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are to kneel and beg the others to pray for them; those going out are then tosay a certain prayer three times, and receive the t)CUtbiCtlCUl, whilst the onecoming in does the same, and after benediction goes into office.
®fUnfitmarg. —This department had its particular officer, who had thedirection of the baths, and administration of the medicine and diet ordered for thesick. The rule was mitigated in favour of children and aged men, who hadleave to anticipate the usual hours of eating. The refection, as already described,was conducted in silence—all listening to the Scripture-tcabcr, whose voice alonewas heard during the repast. Whatever was wanted, was asked for by sign.The reader was appointed weekly. The dinner consisted of two dishes only,with fruit; and to each monk, daily, one pound of bread was distributed, whichwas to suffice for both dinner and supper. No animal food was allowed, exceptto the sick and aged in the infirmary. The allowance of wine was three-quarters of a pint per day. From Holyrood-day to Lent , the dinner hour wasat notus ; in Lent till Easter, at six o’clock; from Easter to Pentecost , at stxt Jand all summer, except on Wednesdays and Fridays, at nOPCS. The collation,or spiritual lecture, was given every night before complin —that is, after supper;and complin finished, they were enjoined strict silence.
Tardiness at church or table was punished with loss of rank, prohibition ofwine, or their usual allowance, or sitting in the place of disgrace. The excom-municated were condemned to make prostration with the face toward the ground,and without the church gate, when the monks proceed to prayers. For anyfault in the tljant, he who made it was to ask immediate pardon; and in otherplaces, breaking of any utensil, or neglect of duty, was to be spontaneouslyacknowledged before the Abbot and congregation. The signal for repairing tochurch was given by the ®lbl)0t; and nobody was to sing or read there withouthis leave.
33atlj) [noth was to be done from prime till near ten o’clock, from ISaStcr tillthe kalends of October, and from ten till twelve o’clock was to be spent in reading.After refection at noon, the monks were allowed to take their mcntuan or siesta;but those who preferred reading were allowed to do so. After nones, labour wasrecommenced and continued until the evening, from the kalends of October untilLent , reading till eight A.M., then ®tCtCE, and afterwards labour until nones.After refection they had reading or psalmody. In Lent they had readinguntil tierce; doing what was ordered [in the Ritual] until ten—with the deliveryof the books at their season.* It was the duty of the Mentor to go round thehouse, and see that the monks were not idle. On Sunday, all spent their timein reading—except the officers, and the idle and infirm, who had work giventhem. During Lent , abstinence from meat, drink, and sleep, with a grave,
* Vide Dec. Laufr. Fosb. 67.