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.

¶Wherin / or in what maner of thynges: obediēce is due. The .vii. Chapitre.

HEre maye conuenientely folowe / wherin and in what maner of thyn¦ges the subiectes ben bounde vnto the sayd obedience. For (as we said byfore) in suche thynges as ben con¦trarie vnto the lawes of god or the the ordinaunce of the churche: no subiectes may be obedient vnto any souereyne. For scripture sayth.* 1.1 Magis est obediendum deo, {quam} homini∣bus. We muste rather obey god than man / or after y^e more streyte letter / obedience is more due vnto god than vnto man. And also in suche thyng{is} as the sub¦iectes done knowe well: ben directely agayne the rule of theyr profession / shulde they nat lyghtly and gladly obey. Lyghtely I meane: w^tout deliberaciō / and gladly: for selfe pleasure or cōmodite. For in suche poyntes: the subiectes may stoppe and stycke somewhat there at / but nat vtterly deney / ne euer shulde a subiecte saye I wyll nat. But rather lycēce (after religious discipline) asked to speke: than (w^t sobre wordes and meke reuerente byhauioure) to shewe the souereyne saynge. This thynge is con∣trarie vnto our rule or ordinaūce / and yet nat with standynge: if the souereyne wyll nedely so continue in his cōmaundement natwithstandyng the know¦lege and remembraunce of the rule: than muste the subiecte be obedient. Excepte alwaye those thinges that in the rule ben of suche weght and substance: y^e wyttyngly to breake them were mortall and deedly synne / for there is than no place of due obedience.

In the other (as I sayd) the subiecte shulde be obe∣dient / althoughe he knewe well by good lernynge / the souereine dyd passe the power of the rule in that precepte. For many thynges bene conteyned in the rule: contrarie whervnto: the souereyne maye nat (without the veniall offence of god) commaunde. And yet neuertheles if the souereyne (as I sayde) wyll nedely go forthe with all and kepe styl his auc¦torite of cōmaundement: than the subiecte is boūde to obey and folowe the precepte. For than is the charge in the souereyne & nothynge in the subiecte after suche knowlege had as we spake of. But in suche thynges as (after the mynde of the auctour & father of the rule) done seme to be sayd and cōmaū∣ded vnder peyne of deedly synne: the subiecte maye in no wyse be obedient vnto the contrarie / without the ieopardy of that peyne. Let vs put example of bothe / in the rule of saynt Augustyne.* 1.2 In the fyrste Chapitre wherof (whan he had moued and appoin¦ted the disciples of y^e same rule vnto the loue of god & of the neghboure. Whervnto all christianes bene bounde) than dothe he forthwith inioyne them by speciall precepte to be of one wyll and one mynde / for that was the cause (saythe he) why they were ga¦dred together in one house and one couent / and for the effecte therof to be folowed & proued: they shuld lyue all in cōmune / and no persones to haue ne yet to name or call any thynge properly theyr owne / w^t this {pre}cept of the rule: may no souereines ī any wyse dispence / ne commaunde the subiectes vnto the con∣trarie. And if they dyd gyue any suche commaunde¦mentes: the subiectes bene nat bounde to folowe ne to be obediente thervnto / but rather to withstande

in all they can with good religious maner & christi¦ane byhauioure / as they wolde withstande deedly damnable synne. And this I say nat without large & euident occasion. For many souereines done con∣trarie & many subiectes done more than wyllyngly folowe the same / whiche is done in all monasteries where the subiectes done receyue certeyne cellar•••• or wages by yere. For (as semethe vnto me) that is directely nat onely agayne the rule: but also contra¦rie vnto the determinacion of the churche. In the said chapitre. Cum ad monasteriū. as after shal more playnly be shewed in the seconde mēbre of this {per}te / were we shall intreate of wylfull pouerte.* 1.3 An other exāple maye we take for the other parte of the .iiii. Chapitre of the same rule / where is cōmaūded that whan the disciples of the same rule: shulde (for any cause necessarie) go forthe of theyr monasterie: they shulde go no lesse in company than two or thre at y^e leest in nombre. Contrarie vnto the whiche precept y^e souereynes may nat cōmaūde w^tout some offence of the rule (excepte it were in causes of necessite) yet if the souereyne do so cōmaūde: the subiectes muste be obedient / bycause they ben nat bounde to knowe the causes of the {pre}cepte. I knowe well the opinion of diuerse auctores is / that in suche thynges as ben directely knowen to be contrarie vnto the rule / be they great or smale: the subiect{is} shulde nat be boūde in conscience to be obedient / bycause the souereynes (say they) may nat or shuld nat cōmaūde any suche. I graūt well they shulde nat & also that they maye nat / without (as I sayd) some offence / but y^e offence is nat alwaye mortall / but veniall / wherfore it is of more surety say I / in conscience for the subiectes: to

