Cap. LXIII
DE ORDINE CONGREGATIONIS 

[Ms. P, fol. 154v - Paulus Diaconus]

Ch. 63
CONCERNING THE ORDER OF THE CONGREGATION

Translated by: Mariël Urbanus

Hactenus B. Benedictus dixit, specialiter in eo, quod prius dixit noviter veniens ad conversationem [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 58.1]; deinde subjunxit de parvulis et sacerdotibus, qui in monasterio habitare voluerint, et de monachis peregrinis et sacerdotibus monasterii; [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 59-62] et nunc, subjunxit de toto corpore monasterii generaliter, cum dicit de ordine congregationis.

Thus far blessed Benedict spoke specifically where he first said a newcomer to religious life [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 58.1]; he then added [material] concerning young children and priests who wish to live in the monastery, and concerning traveling monks and the priests of the monastery, [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 59-62] and now he added [comments on] the body of the monastery in general, when he says concerning the order of the congregation.

Sequitur: ₁Ordines suos in monasterio ita conservent, ut conversationis tempus et vitae merito¹ discernit, utque abbas constituerit - quasi diceret: Sic debent fratres ordines suos custodire, sicut conversi sunt, h. e. intraverunt in monasterium, et vitae meritum, h. e. juxta vitae meritum, utque abbas constituerit, h. e. et sicut abbas constituerit.  

Next: ₁Brothers should keep their order in the monastery according to their date of entry into monastic life and the merit of their conduct and as the abbot decides – as if he said: Thus the brothers must preserve their order, just as they took up religious life, that is, entered the monastery, and according to the merit of their conduct, that is, the merit of their conduct, and as the abbot decides, that is, and just as the abbot decides.  

Istud enim, quod dicitur: utque abbas constituerit, duobus modis intelligitur, i. e. sicut abbas cognoverit meritum vitae, quia ille debet cognoscere meritum vitae. Alii sunt qui intelligunt dicentes: tertius gradus est iste, in quo dicitur: [page 575] et ut abbas constituerit. Primus est juxta conversationem,² secundus juxta vitae meritum, et sicut abbas constituerit causa necessitatis; v. gr. sunt tales, qui pro merito vitae non debent promoveri, tamen pro necessitate debent promoveri, quia sunt tales, qui bonam vitam non habent, sed tamen cantare sciunt, et quamvis pro merito vitae isti non promoventur, tamen pro necessitate cantandi promoveri debent. Similiter et in ceteris causis agendum est.

For that which is said: and as the abbot decides, is understood in two ways, that is, as the abbot recognizes the merit of their conduct, because he must recognize the merit of their conduct. There are some who understand and say: the third step is that in which it is said [page 575]: and as abbot decides. The first step is entry to monastic life, the second according to the merit of their conduct, and as the abbot shall decide out of necessity; there are, for example, many brothers who should not be moved forward on behalf of their merit of conduct, but who should nevertheless be moved forward out of necessity, because there are many who do not lead a good life but who nevertheless know how to sing, and although they are not moved forward by the merit of their conduct, they who can sing must nevertheless be moved forward out of necessity. Similarly this must be done in other cases as well.

Verum si aliquis solummodo pro necessitate promovetur, i. e. si vita sua non fuerit melior, quam aliorum, solummodo quando in choro stant, tunc debent promoveri, in aliis autem locis sicut intraverunt, ita stent. Si autem tales fuerint, qui vitam habuerint talem qualem et alii, et habuerint scientiam vel artem, non solum illic, ubi necessitas cogit, sed etiam in omnibus locis possunt promoveri. Si autem tales fuerint, qui meliorem vitam habuerint quam alii, et nullius utilitatis fuerint, isti non debent promoveri.

But if somebody is moved forward out of necessity, that is if his conduct is not better than that of others, then he should be moved forward only when he stands in the choir. However in other places they should stand just as they entered. Though if they are such who have such excellent conduct and others who have knowledge and/or (vel) skill, not only there where necessity demands, but in all (other) places they can be moved forward as well. However, if there are those who have a better conduct than others but have no use, then they must not be moved forward.

