¶ The seconde chapytre of the rule / with the exposicyon of the same.
RVrsum etiā illi qui aliqid esse videbātur in sclo: nō habeāt fastidio fratres suos. Qui ad illā sanctā societatē ex pauper∣tate venerūt. Magis aūt studeāt / nō de parentū diuitū dignitate: sed de paupe∣rū fratrū societate g••ari. In englysshe we saye thus. And agayne for them that semed to be of substaūce or worshyp in ye worlde / let not them dys∣deyne theyr felowes / that frō pouerte came vnto that holy cōgregacyon: but rather let them study & desyre to reioyce & take pleasure / not of the dignite & estate of theyr ryche kynne & noble blode / but of the cōpany of theyr poore felowes. Whan saynt Augustyne had or∣dred them that came poore in to religyon / now he put¦teth also an ordre for them that came ryche therunto / that lyke as ye poore sholde not wexe proude / bycause Page [unnumbered] they haue now that they had not before. So the per∣sones ryche / or hygh degre / sholde neyther disdeyn them yt were poore / nor yet take ony more vpon them ne loke the more to be set by for theyr goodes or kynne And therfore saynt Augustyn sayth not / those yt were ought worth / yt is to saye / that were of worldly sub∣staūce or of degre / but he sayth / those yt semed so to be as though he ment / that ye persones were not in dede ony thynge worth / for ye worldly substaūce or carnall kynrede / all though vnto worldly persones they seme so to be. For the persone is not to be extemed / valured or praysed for ony thynge transytory / wherof is no su¦rety / but the very valure & goodnes of euery persone stādeth in yt thynge that is of substaūce & surety / that is vertue & good lyuynge. For wheder they be ryche / or wheder they be poore / yf they be of lyke vertu / they ben felowes / & therby bothe ryche & honourable.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ Suche persones as haue come vnto the company / cōgregacyon & cōmune lyuynge in ye monastery / must with grete diligēce be ware they haue not eche other in dysdeyne by ony comparyson / as bycause that one in yt worlde was more ryche than an other / or of gre∣ter byrth / more hygh in offyce / rome or dignite / more wyse / more cūnynge / or better lerned. For the apostle sayth.* Our lord god dyd chose ye moost lowe persones of poore lynage / & that were moost despysable / & that bycause no frayle persone sholde reioyce & set by them selfe in his syght & presence: nor ony myghty persone reioyce of his power: nor the wyse of theyr wysdom / nor yet ye ryche of theyr rychesse. For in god is no par∣cialite of persones. For our lord is euer one & the same Page xiiij in all that duely done prayse his name / and call vpon hym by meke prayer. Well than & conuenyently ben we cōmaūded by the rule / that we sholde not reioyce ne take pryde of ye dignite of our ryche kynne / but ra∣ther sholde we be glad of the company of our poore fe∣lowes in the congregacyon. For he that in his owne glory was ryche / was for vs made poore & bare / & he dyd vouchesafe to accompany hymselfe / not with the riche / but wt poore {per}sones. And therfore (to reanswere his kyndnes after our maner as we may) we ben a∣gayne made poore for hym / & that also for our owne profyte.* For vnto ye poore & meke in spiryte he promy¦sed the kyngdom of heuen. To reioyce than or boste of rychesse aperteyneth vnto ye vanite of the worlde / but to reioyce & be glad of pouerte / apperteyneth vnto the beatitude & blysse of heuen. There foloweth than in ye lettre.* Nec extollātur si cōmuni vite aliqid de suis fa∣cultatio{us} cōtulerint: nec de suis diuitijs magis super∣biant quia eas monasterio parciuntur: {quam} si eis in sclo fruerentur. Whiche we thus englysshe. Nor yet let them yf they gaue or brought ony goodes vnto ye co∣mynty / loke to be preferred / to haue thanke / preemy∣nence / rule / gouernaūce / offyce / rome / or dignite / or ye more to be cherysshed / or set by therfore: nor yet be proude of theyr rychesse / bycause they gaue them vn∣to the monastery / more than yf they had in the world enioyed & vsed them at theyr owne wyll & pleasure. Many termes haue I there set forth to expresse this one terme extollantur. Whiche neuertheles the other translacyon full well englyssheth / to be enhaūced. yet do we more expresse the thynge. For ofte it happeth yt suche persones as brynge goodes wt them / wyll loke Page [unnumbered] to be preferred in tho thynges yt we spake of / or other lyke / whiche yf they do / they lose bothe theyr goodes & meryte / for of god shall they haue no thanke / ne yet of theyr company but a lytell. For it must nede than seme that by theyr goodes they rather made prouy∣syon for themselfe / than to vse ony charite vnto god / or vnto theyr poore company.