liers_ (1674);
Herzog, _Realencyklopadie_ (3rd ed.), art. "Kapitel"; Wetzer und
Welte, _Kirchenlexicon_ (2nd ed.), art. "Canonica vita" and
"Canonikat." The history of the canonical institute is succinctly
told, and the best literature named, by Max Heimbucher, _Orden und
Kongregationen_, 1896, i. S 55; also by Otto Zockler, _Askese und
Monchtum_, 1897, pp. 422-425. On medieval secular canons a standard
work is Chr. Wordsworth's _Statutes of Lincoln Cathedral_ (1892-1897);
see also an article thereon by Edm. Bishop in _Dublin Review_, July
1898. (E. C. B.)

In the Church of England, the canons of cathedral or collegiate churches
retain their traditional character and functions, though they are now,
of course, permitted to marry. Their duties were defined by the Canons
of 1603, and included that of residence at the cathedrals according to
"their local customs and statutes," and preaching in the cathedral and
in the churches of the diocese, "especially those whence they or their
church receive any yearly rent or profit." A canonry not being legally a
"cure of souls," a canon may hold a benefice in addition to his prebend,
in spite of the acts against pluralities. By the Canons of 1603 he was
subject to discipline if he made his canonry an excuse for neglecting
his cure. By the act of 1840 reforming cathedral chapters the number of
canonries was greatly reduced, while some were made applicable to the
endowment of archdeaconries and professorships. At the same time it was
enacted that a canon must have been six years in priest's orders, except
in the case of canonries annexed to any professorship, headship or other
office in any university. The obligatory period of residence, hitherto
varying in different churches, was also fixed at a uniform period of
three months. The right of presentation to canonries is now vested in
some cases in the crown, in others in the lord chancellor, the
archbishop or in the bishop of the diocese.

Honorary canons are properly canons who have no prebend or other
emoluments from the common fund of the chapter. In the case of old
cathedrals the title is bestowed upon deserving clergymen by the bishop
as a mark of distinction. In new cathedrals, e.g. Manchester or
Birmingham, where no endowment exists for a chapter, the bishop is
empowered to appoint honorary canons, who carry out the ordinary
functions of a cathedral body (see CATHEDRAL).

Minor canons, more properly style