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.

¶ This clause y^t vnto eueryche was gyuen that was nedefull / is not so to be takē ne vnderstande / y^t vnto re¦ligyous

persones sholde be gyuen that is necessary in suche haboūdaūce & plente / that in no wyse they shold haue ony maner nede / but rather to cōserue the body with some payne & penaūce to serue the soule. For all though it be wryten in the sayd actes of the apostles / that amonge them was no {per}sone nedy / yet we fynde wryten of y^e holy apostles / that they dyd seruyce vn∣to our lorde / in hongre / thurst / colde / & other incōmo∣dytees. wherof we may take / y^t many persones haue more nede in theyr body than in theyr soule or wyll / as suche persones as for y^e loue of god haue forsaken themselfe / and with all the myght and strength they can / done also deny and forsake theyr owne naturall disposicyon for the loue of god. whiche loue (as scrip∣ture sayth) is as stronge as deth / & doth not all onely slake and quenche vnlawfull desyres / but also often∣tymes the naturall disposicyons of y^e body / and natu∣rall affeccyons.* 1.1 For in y^e fyrst begynnynge of the chir∣che / chrystyans were not onely content to haue small substaūce / & to lyue with a lytell / but also that (by the haboundaunce of spirytuall grace) they accounted for gretest rychesse that they had no thynge. Good lorde frendes (now I speke my selfe) who so wold now a dayes thynke grete rychesse no thynge to haue?* 1.2 and yet in very trouth that is the moost haboundaūt ry∣chesse. For no thynge to haue is as moche to saye / as no thynge to wyll / ne desyre to haue in propriete / but without care / thought or besynes to lyue (as we do) by y^e prouision of charite.* 1.3 For as scripture sayth (now speketh saynt Hugh agayne) the holy apostles lyued as hauynge noo thynge / and possedynge all / that is to saye / noo thynge reteynynge in propriete / and yet

as lordes and possessyoners of all the goodes and lon∣des of chrystyans.* 1.4 For (as scripture recordeth) they dyuyded and dystrybuted after theyr discrecyon vnto euery persone / so that no thynge to haue is gretest ry¦chesse. In the boke of Thoby is wryten.* 1.5 Sufficiebat nobis paupertas nostra: vt diuitie computarentur. That is. Our pouerte was suffycyent and ynough for vs / to accounte for grete rychesse.* 1.6 And the apostle saythe. Peuerte with suffycyency is a grete gaynes or wynnynge. Therfore yf we haue (sayth he) fode and clothynge / we ben content / but in fode and clo∣thynge we sholde not regarde the wyll of our car∣nall appetyte / but the strengthe of our nature. For oftentymes the carnall appetyte desyreth more than is necessary. Wherfore in that is sayd in the rule / that vnto euery persone be gyuen that is nede / a meane must be kepte that the body may so be nourysshed / that he may do his duty / and yet be so repressed and kepte vnder / that he rebell not agaynst the soule / let nature haue that is necessary / euer auoydynge all su∣perfluite. There foloweth now in the rule.* 1.7 Qui ve∣ro aliquid habebāt in seculo / quando ingressi sunt mo¦nasterium: libenter velint illud esse commune. That is. And suche persones as in the worlde whan they entred religyon had ony substaūce of worldly goodes let them gladly wyll / and be content it be commune. That saynt Augustyne spake / for the opynyon and mynde of certayne persones / that wolde thynke and suppose / that all though they myght haue noo pro∣priete in those goodes that they founde in the mo∣nastery / yet wolde they thynke as good reason / they myght enioye & vse at theyr owne wyll and pleasure

suche goodes as they brought in w^t them / but y^t saynt Augustyne wyll not in ony wyse / & therfore who so wold so do / shold in very dede be {pro}prietaryes / & so (af∣ter some doctours) accursed. Now here y^e exposiciō of

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cant. viij
• * 1.2

  the trāla¦tour.
• * 1.3

  ij. Co. vj.
• * 1.4

  Act. ij.
• * 1.5

  Tobie. v.
• * 1.6

  Textus. Pauli habet pietas .i. cult{us} dei vl religio in q̄b{us} īcludit pauptas. j. Tim̄. vj
• * 1.7

  The text.