¶ Saynt Hugh.

¶ To stretche out y^e necke is a sygne of pryde. If he∣uen were not a place cōuenyent for y^e proude aūgels / how may the monastery be a place cōuenyent for ony proude persone. For though y^e place of relygyous per∣sones be holy / the habyte holy / the werkes / exercyses and maner of lyuȳge holy / yet a lytell patche of pryde marreth all togyder / destroyeth all / loseth all / and ma¦keth all without {pro}fyte or meryte / & therfore note well the cōmune prouerbe / pryde hath a fall.* wherfore the prophete prayed vnto our lord.* Non veniat mihi pes su{per}bie. Good lorde (sayth he) let me neuer haue a fote of pryde. An euyll metall is pryde to make a fote of / & therfore the prophete shewed why he axed y^t peticyon lest he shold slyppe & fall.* Quia ibi ceciderūt: qui ope∣rant{ur} iniqⁱtatē. For there (sayth he) done they fall that done werke iniquite & synne.* Expulsi sūt / nec potue∣rūt stare. They were euer and euer shall be expelled & put out of all places of pleasure / bycause they had no myght nor power by theyr owne frowardnes to stan¦de & byde in perfeccyon: from heuen the aūgell / & man frō paradyse fell by pryde. Than fye on pryde fye. For therby all y^e werkes & exercyses of religyon ben made nought / & clene w^tout profyte. And contrary the same werkes & labours what so euer they be / ben by meke¦nes very {pro}fytable & moche merytoryous. For y^e meke persones / ben y^e scolers of our lorde. Scripture sayth. Docebit mites vias suas.* He wyll teche y^e meke per∣sones his wayes. And in an other place. Amittit fon¦tes in cōuallibus. He sendeth out foūtaynes of fresshe water in the valeys / that is to saye / he gyueth grace vnto meke persones. For they lose not theyr good la∣bours / bycause they put not from them the keper and Page  xiij nourysshers of al vertues / that is mekenes.* And for by¦cause (after y^e gospell) they syt in y^e lowest place / & (af∣ter y^e prophete) they chose to be as abiectes in y^e hous of our lorde. Therfore doth he exalte them / and make them honourable. So he promysed in y^e gospell.* Oīs qui se exaltat: humiliabit. Et qⁱ se humiliat: exaltabit. Euery persone y^t exalteth hymselfe / shall be brought lowe. And who y^t done make themselfe meke & lowe / shall be exalted. And in an other place.* Almyghty god doth resyst & withstande proude persones. And vnto y^e meke he gyueth his grace. And thus an ende of the fyrst chapytre of the rule & the exposicyon therof.