be obedient and to folowe the precepte / althoughe they knewe well: it be contrarie vnto the rule. For (as I sayd) they knowe nat y^e cause of the precepte. And therfore may they (with religious byhauiour) put the charge & ieopardy of conscience vnto the so∣uereyne.* 1.4 For in all suche thynges as ben vnto y^e sub¦iectes doutfull: the souereynes may discharge theyr cōsciēce / wherfore (in myne opinion) they done best to be obediēt. For generally the subiect{is} ben boūde vnto the obedience of the souereynes: in all thinges lawfull and honeste. That is to say: in all thynges that the souereynes may lawfully cōmaunde / and y^t ben honeste for bothe parties to be done. So that euer the subiectes: haue a respecte vnto the order & degre of them that haue power to cōmaunde them / as if the priour or seniores do gyue a cōmaūdemēt / and the abbot afterwarde gyue or byfore had gyuē a contrarie cōmaundement / thā is the subiecte more bounde to the cōmaundement of the abbot / and lyke wyse of the Pope / bysshope / ordinary / the visitour{is} of the orders and suche other. So that euer y^e moste hyghe precepte: be moste chefly obserued.* 1.5 And let this also be noted / y^t the subiecte is nat onely boūde vnto the expresse cōmaūdemet of the souereyne / spo¦ken vnto the selfe subiecte: but also vnto the same {pre}∣cepte knowen or perceyued by message or by wry∣tinge / by signe or token / I speke this for some / suche persones that wyll saye: I herde nat my souereyne speke nor cōmaūde any suche a precepte. For y^e wyll mynde / and meanynge of y^e souereyne: is more to be poūdred and weyde: than the selfe wordes. And yet hathe the souereyne no power of precepte ouer or vpon the priuate thoughtes of the subiecte nor of

the inwarde mocions of the soule or mynde.* 1.6 And therfore if the souereyne wolde gyue any precepte vpon them: the subiecte is nat in ieopardy of consci¦ence in the omission. But ī all that done apperteine vnto the outwarde actes: the commaundement of y^e souereyne is valeant and hathe good strength and place. But here nowe some religions persones done put cases. [Obiection.] What and if the souereynes wolde commaunde suche thynges as were aboue our po∣wer / or that passed our lernynge and knowlege?* 1.7 we rede in vitas Patrum / that an auncient father (for the profe onely of obedience) commaunded his disci¦ple to remoue a stone that was ouermoche for .xx. or xxx. men to haue stered. And the disciple mekely & without grudge: dyd what he coulde / labored sore and longe tyme therat and yet sped nothinge but se¦med to be all without frute and all ī vayne / yet was nat his laboure last / but rather moche frutfull and effectuous / bycause he had the meryte of obedience which is no smale rewarde as after shall be shewed And as vnto lernynge or knowlege: saīt Bernarde sayd he preached better by the vertue of obedience: than euer he dyd by the study of lernynge. The cō∣mune prouerbe is. Nihil difficile uolenti. Nothyng is ouer harde for the persone that is well wyllyng. A good remedy in suche case for the subiecte is to shewe vnto the souereyne (with meke and lowely byhauiour) the infirmite and y^e very pleynes of his inhabilite / and so truste vnto the discrecion of the so¦uereyne. [Obiection.] yet an other question. Syr (sayth some persone) what shulde I do: if the commaundement of my souereyne were vnto the ieopardy of my lyf? Be nat affrayde man / [Answere.] haue a good feythe and sure

