Thursday 9 February 2012

Consecration


When the Bell once ryngs (if they can not conveniently see) [the people] forsake their seates and runne from altare to altare, from Sakering [Consecration] to Sakering, peeping here and touting ther, and gazing at that thing, which the pildepate [tonsured] Priest holdeth up in hys handes. And if the Priest be weake in the armes, and heave not up hye ynough, the rude people of the countrey in diverse partes of England wyll crye out to the Priest, holde up Sir John, holde up. Heave it a littel hyer. And one wil say to another : "Stoupe downe thou fellowe afore, that I may see my maker. For I can not be mery, except I see my Lorde God once in a day."
(Thomas Becon, Displayeng of the Popysh Masse, in Workes, London, 1563. vol. iii. fif. xli. b. and xliiii.)

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