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ Of the sentence yt gothe before / wherin saynt Au∣gustyn forbyddeth ye ryche to disdeyne the poore. And of this sentence yt also wyl they take no pryde of theyr almes done vnto ye monastery. We may se & perceyue two kyndes / or two maners of pryde. The one carnal the other spirytuall. For to dysdeyne pouerte / & to re∣ioyce of hygh blode / apperteyneth vnto ye flesshe / vnto the bodyly parte / for yt is moche vsed amonge the secu¦ler people of the worlde. But to reioyce & take pryde of the werkes of mercy / is spirytuall vaynglory & pryde whiche destroyeth & corrupteth many religyous per∣sones / wherfore ye spirytuall pryde is more peryllous and more to be dredde than ye carnall. For to reioyce & take pryde of a good werke cometh of a hygh mynde and grete stomacke. And ye hygher he clymbe / ye more ieoperdous is the fall. Our lorde therfore in ye gospell byddeth.* Whan thou dost almes (sayth he) let not thy lyfte hande knowe what thy ryght hande doth / so yt thyne almes be done pryuely / & he yt seeth in preuyte wyll rewarde the. By the ryght hande is ment well doynge in due maner / and good purpose. By the lyfte hande / a desyre of worldly thanke or prayse by pryde. By these wordes than ben we monysshed & warned / that whan we do a good dede / we haue not mynde ne Page xv desyre to haue it knowen / for prayse & elacyon of hert For yf we do / we shall surely haue no rewarde of god. Now foloweth how grete & peryllous this synne of pryde is / where is sayd.* Alia quippe iniquitas que∣cū{que} / in malis operib{us} exercetur / vt fiant: su{per}bia vero: bonis operibus insidiatur / vt pereant. For of a surete euery other iniquite or synne what so euer it be / is ex∣ercysed in euyll werkes to brynge them to passe / but pryde lyeth in wayte also for good werkes / to cause them to perysshe & come to nought. That is to saye / that man by all other synnes is assayled & tempted to do euyll & amysse / but pryde doth not onely tempte & moue man to do euyll / but also to lose ye meryte of his good dedes. As by example / yf religyous {per}sones kepe themselfe from all ye actes & dedes of synne / as to pre∣ferre themselfe in rome or offyce / or to maligne agaȳst ony person / & so lyue peasfully & restfully frō synne / & than cōtrary / gyue them to mekenes / charite / fastȳge watche and prayer / wt suche other: than this synne of pryde is besy to cause suche persones to reioyce & take vayne glory therin / & so to lose all the meryte therof.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ By the sentence before wryten appereth yt pryde is more euyll than ony other synne. For it blyndeth the persone / & rauyssheth the ryght mynde & iudgement. And it is odyous & hateful bothe to god & man. For as scripture sayth. Initiū oīs peccati su{per}bia.* Pryde is heed and begȳnynge of all synne. For pryde is fyrst in werkyng of synne. And last remayneth in cōflycte as∣sayle & wtstandyng therof. For whan ye deuout seruaū¦tes of god haue vaynquysshed and ouercome all other synnes / and done begyn to clymbe vnto the heyght of Page [unnumbered] vertue / yet shall they haue cōtynuall batayle wt pryde whiche pryde / excepte they also vaynquysshe & ouer∣throwe / all theyr labour in ye other synnes is voyde & without fruyte / we must therfore whan we do good dedes outwarde / kepe well & warely ye inwarde hert from pryde. For no dede can be vnto god pleasaunt by pryde. The wyse man therfore sayth. with all custo∣dy & due garde kepe well thyne herte / for therof pro∣cedeth & cometh lyfe.* For ye herte in all lyuynge thyn∣ges / is the fyrst that hath lyfe. There foloweth than. Et quid {pro}dest dis{per}gēdo dare pauperib{us} / et pauperē fieri:* cū aīa misera su{per}bior efficit diuitias cōtempnen¦do / {quam} fuerat possidendo. And what auayleth it to sper¦poyle & dele goodes vnto the poore / & so in worldly ry∣chesse to be made bare & nedy / yf the wretched soule be more proude in despysynge & forsakynge of ye rychesse than it was in ye possessyon & vsynge of them at wyll. This is a reason of persuasyon / whiche saynt Augu∣styne maketh for the reason before spoken / prouynge that to forsake rychesse / & than to be proude therof / is a grete foly / & (as the cōmune prouerbe sayth) a pryde without a {pro}fyte. And yet we may perceyue / as well by saynt Augustyne as by our owne experyence / that suche persones there haue ben / that whan they had lefte & forsaken theyr goodes / and full well bestowed them to come vnto religyon / yet haue they after reioy¦ced & somtyme bosted what goodes they forsoke / ferre more than euer they dyd boste (whan they had posses¦syon of them) what or how moche goodes they had. Wherfore after
Saynt Hugh.
