as shown to noblemen or their children, nor were they
exempted from their share in manual labor, or other severities of
the Rule. Such exemptions and privileges granted to many on pretence
of health, first opened the door to a relaxation of monastic
discipline. Placidus said, that when he was drawn by Maurus out of
the water, he saw over his head the melotes of the abbot, and seemed
to be saved by it, whence the miracle was by the disciples ascribed
to St. Benedict. Dom Haeften thinks by the melotes is meant a cowl,
to which that name is given by Paul the deacon, and the Roman Order
or Ceremonial. But most understand a habit made of skins of goats,
such as the Eastern monks wore, in imitation of the ancient
prophets, as Cassian describes. (Instit. l. 1, c. 8.)
6. Scienter nesciens, et sapienter indoctus.
7. {Footnote not in text} Annal. Bened. t. 5, p. 122, ad an. 543. See
also Muratori, Script. Ital. t. 4, p. 217.
8. By it the abbot is charged with the entire government of the
monastery. Seven hours a day are allotted the monks for manual
labor, and two for pious reading, besides meditation from matins
till break or day. But manual labor has been exchanged in most
places for sacred studies and spiritual functions. The rule commands
perpetual abstinence from flesh-meat, not only of four-footed
animals, but also of fowls, which at that time were only served at
the tables of princes as most exquisite dainties, as Mabillon shows
from the testimony of St. Gregory of Tours. This law of abstinence
is restored in the reformed congregation of St. Maur, and others.
The hemina of wine allowed by St. Bennet per day, in countries where
wine and water are only drunk, has been the subject of many
dissertations, this measure having not been the same at all times,
nor in all countries. The Roman hemina, which was half a sextarius,
contained ten ounces, as Montfaucon demonstrates, (Antiqu. expl. t.
3, l. 4, c. 7, pp. 149, 152,) and as Mabillon allows. (Praef. in Saec.
4.) Lancelot endeavors to show, in a dissertation on this subject,
that St. Bennet is to be understood of this Roman hemina. Menard
takes it to have been only seven ounces and a half. Mabillon (Pr. in
Saec. 4, p. cxv.) and Martenne (in c. 40, Reg.) think the holy
founder speaks not of the ordinary of Roman hemina, and understand
him of the G