Here begynneth the boke called the Pype, or tonne, of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe.

¶Of constitucions / or statutes of religion / bothe generall and speciall. The .xix. Chapitre-

IN euery religiō: there ben (besyde the rules) statutes or constitucions / bothe general / and

speciall / accordynge vnto the whiche: y^e ceremonies of religion ben variant in diuerse places. For by y^e generall statutes or cōstitucions of y^e orders: one or¦der of the same & selfe rule is diuided from an other in habite / in araye / and in ceremonies. For euery order hathe constitucions or statutes general for e∣uery monasterie of that order. As by example of the rule of saynt Augustyn / of the whiche rule bene di∣uerse and many orders / and euery order hathe con∣stitutions by it selfe. As our order here of Syon: is of y^e rule of saynt Augustyn & after / & accordynge vnto the same rule ben we professed. Natwitstan∣dynge our constitucions generall vnto euery mo∣nasterie of the same religion bene caled the rule of saynt sauioure / or y^e constitucions of saint Brigitte (So caled) bycause y^t by y^e reuelaciō of our sauiour they were shewed & ordred by our holy mother saīt Brigitte / by y^e whiche cōstitucions: we ben differēt from other orders of y^e same rule. For y^e reguler cha¦nons / y^e bonehoms y^e order of saynt Iohans y^e crosse or crouched freres / y^e dominik{is} caled freres {pre}chers y^e carmelites caled whyte freres / w^t diuerse other or¦ders: ben all of the same rule of saynt Augustyn / all of one rule but yet ben they of diuerse constitucions & therby different eueryche frō other in habite & in other ceremonies. There ben also other cōstituciōs speciall vnto euery monasterie of eueryche of these orders caled statut{is} / or cōstitucions locall / wherby euery singuler monasterie doth differ frō other ī cer¦teyn ceremonies & priuate. For euery sīguler mona¦sterie doth make statut{is} / or cōstituciōs local priuate and {per}ticuler or speciall for y^e same monastery / alone made by y^e cōsent of y^e couent in theyr chapitre or els

receyued by the iniunction of the ordinarie or visi∣tours. Syth therfore all the ceremonies of religiō ben conteyned in the constitutions / other generall or speciall / and euery singuler monasterie / hathe y^e proper ceremonies there vnto particuler wryten in theyr owne bokes / our laboure herein is moche the lesse natwithstandynge somewhat to answere the enemies and blasphemers of religiō / we shall speke of a fewe ceremonies suche as we herde of late they done mocke and rayle vpon. And so the louers of good religion may coniecture what maye iustly be sayd vnto the residue.