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These days the clasp or closure for contemporary copes are usually tabs of stiffened cloth which feature a hook and eyelet arrangement, but in years gone by, the metal, sometimes jewelled ornaments of closure sewed to each side of a cope were pretty impressive and featured chains which connected the two side motifs. In existing vestments from the 20th century, inexpensive round or hexagonal disks are sewn on each side, and closed by means of a plated chain. The disks often have IHS, a heraldic design, cross, or other religious symbol pressed into the metal. Humeral veils will also be found using the morse and chain closure, although more commonly ribbons seem to be the case. The now-rarely-seen cappa nigra or cemetery cloak used to sport a pewter or silver morse and chain and looked so graceful blowing in the wind in winter. The big mystery for me is just where the word “Morse” came from originally. The Pope is wearing a morse of unusual size in the photo above.
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Also called the Monille, Firmula, Firmule or Pectorale, the name originally referred to the rectangular ornamented piece of material attached to the two front edges of the cope near the breast to prevent the vestment from slipping from the shoulders. Morses were provided with hook and eye, and were often richly ornamented with embroidery or precious stones. Later, the name was also applied to metal clasps used in place of the of woven fabric. The clasps, however, gradually lost their practical use and became mere ornaments, which were sometimes sewn firmly to the flaps that served to fasten the cope. This was the case when the clasp was very heavy or very valuable. As early as the thirteenth century we have evidence that the clasps formed distinct ornaments in themselves. Many churches had a large number of such morses usually made of silver covered with gold, they were ornamented with pearls, precious stones, enamel, architectural designs, small, figures of saints, etc. They were generally either round, square, quatrefoil, or like a rosette in form. There were also more elaborate and at times peculiar shapes. A great deal of proof of the desirability of costly morses is shown by the old inventories and by the numerous medieval morses preserved (especially in Germany) in churches and museums.” (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Below a photo of the Queen with two of the blue copes of Westminster Abbey showing a cloth tab morse (the copes also appear a tad short on the clergy).
Perhaps the most familiar of these textile panels is the dossal, sometime called a “dorsal” which refers to the back curtain panel behind the altar where generally a reredos would be found. Most likely the original word was dorsal, and dossal is a corruption of the word. A dossal may be a flat panel with a central large motif or it may be a gathered width of textile. Both types are suspended by a strong iron rod which is held in place by rod holders secured in the stone or wood. It seems likely that dossals had their origin in order to give dignity and beauty behind altars which had no beautiful carved or painted altarpiece or reredos. The addition of riddels, or side 
curtains might be a further enhancement for the altar or perhaps a practical draft blocker in chilly, drafty old stone cathedrals. In the photo to the left, four elaborate riddel posts are visible from which horizontal support rods are suspended for hanging the side curtains. The combination of dossal and riddels is not uncommon in the United Kingdom. A favorite textile pattern for these curtains is a small all-over floral or a tapestry of multicolor floral which will harmonize with all frontal colors. A plain unbleached linen is shown in the photo to the left as the curtain choice because the altar is dressed in Lenten array.
Below is pattern Braganza - a popular choice for a dossal along with Portuguese, Verona, Coronation
It is more rare to find a tester which overhangs the altar as a sort of canopy and is usually attached to the top of the dossal or is in fact simply all of a piece draped over a tester frame (see photo below).
The photo below shows a half-dossal and riddel arangement with a veiled hanging pyx suspended above the altar . The frontal with attached superfrontlet is in the familiar Portuguese tapestry pattern shown here with an attractive diced fringe. Note the riddel posts.
From A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape by James Stevens Curl
riddel(I) or riddle. In a church, the curtains suspended around an altar, sometimes from rods fixed into the wall behind, but more often from some means of hanging spanning between riddel-posts: there were normally four of the last, polygonal on plan, coloured and gilded, and crowned by angels, often supporting candelabra. Arrangements of riddels behind and around altars seem to have been not uncommon in England towards the end of the Gothic period, in the decades immediately before the iconoclasm of C16, and were revived in the early C20 during the late flowering of the Gothic Revival, notably by Comper and Temple Moore.
