Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum decimum.

ABOUTE þis tyme bygan þe ordre of white [vor hys caumber, γ.] monkes in Bur|goyne, in þe dyocise of Cabilonens; [Cabiloneus, β.] þat ordre is i-cleped ordo [ordre, Cx.] Cisterciensis a [α] in, Cx.] Latyn, and hit bygan in þis manere. Willelmus de Regibus, libro 2^o. Oon Hardynge Stevene, [Steven Hardyng, β. and Cx.; Stevyn, γ.] of þe nacioun of Engelond, monk of Shirborne, [Shyrburn, Cx.] from his

childhood wente into Scotlonde, and afterward into Fraunce, þere he lernede liberal sciens, [sciences, β.] and feng þe prikkes [vyng the pryckkes, γ.] of þe love of God, and went to Rome at þe laste wiþ oon of his scole feres. [veres, γ.] No gref myȝte departe hem [tweyne], [From β., γ., and Cx.] no þing hem lette þat þey nolde every day sey [sigge, β.] þe sawter: [sygge þe sauter, γ.] it sprang in his wit [witte, β.; wyt, γ.] as it com forþ afterward. For he com into Burgoyne, and in [into, Cx.] Molys [Molis in þe, γ.] [in] [From β. and Cx.] þe grete newe abbay he þrew away þe heyre. [heer, α. and β.; here, Cx.] Þere he took liȝtly þe poyntes of þe rule [reul, γ., et infra.] þat he hadde i-seie toforehonde. And whanne he sigh oþere put forþ to byholde [be y-holde, α.; be holden, β.; be holden, Cx.] and i-kepte, þat he hadde nevere i-seie noþer i-herd in seynt Benet his rule, he enquered þe skile and þe resoun þerof soburliche, as a monk schulde, and seide, "Þe hyest Worchere [Worchere, β.; Worcher, γ.; higher Worcher, Cx.] made al þing by resoun and governeþ al þing by resoun þat he made [by resoun]. [From β.] By resoun þe elementes haveþ here beynge, and þe sterres also moveþ [meoveþ, β.] by resoun, and holdeþ [habbeþ, γ.; kepyn, Cx.] here cours by resoun also, and so schulde oure kynde stonde by resoun, and falleþ ofte from [of the, Cx.] resoun by sleuþe and unkonnynge, and is i-cleped aȝen by lawe of [to, α., β., and Cx.] resoun. And also by seint Benet his rule, [reule, γ.] in þe whiche rule is somwhat conteyned of

þe whiche I am nouȝt of power to conceyve þe resoun. But ȝit I holde [þat] [From β. and γ.] it be [be, from α., β., and Cx.; by, MS.] resoun to assente to auctorite, for þe auctoritees of holy Scripture beeþ al oon, þey it semed [seme, α.] somtyme þat þey discordeþ, and God dooþ no þing wiþoute resoun, how schal I þan trowe þat holy fadir, þat folwede [vader þat volwede, γ.] Crist, ordeynede ouȝt wiþ oute resoun; and also by seint Benet his rule, [and . . . rule] om. Cx.] as þey [þouȝ, β.; though, Cx.] we schulde ȝeve fey to al oon auctorite, and nouȝt to resoun. Þerfore [Þerfore . . . of] þanne of, β.] ȝe [þe . . . myssen] om. γ.] myssen [Þerfore ȝe myssen] Than, Cx.] of þat ȝe dooþ scheweþ som auctorite oþer resoun, and scheweþ en|saumple of seint Benet his rule [as þey . . . rule] bis in MS.] þat ys grounded and stondeþ oppon reson and auctoryte. [From γ.] ȝif þe mowe nouȝt, it is an [an] al, Cx.] idel þat þe [ȝe, α.] makeþ professioun þat it is so noble, and despiseþ to folwe þe lore þerof." [Þe sentens of] [From β.] þis speche passeþ from oon to oþer, and mevede meny oon leste þey hadde i-ronne in veyn [other shold renne in veyn]; [From Cx.; oþer scholde in veyn, γ.] þanne it was ordeyned [demed, β. and Cx.] þat þe superfluyte of þe rule schulde be i-take away, and onliche þe marouȝ [marȝ, γ.; marouh, Cx.] schulde be i-holde. Þe abbot made hym besy to make al assent, but it is hard to worche [wreche, Cx.]

