Ecclesiastical Vestments: Their development and historyMacalister, Robert Alexander Stewart
History
Ecclesiastical Vestments: Their development and history
Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart
Church vestments
4. _Cassock._ This was at one time worn by all members of universities
under their gowns. Doctors of divinity, doctors of laws, cardinals, and
canons wore scarlet. Certain days at present are called 'Scarlet Days'
in the English universities, on which doctors in all faculties wear
scarlet. This may be a survival of the ancient scarlet cassock.
5. _Surplice._ 'A dress of ministration, used in college chapels by
non-ministrants, more as a matter of college discipline than as
academical costume.'
6. _Almuce._ Distinctive of masters and doctors, distinct from the hood.
Another possible origin of the English hood.
7. _Cope._ There were two kinds of cope in use at the English
universities—the _cappa manicata_ or sleeved cope; and an uncomfortable
contrivance called the _cappa clausa_, which was sewn all the way up,
passed over the head when put on, and was not provided with sleeves or
other openings for the arms save a short longitudinal slit in front. The
Archbishop of Canterbury prescribed this as a decent garb for
Archdeacons, Deans and Prebendaries in 1222. Regents in arts, laws, and
theology were permitted to lecture in a _cappa clausa_ or _pallium_
only. The _cappa manicata_ was probably worn generally, as being a
sober and dignified dress; it very rarely occurs in contemporary
representations.
8. The _tabard_ or _colobium_ was a sleeveless gown closed in front; but
ultimately it was slit up, the sleeves of the gown proper were
transferred to it, and the use of the latter discontinued. All not yet
bachelors were required by the statutes of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
(1352), to wear long tabards, while Clare Hall, the adjoining
foundation, required its Master (Head), masters, and Bachelor Fellows to
wear this and other robes, in 1359. Kings' Hall (1380) required every
scholar to wear a _roba talaris_, and every bachelor a robe with tabard
suited to his degree.
9. _University Head-dress._ A skull-cap was early allowed to
ecclesiastics to protect the tonsured head in cold weather, and, except
the ordinary hood, this is the only head-dress recognised by the early
university statutes. This _pileus_, however, soon assumed a pointed
shape, thus ⏞̲ and in this form was recognised as part of the insignia
of the doctorate; doctors only are represented wearing it upon
monuments. The central point developed afterwards into the modern
tassel. Bachelors wore no official head-dress.
[104] So Bonanni's text; it reaches to the _feet_ in his plate.
[105] Cit. ap. Bonanni, vol. iv, No. xvii: Quidam enim subtile integrum
cum manicis integris habent, quidam autem deferunt hanc lineam vestem
in formam longi et lati scapularis sine manicis in lateribus apertam
quidam circa tibia ad latitudinem palmae Carthusiensium more consutam,
alii scapulare latum cum rugis habent aliis est forma parvi scapularis
et brevis cum rugis et plicis e collo pendentis quod Scorligium dicunt
quibusdam ex latere linea hasta aliis arca collum pecia linea.
APPENDIX II.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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