Bibliography
Comper (1893, 1897, 1933, 1950);
Dearmer (1911, 1931);
Dirsztay (1978)
I am glad to see the Lesage book on Amazon.com for under 5 dollars these days. It is actually volume 114 of The Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism, section 10 under The Worship of the Church and is translated from the French, published by Hawthorn Books, NY. 1960. This was one of the first books I found when beginning the study of vestments and church furnishings, and is a very useful little volume of 152 pages. Topics included cover information on thuribles, altars, sacred vessels, candlesticks, the font, church bells, vestments and much more. Although some of the material covered applies to Roman Catholic usage, the book is well worth having for the history behind many of the vestments and vessels also used in the Episcopal church. The only negative about this publication may be that there are no diagrams or photographs.
You see them on Ebay identified as “short stoles” by those who are baffled. Once in a while you may see one dangling from left arm of the celebrant in an Anglo-Catholic parish- but seldom these days do you see them in Episcopal churches at the Eucharist. What is it? Well, it is one vestment element of the former basic Eucharistic vestment set- the maniple. How or why the maniple disappeared and went extinct on the chancel is a riddle. Were they getting in the way? Too fussy? Too much trouble? Was there a decree banning maniples? Nobody I have asked seems to know or have an answer. I receive armloads of old maniples in all colors to “recycle” and relocate. Ebay is flooded with unwanted maniples. And a maniple without its matching stole is an unwanted and sad thing indeed.
Along with the stole and chasuble (and perhaps a burse and chalice veil) , a Low Mass set of Eucharistic vestments always included a maniple. The maniple was the outward insignia indicating a subdeacon, deacon, or priest- all of whom are entitled to wear the maniple. The subdeacon receives the maniple, a deacon retains it as the stole (worn diagonally) is bestowed, and a priest or bishop retains the maniple along with the stole. Although of no practical use whatsoever, it has an ancient origin which is most probably Roman. The mappula was a sort of table napkin carried to meals which was used to wipe the mouth and folded at the end of the banquet and carried away folded over the left arm. There was also a silken ceremonial napkin called the mappa which was a luxury by the 4th century and had the dignity of a consular mark. Waved in the right hand, it was a starting signal for races or was waved to show enthusiasm at events and speeches.
At one point , in clerical use, deacons covered their left hand with it, subdeacons held the edges of the paten with it, and it was the “I” in the vestment layout in the sacred monogram IHS. Usually the stole and maniple ends 
matched exactly and were nearly always fringed. The shape of the end of the maniple echoed the shape of the stole ends and some got quite unusual with “spade ends” (think of the garden tool), triangular ends, flared ends and in the 1960′s pretty much no flare at all before the maniple went into obscurity. Got any maniple photos to share? I miss them- the Low Mass set looks a bit unfinished without them- and a jaunty biretta. Puts me in mind of that great song from the musical Annie- You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile. Alas, another reason to mourn Maniple Demise- they furnished a wonderful opportunity for beautiful and highly visible embroidery work. 
How did they go on and stay on? Sometimes a loop of elastic, sometimes a buttonhole which fit over a button on the alb sleeve- and sometimes you would just “Tie One On”!
Wippell’s (bless them) still stitches on a neat white button on the left sleeve of their superbly- constructed traditional alb, in hopes that not all sacristies have pitched out their maniples. Someday I suspect there may be a Friends of Maniples Society.
Admitted, some of these items of equipment have not been seen around church for some years, but some we have discussed recently and are still fairly common and still in use. Without Googling- can you name these? Answers tomorrow.
