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

Page 48

II. THE NORTHERN METRICAL VERSION OF The Rule of St. Benet.

(Cotton MS. Vespasian A. 25, British Museum.)

                   [folio 66a] Regula beati benedicti anglicis verbis translata.
                  
                    All þat wyll lely lyue in land
                  
                    Als sant Benet has ordand,
                  
                    Or wyll gyf þair deuocioun
                  
                    Vn-to þe [4, 5, 26, and often: MS. þ e, þ is, þ i.]  rowle of religioun,
                    Line 4 
                  
                    In þis boke þay may see sett
                  
                    Þe suthfast rewle of sant Benett
                  
                    With sere pontes þat partens þar-to,
                  
                    Nyght & day how þay sall do.
                    Line 8 
                  
                    Monkes & als all leryd men
                  
                    In latyn may it lyghtly ken,
                  
                    And wytt þarby how þay sall wyrk
                  
                    To sarue god and haly kyrk.
                    Line 12 
                  
                    Bott tyll women to mak it couth,
                  
                    Þat leris no latyn in þar ȝouth,
                  
                    In ingles is it ordand here,
                  
                    So þat þay may it lyghtly lere.
                    Line 16 
                  
                    For ilkon þat þar-to er vun
                  
                    Er haldyn it clerly for to kun
                  
                    And to fulfyll it att þar myght
                  
                    In word and dede both day & nyght.
                    Line 20 
                  
                    And ryght to gar þis reule up-ryse,
                  
                    Þe wytty man says on þis wyse:Asculta, o filia, disciplina[m] [MS. disciplina.]  magistre tue—
                  
                    Doghter, he says, tak tent & lere
                  
                    Þe techynges of þi maystres here,
                    Line 24 
                  
                     [folio 66b] And lat þine eris bowand be
                  
                    To þe bydynges of þi moder fre,
                  
                    Whylk moder es cald haly kyrk,
                  
                    Line 28

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                    Whas wyll vs aw alway to wyrk.
                    Line 28 
                  
                    Þarfor þou sall fande to fulfyll
                  
                    All þat þi modir tels þe vntyll,
                  
                    And be bowsum to þi souerayn;
                  
                    Þan sall þou turn to god o-gayn,
                    Line 32 
                  
                    Fro wham þat þou depayrtyd es
                  
                    Thurth þine awin vn-bowsumnes.
                  
                    And doghter, to my tale tak tent:
                  
                    For godes sak we sall assent
                    Line 36 
                  
                    All fleschly wyll for to for-sak
                  
                    And gostly armurs vntill vs tak,
                  
                    Thurth obediens by day and nyght
                  
                    O-gans þe fend, our fa, to fyght.
                    Line 40 
                  
                    Doghter, when þou dose ony dede,
                  
                    Pray specially god þe to spede,
                  
                    And what werk so þou sall to wend,
                  
                    Pray hym at bryng it tyll gude end,
                    Line 44 
                  
                    So þat, sen he vowches saue
                  
                    For hys doghters here vs to haue,
                  
                    Þat we neuer with oure wykkydnes
                  
                    Wreth hym, þat oure fader es,
                    Line 48 
                  
                    So for to mak hym turn hys mode
                  
                     [folio 67a] To hald fro vs hys gostly gode,
                  
                    Or vs deseryd by þat skyll
                  
                    Fro þe blys þat he boght vs tyll,
                    Line 52 
                  
                    And put vs vn-to pyen for þi,
                  
                    Als wykkyd saruandes er worthy,
                  
                    Þe whylk, yf þay dyde wele, myght wend
                  
                    To blys þat es with-outyn end.
                    Line 56 
                  
                    And þarfor suld we vs a-vyse
                  
                    Out of our syn sone for to ryse
                  
                    And our hertes vnto heuyn at rayse,
                  
                    Als haly wrytt on þis wyse sayse:
                    Line 60 
                  
                    "Þe houre es now, if we tak kepe,
                  
                    In whilk vs aw to ryse fro slepe."
                  
                    Þat is, we suld ryse out of syn,
                  
                    And wyrk so þat we heuyn may wyn,
                    Line 64 
                  
                    And opyn our eghen to cryst on hyght,
                  
                    Þat namyd es ailastand lyght,
                  
                    And opyn our eris, hys vose to here,
                  
                    Line 68

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                    Als bokes vs bydes on þis manere:"Hodie si vocem eius audieritis, Nolite obdurare corda uestra—
                    Line 68 
                  
                    If þat ȝe here hys vose þis day,
                  
                     [folio 67b] Turn noght ȝoure hertes fro hym oway"—
                  
                    Bott tyll hys voce ȝe tak gude hede,
                  
                    And fandes to fulfill yd [MS. fulfillyd.]  in dede,
                    Line 72 
                  
                    Sen god hase geuen ȝow eris & wytt;
                  
                    For on þis wyse says haly wrytt:"Qui habet aures audiendi audiat."
                  
                    Crist vs kens on þis manere,
                  
                    And says: "he þat hase eris suld here
                    Line 76 
                  
                    Þe law of god, and þan tak hede
                  
                    To fulfyll yd [MS. fulfyllyd.]  in word and dede."
                  
                    For þus [MS. þ us.]  þe haly gost wyll ken
                  
                    Thruth haly kyrk all cristyn men:"Venite, filii, audite me—
                    Line 80 
                  
                    Cums hider, suns, my wordes to here!
                  
                    Þe drede of god I sall ȝow lere."
                  
                    Haly kyrk, for our be-houe,
                  
                    Leris how we oure lord sall lufe
                    Line 84 
                  
                    And lede oure lyf to hys lykyng
                  
                    And drede [hym] ouer [MS. drede ouer.]  all oder thyng.
                  
                    Ryn we suld, whyls we haue day,
                  
                    Þat mirknes mare vs noght þe way.
                    Line 88 
                  
                    Þat mens, we suld lyf wele ilkane,
                  
                    Or we with dynt of dede be tayne.
                  
                    For in oure lyf here may we chese,
                  
                    Whyder we our-self wyll saue or lese.
                    Line 92 
                  
                     [folio 68a] And oure lord sekes in world all-wase
                  
                    Who wyll be sauyd, and þusgayt sayse:"Quis est homo qui vult vitam—
                  
                    Whilk man is he þat lyf wyl haue
                  
                    And se gude days, hys saule to saue?
                    Line 96 
                  
                    Als-so say of hym am I fayne."
                  
                    And if þou þan answer o-gayne
                  
                    And says þus: [MS. þ us.]  "lord, þat man am I,"
                  
                    Þan to þe says god almyghty:
                    Line 100

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                    "Man, if þou wyll haue lastand lyf
                  
                    And won in welth with-outyn stryf,
                  
                    On þis wyse be-houes þe do,
                  
                    Als I sall tell þe vn-to:Proibe linguam tuam a malo—
                    Line 104 
                  
                    In þe begining, still þi tung,
                  
                    And spek no uyl of ald na ȝong,
                  
                    And spayr þi lipes, & hald þam still,
                  
                    So þat þay opyn noght with ill!
                    Line 108 
                  
                    Turn fro euil, & seke to gude,
                  
                    And seke to pese with mayn & mode!"
                  
                    And þus if we wyll wirk alway,
                  
                    Þan wyll oure lord þus tyll vs say:
                    Line 112 
                  
                    "Myne eghen on ȝow sall luk ful clere,
                  
                    And min eris sall ȝour prayers here,
                  
                    And when ȝe to me call or cry,
                  
                    Þan sall I say þus: Here am I."
                    Line 116 
                  
                     [folio 68b] What mirth to man myght mor acord
                  
                    Þan to here þis voce of oure lord?
                  
                    Lo, how mekly & how euen
                  
                    Þat he vs teches þe way to heuen!
                    Line 120 
                  
                    Now, sen our mighty lord Iesus
                  
                    Vnto hys kyngdom euer cals vs,
                  
                    Ordand we vs in word & dede
                  
                    At wend to hym with-outen drede
                    Line 124 
                  
                    And with our werk mak vs worthy
                  
                    In endles blis to beld hym by!
                  
                    For of þat blis may we not spede,
                  
                    Bot if our werks be worthy mede,
                    Line 128 
                  
                    And if he ask here in oure steuen:
                  
                    "Whylk er þo men sall won in heuen?"
                  
                    Als dauid in þe sawter boke
                  
                    Askes of oure lord, who likes to loke:"Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo?"
                    Line 132 
                  
                    Þus of our lord he askes & says:
                  
                    "Lord, who sall won in þi palays
                  
                    Or ryst a-pon þi haly hyll?"
                  
                    And þus oure lord [lord omitted and then added above the line.]  answers þer-till:"Qui ingreditur sine macula."
                    Line 136

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                     [folio 69a] He answers þus by prophet steuen,
                  
                    Wysand vs þe way to heuen:
                  
                    "He þat enters þis world within
                  
                    Clensid clen of all hys syn,
                    Line 140 
                  
                    And always wyrkes þat ryghtwis es,
                  
                    And says no thyng bot suthfastnes;
                  
                    Þat in hert hase no wykkyd thoght,
                  
                    Ne with hys tong no uil hase wroght;
                    Line 144 
                  
                    Þat to hys neghburs dose no noy
                  
                    In stede ne stayll, þare staite to stroy;
                  
                    And þay þat standes and dwels til end
                  
                    Ogans þe fandyng [MS. fendyng.]  of þe fend,
                    Line 148 
                  
                    And wyll not doy efter hys rede,
                  
                    Ne suffer hym in þam hafe no stede,
                  
                    Bot settes þair hert & þare powere
                  
                    All vnto crist, þat boght þam dere;
                    Line 152 
                  
                    And for godes sake who will assent
                  
                    To be bowsum and obidient,
                  
                    And for his luf lyfes halily,
                  
                    And es not egh in hert for þi,
                    Line 156 
                  
                    Bot knaws þat þaire gude dedes ilkon
                  
                    Er of þe grace of god allon."
                  
                    For thurth oure mightes, mor no les,
                  
                    May we begyn nonekyns gude. [159-160. See Notes.] 
                    Line 160 
                  
                    Euil dedes er of oure awn entent,
                  
                     [folio 69b] And all gude dedes fro god er sent.
                  
                    Þerfor hym suld we lofe all-ways
                  
                    With þe prophett, þat þusgayt says:"Non nobis, domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam—
                    Line 164 
                  
                    Lord, vntil vs be no loueyng,
                  
                    Bot to þi naym ouer alkins thyng!"
                  
                    For of oure-self we haf bot sin,
                  
                    And al gude bose in þe bygin,
                    Line 168 
                  
                    Namly þat helpes to hele of saule.
                  
                    Þare-for on þis wyse says sant paule:"Gratia dei sum id quod sum—
                  
                    All þat in erth to me es ton,
                  
                    Itt is of þe grace of god allon.
                    Line 172 
                  
                    Mine awn power es noght to prayse,

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                    Bot wirchep be to god always."
                  
                    And who so makes myrth, mor or min,
                  
                    In god be-houes his ioy begin;
                    Line 176 
                  
                    For all oure comforth in hym dwels,
                  
                    Als hym-self in þe godspel tels.
                  
                    He says: "who to my wordes takes hede
                  
                    And fandes to fulfill þam in dede,
                    Line 180 
                  
                    I sall mak hym wele like to be
                  
                    A ful wyse man in all degre,
                  
                    Whylk man, for his hous sal last,
                  
                    A-pon a ston hase byggid itt fast.
                    Line 184 
                  
                     [folio 70a] When it sall windes or flodes fell,
                  
                    Euer may itt stand stifli & wele,
                  
                    And harm þair-to may þai do none,
                  
                    Be-caus itt es biggid on a stone.
                    Line 188 
                  
                    Þis stone es crist, þat we on call.
                  
                    He gifes vs force, þat we not fall,
                  
                    And ilka day til vs he techis
                  
                    Thurth haly wordes, þat his men prechis,
                    Line 192 
                  
                    And als thurgh law of hali kyrk,
                  
                    How we in world sall wisely wirk.
                  
                    And al þe days of oure lifyng
                  
                    Er lent vs allane for þis thyng:
                    Line 196 
                  
                    For we suld here oure mis amend
                  
                    Thurgh hali kirk, os crist hase kend;
                  
                    Þair-for god lens vs oure lif-days,
                  
                    Als þe appostil proues & says.
                    Line 200 
                  
                    He says: "kan ȝe not vnder-stand
                  
                    Þe sufferance of god alweldand?
                  
                    Vnto penance it suld ȝow lede
                  
                    To mak a-mendes for ȝoure misdede."
                    Line 204 
                  
                    Of swilk sufferance god schewes til vs
                  
                    In his godspel, whaire he says þus:"Nolo mortem peccatoris sed vt magis—
                  
                    I wil not þe dede of sinful man,
                  
                    Bot þat he turn hym & lif þan;
                    Line 208 
                  
                    And if he of me ask mercy,
                  
                     [folio 70b] Ful gladly for-gyf hym wyl I."
                  
                    Þus if we þis question craue,
                  
                    Whilk þai er þat heuyn sal haue
                    Line 212

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                    And won with god in blisses clere,
                  
                    Answer haue we halili here.
                  
                    And hardeli if we ful-fill
                  
                    Þe offese þat fals þaim vntill
                    Line 216 
                  
                    Þat er ordand in blisses to be,
                  
                    Þan aires of þat ilk blis er we.
                  
                    Þan is it gude þat we here dresse
                  
                    Our hartes with all oure bisines
                    Line 220 
                  
                    For to fulfill, in þat we may,
                  
                    Godes bidinges both night & day;
                  
                    And þat we may nott be oure might,
                  
                    Pray hym to perfourn it right,
                    Line 224 
                  
                    And for to grant vs might & maine,
                  
                    Thurgh his grace, þat most may gaine,
                  
                    Þat we may fle fro paines of hell
                  
                    And be worthi in blis to dwell.
                    Line 228 
                  
                    Gude councel es to man & wife,
                  
                    Whils we lend in þis dedely life,
                  
                    Vn-to swilk warkes for to take hede
                  
                    Þat vs to lastand life may lede,
                    Line 232 
                  
                    And gif vs fully, all folk in-fere,
                  
                     [folio 71a] To iesu skoles his laus to lere,
                  
                    Þat er þe laus of haly kirk,
                  
                    Of whilk vs aw not to be irk.
                    Line 236 
                  
                    Al if vs thynk it hard to take,
                  
                    We sall it suffer for godes sake;
                  
                    And if sere enmis vs assayle,
                  
                    Þaire-for we sall not fayntly faile,
                    Line 240 
                  
                    Bot thynk, if it be heuy & hard,
                  
                    What mede we sal haue afterward.
                  
                    For who to wele-lifing sall win,
                  
                    With greuauns grete þaim [þaim; the first letter looks like a p.]  bus bigin;
                    Line 244 
                  
                    Bot sethin a swetnes haue þai sall
                  
                    And at þe last swetest of all.
                  
                    For who so wil godes lesons lere
                  
                    May saue þair saules, & hele þaim here,
                    Line 248 
                  
                    And mak [þaim] thrugh [MS. mak thrugh.]  meknes heueyn
                  
                    Comuners in þe kyngdom of heuyn.

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                  I.
                  De iiiior condicionibus religionis.
                  
                    In þis ilk rewle of sant Benett
                  
                    Er sere folk in sere plasses sett
                    Line 252 
                  
                    To serue god in sere degre,
                  
                    Men or wemen whider þai be,
                  
                    Þat sum er gude & sum not so;
                  
                    Four maners mai men fynd of þo.
                    Line 256 
                  
                    Þe first es men here or women
                  
                    Þat þair awn kynde wyll clerly ken,
                  
                     [folio 71b] And wilfully alway wil wirke
                  
                    Efter þe laus of haly kirke,
                    Line 260 
                  
                    And euer-mor be bowsum & baine
                  
                    Vn-to þe sawes of þeir sufferaine,
                  
                    Als þai may leire in þis boke
                  
                    Efter-ward, who likes to loke.
                    Line 264 
                  
                    Þe secund maner es ful perfite
                  
                    Als to be anger or eremete,
                  
                    A-gains þe fend thurgh faith to feght
                  
                    With dedes of penance day & night,
                    Line 268 
                  
                    Not ainly bi lereing on buke,
                  
                    Bot bi þe order þat þai tuke.
                  
                    And penance þat þai put þaime to
                  
                    Sal mak þam myghty so to do.
                    Line 272 
                  
                    Anely life all if þai lede,
                  
                    Of þe deuel haue þai no drede.
                  
                    For god makes þam so mekli of mayne
                  
                    And stalworth to stand him a-gayne,
                    Line 276 
                  
                    Þat al his dartes may þam not dere,
                  
                    Ne his faindinges may þam not fere.
                  
                    Þe thrid degre es not so gude:
                  
                    Men or wemen of wilful mode,
                    Line 280 
                  
                    Þat order of religion takes,
                  
                    And al obseruaunce þat syne for-sakes,
                  
                    Þat nowder will be obidient
                  
                     [folio 72a] Vntyl sufferayne ne til couent
                    Line 284 
                  
                    For no thing þat men telles þam til,
                  
                    Bot lifes efter þair wordly will
                  
                    And serues more to worldly thyng
                  
                    Þan vnto god, of heuen kyng.
                    Line 288

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                    Syngne of religion haue þai non,
                  
                    Ne takyn, bot tonsure allon.
                  
                    Vnto no hird þai wil tak kepe,
                  
                    Bot raykes forth als raueand schep.
                    Line 292 
                  
                    And whar-to so þai turn þair mode,
                  
                    Þat think þaym law and reson gude.
                  
                    And whar-to þai haue no likyng,
                  
                    Þat think þam es vn-lefful thyng.
                    Line 296 
                  
                    Be no rewle wil þai be arrest,
                  
                    Bot lifes als ane vnskilful best.
                  
