of the Sacred Palace consisted partly at least in expounding the Epistles of St. Paul. These exegetical lectures were delivered to prelates and to the clerical attendants of cardinals who, as the saint observed, had been accustomed to gather in the antechamber and to spend the time in gossip while their masters were having audiences with the pope. According to Renazzi (I, 25), St. Dominic may be regarded as the founder of the papal palace school, since his Biblical lectures were the occasion of its being established. The liturgist Josephus Catalanus, who, however, is not guilty of the confusion alluded to above, says he was the first Lector of the Sacred Palace as well as the first Master of the Sacred Palace. In the thirteenth century the chief duty of the Master of the Sacred Palace was to lecture on Scripture and to preside over the theological school in Vatican: "in scholae Romanae et Pontificiae regimine et in publica sacrae scripturae expositione" (Echard). The Lectores or Magistri scholarum S. Palatii taught under him. It became customary for the Master of the Sacred Palace, according to Cardinal de Luca, to preach before the pope and his court in Advent and Lent. This had probably been sometimes done by St. Dominic. Up to the sixteenth century the Master of the Sacred Palace preached, but after it this work was permanently entrusted to his companion (another Dominican). A further division of labour was made by Benedict XIV (Decree, "Inclyta Fratrum", 1743); since the companion preaches to the papal household, and a Capuchin preaches to the pope and to the cardinals. But the work of the Master of the Sacred Palace as papal theologian continues to the present. As it has assumed its actual form by centuries of development, we may give a summary of the legislation respecting it and the various functions it comprises and also of the honours attaching to it. The "Acta" (or "Calenda") of the Palatine officials in 1409 (under Alexander V) show that on certain days, the Master of the Sacred Palace was bound to deliver lectures, and on other days he was expected, if called upon, either to propose or to answer questions at the theological conference which was held in the pope's presence. On 30 October 1439, Eugene IV decreed that the Master of the Sacred Palace should rank next to the dean of the Sacred Rota,