Bernhard Pez

He studied the archives of the order at Melk and Vienna, and in 1715-17 he, with his brother Hieronymus Pez, searched for manuscripts in the Austrian, Bavarian, and Swabian monasteries.

In 1716 he published a plan for a universal Benedictine library, in which all the authors of the order, and their works, should be catalogued and reviewed.

In 1728 he accompanied Count Sinzendorf to France, where he made the acquaintance of Bernard de Montfaucon, Edmond Martène, Ursin Durand, Le Texier, Antoine Augustin Calmet, etc., and enriched his collection from the libraries of the order.

His chief works are: In a controversy with the Jesuits he defended his order with the "Epistolæ apologeticæ pro Ordine S. Benedicti", 1716.

His proposed monumental work, "Bibliotheca Benedictina Generalis", was never completed.