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== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_24028" /> ==
<p> In the Romish [[Church]] the ceremony of excommunication was formerly attended with great solemnity. [[Lamps]] or candles were extinguished by being thrown on the ground, with an imprecation that those against whom the excommunication was pronounced might be extinguished by the judgment of God. The summons to attend this ceremony was given by the ringing of a bell, and the curses accompanying it were pronounced out of a book by the priest. Hence the phrase of "cursing by bell, book, and candle." The following account, from the articles of the General Great Curse, found at [[Canterbury]] A.D. 1562, is set down by [[Thomas]] Becon, in the Reliques of Rome. This was solemnly thundered out once in every quarter — that is, as the old book saith; — "‘ The Fyrst Sonday of Advent, at comyng of our Lord Jhesu Cryst: The fyrst Sonday of Lenteen: The Sonday in the Feste pf the Trynyte: and Sonday within the Utas (Octaves) of the Blessed Vyrgin our [[Lady]] St. Mary.' At which Action the [[Prelate]] stands in the [[Pulpit]] in his Aulbe, the [[Cross]] being lifted up before him, and the Candles lighted on both sides of it, and begins thus, ‘ By [[Authority]] God, Fader, Son, and Holy- Ghost, and the glorious Mother and Mayden, our Lady St. Mary, and the Blessed [[Apostles]] Peter, and Paul, and all Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Vyrgyne, and the hallows of God; All thos byn accursed that purchases Writts, or [[Letters]] of any Leud Court, or to let the Processe of the Law of [[Holy]] Chirch of Causes that longen skilfully to Christen Court, the which should not be demed by none other Law; And all that maliciously bereaven Holy Chirch of her right, or maken Holy Chirch lay fee, that is hallowed and Blessed. And also all thos that for malyce or wrathe of Parson, Vicare, or Priest, or of any other, or for wrongfull covetyse of himself withholden rightful Tyths, and Offerings, Rents, or Mortuaries from her own [[Parish]] Chirch, and by way of covetyse fals lyche taking to [[God]] the worse, and to hemself the better, or else torn him into another use, then hem oweth. For all Chrysten Man and [[Women]] been hard bound on pain of deadly Sin, not onlyche by ordinance of Man, but both in the ould Law, and also in the new Law, for to pay trulyche to God and holy Chirch the Tyth part of all manner of encrease that they winnen trulyche by the [[Grace]] of God, both with her travell, and alsoe with her craftes whatsoe they be truly gotten.' And then concludes all with the [[Curse]] it self, thus, ‘ And now by Authoritie aforesaid we [[Denounce]] all thos accursyd that are so founden guyltie, and all thos that maintaine hem in her Sins or gyven hem hereto either help or councell, soe they be departed froe God, and all holi Chirch: and that they have noe part of the Passyon of our Lord Jhesu Cryst, ne of noe Sacraments, ne no part of the Prayers among Christen Folk: But that they be accursed of God, and of the Chirch, froe the sole of her [[Foot]] to the crown of her hede, sleaping and waking, sitting and standing, and in all her Words, and in all her Werks; but if they have noe Grace of God to amend hem here in this Lyfe, for to dwell in the pain of [[Hell]] for ever withouten End: Fiat: Fiat. [[Doe]] to the Boke: [[Quench]] the Candles: [[Ring]] the Bell: Amen, Amen.' And then the [[Book]] is clapped together, the Candles blown out, and the [[Bells]] rung, with a most dreadful noise made by the [[Congregation]] present, bewailing the accursed persons concerned in that [[Black]] [[Doom]] pronounced against them." </p>
        
== The Nuttall Encyclopedia <ref name="term_68803" /> ==
<p> A ceremony at one time attending the greater excommunication in the Romish Church, when after sentence was read from the "book," a "bell" was rung, and the "candle" extinguished. </p>
        
==References ==
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<ref name="term_24028"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/bell,+book,+and+candle Book Bell And Candle from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
         
<ref name="term_68803"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/the-nuttall-encyclopedia/bell,+book,+and+candle Book Bell And Candle from The Nuttall Encyclopedia]</ref>
        
</references>