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1

V.

2
3    In þis sentence spekis sain benet of obedience, what
4it is at saie. Þat es te firste mekenes: wid-uten
5duelling til þat man bidis yu do. Meke bi-houis yu
6be for þe luue of god, for he mekid him for yu. Meke
7yu to godis seruise in hali kirke and do yure miht þar-to,
8þat ye may fle þe fir of helle and cum til heuin-rike; þare
9es faire at be. Þat yure abes cumandes yu at do, þat ye
10do it suiftlike; als god cumandis: " Ob auditu &c. -
11Þurz þe wordis ye here o me, þan ah ye at be meke";
12als yure maistiresse leris yu, als it sais: " Qui uos audit -

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13wha sam heris yu, þan heris me." for þi sal ye understande
14þaim: þat of mekenes wil lere, þai sal here þe
15cumandemens, and do als man bidis þam. ye sal leue
16yure ahen propir will, and do oþir mens. þoz ye be in
17labur, and yure maistires cumande yu at do a-noþir þing,
18ye sal laie it dune, & do þat scho bidis; þan er ye buxum
19under reule. ilkain sal take discipline at oþir, als hir
20mastiresse þoz scho ware, in þe dute of god. ye sal wne
21yu til strate gate, for þe luue of god; Als ure lauerd sais:
22" Angustia &c. - Straite gatis toke I me for to giue yu asaumpil
23at liue." ye ne sal noht liue in yure ahen wille,
24bot giue yu til mekenes. ye sal do oþer mens wille, yef
25ye wil cum to god. Þa þat wil liue in euuent, þai sal
26haue maistiresse ouir þam for to yeme þaim, þat tay foliz
27þe wordis of god, als he sais: " Non veni &c. - I ne
28come not in-til erþe for to do mi wille, bot my fadirs þat
29me sent." þat es godis wille, þat ye foliz yure ordir, and
30luue til yure prome, and do with-uten gruching þat yu es
31cumandid. þe mekenes þurz god ye can, als he sais
32him-self: " Qui uos audit - þat heris in yu, þai here
33me." For þi bi-houis þe decipils do þe mekenes, als þai
34haue tane to; þat es godis wille. þoz þu gruche, þe
35cumandement sal be haldin. And yef þu gruches & dos
36þat ilke þing, god es noht paid þar-of; for he ses ty
37herte, & for ty hauis þou no mede of þat þing þat tu dos
38gruchande; for þi sal tu quite þe wid scrift; ye, it bi-cimis
39yu. lauerd gif us sua meke at be, þat we may halde ure
40ordir, and syne cume til þe ioy þat lastes ay. Amen.
41
42

VI.

43
44    Sain benet spekis in þis sentence of silence, how ȝe
45sal it halde. he bidis þat ȝe do als þe prophete
46sais: "kepe ȝour tunge, it speke no scaþe, & ȝour lippis
47fra iuil, & kepe ȝow fro dedly synne." for þi sal ȝe seldin
48speke, for ȝe sal speke nan unat, ne vse yow noht þar-to.
49& in oþir stede es writen: " Mors & uita &c. - In þe
50pointe of þe tunge es lif & ded." loke wheþer ȝe wil take
51to. þe maistires aw at speke for to lere hyr dicipils
52wisdom. þe decipils sal here þar lesson & understand it.
53

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54

VII.

55
56    Of mekenes spekis sain benet in þis sentence, & sais
57with hali scripture: " Omnis qui se exaltat &c. -
58þa þat heyes þam, þai sal be mekid; & þai þat mekes
59þam sal be heyed." vre lord saide þat it es pride in þaim
60þat hyes þaim. Til mekenes he bides yu se, & say als þe
61prophete saide, when he spac til ure lauerd with muþe:
62" Domine, non est &c. - lauerd, my hart es not heyid in
63me, ne min eyen. Mikil o me ne held I noht to praise
64me-self. yef I leuid at se to mekenes & heyid me, My
65lauerd munde do to my saul als þe barne þat is done
66fra his modir milke ouir-arlike." Mikyl walde he fle
67pride, þe prophete, als hali writ sais. Yef ye wyl be
68hezid, lokes þat ye be meke, And make yure stize to he
69heuin wid yure gode dedis, þat iacob saz slapande: he saz
70gode wid his angels cume dune and vp in þe stede þare he
71lay. yef ye wil se to mekenes, þare sal ye be hezed,
72and gang vp wid þat stize. þat bitakins, þan þai com
73dune, ye sal be lazed, yef ye be prude; and tan þai yede
74vp, þat ye sal be hezed, yef ye to mekenes can se. Þe
75stize betakins vre lif here. þe stize hauis tua tres, bitakins
76þe body and te saul, ayþar at helpe oþir. þe stelis by-tuixe
77bitakins oure gude dedis, þat sal bere vs vp to god.
78þe tres betakins mekenes to goddis seruise and vnder
79discipline. Lauerd, we prai þe for þi misericorde þat we
80mai sua yeme þis reul o mekenes, In þe felazscap of þin
81angels þat we may be. amen. Qui viuis & regnas deus
82per omnia secula.
83    Sain Benet sais þat te dedis of mekenes ere ful suete;
84sua kennis he us; And sais þat ye sal haue firste
85þe dute of god, þat ye liue sua, þat ye be noght for-getil
86and fle evil dedis, And tat ye recorde wel þe cumantemens
87of god. Loke þat ye fle sinne, yef ye wile cume to þe
88ioy of heuin fra þe pines of helle; þat yure wyl be euir at
89gete yu fra scaþe; þat ye gete yu fra iuil þohtes, yure
90tunges fra iuil speche, yure eyen, yure hend, yure fete fra
91vnait gate, fra iuil wylle; And scere o-way al þe langing
92of yure fleis. God ses al yure þoght and al yure dedis.

