Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/348
serves, that "if an irregular practice of this kind existed in parochial churches, and there were places requiring to be walled up, it would be in the province of the ordinary to direct it to be done."
But the injunctions issued by the bishops and other ordinaries of that period are extant, well known, and have been closely scrutinised, and no such ordinance has been brought to light. Other objections to this theory have been noticed as they obviously occurred in describing particular examples. Those of Prior Crawden's chapel and "La Sainte Chapelle" are not easy to surmount.
3. For lepers to assist at mass; this conjecture is attributed to Dr. Rock, whose character and studies give great weight to his opinion, and entitle it to respect and consideration; but the facts that some are so close to the ground that it would be necessary for the lepers to lie down to see through them, that others would be some feet above their heads, and that very few command a view of the altar platform, seem decisive against this theory.
4. For excommunicated persons doing penance preparatory to their being readmitted into the church. The same objections which apply to No. 3 apply to this also.
5. To place a light in, to scare away evil spirits from the churchyard. The situation of these windows is generally not convenient for such a purpose; and the existence of such a practice in this country requires confirmation, although we are aware that in France numerous examples are found of stone pillars in churchyards, with an opening for a lantern at the top, said to have been used for this purpose.
6. That they were offertory windows; this theory is supported by Mr. Paley, who adds, " It appears that they originated from an order of recluses, or solitarii, who had their oratories contiguous to, or adjoining churches, and who, not being allowed to communicate with any assembly of men, had these little windows constructed "ut per fenestram possunt ad missas per manus sacerdotum oblationes "offerre." See Martene de Antiquis Ecclesiæ Ritibus, lib. i. cap. iv. art. vi. sect. 7[1].
- ↑ Mr. Paley's reference to Martene is erroneous, which gave us some trouble in finding this passage. To save our readers a repetition of this trouble we here give it entire : it will be seen that the words omitted by Mr. Paley give the passage a directly opposite meaning to that he attributes to it; the windows mentioned are those of the oratory, not of the church : the entire passage