This contribution aims to shed light on the statutes of the chapter of Saint Pharahild in Ghent, from the Middle Ages to the end of the Ancien Régime. Notwithstanding the minor importance of this religious institution on the Flemish canonical scene, an interesting set of documents was preserved. Five subsequent versions of the internal regulations, dating from 1225 to 1788 offer a unique picture of the organization and functioning of the institution. As a whole, they reflect the evolutions and adaptations to which the chapter was submitted, in an attempt to adjust to ever changing circumstances and to overcome periods of crisis. Furthermore, in each version of the statutes, the Institutio canonicorum, the Aachen rule dating from the ninth century, is strongly embedded. This rule not only established the principles of canonical life ; it shaped its features for centuries. The statutes of the chapter of Saint Pharahild thus show a great concern for the protection of tradition and the image of the chapter, as well as actual interference – often compelled by events or circumstances – to serve this purpose.