<B CMBENRUL>
<Q M3 IR RULE BENEDME>
<N BEN RULE ME>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D NL>
<V PROSE>
<T RULE>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>
<S SAMPLE X>

[^TEXT:  THE BENEDICTINE RULE.
THREE MIDDLE-ENGLISH VERSIONS OF THE RULE
OF ST. BENET AND TWO CONTEMPORARY RITUALS
FOR THE ORDINATION OF NUNS.
EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY, O.S. 120.
ED. E. A. KOCK.
LONDON, 1902.
PP. 9.25 - 15.21^]

<P 9>
[} [\V.\] }]

   In +tis sentence spekis sain benet of obedience, what
it is at saie. [{+T{]at es te firste mekenes: wid-uten
duelling til +tat man bidis yu do. [{M{]eke bi-houis yu
be for +te luue of god, for he mekid him for yu. [{M{]eke
yu to godis seruise in hali kirke and do yure miht +tar-to,
+tat ye may fle +te fir of helle and cum til heuin-rike; +tare
es faire at be. [{+T{]at yure abes cumandes yu at do, +tat ye
do it suiftlike; als god cumandis: " (\Ob auditu &c.\) - 
[{+T{]urz +te wordis ye here o me, +tan ah ye at be meke";
als yure maistiresse leris yu, als it sais: " (\Qui uos         #
audit\) - 
<P 10>
wha sam heris yu, +tan heris me." for +ti sal ye understande
+taim: +tat of mekenes wil lere, +tai sal here +te
cumandemens, and do als man bidis +tam. ye sal leue
yure ahen propir will, and do o+tir mens. +toz ye be in 
labur, and yure maistires cumande yu at do a-no+tir +ting,
ye sal laie it dune, & do +tat scho bidis; +tan er ye buxum 
under reule. ilkain sal take discipline at o+tir, als hir
mastiresse +toz scho ware, in +te dute of god. ye sal wne
yu til strate gate, for +te luue of god; Als ure lauerd sais:
" (\Angustia &c.\) - Straite gatis toke I me for to giue yu     #
asaumpil
at liue." ye ne sal noht liue in yure ahen wille, 
bot giue yu til mekenes. ye sal do o+ter mens wille, yef
ye wil cum to god. +Ta +tat wil liue in euuent, +tai sal
haue maistiresse ouir +tam for to yeme +taim, +tat tay foliz
+te wordis of god, als he sais: " (\Non veni &c.\) - I ne
come not in-til er+te for to do mi wille, bot my fadirs +tat
me sent." +tat es godis wille, +tat ye foliz yure ordir, and
luue til yure prome, and do with-uten gruching +tat yu es
cumandid. +te mekenes +turz god ye can, als he sais
him-self: " (\Qui uos audit\) - +tat heris in yu, +tai here
me." For +ti bi-houis +te decipils do +te mekenes, als +tai
haue tane to; +tat es godis wille. +toz +tu gruche, +te
cumandement sal be haldin. And yef +tu gruches & dos
+tat ilke +ting, god es noht paid +tar-of; for he ses ty
herte, & for ty hauis +tou no mede of +tat +ting +tat tu dos
gruchande; for +ti sal tu quite +te wid scrift; ye, it bi-cimis
yu. lauerd gif us sua meke at be, +tat we may halde ure
ordir, and syne cume til +te ioy +tat lastes ay. Amen.

[} [\VI.\] }]

   Sain benet spekis in +tis sentence of silence, how +ge
sal it halde. he bidis +tat +ge do als +te prophete
sais: "kepe +gour tunge, it sp[{e{]ke no sca+te, & +gour lippis
fra iuil, & kepe +gow fro dedly synne." for +ti sal +ge seldin
speke, for +ge sal speke nan unat, ne vse yow noht +tar-to.
& in o+tir stede es writen: " (\Mors & uita &c.\) - In +te
pointe of +te tunge es lif & ded." loke whe+ter +ge wil take
to. +te maistires aw at speke for to lere hyr dicipils
wisdom. +te decipils sal here +tar lesson & understand it.

