I. THE NORTHERN PROSE VERSION OF The Rule of St. Benet.
(Lansdowne MS. 378, British Museum.)
Asculta, o fili!
Son, Herkyn þe commandementis of þe mastir, & lay to þeMS. þe; similarly p. 12, l. 32, p. 13, ll. 9, 36, etc. eere of thy herte, & gladly take And spedily fulfil þe warnyng of þe meke fadir, þat þu mai turne a-gayne to hym by þe labur of obedience, fra whame þu had gane by þe slewth of inobedience. Tharfore my worde be now directe to the, þat forsakis thy awne lustis & takis þe ryght strang & doghty armur of obedience to seryf our lorde Iesu criste, þe verrey kyng. First þat þu aske of hym wid besy prayer alle gude thing þat þu begyns to do to be perfytely endid; þat he, þat hase vochyd safe to cownte vs in þe nummer of hys sons, be not greuyd ony tyme be our euyl dedis. Sa, for soth, it is to obey hym at al tyme for hys aune gudis þat ere in vs, þat he, as a wrath fader, not alanly diseret vs os not hys sons, Bot also os a dredful lord, wrathid thoro ourMS. or. euyl dedys, betake vs to perpetual payne os ful wykkyd seruandis, whylk wald not folow hym to blis.
primum capitulum.primum; one of the downstrokes required to make -mum is missing.—After capitulum, and in several places on the seven first pages, the sign -:- is used instead of a plain stop.
Exurgamus ergo.
In þis first sentence bidis us sain benet þat we be wakande, and bidis we sal rise, þat es of ure sinne, als it es writen, and þat yure ehin be opin, and yure herte[s],MS. yures herte; cf. p. 2, l. 2. til godis brih[t]nes,MS. brihnes. Godis uoice þat ȝe here and under-standeMS. under. c. / stande. At the end of several lines on the nine first leaves (but never afterwards) some strokes, sometimes apparently forming real letters or words, are added simply in order to give to the lines their full length. it, als it sais: "Hodie si uocem eius—Yef ye þe uoice of god herd o day, yure hertis ware noht hard; it munde ma þam neis;" Als haly writ says: "Qui habet auresMS. aur/res. audiendi, audiat—Þat erin hauis,Between erin and hauis there is a blank large enough for about five letters; it seems to have been left thus by the scribe. herkins wat þe haly spirt sais in haly writ." wat sais he? "Cumis to me, I sal yu lere þe dute of god, his wille þat ȝe may do. Rennes fast do wilis ye haue liht, þat þe mirkenesMS. mirken/nes. o ded our-take þe noht." Þe haly spirt bidis us þat we trou his reed, þat we may cum to þe lif and se þe dais of godis sune in ioye wid-uten ende. "yef þu will haue þat ioy, gete þi tunge, þu speke na scaþe, and tine lippis fra iuel. Turne þe fra iuil & do þe gode, þat ti lif folihe þaim. wen þat ȝe þus do, þan salMS. sa. min ezin be on ȝow. Til ȝure praier sa[l] I here, sal ȝe noht be for-getin. Or þat ȝe calle to me, I sal saie: I es here." My suete sistirs, I saie to yu: es na sueter uoice þan of iesu; sua sais sain benet. God al-mihti kenne us þe rihte gate til endeles ioy. Amen.
Secundum capitulum.
Succinctis ergo fide.
In þis sentence mustirs sain benet us hu we sal lede ure lif, and sais þat we sal belt us wid chastiment, riht trouz þat ye haue wid gode dede, þat tu belte þine lendis sua, and þat tine fete be shod in riht gate, Als þe gospel tellis, in his tretes þat þu ga, til his rengne þat þu may cume, þare hise frendis sal euir be, þat here hauis wele wroht. Yef þu wil to þat rengne cume, do þe dedis of godis sune; þu sal [be] þidirMS. sal þidit. broht. we aske þe, lauerd, þurz þe muz of þe profete, Wha in þi tabernakil sal wne. "An wha sal wne wid þe in þe muntain þat es sua briht?" Lauerd, þan we haue askid þe, þe ancewer of þe sal we here: þe riht þidir at cume þai sal haue, entre þat ere wid-uten sinne; Þat rihtuis es of dede and rihtuis of speche in his hert of alle þing; þat wid tunge lezis noht, bot sothfastnes in his þoht; Þat euil dos til nan, ne reproues na man of þaire mis-dede. He dos all to noht þe sinne þat wnis in his þoht and quites him at te nede. Lauerd, we praiMS. praiþe. þe þat we may serue sua, in þi tabernakil þat we may wne. Amen.
Tercium capitulum.
Ergo preparanda.The Latin catch-words Ergo preparanda are placed in the right margin; they properly belong to l. 27.
In þis sentence sais sain benet til þa þat luuis god & dutes hym: yef þu findis ani god in þe, til god sal þe louing be, a[n]dMS. ad. The same slip was made in p. 6, l. 12, and p. 9, l. 29, in which latter place, however, ad was immediately crossed out, and and was added. grace til him giue, of whame we haue al þe gude; als þe prophete sais: "Non nobis domine—Lord, of us es it noht, bot til þi name ioy es broht"; Als sain paul sais: "Lauerd, of me haue I noht, bot þu sende it me." In oþir stede sais he: "In god sal man be glad and loue him in dede." And heris wat ure lauerd sais in þe gospel: "Qui audit—Wha sam heris my word and dos it in werke, Til þe wyis man sembilsMS. se m bils. he, þat fundes his hus opon þe stan fra þe water and te flod; for þi ne failed it noht, for it [was] wrhtMS. it wrht. o-pon þe harde stane." Þus kennis ure lauerd us his werkis, at folu his cumandementis. For þi he giuis us respit, þat we sal mende ure sinne and siþin to þe ioy be sent; Als þe postil sais ȝur godes word: "An nescitisMS. nescitits.—Þe sufferans may þu noht wite of god her witerlike, þat he to þe hauis don?" Als ure lauerd sais: "Of þe sinfull will I noht þe dede, bot þat tay turne and liue." wen we aske þe, lauerd, wha in þi tabernakill sall wone, and we here þi cumandement, and dos te werkis þat fallis þar-to, þan sall we be ayris in þi ioye. lord, for þi mercy þu gif us grace þare at be. Amen.
Capitulum IIII.
Monachorum.Monachorum properly belongs to p. 4, l. 14.
In þis sentence bidis us sain benet þat we make ure hertis redy, and ure bodis als-sua, in mekenes, yef we will wone wid god. Þan ure force es gane us fra, we pray ure lauerd be ure help for his mikill miht. Yef we þe painis of helle will fle, and cum till ioy þat ay sall be, Þanne full-fille we his wille. Loke þat ȝe renne suiþe, yef ȝe will to þe lange liue. þare may help þe here to. Þus sais sain benet: Mi scole wil i stablisMS. wilistablis. to godis seruise. Greue þing will i noht stablis,MS. sta = blis. na noht þat wrange es, bot a stresce will I make in mendnis of ȝoure sinne, And for to yeme charite, þat þer nan iuil lares by-gynne, Bot þat haly kirke ȝow lokis. Loke þu folow þi domnumdomnum? the d is defective, and resembles an o; no contraction mark is distinguishable. in haly religiun; þan sall þi charge be liht; þan sal þi hert liht be, in godis trouht yef þuBetween yef and þu there are a couple of indistinct strokes slanting like the two first of a w. Possibly the scribe was about to write we instead of þu. it se. In mikill suetnes may þu renne, wen þu can knau god and his cumandement. Þan sall tu euir mare wone wid him in þat suete felazscap.MS. felazhap (thus h for sc). Þat here liuis in clene scrift and in paine, þai sall haue part wid him. Lauerd, þu grante it us sua, til þi ioy þat we ga. Amen.
I.
Quartum vero genus.The catch-words properly belong to l. 28.
Foure maner of Munkis es in religiun, sais sain benet. Þe first maner þan er þa in cuuent es gadird for to liue in godis pais, vndir reul of dicipline, and a abbot ouir þam. Þe toþir maner þan ere ermitis and reclusis, godis wille bi þam ane at do. Þe ermitis and þe reclusis þat liuis sua, kenning bi-hus þam haue for to fezte wid þare miht a-gain þe deuil and a-gain þar sinne. Þanane by-houis þam fezte þam ane, at god es tar best help. Þe þridde er þa þat in na reul will ga, na hauis na kenning. Als es o þaim atþaim, i above the line.—at, MS. þat. saie als þe gold þu may se, þat semis gode and es noht: wen it es forht broht, þan es it als þe lede. Bi-fore þe werld er þai semande, and fals-like liues, and tines þaire mede, And leris o-gain god of þar abit. þai er unwise; þai desaiue þam-self and oþir baþe. Þe ferde maner er wel werre, þat nouþer will wone, bot gange fra stede til stede wil þai, noure wone lange. þair aue wille will þai do. Glutunie luue þai. better es to be stille þan for to speke of þair lif. Sain benet sais: now wil I blinne to speke of þaim, for it ne helpis noht, & speke of þa þat liuis in godis ordir. þat we wid þaim may ga, god gif it us. Amen.
II.
Abbas qui preesse.
In þis sentence mustirs sain benet wat man azMS. ar, for az or ah. at be abot. Þe abot ah fo[r]MS. fo; cf. p. 6, l. 18. to wite what his name singnefiis and whi he beris þe curun. He [ah] atMS. He at. mustir gode dedis and wel rede and singe in haly kirke, Gode a-saumpil til oþir at giue for to liue riht. Þe name of þe abot bitakins fadir of maine. For he sal be in haly kirke in godis stede for to lere his munkis wisdom and charite. He ah na þing at cumande bot þat he may haue warant at god. Rihtuis ah he at be, and of charite, Als haly writ sais, wis of speche, Of gode cunsaile at þe nede; sua az abot at be. He sal lere his cuuent þe riht gate, in godis troht þat þai be. Euer sal be in his þoht þat his munkis be wel lered, þat þai dute god. Þe abot sal be blamid if þe cuuent mis-ga. Þa þat ere of ille dedis, he az at chasti þam. þan sall he be quit at þe iugement, And saie wid þe prophete: "Lauerd, I ne hid noht in me þe rehtuisnes of þe. I bad þai sulde it gete. Summe hauid me in despit, wen I lered þaim, And did þaire azen wille." Þanne sais saine benet of þaim þat ere unbuxum ogain god, þat þai sall to paine ga. lauerd de-fende us þar-fra. Amen.
Ergo cum aliquis suscipit.
Sain benet spekis yet of þa þat sall be abotis: Gode a-saumpil sal he giue, Of twine maner at lereMS. lers. his discipilis in religiun in halynes at serue god: baþe in word and dede, baþe to þe simplis and till þe harde of hart. His dedis az at be suilke als he cumandis til oþir. He bidis þai sall nan euil do. Yef he kennis gode till oþir, and him-self dos noht sua, God refusis him; Als haly writ sais: "Quare tu enarras &c.;—Whi telles tu mi rih[t]uisnesMS. rihuisnes. wid þi muz, and dos it noht? Dicipline þu hatid, and keste mine wordis obac; þare for-gat tu þe. In þi broþir ehe þu ses a stra, And noht a balke in þin azen." Þabot az at loue nane mare þan oþ[i]rMS. oþr; cf. p. 7, l. 26. for his heze kinredin, bot he bebe omitted and then added above the line. buxum and religius bot ilkain oþir broþir. For nede he may do an bi-fore an[o]þerMS. anþer. for reuerance, yef he ne will noht ilkain in his ordir, als he takis. Baþe yung and alde sall halde reul; til a god haue we tan. Alle sal be louid eftir an in haly religiun, bot if þai bettir do; For þai az atat, MS. þai. be louid euin-like in charite, ilkain als tay ere. Scrif[t]MS. Scrif. sal he do on þaim, þare sinnis for to les. Lauerd, þu giue us sua at do, þat we may cume to þi regne. Amen.
In doctrina sua namque.
Sain benet sais þat abot az at lere his cuuent, als sain pol bidis: Blame þat mis-do, a[n]dMS. ad. do þam liue riht; chasti þaim fra iuil wne, als þe fadir dos his sune. Þa þat ere fraward and recles, Lede þaim þe straiter.straiter? The fifth character, at the end of a line, is blurred; possibly strat/ter (cf. p. 2, ll. 3, 7, footnotes). Þa þat er buxumMS. buzum. and meke, þai sall haue cumfort. Yef ani faute be funden in þaim, þatþat, MS. þai. it be sone mendid. He sall vmbe-þinke hym of þe prest of sylo, þe ire of god com to, fo[r]MS. fo. he ne chastid noht hise childir, bot lete þaim in þaire wille. Þe gode sall he chasty wid word and amonesce þaim. Þat er prude and kene, þai sall be chastid wid wand. For it is writen þat man sall chasti þaim: "Percute filium &c.;—Smite þi sune wid þi wand, and make him meke, and deliuir his saul fra paine." Lauerd, þu deliuer us fra paine. Amen.
Meminisse.
Ay, sais sain benet, þabot az at þinke þat, wat his name es. Þe mare he hauis in pouste, þe mare hauis he at yelde. Abot az at be wis; greueus þing es hym bi-taht: Þe sauls for to gete, And mony þing for to wite. Wid summe sal tu faire speke, and summe gete wid chastiment & haue þam under wand, and lere þaim ilkain eftir þar maner wid resun. Þan þar þe noht be calanged of þe cuuent þat es undir þe, þat es giuin [þe] atMS. giuin at; cf. p. 7, l. 2, and p. 41, l. 15. yeme. Þurȝ þe dute þat þai haue þe ioy of god, may þai ler at serue him to will. For nan erþelikeMS. er þe like. pouste az he at for-gete þe sauls þat es bitaht him at yeme. Þe tresur of god er þai. Resun sal he yelde to god of þaim. Yef þu be of litil uresun, be of riht trouz, and here what haly boke sais: "Primum querite regnum dei—First sal tu seke godis rengne and his rihtuisnes, þan sall þing multeplii þe." He þat made þis salme sais: "wha sua liuis riht, þai sal haue na ned. Nichil de-esse—Na þing sal faile þaim þat wil luue god." Þabot az at under-stande of þe sauls he hauis at yeme, þat he sall yelde resun of þaim. Loke þe numbir of his cuuent: Als well az he to yeme þaim als his azen saul, yef he wil be sauf. Þan he for oþir sal ancewer swa, full riht az he at ga, And mende him in dede. Þe mare he mendis his cuuent, Till mare ioy sall he be sent, til god at take his mede. Lauerd, giue us sua at liue, þat we may yelde þe resun for us-self at þe day of dome. Amen. Qui uiuis & regnas.
III.
De adsc[i]endis ad consilium sororibus.—Quociens aliqua.MS. adscendis.—Quociens aliqua fills up the blank at the end of Chapter II, thus apparently preceding the heading of the next chapter.
Sain benet mustirs in þisþis, MS. his; cf. the beginnings of most chapters. sentence Hu þabesþabes, MS. þabas with an e over the second a. sal take hir cunsale. Scho sall calle þe cuuent to-gidir and muster þaim þe nede, and loke whilke sais best resun, and proue þair wit sua. Þan ilkain hauis said þair auis, Þat es best, halde þar-to. Sua bidis haly writ, þat alle be cald til cunsaile, yung and alde, in hali religiun; For ofte sendis god resun til þe yunge þat a-noþ[i]rMS. a noþr. ne can noht. Þat all consentis to sal nan gain-saie, bot halde it in obedience. Als te decipill es at his maister cumandement, Als sal þabes consent til þaire cunsale þat resun es. Alle sal folihe þe maister of þe reule, baþe yung and alde. Þat nan folu þair ahen wille, ne nan bere þaim sua heze, þat tay striue ogain þair abes. Yef any sal take discipline, gruching sal sho make nane, bot halde þe cumandement. Þe dedis of þabbesse sal be in þe dute of god, for sho [sal] beMS. sho be. set til resun of all hir iugemens and of al hir dedis bi-for god, þat es rihtuis of iugement. Þar es priue cunsale be at do, þe alde sal sho calle þar-to; Als haly writ bidis: "OmniaMS. Omnis. fac cum consilio—Alle þing do wid cunsale, and eftir þe dede sal þe noht mis-like." Lauerd, we pray þe þat we may suilke cunsal take, þat we may do þi wille. Amen.
IV.
QueMS. Quo. sunt in-strumenta bonorum operum.—In primis dominum.In primis dominum, cf. the footnote on Quociens aliqua, p. 7, l. 18.
In þis sentence spekis sain benet, and mustirs til his cuuent what þaire god dedis ah at be. First sal ye luue god wid al yure herte and wid al yure saul and wid al yure uertu, And ti prome als ti-self; sua ah ye at do. Man ah ye noht at sla; na to licherie ga; Na til þifte; Na cuuatus;MS. Na cuuatus twice. Ne bere fals witnes, bot onur alle men; & do til na man bot als tu walde man did to þe; And leue þin ahen wille, and foliz godis wil; and halde þe inMS. þein. chastite, and iuil langingis do away; luue fasting; þe pouir help bi-for þe ga; þat ere nakid claþe; wisit þat er seke; þe dede winde and til eryd bringe; Sahtil þat ere wraze; And uncuþe be wid þe dedis ofMS. þe dedis of twice. þe werld; luue god ouir alle þing. when þu es in ire, heuin þe noht; þar-of cumis ille ending. Halde na feluni in þi harte; Ne giue na fals pes; Charite felle þu noht; Iuil for iuil sal tu noht do, Ne wrang to na man; Til god uengance fallis it. Yef ani do yu wrang, ye sal take it in pacience, Als hali boke cumandis. Ye sal luue yure enemis & striue noht ogain þam, ne banne þam noht, bot blisce þam and suffir iugement. Ye ne sal noht be prude in herte; Ne ete our-mikil; Ne drinc ouir-mikil; Mesurlike slepe; Ne be noht slau, Ne gruchande; In god al yure trouz, and ful of charite; And yef ye finde ani gode in yu, till god sal þe louing be, and grace til him giue. ye sal dute domis-day And te fir of helle; And haue god trouz til þe lif þat lastes ay; And ilke day þat ye þinke o-pon þe ded; And haue bi-fore yu þat god in alle stedis may se; wicke þohtis do oway þat to yu cume, and bide þaim ga forz, and quite yu wid scrift; And gete yure muþes fra unait wordis; haly lescun bliþelike here; And clene uresun for to lere; wid teris and wid sizing knau yure sinne, sua sal ye amende yu o-gain god; leue þe wille of yure fles, sua sal ye yure sinnes les. þat yure abes cumandis yu, sal ye do, and be not þar-o-gain, Als ure lauerd bad his deciplis; his cumandement do noht oway; luues chastite and kaste pride oway; loke ye do sua. þe alde men sal ye onur, þe yunge luue in god; And pray for yure enmis; and for-giue þaim þaire fautes þat mis-do ogain yu. yef ye be wrad þan þe sune rises,MS. sunerises. make pes are it ga to rest. þat ye ne falle in na mis-hope, bot in godis trouz to liue. þis is þentendement of haly kirke for to wirke godis wille; þan sal it come be-for us at þe day of dome; he giuis us ure mede. God giue us þat ilke mede þat he hizte til hise freendis, þat nan eye may se, ne erin here, ne herte forz telle, what god hauis graid til þa þat luues him. [L]uues haly kirke and yure cloister; þanne22 ff. On this page several rubrics were never entered in the blanks left for them. On the preceding pages the usual red strokes in the black letters are entirely wanting. may ye do godis wille. [L]auerd, giue us sua þir cumandemens at do, þat we may cum to þi ioy! Amen.
V.
