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Table of Contents

  1. First Reading (Matins)
  2. Second Reading (Matins, cont.)
  3. Third reading (Daybreak: Lavabo and Second Morning Offices)
  4. Reading Four (Prime)
  5. Reading Five (Prime and the Chapter Room)
  6. Reading Six (Discipline in the Chapter Room)
  7. Reading Seven (From the Chapter Room to the Cloister, and Terce)
  8. Reading Eight (Terce and Preparation for Mass)
  9. Reading Nine (Mass)
  10. Reading Ten (Mass, cont.)
  11. Reading Eleven (Sext, Refectory)
  12. Reading Twelve (Refectory)
  13. Reading 13a (Refectory-Dormitory)
  14. Reading 14a (None)
  15. Reading 15 (Vespers, Processions)
  16. Reading 16 (Collation and Compline)
  17. Reading 17 (Dormitory)
  18. Reading 18: On Making Rounds
  19. Reading 19: On the Abbot
  20. Reading 20a: On the Prior
  21. Reading 21a: On the Sub-prior
  22. Reading 22a: On the Steward (Provost)
  23. Reading 23a: On the Vestarer
  24. Reading 24: On the Infirmarer
  25. Reading 25: On the Hospitaller
  26. Reading 26: On the Kitchener (and food)
  27. Reading 27: On the Cantor
  28. Reading 28: On the Cellarer
  29. Reading 29: On the Refectorer
  30. Reading 30: On the Almoner
  31. Reading 31: On the Sacristan
  32. Reading 32: On the Grainarer (Granary Keeper)
  33. Reading 33: On the Census-Taker (Argentarius)
  34. On the Procurators
  35. Reading 34: On how it is necessary to be present at the canonical hours
  36. Reading 35: Concerning the Weekly Priest (Hebdomadarius)
  37. Reading 36: On Maundy (Mandatum)
  38. Reading 37: On Welcoming Novices and Making Profession
  39. Reading 38: On the tonsure
  40. Reading 39: On the Porter
  41. Reading 40: On the Pittancer
  42. Reading 41: On Bloodlettings
  43. Reading 42 and last things (Restrictions on the Conversi)
  44. On Permission to Go Outside and Other Things
  45. Reading 43: On Places of Silence and Benediction
  46. Article 3: No Eating in the Dormitory Room
  47. Article 4: Which Women May Permissibly Enter the Cloister
  48. Article 4 (bis): No Lying Down or Eating Outside our Houses
  49. Article 5: Permission for Talking with an Outsider and for Going out of the Choir
  50. Article 6: All Shall Read at the Table
  51. Article 7: The Seal of the Chapter
  52. Article 8: "Not Mine, but Ours"
  53. Lectio 44: On those who are living in dependent parishes
  54. Article 2: Priors and their Socii (associates) in dependant parishes
  55. Article 3: On recalling those who are living in dependant parishes
  56. Article 4: On Prohibited Games
  57. Article 5: That Books for our use should be in dependent parishes
  58. Customary oath on receiving an abbot

Glossary / Notes

7 The invitatory means the performance of the invitatory psalm, 94, with its antiphon.

8 This probably refers to the reading of the tabula .

The canons are instructed to bow ante et retro. This instruction is found in Bern, fol. 60v. In Blaise, citing Cons. Hirs. col. 9391, this term is glossed: Inclinationem nos per usum ante et retro appellamus, quae contra orientem incipit , et finit contra occidentem.

10 The so-called Canticle of Zacharias sung at Lauds; Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, (Luke 1: 68-79).

11 The community is probably divided for reading between the left- and right-hand sides of the choir.

12 Here it seems that the whole community (left and right sides) stands.

13 "Part of the convent proper" probably refers to the active community, versus the sick and aged members.

Second reading (Matins, cont.)

It should be known, however, that, unless it is a day for prostration, they should always bend and bow over the misericords (stalls) at the Gloria Patri and the Lord's Prayer and at the prayers of the hours and the service for the dead, with the exception of the Gloria Patri of the first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth responsories (responsoria) in the duplex feasts and with the exception of Gloria Patri after the Venite and Gloria Patri at the service of the mass, when they should bow in the direction of the altar only in the beginning. At the end of Gloria, when two or four [canons] have to sing the invitatory, 7 they shall go to the steps of the sanctuary and shall bow in the direction of the altar, and so begin the invitatory; likewise they shall bow at Gloria Patri. When they have sung all of it, they shall first bow in the direction of the altar, next towards the choir, and then they shall return to their seats. Those, who need to check in advance the service laid on them,8 may stand under the lamp, two at a time and not more, and check quickly for themselves. Whoever checks for himself during the day, however, should not go under the lamp.