<P 11>
[} [\VII.\] }]

   Of mekenes spekis sain benet in +tis sentence, & sais
with hali scripture: " (\Omnis qui se exaltat &c.\) - 
+ta +tat heyes +tam, +tai sal be mekid; & +tai +tat mekes
+tam sal be heyed." vre lord saide +tat it es pride in +taim
+tat hyes +taim. Til mekenes he bides yu se, & say als +te
prophete saide, when he spac til ure lauerd with mu+te:
" (\Domine, non est &c.\) - lauerd, my hart es not heyid in
me, ne min eyen. Mikil o me ne held I noht to praise
me-self. yef I leuid at se to mekenes & heyid me, My
lauerd munde do to my saul als +te barne +tat is done
fra his modir milke ouir-arlike." Mikyl walde he fle
pride, +te prophete, als hali writ sais. Yef ye wyl be
hezid, lokes +tat ye be meke, And make yure stize to he
heuin wid yure gode dedis, +tat iacob saz slapande: he saz
gode wid his angels cume dune and vp in +te stede +tare he
lay. yef ye wil se to mekenes, +tare sal ye be hezed,
and gang vp wid +tat stize. +tat bitakins, +tan +tai com
dune, ye sal be lazed, yef ye be prude; and tan +tai yede
vp, +tat ye sal be hezed, yef ye to mekenes can se. +Te
stize betakins vre lif here. +te stize hauis tua tres, bitakins
+te body and te saul, ay+tar at helpe o+tir. +te stelis         #
by-tuixe 
bitakins oure gude dedis, +tat sal bere vs vp to god.
+te tres betakins mekenes to goddis seruise and vnder
discipline. Lauerd, we prai +te for +ti misericorde +tat we
mai sua yeme +tis reul o mekenes, In +te felazscap of +tin
angels +tat we may be. amen. (\Qui viuis & regnas deus
per omnia secula.\)
   Sain Benet sais +tat te dedis of mekenes ere ful suete;
sua kennis he us; And sais +tat ye sal haue firste
+te dute of god, +tat ye liue sua, +tat ye be noght for-getil
and fle evil dedis, And tat ye recorde wel +te cumantemens
of god. Loke +tat ye fle sinne, yef ye wile cume to +te
ioy of heuin fra +te pines of helle; +tat yure wyl be euir at
gete yu fra sca+te; +tat ye gete yu fra iuil +tohtes, yure
tunges fra iuil speche, yure eyen, yure hend, yure fete fra 
vnait gate, fra iuil wylle; And scere o-way al +te langing
of yure fleis. God ses al yure +toght and al yure dedis.
<P 12>
+te angel +tat here yemis yu dos hym at wit all yure
dedis; sua sais te prophete. Alle yure +tohtes may he
se; And whyder +tai wyl lede yu, resun sal ye yelde
of +tam. for +ti ah ye at gete yu fra iuil +tohtes, +tat ye
may cume to +te ioy of heuin. god gyf it us! amen.
   Of propir wyl spekis sain benet; and ye sall do it als
god bidis in haly writ and sais: " (\Et a voluntatibus\) - 
Turne yu fra yure wille and gete yu fra iuil; 
+tan may ye liue in pais." Of yure ahen wylle sall ye
blinne, al +tat wil do yu sinne; Als it is wrytyn: " (\Sunt
vie que\) - +te rihte gate, it es til +te lyf +tat lastes ay."  #
+ta
gates sal ye fle +tat wicke men gas to hell by. for +ti ar
+tai rotyn +tat folyzed wicke wylle; hauid tay na bettir
mede. sua sal yure antente be, +tat god may se al yure
wylle; Als te prophete sais. He sais: "all his langing
es by-fore god." for +ti es gude +tat ye doe o-way yure
wicke dedis & +tohtes; +te dede is set to chasti +taim.
for witte ye wele +tat god may se ba+te iuil and gude; es
noght hyd be-fore hym. God lokis ut of heuin in-tyl
er+te tyll hise at visit +taim, and lokes yef man askys hym
ohte. For +ti lokys +tat ye do wel, +tat yure angel may
