coÌ„uersacion byddeth or exhorteth ¶ The .ix. degre of humilite is whaÌ„ a mynchyn refrayneth hir toonge from spekynge and whan she kepeth sileÌ„ce and putteth not fourth nor speketh no worde tyll she be questioned holy scripture shewinge that in moche spekynge syn is hardely auoyded and that a man fulle of wordes cannot be well ordered or kepe strayght waye in this presente lyffe ¶ The .x. degre of humylyte is whan a mynchyn is not lyght or prone to lawghter for it is writteÌ„ he is a fole that exalteth his vice in lawghter ¶ The .xi. degre of humilite is if a mynchyn when she speketh doo speke sofftly without lawghynge with mekenes of spirite and body and with grauite fewe wordes and resonable and that she be noo great cryer nor speke a lowde as it is written A wyseman is knowen in fewe wordes ¶ The .xii. degre of humilite is if a mynchyn shewe mekenes and lowlenes to theym that loke vppon hir not only in hart but also in body that is to say when she is iÌ„ hir laboure when she is at worke when she is in hir oratorye when she is in prayer when she is in monastery iÌ„ garden or wheresoeuer she be syttynge walkynge or stondynge she boweth downe hir hedde hir yes fyxed towarde the Erth. And supposynge and euery houre thynkynge hir selfe to be gylte of hir synnes thynketh that she is presented to the ferefull Iugement of all myghty god saynge all way as the publican of whome is made mencion in the gospell the whiche his yes fyxed into the erth sayd Good lorde I am not worthy to lyfte vp myne yes towardes heuen And ageyn with the prophete I am bowed downe and made meke in euery coÌ„dicion ¶ Nowe in coÌ„clusion all these degres of humimilite ascended and clymed a mynchyn at oons shall coÌ„me to that brennynge loue of god the whiche loue coÌ„mes stablyshed and made parfeyte in hir dreueth out all fere by the whiche she shall begynne to kepe of custome and in maner naturally without laboure and payne all maner of vertueux thynges whiche she kepte not byfore without greate payne labour And that not for the feare of the bytter paynes of hell but for the loue of christe and for the same goode custom and for the delectacion of vertu whiche thynges all myghty god shall then vouchsaue to shewe in his seruant puryfyed and made clene of vices and synnes thurghe the grace of the holy gooste ¶ The .viii. chapiter treateth of the diuine seruyce by nyght IN wynter that is to say fro the fyrste day of Nouembre vnto the feste of Easter mynchyns muste aryse at the .viii. houre after it be nyght that is to saye after the soÌ„ne be serre takynge the same houre durynge all that tyme as it is aforesayde Fyrste daye of Nouembre to thintent that they may take their reste vnto somewhat after mydnyght and then aryse hauynge naturall dygestion And when the nocturne is ended they shall all the resideue of the tyme bytwene that and matyns or laudes whiche is all oon gyue them selfe to redynge som the spaulter som lectournes or other diuine seruyce whereof they haue most nede or wherein they be moste vnredy From Easter vnto the firste day of Nouembre a forsayde the houre of their wakynge and arysynge shal be so ordred that a lyttel pause made after the nocturne is ended wherein the mynchyns may goo to doo suche necessary busines as nature requireth anon matyns or laudes shall followe which they muste be saynge in the breke of the daye ¶ The .ix. chapiter treateth what psalmes shal be sayd at the nocturnes in the wynter tyme. IN wiÌ„ter after this verse Deus in adiutorium meum intende DnÌ„e ad adiuuandum me festina followethe next and immediatly Domine labia mea aperies os meum annuÌ„ciabit laudem tuam the whiche thryse songe followeth this psalme DnÌ„e quid multiplicati with glia patri and after that Venite with the Inuitatorie must be songe ThaÌ„ followeth the hymne after it .vi. psalmes with their antems theÌ„ the versicle whiche ended theabbasse shall gyue the vnÌ„diction And all the quere syttynge iÌ„ their