Henry's Legacy
For 900 years, daily worship in Gloucester Cathedral has been enhanced and enriched by fine music, sung first by the boys and monks of the Benedictine Abbey, and since 1539 by the famous choir of boys and men.
The Statute
It was then that Henry VIII, as part of the establishment of the Church of England, set up eight foundations by statute:
HENRY the Eighth, by the grace of God, king of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, and supreme head upon earth of the church of England and Ireland, to all sons of holy mother the church, to whom this present writing shall come, greeting:
Whereas it has seemed good unto us, and to our nobles, and to our whole senate styled the Parliament, being influenced, as we trust, by God himself, to suppress and abolish the monasteries dispersed throughout the kingdom, for their many and great enormities, and for divers other good causes and reasons, to transfer them to better uses: we therefore judging it more conformable to the divine will, and more Christian-like, that the pure worship of God flourish, and the holy gospel of Christ be diligently and sincerely preached in those places, where ignorance and superstition had before prevailed; and that the youth of our kingdoms should be instructed in good literature, for the greater increase of the Christian faith and piety, and that the poor be constantly relieved, have erected and constituted in the place of those monasteries divers churches, whereof some we will to be called cathedral churches, and others collegiate churches:
For the better rule and government whereof we have caused the following laws and statutes to be prescribed, which the deans and canons of both orders, and other officers, children, and the poor, who are of and belong to the said churches, ought to submit unto and obey, and be ruled and governed by the same, as decreed and ordained by ourselves; and if they shall do so, these will produce, as we trust in God, a great increase of true piety in this kingdom; and then we shall not be deceived or disappointed in our expectation and good wishes, who have erected those churches for the honour of almighty God, and the increase of the Christian faith, and have adorned the same with divers orders and degrees of officers.
CHAPTER I of the Statute sets out those 'divers orders and degrees of officers' as follows:
The whole number of those who are to be maintained in the Cathedral Church of Gloucester
In the first place we decree and ordain, that there be for ever in the said church one dean, six canons, six minor canons, whereof one shall be a sacrist, another shall be deacon, another sub-deacon ; six lay-clerks, one master of the choristers, eight choristers, two masters to instruct children in the grammar, whereof one shall be the head-master, the other the under-master; four poor people to be maintained at the charges of the said church; two under-sacrists, two door-keepers who shall also be virgers, one butler, one cook, one under-cook.
It is apparent that all aspects of cathedral life were considered: spiritual, musical, educational, charitable and domestic. (And, interestingly, the six lay-clerks are listed before the master of the choristers!) The Statute goes on to define duties and recompense, which includes the provision of cloth so that each lay-clerk can make a new robe for Christmas each year!
Of the Choristers and their Master (from Chapter XXIV)
WE decree and ordain, that in our church aforesaid, by the election and designation of the dean, or in his absence of the vice-dean, and chapter, there be eight choristers, youths who have good voices and are inclined to singing, who may serve, minister, and sing in the choir.
For the instruction of these youths, and training them up, as well in modest behaviour as in skilfulness of singing, we will that by the dean, or in his absence by the sub-dean and chapter, besides the eight choristers before named, there shall be one chosen who is of a good life and reputation, skilful both in singing and in playing upon the organs, who shall diligently spend his time in instructing the boys, in playing upon the organs at proper times, in singing divine service. But if he be negligent, and careless in teaching them, let him be deposed from his office, after the third admonition. He shall also be bound by an oath faithfully to discharge his duty.
The Musical Establishment today
Times change (as do statutes; Henry's have been superseded), and the Cathedral no longer supports teachers, butlers and cooks, nor 'poor people', at least not directly.