was not known there for years,
except by the Father Abbe; and such was their state of seclusion, that
a Nobleman having taken a journey of five hundred miles, purposely to
see the Monastery, could scarcely find in the neighbouring villages
one person who knew where it was situated. Indeed, at the present day,
it is quite astonishing how little is known of this place, and how
very few, even among those in its immediate vicinity, have ever
visited it.[1]
On the great festivals they rise at midnight; otherwise they are not
called until three quarters past one: at two they assemble in the
Chapel, where they perform different services, public and private,
until seven in the morning, according to the regulations of the week,
as exemplified in the "_Table pour l'Office Divin_". At this hour they
go out to labour in the open air. Their work is of the most fatiguing
kind, is never intermitted, winter or summer, and admits of no
relaxation from the state of the weather.
[Footnote 1: Among the most frequent visitors of La Trappe, was
the unfortunate James the Second. His first visit was on the 20th
November, 1690, where he was received by M. de Rance, whose account of
it is very interesting.]
When their labour is over, they go into Chapel for a short time, until
eleven o'clock, the hour of repast; at a quarter after eleven they
read till noon; and afterwards lie down to rest for an hour: they are
then summoned into the garden, where they again work until three;
then read again for three quarters of an hour, and retire for another
quarter to their private meditations, by way of preparation for
vespers, which begin at four, and end at six; at seven they again
enter the Chapel, and at eight they leave it, and retire to rest.
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