Glossary

Obedientiary

A monastic official involved with the daily running of the monastery, such as the cellarer, porter, sacrist, novice-master, guest-master, infirmarer, refectorer. The honour of such a promotion could be undermined by the stress and strain involved; in the early thirteenth century Matthew of Rievaulx, precentor of the abbey, wrote at length of the overwhelming burden of his office, complaining of ill-health and insomnia.