_Cope_. A large semicircular cloak of silk or other material, fastening in front by a clasp or morse. At the back is a piece of embroidery in the shape of a shield, called the hood. It varies in colour with the season. _Cotta_. A vestment of linen, shorter than the surplice, and not quite so full. It has short sleeves, and is frequently edged with lace. _Dalmatic and Tunicle_. These differ very slightly in form, but the former is generally the more richly embroidered. It is the special dress of the Deacon at Holy Communion, and varies in colour with the season. _Girdle_. A white cord, used to confine the Alb at the waist. _Hood_. (See article, _Hood_.) _Maniple_. A smaller Stole worn over the left arm. _Stole_. A narrow strip of silk passed round the neck and hanging in front to about the knees. It varies in colour with the season. _Surplice_. A linen vestment of various degrees of fulness, and with long wide sleeves. It is the garment usually worn by the clergy of the Church of England, although many of the above are ordered in the first Prayer Book of Edward VI. The Eucharistic Vestments are the Amice, Alb, Girdle, Stole, Maniple, Tunicle, Dalmatic and Chasuble. Besides these we have the Episcopal Vestments, called the _chimere_ and the _rochet_. _Chimere_. The upper robe worn by a Bishop, to which the lawn sleeves are generally attached. Until Queen Elizabeth's time it was of scarlet, but in her reign it was changed into black satin. _Rochet_. A linen garment worn by Bishops under the chimere. The lawn sleeves now sewn on the chimere properly are part of the rochet, and formerly were much less full than now worn. (See _Ornaments_.) VESTRY. A room attached to a church for the keeping of the vestments and sacred vessels. Meetings of parishioners, for the despatch of the official business of the parish are held in this room, whence they are called _Vestries_, or _Vestry Meetings_. It is not however essential to the validity of the meeting that it should be held in the Vestry of the church, indeed, by making application under an Act passed in 1850, meetings in the Vestry can be made illegal. Notice of the meeting must be affixed on or near the door of the Church three days previously. The Incumbent is _ex-officio_ chairman of the meeting, and all persons rated to the relief of the poor are entitled to attend and vote. VIA MEDIA. The middle road. This position is occupied in the Christian world by the Anglican Church. On the one side there is the Church of Rome; on the other, the ultra-Protestant Sects. The phrase is also used of any middle way between two extremes.