Sequitur: ₂Qui abbas non conturbet gregem sibi commissum, nec quasi libera utens potestate injuste disponat aliquid, ₃sed cogitet semper, quia de omnibus judiciis et operibus suis redditurus est Deo rationem. ₄Ergo secundum ordines, quos constituerit, et quos habuerint, sic accedant ad pacem, ad communionem, ad psalmum imponendum, in choro standum, ₅et in omnibus omnino locis aetas non discernatur in ordine nec praejudicet, ₆quia Samuel et Daniel presbyteros judicaverunt. ₇Ergo exceptis his, quos, ut diximus, altiori consilio abbas praetulerit vel degradaverit certis ex causis, reliqui omnes, ut convertuntur, ita sint; ₈ut v. gr. qui secunda hora diei venerit in monasterium, juniorem se noverit illius esse, qui prima diei hora venit, cujuslibet aetatis vel dignitatis sit.     

Next: ₂The abbot should not disturb the flock entrusted to him, nor arrange anything unjustly, using his power as if it were arbitrary, ₃but let him be ever mindful that he will have to account to God for all his judgments and actions. ₄Therefore, the brothers should approach for the kiss of peace, for Communion, to lead psalms, and to stand in the choir according to the order the abbot decrees or that they themselves have. ₅On no occasion whatsoever should age decide or predetermine the places, ₆because Samuel and Daniel judged their elders as boys. ₇With the exception of those, as we have said, the abbot has promoted for compelling reasons or reduced in rank for particular causes, all the rest should be ordered according to when they entered monastic life, ₈in such a way, for example, that one who came to the monastery at the second hour knows that he is junior to him who came at the first hour of that day, whatever his age or worldly status.        

In hoc enim loco, ubi dicit: qui abbas non conturbet gregem sibi commissum et reliq., frenum posuit abbati, quasi diceret: Quia in arbitrio abbatis constitui discernendi sive per meritum vitae, sive per necessitatem, non conturbet gregem sibi commissum, ut contra rationem aliquid disponat, [page 576] quia de omnibus judiciis et operibus suis Deo redditurus est rationem.

For in this place, where he says: the abbot should not disturb the flock entrusted to him etc., he puts a yoke on the abbot, as if he said: Because in accordance with the authority of the abbot to decide, whether on account of merit of conduct or on account of necessity, he should not disturb the flock entrusted to him, in order that he will have to give God a reason for all his judgments and actions for anything that is arranged against reason [page 576].

Istud ergo, quod dicit: Ergo secundum ordines, quos constituerit, vel quos habuerint ipsi fratres et reliq., superius respicit, ac si diceret: ergo si ita est, ut juxta conversionis tempus et vitae meritum et secundum quod constituerit abbas tam pro merito vitae, quam pro necessitate,³ sic accedant ad pacem, ad communionem, ad psalmum imponendum, i. e. ad antiphonam psalmi imponendam, in choro standum, i. e. illi, qui possunt aut psallendo aut legendo defendere, illi⁴ stent.

Thus that which he says, therefore, according to their order the abbot decrees or that they themselves have etc., he considers above, as if he said: now if it is thus, that next to the time of entry into religious life and the merit of their conduct and according to what the abbot will decide as to the merit of their conduct, as to the need, thus they should approach for the kiss of peace, for Communion, to lead psalms, that is lead the antiphon of the psalm, to stand in the choir, that is those who can maintain either the singing of the psalms or the reading, those should stand.

Quod vero dicit et in omnibus omnino locis aetas non discernatur, subaudiendum est: usque XV annum. Verum ipsi infantes, qui minus XV annis sunt, inter se debent ordinem suum tenere.

What he truly says, on no occasion whatsoever should age decide or predetermine the places, must be understood thus: until fifteen years. Certainly infants themselves, who are younger than fifteen years, must keep their order between themselves.

Praejudicet, i. e. ante judicet sive praevaleat. Quia Daniel seniores judicavit, cum de falsis senioribus judicium dedit; Samuel autem seniores judicavit, quia Israelem judicavit et ab infantia prophetavit.

Predetermine, that is to judge before or to have superiority. Because Daniel judged his elders when he gave a judgment on the false elders; Samuel however judged his elders because he judged Israel and was a prophet since he was a child.

Verumtamen sciendum est, quia decani minores vel circatores pro hoc, quia decani sunt vel circatores, non debent praeesse aliis, h. e. non debent praeponi in choro aut in capitulo aut in aliquo loco, excepto si deest abbas aut praepositus aut decanus major; tunc unus illorum debet praeponi, qui teneat locum abbatis; nam ideo dixi, non debere praeponi, quia non est ratio, ut in isto uno anno, cum habent ministerium, superponantur, in altero autem anno, cum non habent ministerium, iterum sedeant inferius in loco, in quo intraverunt. Decanus vero major aut praepositus debent praeponi pro eo, quod illi servant locum abbatis, si est; quando non est abbas, servat praepositus locum abbatis, quando vero non est praepositus, servat decanus major locum abbatis in excommunicando et in omnibus.

