hapter-house, and the
commissioners delivered to them their closing directions. No differences
were made between the orders. The same language was used everywhere. The
statute of supremacy was first touched upon; and the injunction was
repeated for the detailed observance of it. Certain broad rules of moral
obedience were then laid down, to which all "religious" men without
exception were expected to submit.[512]

[Sidenote: The monks confined within walls.]

No monks, thenceforward, were to leave the precincts of the monastery to
which they belonged, under any pretext; they were to confine themselves
within the walls, to the house, the gardens, and the grounds.

[Sidenote: No women to be admitted within the precincts.]

[Sidenote: The brethren to dine together in hall, gravely and decently.]

No women were to come within the walls, without licence from the king or
the visitor; and, to prevent all unpermitted ingress or egress, private
doors and posterns were to be walled up. There was, in future, to be but
one entrance only, by the great foregate; and this was to be diligently
watched by a porter. The "brethren" were to take their meals decently in
the common hall. They were not to clamour, as they had been in the habit
of doing, "for any certain, usual, or accustomed portion of meat;" but
were to be content with what was set before them, giving thanks to God.

To ensure gravity and decency, one of the brethren, at every refection,
was to read aloud a chapter of the Old or New Testament.

The abbot was "to keep an honest and hospitable table;" and an almoner
was to be appointed in each house, to collect the broken meats, and to
distribute them among the deserving poor.

[Sidenote: Valiant, mighty, and idle beggars no longer to be supported.]

Special care was to be taken in this last article, and "_by no means
should such alms be given to valiant, mighty, and idle beggars and
vagabonds, such as commonly use to resort to such places; which rather
as drove beasts and mychers should be driven away and compelled to
labour, than in their idleness and lewdness be cherished and maintained,
to the great hindrance and damage of the commonweal_."

All other alms and distributions, either prescribed by the statutes of
the foundations, or established by the customs of the abbeys, were to be
made and given as largely as at any past time.

The abbots were to make no waste of the woods or lands. They were to
keep their acc