do yure nedis to god of al +tat ye haue nede. And getes
yu wel, yure fautes be noght musterd by-fore god. Lauerd,
+tu do vs sua at liue, +tat we may deliuir vs of al vre
fautes, And si+tin to ioy cume. Amen.
   +Te to+tir maner o mekenes is, sais sain benet, For to 
hate yure ahen propir wyl, And fulfil noght yure
langing, bot do godis wylle, and his desire fulfille; Als
him-selfe sais: " (\Non veni &c.\) - I ne cume noght for to do
my wille, bot my fadirs +tat me sent." And in odyr stede
sais he: " (\Voluntas habet &c.\) - Wille he hauide paine at
do, at haue +te curune +tat lastes ay, als it was hys wille."
Lauerd, we pray +te +tat we may sua halde +tis mekenes,
+tat we may do +ti wille. amen.
   Of +te +tridde maner o mekenes spekys sain benet to +ta
in his reul wyl be, And bidis +tat ye sal be meke
vnder yure abbes and do godis seruise; Als ta-postil saide
of godis sune, +tat he was meke riht tyl +te ded. God
giue vs +tat we may sua be. amen.
<P 13>
   Of +te fer+te maner o mekenes spekys sain benet, hu ye
sal meke yu of +tingis +tat yu +tinc es igainis yu, +tat
fallis to yure ordir. yef man dos yu ani wrang, ye sal take
it in pacience, and noht fle +tar-fore, ne leue yure gode
dede; Als haly boke sais: " (\Qui perseuerauerit &c.\) - Wha
sua wel wirkis til endyng, +tai sal be sauf of alle +ting";
Als +te prophete sais: " (\Confortetur &c.\) - ye sal haue      #
cumfort
in yure hertis of god." For +ti sal ye be of pacience,
for +te luue of god, of +ting +tat es o-ganis yure fleis; Als   #
te
prophete sais to god: "Lauerd, we ere ilke day, for +te
luue of +te, in +te dute of dede als te shep +tat ere driuin to
ded, for we folih +te; bli+telike we suffir it, for we sal haue
mede of +te"; Als haly writ sais: " (\Probasti nos &c.\) - 
Lauerd, +tu prouis vs here als te siluir +tat es brind; +tu     #
did 
vs in +te lay and noy opon vre bak." for we sulde lere
vnder maistires hu we sulde liue; Als te letter sais:
" (\Inposuisti &c.\) - Ouir vs hauis +tu don men," +ti wylle at
fulfille. +Ta +tat ere vnbuxum, +tai sal be done to paine. Of
+taim spekis sain paul, and sais +tat tay ere fals. +Tai caste
+tair mantil and rennis a-mise. +tat bytakins, +tai sal liue
here bot a while. Alle be blisced +tat weris taim. God
giue vs sua meke at be, and sua his wille at do, +tat we his 
ioy cum to. amen.
   Of +te fifte maner o mekenes spekis sain benet for to
lere hys sistirs hu +tai salle scriue +taim to +tair abbes,
ba+te nunne and sistir. Loke +tat ye be buxum and scriue
yu of alle +te sinnis +tat ye haue don; Als haly writ bidis
yu: " (\Reuela domino &c.\) - Mustir til god al +ti gate, & he
sal make it in pes." And in odir stede sais he: " (\Confitemini
&c.\) - Knaus to god al yure sinne, for he es of mercy
and gude at al nede." yet sais +te prophete: " (\Delictum
meum &c.\) - Lauerd, I mustird +te myne dedis, I ne hid
tam noht and alle my herte." +tan ye do +tus, +tan sale yure
sinnes be for-gyvin. Lauerd giue vs grace sua for to muster
vre dedis, +tat we may til his ioy cum. amen.
   Sain Benet spekis of +te sexte de-grece of mekenes Til
his sistirs, and sais +tat ilkain sal halde +taim-selfe
lest of alle odir. And al +tingis +tat man bidis yu do, +tat
ye do it mekely, +tat resunnabil es. +tu sal +tinke in +ti      #
herte
