Here begynneth the rule of seynt Benet

¶The .iiii. chapiter treateth of the instrumentes of good workes

LIke as all worldely artificers haue materyall instru∣mentes apte for the accomplysshemēt of their worl∣dely werkes / in lyke wyse there be instrumentes spirituell / for the crafte of religiose lyuinge / by the whiche religiose persons / bothe in this p̄sent lyfe / may honestly & after the pleasure of god be derected / composed / & ordred / & also after the same lyfe / they may blessedly reigne with christ ī heuē.

¶The firste of these instrumētes is / that ye loue your lorde god with all youre hart / that is to saye / applyenge all youre thoughtes oonly to him / and with all your mynde / that is to say applyenge all your studies / wittes and dilectacions oonly to hī / & with all your myght / that is to say applyenge all your bodies strenght and powars oonly to his seruyce.

¶The secōde is that ye loue your neyghbour as your selfe / wherby it apperith that ye shall after god / loue your selfe / and then your neyghbor as your selfe.

¶The .iii. is that ye sle no person / that is to say / bodely nor gostly with hande nor tonge / And specyally thou shalt not slee thyne owne sowle by any deedly synne.

¶The .iiii. is that ye breke not your chastite / that is to saye / that ye doo no maner of aduoutrye / fornicacion / incōtinen∣cie nor any other synne or vnclēnesse of the flesche / & in lyke wyse ye shall doo noo spirituall fornicaciō / that is to say / ye shall worchip no falce god{is} nor loue inordinatly youre selfe nor any other erthely creature.

¶The .v. is that ye doo no thefte / that is to say / ye shall not take nor vse the good{is} of an other frauduletly / nor without the owners wyll lycence or assēt / nor that ye religiose sisters take / receyue / or kepe ony thynge / without the certeyne knowlege & speciall graunt or licence of the abbasse. In lyke wyse ye shal not withdrawe any seruice that ye owe oonly

to god / and doo it to the deuill. and if ye doo / ye doo theft.

¶The .vi. is that ye coueyt not / that is to say / that ye neither coueyt / whysshe / nor desyre any person where with to doo carnally any syn / nor coueyt any mānes godd{is} fraudulētly / nor assent to any suche desyre of the flesche or good{is} / nor yet inordinatly desyre auctorite or honor.

¶The .vii. is that ye shall not bere ne saye any false witnes wherby it is also prohybyte makynge of leasynges / or false or wrongfull tales / and brekynge of any promyse or vowe.

¶The .viii. is ye shall of youre humylite do reuerence to all people wherin is īplyed that ye shall thynke & adiuge euery person beter then your selfe.

¶The .ix. is ye shal not do to another / that ye wolde not shulde be doone to your selfe.

¶The .x. is that ye shal for sake your selfe: that is to say your luste / pleasure / wyll / sensualite / & concupiscence to thentēt ye may ī all your thowghtes / word{is} / & werk{is} / folowe christe & serue hī.

¶The .xi. is that ye shall chastise your body / that is to say / with resonable abstinēce watche prayer & discipline.

¶The .xii. is that ye loue not delicate pleasur{is} / that is to say / that ye delyte not in delicate & plesant metes & drinkes / sigh∣tes or any other thing{is} of the worlde / nor any suche delecta∣cions followe nor the loue.

¶The .xiii. is that ye inward∣ly loue / fastinges / abstinence / temperans / and sobernes.

¶The .xiiii. is that ye refresshe powre people / that is to say / ye shall socoure them after your powar / with clothinge lo∣gynge / mete / drinke / coūsayle / comfort / and visitacion. And all be it that these & the other work{is} of charyte that followe cannot be actually performed in religiose persons / except in suche a person as hathe thoffice of thosteler or ospitiler / yet euery other religiose person may do it in good wyll / mynde / intent / counsayle / and comforth yeuinge to them that may do it / and in forberinge sumwhat of their mete and drynke / to thentēt the pore people may the more largely haue parte therof / They may also refreshe / visite / comfort / bury / & helpe their owne susters.

¶The .xv. is that ye clothe the naked.

¶The .xvi. is that ye vysite the seke.

¶The .xvii. is that ye bury the deed.

