were used, so that in some even every day had its proper Sequence. The Church of Rome never admitted them to so great an extent into her Liturgy, nor does it appear that they were in such excess at any time in the Church of England. The most common opinion as to their author, or rather first introducer of them, (for as time went on, they had many authors) is, that the earliest was composed by Notker, abbot of S. Gall, in the diocese of Constance, about A. D. 900. There have not been wanting writers who have not hesitated, though without a shadow of authority, to attribute to them so high an antiquity as the age of Gelasius, and S. Gregory. At the revision of the Roman Liturgy, in the 16th Century, all the sequences were removed, except four: these are: Victimæ Paschali, at Easter: Veni Sancte Spiritus, at Whitsuntide: and Lauda Sion Salvatorem, upon Corpus Christi day. The fourth which was retained, is the very famous Dies iræ, dies illa, in the Missa defunctorum. Strictly speaking this last is improperly called, a sequence because in that service in which it occurs, there ought not to be, neither is there, any hymn peculiarly of joy. It may very rightly be called, a Prose, a name given as I have said to the sequences, because though written in a species of rythm, they are not limited by any of the common rules of metre. I may add, these sequences are said to have been so called, because they followed the Epistle. I must again refer the reader to the Dissertation on Service Books, Monumenta Rit. vol. i. and if he wishes to examine the subject fully, he will find an admirable treatise upon it in Georgius. tom. 2.

48 (Tractus. Ebor.) "Cantus Ecclesiastici species." Du Cange. Durand says, "Dicitur Tractus a trahendo: quia tractim et cum asperitate vocum, et prolixitate verborum canitur." Lib. iv. cap. 21. It was opposed to the Alleluia: the one being for the seasons of joy and triumph, the other of sorrow and abasement. Almost all the Ritualists agree with Durand and the earlier writers from whom he derived his authorities, as to the origin of the name: Merati adds in his note to Gavantus: "Vere dicitur a trahendo: quia revera continuata serie modulationis unius Cantoris non interrupta responsionibus aliorum intercinentium peragebatur. Hoc autem est discrimen inter Responsorium et Tractum, quod primo Chorus respondet, Tractui vero nemo. Tractus totus dicebatur ab uno solo Cantore, qui erat diversus ab illo, qui cantabat Graduale, sive Responsorium." Tom. i. p. 93.

The custom of saying some response, either gradual, or tract, or sequence, after the Epistle, seems to be as old at least as the time of S. Augustine. He says, "Apostolum audivimus, psalmum audivimus, evangelium audivimus." Serm. 8. But it would appear that then an entire psalm was sung, a remnant of which ancient practice was preserved in the Salisbury, York, Hereford, and Bangor Missals, upon the first Sunday in Lent, and on Passion Sunday. Probably the new mode of a verse or two only, became general about the end of the 5th Century: because Leo the Great

ROM.

Herford. His finitis diaconus antequam His finitis Diaconus deponit liprocedat ad pronuntiandum brum Evangeliorum super me

speaks of the whole psalm, (A. D. 450), but in the Sacramentary of S. Gregory (A.D. 600) the shorter gradual or response is found. See, Romsée. Opera. tom. iv. p. 121.

49 (Tropus. Ebor.) Est quidam versiculus, qui præcipuis festivitatibus cantatur; et continet tria, videlicet Antiphonam, Versum, et Gloriam. Ita Durandus. Ration. lib. iv. c. 5. qui hæc subdit lib. vi. c. 114. "Hi autem versus Tropi vocantur, quasi laudes ad antiphonas convertibiles: Tρóπog enim Græce, conversio dicitur Latine." Du Cange. Gloss. It is not easy to say what is meant by the use of the term Trope in this place; possibly the sequence is intended, for the true Tropi were attached to the Introit. Even so used they were of late introduction, and did not obtain universal acceptNo example of one has occurred before the xjth. Century. Certainly the Monastic Uses were more full of them, than the Diocesan: and we find prayers with such interpolations in some of their Missals: in one sense the addition to the Gloria in excelsis of which I have already spoken, may be called a Trope. In such a way, the Trope here spoken of may be an addition to the Tract, or Sequence. See more upon this, in the Dissertation upon the Service Books: verb. Troparium. Monumenta Ritualia. vol. i.

ance.

