\







THE EPISCOPAL ORNAMENTS. 191

mony of the consecration, and placed by the
consecrating Bishop on the third finger of
the right hand of the new Prelate, with
these words : " Receive the ring, the seal of
fidelity : that being adorned with inviolate
fidelity, thou mayest without stain guard
the spouse of God, that is, the Holy
Church."

Dr. Rock, speaking of the episcopal ring
of the English Bishops, when England had
the happiness of being Catholic, says :
** This ring was larger, and in conformity
with the style of those times, wrought more
heavy than the same kind of ecclesiastical
ornament is in our day. Though commonly
having for its stone a sapphire, it not
uiifrequently bore a deep broad emerald, or
a ruby ; and to keep it in its right place,
another plain but smaller ring was put upon
the finger just above it.''

THE TTnn:o avd dalmatic

Are, as we have said, the peculiar orna-
ments of the subdeaconship and deaconship,
yet the Bishop wears them, made of satin
of the colour of the day, under lv\a<t\saaNA!?A.,
when be pontificates. 1^ \a ^'eC\si'^^^>is^



THX CBOSIBR,

As an ensign of Episcopal autboritj
been in use since the sixth or seventli
tuiy. St. Isidore of Seville, a Sj
Bishop, who died in 6S6, says in hit
J)e Eccl. Officiis^ that a staff is given
newlj-consecrated prelate as a sign t]
is to rule and <x)rrect his people^ an<
with the infirmities of the weak*

The form of the Crosier has been <

ent at different epochs. Sometimes

merely a straight rod surmounted

transverse piece, so as to form a

••- n^ti^ipv* Some <



TIES BPI800PAL OBKAUBRTP. 1^3

mines were laid under contribution, and the
Crosier of the Bishop began to vie in value
and beauty with the sceptre of the king.
