice) which is paid to God or man indifferently, and the Aarça (homage worship) which is due to God only, fays, "We ought to adore the Trinity alone, but to feek for the Saints as interceffors for our fins. Hence the diftinction between these two kinds is well written in the Litany. In the first place is faid, 'O Christ hear us,' and then 'Holy Mary, pray for us.' It is not faid, 'O Christ pray for us,' or Holy Mary, or Holy Peter hear us,' but O Chrift hear us,' 'Son of God, we befeech Thee, hear us.' The Irish Antiphonary of Banchor, published by Mabillon (Mus. Ital. 1. 323), and the very ancient Gallican Liturgy by Bona, contain the identical expreffions above quoted, which are alfo found in Greek Liturgies of far earlier date. S. Chryfoftom in his homily "Contra ludos et theatra," writes: "The people went forth in multitudes to the places of the Apoftles: we implore our advocates SS. Peter and Andrew, alfo Paul and Timothy." The Office for the Confecration of a Church in Archbishop Ecgbert's (of York) Pontifical (A.D.735), published by the Surtees Society (p. 27), contains two Litanies, the fame in form as thofe of the fifteenth century in England.

Litanies formerly were, and fhould be now, conjoined with and said at least partially in Proceffion, and may be claffed thus :

I. Ordinary, fuch as were faid at the sprinkling of Blest Water, and at the Bidding Prayer, before the Cross.

II. Penitential, as those in Lent.

III. Deprecatory, as those on S. Mark's and Rogation Days, and in times of calamity.

IV. Benedictional or Festal, such as those at Christmas, Easter, the Afcenfion, Pentecoft, Corpus Chrifti, and the Feafts of the Saints.

V. Funeral.

VI. Those in Honour of any Saint or living Perfonage.

It is worthy of remark that the ordering of Litanies and Proceffions, as detailed in the printed and MSS. Manuals and Proceffionals of the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries, is verbally identical with that prescribed by the Confuetudinaries of Ofmund, Wells, and Exeter in the thirteenth or beginning of the fourteenth century.

According to the Confuetudinary of S. Paul's (MS. 44, 68), "In Proceffions let the Clergy walk two and two, according to the distinction of Order and perfons, with composed steps, cafting their looks downwards as they walk, nor let their eyes wander, the token of an irreligious heart. They should proceed in pairs, particularly in Rogations and other Proceffions, into

the city. Let them conftantly look at one another, that no one get too forward or lag behind. Let them turn their eyes away from all vanities, and walk with a pure afpect and fedate behaviour. If too many be on one fide, let the Sub-chanter place them on an equality."

II.

Exorcifm and Benediction of Water and Salt (for Baptism, Dedication of a Church, and Afperfion), as the emblem of purity and preservation from putridity, is founded on Numbers xix., where a dead body was to be sprinkled with water, and on the precept of S. Paul to Timothy, that every creature is good "if fanctified by the Word of God and prayer," which feems to imply that evil may remain in it if not fo fanctified. The thirteenth and fifteenth century English form is almost identical with that in the Sacramentary of Bobbio, seventh or eighth century (Mab. Mus. Ital. 1. 323); in the Leonine and Gelafian Sacramentaries (Muraton, 11. 484, 574, 738); fo in that of Gregory (ibid. III., 226, 473, fee Martene, De Antiq. Rit. 1. 173, II. 243, III. 646); fo in Ecgbert's Pontifical (ibid. 247, fee alfo Surtees' edition, 35); the laft being of the early eighth century, and doubtless that brought over by S. Auguftine. These Exorcifms and Benedictions of Salt and Water, so far as they relate to Baptism, are mentioned by Tertullian (De Bapt. c. 4), Cyprian (Epift. 70), S. Ambrofe (De iis qui initiantur, c. 5), S. Bafil (De Spiritu fan&to, c. 27), Cyril of Jerufalem (Catechet. 9), Gregory of Nyffen, Dionyfius, and many others.

Álmost all the Ritualifts afcribe the custom of Afperging the people on Sundays with Salt and Water to an injunction of Alexander, Bishop of Rome A.D. 109, who they fay received it in tradition from the Apoftles, fpecially from S. Matthew. The fame is ftated as an undoubted fact in the Pontifical of Pope Damafus (circa A.D. 366), and in the Epiftle ascribed to that Pope (Concil. Labbe, 1. 548). Cardinal Bona fanctions this view (Rer. Lit. cxx. lib. i. 55). So in the fo called Apoftolic Conftitutions (lib. viii. c. 35) under the name of Clemens Romanus, who flourished in the fecond century, S. Matthew is cited as the authority for this custom, and the Formulary of this Rite is given as prescribed by him. It would be a waste of time to quote innumerable other authorities to the fame effect. Leo IX. in the ninth century, and Hincmar of Rheims (fee Martene, 111. 646), A.D. 845, seem to have enjoined the present Formularies.

