SCHOOLS 



[primas obt'meai) and be head master or principal teacher {Archididascalus 

 sive precipuus mformator). An under or second master [Hipodidascalus she 

 secundarius mformator) was also to be appointed, possessing the same 

 moral qualities and skill in teaching as the head master, but he needed 

 only to be learned in Latin. The masters had no freehold in their 

 offices, but if lazy or careless or unfit [minus apti) for teaching, might, 

 after three warnings, be removed by the dean and chapter. The duties 

 of the head master were described as being ' to cultivate in religion 

 and adorn with learning alike the twenty boys of our church and all 

 others whatever coming to our school to learn grammar,' while the 

 second master was to teach boys under the head master the first rudiments 

 of grammar. The words as to other boys are important in view of the 

 frequent attempts to represent these cathedral grammar schools as 

 intended only for choristers. 



That there might be no mistake as to what was meant by ' main- 

 taining ' the twenty scholars on the foundation, another statute (chapter 

 29) was specially devoted to the point. In his rhetorical way the statute- 

 framer made preamble : ' That those who come together and praise God 

 together in choir, may also sit together and praise God together at 

 table,' and he then proceeded to order that ' as well the Minor Canons 

 and all ministers of the church in the choir, as the teachers of the gram- 

 mar boys and all other ministers of the church, the boys too learning 

 music and grammar, if it conveniently may be, shall eat together and 

 dine in a common hall.' In hall the precentor or senior minor canon 

 was to preside at the upper table, next came the head master, then the 

 minor canons. At the second table were the deacon and sub-deacon, 

 otherwise called epistoller and gospeller, eight clerks and the head master. 

 At the third were the grammar boys and choristers. The servants 

 dined afterwards [secundo prandio). The precentor as censor morum 

 looked after the behaviour of the men ; but only the masters were 

 to correct the boys. One of the canons or minor canons was to be 

 steward for the year, and provide ' all necessary store, as they call it,' 

 while a minor canon was to act as steward of hall for a month and 

 order dinner. The amount allowed for commons of the head master, 

 minor canons, and choristers' master was 6j". a month or is. bd. a week ; 

 for the clerks and under-master, 4;-. or is. 7.d. a week ; and for the 

 grammar boys and choristers, 3J. i\.d. a month or lod. a week. The 

 masters and scholars, like the minor canons and others, were to have 

 their livery, i.e. cloth for their gowns. 



Besides their commons and liveries, the stipends of the officers were 

 as follows : — 



i .. d. 



Head Master 11154 



Choristers' Master 5 7° 



Minor Canons 520 



Lower Master 4510 



Choristers 0150 



Grammar Boys 018 



205 



