[London, British Museum, Cotton Ms. Vespasian A. 25, ca. 1440]
De mensa priorisse.
1 A Priores bord aw forto be
Euer-mor vntil al gestes fre,
Þat es to mene vnto pouer men.
2 And when non cumes, scho sal take þen
Of þe eldest & þe most nedy
Of hir sisters þat wons hir by,
In stede of pouer folk, þam to fede;
So may scho wyn hir mykil mede.
1 If ony woman can oght do
4 Þat ony wining falles vnto,
All þe prophet of þeir wyning
Vnto þeir souerayn sal þai bryng.
2 And if ony hafe pryde þer-by,
It sal be tayn fro þam in hy,
3 And neuer more sal þay negh nere,
Bot þe priores gif þam power.
a [110r] And þat sal not fall, bot scho se
Þat þai be meke & obidient be,
And wil gif al þeir wyning fayn
To þe ordenance of þer souerayn,
9 And wil luf god in ilka place,
Þat gifes to þam swilk giftes of grace.
De probacione suscipiendorum.
1 All if a woman ful eld haue,
And religion wil to hir craue,
And hase non entisment þer-til
Bot oblis hir awn wil,
Fully resauyd sal scho not be,
Or tyme þai hir perseuerans se
And prow hir both be nyghtes & days,
2 Als þe appostil playnly says.
Hir hert & wil er both to proue,
3 If þai be gifin til godes bi-houe,
And mak þam forto vnderstand
Þe hardnes of religioun band.
And if scho bide iiij days or fyue
And schews grete lawnes in hir liue,
4 Vnto hir salbe graunte entre;
Bot als a gest it sal scho be
5 And sine a place forto haue grayde,
[110v] Als vnto nouysces es puruayd,
6 And a mastres her forto lere
Hir obseruandes & seruys sere,
7 And to schew hir both gude & ill
Þat scho salbe obidient til.
8 And if scho be willy always
To suffer what hir mastres sais,
9 Sithen efter ij moneth space,
Þan sal þai bring þis rewle in place
10 And tel vntil hir opinly
Þis law þat hir aw to lif by.
When it es red on right array,
Þe priores sal til hir say:
"Þis rewle if þou may eme & saue,
We grant þe entre here to haue;
And if þou may not þerwith lend,
We grant þe lefe frely to wend."
11 And if scho þan wil langer dwel,
Scho sal bide in þe noues sel
At gud laser to lig & rise,
So þat scho may hir wele awise
In hir hert, if scho be bald
Þe rewle to tak þat scho es tald.
12 When sex moneths er fully gon,
[111r] Þen sall þis rewel eft furth be ton
And red to hir, os mykil os nedes,
How scho sal rewle both wordes & dedes.
13 And if scho it wil lely last,
When xij moneths er playnly past,
Þis sal eft be to hir red,
So þat scho be not lyghtli led,
And þat scho wit be on & on
Þe pontes wher-to scho hase hir tone.
14 And if scho so with a-visement
Hete to fulfil with gude entent
What so þai deme bi day or nyght,
Þen sal scho be resauyd right
Into þe kirk emang þam all;
And þat day þerin dwel scho sall.
15-16 In hir-self þen sal scho knaw
Þat scho sal neuer, for godes aw,
Fro þat rewle reklisly gang,
Sen þat scho es avised so lang.
17 To chapitur sine scho salbe tayn
In-mang þe couent euer-ilkayn,
And vnto god þer sal scho hete,
Falland doun be-for þer fete,
[111v] Þat scho sall fathfuly fulfill
Al þat þei haue told hir till.
18 Vnto mary, cristes moder dere,
And to al halows of heuyn clere
Sal scho hete þer þam emang.
Þan may scho wit: if scho do wrang
Or maynten it not with hir mayine,
Al wil þai witnes hir ogayne.
19 Þan sal scho make blithly hir bown
And puruay hir peticioun.
20 With hir awn hand it salbe wroght,
Or with a-noþer, if scho can noght;
Bot scho sal luke þat it be lele,
And set þerto signet or sele.