                    Þe fortt degre ȝit es þair als
                  
                    Of sum þat er in order fals,
                    Line 300 
                  
                    Þat lightli leues al heuy thing
                  
                    And folous euer þair flessh likyng.
                  
                    Þai raik o-bout in sere contresse,
                  
                    For þai þair likyng wil not lese.
                    Line 304 
                  
                    In non abbay wil þai dwell,
                  
                     [folio 72b] Bot wendes a-bout fro cel to cel
                  
                    And tels lesynges here & þair
                  
                    To gar men mak þam mery fare.
                    Line 308 
                  
                    Þai lede þair lif in lechori
                  
                    And in dronkynnes & in clotony.
                  
                    Þair lifyng es ay war and were;
                  
                    Þair-for of þam I spek no fare,
                    Line 312 
                  
                    Bot to þe first I wend o-gayn
                  
                    For to perfourn our processe playn,
                  
                    To tel what pontes falles þam vnto,
                  
                    And als what dedes þam aw to do
                    Line 316 
                  
                    Þat for godes sake here sett
                  
                    Vnder þe band of sant Benett.
                  
                    Whare priores [MS. priours.]  es principall,
                  
                    And what pontes þer-to suld fall,
                    Line 320 
                  
                    In þis begynnyng sal be kend.
                  
                    God help þat it myght haue gude end!

II.

Vlterius de priorissa et eius condicionibus.

A Priores aw for to be Principall in gude degre 324

Page 57

                    
                      Both in þe abba & with-oute,
                    
                      Whar so sche ganges or rides o-boute,
                    
                      And to be honored euer hir aw;
                    
                      Bot in her-self sche sal be law,
                      Line 328 
                    
                      Pryde in hert for to haue none,
                    
                       [folio 73a] Bot loue god euer of al his lone
                    
                      And wirchip him werld al-wais,
                    
                      Als þe apostel plainly sais
                      Line 332 
                    
                      Vn-to all folk, who so it be,
                    
                      Þat takes swilk staite of dignite:"Accepistis spiritum adepcionis."
                    
                      He sais: "ȝe take þe gaste of mede,
                    
                      Þat lele folk vnto lif suld lede,
                      Line 336 
                    
                      In þe whilk gaste we call & cry
                    
                      Vnto our lord god al-myghty,
                    
                      And 'fader, abbot,' þus we say."
                    
                      Bi ȝer wordes vnderstand we may
                      Line 340 
                    
                      Þat soueranse aw no thing to do
                    
                      Bot anely als crist kens þam to,
                    
                      Ne no thyng suld þai tech ne lere,
                    
                      Ne no thyng bid by þaire power,
                      Line 344 
                    
                      Bot þat myght turn in feld & towne
                    
                      Þair sogetes to saluacioune.
                    
                      Techyng sal be to þam it beres
                    
                      Als gastly sede sawn in þair eres,
                      Line 348 
                    
                      And to teching þai sal be bayne
                    
                      Als gude soietes to þair souerane.
                    
                      For wele wit sche, & so wit þai,
                    
                      Þat in dome, on þe dredful day,
                      Line 352 
                    
                       [folio 73b] Sal reknyng by, how sche þam leres,
                    
                      And als who wele hir lessons heres,
                    
                      And both þan sal þai haue þair mede
                    
                      Efter þair lif þat þai here lede.
                      Line 356 
                    
                      A priores may knaw wele þan,
                    
                      Sche beres þe charch of a hird-man.
                    
                      And als a graue bihoues hir be,
                    
                      Þat cure hase tayn to kepe hir fe.
                      Line 360 
                    
                      And hir awn sawle wele may sche saue,
                    
                      Al if hir schepe vnryght wyl raue:
                    
                      If scho gude techyng tell þam to
                    
                      Line 364

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                      And chastes als hir aw to do,
                      Line 364 
                    
                      Efter þe rewle þat crist hase kend,
                    
                      And þai wil not þair mys amend,
                    
                      Bott reklisly hir rede refuse,
                    
                      To crist þan may scho hir excuse
                      Line 368 
                    
                      In dome, a-pon þe dredful day,
                    
                      And with þe prophet þusgate say:"Iusticiam tuam [non] abscondi [MS. tuam abscondi.]  in corde meo, Voritatem tuam & salutare tuum dixi."
                    
                      Þus for hir werk scho may haue mede,
                    
                      And þai dampned for þair mysdede.
                      Line 372 
                    
                       [folio 74a] Also we se ȝit to þe same:
                    
                      Of priores who takes þe name,
                    
                      In dede and saw her bus assent
                    
                      To fulfil it to duble intent;
                      Line 376 
                    
                      Þat es, scho sal in wark fulfyll
                    
                      Al þat scho sal tech oþer vntill,
                    
                      So þat al hir doghters dere
                    
                      Þat godes law lightly wil lere,
                      Line 380 
                    
                      Bi wordes allayn may haue knawyng,
                    
                      How þai sal do in al thyng,
                    
                      And oþer, þat of hertes er herd
                    
                      And oute of mesure more fraward,
                      Line 384 
                    
                      Mai be informed bi hir dede
                    
                      And lere how þai þair lif suld lede.
                    
                      Þus aw hir-self in dede to do
                    
                      Al þat scho sal tech oþer vnto.
                      Line 388 
                    
                      And when scho hir sugetes reproues,
                    
                      On al maners luk hir be-houes,
                    
                      So þat scho hafe not done þo dedes
                    
                      Whilk scho vntil oder for-bedes.
                      Line 392 
                    
                      For þan hir lare is not to prays,
                    
                      And crist þan vnto hir þus sais:"Quare tu enarras iusticiam tuam—
                    
                      Whi teches þu in rightwisnes,
                    
                       [folio 74b] And þu þi-self mor synful es?
                      Line 396 
                    
                      Þu hates my techyng & my lare,
                    
                      Sen þou þi-self hase sined mare,
                    
                      And my wordes putes þou þe be-hinde,
                    
                      Line 400

Page 59

                    
                      For of my teching ert þou blind.
                      Line 400 
                    
                      Ful wele þou may perceaue & se
                    
                      A litil mote in þi sister ee,
                    
                      Bott a grete balk in þin awn
                    
                      Vnto þi sight may not be knawn."
                      Line 404 
                    
                      Þus nedes þam-self for to be clere,
                    
                      Þat oþer folk sall tech & lere.
                    
                      A Priores aw to be slike,
                    
                      Þat scho luf ilkon in-like
                      Line 408 
                    
                      And noght til on for fauor spare
                    
                      And mak a-noþer to trauel mare,
                    
                      Bot serue ilkon in þair degre
                    
                      Samen, als sisters aw to be.
                      Line 412 
                    
                      For haly writ sais wele þair-bi:
                    
                      "In crist we er all o body."
                    
                      And all þat serues vnto a lord,
                    
                      In anhede aw þam to a-corde.
                      Line 416 
                    
                      And right als god takes no rewarde,
                    
                      For riches þat no man be sparde,
                    
                      Ne non put doun for pouerte,
                    
                       [folio 75a] So suld it emang sisters be.
                      Line 420 
                    
                      For crist on cristyn folk es heued
                    
                      And we his lyms þat here er leuyde;
                    
                      And godes seruandes in haly kirk,
                    
                      Þat er ordand his werk to wirk,
                      Line 424 
                    
                      Aw to be lufid in ewyn degre
                    
                      Of hir þat sal þair souerayn be.

                    De eadem. [This heading, like several of the following, is written in the right margin.] 
                    
                      A Priores þat wil wirchep win
                    
                      Aw to chastes on maners th[r]in [MS. thin.] 
                      Line 428 
                    
                      Þam þat scho sese wil be schrews,
                    
                      Als þe apostil playnly schews;"Argue, obsecra, & increpa!"
                    
                      Þat es to mene on þis manere:
                    
                      Þai þat er herd & lath to lere,
                      Line 432 
                    
                      Þam sal scho chasti with hardnes
                    
                      Of werk & word, als worthy es.

Page 60

                    
                      And þay þat er meke & obedient
                    
                      And to hir saws wil euer assent,
                      Line 436 
                    
                      Þai sal be chastede, when þai sin,
                    
                      With fair wordes þam forto wyn.
                    
                      And þai þat wil hir lare despise
                    
                      Or als rebels o-gans hir rise,
                      Line 440 
                    
                       [folio 75b] With þam aw hir for to trete
                    
                      With preson & with penance grete;
                    
                      And sone when þat scho mai persaiue
                    
                      Þair syn, lat noght þe tym ouer wayue,
                      Line 444 
                    
                      Bot chaistese þam & tery noght
                    
                      Efter þe wark þat þa[i ha]ue [MS. þaue.]  wroght
                    
                      For parel þat mai fall þarby,
                    
                      Als wos proued of þe prophet hely
                      Line 448 
                    
                      And oþer mo þat men may tell,
                    
                      How grete drede es yn sin to dwell.
                    
                      Bot first hir-self, & right non els,
                    
                      Sal councel þam, als crist vs tels,
                      Line 452 
                    
                      Bi wordes warli anes or twis.
                    
                      And if þai wil not þair-for rise,
                    
                      To chastese þam scho sal not spare
                    
                      With penance hard, als I said aire.
                      Line 456 
                    
                      For hali writ sais on þis wise:
                    
                      "Þe fole with word may non chastese."
                    
                      For þai wil set bi no man saw,
                    
                      Þarfor þam bus haue harder aw.
                      Line 460 
                    
                      And to þis sam, als clerks may kun,
                    
                      Þe wiseman sais: "chastise þi sun
                    
                      And bete him with a wand, I rede,
                    
                      Þan liuers þou his saule fro drede."
                      Line 464

                     [folio 76a] De eadem.
                    
                      A Priores aw for to wite,
                    
                      Als beres witnes in haly writ,
                    
                      Who mekel takes in town or felde,
                    
                      Of mekil be-houes þam rekni[n]g [MS. reknig.  The scribe seems first to have written -in-, then to have altered -in- into -ni-, forgetting, however, that there should be an n also after i (or a contraction mark above it).]  ȝelde.
                      Line 468 
                    
                      And so hir aw to vnderstand

Page 61

                    
                      What hard wark scho takes on hand
                    
                      To gouerne þe saules of sere women
                    
                      And all þair erthly maners ken:
                      Line 472 
                    
                      Sum gude, sum ill, sum eueyn bitweyn,
                    
                      Als es in ilk a-semble sene.
                    
                      And þair-for scho þat ȝeme þam sall
                    
                      Bus haue hir euynly vntil all
                      Line 476 
                    
                      And fully knaw what falles þam to,
                    
                      Als a gude hird aw for to do,
                    
                      So þat al hir flok may proue
                    
                      And encrese vnto cristes bi-houe.
                      Line 480 
                    
                      No gude hirdes sal set þair thoght
                    
                      On erthli gudes, þat gase to noght,
                    
                      Mor þan þe saules for to saue
                    
                      Of wham þai sal here keping haue.
                      Line 484 
                    
                      For mor we suld ȝern hele of saule
                    
                      Þan of bodi, os sais sant paule.
                    
                      And also crist in his godspell
                    
                      Of þis same makes minde o-mell:"Primum querite regnum dei—
                      Line 488 
                    
                        [folio 76b] First sal ȝe seke þe blis of heuyn
                    
                      And þe rightwisnes of it ful euyn,
                    
                      And þan all þat nedes ȝou vntill
                    
                      Sal ȝe haue at ȝour awne wyll."
                      Line 492 
                    
                      And forþermare ȝit may men rede:
                    
                      Oure lord here if we luf & drede,
                    
                      Þan sal no thing here fro vs fayle
                    
                      Þat to our saule hele may a-vayle.
                      Line 496 
                    
                      And man or woman þat here wil haue
                    
                      Cure of saules fro syn to saue,
                    
                      Vnto reknyng sall þai cum
                    
                      For þo saules on þe day of dom.
                      Line 500 
                    
                      For al þe saules þai hase in welde
                    
                      And for his awn saule sall he ȝelde
                    
                      Reknyng to crist, þe domes-man.
                    
                      It nedes þat þai a-vise þam þan
                      Line 504 
                    
                      For to do þat in þam es;
                    
                      For if ony of þair schep peris,
                    
                      And þe faute be not in þam fun,
                    
                      Line 508

Page 62

                    
                      Þair awn saule þen haue [þai] vn-bun. [MS. haue vn bun.] 
                      Line 508 
                    
                      And souerans ȝit sal haue þer mede
                    
                      For saules þai wyn with word or dede,
                    
                      With gude ensampil þat þai gife,
                    
                       [folio 77a] Or with gude lifyng þat þai lif,
                      Line 512 
                    
                      Or els with rightwise chastisyng;
                    
                      Þam falles gret mede for al swilk thyng.

                  III.
                  De adhibendis ad consilium sororibus.
                  
                    In all tymes, when oght es to do
                  
                    Þat any grete charge fals vnto,
                    Line 516 
                  
                    Þe priores sal to-geder call
                  
                    All þe conuent, grete & small,
                  
                    Þat orderd er, both old & ȝing,
                  
                    And ask þair counsel in þat thing.
                    Line 520 
                  
                    When ilkon hase said þair a-vise,
                  
                    Þe priores þan, if scho be wise,
                  
                    Sal se who a-cordes reson vnto,
                  
                    And efter þair rede sal scho do.
                    Line 524 
                  
                    And god schews his myght, be ȝe bald,
                  
                    Als wele in ȝong folk als in ald;
                  
                    And þairfor sal in swilk a thing
                  
                    Samyn com both olde & ȝyng,
                    Line 528 
                  
                    And mekely ilkon sai þair saw
                  
                    And nother let for luf ne aw.
                  
                    And when þai al þer sawes hafe saide,
                  
                    Als scho assentes þai sal be paide,
                    Line 532 
                  
                     [folio 77b] Als gude discipels sall al-ways
                  
                    Be paide, what so þair maistres sais.
                  
                    And scho with gude descrecioun
                  
                    Sal rewle hir wordes bi right reson,
                    Line 536 
                  
                    And all þai aw be day & night
                  
                    To saue þis rewle in all þer myght,
                  
                    And in no ponte, for gude ne ill,
                  
                    To wirk efter þair awn will,
                    Line 540 
                  
                    Bot euer to be bowsum & bayn
                  
                    Vnto þe sawes of þair sufferane.
                  
                    And who so wil not for grete harte,
                  
                    Line 544

Page 63

                  
                    With greuauns aw to be gart.
                    Line 544 
                  
                    Bot luke þe priores for no thing
                  
                    Pase þe right rewle of chastising,
                  
                    Bot soberly to wirk al-way
                  
                    For drede of dome in þe last day.
                    Line 548 
                  
                    When oder lese thynges er to do,
                  
                    Þan may þe priores cal hir to
                  
                    iii or iiii wysest women,
                  
                    And do als þair counsel wil ken,
                    Line 552 
                  
                    So þat scho hase witnes al-ways,
                  
                    Als þe wise man witnes & says:"Fac cum consilio, et post factum non penitebis!—
                  
                    Do al þi dedes be gude counsell, [Originally counsaile, or the like.  Cf. 1518.] 
                  
                    Þan sall þe noght rew þi trauayle."
                    Line 556 
                  
                     [folio 78a] Þair-for a souerayn sal not do,
                  
                    Bot if scho ask counsel þair-to
                  
                    Owþer of sum or els of all,
                  
                    Efter þe thyng es grete or small.
                    Line 560

                  IV.
                  De vijtem operibus misericordie.
                  
                    Here er þe warkes on raw to rede
                  
                    Þat sesis oure sins & makes mede.
                  
                    First sal we luf god loud & still
                  
                    With al our hert & al our will,
                    Line 564 
                  
                    And syen our neghburs sal we luf
                  
                    Als our-self for our saul be-houe;
                  
                    No man ne women slay with wrang
                  
                    Noþer with word ne wapyn strang.
                    Line 568 
                  
                    Of oþer mens we sal not steyl
                  
                    Ne couet here no [no, MS. ne.]  wordly wele.
                  
                    Fals witnes we sal non bere,
                  
                    Bot honor al þat cristynd ere.
                    Line 572 
                  
                    Godes naym we sal not tak in vayn,
                  
                    Ne swer it bot for thyng sartayn.
                  
                    And to non here sal we do
                  
                    Bot als we wold war don vs to.
                    Line 576 
                  
                    Oure awn self we sal deny,

Page 64

                  
                    And folow oure lord god al-myghty,
                  
                    Pine oure flesch with penance grete,
                  
                    And couet non delicius mete,
                    Line 580 
                  
                     [folio 78b] Fast & do gude almus-dede,
                  
                    And cleth þe naked þat hase nede.
                  
                    Seke men suld we viset wele,
                  
                    And bring þe dede vn-to biriele,
                    Line 584 
                  
                    Help al þo þat harmes haues,
                  
                    And counsaile þam þat counsele craues,
                  
                    And rek not of þis erthli gude,
                  
                    Bot vnto [crist] turn [MS. vnto turn.]  al our mode.
                    Line 588 
                  
                    In our hertes sal we hold non ire,
                  
                    Ne vengeance sall we non desire.
                  
                    Fals frenschep we sal non make,
                  
                    Trew charite so for to sake.
                    Line 592 
                  
                    We sal not swer on euyn ne morn
                  
                    For fardnes for to be for-sworn.
                  
                    Euyl for euyl we sal not ȝelde,
                  
                    Bot mayntene right in town & felde;
                    Line 596 
                  
                    And if we wranges of oþer take,
                  
                    We sal it suffer for godes sake.
                  
                    Our enmys aw vs for to lufe,
                  
                    And noght ban þam þat vs reproue;
                    Line 600 
                  
                    For mekely suld we, mor & les,
                  
                    Suffer reproue for rightwisnes.
                  
                    With pride in hert we sal not rise,
                  
                    Ne be to slaw in god saruyse.
                    Line 604 
                  
                     [folio 79a] No vs aw lightly to lac,
                  
                    Ne speke no harme be-hind þair bac.
                  
