MORTUARY CHAPELS, LICHFIELD. ,23 



parish church (whose Masses were said at the high altar), built 

 a vestry-the doorway to which seems to have been recently dis- 

 covered m the north chancel wall-to contain the vestments of 

 the chaplain, and the coffer wherein the endowment deeds were 

 deposited j and I may also add that when Dean Heywood was 

 budding a new chapel in connection with this Cathedral, in i 474 

 he added a strong room for evidences and valuables (Cantaria s' 

 Blasu, vol. it, f. 27, Chapter MSS.). The general sacristry of the 

 Cathedral, bu.lt in the 13th century, was probably not one whit 

 too large for the wealth of vestments and ornaments, &c per- 

 tainmg to the high and other subsidiary altars ; and what is more 

 hkely than that the executors of Bishop Langton, when so 

 materially increasing the size of the fabric, should provide small 

 rooms for such purposes. I therefore think that I have given 

 some good reasons for supposing that the east and central 

 chambers may have been for the reception of the endowment 

 cnarters of the priest of Our Lady and the vestments and other 

 valuables pertaining to the Mary Altar, whilst the western one 

 with its separate door, may have served in a similar way for 

 the chantry of less importance connected with the memory of 

 King Edward. 



It should also be noted, as a minute confirmation of my 

 view, that the free admission of air was considered advisable 

 for the contents of these chambers, as the windows or shutters 

 were fixed on hinges. 



In putting these notes together, I desire to acknowledge my 

 indebtedness to the Right Rev. Bishop Hobhouse, and to Mr. 

 Irving, the courteous clerk of the works. 



It may not be out of place to add that this Lady Chapel 

 seems to have been specially appropriated to earlv services. It 

 was here that the Matin Mass was ordered to be said at five 

 a.m., by Bishop Heyworth's statutes (1420-1447). matins having 

 been said at midnight, and then the Holv Sacrifice was to 

 continue to be celebrated by the different chaplains at their 

 respective altars, hour by hour, until ten o'clock, when Hi<di 

 Mass was sung at the high altar. By Bishop Hacket's statutes 

 an early service was to be said here, at six a.m. daily, for the 



