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 offycer of y^e firmary is called cōmunly the fir∣marer / or firmarysse / whiche must be a persone y^t dre∣deth god / & that is charitable / & that wyll w^t all dily∣gence prouyde for all thynges y^t may be conforte vnto the seke / & so mynystre & do seruyce vnto the seke / as though he mynystred & dyd seruyce vnto our lord and sauyour Iesu Chryst. For in y^e daye of last iudgement he wyll openly saye.* 1.1 I was seke / & you dyd vysyte & conforte me. For what seruyce so euer ye dyd vnto ony of y^e ••eest of myne for my sake / that seruyce ye dyd vn∣to me. The stronge & hole {per}sones sholde therfore bere with due pacyence y^e feblenes of y^e seke persones. For so is godly charite kepte and fulfylled. Saynt Paule sayth.* 1.2 Alter alterius onera portate: et sic adimplebi∣tis legē Christi. Bere you eche the burthen of other / & so shal ye fulfyll y^e lawe of Chryst. The lawe of Chryst

is loue. The lawe and offyce of loue / is one to helpe an other in all nede. And dyuers tymes / dyuers infirmy¦tees done cause vs eche to bere w^t other / & eche to helpe other at nede. For no thȳge so {pro}ueth a faythful frende as doth helpe at nede. In necessitate {pro}bat amicus.* 1.3 A frende (sayth the wyse man) is proued at nede / or in nede. The {per}sones also y^t ben seke / sholde wey & remem¦bre y^t seruyce is done vnto them in the {per}sone of Chryst & for his sake / & therfore they sholde haue themselfe in a good awayte / that neyther by theyr owne mysguy∣dynge they hyndre theyr helth: nor yet by theyr impa¦cyence & importunite they greue or be troublous vnto theyr scruytours & kepers. Let them therfore thanke hertely almyghty god of his visytacyon / & no thynge grudge therwith / lest perauenture the sekenes y^t was sent them for the purgacyon & clensynge of theyr sou∣les / be turned vnto the augment & multiplycacyon of theyr synnes & paynes. The lettre. Siue aūt qui cel∣lario / siue qui vestib{us} / siue qⁱ codicib{us} preponūtur: siue murmure seruiant fratribus suis. That is. And who so euer be officers / eyther of the celary / or of y^e chambe¦ry / or els of y^e library / w^t suche other offycers / let them serue theyr felowes w^tout murmure or grudge. Here saynt Augustyn dothe ordre y^e offycers vnto y^e couent / and so euer as vnite / peace & charite may best be nou∣rysshed.* 1.4 Here ye may also note y^t the officers be not so∣ueraynes / ne yet maysters of y^t they minystre / but ser¦uaūtes. He is than a fole y^t grudgeth to gyue an other mannes goodes / & he a more fole y^t grudgeth to paye his maysters dettes of his owne maysters goodes / & by his wyll & cōmaundement. So ben the religyous officers more than foles of all foles that done grudge

to serue theyr felowes after the wyll & cōmaūdement of the souerayne. Some officers wolde fayne appere good housbandes / & by the pretence of sparynge / they wyll be soueraynes themselfe / & in very dede to flater theyr souerayns / they wyl robbe Peter to clothe Pau¦le / take frō one of theyr felowes for a grudge / & with∣drawe y^t is nedefull / & gyue vnto an other for folysshe affeccyon y^t is su{per}fluous & more than ynough. Ther∣fore saynt Augustyn wyl they serue equally without grudge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. xxv
• * 1.2

  Gala. vj.
• * 1.3

  Eccli. vj.
• * 1.4

  Nota.