                    In god we sal set al our thoght
                  
                    And think þat of our-self es noght
                    Line 608 
                  
                    Bot sin & sorow & wrechidnes,
                  
                    And ilka gude dede of god es.
                  
                    Þe day of dome vs aw to drede,
                  
                    An vn-to hell we suld take hede,
                    Line 612 
                  
                    And were vs euer with al our mayn
                  
                    Fro filth of sin, þat sarues payn,
                  
                    And couaite heuyn euer inwardly,
                  
                    And thynk ilk day þat we sal dy,
                    Line 616

Page 65

                  
                    And rewle our warkes by reson ryght,
                  
                    And think þai er euer in godes sight;
                  
                    If euyl thoghtes our hertes tak,
                  
                    Kast þam oute for godes sake;
                    Line 620 
                  
                    And kepe our moth fro grete carpyng
                  
                    Of wikkidnes or of wordly thing.
                  
                    Vn-to prayers we sal vs spede,
                  
                    And hali lessones here & rede;
                    Line 624 
                  
                    And for our mysdedes don be-forn
                  
                    Suld we mourn both euyn & morn.
                  
                    In praers to god we [sal] vs [MS. And praers to god we vs.  See Notes.]  schriue
                  
                    And mak a-mendes so in our life.
                    Line 628 
                  
                    We sal hate to wirk our awn will
                  
                     [folio 79b] Or our flesch ȝernyng to fulfill;
                  
                    And on al wise we sal be bayn
                  
                    Vnto þe saws of our souerayn,
                    Line 632 
                  
                    Þat we aw our obidience to.
                  
                    And also if we se hir do
                  
                    Oþerwise or wer, als god for-bede,
                  
                    Þan scho teches vs to do in dede,
                    Line 636 
                  
                    Þan sal we ordand our wirkyng
                  
                    Als crist vs teches, in al thyng:"Secundum opera eorum nolite facere!"
                  
                    He sais þus: "workes efter þer saw,
                  
                    And to þair dedes luke ȝe not draw!"
                    Line 640 
                  
                    Þat es to say, if þai wirk wrang,
                  
                    And tech ȝou grathly for to gang.
                  
                    We sal not couet in our mode
                  
                    With folk for to be haldyn gude.
                    Line 644 
                  
                    Godes bidynges we sal fulfill
                  
                    Airly & laite and loud & still,
                  
                    And luf clennes and chastite,
                  
                    And frendly vnto al folk be.
                    Line 648 
                  
                    Fast suld we fle al vayn louyng,
                  
                    And mak no strif with old no ȝing.
                  
                    To old folk suld we do honour,
                  
                    And febil we sal sucoure.
                    Line 652 
                  
                    For our enmes sal we pray,
                  
                     [folio 80a] Til a recorde be redy ay,

Page 66

                  
                    And seker help ay sal we haue
                  
                    Of godes mercy our saules to saue.
                    Line 656 
                  
                    Þer er þe pontes of perfite lifyng
                  
                    Þat nedful er to old & ȝing;
                  
                    For if we wil þam gladli do,
                  
                    Ful fair reward fals vs vnto,
                    Line 660 
                  
                    Þat es in endles blis to dwell,
                  
                    Als crist sais þus in his godspel:"Oculus non vidit, nec aures audiverunt—
                  
                    None eghen mai se, ne eris here,
                  
                    Ne hertes thynk þe blisses clere
                    Line 664 
                  
                    Whilk god ordand to þer bi-houe
                  
                    Þat yn þair liues hym lely luf."
                  
                    Þarfor es gude þat we tak hede
                  
                    Hym for to luf & als to drede
                    Line 668 
                  
                    Þat vn-to slik blis may vs bryng.
                  
                    Vn-to þat lord be euer loueyng!

                  V.
                  De obediencia ad deum.
                  
                    Now wil I tel, who wil tak tent,
                  
                    How we sal be obedient
                    Line 672 
                  
                    To honowr god with ilka lym
                  
                    And luf no thynk better þan hym.
                  
                     [folio 80b] God suld we luf for thynges thre,
                  
                    Namely al þat hase dignite
                    Line 676 
                  
                    And in haly kirk to sing & rede:
                  
                    For he til vs merkes slik mede,
                  
                    And for drede of þe payns of hell,
                  
                    And for ȝernyng in blis to dwell.
                    Line 680 
                  
                    For merit of þer thynges thre
                  
                    Suld we euermor bowsum be,
                  
                    And hertli faunde for to fulfil
                  
                    All þat oure souerayn telles vs till.
                    Line 684 
                  
                    Þan wil god of our wark be paide,
                  
                    And þan vntil vs salbe saide,
                  
                    Als crist sais in þe sauter buke
                  
                    Thurgh þe prophet, who likes to luke:
                    Line 688 
                  
                    "Als sone als euer he heres my will,
                  
                    Bowes he baynly me vntill."

Page 67

                  
                    Þus may be saide be old & ȝyng
                  
                    Þat baynly bowes to godes bedyng.
                    Line 692 
                  
                    And also ȝit our lord iesus
                  
                    Vntil his techers tels þus:
                  
                    "Who so heres ȝou, he heres me."
                  
                    Þan be þer sawes wele may we se:
                    Line 696 
                  
                    Þai þat er to þer souerayn bayne,
                  
                    To god he dose þe same o-gayne.
                  
                    And þarfore who so wil be bown
                  
                     [folio 81a] To lif bi rewle of religiown,
                    Line 700 
                  
                    Fro tyme þai wit þer souerayn will,
                  
                    In wark þai sal it fast fulfill;
                  
                    Þair souerayn wil & þer wirkyng
                  
                    Suld go to-geder euyn als a thing.
                    Line 704 
                  
                    And al þat wil do þus in dede,
                  
                    Þe way to heuyn it wil þam lede.
                  
                    And harder it es þan oþer ways,
                  
                    Als god vntil vs suthli sais:
                    Line 708 
                  
                    "Þe way of lif, who likes to layte,
                  
                    Þai sal find both hard & straite."
                  
                    For whi al þat wil com þer-till
                  
                    Mai not wirk with þer awin will;
                    Line 712 
                  
                    Bot hard or softe whider it semys,
                  
                    Ai bus þai do os oþer demys.
                  
                    Þan of þer wark es crist wele paide,
                  
                    Þat þus til his discipils saide:"Non veni facere voluntatem meam &c.;—
                    Line 716 
                  
                    I com not to wirk myne entent,
                  
                    Bot aynly his þat hase me sent."
                  
                    Ensampil þus he techis vs til
                  
                    Þat we sal wirk our souerains wil.
                    Line 720 
                  
                    Obediens þus, if it be stabil,
                  
                    To god & man es acceptabil,
                  
                    Not to tary ne gruch o-gayne,
                  
                    Ne to answer with worde in vayn,
                    Line 724 
                  
                     [folio 81b] Ne to be heuy in hert or thoght,
                  
                    For swilk obedience profites noght.
                  
                    Bot if þe hert & wark acorde,
                  
                    It es not likand til our lord;
                    Line 728 
                  
                    For al if we fulfil þe dede,

Page 68

                  
                    We gete þer-for no grace to mede,
                  
                    Bot titter payn, þat ordand es
                  
                    To þam þat vses vnbousumnes.
                    Line 732 
                  
                    And if we answer oght o-gayn,
                  
                    Ful mekil mor mun be his payn.

                  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

Page 69

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

VII.

                    De xij gradibus humilitatis.
                    
                      Of meknes may we merure take
                    
                       [folio 82b] Of crist, þat sais þus for our sake
                      Line 772 
                    
                      In his gospel, als clerkes ken,
                    
                      Confortand al cristin men:"Qui se humiliat exaltabitur— [Misplaced.] 
                    
                      Who highes him-self, he bese made law."
                    
                      Proude men reproues he in þis saw.
                      Line 776 
                    
                      And þam to confort þat er meke,
                    
                      Þus he says, who so wele seke:"Qui se exaltat humiliabitur— [Misplaced.] 
                    
                      He þat laws hym-self here,
                    
                      He salbe high in heuyn clere."
                      Line 780 
                    
                      Þus schews he wele, & suth it es,
                    
                      Þat oute of pride comes al eghnes.
                    
                      And for [þe] prophet [MS. for prophet.]  wald it fle,
                    
                      In þe sauter þus sais he:"Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum—
                      Line 784 
                    
                      Lord, my herte ne mi eghen sight
                    
                      Haf I not rasit vp in hight,
                    
                      Ne in gret thinges haf I not gayn
                    
                      To mak maruayls many ayn,
                      Line 788 
                    
                      Bot my lif mekly haf I spende,
                    
                      And highed my saule in-to þi hende.
                    
                      Þer-for, lord, fra scham me schylde,
                    
                      Als þe moder dose þe childe."
                      Line 792 
                    
                       [folio 83a] If we our dedes wil duly drese
                    
                      To haue þe meret of mekenes
                    
                      And win vnto þe hight of heuyn,
                    
                      To whilk mekenes may lede vs heuyn,
                      Line 796 
                    
                      Hus bus be-gin with hert & wil
                    
                      To rase þe stegh þat rechis þer-til,
                    
                      Bi whilk Iacob in visioun
                    
                      Saw angels wend both vp & doun.
                      Line 800

Page 70

                    
                      And þis ilk stegh, als clerkes [clerkes, MS. crakes.  See Notes.]  tels,
                    
                      To vnderstandyng es not els
                    
                      Bot thurgh heghnes doun to descend
                    
                      And thurgh lawnes vpward to wend.
                      Line 804 
                    
                      And als þe stegh, with-outin strife,
                    
                      Es likand til our erthli life,
                    
                      Þe whilk stegh thurgh our mekenes euyn
                    
                      God rases vp right to þe heuyn.
                      Line 808 
                    
                      Two sides þer-of may signifi
                    
                      Both oure saules & our bodi,
                    
                      In þe whilk sides, als men may se,
                    
                      Er xij steles ordand to be,
                      Line 812 
                    
                      Whilk er xij degrese of mekenes,
                    
                      And right way vnto heuyn þat es.
                    
                      And who so likes þat way to lere,
                    
                      Þe xij degres þus may þai here.
                      Line 816

                    Primus gradus humilitatis.
                     [folio 83b] 
                    
                      The first degre of meknes ryght
                    
                      Es euer to set be-for our sight
                    
                      Þe drede of god in ilk degre,
                    
                      So þat it neuer for-getin be,
                      Line 820 
                    
                      And thinke how þai þat him for-sakes
                    
                      Þair mede in hell with murnyng takes;
                    
                      And who so hym wil luf & drede,
                    
                      In heuyn sal þai haf þair mede.
                      Line 824 
                    
                      Þarfor our lord ay suld we luf,
                    
                      And drede him for our saule bi-houe,
                    
                      And kepe fro sin & fro foly
                    
                      Al þe limes of our body,
                      Line 828 
                    
                      And do oway al flesch likinges,
                    
                      Thynkand þat god þat sese al thinges
                    
                      Þat we in world here euer wroght
                    
                      Ouþer in wark, or word, or thoght—
                      Line 832 
                    
                      For, als þe prophet proues & sais,
                    
                      God enserches & sese al-wais
                    
                      Þe hertes & þe ententes of men,
                    
                      Als clerkes on þis maner may ken:"Scrutans corda & renes deus."
                      Line 836 
                    
                      And also ȝit þe prophet sais:

Page 71

                    
                      "Lord, þou wate my wil alwais,
                    
                      And thoghtes þat in my hert er hide,
                    
                      Vnto þe er þai knawne & kide."
                      Line 840 
                    
                      Þarfor who wil life wele alway,
                    
                       [folio 84a] In his hert sal he think & say:
                    
                      "Be-for godes sight I salbe clene,
                    
                      Yf I waste myne euil dedes be-dene."
                      Line 844 
                    
                      It is for-bed þus for þis skill
                    
                      Any to folow þer fleschly will;
                    
                      Als haly write comaundes & sais:
                    
                      "Turn þe fro flesch likynges [MS. fleschlikynges.]  alwais."
                      Line 848 
                    
                      And pray we god with wil & thoght
                    
                      Þat his wil in vs euer be wroght!
                    
                      Hali write schews certan skil,
                    
                      Whi we sal not wirk our awn wil.
                      Line 852 
                    
                      For sum warkes þat vs think perfite,
                    
                      In godes sight er dedely delite.
                    
                      Sum þat þe bodi thynk gude & fine
                    
                      Wil lede þe saule vntil hel pyne.
                      Line 856 
                    
                      And for þi of slike rekles warkes
                    
                      Sais haly writ, os kens þir clerkes:"Corrupti sunt et abhominabiles—
                    
                      Þai er corrumpid & maide ful vile
                    
                      Þat uses with filth þair flesch to file."
                      Line 860 
                    
                      And when so we ȝern ony thing
                    
                      Þat may fall vnto flesch likyng,
                    
                      Thinke we god waites vs weterly!
                    
                      Als þe prophet sais þus þerby:
                      Line 864 
                    
                      "Al my desire both day & nyght,
                    
                      Lord, es set be-for þi sight;
                    
                       [folio 84b] And al mi [mi, MS. in.]  ȝarnyng may þou se,
                    
                      Il or gude wheder it be."
                      Line 868 
                    
                      Þerfor euyl desire suld we fle,
                    
                      For dede es euer in þe entre,
                    
                      Redey to fel vs in þat fit;
                    
                      And þerfor þus sais hali writ:
                      Line 872 
                    
                      "Wend þou not, for hard ne nesch,
                    
                      Efter þe ȝarnynges of þi flesch—Secundum desideria cordis non ambules!"

Page 72

                    
                      Þen, sen we wote our lord iesus
                    
                      Es euer bihaldand vntil vs,
                      Line 876 
                    
                      And sese who sekes to godes seruyse
                    
                      And wil not als wriches vnwise,
                    
                      And als we wote oure gude angel
                    
                      Al our warkes to god wil tel,
                      Line 880 
                    
                      Al be it neuer so litil a schar—
                    
                      Þan es wisdom to be-war
                    
                      No warkes to do our god to greue.
                    
                      For al if he here lene vs leue
                      Line 884 
                    
                      For to a-mend vs, whils we may,
                    
                      Neuer-þe-lese on þe last day
                    
                      Sal he reherce & sai vs til:
                    
                      "Þus did þou, & I held me stil."
                      Line 888

                    Secundus gradus humilitatis.
                     [folio 85a] 
                    
                      Ane oþer degre our meknes proues: [In the right margin: ij gradus.] 
                    
                      Þat es who hir awn wil not lufes,
                    
                      Ne hase no likyng to fulfil
                    
                      Þat hir desire entisice hir til,
                      Line 892 
                    
                      Bot of þir wordes makes hir myrour,
                    
                      Whilk iesus saide, our sauiour:"Non veni facere voluntatem meam—
                    
                      I com not to do myn entent,
                    
                      Bot his allaine þat hase me sent,
                      Line 896 
                    
                      Þat es my fader in heuyn on hight;
                    
                      His wil I do both day & night."
                    
                      And hali writ wil proue ful playn
                    
                      Þat our awn wil es worthi payn,
                      Line 900 
                    
                      And who so of þer wil here misses
                    
                      Serues þe croun of endles blisses.
                    
                      Þarfor for-sake we here our wil,
                    
                      Þat we may cum þat blis vntil.
                      Line 904

                    iij gradus.
                    
                      The third degre es þis to take:
                    
                      Who þat gladli for goddis sake
                    
                      Wilbe obedient with þer mayne
                    
                      Vnto [þe] wil [MS. Vnto wil.]  of þeir souerayne,
                      Line 908 
                    
                      And þat with gude cher wil fulfil
                    
                      What so þair souerayne tels þam vntil;

Page 73

                    
                      Al[s] be [MS. Albe.]  þe apostil es pupplist,
                    
                      Þat sais þus of our lord crist:
                      Line 912 
                    
                       [folio 85b] "He wos meke to his fader rede
                    
                      And obedient vnto þe dede."
                    
                      [. . . . .] [A line is omitted.] 
                    
                      To gif ensaumpil mor & lese,
                      Line 916 
                    
                      Þat þai suld so obedient be
                    
                      To þeir souerayns in þer degre,
                    
                      And tent no thyng to þer awn wil,
                    
                      Bot þer souerayns fast to fulfil
                      Line 920 
                    
                      With obedience in word & dede;
                    
                      Than es þer wark worth mikyl mede.

                    iiij gradus.
                    
                      The [The h in The was added subsequently.]  fourt degre of mekenes clere
                    
                      Es of al þai þat suffers here
                      Line 924 
                    
                      And dose what so þer souerayn sais
                    
                      Al if þe wark be wrang alwais
                    
                      Or greuus til þam for to do,
                    
                      ȝet sal þai sone assent þer-to,
                      Line 928 
                    
                      And do it wele with al our mayn
                    
                      With-outyn ony grochin ogayne,
                    
                      And irk not þan, or it be done;
                    
                      Als hali writ wil tech ful son:"Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem—
                      Line 932 
                    
                      He þat lastes vntil þe end,
                    
                      Salbe safe & vnto blis wende."
                    
                      And also haly writ sais þus
                    
                       [folio 86a] Ane oþer claus [to] comford [MS. claus comford.]  vs:
                      Line 936 
                    
                      "Þi hert," he sais, "sal comford take
                    
                      To be souerand for godes sake."
                    
                      In oþer places he proues alway
                    
                      How souerand men to god suld say:"Propter te mortificamur tota die—
                      Line 940 
                    
                      Lord, we suffer [MS. suffor.]  here with sere payn
                    
                      Al þe day for þi sake for to be slayn." [Partly on erasure.  See Notes.] 
                    
