Education in Howden Minster during the Middle Ages
The School
Religion and education were closely linked in the middle ages, so it's not surprising that there was a school here. The school is first recorded in 1322, and from its inception it taught both (Latin) grammar and singing. The school seems to have been a large one, as in 1401 18 boys are recorded. The masters were usually either either chaplains or clerks, chosen for their proficiency in both subjects, though in 1426 the vicar of the Saltmarshe prebend was chosen.
We don't know exactly what was taught in Howden, but there are some instructions given to the singing master at Durham in 1436, who taught...
"the eight secular boys, whom the prior or his deputies will have assigned to him, to play the organ and to sing playnsange, prikenote, faburdon', dischaunte and countre; and he is to be present in person at masses and vespers in the cathedral choir when required, playing the organ, if need be, and playing the organ motif for the aforementioned chants; and he is also to be present in person daily at Lady Masses with music (cum nota), held in the Galilee, singing plainsong or organum if others are there to sing at the time"
Playnsange is plainsong, unaccompanied singing with melody but not harmony. Prikenote (or pricksong) has two possible meanings. The first is the ability to read music which has been marked - 'pricked' onto parchment. The second is melody to be performed in counterpoint. Faburdon is fauxbourdon - singing in three parts, while dischaunte and countre probably refers to descant, which is a counter-melody above the main vocal line.
This would have been quite advanced for the mid fifteenth century, and it's intriguing to think this may have been taught at Howden.
We almost definitely know the names of two pupils in this period. In 1381 Thomas Hatfield, Bishop of Durham founded Durham College Oxford. It was for 8 student monks and
"8 secular students in grammar and theology, studying for 7 years, 4 being selected from the city and diocese of Durham and 2 each from Allertonshire and Howdenshire"
In the Durham archives for 1467 it is recorded...
"Memorandum that in the prior's great chapel, after Henry Wilyamson, natural and legitimate son of John Wilyamson' of Blacktoft in the county of Howden , was diligently examined in reading, construing and singing by the prior [of Durham] and certain of his fellow monks and found suitable, he was admitted as a scholar of Durham College Oxford, in accordance with the statutes and customs thereof, under a bond of £20 made by his father, with the condition that he will conduct himself well and keep the said statutes."
and...
"Memorandum that a letter was issued in the common form, as above, to admit as scholar of the said college, in accordance with the ordinances and statutes thereof, William Garthop', son of Richard Barthop of Barmby [on the Marsh, E. R. Yorks.], if he is previously found suitable by examination, for whom his father bound himself for £20, to be paid on a similar condition, as evident above."
Singing was important even for admission into Oxford University.
The Choir.
Singing was taught because it was the duty of the clergy of Howden Minster to sing the canonical hours - matins at around 5am, prime followed at 9:00, tierce at 10:00. These were two of the four Little Hours of the day, all conceived on the same plan, a hymn, three psalms, and the concluding prayers while High Mass was prepared. After Mass came the other two little hours - sext and nones - then finally breakfast for those who had not yet had it, sometime between 11:00 and 12:00. If there was business to be done, the chapter would meet at this point.
Lunch/dinner was at 3:00, followed by vespers then compline, with finally supper at 6:00. vespers was the most accessible of the major hours, taking place in mid-afternoon. This is why composers such as Monteverdi, Vivaldi and Mozart would later write music for it. compline ended the day - a hymn, an evangelical canticle, the prayer, and the benediction.
There was a precentor (music master) recorded as early as 1268, but there's no mention of the choir until 1397, when the vicars of Howden are formed into a chapter and given the right to appoint the members of the choir after testing them on their singing ability. The authority for this came from the Archbishop of York, Robert Waldby, but the initiative must surely have been by the bishop of Durham Walter Skirlaw, who founded the bedern a few months later.
The choir master was -with one exception - a vicar. These are the terms of the appointment of Robert Marshall...
"Commission and appointment by Thomas, prior of Durham, ordinary of the spirituality of the liberty of St Cuthbert in Howden and Howdenshire, to Robert Marshall, vicar of the prebend of Barmby in the collegiate church of Howden , committing to him his authority, until revoked by the prior, with regards to the choir of the church and to any ministers thereof in the divine offices to be sung and celebrated in the choir and church: to rule and order the offices, to punish and reform the transgressions of any ministers, committed in and concerning the said offices, and their negligence and absence from the choir, and to impose salutary penances on them. The prior appoints him rector of the choir, revoking any of his letters previously directed to him in this regard, and commands the ministers of the church, by virtue of the obedience binding them to the prior, to obey him. He inhibits him from admitting any persons of inferior degree to minister in the same church, unless they are found suitable after diligent examination in reading and song for the [word missing] of the church. "
The exception to the rule that choir masters were vicars is instructive. In 1426 Robert Frende was appointed - he was canon of Howden with the prebend of Saltmarshe and is one of the few to be described as residentiary. Frende was the receiver of Howden and a trusted servant of the bishop, Thomas Langley. His original terms of appointment gave him wide ranging powers...
"Commission by John, prior of Durham, ordinary of the spirituality of St Cuthbert in Howden and Howdenshire, of Robert Freend', residentiary canon of the prebend of Saltmarshe in the collegiate church of Howden , appointing him rector of the choir of the aforesaid church to guide its ministers in singing and celebrating divine services, and committing to him the prior's authority to correct and punish their transgressions, neglect of duties and absence from the choir, and to substitute in his absence another suitable vicar or priest of the same church in his place, notwithstanding the prior's letters to any persons about this, which he revokes by the presents, commanding all ministers to obey Robert or his commissaries. "
There may well have been something of a power struggle between the bishop and the prior, because a few days later his powers were reduced.
An entry in the Papal Register for October 1425 lets us see what rite was in use in Howden from that time...
"To Robert Frend, canon of St. Peter's, Houeden, in the diocese of York. Indult to say in future the canonical hours according to the Use of Sarum, and not to be bound to observe any other; provided that he study to observe the custom of the benefices which he holds and shall hold, whenever he is present at the saying of the canonical hours therein. Meruit tue deuocionis sinceritas [Earned your devotion and sincerity]."
The Use of Sarum was the liturgy as it evolved at Salisbury Cathedral, and there may have been some objection to its use at Howden. Knowing what rite was used, it's now possible to re-create the music that would have been sung in Howden Minster in the mid 15th Century.
Sources:-
Durham Priory Archives at durham.ac.uk
Calendars of Papal Letters at british-history.ac.uk
Thomas Langley and the Bishopric of Durham - R L Storey