In þis sentence spekis sain benet of obedience, what it is at saie. [Þ]at es teMS. este. firste mekenes: wid-uten duelling til þat man bidis yu do. [M]eke bi-houis yu be for þe luue of god, for he mekid him for yu. [M]eke yu to godis seruise in hali kirke and do yure miht þar-to, þat ye may fle þe fir of helle and cum til heuin-rike; þare es faire at be. [Þ]at yure abes cumandes yu at do, þat ye do it suiftlike; als god cumandis: "Ob auditu &c.;—[Þ]urz þe wordis ye here o me, þan ah ye at be meke"; als yure maistiresse leris yu, als it sais: "Qui uos audit— wha sam heris yu, þan heris me." for þi sal ye understande þaim: þat of mekenes wil lere, þai sal here þe cumandemens, and do als man bidis þam. ye sal leue yure ahen propir will, and do oþir mens. þoz ye be in labur, and yure maistires cumande yu at do a-noþir þing, ye sal laie it dune, & do þat scho bidis; þan er ye buxum under reule. ilkain sal take discipline at oþir, als hir mastiresse þoz scho ware, in þe dute of god. ye sal wne yu til strate gate, for þe luue of god; Als ure lauerd sais: "Angustia &c.;—Straite gatis toke I me for to giue yu a-saumpil at liue." ye ne sal noht liue in yure ahen wille, bot giue yu til mekenes. ye sal do oþer mens wille, yef ye wil cum to god. Þa þat wil liue in cuuent, þai sal haue maistiresse ouir þam for to yeme þaim, þat tay foliz þe wordis of god, als he sais: "Non veni &c.;—I ne come not in-til erþe for to do mi wille, bot my fadirs þat me sent." þat es godis wille, þat ye foliz yure ordir, and luue til yure prome, and do with-uten gruching þat yu es cumandid. þe mekenes þurz god ye can, als he sais him-self: "Qui uos audit—þat heris in yu,yu, MS. me. þai here me." For þi bi-houis þe decipils do þe mekenes, als þai haue tane to; þat es godis wille. þoz þu gruche, þe cumandement sal be haldin. And yef þu gruches & dos þat ilke þing, god es noht paid þar-of; for he ses ty herte, & for ty hauis þou no mede of þat þing þat tu dos gruchande; for þi sal tu quite þe wid scrift; ye, it bi-cimisbi-cimis, see Notes. yu. lauerd gif us sua meke at be, þat we may halde ure ordir, and syne cume til þe ioy þat lastes ay. Amen.
VI.
Sain benet spekis in þis sentence of silence, how ȝe sal it halde. he bidis þat ȝe do als þe prophete sais: "kepe ȝour tunge, it sp[e]keMS. spke. no scaþe, & ȝour lippis fra iuil, & kepe ȝow fro dedly synne." for þi sal ȝe seldin speke, for ȝe sal speke nan unat, ne vse yow noht þar-to. & in oþir stede es writen: "Mors & uita &c.;—In þe pointe of þe tunge es lif & ded." loke wheþer ȝe wil take to. þe maistires aw at speke for to lere hyr dicipils wisdom. þe decipils sal here þar lesson & understand it.
VII.
yet
Of mekenes spekis sain benet in þis sentence, & sais with hali scripture:scripture, i above the line. "Omnis qui se exaltat &c.;— þaþat heyes þam, þai sal be mekid; & þai þat mekes þam sal be heyed." vre lord saide þat it es pride in þaim þat hyes þaim. Til mekenes he bides yu se, & say als þe prophete saide, when he spac til ure lauerd with muþe: "Domine, non est &c.;—lauerd, my hart es not heyid in me, ne min eyen. Mikil o me ne held I noht to praise me-self. yef I leuid at se to mekenes & heyid me, My lauerd munde do to my saul als þe barne þat is done fra his modir milke ouir-arlike." Mikyl walde he fle pride, þe prophete, als hali writ sais. Yef ye wyl be hezid, lokes þat ye be meke, And make yure stize to he heuin wid yure gode dedis, þat iacob saz slapande: he saz gode wid his angels cume dune and vp in þe stede þare he lay. yef ye wil se to mekenes, þare sal ye be hezed, and gang vp wid þat stize. þat bitakins, þan þai com dune, ye sal be lazed, yef ye be prude; and tan þai yede vp, þat ye sal be hezed, yef ye to mekenes can se. Þe stize betakins vre lif here. þe stize hauis tua tres, bitakins þe body and te saul, ayþar at helpe oþir. þe stelis bytuixe bitakins oure gude dedis, þat sal bere vs vp to god. þe tres betakins mekenes to goddis seruise and vnder discipline. Lauerd, we prai þe for þi misericorde þat we mai sua yeme þis reul o mekenes, In þe felazscap of þin angels þat we may be. amen. Qui viuis & regnas deus per omnia secula.
Sain Benet sais þat te dedis of mekenes ere ful suete; sua kennis he us; And sais þat ye sal haue firste þe dute of god, þatThe first þat, MS. þat. ye liue sua, þat ye be noght for-getil and fle evil dedis, And tat ye recorde wel þe cumantemens of god. Loke þat ye fle sinne, yef ye wile cume to þe ioy of heuin fra þe pines of helle; þat yure wyl be euir at gete yu fra scaþe; þat ye gete yu fra iuil þohtes, yure tunges fra iuil speche, yure eyen, yure hend, yure fete fra vnait gate, fra iuil wylle; And scere o-way al þe langing of yure fleis. God ses al yure þoght and al yure dedis. þe angel þat here yemis yu dos hym at wit all yure dedis; sua sais te prophete. Alle yure þohtes may he se; And whyder þai wyl lede yu,yu, MS. ye (or þe). resun sal ye yelde of þam. for þi ah ye at gete yu fra iuil þohtes, þat ye may cume to þe ioy of heuin. god gyf it us! amen.
Of propir wyl spekis sain benet; and ye sall do it als god bidis in haly writ and sais: "Et a voluntatibus—Turne yu fra yure wille and gete yu fra iuil; þan may ye liue in pais." Of yure ahen wylle sall ye blinne, al þat wil do yu sinne; Als it is wrytyn: "Sunt vie que—þe rihte gate, it es til þe lyf þat lastes ay." þa gates sal ye fle þat wicke men gas to hell by. for þi ar þai rotyn þat folyzed wicke wylle; hauid tay na bettir mede. sua sal yure antente be, þat god may se al yure wylle; Als te prophete sais. He sais: "all his langing es by-fore god." for þi es gude þat ye doe o-way yure wicke dedis & þohtes; þe dede is set to chasti þaim. for witte ye wele þat god may se baþe iuil and gude; es noght hyd be-fore hym. God lokis ut of heuin in-tyl erþe tyll hise at visit þaim, and lokes yef man askys hym ohte. For þi lokys þat ye do wel, þat yure angel may do yure nedis to god of al þat ye haue nede. And getes yu wel, yure fautes be noght musterd by-fore god. Lauerd, þu do vs sua at liue, þat we may deliuir vs of al vre fautes, And siþin to ioy cume. Amen.
Þe toþir maner o mekenes is, sais sain benet, For to hate yure ahen propir wyl, And fulfil noght yure langing, bot do godis wylle, and his desire fulfille; Als him-selfe sais: "Non veni &c.;—I ne cume noght for to do my wille, bot my fadirs þat me sent." And in odyr stede sais he: "Voluntas habet &c.;—Wille he hauide paine at do, at haue þe curune þat lastes ay, als it was hys wille." Lauerd, we pray þe þat we may sua halde þis mekenes, þat we may do þi wille. amen.
Of þe þridde maner o mekenes spekys sain benet to þa in his reul wyl be, And bidis þat ye sal be meke vnder yure abbes and do godis seruise; Als ta-postil saide of godis sune, þat he was meke riht tyl þe ded. God giue vs þat we may sua be. amen.
Of þe ferþe maner o mekenes spekys sain benet, hu ye sal meke yu of þingis þat yu þinc es igainis yu, þat fallis to yure ordir. yef man dos yu ani wrang, ye sal take it in pacience, and noht fle þar-fore, ne leue yure gode dede; Als haly boke sais: "Qui perseuerauerit &c.;—Wha sua wel wirkis til endyng, þai sal be sauf of alle þing"; Als þe prophete sais: "Confortetur &c.;—ye sal haue cumfort in yure hertis of god." For þi sal ye be of pacience, for þe luue of god, of þing þat es o-ganis yure fleis; Als te prophete sais to god: "Lauerd, we ere ilke day, for þe luue of þe, in þe dute of dede als te shep þat ere driuin to ded, for we folih þe; bliþelike we suffir it, for we sal haue mede of þe"; Als haly writ sais: "Probasti nos &c.;—Lauerd, þu prouis vs here als te siluir þat es brind; þu did vs in þe lay and noy opon vre bak." for we sulde lere vnder maistires hu we sulde liue; Als te letter sais: "Inposuisti &c.;—Ouir vs hauis þu don men," þi wylle at fulfille. Þa þat ere vnbuxum, þai sal be done to paine. Of þaim spekis sain paul, and sais þat tay ere fals. Þai caste þair mantil and rennis a-mise. þat bytakins, þai sal liue here bot a while. Alle be blisced þat weris taim. God giue vs sua meke at be, and sua his wille at do, þat we his ioy cum to. amen.
Of þe fifte maner o mekenes spekis sain benet for to lere hys sistirs hu þai salle scriue þaim to þair abbes, baþe nunne and sistir. Loke þat ye be buxum and scriue yu of alle þe sinnis þat ye haue don; Als haly writ bidis yu: "Reuela domino &c.;—Mustir til god al þi gate, & he sal make it in pes." And in odir stede sais he: "Confitemini &c.;—Knaus to god al yure sinne, for he es of mercy and gude at al nede." yet sais þe prophete: "Delictum meum &c.;—Lauerd, I mustird þe myne dedis, I ne hid tam noht and alle my herte." þan ye do þus, þan sale yure sinnes be for-gyvin. Lauerd giue vs grace sua for to muster vre dedis, þat we may til his ioy cum. amen.
Sain Benet spekis of þe sexte de-grece of mekenes Til his sistirs, and sais þat ilkain sal halde þaim-selfe lest of alle odir. And al þingis þat man bidis yu do, þat ye do it mekely, þat resunnabil es. þu sal þinke in þi herte þat tu es vndinge to gode dede; Als þe prophete saide: "Ad nichilum &c.;—Til na þing es I made bot for to doe godis wylle. icic, MS. it; similarly 9 and 10. is like tyl a mere þat beris þat man lais on hir bak." In what dede sam ye be, loke þat yure þoht and ȝure herte [be] toMS. herte to; cf. p. 38, l. 7. god almihten. Lauerd, we praie þe, what sam we do, þat we to þe be broht. amen.
Sain benet spekis yet til his sistirs of þe seuind degrece o mekenes, and bidis þat ye sal meke yu ilka in-til oþir, baþe mare & lesse, And saie als te prophete saide: "Ego sum &c.; Ic es wrmiswrmis, see Glossary. and na man,MS. naman. And ut-castyng o men. First was ic hezed, and siþin lazed þur scrifte, and ouir-cumin." sua sal ye do, & tanne mai ye sai with þe prophete: "Bonum michi &c.;—Lauerd, god it es to me þat þu mekyd me to lere þine cumandemens." God giue vs sua his cumandemens at lere, þat we may cume til his mekenes. Amen.
Of þe ahtend maner o mekenes spekis sain benet til his cuuent, and bidis þat ye sal do als te reul sais, And als it cumandis, And meke vnder þare maistres in alle þaire dedis. Lauerd, ye giue vs at halde þis mekenes til þending. amen.
Sain benet spekis til his cuuent of þe nihend degrece o mekenes, And biddis þat ye ne sal noght vse yu tyl mekil speche. for hali writ spekis þare-of, and sais þat naman may mikil speke, bot yef þare be sinne i-mang, Na naman wil prayse þaim þat es of mikil speche; Ofte speke þai wrang. Lauerd, þu giue vs sua vre silence to yeme, þat we may serue þe to-queme, in yuþe and in elde. amen.
Of þe tende maner o mekenes spekis sain benet til his cuuent, And bidis þat ye ne sal noght be ouir-lazand; and þinkes what þe prophete sais: "Stultus in risu &c.;—þe fool turnes hys þoght in-til lazter, and helpis noht." Lauerd, we pray þe þis resun be halden with vs, and send vs þi wit. AMeN.
Sain benet spekis yet til his cuuent Of þe ellofte maner of mekenes, And biddis þat ye sal mekely speke when ye speke, & wid-vten lazter, and o fa wordis & stabil, and speke wiselike. þan þu sal speke to þi felahe, crie noght o-pon hir, bot faire aske þin erand, als haly boke sais: "Sapiens verbis &c.;—þe wyse man musters hym wid fa wordis & welle sitande." Lauerd, we pray þe Of þis maner þat we may be. Amen.
Saint benet spekis in þis sentence Of þe telfete maner o mekenes, And bidis þat ye sal meke yure herte til alle men, baþe to mare & les. In what labur sam ye be, þoz ye be in þe kirke, Ouþir in þe garde, Ouþir in gate, Ouþir in felde, ouþir what labur sam ye do, þat ye haue yure heuidis enclind toMS. heuid is enclin do. þerþe, And þenekeþe/ncke, originally þencke? on yure synnys for to mende þaim, And tat ye be als rad als ye saz þe iugiment of god, And þinke what þe puplicane saide, when he laide hym by-hinde þe dore, Als te gospel telles: "Domine, non sum dignus &c.;—Lauerd, I ne is noght digne at lifte mine ezin til heuin for mine sinnes." loke what þe prophete sais til oure lauerd in haly writ: "Incuruatus sum &c.;—Ic is lazed and mekid til alle þat mine ezin se." When ye haue fulfild þis al, þire mekenes, þan sal ye cume til perfite charite, til þe ioy þat god hauis graid til mannis sunis. Lauerd, graunt it vs, þat we may sua þir mekenes halde, þat we to þi ioy may cume. amen. Qui viuis &c.;
VIII.
In þe tyme of wintir, þat es fra þe Kalandis of nouembir til þe paskys, als it is forlokyd wyd resun, þanne sal ye ryse at þe aztend time of þe nyght, þat it be litil ouir mid-nyght; þan es tyme at rise, als it is set, til godis seruise; And siþin, þe space eftir matins, til sauters and til haly lescuns at here. Þat es hele of þa þat ere inThe first in is above the line. sekenes, þatMS. þt/þat. es at say in sinne. And fra þe paskis til þe Kalandis of nouembir sal þe tyme be sua set, þat tare be lytil entirual, þat ta þat sal ga til laburs, þat tay may haue þe morning in þe begining of þe lyth to þair labur.
IX.
In þe tyme of wintir, þan sal þe first vers be at matins: "Deus, in adiutorium"; And in þe toþer tyme þris þis vers: "Domine, labia mea aperies"; at þe þridde tyme aiont wid þe "gloria patri"; and siþin efter þe nihend-ferþe salme wid þe antefen ouþir wid-vten; and syþin efter þe ymne; And tare-eftyr sexe salmis wid þe antefens. Wen þai ere said and te verset, þabbasse saie þe benecun; þan sal alle site, And nym þre lescuns, red o-pon þe lettrun, & by-tuixe þe lescuns þre respuns; and eftir þe þridde respun þe vers wid þe "gloria patri," standande alle for þe onur of the haly trinite. þe boke of þe halizes sal be red, baþe of þe newe lay & of þalde testament, and te exposiciuns of þaim Of oure fore-fadirs þat ware in stabil trouz. Eftir þe þre lescuns wid þe respuns, Oþir sexe salmis sungen wid alleluia. And eftir salbe redde þe lescun of þa-postils wid gude deuocion, and te vers, and siþin þe letanie "Kyrieleison." And sua finise matins.
X.
Fra þe paskis til þe kalandis of nouembir sal be halden a quantite of þe salmis, als is said bi-fore; for þe nihtis er scorte als mikil, þat te þre lescunis be noght red, bot an for þa þre of þalde testament, wid a scort respun; Bot al þe toþir finist, als it sais by-fore, þat na nyht be lesse saide þan tuelue salmis, vt-takyn þe þridde and te nihende-ferþe salme.
XI.
In þe sunendais es for to ryse arliker, And halde yure mesur o waking; þat es þat ye syngye syng twice. þe sexe salmes and te vers, als is ordainde by-fore, sitande alle wid ordir, and foure lescuns red wid respuns, als es ordainde, and eftir þe "gloria patri"; þan sal alle stande for þe reuerence; And efter oþir sexe salmis wid þe antefens, als by-fore, wid þe werset; And efter oþir foure lescuns wid þe respuns, wid þat ilke ordir by-fore; And tare-eftir þre cantikils of þe prophetis, als te abes stablis, and songen wid "alleluia"; siþin þe verset, and te abes te benicun; And siþin foure lescuns red of þe new lay wid þat ilke ordir by-fore. Efter þe ferþe Respun, þabbes sal by-gynne þis ymne: "Te deum laudamus." When it is finist, þanne sal þabbes by-ginne a lescun of þe gospel wid honur and wyd þe dute of god; þan sal alle stande. when it is red, þe oþir sal say amen; And tabbesse by-ginne: "Te decet laus"; And giue þe benicun, and biginne matins. Þis ordir sal be haldin euin-like opon þe sundais als wel in sumir als in winter, bot if it sua be, þat ye rise ouir-late; þan may ye make lesse lescun; bot loke þat it be-time yu noht. Loke þat it be endid wid al þat fallis þar-to. And yef it fallis yu ani time, On waim þe for-getilnes es on-long sal man take amendis for þat faute in þe kirke.
XII.
At matins on þe feste-dais, First sal ye saie sexe salmis wid-vten antefens, And siþin þe fyftyd salme wid "alleluia." wen þai ar said, þe hundred seuintende and þe sextid þe secunde, siþin þe benichune, and a leschun red of þa apocalips wid gude deuocion, & te respun, and te ymne ambrosine, and te uerset, and te antefen of þe gospel, & te letanie, and sent forz.forz; z has a peculiar shape, reminding of the sign for and.
XIV.
In þe haly dais al sal be als we haue bi-fore saide id on þe sundais, Bot þat te salmis and te antefens and te lescuns be saide als fallis to þe day. Bot te vse bi-fore be haldin.
XV.
Fra þe paskis til þe witsundai salle "alleluia" be saide wid-vten entirual als wel at te salmis als at te respuns. And fra þe witsunday til þe lentyn sal it ilke niht be saide wid þe sexe last salmis of te nocturne. Ilke sunday wid-uten lentin sal þe cantikils be said wid "alleluia," Matins, Prime, Vndrin, Midday, Noon; Al be saide wid "alleluia"; Bot te respuns noht Bot fra þe paskis til þe witsunday.
XVI.
Als te prophete sais: "Sepcies in die laudem dixi tibi—Seuin siþe o-po day saie I louing to þe." Whilke haly seuin syþe er þa þat sal be ful-fild wid vs o þis maner, yef we folih þe vris of god: Of Matins, Of prime, of Vndrin, Of Midday, Of noon, Of euensang, Of cumplin. Of þes times sais he: "seuin syþe o-po day saie I louing to þe." Til þa þat rysis o night and wakis Sais vre lauerd: "My frende, o niht ras I for yu and wakid." For þi sal ye giue louing til hym, in þe iugiment of hys rihtvisnes, at matins, at prime, at vndern, At midday, at noon, at euensang, at cumplin; AndAnd, MS. At. o nith ryse for to loue hym.
XVII.
