VESSELS, AND APPLIANCES OF SACRED USE. 133

ever, to the material employed in the fabrication of chalices, it may be remarked, that the precious metals were always preferred, and that, in default thereof, chalices were formed of glass, horn, wood, or ordinary metals. Dnrandns, and other writers, have stated that the use of chalices of glass, to which allusion is made by Tertullian, was ordered by Pope Zephiri- nus, at the commencement of the third century, and that on account of their fragility Pope Urban shortly after prescribed that they should be formed of gold, silver, or, in poorer churches, of tin. About the same period the use of glass was forbidden by the council of Rheims, A.D. 226. It was not, however, wholly discontinued ; the ancient sculpture in the cloisters of St. Stephen's, at Toulouse, represented St. Exupe- rius, who died early in the fifth centmy, attended by a deacon presenting to him a chalice ; above' was seen the folloAing in- scription, in'^which that vessel is jdescribed as of glass : " Sacramenta parat 'pia, pontificique ministrat. Offert vas vitreum, vimineumque canistrum." In a will, dated A.D. 837, are mentioned a chalice of ivory, another of cocoa-nut, mounted with gold and silver, and a third of glass ; "calicem vitreum am'o paratumm." The British council of Chalcuth, in the reign of Egbert, forbade the use of chalices or patens of horn, " quod de sanguine sunt";" and the canons enacted under Archbishop Dunstan, in the time of Edgar, enjoined that all chalices, wherein the housel is hallowed, be of molten work, (calic gegoten,) and that none be hallowed in a wooden vessel". The Saxon laAvs of the Northumbrian priests ini})osed a fine upon those who should hallow housel in a wooden chalicep, and the canons of Elfric repeat the injunction, that chalices of molten material, gold, silver, glass, (glacsen,) or tin, be used ; not of horn, l)ut especially not of woodi. Horn was rejected, because blood had entered into its composition"" ; wood, on account of its absorbent quality. Stone or marble were less objectionable', and precious gems were used, as in '" Tcstam. Everardi Coniitis, aj). Mi- 4 Laws and Inst., ii. 35 L See also r;vuin, i. 2L Macer describes an ancient Elfric's Pastoral Epistle, ib. 385. cli;ilice of glass, with two handles, seen by ^ Bartholiiius describes an ancient chalice him in the possession of tlic papal ahno- of-horn, in his possession, anciently used ner. Ilierolcxicon, v. Calix. in Norway. Medicina Danoruni doniestica. " Wilkins, i. M?, A.D. 785. ' In the life of St. Theodore, ap. Su- " Wilkins, i. 227. Ancient Laws and rium, 22 April, it is related that where Instit., ii. 253. vessels of ninrble were used, he replaced Ancient Laws and Instit , ii. 293. them with silver.