¶ Saynt Hugh.

¶ It becometh not the songe & seruyce of y^e chirche to be done in dyuerse maners / after the mynde & ymagy¦nacyon of many chaūgeable and newfangled perso∣nes / but y^t it be stedfast of one generall vse. And kepte accordynge vnto y^e tradycyon / cōmaūdementes / wry∣tynge & ordynaūces of the prelates and holy faders of Page  [unnumbered] the chirche / that by y^e holy ghost haue ordred y^e same. And lykewyse of other laudable customes of religyon in euery monastery / whiche ben made / ordeyned and contynued by auctorite / & with discrecyon & wysdom And yf it be necessary to chaunge ony suche customes or to make ony statutes or iniunccyons of newe / that shold not be done hastely ne hedely / ne of lyght brayne without delyberacyon / ne yet of wyll and pleasure / ne after the iudgement or wyll of two or thre alone / but by the hole chapytre. And as the more parte of y^e senyours / wyse & dyscrete persones done determyne / so let the statute / decre & ordynaunce be made and sta∣blysshed. And euer in all suche decrees or determyna∣cyons / let them folowe more the auctorite and exam∣ple of y^e chirche / than theyr owne reason or wyll. For euer / what is done of auctorite / is done of obedyence and humylite. And that is done of reason and wytte / is done many tymes of presumpcyon. And therfore all that is done in religyon / sholde be done with gra∣uite / delyberacyon / and counseyle. The holy apostle Paule sayd of hymselfe / vnto the example of all rely∣gyous persones.* I neuer vsed (sayd he) ony lyght∣nes or varyaunt myndes / to saye at one tyme / thus it is / or thus I wyll do: and after at an other tyme to saye contrary / thus is it not / or so I wyll not do. It is than neyther good honesty / nor relygyous / lyght∣ly or hastely to chaūge ony thynge of substaūce with∣out good coūseyle / and wyse delyberacyon. And thus an ende of the seconde chapytre of your rule / and the exposicyon.