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

VI.

Þerfor es alway gude to do Als þe prophet telles vs to; Line 736 For in þe sauter þus he sais: "I said þat I sal ȝeme my wais In ilka tyme, both old & ȝung, [ȝung corrected from ȝing.] Þat I trispast not in my tung; Line 740 To ȝeme my moth also I seke, And on þis wises I am maide meke, And gude warkes hafe I non don els." Lo, how þe prophet playnly tels: Line 744 Wise men sum tyme letes to say Wordes þat menes bot wele alway, Becaus þai wil no ianglers be. [folio 82a] Þan of mare force may we se Line 748 Þat euyl wordes suld non here speke, Þe whilk with wo er worthi wreke. And mykel spekyng who so vse, If it oft gayn, sum tym it nuse. Line 752 For þe wisman witnes & sais: "If þu vse many wordes always, Fro syn on no [no, MS. on.] wise may þow fle." And in a-noþer stede sais he Line 756 Þat in a manes tung es contende Life & dede to fa & frende. And namly þai þat soietes er, Gret spekyng þai suld for-bere. Line 760 For til a maistres fals ij thynges: To spek & tech hir vnderlynges. And þe discipels suld be stil And here what es tald þam vntil. Line 764 And if þai oght wil aske or haue, With gret reuerence þai sal it craue, And al spekyng þai sal for-bere, Line 768

And hering, þat þe saule may dere, Line 768 And gif þam vnto god allayn, Whas trauel þai haf vnder-tayne.