50 (Diaconus. Sar.) "Antiquitus etiam evangelium legebatur a Lectore, ut colligitur ex Epistola sancti Cypriani 33. et ex Concilio Toletano 1. cap. 2. Hoc postea munus majoris erga Evangelium honoris gratia Diaconis demandatum fuit, ut habetur ex Epistola S. Hieronymi ad Sabinianum. Evangelium Christi quasi Diaconus lectitabas. Et ex Epistola sancti Bonifacii Episcopi Moguntini ad Zachariam Pontificem, ubi conqueritur quosdam Diaconos, quamvis plures concubinas haberent, adhuc Evangelium legere. Apud Græcos etiamnum mos viget, ut Evangelium a Lectoribus publice legatur, uti refert Smithius in Epistola de præsenti Ecclesiæ Græcæ statu. pag. 155." Cavalieri. Opera. tom. v. p. 30. This opens an important and interesting enquiry, which this is not the place to pursue, nor can I afford space. One thing seems certain: that the Gospel was read only by Deacons, long before the reading of the Epistle was in like manner removed from the office of the Lector: of which latter duty as attached to the Sub-deacon, we find no trace earlier than about the 7th Century.

It was to meet this that an alteration was made in the sixteenth Century in the Form of Ordination of Sub-deacons: " Accipe librum Epistolarum, et habe potestatem legendi eas in Ecclesia sancta Dei:" this was added. Amalarius in the 9th Century expresses his wonder at the new practice which was then gaining ground; "ut Subdiaconus frequentissime legat Lectionem ad Missam, cum hoc non reperiatur ex ministerio sibi dato in consecratione commissum, neque ex nomine suo." Lib. 2. cap. xj. Micrologus speaks much in the same way. And even Durand in the 13th Cent. enquires, "Quare subdiaconus legit Lectionem ad Missam, cum non reperia

EBOR.

vangelium legendum.

SARUM.

BANGOR.

gelium pronuntiandum thurificet medium altaris tantum. Nunquam enim thurificetur lectrinum ante pronuntiationem evangelii.

tur hoc sibi competere, vel ex eo nomine, vel ex ministerio sibi concesso ?" Lib. ii. cap. 8.

The Canons and the Pastoral Epistle of Archbishop Elfric, supply sufficient information as to the practice in his time, of the Anglo-Saxon Church. In the first of these, Can. 10, he lays down that, "Seven degrees are established in the Church: one is ostiarius, the second is lector, the third exorcista, the fourth acoluthus, the fifth subdiaconus, the sixth diaconus, the seventh presbyter." In the succeeding Canons he explains the offices proper to each. "12. Lector is the reader, who reads in God's Church, and is ordained for the purpose of preaching of God's word.-15. Subdiaconus is truly underdeacon, who bears forth the vessels to the deacon, and humbly ministers under the deacon at the holy altar, with the housel vessels. 16. Diaconus is the minister who ministers to the mass-priest, and sets the offerings upon the altar, and also reads the Gospels at God's ministries." Thorpe. Ancient Laws and Institutes. vol. ii. p. 349. The Pastoral Epistle is to the same purpose, p. 379, and clearly attaches the reading to the lector, and not to the sub-deacon.

And not only the Canons and Epistle of Ælfric, but other very ancient writers attribute the Gospel-lection solely to the Deacon. Isidore in his 2nd Book of Divine Offices, “inter officia Diaconi," includes "evangelizare." Cap. 8. But, in short, as in another place I have spoken, Monumenta Rit. vol. i. upon the great reverence with which our fathers treated the book of the Gospels, whether the entire Gospels, or the selections to be read in the Liturgy, the Evangelisterium, lavishing upon it all kinds of outward ornament, and inside decorations of the pencil-so also, began the practice from the same feelings of pious gratitude and devotion, that the reading of the Gospel should be committed to none of less degree and order in the Church, than Deacons: "Diaconis tantum, qui ad sacerdotalem dignitatem proxime accedunt." During the reading of it, the laity showed also greater signs of reverence: staffs were laid aside: Amalarius. lib. iii. 18. Gemma Anima. lib. i. 24. Durand. lib. iv. 24. &c. All rose, Constit. Apostol. lib. ii. cap. 57: and in some Churches listened to it, halfkneeling in a stooping posture.