                      Þat mens: "we suffer payn mekely
                    
                      Als lams þat er lede for to dy,
                      Line 944

Page 74

                    
                      And we er not ouercumen þer-in,
                    
                      For mede we hope þerby to wyn;
                    
                      Bot al we suffer it for iesus
                    
                      And for his sake þat so lufyd vs,
                      Line 948 
                    
                      Þat with his awn wil & his rede
                    
                      For our sake wold suffer dede
                    
                      So to saue vs thurth his grace."
                    
                      And also in ane oþer place
                      Line 952 
                    
                      May meke men say on þis manere:
                    
                      "Lord, þou hase asayde vs here
                    
                      With angers a-gayns our desire,
                    
                       [folio 86b] Als siluer es asaide with fire,
                      Line 956 
                    
                      Þou hase vs  [A participle (don, led, put, set?) is omitted.]  vnto þe snare
                    
                      And made vs to haue angers þair."
                    
                      For to assay vs in swilk thing,
                    
                      If we be meke to his bidyng,
                      Line 960 
                    
                      And also for to schew þat we
                    
                      Suld to a souerayn bowsum be
                    
                      And wirk efter þer wil alway,
                    
                      Vnto our lord þus may he say:
                      Line 964 
                    
                      "Lord, o-bouen set hase þou
                    
                      Souerayns to wham vs bus bew."
                    
                      Þus for god sake we suld be bown
                    
                      To suffer sere persecucioun,
                      Line 968 
                    
                      What so men wil vn-til vs do;
                    
                      Als þe gospel techis vs to:
                    
                      Who so betes vs on a scheke,
                    
                      To bede oþer we suld be meke,
                      Line 972 
                    
                      And wrang of vs who wil oght haue,
                    
                      To bede þam mor þan þai wold craue;
                    
                      Þan es our mekenes mykil at prase;
                    
                      Als sant paule þe appostil sais:
                      Line 976 
                    
                      It be-houes folk of religioun
                    
                      Suffer tenes & tribulacioun,
                    
                      And honor þam þat dose þam scath,
                    
                      Whider þai be wele paide or wrath.
                      Line 980 
                    
                       [folio 87a] And þer meret it may not eke,
                    
                      Bot if þai in þer hertes be meke
                    
                      To suffer wilfuly alwais
                    
                      Line 984

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                      What so men to þam dose or sais,
                      Line 984 
                    
                      And be not greuyd with word ne dede;
                    
                      Swilk mekenes makes vs mykil mede.

                    v gradus.
                    
                      The fift degre es to be swift
                    
                      Eftir our sin to seke to schrift,
                      Line 988 
                    
                      And trewly tel with-outyn trayne
                    
                      Al our lif & nothing layne,
                    
                      Als hali writ on þis wise sais:
                    
                      "Vnto god sal I schew my wais,
                      Line 992 
                    
                      And al my sines with mayn & mode
                    
                      Sal I schew to god so gude;
                    
                      For his mercy may mend & pas
                    
                      All wikkidnes þat in world euer was."
                      Line 996 
                    
                      And þai þat þus þer sines wil bete,
                    
                      Þus may þai sai with þe pro[p]hete: [MS. prohete.] 
                    
                      "Lord, all þe sines þat er myn awne,
                    
                      Vnto þe haue I made þam knawn;
                      Line 1000 
                    
                      And all onright þat euer I dide,
                    
                      Lord, vnto þe I haue not hide;
                    
                      Bot I sal pronunce for sertane
                    
                      All my mysdedes my-self ogayne.
                      Line 1004 
                    
                      Þarfore, der lord, do þou to me
                    
                       [folio 87b] Efter þi grace so grete plente,
                    
                      And lord, not efter my misdede,
                    
                      Bot efter þi mercy graunte me mede."
                      Line 1008

                    vjtus gradus.
                    
                      The sext degre of mekenes þan:
                    
                      Who salbe meke, man or woman,
                    
                      Bus hald þam-self vile & worthy
                    
                      Al maners of charch to vnderly,
                      Line 1012 
                    
                      And think þai er worthi to do
                    
                      Mor þan oni wil put þam to,
                    
                      And þat þai er worthi to haue
                    
                      Wor þan any on þam vouches safe,
                      Line 1016 
                    
                      So litil be þam-self to set,
                    
                      Say þan þus with þe prophet:"Consumptus sum et humiliatus—
                    
                      I am wastid wor þan I wend,
                    
                      Line 1020

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                      For myne awn kind not I kend.
                      Line 1020 
                    
                      Now als a best meke sal I be
                    
                      Aneli, lord, for luf of þe."
                    
                      God len vs so to be bowsum,
                    
                      Þat we may til his kingdom cum.
                      Line 1024

                    vij gradus.
                    
                      The seuent degre þan of þe twelue
                    
                      Es þat vs aw to law our-selue,
                    
                      And in hert hald vs vnworthi
                    
                       [folio 88a] To cum in any gude company,
                      Line 1028 
                    
                      And of our-self we sal say þen
                    
                      Os þe prophet wil clerely ken:"Ego sum vermis & non homo—
                    
                      I am a worm & no woman."
                    
                      And þusgaite folos þar-on þan:
                      Line 1032 
                    
                      "Mine awne condicions wil I ken,
                    
                      Reproue & oute-kast of al women.
                    
                      My hyghnes in herth þen wil I knaw,
                    
                      Bot, lord, þi law hase mayd me law.
                      Line 1036 
                    
                      Wele es me yn þis lif here
                    
                      To be so meke þi laws to lere."
                    
                      God len vs so his laws to lufe,
                    
                      Þat we bide in blis obufe.
                      Line 1040

                    viij gradus.
                    
                      The aght degre of meke lifyng
                    
                      Es þat non sal do no thing,
                    
                      Ne no wark þat es for to wirk,
                    
                      Bot efter þe rewle of þer kirk
                      Line 1044 
                    
                      Or be ensampil to vnderstand
                    
                      Of þam we knaw er wele lifand.
                    
                      For ensawmpil of oþer dede
                    
                      Salbe merure vs for to lede
                      Line 1048 
                    
                      In our doing both nyght & day,
                    
                      So þat we folow our rewle alway.

                     [folio 88b] ix gradus.
                    
                      The neyntt degre to ald & ȝong
                    
                      Es þat vs aw to ȝem our tong
                      Line 1052 
                    
                      And spek not bot we be requerde.
                    
                      For hali writ þus hase vs lerde,
                    
                      Þat who so mykil speking vse,
                    
                      Line 1056

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                      Of sin þai may not þam excuse;
                      Line 1056 
                    
                      And gret spekers er not worthy
                    
                      For to cum in gude company.
                    
                      Þarfor es gude to take reward
                    
                      With onest folk þat spech be spaird,
                      Line 1060 
                    
                      And ordan vs to spek no thyng
                    
                      Bot honestly to godes loueyng.

                    x gradus.
                    
                      The x degre es þus to lere:
                    
                      Not to lagh with ouer-lyght cher
                      Line 1064 
                    
                      Ne with laghing our voce to raise.
                    
                      For hali writ þus leres & sais:
                    
                      "A fole," he sais, "bi day & nyght
                    
                      In laghyng rais his vose on hight."
                      Line 1068 
                    
                      Þarfor es gude to man & childe
                    
                      For to ler at be laghter-myld
                    
                      And of al cowntnanse myld & stil
                    
                      With-outyn ony mater of il.
                      Line 1072

                    xj gradus.
                    
                      The xj wisses þus alway:
                    
                      Al if vs aw litil to say
                    
                      And in laghing not rudely rise,
                    
                       [folio 89a] ȝit es gude þat we vs avise,
                      Line 1076 
                    
                      When so we speke bi morn or noun,
                    
                      To say our wil in wordes foune,
                    
                      And þat our wordes be wittely.
                    
                      For þus þe wisman sais þerbi:"Sapiens in paucis verbis expedit—
                      Line 1080 
                    
                      He þat is wise in word & dede,
                    
                      His wark with fone wordes wil he spede."
                    
                      And naymly women nyght & day
                    
                      Aw to vse fune wordes alway.
                      Line 1084

                    xij gradus.
                    
                      The twelft degre wele for to seke
                    
                      Es, of þam þat salbe meke,
                    
                      Not aynli to be meke in wil,
                    
                      Bot in wark mekely to fulfil
                      Line 1088 
                    
                      Al þat es to þam cumand: [MS. cunand.] 
                    
                      To gang, or ride, or sit, or stand,

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                      In kirk, in closter, in town & feld,
                    
                      In way, in ȝerd, in ȝouth & eld.
                      Line 1092 
                    
                      With law lowting þai salbe bayn
                    
                      With-outyn ony gruching o-gayn.
                    
                      Vnto erth down sal þai luke
                    
                      Sorowand for syn, os sais þe buke
                      Line 1096 
                    
                       [folio 89b] Of þe pupplicane, þat prayde
                    
                      Vnto god & þusgaite saide:"Miserere mihi peccatori—
                    
                      Lord, al thinges wele knaw þou can;
                    
                      Haue mercy on me, sinful man!
                      Line 1100 
                    
                      I am vn-worthi, lord," said he,
                    
                      "To lift myn eghen vp vnto þe
                    
                      Or for to luke vp vnto heuyn."
                    
                      And also sais þe þrophet hewyn:"Curuatus sum & humiliatus sum nimis—
                      Line 1104 
                    
                      I am bowed to þe erth," he sais,
                    
                      "And so I am meke mayd alwais."
                    
                      Now haue I tald þir twelf degrese
                    
                      Þat er of meknes for to chese,
                      Line 1108 
                    
                      Þe whilk may bring vs for to be
                    
                      With god in perfite charite
                    
                      And al our lif lely to lede
                    
                      With-outyn trauel or ony drede.
                      Line 1112 
                    
                      We sal do gladli of custum
                    
                      Þat air til vs wos ful irksum,
                    
                      And not aynli payn to eschew,
                    
                      Bot allayn for luf of iesu.
                      Line 1116 
                    
                      And þat lufe & swete delite
                    
                      Þat in vs salbe so parfite,
                    
                      Oute of al wais it sal vs wise
                    
                      And bryng vs vnto endles blis.
                      Line 1120

[folio 90a] VIII.

De officiis in noctibus.

In tyme of winter, in Descember, Fro þe kalandes of Nouember Vn-to þe pase, es risyng right At þe aght our of þe nyght, 1124 And after mydnyght for to rest,

Page 79

                  
                    Þat þar mete may bi wele degest.
                  
                    Þan sal þai rise to syng & rede;
                  
                    And after þan who so hase nede
                    Line 1128 
                  
                    May haue þer meditaciounes
                  
                    In sawters, saulms, & orisowns.
                  
                    And fro al tyme of pase bi al left
                  
                    Vn-to þo same kalandes cum eft,
                    Line 1132 
                  
                    Þan es it ordand on þis wise,
                  
                    Þat nunes sal vnto matens rise
                  
                    When þe day be-gyns to daw,
                  
                    Þat þai litters bi light may knaw.
                    Line 1136

                  IX-XVIII.
                  
                    Mor how þai sal serues do,
                  
                    Nedes not her to tel þam to;
                  
                    Þai knaw þer salmes & ilka verse.
                  
                    Þarfor þe rowle I wil reherce,
                    Line 1140 
                  
                    How þai sal do wirchep alway,
                  
                    When þai to god sal sing or say.

                  XIX.
                  Vbique credimus diuinam esse presenciam—
                  
                    We trow & wele we vnderstand
                  
                     [folio 90b] Þat our lord god alweldand
                    Line 1144 
                  
                    In ilka place es redi bown
                  
                    To here our prayer & orisown;
                  
                    And euyl & gude, al heres he,
                  
                    Rich & pouer in ilk degre.
                    Line 1148 
                  
                    And most we trow he be present
                  
                    In haly kirk bi þis entent
                  
                    Þat his seruaundes most comynli
                  
                    Serues him þer, als es worthy.
                    Line 1152 
                  
                    Þan sen we wote þat he es þer, [þer, originally þair, or the like.] 
                  
                    Oure mynd on hym suld be þe mayr
                  
                    To serue hym dredfully always,
                  
                    Als þe prophet vs teches & sais:"Seruite domino cum timore!"
                    Line 1156 
                  
                    He sais þus: "serues ȝor god in drede,
                  
                    Hopand of hym to haue ȝor mede."
                  
                    And wisely, sais he, we suld sing
                  
                    Line 1160

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                    Lessons vn-to goddes loueyng.
                    Line 1160 
                  
                    In ayn oþer plase sais he
                  
                    Þat angel[s] [MS. angel.]  sal our synging se:"In conspectu anglorum psallam tibi."
                  
                    On þis maner til vs he teles
                  
                    And sais: "lord, in sight of angels
                    Line 1164 
                  
                     [folio 91a] Sal we syng to þi wirchep."
                  
                    Þan aght vs for to tak gude kepe
                  
                    Þat our prayer & orisoune
                  
                    Be done with gude deuocioune,
                    Line 1168 
                  
                    So þat our hert & moth acord;
                  
                    Þan es it likand til our lord
                  
                    And vnto his angels also,
                  
                    Sen we may se, al þat we do
                    Line 1172 
                  
                    And þat we say bi day or nyght,
                  
                    Al es set befor þare sight.

                  XX.
                  
                    Bi gude ensaumpil may we se,
                  
                    How bayn & bowsum we wold be
                    Line 1176 
                  
                    Vn-to a lord, her whar we lif,
                  
                    Þat ony gude myght til vs gif.
                  
                    We wold hym loute, es not at layn,
                  
                    And til his bidyng be ful bayn
                    Line 1180 
                  
                    With al wirchep þat we may weld.
                  
                    Þan of mor force in town & feld
                  
                    Wirchep suld we til him bede
                  
                    Þat in heuyn sal merk vs our mede.
                    Line 1184 
                  
                    With sorow of syn we suld him seke
                  
                    And wirchep with wordes meke.
                  
                    For haly writ lely vs leres
                  
                    Þat law hertes lightly he heres.
                    Line 1188 
                  
                    Our prayers suld be ordand euyn
                  
                     [folio 91b] Schort & clen to god of heuyn,
                  
                    Bot if deuocioun cum emang
                  
                    And likyng for to hald þam lang.
                    Line 1192 
                  
                    For haly writ þus leli leres:
                  
                    Heuyn es thirld with schort prayers;
                  
                    Þat es to say, if þat þai be
                  
                    Line 1196

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                    Mellid with no kyns vanite,
                    Line 1196 
                  
                    Bot vnto godes wirchep alway.
                  
                    God grant vs grace so for to pray.

                  XXII.
                  Quomodo sanctimonialles dormiant.
                  
                    All samyn o nyghtes lig þai sall,
                  
                    If a hows wil herber þam all,
                    Line 1200 
                  
                    And ilkon serly in a bede,
                  
                    And ilkon in a kirtil clede
                  
                    And girdid o-bown on al wise, [MS. alwise.] 
                  
                    Þat þai may be redy to rise.
                    Line 1204 
                  
                    And if þar be gret company,
                  
                    Þat al may not in a hows ly
                  
                    In sere bedes, als I said hare,
                  
                    Þan ald women & wise of lare
                    Line 1208 
                  
                    May haue ȝong nouices, þat þai lere,
                  
                    To lig in a bed both infere.
                  
                    In þe hows whar [þai] lig [MS. whar lig.]  o nyght,
                  
                    Candel or laumpe sal euer be lyght.
                    Line 1212 
                  
                    And kniues to bed þai sal non bere,
                  
                    For dred þat þai myght do þam dere.
                  
                    When tyme es ordand, on al wise,
                  
                     [folio 92a] With-outyn tareyng luk þai rise
                    Line 1216 
                  
                    And hast þam hertly for to cum
                  
                    Vnto godes serues al & sum.
                  
                    And þis es þe encheson why
                  
                    Þat þai sal al in a hows ly:
                    Line 1220 
                  
                    Be-caus no idilnes sal vse,
                  
                    Ne fro godes serues þam excuse.

                  XXIII.
                  
                    And if þar ony vn-bowsum bene,
                  
                    Or prowd in hert, os sum er sene,
                    Line 1224 
                  
                    Þat to þar rewle ne þer souerayn
                  
                    Wil not bow, bot gruch o-gayn,
                  
                    Twise preuely þai salbe blamyd
                  
                    And, bot þai sese, opynly schamyd.
                    Line 1228 
                  
                    And if ane wil not mend her so,

Page 82

                  
                    Opyn reprofe falis hir vnto
                  
                    Omang þe couent euer-ilkane.
                  
                    And if sche ȝit be ouer-tayn,
                    Line 1232 
                  
                    And sche ken þe perils of cursing,
                  
                    Sche salbe cursid for þat same þing.
                  
                    And if sche wil not mend hir mynd,
                  
                    Þan bodely sche salbe pynd.
                    Line 1236 
                  
                    And in hert penance sal sche lende,
                  
                     [folio 92b] Vntill sche wil hir mys amend.

                  XXIV.
                  Modus castigacionis.
                  
                    Noman suld curs mor ne lese
                  
                    Bot for thyng þat ful greuus es.
                    Line 1240 
                  
                    And so sal penance mor & myn
                  
                    Be gyfyn & getyn efter þe sin,
                  
                    Als light penance for litil thing,
                  
                    And for gret greuus chastying.
                    Line 1244 
                  
                    Als if a non be nyght or day
                  
                    Forget þat sche suld sing or say
                  
                    Or ony werk þat sche suld wirk
                  
                    In couent or yn hali kirk,
                    Line 1248 
                  
                    Sche salbe suspend fro þe mete
                  
                    Al tyme þat hir felows sal ete.
                  
                    Allayn at mete syne sal sche sit,
                  
                    Þat oþer may hir trispas wit.
                    Line 1252 
                  
                    Sum seruyse salbe fro her let
                  
                    [. . . . .] [Here, for the second time, a whole line is omitted.] 
                  
                    Mor þan for oþer on raw,
                  
                    Þat sche may so hir trispase knaw.
                    Line 1256

                  XXV.
                  
