Serjeants

Serjeants servants in monastic offices: those of the church, the guest house, refectory, and infirmary were subordinate officers. The first was the bell ringer, except for high mass, vespers, matins, and obits. The candle lighter, except round the high altar (he also laid out the vestments for the celebrant at the high altar), was the chandler, who made all the wax candles, and assisted the subsacrist in baking the hosts. The serjeant of the infirmary was the barber, and, with the clerk and cook, waited on the monks who were sick or aged.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.