CHIME

chime, (1) (probably derived from a mistaken separation into two words, _chimbe bell_, of _chymbal_ or _chymbel_, the old form of "cymbal," lat. _cymbalum_), a mechanical arrangement by which a set of bells in a church or other tower, or in a clock, are struck so as to produce a sequence of musical sounds or a tune. for the mechanism of such an arrangement in a clock and in a set of bells, see the articles clock and bell. the word is also applied to the tune thus played by the bells and also to the harmonious "fall" of verse, and so, figuratively, to any harmonious agreement of thought or action. (2) (from mid. eng. _chimb_, a word meaning "edge," common in varied forms to teutonic languages, cf. ger. _kimme_), the bevelled rim formed by the projecting staves at the ends of a cask. chimere (lat. _chimera, chimaera_; o. fr. _chamarre_, mod. fr. _simarre_; ital. _zimarra_; cf. span. _zamarra_, a sheepskin coat; possibly derived ultimately from gr. [greek: cheimerios], "wintry," i.e. a winter overcoat), 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, gathered 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). by a late abuse the sleeves of the rochet were, from motives of convenience, sometimes attached to the chimere. the origin of the chimere has been the subject of much debate; but the view that it is a modification of the cope (q.v.) is now discarded, and it is practically proved to be derived from the medieval tabard (_tabardum, taberda_ or _collobium_), 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, was sometimes applied not only to the tabard worn over the rochet, but to the sleeved cassock worn under it. thus archbishop scrope is described as wearing when on his way to execution (1405) a blue chimere with sleeves. but 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. these chimeres, the colours of which (murrey, scarlet, green, &c.) may possibly have denoted academical rank, were part of the civil costume of prelates. thus in the inventory of walter skirlawe, bishop of durham (1405-1406), eight chimeres of various colours are mentioned, including two for riding (_pro equitatura_). 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 consecrated prelate, hitherto vested in rochet, is directed to put on "the rest of the episcopal habit," i.e. the chimere. the robe has thus become in the church of england symbolical of the episcopal office, and is in effect a liturgical vestment. the rubric containing this direction was added to the book of common prayer in 1662; and there is proof that the development of the chimere into at least a choir vestment was subsequent to the reformation. foxe, indeed, mentions that hooper at his consecration wore "a long scarlet chymere down to the foot" (_acts and mon._, ed. 1563, p. 1051), a source of trouble to himself and of scandal to other extreme reformers; but that this was no more than the full civil dress of a bishop is proved by the fact that archbishop parker at his consecration wore surplice and tippet, and only put on the chimere, when the service was over, to go away in. this civil quality of the garment still survives alongside the other; 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 ecclesiologists (moroni, barbier de montault) as a kind of _soutane_ (cassock), from which it is distinguished by having a small cape and short, open arms (_manches-fausses_) 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 particular rank of clergy, but in the case of bishops and prelates it is ornamented with red buttons and bindings. it never has a train (_cauda_). it is not universally worn, e.g. in germany apparently only by prelates. g. moroni identifies the _zimarra_ with the _epitogium_ which domenico magri, in his _hierolexicon_ (ed. 1677), calls the uppermost garment of the clergy, worn over the _soutane_ (_toga_) instead of the _mantellum_ (_vestis suprema clericorum loco pallii_), with a cross-reference to _tabardum_, the "usual" upper garment (_pallium usuale_); and this definition is repeated in the 8th edition of the work (1732). from this it appears that so late as the middle of the 18th century the _zimarra_ was still in common use as an out-of-doors overcoat. but, according to moroni, by the latter half of the 19th century the _zimarra_, though still worn by certain civilians (e.g. notaries and students), had become in italy chiefly the domestic garment of the clergy, notably of superiors, parish priests, rectors, certain regulars, priests of congregations, bishops, prelates and cardinals. it was worn also by the roman senators, and is still 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. more analogous to the anglican chimere in shape, though not in significance, is the purple _mantelletum_ worn over the rochet by bishops, and by others authorized to wear the episcopal insignia, in presence of the pope or his legates. this symbolizes the temporary suspension of the episcopal jurisdiction (symbolized by the rochet) so long as the pope or his representative is present. thus at the curia cardinals and prelates wear the _mantelletum_, while the pope wears the _zimarra_, and the first act of the cardinal camerlengo after the pope's death is to expose his rochet by laying aside the _mantelletum_, the other cardinals following his example, as a symbol that during the vacancy of the papacy the pope's jurisdiction is vested in the sacred college. on the analogy of the _mantelletum_ certain anglican prelates, american and colonial, have from time to time appeared in purple chimeres; which, as the rev. n.f. robinson justly points out, is a most unhappy innovation, since it has no historical justification, and its symbolism is rather unfortunate. authorities.--see the _report_ of the sub-committee of convocation 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 storico-ecclesiastica_ (venice, 1861), vol. 103, s.v. "zimarra": x. barbier de montault, _traite pratique de la construction, &c., des eglises_, ii. 538 (paris, 1878). (w. a. p.) chimesyan (_tsimshian_), a tribe of north american indians, now some 3000 in number, living around the mouth of the skeena river, british columbia, and on the islands near the coast. they are a powerfully built people, who tattoo and wear labrets and rings in noses and ears. they are skilful fishermen, and live in large communal houses. they are divided into clans and distinct social orders.