                    Mor greuus syns if on wil wirk,
                  
                    Sche salbe suspend fro þe kirk,
                  
                    Fro mete, & fro al [fro al, MS. for al.  Cf. 2463.]  company
                  
                    Þat sche myght oght be cumfort bi.
                    Line 1260 
                  
                     [folio 93a] Allone by hir-self sal sche do
                  
                    What wark so sche es put vnto,
                  
                    So for to punych hir body;
                  
                    Line 1264

Page 83

                  
                    Als þe appostil speks þerbi:
                    Line 1264 
                  
                    Swilk men, he sais, sal trauel tast
                  
                    With grete fullyng þer flesch to wast,
                  
                    So þat þer saules may safly cum
                  
                    Bi-for god on þe day of dom.
                    Line 1268

                  XXVI.
                  Vt non communicent cum ex-communicatis.
                  
                    [If] None or nouese, mor or lese, [See Notes.] 
                  
                    Comyn with þam þat cursed es,
                  
                    Or cum vntyl hir whar sche dwels
                  
                    To ete or speke or do oght els,
                    Line 1272 
                  
                    Þe same payn sal þai vnderly
                  
                    Þat sche suffers for hir foly,
                  
                    Vntil þai haue þat mys amend,
                  
                    Bot if þar souerayn haf þam send:
                    Line 1276 
                  
                    Þan may þai baldly speke & do
                  
                    Als far os þai haf leue vnto.

                  XXVII.
                  De pertinentibus ad custodem.
                  
                    Ane Abbot or a priorese,
                  
                    Þat so ouer oder kepers es,
                    Line 1280 
                  
                    Aw besily for to be-gyn
                  
                    To hele þam þat er hurt with syn,
                  
                    Thurgh haly lernyng þam to lech,
                  
                    Als crist þus in þe gospel tech;
                    Line 1284 
                  
                    He sais: "to hel folk es no nede
                  
                     [folio 93b] Ficiciens her for to bede,
                  
                    Bot þo men þat er seke & sore
                  
                    Nedes for to haue medcyns mor."
                    Line 1288 
                  
                    A souerayn aw þarfor to send
                  
                    To þe synful, þair mys to mend,
                  
                    Of þe eldest & þe most wise,
                  
                    Bi þair resons to ger þam rise,
                    Line 1292 
                  
                    And tech þam turmentes for to take
                  
                    And suffer þam for godes sake,
                  
                    And so assay bi þer soft saw
                  
                    The synful to meknes at draw.
                    Line 1296

Page 84

                  
                    For ane sinful al suld þai pray
                  
                    Þat god wise hir to better way.
                  
                    Ilka hird aw to do þis,
                  
                    So þat non of his schep perise.
                    Line 1300 
                  
                    And in case þat on perist were,
                  
                    Ensaumpil of crist may we ler
                  
                    To comford þam at our power.
                  
                    For he tels vs on þis maner
                    Line 1304 
                  
                    Bi ensaumpil how a hird-man
                  
                    A febil schepe warest & wane:
                  
                    He left al his flok os him list
                  
                    And went to seke ane þat he myst;
                    Line 1308 
                  
                     [folio 94a] And sune when he had fon þat same,
                  
                    A-pon his bak he broght it ham;
                  
                    And þerof wos he so wele payd,
                  
                    Þat to his neghburs þus he said:"Congratulamini mihi quia inueni ouem quam &c.;—
                    Line 1312 
                  
                    Bes glad & makes mery with me!
                  
                    My schep wos lorn, & fun es he."
                  
                    So aw a souerayn for to seke
                  
                    Þam þat dose wrang, with wordes meke,
                    Line 1316 
                  
                    And fathly faund with myght & mayne
                  
                    To get þam til þe flok ogayne.

                  XXVIII.
                  
                    And if it fall, als god for-bede,
                  
                    Þat ony haue don gret mysdede
                    Line 1320 
                  
                    And wil not mend her bi no way
                  
                    For noght þat men may do or say,
                  
                    For fair wordes ne for chaistying,
                  
                    Ne for dred of þe gret cursyng,
                    Line 1324 
                  
                    Þan sal þe souerayn nyght & day
                  
                    Ger al hir sisters for hir pray.
                  
                    And if sche non wise wil amend,
                  
                    Þan, als þe appostil hase vs kend,
                    Line 1328 
                  
                    Sche salbe catchid fro cumpany,
                  
                    Þat oþer bi not hermyt hir by.
                  
                    For thurgh a schep þat rote hase hent
                  
                    May many schep with rote be schent.
                    Line 1332 
                  
                     [folio 94b] So may a synful man do scath

Page 85

                  
                    Vnto him-self & oþer bath.
                  
                    Swilk foles es best forto for-sake,
                  
                    Sen þat þai wil no mercy take.
                    Line 1336

                  XXIX.
                  
                    And if ane so for wikkid dede
                  
                    Leue hir abbay & hir wede,
                  
                    And lif in world efter þer wil,
                  
                    And sine wold turn þe hows vntil,
                    Line 1340 
                  
                    Þe penance to hir sche sal restore
                  
                    Of þat dede þat sche went oute fore,
                  
                    And profer hir-self to suffer payne
                  
                    At þe ordenance of hir sofferayne,
                    Line 1344 
                  
                    So þat men may hir meknes knaw
                  
                    Thurgh hir lifyng, if it be law.
                  
                    And if sche eft a-way wil go,
                  
                    Eft sal sche be resauyd so.
                    Line 1348 
                  
                    And þe third tyme if sche be gone,
                  
                    A-gayn hir aw not to be tone,
                  
                    Bot whar hir list þan lat hir pas,
                  
                    Als sche þat neuer of order was.
                    Line 1352

                  XXX.
                  
                    Chastying aw mesured to be
                  
                    To ald & ȝung in sere degre.
                  
                    For þe trispas of childer ȝing
                  
                    Aw men to vse soft schastisyng,
                    Line 1356 
                  
                    Als fastyng & betyng with wande
                  
                     [folio 95a] And noþer strakes of staf ne hande.
                  
                    And if þai wil of wordes haf drede,
                  
                    To bete þam þan it es no nede.
                    Line 1360

LXV.

De prepocita, id est subpriorissa.

In þis maner it ordand es, Þat a president subpriores Sal non be chosin for no chanch Bot by þe priores puruyanch. 1364 For [if] it [MS. For it.] wor done oþer-wise,

Page 86

                  
                    Strif & debate myght lightly rise.
                  
                    For if sche wor chosin be þo same
                  
                    Þat chays þe priores by nayme,
                    Line 1368 
                  
                    Þan thurgh eggyng of þe fende
                  
                    A highnes in hir hert myght lend,
                  
                    Thinkand þus in hir awn rede:
                  
                    "If þat þe priores wor dede,
                    Line 1372 
                  
                    Þo same by wham sche chosin es,
                  
                    Wold ches me vnto priores."
                  
                    And so perchanch in swilk a case,
                  
                    If contek in þe couent rase,
                    Line 1376 
                  
                    Þe subpriores so with pride
                  
                    A-gayns hir souerayn suld sone chide,
                  
                    And gete oþer of hir assent
                  
                    To maynteyn hir in swilk entent
                    Line 1380 
                  
                     [folio 95b] And for to supplant hir souerayn;
                  
                    And in swilk case myght sum be slayn
                  
                    And perels fall, als folk may fele.
                  
                    And þarfor es it ordand wele,
                    Line 1384 
                  
                    Þat subpriores & segerstone
                  
                    And oþer offecers ilkon
                  
                    Sal non be chosin bi no way
                  
                    Bot als þe priores wil puruay.
                    Line 1388 
                  
                    And who so oþer-wise hase chose,
                  
                    Þe priores aw þam to depose
                  
                    And oþer in þar stede to take
                  
                    In gude luf & for godes sake.
                    Line 1392 
                  
                    Subpriores sal euer be bayne
                  
                    Vnto þe saws of hir souerayne,
                  
                    And no thing wirk a-gayns hir wil
                  
                    Arely ne layte, ne loude ne stil.
                    Line 1396 
                  
                    For þe mor high state þat þai haue,
                  
                    Þe mor þam aw þer rewle to saue.
                  
                    And if sche groch oght for to do
                  
                    Of thyng þat touches þe rewle vnto,
                    Line 1400 
                  
                    Or if sche maynteyn mor or lese
                  
                    For to myspay hir priores,
                  
                    Or els rebel a-gayns hir rise,
                  
                    Be word sche salbe warnyd thrise,
                    Line 1404 
                  
                    And bi þe iiij tyme, bot if sche mende,

Page 87

                  
                    Be chasted als þe rewle hase kende.
                  
                    And if sche wil not mend hir so,
                  
                     [folio 96a] Sche salbe pute hir office fro,
                    Line 1408 
                  
                    And ordand in hir stede to be
                  
                    On þat es abil to þat degre.
                  
                    And if sche wil not mend hir ȝit,
                  
                    Oute of þair flok sche salbe flit.
                    Line 1412 
                  
                    Bot euer þe priores bus nede
                  
                    Haue gude discreciun in hir dede.
                  
                    Scho bus wirk be non enuy,
                  
                    Bot for þe luf of god anely,
                    Line 1416 
                  
                    Be charite & concience clene,
                  
                    And þe [þe omitted and then added above the line.]  rewle right to maynteyn.
                  
                    And if sche so ordand hir dede,
                  
                    Of god þan getes sche mykil mede.
                    Line 1420

                  XXXI.
                  De eleccione celararie.
                  
                    A Celerer sal schosin be
                  
                    Bi counsel of þe comunalte
                  
                    And fully bi þe hale assent
                  
                    Of þe priores & þe couent,
                    Line 1424 
                  
                    Wise & meke & of myld thews,
                  
                    Not prowd ne lither, like to schrews,
                  
                    Not slaw ne grochand in hir dede,
                  
                    Bot swilk als wil god loue & drede.
                    Line 1428 
                  
                    Scho sal tak ȝeme to mor & les
                  
                    Bi puruyance of þe Priores.
                  
                     [folio 96b] For al sal cum into her hend
                  
                    Þat salbe in hir offece spend.
                    Line 1432 
                  
                    Hir offece sal sche gladly do,
                  
                    And ȝeme wele þat es takyn her to.
                  
                    And who so askes hir skilwis thyng,
                  
                    Sche sal not greue þam with groching.
                    Line 1436 
                  
                    Bot if it a-cord not with wit,
                  
                    Mekely sal scho warn þam it.
                  
                    And if it aw forto be done,
                  
                    Scho sal it gif gladly & sone.
                    Line 1440 
                  
                    So vnto hir gret mede may rise,

Page 88

                  
                    Als þe appostel sais on þis wise:"Qui bene administrauerit, gradum bonum sibi adquirit—
                  
                    Who serues wele, with hertes fre,
                  
                    Wins to þam-self a gud degre."
                    Line 1444 
                  
                    A celerer aw to be myld & meke
                  
                    For to serue þam þat er seke,
                  
                    And ȝong childer, & gestes pore,
                  
                    And oþer þat askes at þe dore.
                    Line 1448 
                  
                    Vnto al swilk tent sal sche take
                  
                    And serue þam for godes sake,
                  
                    Witand of all swilk doing
                  
                     [folio 97a] On domesday sal [sche] [sche or scho is omitted after (or before) sal.]  mak reknyng.
                    Line 1452 
                  
                    Al þe vessel of þe abbay
                  
                    Aw hir to ȝeme in right aray,
                  
                    So þat non perise ne be lorn
                  
                    Be hir defaute ne euyn ne morn.
                    Line 1456 
                  
                    Scho sal not saue hir-selu vntil,
                  
                    Bot wirk al be [hir] souerayn [MS. albe souerayn.]  wil.
                  
                    Fair of answer sal sche be
                  
                    To euer ilkon in þer degre.
                    Line 1460 
                  
                    For meke answer es mykil at prays,
                  
                    Als hali writ witnes & says:"Sermo bonus super datum optimum—
                  
                    Fair wordes in ilka plase
                  
                    Er oboun oþer giftes of grace."
                    Line 1464 
                  
                    A celerer sal gladly fulfil
                  
                    Al þat fals hir offece vntil,
                  
                    And gladly gif when oþer craue,
                  
                    And mekely ask what so [so, see Notes.]  wil haue.
                    Line 1468 
                  
                    And if scho so rewle al hir dede,
                  
                    Þan may scho serue ful mykil mede.

XXXII. De officio sacriste.

The Priores, & oþer nane, Aw for to ches a segerstane 1472 To ring þe bels in right aray

Page 89

                  
                    Til al þer seruys nyght & day.
                  
                    And wisely aw hir forto wirk
                  
                     [folio 97b] To kepe enourmentes of þe kirk,
                    Line 1476 
                  
                    Als chalese, boke, & vestmentes,
                  
                    Relekes, waxe, & annual rentes.
                  
                    Er aw to ordan al bedene,
                  
                    Als vessel, close, & kep þam clene.
                    Line 1480 
                  
                    Indentures suld þai be [We had expected a transitive verb.]  ilkon,
                  
                    And þe priores sal kepe þe tone,
                  
                    So þat when on sal out flit,
                  
                    By þer endenturs may þai wit,
                    Line 1484 
                  
                    What thynges efter on er left
                  
                    To hir þat sal resaf þam eft.
                  
                    And who so wil reklesly wirk
                  
                    Or files þe þinges of haly kirk,
                    Line 1488 
                  
                    Þai salbe chasted greuusly
                  
                    Efter þer warkes es worthi.

                  XXXV.
                  De septimariis coquine.
                  
                    In þe kechin sal þai serue oboute,
                  
                    Ilkon þer wouke with-outyn doute,
                    Line 1492 
                  
                    And serues sal non refuse,
                  
                    Bot if skilwis caus þam excuse,
                  
                    Þat þai til oþer thinges takes tent
                  
                    Mor profetabil to þe couent.
                    Line 1496 
                  
                    And euer þam aw to tak rewarde
                  
                    At euer þe eldest most be sparde.
                  
                     [folio 98a] And when on hase endid hir wouke,
                  
                    Besily hir aw to luke,
                    Line 1500 
                  
                    Þat al be [MS. albe.]  clene þat to hir fell,
                  
                    Both howses, clothes, & wessell,
                  
                    To liuer os clene os scho kan
                  
                    Vnto hir þat sal serue þan,
                    Line 1504 
                  
                    So þat, if oght wantand be,
                  
                    In whom defaut es, may men se.
                  
                    And who so þus salbe seruand
                  
                    May tak a sop wele be-for-hand,
                    Line 1508

Page 90

                  
                    So þat þer penance bi not gret
                  
                    Forto bide til þe latter mete,
                  
                    And for þai sal with meri cher
                  
                    Serue ilkon on sides sere.
                    Line 1512 
                  
                    When on hase seruyd a wouk to end
                  
                    And sal oute of þer seruys wend,
                  
                    Kneland bi-for þe couent
                  
                    Þus sal scho say with gud entent"Benedictus es, domine, qui adiuuisti me—:
                    Line 1516 
                  
                    Blissid be þou, lord, þat neuer falled,
                  
                    Þat hase me helpid & counseld!" [Originally counsailed, or the like.] 
                  
                    Thris on þis wise sal scho say,
                  
                    And blisyng take, & wend hir way.
                    Line 1520 
                  
                     [folio 98b] And scho þat enters in seruese,
                  
                    Kneland sal say on þis wise:"Deus, in adiutorium meum intende—
                  
                    Lord, to my helping þou take hede,
                  
                    And hast þe hertly me to spede!"
                    Line 1524 
                  
                    And with hir hed scho sal bow down
                  
                    And mekely take hir benysoun;
                  
                    And on þis wise when sche don has,
                  
                    Vntil hir serues sal scho pas.
                    Line 1528

XLV.

De delinquentibus in ecclesia.

If þat on faile in ony thing, In verses or saulms to rede or sing, Or in lessons þam er kend, Bot þai mekely þat mys amend 1532 Þair in presens of company, Grete payn sal þai vnderly. And þe nouices, whils þai er ȝing, Aw to be scorid for swilk a thing. 1536

                  XLVI.
                  
                    And als who so wil fayntly faile
                  
                    And not trewly do þer trauayle
                  
                    In kechin, celer, or in cels,
                  
                    In bakkows, brewhows, or ourels,
                    Line 1540 
                  
                    Or els þat loises mor or les

Page 91

                  
                    Bi resoun of þer reklesnes,
                  
                     [folio 99a] And comes not son to þer souerayne
                  
                    For þat trispas to tak þer payne,
                    Line 1544 
                  
                    Bot layns it stil, os no man wist,
                  
                    Til it with oþer be puplist,
                  
                    Þan sal mor payn to þam be layde
                  
                    Þan if þam-self þe suth had saide.
                    Line 1548 
                  
                    For if none wit þerof bot þay,
                  
                    Vnto þer souerayn suld þai sai
                  
                    Or til þer confessure in hi,
                  
                    Þat may þam mend al preuely.
                    Line 1552

                  XLVII.
                  De horis assignandis.
                  
                    Subpriores, als woman wise,
                  
                    Sal kepe þe oures of god seruyse,
                  
                    Or [Or, MS. Er.]  els a-noþer bi her assent
                  
                    Vnto þat office sal tak tent,
                    Line 1556 
                  
                    So þat seruyse bi day & nyght
                  
                    In ilk seson be rewlid right.
                  
                    And scho sal assigne old & ȝing
                  
                    Til all þat þai sal rede or sing,
                    Line 1560 
                  
                    And se þat non sal syng ne rede
                  
                    Bot þat er abil vnto þat dede.
                  
                    And dredefully ilkon sal do
                  
                    Al þat þai er assigned vnto.
                    Line 1564

                  XXXIX.
                  De mensura ciborum.
                  
                    Who to þe kechin sal tak tent
                  
                     [folio 99b] Sal ordan wele for þe couent
                  
                    Euer-ilk-a day ij maners of mete,
                  
                    Bi-caus þat who so may not ete
                    Line 1568 
                  
                    Of þe ton for nokins nede,
                  
                    Of þe toþer þai may þam fede.
                  
