Accordingly the clerics and
the monastics flourished exceedingly.
From the beginning of the tenth century to the beginning of the
thirteenth was the Golden Age of monasticism. The Order of St. Benedict
scattered its foundations thickly over France and Western Germany, while
its reformed colonies of Cluny, Citeaux, Clairvaux, and the Chartreuse
again spread their settlements in all directions. Thus we find Cluny
established in 910, Grammont in 1076, the Chartreuse in 1080, Citeaux in
1098, Savigny in 1105, Tiron in 1109, Austin Canons in 1038,
Premonstrants in 1120, Crutched Friars in 1169. In England, from 1100,
scarcely a year passed by without the establishment of some fresh
foundation. During the thirty-five years of the reign of Henry I. more
than 150 religious houses were founded. And even during the disastrous
reign of Stephen, in less than twenty years, no fewer than 100 houses of
various Orders were established. The twelfth century in England was
especially the age of monasteries.
It is true that not very much in the way of original literature, except
theological treatises, can be assigned to the three centuries referred
to, but the unwearied labours of the copyist and illuminator did much to
preserve the works which previous centuries had created.
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