Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/348

 324 LOW SIDE WINDOWS. serves, that "if an irregular practice of this kind existed in parochial churches, and there were places requiring to be w^alled up, it would be in the province of the ordinary to direct it to be done." But the injunctions issued by the bishops and other ordi- naries of that period are extant, well known, and have been closely scrutinised, and no such ordinance has been brought to light. Other objections to this theory have been noticed as they obviously occurred in describing particular examples. Those of Prior Crawden's chapel and "La Sainte Chapelle" are not easy to surmount. 3. Tor lepers to assist at mass; this conjecture is attributed to Dr. Rock, whose character and studies give great weight to his opinion, and entitle it to respect and consideration ; but the facts that some are so close to the ground that it would be necessary for the lepers to lie down to see through them, that others would be some feet above their heads, and that very few command a view of the altar platform, seem decisive against this theory. 4. For excommunicated persons doing penance preparatory to their being re-admitted into the church. The same objec- tions which apply to No. 3 apply to this also. 5. To place a light in, to scare away evil spirits from the churchyard. The situation of these windows is generally not convenient for such a purpose ; and the existence of such a practice in this country requires confirmation, although we are aware that in Fi'ance numerous examples are found of stone pillars in churchyards, with an opening for a lantern at the top, said to have been used for this purpose. 6. That they were offertory windows; this theory is sup- ported by Mr. Paley, who adds, " It appears that they origi- nated from an order of recluses, or solitarii, who had their oratories coniiguoiis to, or adjoining churches, and who, not being allowed to communicate with any assembly of men, had these little windows constructed " ut per fenestram pos- sunt ad missas per manus sacerdotum oblationes • offerre." See Martene de Antiquis Ecclesiae Ritibus, lib. i. cap. iv. art. vi. sect. 7^. '' Mr. Paley's reference to Martene that the words omitted by Mr. Paley is erroneous, which gave us some trou- give the passage a directly opposite ble in finding this passage. To save meaning to that he attribvites to it; the our readers a repetition of this trouble windows mentioned are those of the ora- we here give it entire : it will be seen tory, not of the church : the entire passage