Now haue we deuisid þe ordir of þe salmis on þe niht, at matins. Loke we now tyl þe vris þat folihis. At prime þre salmis ilkain by þam ane. Þe ymne of þis ilke vre sal be saide efter þis verse: "Deus in adiutorium meum," Are ye beginne te salme. when þe þre salmis ere saide, a lescun sal be red, and siþin þe vers, And "Kyryeleison," and finist þe hure. Vndern, Midday, Noon wid þat ilke ordir be sungen, þat is, wid vers, wid ymnis þat fallis to þaim, þre salmis, and lescuns, and vers, and "Kyryeleison"; And sua finise þe vres. Þe salmis sal be sung wid antefens, yef þe cuuent be mikil; And yef þai be fa, saie it plane forde. Bot euensang sal be saide wid foure salmes And te Antefens, And efter þe salmis A lescun, & siþin þe respun, and siþin þe ymne and te verset, þe cantikyl of þe gospel, and te letanie, And syþin þe "Pater noster." O þis maner sal þe vris be sent forde. Cumplin sal be saide wid þre salmis wid-vten antefens, & siþin þe ymne þat fallis þar-to, A lescun, and te verset, & siþin "Kyryeleison," and te benicun, and sent forde þe vris til god.
XVIII.
Sain Benet cumandis þat tis þing be haldin, þat yure "Pater noster" be saide hezelike at matins and at euinsang, for þe sclandir þat hauis ben of religiun þat cuþe not nohtnot noht, evidently wrong, possibly for not all. þaire "pater noster." Ilkain ah atah at, MS. ahat to; cf. p. 22, l. 11 and footnote. quite þam of þis vice. Alle ah atah at, MS. ahat to; cf. p. 22, l. 11 and footnote. cune þair "Pater noster" þat in religiun wil be als god cumandis. for ye sal vmbeþinke yu what resun fallis to þis vers, when ye it saie: "Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut & nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris." Þan prai we þus: "Lauerd, þu forgiue vs ure sinnis, als we for-giue þaim þaire fautes þat hauis mis-don a-gain vs." When ye here þis vers at matins, ye sal for-giue alle men þaire trespas for þe loue o gode. And als-sua at euinsang sal ȝe for-giue. for þi wil sain benet þat it be saide hezlike, for alle wrezis sal be for-giuin. Lauerd giue vs sua at liue, & sua at forgiue, þat we may ga þe riht gate til heuin. Amen.
XIX.
In þis sentence tellis sain benet hu ye sal do yure office, when ye cume in-to þe kyrke. Ye sal true þat god may se in alle stedis baþe vyl & gude. Ye az at say yure seruise als ye stode by-fore god, wyd als gude deuocyon, And think wat te prophete saide: "Seruite domino &c.;—Ye sal serue god wyd ahe, & here hym wyd dowte." And in oþir stede sais he: "Psallite—ye sal singe god wyslike"; Als haly write sais: "In conspectu &c.;—Lauerd, I sing to þe in þe siht of þin angels to loue þe." loke ye do yure seruise als ye stode by-fore god almihti. And lokis, when ye sing, þat yure herte acorde wid yure voice; þan sing ye riht. Lauerd, þu giue vs sua vre seruise at do, to þe felazscap of angels þat we may cum.
XX.
Sain benet spekis in þis sentence til hys cuuent, and kennys þam how þai sal make þair prayer to god & wid what reuerence. When ye wyl aske any thing at a ryche man in ertht, ye aske ful mekelike yure erande. wyd mekil mare deuociun ahte ye þanne at pray to god, of whaim þat al þe gude cumis. yure antente sal be þat ye ne sal noght be herde for yure many wordis; bot scort vrisun, and wyd deuocion, and wyd terys of herte; for þi sal yure vrisun be breue & clene, Bot yef it sua bi-tide, þat any falle in mis-trouz; þan sal scho pray gerne to god. Bot te cuuent vrisun sal be breue, þat ere in stedfast trouz. Lauerd, we prai þe þat we may suilke vrisun make, þat it be to þiþi, MS. þe. wil. AmeN.
XXI.
In þis sentence spekys sain Benet of þa þat sal be in officis, and bidis, yef þe cuuent be mikil, þat tay sal be chossin þat sal þe officis yeme, And by-kenne it taim þat best can serue god & te cuuent; als tabbesse cumandis taim sal þai do. Þabbes ah at set nan þar-to bot þat scho is sikir offe, þoz þai be noht þe ordenest, bot þat tay be of clene lif and leel. Yef any waxe prude in hir office, man sal byd hyr amend hyr Ane tyme, and a-noþir tyme, And þe þirdde tyme. Yef þai wil noht a-mende sua, man sal do þam ut of þair bayly, And do a-noþir in hir stede, þat man ses es dingne. Sain benet cumandis, yef priuresse be prudde, þat man sal do sua wid hir. Lauerd, þu giue vs sua vre office at do and resun at yelde, þat we may cume til ioy þat lastes ay. Amen.
XXII.
Sain Benet spekys here, and kennis yu hu ye sal slape ilkain in bedde by þam ane, al wid ordir, als tabbesse lokys taym. Yef yt sua may be, alle sal lie in a hus, þat ilkain wite of oþir. Yef þe hus be ouyr-litel, summe sal lie in a-noþir huse, ten ouþir tuenty. Bot te eldest be wyd þam for to yeme þaim. & þat ye haue liht al þe nyht brinnande. Ye sal lie clad and beltyd. Knyvys sal ye haue nane by yure bed, nouþir gret ne smal. When þe bel ringis, þat ye be redy, and ilkain help oþir, and ga in-to þe kyrke til godys seruise. Þe nouice beddis sal be þat nane þaire may nehe oþir; Bytuix þalde þai sal lie. Man sal wakin þaim faire til godis seruise. Lauerd giue vs sua for to lie and sua for to rise, þat we may haue þe ioy þat lastes ay. Amen.
XXIII.
In þis sentence leris sain Benet hys cuuent hu þaire fautes sal be amendid. Yef any be of grete herte and wyl noht be buxum, ouþir prud, ouþir ani greuching make aigain haly religiun, ouþir þe cumandement hauis in despit, þa þat ere of suilke dedis, Priuelike man sal amoneste þam, þat tay amende þaim. yef þay wyl noht amende sua, þai sal be broht by-fore þe cuuent and tare amende hir faute. Yef sho wyl not yet amende, sho sal be cursyd. yef sho be a fole & ful of iuil, and mas na force of þe cursing, sho sal be berid ful wel, and do hirhir, MS. it; cf. p. 25, l. 16. a-mende it sua. Lauerde schilde vs fra þat cursing; and yef ani þar-inne be, god for his grace bringe þam vte. AmeN.
XXIV.
In þis sentence mustirs sain Benet Hu man sal do wid þaim þat es in sentence, & bidis þat man sal do þaim efter þaire faute es. Yef þe faute be litil, þai sal make þe cuuent at wite and a-ioingne hir þar-eftir. Wylys sho is in sentence, sho ne sal noht be in cuuent, til it be amendid, In kirke ne salme beginne ne antefin, lescun nan rede. sho sal [ete] whenMS. sal when. alle hauis etin. Yef þai ete at midday, sho salle ete at noon; yef þai ete at noon, sho sal ete at euin, als te ordir sais, til sho haue amendid hir faute. Lauerd giue vs sua vre scrifte at do, þat we may hys rengne cum to.
XXV.
Sain Benet spekys in þis sentence til þa þat ere fallen in greuer faute, Hu þai sal amende. Þai ne sal noht cum in þe kirke, na in fraitur, Bot yef þabbesse cumande hir. Nan sal comun wid hir, Bot an þat es set til hir. Wid greting sal sho do, and wyd reuþe of herte, þe penance þat es laid on hir; sua salle hir fautes be mendid. for sain paul sais þat þai þat dos wicke dedis, þat tay giue þam-selfe til þe deuil. for þi ah þai at be chastid, þat te saule ga noht til helle. And ta þat ere in cursing, þai ah at dreze þaire penance wid reuþe of herte and be sari of þair dede, þat te deuil haue na pouste ouir þaim. sho sal ete al-ane suilke als tabes cumandis hir; nan sal blisse hir mete. Lauerd for his grace, he silde vs fra suilke paine. Amen.
XXVI.
Sain benet sais in þis sentence: yef any sistir ouþir broþir of þordir be sua hardi at comun wid hir, wid-vten cumandement of þabbes, wid speche, ouþir ani erand sendis til hir, suil[ke]MS. suil, for suilke, or suilk, or possibly suik; cf. p. 31, l. 32. sentence sal sho haue. Lauerd for his grace, he gete vs fra þat sen[ten]ceMS. sence. and fra alle oþir.
XXVII.
In al maner, sais sain benet, sal þabbesse ta yeme of þa þat mis-dose; for þe hale hauis na mister o miri, Bot te seke hauis mister. For þi sal sho do als te wyse miri dos, þat wyl hele þe seke. Priuelike sal sho sende an ordane nunne til hir þat es in sentence at comforth hir, and for to turne hir wylle til amendement and til mekenes, and for to moneste hir þat sho haue reuþe in herte of hir misdedis and riht trouz; Als sain paul þapostil sais: "Mikil charite mustirs he." al ah atMS. ahat. prai for hym. On alle maner sal þabbes entirmete hir Al maner of sentence at muster til hir sep, þat nan be tint. for wyte sho wel sho hauis vnder-tan þe saules at gede, And noht at striue o-gain þaim. Bot sho sal haue dute of þat vre lauerd saide wyd þe prophete til þe hirdis of haly kirke: "Quod crassum videbatis &c.;—Þat fat ere, sal ye ta; þat ere febyl let ga." Þis is at vnder-stande, þat so ne sal noht entirmete hir sua mikil of þa þat ere strang and hale als of þa þat ere febyl and seke. O þis maner sal þabbesse folize þe saumpyl of Iesu, þe gude herde, þat lefte in þe munte ane wane of a hundrez sep, and yede at seke þis ane þat was want. When he hauid funden it, sa fain he was; he toke it on his haly schuldirs and broht it til þoþir. Þis is at vnderstande þat he lefte in heuin þe felascap of angels and com in-til erþe at laite þe man þat was tint; sua mekyl pyte hauid he of hym, þat he þurz his haly grace by-com man & bar manes kinde til þe felazscap of angels til paradis, where-in Adam fel for hys synne. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs grace sua at wirke, þat we til þat felazscap may cume.
XXVIII.
Sain benet sais: yef any be tane ofte in faute, and sho be cursid, and wyl noht yet amende, wyd smerte beting sal sho be chastyd. Yef sho wyl noht o þis maner a-mende, bot wid pride defende hir dede, þan sal þabbes do als te sleze miri: wen sho hauis laid hir plaisters and hir vinemens wid faire wordis and te medicinis of haly writ, and cursid hyr, & berid, And may noht helpe do hir best, þabbes & al þe cuuent sal pray for hir to god, þat he make hyr hale. Yef sho may noht be hale of þat maner, sho sal be done oute of þair felahscap; Als te apostil sais: "Auferte malum &c.;—Do a-way þe wycke fra yu." And in oþir stede sais he: "Infidelis &c.;—yef so be vnleel, do hyr A-way." for a wicke shep may spille al þe flok. Lauerd, yef it be þi wille, þu gete vs fra þis sentence.
XXIX.
In þis sentence sais sain Benet þat wha sam es þurz þaire dedis don out of þe kirke and wil cum i-gain, At te begining sal sho haite a-mendement of hir faute warfore sho was don ut; þanne sal so be recaiuid, And don at te laste ende for to loke hir mekenes. Yef sho gas ut a-noþir tyme, þris shal sho be recaiuid sua; bot siþin wite sho wel es tarees tare, MS. eftare. na cuming a-gain. Lauerd for his grace defend vs fra þis vice.
XXX.
Þis sais sain benet, þat ta þat ere of elde and vnderstandis, þai sal haue þaire mesur; & for þi þe barnis þat ere yunge, þat vnderstandis noht what paine fallis til cursing, when þai misdo, wid fasting ouþir wid smerte beriing sal þai be chastid; þar-þurz sal þai be helid. Lauerd, for yure pite ye gete vs fra sinne, baþe yunge & alde.
XXXI.
In þis sentence sais sain benet þat te celeresse sal be chosin of þe cuuent, þat sho be meke, and sobur, and noht of mekil mete, ne prude, ne noius, ne wrangdoande, ne latte, ne wastande, Bot god dutande; Of al þis sal ye ta yeme. Wid-vten þe cumandement of þabbes sal sho na þing do. Þat sho cumandis hir sal sho do, bot sho sal [noht] noyMS. sal noy. hir sistirs. Par auenture yef ani man askis hir ohte þat es a-gain resun, sho sal noht for þi haue þam in despit, ne mis-ancewer þam, Bot mekelike saie naie of þaire ful asking. Ouir al thing sal sho gete hir saul & þincke what ta apostil sais: "Qui bene &c.;—wha sua seruis wel, mede by-fore god sal he haue." Of þe seke, and of þe barnis, And of gestys, and of þe pouir sal sho take yeme eftir hir miht. For wite ye wel þat sho sal yelde resun o domes-day of alle hir dedis. Þe vassels þat fallis til hir mester sal sho yeme als onestelike als te vassels þat ere halized obute þauter. for-getil ah sho noht to be, Ne ouir-mikil haue, Ne ouir-mikil waste of þat fallis to þe huse, Bot alle þingis do wid mesur, als tabbes cumandis hir. Ouir þat sho be buxum. And when sho hauis noht at giue, þat sho anscewer þaim faire, als hali writ bidis: "Sermo bonus &c.;—Gode speche es better þan grete gifte"; And do þat tabbes cumandis hir; and tat sho defendis, do it noht. Sho sal graiþe þe cuuent mete wid-vten greuchingMS. greuehing. and wid-vten duelling, þat tay be noht sclaundird; And þincke what vre lauerd sais in þe gospel of þaim þat sclandirs ani of his barnis: "him ware wel bettir," he sais, "þat a milnestane ware a-bute his hals in þe deppest of þe se." Yef þe cuuent be mikil, þe celeresse sal haue a felaze at helpe hir, þat sho wid gode wil may do hir labur þat es bitaht hir, þat sho may do in time þat sho ah for to do, þat nan be wre[t]hidMS. wrehid. ne noid in godis hus. Lauerd, for þi merci giue hir sua hir office at do, þat so may haue þanc o god and of þe cuuent.
XXXII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat tabbesse sal ta yeme of alle þing þat fallis til þe hus, and of vstilement and oþir þingis sal shosho, MS. mo. puruaie o lif and ded þat so be sikir, and cumande til ilkain þat sho ses ned at do. Sho sal haue þam enbreuid, alle þingis þat fallis til þe hus, for to wite what sho recauis and what sho giuis, when sho sal remue þat ere in officis. yef ani haue ille wroht wid þe þing þat was bitaht þaim at yeme, sho sal be apreuid;MS. aperuid. yef sho wil noht mend, þe iugiment sal sho suffir. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs wel at yeme þis sentence And alle þe oþir. Amen.
XXXIII.
Of propirte spekis sain Benet, and sais þat of alle oþir vices sal man fle þis, þat nan be sua hardy, þat tay o-way do ne giue na þing wid-vten leue of þabbesse, ne þat nane haue þing in propirte, boke ne tabils, ne nan oþir þing; for nan may haue þair ahen body at hys wylle ne at tair pouste. þai sal haue alle þingis at tabbes þat tay haue nede of. þai sal haue na thing bot þat tabbesse deliuirs taim. Þat ane hauis sal be comun til alle; Als haly boke cumandis: nan sal calle þat tay haue þair azen. Yef it be an þat delitis tam in þis vice, And wil not do it, Man sal saie til hir an time, and a-noþir time, and te þridde. Yef so wil noht amende sua, Man sal do hir amende on oþir maner. Lauerd, for þi pite defende vs fra þis vice. Amen.
XXXIV.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat tabbes sal do als ta-postils did at te begining of cristiante: þai departid þair þing til þa þat hauid nede. "þai departid," als hali writ sais, "til ilkain, als tay hauid ned." sua salle þabbes do. sho salle noht loke what man he es and of what kinredin, Bot te sekenes of ilkain, and do þam efter þat tay haue ned. til god sal sho yelde grace, and noht be sari of hir gifte þat so hauis giuin til þa þat hauis mare nede þan sho. Tyl þe nedful sal sho meke hir for in ire sekenes, And noht bere hir heze for þe helpe þat god hauis lent hir; And o this maner sal al liue in pais. Ouir al þing sal þai loke þe wicke þat ere imangis þaim; and yef þare be ani funden, wid smerte beriing sal þai be amendid. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs miht at fle al iuils. Amen.
XXXV.
In þis sentence bidis sain Benet þat ye sal serue sua, þat nan be quit of þe seruise of þe kichin, Bot yef þai be acumbird wid sekenes ouþir wid odir laburs; for man sal haue grete mede for þat seruise. Til þa þat ere febil sal ye finde helpe and cumforth,cumforth, r above the line, t apparently expuncted. þat tay ne serue noht wid ouir-mikil noye. Al sal haue comfort eftir þat þe cuuent is mikil, and efter þai ere in ese to serue. Yef þe cuuent be mikil, þe celeresse sal be quit of þe seruise of þe kichin, And ta þat ere acumbird wid laburs. Þis oþir sal serue al wid luue. Þa þat ere out of þaire wuke sal opo þe setirday ma þe maunde, and waisse þe tuailis þat tay sal wipe þaire hend opon and taire fete. Þa þat ga ut of þe wuke, and te toþir þat cumis in, sal waisse þe oþir fete at te maunde. þe vassels þat tay serue wid, sal þai ta yeme to, & yelde þame til þe celeresse clene and hale; and sho sal loke what sho yeldis & what sho recaiuis. Þa þat serue o þe kichin sal miste bi-fore þe mikil mete bred, butter, þat tay may serue wid-vten gruching and wid-vten noy. And so þat gas vt of þe wuke, and so þat cumis in, sal recaiue þe benichun at morne at matins. Sho þat gas ut sal say þis vers þris by-for þauter, and al þe cuuent eftir: "Benedictus es." Þan so hase rechaiuid þe benichun, þan sal þe toþir, þat sal serue eftir hir, cume by-fore þauter and saie þis vers þris, and alle þe cuuent eftir: "Deus, in adiutorium"; And siþin rechaiue þe benichun, þat god giue hir grace at serue þaim to pay. Lauerd, for þi grace giue vs sua at serue, þat we may [haue] vreMS. may vre; cf. p. 37, l. 4. mede of þe.
XXXVI.
Of þe seke spekis sain benet in þis sentence, And cumandis ouir al þing þat man sal ta yeme of þaim, þat tay be serued als it ware god him-selfe. For he sal say on domis-day: "I was seke, ye visit; þat ye did til an of myne, ye did it me." Bot tay sal recaiue in þe onur of god þe seruise þat man dos tam; þai ne sal noht þurz þair surfait noy þaire sistirs þat seruis tam. Bot yef it sua be, þat taire iuil be sua mikil, man sal suffir þaim þe mare and be of pacience, for of þaim sal man haue grete mede of god. Þabbesse tal ta yeme of þe seke þat tay haue na defaute. A hus sal þai haue bi þam ane. And tat so þat sal serue þam dute gode, and do hir miht for to serue þam wel and wid luue. Þai sal haue at ete alle timis þat tay haue mister of; bot til þe hale, þat mai wel ete, and til þe yunge sal man giue latter. Þe seke þat ere febil sal man giue fleis at ete at couir þam wid-al. Þabbes sal do hir antente to þe seke, þat tay haue na defaute for þe forgetilnes of þe celeresse and of þe fermerier; For sho sal a-mende al at tay misdo. Lauerd, for þi merci gete vs fra alle iuils of body & sal. Amen.
XXXVII.
