ive [Greek:
kanonikos] is found in this sense (c. 15); and during the 6th century
the word _canonicus_ occurs commonly in western Europe in relation to
the clergy belonging to a cathedral or other church. Eusebius of
Vercelli (d. 370) was the first to introduce the system whereby the
cathedral clergy dwelt together, leading a semi-monastic life in common
and according to rule; and St Augustine established a similar manner of
life for the clergy of his cathedral at Hippo. The system spread widely
over Africa, Spain and Gaul; a familiar instance is St Gregory's
injunction to St Augustine that at Canterbury the bishop and his clergy
should live a common life together, similar to the monastic life in
which he had been trained; that these "clerics" at Canterbury were not
monks is shown by the fact that those of them in the lower clerical
grades were free to marry and live at home, without forfeiting their
position or emoluments as members of the body of cathedral clergy (Bede,
_Hist. Eccl._ i. 27). This mode of life for the secular clergy, which
became common in the west, seems never to have taken root in the east.
It came to be called _vita canonica_, canonical life, and it was the
object of various enactments of councils during the 6th, 7th and 8th
centuries. The first serious attempt to legislate for it and reduce it
to rule was made by Chrodegang, bishop of Metz (c. 750), who composed
a rule for the clergy of his cathedral, which was in large measure an
adaptation of the Benedictine Rule to the case of secular clergy living
in common. Chrodegang's Rule was adopted in many churches, both
cathedral and collegiate (i.e. those served by a body of clergy). In 816
the synod of Aix-la-Chapelle (see _Mon. Germ. Concil._ ii. 307) made
further regulations for the canonical life, which became the law in the
Frankish empire for cathedral and collegiate churches. The Rule of
Chrodegang was taken as the basis, but was supplemented and in some
points mitigated and made less monastic in character. There was a common
dormitory and common refectory for all, but each canon was allowed a
dwelling room within the cloister; the use of flesh meat was permitted,
and the clothing was of better quality than that of monks. Each canon
retained the use of his private property and money, but the revenues of
the cathedral or church were treated as a common fund for the
maintenance of the whole establishment. The chief duty of the canons was
the perform