                    So til a couent suffes may
                  
                    ij maner of potege ilka day.
                    Line 1572 
                  
                    If þai hafe appils or oþer thing
                  
                    Ordand of þeir awn growyng,

Page 92

                  
                    Þen sal þai make seruys of slike
                  
                    Vnto euer-ilkon in-like.
                    Line 1576 
                  
                    To ilka lady suffise may
                  
                    A pond of bred a-pon a day,
                  
                    Wheder þai wil ete ons or twise.
                  
                    If it be ordand on þis wise,
                    Line 1580 
                  
                    Þat euer-ilkon wil of hir laue
                  
                    Þe third part til hir sopper saue,
                  
                    And to þe celerer wil it seme
                  
                    Swilk seruys for to saf & ȝeme.
                    Line 1584 
                  
                    And who so wendes gret trauel til
                  
                    Salbe seruyd at þer souerans wil,
                  
                    With mor or les þat es to mene,
                  
                    Bot euer þat non outrage be sene;
                    Line 1588 
                  
                     [folio 100a] For no thyng es [als] gret [MS. es gret; cf. p. 28, ll. 11-12.]  enmy
                  
                    Vnto godes folk als glotony.
                  
                    And þarfor þus sais iesus crist,
                  
                    Als witnes wele þe euaungelest:"Videte ne grauentur corda uestra crapula et ebrietate—
                    Line 1592 
                  
                    Greues not ȝour hartes for no nede
                  
                    With glotony & dronkenhede."
                  
                    And les mesur in ilka thing
                  
                    Salbe vsid to childer ȝyng.
                    Line 1596

                  XL.
                  De mensura potus.
                  
                    The mesure salbe of þer drink
                  
                    Set efter þer souerayn think,
                  
                    Efter þai trauel arely & late,
                  
                    And after þe plais es cald or hate; [MS. hete; cf. 2004.] 
                    Line 1600 
                  
                    Bot at þai neuer assent vntil
                  
                    Þair flesch ȝernyng fully to fil.
                  
                    Softly sal þai tast, & fair,
                  
                    Drynk þat may þer hedes inpair,
                    Line 1604 
                  
                    Als myghty wyne or nobil aile.
                  
                    For þe wisman tels slik a taile:
                  
                    "Wyne þat es myghty & strang
                  
                    Mase witty men forto wirk wrang."
                    Line 1608

Page 93

                  
                    Þarfor es wit, to lest & mast,
                  
                    Wine or aile softly to tast.
                  
                    And if þai in slik places be,
                  
                    Þat þai of noþer haf plente,
                    Line 1612 
                  
                     [folio 100b] Swilk os þai find þen sal þai fande,
                  
                    And loue god hertly of his sande.

                  XXXIII.
                  Vt nichil proprium habeant.
                  
                    In relegion, als it es knawn,
                  
                    Sal þai haf no thing of þer awn,
                    Line 1616 
                  
                    Ne no þing clame be propirte,
                  
                    Bot al þing sal in comun be.
                  
                    No giftes sal [þai] gif [MS. sal gif.]  ne take
                  
                    Bot anly for þeir souerayn sake,
                    Line 1620 
                  
                    Ne no þing sal þai clayme ne craue
                  
                    Bot als þer souerayn wouches saue.
                  
                    Tabels, boke, ne oþer gere
                  
                    With-outyn hir wil sal þai none were,
                    Line 1624 
                  
                    Bot whatkyn þing so on haf sall,
                  
                    Þat salbe comun vnto þam all.
                  
                    Scho þat wil not wirk on þis wise,
                  
                    Scho salbe warned anes or twise;
                    Line 1628 
                  
                    And if scho so mend not hir hert,
                  
                    With greter payn scho salbe gert.

                  XXXIV.
                  
                    For haly writ witnes & sais
                  
                    How þai þat wons so in abbais
                    Line 1632 
                  
                    Aw to haue leuer of al thing
                  
                    Þat leful es to þeir lifing.
                  
                    And ilkon aw in-like to haue,
                  
                    And efter mor aw non to craue.
                    Line 1636 
                  
                     [folio 101a] Bot euer-ilkon, als I air saide,
                  
                    Of hir part sal hald hir paide.
                  
                    And if ony be so vnbayne
                  
                    In word or werk to groch ogayn,
                    Line 1640 
                  
                    And scho þer-of þan be ascried,
                  
                    With penance sal scho be chastid.

Page 94

                  XXXVI.
                  De sororibus infirmis.
                  
                    When ony of godes saynd[s] [MS. saynd.]  es seke,
                  
                    All þe oþer sal with hertes meke
                    Line 1644 
                  
                    Confort hir & with hir dwell,
                  
                    Als crist vs kens in his gospell:
                  
                    "Seke I wos," suthly sais he,
                  
                    "And kindly com ȝe vnto me.
                    Line 1648 
                  
                    For þat ȝe did oþer in my name,
                  
                    Vnto my-self ȝe did þe same."
                  
                    Þai þat er seke sal vnder-take
                  
                    Þat oþer þam serues for gode sake
                    Line 1652 
                  
                    And forto fulfil charite,
                  
                    And nothing for þer awn degre.
                  
                    In seknes suld þai haf sufferans
                  
                    And loue god euer of alkyn chanch.
                    Line 1656 
                  
                    For þe mor þai er meke & stil,
                  
                    Þe mor mede es ordand þam til.
                  
                    And so a souerayn sal euer be meke
                  
                     [folio 101b] And bowsum to þam þat er seke,
                    Line 1660 
                  
                    And with gude [wil] alway [MS. gude alway.]  to spend
                  
                    On ony þing þat myght þam mend,
                  
                    And ordan seruandes þam vntil,
                  
                    Þat wil þam serue with gude wil,
                    Line 1664 
                  
                    And honest place for to be in,
                  
                    Whor þai may [s]it [MS. it, apparently a blunder for some verb, possibly sit or li.]  with-outyn dyn.
                  
                    Bathes & bawmes sal þai haue
                  
                    Als oft-sithes os þai wil craue.
                    Line 1668 
                  
                    And gladli sal men [men omitted and then added above the line.]  to þam gete
                  
                    Flesch or fisch, what þai wil ete.
                  
                    And when þai er fulli amend,
                  
                    Lif furth als þe rewle hase kend.
                    Line 1672

XXXVII.

A souerayn aw forto be-hald ȝapli vnto ȝong & ald,

Page 95

                  
                    Þat euer-ilkon in þer degre
                  
                    Be ordand als þam aw to be,
                    Line 1676 
                  
                    So þat þe ȝong may trauel tast,
                  
                    And þe eldest be hordand mast.

                  XXXVIII.
                  De leccione ad prandium.
                  
                    The couent, when þai set at mete,
                  
                    For to rede sal þai not for-gete.
                    Line 1680 
                  
                    On þe sunnday sal on begin,
                  
                    And al þat wouke scho sal not blin.
                  
                    Vnto hir felos sal scho say,
                  
                     [folio 102a] Besekand þat þai for hir pray.
                    Line 1684 
                  
                    And sone when þat scho enters in,
                  
                    Þis vers to say scho sal be-gin: [MS. salbe gin.] "Domine, labia mea aparies—
                  
                    Lord, opin my lippes als gastly lech,
                  
                    And my moth sal þi louyng tech."
                    Line 1688 
                  
                    Hir souerain sal blis hir gud spede,
                  
                    And so scho sal be-gin [MS. salbe gin.]  to rede.
                  
                    Þan of al nose þai salbe stil
                  
                    And grathly tak entent hir til.
                    Line 1692 
                  
                    If any of þam nede oght to haue,
                  
                    Softly with signes þai sal it craue.
                  
                    And scho þat redes sal sithen ete
                  
                    With þam þat serues at þe mete.
                    Line 1696 
                  
                    And in order þai sal not rede,
                  
                    Bot who so best can do þat dede,
                  
                    And most likandly tels & leres
                  
                    Vnto þam þat þe lesson heres.
                    Line 1700

XLI.

In quibus horis reficiantur.

Of time of mete now es to lere, In times & sesons of þe ȝere. Fro pas right vnto witsunnday At þe sext our ete sal þai, 1704 Þe whilk es midday for to mene, And sine sal þai soupe bedene.

Page 96

                  
                     [folio 102b] In somer, fro witsunday be past,
                  
                    Wedinsday & friday sal þai fast,
                    Line 1708 
                  
                    Bot if þai oþer swink or swete
                  
                    In hay or corn with trauel grete.
                  
                    And if þai non slike trauel done,
                  
                    On þos days sal þai fast to none.
                    Line 1712 
                  
                    And on oþer days, als I air saide,
                  
                    At mydday sal þer mete be graide.
                  
                    Bot al þis salbe purued playn
                  
                    At þe ordinance of þer souerayn.
                    Line 1716 
                  
                    What seson so scho putes þam to,
                  
                    With-outin groching sal þai do.
                  
                    Fro time þat december be-gin
                  
                    Vntil clene lentyn cum in,
                    Line 1720 
                  
                    At hi none sal þai ete;
                  
                    Þer lesons sal þai not for-gete.
                  
                    In lentyn sal non to mete gang,
                  
                    Or efter þe our of euyn-sang;
                    Line 1724 
                  
                    And al seruys þan sal þai sai
                  
                    Efter mete bi light of day,
                  
                    So þat al be [MS. albe.]  rewlid right
                  
                    At wend to bede bi dais lyght.
                    Line 1728

                  XLII.
                  Vt non loquantur post complectorium.
                  
                    In times when þai sal soup infere,
                  
                    Þen sal þai set efter soppere
                  
                     [folio 103a] Al in a stede, whor þai wil sit,
                  
                    And rede lessons of hali writ
                    Line 1732 
                  
                    Or els of liues of hali men,
                  
                    Þat gastly comfort may þam ken.
                  
                    Tales of trofils þai sal non tel,
                  
                    Ne oþer maters þan of mel,
                    Line 1736 
                  
                    Þat may let haly orisoun
                  
                    Or driue þam fro deuocioun.
                  
                    On fastyngdais, in ilka place,
                  
                    Efter euynsang a litil space
                    Line 1740 
                  
                    In a stede þai sal set down.
                  
                    And mak a schort colaciown.

Page 97

                  
                    And als son os þai haf done,
                  
                    Al samen sal þai wend ful son
                    Line 1744 
                  
                    Vnto complin, mor & myn.
                  
                    And efter þe our of complin
                  
                    In þer hertes al sal þai hurd,
                  
                    And non haue lef to spek a word,
                    Line 1748 
                  
                    Bot gestes or oþer þinges it gar—
                  
                    Bot þai spek it myght be-war—
                  
                    Or if þer souerayn say þam to
                  
                    Nedeful thinges þai er to do.
                    Line 1752 
                  
                    Vnto hir sal þai answer þan
                  
                    Als curtesly als euer þai kan.
                  
                    And preuely so sal þai say,
                  
                    Þat non þam here bot scho & þay. [þay was subsequently altered into day; cf.  Notes.] 
                    Line 1756 
                  
                     [folio 103b] And oþer speking salbe none
                  
                    Fro tyme þat þai haue complyn done.

                  XLIII.
                  Vt cito veniant ad missam & ad mensam.
                  
                    Als son als þai here þe beles
                  
                    To mes, matyns, or oght els,
                    Line 1760 
                  
                    Þan sal þai hast þam on al wise
                  
                    Sone to com to godes seruyse.
                  
                    Wheder so euer þai sit or stand,
                  
                    Al thyng sone sal þai lef of hand
                    Line 1764 
                  
                    And wightly to þe kirk at win;
                  
                    Bot neuer-þe-les þai sal not ryn.
                  
                    And who es not redy grayd,
                  
                    When gloria efter þe first saulm es said,
                    Line 1768 
                  
                    In order þen þai sal not be,
                  
                    Bot stand in þe lawest degre,
                  
                    Þat þai be of þer souerayn sene
                  
                    And of þair sisters al be-dene. [MS. albe dene.] 
                    Line 1772 
                  
                    And so þai sal with repentans
                  
                    Mak amendes for swilk a chanch.
                  
                    For in þam-self þai sal haue schame
                  
                    Line 1776

Page 98

                  
                    Þat þai er worthi to ber slik blaym.
                    Line 1776 
                  
                    In þe quer sal þai stand algate,
                  
                    And al if on cum neuer so late; [1775-1778 were written, by mistake, in this order: 1776, 1778, 1775, 1777.  Then, by way of correction, the letters b, d, a, c were added in the margin.] 
                  
                     [folio 104a] For els sum wold take no kepe,
                  
                    Bot oþer ianglyng or els slepe,
                    Line 1780 
                  
                    And als for þai þat standes in quere
                  
                    Sal haue part of al þat þai here.
                  
                    And if on dwel so lang oway
                  
                    At ony of þe houres of þe day,
                    Line 1784 
                  
                    Þe same þan salbe þeir mede,
                  
                    And noþer sal þai sing ne rede.
                  
                    In þe lawest stede sal þai stand,
                  
                    Bot if þeir souerayn þam command.
                    Line 1788 
                  
                    At þe mete so sal it fair
                  
                    Of þam þat er not redi þair
                  
                    To say þe grace & take þer sete;
                  
                    Þai sal bide to þe latter mete.
                    Line 1792 
                  
                    And who so wil not be chastid,
                  
                    Til langer efter sal scho bide
                  
                    And sine be hir allayn to sit,
                  
                    And sum seruice sal hir want ȝit
                    Line 1796 
                  
                    Of mete or drynk þat myght hir glade,
                  
                    Vntil scho haue amendes mayde.
                  
                    Þe same payn es to þam puruayde
                  
                    Þat bides [not] til [MS. bides til.]  þe grace be sayde
                    Line 1800 
                  
                    Efter mete, als it es vsed,
                  
                    Bot þai haue caus to be excused.

                  XLIV.
                   [folio 104b] De modo satisfaccionis.
                  
                    Scho þat es for cursed kend
                  
                    And wilfully wil hir amend,
                    Line 1804 
                  
                    Scho sal wait þe tyme of þe day
                  
                    When þe couent in þe schapiter pray,
                  
                    And doun scho sal fall in þe flore
                  
                    Opon hir face be-for þe dore,
                    Line 1808 
                  
                    And oblis hir vntil þer fete
                  
                    Murnand sore hir mys to bete.
                  
                    And ilk day [MS. ilkday.]  sal þis be hir mese,
                  
                    Line 1812

Page 99

                  
                    Vntil hir souerayn bid hir sese.
                    Line 1812 
                  
                    And if hir souerayn þedir hir call,
                  
                    Vntil hir fete first sal scho fall,
                  
                    And sine lig in hir aller way
                  
                    Besekand þam for hir to pray.
                    Line 1816 
                  
                    If hir souerayn, þat hase power,
                  
                    Gif hir leue to cum in quer,
                  
                    On hir knes doun sal scho fall,
                  
                    Þat scho may be sene of þam all.
                    Line 1820 
                  
                    Þis penance ilk day [MS. ilkday.]  sal scho do,
                  
                    Vntil hir souerayn se þerto.
                  
                    And when scho ful mendyng may trow,
                  
                    Scho sal say: "sese! it suffes now."
                    Line 1824

XLVIII.

                    De operibus cotidianis.
                    
                      All þat wons in religioun
                    
                      Aw to haue sum ocupacioun
                    
                      Ouþer in kirk of hali bedes
                    
                       [folio 105a] Or stodying in oder stedes.
                      Line 1828 
                    
                      For ydilnes, os sais sant paul,
                    
                      Es grete enmy vnto þe saul.
                    
                      And þerfor es ordand þat þai
                    
                      Sum gude warkes sal wirk alway,
                      Line 1832 
                    
                      And sum certane times of þe ȝer
                    
                      To wirk with hand, os men may her.
                    
                      Fro pase, thurgh al cristyndome,
                    
                      Til þe kalandes of october cum,
                      Line 1836 
                    
                      Vnto prime sone sal þai rise,
                    
                      And sine ilkon wirk on þer wise
                    
                      What so es most nedeful labore
                    
                      Vntil þe tyme of þe third oure.
                      Line 1840 
                    
                      And lessons sal þai rede þan next
                    
                      Fro þe third our vnto þe sext.
                    
                      And efterward thurgh wirchep  [The rhyme-word is missing, possibly kete, 'glad,' 'gladdened,' 'strengthened.'] 
                    
                      Fro oures & mes wend vnto mete.
                      Line 1844 
                    
                      And efter mete, þen sal þai slepe,
                    
                      And silence al samen sal þai kepe,

Page 100

                    
                      So þat none do oþer disese,
                    
                      Bot ilkon paid oþer to plese.
                      Line 1848 
                    
                      Sone efterward, when þis es done
                    
                      And þai haf said þe our of none,
                    
                      Vntil þeir werk þen sal þai gang
                    
                       [folio 105b] Vnto þe tyme of euynsang,
                      Line 1852 
                    
                      To scher or bind, if it be nede,
                    
                      Or dike or els do oþer dede.
                    
                      For vnto trauel wor we born,
                    
                      And al our elders vs be-forn.
                      Line 1856 
                    
                      Bot trauel aw mesurd to be
                    
                      Til ilkon efter þer degre,
                    
                      To men or women, old or ȝing,
                    
                      Ilkon to do diuers þing.
                      Line 1860 
                    
                      Fro october, os I are sayd,
                    
                      Vnto lentyn es þus puruayd:
                    
                      In orisons & in þer oures
                    
                      And lessons salbe þer laboures.
                      Line 1864

                    De obseruanciis in xlesima. [Originally belongs to the following chapter.] 
                    
                      In lentyn tyme þen sal þai rise
                    
                      Arly, & say þer seruyse
                    
                      And orisons til godes honoure,
                    
                      Vntil it be past þe third oure.
                      Line 1868 
                    
                      Þan to þe tent our sal þai wirk,
                    
                      And sine til non serue in þe kirk.
                    