How high was the estimation in which the Gospels were held in the middle ages, is proved most clearly by the fact that some writers in the 8th Century did not hesitate to say, that in a remote sense the Gospel is the Body of Christ. "Et corpus Christi quod manducatur non solum panis et vini, quod super Altare offertur, sed et ipsum Evangelium Christi est; et cum Evangelium legimus et intelligimus, filii in circuitu mensæ in una

HERFORD.

ROM.

evangelium thurificet medium dium altaris et Celebrans be

altaris tantum nunquam thurificetur lectrinum ante pronuntiationem evangelii.

nedicit incensum, ut supra: Deinde Diaconus genuflexus ante altare, manibus junctis dicit:

conlatione sedemus, et panem nostrum mandicamus." Etherius. lib. i. de Incarnat.

The laying aside of staffs alluded to just above, was not a very early practice but was introduced about the 8th Century, for Amalarius speaks of it, and lasted through the next three or four. It was then the custom for the people to stand during the whole Service, and, being long, they rested themselves on their staffs. Their use ceased altogether in the Western Church, when seats and settles were introduced. See Sala's note to Bona. tom. iii. p. 153. We learn from S. Chrysostom, Hom. 63, that in the Greek Church, during the Gospel, the Emperor laid aside his crown.

I must add to this note an extract from a very rare book, written by one as it was then called " of the new learning," about the year 1529: the full title is, "A worke entytled of the olde god and the newe, of the olde faythe and the newe, of the olde doctryne and the newe, or orygynall begynnynge of Idolatrye." The author is describing some of the ceremonies of the Mass. “But what shall I saye of the gospell, when it is song? Oh, how goodly ceremonies are then done.-There is borne a banner of sylke and garnyshed with a goodly crosse, in token of the victorious and blessed tryumphe whiche Jesu Chryste made of subduing the worlde vnto hym selfe by the doctryne of the gospell.-Then afterwardes a preest beareth a sencer of siluer makyng a fumigation and sauour of ensence, as long as the gospell is in readynge to sygnyfy our inwarde affection towarde christ.-There is also borne aboute the gospell boke rychely couered with golde and siluer, garnyshyd with precyous stones.-Afterwardes there thundreth a great bell, by which we do sygnyfy our chrysten preestly and apostolycall offyce :-last of all the gospell is borne about to euery person in the quyer, and offered forth to be kyssed :—and we do go aboute to gette glorie in the syght of the lay people, to whome the gospell is not in lyke manner offered to be kyssed." Sign. M. 4. This is an important volume in such respects, as regards facts: and is written in a lively satirical style, but with very much of that indecent and almost blasphemous ribaldry, which characterizes so many of the books of the Reformers at that time. Its author was, it seems from his own account, a chaplain or minor-canon of some Cathedral, and disappointed at not having obtained better preferment: which accounts for much of his virulence against others of higher dignity. The " Old god and the newe" was strictly prohibited by a Royal Proclamation, in the year 1530: see Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 737. I have quoted the above from a copy my possession.

in

51 (Jube domne benedicere.) This, says Le Brun, was a manner of address formerly much in use, as being a mark of humiliation and respect. So, anciently among the Greeks, the Deacon, when he warned the Faithful who were assembled in their solemn service, either to rise or sit, did not say Rise or Sit, but merely " Jubete," as if it were, command yourselves to do so and so.

The word Domne is a contraction from Dominus. The latter was appropriated in its strict use to the Deity alone: and Domnus or Domna, in the middle ages, was a title of great respect, and applied only to eminent dead saints, or living people who occupied important offices in the Church: as for example, the officiating Priest during the celebration of the Eucharist. See also Du Cange upon the word.

Upon this request and the reply, Peter Damian has well observed: "Lecturus magnæ humilitatis gratia, non a Sacerdote, sed ab eo, cui Sacerdos jusserit, se postulat benedici dicens: Jube Domne benedicere. Sacerdos autem, ut tantæ humilitate vicem reddat, non subjecto cuiquam benedicendi delegat officium, nec per semetipsum benedictionem dare præsumit: sed potius, ut a Deo, qui est super omnia benedictus, prærogetur,