(old French chanterie, from chanter, to sing), an ecclesiastical benefice or endowment to provide for the chanting of masses for the repose of the souls of the founders. Money was often left also for the building of a chapel in which the masses were to be chanted, and hence the term was applied also to such chapels. They were sometimes built in or near a church, hut more usually were attached to an abbey or monastely, and were frequently very richly decorated.