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93þe angel þat here yemis yu dos hym at wit all yure
94dedis; sua sais te prophete. Alle yure þohtes may he
95se; And whyder þai wyl lede yu, resun sal ye yelde
96of þam. for þi ah ye at gete yu fra iuil þohtes, þat ye
97may cume to þe ioy of heuin. god gyf it us! amen.
98    Of propir wyl spekis sain benet; and ye sall do it als
99god bidis in haly writ and sais: " Et a voluntatibus -
100Turne yu fra yure wille and gete yu fra iuil;
101þan may ye liue in pais." Of yure ahen wylle sall ye
102blinne, al þat wil do yu sinne; Als it is wrytyn: " Sunt
103vie que - þe rihte gate, it es til þe lyf þat lastes ay." þa
104gates sal ye fle þat wicke men gas to hell by. for þi ar
105þai rotyn þat folyzed wicke wylle; hauid tay na bettir
106mede. sua sal yure antente be, þat god may se al yure
107wylle; Als te prophete sais. He sais: "all his langing
108es by-fore god." for þi es gude þat ye doe o-way yure
109wicke dedis & þohtes; þe dede is set to chasti þaim.
110for witte ye wele þat god may se baþe iuil and gude; es
111noght hyd be-fore hym. God lokis ut of heuin in-tyl
112erþe tyll hise at visit þaim, and lokes yef man askys hym
113ohte. For þi lokys þat ye do wel, þat yure angel may
114do yure nedis to god of al þat ye haue nede. And getes
115yu wel, yure fautes be noght musterd by-fore god. Lauerd,
116þu do vs sua at liue, þat we may deliuir vs of al vre
117fautes, And siþin to ioy cume. Amen.
118    Þe toþir maner o mekenes is, sais sain benet, For to
119hate yure ahen propir wyl, And fulfil noght yure
120langing, bot do godis wylle, and his desire fulfille; Als
121him-selfe sais: " Non veni &c. - I ne cume noght for to do
122my wille, bot my fadirs þat me sent." And in odyr stede
123sais he: " Voluntas habet &c. - Wille he hauide paine at
124do, at haue þe curune þat lastes ay, als it was hys wille."
125Lauerd, we pray þe þat we may sua halde þis mekenes,
126þat we may do þi wille. amen.
127    Of þe þridde maner o mekenes spekys sain benet to þa
128in his reul wyl be, And bidis þat ye sal be meke
129vnder yure abbes and do godis seruise; Als ta-postil saide
130of godis sune, þat he was meke riht tyl þe ded. God
131giue vs þat we may sua be. amen.

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132    Of þe ferþe maner o mekenes spekys sain benet, hu ye
133sal meke yu of þingis þat yu þinc es igainis yu, þat
134fallis to yure ordir. yef man dos yu ani wrang, ye sal take
135it in pacience, and noht fle þar-fore, ne leue yure gode
136dede; Als haly boke sais: " Qui perseuerauerit &c. - Wha
137sua wel wirkis til endyng, þai sal be sauf of alle þing";
138Als þe prophete sais: " Confortetur &c. - ye sal haue cumfort
139in yure hertis of god." For þi sal ye be of pacience,
140for þe luue of god, of þing þat es o-ganis yure fleis; Als te
141prophete sais to god: "Lauerd, we ere ilke day, for þe
142luue of þe, in þe dute of dede als te shep þat ere driuin to
143ded, for we folih þe; bliþelike we suffir it, for we sal haue
144mede of þe"; Als haly writ sais: " Probasti nos &c. -
145Lauerd, þu prouis vs here als te siluir þat es brind; þu did
146vs in þe lay and noy opon vre bak." for we sulde lere
147vnder maistires hu we sulde liue; Als te letter sais:
148" Inposuisti &c. - Ouir vs hauis þu don men," þi wylle at
149fulfille. Þa þat ere vnbuxum, þai sal be done to paine. Of
150þaim spekis sain paul, and sais þat tay ere fals. Þai caste
151þair mantil and rennis a-mise. þat bytakins, þai sal liue
152here bot a while. Alle be blisced þat weris taim. God
153giue vs sua meke at be, and sua his wille at do, þat we his
154ioy cum to. amen.
155    Of þe fifte maner o mekenes spekis sain benet for to
156lere hys sistirs hu þai salle scriue þaim to þair abbes,
157baþe nunne and sistir. Loke þat ye be buxum and scriue
158yu of alle þe sinnis þat ye haue don; Als haly writ bidis
159yu: " Reuela domino &c. - Mustir til god al þi gate, & he
160sal make it in pes." And in odir stede sais he: " Confitemini
161&c. - Knaus to god al yure sinne, for he es of mercy
162and gude at al nede." yet sais þe prophete: " Delictum
163meum &c. - Lauerd, I mustird þe myne dedis, I ne hid
164tam noht and alle my herte." þan ye do þus, þan sale yure
165sinnes be for-gyvin. Lauerd giue vs grace sua for to muster
166vre dedis, þat we may til his ioy cum. amen.
167    Sain Benet spekis of þe sexte de-grece of mekenes Til
168his sistirs, and sais þat ilkain sal halde þaim-selfe
169lest of alle odir. And al þingis þat man bidis yu do, þat
170ye do it mekely, þat resunnabil es. þu sal þinke in þi herte
171þat tu es vndinge to gode dede; Als þe prophete saide:

