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.

¶ Let not your habyte be notable. &c. For we fynde wryten of our holy fader saynt Augustyn / y^t his aray in all partes / was neyther to precyous or to gay / nor yet to abiecte / ne to vile / but in a meane and moderate maner / as becometh his degre & perfeccyon. And also he sayd of hymselfe. I confesse (sayth he) and graūt y^t I am abasshed & ashamed of a precyous vesture & no∣table aray. For it becometh not this {pro}fessyon / it beco∣meth not this vocacyon and callynge / it becometh not this body / these membres / it becometh not this age / these hore heres. For our sauyour sayth in y^e gospell. Se / suche {per}sones as ben cladde with delycate & plea∣saunt clothynge / done dwell in kynges houses.* 1.1 The courtyours haue pleasure in soft pleasaūt & precyous garmentes. And the discyples of Chryst ben well con¦tent & pleased w^t course / harde / & vyle aray. The gar∣ment of religyous {per}sones must be w^tout newe fashons without vanite / without su{per}fluite / w^tout ony thynge that apperteyneth to pryde or vaynglory. For y^e dely∣cate vesture / doth not garnysshe / ne make honest y^e re∣ligyous {per}sone / but good maners & the clennes of con∣scyence. Let vs therfore that ben or shold be spirytuall persones / garnysshe & aray our selfe w^t spirituall orna¦mentes / with the garmentes of chastite / humylite / myldnes / obedyence / pacyence / quietude and charite.

These ben the garmentes wherwith y^e deuoute soule may please her make & spouse. For he y^t is the spouse inuysyble / requireth not ne desyreth so moche the out∣warde / as the inwarde beaute of his beloued. For the prophete sayth.* 1.2 Omnis glia ei{us}: filie regis ab intus. That is. All his glory & pleasure / is y^e inward beaute of y^e kȳges doughter / his chosen spouse mānes soule. Let therfore all our apparayle / all our beaute / & gar∣nysshe / be good maners / religyous behauyour. For y^e soule is blessed & happy / vnto whome y^e louȳge spouse Iesu sayth.* 1.3 Quā pulchra es amica mea: et macula non est in te. How fayre / how goodly arte thou / myne owne dere beloued: for there is no spotte ne blemysshe in the. Let vs therfore study & gyue dyligēce to please our lord / that beholdeth all & is not seen. And that we no thynge study for the pleasure of araye / but (as is sayd) for good maners & religyous behauyour / that so we may in effecte folowe & fulfyll the coūseyle of y^e apostle Paule.* 1.4 Nolite cōformari huic sclo. &c. Be not you lyke / ne folowe y^e maner of this worlde / ne y^e peo∣ple therof / but rather be you renewed / or made newe persones / by the newe spirytuall felynge & vnderstan¦dynge of your selfe.* 1.5 For all though our outward man the body be dayly corrupted & perysshed / yet notwith¦standynge our inwarde man y^e soule is renewed from daye to daye / & so encreaceth in vertue & perfeccyon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math̄. xj
• * 1.2

  psal. xliiij
• * 1.3

  Cant. iiij.
• * 1.4

  Rom̄. xij.
• * 1.5

  ij. Co. iiij.