CHIME-BELLS, a mediaeval instrument consisting of a set of small bells of varying pitch which were arranged in a frame and struck with a hammer of ter the manner of a glockenspiel. They ranged in number from four or five up to as many as 14 or 15. The chime-bells were known also under the Latin name of cymbalum.
in modern English use the name of a garment worn as part of the ceremonial dress of Anglican bishops. It is a long sleeveless gown of silk or satin, open down the front, gath ered in at the back between the shoulders, and with slits for the arms. It is worn over the rochet (q.v.), and its colour is either black or scarlet (convocation robes). The origin of the chimere has been the subject of much debate ; but it is practically proved to be derived from the mediaeval tabard, an upper garment worn in civil life by all classes of people both in England and abroad. It has therefore a common origin with certain academic robes (see ROBES, Academic dress. The word "chimere," which first appears in England in the 14th century, is of uncertain origin. It occurs in different forms in various languages (Lat. chimera, Fr. simarre, Ital. zimarra) and may possibly be derived from the Greek
"wintry". This derivation is made plausible by the original character of the chimere ; for the word properly applies to the sleeveless tabard which tended to supersede, from the 15th century onwards, the inconvenient cappa clausa (a long closed cloak with a slit in front for the arms) as the out-of-doors upper garment of bishops. The chimere was, moreover, a cold weather garment. In summer its place was taken by the tippet. In the Anglican form for the consecration of bishops the newly conse crated prelate, hitherto vested in rochet, is directed to put on "the rest of the episcopal habit," i.e. the chimere. The robe has thus be come in the Church of England symbolical of the episcopal office, and is in effect a liturgical vestment. The civil quality of the garment still survives ; the full dress of an. Anglican prelate at civil functions of importance (e.g. in parliament, or at court) is still rochet and chimere. The continental equivalent of the chimere is the zimarra or simarre, which is defined by foreign ecciesiologists as a kind of soutane (cassock), from which it is distinguished by having a small cape and short, open arms (manches- f ausses) reaching to the middle of the upper arm and decorated with buttons. In France and Germany it is fitted more or less to the figure ; in Italy it is wider and falls down straight in front. Like the soutane, the zimarra is not proper to any par ticular rank of clergy, but for bishops and prelates it is orna mented with red buttons and bindings. It is worn by university professors. A black zimarra lined with white, and sometimes ornamented with a white binding and gold tassels, is worn by the pope.
the Report of the sub-committee of ConvocaBibliography.-Sec the Report of the sub-committee of Convoca- tion on the ornaments of the church and its ministers, p. 31 (London, 1908) ; the Rev. N. F. Robinson, "The black chimere of Anglican Prelates: a plea for its retention and proper use," in Transactions of the St. Paul's Ecclesiological Soc. vol. iv. pp. 181-220 (London, 1898) ; Herbert Druitt, Costume on Brasses (London. 1906) ; G. Moroni, Dizionario dell' erudizione storzco-ecclesiastica (Venice, 1861), vol. 103, s.v. "Zimarra" ; X. Barbier de Montault, Traite pratique de la con struction, etc., des eglises, ii. 538 (Paris, 1878) .
