In ecclesiastical law. A congregation’ of ecclesiastical persons in a cathedral church, consisting of canons, or* prebendaries, whereof the dean is the head, all subordinate to the bishop, to whom they act as assistants in matters relating to the church, for the better ordering and disposing the things thereof, and the confirmation of such leases of the temporalty and offices re-lating to the bishopric, aa the bishop shall lnake from time to tlme. And they are term-ed “capitulum,” as a klnd of head, instituted not only to assist the bishop in manner aforesaid, but also aucieutly to rule and govern the diocese ln the time of vacation. Burn, Dict