Of þe alde & of þe barnis spekis sain benet in þis sentence, And sais þat taire elde prais þat man sal giue þam charite, als te reule es set to þaire mete; bot mikil pite birs man haue, þat tay sal ete ar þe oþir.
XXXVIII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain benet þat te lescun sal noht faile at mete. O þis maner sal þis be stabilist, þat nan ta þe boke at rede bot sho þat sal rede al þe wuke; sho sal beginne o-po þe sunday. sho sal cum by-fore þauter o þe sunday efter þe messe and say þris þis verse, and al þe cuuent eftir: "Domine, labia mea aperies," And recaiue þe benediccion, þat gete hir fra pride. Þai sal halde silence at te borde, þat na uoice be herde bot of hir þat redis. Þa þat serue sal ta yeme til þam þat etes, þat tay haue na defaute of þat tay sal haue, wharfore þai make na noise. Yef The subject (ani, or the like) is omitted. wil aske ani thing, sho salle make sinis and noght speke. Nane sal speke of na demande in þe lescun, whar-of noise may rise. Bot tabbesse, yef sho wille, sho may breuelike,Possibly the verb speke is omitted before or after breuelike. a sentence for to amende. sho þat sal rede sal miste ay litil, be-fore sho rede, þat sho ne be not ouir-mikil engreuid. Ye sal ordain nane for to rede bot þat can do þe ofice, þat may pai al þat it heris. Lauerd, for his grace, he giue vs sua for to rede and singe, þat we may pai hym and al þat vs heris.
XXXIX.
Of þe mesur of þe mete spekis sain benet in þis sentence, And sais þat it es inoh, twane maner of potage al þe wuke in þe tweluemonez, what tyme samMS. sain. ye ete, at midday ouþir at none, þat tay þat may noght ete of þe tane, lat þaim ete of þe toþir. þir tua mese sal þai ilke day haue. Yef þai haue whar-of, þe þriddeMS. þrid de. may þai haue of frute ouþir of oþirkin felazscap. A lafe of brede mesurde es inoh o day baþe at none and at euyn. Yef þai sal supe, þe celeres sal take þe þridde parti of þe lafe & laie it by-fore þam at te super. Yef tabbes ses þai haue mikil trauaile, yef scho wil, scho may mende þam; Bot gete þar be nane owtrage, þat nane be costiue, ne nane oþir wil, þurz surfait o mete. for na þing esMS. þinges. als mikil igain cristen men als gluterie; sua sais vre lord: "Videte &c.;—Loke yure hertis be noght noyd þurz gluterie o mete ne drinke." Til barnis sal man noht giue sua mikil als til þalde for to gete mesur ouir al. Of þe beste þat beris foure fete sal nane ete bot ta þat ere seke and febil. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs sua mesur-like at ete, þat we alle wils o bodi & saul mai fle.
XL.
In þis sentence spekis sain Benet Of þe mesur o drink, and sais þat ilke man hauis propir gifte o god in al maner; And for þi stabelis sain Benet with mikil doute þe mesur of oþir mens liflade. Na-for-þi, for þe febilnes of þa þat may noht for-bere, hauis he for-lokid til ilkain a mesur of wyne of þe day, Ouþir suilke als tabbesse may furde; þe mesur es callid eminan; þai ne mai noht haue bot mesurlike anis þar-of. Þa þat may be of abstinens, mede of god sal þai haue. Yef þam by-houid mare ouþir for trauaile ouþir for hete, In þe forloking of þabbesse sal it be. Bot sho sal loke þat þai ne be not ouir-ful ne drunkin. We rede þat wyne, ne na drinke þat wil make man drunkin, ne feris noht til men of religiun. for þi þat te tyme is sua þat ye ne mai noht al for-bere, for þi consentis sain Benet þat ye drinke ay litil, bot noht sua mikil þat ye be ful; for ouir-mikil drinke dose man ofte do folie. Yef it be ani þat dar noht drinke hir mesur, þai sal grace god and gruche noht. Ouir alle þinges loke ye ne be noht gruchande of na þing. Lauerd, for þi pite gete vs fra gruching and fra ouir-mikil drinke, sua þat we mai haue þi grace.
XLI.
In þis sentence sais sain Benet þat ye sal ete twise of þe day ilke day fra þe haly paskis til þe witsunday; and siþin til þe hali rodis dai in semtembir, Al þe wukis in þe summir,summir; one of the four downstrokes required to make -mi- is missing. sal ye faste ilke wuke tua dais, þe wedenisdai and te fryday, bot yef ye haue mikil trauaile, ouþir feeste-day, ouþir it be mikil hete; þan relesses sain Benet yu þe fasting of þa tua dais, Als tabbesse forlokis. sua sal sho ordain and a-tempir al hir þingis, þat þe saulis of hir disciplis mai sauf be; And at tay do wid-vtyn gruching þat tay sal do. Fra þe haly rodes day til þe lentyn sal ye fast ilk day, bot if it be for heze feste. Fra þe beginning of lentyn til þe paskis sal ye ete eftir euensang, bot it sal be sua, þat yu ne þarf na candil, bot al be don by day alle tyme, baþe when ye faste and when ye ete tuis. sua sal þe time be sett. Lauerd, for þi grace giue vs sua at be of discreciun baþe of fastyng and of mete, þat we mai be sauf.
XLII.
Of silence eftir cumplin spekis sain Benet in þis sentence, and bidis þat ye sal do yu payne at halde silence eftir cumplin. yef þe cuuent etis tuise, Als tite as tay rise fra þe supere, þan sal þai site wid ordir in þe cloistir. when colaciun ringis, þan salle alle asembil in þe chapitir. an sal rede þe lescun of þe halizis, ouþir of haly writ, for to comforth þaim þat it heris. In þat tyme sal ye noht rede þe boke of þe kingis, for nan vnait sal be herde þat tyme for þa þat ere of febil þoht; In oþir tyme mai it be red. yef it be fasting day, þai sal haue gode entirual, And when colaciun ringis, Alle þat þe belle heris ga til toto, for te (= þe)? or redundant (= til)? colaciun; And siþin eftir at cumplin; siþin be nan sua hardy to speke. yef ani es tan wid-al, þat hauis brokin silence eftir cumplin, smerte correccion salle man take of hir. yef gestis cume, and tabbesse cumandis at speke, þat tare be nane vtrage. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs miht at halde þis sentence als sain Benet cumandis.
XLIII.
In þis sentence spekis sain Benet of þa þat cumis late til þair seruise o god and til þe borde. Als tite als te belle es herde, ilkain sal leue þe werke þat es in þaire hende, and rinne hastelike til þe ureMS. þeure. of god, þat na man may telle foly to þam. For na þing sal man leue þe seruise o god. þa þat cumis noht at te begining of matins by-fore þe "gloria patri" of þe "Venite," sal noht ga in-til þaire stalle, bot sho sal ga til þe grece by-fore þe autir, þat tabbes mai se and al þe cuuent; þare sal sho be til þabbes giue hir leue at gange in-til hir stalle. And for þi wil sain Benet þat ta þat cume late ga til þe grece, þat tay haue shame of þair faute and sua salle be amendid. for suilke mai it be þat duellis, þat þai wil slape, Ouþir þinke vnait, whan þat þe deuil mai finde a-chesun in þam; for þi shal sho ga to þe grece for to amende hir faute, þat sho amende hir siþin forward. At te huris als-sua, yef sho ne cumis noht by-fore þe "gloria patri" of þe first salme, sho sal ga to þe grece and cum noht in hir stalle, are þabes cumande hir; Bot sho sal haue nane oþir penance for þat faute. At te verse by-fore þe mete sal alle be asembild at te borde; sho þat is noht tar-at, for hir neccligence man sal say til hir ane tyme, and a-noþir tyme. Yef sho wylle noht a-mende, sho ne sal noht ete wyd þe cuuent, bot by hir ane, and þarne hyr part of þe drinke, suilke als te oþir haue, til sho haue amendid hir faute. Als-suilke sal sho haue þat es fra þe vers eftir þe mete; for þi es it forlokid, þat ta þat er noht at te vers sal ga til þe grece bi-fore þe dese at say hir verse and aske leue at ete; siþin mai sho ga at ete in hir ordir. Nan sal ete ne drink bot at te tyme þat oþir ete, bot yef it be wyd leue. Yef þabbesse offirs ani þing til ani of hir sisturs and sho refuse it, when sho walde haue it, man salle noght giue it hir, Til sho haue amendid hir faute. Lauerd, for þi grace giue vs sua at yeme þis sentence and al þe oþir, þat we til þe ioy of paradise mai cume. AmeN.
XLIV.
In þis sentence kennis sain Benet vs what amendement þai sal do þat es in cursing, þat es don owte of þe kirke for greue faute and owte of þe fraitur. At ilke owre, when þe belle ringis, sal sho lie by-fore þe kirke dore til alle þe cuuent be cumen in, And siþin rise vp and obied wid-vten þe kirke dore to þe vre be sungen. When þe cuuent cumes forz owte of þe kirke, sho sal lie dun agayne by-fore þe dore til þai be passid. Þus sal sho do ilke day til þabbesse bidde hir leue. When sho sal be asoilid, sho sal cume in-til þe chapitir and take hir veine by-fore þabbesse and crie hir merci. When þabes asoiles hir, sho sal falle til hir fete, & siþin by-twixe tua and tua o knees, and take hir veine. Þan salle sho site þar þabbes cumandis hir, bot noht in hir ordir; bot sho ne salle noht by-ginne in kirke antefin ne Respun, ne rede lescun, Bot yef þabbes cumande hir. Eftir "Benedicamus" at ilke vre sal sho take hir veine on knes, whare sum sho standes in þe quer. þis sal sho do ay til þabbes cumande hir at leue of þat penance. sho þat es done owte of þe fraitur for lesse faute, In þe kirke sal sho amende o þis maner: At ilke vre, when þai say "Kirieleison," sal sho take hir veine by-fore þe auter at te grece, & ligge þare til þe "Benedicamus" be saide. sua sal sho do til þabbes asoile hir, And recaiue þe benecun. Lauerd, for þi pite giue vs sua at mende vre fautis, þat we may haue þi benicun. Amen.
XLV.
Sain benet cumandis in þis sentence þat ta þat faile in þe kirke at te minning of þe salmes, Ouþir of þe Respuns, Ouþir Antefens, Ouþir lescuns, At te erþe sal sho take hir veine by-fore þam al. yef sho wil noht do it, Greuer correccion sal man take of hir, for sho walde noht with mekenes amende hir faute. Þe barnis sal man chasty wid wande for suik mis-dede. Lauerd, yef it be þi wil, giue vs welle at halde þis sentence.
XLVI.
Sain Benet sais: þa þat ere in laburs, In kichin ouþir in calgard, in gard ouþir wid-vten, in ani labur, and sho trespasse, Tinis þingis ouþir brekis, yef sho misdo, o þis maner sal sho amende: sho sal cum in-til þe chapitir bi-fore alle þe cuuent and take al hir veine, And knaw hir faute wid hir azen wille. Yef sho hydes it, and a-noþir sais hir owte, Greuer correccion sal man take of hir þan sho hauid mustird it wid hir azen wille. Yef it be priue sinne þat wille a-noy þe saul, sho sal ga priuelike til þabbesse and schriue hir, Ouþir til a preste þat kan hele hir of hir sinne. Lauerd for his grace giue vs sua at schriue vs, and sua at mend vre sinne, þat we til his rengne mai ga.
XLVII.
Sain Benet cumandis in þis sentence þat þabbes sal take gude yeme þat þe vris of godis seruise be finist right baþe day and niht. Ouþir sho hir-selfe sal finise þam, Ouþir set a nunn in hir stede þat wil ententiuelike do þe office o god. Þe salmes and te antefens sal þai biginne eftir hir wid ordir. Nane sal be don til þat office bot þat may singe and rede welle, þat alle þat heris be edefied þer-of. sho þat þabbes cumandis þis office, wid mekenes sal sho do it, And stabelike wid-vten pride, And wid þe dowte of god. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs sua for to singe and rede, þat we mai do þi wille.
XLVIII.
Of þe trauaile spekis sain Benet in þis sentence, and sais þat vnait sete es il to þe saule. For þi salle ye trauaile times, And in þe times at lescuns, als it es ordaind. Fra þe paskis til þe Mihelmesse, when matins es done til heze vndirn sal ye wirke, ilke day when time es, þat es nede to do. Fra vndirn to midday at lescuns. Eftir midday, when þai haue etin, sal ye reste in yure bedde alle wid silence. Yef any wille þat tyme loke lescun, loke þat sho rede sua, þat sho ne noy noht þe oþir. Noon sal be rungen by tyme, And siþin wirke til euensang. Yef þai haue mikil at do, corn at gadir and oþir laburs at do, þai salle noht gruche for þi; for þan liue ye right, yef ye liue wid þe labur of yure hende, Als haly men did bi-fore yu, & ta-postils; bot mesurlike sal ye wirke for þa þat ere febil.
Fra þe feeste of þe Mihthel til þe lentin, when prime is sungen til vndern salle ye studie in lescuns. fra vndern til noon salle ye wirke suilke as ye haue at do. When noon ringis, ilkain sal lay downe þat es in þaire hende, and ga til þe kirke; And eftir mete til lescuns ouþir salmes. In lentin, fra prime til heze vndern sal ye entende yure lescun, And syþin wirke til noon. At te bigining of lentyn sal be broght in-til þe chapitur alle þe bokis, and ilkain take þaris & rede it ouir. Þabbesse sal loke a simpil nunne ouþir tua for to ga imangis taim atte timis þat tay sal saie for to loke þat nane site vnait, And for to loke wilke attendis mare til vnait þan til hir lescun. Þa þat ere funden suilke, for þi þat tay do iuil til þamselfe and tilMS. and til twice. oþir als-sua, þai sal be warnid ane tyme, and a-noþir time. Yef sho wil noht a-mende, Man sal take suilke amendis of hir, þat te oþir be warnid þurz hir. At te timis þat es set efter euensang til lescuns, þa þat ere acumbird wid laburs sal noht studie on þe sundais, ne on þe oþir feste-dais, Bot toþir alle at lescuns. Yef it be ani þat mai noht studie ne rede, Oþir labur sal þai do, þat tay ne sitte noht al dom. Þa þat ere noht in ese, man sal giue þaim sum þing at do, þat tay ne sitte noht vnait, Ne þat tay ne be noght ouir-mikil greuid wid trauaile; þabbes sal loke þaire sekenes. Lauerd for his pite giue vs sua to wirk, and sua vre lescuns at vnderstande, þat we at te ende til heuin be broght. Amen.
XLIX.
In þis sentence kennis vs sain Benet how we sal gete þe tyme of lentin. Alle timis of þe yer, he sais, sulde we wid rihte halde þe liflade o lentin, bot faa it es þat te vertu mai haue. And forþirforþir, "further," originally for þi, "therefore," Lat. "ideo." The i was written above the line and easily changed into the abbreviation-mark for ir. cumandis he þat we sal in lentin gete vre lif in alle þing, þat we mai amende vre fautes of oþir times in þe dais of lentin. Þan may ye sauflike liue, yef ye gete yu fra alle ille vices, And yef we do vre entente til vresun wid teris And til lescuns wid reuþe of herte and wid abstinens. In þa dais sal we here sumþing of godis seruise mare þan we do an noþir tyme, And priue vresuns, and o mare mesur of mete and drinke. Ilkain salle, wid þaire ahen gude wille, Offir sum þing to god mare þan þai es cumandid, wid þe ioy of þe haly sprite; þat es, ye draze yu mare fra mete and drinke, & fra slepe, and fra speche, And fra gabbingis, þat ye mai haly paskis o-byde wid ioy of spiritel langing. bot ilkain salle mustir til þabbesse what ye wille offir to god, wid yure azen wil, of vresuns; for yef ye ne do it wid leue of yure spiritel fadir, ye ne sal haue na mede þar-offe, bot turne yu to vanite. For þi sal ye do als tabbesse cumandis yu at do. Lauerd, for þi merci giue vs sua þis haly lentyn at yeme, þat we mai wid ioy of þe hali spirit hali paskis obide.
L.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat te sistirs þat ere in labur fer fra þe kirke, and mai noht cume in time til þaire vris, þabbes sal cumaunde þaim o þis maner, þat whare sam þai wirke, þat tay do godis seruise And taire veinis in þe dute o god. And als-sua þa þat aier by þe gate, þai ne sal noht leue þe vris þat ere stablist, bot sua als tay mai, sai þaim And yelde god his seruise. He giue vs for his grace, þat we mai yelde þe seruise þat we ah til hym.
LI.
Sain Benet spekis of þa þat ere sent owte ani erand and sal cum o-gain þat ilke day, þat tay ne be noht sua hardy at ete owte, þoz man pray þaim, Bot yef þabbes giue þaim leue; yef þai do, þai sal be cursid. Lauerd for þi, yef it be his wille, he kepe vs fra cursing.
LII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat þe ortorie be nane oþir þing þan it es cald. Of na þing sal it serue bot for to aure, man to god, inne. When þe vris of god es done, þanne sal alle ga forth and make reuerence to god. Yef any wille dwelle for to make priue vrisun, sho ne sal make noise for to sturbe þe oþir, Bot simpelike gange in and make hir vresun wid teris and wid reuþe of herte, And noht wid heze voice. Þa þat wil noht do, þai ne sal noht dwelle eftir in þe kirke for to noy þe oþir. Lauerd for his pite giue vs sua for to cuntaine vs in þe kirke, þat nane be desturbid for vs.
LIII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat te gestis þat cumis to yu be als faire kald als it ware god hymselfe. for he salle say at te day of dome: "Hospes fui &c.;—Í was geste, and ye recaiuid me." Alle sal man comunlike recaiue, And men of religiun and pilgrims. Als tit als te gestis cume, þe priuresse ouþir a-noþir nunne sal gange againis tam wid luue & charite. Yef it be sistir, first sal þai anure to-gidir and siþin kis; bot bi-fore þe vre sal þai noht basse for þenticement of þe deuil. Allekin mekenes sal man muster til þe gestis. Ilkain, when þai ga and when þai cume, sal alurealure, probably corrupt; see Notes. to-gidir ouþir wid þe heuidis ouþir wid al þe bodi, and Iesu crist sal aure þam. When þai ere rechaiuid and aurid, þabbesse sal sitte wid þaim, ouþir a-noþir nunne, wilkewilke, i omitted and then added above the line. sam sho cumandis, þat can speke wid þaim o godis lay for to comfort þaim and speke of man-hed. Þe fasting sal þabbesse breke for þe gestis sake, yef sho will, Bot yef þe fasting be for hez feste, þat sho ne may nan gate breke; bot toþer sal foliz þe reule o fasting. þabbesse sal giue þe gestis water til þaire hende, And waisse þaire feet, And alle þe cuuent wid hir. And siþin sal þai sai verse: "Suscepimus, deus &c.;—Lauerd, we haue recaiuid þi merci I-middis ti tempil." And ay ta yeme of þe pouir and of þe pilegrimis, for þai er kald godis men, And to þe rike als-sua baþe for aze & for honur. þabbesse kychin and of hir gestis sal be bi it ane, þat te gestis þat cume noy noht te cuuent. In þat kichin sal tua sistirs serue, þat tay may do þe office þat apendis þar-to. Yef þai haue mikil at do, man sal finde þam helpe; And when þai haue lesse at do, ga til oþir laburs, whare sua man cumandis þam. Þe howse to þe gestis sal man biteche a sistir at yeme þat dowtis god; sho sal puruay þat tare be beddis inne; sua sal godis howse be ordaind. Wid þe gestis salle nane speke bot þai þat hauis leue. Yef ani sistir metis þam, mekelike sal sho aske þair benicun and siþin passe forz, yef sho hauis na leue for to speke wid þam. Lauerd for his grace giue vs sua for to herberz his gestis, þat we may herber wid him in þe ioy of heuin. AmeN.
