§ 10.
The popularity and wealth of the Benedictine
order naturally led in many monasteries to
relaxation of the rule. From time to time monks
who felt the necessity of closer communion with God
and a stricter life sought their need in the foundation
of new houses under a more severe form of their rule.
The first important move in this direction was made
in the abbey of Cluny, from which, founded in 910,
proceeded the monastic reform of the tenth century.
St Berno, the first abbot, died in 927. One essential
point distinguished Cluniac monasteries from Benedictine.
Each Benedictine abbot was the president
of his own republic. The Cluniac houses, on the other
hand, were priories directly under the supervision of
the abbot of Cluny, the autocrat of the order. They
were exempt from episcopal visitation, and the abbot,
holding his general chapters at Cluny, was responsible
to the pope alone. In England their chief house was
the priory of St Pancras at Lewes, founded in 1077
by William de Warenne for a prior and twelve monks:
the prior of Lewes took second rank among Cluniac
priors. Of some thirty-two English houses of the
order several were cells of the larger priories, and at
the general chapter would be represented by the
priors of their parent monasteries. Owing to the
dependence of the order upon Cluny, its English
priories shared confiscation with the other alien
foundations. They were allowed to continue, however,
as 'denizen' houses with English priors, and the priory
of St Saviour at Bermondsey was raised to the dignity
of an abbey. Of ruins of Cluniac priories in England,
the most complete are at Wenlock in Shropshire and
Castle Acre in Norfolk. The plans of Lewes and
Thetford priories have been recovered from foundations
and fragments, and there are substantial remains
at Bromholm in Norfolk.
