An introduction to American history, European beginnings . e various. Some of the monks might befound superintending the serfs and farmers or working inthe fields themselves; some were busy looking after the 2o8 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN HISTORY kitchen and the supply of food; some did gardening;some kept the scriptorium supphed with ink, pens, andparchment; others, as we have seen, were occupied with copying or writing, orteaching chiklren fromthe neighborhood to readand write. Still otherswould be detailed to lookafter the guests that werecertain to be enjoying thehospitality of the mon-aster
An introduction to American history, European beginnings . e various. Some of the monks might befound superintending the serfs and farmers or working inthe fields themselves; some were busy looking after the 2o8 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN HISTORY kitchen and the supply of food; some did gardening;some kept the scriptorium supphed with ink, pens, andparchment; others, as we have seen, were occupied with copying or writing, orteaching chiklren fromthe neighborhood to readand write. Still otherswould be detailed to lookafter the guests that werecertain to be enjoying thehospitality of the mon-astery, for a monasterywas almost the only sortof inn there was in thosetimes, and the monkswere bound to entertainall who came to theirdoors. In the richer abbeysthe lives of the monkswere often more luxuriousthan St. Benedict wouldhave wished. The rules that he had laid down more thansix hundred years before enjoined a very plain and simpleway of living.^ But in later times, when monasteries hadgrown more wealthy, the monks found it harder and 1 See p. i-uuii-,bi- I luetiiucn oc cuinpany Nuns in Choir THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE AGES 209 harder to live in this way. So there was need of someone to teach again a simple way of life and lessons ofservice to the world outside the monastery a teacher was St. Francis of Assisi. Section 34. The Friars St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Assisi, born inItaly toward the close of the twelfth century, was not atall a saint for the first twenty years of his life. He was agay, romantic, rich young man, who thought very littleabout religious matters. When he was twenty, however,he fell ill and was sick for a long time. After he had re-covered he found that he no longer cared for the pleasuresof his former life. All his thoughts were turned towardhelping the sick and wretched about him. He gave awayall he had to the needy, and in the ardor of his devotionmade himself wash the sores of the poor lepers in thevillage. He was not
Size: 1230px × 2031px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherbostonnewyorketcgi
