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passed sentence, should render the criminal into the hands of the executioner, and with every outward sign of solemn supplication, entreat that that sentence might not take effect, which he had himself decreed. Let the reader examine a writ "de hæreticis comburendis,' how it speaks of the church having done all that was in her power: and therefore "quod sancta mater ecclesia non habet ulterius, ―tibi præcipimus firmiter injungentes, quod præfatos, etc., statim post receptionem præsentium apud villam nostram de B.

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ram populo igni committi, et in eodem igne realiter comburi facias, in hujusmodi criminis detestationem, aliorumque christianorum exemplum manifestum." Or again, let him remember that about the year 1521, among a number of doctrines condemned as heretical and pestiferous, was this: "Hæreticos comburi est contra voluntatem Spiritus.".

43

In the chronicle of John, abbot of Peterborough, we have the following cases under the year 1222: he is speaking of the famous council at Oxford; "In concilio illo sacerdos quidam et diaconus sunt degradati a domino Cantuariensi archiepiscopo: sacerdos pro homicidio, diaconus pro sacrilegio et furto. Diaconus alius, qui ad Judaismum a fide apostataverat, et se fecerat circumcidi, extra ecclesiam degradatus fuit a domino Cantuar. coram populo, et post degradationem traditus judicio laicalis curiæ, igne comburitur. In degradando, cum archiepiscopus casulam, vel stolam,

43 Ibil. tom. 3. p. 693. Besides the authorities above named, I would recommend the reader to refer also to Alberti, de sacr. utens. c. xvj. 2. Ferraris, Bibl.

verb. Degradatio. Benedict xiv. de Synodo. lib. vij. Hostiensis, in Summa. lib. 5. rubr. 7. and to the later canonists, Bonacina, Devoti, &c.

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vel aliud quid baculi pastoralis extremitate sullevando amoveret, hiis terminis usus est: Exautoramus te.' From an instance related of the deposition of an abbot of Westminster, by Matthew Paris, we may conclude, that in such cases, the breaking of his official seal formed a part of the solemnity. "Illis diebus per prædictum legatum depositus est Radulphus abbas Westm. per .N. abbatem de Wastham, missum ex parte legati, fracto ipsius sigillo in capitulo."

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As to restitution, after deposition or degradation, Martene in the place above cited, quotes a canon of the 4th council of Toledo: "Episcopus, presbyter, aut diaconus, si a gradu suo injuste dejectus in secunda synodo innocens reperiatur, non potest esse quod fuerat, nisi gradus amissos recipiat coram altario, de manu episcopi orarium, annulum, et baculum ; si presbyter, orarium et planetam; si diaconus, orarium et albam; si subdiaconus, patenam et calicem. Sic et reliqui gradus ea in reparationem sui recipiant, quæ cum ordinarentur perceperunt."

FORM OF HEALING, ETC.

THE remaining offices which are given in this volume, are, the Form of "bidding the bedes," as it was observed in the cathedral church of Salisbury; the Form

"Edit. Sparkes. p. 100. Two other examples of impiety were brought forward on the same occasion, which I quote, on account of the punishment which was inflicted. "Ductus est etiam in concilio laicus quidam, qui se promiserat crucifigi, etc. Adducta est etiam quædam mulier, quæ se

Mariam nominabat, et dixerat, quod missam poterat celebrare, ad quod calicem et patenam habebat: hii duo in muris lapideis inclusi, vitam terminarunt, non cum Domino resurgentes."

45 Hist. Angl. p. 210. A. D.

1214.

of Healing; the Form of Consecrating Cramp-rings; and some English Forms of Exhortation before communion, and at the visitation of the sick.

require only a few brief remarks.

These will

As regards the "Forms of bidding prayer," I would refer the reader to a little volume, published in Oxford a few years ago, under that title, in which he will find a large collection of them, of various dates, from the 14th century down to the present time. These have been obtained, by much research, from very curious sources; and an useful introduction is prefixed by the editor, the Rev. H. O. Coxe. The Form which I have now printed is not only different from any hitherto published, but it is especially valuable and important, as being that which was used in the cathedral itself of the diocese of Sarum. I have thought it right to retain some of the names, of bishops and others, which add a further interest to the form, and serve to identify it.