uppon [wreche op out, γ.] þoughtes [wreche up of þouȝtes, β.; thoughtes, Cx.; ȝoughtes, MS.] þat is i-roted in of longe tyme. Onliche eiȝtene monkes and abbot Hardyng lefte þat abbay, and seide þat þe clennesse of þe rule myȝt nouȝt be holde in place þere þat þe [þat þe] om. β. and Cx.] riches [richesses, β.] was gadred, and þere plente of mete and drynke stuffeþ þe soule and þe witt þat schulde wiþstonde. Þanne þey wente to Circetre, [Cisterci, β. and γ.; Cisterus, Cx.] a place þat was toforehonde ful [vol, γ.] of wode and of laundes, but now þere is a famous abbay, [þe whiche abbay is] [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] hugeliche [hogelyche, γ.] avaunced by help of þe bisshop of [of] om. γ.] Vien, and afterward by help of þe pope. [℞.] [From α., β., and Cx.] Þerafter, þe ȝere of oure Lord a þowsand an hondred and þritty and fyve, oon Walter Espek [Espec, γ.] brouȝt þat ordre of white monkes into Engelond, and made at Ryval [Ryvalle, β.] an abbay of þe ordre of Cisterciens, þat is þe ordre of white monkes. Willelmus de Regibus, libro 4^o. Þese ben þe observaunces þat semeþ [semyn, Cx.] hard in þat ordour: [ordre, β.] þei schal were no manere furres, [furrours, β.; forrours, γ.] ne lynnen cloþ, ne wollen þat is smal and softe as stamyn, neiþer breches, but in þe wey; oon of hem schal have on [of, α.] hym two curtell [kirtelles, α.; curtles, β.; twy cortels, γ.; curtels, Cx.] and a covel, [coule, Cx.] and no more þouȝ it be wynter, but ȝif þey wil [wolleþ, β. and γ.]

þey mowe have lasse [las, γ.] in þe somer tyme. [in somme maner tyme, Cx.] Þey slepeþ i-cloþed and i-gerd, [y-gurde, β.; gyrde, Cx.] and after matyns þey goo nevere to bedde aȝen. Þey disposeþ so þe houre [oure, γ.] and tyme, þat tofore laudes [þe day lyȝt bygynneþ to springe. Anon after laudes] [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] þey singeþ prime. After þat þey gooþ to þe hondwerk þat þey doon by day, þey makeþ an ende þerof wiþoute candel liȝt; noon of hem schal be from houres [oures, γ.] noþer from complyn, [complyn, β.; comply, γ., bis.] [but ȝif he be sike. [seke, β.] After commpelyn] [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] þe selerer [and the hosteler] [From β., γ., and Cx.; hostiler, γ.] goþ stilliche out and serveþ þe gestes, [ghestes, Cx., et infra.] þe abbot dooþ nouȝt hym self, but suche [nygh, Cx.] as he graunteþ leve [leve] om. β. and Cx.] to oþere monkes. He is overal present wiþ his flok, [vlok, γ.] but onliche at mete, and þat by cause of gestes, and [but, ins. α.; bote, γ.] þan he is served [but] [From β.] onliche wiþ two messe. [messes, Cx.] Noon of hem eteþ blood, noþer flesche, but [yf] [From Cx.] he be sike. From þe þrittenþe [þritteþe, α.] day of Decembre [September, Cx.] to þe Estertide day [day] om. α., β., and Cx.] þey eten [etiþ, β.] but ones in [on, α.; om. β.] þe day, outake þe Sonday, þey goon nevere out of cloystre but by cause of hand|werk. Þey speken [spekith, β.] in no place but to þe priour oþer to þe abbot. Þey putteþ [potteþ no giblotes, γ.] non giblettes [gybletes, Cx.] to þe houres [oures, γ.] of Goddes service, outake Placebo and Dirige for þe dede. [deede, β.] Þey usen [usiþ, β.]

Ambrose his service, [Ambroses office, α.; Ambros hys offys, γ.] and haven [haveþ, β.] charge of gestes [habbeþ charche of gystes, γ.] and [of] [From β.] sike men. First þis abbot of Molys [Molyce, Cx.] hilde streyȝtliche þese ordenaunces, and compellede oþere to holde hem also. But in tyme þat comeþ [come, α.; com, β. and γ.] afterward þe man þouȝte [aþoȝte, γ.] þat he hadde be [ben, α.] likyngly [lykynglyche, γ.] i-norsched, and some of the monkes knew wel his lust and likyng, and procurede [procrede, α.] lettres of wiþclepinge [revokyng, Cx.] of þe pope, by þe whiche lettres þis abbot was brouȝt aȝen to his first abbay, and alle þe monkes wiþ hym wente outake eyȝte, and made Alberik here [here, from α.; her, β. and Cx., his MS.] abbot, and Harding here priour; but þere after þis Hardynge Stevene [Steven Hardyng, β. and Cx.; Stevyn, γ.] was abbot þere, and bulde þere [þere] om. Cx.] sixe [þere sixe] sixtene, α., β., and Cx.] abbayes and bygan þe sevenþe. [sevententh, Cx.] Þat ordre encresede so þat tyme þat þe monkes of Cisterciens [Cisterci, β.; Cistercy, γ.] were spied [aspied, β.; spyde, γ.; espyed, Cx.] of alle monkes [þe] [From β.] myrour [merour, γ.] of hem þat were goodliche besy, and reproof [repref, β.; repreve, γ.] and chastisynge [repreef and chastyng, Cx.] of slewþe. Here abit is [abit is] þei beþ, β.; they be, Cx.] i-cleped oestrum of þe slowe; oestrum hatte tawny [tanu, α., β., and Cx.] a [α] in, Cx.] Frensche. [taun a Freyns, γ.]