This was not, of course, a regular chapter meeting, which always took place between Prime and Terce, two of the services held earlier in the morning. However, many of the canons, vicars-choral, secondaries and choristers attended again, mainly out of curiosity about this novel event. Robert de Baggetor had encouraged this, as he wanted the maximum publicity for his campaign against the heretics – even a few townsmen had sidled in without challenge, including Clement the physician. As the senior clergy trooped in, John de Alençon followed them unenthusiastically. He took his place in the chair that had been set on a small dais alongside the lectern used daily by a secondary to read a chapter from the Rule of St Benedict, a ritual that gave the chapter its name. The benches were ranked in a half-circle before him, with another on each side of his seat to accommodate the interrogators. These were the three prime movers, the canons who had pressed for this enquiry, and the other senior proctor, Canon William de Swindon.