stalles or setê there shal be red by .iii. mynchins appoynted therto .iii. lectours within boke vppoÌ„ the deske or lectourne bytwene which lessons .iii. respoÌ„ses must be songe wherof ii responses shal be without glia patri the thirde with glia patri And when the gloria patri is begonne anon all shall aryse out of their setes makynge obeyssance towardes the hygh aulter in the worship and reuereÌ„ce of the holy Trinite The lessons which they rede at the nocturne shal be of bokes as well of the olde testementes as of the newe and also the expositions of both the testamentes whiche haue be made of moost famose doctours and beste lerned in holy scripture mooste catholique faders After these .iii. lessons with their respondes followeth other .vi. psalmes with alleluya then the Chapiter muste be redde by harte with a versicle and kyryeleyson with the preces And soo ended the nocturne whiche we call comunely matyns to the laudes ¶ The .x. chapiter treateth of the diuine seruice by nyght in the somer tyme. FRome Ester vnto the firste daye of Nouember the quantite of the psalmodie shal be obserued as is abouesayde but the .iii. lessons which were wont to be redde in the boke shall by cause of the shortnes of the nyght not be redde but for them there shal be redde oon lesson of the olde testameÌ„t by hart without boke with the which a short respoÌ„se shall followe all the remenant shal be obserued done as is abouesayd And it is to vnderstoÌ„de that neuer lesse then .xii. psalmes shal be songe at the noctourn by sydes domine quid multiplicati and venite ¶ The .xi. chapiter sheweth howe the Nocturnes shal be sayde vppon the sondayes UPpon sondayes the Mynchins must aryse more erely to the nocturne iÌ„ the which must be kept a nother mesure that is to say the .vi. psalmes shal be songe as we haue a fore ordred with the versicle then all sittyng in order iÌ„ their seetes there must be redde vppon the boke .iiii. lessons with their respondes where oonly after the .iiii. responce shal be songe gloria patri whiche begonne anon all muste aryse with reuerence makynge their obeysance After the whiche lessons followith by order other .vi. psalmes with their antemes as the .vi. afore dyd and with a versicle after the whiche ageyne other .iiii. lessons muste be redde with their responses after the order abouesayde After the whiche muste be songe .iii. canticles of the prophetes which the abbasse shall assigne and they shal be songe with alleluya Then the versicle songe and the benedictioÌ„ gyuen by thabbasse other .iiii. lessons of the newe testameÌ„t must be redde after the maner abouesayde after the .iiii. response thabbasse shall begyn Te deum the whiche ended she shall rede a lesson of the gospell with dewe
Sith almyghty god of his owne kyndnes pitie mere mocioÌ„ byfore we aske it sheweth to vs the way of lyfe let vs therfore array excercyse our selue in the fayth and in the obseruaÌ„ce of good workes let vs take vppon vs the Iorney of allmyghty god folowinge the lawe ledinge of his gosple that we may deserue to see him in his kyngdoÌ„me of heuen whiche hath thus called vs to him by his grace In which kyngdoÌ„m if we inteÌ„de to haue a restinge place we must diligently inforse and indeuor our selfe to labor in good workes without the which the sayd restinge place kyngdoÌ„me can not be attaygned ¶ But then aske we all myghty god with the prophete saynge thus Goode lorde who shall dwell in thy heuenly kyngdoÌ„me and place or who shall make his restynge place in thy holy mounte of heuen After this interrogacion Dere susters saythe seynt Benet let vs here our lorde answeringe and shewinge to vs the ryght way to his heuenly mansion ¶ He almyghty god saythe shall dwell in my heuenly howse that lyueth without spot of synne and dothe ryghtfull werkes He that thinkes truly in his hart and worketh no desseyte with his tonge he that hathe doone none euyll to his neyghbor nor enterprysed none obprobriose sclaunderose