Chronica Monasterii De Melsa, a Fundatione Usque Ad Annum 1396, Vol 1 Auctore Thoma De Burton, Abbate, Accedit Continuatio Ad Annum 1406 a Monacho Quodam Ipsius Domus Classic Reprint - Livres de poche

It should be borne in mind, therefore, in studying the contents of this chronicle, that it records the trans actions of a self-denying society, professing to court poverty, to seclude themselves from the world, and to devote themselves to religious exercises and manual labour. Wealth and outward splendour were especially forswom. The constitutions of the order required abstinence from animal food, silence, and denial of the practice or enjoyment of the fine arts. Cistercian monasteries were to be established in places remote from human intercourse their buildings were to be free from ornamentation; the bell towers not to be built of stone, and even the wooden structure was to be of modest height. No coloured glass was to be used, excepting in abbeys formerly of a different order, in which the existing stained glass might be retained. N o extrava gances or noticeable refinements in sculpture, painting, building or pavement, were allowed, nor any pictures excepting of our Saviour. The altar paintings were to be in one colour; and visitors of the houses were enjoined to enforce this regulation. The dress of the monks was to be of the plainest description, and they were suffered to shave themselves only once a month. Even this was a concession made out of reverence for the holy communion. They were to give unqualified obedience to their supe rior, and all appeal to the chapter of the order was pro hibited under penalty of excommunication. With a view apparently to check litigious dispositions in the convents it was ordered that no works on canon or civil law were to be kept in the common book-chests of the monasteries. Every abbey was to have its strong prison, in which criminals, such as thieves, incendiaries.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.