A few years ago I happened upon a great series of little books about decorative arts in the Church, textiles and church architecture which was printed by A.R. Mowbray and Co. of London in a series spanning the first decade of the 1900′s. “The authors will write for the average intelligent person who has not had the time to study all these matters, and they will therefore avoid technicalities, while endeavoring at the same time to present the facts with a fidelity which will not, it is hoped, be unacceptable to the specialist.”- as the Editor’s note proclaims at the beginning of each slim volume.
I am not certain exactly how many volumes there are in the series as I possess only four to date, but here is one of the later editions with a list. You will note the estimable Rev. Percy Dearmer, author of The Ornaments of the Ministers (a must-have history of vestments for sacristies) and The Parson’s Handbook, has forewords and contributions in many of these little books. For everything about The Rev. Percy Dearmer visit this Project Canterbury link http://anglicanhistory.org/dearmer/index.html You may read the entire Parson’s Handbook (full of great information) free at
http://anglicanhistory.org/dearmer/handbook/1899/index1899.html
Ornaments of the Ministers with all of its amazing vintage vestment photographs can be copied and viewed using several formats here http://www.archive.org/details/MN40293ucmf_4
If you know of any other volumes in this series, I would be delighted to know of them. My particular favorite is Church Embroidery by Alice Dryden which was published in 1911. The great period of Church embroidery was from the twelfth to the middle of the fourteenth century (opus anglicanum) and this little book offers many plates and photos of extant pieces of ecclesiastical embroidery of this period. Method and execution are also included with a particularly excellent chapter on couching and stitches.
These little books may be found on ebay, A Libris, Bibliofind, and other out of print online dealers in the 30-50 dollar range. I have had the most success in finding them in England. Well worth the investment!!
The exquisite piece of linen thread bobbin lace to the left was created by hand sometime around 1690-1700 and might be called Baroque- even Rococo. This is a monstrance or benediction veil. What’s the difference between a monstrance and an ostensorium? Not much. Monstrance comes from the verb monstrare, “to show clearly”. You can see the word monstrance in the English word “demonstrate“.
Ostendere also means “to show” and the word as applied to the vessel used for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is interchangeable with monstrance. A popular form this 
sacred vessel takes is a solar burst at the top of a vertical upright support, with many rays emanating from the central point, the place which contains the round luna, or lunette. This is a double glass or crystal lens set in a cylinder which contains a large priest host which has been consecrated. The lunette is easily removable, and usually each monstrance must have its luna custom-fitted. Monstrances and ostensoria (plural form) are made of the most precious materials affordable, and nearly always at the least gold-plated or sterling silver. Precious or semi-precious jewels are sometimes seen embedded around the lunette or in the base. When not in use, the lunette with the wafer inside may repose in a standing pyx inside the tabernacle. As the monstrance is waiting on the credence table or sacristy prior to the service, it must be covered with a white veil. Silk or handmade lace is preferred. It should completely cover the monstrance all around. 
The lace veil pictured above is 24 x 28 inches although each monstrance will 
have its own height measurements. Monstrances are sometimes constructed to look like miniature cathedrals, with Gothic spires and saints, or as a cross.
A corporal is generally spread on the center of the altar fair linen to receive the monstrance. I have seen some really beautiful benediction corporals in the state of Rhode Island. The white work with Eucharistic embroidery is worked on the finest batiste or fine linen. The corporal is of a generous size, and the burse used to carry it to the altar is sometimes slightly larger than the usual burse, and is always white, or white and gold. The monstrance will be handled with the humeral veil, once the Sacrament has been placed inside. Pockets are often provided at each end of the humeral veil for the hands to slip in. Several churches in the diocese have services of Benediction and observe Corpus Christi with a procession using the monstrance and baldicchino or canopy.
Today we have had a frantic note from a new guild which has to set up for Holy Communion on Sunday. Every sacristy should have an altar guild manual in plain view, – and always consult your rector, deacon, vicar, or head acolyte if there is an answer you need to know about how to set up for any type of service. Every single member of your altar guild should be trained to set up for any kind of service held at your church: weddings, baptisms, confirmations, Holy Communion, funerals, healing, etc.
