272 Cathedral Life and Work at Sariim in Olden Times. 



appointment, and it was certainly more than a mere act of good policy 

 to connect the heads of such houses closely with the diocesan church. 

 It taught them especially to look to the cathedral as the " matrix 

 ecclesia " after all — the church in which every baptized person in 

 the diocese — lay or cleric, regular or secular — might find a spiritual 

 home. 



In addition to this there were three prebends — those of Okeborne, 

 Upavon, and Loders — which were held respectively by the Abbots 

 of Bee — of St. Wandragesil — and St. Mary Montebergh, in Nor- 

 mandy. These were exempted from the duty of residence, but en- 

 joyed all the privileges of canons. In truth, the two last Abbots 

 voted as canons, at the election of Robert Bingham in 1229. 



The duties connected with the many services at the cathedral re- 

 quired, not only a large number of canons, but of canons in various 

 grades of holy orders. Hence the prebends were held, some by 

 Priests — some by Deacons — some by Sub-Deacons. Of the 

 first there were, in 1225 and onwards, tiventy-two, of the second 

 eighteen, of the third thirteen. And inasmuch as the canons were 

 prevented oftentimes by other duties from being present at the differ- 

 ent services — there were seven canonical " hours " — each one was 

 required to appoint a vicar, in like orders with himself. By the 

 statutes of 1319, as settled in the time of Bishop Roger de Mortival, 

 tbere were required to be present at each service thirteen vicars on 

 the " Decani " side, and a like number on the " Cantoris " side of 

 the choir. An arrangement was made at the same time, by which 

 a certain number of the canons were bound to residence, selected 

 partly from one side of the choir and partly from the other, and 

 consisting of Priests, Deacons, and Sub-Deacons. So that there were 

 never to be less than from thirty-five to forty present, exclusive of 

 the " Quatuor Personse,^' who were bound to perpetual residence. 



Besides these there were many included under the general term 

 "Ministri Ecclesise,^^ and also the "Pueri," amongst whom were 

 reckoned, not only the choristers, but other youths employed in one 

 part or other of the services. Hence, at no time, if these statutes 

 to which I have referred were observed, could there have been fewer 

 in the choir than seventy or eighty. 