Nevertheless it must be understood, that for this the minor deans¹ or the circatores,² because they are deans or circatores, must not be in charge of others, this is, they must not be placed in the front of the choir or in the chapter or in any other place, with the exception if the abbot or the prior or a major dean is absent; then one of them must be placed in charge and hold the place of the abbot; for therefore he said, they must not be put in charge, because it does not make sense. During that one year, when they have the ministry, they are put above the rest. In the next year however, when they do not have the ministry, they should again sit in a lower place in which they entered. However a major dean or a prior ought to be in charge of the place. What they guard is the place of the abbot, if it is (thus): when the abbot is not there, the prior watches over the place of the abbot. However when the prior is not there, the major dean watches over the place of the abbot in excommunicating and in everything.

Ergo exceptis his, quos, ut diximus, altiori consilio abbas praetulerit vel degradaverit. Praetulerit, i. e. superposuerit; degradaverit, i. e. locum detulerit, v. gr. tunc degradatur frater, cum in graviori [page 577] culpa dignus est judicari, cum dicit suscipiatur in ordine vel in choro, quo abbas decreverit. [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 44.5]

With the exception of those, as we said, the abbot has promoted for compelling reasons or reduced in rank for particular causes. Promoted, that is he may put above; reduced in rank, that is reduced in place, for example a brother is reduced in rank when he is judged deserving in a grave [page 577] sin, when he (Benedict) says he should be received in the order or in the choir, whatever the abbot decides [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 44.5].

Nam aliud est degradare, aliud vero tibi fratrem praeferre; v. gr. si alterum tibi praeponit, non te degradat, quia locum tuum habes; si vero te pro aliqua culpa digna in inferiori loco aut ultimo ponit, tunc degradat.

For someone is reduced in rank, another brother however is given preference to yourself. For example if another is placed in front of you, you are not reduced in rank, because you have your place; if however he (the abbot) places you before someone with a worthy sin in an inferior or further place, then he is reduced in rank.

In minoribus culpis degradari debet etiam duobus modis, v. gr. si excommunicatur frater frequenter in excommunicatione simplici et non emendaverit, debet eum abbas ad adjutorium excommunicationis degradare, i. e. ut magis timeat excommunicationem et pro hoc emendetur. Degradari, i. e. in ultimo loco jubeatur stare.

In the case of minor sins, the abbot ought to reduce likewise in rank in two manners. For example if a brother is often excommunicated in a simple excommunication and would not emend, the abbot ought to reduce him in rank to the support of excommunication in order that he fears excommunication more and for this is emended. To reduce in rank, that is order to remain in the farthest place.

Altero vero modo degradari debet frater, cum nimiis jejuniis affligitur frater frequenter et non emendaverit, tunc ad adjutorium jejunii, ut emendetur frater, debet etiam in excommunicatione nimii jejunii in ultimo loco stare.

However with the second manner to be reduced in rank the brother must, when he is often weakened by strict fasting but would not emend, remain yet again in the farthest place of excommunication of strict fasting, to aid the fasting in order that the brother would be emended.

Notandum est, quia in hoc loco, ubi dicit juniorem se noverit illius esse, qui prima hora venerit diei, cujuslibet aetatis vel dignitatis sit, intelligitur, quia nullus pro aetate aut dignitate tam saeculari quam etiam ecclesiastica, debet praeponi, si ejus vita non fuerit digna, aut necessitas non fuerit; v. gr. sive presbyter aut diaconus fuerit, sicut dixi, non debet praeponi, nisi eum vita, sua commendaverit.

It must be observed that in this place, where he says he knows that he is junior to him, who came at the first hour of that day, whatever his age or worldly status, it must be understood that no one on behalf of age or worldly status, secular as well as ecclesiastical, ought to be moved forward if his conduct would not be deserving, or if there would be no need; for example whether he would be a priest or a deacon, as I have said, he ought not to be moved forward, unless his conduct recommends him.