LIV.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat nane be sua hardy at recaiue lettirs ne erand þat cumis fra þair frendis, ne fra nane oþir man, ne noht recaiue giftis bot þurz þe leue of þabbesse. Yef hir be sente ani þing fra hir frende, sho sal noht recaiue it, ar sho haue leue & musterd it þabbesse. Yef sho giuis hir leue at recaiue it, In þabbes pouste salle it be at giue whare hir þinke. Bot wrez hir noht þat te þing es sent to; And yef þabbesse giuis it til a-noþir, loke þat sho ne wrez hir noht þat te þing es sent to, wharefore þe deuil finde a-chesun in hir; yef sho dos, þe reul of discipline sal sho fele. Lauerd giue vs sua at yeme þis sentence and al oþir, þat te deuil finde nan achesun in vs.
LV.
Of þair claþing spekis sain Benet in þis sentence, and sais þat man sal A verb seems to be omitted, possibly giue or puruay. clazing til ilkain eftir þat tay ere, and eftir þe temprance es of þe cuntre. In caald cuntre es nede of warmer hend. Þis sal be forlokid þurz þabbes. Of þe culur of þe clad, na of þe mikilnes, sal nane speke, bot take suilke als man may finde in þe cuntre and of liht chepe bie. Þabbesse sal loke þat tay be riht mesurd. When þai ta þe newe, þan salle þai yelde þalde for to giue to þe pure. Tuinne paire claþis sal ilkain haue for to scifte and for to waisse; yef þai haue mare, it sal be scorn. Þair beddis sal þabbes ofte ripe, þat tay ne haue na propirte. Yef sho findis ani þing wid-vten hir leue, wid greue discipline sal it be amendid; And for þi þat it es vice of propirte, sal it be scorn als þifte. Þabbes sal giue til ilk-ainMS. ilk ani, for ilk-ain or ilk-ane. als tay haue nede. Þabbes sal ta yeme of þis sentence of þe dedis of þe apostils, þat sho depart til ilkain als tay haue mister. Sua sal þabbes ta yeme of þe sekenes of þe nedful, And noht to þe wikkewikke, MS. wilke. wille of þenuius. In alle hir iugement sal sho umbe-þinke hir what mede sho sal haue at god. Lauerd giue vs sua at do, þat we may haue owre mede of hym. AmeN.
LVI.
Sain Benet sais þat te Abbes bord sal be ay wid gestis and wid pilegrimis. When sho hauis nane gestis, sho sal take wilke of hir sistirs sam sho wille; bot þat sho leue in þe fraitur an ordene nunne ouþir tua þe ordir for to gete. Lauerd giue vs welle at gete oure ordir.
LVII.
Yef þare be any þat can any labur, wid mekenes sal þai it do, als sain Benet cumandis, þat tabbes cumaundis taim at do. gyf þai auantis taim of þair werke, for þi þat sho þinke sho dose gude tille þe howse, sho sal be don owte of hir mister, til sho haue amendid hir faute, yef sho wille noht be buxum til þat þe abbes cumandis hir at do. Yef any makis any þinge þat sal be salde, Loke what it is wrz, þat ye ne sette na felun price þar-on. And ȝe vmbe-þinke yu of ananie & of sapher his wife, þat salde þaire lande in þe tyme of þa apostils; þai helde a partie of þe price, and a-noþir partie broht by-fore þa apostils; and sain petir was parcaiuid of þe tricherie, and askid þam why þai made propirte of þat þai hauid done in comun; And tai felle baþe dede downe. Mikil dowte birde þam haue þat dose in þing þat fallis til hali kirke, þat taire sauls suffir na dede, als te cors dose here. In þe price of þe þing þat ȝe salle selle, loke þare be na cuuaitise inne; bot bettir chepe sal ye selle þan þe men of þe werld dose, þat god may be payde of yure sale. He giue vs for his grace þat we may sua wirke and sua selle, þat he be payde þar-of.
LVIII.
When any wymmen of þe sekil, sais sain Benet, cummiscummis; instead of the four downstrokes required to make -mi- there are five; the same inaccuracy occurs p. 40, l. 25. at aske þordir, man salle noght ligh[t]-likeMS. lighlike. gif it tam, þe entre, bot man sal do als ta-postil sais: "proue þaire hertis, yef þai be to god." yef sho be stabil in hir asking, And haitis for to suffir alle þe uiltez þat man wille put hir to, Efter þe fifte day sal sho be recaiuid in-til þe howse, And don in-til þe celle with þe nouicis. Þare sal sho studie and ete and slape. suilk yeming sal sho haue, þat te saule be turnid to god allemihtye; And ta yeme to hir for to loke yef þe spirte be to god, and yef sho dose hir entente to godis seruise, And buxum, and of suffrance. Man salle muster hir harde þinges and smerte, þe riht gate to god. Yef sho euir haitis stabilnes, eftir tua wukis sal hir be red þis reule of þordir, And saye to hir: "þis es þe rihte gate whare-inne þu salle life. Yef þu may halde it, cum inne; and yef þu ne may, ga forz al deliuir." Yef sho obidis yet, when sho is prouid o many maners, þan sal man rede hir þe reule, þat sho may wite witerli whar-to sho salle halde hir. And at te tuelmonethes ende, when sho hauis herde þe reule þris, yef sho haitis for to halde it welle, all þat man cumandis hir, þanne sall sho be recaiuid i-mang þe cuuent. bot witte sho welle, fra þat day forward may sho noht gange owte, Ne þe life of þe reule fle, ne caste it fra hir nek; For sho hauid bi-fore laiser for to gange owte. When sho sall make hir professe, In þe Kirke bi-fore þame alle sal sho haite stabilnes and buxumnes, by-fore god and alle his haliȝes. Þat sho euir-mare brekis þat cuuenant, witte sho welle þat god sal damne hir with-owtyn ende. Þis þing salle sho write with hir awne hande; And yef sho canne noht write, pray ane of hir sistirs; Bot sho hir-selfe sal make þe singne of þe croice, and lay it on þauter, And siþin say þis verse: "Suscipe me &c.;—Lauerd, þu recaiue me, and I sal liue als te wordes es of þe; þat es myne entent, þat I confundid be noht." at þis verse sal alle þe cuuent ansewere hir þris; and siþin "Gloria patri" at te laste. When sho es blissed, Fra þat time forward sal sho be calde in cuuent. Yef sho hauis ani katel, parte it i-mang þe pouir, Ouþir make offrand til þe kirke, þat sho ne halde na þing by-hinde; For fra þat day forward sal sho haue na pouste of hir Awne body. Hir clathis þat sho broth sal man restore þe kirke with-alle, þat sho fra þat day forward haue na wille at gange owte of þe kirke þurȝe enticement of þe deuil. Þe bref of hir professe sal sho noht haue, bot in þe kirke sal be gete. Lauerd for his grace giue vs herte and wille in owre ordir to duelle.
LIX.
When any riche man of þe sekil, sais sain Benet, Offirs his doȝtir til god and til haly kirke, And þe childe be yunge, þat it ne kan noht aske þe peticiun, hir frendis sal aske for hir. And when þai offir hir hande, þai salle winde þe tuaile þar-a-bowte of þauter. And tanne sal þai suere þat þai ne sal neuir mare, ne na man þurz þaim, o na maner giue þing to þe childe, ne sende, whare-þurz þat þe childe haue wille to propirte. Bot yef þai wille ani almus do til þe kirke, do it al opinlike, þat þai wil giue. Yef it be lande, and þai wil halde it þaim-selfe, þai sal make chartir, and yelde ilke ȝere þe ferme þat þai may liue with-alle. And sua sal ȝe do wid alle þe þing þat fallis propirlie til þe child, þat na þing bi-leue with hir frende, whare-þurz þat sho haue wil til propirte; Sain Benet hauis te sperance of þoþir. And on þis ilke maner sal þe pure man childe be offird: simpelie make þaire peticiun, and bi-fore whitnes offir þaire childir. Lauerd for his grace giue þat we may wel gyde þe offerande þat owre frendis made of vs.
LX.
Yef ani preste, sais sain Benet, prais ȝerne for to be recaiuid in-til þordir, ȝe ne sal noght hastelie graunt it hym. Bot yef he duellis in his asking &MS. & / and. prayis ȝerne, Man sal muster him alle þe disciplines of þe reule, þat he salle yeme with-owtyn reles; þat it be done als it is writin, And say til hym: "Amice, ad quid venisti—Frende, wharto es þu cumen?" Bot toȝ-wheþir sal þe howse be grauntid him, And recaiue benicun, and singe his messe, yef þabbes cumandis him. And yef it sua bitimis, þat he ne wyl noght lere na sience, þe reule of discipline sal he fele; for he sulde giue oþir ensampil of mekenes. Yef þar be ani labur at do in þe kirke, Of him sal man ta yeme what he dose, when he is entird in; And noght for þat he es preste and þai haue done him reuerence, be vnbuxum. Yef any clerke desiris to ordir, o þat ilke maner at be in felaȝscap, þai sal be done in mene stede, O þis maner, yef þai haite for to holde þe reule of discipline and stabil dwelling.
LXII.
Yef þabbes prais for preste ouþir for dekin at be ordainde til hym-selfe, He sal loke, þat þai be dingne þer-to at be preste. He salle fle pride & leue alle ille vices, ar he be preste. And þat he do na þing bot þat man cumandis him to do; And yef he do, he sal be vndir þe reule of discipline. Ne þat he for-gete noht þe ordir þat he hauis tane, na þe reule of obedience ne of discipline, And euir auance hym in godis seruise, And þinke þat he ne come noht to þe kirke, bot til godis seruise. And yef þe cuuent wille, & þabes consentis þar-to, þai mai auance hym for þe godenes of his life. Loke þat he neuirþe-later halde þe reule of stabilnes baþe in and owte in gudenes. And if he oþirgate dose, and wil noht be buxum, bott rebel, whilkwhilk appears entirely out of place; cf. Notes. man salle repreue hym ofte. Yef he wil noght sua amende, Man salle muster hym til þe bisschope. Yef he ne may do him amende, Man sal muster his fautes alle opinlie, and do him owte of þe kirke, yef he be prowde, þat he wil noght be buxum vnder þe reule of haly kirke.
LXI.
In þis sentence leris sain Benet vs, how we sal recaiue þe vncunyng nunnis þat cummiscummis, cf. p. 37, l. 32, footnote. owte of fer landis.MS. ferlandis. Yef sho wille als geste wne in þe kirke, and folow þe custume als sho findes, And noy nan þat langes to þe kyrke with hir surfait, bot simpelike recaiue þat sho findis, sho salle be recaiuid ay to whilis þat sho wille dwelle. Yef sho mustirs ani resun & with luue, þabbes sal quaintelike drahe hir to hir, and þancMS. þane. gode þat hir sent. yef sho wille þar stabilnes make, loke þat wille be noht refusid. And als-sua, yef man may persaue, to whilis þat sho es geste, þat sho es surfaitus & il maner, Man sal noght felaȝscap with hir, bott faire and swetelike latte hir ga, þat toþir haue na shame of hir. Yef sho be of gude maner, Man sal noht abide hir asking for to duelle, Bott man sal prai hir at dwelle, þat þe toþir mai be amendid þurȝ þeMS. The second þe twice. sampil of hir; For in alle stedis may man serue god. Yef þabbes ses hir life be suilke, sho may do hir in heȝer stede, if sho wille, þan hir ordir askis. Bot loke þe abbes þat sho knaw hir wel þat sho sal halde in þe kirke, Ouȝir ȝurh hir abbes ouþir þurȝ hir lettirs. For hali write cumandis þat þu sal do to na manMS. na / man. bot als þu walde man did to þe. Lauerd giue vs welle at gete þis cumandement And alle þoþir.
LXIII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat ilkain be with order als þai cume in, And als tabbes stablis þaim eftir þat þair lif es. þabbes sal noht greue þe cuuent, þoȝ þai be giuin hir at yeme, Ne deliuir pouste haue nane for to giue of þe þing þat es stablist in comun, Bott vmbe-þinke hir þat sho sal yelde resun of alle hir iugement til god. als tay ar ordainde, þat tay be stablist and gang in comun. Þai ne salle noht tine þaire ordir for yuȝhed; For samuel and daniel, when þai where barnis, þai demid þe alde men. alle sal be als þai cume in-til þordir, bot ta þat tabbes heȝis ouþir laȝis for a-chesun. sho þat cumis at te secunde owre of þe day sal be done with hir þat cumis at þe first, O what elde sam sho be. Til þe barnis salle man halde discipline. Þe yung salle onur þalde, and þe alde salle lufe þe yunge. Nane sal calle oþir by þaire name, bot þe priures sal calle þaim hir "sistirs." Þabbesse, for sho es in godis stede, sal be callid "dame," noht for þe heȝnes þat sho es abbes, bot for þe onur of god. Loke þat sho do sua, þat sho be dingne at recaiue þat onur. When ane metis a-noþir, þe yunger sal noht sitte bi hir, bot sho haue leue; for hali writ cumandis, þe yunger sal onur þelder. Þe barnis sal þinke on þaire ordir with discipline in kirke and in fraitur; with-outyn and with-in, in alle stedis, sal þai haue geting & chastiing. Lauerd, for þi mercy giue vs welle at halde þis sentence and euir þi wille do. AmeN.
LXIV.
Sain Benet leris vs in þis sentence, how we sal chese vre abbesse. Suilk resun, he sais, sal man loke at þe lecciun, þat sho be ordene and þat al þe cuuent consentis to with þe dute of god. Sho þat þe haler partie of þe cuuent chesis, þurȝ gude life and wisdom sal sho be chosin. Yef it sua be, þat alle þe cuuent chesis ane þat wil consent til þaire vices, þe abbotis þat es þare, and þe folke of þe cuntre, sal defende þat tat felun lecciun be noht forth broth. Bott suilk sal þai take þat can guuerne godis howse and dingne es þar-to. And witte þai wel, þai sal haue gude mede, if þai do it for þe lufe of god, And sinne, yef þai leue. Þe abbes, when sho es ordainde, sho salle vmbeþinke hir what charge sho hase recaiuid, And þat sho sal yelde resun of alle. witte sho wele þat mare bi-houis hir studie for to auance hir cuuent, þan maistri for to haue. sho aȝht at be wise in goddis law, þat sho draȝe til witnes baþe to þe new law and til þe alde testament. Chaste aȝht sho at be, and sobir, & ful of pite, And euir heȝe þe misericorde of god ouir hir iugement, þat god do þat ilke with hir. Ille vices salle sho hate, and luue hir sistirs. In hir pouste loke þat þare be nane vtrage in, Ne þat sho ne chaste nan sa fellike, þat þai fle ne falle in wrang trouȝ. Þabbesse salle gete hir welle hir-fra, And euir haue hir aȝen misdede bi-fore hir siht. Sho salle noht suffir þe beli pipebeli pipe, see Notes. be brokin; þat when sho seis ani of hir sistirs be chargid with sinne, sho salle noht greue hirgreue hir omitted and then added above the line. sua mikil, þat sho fle a-way, bot sho salle be besy more to be luuid þan to be dredde. sho sal nott be trubellus, nor angri, nor ouir-obstinate, nor iolyose, nor ouir-suspiciose, for þan sal sho neuir haue reste. sho sal be wice & discrete in hir commandmentis, þat þai be ouþir efter godde or efter þe worlde. sho salle discerne and temper þe werkis whilk sho invinis to be done, thynkyngMS. thyngyng. a-pon þe discrecion of sainte Iacob sayng in þis wise: "If I sulde make my herdis to labur to mikil in walkyng, þai sal alle die on one day." Therfore sho sal take þir and odir ma examples of discrecion, þe moder of vertues, and tempir and dispone all thingis sa, þat hir demenance be swylke, þat sisters þat er strang and of gude lyuyng may desire and lufelufe omitted and then added above the line. it, & thay þat er febil may bere it; and namli þat sho kepe þis present reule in all thingis, that when sho hase welle done hir ministracion, sho may here þe worde of oure lorde whilk þe gude seruande harde, þat gafe corne to his seruandis in his tyme: "Amen dico vobis &c.;—For soth I say to ȝow, godde sall sett hym ouir all his thingis."
LXV.
Sothly, ofte-timis it happins þat be þe ordinance of þe prioresse greuus sklaunders rysis in monesterys, whils þer be sum bownyd with þe wikkid sprete of pride, thinkis thame-selfe als gude os thayre abbes, And takis a-pon thame tyranry, and nurischis sclaunders, and makis dissensiones in þe conuente, And nameli in tha places where þe prioresse es ordande of þe same sistir, or of þe abbesse, whilk hase made be-fore þe abbas. Whilk inconueniens it es ethy to conseyue; for þe prioresse is geuin a mater to be prowdprowd, MS. previd ("tried"). in þe begynnyng of hyr ordinance, when sho is geuyn in mynde be hir awne thoghtis þat sho is lowsid owte of þe power of hir abbesse, be-cause þe same persones made hir prioresse whilk ordanid þe abbas be-fore. Thoro þat er raysid immonesis,immonesis, for immondesis. strifis, bakbytyngis, haterede, dissensiones, And werangus ordinansis. And when þe abbas and þe prioresse er of contrary opynion, both thayre awne saules bus nedly be in perel in þat dissensione, And thay alswa þat er vnder thame and fag[n]isMS. fagis. both partis fallis in-to grete perel; whilk perel fallis chefly opon thayme þat hauis made thame-selfe þe autors of chesyng of þe prioresse. For þi hauis sain Benet forlokid þat tabbes sal chese whilke sam sho wille, for to halde pese and charite. Yef hir ordanmentMS. ordannent. es in buxumnes, alle þingis þat fallis to þe kirke sal be als tabes cumandis, þat an ne be noht prude of þat es getyn til comun. Yef þe cuuent askis resonabillike and in mekenes, And abbes sese it es nede, þai sal make priuresse, þat sho be chosin þurȝ þe cunsaile of þa þat dutis god. When þe priuresse es ordainde, with mikil reuerence sal sho do þat tabbesse cumandis hir, þat sho do na þing a-gain hyr wille na a-gain hir cumaundement. for þe mare þat sho est heȝid ouir toþir, þe mare aȝh sho at halde þe cumandement of þe reule. And if sho be of ille vicis and prowde, ouþir man may finde þat sho hauis þe haly reule in dispite, sho sal be repreuid foure siþe with worde. Yef sho wil noht amende, þe reule of discipline sal sho fele. Yef sho wil noht amende sua, sho sal be don owte, and a-noþir, þat es dingne, be don in hir stede. Yef sho wil noht be buxum in cuuent, sho sal be done owte of þe kirke til sho wil amende. þabbesse sal vmbe-þinke hir þat sho sal yelde resun on domes-day of alle hir iugementis, And loke þat þe lowe of envie and hateredin ne brenne noht hir herte. Lauerd for his mercy defende vs fra envie & hateredin.
LXVI.
At þe ȝate, sais sain Benet, sal man do a sister þat can wisdome, And can recaiue & ȝelde answer; þat sho be stabil of worde and dede. by-side þe ȝate sal sho haue chaumber, þat þai þat cum to þe ȝate, alle timis finde hir redi and speke with þaim. Als tite as ony smitis on þe ȝate, Ouþir pouir crie, sho sal grace god and with buxumnes hastelie ancewer þam and do þaire erand. Yef sho hauis mister of help, man sal finde hir helpe at þe ȝate. Yef þe howse may forþe it sua, þan sal it be stablist o þis maner, þat þe water, & þe milne, and bakehuse, and breuhuse, and calgard, and al þat ȝe haue mister of, þat al be with-in þe gard, þat ȝe ne haue na nede at sende owte; for þat es noht gude to þe saule. Þis reule sal ofte be redde imang þe cuuent, þat nane ascuse þam of þis þing þat þai ne do it. Lauerd for his pite giue vs sua at vnderstande þis reule, and siþin for to wirke, þat we may cum til þe life þat lastis ay. god gif it vs.