On þe awter scho sal it lay,
21 And þer wordes þen sal scho say:
"Suscipe me, domine, secundum eloquium
tuum, et viuam, & non confundar."
22 And þir same [wordes] on þis wise
Sal þai ilkon reherce thrise
With "gloria patri" put þerto
And "Sicut erat" sine also.
23 Þe nouese þan be-for þam all
Al flat vnto þe erth sal fall,
[112r] Besekand þam on ilka side
For to pray for hir þat tide.
Fro þat day sal scho rekynd be
On þe couent in hir degre.
24 And al þe þinges þat scho hase þen,
Ouþer sal scho it þam to pouer men,
Besekand þam for hir to pray,
Or els vnto hir awn abbay.
Vnto hir-self scho sal haue noght
Of al þat scho hase þeder broght.
Vntil oþer scho sal it take,
And hir awn wil scho sal for-sake.
26 Hir awn wedes scho sal lay doun
And take cloths of religioun.
27 Hir cloths sal þan albedene
Be samyn layd & kepid clene,
28 Þat if case fall at þe ere end
Þat scho in-to þe world wil wend,
Þe same wede þat scho can for-sake,
Þat sal scho were & with hir take.
29 Bot hir bil of peticioun
Sall leue stil in religioun.
De nouicijs iuuenibus suscipiendis.
1 [112v] May52 fal þat ouþer man or wife
Wold haue þer child53 haly life,
And offer it vnto haly kirk;
On þis wise þam aw to wirk:
If þer child be so ung,54
Þat it55 can not tel with tung
What es to leue ne what to take,
Þen sal þe frendes peticions make.
2 Tak þai sal þe childes hand
And bil & þer awn offerand
With reuerence, os þe rewle hase kend,
And law al on þe awter end.
a And when þai mak peticioun,
A certayn soume þai sal lay doune,
Or els hete of þer gudes to gif
Whor-of þer child may lere to lif.
3 Til it-self sal þai gif no thing,
Gold ne siluer, broch ne ryng,
4-5 Bot opinly if gif sal þai
Vnto god & to þe abbay,
8 And childer þat frenchep hase none,
For godes sake þai salbe tone.
Notes to Chapter 59
52. 59:1. May ] ay. Space was left for a large capital letter (M) extended over two lines, but this was never inserted.
53. 59:1. A word seems to be omitted.
54. 59:1. This and the following line were written in the reverse order. The letters a, b were then added in the left margin.
55. 59:1. It, not: written above the line.
1 And fro time þai resauyd be,
[113r] Al salbe sarued in o degre,
Rich & pure, & ong & old,
In form os be-for es told.
10 Bot þe ong, whor so þai err,
Sal ordan56 þan þat er elder,
And þe elder in alkins þing
Sal luf & lere þam þat er ing.
12 "Damisel" Þe ongest es,
Þe elder "madaum" & "mastres."
13 Þe Priores als principall
Es "lady" & leder of þam all,
And not al for hir awn bi-houe,
Bot for hir staite & cristes luf.
15 And whor so euer þai gang o-boute,
Þe onger sal þe elder loute
And do þam reuerence, als es right,
In word & dede, be day & nyght.
Note to Chapter 63
56. 63:10. ordan: appears to be an error.
De eleccione priorisse57
1 A Priores aw to be chosen
Þe best in lifyng leli losen,
Be ordinance & bi hali assent
And councel of al þe couent,
Takand non for luf ne mede,
Ne leueand non for aw ne drede;
2 Bot for gude luf & for godes sake
[113v] A worthi souerayn sal þai take,
Whilk þai knaw perfite & stabil,
And als emang þaim most abill
Of wit & cunsel & of cunyng,
And vsand euynhed in al thing.
3 And if it fel, os god forbede,
Þat ony wold for wordly mede
Samyn be þam-self assent,
With-outyn counsel of þe couent,
Forto chese swilk a souerayn.
