Page:VCH London 1.djvu/539

 RELIGIOUS HOUSES to visit the five principal manors assigned to the cellarer, one day in the year, for purposes of correction, with reasonable procuration. For the appointment of the cellarers the prior and con- vent were to nominate four brethren, from whom the abbot was to make choice of two, and the guest-masters were to be chosen in the same way ; the cehrarius extrinsecus was to choose honest seculars to act under him, and to hear such causes as ought not to be entertained by monks. The common seal was to be kept under four keys, held respectively by a monk appointed by the abbot, the prior, the sub-prior, and a monk appointed by the convent. The obedientiaries were to show their accounts annually or oftener, and any surplus was to be spent on hospitality ; the abbot was not to send the brethren from place to place unnecessarily or without consulta- tion ; '*^ the church of Ashwell was assigned to the guest-master, and the church of Peering for the support of an increased number of monks and additional anniversaries.^*' That further difficulties as to the compositions arose at the end of the century may be gathered from a decree passed by the prior and convent during the vacancy on the death of Abbot Richard de Ware in 1283. Some of the clauses are merely in confirmation of the original composi- tions, others point to fresh difficulties ; thus the new abbot was to provide a grange for the con- ventual tithes at Staines ; he was not to remove the cellarer, almoner, or guest-master without consent ; he was not to imprison the brethren except for open theft, or on conviction of enor- mous crime ; he was not to hand over the care of the walls against the Thames to any obedien- tiary ; he was to have the appointment of only seven of the servants ; he was to furnish the king's clerks at the Exchequer with bread and beer ; he was not to extort money from the officers of the monastery, nor gifts on feast days from the gardener, keeper of the granaries, or others ; he was to demand nothing from the chamberlain beyond one light for his bedroom. It was also arranged that the gifts to the abbot from the obedientiaries on the ten principal feasts were not to exceed 4;. each ^^* if he were at Westminster, or I2d. if he were elsewhere. The agreement was to be enrolled in the martyrology, and read in chapter once a year. This provision, however, was not sufficient to prevent Abbot Wenlac from once more attempt- ing to override the constitution ; ^*' his quarrel '*' This probably refers to the practice of banishing unruly monks to the cells of the abbey, as in the case of Roger of Aldenham in 1307 (sec ju/>ra). '»' D. and C. Westm. Book No. 11, fol. 662 J. "* Later altered to ' one sextarius of wine or its value.' D. and C. Westm. Book No. 11, fol. 669. The manor of Amwell was to be assigned to the cellarer as soon as the new abbot returned from Rome. "^ Ibid. fol. 668. ■ with Prior Reginald appears to have turned chiefly upon this point, and during the vacancy of 1308 the whole convent once more swore to the articles, and undertook that whichever of them should be elected as abbot should not pro- cure from the pope any letters prejudicial to the arrangement.^*" Passing from the general outlines of the con- stitution to the details of the daily life, it is clear from the Customary that the abbot, no doubt owing to his political position, could not be relied upon for the oversight of the daily routine. This was accordingly committed to the prior and sub-prior, and to that one of the obedientiaries who, as keeper of the order of the day, presided at the high table at meals, and regulated the entertainment of guests. The standard of courtesy in the monastery was high ; thus if anyone made a noise with the cover of his cup, or upset anything on the cloth during the read- ing at meals, immediate and public penance was exacted."' Any one who was obliged to leave the table during meat had to go through an elaborate ceremony of asking leave of the presi- dent. No brother was to gaze about him during dinner nor to throw things from table to table, nor yet to sit with his hand under his chin or over his face, ' eo quod sic sedere mesticiae et doloris aut studii immoderate, seu agoniae indi- cium est.' Everyone was to keep his tongue from talking, and to hold his cup with both hands according to the good old English custom. It was the Normans, according to the compiler of the Customary, who introduced the slovenly habit of holding the cup in one hand.''^ Discipline in the dormitory is discussed at length in the Customary. The brethren were to prepare for bed as secretly and simply as possible, they were not to keep riding apparel or dirty boots about their beds, but everyone might have one peg and no more on which to hang his clothes. There were strict rules against gay- coloured counterpanes, and the utmost silence was enjoined — snorers and those who talked in their sleep were to be banished to a separate room. Each brother was to have a separate bed, chiefly, says the compiler of the Customary, because secret prayer is best offered to God when there is no witness. No one was to give place to unholy thoughts before he slept, but to lie down con- templating God only, that he might have rest of body and peace of mind. When the bell rang for mattins all were to rise promptly, to sign themselves with the cross, and repeat privately certain prayers before they spoke. But if life in the monastery was carefully regulated, it can hardly have been austere. The plain convent food was supplemented with a '=° Ibid. 669. ''' Unless there were guests present, when the penance was not exacted until the convent was alone. "' Customary, 127. 449 57