Ealing Abbey

Daily Reading from the Rule of St Benedict

CHAPTER 42: AFTER COMPLINE NO ONE SHOULD TALK
AT all times monks ought to cultivate silence, but especially during the hours of darkness. This applies at all times, whether a fast day or not. If it is the season of midday dinner, then as soon as they rise from supper, all sit together and one reads the Conferences or the Lives of the Fathers, or something else that will do the hearers good; but not the Heptateuch or the Books of Kings because it will not be helpful to people of weak understanding to hear this part of Scripture at that time; but they may be read at other times.
If it is a day of fasting, then when Vespers have been said, after a short interval the brethren assemble for the reading of the Conferences as we have already said. Then let four or five pages be read, or as much as possible in the time. Everyone will have been arriving during this period as some of them may have been engaged in special duties.
So then, when all are assembled let Compline be said, and when they come out from Compline there must be no further leave for anyone to say anything. Should anyone be found infringing this rule of silence, he is to be severely punished, unless the arrival of guests demands attention, or the Abbot happens to have given an order to someone. Even in this case the utmost gravity and courteous restraint must be observed.