ounts with an annual audit, faithfully and truly.

No fairs nor markets were any more to be held within the precincts.[513]

Every monk was to have a separate bed, and not to have any child or boy
lying with him, or otherwise haunting unto him.

The "brethren" were to occupy themselves in daily reading or other
honest and laudable exercises. Especially there was to be every day one
general lesson in Holy Scripture, at which every member of the house was
bound to be present.

[Sidenote: Some portion of the rule which the monks have professed shall
every day be read to them.]

Finally, that they might all understand the meaning of their position in
the world, and the intention, which they had so miserably forgotten, of
the foundations to which they belonged, the abbot, prior, or president,
was every day to explain in English some of the portion of the rule
which they had professed; "applying the same always to the doctrine of
Christ." The language of the injunctions is either Cromwell's or the
king's; and the passage upon this subject is exceedingly beautiful.

"The abbot shall teach them that the said rule, and other their
principles of religion (so far as they be laudable), be taken out of
Holy Scripture: and he shall shew them the places from whence they be
derived: and that their ceremonies and other observances be none other
things than as the first letters or principles, and certain
introductions to true Christianity: and that true religion is not
contained in apparel, manner of going, shaven heads, and such other
marks; nor in silence, fasting, uprising in the night, singing, and
such other kind of ceremonies; but in cleanness of mind, pureness of
living, Christ's faith not feigned, and brotherly charity, and true
honouring of God in spirit and verity: and that those abovesaid things
were instituted and begun, that they being first exercised in these, in
process of time might ascend to those as by certain steps--that is to
say, to the chief point and end of religion. And therefore, let them be
exhorted that they do not continually stick and surcease in such
ceremonies and observances, as though they had perfectly fulfilled the
chief and outmost of the whole of true religion; but that when they have
once passed such things, they should endeavour themselves after higher
things, and convert their minds from such external matters to more
inward and deeper considerations, as the law of God and Christian
religion d