and had charge of the relics, the books,
the sacred vessels, crosses, curtains, and palls. The Sacrist had
to superintend the tolling of the bells, to see that the church was
opened at the appointed times, that it was kept clean, and that
reverence was maintained at times of service. Under him were four
Vergers (wand-bearers), who enforced the Sacrist's rules, and took
care that bad characters were not harboured in the church, and that
burden-bearers were kept out. We have seen that these duties fell
largely into abeyance at certain times. Every Michaelmas Day the
Verger appeared before the Dean to give up his wand, and to receive it
back if his character was satisfactory. The Verger was bound to be a
bachelor, because, said the statute, "having a wife is a troublesome
and disturbing affair, and husbands are apt to study the wishes of
their wives or their mistresses, and no man can serve two masters."

The Chancellor kept charge of the correspondence of the Chapter, and
also superintended the schools belonging to the cathedral.

The Archdeacons of London, Middlesex, and Colchester had their own
stalls in the cathedral, but had no voice in the Chapter.

The Minor Canons, twelve in number, formed a separate college, founded
in the time of Richard II. They were, of course, under the authority
of the cathedral, though they had independent estates of their own.

The Scriptorium of St. Paul's was an important department, and was
well managed. Much of the work produced in it perished in the fire;
but there are some of its manuscripts still happily preserved, notably
the _Majora Statuta_ of the cathedral, in the Library there, and a
magnificent folio of Diceto's History, now in Lambeth Library.

Incidental notice has been taken in the preceding pages of Chantries
in St. Paul's, but we have to speak more fully of these, for they
formed a very large source of income, especially to the Residentiary
Canons. These Chantries were founded for saying masses for the souls
of the departed, even to the end of the world. St. Paul's was almost
beyond measure rich in them. The oldest was founded in the reign of
Henry II., after which time they multiplied so fast that it would
be impossible to enumerate them all here. There is a return of them
(quoted at length by Dugdale), which was made by order of King Edward
VI. Take the description of the second of them as he gives it. "The
next was ordained by Richard, surnamed Nigell [Fitzneal], Bi