ALASCANS. The Protestant party in the reign of Edward VI., which was led by the Polish refugee, John Lasco. Lasco was much Interested in the theology of Zwingli. Before coming to England he was Superin tendent of the Reformed Churches at Emden in Fries land. Cranmer, who is said to have invited him to England, is thought to have been much influenced by his views. In London Lasco was made Superintendent of the Foreign Protestants. He worked in the interest of Puritanism, being opposed to the practice of kneeling at the Holy Communion, to the use of the surplice, etc. See M. W. Patterson, Hist.
ALB. An ecclesiastical vestment made of white linen. It was worn formerly in the Church of England, and is still worn in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a tunic with sleeves, and reached sometimes from head to foot. Other names for it were " camisia," " poderes," and " linea." Its use was perhaps suggested by the under garment or tunic worn by Greeks and Romans. A canon of the Fourth Council of Carthage (398) refers to its use by deacons; the Council of Narbonne (5891 to its use by deacons, subdeacons, and lectores. Isidore says (595):
" The poderes is a linen tunic worn by priests, fitting closely to the body and coming down to the feet; this is commonly called camisia " (quoted by Tyack). In later times the albs worn by English bishops were some times made of silk and coloured and embroidered. At the Reformation the use of the alb was regarded by the reformers as savouring of superstition. In 1571 Edmund Grindal (1519?-1583), then Archbishop of York, enjoined the churchwardens of his diocese to see that they were disused and destroyed. In the First Prayer Book of Edward VI. (1549) their use had been prescribed; but in the Second Prayer Book (1552) it was forbidden. In the Roman Catholic Church the priest still puts it on before saying Mass. See G. S. Tyack, Historic Dress of the Clergy, 1897; Cath. Dict.