RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



and benediction ^ liad at last been received the 

 abbot fell dangerously ill, recovering strangely 

 enough after the drinking of some putrid water 

 seemed to make the case desperate.* 



On reaching home he went to do homage for 

 his temporalities to the king, who was much 

 attracted by him. It is said indeed that 

 although he might be prejudiced against the abbot 

 in his absence, his resentment always vanished 

 as soon as he saw him.' 



The king's assistance had to be involved at 

 once against the papal nuncio who was unjustly 

 demanding first-fruits from the new Prior of 

 Tynemouth.* The abbot had prevented, but 

 only by heavy payment, a papal nominee being 

 placed in the cell.* 



In 1351, after sufficient time had elapsed for 

 life at St. Albans to resume its normal aspect. 

 Abbot Thomas published in a chapter-general 

 at Michaelmas certain constitutions to be 

 observed in the abbey and its cells.^" All the 

 brethren were to attend and remain throughout 

 divine service, which was to be given in its 

 entirety ; the psalms, sung hitherto without 

 point or sense,^ were now to be rendered with 

 requisite pauses, and that the service might 

 not take longer one or two omissions were to 

 be made ; a limit was also put to the reading of 

 commemorations, that by preventing tedium, 

 the divine office might be celebrated more 

 devoutly than it had been ; the festivals 

 marked out for special observance were Christ- 

 mas, Easter, Whitsuntide, the Assumption of 

 the Blessed Virgin, and the Passion of St. Alban ; 

 the Dedication day of the abbey was to be 

 kept in the cells. Priors of cells were to be as 

 much as possible with their convents in order 

 to instruct them by example and words ; 

 priests must not allow more than three days 

 to elapse without celebrating mass ; all the 

 brothers, however small the convent, were to 

 rise at night for matins, and that it might be 

 easier for them to do so they were to sleep in 

 the dormitory ; the priest whose turn it was to 

 perform high mass for the week must remain 

 with the rest of the convent and not leave the 

 cloister for any cause except illness ; the then 

 archdeacon, however, on account of the dignity 

 of his office and his degree had permission to go 

 to his study and to the consistory, the sub-prior 

 was to visit the sick as usual, and the rule was 

 not to apply to any guardian of the order who 



* The election was confirmed 8 July 1349 and 

 benediction received shortly afterwards (fial. Papal 

 Letters, iii, 336-9). 



^ Gesta Abbat. ii, 385-7. 

 ' Ibid. 389-90. 



* Ibid. 393. 



8 Ibid. ; Cal. Papal Petitions, 172. 

 i" Gesta Abbat. ii, 418-46. 



11 Like smiths beating iron on an anvil, says the 

 chronicler (ibid. 395). 



had no superior in the house at the time of his 

 course. That the hardness of the religious life 

 might be apparent to novices, they were to be 

 called to a chapter by their master at least 

 every fortnight and punished for their faults ; 

 moreover, the Benedictine rule was to be read 

 to them frequently that they might know 

 what would be required of them. Brothers 

 when their faults were published in chapter were 

 not to deny their guilt untruthfully or defend 

 their wrong-doing. The quiet of the cloisters 

 was not to be disturbed by concourse of secular 

 persons, and when the monks were there the 

 entrance of women was forbidden. Monks both 

 of the abbey and the cells instead of outdoor 

 labour ^^ were to occupy themselves with study, 

 reading, writing, illuminating and binding books, 

 or in such work for the benefit of the house as 

 the abbot or priors thought best. The rule as 

 to silence was to be strictly observed, a distinc- 

 tion being made in the punishment of habitual 

 or occasional offenders. Brothers summoned 

 to the table of the abbot or prior or to eat in 

 the oriel were to abstain from detraction, con- 

 tentions and idle conversation ; there were to 

 be no superfluous potations or empty talk after 

 dinner, and not even in summer was the warden 

 of the frater to allow this kind of indulgence as 

 had been usual ; confession to secular priests 

 or religious of other orders was forbidden except 

 in special circumstances ; monks without leave 

 of the head of the house where they lived must 

 neither undertake to look after the property of 

 secular persons nor deposit property with them. 

 Food was to be provided for the brothers 

 according to ancient custom as far as means 

 allowed, so that they had at least two dishes 

 daily ; clothing to the annual value of 24J., but 

 never money, was to be given to each brother ; 

 the rule as to old clothing and remains of food 

 was reiterated. Alms must not be sold ; the 

 sub-prior was to visit those ill in the infirmary 

 daily, and see that their needs were supplied ; 

 as far as their illnesses permitted, the sick were 

 to be content vvdth ordinary food, and they were 

 not to stay in the infirmary longer than neces- 

 sary ; playing at dice or chess was forbidden to 

 all ; obedientiaries were exhorted to behave 

 circumspectly, since by their conduct the out- 

 side world judged the religious generally ; they 

 must abstain from unlawful and fraudulent 

 contracts and from misrepresentation in buying 

 and selling, oppress none by force or unjust 

 exactions, avoid women everywhere, never 

 enter taverns, eat and drink only within the 

 bounds of the abbey or priory, and if obliged to 

 be away a night, first state the reason. To 

 procure office by prayers or threats and the 

 intervention of secular persons was forbidden 



1^ Gesta Abbat. ii, 433. 'Manual labour' appears 

 to mean agricultural pursuits. 



391 



