Cap. XXXII
DE FERRAMENTIS VEL REBUS MONASTERII

[Ms P, fol. 100r – Paulus Diaconus –
Ps.-Basil: Ms K¹, fol. 79r; Ms E¹, fol. 122r; Ms E², fol. 191r]

Ch. 32
ON THE IRON TOOLS OR POSSESSIONS OF THE MONASTERY

Translated by: Abraham Plunkett-Latimer

₁Substantia monasterii in ferramentis vel vestibus seu quibuslibet rebus - praevideat abbas fratres, de quorum vita et moribus securus sit, ₂et eis singula, ut utile judicaverit, consignet custodienda atque recolligenda.

₁Let the abbot entrust the property of the monastery—tools, clothing, and anything else—to brothers in whose life and conduct he is confident, ₂and let him allocate to each of them individual articles to be cared for and returned, as he judges useful.¹

Apte et congrue dicit nunc de ceteris ministris monasterii, quia jam dixit de cellarario, qui major esse noscitur. In sua enim [page 386] sententia perseverat, eo quod superius dixit, vasa monasterii munda et sana custodire, [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 31.10] et nunc subjunxit de vasis monasterii, cum de ferramentis vel rebus dixit.

He speaks now fittingly and suitably about the other servants of the monastery because he has just now spoken about the cellarer, who is recognized to be more important. Indeed, he continues in his thought [page 386], because he said above to keep the vessels of the monastery clean and unbroken, [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 31.10] and now when he speaks about the iron tools or possessions, he adds [to what he said] about the vessels of the monastery.

Ferramenta autem attinent ad sappam et ad securim, sive ad dolatoria et reliqua his similia.

Iron tools, moreover, pertain to the mattock and the axe, or to things for chopping and other things similar to these.

Vestes vero attinent ad vestimenta illa, quae debent in operam habere, quando operantur aliquid, quod eis a priore injunctum fuerit.

Clothing certainly pertains to those clothes which [the brothers] ought to have for work when they work at anything that was ordered them by the prior.

Quod autem dicit seu quibuslibet rebus, subaudiendum est: utensilium. Utensilia dicuntur, quae ad usum utilitatis ad manum veniunt.

When, moreover, he says and anything else, “tools” must be understood. Those things are called “tools” [utilensilia] that come to hand for the advantage of usefulness [utilitatis].

Videndum est etiam, quare dicitur vita et moribus; vita enim attinet ad conversationem, moribus vero ad affabilitatem, sicut jam de cellarario et de decano dictum est.

It must also be seen how in life and conduct is meant. Life pertains to the monastic life, but conduct pertains to agreeableness, just as it was already said about the cellarer and the dean.

Tanto enim erit abbas securus de illis, quantum ipsi fratres fuerint studiosi in bene vivendo et affabiles in mores dulces et amabiles atque convenientes aliis habendo.

The abbot will be as confident in them as the brothers themselves are zealous in living well and as they are agreeable in keeping pleasant conduct and as they are friendly and accommodating to others.²

Sequitur: et eis singula, ut utile judicaverit, consignet custodienda atque recolligenda.

Next: And let him allocate to each of them individual articles to be cared for and returned.

Ut enim in hoc loco pro sicut ponitur.

Indeed as [ut] is put in this place for “just as” [sicut].

Utile vero pro aptum intelligitur.

Truly, useful is understood as “suitable”.

Quod vero dicit consignet custodienda atque recolligenda abbas singula sicut aptum judicaverit, hoc est secundum quod ipse judicaverit, i. e. disposuerit atque ordinaverit custodienda atque recolligenda.

With respect to which he says let the abbot allocate to each of them individual articles to be cared for and returned as he judges suitable, that is according to that which he himself judges, that is, he distributes and arranges those things to be taken care of and returned.

Sequitur: ₃ex quibus abbas brevem teneat, ut, dum sibi in ipsa adsignata fratres vicissim succedunt, sciat, quid dat aut quid recipit. ₄Si quis autem sordide aut negligenter res monasterii tractaverit, corripiatur. Si non emendaverit, disciplinae regulari subjaceat.

Next: ₃Let the abbot keep a list of these things so that when the brothers are succeeding one another in turn for those assigned tasks he may know what he gives out and what he receives. ₄If anyone treats the property of the monastery dirtily or negligently, let him be rebuked. If he does not amend his ways, let him be subjected to the normal punishment.

In omnibus officiis per brevem debet dare et per brevem debet recipere, ut sciat, quid dat aut quid recipit.

For every task [the abbot] ought to give out and receive according to the list so that he may know what he gives out and what he receives.

In hoc loco intuendum est, cum dicit vicibus succedunt, [eo] quod fratres per vices debent agere obedientiam, tamen si est alius, qui melius vel ita potest agere illud ministerium, aut certe si illud ministerium animae suae contrarium fuerit, tunc debet alter succedere sibi per vicem.

In this place [in the text] it must be understood when he says they succeed in turns that the brothers ought to carry out obedience in turns.³ Nevertheless, if there is one who is better and is thus able to do that service, or certainly if that service is contrary to his spirit, then another ought to succeed in turn.

Cellararius autem et decanus non dicit, ut per vicem sibi succedant; sed usque dum non potest meliorem invenire, semper ille debet esse in decania sua aut ille in cellararia sua, etiamsi per decem annos, si meliorem non [page 387] potest invenire, ille solus agat illud ministerium.

He does not say, however, that the cellarer or the dean should succeed in turn; but the latter ought always to be in his storehouse and the former in his deanery up until the point when [the abbot] is unable to find a better man [page 387], even for ten years. If [the abbot] is unable to find a better man, then [they] alone should carry out that work.⁴

Et hoc notandum est: quia inferius dicturus est: Si quis frater fregerit vel perdiderit, debet veniam postulare, [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 46] ideo nunc dicit brevem facere, ut si forsitan noluerit manifestare damnum, cognoscatur per brevem.

And this must be observed because [Benedict] is about to say below: If any brother breaks or destroys [anything] he ought to beg pardon, [cf. Regula Benedicti, c. 46] therefore he says now to make a list so that if perhaps [the brother] does not wish to reveal the damage it may be recognized by means of the list.

Sordide autem ad immunditiam, negligenter enim attinet ad fracturam et sorditiam.

Dirtily moreover pertains to uncleanness, negligently indeed pertains to breakage and dirtiness.

Disciplinae regulari subjaceat duobus modis debet intelligi; uno modo: si fregerit, debet excommunicari, sicut in tertio modo dicit; si vero non munde et non recte atque studiose tractaverit, quae¹ non est ad fracturam, sed ad immunditiam, debet etiam per sex gradus duci.

Let him be subjected to the normal punishment ought to be understood in two ways: in the first way, if he should break [something] he ought to be excommunicated, just as in the second way it says; if indeed [a brother] treats those things uncleanly and not rightly and attentively which are not for breaking but for cleanliness, he ought to be led through six degrees.⁵