+tat tu es vndinge to gode dede; Als +te prophete saide:
<P 14>
" (\Ad nichilum &c.\) - Til na +ting es I made bot for to
doe godis wylle. ic is like tyl a mere +tat beris +tat man
lais on hir bak." In what dede sam ye be, loke +tat yure
+toht and +gure herte [{be{] to god almihten. Lauerd, we praie
+te, what sam we do, +tat we to +te be broht. amen.
   Sain benet spekis yet til his sistirs of +te seuind
degrece o mekenes, and bidis +tat ye sal meke yu
ilka in-til o+tir, ba+te mare & lesse, And saie als te prophete
saide: " (\Ego sum &c.\) Ic es wrmis and na man,
And ut-castyng o men. First was ic hezed, and si+tin
lazed +tur scrifte, and ouir-cumin." sua sal ye do, & tanne
mai ye sai with +te prophete: " (\Bonum michi &c.\) - Lauerd,
god it es to me +tat +tu mekyd me to lere +tine cumandemens."
God giue vs sua his cumandemens at lere, +tat we 
may cume til his mekenes. Amen.
   Of +te ahtend maner o mekenes spekis sain benet til
his cuuent, and bidis +tat ye sal do als te reul sais,
And als it cumandis, And meke vnder +tare maistres in alle
+taire dedis. Lauerd, ye giue vs at halde +tis mekenes til 
+tending. amen.
   Sain benet spekis til his cuuent of +te nihend degrece
o mekenes, And biddis +tat ye ne sal noght vse
yu tyl mekil speche. for hali writ spekis +tare-of, and
sais +tat naman may mikil speke, bot yef +tare be sinne
i-mang, Na naman wil prayse +taim +tat es of mikil speche;
Ofte speke +tai wrang. Lauerd, +tu giue vs sua vre silence
to yeme, +tat we may serue +te to-queme, in yu+te and in 
elde. amen.
   Of +te tende maner o mekenes spekis sain benet
til his cuuent, And bidis +tat ye ne sal noght be
ouir-lazand; and +tinkes what +te prophete sais: " (\Stultus
in risu &c.\) - +te fool turnes hys +toght in-til lazter, and   #
helpis
noht." Lauerd, we pray +te +tis resun be halden with vs,
and send vs +ti wit. Amen.
   Sain benet spekis yet til his cuuent Of +te ellofte maner
of mekenes, And biddis +tat ye sal mekely speke
when ye speke, & wid-vten lazter, and o fa wordis & 
stabil, and speke wiselike. +tan +tu sal speke to +ti felahe,
<P 15>
crie noght o-pon hir, bot faire aske +tin erand, als haly
boke sais: " (\Sapiens verbis &c.\) - +te wyse man musters
hym wid fa wordis & welle sitande." Lauerd, we pray
+te Of +tis maner +tat we may be. Amen.
   Saint benet spekis in +tis sentence Of +te telfete maner
o mekenes, And bidis +tat ye sal meke yure herte
til alle men, ba+te to mare & les. In what labur sam ye
be, +toz ye be in +te kirke, Ou+tir in +te garde, Ou+tir in     #
gate,
Ou+tir in felde, ou+tir what labur sam ye do, +tat ye haue yure
heuidis enclind to +ter+te, And +teneke on yure synnys for to 
mende +taim, And tat ye be als rad als ye saz +te iugiment
of god, And +tinke what +te puplicane saide, when he laide
hym by-hinde +te dore, Als te gospel telles: " (\Domine,
non sum dignus &c.\) - Lauerd, I ne is noght digne at lifte
mine ezin til heuin for mine sinnes." loke what +te prophete
sais til oure lauerd in haly writ: " (\Incuruatus sum
&c.\) - Ic is lazed and mekid til alle +tat mine ezin se."
When ye haue fulfild +tis al, +tire mekenes, +tan sal ye cume
til perfite charite, til +te ioy +tat god hauis graid til       #
mannis
sunis. Lauerd, graunt it vs, +tat we may sua +tir mekenes
halde, +tat we to +ti ioy may cume. amen. (\Qui viuis &c.\)  



