By Canon W. II. Jones. 335 



unfittingly introduced here, relating to the daily reading in the 

 chapter-house. This took place each morning after prime-song; 

 that is, soon after six o'clock. Walking in procession to the chapter- 

 house, all the members of the cathedral body present seated them- 

 selves according to their rank ; the Bishop occupying the central 

 seat, having on his right-hand the Dean, the Chancellor, the Arch- 

 deacons of Dorset and of Wilts (=:Sarum) the Sub-Dean; on his 

 left-hand the Precentor, the Treasurer, the Archdeacon of Berks and 

 the other Archdeacon of Wilts, and the Succentor. Then followed 

 in due order the Canons and Vicars, whether priests, deacons, or 

 sub-deacons, and after them the "clerics" of the minor orders. 

 The " pueri,'' or boys, including in them not only the choir, but 

 others serving in some of the inferior offices, all stood on the floor, 

 ranged on either side of the " pulpit," or, strictlji speaking, lectern. 

 One boy, habited in a surplice {superpelUceo), whose duty it was 

 for the week (and who was hence called " ehdomadarius ") , read 

 from the lectern the " martyrologie " and afterwards gave out the 

 " obits." After the boy had gone through the list, the officiating 

 priest, standing behind the reader, said "Auimse eorum, et animse 

 omnium fidelium defunctorum, per Dei misericordiam, requiescant 

 in pace/' And then he added, " Preciosa in conspectu Domini, %cg." 

 Then came a lection out of some pious writer. These lections 

 (collationes) were arranged previously by the Chancellor. According 

 to Clement Maidstone [Credi Michi,fol. 56), the writings of Haimo, 

 one of Aleuin's scholars, used to be read wherever the Sarum rite 

 prevailed. After the lection, if any member of the cathedral body 

 had been negligent of duty he now asked forgiveness of the Dean 

 and his brethren. Then, if it were a Sunday or a holy-day, the boy 

 who had read the lection read also the " Tabula," which was made 

 out always by the Precentor, naming (i.) — from among the canons 

 — the Rulers of the Choir, the readers of the lessons, the chanters 

 of the responses at mattins, the celebrant at high mass; and (2) — 

 from among the " pueri " — who was to read the chapter, to carry 

 the candles, to bear the holy water, or to be " thurifer," or 

 " acolyte," i.e., to bring in the chalice with the corporal cloths 

 during the week, or during the octave of the festival. 



