Premonstratensian Order:  GENERAL.

(see Augustinian canons for details of the differences between canons and monks).

Foundation by St Norbert of Magdeburg at Premontre  (WARD) 9 miles west of Laon (N. France) (BARNES), diocese of Laon, department of Aisne, in 1121 (CLAPHAM).

The buildings were much influenced by Norbert’s friendship with Bernard of Clairvaux (Cistercian) (CLAPHAM).

Government.
The order *retained parts of the order of St Augustine but adopted elements from the ascetic constitution of the Cistercians (CLARK) *was guided by the example of the Canons Regular of St Victor of Paris (ERE) *was a reformed branch of the Canons Regular of St Augustine (CLAPHAM).
Known as canons regular (CLAPHAM), their organisation was based largely on that of Cistercian monks (C43), following the Rule of St Augustine (C41E). This represented an attempt to combine the priestly duties of the secular clergy with the disciplined life of the cloistered monk  (C41E), and they were more austere than the Augustinians (C/WC).  (Augustinian canons looked rather to Benedictine precedents (C41E).)

The lst statutes were written between 1131 and 1134, and mostly borrowed from the Cistercians’ Carta Caritatis but with some influence from Cluny and Berge near Magdeburg, as a supplement to the Augustinian rule (BARNES).

Chapters:  there were 2 kinds only, the general and the conventual.  There were no local ones (C/WC).  General chapter was held annually on St Denis’ day (9th October) (CLAPHAM).  Occasionally the abbot of Premontre called a general chapter locally eg in 1192/3 at Newhouse concerning the paternity of Leiston.  No other English general chapter was called until the late 14th century, when general chapters were held in England as a result of the Great Schism.  This practice stopped when relations improved, and there were no more until 1432.  Bishop Redman called several between 1471 and 1504.  When Welbeck became head of the order in 1513, general chapters were held there every 4 years.

The abbot’s authority over and duties towards a daughter abbey:   
to visit;
to supervise the election of a new abbot;