nd any except on deposit of a
pledge, of equal or greater value than the book itself.
It is safer to fall back on a pledge, than to proceed
against an individual. Moreover he may not lend except
to neighbouring churches, or to persons of conspicuous
worth[135].

The Customs of the Abbey of Evesham in Worcestershire give the same
directions in a slightly different form.

It is part of the precentor's duty to entrust to the
younger monks the care of the presses, and to keep them
in repair: whenever the convent is sitting in cloister,
he is to go round the cloister as soon as the bell has
sounded, and replace the books, in case any brother
through carelessness should have forgotten to do so.

He is to take charge of all the books in the monastery,
and have them in his keeping, provided his carefulness
and knowledge be such that they may be entrusted to him.
No one is to take a book out unless it be entered on his
roll: nor is any book to be lent to any one without a
proper and sufficient voucher, and this too is to be set
down on his roll[136].

The Carthusians--the second offshoot of the Benedictine tree (1084)--also
preserved the primitive tradition of study. They not only read themselves,
but were actively employed in writing books for others. In the chapter of
their statutes which deals with the furniture allowed to each "tenant of a
cell (_incola celle_)"--(for in this community each brother lived apart,
with his sitting-room, bed-room, and plot of garden-ground)--all the
articles needful for writing are enumerated, "for nearly all those whom we
adopt we teach, if possible, to write," and then the writer passes on to
books.

Moreover he--[the tenant of the cell]--receives two
books out of the press for reading. He is admonished to
take the utmost care and pains that they be not soiled
by smoke or dust or dirt of any kind; for it is our wish
that books, as being the perpetual food of our souls,
should be most jealously guarded, and most carefully
produced, that we, who cannot preach the word of God
with our lips, may preach it with our hands[137].

They did, however, on occasion lend books, for it is provided that when
books are lent no one shall retain them contrary to the will of the
lenders[138]. It would be interesting to know how this rule was enforced.

The Cistercian Order--founded 1128--adopted the