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.

¶The thyrde parte of this worke of the thre essen∣cialles of religion / obedience / wylfull po∣uerte / and chastite. And fyrste of obe∣dience / and the definicion therof The fyrste Chapitre.

A Pype cōmunely is made of bor∣d{is} / as y^e great substaūce of y^e vessel / whi∣che bordes duely framed and compassed with hopes / and the same hop{is} fastened with wykers: done accōplysshe the ves∣sell redy to holde wyne. Of the whiche wykers and hopes / werby the ceremonies / constitucions / and y^e rules of religion ben signified / whiche we haue in∣treated. Here nowe muste folowe of the bordes / whiche we done appoint .iii. in nombre wherby the .iii. partes of religion caled essensialles: ben signi∣fied / and therfore this parte must be diuided in .iii. principall membres / obedience / wylfull pouerte / & chastite / as the substanciall partes of religion mo∣nasticall wherof we do nowe intreate. The fyrste membre than shalbe obedience / as the fyrste borde of our vessell / and so forthe of the other twayne by order. Fyrste we shall begynne with the definicion of obedience / that is to say: to shewe vnto you what thynge obedience is / and what is ment by the selfe terme or worde obedience / bothe as it doth apper∣teyne vnto all christianes generally / and also vnto religious {per}sones specially.* 1.1 Fyrste than / Obedience generall: is an applicaciō / or graūt of herte / minde / and wyll / vnto the due and the lawfull preceptes / or cōmaundementes of the ryght and ordinarie supe∣riours / accordynge vnto the ordinaunce of god and

of his churche catholike / after the rules of holy scrip¦ture. And this obedience: dothe apperteyne vnto al christianes. But as it dothe apperteyne vnto reli∣gious persones as one of theyr essenciales:* 1.2 wherof we done here nowe intreate. Obedience is a wylful and vtter abnegacion and forsakyng of {pro}per wyll / and an obligacion or bounde vnto the wyl of the so¦uereyne / in all thynges that ben lawfull and reaso∣nable / accordynge vnto the rules / constitucions / & ordinaūces / of that order or of that religion: where the profession and promyse is made. Here note well and marke: that ī these definisiōs or determinaciōs of obedience / ben these termes or wordes put into y^e same / that is to saye:* 1.3 due and lawfull / and also law∣full and reasonable. For that thynge that is nat lawfull and reasonable / that is to say: synne / or yuel may neuer be done by any maner of obedience. Nat¦withstandyng: that thynge that is good and honest may be omitted or left vndone by good and merito∣rious obedience / so the persone obediencer: be nat boūde by y^e lawe of god or y^e ordinaūce of y^e churche vnto good dede. For y^e lawe of god & y^e decrees of y^e churche: must nedely be kepte / rather thā y^e cōtrarie cōmaūdement of any souereyne / thus haue you the definicion or determinacion / & declaracion of this terme obedience / what thynge is ment therby.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Difinitio ••enerall.
• * 1.2

  Alia defi.
• * 1.3

  12. q̄. terti. Quid ergo Ambrosi{us} de paradi∣so. Ca. 6. Thomas scde. scde. q̄. 104. & 11. q̄. tertia Quid ergo