A CONCISE H ISTORY; OFHE T CISTERCIAN O RDER. A GONCISE H ISTORY OFHE T CISTERCIAN O RDER, mmm m mm 0? ‘ ss. ROBERT, ALBERIC, AND SlTEPHEN; “'FI‘H ITS REVIVAL IN ENGLAND AT s'r. SUSAN's, -LULLWORTH, m MOUNT ST. BERNARD, LEICESTERSHIRE. A SKETCH OF THE LIFEF O THOMAS WELD, ESQ, IS I MBODIED IN THE HISTORY OF ST. SUSAN'S, LULLWORTII. BY A C ISTERCI'AN MONK. 152mm . Supzriurum. LONDON = THOMAS R ICHARDSON AND SON, I72, FLEET STREET; 9, CAPEL STREET, DUBLIN, AND DERBY. c. noLuAN, 61. NEW BoNn sum-31‘. & 22, PATEnNosTEn now, LONDON. Tm: ABBEY or MOUNT s'r. BERNARD, LOI'GHBDROUGH. MDCCCLII. LIBRARY U NIVERSITY (m CALIFORNIA DAVIS THIS H ‘ISTORY IS MOST RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY PRESENTED TO AMBROSE L ISLE PHILLIPPS, ESQ, 0F GRACE DIEU MANOR, AND JOHN, E ARL OF SHREWSBURY, THE FOUNDERS AND PATRONS OFHE T ABBEY OF MOUNT ST. BERNARD, LEICESTERSHIRE, BY THEIR M OST HUMBLE SERVANT, 7/ fl) 0% %MW W 4%. TOHE T READER. There i s accessible to the public little information— at least as it exists at present—concerning the ancient Institute of Citeaux, which in the Ages of Faith found so much favour in our own Island. Hence many kind and zealous friends have expressed to us, more than once, their desire to see this deficiency in the history of our present. religious Institutions, filled up, by a work, which would be within the reach of the greater part of Catholic readers. The f act, moreover, that, of all the ancient Orders, the Cistercian is the only one which has arisen from the grave, in which they were indiscriminately buried in this country at the period of the Reformation, in all the vigour of its primitive discipline, gives this request an additional interest. We h ave given, therefore, the following historical com pilation our approbation and authority. Much information concerning our holy Institute in the present century, has been derived from the testimony of those who are still its faithful and zealous members. In t he fervent hope that this history will meet the pious request of our friends, will edify our neighbours, and promote sentiments of profound humility, with an ardent love of Evangelical perfection, we recommend it to the favourable acceptance of the public. + B ROTHER BERNARD PALMER, ABBOT. CONTENTS. cunrna n o It Introduction - - - . - - _ 9 1.S. S Robert, Alberic, Stephen,—with other religious, leave M olesme. Their reasons. Their permission from t he legate of the Holy See. Their journey to Citeaux. D escription of Citeaux. The new monas tery. T he dedication of the church. St. Robert the fi rst abbot, 8L0. ------- 43 II. S t. Robert. His birth. His entrance into a monas tery. E lected superior. His removal to another house. H is departure through the misconduct of the r eligious. His appointment to Golan. Removal to M olesme. His abandonment of this unruly com munity. H is return. His departure for Citeaux. His r ecal from Citeaux to Molesme. His death. 52 III. S t. Alberic. He places himself under the guidance of St. R obert. Is disrespectfully treated by the monks of M olesme. His departure from Molesme. Recal. Departure f or Citeaux. Elected abbot. His life of s evere penance. His appeal to Rome for the sanction o f the Holy See. His regulations. He changes t he colour of the habit. He adopts lay brothers. H is last sickness, and death. - - 62 1V. S t. Stephen’s birth place. His youth. In the priory of S herbourne. His travels. His joining the com munityf o Molesme. His election to be the abbot of CONTENTS. cnsv'raa. P aul; Citcaux. I lia exclusion of the Duke of Burgundy 's court f rom the monastery. His correction of the Holy S criptures. His trials of poverty and afliic tions, f rom the frequent deaths of his brethren. He receives a v ision from heaven. - - - - 81 V. T he arrival of St. Bernard and his companions at Citeaux. T he establishment of Filiations. The first general c hapter. The second general chapter. The chartf o charity. Confirmed by Pope Calixtns II. The L ittle Exordium, and the usages of Citeaux. St. S tephen’s resignation and death - -- 96 VI. R eligions orders of the west branches of the Bene dictine f amily. Number of monasteries. Cluny. Citeaux. A d ay at Citeaux. The influence of Citeaux. I ts privileges, &c. ----- 111 VII. R eformations in the Cistercian order. In Spain. In France.n I Italy. LaTrappe. Abbe Rancé. His early y ears. His conversion. His reformation of La T rappe. Edii'ying examples. Bossuet. King I.James I Death of Abbot Rance. State of La Trappet a the period of the French revolution - 129 VIII. T he petition of the adjacent towns in favour of La Trappe. D om. Augustine. His early life. Entrance into r eligion. Master of novices. Journey to Swit zerland. T he Holy Valley