In the Eastern Church, Benediction of Water only takes place folemnly on the Eve of the Epiphany, and it is afterwards kept apart for the whole year; but falt is not mixed with the water.

In the S. Paul's Inventory, A.D. 1295 (Dugdale, 310) is an item, " One filver veffel for Bleft Water with work in relief of images, interlaced with vines, the handle of two dragons, the Afperforium of leather." Another

filver veffel of chafed work, with a filver handle and a silver Aspersorium, the gift of Richard, Bishop of London." In that of Exeter (Oliver, 310), “A filver veffel for the Bleft Water with two Afperforia of filver, in places gilt, the gift of Bishop Thomas (A.D. 1292), with three handles of wood adorned with filver and ftones."

The Proceffional Office for Bleffing water and Afperging it should, on the First Sunday in Advent (which was the pattern for all other Sundays), and on Simple Feasts falling on Sundays, be as follows, according to all the English Ufes from the twelfth century, and as it appears at Rouen (De Moleon, 360, 412) alfo.

After the Capitular Office finifhed (which was after Prime and before Terce), let three bells be rung fingly, beginning with the greater; the third is to be rung as they re-enter the Choir after the Antiphon, or Sermon if there be one. Let the Hebdomadary Priest enter, vested in an Albe and red filk Cope, with Deacon and Subdeacon, the latter carrying the Book of the Gofpels, with a Thuribler and two Cerofers, and an Acolyte carrying a Cross, all in Albes and Amices, and go forward into the middle of the Presbytery, and facing the Altar there blefs the water. Two other Boys, both in Surplices, fhould accompany them, one holding the falt and water ftoup, and the other (the Hebdomadary Reader at Mattins) the Office Book, to hold up before the Priest. The Priest should then, ftanding on the Choir step, begin with "Our help is in the Name of the Lord." R. "Who hath made, &c." "The Lord's Name be bleffed." "From this time, &c." Then let him first Exorcife the falt, then the water, then pronounce a prayer, "God, Who for the falvation of mankind haft hidden the greatest Sacraments of Salvation in the substance of water, &c.," terminating (according to the Harleian MS. 1001) with "Through Him Who fhall come to judge the world with fire, Jefus Chrift, &c." He then fhould throw falt into the water in form of a crofs, faying privately, "Let this mixture of falt and water be made equally. In the Name, &c.' Then say the prayer, "God, the Author of unconquerable might and King of indomitable empire, &c.,' with the ufual termination.

"

In Double Feasts falling on Sundays, and on Palm Sunday, this Exorcifm and Benediction took place without the Choir, privately, at fome Altar, and the Afperfion after Terce.

In Ferials and Simple Feasts generally this ceremony did not take place. The Benediction of the Water finished, the Officiating Priest should proceed to the Afperging. First let him go up to the principal Altar and afperge it on every fide. Then let him come down and afperge his Affiftants, beginning with the Crossbearer. Then returning to the ftep from the Prefbytery into the Choir, let him afperge the Clerks, who may approach him, beginning with the greater. It is the office of the Bishop, if prefent, himself to afperge the Clerks. Then let the Prieft afperge the laity who may be standing on one

fide or the other of the Presbytery. At Wells the mode of proceeding was the fame; but at York the Afperfion was different. Though the Bishop be there, the Officiator afperged his Ministers standing in their order in the Choir, beginning with the Deacon and ending with the loweft; then the right of the Choir, beginning with the Dean; then the left, beginning with the Treasurer, and afterwards, when the following Antiphon is finished, the laity at the West door of the Choir. At Hereford, the Priest is directed to make this Benediction standing at the Lectrinum in the middle of the Choir, and no directions are given as to the order of Afperfion.

In all the Ufes, during Afperfion, the following Antiphon was on all Sundays throughout the year, except from Easter Day to Trinity Sunday, begun by the Precentor, or Ruler from his Stall: "Thou fhalt fprinkle me with hyffop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed." Choir: "Thou shalt wash me, and I fhall be whiter than fnow." Pfalm: "Have mercy upon me, O Lord," &c. Then let the Antiphon be repeated: Verfe: " And according to the multitude of Thy mercies," &c. Then let the Antiphon be again repeated. Then "Gloria Patri" and "Sicut erat." Then Choir: "Thou fhalt wash me," &c. At Hereford, "Gloria Patri" was omitted on Paffion and Palm Sunday.

