the Godfathers and Godmothers follow into the midst of the Church, where there is a small table ready set, and on it an earthen pot ful of warme water, .
[ '&r-th&n, -[th] ] (adjective.) 13th century. Used before 1325 as erthen, from eorthene, presumably from Middle English erthe, eorthe ("earth").Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, Robert K. Barnhart (ed.), Chambers, 1988