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172" Ad nichilum &c. - Til na þing es I made bot for to
173doe godis wylle. ic is like tyl a mere þat beris þat man
174lais on hir bak." In what dede sam ye be, loke þat yure
175þoht and ȝure herte be to god almihten. Lauerd, we praie
176þe, what sam we do, þat we to þe be broht. amen.
177    Sain benet spekis yet til his sistirs of þe seuind
178degrece o mekenes, and bidis þat ye sal meke yu
179ilka in-til oþir, baþe mare & lesse, And saie als te prophete
180saide: " Ego sum &c. Ic es wrmis and na man,
181And ut-castyng o men. First was ic hezed, and siþin
182lazed þur scrifte, and ouir-cumin." sua sal ye do, & tanne
183mai ye sai with þe prophete: " Bonum michi &c. - Lauerd,
184god it es to me þat þu mekyd me to lere þine cumandemens."
185God giue vs sua his cumandemens at lere, þat we
186may cume til his mekenes. Amen.
187    Of þe ahtend maner o mekenes spekis sain benet til
188his cuuent, and bidis þat ye sal do als te reul sais,
189And als it cumandis, And meke vnder þare maistres in alle
190þaire dedis. Lauerd, ye giue vs at halde þis mekenes til
191þending. amen.
192    Sain benet spekis til his cuuent of þe nihend degrece
193o mekenes, And biddis þat ye ne sal noght vse
194yu tyl mekil speche. for hali writ spekis þare-of, and
195sais þat naman may mikil speke, bot yef þare be sinne
196i-mang, Na naman wil prayse þaim þat es of mikil speche;
197Ofte speke þai wrang. Lauerd, þu giue vs sua vre silence
198to yeme, þat we may serue þe to-queme, in yuþe and in
199elde. amen.
200    Of þe tende maner o mekenes spekis sain benet
201til his cuuent, And bidis þat ye ne sal noght be
202ouir-lazand; and þinkes what þe prophete sais: " Stultus
203in risu &c. - þe fool turnes hys þoght in-til lazter, and helpis
204noht." Lauerd, we pray þe þis resun be halden with vs,
205and send vs þi wit. Amen.
206    Sain benet spekis yet til his cuuent Of þe ellofte maner
207of mekenes, And biddis þat ye sal mekely speke
208when ye speke, & wid-vten lazter, and o fa wordis &
209stabil, and speke wiselike. þan þu sal speke to þi felahe,

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210crie noght o-pon hir, bot faire aske þin erand, als haly
211boke sais: " Sapiens verbis &c. - þe wyse man musters
212hym wid fa wordis & welle sitande." Lauerd, we pray
213þe Of þis maner þat we may be. Amen.
214    Saint benet spekis in þis sentence Of þe telfete maner
215o mekenes, And bidis þat ye sal meke yure herte
216til alle men, baþe to mare & les. In what labur sam ye
217be, þoz ye be in þe kirke, Ouþir in þe garde, Ouþir in gate,
218Ouþir in felde, ouþir what labur sam ye do, þat ye haue yure
219heuidis enclind to þerþe, And þeneke on yure synnys for to
220mende þaim, And tat ye be als rad als ye saz þe iugiment
221of god, And þinke what þe puplicane saide, when he laide
222hym by-hinde þe dore, Als te gospel telles: " Domine,
223non sum dignus &c. - Lauerd, I ne is noght digne at lifte
224mine ezin til heuin for mine sinnes." loke what þe prophete
225sais til oure lauerd in haly writ: " Incuruatus sum
226&c. - Ic is lazed and mekid til alle þat mine ezin se."
227When ye haue fulfild þis al, þire mekenes, þan sal ye cume
228til perfite charite, til þe ioy þat god hauis graid til mannis
229sunis. Lauerd, graunt it vs, þat we may sua þir mekenes
230halde, þat we to þi ioy may cume. amen. Qui viuis &c.