nor shamefull thinge to the hurte of his neyghbor He that dispiseth putteth out of his hart our mortall foo the cursed finde and hath vtterly brought him to nought with all his suggestions temptacions and entisinges hath brokyn resisted them at the firste monicion of them and stedfastly holden his inwarde thoughtes vnto christe they that drede god extoll not theym selfe ne be prowde of their good religiose dedes but supposinge and thinkinge verely the goodnes which is in them not to be of them selfe but of the gyfte of god doo lawde and magnify god for his graciose operacion iÌ„ them saing with the ê“phete thus Not to vs good lord not to vs but to thy holy name gyue thou prayse glory as thapostell Paule whiche dyd not impute any parte of his pÌ„ching techinge to hiÌ„selfe but sayd By the grace of god not of my selfe I am as I am ageyne he saythe He that ioyeth or seketh ony laude or glory let hiÌ„ ioy iÌ„ god gyue laude glory to hiÌ„ wherof our lord speketh thus iÌ„ his gospell who so hereth these my wordes doth the same in dede I shall lyken hiÌ„ to a wyse man that hath bulded his howse vppoÌ„ a rocke there cam bytter stormes both waters wyndê brast iÌ„to the howse yet it fell not downe why for it was buelded vppon a stedfaste stone ¶ Oure lorde whiche dyd accomplisshe perfourme all these poyntes and condicions in his owne persone loketh dayly that we shall make goode and by oure werkes satisfye and conforme vs to these his holy monicions And therfore the dayes of this present lyfe be prolongued vnto vs and prorogued as a daye of treuxe for the amendinge of oure shrewde dedes the apostell saynge thus Can thou nat tell man that the longanimite pacience and longe sufferance of almyghty god is to induce and excyte the to repentance penance and reformacion For oure lorde saith of his great mercy and pitie I will not the deth of a synner but I desyre that he be conuerted and ameÌ„ded and lyue ¶ Nowe dere susters saith seint Benet whaÌ„ we asked our sauioure of the dwellers and inhabitantes of his holy and heuenly maÌ„cion we harde by and by his precepts howe we myght attaygne to it to deserue to dwell in it And if we doo the office of trewe inhabitantis we shall be inheritours of the kyngdome of heueÌ„ Therfore dere sisters sayith seynt Benet ye muste make redy youre hartes and your bodies to obey the preceptes and coÌ„maundementes of our rule by vertu of obedience And where thurgh the fragilite of nature and the infirmite of our selfe we be insufficient and vnhable so to do we shall beseche all myghty god that his grace may be to vs ayde socoure in that behalfe And if we woll eschewe the paynes of hell coÌ„me to euerlastinge lyfe let vs then whiles we haue tyme and laysour and whiles we in this our mortall body lyue and may fulfyll by the lyght of this preseÌ„t lyfe all these forsayde pÌ„ceptes diligeÌ„tly ren and labor so good workê do nowe that they may profyte vs in tyme to coÌ„me ¶ wherfore sayth seynte Benet we muste nowe orden a schole of the seruice of almyghty god that is to say this pÌ„sent rule iÌ„ the whiche ordinaÌ„ce sayth seynt Benet we trust to put nothyng that hard is sharpe or greuous Albeit if any maner of thyng for any resonable cause passe by our sayd schole ordinance for the redressinge of defaultes and for the coÌ„seruacion of charite the whiche thou shalte thynke rigorouse or straiete thou shalt not therfore be sodenly afrayde and for fere at a chop flee and forsake the waye of euerlastinge lyfe seinge that it cannot be entred but with a harde a straict begynninge For in proces of tyme by coÌ„tinuance of good coÌ„uersacion the way of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tê of almyghty god is by thexcellent swetnesse of his loue with glad hart easely ioyfully walkyd And so this schole of saynte Benet is ordeygned to th enteÌ„t that we neuer departinge from christis instructions pÌ„ceptis but alwaye ê‘seueringe in his doctrine in monasteris tyll