                      And in lentyn aw þam to luke
                    
                      Þat ilkon haue ordand a buke,
                      Line 1872 
                    
                      Whilk salbe red right to þe end,
                    
                      Als þe cours of þe rewl hase kend.
                    
                      And who so groches oght here-o-gayn
                    
                       [folio 106a] Salbe punest with greuus payne.
                      Line 1876 
                    
                      Who tentes to trofils & wil not rede
                    
                      And þai ouertayn with þat dede,
                    
                      With payn þai sal amendes make,
                    
                      So þat oþer ensaumpil take.
                      Line 1880

XLIX.

In lentyn aw þam to be clere Be-for all oþer times of þe ȝere,

Page 101

                  
                    In haly bedes þat tyme to lif,
                  
                    And vnto god haly þam gif,
                    Line 1884 
                  
                    Abstenand þam fro drynk & mete,
                  
                    And gif þam vnto penance grete,
                  
                    And fand to fle al flesch likyng
                  
                    And honor god ouer alkines þing.
                    Line 1888 
                  
                    With clene desire so sal þai bide
                  
                    Þe tyme of paise, þai sal þat tide,
                  
                    And kepe þat, lord, so with clene life,
                  
                    Þat medcyn es to man & wife.
                    Line 1892

                  L.
                  
                    Þai þat sal walk bi way, or wirk,
                  
                    And may not cum to haly kirk,
                  
                    In what stede so þai be sett,
                  
                    Þeir seruyse sal þai not for-gete,
                    Line 1896 
                  
                    Bot kepe all þe oures of þe day
                  
                    With als grete honoure os þai may,
                  
                    And say þer seruyse in ilk seson
                  
                    With wil & gude deuocioun.
                    Line 1900

                   [folio 106b] LI.
                  
                    And if on sal on erand wend
                  
                    Furthward vnto ony frend
                  
                    A þinkes to com a-gayn þat day,
                  
                    Al if men vnto mete þam pray,
                    Line 1904 
                  
                    For to ete sal þai not assent,
                  
                    Bot if þai asked leue, or þai went.
                  
                    And who so trispas in þis þing,
                  
                    Þai ryn in peryl of cursyng.
                    Line 1908

LII.

De oracione in secretis.

In chapiter or kirk who likes to lend, When godes seruys is sayd til end, To mak þeir meditaciouns In haly prayers & orisouns, 1912 So preuely þen sal þai pray, Þat non oþer here quat þai say. And preualy furth sal þai wyn, 1916

Page 102

                  
                    Þat þai let none þat lefes þerin.
                    Line 1916 
                  
                    Þus euer ilkon sal hald silence,
                  
                    When þai sal pray in godes precens,
                  
                    Noght with crying ne voce ful grete,
                  
                    Bot with murnyng on brest to bete.
                    Line 1920 
                  
                    Who so wil not do os I tel,
                  
                    In prayng þai sal not dwel,
                  
                    Bot furth þai sal be had in hy,
                  
                     [folio 107a] Þat oþer be not harmyd þerby.
                    Line 1924

                  LIII.
                  De hospitibus suscipiendis.
                  
                    A Priores aw to be prest
                  
                    Forto resaue ilka gude gest
                  
                    And at hir myght þam mere make
                  
                    Soueraynly for godes sake,
                    Line 1928 
                  
                    Namely þam þat er pilgrams knawn,
                  
                    And pouer þat hase not of þer awn.
                  
                    For god vntil [vs] þus [MS. vntil þus.]  sal say
                  
                    In dome, a-pon þe dredful day:"Hospes eram et colligistis me—
                    Line 1932 
                  
                    I wos a gest in my degre,
                  
                    And in ȝour hous ȝe herberd me."
                  
                    Þan aw vs gestes & gud pilgrims
                  
                    For to releue in al þere lims
                    Line 1936 
                  
                    And for to refresch in al right,
                  
                    Als it es det be day & nyght,
                  
                    And oblis þam kissink of pese
                  
                    Perfite luf forto encres.
                    Line 1940 
                  
                    And when þai cum, bi day or nyght,
                  
                    And also when þai wend to flight,
                  
                    Loute vnto þam aw grete & small
                  
                    Or els vnto þer fete at fall,
                    Line 1944 
                  
                    Witand wele in þat sesoune
                  
                    Þai honour crist in þer persoune.
                  
                    For who so resaues þe pure man
                  
                     [folio 107b] In crist name, resaues crist þan.
                    Line 1948 
                  
                    A souerayn sal ger gestes kepe

Page 103

                  
                    With honour & with gret wirchepe
                  
                    Or rede to þam, or ger be rede,
                  
                    How hali men þer liues lede,
                    Line 1952 
                  
                    So þat he [he is a mistake, possibly for þer or it.]  be to þam puplist,
                  
                    How þai sal lif be þe law of crist.
                  
                    A priores hir fast sal breke,
                  
                    And silence, when scho suld not speke,
                    Line 1956 
                  
                    To myrth hir gestes in þat scho may,
                  
                    Bot if it be dere fasting day
                  
                    And ymbrin-days or els vigil,
                  
                    Whilk ilka man es bun vntil.
                    Line 1960 
                  
                    Bot al if scho brek, be ȝe bold, [Originally bald.] 
                  
                    Þe couent sal þeir right curs hald.
                  
                    Scho sal gif water vnto þer hend [MS. hand.] 
                  
                    And wesch þeir fete, als crist hase kend.
                    Line 1964 
                  
                    When þai so do, þai sal reherce,
                  
                    Word bi word, & say þis verce:"Suscepimus, deus, misericordiam tuam in medio—
                  
                    We haue resauyd, lord, þi mercy
                  
                    In þe mydes of þe hows [Originally þi hows.]  haly."
                    Line 1968 
                  
                    On þis maner crist wil vs ken
                  
                    To resaue pilgrims & pouer men,
                  
                    For when we þam resaue with wil,
                  
                     [folio 108a] Crist resaue we vs vntil.
                    Line 1972 
                  
                    Þe gestes kechin salbe set
                  
                    Allone, þat it no noþer let,
                  
                    So þat þai be seruyd at ese,
                  
                    And ilkman redy þam to plese.
                    Line 1976 
                  
                    And luk þer bedes ordand bene
                  
                    With litter larch & clothes clene,
                  
                    And swilk seruandes assigned þam til
                  
                    Þat wil þam serue with gude wil.
                    Line 1980 
                  
                    None aw þam do forto greue,
                  
                    Ne speke with þam with-outyn leue,
                  
                    Bot loutand hals þam wher þai go
                  
                    And with blissing pase furth þam fro.
                    Line 1984

Page 104

                  LIV.
                  Vt nichil accipiant sine lisencia.
                  
                    If litters or bils be sent to rede,
                  
                    Or oþer giftes of greter mede
                  
                    Be send fro frendes in feld or toun
                  
                    Til women of religioun,
                    Line 1988 
                  
                    Scho sal resaue non hir vntil,
                  
                    Bot scho first wit hir souerayn wil.
                  
                    And if hir frendes fer or nere
                  
                    Send hir gudes or giftes sere,
                    Line 1992 
                  
                    Or scho þam tak for ony nede,
                  
                     [folio 108b] To þe priores scho sal þam bede.
                  
                    And if þe priores at hir wil
                  
                    Gif þo giftes a-noder vntil,
                    Line 1996 
                  
                    Scho vnto wham þe giftes whor sent,
                  
                    Sal not be greuyd in hir entent,
                  
                    If hir presand be so puruayd,
                  
                    Bot in hert sal scho hold hir payde.
                    Line 2000 
                  
                    For what þer souerayn dose ilk dele
                  
                    Aw þam to think worthi & wele.

                  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

Page 105

                  
                    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

LVI.

De mensa priorisse.

A Priores bord aw forto be Euer-mor vntil al gestes fre, Þat es to mene vnto pouer men. And when non cumes, scho sal take þen 2052 Of þe eldest & þe most nedy Of hir sisters þat wons hir by,

Page 106

In stede of pouer folk, þam to fede; So may scho wyn hir mykil mede. 2056

                  LVII.
                  
                    If ony woman can oght do
                  
                    Þat ony wining falles vnto,
                  
                    All þe prophet of þeir wyning
                  
                    Vnto þeir souerayn sal þai bryng.
                    Line 2060 
                  
                    And if ony hafe pryde þer-by,
                  
                    It sal be tayn fro þam in hy,
                  
                    And neuer more sal þay negh nere,
                  
                    Bot þe priores gif þam power.
                    Line 2064 
                  
                     [folio 110a] And þat sal not fall, bot scho se
                  
                    Þat þai be meke & obidient be,
                  
                    And wil gif al þeir wyning fayn
                  
                    To þe ordenance of þer souerayn,
                    Line 2068 
                  
                    And wil luf god in ilka place,
                  
                    Þat gifes to þam swilk giftes of grace.

                  LVIII.
                  De probacione suscipiendorum.
                  
                    All if a woman ful eld haue,
                  
                    And religion wil to hir craue,
                    Line 2072 
                  
                    And hase non entisment þer-til
                  
                    Bot oblis hir awn wil,
                  
                    Fully resauyd sal scho not be,
                  
                    Or tyme þai [þai, MS. þ t.  See Notes.]  hir perseuerans se
                    Line 2076 
                  
                    And prow hir both be nyghtes & days,
                  
                    Als þe appostil playnly says.
                  
                    Hir hert & wil er both to proue,
                  
                    If þai be gifin til godes bi-houe,
                    Line 2080 
                  
                    And mak þam forto vnderstand
                  
                    Þe hardnes of religioun band.
                  
                    And if scho bide iiij days or fyue
                  
                    And schews grete lawnes in hir liue,
                    Line 2084 
                  
                    Vnto hir salbe graunte entre;
                  
                    Bot als a gest ȝit sal scho be
                  
                    And sine a place forto haue grayde,
                  
                     [folio 110b] Als vnto nouysces es puruayd,
                    Line 2088 
                  
                    And a mastres her forto lere

Page 107

                  
                    Hir obseruandes & seruys sere,
                  
                    And to schew hir both gude & ill
                  
                    Þat scho salbe obidient til.
                    Line 2092 
                  
                    And if scho be willy always
                  
                    To suffer what hir mastres sais,
                  
                    Sithen efter ij moneth space,
                  
                    Þan sal þai bring þis rewle in place
                    Line 2096 
                  
                    And tel vntil hir opinly
                  
                    Þis law þat hir aw to lif by.
                  
                    When it es red on right array,
                  
                    Þe priores sal til hir say:
                    Line 2100 
                  
                    "Þis rewle if þou may ȝeme & saue,
                  
                    We grant þe entre here to haue;
                  
                    And if þou may not þerwith lend,
                  
                    We grant þe lefe frely to wend."
                    Line 2104 
                  
                    And if scho þan wil langer dwel,
                  
                    Scho sal bide in þe noues sel
                  
                    At gud laser to lig & rise,
                  
                    So þat scho may hir wele awise
                    Line 2108 
                  
                    In hir hert, if scho be bald
                  
                    Þe rewle to tak þat scho es tald.
                  
                    When sex moneths er fully gon,
                  
                    Þen sall þis rewel eft furth be ton
                    Line 2112 
                  
                     [folio 111a] And red to hir, os mykil os nedes,
                  
                    How scho sal rewle both wordes & dedes.
                  
                    And if scho ȝit wil lely last,
                  
                    When xij moneths er playnly past,
                    Line 2116 
                  
                    Þis sal eft be to hir red,
                  
                    So þat scho be not lyghtli led,
                  
                    And þat scho wit be on & on
                  
                    Þe pontes wher-to scho hase hir tone.
                    Line 2120 
                  
                    And if scho so with a-visement
                  
                    Hete to fulfil with gude entent
                  
                    What so þai deme bi day or nyght,
                  
                    Þen sal scho be resauyd right
                    Line 2124 
                  
                    Into þe kirk emang þam all;
                  
                    And þat day þerin dwel scho sall.
                  
                    In hir-self þen sal scho knaw
                  
                    Þat scho sal neuer, for godes aw,
                    Line 2128 
                  
                    Fro þat rewle reklisly gang,

Page 108

                  
                    Sen þat scho es avised so lang.
                  
                    To chapitur sine scho salbe tayn
                  
                    In-mang þe couent euer-ilkayn,
                    Line 2132 
                  
                    And vnto god þer sal scho hete,
                  
                    Falland doun be-for þer fete,
                  
                     [folio 111b] Þat scho sall fathfuly fulfill
                  
                    Al þat þai haue told hir till.
                    Line 2136 
                  
                    Vnto mary, cristes moder dere,
                  
                    And to al halows of heuyn clere
                  
                    Sal scho hete þer þam emang.
                  
                    Þan may scho wit: if scho do wrang
                    Line 2140 
                  
                    Or maynten it not with hir mayine, [MS. hirmayine.] 
                  
                    Al wil þai witnes hir ogayne.
                  
                    Þan sal scho make blithly hir bown
                  
                    And puruay hir peticioun.
                    Line 2144 
                  
                    With hir awn hand it salbe wroght,
                  
                    Or with a-noþer, if scho can noght;
                  
                    Bot scho sal luke þat it be lele,
                  
                    And set þerto signet or sele.
                    Line 2148 
                  
                    On þe awter scho sal it lay,
                  
                    And þer wordes þen sal scho say:"Suscipe me, domine, secundum eloquium tuum, et viuam, & non confundar."
                  
                    And þir same [wordes] on [MS. same on.]  þis wise
                  
                    Sal þai ilkon reherce thrise
                    Line 2152 
                  
                    With "gloria patri" put þerto
                  
                    And "Sicut erat" sine also.
                  
                    Þe nouese þan be-for þam all
                  
                    Al flat vnto þe erth sal fall,
                    Line 2156 
                  
                     [folio 112a] Besekand þam on ilka side
                  
                    For to pray for hir þat tide.
                  
                    Fro þat day sal scho rekynd be
                  
                    On þe couent in hir degre.
                    Line 2160 
                  
                    And al þe þinges þat scho hase þen,
                  
                    Ouþer sal scho ȝif þam to pouer men,
                  
                    Besekand þam for hir to pray,
                  
                    Or els vnto hir awn abbay.
                    Line 2164 
                  
                    Vnto hir-self scho sal haue noght
                  
                    Of al þat scho hase þeder broght.

Page 109

                  
                    Vntil oþer scho sal it take,
                  
                    And hir awn wil scho sal for-sake.
                    Line 2168 
                  
                    Hir awn wedes scho sal lay doun
                  
                    And take cloths of religioun.
                  
                    Hir cloths sal þan albedene
                  
                    Be samyn layd & kepid clene,
                    Line 2172 
                  
                    Þat if case fall at þe ȝere end
                  
                    Þat scho in-to þe world wil wend,
                  
                    Þe same wede þat scho can for-sake,
                  
                    Þat sal scho were & with hir take.
                    Line 2176 
                  
                    Bot hir bil of peticioun
                  
                    Sall leue stil in religioun.

                  LIX.
                  De nouicijs iuuenibus suscipiendis.
                  
                    [M]ay fal þat ouþer man or wife [Cf. p. 9, l. 22 ff.] 
                  
                     [folio 112b] Wold haue þer child  [A prep. (in) or verb (lede, lere) seems to be omitted.]  haly life,
                    Line 2180 
                  
                    And offer it vnto haly kirk;
                  
                    On þis wise þam aw to wirk:
                  
                    If þer child be so ȝung,
                  
                    Þat it can not tel with tung [2183 and 2184 were written, by mistake, in the reverse order.  Then the letters b and a were added in the margin.  Cf. 1775 ff.  The words it and not in 2184 were omitted and then added above the line.] 
                    Line 2184 
                  
                    What es to leue ne what to take,
                  
                    Þen sal þe frendes peticions make.
                  
                    Tak þai sal þe childes hand
                  
                    And bil & þer awn offerand
                    Line 2188 
                  
                    With reuerence, os þe rewle hase kend,
                  
                    And law al on þe awter end.
                  
                    And when þai mak peticioun,
                  
                    A certayn soume þai sal lay doune,
                    Line 2192 
                  
                    Or els hete of þer gudes to gif
                  
                    Whor-of þer child may lere to lif.
                  
                    Til it-self sal þai gif no thing,
                  
                    Gold ne siluer, broch ne ryng,
                    Line 2196 
                  
                    Bot opinly it gif sal þai
                  
                    Vnto god & to þe abbay,
                  
                    And childer þat frenchep hase none,
                  
                    For godes sake þai salbe tone.
                    Line 2200

Page 110

                  LXIII.
                  
                    And fro time þai resauyd be,
                  
                     [folio 113a] Al salbe sarued in o degre,
                  
                    Rich & pure, & ȝong & old,
                  
                    In form os be-for es told.
                    Line 2204 
                  
                    Bot þe ȝong, whor so þai err,
                  
                    Sal ordan [ordan, corrupt for honor or the like?  Cf. p. 9, l. 13.]  þam þat er elder,
                  
                    And þe elder in alkins þing
                  
                    Sal luf & lere þam þat er ȝing.
                    Line 2208 
                  
                    "Damisel" þe ȝongest es,
                  
                    Þe elder "madaum" & "mastres."
                  
                    Þe Priores als principall
                  
                    Es "lady" & leder of þam all,
                    Line 2212 
                  
                    And not al for hir awn bi-houe,
                  
                    Bot for hir staite & cristes luf.
                  
                    And whor so euer þai gang o-boute,
                  
                    Þe ȝonger sal þe elder loute
                    Line 2216 
                  
                    And do þam reuerence, als es right,
                  
                    In word & dede, be day & nyght.

LXIV.

                    De eleccione priorisse.
                    