Sequitur: ₉Pueris per omnia ab omnibus disciplina teneatur. ₁₀Juniores igitur priores suos honorent, priores juniores suos diligant. ₁₁In ipsa autem appellatione nominum nulli liceat alium puro appellare nomine, ₁₂sed priores juniores suos fratres nominent, juniores autem seniores nonnos vocent, quod intelligitur paterna reverentia. ₁₃Abbas autem, quia vices Christi agere creditur, dominus et abbas vocetur, non sua assumptione, sed honore et amore Christi. ₁₄Ipse autem cogitet et sic se exhibeat, ut dignus sit tali honore. ₁₅Ubicunque autem sibi obviant fratres, junior a priore benedictionem petat, ₁₆transeunte majore minor surgat et det ei locum sedendi, nec praesumat junior consedere, nisi ei praecipiat senior suus, ₁₇ut fiat, quod scriptum est: honore invicem [page 578] praevenientes. [Rm 12:10] ₁₈Pueri parvi vel adolescentes in oratorio vel ad mensas cum disciplina ordines suos consequantur; ₁₉foris autem vel ubi et ubi custodiam habeant et disciplinam, usquedum ad intelligibilem aetatem perveniant.

Next: ₉Discipline being maintained among boys in all matters by all brothers. ₁₀Juniors, therefore, should honour their seniors, and seniors love their juniors. ₁₁Nobody is allowed to use simple name alone in addressing another, ₁₂but seniors should call juniors 'Brother' and juniors should call their seniors 'Nonnus', which means 'Paternal Reverence'. ₁₃But the abbot, who is believed to act in Christ’s place, should be called 'Lord' and 'Abbot', not by his own claim, but for the honor and love of Christ. ₁₄He should meditate on this and show himself to be worthy of such an honour. ₁₅Whenever brothers meet each other, the junior should ask the senior’s blessing. ₁₆When a senior passes by, the junior should rise and give him place to sit. And the junior should not presume to sit down unless the senior tells him to, ₁₇so it may be as it is written: outdoing each other [page 578] in demonstrating honor [Rm 12:10]. ₁₈Young boys and youths should keep their ranks in the oratory and at table with discipline. ₁₉Outside and everywhere else they should be under both supervision and discipline until they attain the age of reason.

Sciendum est enim, quia haec, quae B. Benedictus dicit: nulli liceat puro nomine alium vocare, sed majores juniores suos fratres et juniores priores suos nonnos vocent, et transeunte priore junior surgat et det ei locum sedendi, et non liceat juniori sedere nisi prior jusserit, quamvis parva sint, non sunt parvipendenda, sed summo studio observanda et custodienda, quia ex hoc nutritur charitas, retinetur pax et concordia.        

For it must be understood, that these things, which St. Benedict says: Nobody is allowed to use simple name in calling another, but seniors should call their juniors 'Brother' and juniors call their seniors 'Nonnus', and when a senior passes by, the junior should rise and give him place to sit, and it is not permitted for the junior to sit, unless the senior bid/commands him to, however small they may be, (the brothers) must not pay little attention to it, but they must observe and preserve it with the greatest zeal, because from this love is being nourished, peace and harmony preserved.        

Quod autem dicit pueris vero per omnia ab omnibus disciplina teneatur, subaudiendum est: ab his, qui non indigent disciplina et qui noverint disciplinam. Bene dicit pueris vero per omnia ab omnibus disciplina teneatur, quia illa aetas infirma est et non potest per se adjuvari, ideo necesse est, ut ab aliis adjuvetur, quia si dum ista aetas infirma est adjuta, postmodum melius valebit in fortiore aetate ille homo se exercere et in Dei servitio plus sollicitus esse. Nam si tunc non fuerit adjutus, cum infirmus est, post erit semper negligens atque tepidus.

Moreover what he says, discipline certainly being maintained among boys in all matters by all brothers, by these must be understood, they who do not require discipline and who are familiar with discipline. Well he says discipline certainly being maintained among boys in all matters by all brothers, because that age is weak and cannot be sustained by itself. Therefore it is necessary that it is sustained by others, because if as long as that weak age is sustained, later that man shall have better strength in a firmer age to train himself and be more anxious in the servitude of God. Because if he would not be sustained when he is weak, he be shall be always neglecting and lukewarm afterwards.

Nam ob hoc debet abbas praeter illos magistros, i. e. tres vel quatuor, quos jam diximus superius, specialiter constituere, qui eos jugiter et ubique usque ad tempus debeant custodire, etiam alios fratres jubere, qui illos pueros custodiant. Nam si illi opus fuerit, coquinam facere vel aliud agere, cum ipso infante potest agere. Verumtamen tales debent isti esse, quibus abbas injungit curam infantum custodiae cum illis tribus vel quatuor, de quibus securus sit abbas; nam alii, qui nesciunt disciplinam, sed magis indigent, permitti non debent infantes arguere vel excommunicare aut flagellare, quia si illis stultis permissum fuerit et negligentibus, per terrorem poterunt infantes magis pejores facere quam bonos.

