"It' p'd ffor revettyng of ye plats & for ye iiij boultes, xd ob."

"It' p'd ffor iiij new torchis that weyyeth xxvj at iijd, li, vja viija.” Smiths' Company.

1476. "Itm a new bolle to the Judas, ija."

1487. "Itm for iiij new torchis to & payntyng off the Judasses, vs ixd."

1516. "It' payd ffor iiij Judasses, iiij*.”

1450. "It' payed for makyng of iiij new torchis & stoff y'to, x'." 1498. "It' payd ffor ix" wax for our Torches, iiij vja.”

"Itm pd ffor a doss' rossen vj. Itm ffor wyke & workmanshipe, ijs viijd."

Carpenters' Company.

1481. "It' payd for stuff of ye judass, ij."

"It' payd for workmanship, vj. It' payd for iiij platys, xj.
1452.Expens' for Torches, xxx Wax p li, vd ob, xiij ixd."
"It' j doss' Resen, xxjd; payd for the makyng, iijs iiija.
1512. "Payd for vj pencels & the peyntyng of them, viijd."
The Trinity Gild.

1469. "Itm Johi Exale for peyntyng iiij judassys, iij.”
"Itm eidm. for xij pensels to ye same, xijd."
"Itm sol' for clothe for the pensells, ijd ob."
1532. "Itm iiij Judas torches,* vij viij."

(The weight is frequently expressed, and varies from 261b to 30lb.)

Diers' Company.

1468. "xij newe pencells for the torches & iiij newe torches & iiij judasses & the bolles & iiij surplis & iiij stre hatts' were delivered to the ensuing Master of the Company.

"payd for yerne werk to our torches, iij iiij."

"payd for iiij torches of xxxij" le li va, xiij* iiija.'

"peid for xij new pencels & payntyng of hem, iij vja.”

peyd for iiij judasses for our torches, iiijs iiijd."

1489. "It' for peyntyng and v'veshyng of the judasses for the torches, viijd."

1520. "p'd for iiij new Judaces, v iiijd."

The preceding extracts shew that, in some instances, each of the Judas torches was ornamented with three pencels, or little banners, fixed upon as many small spears; and it may be incidentally remarked, that the bearers wore surplices and straw hats; the former for the purpose, it would seem, of preserving a uniformity of appear

The following items, from the same accounts, may serve to illustrate the subject, if they are not actually connected with it :

1461. “Itm P ij claspys ferri le Porticus missa Trinitat, ijd.”

"Itm peyntyng ejusdm case, ijd.'

1472. "It' paied for paynting of xij baners for the torches ordeigned agenst Trinitie Sonday p'ele peese iijd. sma iijs.'

"It' paied for an eln of canvas to the same, vd."

"It' paied for the Spers to the same & peyntyng of hem, vjd."

ance upon occasions, such as the feast of Corpus Christi, when the religious establishments of the city joined in the processions. Whether this description of torch was first used for public occasions of processional display, and was afterwards adopted in churches, may admit of a question; but it is very evident that, in the latter instance, they were fixed and stationary, since the only apparent exception I have met with is contained in the following items given by your correspondent:" 6-8 Henry VIII. Item paide to Dennes smythe for the platynge of iiij Judas for torchis agenst corp" xti daye, ij."

"Itm paide for the payntyng of them, iiijd."

I have used the term apparent, because as it is notorious that the grand procession at Corpus Christi was decidedly of a religious character, and only joined by the laity, it is evident that your correspondent's church would require Judasses fitting for that purpose, as well as the stationary ones on the rood-loft, &c.

In the "Churchwarden's Accounts of St. Margaret's, Westminster," is the following entry:-"1524. Item paid for twelve Judacis to stand with the Papers, ij." And Mr. Malcolm, in his "Londin. Rediv.," vol. ii. p. 66, says, "All-hallows (London Wall) contained a roodloft, and a representation of Judas in it, which was painted for 13a, in 1455." In the same volume, at p. 20, he describes the rood-loft at All-hallows Staining, as having "contained a large crucifix, surrounded, during the celebration of the offices, with 22 burning tapers, weighing 67. The cross candle weighed 1% b. Judas taper, lib.”

