ways plain" . . .

It is no easy task to tell with what toil and sweat this mountainous
place was turned into a level plane, and this sandy soil made abundantly
fruitful. Very heavy and long was the labour of preparing a site for the
burial-ground and church, for here the slope was steeper than in other
places, and extended over the whole face of the ground. Yet by little
and little and by labour done at divers times this hill was taken away
and the matter thereof thrown outside the boundary wall into a deep
valley toward the north: so that to the wonder of many scarce a trace of
the said hill could be seen. And the Brothers who worked by turns there
would say to one another: "True is the word of the Lord which He spake:
'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed ye shall say to this
mountain, be thou removed from hence hither and it shall be done!' But
since faith without works is dead, we do firmly believe that if we put
our hand to this work in the name of the Lord, we shall quickly remove
this mountain." So it was done, not to this mountain only but also to
others that stood round about the monastery when the boundaries thereof
began to be enlarged and to be surrounded by a wall of stone. Besides
this Prior John set up the following needful buildings: namely, a
Refectory for the Brothers and another for the Lay Folk, a kitchen and
cellar, and cells for guests, also a sacristy for Divine service between
the choir and the Chapter House. And he himself was the first among them
that laboured, and would carry the hod of mortar, and dig with the spade
and throw the earth into the cart. When he had leisure he was instant in
reading holy books, and often worked at writing or illuminating. He
caused several books to be written for the choir and the library, and
because they were poor he appointed certain Brothers to write for sale,
as was the custom from old time. This many of the Brothers were zealous
to do, but others set themselves manfully to the tasks without.