It no thynge auayleth vs to forsake our goodes / ex∣cepte we also forsake our selfe. For our sauyour sayd Page xvj not / blessed be they that ben poore in goodes / but they (sayth he) ben blessed that ben poore in spirite / that is to saye / poore for ye holy ghost.* For vnto them of ryght apperteyneth the kyngdome of heuen. Euery persone sholde of reason be rather meker than prouder / of the despysyng & forsakyng of worldly goodes. And better were it / they had kept them styll in ye worlde / than af¦ter in the monastery to be proude of ye gyuynge or de∣partynge of them. Lykewyse therfore as ye vertuous persones & good deuout soules yt for the loue of Chryst done gyue theyr goodes in almes / therby to wexe the more lowe & meke in herte / ben for them the better & more gracyous: so ben they that ben proude & enhaun¦sed therby moche ye worse & more myserable. Vnhap∣py than is he / that by ye path & maner of vertue wyll drawe & go vnto vyce & myschefe / & where he myght wynne meryte & rewarde / wyll •enne hedlonge into payne & turment. For the nature of pryde is / that the hygher he clymbeth / the lower he falleth / & the more he reioyced in selfe appetite & vayne pleasure / ye lower he lyeth in payne & woo. Now saynt Augustyn after he had reproued these vyces / doth agayne returne vn¦to vnite / peace & concorde wherwt he began / sayenge. Omnes ergo vnanimiter et concorditer viuite / et ho∣norate in vobis deū inuicē / cui{us} templa facti estis.* All you therfore lyue togyder restfully / of one mynde and agreably / & in your selfe eche vnto other amonge your selfe / do you honour vnto almyghty god / whose tem∣ples & mancyons ye now ben made & ordeyned. That is to meane / that syth ye by holy religyon ben the ho∣ly temples of our lorde (so sayth saynt Paule.* Tem∣plum dei sanctū est quod estis vos. The temple of god Page [unnumbered] (sayth he) is holy / & ye chrystyans ben the same tem∣ple) Ordre than your lyf so / that he may dwell in you that is / that ye be of one herte by loue / of one mynde / and one wyll / of one assent by concorde & vnite. And yf ye wyll do vnto our lorde due honour & pleasaunt / do fyrst amonge your selfe due honour eche vnto other. A lyke lesson our lorde gaue of loue / whiche loue eue∣ry where is coupled to honour imparteably. In that (sayth he) shall ye be knowen & proued my dyscyples & louers.* Yf ye loue entrechaungeably / that is to saye yf ye loue eche other / it must nede than folowe / that yf we loue eche other for god / we shall therin moost euydently proue / that we ryghtly and duly done loue god. Ye remembre we shewed you before the mynde of saynt Augustyne is all to brynge the dyscyples of this rule vnto the loue & honour of god / by the meane due therunto / that is / the loue of the neyghbour / whi¦che here now he proueth. For after he had shewed the meane vnto the perfyte loue of the neyghbour / to be vnite / peace / and concorde / and the meane therto / by leuynge and forsakynge propriete / and to lyue all in cōmune / and yet the fourme also of the lyuynge in cō∣mune / and the lettes therof. How that lyuyng is me∣rytoryous / and how not / he now here returneth a∣gayne vnto the remembraunce of the same vnite / as is sayd in the lettre before. For the due & perfyte con∣tynuaunce wherof / & for to enduce the dyscyples vn∣to the seconde counseyle of chastyte / he ordreth them fyrst vnto prayer as foloweth / whiche ye shall here after the exposycyon of this foresayd texte by
Saynt Hugh.