The twelve Judacis" at St. Margaret's were, obviously, stands to hold the tapers, not images; and it is equally evident, that the "Judas" in All-hallow's rood-loft, was the Judas taper, the stand for which (and perhaps the taper also) was painted, instead of a "representation of Judas," as Mr. M. erroneously supposed.*

It will reasonably be expected, that I should offer some opinion upon these Judasses, and I think that the original communication of your correspondent "Archæophilus," combined with the additional items now given, proves, beyond a doubt, that they were stands for the reception of torches, and both stationary and moveable; but that they were "small wooden candelabra in the shape of the traitor" is, I conceive, quite an unfounded conjecture. That wood was used in their construction is evident; but rivetted plates of iron are also mentioned: "A new bolle" occurs in the Smith's Account, 1476; in the Dier's Accounts, " iiij judasses & the bolles" are specified. And your correspondent furnishes a similar item-viz, " iij new bollys of latem, (lege laten, brass.) When to these facts is added the circumstance of the torches used at Coventry for processional occasions, weighing about seven pound each, all idea of the stands being representations of Judas must, I think, be abandoned. Indeed it would seem, that the moveable Judases bore some resemblance in construction to the cressets, having bolls to receive the overflow of the torches, to which, when carried in the open air, they would be especially liable; and a

Archæophilus's next communication will contain a remark on Mr. Malcolm's

error.-ED.

still further analogy might perhaps be insisted on in the "iron pyne made to sett in an olde torche" from the charges for 1533, 84, given by your correspondent; the ancient cressets having a pin rising from the centre of the boll round which the materials for burning were twined. It now only remains for me to give a conjecture upon the origin of the term Judas, as applied to these stands or torch receptacles; and nothing has occurred to my mind so probable as the circumstance recorded in St. John's gospel, ch. xviii. ver. 3,—“ Judas then having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons." In this opinion I am strengthened by a most profound investigator of ancient customs, who writes-"There can be no doubt that in conformity to this text, the name of Judas torches has arisen." "It will be found that torches are more frequent than cressets in the old representations of the betraying of Christ, and the expences of some pageant that included this incident in the passion, would most probably mention the Judas torches. In the French Mystery of the Passion, one of the party tells Judas that he would be supplied liberally with lights:

'Alumer torches et flambeaux,

Brandons et fallots gran et hautz,
Bellez lanterns et tisons.'

It is very probable that the Judasses were torches of a larger kind.

"F. D."

Before concluding this, perhaps, already too prolix communication, I would remark, that, whether from accident or from some cause now unknown, the number of processional Judasses, in every instance at Coventry, and in the case of your correspondent's parish, as provided for the Corpus Christi festival, is the same-namely, four; a coincidence that appears almost too strong to be purely accidental.

The appellation of "teneber" given to the Judas candles in the parish accounts for 1534-5, is the only instance I have met with. Is it probable that to express a detestation of the traitor they were actually coloured black; or is the term to be considered figurative? T. S.

SACRED POETRY.

Hymnus Feria Sexta post Dominicam Passionis ad Vesperas dicendus.

STABAT Mater dolorosa
Juxta crucem lacrymosa,
Dum pendebat Filius;
Cujus animam gementem
Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius.

IMITATED.

FORTH pouring many a bitter tear,
The grief-worn Mother lingered near
The cross, which held her Son :
To pierce her soul with sharper throe
Than it was Mother's e'er to know
The sword had now begun.

The Editor hopes to hear from T. S. again.

Lyra Apostolica.

Γνοῖεν δ', ὡς δὴ δηρὸν ἐγὼ πολέμοιο πέπαυμαι.

No. II.

(1.) COMMUNE DOCTORUM.

Vos succensa Deo splendida Lumina :
Vos Sal, nos homines quo sapimus Deum ;
Ævum puri animo moribus integri

Quo condimur in alterum:
Per vos Relligio, tutaque Veritas
Per vos virgineis fulget honoribus:

Per vos Christus amat pandere divites
Thesauros Sapientiæ.

Vestris unda fluit pura canalibus;
Christi floret ager; munda nitet seges:
Lac aptum pueris et solidum viris

Cauti sufficitis cibum.

Hi sunt Summe Deus qui tibi militant:
Hi sunt qui stabiles ædificant domos:
Unâ docta cohors arma tenet manu,

Muros construit alterâ.
VICISTIS STYGIAS VOS QUIBUS HERESES,
HÆC NOS ACCIPIMUS TELA SUPERSTITES:
HIS PUGNAMUS ADHUC, NEC DUBIO EXITU :
HIS ARMIS QUOQUE VINCIMUS.
Sit suprema tibi gloria, Veritas,

Quæ per scripta Patrum, quando foris sonas,
Nullo, vocis egens, corda doces sono;
Et te mentibus inseris.

(2.) THE CRUEL CHURCH.

O MOTHER Church of Rome! why has thy heart
Beat so untruly towards thy northern child?
Why give a gift, nor give it undefiled,

Drugging the blessing with a stepdame's art?
Why bare thy sword?-beneath thy censure's smart

Long days we writhed, who would not be beguiled;
While thy keen breath, like blast of winter wild,

Froze, till it crumbled, each sublimer part

Of rite or work, devotion's flower and prime.
Thus have we lain, thy charge, a dreary time,
Christ's little ones, torn from faith's ancient home,
To dogs a prey.

And now thou sendest foes,

Bred from thy womb, lost church! to mock the throes
Of thy free child, thou cruel-natured Rome!