ever, to the material employed in the fabrication of chalices, it may be remarked, that the precious metals were always preferred, and that, in default thereof, chalices were formed of glass, horn, wood, or ordinary metals. Durandus, and other writers, have stated that the use of chalices of glass, to which allusion is made by Tertullian, was ordered by Pope Zephirinus, at the commencement of the third century, and that on account of their fragility Pope Urban shortly after prescribed that they should be formed of gold, silver, or, in poorer churches, of tin. About the same period the use of glass was forbidden by the council of Rheims, A.D. 226. It was not, however, wholly discontinued; the ancient sculpture in the cloisters of St. Stephen's, at Toulouse, represented St. Exuperius, who died early in the fifth century, attended by a deacon presenting to him a chalice; above was seen the following inscription, in wwhich that vessel is described as of glass:
"Sacramenta parat pia, pontificique ministrat.
Offert vas vitreum, vimineumque canistrum."
In a will, dated A.D. 837, are mentioned a chalice of ivory, another of cocoa-nut, mounted with gold and silver, and a third of glass; "calicem vitreum auro paratum[1]." The British council of Chalcuth, in the reign of Egbert, forbade the use of chalices or patens of horn, "quod de sanguine sunt[2];" and the canons enacted under Archbishop Dunstan, in the time of Edgar, enjoined that all chalices, wherein the housel is hallowed, be of molten work, (calic gegoten,) and that none be hallowed in a wooden vessel[3]. The Saxon laws of the Northumbrian priests imposed a fine upon those who should hallow housel in a wooden chalice[4], and the canons of Elfric repeat the injunction, that chalices of molten material, gold, silver, glass, (glæsen,) or tin, be used; not of horn, but especially not of wood[5]. Horn was rejected, because blood had entered into its composition[6]; wood, on account of its absorbent quality. Stone or marble were less objectionable[7], and precious gems were used, as in
- ↑ Testam. Everardi Comitis, ap. Miræum, i. 21. Macer describes an ancient chalice of glass, with two handles, seen by him in the possession of the papal almoner. Hierolexicon, v. Calix.
- ↑ Wilkins, i. 147, A.D. 785.
- ↑ Wilkins, i. 227. Ancient Laws and Instit., ii. 253.
- ↑ Ancient Laws and Instit., ii. 293.
- ↑ Laws and Inst., ii. 351. See also Elfric's Pastoral Epistle, ib. 385.
- ↑ Bartholinus describes an ancient chalice of horn, in his possession, anciently used in Norway. Medicina Danorum domestica.
- ↑ In the life of St. Theodore, ap. Surium, 22 April, it is related that where vessels of marble were used, he replaced them with silver.