¶The .xviii. is that ye socour them that be in tribulacion & aduersite.

¶The .xix. is that ye cōfort them that be full of thought or sorowe.

¶The .xx. is that ye med∣le not nor talke / speke / nor cōmune / in worde / werke / or deed of any wordly maters or busines / but them vtterly & extre∣mely refuse and renounce so that in all your affections ye be vtterly alienate from the worlde.

¶The .xxi. is that in your lyuinge ye prefer nothynge aboue the loue of christe.

¶The .xxii. is that ye be neuer thurghly nor lōge angry / & if it fortune you to be angry / that then ye execute not your yre or anger / nor to do that thyng that your yre moueth you to.

¶The .xxiii. is that ye bere no malyce longe in your mynde / thynkynge in tyme to wreke your angre / or to auenge you.

¶The .xxiiii. is that ye thinke not nor kepe any dissayte / or fraude in your hart.

¶The .xxv. is that ye vse no simulatiō / nor dssimulacion / ne yeue no Iudas kysse / but when ye ma∣ke any praxe or louedaye / or elles reconsyle youre selfe with any person / that then ye doo it as well & truly in your harte and dede / as in worde / and outwarde counttenance.

¶The .xxvi. is that ye kepe you alwayes within the boūd{is} of charite / & neuer to forsake or be without loue and charite.

¶The .xxvii. is that ye swere not at all / nor in any maner of wyse / and that for drede of fallynge into piury or into custo∣mable sweringe.

¶The .xxviii. is that when ye speke / ye speke the trwth allway both with harte and mouthe.

¶The .xxix. is that for oon euyll torne ye / doo nat a nother.

¶The .xxx. is that ye doo no wronge / and if any be doon to you / that ye suffre and take it paciently.

¶The .xxxi. is that ye loue your enemies / that is to say that ye showe hu∣milite to your enemies for goddes sake / both by your pray∣ers and also by releuynge them in their necessities / cōsyde∣ringe that christe both loued you & by his deth redemid you when ye were his enemies / and indifferētly hath prepared for your enemies euerlastinge blisse as he hath doo for you.

¶The .xxxii. is that ye curse not / nor say euyll of them that curse or say euyll of you but rather blysse them and say well of them that curse or say euyll of you.

¶The .xxxiii. is that ye suffer and take in worthe / all aduer∣sites / trowbles / and persecutions done to you for iustice / or for your good lyuinge or well doynge.

¶The .xxxiiii. is that ye be not Prowde neyther in youre mynde nor hart / beere not your selfe aboue a nother / nor dis∣spise noon other / nor be not opinatiue.

¶The .xxxv. is that ye gyue you not moche to drynkynge of wyne nor ale / nor none other drynke.

¶The .xxxvi. is that ye be not a glotten nor ete moche nor often / hastly nor gladly.

¶The .xxxvii. is that ye be not slepy and sluggysshe nor moche yeuen to slepe.

¶The .xxxviii. is that ye be not slewthfull / heuy / or slow to doo your office or duete.

¶The .xxxix. is that ye be not trowblous / busy quarelynge / or grutchynge.

¶The .xl. is that ye be no detractor / bakbyter ne slaunderer nor reuylor of any person.

¶The .xli. is that ye put your full trust & all your hope oonly in god.

¶The .xlii. is that what so euer goodnes or vertue ye thynke to be in you that ye repute and knowe well that it cōmeth oonly of god and not of your selfe / ne of your merytes nor deseruynge.

¶The .xliii. is that what so euer euyll is in you / ye knowe for certeyne that it cōmeth of your selfe / & is done of your sel∣fe / and so take and repute it.

¶The .xliiii. is that ye alway∣es drede the day of iugement of god.

¶The .xlv. is that ye fere the paynes of hell.

¶The .xlvi. is that ye longe for euerlastynge lyfe with all your mynde & inward desyre.

¶The .xlvii. is that ye allweyes suspecte deth / & haue it dayly in rememberance as though it were present and continualy byfore your yes.

¶The .xlviii. is that ye be well ware euery howre what dedes ye doo in this p̄sent lyfe / that at no tyme ye fall or offēde rechelesly or necligent∣ly by dede / worde / or thought / but that you euer p̄meditate /

and discusse byfore / what ye shall doo / say / or intende.

