MITRE (from mitre, I.drpa, a head-band or diadem), the crown or pontifical ornament worn on the head by archbishops and bishops, and in some instances by abbots, upon solemn occasions.
The original meaning of Mitra, as it appears from Homer, is a " band" or " belt," worn by warriors to protect the lower part of the body. It is used by later writers to signify a band for the head, worn by the Greek females; and also more particularly to indicate the head dress worn by Lydian, Phrygians, and other nations of Asia Minor, which is sometimes called the Phrygian cap or bonnet.
It is not known when it was first adopted by the hierarchy, but it was probably not till the 7th century, when bishops were first esta blished by the Roman emperors. Gough, in his' Sepulchral Monu ments,' vol. i., p, cliii., says, " The mitres of Christian prelates were borrowed from the Apex or Tutu lus of the Flamen Dialis." The pecu liar form of the episcopal mitre, divided at the sides and pointed in front, is believed to be a symbol of the parted or cloven tongues, " like as of fire," which sat upon each of the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
The pope has four mitres, which are more or less rich according to the solemnity of the feast-days upon which they are to be worn. The cardinals anciently wore mitres, before the hat, which was first granted to them by the council of Lyon in 1245. Furetiere, in his ' Diction naire Universelle,' says that it was not till the lIth or 12th century that abbots were allowed to wear mitres. The Premonstratensians procured a constitution, which was confirmed by Pope Innocent III., that all the abbots of that order should wear them.
In England the mitre was certainly used by bishops as early as the time of the Saxons, and continued as long as the Roman Catholic religion was that of the state. Since that time (except at the coronation of Elizabeth), the mitre has appeared only as an heraldic ensign, sur mounting the episcopal coat of arms, unless perhaps in some occasional instance, such as Evelyn refers to in his ' Diary,' under 20th Dec. 1661.
" The bishop of Gloucester preached at the abbey at the funeral of the bishop of Hereford, brother to the duke of Albemarle. It was a decent solemnity. There was a silver Indtre with episcopal robes borne by the herald before the hcrse, which was followed by the duke his brother, and all the bishops, with divers noblemen." Mitres were however borne before the hearse at a bishop's funeral much later than the occasion adduced by Evelyn. Anciently, the mitre, as an orna ment, seems to have descended from bishop to bishop. Among the Cottonian manuscripts is an order, dated lst July, 4th Hen. VI., for delivering to Archbishop Chichely the mitre which had been worn by his predecessor. That it was an ornament of great expense may be gathered from the circumstance that Archbishop Pechehatn's new mitre, in 1288, cost 173/. 4s. Id. (See Ducarel's' Excerpts from the Lambeth Registers ; MS. Brit. illus.') As an heraldic ornament the mitre of a bishop is only surrounded by a fillet set with precious stones. The archbishop's mitre issues from a ducal coronet, but this appears to be an innovation of comparatively recent date.