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Highest in rank after the abbot was the provost. St.
Benedict recommended his appointment "if the circumstances
of the place required it," but warned that rivalries
and dissensions might arise from the presence of a second
in command, "for there are men puffed up by an evil
spirit of pride who regard themselves as equal to the

332

[ILLUSTRATION]

LXV. DE PRAEPOSITO MONASTERII

1 Sepius quidem contigit, ut per ordinationem praepositi scandala
grabia in monasteriis oriantur.

65 THE PRIOR OF THE MONASTERY

It frequently happens that the appointment of a prior gives rise
to serious scandals in monasteries.

abbot."[31] The office, nevertheless, became firmly established,
probably because of the growing economic and administrative
complexities of the medieval monastery. Chapter 29
of the resolutions of the first synod of Aachen (816) affirms
the position of the provost as the direct representative of
the abbot.[32] Wala describes his duties as follows:

The provost should be first after the abbot inside and outside the
monastery; but these especially should be in his jurisdiction, to
wit all work in the fields and the vineyards and on the buildings;
and of the potters and the shepherds and of all the cells situated in
this valley, except those which are assigned to the care of other
brothers, or all farms held in fee, horses tamed and untamed, and
he should allocate the quarters in the monastery according to
need.[33]

Under the jurisdiction of the provost were the keeper of
the vineyards (custos vinearum), the master carpenter, and
all other masters who worked in wood and stone (magister
carpentarius et omnes magistri de ligno et lapide).[34]

[31]

Quod si aut locus expetit aut congregatio petierit rationabiliter cum
humilitate et abbas iudicauerit expedire, quemcumque elegerit abbas cum
consilio fratrum timentium deum, ordinet ipse sibi praepositum, Benedicti
regula, chap. 65, 14-15; ed. Hanslik, 1960, 152-55; ed. McCann, 1952,
148-51; ed. Steidle, 1952, 316-19.

The dangers invoked by the appointment of a second-in-command are
pointed out in the first two lines of the same chapter: Sepius quidem
contigit, ut per ordinationem praepositi scandala grabia in monasteriis
oriantur, dum sint aliqui maligno spiritu superbiae inflati et aestimantes se
secundos esse abbates, adsumentes sibi tyrannidem, scandala nutriant et
dissensiones in congregationes faciunt; ed. Hanslik, 1960, 152-55; ed.
McCann, 1952, 148-51; ed. Steidle, 1952, 316-19.

[32]

Synodi primae decr. auth., chap. 29; ed. Semmler, in Corp. cons.
mon., I, 1963, 466: "Ut praepositus intra et extra monasteria post abbatem
maiorem reliquis abbati subditis habeat potestatem."

[33]

PREPOSITUS PRIMUS sit post abbatem in monasterio infra
extraque, tamen specialiter haec sint in sua potestate, id est omnis laboratio
agrorum et vinearum et edifitiorum, figulorumque, pastorum atque omnium
cellarum hac in valle consistentium, preter illas qaae aliorum fratrum providentiae
depputantur, seu omnes cartes quae ad stipendi <um> pertinent,
caballi domiti indomitique, et ipse mansiones in monasterio cui necessarie sunt
distribuat. Breve memorationis Walae, ed. Semmler, in Corp. cons. mon.,
I, 1963, 421, 25.

[34]

Breve memorationis Walae, ed. cit., 422.

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IV.1.2

THE PROVOST OR PRIOR (PRAEPOSITUS)

THE PROVOST OR PRIOR
(PRAEPOSITUS)