Als to þer bedynges wold be bayn,
And þair doyng wor fundyn slike,
4 Þen sal þe bisschop of þat rike
5 Swilk a priores sone depose,
And mak on bi þeir aller chose.
And foles þat in þer fath wil fayle,
Þai salbe chastid fro cownsaile,
So þat in godes hows may be
A gude emer of godes mene.
6 For wit þai wele þat þai sal cum
To reknygn on þe day of dome
For þer myschesing þam omang,
Als sche sal for hir warkes wrang.
And if þai chese wele & lely,
[114r] Þan falles a ful grete mede þerby,
So þat þai tak gude rewarde
Þat noder on be spede ne oþer sparde
For no ponte þat men may pruefe,
Bot anely for our lordes lufe.
7 When scho es chosin on þis maner
And confermyd in hir playne power,
Þen aw hir forto luke allayn58
Vnto þat charch þat scho hase tayn
And vnto wham hir aw to eld
Reknyng both in outh in eld,
Ill or wele wheþer scho spend
Þe charch þat scho hase tayn in hend.
8 Al if scho be highest in degre,
In hir-self lawest sal scho be.
9 Hir aw to be gude of forthoght
What thinges es to wirk & what noght,
Chaste & sober, meke & myld,
Of bering bowsum os a child.
11 Sin & vices sal scho hate
And luf hir sisters ayrly & laite.
12 Scho salbe sober in al thyng
And naymly in hir chastying,
To lay on þam þat vnder hir er
[114v] No euyer band þan þay may ber,
Þat whils scho rubes a-way þe rust,
Þe vessel fal not al to dust.
13 Hir maistri euer sal mesurd be,
Thinkand on hir awn frelte
Lik to a rede in a forest,
Þat bows with wind & wil not brest.
a Scho sal so her what ilkon sais,
And be wise in hir wordes alwais.
De condicionibus Priorisse59
14 A Priores hertly sal hast
Al vice & syns away to waist
And ordan for þam gastly bute,
Or tyme þat þai haue takin rute,
15 And ordan alway hir entent
For to be lufid of hir couent,
Þat þai hir honor in word & dede
For luf & not aynly for drede.
16 Scho sal not be contrarius
Ne ouer-lyghtly suspecius.
In al hir bidinges scho salbe
Resonabil & also avise,
17 Wheder it be for gastly thing
Or wordly þat scho makes bidyng.
And when scho comaundes oght to do,
[115r] Swilk rewling sal scho hafe þer-to,
Þat it be mesured on gude maners,
18 Als sant Ion þe apostil leres:
"Si greges meos faciam &c.
If I ger my bestes," he sais,
"Trauel mor be nyghtes or dais
Þan þer power perfourn may,
Þan wil þai fall down in þe way."
19 Þus bi ensaumpil sal scho take
Materly al thinges to make,
And þat al thinges in dede & saw
Be mesured euermor os þam aw,
And ilka thing in þer degre,
Bodely or gastly wheder it be.
20 And þis ilk rewle þus if scho rede
And fulfil it in word & dede,
Þen may scho þer wordes vnderstand,
22 How crist says of a gud seruand:
"Super omnia bona sua constituet eum."
b He þat in life es funden lele
In word & wark alway to wele,
Hym wil þe lord with-outyn lete
Ouer al his gudes assingne60 & sett
And haly put in-til his hand
[115v] Both corn & katel, hows & land,
And chanch hym wil he for no new
Be reson þat he61 findes him trew.
And efterward for his gude dede
Þe lord wil larchly gif him mede.
So sal al þo haue wele, we knaw,
Þat trewly dos euer os Þam aw.
Notes to Chapter 64
57. 64:Title. Title written in the margin at the end of the preceding line.
58. 64:7. allayn ] alleyn
59. 64:Title. Title added; written in the margin at the end of the following line.
60. 64:b. assigne ] assingnes
61. 64:b. he ] I
Si inpossibilia iniungentur.
a A Priores, als I sayd air,
Aw to be mesured euermair
To bind non bot als þai may bere,
And efter þer warkes worthi ere,
And bid non do by nyght & day
Vn-mesurely mor þan þai may.
