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 outwarde membres done often shewe what lyeth pryuely in y^e hert. And many tymes y^e habyte & behauyour of the mynde / is knowen by the habyte & behauyour of y^e body. And y^e synne is lesse whyle it is preuy / than whan it is openly knowen. For ye must vnderstande y^t vnclennes is somtyme spirytuall / som∣tyme carnall. Spirytuall vnclennes is by y^e inwarde werkȳge of vnclene thoughtes. And carnall / whan it {pro}cedeth & cometh vnto some maner acte & dede / as in herynge / seynge / touchynge / & spekȳge w^t suche other incitamētes & nourysshers of vnclene lustes & vnlaw¦full pleasures / wherby the soule is departed frō god / lechery exercysed in the wyttes / & chastite chaced / dry¦uen out & auoyded from y^e maners. So foloweth in y^e lettre. Et cū se inuicē (etiā sibimet tacēte lingua) cō∣spectu mutuo corda nūciant impudica / & scdm concu∣piscentiā carnis / alterutro delectantur ardore (etiā in∣tactis ab īmūda violatione corporibus) fugit castitas ipsa de morib{us}. That is. And whan so euer suche per∣sones / all though without speche (onely lokynge eche vpon other) done shewe amonge themselfe theyr car∣nall myndes & vnchaste hertes / & also after the concu∣piscence & desyre of the flesshe done eche take pleasure in the carnall fauour & affeccyon of other / all though there be none vnclene touchynge of the body / yet doth that vertue of chastite flee & auoyde frō theyr maners Here saynt Augustyn dothe shewe of y^e syght / whiche is the lest offence of lechery (except thought) how gre¦uous notwithstandynge it may be / specyally vnto re∣lygyous persones. For ma•••• suche thynges may be lawfull / or (at the leest) bu•• ••••nyall synne in seculer &

worldly persones / whiche in religyous persones ben neuer without some synne / and oftentymes deedly & dampnable. For yf y^e lyght cast of an eye be so greuous as here is shewed in the lettre / how greuous suppose you ben the other vnchaste behauyours? as kyssynge and touchynge? moche doubtles / & very moche more. For I can not se that a religyous man may kysse ony woman / ne a religyous woman kysse ony man / w^tout offence & synne / and yf it be for carnall pleasure / w^tout deedly synne. Nor yet (after mayster Gerson) touche y^e hand or ony other naked place. For syth y^e olde faders wolde not se theyr owne naturall parentes / ne yet w^t good wyll be seen of them. How may now ony rely∣gyous persone vse ony suche behauyour w^tout some synner specyally syth we in this tyme / ben ferre more straytly bounde than they were than / it may not be / it can not be. Here now what your exposytour sayth therto holy