Saynt Hugh.

¶ The vse of abstynence / is an happy and gracyous custom / but more happy & gracyous is by y^t custom to chastyse & subdue y^e body in to seruytude & thraldom / but yet most happy & gracyous is y^t custom / that by y^e same seruytude & thraldom of y^e body doth cutte & cast clene away all carnall desyres & pleasures / whiche al way done kepe batayle & open warre agaynst y^e soule The lettre. Que famulos dei tanto amplius decet: quāto min{us} indigēt / ne cibi eos teneat voluptas iā ve∣getatos: quos necessitas leuarat infirmos. That is.* whiche custom becometh y^e seruaūtes of god so moche the rather / y^t now they haue no nede of delycates / & al¦so lest by custom y^e pleasure of delycate fare / sholde con¦tynue w^t them y^t now ben hole / whome very necessite releued whan they were seke.* Here saynt Augustyne doth shewe two reasons why y^e persones fully recoue¦red / sholde lyue as they dyd before w^t cōmune fode / w^t∣out delycates: one cause is / bycause they haue no nede of suche fode. And y^e discyples of this rule shold neuer take fode for pleasure / but for nede to make them able (as is sayd) to do theyr duty. The seconde reason is / bycause the custome of delycates sholde not engendre pleasure. For it is a very harde thynge to remoue and breke a custome / & therfore saynt Augustyn wyll his discyples shall accustom & vse themselfe to lyue with as harde fare as nature may bere. Now herke vnto