The
earliest inventory of the church--that of 1245--speaks of a mitre, the
gift of John de Belemains, Prebendary of Chiswick, and a rich pastoral
staff for the use of the Boy-Bishop. At York Minster were kept a "cope
of tissue" for the Boy-Bishop, and ten for his attendants, while an
inventory made in 1536 at Lincoln refers to "a coope of rede velvett
with rolles and clowdes ordeyned for the barne bisshop with this
scripture THE HYE WAY IS BEST." Typical of many other places,
the custom was observed at Winchester, Durham, Salisbury, and Exeter
Cathedrals; at the Temple Church, London (1307); St. Benet-Fynck; St.
Mary Woolnoth; St. Catherine, near the Tower of London; St. Peter Cheap;
St. Mary-at-Hill, Billingsgate; Rotherham; Sandwich, St. Mary; Norwich,
St. Andrew's and St. Peter Mancroft; Elsing College, Winchester; Eton
and Winchester Colleges; Magdalen College, Oxford, and King's College,
Cambridge; Witchingham, Norfolk (1547); Great St. Mary, Cambridge
(1503); Hadleigh, Suffolk; North Elmham, Norfolk (1547). When the goods
of Great St. Mary, Cambridge, were sold, in May 1560, among the rest
were the following: "_It._ ye rede cote and qwood yt St. Nicholas dyd
wer the color red. _It._ the vestement and cope yt Seynt Nicholas dyd
wer. Also albs for the children."
Recapitulating, the vestments and ornaments of the Boy-Bishop and his
attendants, as gleaned from these and similar sources, were: (i) Mitre;
(ii) Crosier or Pastoral Staff; (iii) Ring; (iv) Gloves; (v) Sandals;
(vi) Cope; (vii) Pontifical; (viii) Banner; (ix) Tabard; (x) Hood; (xi)
Cloth for St.
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