Three Middle-English versions of the Rule of St. Benet and two contemporary rituals for the ordination of nuns.

LV.

De indumentis.

Thay sal be clede ful wele, we wate, Efter þer place es cald or hate. Line 2004 For in cald stedes who so er sted, Þam nedes forto be better cled; In who er in hate cuntre, Sich clething to þam may be. Line 2008 And al it sal be puruayd playne At þe ordinance of þeir souerayne. In comun places for alkins note Sufficis a kirtil & a cote; Line 2012 And mantels sal þai haue certayne, In winter dubil, in somer playne; And changing kirtils sal þai haue In nyghtes þer oþer forto saue. Line 2016 Schos þai sall haue, whor þai dwel, [folio 109a] Swilk os þai may find for to sel. Of þe farest þai sal not by, Line 2020

Bot þe vilist ful bowsumly. Line 2020 And þeir souerayn aw forto se Þat þair gere euynly o[r]dand [MS. odand.] be, Mete for þam þat sal it fang, And noþer to schort ne to lang. Line 2024 When þai tak new, þe old sal þen Be partid til pouer women. And when þai sal went in cuntre, Þair clething sal mor honest be; Line 2028 And home a-gayn when þai cum eft, Þen sal þai were slik os þai left. Vntil þeir beddyng sal þai haue At suffise þam fro cauld to saue. Line 2032 And oftsithes sall þer bed be sene, Þat no tresure be þam be-twene, Ne no gude þat to þam may gayne; Who so it hase, sall soffer payne. Line 2036 For whi þer souerayn sal þam bede All vnto þam þat es nede. Bot when scho gifes, scho sal be-hald [MS. salbe hald.] To þis þat holi writ hase tald Line 2040 And set to se for certayne In þe dedes of þe appostil[s] [MS. appostil.] playne:

"Diuidebatur singulis, prout cuique opus erat."

[folio 109b] He tels how crist depairtid hase Intil ilkon, os myster was. Line 2044 So suld a souerayn in hir daile Tak reward to seke & haile, To ȝing or old, wheder þai be, And serue ilkon in þeir degre. Line 2048