334 



On the Consuetudinary of S. Osmund. 



form ; for all the higher festivals four canons, two from the higher 

 and two from the lower form. To say that the choir was " ruled " 

 on any day meant that it was a festival of one or the other class. 



Arrayed in silken copes and furred almuces, and each bearing a 

 staff of beautiful workmanship, these Rulers of the Choir sat on 

 stools ranged from north to south. It was for the first Ruler to ask 

 at the beginning of evensong from the Precentor in what tones the 

 psalms were to be chanted, and by whom among the upper Canons 

 the antiphons were to be entoned. 



It is hardly worth troubling our readers with all the details of their f 

 duties, which are very explicitly laid down in the Consuetudinary, j 

 Suffice it to say, that they had the general control of the singing ; 1 

 and, amongst other duties, had to look after and watch over the | 

 boys, and to see that they did not misbehave or go out of the choir | 

 without leave. 



III. — In § xxv. we commence a series of minute directions for | 

 the mode of " executing the office " (de modo exequendi officium) 

 on various days; commencing with Advent Sunday, and going ? 

 through the course of the ecclesiastical year. Interspersed with I 

 these, are instructions for incensing the altar and the choir ; for j 

 blessing the holy water with which all the altars and the various j 

 worshippers were aspersed ; and for the daily reading and other I 

 ceremonies in the chapter-house after prime-song. In this portion | 

 also we have a minute description of the " Tabulae," or " Tables," j 

 in which those who were responsible for the various services, as well I 

 as the way in which they were to be carried out, were entered from 

 week to week. This portion of the Consuetudinary occupies no less I 

 than forty-four sections, i.e., from § 25 to § 69. 



Two matters, each of some little interest, it may be remarked in j 

 passing, are brought before us, or illustrated, in this portion of the 

 Consuetudinary. 



The first of them is contained in § 30, which is entitled " De 

 ordinatione clericorum in capitulo 33 and a brief reference to this will j 

 be found in a previous page, 1 but some further details may not be [ 



1 See above, p. 275. 



