messys
Whereby ye have made the people very assys."
(p. 17.)

And Simon of Swineshead, after drinking the poison, says,-- {403}

"To send me to heaven god rynge the holye belle,
And synge for my sowle a masse of _Scala Celi_,
That I may clyme up aloft with Enoch and Heli."
(p. 82.)

There are bulls of indulgence in Scala Coeli in Rymer's _Faedera_, xii.
565. 591. 672., xiii. 102.; but I can now only give the reference, as I
have not that work in hand.

C.H. COOPER.
Cambridge, April 6, 1850

* * * * *

WATCHING THE SEPULCHRE.

"T.W." (No. 20. p. 218.) will find no end of "Items" for watching the
sepulchre, in the "Churchwardens' Accounts" before the Reformation, and
during the reign of Queen Mary. At Easter it was the custom to erect a
sepulchre on the north side of the chancel, to represent that of our
Saviour. This was generally a temporary structure of wood; though in
some churches there still remain elaborately ornamented ones of stone.
Sometimes the founder's tomb was used for the purpose. In this sepulchre
was placed on Good Friday the crucifix, and occasionally the host, with
other emblems; and a person was employed to watch it till the morning of
Easter Day, when it was taken out with great ceremony, in imitation of
our Lord's resurrection. It was the payment for this watching that
occurs continually in the Churchwardens' Accounts, and of which, it
appears, Fuller could not understand the meaning. A paper on the subject
of Easter sepulchres, by Mr. Venables, was read at the meeting of the
Cambridge Camden Society in March, 1843, but I am not aware whether it
has been printed. Some very curious "Items" on this subject are given in
Britton's _Redcliffe Church_, which are quoted in the _Oxford Glossary
of Architecture_. They are so illustrative, that I subjoin them, to give
you an opportunity, if you please, of serving them up to your readers:--

"Item, That Maister Canynge hath deliver'd, this 4th day of
July, in the year of Our Lord 1470, to Maister Nicholas Petters,
Vicar of St. Mary Redcliffe, Moses Conterin, Philip Barthelmew,
Procurators of St. Mary Redcliffe aforesaid, a new sepulchre,
well gilt with gold, and a civer thereto.

"Item, An image of God Almighty rising out of the same
sepulchre, with all the ordinance that 'longeth thereto; that is
to say, a lathe made of timber and the iron work thereto.

"Item, There