¶The .xlix. is that ye knowe for certeyne that all myghty god all weyes / And continually ouer loketh seeth & hereth you / youre werkes / wordes / and thoughtes / in euery place and tyme.

¶The .l. is that ye by & by put a way all euyl thought{is} as so ne as they cōme to your mynde / by fixinge your thought{is} & remēbrāces faste vpon christe & his passion merit{is} & benifit{is}.

¶The .li. is that ye disclose your thoughtes & encōbrances of your mynde to som holsom and agyed gostly fader.

¶The .lii. is that ye kepe and refrayne youre mouthe from all euyll and shrewde speche and cōmunicacion.

¶The .liii. is that ye loue not to vse many wordes nor mo∣che speche.

¶The .liiii. is that ye speke not nor vse no word{is} that be in∣utile vayne trifelinge ydle or prouokynge lawghter.

¶The .lv. is that ye loue not moche lawghter or lowde or soden lawghter.

¶The .lvi. is that ye here with mery harte & glad mynde holy doctrines / sermons / exhortacions / lectur{is} & scriptures.

¶The .lvii. is that ye gyue youre selfe diligently often and instantly vnto prayer.

¶The .lviii. is that ye knowlege and cōfesse dayly in your prayer vnto god all your synnes & euyll dedes of tyme pas∣sed / with wepinge teres or at the leeste / with morning / sob∣bynge and sorowing for the doinge of them / & from thense forth to kepe you fro the same synnes and euyll dedes.

¶The .lix. is that ye fulfyll not the desyrs and cōcupiscēces of the flesche and that ye hate your owne wyll.

¶The .lx. is that ye obey in all thynges the cōmaundemē∣tes of your abbasse / all though she (whiche god for bedde) do other wyse hir selfe / hauing ī mynde these wordes of all myghty god / what so euer they cōmaūde you to doo / doo ye / but doo not as they doo / that is to saye / when they doo amysse.

¶The .lxi. is that ye h••ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wyll / nor desyre to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or called holy byfore ye so be / but that ye first endeuor you to be holy / where thurgh ye may deserue to be called holy.

¶The .lxii. is that ye fulfyll dayly in youre workes and de∣des the cōmaundement of god.

¶The .lxiii. is that ye feruētly loue the vertue of chastite.

¶The .lxiiii. is that ye hate no person

¶The .lxv. is that ye haue no suspeccion / rancor / malice / ne enuy in you.

¶The .lxvi. is that ye loue no stryfes ne debates neyther in dedes nor wordes.

¶The .lxvii. is that ye eschewe pryde and bostynge and all that may be thoccasion of them.

¶The .lxviii. is that ye haue ī reuerēce your seniors & elders.

¶The .lxix. is that ye loue your yongres ī the loue of christe that is to say as norisshing thē as faders & moders ī pitie / in erudicion: by doctrine / In example of holines / by dredinge them when they be out of the waye / and in plentiousnesse of consolacion by confortynge them when they be feble.

¶The .lxx. is that ye pray for youre enemies / that is to say / for theyr reformacion and saluacion.

¶The .lxxi. is if any wrothe / debate / or variāce be among{is} any of you / that then ye be reconciled and returne to vnite & peace byfore the sonne goynge downe.

¶The .lxxii. is that ye neuer dispayre of the mercy of all myghty god.

¶Loo dere susters (sayth seynt Benet) these be the instru∣mē rules / doctrines / and instruccions of spirituall crafte and occupation / whiche if they be continually fulfylled by you bothe by day and by nyght / and offred byfore god / and by him recognised in the laste daye of iugement: ye shall be re∣compēsed of all myghty god / with the rewarde that he ha∣the promysed / whyche neuer bodely yie hathe seen neuer ere hath harde / ne hart of man can thinke / whiche thynges al myghty god hath p̄paryd and made redy for theym that loue him. The shop the howse of offyce / & werkynge place wherein ye shalbe with the sayde Instrumentes diligently

worke execute doo and brynge a bowte all these rules doc∣trines and instructions / is the cloyster of the monastery and the stablenes and stedfastnes of religiose cōuersacion in the couent and congregacion.