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CHAPTER V.
THE ORNAMENTS OF THE CHURCH AND THE MINISTERS THEREOF.
THE ALTAR VESSELS. The Church possesses no Communion Plate of an early date, the oldest being given in 1702 by Sir William Hickman, of Gainsborough, who represented East Retford in the parliaments of the reign of King Charles II.
EAST RETFORD CHURCH.—THE ALTAR VESSELS
Below will be found details of all the Plate now belonging to the Church.
1.—A Silver Flagon, 11 inches high, with a lid and a handle. Weight 51 oz. 16 dwt.
2.—A Silver Salver, 47/8 inches high, and 9 inches in diameter, standing on a foot. Weight 21 oz. 13 dwt.
3.—A Silver Paten standing on a foot. Weight 8 oz. 5 dwt.
All these three were given in 1702 by Sir William Hickman, and are engraved with the Hickman Arms and the words, "East Retford Church."
There was a Chalice belonging to this set till 1875, when it was unhappily melted down, and used along with other silver to make a new one.
4.—This Chalice is 8§ inches high, and 4½ inches in diameter. Weight 14 oz. 11 dwt. The Crucifixion is engraved on the foot, and underneath the foot are the words:— "St. Swithun, East Retford, 1702. Restored 1875."
5.—A Silver Paten to go with the above chalice. Weight 5 oz. 7 dwt.
6.—A Silver Chalice with a large bowl, 8¾ inches high, weight 27 oz. 5 dwt., inscribed on the foot, "East Retford Church. The Communion Table. Presented on Whitsunday, 1840, by T. F. Beckwith, B.D., Vicar." IHS. is engraved on the bowl.
7.—A Silver Chalice, 6 inches high, the foot and the stem jewelled. Inscription, "East Retford Church, 1879." Weight 6 oz. 1 dwt.
8.—Paten, to match the last chalice. Weight 2 oz. 4 dwt.
9.—A Silver Chalice, 7¼ inches high, purchased by subscription. Weight 11 oz. 16 dwt. The foot is engraved with the Crucifixion, and the stem with the fleur-de-lis. Inscription, "St. Swithun, East Retford, 1882."
10.—A Silver Paten to match the last chalice. Weight 4 oz. 1 dwt. Inscription, "St. Swithun, East Retford, a thank-offering from A.F.E. and M.F.E., 1882." The initials are those of Canon and Mrs. Ebsworth.
11.—A Silver Gilt Chalice, 6¾ inches high, diameter of bowl 3¼ inches; the stem and foot are of hammered work set with garnets. Weight 10 oz. 12 dwt. Inscription, "The thank-offering of Elizabeth Conworth, Whitsuntide, 1887."
12.—A Silver Paten to match the last chalice; a cross set in a quatrefoil is engraved on the back. Weight 2 oz. 6 dwt.
13.—A Silver Ciborium, 6 inches high. Inscription, "Presented to the Parish Church of East Retford by the Guild of St. Mary the Virgin, Christmas Day, 1898." Weight 9 oz. 2 dwt.
A Ciborium is a vessel for holding the bread used at the Holy Communion when a large amount has to be consecrated.
14.—A Glass Cruet mounted with silver.
15.—A Glass Cruet mounted with electro plate.
The cruets are to hold the unconsecrated wine and water.
16.—Two Silver Spoons for the Communion of the sick.
17.—Two Silver-plated Alms Dishes, 97/8 inches in diameter. Inscription, "The gift of John Holmes to the Parish of East Retford, Anno Domini MDCCCXVIII."
There is also a large Brass Alms Dish.
Above the Holy Table are a Brass Cross given by Mr. Hawksley Hall, eight Brass Candlesticks, several Brass Flower Vases, and two Three-branched Candlesticks.
There is in the Church a Brass Processional Cross, which was given in 1875 by some churchmen of Nottingham.
The Church has three Banners. One, representing St. Swithun in his episcopal robes, was worked and given by Miss W. Hall in 1895. The other two were worked in 1896 by the Sisters of the Convent of St. Lawrence, at Belper. They are embroidered with symbols of the sacraments.
The Eucharistic Vestments. These consist of:—
1.—The Amice, a square linen garment to cover the neck and shoulders. It has an embroidered collar, or apparel, as it is technically called.
2.—The Alb, which is placed over the amice. It is a long flowing linen garment reaching to the ankles, with tight sleeves. Albs frequently have embroidered apparels on the skirts and sleeves, but those at East Retford are at present without them.
3.—The Girdle to go round the waist. It is made of linen thread.
4.—The Stole, which goes over the shoulders, the ends hanging down in front.
5.—The Maniple, a kind of small stole which is placed over the left arm of the celebrant. Formerly it was nothing more than a napkin intended to wipe the hands of the priest.
6.—The Chasuble, or distinctive sacrificial garment. It is an oval vesture without sleeves, with an aperture in the centre through which the head passes. Both in front and behind it has embroidered Y shaped strips or orphreys, the tail of the Y being extended upwards as far as the neck.
There are four sets of Silk Chasubles, Maniples, Stoles, and Apparels for the Amices, in the four colours, white, red, green, and violet. They are all richly embroidered, most of them being the work of Miss W. Hall.
There are also four embroidered Burses or Corporal cases, in the four different colours. The Corporals or Corporases are of linen, one being used to go on the Holy Table under the Sacred Vessels, and the other being the "fair linen cloth," with which the rubric orders the remains of the Consecrated Elements to be covered after all have communicated.