The sumptuary regulations extended even to the ornaments of their churches, and the vestments of the ministers. The altar cloth, the _alb_, and the service, were to be of plain linen; the stole and maniple, which were at first of cloth, were allowed afterwards to be of silk. Palls, capes, dalmatics, and tunics, were forbidden. The crosses were to be of wood, painted; and it was forbidden to have them made of carved work, or of silver or gold. The cruets for the service of the altar, were not to be of gold or silver: the <g>chalice</g> and fistula might be of silver gilt; the <g>candlesticks</g> were to be iron, and the <g>censers</g> of iron or copper. Pictures or painted glass were not to be allowed in their churches; which in all monasteries of this order were dedicated to <g>God</g>, under the invocation of the <g>Virgin Mary</g>. [Illustration] <g>Cistercians</g>, according to the reformed rule, were obliged to perform their devotions together seven times every twenty-four hours. The _Nocturnal_, the first of these services, was performed at two o’clock in the morning; two Matins, or _Prime_, commenced at six o’clock; _Tierce_, at nine o’clock; the _Sexte_, at twelve o’clock; the _None_, at three in the afternoon; _Vespers_, at six; and the _Compline_, at seven o’clock in the evening. As the monks retired to bed at eight, they had six hours to sleep before the Nocturnal began; and if they again betook themselves to rest, after that service, it was not considered any fault or infringement of the rule; but after matins, they were not permitted to have the same indulgence. At the first stroke of the convent-bell for prayers, they were to suspend all matters of business in which they might happen to be engaged at the moment; and those who copied books, or were employed in any kind of writing--even if they had begun a text letter--were not allowed to finish it. They were to fast every day in <g>Lent</g>, till six o’clock in the evening. During meals, as already mentioned in these pages, the Scriptures were read to them by one of the brethren, who performed this and other offices in weekly rotation. After the Compline, all conversation was prohibited, and they silently retired to rest. The dormitory was a long barrack-like room, not divided into separate cells, where each monk had his own bed furnished with a mat, blanket, coverlet, and a pillow which was not to exceed a foot and a half in length. When any of the fraternity went abroad, they always walked in couples, so that each might be a check upon the other, and incite him to edifying thoughts.[79]