¶ Than done we lyue togyder agreably / and in con∣corde Page xvij / whan we haue in our lorde one mynde and one wyll. For so is wryten of the chirche of Chryst / in the fyrst begynnynge therof.* Erat eis cor vnum / et ani∣ma vna in domino. They had one herte / and one wyll in our lorde.* In that he sayth in the lettre vnanimi∣ter / that is / that we sholde lyue togyder / and be all of one mynde / that apperteyneth vnto the wyll. And where he sayth concorditer / that is / agreably and in concorde / that apperteyneth vnto religyous maners / condicyons & behauyour.* This than is ye ryght ordre of lyuynge / fyrst that in a congregacyon there be one wyll / & seconde lyke maners / lyke behauyour. Those persones than yt wyll lyue in relygyou agreably / & in concorde / they must haue one religyous mynde / that is to leue and forsake all euyll maners / all frowarde condicyons / so that they be not out of ordre / ne with∣out discyplyne & religyous behauyour / lest they trou¦ble theyr felowes & company. Than must they wey and consydre all theyr actes & dedes / all theyr speche and wordes / all theyr gesture and behauyour / & gene¦rally all theyr hole lyfe: so that in all they agre and be lyke vnto theyr cōpany. Bycause therfore that many persones / whan they haue lefte ye worlde / wolde lyue in relygyon after theyr owne wyll and mynde / and some also in theyr actes and dedes wolde take syngu¦ler wayes / and haue appetyte to seme precyse aboue other. Therfore sayth the rule. Oēs vnanimiter.* &c. as before / whiche texte with the text also before / this holy saynt expowneth agayne of newe. Wherin ye may note good chrystyanes the grete zele and chari∣te of this holy saynt / * and other olde auctoures that gaue suche dylygence and laboure / to haue the rule Page [unnumbered] knowen clerely / & therafter kepte. A grete dyfference bytwene them in the olde tyme that kepte the rule / & them of whome I spake of vnto you in our preface / ye done hyde & kepe the rule from ye discyples of ye same. Syth than this saynt was soo dylygent / it shall no thynge greue vs to shewe agayne his mynde / and to premytte agayne the very lettre. So it wery not you to rede it agayne / & study well ye same.* Nec extollan∣tur / si cōmuni vite aliquid de suis facultatibus cōtu∣lerint: nec de suis diuitijs magis superbiāt quia eas monasterio parciunt: {quam} si eis in sc•o fruerētur. That is (as we sayd before) And yf they gaue or brought ony of theyr goodes vnto the cōmune lyuynge / let not them take ye more vpon them therfore / ne loke to haue preemynence or rule / or ye more to be set by / nor yet to wexe proude ne {pre}sume of theyr rychesse / bycause they gaue them vnto ye monastery / more thā yf they had in ye worlde enioyed & vsed them at theyr owne pleasure.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
Better were it to kepe theyr goodes styll in ye worlde than so to depart them vnto the monastery / that they presume & wexe proude of them. For yf they in theyr owne mynde be enhaūced by pryde / they be therby in dede ouerthrowen / and haue a grete fall. For who so euer in that they well do wexe proude therof / in the same waye they stūble / wherin they seme to go forth and profyte. For a good dede done wt pryde / dothe not promote ony {per}sones towarde blysse / buth rather pey∣seth & weyeth them downe vnto payne. That soule than is happy & gracyous / that may saye wt the pro∣phete.* Dn̄e non est exaltatū cor meū: ne{que} elati sunt oculi mei: ne{que} ambulaui in magnis / ne{que} in mirabi∣libus Page xviij su{per} me. That is. Good lorde my herte is not ex∣alted by inward pryde / nor myn eyes or lokes ben en∣haunced by ony proude gesture. And I haue not also walked amonge grete persones / that is / I haue not supposed my selfe felowe vnto them that ben grete in worldly power. Nor yet haue I walked in thynges meruayllous aboue my selfe / that is / I haue not thought / nor iudged my selfe more holy / more wyse or more vertuous than I am. The exposycyon of
Saynt Hugh.
