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.

* 1.1¶ The flesshe euer stryueth agaynst the spiryte. And the spiryte agaynst the flesshe / & therfore lest the con∣cupyscence of the flesshe sholde preuayle & ouercome y^e spiryte / holy spirytuall persones by y^e vertue of y^e spi∣ryte / must depresse and holde vnder the frayle concu∣piscence of y^e body.* 1.2 But this terme / as moche as helth wyll suffre / doth cōmende dyscrecyon / the moder and maystres of all vertue. For those thynges y^t ben good of themselfe done clerely perysshe & come to nought / yf they be done w^tout discrecyon. So moche than (sayth the rule) sholde euery disciple of y^e same rule punysshe & kepe lowe the body / as y^e helth therof wyl permytte and suffre / and as nature may bere.* 1.3 For who so wold punysshe y^e body aboue due mesure / they done rather slee than punysshe y^e body. And contrary / yf they che∣rysshe

& fede the flesshe more than nede is / they done agaynst themselfe nourysshe an enemy. So therfore shold the body be nourysshed / y^t it may be able to serue & do all dutyes. And so sholde he be holde vnder / that he rebell not ne waxe proude. In all abstynence / this sholde alway be obserued / that vyce / & not y^e vertue & strength of nature be quenched. The lettre.* 1.4 Cū autē aliquis nō potest ieiunare: nō tamē extra horā prandij aliqⁱd alimento{rum} sumat / nisi cū egrotat. That is. And yf ony of you may not faste / yet shall they take no fode besyde meletyme / but whan they ben seke. The discy¦ples of this rule must (after saynt Augustyn) kepe in theyr fedynge / that is to saye / etynge and drynkynge thre prȳcypal poyntes. The fyrst is / y^t they no thynge excede in qualite nor quātite of fode / whiche bothe ben conteyned in the texte before. where is sayd they shall absteyne as moche (with discrecyon) as nature may bere. Than dothe folowe of reason / they may not in quantite / take ouer moche fode / & also for the qualite / that they desyre no delycates / more for pleasure than for nede: in y^e restraynynge than of these twayne / that is to saye / moche fare / many dysshes & deyntyes stan¦deth the kepynge lowe of the body / as for one parte / & that for the moost chefe parte. The seconde / that is to saye / the tyme of fedyng / is conteyned in this present text. where is sayd / that no disciples of this rule shall ony fode receyue out of y^e due houre / & that all though they may not fast / by y^e wordes of whiche text / playn¦ly appereth that saynt Augustyne by this terme faste meneth rather the forberynge of mete / than of meles. For he wyll y^t suche persones as may away withall / sholde be small feders / & to be content w^t what so euer

they fynde before them. The other y^t may not bere the labours of religyon / without more large fedyng / or y^t can not away with gros fare / may (by this text) fede more largely / & desyre (with mekenes) that may con∣forte them: so alway they take it in due tyme. For the kepers of this rule / may not be lyke vnto beestly per∣sones / nor yet vnto worldly persones / that done ete & drynke at euery houre & tyme whan they wyll. But we must kepe y^e very due tyme assygned. And that is with you / whan your chapitre is done / & the houre of terce: to take a lytell repaste / rather to refresshe than to sede nature / & therfore ye may take y^t tyme but ve∣ry lytell / & be cōtented w^t one kȳde & maner of mete / as yf ye take browes or potage / ye may not take flesshe. And yf ye take colde flesshe lefte ouer euen (for hote flesshe is neuer serued that tyme / but vnto the seke) ye may not take browes ne potage / & yf ye take egges or butter / be cōtent with one alone / & so of all other. The seconde tyme of fedyng is at dyner from grace be sayd in the couent / vnto grace be sayd in the chirche / & lyke wyse at souper. Tymes of drynkȳge ben also / from y^e fyrst sygne or pele vnto euensonge vnto y^e last. And frō the fyrst pele vnto collacyō / vnto y^e last: at whiche two tymes no maner of mete may be takē / but onely brede & drynke / as vpon fastȳge dayes. We haue herein ben very lōge / bycause we haue seen this poȳt of y^e rule in many places ferre ouerpassed. The thyrde / y^t is to say of the place of fedynge / shall folowe after ye haue here vpon herde

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gala. v.
• * 1.2

  Texte.
• * 1.3

  Texte.
• * 1.4

  Io. cassi•…•…¦nus ii.ii•…•… de īstitu•…•… renūcian¦tium. ca. xviij. Exposy.