Because for the sake of this the abbot must appoint especially masters who should watch over the boys constantly and everywhere all the time continuously and who should also command the other master who watch over those boys. They ought to be appointed in addition to those masters, that is, the three or four about whom we have already spoken above. For if there would be need for him [the master], to do the cooking or to do something else, he can do it with the child himself. Nevertheless those masters must be excellent, to whom the abbot imposed the task of guarding the children with those three or four (masters), concerning which the abbot should be untroubled. On the other hand others, who do not know discipline, but require a learned man, they ought not to be allowed with the children, to be in charge or excommunicate or to flog them, because if it would be allowed to those fools and they who neglect, they could create through fear more evil than good to the children.

Notandum est et manifestandum, qualiter debent juniores priores suos honorare, et minores priores suos venerari, quia nihil valet, verba solummodo dicere, et qualiter agendum sit, non manifestare; [page 579] v. gr. sicut dilectissimus filius patri suo honorem impendit, i. e. cum quanta dilectione illi impendit honorem, cum tanto scilicet amore debet iste junior priori suo impendere honorem. Deinde iterum: cum quanta dilectione amoris affectum impendit pater filio suo dilecto, cum tanto amore debet ille senior dilecto suo juniori dilectionem impendere.

It must be observed and made clear, in what way the juniors must honour their seniors, and in what way the seniors must venerate their juniors, because nothing is strong when only the word is spoken, and in what way it should be done not to make known [page 579]; for example just as the most beloved son of God devoted his honour, that is with how much love he devoted his honour to Him, with so much love that junior must devote his honour to his senior. Then again: with how much love of affection the father devoted affection to his beloved son, with so much love that senior must devote love for his beloved junior.

Et propterea jussit B. Benedictus, ut nullus vocetur puro nomine, i. e. solo nomine, quia per istam adjunctionem nominis voluit designare honorem. Ait enim: sed priores juniores suos fratrum nomine - subaudiendum est: vocent.

And therefore St. Benedict orders that no one should be called by simple name alone, that is, only by name, because he wished to indicate honour through that addition to the name. For he says: but seniors should name their juniors 'Brother' – it is understood, they call.

Bene fratres jussit appellari, quia uno sacro fonte baptismatis sunt renati et uno Spiritu sanctificati et unam professionem professi et unam remunerationem adipisci desiderant et una matre, i. e. sancta ecclesia editi sunt.

Well he orders to call them ‘brothers’, because they desire to be born again in one sacred font of baptism and sanctified in one spirit and profess one profession and attain one reward and they are given birth to by one mother, that is, holy church

Et hoc notandum est, quia melior est ista fraternitas spiritualis, quam carnalis. Dicit enim Cassiodorus, quia fratres, et qui diligunt et qui diliguntur. [Cassiodorus, Expositio psalmorum 21.23, CCSL 97, p. 203]

And it must be understood that this spiritual fraternity is better than carnal fraternity. For Cassiodorus says, that they are brothers who both love and are loved. [Cassiodorus, Expositio psalmorum 21.23]

Juniores autem priores suos nonnos vocent, quod intelligitur paterna reverentia. Bene patres sive doctrina sive honorem aetati deferentes⁵ dicuntur. Quaeri potest, quid est, quod S. Benedictus jubet juniores priores suos patres vocare, cum Dominus dicat: Nolite vocare patrem super terram? [Mt 23:9] Non est contrarium hoc, quia, si nos patres vocamus super terram, non auctorem vitae nostrae vocamus, sed aut causa honoris deferentes⁶ patrem dicimus, aut doctrina.

Moreover juniors should call their seniors 'Nonnus,' which means 'Paternal Reverence'. Rightly they who are honoured are called ‘fathers’ whether in wisdom or regard to age. It can be asked what is it, that St. Benedict orders the juniors to call their seniors ‘father’, when the Lord says: Call no man upon the earth your father? [Mt 23:9] This is not contradictory, because, if we call fathers upon the earth, we do not call them as founder of our life, but we call those who are honoured 'father' either for the sake of honour, or in wisdom.

Quod autem dicit non sua assumptione sed honore et amore Christi, est, ac si diceret: abbas debet vocari dominus et abbas, verum non debet assumptione sua hoc facere abbas, i. e. non debet se abbas praesumere, ut se faciat clamari abbas et dominus, sed cum clamatur, amore et timore Christi clametur.