¶ Happy surely ben those persones yt haue not pryde hydde in theyr hertes / nor yet shewed outwarde in theyr bodyes / neyther in theyr habyte / clothynge / or araye / nor yet in theyr werkes / nor wordes / counte∣naūce / gesture / nor ony other behauyour. And also yf they walke not amonge grete {per}sones / that is / yf they repute and suppose not themselfe felowes vnto them that ben of noble byrthe & grete power / bycause they gaue theyr goodes vnto the monastery: or yet ye more wyse and polityke / bycause that in this offyce or that rome / they haue saued moche / and ben very profyta∣ble. And yf also they haue not walked aboue them selfe in thynges meruaylous. That is / yf they haue not had ony appetyte or desyre to seme meruayllous and synguler / eyther in good religyon / holy lyfe / or in other vertues / gyuen of god. For fewe persones ben / that in these thynges ben not somtyme moued. Not∣withstandynge to auoyde all suche temptacyons of pryde / the seruaūtes of god shold euer thynke of them selfe the worste / and suppose themselfe moost lowe & moost vnworthy / and by no meanes shold they exalte theyr owne mȳde / but rather by all mekenes represse Page [unnumbered] it.* So is the coūseyle of ye wyse man. Quanto maior¦es: humilia te in om̄ibus. The more thou arte in sub∣staūce & reputacion / the more lowe & meke make thou thy selfe. For ye sentence that foloweth / is moche to be fered & dredde.* Alia quippe iniqitas quecū{que}: ī malis operib{us} exercetur / vt fiant. Su{per}bia vo bonis operib{us} insidiatur / vt pereant. That is. Euery other iniquite or synne what so euer it be / is exercysed in euyll wer∣•es to brynge them to passe / to brȳge them to purpose & effecte. But pryde lyeth also in wayte of good wer∣kes / to cause them to perysshe & be lost. Our mynde is before.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ Auaryce is not exercysed & put in vse / but in euyll werkes / no more is lechery / and lykewyse of all other vyces. But pryde lyeth in wayte to slee & destroye the good werkes.* The pharisey therfore lost all his good dedes / bycause he wt pryde bosted what he had done. Saynt Augustyn therof sayth. There ben some per∣sones that of ye contempte & despysynge of vayne glo∣ry / done moche more vaynly reioyce therof. And lyke wyse some that of the forsakynge & despysynge of ry∣chesse / ben therby enhaūced / & the more vaynly stered vnto pryde.* Wherof it foloweth in ye lettre. Et qid pro¦dest dis{per}gēdo dare pau{per}ib{us} & pauperē fieri: cū aīa mi∣sera su{per}bior efficit diuitas {con}tēpnendo: {quam} fuerat possi∣dendo. That is. And what auayleth it ony persone to sperpoyle & dele rychesse vnto ye poore / whyle ye wret∣ched soule & mynde is made in despysynge of rychesse more proude than it was in the possessyon of them.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
As though saynt Augustyne sholde breuely & playn∣ly saye. what sholde pouerte auayle with pryde? For Page xix better is a meke ryche persone / than the proude poore And better is a meke synner / than a iuste lyuer / and proude therof. The seruauntes therfore of our lorde must be circūspecte and ware of themselfe. Fyrst that they do none euyll / and than they be not neglygent of well doynge. And euer be ware that of the good they do / they take no pryde. For than ben our good dedes surely & truly good / whan we euer preserue and kepe them in humilite. And than also ben we veryly poore with Chryst / yf we (for his loue) be meke & lowe. And than shall be sayd of vs. Beati pau{per}es spū:* qm̄ ipso∣rū est regnū celo{rum}. Blessed be the poore in spiryte / for the kyngdome of heuen is theyrs. There foloweth than in the lettre.* Omnes ergo vnanimiter et cōcor∣diter viuite / et honorate in vobis deū inuicem: cuius tēpla facti estis. That is. All you therfore lyue togy∣der one in wyll / and agreably of one concorde. And in doynge honour & reuerence eche vnto other amonge your selfe / do you honour vnto god / whose temples & dwellynge places ye now ben made by religyon.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ Pouerte and mekenes done engendre and brynge forth charite. And charite doth nourysshe vnite & con∣corde. And vnite & cōcorde done make vs ye temples & dwellȳge places of our lord. And so we truly done ho∣nour god / whan we lyue in vnite & concorde. For than done we shewe in dede that we ben the true discyples of Chryst / whan we kepe ye vnite & concorde of ye cha∣rite of Chryst. So he sayd hymselfe in ye gospell.