LXVII.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat whilk sister sua man sendis owte any erand, sal take þe benicun are þai ga, And cumande hir in þe vrisun of þabbes And of alle hir sistirs; And at ilke vre of þe day þat [tai] praiMS. þat prai. for þa þat er vte. Þat day þat sho cumis hame, sal sho recaiue þe benicun at ilke ure Of þat þai haue misdon with siht, ouþir with iois,iois ("joys"), corrupt for erin or the like. ouþir with speche, ouþir ani ivil dedis. Þai sal noht telle til þe toþir alle þat þai haue sene vte & herd, for þat es ay mikil vice. Yef any dose, þe correccion of þe reule sal sho suffir. And þat ilke sal sho suffir þat gase owte of þe cloister, labur for to do, be it neuir sua litel, with-owtin leue of þabbes. Lauerd for Here a phrase like his grace (p. 39, l. 21, etc.), his mercy (p. 44, l. 16, etc.), his pite (p. 44, l. 31, etc.), is missing. gete vs, þat we ne do ne saie þing þat til destruciun fallis.
LXVIII.
Yef man cumandis, sais sain Benet, ani þing at do, and it be greue, and sho may noht do it, sho sal recaiue þe cumandement softelie and wid mekenes. yef sho ses þat þe charge of þe cumandement ouir-gase hir force, whit mekenes sal sho muster to þabbes hir sekenes, and noht with pride, na with gain-saȝe. When sho hauis musterd hir firmite, yef þe cumandement of þabbes haldis forȝe, witte sho wele þat it es hir prowe til þe saule; sho sal recaiue it in obedience in þe trouȝe of goddis lay. Lauerd, he giue vs mekenes, for his merci, als he cumandis.
LXIX.
Mikil aȝ ye at fle þis, sais sain Benet, þat nane defende ne warne oþir for nane achesun, ne for sibredin, ne for na oþir aquaintance; for mikil blame þan may cum þerof. Yef ani trespassis þis cumandement, greuelike sal it be amendid. Lauerd defende vs fra alle achesun of sclandir.
LXX.
In þis sentence cumandis sain Benet þat a-chesunnir sal be defendid in haly kirke, als it es ordainde and stablist, þat nane be sua hardy for to curse oþir, ne discipline, bot sho þat þabbes giuis þe pouste. Þa þat tresspassis, by-fore þam alle salle þai be chastid, sua þat þe oþir haue dute þerof. til þe barnis sal man halde discipline ententiuelike, Til þai be o fiftene winter elde. Alle sal do þat to þam with mesur and with resun. Yef ani sistir with-outen þe cumandement of þabbes dose þe barnis ani owterage, þe reule of disclipine sal þai fele; for haly write cummandis þat þu sal do to na noþir bot als þu walde man did to þe. Lauerd for his pite giue vs well at halde his cumandemens.
LXXI.
Sain Benet cumandis in þis sentence þat al sal make obediens, and noht alane to þabbes, bot ilkane to oþir. Þurȝ þe life of obediens may ye cum to heuin. þabbes and þe priuresse sal cumande til þa þat es vnder þaim; þat na priue cumandement be hid in þaim. þe yunger sal meke þaim til þelder with mikil charite. Yef any es funden with fawte, be it neuir so litel, with þabbes, ouþir with priuresse, ouþir with ony oþir, sho sal acline toto, MS. io. þerþe. Yef sho haue whreþid ani of hir sistirs, o what maner sam it be, hastelike with-vten dwellyng sal sho falle to her fete and aske hir for-gifnes, and crie hir merci, And ligge þare til sho for-giue it hir and giue hir her benicun. Sho þat at þis amendment hauis an despite, and wille noht do it, Of hir body sal man take amendement. Yef sho be rebel þar-again, vte of þe kirke sal sho be putt. Lauerd for his merci giue vs sua obediens and mekenes at halde, and rebel at fle, þat we may cum til þe ioy þat ay sal be.
LXXII.
Of tua maner in a lif spekis sain Benet in þis sentence, And sais þat the ille lif, þat es ful of wille, it departis man fra god and ledis man til þe pinis of helle, And a-noþir lif, þat es gude, þat departis man fra helle and ledis man to god almihti. Þis gude life sal ye lere with lufe and gudenes, & ilkain auance oþir wid onur and gude dede; þe sekenes of youre bodi, þan it cumis, take it in gude entente and in pacience. Obedience, buxumnes, sal ilkain at oþir lere hastiuelike, charite & gudenes ilkain lere oþir, and chastite with luue. Ye sal dute god and yure abbesse with luue and charite. And þat sal lede yow til þe ioy with-outen ende. god giue it vs.
LXXIII.
In þis sentence mustirs sain Benet mikil mekenes þat in hym was. For pure mekenes mustirs he here in þe last ende of his reule. He sais þat he ne hauis noht writyn alle þingis þat fallis to rihtuisnes. Bott wha sam haldis wel þise cumaundementis, heȝ god, þat es fadir of alle, sal ȝelde þaim þair mede. We haue writin þis reule for to mustir til þa þat ere suuerainis of hali kirke haue clene luue til god and to þaire prome, And ilke sistir til oþir. Bot wha sua wil cume til þe heȝnes and til þe sikirnes of religiun, Loke þat tay do eftir þe kening of þe haly fadir þat wnis in manhed in þe heȝnes þat lastis ay. Of what boke sam ye here, of anikin kening of þalde lai ouþir of þe neu testament, Ouþir what sum it es, þan es it þe riht reule of þis life here. Of na boke ne make ȝe force, bot ȝe may ga þe right gate to god alle-mihti. þe life of þe haly armitis and þaire cumandemens, And þe reule of sain basili, alle suilke þingis salle ȝe filiȝ. Til hali men, þat gude lif haldes & luuis obedience and gude vertus, þat may halde þis lif. Bot we, sais sain benet, þat er febil and for-getil and of febil lif, þis gude lif schamis vs, And confundis. Bot ye þat wille cume hastelike to þe heȝe ioy þat lastis ay, Haldes first þurȝ þe helpe of iesu crist þis litil beginning of þe reule þat I haue writin yu, And salle ye cume til þe heȝnes of mare vertu þurȝ þe kenning þat I haue musterd. Þa þat it vnderstandis and haldis, Til þaim sal be oppind þe ȝatis of heuin. Lauerd, bigining and ending of alle gude dedis, giue vsvs omitted and then added above the line. sua þis reule of sain benet for to ȝeme, þat te rengne of heuin be oppind til vs. Godde gif it vs for his misericorde. AmeN. Qui viuis & Regnas, Deus, Per Omnia Secula Seculorum. AMEN.
III. THE CAXTON ABSTRACT OF The Rule of St. Benet.
(Cambridge University Library, AB. 4. 64.)
¶ Here felowyth a compendious abstracte translate into englysshe out of the holy rule of saynte Benet for men and wymmen, of the habyte therof, the whiche vnderstonde lytyll laten or none / to þeCaxton regularly prints þe. entent þat they maye often rede / execute the hole rewll and the better kepe it than it is / accordyng to the abyte & their streyte professyon / so that the welle of their sowlys and better emsample of that holy relygyon maye be the sooner had and knowen.
He or she þatThrough þat there arises an anocoluthon. is to be made hede or souereyn in a monestary / in whom all the hole congregacion in one acorde after god consentyth / or els that the more parte therof and sadder wyth god counseyll chesith.
Whan soo euer ony takyth by true eleccyon the name and dygnytee of an hede or souereyn in relygyon / they owne to shewe in their dedys to their disciples two doctrynes / that is to sey, that all suche good dedys and holy that they teche / þat they first shewe hem by their owne dedys rather than by theyr wordys / And al thynges that they teche their children and disciples to be contrari to god & their rule / lete her dedes shew openly suche thinges not to be done, soo þatCaxton: so o þt. theimselfe be not founde gylty & reprouable in their doctryne & ensample / & redy to see a lytill mote in their disciples eyen / but a grete blocke or beme in their owne they can not espie / but lete it lye styll. The souereyns also shulde not dissymyle in punyshment and chastysyng of theyr subgettes whan they offende / but assone as the synnes begyn to sprynge / forthwyth cut hem vp by the rote by correccyon accordyng to the rule wythoute acceptynge of ony persone / Remembryng þat foles wyll neuer be corrected with wordis, but rather by chastisment / As ofte as ony grete maters arn to be doon in the monestary / all þe congregacion is to be callyd & to be enformed of hem by the souereyns / þe whiche owe to here the myndys of echone syngulerly / for oft tymes oure lorde shewyth to the symplest of the relygyon a thynge that is best therfore. how be it, what som euer shalbe seide of the subgettes / see that it be doon wyth al mekenes and submyssyon of spirite & body / And therevpon the souereyn ouht to kepe well in mynde Caxton prints a ij instead of aa ij.the resons or seyenges of euery of theim / and to doo therafter as can be founde best and proffitable / For it is a token of an vnwytty mynde and of a prowde hert of theym that take their owne way oonly & counseyll. Also as it is accordynge to a disciple for to obey his mayster, soo it is requyred to the souereyn visely & warely and all thynges of the place to dispose. To other thynges of lesse charge the souereyn owe to take counseyle of the senyours of the relygion & sadder / Soo þat euery thyng is to be doone at ony tyme wyth counseyle accordynge to scripture þat seyth: "Doo all thynges wyth counseyle / & thou shall not repente after." Also bere in thy mynde this synguler note that the hede or the souereyn wyth all the congregacion streytly be bounde to folowe the rule in euery poynte / & that none of theim be soo bolde to declyneCaxton: declyue. or departe therfro; So that none folowe the wyll of theyr owne mynde oonly / but euer be redy to be reformyd. The subgettes also owe to be ryght ware þat they make no strife wythyn or wythout wyth theyr souereyns / yf that they doo, anone lete hem haue the streyt reguler punysshment wyth þe fere of god and in Caxton prints a ij instead of aa ij.kepynge the rule / remembrynge that the hede withoute ony dowte shall yeue a fullCaxton: afull. streyte accompte oo day of all their Iugementes & byhauour to god atte ferefull daye of rekenynge. ¶ Also be they ware that they trowble not their flocke that ben commytted vnto theim, and that they dyspose noo thynge of the place vnryȝtwysly, as though they wolde vse theim as their owne / the whyche is ayens god vterly & þe reule. Therfore it is good that they at all tymes so behaue theim in vertue, that all people may saye / "loo, suche one is worthy to occupye thys place and to haue thys dignytee." Wherfore suche owe not to be chosen therto by their age / but for their wertuous lyuyng and wysdom, chastyte and sobre dealyng, and also for their pyte and mercy the whyche thei muste vse in all their dedys / that they the rather maye haue the same of god whan someuer they trespasse / See thenne that they loue well their chyldren / and hate their synnes / & in amending of their maners and correccyon of their synnes wysely to behaue theim / For to moche in ony thyng is nought, leeste þat thei breke the vesell / of the whiche wythoute discrecion and pyte they wolde haue taken of the rust / Also they must see that they prouffyte in theyr werkys more than for to loke for worship / and euer to studye to haue loue rather of the subgettes than drede / dooynge all thynges wyth discrecion / whiche is moder of all wertues / consideryng theyr owne freylte, where-thorough of theyr subgettes the better they may haue compassion whan someuer they trespase. Also thei may not be yrefull, vnrestfull, or obstynate / or to be Ielouse / or moche suspeccyouse ouer theyr subgettes / for thenne they shall neuer haue rest to-gyder in the relygyon / and euer kepe the rule. Also the souereyn & the subgettes owe euer to flee Idylnesse, þe norisshe of al synnes, & to be ocupyed euer in vertu, louyng god wyth all their herte of all theyr soule and of all their strength and theyr neyghbour as theyr selfe / doyng euer vnto theym as they wolde be done vnto / dyspisyng theyrselfe and folow crist by the crosse of penaunce. Also they must chastyse theyr body and flee the pleasur therof / and to vse fastynge & refresshe the poore peple wyth dedes of mercy goostly and bodely / and medle lytyll wyth worldly actes, no thyng preferryng aboue the loue of god / wrath or deceyte neuer to kepe in herte or to promyse ony false peas / kepynge euer charytee / And vse neuer to swere / leesteCaxton: neuer / to swere leeste. that by custome ye fall in periurie / and sey euer the trouth in herte & mouth / neuer yeldyng euyll for euyll / but rather good for euyll / doyng no wronge to ony, but for to suffre paciently whan it is done to you / loue your enmyes / & curse hem not / & be redy to take persecucion for a riȝtwys mater / neuer be prowde or dronklew nor moche etyng or slouthfull / not grutchynge or bakbytynge / euer puttynge your trust in our lord god. Whan þat ye see ony goodnes in your-selfe / anone put it to oure lorde & not to your-selfe. all thinge that is euyll ascryue to your-selfe. Fere euer the daye of Iugement & the dungeon of hell / desyrynge wyth all your mynde & herte þe euerlastyng lyfe / & haue euere deth suspecte afore your eyen / & gyde euer your dedes wysely in euery hour / And be certeyn þat god beholdith theim in eueri place / & euery euyl thought that commyth to your mynde, anone put it awaye by thynkyng of cristes passyon / & shewe theym by confessyon to your goostly fader / & kepe euer your tongue from euyll and shrewde langage / & speke lytyll & well / & euer auoyde vayn wordes and dissolute laughter & Iapes, and be glad to here gode lectures and lyues of sayntes with preyer / dayly waylyng your synnes & the synnes & Ignoraunce of the peple wyth amendes makyng / The preceptes of your souereyn in all thynges obey lefull as to god & fulfyll theym / Loue euer chastyte / & flee euer enuy / hatrede & stryff / & worship your elders / & fauour the yong in all loue and drede of god. Euer pray for your enmyes / & or the sone goo downe, be in perfyte peas wyth theym dayly to your power / & neuer dyspeyr of the grete mercy of god / Loo, thyes ben the Instrumentes of the spirituell crafte & occupacion, þe which exercisid and doon, oure lorde hath promysed to you and vs that eye neuer sawe / nor ere euer herde, nor cowde euer in-to mannys herte ascende, þe whiche to al his louyng seruantes he hath ordened. amen.
Obedyence is a grete vertu done without grutchyng or taryenge. It is the fyrst steppe vnto mekenes / & it is right specyousCaxton: specyouꝰ. & nedefull to be had for all peple & namely for relygyous persones. True obediencers, assone as thei be called or commaundid of theyr souereyn / anone after þe worde seyde / they be redy wyth all gladnesse to doo the dede so commaundid / settyng asyde all other thynges vndone & their owne wyll in euery poynt / and þat wyth all quyknesse of herte & body for drede of our lorde. Wherfore he callyth suche a lyfe / a streyt waye to heuen / and not a comyn waye where synners take her owne wyll / & be not vndir the yocke of obedyence to an other / Wythouten doubte trew obedyencers folow surely oure lorde & his wordes where he seyth / "I come not in-to thys world to doo myn owne wyll, but the wyll of my faderCaxton: myfader. the whiche sent me" / Thenne this obedience is gretly acceptable to god and swete to al cristen peple, whan it is done quikly and wythoute grutchynge or frowarde countenaunce in worde or in herte / Our lorde loueth a thyng done vnto hym cherefully in soule / and such obedience done to the souereyn / is done to god & for god, as he seyth hymselfe. Yf one obey with grutchyng either in worde or in their herte, fulfyllyng the commaundement of theyr souereyn / yet it is not acceptable to god / the whiche beholdyth the herte euer & the wyll of the doer therof / & he shal haue noo grace but rather payne ordeined for grutchers, without he amende him.
As for silence, doo aftir the cheyf prophete of god, dauid, where he seyth in þe sauter / "I haue seyd thatCaxton: seydthat. I shall not offende in my tongue / I haue put a kepyng to my mowth / & am dompe and therwith made meke & silent" / In moche speche, as it is writen, synne cann not be auoyded / also in þe power of the tongue is deth & lyfe / As it accordith to a mayster to speke & teche, so it behoueth the disciple to here & be silent / wordes of vnclennes / voyde, or meuynge to disolucyon or to laughter, ben dampned by the rule in ony place to be had / & it is commaundid streytly by the same / none to be so bolde to open their mowth in suche maner of talkyng / Also silence is to be kept by the rule at all tymes & spyrituelly at nyght after complyn, and noo licence thenne is to be gyuen to ony for to speke but oonly to officers / or to theim that grete nede causith to speke with sadnesse & honestee / & silence also is to be kept at all refeccions and meles & in other places / & at other tymes specyfyed by the rule / Yf theyr be founde ony gylty in theis premyses, thei ouȝt to be punysshid streytly and greuously.
Holy scrypture cryeth and seyth / "he that wyll high hymselfe shal be made lowe, and he that mekyth hym selfe shall be made high" / In thys is shewid that exaltacyon is þe doughter and nygh of kyne to pryde, whiche is mortall / Yf we wyll atteyne and come to the heyth of perfyte mekenes, the whiche wyll bringe vs to the honour of heuen in body and soule, lete vs lyft vp our herte & mynde vnto heuen by þe skale and lader of Iacob, descendyng wyth the angels from ony exaltacyon / and clymme vp to theym by mekenes & humyliacion. The fyrste steppe of thys ladder ascendyng by mekenes to heuen / is to be euer aferde of god and of your souereyn / and not to be foryetful / beringe in your mynde surely all thynges that god hath commaundyd you to be done, and your rule, and how they þat contempnyth god & hys preceptes or the rule shal goo to hell / and to theim that loue & drede god & kepith his commaundementes is ordeyned Ioye euerlastyng. Oure lorde in euery place beholdyth the dedes & thoughtes of euery creature / and þe angels ben redy to shewe to the trynitee dayly the gode dedes of eche good creature. ¶ The seconde steppe oror, Caxton: of. degree of thys ladder of mekenesse is whan one hath no delyte to fulfyll theyr owne wyll or desire / but oonliCaxton: butoonli. to folow crist / þat seith: "I come not in-to the worlde to doo myn owne wyll but the wyll of my fader that sent me." The iij. degree is whan one subdewyth & mekyth hymselfe for god lowly to their souereyn / folowynge crist / of whom the apostyll seyth / "Ihesus was made obedient vnto deth of the crosse." ¶ The iiij. degree is whan one can suffre wyth all obedience & pacyence all Iniuries, wronges / wordes of rebuke, & suche other done or sayd vnto theim / & to take hem gladly for goddis sake their lyfe enduring / For þe gospel seith / "he þat contynueth to the ende / shall be sauff." The v. steppe of this ladder of mekenes is þat whan al euyll thoughtes that come vnto their herte or to their mynde, & their synnes a-fore hid & not confessyd / þat they wyll thenne open mekely to theyr souereyn wyth repentaunce / For it is writen / "shewe thy wayes of thy lyuyng to our lord & trust in hym & in his mercy. for he is al goodnesse & piteful / & redy is to foryeue thy trespace & synne, yf thou wyll knowleche it wyth repentaunce & amende." ¶ The vj. degre of mekenes is whan one is well content wyth symple araye or habite / & is glad to be set lytill by & to be take as a drudge or outcast of the religion / & to be euer redy to doo al thynges that is boden hym to doo, Iugyng him an Idyll seruaunt and vnworthy to god and man / ¶ The vij. degree is yf he shew in dede hymself, not oonly with tongue but also wyth all the inwardes of his herte & by outwarde behauour, the lothliest & the vilest of all other / seyeng wyth the prophete / "I am a worme & noo man, the repreef of peple & abieccion / lord, I thanke the that þou hast mekid me, so that I may the beter lerne thy commaundementes." ¶ The viij: degree is yf that he doo no thynge but as the commyn rule of the place and holy ensample of his senyours doo shewe vnto him in our lorde / ¶ The ix. degree is yf one kepe his tongue in al silence to the tyme he be commaundid to speke / or els that he be askid a questyon. ¶ The x. degree is yf one be not lyght and redy to laughter or to dissolucyon. It is writen: "a fole wylle exalte his voyce in laughter." ¶ The enleuenth is for to speke euer softely wyth sadnes / & mekely & with fewe wordes groundid vpon reason and godly / It is wryten: "The wyse man is knowen by hys wordes." ¶ The xij. degree is whan one, not oonly in his mowthe but aswell in his body, shewyth meknesse to all that beholde hym / as in al his dedes / in chaptour / in chirche, in garden / in felde, sittynge, walkynge, or standynge, & his hede enclynynge / and his sight to the grounde, shewynge hym selfe euery houre gylty of hys synne, hauynge euer suspect for to be brought to the ferefull Iugement of god, seyeng thus wyth the publycan: "Good lorde, I a synner am not worthy to lyfte vp myn eyen to heuen." who som euer hath ascendyd al thise degrees of mekenesse shall anone haue the charyte of god perfitely, þe whyche thenne puttyth awaye all drede in suche thynges / the whyche he dyde afore with drede / and also dooth thenne al his actes of accustome, as it were naturalle to hym, cherefully / & wythoute labour, & that not for the drede of hell he dooth it, but for feruent loue þat he hath to god by a custome & delyte ofCaxton: of (end of line) of vertue. vertue / þe whyche grace is yeuen of þe holy gooste.