Those who have to do the first and fourth readings, if they are from the inferior [stalls], after the candlestick in the middle choir has been lighted, they must bow toward the [top of the] stalls facing the altar, then towards the choir, and so proceeding with gravity, they shall do their reading slowly, distinctly and clearly, and returning to the steps of the sanctuary, they shall bow to the east and west (perform the ante et retro salutation). If the abbot must read, he should bow in the middle of the choir facing the altar, and the rest shall bow to him and rise. When the abbot is reading, the prior of the order shall give benediction standing. The readers of the first, fourth and seventh reading shall not start until the noise from the stalls has died down, and the brothers should, to the best of their ability, hurry to sit in unison. He, who sings the response, when he begins, shall face the altar, until the whole thing is sung, and shall bow at the end [of the verse.]

Whoever will have done the third, sixth, and the ninth readings, shall extinguish the candle. When one of the superiors is reading, he, who bears the lantern, should prepare a lighted candlestick and the book (sc. for this occasion) and for the prayer after the Benedictus. 10 At the psalms of the hours one part of the convent should stand, the other sit, with that side that has the choir beginning sooner.11 On duplex feasts they should stand for the psalms.12 Whoever is reading or singing in front of the altar, should first bow towards the altar, and after the end he should bow towards the altar and then towards the choir. Upon the completion of Matins (Lauds?) they should return to the dormitory in the same order they came, and, entrusting themselves in the hands of God, they shall rest in their beds. Further no one of the people, who are part of the convent proper,13 with the exception of the abbot and the prior, shall remain without permission outside of the dormitory.

Lectio secunda.

Sciendum autem quod semper ad Gloria Patri et dominicam orationem et ad preces horarum et seruitium mortuorum, nisi fuerit dies prostrationis, super misericordias se incuruent et inclinent, excepto Gloria Patri primi et secundi et quarti et quinti et septimi et octaui responsorii in diebus festis duplicibus et excepto Gloria Patri post Venite et excepto Gloria officii missae, ubi tantum in initio uersus altare debent inclinare. Finito Gloria, quando duo uel quatuor inuitatorium debent cantare, eant ad gradus sanctuarii et uersus altare inclinent, et sic incipiant inuitatorium ; similiter ad Gloria Patri inclinent. Quando uero totum cantatum fuerit, primo uersus altare, deinde ad chorum inclinent, et tunc redeant ad sedes suas. Qui necesse habuerint iniunctum sibi officium prouidere, possunt duo et non plures sub lampade esse simul et breuiter sibi prouidere. Quilibet tamen prouideat sibi de die, ne oporteat eum sub lampade ire.

Illi qui primam lectionem et quartam debent legere, si de inferioribus fuerint, accensa candela in medio choro, ad summitatem stallorum uersus altare, deinde ad chorum debent inclinare, et sic incedentes cum grauitate, lectionem suam legant tractim distincte et aperte, et reuertentes ad gradus sanctuarii, ante et retro inclinent. Si abbas legere debet, in medio chori uersus altare debet inclinare, et alii ei inclinent et assurgant. Quando abbas legit, prior ordinis stando det benedictionem. Lectores primae et quartae et septimae lectionis non statim incipiant, donec tumultus stallorum conquiescat, et quantum possunt, festinent simul sedere fratres. Qui responsum cantat, quando incipit, uersus altare stet, donec totum cantetur et ad uersum et ad finem uersus inclinet.

Qui tertiam et sextam et nonam lectionem legerit, candelam extinguat. Quando unus de superioribus legit, ille qui laternam portat, candelam accensam et um debet prouidere et ad orationem post Benedictus. Ad psalmos horarum una pars conuentus debet stare, altera sedere, illa parte prius incipiente quae chorum habet. In duplicibus festis debent stare ad psalmos. Quicunque legit uel cantat ante altare, primo debet uersus altare inclinare, et post finem uersus altare deinde ad chorum inclinare. Completo matutinarum officio eo ordine quo uenerant, in dormitorium redeant et, seipsos in manus Domini commendantes, in lectis suis requiescant. Porro nullus eorum qui ad conuentum proprie pertinent, excepto abbate et priore, sine licentia extra dormitorium remaneat.

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