the building of quire screens. The doctrine of transubstantiation led to the practice of elevating the Host and chalice at what were considered the words of consecration; and the sight of the Host and chalice became the essential part of the attendance on Mass. Veils, quire screens and all other hindrances to seeing the priest at the altar would be removed, just in fact as we have seen done abroad in many churches where the quire screens have been ruthlessly destroyed. The shortening of the Lenten Sicilian veil which has been so much altered that its original purpose of hiding the altar from sight has been wholly lost is another result of the introduction of the practice of the elevation of the Host and chalice at the supposed moment of consecration.

The Carrying in Procession in Church of England Services of Lighted Candles and Torches

IN

N 1899 the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Dr. William Temple and Dr. Maclagan, held what was called a Hearing, in which they dealt with the liturgical use of incense in the Church of England and the carrying of lights in procession. They decided that the use of incense in the public worship and as part of that worship is not at present enjoined or permitted by the law of the Church of England.1 They also requested the clergy to discontinue what the law of the Church of England does not permit, the carrying of lights in procession."

A few instances will now be given from contemporary records of royal funerals, in which the choir, carrying lighted candles, accompanied the procession of the funeral directed in the Book of Common Prayer in the Burial Service. The instances are mainly taken from the seven

1 The Archbishops, On the Lawfulness of the Liturgical Use of Incense and the Carrying of Lights in Procession. London, Macmillan, 1899, P. 14. 2 Ibid.

teenth and eighteenth centuries. At these royal funerals it may be remarked that the details were ordered in some cases so expressedly stated by the earl-marshal following an order in council, or they represent at least the personal wishes of the sovereign.

The documents, whether manuscript or printed, quoted in this chapter are drawn from those now existing in the British Museum.

A brief account of his late Maiestie King Charles the Second his sickness. . . together with the proceeding to his interment in Westminster Abbey Saturday 14 February 1684-5.

After a full account of the order of the procession from the Painted Chamber to the west door of the Abbey Church (Add. MS. 38141, Fo. 62) we read:

At the entrance within the Church the Dean and Prebends attended by the choire in their habits all having wax candles lighted and Books in their [hands] . . . an anthem and so proceeded before it [the body] into King Henry the Seventh's chappell.

[QUEEN ANNE'S FUNERAL]

State Papers Domestic, George I, Bundle I. Extract from the Chapter books of the Heralds' College relative to the preparation for the Funeral of Queen Anne.

TUESDAY, 17 AUGUST, 1714.

Ordered that the Steward cause to be provided necessary Flambeaux and Lights for the removal of the Queen's Body from Kensington to the Prince's Chamber [Westminster].

ADD. MS. 6309, Fo. 38.

The Ceremonial Proceeding to a private interment of her late most excellent Majesty Queen Caroline of blessed memory to Westminster Abbey [as appointed to be printed by the Earl of Effingham, Earl Marshall by virtue of an order in Council].

At the entrance within the Church the Dean and Prebendaries in their Copes, attended by the choir all having wax tapers in their hands, are to receive the Royal Body with an anthem and are to fall into the Procession just before Norroy King of Arms and so are to proceed singing into King Henry the seventh's chapel &c.

[From the Gentleman's Magazine.]

The historical Chronicle of April 1751, p. 65, in the account of the funeral of Frederick Prince of Wales at night Saturday 13th of April states that at the Abbey Church door the dean and prebends and choir and the king's scholars met the corpse and fell into the procession before the officers of arms 'with wax tapers in their hands and properly habited.'

The fact that these funerals were often by night does not destroy the value of the evidence of the carrying of lights in liturgical procession. Whether lights be used to lessen the darkness or only to give dignity to the rite need not be discussed.

The carrying of lights in the funeral procession was not confined to royal funerals. We read that Mrs. Mead, the mother-in-law of Jack Wilkes, was attended to the grave by 116 men carrying lights.1

The custom was in existence before the Restoration, for we find Bishop Andrewes in his answer to Cardinal Perron approving of torches at the burial of the dead.2

Some of those amongst us who are historically minded may be inclined to wish that the Archbishops had given more consideration to the question put before them. For, if this opinion can be sustained that the law of the Church of England does not permit the carrying of lights in procession, it will follow that

1 Annual Register, 1769, January 14, p. 67, Chronicle. 2 Lancelot Andrewes, Minor Works, Library of AngloCatholic Theology, Oxford, 1854, P. 31.

3 The Archbishops, On the Lawfulness of the Liturgical Use of Incense and the Carrying of Lights in Procession. London, Macmillan, 1899, p. 14.