How the seruyse of god is to be doone at his howres acordyng to the tyme / is shewid in the hole rule distynctly by chaptours, where it is noted in þe ende þat euery weke, begynnynge on the sonday, shal be songe the hole sawter of dauid wyth anthemes & other appropryed therfore / & finally it is so of vs to doo in regarde of holy faders afore tyme, þat dide deuoutly rendre & say euery daye of the yer þe seyde hole sawter, as we rede.
Sith it is so that our bileue is, that god is presente in euery place & beholdyth at eche howre both the gode & the euyll / thenne it is to truste wythoute ony dowte / þat moche more whan we be occupied in his seruyce in þe chirche or ony other holy place / wherfore he is to be serued in drede by the counseyle of the prophete / & wysely remembring his presence with innumerable angels / the whyche ben theyr surely at dyuyne seruyce / and lete vs euer soo syng and saye that our mynde accorde to our voys and the sentence / of the dyttee. Amen.
Yf we shulde make ony suggestion to a state temporall / we wolde not presume to doo it but with mekenes & reuerence / thenne how moche more owe we to oure lorde god wyth all mekenes and clennesse deuoutly to make our prayer and supplicacion, & that not in haste and moche seyenge, but in clennesse of the herte & compunccion wyth wepyng / þat we may the rather be herde in our prayer & petycion.
Of the eleccyon of the deanes & offycers of the religyon and of theyr good lyfe / & of their charges / by the whyche the souereyn maye in partie be discharged, And how they owe to be chosen for theyr good lyfe / theyr lernynge and wysdom / And how they shal be correct and blamed / and also depryued, if thei amende not after theyr defawte / And how that other better disposyd shall occupye their place, and soo other offices / and also in what maner they shall slepe in their clothes gyrde; And how offenses and sinnes, grete & lesse dyuersly, owen to be corrected / And how þe souereyn owe to be dilygent aboute suche as a goode leche or phisicien in all charite & prayer; And also how they that oft haue ben corrupt & correcte wyll not amende by noo punysshement reguler, that prayer to god & good exhortacyon is thenne euer to be had vnto theim; Yf they wyll not dispose theim so to be reconsiled & to take grace, how that thenne they shall departe from the congregacyon, leest that suche a moreyne shepe / empoysen and enfecte the residue of þe flocke; And also how those þat ones by their owne foly goone out of the religyon ben receyued ayen; And how childern nouyces arn to be chastised: al thys afore wryten ben ordeyned afore by saynte benet in þe complete rule in seuerall chapitours full heuenly.
The cellerer of the place is to be chosen of the congregacyon, suche one that is wyse, quicke, well condycyoned, & sobre, not prowde, impacient, not trowbelous, ferefull, nor large / but euer dredynge god / beyng as a fader or a louyng moder to al þe congregacion. ¶ They must haue grete laboure & thought for all theim / doyng noo thyng wythout þe commaundement of the souereyn / the whiche agreyng to god and the rule is euer to be kept / soo that they cause not ony of the couent to grutche or be heuy / Yf cace be that ony aske a thynge vnresonable / yet they owe not to dysdeyne suche one or dispyse, makyng theim heuy with theyr countenaunce or answere / but reasonably wyth all mekenes and cheyrfull countenaunce in softnes of spiritte denie their petycion. This sayd charge is dredefull and also meritorious; for the apostle seyth: "He or she that mynystrith wel / shal haue grete rewarde & crowned in heuen." Morouer theyr charge is to see diligently and well to the seke / and to Infauntes, to strangers and to power peple / Remembring that wythout doubte / þat they shall yeue a streyt rekenyng and accompte for all theys / and for the leest thyng in theyr office myskepte or myspendid, atte ferefull daye of dome / All the vesels of þe place they owe to kepe well / in that aswell as though thei were the sacrate vesels of the awter / Noo thynge they shulde doo neclygently / or to be couetous or ouerlarge or prodigous / but all thynges to doo mesurably wyth discrecyon & after the commaundement of the souereyn / And specially in thys offyce thei must haue mekenesse / & whan they haue not the thyng that is askyd of theym / thenne at leest to yeue an esy & gentill answer / For it is writen: a soft & esy answere is a-boue ony yeft. The refresshynge and fode that is to be yeuen to the couent or congregacyon is to be done euer without grutchyng or taryeng, so that thei haue noo cause to compleyne forCaxton: compleynefor. the minystracyon / All thynges is to be askyd in dew houres / soo that none be trowbled or made pensy in the housholde of our lorde.
For the other stuff of the monestary, and vesture of the couent wyth other necessaryes / þe souereyn owe to prouide suche officers of whos lyf & good maners he and other may be sure, for the kepyng therof & gaderyng of the same / and for delyueryng of hem to theym þat haue nede / Of the whiche stuff the souereyn shall haue wrytynge / wherby he maye delyuer the percels to the offycers as they chaunge / so þat it maye be well knowen what is yeuen and what is receyued / Who so euer neclygently or sluttisshly entretyth ony thyng of the place / anone be they rebukyd & punysshid /
The grete vice & syn of properte in relygyon is namely to be cutte awaye by þe rote / Presume none in relygyon to yeue ony thyng, or to take, wythout the wyll & commaundement of the souereyn / nor it is leefull ony to haue a thyng to theyrself propre / not as moche as their owne body / or to haue their own wyll in their power / All thynges to theim necessary is to be had of the souereyn accordynge to theyr nede, not acceptynge ony persone more than an other, but accordyng to nede & in-firmyte / And all thynges must be commyn emonge theym accordyng to the lyfe of þe apostles / None presume to sey: suche a thynge is myne. Yf ony be founde gylty in this venemouse offence of properte / lete hem twyes or thries be correct / yf they doo not amende / see thenne toCaxton: to (end of line) to their chatysment. their cha[s]tysment / Yf at ony tyme one nede a lytyll thyng / thanke he our lorde and say he euer: "Deo gracias," not beyng sory that another that nede hath / that pite is shewid vppon hym / And he that hath suche pite shewyd vpon hym shal not therof be proude by contenaunce or by worde / and thus shall all the congregacyon be in rest and charitee / and grutchynge layd a syde / the whiche is perilous to be had eyther by worde or sygne / Yf ony therin be founde culpable, anone put theim to streyt disciplyne.
Eche one be besy to serue other, & none is to be exscusid from þe dressing bord of þe kechyn / wythout they be seke or other wyse occupyed for þe commyn well. In suche meke & low seruice is goten grete mede / charite and rewarde / and whan they shall departe wekely from the kechyn by cours / they owe to make al thynges clene at theyr departyng / and þe clothes þat the couent hath fyled with theyr handes or fete they shall delyuer clene also wyth all mekenes. And moreouer theyr owne fete they shall make clene in theyr departyng, and delyuer al the naprye and clene clothes to the celerer. Suche seruytoures by þe rule may take a lytyll refresshing of mete & drynke afore high dyner / for by-cause of their attendaunce & seruyse at þe same.
Grete attendaunce is to be had aboute seke persones aboue all other thynges: as though it were to criste hymselfe / the whiche doutlesse is seruyd in theym that is seke / as he seyth hymselfe: "I was seke and ye visited me, and that ye dide vnto the leest of theym that were seke, ye dide it vnto me" / Wherfore those that ben seke shulde considre that suche seruyce is doon to theym for the loue & honour of god, and therfore they shulde be righte ware to cause ony heuynese to theyr seruytoures by ony superfluite or vncurtees demenour. Not for thy, for theyr sekenes they owe pacyently to be suffred / for of suche is gotenCaxton: goton. grete rewarde herafter in heuen. The souereyn may not be neclygent to the ouersyght of suche seke persones, serchyng wel that thei lacke noo helpe or comforte / or ony thing that is necessary for theim, as is wasshing, bathynge, and medicynes, yeuyng as oft as nedeth / and to suche is grauntid by the rule for theyr sooner amendement for to ete flesshe; so þat after thei recouer thei absteyn in ony wyse therfro. Prouyde alwey þat fauour be had to Infantes / seke persones & aged.
At all refeccyons and meles / redyng & lecture must be had / And the reder after the masse on the sonday shall entre / and humbly desire of all the congregacyon to pray for hym, makynge a crosse in his forhede / for the euyll spirite of pryde and other / and after the blessyng yeuen begyn to rede / and all the tyme of refeccyon or meles / none to be soo hardy to speke / but to kepe high silence as speche, noys, or other wyse, preuy or aperte / how be it, the souereyn maye a lytyll speke of the processe that is rad or of other for edefieng of his ghestes or of other that here hym / and not elsCaxton: cls. / Also þe congregacion shal be seruyd of al thynges necessary to theym at that tyme / so that none haue nede to aske ony thynge / Yf cace be þat suche nede befall / thenne signes must be vsid and no speche / The reder may afore his lecture take a lytyll refeccyon that is callyd mixtum / yf nede be for by-cause of his redyng atte mete / And suche owe to rede euer / the whiche by theyr redyng may best edyfye the herers / And the same is to be obseruyd in all syngyng and redynge in the chirche or in prechyng / and that to be done in mekenes / sadnesse and drede.
It folowyth in the rule of the mesures of mete and drynke / and what howres after the season and tyme of the yere / the congregacyon shall take theyr repast and meles / And also how the souereyn must soo tempre and dispose all suche thynges wyth other, so that the soules of his subgettes may be saaf.
To the seruyce of god as sone as is herde ony bell or token / all thynges set aside, the couent owe to come in all godely haste and relygyously therto / For noo thynge owe to be preferryd before the seruyce of god. And they that come late therto / shal not goo to their owne place in þe quere / but to the place assigned for suche late commers / to theyr rebuke, penaunce, and amendement. How they shall be punysshid that come late to meles / and of theyr sequestracyon from the feliship / and of theyr etynge alone in penaunce after other / the rule withwith, Caxton: whiche. his expositour dooth specifye /
Tho that fayle in psalmody / respons / anthemes or lessons, yf they meke not theyr-selfe openly afore all the congregacion / as puttynge theyr hede downe to the grounde or other wyse by the rule for a satysfacyon / els they must haue afterwarde more largelier & greter penaunce for their offence / And children euer for theyr trespace must be bette.
Who that euer in his laboures / as in the kechyn, in celary / in the gardyn, or in ony other occupacyon, offendyth or brekyth ony thyng / or els lesith, and wyll not knowleche his offence to the hede and souereyn or to the congregacyon / they owe to haue grete penaunce, yf it be openly knowen, the offence / yf it be not knowen but oonly to hym selfe / thenne lete hym shew it bi confessyon to the souereyn or to his goostly fader and take his penaunce.
Idilnesse is the enmye of þe soule / wherfore lyke as the couent ben occupyed certeyn howres aboute the seruyce of god / soo certeyn other howres ben thei occupyed in redyng and studyeng of heuenly thynges / and in laboures wyth theyr body in thynges that is good and necessary to theim or þe place / for thenne thei ben very religious, whan thei thus folowe holy faders and doon as the apostles dyden.
In the tyme of lent echon by theyr-selfe haue the bible / the whiche they owe to rede complete and hole besyde theyr seruyse / and the seyde bible is to be delyuerd vnto theym atte begynnynge of lent. And the serchers of the relygyon owe to see warely about þat they be occupyed in lecture therof sonday and other / & not aboute fables / Iapes or sluggisshenes. Yf ony suche be founde / see that they be spoken vnto sharply ones or twyes / & yf they amende not theyr-wyth / lete theym be correct / soo that all other maye beware by theym. If theyr be ony so slouthfull or neclygent, that they maye not or wyll not be occupied in redyng or holy medytacyon / thenne lete theym be assigned to other occupacyons to doo / so that they be neuer vnoccupied in vertu / If they be seke or feble for age / thenne such an occupacyon is to be put vnto theym þat they maye awaye wyth / & not to be ydyll, by þe discrecion of the souereyn.
How be it that a relygiousCaxton: relygions. persone owe euery tyme to kepe lent / yet for by-cause that fewe haue thys vertu / therfore we aduise and counseyll, seyth saynt benet, all of the relygyon spiritually theys xl. dayes of lent to kepe in all clennesse of lyfe / and to put vtterly awaye all theyr neclygences and olde custome of synne / and thenne more spiritually to gyue theim to prayer waylyng and wepingeCaxton: wepnige. / redinge / and abstinence in mete and drynke / wythdrawynge somwhat of theyr takynge in mete and drynke other wyse than they dide afore, and that wyth good wyll, offerynge it in his mynde to god and to the poore peple; And to wythdrawe some what of slepe and speche and wanton behauour. And as for abstynence of mete and drynke, it owe to be doon wyth the consente euer of the souereyn and the helpe of prayer. For yf it be otherwyse doon / it is to be taken of presumpcyon and vayne glory / and thenne it hath noo mede.
Noo thynge is to be spoken in the chirche but prayer / And after that ony seruyce is there doon / all they owe to departe wyth silence and lowe reuerence doon to god. Yf ony after woll praye of deuocyon / none shall let hym by theyr noyse or ony other vncurteys delynge / and thenne suche owe secretly to praye wyth deuocyon and not on high, but wepynge for his synnes and the Ignoraunce of the peple and theyr synnes wyth all meke intencyon of herte and soule. All other not soo there occupyed owe to avoyde.
Al strangers or ghestes arn to be receyued for god & as god. For here-after they shal here hym saye to theim / "I was a stranger & ye toke me In / and gaue me mete & drynke and lodgynge" / and soo of other dedes of mercy / Euery persone is to be honourid for the ymage of god / thenne moche more those that ben of cristen religion and that commen for god / Whan euer it is shewyd that a stranger is come / anone the souereyn or his bredern shulde quykly goo to hym wyth all charyte / and after theyr prayer togider made and knyt togider in goddis peas / kissyng togyder and salutyng other / with after refresshing theim with mete and drynk and other necessaryes to their power / redynge amonge the lawes of god to theyr edyfieng of soule / The souereyn may breke his mele for a stranger, wythout it be a spirituell fastynge daye / and thenne he owe not to breke it / The bredern may not breke ony faste for strangers. Also the souereyn wyth the congregacion shulde with all mekenes folow oure lorde / and wasshe the fete of the strangers, sayenge certeyn prayers / for in theim and poore folke is to be had diligent watche and cure / for crist in theym is surely receyued / He þat is asygned for suche gestes or poore folke, to gyue vnto theim necessaries, shulde drede god gretly and haue mekenes and pacience / and doo all thynges with wisdom / and silence, euer fulfillyng the souereyns commaundement / & whan they ony other mete or see / they owe to enclyne mekely and salute theim departyng with silence.
Noo wyse be it leefull to ony broder to take or receyue of fader or moder ony letters, tokens, or yeftes / or els to sende hymself or to yeue ony without the wyll and comaundement of his hede and souereyn / the whiche had, he thenne maye receiue theim / not forthy the souereyn after may yeue suche stuff to suche as it shall please hym, and he that it was sent vnto shall take it in worthe & cherefully / in that an other hath it /it /, Caxton: / it. leest that occasion of grutchinge inwarde or outwarde be yeuen to the by thy goostly enmye.
Clothynge to the couent, and habyte, is to be yeuen accordyng to the hete of the yere or to the coldenes of the countre that they dwell in, lasse or more as nede is / And the souereyn must haue consideracion therof / and to bye suche cloth that is made in that countre or prouynce, of the vilest and lyghtest pryce / And as oft as they shal take new / thenne to rendre vp the olde for the vse of pore peple / Of other thynges necessary for theyr body daye & nyght in wynter and somer, and of theyr celles and lodgyng, and of their behauour in theim with other / the hole rule certifieth. And how the souereyne shal dyligently serche that thei lacke no thyng to theym necessary / soo that all occasion of grutchyng, or for ony thynge werkynge, or for ony thynge kepyng / haue no place in þe relygyon / euer remembryng the wordes wrytyn in the actes of the apostles, where it is seyde / that it was distribute & delyuerd to echone of theym as theyr nede required.
The borde or table of the souereyn is to be garnysshid wyth pilgrymes or ghestes / And whan there ben few strangers / the soouereyn maye call vnto hym some of the brederen / so that parte of the senyours be left wyth the couent for theyr awe and disciplyne.