Moreover what [Benedict] says not by his own claim, but for the love and honor of Christ, it is as if he said: the abbot must be called ‘Lord’ and ‘Abbot’, however the abbot must do this by his own claim, that is the abbot must not presume to himself that he should act to call himself ‘Abbot’ or ‘Lord’, but when he is called, he is called for the love and fear of Christ.

Quod autem dicit junior a priore benedictionem petat, subaudiendum est: in his locis et horis, ubi licet loqui; verum si aliis locis et horis fuerit, in corde suo petat benedictionem inclinato capite.      

Moreover what he says -- the junior should ask the senior’s blessing -- must be understood as meaning in these places and times where it is permitted to speak; but if it is in other places and times, he should ask for a blessing within his heart, with a lowered head.  

Quod autem dicit transeunte [page 580] majore junior surgat et det locum sedendi, nec praesumat junior consedere, nisi praecipiat senior suus, ita intelligitur, i. e. sicut ille junior praecipitur surgere, ita etiam ille senior dicere debet juniori sedere. Et notandum est, quia si ille senior vult sedere, tunc debet dare locum sedendi junior priori.

Moreover what he says [page 580] – when a senior passes by, the junior should rise and give him place to sit, and the junior should not presume to sit down unless the senior tells him to – is understood thus, that is just as that junior is instructed to rise, thus likewise that senior must tell the junior to sit. And it must be observed, that if that senior wishes to sit, then a junior must give a place for sitting to the senior.

Quod autem dicit transeunte majore junior surgat, ita debet intelligi, i. e. si ille senior venit ad illum juniorem fratrem et vult sedere vel aliquid tale, tunc debet ille junior surgere et dare locum sedendi. Nam non debet intelligi, si ille solummodo senior frater transierit, ut quoties ille transierit, toties junior surgat, v. gr. sedet infans aut alter junior in claustra et forte legit; quod si transierit frater senior, non ut veniat ad juniorem fratrem, sed tantum transeat, non debet ille junior surgere, quia non est ratio, ut, si decem fratres seniores transierint, ille decies surgat, eo quod non dicit de talibus, sed de illis, qui ad eum veniunt et sedere forte volunt aut aliquid tale agere, tunc praecipit juniori surgere et dare ei locum sedendi.

Moreover what he says when a senior passes by, the junior should rise, must be understood thus, that is if that senior comes to that junior monk and wishes to sit, or anybody of such kind, then that junior must rise and give his place of sitting. On the other hand it must not be understood that if that senior brother passes by, that every time the senior would pass by the junior should rise, for example, [when] a child or another junior sits in the cloister and perhaps reads. But if a senior brother passes by, not to approach the junior, but only passes by, [then] that junior need not rise, because it does not make sense that if ten senior brothers shall pass by that junior should rise ten times, because it is not said about such [passing] brothers, but about those who come to him and perhaps wish to sit or to do anything of the kind. In that case he (Benedict) instructs the junior to rise and give his place of sitting.

Isto enim modo debet fieri: v. gr. sedes tu, qui es junior, et vides seniorem venientem, et sicut tu surgis, ita etiam statim debet prior jubere sedere. Sicut enim superius dicit juniores priores suos debent honorare, sicut filius patrem, ita etiam majores debent amare juniores suos, sicut pater filium suum. Animadverte nunc, si pater, qui nimis diligit filium, cum viderit illum ante se surgere, dicit illi sedere, quia non patitur illum stare, ita et isti seniores debent junioribus facere, et hoc est, quod inferius dicit honore invicem praevenientes, i. e. sicut iste junior praevenit priorem suum in levando, ita debet etiam ille senior juniorem suum praevenire in innuendo sedere aut dicendo; et sicut ille junior servat illi honorem in loquendo et in levando, ita et ille senior debet recompensare juniori suo laborem surrectionis [cum] humilem locutionem in dulces sermones et blanda verba dicendo.

For in this way it must happen: for example, you, who are a junior, sit and you see a senior coming and as you rise, thus the senior must likewise order you at once to sit. For just as he says above juniors must honour their seniors just as the son his father, thus likewise the seniors must love their juniors as the father must love his son. Now you must observe if a father who greatly loves his son, when he sees him [the son] rise before him, he tells him to sit, because he does not allow him to stand. Those seniors must do likewise for juniors and that is what he says below, outdoing each other in demonstrating honor. That is just as that junior precedes his senior in rising, thus likewise that senior must precede his junior in beckoning or in telling him to sit; and just as that junior preserves honour in speaking to him and in rising, likewise that senior must recompense him junior for the effort of rising with humble address and pleasant speech and by saying gentle words.

