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.

¶ The reason why the delycate persones sholde be otherwyse entreated than theyr company / is bycause they came downe so lowe / and therfore sholde they be suffred and borne / not for theyr hygh blode honoured / but for theyr necessyte fauoured / as foloweth.* 1.1 Nec debent velle omnes / quod paucos vident amplius ac∣cipere: non quia honorantur / sed quia tolerant{ur}. Qua∣re? Ne contingat detestanda peruersitas: vt in mo∣nasterio: vbi (quantum possunt) fiunt diuites laborio∣si: fiant pauperes delicati. That is. Nor yet all the hole company sholde desyre to haue / that they se a fewe {per}sones haue aboue them / whiche thynge they so haue / not bycause they ben had in more honour / reuerence / or fauour: but bycause they ben more suf∣fred and borne. And why sholde they not haue all in lyke? Leest therby sholde happe or fall a grete per∣uersyte and abhomynable dysordre / that in the mo∣nasterye where (vnto theyr strengthe and power) the ryche and noble persones / sholde be laboryous / and alwaye occupyed: the poore persones be made delycate and ydle.* 1.2 ¶ This is the reason that I

spake of / why all persones shold not be serued in lyke / for than wolde the poore persones of harde educacyon waxe delycate and ydle. For delycate fare wyll soone make y^e persones y^t were not vsed therunto slouthful & dull / & the more vnable to labour & do theyr duty. And cōtrary / good welfare w^tout superfluite / wyll make y^e tendre persones more strōge / w^tout whiche they were not able to perfourme theyr due labours. And so this rule doth suffre y^e tendre persones to haue delicates / & vnto the harder persones dothe forbede them / & that is / bycause they shold all be labourers. For saynt Au∣gustyne wyll not that ony ydle persone be of his rule / excepte the seke / for the tyme.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Variant{ur} verba in originali
• * 1.2

  Exposy.