1 And if scho put any vntil
Mor wark þen þai may fulfil,
Til hir bedynges þai sal be bayn
And noþer gruch ne spek ogayn.
2 Bot forther, if þai se in sight
Þat þe trauel passes þer myght,
Vn-to hir sal þai pray mekely
Forto relese þam sum party,
Telland to hir al þer encheson.
4 And if scho wil not her þer reson,
[116r] it sall þai not þam-self it slake,
Bot suffer it for godes sake,
Thinkand on þair mikil mede;
5 Þan sal god strengh in þer dede.
And on al wise þai sal take tent,
Þat no þing be don in couent,
In word ne wark ne nokins wise,
Whar-of outward myght sclaunder rise.
Vt nulla aliam cedat vel offendat.
2 Tham aw to tent vnto þis þing,
Þat non of þam sal oþer dyng,
Ne none herdy oder to greue,
Bot at þe Priores gifes leue
And power oþer to chasty
Þat funden er in ony foly.
3 And þai þat opinly er blamyd,
Al opinly þai sal be shamyd,
So þat oþer may wernyd be
Fro al slik folis forto fle.
4 Þe nouece þat þis rewle sal lere,
Vntil þai be past xv ere,
Sal be in keping of mastres
5 To chasty þam, when worthi es,
Als it falles þe trispas to.
6 [116v] And oþer-wise if þat scho do,
Scho sal be punyst for þat dede;
7 For it es writyn, os men may rede:
"Vntil a-noþer þou sal not do
Bot os þou wold wor don þe to."
On þe sam wise sall ilk souerayn
Do os þai wil tak o-gayn.
De exeuntibus et redeuntibus.
1 A sister, when scho sal oute wende
To fadir or moder or oþer frend,
Þan sal scho tak with gude entent
Hir leue of all þe hale couent,
Besekand þam for hir to pray
Þat god hir wise in all her way.
2 And al þe couent, small & grete,
Aw no day forto for-gete,
Bot ilkay day to mak þer bone,
When seruys of þe day es done,
For þer sister þat er not þair,
Þat god enforce þam in þer fair.
3 And when on so hase bene to play,
When scho cummes home, al þe first day
4 Prayng sal þai put þam to,
Besekand oder to pray also
[117r] Þat god for-gif with gude entent,
If þai oght wrethid hym, sen þai went,
In sight or in hering of eres,
In word or dede þat þe sawle deres,
Or wantunly if þai haf wroght
Outher in word, or dede, or thoght.
Of god þai sal ask for-gifnes
And make amendes for mor & lese.
5 To þer sisters þai sal not tell,
Whils þai wer furth how it befell
Of thing þat myght oght turn to tene;
For of slik hase harmes bene sene.
a Ne outward sal þai no thing say
Þat es done with-in þeir abbay;
7 Ne oute of close sal þai not pas,
Bot þai leue of þer souerayn ass;
Ne no charge and thing sal þai do,
Bot if þai haue hir lef þerto.
6 And who so dose oght here-ogayn
Efter þe rewle sal suffer payn.
De officio hostiarij62
1 Ane old man sal þe ates eme
Þat witti es & wele wil seme
For to welcum with wordes fre
Euyr-ilk man in þer degre.
2 [117v] His dwelling sal be dyght algayte
In a cel be-side þe ate,
So þat he be redy ay
Til al þat cume be nyght or day.
3 And when so ony knok or call,
Softli answer þam he sall.
To her þer wordes sal he be bayn
And bryng þam grath answer ogayn.
4 And baynly sal he bryng & take
Al þat men sendes for godes sake.
And euer him aw to eme þe ate
For al auenturs arely & layte.
6 In abbais aw to be al thing
Þat nedeful es to þeir lifing,
Als watter for to do al þer dedis,
Miln, kiln, & ouen, & al þat nedis,
Gardins, & al oþer ger
7 With-in þam wroght, þat þai sal wer,
So þat þai sal not outward gang
To say for dred, or wirk, oght wrang.