Debet etiam abbas constituere unum aut duos seniores, qui doceant, cum viderint juniores surgentes ante seniores suos, et debet illis dicere:‘Quare surrexisti frater coram seniore tuo?’ Et illi priori dicere: [page 581] ‘Quare benedixisti?’ Ille cum non sapuerit illi dicere rationem, debet illum statim docere: 'Sic debes facere, i. e. ita debes surgere et cum tali reverentia et honore tuo priori, sicut dilectus filius patri;' et illi priori debet dicere: 'Qua intentione benedixisti tuum juniorem? Ita debes illum benedicere, sicut pater dilectissimo filio suo reddit votum dilectionis.'

Also the abbot must appoint one or two seniors who should teach when they see juniors rise before their seniors, and he [the appointed senior] must say to them: 'How, brother, did you raise before your senior?' And to the senior he must say: [page 581] ‘How did you bless [the junior]?’ When that brother does not know how to give him a reason, he must teach him immediately: ‘You must do this, that is, you must rise thus and with the same such respect and honour for your senior, as a beloved son to his father;’ and he should say to the senior: ‘With what intention did you bless your junior? You must bless him in same way as a father gives his vow of love to his most beloved son.’

Hoc notandum est, quia si viderit junior priorem suum ad se venire et viderit, velle illum sedere, tunc debet surgere et dare locum illi ad sedendum; si autem viderit illum transire, debet parum surgere et inclinare caput petens benedictionem. Et hoc notandum est, quia in eo loco maxime debet sedere, cum aliquid operatur, ubi non est locus frequenter ad transeundum seniorem. Hoc vero sciendum est, quia debet in capitulo abbas docere, ut sicut junior surgere debet ante suum priorem, ita et ipse prior statim innuat juniori sedere. Quod si non dixerit statim sedere prior juniori suo surgenti, admoneatur regulari disciplina, sicut diximus, per septem gradus; si autem non se emendaverit, debet in ultimo gradu illum priorem constituere, et discat, qualiter prior debeat minori suo sedere dicere.

This must be observed, that if a junior see that his senior comes to him and he sees that he wishes to sit, then he must rise and give the place to that senior to sit. If however he perceives he is passing by, he must rise a little and incline his head, asking for a blessing. And this must be observed, that he really must sit in that place, where something is being done, where there is often no place for the senior passing by. But this must be understood, which the abbot must teach in chapter, that just as a junior must rise before his senior, likewise the senior himself should beckon the junior to sit immediately. But if the senior does not immediately tell the rising junior to sit, he should be admonished with regular discipline, just as we said, through the seventh grade;³ if however he will not emend, he should place that senior must in the lowest rank to learn how a senior should tell his junior to sit.

Quod vero dicit: Pueri parvi vel adolescentes in oratorio vel ad mensas cum disciplina ordines suos consequantur, ordines suos dicit debere servare inter se, qui in custodia sunt; nam si XV annum habuerint et sua vita concordaverit aetati, tunc debet in choro stare et ordinem suum inter omnes habere. Si autem XV annos habuerit et vitam non habuerit talem, ut possit de generali custodia exire, non debet exire.

What [Benedict] says -- young boys and youths should keep their ranks in the oratory and at the table with discipline -- means that their ranks must be kept among them, who are under supervision; for if [a brother] is fifteen years old and his conduct is in harmony to his age, then he ought to stand in the choir and have his rank among all the others. If however he is fifteen years old and he does not conduct himself so that he is able to leave general custody, then he must not leave it.

Quod autem dicit foris autem ubi et ubi, h. e. in omni loco; nam cum dicit ubi ubi, nullum locum praetermittit.

Moreover he says outside and everywhere else, that is, in every place; for when he says everywhere, no place is overlooked.

Custodiam habeant et disciplinam, h. e. dicere: pueri vel adolescentes, i. e. qui, quamvis majores sint aetate, sed quia minus intelligunt, sub custodia puerorum debent esse, sicut ipse dicit, usquedum ad intelligibilem aetatem perveniant - ac si diceret: tamdiu habeant custodiam et disciplinam a magistris suis, donec veniant ad illam aetatem, in qua cognoscantur posse sine disciplina esse. Similiter et adolescentes tamdiu debent esse sub [page 582] custodia et disciplina, donec veniant ad illam aetatem, in qua possunt credi sine magistris esse, v. gr. si usque ad viginti vel triginta fuerit necesse sub custodia esse, sub custodia debent stare.

