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The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed

Note 209-* — CONCLUDING CHAPTER.

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The locality, character, and construction of the confessional in our ancient churches are not yet clearly elucidated. Du Cange described the confessional, “confessio,” simply as “cellula in qua presbyteri fidelium confessiones excipiebant;” whilst according to De la Croix, in his remarks on those of the Gallican churches in the middle of the seventeenth century, “Les confessionaux doiuent estre à l’entrée des Eglises, et non pas auprés des Autels, ny dans le Chœur, ny en lieu caché, et tousieurs vne ouuerture pour écouter le Penitent, avec vn treillis de bois ou autre estoffe, et vn volet pour le fermer, quand on écoute de l’vn des costez ouuert.”

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