BX 5141 ΑΙ H52 V.6 Officium Ecclesiasticum Abbatum secundum usum Eveshamensis Monasterii, nunc primum typis mandatum curante H. N. Wilson, M.A. (Henry Bradshaw Society: Hon. Sec. Dr. J. Wickham Legg, 47, Greenstreet, Park Lane, London). THE Abbot of Evesham's Book, now issued by the society to which we owe so much for bringing rare liturgical works within the reach of all, consists of a variety of offices, benedictions, and general directions for the performance of the Abbot's functions. The editor assigns the writing of the MS. to the time of John de Brokehampton, Abbot of Evesham from 1282 to 1316. Into whose hands it passed after the dissolution no one knows, but Thomas Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln, left it in 1691 to the Library of the University where he had been Bodleian Librarian from 1652 to 1660, having become possessed of it in 1651. The MS. is in a clear hand, consists of 136 leaves, each of which contains about 18 lines, and is arranged in thirteen gatherings. The first section has general directions as to the Abbot's part in the services; the order of making catechumens; orders of conferring the tonsure, profession of monks, and admission of lay-brothers; the Marriage service, benediction of pilgrims; benedictions of vestments, etc.; short benedictions before, the nocturn lessons. The second section; order of ceremonial on certain days from Candlemas to Easter; benedictions before lessons in the nocturns of All Saints' day. The third; orders for the visitation of the sick and burial of the dead; the last mentioned not being peculiar to the Abbot, but bound up with the rest for his use, and worded accordingly. From the contents it will be manifest that the book is of unusual interest to liturgical students, the numerous notes appended by the editor not only help to elucidate the text, but throw light upon many points hitherto more or less obscure, and the whole work enables us to form something like a true picture of that part of the monastic worship at Evesham which was attended by the Abbot. The ritual directions are, many of them, curious; we will not disturb anybody's peace of mind by quoting the colour uses; suffice it that the young gentlemen who indulge in correctness will, if they can read the Evesham Book, be rather bewildered when they find what peculiarities were in use in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The power of the great abbeys in pre-Reformation times and the consequent belittling of parochial churches and even diocesan rights, is illustrated by the note on page 200, concerning the font in the Abbey Church. There is a good index of liturgical forms which may be used with the editor's previous publication, the index to forms in Muratori and the Leofric Missal. The book is admirably edited and well printed. |