* In hoc cognoscēt oēs quia discipuli mei estis: si dilectionē habueritis adinuicē. In that (sayth he) all the world shall knowe that ye be my discyples / yf ye haue vnite Page [unnumbered] peace / loue & concorde eche vnto other. Thus endeth the seconde exposicyon of saynt Hugh / vpon these last clauses. Now foloweth ye lettre. Orationib{us} instate / horis et temporib{us} cōstitutis. That is. At the dyuyne seruyce of god be you present / and with constaūt dily∣gence gyue hede therunto in the due houres & tymes appoynted & assigned. That terme instare ioyned vn∣to the datyue / dothe signyfye a cōstaūt bydynge with diligence / or violence / wherby saynt Augustyne wyl∣leth that we shall not (without a reasonable cause) be absent from diuyne seruyce / ne yet startynge therfrō / but bydynge therby with diligent attencyon. At this foresayd texte after some bokes begȳneth a chapytre / but we done not so vse it / & therfore I folowe not that waye. But I thynke / that where (as we sayd) saynt Augustyn began wt the loue of god / & of ye neyghbour and now returnynge therunto agayne / he hath cōclu¦ded the loue of the neyghbour in vnite and cōcorde / he wolde also cōclude ye loue of god in due honour & reue∣rēce. For loue wtout honour & reuerēce is childynes: so done babes loue theyr faders & moders. And honour wtout loue is mockery: so dyd ye iewes honour Chryst. Saynt Augustyn therfore cōcludyng the loue of god / wold he shold be duly honoured / & that is princypally (as in outwarde behauyour) by diuyne seruyce / whi¦che he wold also were done wt all diligēce & due meane in due tyme / and due place. whiche circūstaūces done here after folowe / as ye shall perceyue by the places. Fyrst he begȳneth wt the diligence / the presence / in co∣mynge therunto: seconde wt the tyme: thyrde with the place: & fourth with ye due meane & maner therof. It semeth also yt saynt Augustyn doth here cōuenyently Page xx ordre his disciples vnto prayer. For whan he had de∣pryued them of all {pro}prete / & ordred them to lyue all in cōmune / he wold now shewe them what for theyr ly∣uynge they shold do / wherunto they shold be boūde / that is to praye. And yt instaūtly to care therfore / to or∣dre themselfe & prepare them wt all diligence therunto and byde stedfastly therby / for the fyrst. For ye seconde to kepe the due houres & tymes appoynted: whan the bell rynges / leue all yt may be left / & with haste go to ye quere / & there byde wt contynuaūce. Euery necessite is to be consydred. For this due houres and tymes now here holy
Saynt Hugh.
¶ Before ye due houres or tymes appoynted to praye is {pro}uysyon & diligence / worthy thanke / & so meryto∣ryous. In due tyme & houres appoynted to praye / is obedience / duty / & bonde. And to passe ye due houres & tyme / is negligency / & so worthy paynes & punysshe∣ment. Prayer therfore sholde be well & often vsed / by∣cause it is {pro}fytable. And the more instaūtly & feruent∣ly sholde we praye / bycause almyghty god dothe pro∣myse vnto vs therfore grete reward:* suche as neyther eye may se / ere may here / nor yet hert can thȳke / whi¦che our lord hath ordeyned for them yt done loue hym. Our lorde wyll not his rewarde be lytell set by / nor seme so lytell worth / to be gyuen and had without la¦bour or diligence. For a precyous & pleasaūt rewarde requireth a diligent & louynge labourer. He sayd ther∣fore in ye gospell. Petite / et accipietis:* querite / et inue¦nietis: pulsate / et aperietur vobis. That is. Axe you with stedfast fayth / & ye shal haue your peticyon: seke you by dylygent labour with stronge hope / & ye shall fynde that ye seke fore: knocke you by perseueraūce & Page [unnumbered] contynuaūce with charite / & the gates of heuen shall be open / ye shall se & perceyue parte of his swetenes. For I tell you the kyngdome of god / is not promysed vnto luskes & lubbers / ydle / dull / & negligent {per}sones / but (as scripture recordeth) the kyngdome of heuen doth suffre violence / & the violent & feruent persones done rauysshe & take that kyngdome. Almyghty god loueth instaūce / request in prayer & importunite. And syth the rewarde promysed is so grete / the desyre & la¦bour therfore / shold not of reason be lytell or small. For the desyre & appetyte of ye persone sholde be accordȳge vnto ye valure of ye rewarde. And all though almygh∣ty god seme not to here our prayer at ye fyrst tyme / all though we sygh & wepe and praye full hertely / yet sholde we not leue so / but rather axe styll on / seke styll knocke styll / for there haue we occasyon of perseue∣raūce & instaūt request / and with importune clamour and crye to sue styll / & neuer gyue ouer tyll we haue our desyre and peticyon. And yf perauenture we per∣ceyue or suspect that our cōscyence be defouled by ony vnclene or vicyous dede / worde or thought / let vs not therfore gyue ouer our sute / & leue our prayer / but ra¦ther turne our sute & occasyon / or mater of prayenge vnto contrycyon / and with contynuall lamentacyon / let vs humbly beseche the mercy of our maker / by the intercessyon & helpe of our blessed lady / and other holy sayntes.