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, strictly speaking, lectern. 

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

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

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

 ' " obits/'' After the boy had gone through the list, the officiating 

 J priest, standing behind the reader, said " Animse eorum, et animse 

 omnium fidelium defunctorum, per Dei misericordiam, requiescant 

 i in pace/'' And then he added, " Preciosa in conspectu Domini, &c." 

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

 (collationes) were arranged previously by the Chancellor. According 

 : to Clement Maidstone (Credi Mic7ii,fol. 56), the writings of Haimo, 

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

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

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

 j 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) — • 

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

 . 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. 



