By J. E. Nightingale, F.S.A. 359 



a considerable quantity of the eucharistic wine for the general 

 communicants, were called calices minister iales. 



In the Dlctionnaire de I'Academie des Beaux- Arts (vol. iii., p. 4) 

 an interesting engraving is given of the chalice of St. Ludger, 

 Bishop of Munster, at the end of the eighth century. This vessel 

 is without handles, and is somewhat curious as it bears a considerable 

 resemblance to the early chalice of Berwick St. James, Wilts ; the 

 form of the bowl, however, varies, being much less shallow than the 

 English example. This illustration was originally given by Dom 

 Martenne in the Voyage litteraire de deux Benedictins. 



This form of chalice with double handles is found in various 

 pictorial illustrations of the Anglo-Saxon period. A remarkable 

 example of such, known as the Ardagh Cup, was discovered a few 

 years since in Ireland, from whence so many beautiful instances of 

 early Christian art have come. The cup has two handles, and is 

 ornamented with an infinite variety of filigree patterns on plates of 

 gold, being Celtic work of the finest kind and period, portions of 

 which are enamelled. The date is believed to be the end of the 

 ninth or the early part of the tenth century. 



In the coffin of St. Cuthbert, who died in 688, was deposited, 

 with other personal relics, " a chalice of the purest gold supporting 

 an onyx stone made hollow by the most beautiful workmanship.^' 

 This was found intact when the coflSn was opened at Durham in 

 1104, but had disappeared during the "visitation" in the time of 

 Henry VIII., as was discovered when the coffin was opened again 

 in 1S27. (See Eaine's St. Cuthbert.) 



Priests were very usually buried with a chalice and paten; not 

 consecrated, and often of some inferior metal or wax. Occasionally, 

 also, in vestments ; either entirely vested, or with a surplice and 

 stole. Bishops were clothed for burial with more solemnity ; as, for 

 example, the Bishops of Durham, in the " Auncyente tyme, the 

 accustomed burying of the bushopes was to be buried as he was 

 accustomed to saye masse, with his albe and stole and phannell and 

 his vestment, with a myter on his head and his crutch [crozier] 

 with him, and so laied in his coffine, with a little challice of sylver, 

 other mettell, or wax ; which wax challice was gilted verie fynly 



