THE MOVEABLE FESTIVALS. 381 



Nostris, beata Trinitas, 

 Iiifande lumen cordibus. 

 Te inan^ lauduiii carmine, 

 Te deprecamur vespere, 

 Digneris, lit te supplices 

 Laudemus inter Coelitcs. 

 Patri, simulque Filio, 

 Tibique sancte Spiritus, 

 SicHt fuil, sit jugiter 

 Saeclum per omne gloria. 



13. CORPUS CHRISTI DAY. 



Festum Corporis Christi, 

 Le Fete Dieu. — Fr. 



Obs. The institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist was 

 formerly celebrated with solemn thanksgiving to the Divine Good- 

 ness on Maundy Thursday in Holy Week ; but that time being 

 mostly taken up in commemorating the sufferings of our Saviour, a 

 proper solemn festival was appointed in honour of this great mys- 

 tery. Pope Urban IV. in 1264 fixed it on the Thursday after the 

 Octave of Whitsunday, commanding it to be observed over the whole 

 Church witli a solemnity equal to the four great festivals of the year. 



Garlands, and pageants representing the history of our Saviour, 

 used to be hung about on this day. 



In the Churchwardens' Accounts of St. Mary at Hill, in the city 

 of London, 17 and 19 Edward IV. Palmer and Clerk churchwar- 

 dens, the following entry occurs ; — " Garlands on Corpus Christi 

 Day, xd." 



We find among the ancient annual church disbursements, " for four 

 men bearing torches about the parish" on this day, payments of Iri. 

 each. Among the same accounts, for, the 19th and 21st years of 

 Edward IV. we have : " For flaggs and garlondis, and pakthredde 

 for the torches, upon Corpus Christi Day, and for six men to bere 

 the said torches, iiijs. vijd." And in 1485, " For the hire of the 

 garments for pageants, is. viijrf." 



Rose garlands on Corpus Christi Day are also mentioned under 

 the years 1524 and 1525, in the parish accounts of St. Martin 

 Outwich, 



Hymnus ad festum Corporis Christi. 



Range lingua gloriosi. 

 Corporis mysterium, 

 Sanguinisqne pretiosi, 

 Queni in Muncli pretinm 

 Fructns ventris geneiosi 

 Rex eft'udit Gentium. 

 Nobis dtitus, nobis natus 

 Ex iiitacia Virgine, 

 , £t in mundo conversatus, 



Sparso Verbi seniine, 

 6 