Both the Gent/Sturges and Dorothy Diggs altar guild manuals are recommended for Episcopal church use. Edith Weir Perry is also a favorite, but hard to find as it is currently out of print. Here is an online altar guild manual which may be very helpful-and it covers most questions you may have. Click on this link below from the Diocesan Altar Guild, Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
Usually two purificators are tucked into the burse with the corporal. One purificator for the use of the celebrant will be already on the vested chalice between the chalice and paten. If your congregation is very large, or it is a special service where a larger-than-usual attendance is expected, sometimes a flagon must be used for the wine, and a second chalice may be needed. Always ask your clergy if there is any doubt. Ushers often keep a count of the number in the congregation, which is helpful. This number can be discreetly sent up to the chancel on a small slip of paper during the presentation of the gifts. It is better to have all supplies which may be needed at the ready rather than to run short. Your celebrant should never have to worry about these details- this is the job of the altar guild. Be prepared. Fresh small linens, wafers, wine, and a spare fair linen must always be in the sacristy without fail. Matches should also be handy in the chancel at all times, along with a hymnal, Bible, and Book of Common Prayer. Real thoughtfulness might also include a glass or bottle of drinking water, tissues and cough drops discreetly tucked away in the pulpit or within easy reach somewhere closeby to the chancel. Your priest may choose such a place to store these emergency items. You may just enjoy the everlasting gratitude of your priest! Anticipate probable and possible need before it becomes a crisis and things will run smoothly.
ttp://www.epicenter.org/Images/edot/Documents/PDF/2006_AGManualComplete.pdf
Well, I have left the two rarest of the veils till last. If anyone has either of these in their sacristy- please do share a photo with us. The photo at the left is an ornamental gremial veil, which is worn rather like an apron by a Bishop or Archbishop conferring Orders. It is purely ornamental in this case and you can see it is not utilitarian in any sense. There is however another type of gremial veil worn during the anointing at Confirmation. Sometimes a large amice is substituted upon the lap of the Bishop. The purpose of this veil is to protect the vestments of the Bishop, therefore it should be made of plain white linen or cotton (linen is preferred), and is rarely ornamented. I have seen the faldstool at St. John’s Bowdoin Street in Boston http://stjev.org/ and it is when the Bishop is seated on the faldstool at the center, ready to receive those about to be confirmed or received, that the gremial veil is spread upon the lap. This is usually done by an attendant of the bishop or the Master of Ceremonies. Never seen a faldstool? They come both plain and fancy and 
are very convenient for the bishop. If your parish does not have one, they are easy enough to make if you have a talented carpenter parishioner in your midst. The original style has no armrests although modified ones are also seen. . There is an excellent article on the gremial (or gremiale) in Roman Catholic usage, including a photo of Pope Benedict wearing a silk one at this link http://www.templestudy.com/2009/03/20/gremiale-apronlike-catholic-liturgical-vestment/comment-page-1/ I have seen the substitution of a large amice at Confirmation in place of the gremial in several churches in the state. Another thoughtful consideration is to have a small tray containing water in a lavabo bowl and small wedges of fresh cut lemon and a fine linen lavabo towel at the ready near at hand for the bishop to wash off the chrism oil at the end of the anointing. Want to make a gremial veil? It should be about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long.
Pius IX’s very fancy faldstool.
Finally, my last word on veils- I would daresay that there is not a communion rail veil in the state. This long, narrow, embroidered and sometimes lace-adorned linen is fairly obsolete in the United States. Once I thought I had found one in East Greenwich but it turned out to be a very long fair linen. As the name implies, this veil covered the altar rail (also an item seen more rarely) to catch crumbs and drops of consecrated elements. Here is a photo-and the only one I have ever seen. Although we may never have an occasion for some of the items mentioned recently, any good sacristan ought to know the terms and history of all sacristy equipment, past and present.
