Secular orders, Medieval English

Medieval Secular Orders in England The secular, or non-monastic, clergy of the medieval English church fulfilled a variety of roles, ranging from parish priests to the clergy of secular cathedrals and collegiate churches. Of England’s nineteen cathedrals, in the later middle ages, ten were served by chapters of monks or regular canons and nine by chapters of secular canons. In addition to the dean and canons of the chapter, secular cathedrals also employed a college of ordained vicars choral to sing the services of the Divine Liturgy, and various other minor clergy (on the organisation of secular cathedrals see Edwards, 1967). The organisation of collegiate churches was similar to secular...