Coarb

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In medieval Ireland and Scotland the Coarb (comarba) was the president of a collegiate church (i.e. Celtic monastery following the Rule of St Columba), who had the privilege of holy orders and said mass ('serveth the cure'). As a successor of the founder of his order he had a seat in the mother church, a stall in the choir and a voice in the chapter. Although the Coarb was in clerical orders, he was usually married, and if one of his sons was qualified by learning he would be chosen in time by the Dean and Chapter to be Coarb. Thus the coarbship was in a manner hereditary. After the Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries the role of coarb became subsumed into that of the parish vicar.