Not long ago I was visiting a sacristy when an altar guild member brought out a long white silk textile and asked me if it was to be used as an altar frontlet or credence “runner”. I saw two ribbons attached to the lining side and informed her it was a humeral veil. These can be purchased separately but they often come with a matching cope. It is more likely to find a white or gold veil in most Episcopal church sacrisities than any other liturgical color, although they can be found in all the liturgical colors. (except black)
The humeral veil is most often seen during the liturgy of Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. When the priest or deacon blesses the people with the monstrance, the hands are covered with the ends of the veil so that the hands do not touch the monstrance, as a mark of respect for the sacred vessel and as an indication that it is Jesus present in the Eucharist who blesses the people and not the minister. White or gold is the general prefered color for this service. Below is a photo from a supplier of vintage vestments called French Yesterdays http://www.french-yesterdays.com/index.html -a site worth visiting to see extraordinary vestments and embroidery of decades past.
In the Solemn High Mass the subdeacon uses a humeral veil when carrying the chalice, paten, or other sacred vessels, which should be touched only by the deacon and it is in the color of the day’s vestments. This particular use of the humeral veil is not often seen in the Episcopal church today, although some Anglo-Catholic parishes in the state still observe this usage.
Humeral veils are at least 8 feet long and a foot and a half wide and are worn around the back and shoulders. Humeral refers to the humerus, a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow-the area draped by the veil. Often small pockets are found at each end of the veil in which the hands may be inserted. The ends are frequently fringed, and a large embroidered motif, either a sacred monogram or Eucharistic symbol such as a chalice and host, may be found in the center. Ribbons, a chain and hook, or a clasp help to hold the veil in place.
Coming from a Meth
odist background, I must confess to being very intrigued with the textiles and metalware of the Church. Spending my high school years in a Roman Catholic convent school probably had something to do with fostering an interest in All Things Liturgical. I came right in on the heels of Vatican II, but our nuns were a little slow getting around to the little changes, so I still vividly recall having to wear a little lace veil to Mass (which was in Latin), and seeing all of the textiles from maniples to ciborium veils which were used prior to 1969. In some Episcopal churches, even today, many of these veils, and other textiles may still be seen. The most familiar, of course, is the frontal which covers the altar. Frontals or frontlets are 
usually in the color of the feast of the day, or liturgical season. They are, in a sense, a veil for the altar. Many churches in our diocese still use the vested chalice which employs a silk chalice veil, usually matching the vestments of the day.
At one time, the patronesses of the parish, who traveled extensively, collected fine linen and lace, often in the form of handkerchiefs, from Italy or Belgium- and donated these items to the sacristy to be used as ciborium veils. Whenever the Blessed Sacrament was transported from the high altar to a chapel altar or elsewhere, a beautiful white linen and lace veil was draped over the ciborium, the sanctus bells were rung, and everyone in the church stopped their work and genuflected when the ciborium passed by. Machine lace was NEVER allowed-only handmade. I have seen several of these ciborium veils with a buttonhole in the center to fit over the ciborium lid cross in Episcopal churches in the diocese when I visit sacristies. Altars which still use a tabernacle situated in the center of an altar retable or gradine will use a pair of 
tabernacle veils (or curtains) -often in silk the color of the paraments for the day. These are usually fringed, handsomely embroidered, and suspended on a brass rod. Many from the 1800-1900′s have small ivory rings at the top which thread over the rod. Cylindrical tabernacles have a sort of canopy arrangement. Inside the tabernacle (or aumbry) there is often a pair of fine linen veils or curtains. These are sometimes trimmed with fine handmade lace. At St. John’s church we always launder these on 
Good Friday when the tabernacle is empty and open. I recall the nuns (training we young sacristans) emphatically scolding us that only the priest or deacon should be opening the tabernacle and handling consecrated elements.
Tomorrow- humeral veils, gremial veils- and baldicchinos! I guarantee a bishop will be most impressed if you happen to have a gremial veil in your sacristy! 
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