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.

¶ Of the sentence y^t gothe before / wherin saynt Au∣gustyn forbyddeth y^e ryche to disdeyne the poore. And of this sentence y^t also wyl they take no pryde of theyr almes done vnto y^e monastery. We may se & perceyue two kyndes / or two maners of pryde. The one carnal the other spirytuall. For to dysdeyne pouerte / & to re∣ioyce of hygh blode / apperteyneth vnto y^e flesshe / vnto the bodyly parte / for y^t is moche vsed amonge the secu¦ler people of the worlde. But to reioyce & take pryde of the werkes of mercy / is spirytuall vaynglory & pryde whiche destroyeth & corrupteth many religyous per∣sones / wherfore y^e spirytuall pryde is more peryllous and more to be dredde than y^e carnall. For to reioyce & take pryde of a good werke cometh of a hygh mynde and grete stomacke. And y^e hygher he clymbe / y^e more ieoperdous is the fall. Our lorde therfore in y^e gospell byddeth.* 1.1 Whan thou dost almes (sayth he) let not thy lyfte hande knowe what thy ryght hande doth / so y^t thyne almes be done pryuely / & he y^t seeth in preuyte wyll rewarde the. By the ryght hande is ment well doynge in due maner / and good purpose. By the lyfte hande / a desyre of worldly thanke or prayse by pryde. By these wordes than ben we monysshed & warned / that whan we do a good dede / we haue not mynde ne

desyre to haue it knowen / for prayse & elacyon of hert For yf we do / we shall surely haue no rewarde of god. Now foloweth how grete & peryllous this synne of pryde is / where is sayd.* 1.2 Alia quippe iniquitas que∣cū{que} / in malis operib{us} exercetur / vt fiant: su{per}bia vero: bonis operibus insidiatur / vt pereant. For of a surete euery other iniquite or synne what so euer it be / is ex∣ercysed in euyll werkes to brynge them to passe / but pryde lyeth in wayte also for good werkes / to cause them to perysshe & come to nought. That is to saye / that man by all other synnes is assayled & tempted to do euyll & amysse / but pryde doth not onely tempte & moue man to do euyll / but also to lose y^e meryte of his good dedes. As by example / yf religyous {per}sones kepe themselfe from all y^e actes & dedes of synne / as to pre∣ferre themselfe in rome or offyce / or to maligne agaȳst ony person / & so lyue peasfully & restfully frō synne / & than cōtrary / gyue them to mekenes / charite / fastȳge watche and prayer / w^t suche other: than this synne of pryde is besy to cause suche persones to reioyce & take vayne glory therin / & so to lose all the meryte therof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math̄. vj
• * 1.2

  The text.