They should be under supervision and discipline, that is to say: boys and youths, that is, they who, although they are senior in age but do not understand enough, must be under the supervision of the boys, just as [Benedict] himself says, until they arrive at the age of understanding – as if he said: as long as they are under the supervision and discipline of their masters, until they come to that age in which they know how to be able to be without discipline. Similarly also youths must be under [page 582] supervision and discipline until they come to that age, in which they can be trusted to be without their masters. For example if it is necessary to be under supervision until age twenty or thirty, they must remain under supervision.

Et hoc notandum: usque ad quintum decimum annum, sicut inferius dicturus est, debent illi infantes sub custodia esse, et sub omnibus, quibus injunctum est. Deinde post XV annum, si visus fuerit ille infans bonus et sobrius, ita ut non sit illi necessitas, magistros habere, debet exire de illa disciplina, et debet illum abbas solummodo uni specialiter fratri bonae et sanctae conversationis commendare, qui illum custodiat, atque dare, non ut illi serviat sicut manipulus (?), sed ut ille illum custodiat, i. e. cum illo sedeat, quando legit et quando obedientiam ubique agit. Et ille senior debet illum sollicite custodire et videre, utrum levis sit in suo motu aut forte familiaritatem habeat cum aliis infantibus, suis coaevis etiam. Si illum cognoverit vitiosum esse, tunc debet abbati de illo nunciare post unum annum, ex quo egressus est de custodia, sive ante, i. e. juxta quo eum cognoverit sollicitum esse. Tunc ille abbas debet illum infantem ita esse, sicut majores sunt, constituere.

And this must be observed: until age fifteen, as it will be said below, those children must be under supervision, and under all who are in charge of them. Then after the age of fifteen, if that child seems to be of good and sober appearance, so that it is not be necessary for him to have masters, he must leave that discipline and the abbot must entrust him specially to one brother of good and venerable conduct who should take care of him and to give, not so that he should wait on that older brother like a servant, but in order that that brother should watch over him. That is he should sit with him when he reads and when performs obedience anywhere. And that senior must watch carefully over that brother and see whether he should be inconstant in his movement or perhaps is intimacy with other children, even brothers of the same age. If he finds him to be full of faults, then he must report to the abbot about that brother after one year from which he has come out of supervision, or before, that is, according to when he knows he is careful. Then that abbot must place that child as if they were seniors.

Sciendum est enim, quia, si necessitas fuerit, ut pro hospite de officio exire debeat aliquis, ille debet exire, qui obedientiam hospitum habet; nam de hospitibus monachis ita in Francia agitur: Si est familiaris monachus, in dormitorio monachorum dormit et in claustra cum aliis monachis legit et in refectorio manducat et mane et sero et ad capitulum venit fratrum. Si iste talis videt ibi negligentiam, debet admonere, ut emendetur. Si vero novus hospes fuerit, tantum ad capitulum venit fratrum causa aedificationis ex lectionis traditione et ducitur in refectorium fratrum ad manducandum; dormire vero - foris dormit in dormitorio hospitum monachorum. Nam prima vice cum venit iste novus, ducit eum prior per tota officina monasterii dicens: 'Frater, ubi negligentiam forte vidisti, caritatis amore deprecamur, ut dicas, quatenus emendemus.' Si vero fuerit monachus hospes aut clericus nobilis, tunc, cum exeunt de refectorio, cum abbate exeunt post fratres. Si vero pauper [page 583] fuerit ille, hospitalis apprehendit eum, et ante omnes exeunt foras, et ducit illum vadens ante omnes ad oratorium.

For it must be understood that if there is need that someone must leave service for a guest, he who has charge of guests must leave. For it is done thus in Francia with regard to visiting monks: if the monk is familiar monk, he sleeps in the dormitory of the monks and reads in the cloister with the other monks and eats in the refectory and in the morning and evening he comes to the chapter of the monks. If [the visiting monk] sees neglect there, he must warn it should be corrected. However the guest is new, he comes to the chapter of the brothers only for the purpose of learning from the giving of the reading and is led into the refectory of the brothers to eat; to sleep however – he sleeps outside in the dormitory of the visiting monks. For when that new [monk] comes for the first time, a senior leads him though the entire workshop of the monastery, saying: Brother, where you perhaps saw neglect, we pray with love of affection that you say it, in order that we shall emend it. However, if he is a guest monk or a noble cleric, then, when they leave the refectory, they leave with the abbot after the brothers. If, however, he is a poor man [page 583], the guest-master takes him and they go outside before the others, and he leads him going before everyone to the oratory.