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.

¶ Before saynt Augustyn cōmaunded the officers to serue theyr cōpany w^tout grudge / & yf they so do / they may not delay ne dyfferre that is axed necessary. For yf they do / they gyue therby occasyon vnto theyr fe∣lowes to thynke they serue them w^t grudge / & so they done cause them to grudge agayne. Let the offycers therfore gyue diligence to serue theyr felowes for our lorde / of all necessaryes in due tyme / w^tout grudge / w^t∣out displeasure / w^tout delay / & that w^t gentyll maner / ioye & gladnes of herte.* 1.1 For our lorde loueth a gladde gyuer & a cherefull mynister / & a lyberall offycer / so y^t all the cōpany haue all necessaryes after y^e nombre of the congregacion & possessyons of y^e place. And so shall the officers haue also more rewarde of almighty god. Notw^tstandynge / let euer a due meane & moderacyon be had in all the clothynge & aray of religyous {per}sones that neyther they be to precyous / to fyne in clothe / to bryght in colour / ne yet to abiecte / to course / ne to vyle And that y^e fashon be neyther courtly ne earlysshe / but in a due meane religyous / so y^t the selfe habyte & aray may (in y^e religyous {per}sone) bothe cōmende religyon & honeste. Let therfore religyous persones beware they

axe no thynge importunely / ne yet su{per}fluous. For to be importune is agaynst good religyon / & to haue su{per}¦fluite is ieoperdy of dampnacyon. Let them wey & re∣membre that all they spende / is the oblacyons & cha∣rite of the good & faythful people / offred & gyuen for y^e redempcyō of theyr synnes. And therfore let them not reioyce / ne be proude of suche expenses / but rather let them fere & drede it be sayd vnto them / that in the olde testament was sayd vnto the preestes & mynistres of the temple.* 1.2 How they sholde bere y^e iniqu••te & synne of y^e people. And therfore let them euer haue grete drede of themselfe / & hertely praye for them / whose goodes they spende & done vse. It is therfore more surety for soule helth vnto poore religyous {per}sones / rather som∣what to want and nede (as is before sayd) than ony thynge to haue ouer moche and su{per}fluous. For how shold religyous {per}sones be wylfully poore except they (for our lord) wyll suffre pacyently some maner of pe∣nury. Whan they remēbre than / they haue done ma∣ny thynges vnlawfully / they shold abstayne & forbere somwhat / that they myght take & vse lawfully. For they must cōtende & stryue to entre by the strayte gate that so they may come vnto y^e large & pleasaūt playne of euerlastyng Ioye.* 1.3 For y^e more strayte lyfe we kepe here for our lorde / y^e more glory shall we haue in blysse The lettre.* 1.4 Lites / aut nullas habeatis / aut {quam} celer∣rime finiatis / ne ira crescat in odiū / et trabē faciat de¦festuca: et animā fratris faciat homicidā. Sic enim le¦gitis: qui odit fratrē suū: homida est. That is. As for stryftes & debates / eyther haue none amonge you / or els yf ye haue / make shorte ende of them / lest a lytell wrathe or displeasure growe vnto hatred / & so make

of a strawe a beame / of a mote a blocke / and cause the hert & mynde of your felowe to be an homicyde & man¦sleer.* 1.5 For so may ye rede in scripture. Qui odit fratrē suū / homicida est. Who so hateth his broder and euen chrysten / is a mansleer. We shewed you before how this rule doth ordre the officers vnto the couent / & the couent vnto the officers. Here now it doth ordre euery persone of y^e couent vnto other / specyally vnto y^e effect & purpose wherwith it began / that is to saye / that y^e dyscyples of this rule sholde alwaye lyue togyder in peace & vnite / & haue euer one herte & one wyll in our lorde. And that can neuer be / except debate & stryfte be fyrst excluded & auoyded / or at the lest reasonably my∣tygate & wysely refourmed. For in this lyfe we be not aūgels / & therfore he sayth / eyther haue you no deba∣tes / whiche apperteyneth vnto the perfyte {per}sones / or at the lest / yf by chaunce ye do stryue / soone & quyckly leue & make an ende therof / that he sayth for y^e frayle {per}sones & vnexercysed / & the cause why he doth shewe forthw^t / lest more euyll sholde growe therof.* 1.6 Here now

Notes

• * 1.1

  ij. Co. ix.
• * 1.2

  Nu. viij.
• * 1.3

  Mat. vij.
• * 1.4

  Ita habet or••∣n••le. animā fratrio facit homici∣dā ne{que} ad so∣los viros {per}ti∣net qd scriptū est. Qui odit fratrē soū / ho∣micida est. fed sern masculino quē primū d••{us} fecit: etiā feni•• n••us se•••••• pr••∣ceptū accepit.
• * 1.5

  Ioan. 3.
• * 1.6

  Texte.