In this passage the _library_--by which a book-press is probably to be understood--is specially mentioned. In other words, at that early date the formation of a collection of books was contemplated, large enough to supply the community with a volume apiece, without counting the service-books required for use in the church. The Benedictine Order flourished and increased abundantly for more than four centuries, until, about A.D. 912, the order of Cluni was established. It was so called from the celebrated abbey near Macon in Burgundy, which, though not the first house of the Order in point of date, became subsequently the first in extent, wealth, and reputation. As a stricter observance of the Rule of S. Benedict was the main object which the founder of this Order had in view, the Benedictine directions respecting study are maintained and developed. The Customs prescribe the following regulations for books: On the second day of Lent the only passage of the Rule to be read in Chapter is that concerning the observance of Lent. Then shall be read aloud a note (_brevis_) of the books which a year before had been given out to brethren for their reading. When a brother's name is called, he rises, and returns the book that had been given to him; and if it should happen that he has not read it through, he is to ask forgiveness for his want of diligence. A carpet on which those books are to be laid out is to be put down in the Chapter-House; and the titles of those which are distributed to brethren afresh are to be noted, for which purpose a tablet is to be made of somewhat larger size than usual[129]. In a subsequent chapter it is directed that the books are to be entrusted to the official "who is called Precentor and _Armarius_, because he usually has charge of the library, which is also called the _armarium_ (press)[130]. This arrangement shews that up to this date all the books, whether service-books or not, were regarded as belonging to the church. I come next to the decrees given to the English Benedictines by Archbishop Lanfranc in or about 1070. "We send you" he says "the Customs of our Order in writing, selected from the Customs of those houses (_coenobia_) which are in our day of the highest authority in the monastic order[131]." The section relating to books is so interesting that I will translate it.