By Harold Bfakspear, F.S.A. 543 



there till the place be so furn^sheti with houses, books, and other 

 necessaries, that they can live and observe the rule there." ^ 



Once a year the abbot of a head house had to visit each of the 

 daughter houses founded from it, either personally or by co-abbots. 

 Also annually all the abbots of the Order had to attend the general 

 chapter at Cisteaux unless prevented by sickness.^ Abbots in 

 distant countries, or who had daughter houses in distant countries, 

 were exempted from annually attending chapter and visiting, but 

 had their stated times for both.^ The supervision of the com- 

 munity in general being so strictly considered, and the different 

 houses being in so direct and regular communion by visitation and 

 attendance at general chapter, it is little wonder that such universal 

 similarity in Cistercian planning and architecture prevailed. 



The Order was introduced into England in 1128, at Waverley, 

 in Surrey, and in a short time made rapid strides. Within twenty 

 years no fewer than thirty-one houses came into existence in this 



'Cistercian Statutes, Ch. I. Vide Yorkshire Archceological Journal, \x., 

 240, 338 and 339. 



" In civitatibus, castellis, villis, nulla nostra construenda suntCoenobia sed 

 in locis a conversatione hominum remotis, omnesque Ecclesise Ordinis nostri 

 in honore Beatae Mariae dedicentur et fundentur. 



" Turres lapidese ad campanas non fiant, nee ligneae altitudinis immoderatse, 

 quae ordinis dedeceant simplicitem. 



" Vitreae albae tantum fiant, exceptis Abbaciis quae alterius ordinis fuerunt, 

 quae aliter factas tempore suae conversionis poterunt retinere. 



" Superfluitates et curiositates notabiles in sculturis, picturis, sedificiis, 

 pavimentis, et aliis similibus, quae deformant antiquam ordinis honestatem 

 et paupertati nostrae non congruunt, in Abbatiis, Grangiis vel Cellariis ne 

 fiant interdicimus, nee picturae praeter ymaginem Salvatoris. (Tabulae vero 

 quae altaribus apponuntur, uno colore tantummodo colorentur.) Haec omnia 

 Patres Abbates in suis visitationibus diligenter inquirant et faeiant observari. 



"NuUi liceat Abbatiam nostri Ordinis fundare, vel fundatam alias transferre, 

 vel etiam comniutare, seu locum alterius religionis Ordini per subjectionem 

 incorporare, nisi de licencia Capituli Generalis . . . 



" Duodecim monachi ad minus cum abbate terciodecimo ad nova coenobia 

 transmittantur. Nee tamen illuc destinentur, donee locus domibus, libris, 

 et aliis necessariis ita aptetur, ut vivere et regulam ibidem valeant observare." 



^ Carta Caritatis, par. " De Visitationibus." 



^Cistercian Statutes, Chap. V. Vide Yorkshire ArchceologicalJournal, 

 X., 55-56. 



