IV.1.5
THE CHAMBERLAIN
(CAMERARIUS)
The chamberlain was responsible for the clothing of the
brothers, their bedding, and all the monastery's tools and
utensils. In certain monasteries, such as Bobbio, this
function was divided between two officers, a senior
chamberlain (camerarius) and the abbot's chamberlain
(camerarius abbatis).[48]
Wala defines their duties as follows:
The first chamberlain should have charge of all clothing and blankets
for the diverse needs of the brothers, and footwear, and gloves, and
shoemakers and garment-makers, and makers of fur clothing and
the bronzesmiths whose work he supervises, and the villas assigned
to his office, from which the aforesaid provisions are drawn, and all
bronze instruments that are furnished for the use of the brothers.
The chamberlain of the abbot should have charge of all blacksmiths,
shieldmakers, trenchermakers, wheelwrights, furbishers, and he
should look after all iron tools.
On the Plan of St. Gall all these crafts, except those of
the wheelwrights and coopers, were performed in one
workshop (Great Collective Workshop).[49]
At the monastery
of Corbie, and probably many others, the chamberlain was
the superior of the keeper of the clothes (vestiarius) as well
as the gardener (ortolanus).[50]
