[Footnote 3: "[Greek: Heudonti kurtos hairei]. Dormienti rete trahit."]
_Rings formerly worn by Ecclesiastics._--In describing the finger-ring
found in the grave of the Venerable Bede, the writer of _A brief Account of
Durham Cathedral_ adds,--
"No priest, during the reign of Catholicity, was buried or enshrined
without his ring."--P. 81.
I have seen a similar statement elsewhere, and wish to ask, 1st, Were
priests formerly buried with the ring? 2ndly, If so, was it a mere custom,
or was it ordered or authorised by any rubric or canon of our old English
Church?
I am very strongly of opinion that such never was the custom, and that the
statement above quoted has its origin in the confounding priests with
bishops. Martene says, when speaking of the manner of burying bishops,--
"Episcopus debet habere annulum, quia sponsus est. Cæteri sacerdotes
non, quia sponsi non sunt, sed amici sponsi vel vicarii."--_De Antiquis
Ecclesiæ Ritibus_, lib. III. cap. xii. n. 11.