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.

¶ These ben the fyrst / tendre / moost delycate / & moost pleasaunt fruytes of the spiryte / whiche in the begyn∣nynge of our relygyon / we sholde offre vnto almygh∣ty god. So ben we cōmaūded by the boke of sapyence and wysdome / sayenge. Chylde gyue me thyne herte. For we ben fyrst drawen vnto god in our herte & wyll. Yf than we ben perfytly departed from the worlde in our bodyes / let vs in herte and mynde be ioyned and knytte vnto our lorde god. So that we may truly saye with the prophete. Mihi autē adherere deo bonū est. It is euer best for me to clyue and stycke fast vnto al∣myghty god. For (as the apostle sayth) who so cly∣ueth and stycketh fast to god / and constauntly dwel∣leth in hym / is with hym one spiryte. Let vs than clyue styll and byde constauntly in our lorde / that we may agayne saye with the prophete. Adhesit ani∣ma mea post te. My soule and mynde good lorde hath perfytly clyued and constauntly byden by thy wayes and commaundementes. Charite dothe departe vs from the worlde / and perfytly ioyne and knytte vs vnto our lorde. Soo than shall we haue in god one herte and one mynde / yf we with all our herte / and all our mynde loue almyghty god. For god is cha∣rite / and who so bydeth in charite / bydeth in god / and god in hym. And bycause that charite in true relygyous persones dothe neuer study for selfe plea∣sure ne profyte / conuenyently foloweth in the lettre.

Et nō dicatis aliquid {pro}priū: sed sint vobis oīa cōmu¦nia. That is. And that ye neyther name ne call ony thynge proprely your owne / but y^t all thynge be vnto you cōmune. Before we shewed you how the mynde of saynt Augustyne was to ordre y^e discyples of this rule vnto almyghty god / & that in more precyse & perfyte maner / than the cōmune & necessary waye. For (as I sayd) aboue the necessary cōmaundementes / without whiche no persone may be saued / he wold bynde them vnto certayne of the coūseyles of y^e gospelles. wherof the fyrst is of wylfull pouerte / contrary vnto propriete Wherof our sauyour sayd. Si vis {per}fectus esse: vade et vende oīa que possides: et sequere me. Yf thou wylte be perfyte (sayth Chryst) go thy way / forsake y^e worlde and sell all that thou hast. Take money / spirytuall tre¦sour / for all thȳges temporall. And than folowe me in the path of penaunce by wylfull pouerte / & no thynge haue in proprete / no ne yet ony thȳge name or call pro∣prely thyne owne / but that all be cōmune. Note this well good frende / yf to name ony thynge your owne be agaynst your {pro}fessyon / what is it than to haue / kepe or retayne ony thynge as your owne. Thynke therfore no thynge your owne / not so moche as the clothes ye were / for of them & of all other moost necessary thȳges haue ye but onely the vse / & yet that vse vncertayn / at the wyll euer of your souerayne. But bycause I haue wryten hereof more largely in the seconde parte of our boke made of the .iij. essencyalles of religyon / I leue of and ye shall now here the holy & blessed fader speke.

Notes

• Pro. xxii
• psal. lxxij
• j. co{rum}. vj.
• psal. lxij.
• Of wylfull •…•…ouerte. ii. q. i. dile∣tissimis. Tex. et nō di. Cassia{us} lib. iii. de īstitut. •…•…ensiciantiū. •…•…a. xiii.
• Mat. xix.