Biggar and the House of Fleming

186 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
nine collects, and nine psalms, with their responses. Each
prebend was, with the Gregorian chant, invocation, and discant,
to celebrate matins, high mass, vespers, and complin, at the
hours and seasons usually observed by prebendaries in other
collegiate churches*
All the prebends and their successors were bound to make a
personal residence at the College, and on all feast, Sabbath,
and week days, and continued commemorations, were to cele-
brate and sing, without note, matins, high mass, vespers, and
complin at the great altar and in the choir of the Church; and
clothed in their clerical habits — viz., clean linen surplices and
red hoods trimmed with fur, — were, every night after complin,
except on the greater double feasts, to rehearse the responses
in honour of the Virgin Mary, to sing the psalm " de pro-
fundis," and to read the usual collects and prayers for the souls
of the founder and all faithful dead.
The prebendaries, at the ringing of the bell, which was to
commence every morning throughout the year at six o'clock
and end at seven, were to meet, clothed in their clerical vest-
ments, and sing matins at seven. At ten o'clock they were to
perform high mass ; and at five, vespers and complin, except
in Lent, when vespers was to be performed immediately after
high mass, and complin at the usual hour. When met for
these purposes, they were not to move up and down the Church,
nor indulge in whispering and laughter, but to the close of
the service were to remain in solemn silence, and to manifest
all becoming gravity. They were exhorted, in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to perform their duties fully, honestly,
and attentively ; and, avoiding all light and frivolous proceed-
ings, were to commence, continue, and pause in the singing
all at once. Those who violated this rule were to be severely
punished ; for, by singing improperly and carelessly, the due
honour of God was not manifested, the intention of the founder
was frustrated, the well-ordered conscience was hurt, and the
edification of others was not promoted.
The prebend who absented himself from the usual services
of the Church on week-days or simple feasts, was, for each
hour, to pay twopence ; on Lord's days and the great feasts,
" The number of canonical hours in the Komish Church are now fixed at
seven, viz., matins and lauds, prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline.