medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I was in fact familiar with the term suffrages, though it didn't seem quite strong enough for the practice described by Seelgerät.
Christopher, John, as usual, the OED has the final word: 'Chantry' comes closest then, I'd say.
Thank you all very much for your help. I'm glad a few other people seem to have benefitted from this discussion as well.
Sandra
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Christopher Crockett
Sent: 01 April 2005 16:10
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Subject: [M-R] Re: [M-R] Re: [M-R] Re: [M-R] Seelgerät?
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> Sandra Lowerre wrote:
> > There is a technical term in German for the medieval gesture of
> > giving money to a monastery with the idea that the monks then pray
> > for the donor's soul and say masses to ease his purgatorial tortures
> > etc. These masses could also be held for deceased loved-ones. The
> > term used in German is "Seelgerät".
> >
> > Is there an English technical term for this practice, too?
>
> The nearest is probably a "chantry", which is a formal endowment for a
> priest to say these masses, but usually at a parish or collegiate church,
> rather than a monastic one.
>
> John Briggs
3. An endowment for the maintenance of one or more priests to sing daily mass
for the souls of the founders or others specified by them. Also applied to the
body of priests so endowed.
OED:
CHANTRY:
3. An endowment for the maintenance of one or more priests to sing daily mass
for the souls of the founders or others specified by them. Also applied to the
body of priests so endowed.
c1386 CHAUCER Prol. 512 And ran to Londone, unto Seynte Poules, To seeken
him a chaunterie for soules. 14.. Tundale's Vis. 2080 Men that..foundyd
chyrchys and chantryse. 1509 Plumpton Corr. 206 To occupie peassiablely his
poore chawntory all the profitte & commodity to the said chawntory belonging.
1545 BRINKLOW Lament. (1874) 86 The greate substance which ye bestowe vpon
chauntries. 1775 T. WARTON Hist. Eng. Poetry II. 98 Priam founds a regular
chantry of priests. 1868 MILMAN St. Paul's 145 The foundation of chantries, in
which masses were to be sung for the departed.
b. A chapel, altar, or part of a church so endowed.
1418 E.E. Wills (1882) 27 To singe goddys seruice for my soule..in the
Chaunterie of the Chirche of Saint Leonard. 1599 SHAKES. Hen. V, IV. i. 318, I
haue built two Chauntries, Where the..Priests sing still for Richards Soule.
a1600 Rites & Mon. Ch. Durham (1733) 56 In a Chantry made of most excellent
blue Marble stood our Lady's Altar. 1826 SCOTT Woodst. i, It still contains
some arches of the old chantry. 1868 J. H. BLUNT Ref. Ch. Eng. I. 31
‘Chantries’ were added to churches, or enclosed by screens within them,
for the erection of altars.
c. attrib. as in chantry-house, -door, -lands, etc.; chantry-priest, a
priest attached to a chantry.
1480 Bury Wills (1850) 62 My seid chauntry priest..wiche is assigned to pray
for the seid soules. 1546 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 62 Unius cubiculi vocati
le Chauntre house. 1549 LATIMER Serm. before Edw. VI (Arb.) 68, I woulde not
that ye should do wyth chauntrye priestes, as ye dyd wyth the Abbotes. 1663
SPALDING Troub. Chas. I (1829) 47 Having used the service book peaceably
within the chantry [printed chanry] kirk of Ross. 1732-8 NEAL Hist. Purit.
(1822) I. 65 The chantry-lands were sold among the laity. 1881 Academy 29 Oct.
334 The chantry-priests had a character of their own.
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