dethe coÌ„me vppon vs thurgh pacience and tribulacions beare so in vs parte of his passion that fynally we may deserue to be cytezins of his kyngedom of heuyn ¶ Here beginneth the rule of our holy fader seynt Benet ¶ The first chapiter treateth of .iiii. maner of monkes IT is manifeste that there be .iiii. diuerse kyndis or sectes of monkes ¶ The first is of Cenobitis that is to say of monasteriall persons seruing god to gedder or in coÌ„gregacioÌ„ in monasteris vnder oon rule oon abbot or oon priour And of this secte or kynde be mynchins seruinge to gedder in monasterê vnder oon rule and oon abbasse or oon prioresse ¶ The seconde maner or secte is of Anachoritê Eremitê that is to say of theÌ„ which not as sone as they haue takyn religion vppon theÌ„ but by longe coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce proufe iÌ„ monasteris haue lerned and had experience thurgh the coÌ„forte of other to fyght ageynste the suggestions temptacions of the deuyll And so well they be armed and iÌ„structed by the good counsell of other that they may suerly take vppon them and be hable to fyght sole and solitarily thurgh the helpe of all myghty god without the comfort of other agaynste the temptacions of the fesche agaynste all oder euyll thoughtes ¶ The .iii. kynde maner or secte is of Sarabites a secte detestable whiche lyue not vnder obedience of any suê‘ior ne vnder any Rule that is good approued nor be tried in monasterê
the moste equall iuge all myghty god But if there be to be done any maters to wchinge a smaller substance coÌ„cerninge the welthe ê“fite of the monastery the abbasse shall then counseyle oonly with the hed offycers and suche seniors as hath ben of long continuance and experience in the monastery accordynge as it wreten Doo all thinge with councell and then thou shalt-not afterward repente nor be sory of thy deede ¶ The .iiii. chapiter treateth of the instrumentes of good workes LIke as all worldely artificers haue materyall instrumentes apte for the accomplysshemeÌ„t of their worldely werkes in lyke wyse there be instrumentes spirituell for the crafte of religiose lyuinge by the whiche religiose persons bothe in this pÌ„sent lyfe may honestly after the pleasure of god be derected composed ordred also after the same lyfe they may blessedly reigne with christ iÌ„ heueÌ„ ¶ The firste of these instrumeÌ„tes is that ye loue your lorde god with all youre hart that is to saye applyenge all youre thoughtes oonly to him and with all your mynde that is to say applyenge all your studies wittes and dilectacions oonly to hiÌ„ with all your myght that is to say applyenge all your bodies strenght and powars oonly to his seruyce ¶ The secoÌ„de is that ye loue your neyghbour as your selfe wherby it apperith that ye shall after god loue your selfe and then your neyghbor as your selfe ¶ The .iii. is that ye sle no person that is to say bodely nor gostly with hande nor tonge And specyally thou shalt not slee thyne owne sowle by any deedly synne ¶ The .iiii. is that ye breke not your chastite that is to saye that ye doo no maner of aduoutrye fornicacion incoÌ„tinencie nor any other synne or vncleÌ„nesse of the flesche in lyke wyse ye shall doo noo spirituall fornicacioÌ„ that is to say ye shall worchip no falce godê nor loue inordinatly youre selfe nor any other erthely creature ¶ The .v. is that ye doo no thefte that is to say ye shall not take nor vse the goodê of an other frauduletly nor without the owners wyll lycence or asseÌ„t nor that ye religiose sisters take receyue or kepe ony thynge without the certeyne knowlege speciall graunt or licence of the abbasse In lyke wyse ye shal not withdrawe any seruice that ye owe oonly to god and doo it to the deuill and if ye doo ye doo theft ¶ The .vi. is that ye coueyt not that is to say that ye neither coueyt whysshe nor desyre any person where with to doo carnally any syn nor coueyt any maÌ„nes goddê frauduleÌ„tly nor assent to any suche