obtained from the can tonal g overnment of Fribourg. The removal of twenty-four m embers of La Trappe to the Holy Valley. T he origin of the Holy Valley. The des tructionf o La Trappe. The last of its community buriedn i its cemetery. Difficulties of the Holy Valley. I ts increase. Additional austerities. Erec~ tion i nto an abbey. Fiiiations. Third order for the instruction o f youth. The expulsion of the religious from t he Holy Valley by the French armies. Their wanderings. T he'resuscitation of La Trappe. The deathf o Dom. Augustine -- - — - 158 IX. T he colony of Cistercian monks destined for Canada, detained a t Lullworth. The foundation of St. Susan's, L ullworth. The reports circulated against it. T he accession of novices. The description of CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE St. S usan’s. Ruins of Bindon abbey. The labours of t he monks. The settlement of the Cistercian sisterhood a t Stapehill. Madame de Chabannes. Deathf o Father Maur. Father Anthony succeeds nhim i the priorship -- - - - - 179 X. L nllworth castle. Royal visits. Mr. Thomas Weld’s education, m arriage, and family; his benevolence, piety, c haracter, and death - - - -- 192 XI. F ather Antony solemnly blessed the first abbot of St. Susan’s, L ullworth. The various reports in circular tion a bout the monastery. The apostate Power. The m ischief he did. His miserable end. Lord Sidmouth a nd Father Antony. Visits of the Prin cess C harlotte to St. Susan’s. Father Antony purchases M elleray. Origin of Melleray. Arrange ments w ith Mr. Weld. Departure of the brother hood f rom England. A last glance at St. Susan’s, Lullworth ---- - -- - XII. T he arrival of the brotherhood in France. Entrance into M elleray. Installation speech of Father Antony. Renewal o f vows. Increase of the community. Father A ntony appointed visitor general. Report founded u pon his visition - - -- - 211 XIII. F ather Antony appointed visitor general of the order. His v isit and report. State of Melleray. Visit of the D uchess of Berry. Father Antony’s letter to the A rchbishop of Dublin. Father Vincent and Father M alachy sent to Ireland. Commence a foundation a t Rathmore. The reasons for the sup pression o f Melleray. Attack on the monastery. The e xpulsion of the members. The imprisonment of t he English. Their transportation to Ireland in a g overnment vessel. The foundation of Mount Melleray, & c. ---- -- - - 2"; XIV. P assports refused to the brothers who remained in France. T he praiseworthy conduct of the English ConsuL F ather Antouy’s letter to the exiled reli gious. T he resumption of monastic duties at Mello ray. T he reunion of the houses practising different regulations. T he decree of Gregory XVI. - - 234 CONTENTS. cmrraa. m es XV. C ertain objections answered. St. Benedict’s rule. Commendations o f it. Facilities of practising the constitutions o f Citeaux, in the present age. Deci sionf o doctors in theology. Fasting, &c. - - 244 XVI. C harnwood Forest. Extent. Name. Druidicalresi deuce. R oman Station. Coins. Well wooded in ancient t imes. Enclosure. Beautiful views. Beacon and B ardon hills. Religious houses. Alderman’s Haw. C harley priory. Ulverscrolt priory. Garen don a bbey. Grace Dieu convent. Holywellhermi tage. G eology, 8w. - -- - - . 254 XVII. M ount St. Bernard, Leicestershire. Purchase of land. The d onor. Situation. The nature of the land. The fi rst dwelling of the religious. Comparison betwen t he commencement of Mount St. Bernard and C iteaux. The beginning of a new edifice. The openingf o the church. The sermon preached on the occasion, S te. - - - - --- . 270 XVIII. F ather Bernard ordained priest. Father Benedict appointed p rior. Commencement of the present monastery. L aying the foundation stone of the church - - - -- - -- - 2 79 XIX. T he blessing of the new monastery and the church. The c loisters open to all visitors. The Cistercian churches g enerally large; reasons. The commence mentf o the enclosure. Monastic duties pleasant. Additions‘to t he monastery. The blessing of the Calvary - - -- - ---- 2 88 XX. B riefs from Rome. Mount St. Bernard erected into an a bbey. Father Bernard chosen and confirmed abbot. S ome notice of his life. His consecration. Conclusion - - - -- - - - 2 94 Appendix - - - - - - - -- 3 04 .9": lintrohuction. ONEf o the many consolations with which it hath pleased the Almighty to favour the Catholics of Eng land, in these days of brighter prospects and happier anticipations, is the sympathy so generally and so can didly expressed by the more enlightened of our Protes tant countrymen, in our lament over the ruins of the magnificent monasteries which, previously to the destruc tive era of the Reformation, adorned this island.