* And yf we after the example of ye woman of chanance / perseuer & byde styll constaūtly in prayer / doubte we not / we shall obteyne the mercy & grace of our maker / whiche shall rectyfye & correcte all our er∣rours / sanctifye & clense all the fylth of our vices / and appease & rest all our troubles. For he is faythfull and Page xxj iuste / and wyll accordynge to his promesse remytte and forgyue all our synnes / & wasshe vs clene from all the inquinamentes and fylthes of the same / yf we with dylygent mynde and herte wyll call vpon hym by contynuall prayer. And that relygyous persones sholde bothe secretely and quyetly praye / there folo∣weth in the lettre.* In oratorio / nemo aliquid agat nisi ad quod factum est: vnde et nomen accepit vt si forte aliqui: et preter horas constitutas: si eis vacat et orare voluerint: non eis sint impedimento / qui ibi aliquid agendum putauerint.* In the oratory / chir∣che or place of prayer / let no persone do ony werke or besynes but praye. For therunto the chirche was ma¦de and ordeyned / and therof hath the name of an ora∣tory. And the cause therof is / that yf ony persones / besyde theyr duty / and besyde the houres appoynted haue leyser and wold praye. The other persones that in the chirche wolde do ony labour or besynes / sholde not vnto them be impedyment / nor let them to praye. In this place your olde translacyon dothe erre. For there is sayd / that suche persones as wolde praye in the chyrche at voyde tymes / sholde not lette theym that sholde werke there or laboure: where the myn∣de of the lettre / is contrary. How be it the latyn / as for gramatycall construccyon / wolde serue bothe the wayes: and that I thynke caused your olde transla∣tour to set the same sentence indyfferent also in eng∣lysshe / and so made it ferre more blynde than the la∣tyn. For the reason of the processe / wyll not suffre the sentence otherwyse to be / than after the mynde of our translacyon. In the whiche sentence ye may perceyue ye thyrde artycle that we put of prayer / that Page [unnumbered] is to saye / the place. For ye very due place of prayer / is the chirche or chapell / or ony other oratory / or place ha¦lowed by a bysshop. And in defaute of suche place ha∣lowed / ony other place princypally deputed & appoyn¦ted therunto / is the cōuenyent place of prayer. I saye not naye / but in euery place ye may praye / but your duty sholde be sayd euer in the chirche / excepte cause of necessyte. And in ye chirche sholde none other werke be done / but (as the rule sayth) onely prayer. whiche for ony worldly besynes sholde not be letted. Therfore our sauyour droue out from the temple all byers and sellers / sayenge vnto them.* My hous shall be called the hous of prayer. And that he dyd to teche ye people that in the chirche shold no werke be done but prayer. For euery chirche is buylded for that entent & purpose onely / that people therin sholde praye.* For the chirche (as scripture sayth) is the hous of god / & the porte or gate of heuen. Therin synners ben reconsyled / & iuste persones sanctifyed and made holy. There diuyne ser¦uyce is done vnto our lord. And ye holy celestyall sacra¦mentes ben there minystred. Of whiche place Salo∣mon sayd.* Good lorde / yf thy people be cōuerted from iniquite / and do praye & make vnto ye peticyon / at thy sanctuary & in thy chirche / thou wylte (good lorde of thy goodnes) here gracyously / & graūt theyr peticyon And yu wylte also forgyue all theyr synnes. And ther∣fore we sholde wt moost diligence take hede / & be ware that no thynge be done in ye chirche of god / that sholde offende the presence of his dyuyne mageste / nor yet let ony persones that wolde therin praye. How than we sholde praye in the chirche / foloweth in the lettre. Psalmis et ympnis cum oratis deum:* hoc versetur Page xxij in corde qd {pro}fertur in ore. That is.