truste in our lorde: And I dare promyse nothynge shall hurte you. For our sauioure sayde hym selfe / y^t the feythfull persone: shulde (in his name) caste out and auoyde yuell spirites / destroye serpentes / and drynke poyson without noyaunce or grefe / we rede in vitas Patrū / that a holy father sent forth a chyld to fetche water at a well / and the chylde had herde tell of a Lyones that dyd moche hurte in those par∣ties / and asked his father what he shulde do if the Lyones came vpon hym.* 1.8 * 1.9 And he bad hym put his gyrdell about her necke / and brynge her home with hym. And so he dyd in dede / by the vertue of obedi∣ence.* 1.10 Saynt Maure (by the vertue of obedience) ranne vpon the water at the commaundemente of saynt Benet his souereyne. God dothe euer helpe y^e good wyllynge persone / I byleue there is no soue∣reyne vnreasonable / by ware therfore of feyned excu¦ses. For the wyse man sayth / that the slouthfull and yuell wyllynge persone:* 1.11 dothe cast many perylles & put many doutes. yet haue I herde some aske a no¦ther question. What syr (sayth he) if the cōmaunde∣mente of the souereyne: were folysshe or els frutles and vnto the losse of my tyme? [Answere.] I saye / that amonge the olde fathers: some disciples (at the precepte of theyr souereines) dyd knytte and vnknitte the same sowe & ryppe againe / some dyd water a drye stycke / obedience can neuer be fruteles / ne mispens of tyme or laboure / it bycometh nat a subiecte (as I sayd by¦fore) to iuge the mynde of the souereyne. [Obiection.] yet some {per}sones ben nat so content / but done say. We thynke yet syr: that it is best for the souereynes to consider the state of theyr subiectes / what euery persone may do / what they can do / and whervnto euery persone

is apte / disposed / and well wyllynge / and therafter to appoynt theyr cōmaundementes. That (saye I) is as moche to meane: [Answere.] as that the souereynes shuld study and ymagyne: what the subiectes wolde do / nat what they shulde do. And the subiectes shulde spye out and chose wherin they wolde be obediente or rather wherin they wolde appoynt y^e souereynes to be obedient vnto theyr wyll & appetites. The mynde of them that entre religion: shulde nat be to gyue order / to rule or to teache & counsayle / but ra∣ther to be ordred / to be ruled / to be taught & counsay¦led.* 1.12 Take this therfore as a good rule of obedience that is to be obediēt in those thynges that ben vnto your owne pleasure: is lyttell meritorious / but to be obedient in these thynges that ben harde labori∣ous and peynfull and contrarious vnto your owne appetytte and desyre: is of hyghe meryte / and wor∣thy great thanke and rewarde.* 1.13 The prophete sayth Propter uerba labiorum tuorum: ego custodiui uias duras. That is: for the rewarde lorde of thy worde and promyse: I haue kepte the harde wayes and na¦rowe pathes of penaunce. And the Apostle sayth. Per multas tribulationes:* 1.14 oportet nos intrare in reg∣num celorum. We muste (sayth he) entre into y^e kyng¦dome of heuen: by many troubles and peynes. In the harde and greuous thynges / than to be obediēt is (as we sayd) moste laudable and moste worthy loue and fauoure. And yet the trāsgression and bre¦kynge of them: is of leest peyne and punisshemente. And contrarie: in those thinges that ben lyght / easy and pleasaūt to be done: y^e obedience is (as we said) of lesse rewarde. And the contempte of thē: of moche more peyne and punysshemente. Let therfore al sub¦iectes

byware of contempte and despysynge of any precepte or cōmaundemente of the souereyne be it it neuer so lyttell or seme neuer so lyght. For con∣tempte: is euer ieopardy. And thus an ende of this article / that is to say: wherin or in what thynges: y^e subiectes shuld be obedient vnto theyr souereynes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 5. C.
• * 1.2

  Aug. Ca. 1. Regu.
• * 1.3

  4. Ca. Re. Augusti.
• * 1.4

  Bernard{us} de precept et dispens. Antoni{us} {per}te. 3. ti. 6. Ca. 12.
• * 1.5

  Antonius 2. {per}t. ti. 4. Ca. 2.55.3.
• * 1.6

  Idem. 3. {per}t. t••. 9. ca. 12.
• * 1.7

  Answere. Narracio.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 16 D.
• * 1.9

  Narracio.
• * 1.10

  Greg. li. 2. diolog. Ca.
• * 1.11

  Prouer. 13. et 26. Obiection.
• * 1.12

  Bernard{us} de precpt. et dispens.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 16.
• * 1.14

  Act, 14. D.