§ 15.
One point in the Cistercian rule, which
arose from this self-contained ideal and had an
important influence upon the planning of Cistercian
buildings, was the division of the brethren of each
abbey into monks (
monachi) and lay brothers (
conversi)
[1].
The Cistercian monk was a clerk who could
read and write. Like a Benedictine monk, he was
not necessarily a priest, although it became very
general for monks to proceed to priest's orders. His
duties lay in the church and cloister, and, unless
he held an office such as that of cellarer or kitchener,
he was not immediately concerned with the business
affairs of his convent. These, which in Benedictine
houses were largely transacted by tenants or hired
labourers and servants, were performed in Cistercian
houses by the
conversi. A
conversus was a layman
who had turned from the service of the world to that
of God. He entered the convent as a novice and in
due course made his profession. He was precluded
from learning to read or write and from taking holy
orders. He was taught a few prayers and psalms by
heart, but his business was manual labour in the
convent workshops, or in its fields and granges. On
ordinary work-days he had to attend part of the
night-office and, if he was not stationed in a grange,
had to come to compline. He observed the other
hours by the recitation of special prayers at his work.
His life was regulated by statutes which in respect
of abstinence, silence and other similar essentials
resembled those of the monks. The
conversi had
their own separate common rooms in the cloister
buildings, their own quire in the church and their
own infirmary. They rose at an hour which was
specially calculated to allow them enough sleep before
their day's work: their chapter was held by the
abbot only on Sundays and certain feast-days. Thus
the convent was provided with all the workmen
whom it needed. Some
conversi were deputed to
live upon the convent granges, each of which had a
conversus as prior. The white frocks and cowls of the
monks gave the Cistercians their distinctive name of
white monks as opposed to the Benedictines or black
monks: the dress of the
conversus was a cloak
(
cappa), tunic, stockings (
caligae), boots (
pedules)
and a hood (
capucium) covering only the shoulders
and breast
[2].
