Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 128.djvu/64

54 more time in their devotions; but they were not permitted to go into voluntary austerities without leave from the abbot. They were not to talk in the refectory at meals, but hearken to the Scriptures read to them at that time. The septimarians, so called from their weekly offices of readers, waiters, cooks, etc., were to dine by themselves after the rest. Those who were absent about business had the same hours of prayer prescribed, though not the same length of devotion. Those sent abroad, and expected to return at night, were forbidden to eat till they came home; but this canon was sometimes waived.

In the case of monks there were many modes resorted to to evade the rules. The language of signs was adopted, and a perfect system of the motions of the hands was as thoroughly systematized in convents as among our modern deaf and dumb. A horizontal wave of the hand indicated a fish; a movement of the finger and thumb, like turning over a leaf, reading, etc.

From the laws of Worcester, Lincoln, and Gloucester, we gather that certain existing evils are implied by its being forbidden to monks to return to the refectory from the dormitory to drink and gossip. No woman was to be introduced into the infirmary without special license from the sub-prior. Immoderate potations were forbidden there, proving that they sometimes did take place in that locality. No brother was allowed, unless in presence of his officer, to eat elsewhere when he had once dined or supped in the refectory. Any brother who had a double pittance of food was allowed to sell or give it away without license from the sub-prior. There was always to be reading at meals, and no speaking but in a low voice, or in Latin; and on fish days no extra refreshments were to be taken out of the refectory except by the old or sick who had obtained dispensation. Monks being forbidden by the Council of Vienna (Clement V.) to hunt or hawk, no monk was to keep hunting dogs or birds of prey. All fine and showy dresses were prohibited as a scandal to religion, and unbecoming men of one brotherhood.

The almsmen of a convent were generally old servants of the monastery or disabled servants. There was usually a prior appointed to overlook these almsmen, who wore black gowns and hoods, given them every year on the Feast of St. John the Baptist. They carried large rosaries, and had the arms of the monastery broidered on their right shoulders.On their entry into their order these almsmen gave their beads to be consecrated, and then swore to sacredly observe all the secrets of the monastery.

The monk's service of the canonical hours originally consisted of eight divisions, four for night and four for day, but in the Saxon times they were reduced to seven, to follow Psalm cxix., verse 164 — "Seven times a day I praise thee," and partly perhaps to reduce the labour. At matins were said the Paternoster, Ave Maria, Credo, the Invitatorum of the day and its psalms. On double and semi-double feasts nine psalms with their antiphons and verses, with as many lessons and eight responses. Lauds consisted of a hymn, Te Deum, the psalms of the day, the Capitulum, hymn, canticles, and Benedictus with its antiphon. Prime, thirds, sixths, and nones had all their special differences. The choral regulations of Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, who compiled a general rubric with all necessary details of the choral service, became generally used in English cathedrals, so that the Bishop of Salisbury claimed the privilege of acting as precentor to the college of bishops whenever the Archbishop of Canterbury celebrated divine service.

The rules of Sarum required all clerks, without exception, to wear black copes during the whole year, except on double feasts, when there were processions. On the vigil of Easter, when the "Gloria in Excelsis" burst forth, the clerks, after making their genuflexions, threw off their black copes, and appeared in white surplices. The same custom also prevailed at the vigil of Pentecost. At all single feasts from Easter to Michaelmas surplices were worn in choir and at all hours. The regulations of the choir were always to wear silk copes and red habits on both feasts of the Holy Cross, and at every feast of a martyr, also at all single feasts during Lent, and on the Passion and Palm Sunday.

It is probable, from various allusions in monkish chronicles, that the elder and superannuated monks were troublesome in convents, dictatorial, finding fault, and frequently missing "the daily sacrifice." For such misconduct the offender had to receive his pardon in chapter, prostrate before the dean and canons; and if guilty of disobedience and rebellion the offender was sometimes degraded from his state, and compelled to stand in humiliating penance at the door of the choir behind the dean, or in the choir amongst the lowest of the boys.