The rule of saynt Augustyne, bothe in latyn and englysshe, with two exposicyons. And also the same rule agayn onely in englysshe without latyn or exposicyon The tra[n]slatour doth aduyse [and] cou[n]seyll all the disciples of this rule to bere alway one of these bokes upo[n] them syth they ben so portatyue, [and] may be had for so small a pryce.

¶ Saynt Hugh.

¶ The preceptes & cōmaūdementes of god ben redde vnto vs / bycause we sholde vnderstande them. And y^t

whan we vnderstande and knowe them / we shold in werke & dede accomplysshe & fulfyll them. For yf we vnderstande & knowe them / & wyll not fulfyll them / we may drede y^e sentence of god / wherin is sayd. The seruaūt y^t knoweth the wyll of his lorde & mayster / & doth it not / shall be beten with many lasshes.* 1.1 Saynt Paule therfore sayth / that not the herers / but y^e wer¦kers & kepers of y^e lawe shall be iustyfyed before god.* 1.2 Let vs therfore here the holy sacred preceptes of our moost pyteous & louynge lorde god / & well remembre his cōmaūdementes / to werke & fulfyll them in dede. For as saynt Iames sayth.* 1.3 who so loketh & lerneth well the lawe of moost perfyte liberte / that is y^e lawe of Chryst / & constaūtly bydeth therin / not as an obly∣uyous & forgetfull herer / but as a very werker & ful∣fyller therof / that persone in his werke & dede shall be happy & blyssed. And our lord hymselfe sayd in y^e gos∣pell.* 1.4 Blessed ben they y^t done here the worde of god / & done kepe & perfourme it. wherfore you that ben con∣stytute & ordred in y^e monastery / mekely & lowly take hede vnto these artycles & poyntes that ben cōmaun¦ded you.* 1.5 ¶ Fyrst (sayth he) that ye dwell togyder in your hous quietly / restfully / & be agreable / & accorde togyder in all thynges / & that ye haue in our lord one mynde / one herte / & one wyll. For therunto / & for that purpose / ye ben gadred togyder in one couent.* 1.6 Now ye must here remēbre chrystyans that I shewed you before / the mynde of saynt Augustyn is / to ordre his discyples / fyrst vnto y^e loue of god / & than of y^e neygh∣bour. But y^e loue of god may neuer be had ne knowen but by the loue of the neyghbour. For he that dayly seeth his neyghbour (sayth y^e apostle)* 1.7 and loueth not

hym / how sholde he loue god / whome he seeth not? it may not be. The loue of god than / begȳneth at y^e loue of the neyghbour / but the loue of the neyghbour can neuer be perfyte / without vnite / peas / & cōcorde / and that in god / so that they be of one mynde / byleue all one fayth / of one hert / that is / that eche loue other for god. And therfore saynt Augustyne here in the lettre doth ordre his discyples vnto vnite / peas & concorde / wherby they sholde come vnto the loue of the neygh∣bour / & therby vnto the loue of god. And yet ferther to gete that vnite / peas / cōcorde & loue / he ordreth them to haue all temporall thynges in cōmune. For perfyte vnite / perfyte peas / perfyte cōcorde / and perfyte loue can neuer be / where is myne / & thyne. For myne and thyne were the fyrst brekers / sparplers / & dyuyders of vnite / peas / cōcorde / and loue. Wherfore to obteyne and kepe these vertues / he wyll they haue no thynge propre / no thynge of theyr owne / but all in cōmune / in so moche / that no thynge shall they name / ne call pro∣prely theyr owne / as after shall be declared. Now vn¦to the texte* 1.8 agayn. Primū. Propter quod in vnū con¦gregati estis:* 1.9 vt vnanimes habitetis ī domo: & sit vo∣bis cor vnū et vna anima in dn̄o. Whiche texte after our maner of translacyon is rehersed before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luc. xij.
• * 1.2

  Roma. ij.
• * 1.3

  Iaco. j.
• * 1.4

  Luc. xj.
• * 1.5

  The text.
• * 1.6

  The ex∣posicyon
• * 1.7

  j. Io. iiij.
• * 1.8

  Texte.
• * 1.9

  a. l. vbi. a. l. in do∣minum.