8 Þus es þis rewle ordand to rede
[Als] Oft-sithes als it es nede,
So þat non sal þam excuse,
[118r] To knaw þeir rewle & right it vse.
Note to Chapter 66
62. 66:Title. Title written in the margin at the end of the preceding line.
De obediencia ad inuicem63
1 Ilk sister sall obedient be
Vnto oþer in þair degre,
2 Witand þat es þe sekir way
Vnto þe lif þat lastes ay.
3 Bot þe Priores os prencipall
Sal be honord ouer þam all;
And oþer, efter þai haue power,
Salbe honord with seruis ser.
4 And sithen sal ilkon bainly bow
To honour order & wil þer prow.
6 And who so euer vnbowsum es
7 Or rebel to þer priores,
Or greues hir in ony degre,
Al if þe trispas litil be,
8 Be-for her fete down sal þai fall,
And so lang þer lig þai sall,
9 And who so gruches her-ogayn,
Þai sal be gert with greuus payn.
And if þai wil not mend þerby,
Þai sal be chaistid fro company.
Note to Chapter 71
63. 71:Title. Title written in the margin at the end of the preceding line.
1 For right os euel luf mor or les,
Þat es fulfilid of bitternes,
Twins fro64 god, os clerkes tell,
[118v] And ledes a man to pyne of hell,
2 Right so gude luf in al degre,
Þat es fulfillid of charite,
Twins a man fro syn & strif
And ledes him vnto lastand lif.
3 And þat ilk luf suld sisters haue
Emang þam-self þer saule to saue,
And ilkon honor oþer alwais,
4 Als þe appostil playnly sais:
"Honore inuecem preuenientes."
5 Sekenes sal þai gladly bere,
Bodily or gastly wheder þai ere.
Þeir awn winyng þai sal not wayt,
Þat oþer win þai sal couayt.
9 God sal þai hertly drede & luf
10 And þer souerayn for his be-houe,
11 So þat þai set non erthly þing
Be-for þe luf of crist, heuyn kyng,
12 For his lofers ledes he euyn
Vntil his kyngdom hegh on heuyn.
a Vnto þat kingdom he vs lede,
Þat sufferd dede for our mysdede.
Note to Chapter 72
64. 72:2. fro ] for
Conclulcio tocius regule65
1 This rewle es ordand þus to rede
To mend our mys & merk vs mede,
[119r] And grath teching til vs at gif,
In cristes law [how] we sal lif,
And to draw fro alkin strife
Onto perfeccion of gude life.
For it teches to les & more
2 Of haly faders Þat war before.
And if we þer-in haue delite,
It ledes vs to lif perfite.
3 For al lessons, als men may luke,
Þat wretyn er in haly buke,
Wheþer þai be of moises law
Of of cristes, whilk we suld knaw,
4-5 And liues of marters & confessours,
And teching of godes dere doctours,
And þat66 haly virgins lede,
And rewles, þat [er] vntil vs rede,
Of basil, Bede, & oþer mo-
6 Al er þai teching vs vnto
And ensaumpil how we sal vse
Gud vertuse, & vices refuse.
To þam þat lifes wele, old or ing,
Er swilk lessons ful grete likyng.
7 And to þam þat lifes synfully
And refuses to be rewlid þerby,
[119v] Þan es it gret confucioun
And hertly schame in ilk sesoun.
For if þeir lifyng be vnlele,
Þam think dedeyn with it to dele.
8 Þerfor al þat þarto hase hight,
Saue þis rewle & eme it ryght,
9 And pray god hertly with gude wil
To gif þam myght & grace þertil.
Þen endles lif sal be þair mede.
Vnto þat lif our lord vs lede! //amen.//
A M E N.
//Explicit.//
Notes to Chapter 73
65. 73:Title. Title written in the margin at the end of the preceding line.
66. 73:4-5. The word liues may have been omitted following And.
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Feminist Benedictine Rules