MAUNDY THURSDAY, the Thursday preceding Easter, on which the king or queen distributes alms to a certain number of poor persons at Whitehall ; so named from the maunds, or baskets, in which the gifts were formerly contained. It was also called Shere Thursday, as we read in the Festival' of 1511 ; because anciently " people would that day shere theyr hedes and clypp theyr berdes, and so make them honest agenst Easter-day." The custom of the maundy is of considerable antiquity. Augustine, according to Du Cange, is first quoted for it. It was a charitable custom, and instituted in imitation of our Saviour's pattern of humility. Originally the bestower of the maund also washed the feet of a certain number of the recipients of the charity. This ceremony is still con tinued by the Pope in Rome. In England at least it was not entirely confiped to royalty. In the earl of Northumberland's Household Book,' begun in 1512, fol. 354, we have an enumeration of "Al maner of things yerly yeven by my lorde of his maundy, ande my laidis, and his lordshippi'a childeren." James II. was the last of our kings who performed the ceremony of washing the feet in person. The queen's royal alms are now distributed on Saturday at the almonry office, to the maundy men and women placed on the supernumerary lists, owing to the difference of the ages between the late king and her present Majesty. Both men and
women receive 21. 10s., and as many silver pennies as the queen has , numbered years. To the men, woollen and linen clothing, shoes, and stockings are given ; and to the women, in lieu of clothing, U. 15s. each. The maundy men and women also receive 1/. 100., a commu tation Instead of the provisions heretofore distributed.
Dr. E. D. Clarke, in his Travels in Russia,' 4to. Cambr., 1810, gives an account of the ceremonial of washing the feet of the apostles, as it is called, on this day at Moscow. " This,' he says, " we also witnessed.
The priests appeared in their most gorgeous apparel. Twelve monks, designed to represent the twelve apostles, were placed in a semicircle before the archbishop. The ceremony is performed in the cathedral, which is crowded with spectators. The archbishop performing all, and much more than is related of our Saviour in the 13th chapter of St. John, takes off his robes, girds up his loins with a towel, and pro ceeds to wash the feet of them all until he comes to the representative of St. Peter, who rises, and the same interlocution takes place as between our Saviour and that apostle." (Brand's Popular Antig., edit. by Sir H. Ellis, 1841 ; Fosbrooke's Encyclopaedia of Antiquities, p. 702.)