Series 2 > Rentale Dunkeldense

xliv
RENTALE DUNKELDENSE
Another of the prebendaries gave a paten with a representation
of St. Columba; this is remarkable. Mediaeval patens almost
invariably bore some sacred subject, usually the Holy Lamb, the
Manus Dei or Divine hand in blessing, the Vernicle or face of our
Lord, or the sacred monogram ‘ i h c ’; the figure of a saint is
very rare, but there is an example still in existence at Felbrigge,
Norfolk, where an early sixteenth century paten bears the figure
of St. Margaret of Antioch, the patron saint of the church (W.
H. St. John Hope, in Tratisactions of St. Paul’s Ecclesiological Society,
ii. 97).
Some gifts of vestments are mentioned, but not in any detail.
Canons, as usual, presented copes on their appointment, and out
of five that are noticed, four were white and one blue. Bishop
Brown gave many copes, matching the colour in pairs, no doubt
with a view to their use by the two rectores chori, besides three
copes of cloth of gold, and two complete sets of vestments for
priest, deacon, and subdeacon, one of white and the other of blue
cloth of gold. In 1508-9, ‘9£ ells holland claith for my Lord’s
rochet at J merk the ell,’ were bought (p. 211), but it has
not as yet been possible to identify any more payments for the
bishop’s personal use, except in the case of the biretta or square
cap, which was black, and not scarlet or purple.1 A good deal of
russet black was bought for my Lord and also black velvet, this
suggesting that he wore black cassock and black chimere, and not
a scarlet cassock like that of Dr. William Elphinstone, bishop of
Aberdeen, shown in his contemporary portrait. It is possible
that the ‘ twa mantillis of gray greis, four pund greit,’ bought
in 1508 (p. 3), were fur almuces.
1 On the colour of the bishop’s cassock and chimere in mediaeval times, see
a valuable paper by Fr. Robinson, S.S.J.E., in Transactions of St. Paul’s
Ecdesiological Society, iv. 181, entitled ‘ The Black Chimere of Anglican Prelates,
a plea for its retention and proper use.’