Whan ony commyth from the worlde to entre in-to religion / a light or soden entree is not to be grauntyd; but for to doo after the apostle, preuynge the spirites / yf they be of god. Yf cace be that suche one be abydynge in hys purpose / and founde pacyent for ony Iniuryes done vnto hym / or for delayeng of his entree, & suche other, thenne after iiij or v. dayes may be graunted vnto hym entree / abidyng after by certeyn space in the ghestys chambre / and after in the cell for nouices / theyr to be for a tyme in prayer and medytacyon / and for to ete and drynke. And a senyoure of the relygyon is to be assigned vnto hym / the whyche is apt to gete sowles to god / the whyche shall see vnto hym warely and vysely that he be vertuously occupyed / sekynge our lorde by prayer, and to folow hym by obedyence and suffryng of repreues / All the hardnesse and sharpnesse of the ordre is to be tolde hym playnly / by the whiche he must goo to heuen. And yf he promyse to contynwe and to be stable in his purpoos, thenne after two monethes / the rule shall be red hole by ordre vnto hym / and thus it shall be seyde vnto hym: "Beholde here the lawe vndyr whyche thou must sore laboure and fyght / Yf thou thynkyst that thou maye kepe it, come in / and yf thou may not / goo/ goo, Caxton: goo /. free ayen where it plesith þe." Yf he yet contynewe by hys promyse, thenne he shall be brought ayen to the nouyces cell to be preued ayen, and yet ayen after in all pacience; & thenne after six monethes the rule ayen shall be red vnto hym / soo that he may well know wherfore he entryth in-to relygyon / and yf he contynue styll iiij. mounthes after / yet not for thy þe rule ayen shall be red vnto hym / And yf he promyse thenne vtterly to kepe all thynges that is so ofte red vnto hym and to be obedient, thenne atte firste shall he be taken in-to the congregacyon / knowlechyng thenne that he is bounde to the law of the rule / and thenne after he may not departe fromfrom, Caxton: fōr. þe monestarye / nor exscuse him, but that he is vnder the yocke of þe seyd rule to his deth. ¶ Thenne whan he is admyttid and taken in-to the chirche to be professid afore all the peple / there he shall promytte of his stabylnesse and amendyng of his maners / & there-vpon make his obedience afore god and his sayntes / the whiche is to be done with all his mynde and herte, leest that he mocke our lorde god to his dampnacyon / Of his promyse and profession he shall make a peticyon in writynge to god and to all sayntes / whos relykes ben in that chirche and to the souereyn assygned therto / the whiche he shal wryte with his owne hande / or els an other of hym required, yf that he can not write / & marke it with his owne sygne / the whiche he shall put vpon þe awter afterwarde wyth his hande; & seye certayn prayers ther-wyth / And after this he shal fall downe prostrate at fete of the couent / prayeng theym to praye for hym / and after thys he shall be nombrid for euer / and named for one of the congregacyon / Suche stuff that he hath not yeuen before to folke þat ben poore or other wyse, openly shall he thenne yeue to the monestary / noo thyng reseruyng vnto hym-selfe; for after that tyme he may haue noo propirte / not as moche as his owne body / And whan in þe chirche he shall doo of his seculer arraye and be cladde with the habite of the place / those that he puttyth of shall be kept in the vestuary / leest that the enmye the fende perswade and cause hym after / the whiche god defende, for to departe from the religion / and thenne he must haue his seculer clothes ayen / and put out for euer. But his petycyon in wrytinge, that he put on the awter in his firste entree / ought euer to remayn and to be kept in the monestary.
Yf a man of worship offre a yong childe, his sone, to god and to the religion, thenne shall he or his frendes make the peticion, as isCaxton: as it, for as is, or as it is. wryten afore, for him with writyng / and their offryng wyth the hande of þe childe / the whiche shall be rollyd togider in the pall or in the towell of the awter / How poore children and seculer prestes / & how mounkes strangers owe to be receyued / and of the ordynacion of prestes & of dekens wythin þe selfe religion, is shewid folowyngly in the complete rule by large processe / the whiche I passe ouer for the grete change that is in that religion, and the length.
Whan euer the bredern mete togider / the yonger shall meke hymselfe / desirynge the blessynge of hys senyour / And whan ony senyour commyth at ony tyme before hym / he shal arise and gyue place to sytte; and the sayd Ionger shall stande tyll he be commande to sitte. Yonge children of the religion both in chirche and at table & elswhere shall kepe theyr place after their age in relygion / and they shal haue ouerseers, techinge theym & gyuynge disciplyne / tyll they come to the age of vnderstondyng.
To the gate of the monestary an aged persone, wise and well manerd, is to be assigned / the whiche can take an answere wittely or a message / Whose good disposicyon woll not suffre hym to wandre aboute or to be idle / The whiche broder owe to lodge nygh the gate / soo that strangers that come maye euer fynde hym redy / of whom they shall take an answere. / And whan someuer ony knockyth at gate, or els that the poore peple crye, anone he shall seye: "Deo gracias" cherefully, and gyue theym an awnswere comfortably in all mekenes and softnesse and drede of god / The whiche broder portar shall haue helpe of an other yonger broder, yf grete nede requyre. Suche a monestary is to be sette in suche a place where all thynges necessary soone maye be had / so that the couent nede not to passe the boundes of the clausures therof / the whiche yf thei dide / shulde be perylle for theyr soules / Saynt benet woll that the rule be red effectuelly oftymes in the yere afore the congregacion / for by-cause none of hem shal pretende Ignorance or ony exscuse.
Whan ony of the bredern must doo a Iourney without the clausure of the place, after licence had, he shall commende hym to the prayer of his souereyn / and euer at last oryson in the seruyse of god / shal a prayer be sayd for him and all þat is absent / And the daye that they come home ayen / they shal lye prostrate all the seruyse tyme / & desyre the couent to praye for theym for theyr excesses done in the iourney / as in syght, heryng of ony vanytees / or euyll thynges, or ony voyde wordes / And they shall not tell ony thyng þat they sawe or herd in theyr iourney, for it is a grete meane to þe destruccion of suche a place of relygion / And he that presumyth to doo the contrary or to goo oute of the clausure of the monestary to ony place / thought it be neuer so lytil, wythout commandement or licence of the souereyn / owe to be streytly punysshyd.
If ony greuouse or impossible thynges be put vnto a broderCaxton: abroder. of his souereyn to doo / he shall wyth all mekenesse and obedience take the commaundement vpon hym: Yf cace be that it passe his power in ony wise to fulfill it, thenne wyth all lowlynesse he shal tell it to his souereyn / and the cause of impossibilytee. And yf cace be the souereyn contynew in his sentence & wyll / thenne the broder owe to know that it is to hym right profitable yet to obeye, puttynge his trust in the helpe of god / whiche woll not forsake all theym that truste in him.
Eche one shuld beware þat he exscuse not or defende an other in ony cause, though al he were neuer soo nygh to hym of blode / For of it lightly wolde growe grete occasion of sclaundre to the religion / Who þat is founde fawty in this trespace owe to be punysshid greuosly.
It is ordeyned also that it is not lefull to ony of the couent to punisshe or to bete an other of the same / but suche one as the souereyn hath yeuen power vnto / Those that offende openly / must be repreuyd and punysshid openly / that other maye be the rather aferd to offende / Children to the xv. yere of age shall stande euer vndir streyt awe and diligent discipline / & all thynges er to be doon vnto theym mesurably with discrecyon and reason / & vndir the commandement euer of the souereyn / And he that otherwise dooth / shall be correct wyth reguler disciplyne / for it his writen in the gospell / All thynges that ye wolde þat other shuld doo vnto you / doo ye it to theym / and that ye wolde not haue done to you / doo it not to theim.
Obedience is not oonly to be yeuen of al the couent to the souereyn / but also echon to other must obeye / knowyng that by þe way of obedience thei shall come vnto heuen. Whan the commaundement of the souereynCaxton: soueuereyn. is doon by the subgette / saynt Benet woll that besyde that / þat euer the yonger in religion obeye theyr senyours in all charite / dilygence, & mekenesse; who þat woll not must be correct / Yf ony brother be blamed of his souereyn for ony cause / though it be right small / as soone as that he knowyth that his souereyn or his senyour is greued wyth hym or trowbled, though it be right lityll / anone he owe to fall downe prosstrate at his fete / so longe to the tyme he that is greued be satisfied & plesid for his humyliacyon. Yf ony disdeyn to doo thys / lete hym be punysshid on the nakyd body / and yf he be obstynate / put hym out of the monestary.
As there is an euyll ȝele / loue, or affeccyon / the whiche departyth one from god and bringith hym to hell / soo there is a ȝele or affeccion the whiche departyth one from synne and bryngith hym to god to euerlastyng lyfe, the whiche is to be had in religion in all feruent desire / for by it echone gladly woll reuerence other, and echone suffre other for ony infirmytee or condycions / and that wyth all pacience / and moreouer echone be glad who can best meke hymselfe and to be obedient / neuer folowyng that thyng the whiche he demeth to be profitable oonly to hymselfe / but moche more that thyng that is profitable for other. Echone shewe charitee to other as brethern in all clene & chaste loue / dredyng euer god / and louynge theyr souereyn in charyte vnfeyned, preferryng euer goddis cause and mater afore all other / the whiche woll brynge hem all to-gider to reygne in the lyfe / the whiche is eternalle. AMEN.
Explicit.¶ Of your charite praye for the translatour of thys sayd treatyse.
V. THE VESPASIAN RITUAL FOR THE Ordination of Nuns.
(Cotton MS. Vespasian A. 25, British Museum.)
The Method of makeing a Nunn.The heading is in a later hand. The English text (with some short Latin expressions) is underlined in red ink.
Here bygyns þe manere forto make a nun. At þe first be-gynnyng þe mese salbe of our lady. þe offece of þe mese sall be "Salue, sancta parens." þe Epistil & þe godspel & all þe tother salbe als þe tyme of þe ȝer askes. Att þe bygynnyng of þe mese þe madyn þat salbe mayde nun sal sit in þe quere a-pon a stole be-for þe priores stayle with hir prouese in hir hand. And at þe offerand tyme þe Priores sal lede þe madyn til þe toumbe in-mydes þe quer, & þer sal scho betech hir vntil hir next frendes. And þai sal lede hir vp vnto þe hegh auter. And þe Priores & þe conuent sal folow vp vnto þe auter. And þen hir frendes sal offer hir vp tyl þe auter, & þan byken hir to þe priores ogayn. And þe same tyme al þat wil may offir. And þen þai al sal sit down & here þe preching, And scho with hir professe-boke in hir hand. And when þe preching es done, þe Priores sal hafe hir befor þe auter & vncleth hir of hir seculer clething. And in þe same tyme þe prelet sall halow hir habete with-outyn note, þer sayand: "Dominus vob[iscum]!
Deus, qui vestimentum salutare et indumentum eterne iocunditatis tuis fidelibus promisisti, clemenciam tuam suppliciter exoramus, vt hec indumenta, humilitatem cordis et contemptum mundi significancia, quibus famula (-e) tua (-e) N. sancto visibiliter est (sunt) informanda (-e)25 ff. The letters and words here placed within parentheses are, in the MS., written above (the endings of) the corresponding words. propocito, propicius benedicas, et beate castitatis habitum, quem te inspirante susceperit (-perint), te protegente custodiat (-ant). Per christum dominum nostrum.
Deus, bonarum virtutum dator et omnium benediccionum largus infusor, exaudi preces nostras, et hanc (-as) vestem (-es), quam (-as) famula (-e) tua (-e) N. pro conseruande castitatis signo se ad-operiendam (-das) exposcit (-cunt), benedicere et sanctificare digneris. Per christum.
Þe blissing our þe vayle: "Dominus vobiscum!
Caput omnium fidelium, deus, et tocius corporis saluator, hoc (-ec) operimentum (-ta) velaminis (-num), quod (que) famula (-e) tua (-e) propter tuam tueque genitricis beatissime sancte semper virginis marie amorem suo capiti est (sunt) impositura (-re), tua dextera et hoc, quod per illud (-a) mistice datur intelligi, tua semper custodia corpore pariter et animo incontaminato custodiat (-ant), vt quum ad perpetuam sanctorum remuneracionem uenerit (-int), cum prudentibus virginibus et ipsa (-e) preparata (-e) te perducente ad perpetue felicitatis nupcias intrare meriatur (-an-). Per dominum."
Efter þeir orisons kast haly watter o-pon þe clethyng, and þan þe prelete sal gyf þe madyn hir clethyng: first hir cote, sayand with-outen note:
"Accipe uestem! indue sanctitatis decorem! ornare habitu sancte religionis cum timore & reuerencia, quem interueniente beata dei genitrice Maria cum bonorum obseruancia operum ignita castitatis lampade suffulta immaculatum [ante] tribunalMS. maculatum tribunal; cf. p. 147, l. 2. christi perferas.MS. perfer/ras; cf. p. 2, ll. 3, 7, footnotes. Qui viuit et regnat cum deo patre."
And sythen sal þe prelete gif hir þe mantill, sayand: "Accipe uestem," vt supra.
Efter þis, þen sal þeMS. þe. prelete with a payr of schers be-gyn forto kut hir hair befor at þe toppyng, sayand: "In nomine patris" — "et filii," behind — & "spiritus sancti" — "Amen," on aþer side. And þen sal þe priores kut o-way þe remnaunt of þe hair. And þen sal þe prelete gif hir hir wimpil, sayand:
"Accipe peplum sacrum, puella, quod perferas sine macula ante tribunal domini nostri iesu christi, cui flectitur omne genu celestium, terrestrium, & infernorum, in secula seculorum."
And þan þe prelete sal lay þe vayle apon hir hede, sayand:
"Accipe velum sacrum, puella, quod perferas sine macula," vt supra.
And þan sal he gif hir þe girdyl, sayand: "Accipe ȝonam," &c.; Þis orison "Accipe" salbe sayd at iij thynges, þat es to wit: at þe gyfyng of þe wimpil, & of þe vayle, & of þe girdyl, als it es sayd be-for.
Efter þis sal þat nun nouece stand stil befor þe auter & rede hir prouesse with note, sayand:
"Ego soror N., deo data, promitto stabilitatem meam et conuersionem morum meorum et obidienciam secundum regulam sancti Benedicti coram deo & omnibus sanctis eius in hoc monasterio, quod constructum est in honorem sancti N., in presencia domne N. priorisse."—Þe profession on english: "I sister N., giffyn to god, I hete my stabilnes & turnyng of my maners & buxsumnes efter þe rewle of sant Benett, befor god & all his halows in þis mynster, þat es set in þe wirchep of sant N., in þe presence of daym N. priores."
When scho hase red hir professe, scho sal wend vp to þe auter, And lay hir profession-boke a-pon þe auter, & þe ryng with-al. And þan þe priores sal wind or lap þe maydyn handes in þe halowd towel of þe auter, & þan sal þat nun nouece gay down be-nethen þe grece of þe auter, turnand hir vp vnto þe auter, standand, & sayand þis vers with note: "Suscipe me, domine, secundum eloquium tuum, et viuam." And in þas wordes sayng, sal scho fall down to þe erth, And þan rise vp & turn hir to þe pepil, sayand: "Et non confundas me ab exspectacione mea;" And lowte; & þis vers sal scho say iij tymes on þis maner. And þis same vers al þe congregacion, þat es to wit, al þe conuent, sal answer thris, sayand with-outyn note: "Suscipe me, domine" &c.; with "Gloria patri;" And þan "kyrieleison, christeleison, kyrieleison," "Pater noster." And þan sal þe nun be layd down grofelyng on lenghe befor þe ryght end of þe auter. And þan þe prelet sal say oue[r]MS. oue; cf. Notes. hir with note: "Et ne nos," "Saluam (-as) [fac] ancillamMS. Saluam (-as) ancillam; cf. p. 143, l. 29. (-as) tuam (-as)! Mitte ei (-is), domine, auxilium de sancto. Nichil perficiat inimicus in ea (-is). Esto ei (-is), domine, turris fortitudinis. Domine, exaudi oracionem meam. Presta, quesumus, domine, huic (-iis) ancille (-is) tue (-is) renuncianti (-bus) secularibus pompis gracie tue ianuas aperire, que despectis mundi illecebris confugit (-unt) sub titulo christi, uenientem (-es) ad te sereno vultu suscipere, ne de ea (-is) valeat inimicus triumphare; tribue ei (-is), quesumus, infatigabile brachium auxilii tui; mentem eius (-arum) fidei lorica circumda, vt felici muro uallata (-e) mundum se gaudeat (-ant) euasisse. Per eundem dominum nostrum" &c.;—And þen sal þe prelete, kneland be-for þe auter, begyn with note þe yme: "Veni, creator spiritus." And þe quere sal syng þe same vers to end. And þe prelete sal be-gynMS. salbe gyn. ilka vers of þe yme kneland, & when he hase sayd al þat vers til end, he sal stand vp to þe tyme he begyn a-noþer vers; & on þis maner sal he do til þe ymeMS. þe tyme. all be endydde, & þe quer sal syng þe remnant.
"VEni, creator spiritus, mentes tuorum visita, imple superna gracia que tu creasti pectora, Qui paraclitus diceris, donum dei."
when "veni, creator" es endyd, þe prelete sal say ouer hir with note þer orysons:
"Sancte spiritus, qui te deum ac dominum reuelare mortalibus dignatus es, immensam tue bonitatis graciam postulamus, vt sicut ubi-uis spiras, sic & huic ancille tue affectum deuocionis indulgeas, & que tua sapiencia est condita, tua quoque prouidencia gubernetur, quam iuxta consuetam graciam unccio tua de omnibus doceat, et per intercessionem beatissime dei genitricis Marie eam a vanitate seculi ueraciter conuerte, & sicut es omnium peccatorum remissio, deprimentes impietatis obligaciones in ea dissolue ad obseruanciam sancte castitatis vel virginitatis; fac eam certatim feruere in tribulacionibus & angustiis; tua difficiente consolacione valeat respirare, vt sobrie, iuste, & pie, per veram humilitatem atque deuocionem in christi caritate fundata, quod te donante desiderat felici perseuerancia compleat in te; cui est honor et gloria cum patre & filio per omnia secula seculorum. amen.
Respice, domine propicius, super hanc famulam tuam N., vt virginitatis sancte propocitum, quod te inspirante suscepit, te gubernante custodiat. Per christum dominum.
Da, quæsumus, Omnipotens deus, vt hec famula tua, que pro spe retribucionis eterne tibi domino desiderat consecrari, plena fide animoque in sancto propocito permaneat; tu eam, omnipotens pater, sanctificare et benedicere et imperpetuum conseruare digneris; tribue ei humilitatem, castitatem, obedienciam, caritatem, & omnium bonorum quantitatem. Da ei, domine, pro operibus gloriam, pro pudore reuerenciam, pro pudicicia sanctitatem, vt ad meritum possit glorie peruenire; per christum.
Benedicat te conditor celi et terre, deus, pater omnipotens, qui te elegere dignatur ad sancte marie matris domini nostri iesu christi consorcium, vt integram et inmaculatam virginitatem, quam professa es coram domino et angelis eius, conserues, propocitum teneas, castitatem diligas, pacienciam serues, & coronam virginitatis accipere meriaris; per eundem christum.
Benedicat te deus pater & filius & spiritus sanctus in omni benediccione spirituali, vt maneas sine macula sub vestimento marie, matris domini nostri iesu christi. Per dominum.
Benedicat te & custodiat semper diuina maiestas patris et filii & spiritus sancti. Amen."
And þan cast hali water a-pon hir & encens hir. And þe priores & þe couent sal þen go down into þe qwer in-to þer stalles, & þan sal þe sub-priores lede þe ȝong nun to þe priores, & scho sal hald vp both hir handes, & þe priores sal tak hir handes be-twene hir handes & kis hir, & swa sal scho mak hir obedience, & swa forth til al þe couent, & þan sall scho be set in þe vttermest stale in þe quer, vnto þe "Agnus dei" of þe mese be down, & þen sal þe subpriores lede hir vp to þe auter; & qwen þe prelete hase vsede & rineside, þan sal scho be howseld of hym, & þan sal þe quer sing þe comune of þe mese, & þen sal þe subpriores lede hir be-for þe lady auter, & þair sal scho sit in hir prayers vnto þe mete-tym. & þes iij days sal scho not spek vnto þe iiij day, þat scho hafe leue of þe priores. And at euyn, when scho es in hir bede, þe priores & þe couent sal cum vp in-to þe dortour, & þe prest & þe clerk with torch-lyght forto halow hir bed; & he sal say withoutyn note: "Ecce, non dormitabit neque dormitet Dominus vobiscum.
Benedic, domine, hoc famularum tuarum dormitorium, qui non dormis neque dormitas, qui custodis israel; famulam tuam in hac domo quiescentem post laborem custodi ab illusionibus, fantasmatis sathane, vt vigilans in preceptis tuis meditetur, dormiens te per saporem senciat, & hic & vbique defensionis tue auxilio muniatur, Per dominum nostrum."
And efter þis orison sal he say "In principio"; & when þat es sayd, þen sal he kest haly water, & encence hir & þe bede, & þe ij nyghtes efter þe conuent sal do þe same.
//Amen.//[Here follows, in a later hand, a Latin prayer, Benediccio Annule.]