The form of Healing is the Latin form, with an English title, and English rubrics, published "by his majesty's command," in 1686. It is stated to be that which was "used in the time of King Henry VII.” I am not aware that it has since that reign been printed, nor do I know any edition except the one now lying before me, in 4to. The form entirely in English, prayers as well as rubrics, occurs often in the Common Prayer books of the reigns of Charles I. and II., James II., and queen Anne: it was also printed separately, in 12mo., in the reign of James II. These English forms all vary: and a new one appears to have been drawn up for each sovereign. Bishop Sparrow reprinted that of the reign of Charles II. 46

46 Collection of Articles, etc. p. 165.

The office of Blessing Cramp-rings is printed from a manuscript in my possession, of about the year 1685, bound up with an edition in 12mo. of the form of healing. I am not aware of any other copy existing of this office, in English, and it seemed therefore desirable to preserve the record of so curious a ceremony. The Latin form as drawn up for queen Mary, in 1554, is printed by Burnet," and by Wilkins. 48

On the flyleaf of the volume of which I have spoken is the following memorandum. "In ancient times it was a custom with the kings of England on Good Friday, to hallow, with great ceremony, certain rings, the wearing of which was believed to prevent the falling sickness. These rings were called cramp-rings, and the MS. in this volume is the service dedicated to their consecration. In Borde's Breviarie of health [1547], speaking of the cramp, we are told that "the kynge's maiestie hath a greate helpe in the matter, in halowing cramp-rings, and so given without money or petition.' Lord Berners, the translator of Froissart, when ambassador to the emperor Charles V. wrote from Saragossa "to my lorde cardinall's grace," in 1518, for some crampe rynges, with trust to bestowe theyme well, with God's grace.'

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In the appendix to the very valuable collection of Accounts of Churchwardens, etc., printed in the year 1797, is a list of the New-years gifts presented by queen Mary in 1556: among which we find; "Item, deliuerid by the Queins commandement-to the said Robert Raynes, in broken golde, to make crampe rings etc. Item, more deliuerid the same time, to

47 Hist. Reform. Records, Part. 2. B. ij. No. 25.

48 Concil. tom. 4. p. 103.

make cramp ringes, in broke plate of silu' theise parcelles, etc." 49

I have only now to add, that all the offices in this volume, except where otherwise stated in the notes below, are edited from the same manuscript, a Pontifical of the Use of Sarum, described in the first volume of this work (p. cxviij) and from which several of the Offices in that volume, have also been taken. (See p. ccxcvij.) 50

49

p. 27. It is much to be regretted that this excellent work is most difficult to be met with, for there are few books which more correctly answer to the profession of their title-pages. The title is "Illustrations of the manners and expences of antient times in England, in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, deduced from the accompts of churchwardens and other authentic documents. London, 1797." 4to. The whole impression, except about eight or ten copies, is said to have been destroyed by fire. Nicholls, the compiler, speaks thus of it himself; "I have no hesitation in saying, in a case where it can neither promote my interest, nor hazard my veracity, that this volume is not only one of the scarcest publications of the eighteenth century, but, in its way, is

also one of the most curious." Literary anecdotes. vol. ix. p. 196. Copies are in the Bodleian and Museum libraries.

In the accounts of the 7th year of Henry IV., occurs the following entry Die parasceves-in denariis solutis pro eisdem oblationibus reassumptis, pro annulis medicinalibus inde faciendis. xxv. s." cit. Archæol. Journal. vol. 4. p. 78. Bishop Gardiner is said, in a letter to Bishop Ridley, to have spoken of such rings, as endued by the special gift of curation ministered to the kings of this realm." ibid. vol. 3. p. 359.

50 I must except also the first of the benedictions, p. 320: namely, of a standard: which is taken from the Evesham pontifical in the library of the British Museum. Lansdown MS. 451.

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