and Mary, and are of extreme interest. They, indeed, go far to justify
the custom as a mode of inculcating virtue and, particularly, reverence
in the minds of the auditors. The earlier discourse appears to have been
prepared by one of the Almoners of St. Paul's, and the "bidding prayer"
contains a quaint allusion to "the ryghte reverende fader and
worshypfull lorde my broder Bysshop of London, your dyocesan, also my
worshypfull broder, the Deane of this Cathedral Churche." The later
discourse was pronounced by "John Stubs, Querester, on Childermas-Day at
Gloceter, 1558," and, most appropriately, based on the text, "Except you
be convertyd and made lyke unto lytill children," etc. Referring to the
"queresters" and children of the song school, the preacher remarks, with
a touch of delightful humour, "Yt is not so long sens I was one of them
myself"; and, in explaining the significance of Childermas, adverts to
the Protestant martyrs, who, alas! are without "the commendacion of
innocency." It may be added that, according to the testimony of the
Exeter _Ordinale_, the Boy-Bishop, on St. Nicholas' Day, censed the
altar of the Holy Innocents, recited prayers, read the Little Chapter at
Lauds "in a modest voice," and gave the Benediction.
We have seen that Dean Colet required his scholars to contribute, each
one, a penny to the Boy-Bishop. At Norwich annual payments were made by
all the officials of the cathedral church to the Boy-Bishop and his
clerks on St.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65