ROYAL MAUNDY CEREMONIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 39

ROYAL MAUNDY CEREMONIES.

Tho ceremony known for centuries as Royal Maundy took place on Thursday at I Westminster Abbey, Seventy - seven I persons —that being the number of Her Majesty's years—of each sex received tho annual bounties which commemorato tho new Commandment, "'I hat yo love ono another," given by Christ after ho had washed his disciples' feet. Tho ceremony still retains some of its quaint ami ancient usages. At 1 o'clock a procession was formed, headed by a beadlo of tlio Abboy bearing tho mace, and tho choristers and gentlemen of tho choir. Behind theso were clergymen in black gowns representing the recipients of tho Royal alms:—The Rev Arthur Gerald Bowman, vicar of St. Mark's, Ivennington ; tho Lev 11. Jennings, vicar of St. Clement's, East Dulwieh; tho Rev Henry Mills, vicar of Holy Trinity, Southgato; the b'ev Robert Hugh Morris, D.D., vicar of St. Gabriel, Pimlico; tho Lev R. Digby Rim, vicar of Hampton, Middlesex; and tho Rev A. O. Smith, vicar of St. Andrew, Islington. The Canons and Minor Canons of the Abbey followed : Canon Duckworth, Archdeacon Furse, Canon Gore, Precentor Truutbeck, the Rev D. Bainbridge and Minor Canon Gibbon. Tho Sergeant-major : of the Yeomen of the Guard preceded a ! yeoman who bore tho gilt dish containing the alms. Then came the Sub-Almoner (Canon Eyton), tho Lord High Almoner (Lord Alwyno Complon, Bishop of Ely), the Dean of Westminster, and four children of tho Royal Almonry, two boys and two girls, each carrying a bouquet of simple flowers and wearing white scarves i in memory of the white linen towels once used, and in Austria still used by mouarehs to dry tho feet of the pooi- on Maundy , Thursday. Tho secretary of Her Majesty's Almonry (Mr tlayward John Bidwell), and his assistant ('.Mr W. G. Hunt), followed, and the procession was closed by a number of Yeomen of flic Guard. As they passed in this order from tho nave into tlio choir Dr Bridge played a voluntary. Tho Lord High Almoner and the Sub-Almoner took their respective places in tho sacrariuin, the Bishop at tho north of tho holy table and tho Canon at tho south. The Dean and his Canons occupied their stalls, and the rest of tho clergy took up positions assigned to them. The, alms having been placed on a table at tho foot of the steps leading tothosacrarium, tho ollico appointed for the occasion, began with tho Psalm cxliii., 2, " Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, O Lord." Prayers wcro said by Canon Gibbon, and tho lesson was rend by Precentor Troutbeck. At the, end of the first anthem, "Wash mo thoroughly from my wickedness" (Humjihrey), tho first distribution was mado of clothing, or an allowance in lieu of clothing, to each woman £f 15:; and to each man £2 ss. After tho second anthem —"O taste and see how gracious tho Lord is " (Goss)--a further distribution was made, each recipient having handed to him or her two pui'bOS. Each red purse contained £1 in gold, representing part of the Maundy, and £1 10s, an allowance in lieu of provisions, formerly given in kind. Each white purse contained as many pence as the Queen has years—77. This sum i.; mad'' up of .specially-minted silver pennies, twopencos, threepences and f'ourpences, which have a commercial value apart from the intrinsic worth of tho metal. A third anthem—" Blessed ;uo tho Merciful " (Hilcs)-preceded the Second Lesson, and a fourth anthem —"The King Shall Rejoice in Thy Strength" (Handel) —served as an introduction to the prayer for the Queen's Majesty, The Benediction having been pronounced by Dean Bradley, tho congregat ion dispersed.