Dryburgh Abbey - Routine of The Canons

Routine of The Canons

The daily routine of the canons were made up of religious services, agricultural duties, household functions, copying books and reading. In detail, this would have been:

• The canonical hour of Matins was held in the early morning when the canons were wakened by the dormitory bell. They would proceed to the church for the first service of the day following which they returned to bed.
• The Prime service was held at 6 a.m. when the canons were re-awakened and summoned to church for mass; they would remain in private prayers until the bell announcing the daily meeting in the chapter house.
• The community would assemble in the cloister then proceed to the chapter house where a lesson from the rules of the order was read. Any transgressors were held to account for their actions and any punishments carried out by the prior.
• In winter, at the hour of Tierce, or 9 a.m., following on from the meeting of the chapter, the canons would proceed in pairs to the church for the singing of hymns. In summer, there was a longer interval before Tierce so that the abbey duties could be performed. The summer Tierce was a high mass.
• High mass was performed at the hour of Sext, or mid-day, in winter.
• The community ate at 1 p.m. where only two dishes were served except on certain occasions when an additional sweet dish, called a pittance was provided. If someone was late for the meal then unless he had an adequate excuse, he would have to sit at the most remote of the tables and perhaps with no wine or ale.
• After the dinner, some canons rested while others conversed until the hour of Nones, or 3 p.m. when the canons proceeded to church for another service after which, the community were required to wash their hands and wait in the cloister until summoned to the refectory to drink.
• At 6 p.m. the canons attended Vespers.
• The Compline, the last of the day's worship was held after 7 p.m. followed by a light supper and then bed.
• There were no sheets on the dormitory beds and the canons were required to sleep in their habit
• in the Autumn, the agricultural canons would leave for the fields early in the morning and occasionally would not return until after vespers. They had to recite their prayers at the appointed hours as they toiled, however.