From Eafter Day to Trinity Sunday, however, according to all the Uses, the following was used: Antiphon: "I faw water iffuing from the Temple on the right fide: Alleluya. And all to whom that water came were made whole, and fang Alleluya, Alleluya." Pfalm: "Let us confefs unto the Lord, for He is good." Then let the Antiphon be repeated. Verse: "For His mercy is for evermore." Then "Gloria Patri," &c. Choir: "And all to whom," &c. Then the Prieft, at the step of the Choir, "Shew us, O Lord, Thy mercy." Choir: "And grant us," &c.

Then let the Priest say the Collect. At Sarum and York it was: "Hear us, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Eternal God, and vouchfafe to fend Thy Holy Angel from Heaven, who may guard, cherish, protect, vifit, and defend all who inhabit this dwelling, through Chrift our Lord. Amen.'

The Hereford Prayer was: "Let our prayers afcend unto Thee, O Lord, and drive all iniquity away from Thy Church. Through," &c.

The Exeter and Wells form is verbatim the fame as that of Sarum. The Sarum Manual of 1506 (Surtees Society edition) adds: "If the Bishop, on any Simple Sunday, officiate, he is ufed to enter in a filk Cope, Mitre, and Staff, with the other Ministers, and whilst the Priest is bleffing the water, fits down in his epifcopal Stall, and there, after the Altar has been afperged by the Prieft, himself afperges the Canons and Clerks who may come up to him, and fays the Verfe and Orison after the Afperges ;' if not the Officiator, he wears his gloves and choral drefs only, with his ftaff, and afperges the Clerks, whilft the Prieft fays the Verse and Orison as ufual.

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This finished, the Proceffion fhould go forth in the following order: First, a Beadle, or other official, with a wand or mace, clearing the way; a Boy in a Surplice, with the water which had been bleffed; then the Acolyte, bearing the Crofs; then the two Cerofers, fide by fide; next the Thuribler, after him the Subdeacon, then the Deacon, all in Albes and Amices; then the Priest, in like habit, with a filk Cope; then the Clerks of the Second Form, in their Choir habits, and in the order in which they are disposed in Choir; then the Clerks of the higher grade, in the order in which they are difpofed in Chapter. The Bifhop (if prefent) fhould be at the end of the Proceffion, with his Paftoral Staff and Mitre, the Priest, however, always keeping his place in the former part of it. The Proceffion fhould go out of the North door of the Prefbytery, and turning to the right, go round it, the Priest afperging the feveral Altars as he paffes them (the Altars, however, fhould not be afperged on Double Feafts falling on Sundays); then proceed down the South fide of the Church to the Fonts at the Weft end of the Nave; then turn up the Nave (the Choir, during the Proceffion, finging the prefcribed Antiphons or Preces). When it arrives before the Great Cross over the entrance to the Choir, it should there make a Station, during which the Boy carrying the Bleft Water should stand close to the step, and face the Altar, the Acolyte with the Crofs immediately behind him; then the Priest, with the Deacon on his right and Subdeacon on his left, the reft as in the Proceffion.

Then fhould follow the ufual, or Bidding Prayers. Several Forms of Bidding Prayers have been published by Dr. Henderfon, in his edition of the York Manual for the Surtees Society: 1. That of York, p. 123, early fifteenth century, very long; 2. That in Leofric's Sacramentary, tenth century; 3. From MS. Gofpels, Anglo-Saxon, in the library of York Minfter (eleventh century), which nearly resembles the former; 4. From a Sarum Miffale (Bodleian Barlow MSS. 5, circa A.D. 1400); 5. That for the Diocese of London (Harleian, 335, Brit. Mus.), alfo very long; 6. That from a Sarum Proceffional (in the Library of the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, fifteenth century) (all pp. 220 App.). They are various in length, but in form and wording fubftantially the fame. The two first, however, and the last, contain no prayer for the Pope and Cardinals as the others do; and that of Sarum in the Bodleian Library, and one of the York examples and that of London, name also the Patriarch of Jerufalem, next after the Pope.

The Bidding Prayers at Exeter, Wells, and Lichfield were practically the fame, except that at Wells they seem to have always been given out from a pulpit.

The Rubric was as follows:

"When the Antiphon is finished, let the Priest turn himself towards the people and fay the following Prayers in the mother-tongue all (Standing), kneeling. The Bidding, or Inviting portion, varied in different diocefes and places