CHAPTER I

THE BEGINNING

PAGE

The Abbey and the Elm 1

St. Stephen Harding 3

The founding of Citeaux (_Cistercium_) 4

The pursuit of Poverty 6

The coming of St. Bernard 8

Cistercians at Rievaulx 9

Discontent at St. Mary’s, York 10

Departure of the Monks 12

_The founding of Fountains_, 1132 13

St. Bernard receives the Abbey into his Order 14

The starving time 15

The arrival of prosperity 16