Note 921 — Chapter IX · THE CLERGY AND MONKS.

Let us arrange these offices tabularly:—

Secular. Ecclesiastical.

1. Comes. 1. Episcopus.

α. Missus. α. Chorepiscopus. (The Archdeacon or the Rural Dean.)

2. Centenarius. Centurio, or Vicarius: qui per pagos constitutus est. 2. Presbyter Plebei qui baptismalem aecclesiam habet,

3. Decurio et Decanus. 3. Minor Presbyter tituli.

4. Collectarius. Quaternio. Duumvir.

The count (in England Ealdorman) and bishop are on one line, and, if we may anticipate a little for the sake of illustration, we may add the Eorl of Cnut’s constitution on the one side, and the Metropolitan on the other. The Missus of the count and the chorepiscopus (in Strabo’s time yet existing, though less important than his city brother) are on the second line; nevertheless the Missus partakes of the comitial dignity, and the episcopal, though grudgingly, is still vouchsafed to the chorepiscopus. Next in rank is the Centenarius or president of the Hundred, the officer of the pagus: his equivalent is the priest in a church where baptism is performed, the peculiar distinctive of a parish-church. The Decurio or Decanus is on the same footing as the German Capellanus or Kaplan, who is indeed ordained to a title, but not with power to administer the sacraments. The Kaplan is in truth generally attached to the parish-church—a sort of curate,—and often succeeds to it. But how is it that the parallel can be carried no further? Is it that the Deacon’s ordination was not conclusive enough? Or were Collectarii and Duumviri, beadles, tax-gatherers and bailiffs not dignified enough to compare with even acolytes and vergers?