medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I decided to check Durantis, Rationale divinorum officiorum. Turns out
he treats Piscina as a synonym for "lauacrum," citing the "labrum eneum"
of Exodus 30 7 40. He says that is where the priest washes his hands.
That sounds like what we used to call a Lavabo bowl.
That took me to the Oxford English Dictionary, which has the
architectural meaning familiar to me:
2. a. Christian Church. A stone basin for draining water used in the
Mass, found chiefly in Roman Catholic churches (including some
pre-Reformation churches now used for Protestant worship), usually on
the south side of an altar.
1734 tr. Ceremonies & Relig. Customs II. 75 After the Communion is
ended, the Nuns scrape this Place [sc. the place on the floor where a
bit of the Host has fallen].., and even lick it, and cast the Shavings
into the Sink or Piscina. 1793 Gentleman's Mag. 63 I. 422/1 In its South
wall a piscina and locker. 1839 W. B. STONEHOUSE Hist. Isle of Axholme
226 The fenestella, or small niche, contained a vessel, bason, or
piscina, for washing the hands. 1874 J. T. MICKLETHWAITE Mod. Parish
Churches 132 The piscina is a sink or drain, through which the water
used in several ablutions is poured away. 1904 Athenæum 9 Apr. 473/2 The
piscina niches are numerous..but present no very special features. 1927
Amer. Mercury Nov. 351/1 Other Protestant churches have..narthexes,
parclose screens, ambulatories, piscinas, muniment rooms, crypts,
transeptal chapels and even Lady Chapels! 2000 Cornwall Today Dec. 66/2
Close to the coloured marble high altar is a piscina where the sacred
vessels were once washed.
So, both are legitimate uses of Piscina.
So I decided to look up Lavatory, & found use of it to mean what is a
Piscina to me:
1. a. A vessel for washing, a laver, a bath. Also Eccl. {dag}(a) a
piscina; (b) (see quot. 1866).
a1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. IV. 606 Whon he ha{th} vsed he walke{th}
riht To Lauatorie {th}er hit is diht For to wassche his hende. 1382
WYCLIF Exod. xxx. 18 And thow shalt make a brasun lauatory with his foot
to wasshe with. 14.. LYDG. in Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. v. 135 Whan the
preste gothe to the lauatori. 1412 Contract for Catterick Church (1834)
10 An awter and a lauatory acordaunt in the este end. 1435 Contract for
Fotheringhay Church in Dugdale Monast. (1673) III. II. 163 Lavatoris in
aither side of the wall, which shall serve for four Auters. 1519 Test.
Ebor. (Surtees) V. 100 To be buried wtin the where, nyghte to the
lavatori. 1538 Inv. in Archæol. LI. 72 Itm the lavetarye of tynne and
lead. 1649 JER. TAYLOR Gt. Exemp. III. sect. xv. 77 They should dip in
his lavatory, and be washed with his baptism. 1839 LONGFELLOW Hyperion
IV. iii, On a lavatory, below, sat a cherub. 1866 Direct. Angl. (ed. 3)
355 Lavatory, a water drain in the Sacristy where the Priest washes his
hands before vesting.
No wonder there is confusion!
Tom Izbicki
Thomas Izbicki
Research Services Librarian
and Gifts-in-Kind Officer
Eisenhower Library
Johns Hopkins
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410)516-7173
fax (410)516-8399
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