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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture This reminds me of the title of a Josephine Tey mystery: A Shilling for Candles. It might be worth looking at synods & visitations to see what the basic provision of candles by a parish in England was expected to be. I have looked at such things for other reasons, but lights to be carried before the Viaticum would also figure into such regulations. Tom Izbicki Rosemary Hayes-Milligan and Andrew Milligan wrote: > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > > There is quite a lot about offering candles, either at the high altar > or to images of saints, both as something Lollards disapproved of and > as reparation for their sins, in the records of the heresy trials held > in Norwich 1428-31 (Heresy Trials in the Diocese of Norwich 1428031, > ed NP Tanner, Camden 4th Series vol 20, 1977). Holding lights as part > of a public penance was also common for both heretics and other > offenders. Richard Kyng of Wymondham, whose major error was to > believe that only bread remained after consecration had the following > penance enjoined: > > '.. tres fustigaciones circa ecclesiam suam parochialem de Wymundham > coram solemni processione eiusdem tribus diebus Dominicis more solito > facienda, PORTANS UNUM CEREUM CERE IN MANU SUA PONDERIS UNIUS LIBRE; > QUODQUE ILLUM CEREUM ULTIMO DIE DOMINICO HUJUSMODI PENITENCIA SIC > PERACTA OFFERAT SUMMO ALTARI DICTE ECCLESIE; et quod omni Dominica per > unum annum continuum tempore elevacionis corporis Christi ad magnam > missam UNAM TORCHEAM PRECII DUORUM SOLIDORUM, per ipsum RK sumptibus > suis propriis providendam, ob reverenciam sacramenti predicti teneat; > quoque singulis vigiliis festi Corporis Christi per triennium in pane > et aqua ieiunet' (ibid 107-8) > > I wonder what form the two shillings worth of torch took? > > Rosemary Hayes > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Shinners" > <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 3:50 PM > Subject: Re: [M-R] Medieval lighting > > >> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and >> culture >> >> A few things: >> >> Herbert Thurston (whom I always find informative despite the age of >> his scholarship) has an article on "candles" in the 1914 on-line >> Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03246a.htm) >> that makes some interesting points about the history of the >> liturgical use of candles, and notes that, since bees were considered >> to be virgins, their wax was a good symbol of Christ's flesh. That >> would undoubtedly carry some allure for medieval people making an >> offering. In any event, since beeswax was, and still is, expensive, >> it would add weight to anyone offering of a candle or wax ex voto at >> a shrine. (Wax also lasts a long time--there are wax writing tablets >> from Roman times still quite legible--and is relatively inexpensive >> compared to molded metal or carved stone. This may have also made it >> a preferred medium for making an ex voto: malleability and durability.) >> >> Second, I've read a lot of wills from England from the 14th century >> onward, and even the most humble testators usually leave money to the >> "lights" (lumines) in their parish church, either generally "ad >> ecclesiam" or to a specific saint's altar. >> >> Finally, A. Roger Ekirch's already-mentioned "At Day's Close: Night >> in Times Past" really is a fascinating read and addresses several of >> the questions we have rasied here. >> >> Best, >> John >> >> ------------------------------------------ >> John Shinners >> Professor of Humanistic Studies >> Saint Mary's College >> Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 >> Phone: 574-284-4494 or 574-284-4534 >> Fax: 284-4855 >> www.saintmarys.edu/~hust >> >> "Learn everything. Afterwards you will see that nothing is >> rfluous." -- Hugh of St. Victor (d. 1141) >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Anne Willis <[log in to unmask]> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Sent: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:56:47 -0400 (EDT) >> Subject: Re: [M-R] Medieval lighting >> >> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and >> culture >> >> >> >> >> >> _____ >> >> From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious >> culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of GarceauM >> Sent: 20 October 2009 14:09 >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Re: [M-R] Medieval lighting >> >> >> >> I work on miracle stories in Spain and offerings of candles and, >> particularly, of wax are extremely common. I should probably note >> that none >> of the saints I have studied in depth were canonized in the Middle Ages >> (though one was the Virgin). The offerings in general were highly >> valued >> and I have several regulations revolving around who gets to collect the >> offerings left at altars and what they can do with them; this seems >> to be a >> recurring problem in Vic, for example. >> >> Additionally, I have wondered - and Vauchez and Thompson don't really >> address this - about the physical malleability of the wax. As many >> of you >> know, wax offerings (and other votive offerings) were often made of the >> diseased/injured part either before it was healed (as in the problem was >> portrayed in the wax) or afterwards (a perfect arm, for example). I >> have >> seen prayers and miracle descriptions which seem to suggest that >> people are >> seeking, with the wax, to mirror what they want God and the saints to >> do - >> reshape their bodies. I wonder if, as in miracles from the 11th and >> early >> 12th century (Compostela) what we have is related to the physical >> actions >> taken by the saints to work miracles. James of Compostela in one of his >> miracles, for example, appears and physically sails a ship in a >> storm; the >> account includes wonderfully vivid details. Finucane in particular >> talks >> about the importance of candles measured to the sick as an offering, >> but, >> again, does not address malleability or even the physicality of wax. >> Has >> anyone seen anything similar or secondary work related to this topic? >> >> Michelle Garceau >> >> >> Assuming the wax used was bees wax, then that is malleable after >> placing in >> hot water for a short time. Alternatively you could use a Bain >> Marie, melt >> the wax and pour it into a mould. I presume sand moulds were an option. >> >> Wax was also used in the 'lost wax' method of casting bells. A model >> of the >> bell was moulded over a clay core and the inscription and decoration >> placed >> in the wax. A clay covering was then placed over the wax. When the >> outer >> mould was dry, the wax was melted out of the gap before the metal was >> poured >> in. This method allows a very crisp decoration on the bell, and is the >> method generally used in French foundries. English bell founders >> generally >> use a core and cope. >> >> See also http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0210/Pillai-0210.html >> >> >> >> Anne >> > > ********************************************************************** > To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME > to: [log in to unmask] > To send a message to the list, address it to: > [log in to unmask] > To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion > to: [log in to unmask] > In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: > [log in to unmask] > For further information, visit our web site: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html