* And whan so euer ye praye & serue god with psalmes / ympnes / or other duty / let euer the same thynge be remembred in your hertes / that is vttred / spoke / or songe by your mouth This artycle is princypally spoken for them yt vnder∣stande what they synge or rede. Notwtstandynge so it apperteyneth vnto you yt be vnlerned / that ye remem¦bre (in as moche as ye can) that ye sange or sayd / this psalme or this verse / & that the other syde or your fe∣lowe sange or sayd the ryght verse to reanswere you. Here now ye may se ye fourth artycle I spake of / that is / the meane and maner of prayenge / whiche sholde euer be wt due attencyon & hede. Not so yt your mynde sholde be actually euer vpon ye mater ye synge or saye For ye passeth your power / it suffyseth it be virtually therupon / that is that ye in ye begynnynge purpose & entende to your power to haue mynde onely vpon our lord & his seruyce / & that ye wylfully by good remem¦braūce chaūge not therfrom. And yf by chaunce your mynde be alyenate & from your seruyce / vpon other vayne or vnlawfull maters: as soone as ye perceyue the same / ye must leue & forsake all those thoughtes / what so euer they be / for the tyme of your seruyce / all though they were neuer so good / & returne agayn vn¦to your fyrst purpose / ye mater (as I sayd) of your ser∣uyce. For no thynge sholde ye wylfully & by apoynt∣ment haue in mynde (for the tyme) but that alone. yet yf your mynde agaynst your wyl or purpose were di∣stracte & clene from your seruyce / so that ye wyst not wheder ye sayd or songe it or no / but onely by custom / course / or by them ye sayd with or songe: yet be ye not boūde to saye it agayne / but to set in agayn where ye Page [unnumbered] fynde your selfe / excepte the distraccyon were notably moche / as ye more parte or very nere. The sure waye therfore is / fyrst (as I sayd) to begyn well wt a hole mynde & good wyll of cōtynuaūce. And than to vse of purposed custome to call your mynde many tymes in your seruyce / vnto ye mater of ye same / & neuer of wyll to chaūge therfrō. And somtymes by holy & religious gestures to excyte & stere your deuociō / as by knockes of cōpūccyon vpon your brest / lyftynge ye eyes or han∣des / & all as pryuely as ye can vnto our lorde alone.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ The mynde of them that serue god in the chirche shold agre wt the voyce or wordes / that they may say with saynt Paule.* Psallā spū psallā et mente. That is. I wyl synge or saye wt my voyce. And I wyl ther with synge also or saye wt my herte & mynde. Perty∣nacy & styfnes of mynde in prayer / is moche meryto∣ryous & fruytfull / yt is whan we praye wt our mouth & also done remēbre in mynde & thynke in our hertes the same. For oft we praye whan our mynde is other wyse occupyed / so yt we remembre not the same selfe thynge we synge or saye. But surely our lorde hereth not theyr prayers / that of purpose careth not / ne take hede what they praye / whiche notwtstandynge hap∣peth ofte by ye temptacyon of ye ghostly enemy. For he knoweth well ye fruyte & profyte of prayer. And ther∣fore by ye enuy & malyce he hath vnto vs / ye we sholde obteyn of our lorde ye grace of our peticyon / he putteth vnto our myndes many troublous cogytacyons / to yt purpose yt he myght drawe our mynde away from ye prayer / and we therby lose ye fruyte & profyte therof. Agaynst whose malyce we must haue grete cōstancy Page xxiij of mynde / so yt the more we ben assayled wt troublous thoughtes / the more myghtyly our mynde be fixed in our good purpose. For vnto ye purite of prayer moche auayleth that we in euery place / in euery tyme flee & auoyde all euyll & occasyon therof. And yt we neuer be ydle / neyther in vayne cōmunycacyon / in herynge or tellynge of tales / nor in vayne / wanton / or vycyous disportes / but that we walke (as ye prophete sayth) & go forwarde in the lawe of our lorde / and that we ac∣custome our selfe to serche & lerne his testymonyes & trouthes wt al our hertes & wylles.* For doubtles those thynges yt we of custome done moost vse to do / moost vse to speke / moost vse to here / must nede moost redyly & moost often come vnto our mȳde / & as best acquayn¦ted / lengest & moost surely remayne therin. There fo∣loweth than in the lettre.* Et nolite cātare / nisi quod legistis esse cantandū. Quod autē nō ita scriptū est vt cantetur: non cantet{ur}.* And neuer coueyte you to synge but that ye knowe by auctorite sholde be songe. And yf ony thynge be ordeyned not to be songe / let it not be songe. This sentēce also apperteyneth vnto ye maner of prayenge. For in ye seruyce of the chirche some thyn¦ges ben ordeyned to be songe / some to be redde / some to bothe. we may not therfore in prayer folowe our own fantasy / but ye ordynaūce of the chirche by auctorite.
¶ Saynt Hugh.
¶ It becometh not the songe & seruyce of ye chirche to be done in dyuerse maners / after the mynde & ymagy¦nacyon of many chaūgeable and newfangled perso∣nes / but yt it be stedfast of one generall vse. And kepte accordynge vnto ye tradycyon / cōmaūdementes / wry∣tynge & ordynaūces of the prelates and holy faders of Page [unnumbered] the chirche / that by ye holy ghost haue ordred ye 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 ye 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 ye 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.
¶ The wretche of Syon Rycharde whytford.
