XXI. VISITATION OF S. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL (fn. 1) BY BISHOP BLOMFIELD, (fn. 2) 1848.
Statute or Ordinance concerning the Vicars Choral of S. Paul's.
The Right Reverend Edward (fn. 3) Lord Bishop of Llandaff, Dean of the Cathedral Church of
Saint Paul, London, and the Chapter of the same Church, in Chapter assembled, on the fourth day
of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, for the better
order and regulation of the Choir of the said Cathedral Church, and with the consent and approval
of the Right Honourable and Right Reverend Charles James, Lord Bishop of London, have
ordained and do ordain as follows:—
First. That all the Vicars Choral shall attend in person at the Morning and also at the Afternoon Service on every Sunday in the year, unless prevented by sudden illness or other sudden
and uncontroulable circumstance, or allowed to be absent by the Dean or Canon in residence.
Second. That on all other days throughout the year every Vicar Choral shall attend by
himself or his lawful Deputy at the Afternoon Service.
Third. That the Vicars Choral on the Decani side of the Choir shall attend at the Morning
Service, either in person or by their lawful Deputies, on every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
throughout the year.
Fourth. That the Vicars Choral on the Cantoris side of the Choir shall attend at the Morning
Service, either in person or by their lawful Deputies, on every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
throughout the year.
Fifth. That all the Vicars Choral shall attend in person, or by their Deputies, at the Morning
Service on all the Great Festivals in the year.
Sixth. That every Vicar Choral, unless prevented by illness or other unavoidable cause, or
allowed to be absent by the Dean or Canon in residence, shall attend in person at twenty Services
at the least in each calendar month.
Seventh. That the Vicars Choral shall take their places in the Choir of the Cathedral before
the commencement of every Service in which they are respectively required by this Ordinance
to attend, and shall duly perform such part of the Choral Service as shall be from time to time
appointed, and shall remain in their places till the Service of the Church is ended.
[This Regulation is to be observed also by Deputies whenever they shall attend the Service.]
Eighth. That if a Vicar Choral shall not personally attend at any Service when so required
by these regulations, unless prevented by illness or other unavoidable cause, or unless allowed to
be absent by the Dean or Canon in residence, or shall not by himself or Deputy attend at any
service when the attendance of one or other of them is so required, the sum of five shillings in
respect of each occasion of such non-attendance on any Sunday or any great Festival, and the
sum of two shillings and six pence in respect of each occasion of such non-attendance on any other
day, shall be deducted from his stipend and disposed of as the Chapter may direct for the benefit
of the Choir.
Ninth. That over and above the before-mentioned penalties, in case any Vicar Choral shall at
any time disobey any of the foregoing regulations, the Dean and Chapter will, if they think fit,
adopt such proceedings for punishing the offending party by suspension or deprivation as the case
may seem to require.
Tenth. That these regulations shall be without prejudice to any Statute, Ordinance, or Regulation now in force.
Eleventh. That a copy of these regulations be given to each of the Cardinals of the Church,
and to the Succentor, and also to each Vicar Choral, and that the Succentor do make a Report
every week to the Dean or Canon in residence whether these regulations have been duly observed.
Twelfth. That every Vicar Choral may nominate to the Dean and Chapter a person duly
qualified to act as his Deputy, and that such person, if approved by the Dean and Chapter, but
not otherwise, may act as such Deputy.
Thirteenth. That whenever a Vicar Choral is allowed by the Dean or the Canon in residence
to be absent from the said Services, he shall forthwith notify such allowance to be absent to the
Succentor, to whom also any Vicar Choral who may be prevented by illness or other unavoidable
necessity from attending any of the said Services, shall forthwith notify the reason for his nonattendance, and in every case the Vicar Choral not attending shall take care that his Deputy do
attend in his place.
In testimony whereof the said Dean and Chapter in their Chapter have hereunto set their
common seal, and the said Charles James, Bishop of London, hath set his hand and Episcopal Seal
the day and year first above mentioned.
Dean and Chapter and Episcopal seals