                      A Priores aw to be chosen
                    
                      Þe best in lifyng leli losen,
                      Line 2220 
                    
                      Be ordinance & bi hali assent
                    
                      And councel of al þe couent,
                    
                      Takand non for luf ne mede,
                    
                      Ne leueand non for aw ne drede;
                      Line 2224 
                    
                      Bot for gude luf & for godes sake
                    
                       [folio 113b] A worthi souerayn sal þai take,
                    
                      Whilk þai knaw perfite & stabil,
                    
                      And als emang þaim most abill
                      Line 2228 
                    
                      Of wit & cunsel & of cunyng,
                    
                      And vsand euynhed in al thing.
                    
                      And if it fel, os god forbede,
                    
                      Þat ony wold for worldly mede
                      Line 2232 
                    
                      Samyn be þam-self assent,
                    
                      With-outyn consel of þe couent,
                    
                      Forto chese swilk a souerayn
                    
                      Line 2236

Page 111

                    
                      Als to þer bedynges wold be bayn,
                      Line 2236 
                    
                      And þair doyng wor fundyn slike,
                    
                      Þen sal þe bisschop of þat rike
                    
                      Swilk a priores sone depose,
                    
                      And mak on bi þeir aller chose.
                      Line 2240 
                    
                      And foles þat in þer fath wil fayle,
                    
                      Þai salbe chastid fro cownsaile,
                    
                      So þat in godes hows may be
                    
                      A gude ȝemer of godes menȝe.
                      Line 2244 
                    
                      For wit þai wele þat þai sal cum
                    
                      To reknyng on þe day of dome
                    
                      For þer myschesing þam omang,
                    
                      Als sche sal for hir warkes wrang.
                      Line 2248 
                    
                      And if þai chese wele & lely,
                    
                      Þan falles a ful grete mede þerby,
                    
                       [folio 114a] So þat þai tak gude rewarde
                    
                      Þat noder on be spede ne oþer sparde
                      Line 2252 
                    
                      For no ponte þat men may pruefe,
                    
                      Bot anely for our lordes lufe.
                    
                      When scho es chosin on þis maner
                    
                      And confermyd in hir playne power,
                      Line 2256 
                    
                      Þen aw hir forto luke allayn [MS. alleyn.] 
                    
                      Vnto þat charch þat scho hase tayn
                    
                      And vnto wham hir aw to ȝeld
                    
                      Reknyng both in ȝouth in eld,
                      Line 2260 
                    
                      Ill or wele wheþer scho spend
                    
                      Þe charch þat scho hase tayn in hend.
                    
                      Al if scho be highest in degre,
                    
                      In hir-self lawest sal scho be.
                      Line 2264 
                    
                      Hir aw to be gude of forthoght
                    
                      What thinges es to wirk & what noght,
                    
                      Chaste & sober, meke & myld,
                    
                      Of bering bowsum os a child.
                      Line 2268 
                    
                      Sin & vices sal scho hate
                    
                      And luf hir sisters ayrly & laite.
                    
                      Scho salbe sober in al thyng
                    
                      And naymly in hir chastying,
                      Line 2272 
                    
                      To lay on þam þat vnder hir er
                    
                      No euyer band þan þay may ber,

Page 112

                    
                        [folio 114b] Þat whils scho rubes a-way þe rust,
                    
                      Þe vessel fal not al to [MS. alto.]  dust.
                      Line 2276 
                    
                      Hir maistri euer sal mesurd be,
                    
                      Thinkand on hir awn frelte
                    
                      Lik to a rede in a forest,
                    
                      Þat bows with wind & wil not brest.
                      Line 2280 
                    
                      Scho sal so her what ilkon sais,
                    
                      And be wise in hir wordes alwais.

                    De condicionibus Priorisse.
                    
                      A Priores hertly sal hast
                    
                      Al vice & syns away to waist
                      Line 2284 
                    
                      And ordan for þam gastly bute,
                    
                      Or tyme þat þai haue takin rute,
                    
                      And ordan alway hir entent
                    
                      For to be lufid of hir couent,
                      Line 2288 
                    
                      Þat þai hir honor in word & dede
                    
                      For luf & not aynly for drede.
                    
                      Scho sal not be contrarius
                    
                      Ne ouer-lyghtly suspecius.
                      Line 2292 
                    
                      In al hir bidinges scho salbe
                    
                      Resonabil & also avise,
                    
                      Wheder it be for gastly thing
                    
                      Or worldly þat scho makes bidyng.
                      Line 2296 
                    
                      And when scho comaundes oght to do,
                    
                       [folio 115a] Swilk rewling sal scho hafe þer-to,
                    
                      Þat it be mesured on gude maners,
                    
                      Als sant Ion þe apostil leres:"Si greges meos faciam &c.;—
                      Line 2300 
                    
                      If I ger my bestes," he sais,
                    
                      "Trauel mor be nyghtes or dais
                    
                      Þan þer power perfourn may,
                    
                      Þan wil þai fall down in þe way."
                      Line 2304 
                    
                      Þus bi ensaumpil sal scho take
                    
                      Materly al thinges to make,
                    
                      And þat al thinges in dede & saw
                    
                      Be mesured euermor os þam aw,
                      Line 2308 
                    
                      And ilka thing in þer degre,
                    
                      Bodely or gastly wheder it be.
                    
                      And þis ilk rewle þus if scho rede
                    
                      Line 2312

Page 113

                    
                      And fulfil it in word & dede,
                      Line 2312 
                    
                      Þen may scho þer wordes vnderstand,
                    
                      How crist says of a gud seruand:"Super omnia bona sua constituet eum."
                    
                      He þat in life es funden lele
                    
                      In word & wark alway to wele,
                      Line 2316 
                    
                      Hym wil þe lord with-outyn lete
                    
                      Ouer al his gudes assingne [MS. assingnes.]  & sett
                    
                      And haly put in-til his hand
                    
                      Both corn & katel, Hows & land,
                      Line 2320 
                    
                       [folio 115b] And chanch hym wil he [he, MS. I.]  for no new
                    
                      Be reson þat he findes him trew.
                    
                      And efterward for his gude dede
                    
                      Þe lord wil larchly gif him mede.
                      Line 2324 
                    
                      So sal al þo haue wele, we knaw,
                    
                      Þat trewly dos euer os þam aw.

                  LXVIII.
                  Si inpossibilia iniungentur.
                  
                    A Priores, als I sayd air,
                  
                    Aw to be mesured euermair
                    Line 2328 
                  
                    To bind non bot als [MS. als bot.]  þai may bere,
                  
                    And efter þer warkes worthi ere,
                  
                    And bid non do by nyght & day
                  
                    Vn-mesurely mor þan þai may.
                    Line 2332 
                  
                    And if scho put any vntil
                  
                    Mor wark þen þai may fulfil,
                  
                    Til hir bedynges þai sal be bayn
                  
                    And noþer gruch ne spek ogayn.
                    Line 2336 
                  
                    Bot forther, if þai se in sight
                  
                    Þat þe trauel passes þer myght,
                  
                    Vn-to hir sal þai pray mekely
                  
                    Forto relese þam sum party,
                    Line 2340 
                  
                    Telland to hir al þer encheson.
                  
                    And if scho wil not her þer reson,
                  
                    ȝit sall þai not þam-self it slake,
                  
                     [folio 116a] Bot suffer it for godes sake,
                    Line 2344 
                  
                    Thinkand on þair mikil mede;
                  
                    Þan sal god strengh in þer dede.

Page 114

LXIX.

And on al wise þai sal take tent, Þat no þing be don in couent, 2348 In word ne wark ne nokins wise, Whar-of outward myght sclaunder rise.

                  LXX.
                  Vt nulla aliam cedat vel offendat.
                  
                    Tham [The h in Tham was added subsequently.]  aw to tent vnto þis þing,
                  
                    Þat non of þam sal oþer dyng,
                    Line 2352 
                  
                    Ne none herdy oder to greue,
                  
                    Bot at þe Priores gifes leue
                  
                    And power oþer to chasty
                  
                    Þat funden er in ony foly.
                    Line 2356 
                  
                    And þai þat opinly er blamyd,
                  
                    Al opinly þai sal be shamyd,
                  
                    So þat oþer may wernyd be
                  
                    Fro al slik folis forto fle.
                    Line 2360 
                  
                    Þe nouece þat þis rewle sal lere,
                  
                    Vntil þai be past xv ȝere,
                  
                    Sal be in keping of mastres
                  
                    To chasty þam, when worthi es,
                    Line 2364 
                  
                    Als it falles þe trispas to.
                  
                     [folio 116b] And oþer-wise if þat scho do,
                  
                    Scho sal be punyst for þat dede;
                  
                    For it es writyn, os men may rede:
                    Line 2368 
                  
                    "Vntil a-noþer þou sal not do
                  
                    Bot os þou wold wor don þe to."
                  
                    On þe sam wise sall ilk souerayn
                  
                    Do os þai wil take o-gayn.
                    Line 2372

LXVII.

De exeuntibus et redeuntibus.

Asister, when scho sal oute wende To fadir or moder or oþer frend, Þan sal scho tak with gude entent Hir leue of all þe hale couent, 2376 Besekand þam for hir to pray Þat god hir wise in all her way.

Page 115

                  
                    And al þe couent, small & grete,
                  
                    Aw no day forto for-gete,
                    Line 2380 
                  
                    Bot ilkay day to mak þer bone,
                  
                    When seruys of þe day es done,
                  
                    For þer sister þat er not þair,
                  
                    Þat god enforce þam in þer fair.
                    Line 2384 
                  
                    And when on so hase bene to play,
                  
                    When scho cummes home, al þe first day
                  
                    Prayng sal þai put þam to,
                  
                    Besekand oder to pray also
                    Line 2388 
                  
                    Þat god for-gif with gude entent,
                  
                     [folio 117a] If þai oght wrethid hym, sen þai went,
                  
                    In sight or in hering of eres,
                  
                    In word or dede þat þe sawle deres,
                    Line 2392 
                  
                    Or wantunly if þai haf wroght
                  
                    Outher in word, or dede, or thoght.
                  
                    Of god þai sal ask for-gifnes
                  
                    And make amendes for mor & lese.
                    Line 2396 
                  
                    To þer sisters þai sal not tell,
                  
                    Whils þai wer furth how it befell
                  
                    Of thing þat myght oght turn to tene;
                  
                    For of slik hase harmes bene sene.
                    Line 2400 
                  
                    Ne outward sal þai no thing say
                  
                    Þat es done with-in þeir abbay;
                  
                    Ne oute of close sal þai not pas,
                  
                    Bot þai leue of þer souerayn ass;
                    Line 2404 
                  
                    Ne no charge and [MS. chargeand.]  thing sal þai do,
                  
                    Bot if þai haue hir lef þerto.
                  
                    And who so dose oght here-ogayn
                  
                    Efter þe rewle sal suffer payn.
                    Line 2408

LXVI.

De officio hostiarij.

Ane old man sal þe ȝates ȝeme Þat witti es & wele wil seme For to welcum with wordes fre Euyr-ilk man in þer degre. 2412 [folio 117b] His dwelling sal be dyght algayte In a cel be-side þe ȝate,

Page 116

                  
                    So þat he be redy ay
                  
                    Til al þat cums be nyght or day.
                    Line 2416 
                  
                    And when so ony knok or call,
                  
                    Softli answer þam he sall.
                  
                    To her þer wordes sal he be bayn
                  
                    And bryng þam grath answer ogayn.
                    Line 2420 
                  
                    And baynly sal he bryng & take
                  
                    Al þat men sendes for godes sake.
                  
                    And euer him aw to ȝeme þe ȝate
                  
                    For al auenturs arely & layte.
                    Line 2424 
                  
                    In abbais aw to be al thing
                  
                    Þat nedeful es to þeir lifing,
                  
                    Als watter for to do al þer dedis,
                  
                    Miln, kiln, & ouen, & al þat nedis,
                    Line 2428 
                  
                    Gardins, & al oþer ger
                  
                    With-in þam wroght, þat þai sal wer,
                  
                    So þat þai sal not outward gang
                  
                    To say for dred, or wirk, oght wrang.
                    Line 2432 
                  
                    Þus es þis rewle ordand to rede
                  
                    [Als] Oft-sithes als [MS. Oft sithes als; cf. 1668, 2113.]  it es nede,
                  
                    So þat non sal þam excuse,
                  
                     [folio 118a] To knaw þeir rewle & right it vse.
                    Line 2436

                  LXXI.
                  De obediencia ad inuicem.
                  
                    Ilk sister sall obedient be
                  
                    Vnto oþer in þair degre,
                  
                    Witand þat es þe sekir way
                  
                    Vnto þe lif þat lastes ay.
                    Line 2440 
                  
                    Bot þe Priores os prencipall
                  
                    Sal be honord ouer þam all;
                  
                    And oþer, efter þai haue power,
                  
                    Salbe honord with seruis ser.
                    Line 2444 
                  
                    And sithen sal ilkon bainly bow
                  
                    To honour oder & wil þer prow.
                  
                    And who so euer vnbowsum es
                  
                    Or rebel to þer priores,
                    Line 2448 
                  
                    Or greues hir in ony degre,
                  
                    Al if þe trispas litil be,

Page 117

                  
                    Be-for her fete down sal þai fall,
                  
                    And so lang þer lig þai sall.
                    Line 2452 
                  
                    And who so gruches her-ogayn,
                  
                    Þai sal be gert with greuus payn.
                  
                    And if þai wil not mend þerby,
                  
                    Þai sal be chaistid fro company.
                    Line 2456

                  LXXII.
                  
                    For right os euel luf mor or les,
                  
                    Þat es fulfilid of bitternes,
                  
                    Twins fro god, os clerkes tell,
                  
                    And ledes a man to pyne of hell,
                    Line 2460 
                  
                     [folio 118b] Right so gude luf in al degre,
                  
                    Þat es fulfillid of charite,
                  
                    Twins a man fro [fro, MS. for.]  syn & strif
                  
                    And ledes him vnto lastand lif.
                    Line 2464 
                  
                    And þat ilk luf suld sisters haue
                  
                    Emang þam-self þer saule to saue,
                  
                    And ilkon honor oþer alwais,
                  
                    Als þe appostil playnly sais:"Honore inuecem preuenientes."
                    Line 2468 
                  
                    Sekenes sal þai gladly bere,
                  
                    Bodily or gastly wheder þai ere.
                  
                    Þeir awn winyng þai sal not wayt,
                  
                    Þat oþer win þai sal couayt.
                    Line 2472 
                  
                    God sal þai hertly drede & luf
                  
                    And þer souerayn for his be-houe,
                  
                    So þat þai set non erthly þing
                  
                    Be-for þe luf of crist, heuyn kyng,
                    Line 2476 
                  
                    For his lofers ledes he euyn
                  
                    Vntil his kyngdom hegh on heuyn.
                  
                    Vnto þat kingdom he vs lede,
                  
                    Þat sufferd dede for our mysdede.
                    Line 2480

LXXIII.

Conclucio tocius regule.

This [The h in This was added subsequently.] rewle es ordand þus to rede To mend our mys & merk vs mede,

Page 118

                     [folio 119a] And grath teching til vs at gif,
                  
                    In cristes law [how] we [MS. law we; cf. 1954.]  sal lif,
                    Line 2484 
                  
                    And to draw fro alkin strife
                  
                    Onto perfeccion of gude life.
                  
                    For it teches to les & more
                  
                    Of haly faders þat war before.
                    Line 2488 
                  
                    And if we þer-in haue delite,
                  
                    It ledes vs to lif perfite.
                  
                    For al lessons, als men may luke,
                  
                    Þat wretyn er in haly buke,
                    Line 2492 
                  
                    Wheþer þai be of moises law
                  
                    Or of cristes, whilk we suld knaw,
                  
                    And liues of marters & confessours,
                  
                    And teching of godes dere doctours,
                    Line 2496 
                  
                    And þat [Possibly: And liues þat; cf. 1952.]  haly virgins lede,
                  
                    And rewles, þat [er] vntil [MS. þat vntil; cf. 1951, 2117.]  vs rede,
                  
                    Of basil, Bede, & oþer mo—
                  
                    Al er þai teching vs vnto
                    Line 2500 
                  
                    And ensaumpil how we sal vse
                  
                    Gude vertuse, & vices refuse.
                  
                    To þam þat lifes wele, old or ȝing,
                  
                    Er swilk lessons ful grete likyng.
                    Line 2504 
                  
                    And to þam þat lifes synfully
                  
                    And refuses to be rewlid þerby,
                  
                     [folio 119b] Þan es it gret confucioun
                  
                    And hertly schame in ilk sesoun.
                    Line 2508 
                  
                    For if þeir lifyng be vnlele,
                  
                    Þam think dedeyn with it to dele.
                  
                    Þerfor al þat þarto hase hight,
                  
                    Saue þis rewle & ȝeme it ryght,
                    Line 2512 
                  
                    And pray god hertly with gude wil
                  
                    To gif þam myght & grace þertil.
                  
                    Þen endles lif sal be þair mede.
                  
                    Vnto þat lif our lord vs lede!  //amen.//
                    Line 2516 
                  AMEN.
//Explicit.//

About this Item

Pages

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II. THE NORTHERN METRICAL VERSION OF The Rule of St. Benet.

(Cotton MS. Vespasian A. 25, British Museum.)

[folio 66a] Regula beati benedicti anglicis verbis translata.

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I.

De iiiior condicionibus religionis.

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II.

Vlterius de priorissa et eius condicionibus.

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De eadem. [This heading, like several of the following, is written in the right margin.]

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[folio 76a] De eadem.

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III.

De adhibendis ad consilium sororibus.

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IV.

De vijtem operibus misericordie.

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V.

De obediencia ad deum.

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VI.

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VII.

De xij gradibus humilitatis.

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Primus gradus humilitatis.

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Secundus gradus humilitatis.

iij gradus.

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iiij gradus.

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v gradus.

vjtus gradus.

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vij gradus.

viij gradus.

[folio 88b] ix gradus.

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x gradus.

xj gradus.

xij gradus.

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