desyre of the flesche or goodê nor yet inordinatly desyre auctorite or honor ¶ The .vii. is that ye shall not bere ne saye any false witnes wherby it is also prohybyte makynge of leasynges or false or wrongfull tales and brekynge of any promyse or vowe ¶ The .viii. is ye shall of youre humylite do reuerence to all people wherin is iÌ„plyed that ye shall thynke adiuge euery person beter then your selfe ¶ The .ix. is ye shal not do to another that ye wolde not shulde be doone to your selfe ¶ The .x. is that ye shal for sake your selfe that is to say your luste pleasure wyll sensualite concupiscence to th enteÌ„t ye may iÌ„ all your thowghtes wordê werkê folowe christe serue hiÌ„ ¶ The .xi. is that ye shall chastise your body that is to say with resonable abstineÌ„ce watche prayer discipline ¶ The .xii. is that ye loue not delicate pleasurê that is to say that ye delyte not in delicate plesant metes drinkes sightes or any other thingê of the worlde nor any suche delectacions followe nor the loue ¶ The .xiii. is that ye inwardly loue fastinges abstinence temperans and sobernes ¶ The .xiiii. is that ye refresshe powre people that is to say ye shall socoure them after your powar with clothinge logynge mete drinke couÌ„sayle comfort and visitacion And all be it that these the other workê of charyte that followe cannot be actually performed in religiose persons except in suche a person as hathe thoffice of thosteler or ospitiler yet euery other religiose person may do it in good wyll mynde intent counsayle and comforth yeuinge to them that may do it and in forberinge sumwhat of their mete and drynke to th enteÌ„t the pore people may the more largely haue parte therof They may also refreshe visite comfort bury helpe their owne susters ¶ The .xv. is that ye clothe the naked ¶ The .xvi. is that ye vysite the seke ¶ The .xvii. is that ye bury the deed ¶ The .xviii. is that ye socour them that be in tribulacion aduersite ¶ The .xix. is that ye coÌ„fort them that be full of thought or sorowe ¶ The .xx. is that ye medle not nor talke speke nor coÌ„mune in worde werke or deed of any wordly maters or busines but them vtterly extremely refuse and renounce so that in all your affections ye be vtterly alienate from the worlde ¶ The .xxi. is that in your lyuinge ye prefer nothynge aboue the loue of christe ¶ The .xxii. is that ye be neuer thurghly nor loÌ„ge angry if it fortune you to be angry that then ye execute not your yre or anger nor to do that thyng that your yre moueth you to ¶ The .xxiii. is that ye bere no malyce longe in your mynde thynkynge in tyme to wreke your angre or to auenge you ¶ The .xxiiii. is that ye thinke not nor kepe any dissayte or fraude in your hart ¶ The .xxv. is that ye vse no simulatioÌ„ nor dssimulacion ne yeue no Iudas kysse but when ye make any praxe or louedaye or elles reconsyle youre selfe with any person that then ye doo it as well truly in your harte and dede as in worde and outwarde counttenance ¶ The .xxvi. is that ye kepe you alwayes within the bouÌ„dê of charite neuer to forsake or be without loue and charite ¶ The .xxvii. is that ye swere not at all nor in any maner of wyse and that for drede of fallynge into piury or into customable sweringe ¶ The .xxviii. is that when ye speke ye speke the trwth allway both with harte and mouthe ¶ The .xxix. is that for oon euyll torne ye doo nat a nother ¶ The .xxx. is that ye doo no wronge and if any be doon to you that ye suffre and take it paciently ¶ The .xxxi. is that ye loue your enemies that is to say that ye showe humilite to your enemies for goddes sake both by your prayers and also by releuynge them in their necessities coÌ„syderinge that christe both loued you by his deth redemid you when ye were his enemies and indiffereÌ„tly hath prepared for your enemies euerlastinge blisse as he hath doo for you ¶ The .xxxii. is that ye curse not nor say euyll of them that curse or say euyll of you but rather blysse them and say