1. Of Obedience

At the first word of a senior, all on hearing should rise to obey, since their obedience is shown to God, as our Lord Jesus Christ says: ‘He who hears you hears Me.’ (Luc. 10.16)(II)

Therefore if anyone hearing the word does not rise at once, he is to be judged disobedient. But he who answers back incurs the charge of insubordination, and thus is not only ‘guilty of disobedience, but also, by opening the way of answering back’ (Cf. Basil. (transl. Rufin.) Interrog. 69) for others, is p.125 to be regarded as the destroyer of many. (III) Yet if any murmurs, he too, as though not obeying heartily, must be considered disobedient. Therefore ‘ let his work be rejected,’ (cf. Basil. Interrog. 71) until his goodwill be made known. But up to what measure is obedience laid down? ‘Up to death’ (cf. Basil. Interrog. 65, Cassian. Inst. xii. 28) it is assuredly enjoined, since Christ obeyed the Father up to death for us. And this He suggests to us saying through the Apostle: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who though He was in the form of God, thought it no prize to snatch at to be equal with God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself, being made obedient to the Father up to death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil. 2. 5-8) Thus nothing must be refused in their obedience by Christ's true disciples, however hard and difficult it be, but it must be seized with zeal, with gladness, since if obedience is not of this nature, it will not be pleasing to the Lord Who says: ‘And he who does not take his cross and follow Me, is not worthy of Me.’ (Matt. 10. 38) And thus He says of the worthy disciple, how that ‘Where I am, there is My servant also with Me.’ (Ioann. 12.26 )

2. Of Silence (IV)

The rule of silence is decreed to be carefully observed, since it is written: ‘But the nurture of righteousness is silence and peace.’ (Isa. 32.17 ) And thus, lest one be apprehended as guilty of much talking, it is needful that he keep silence, except for things profitable and necessary, since according to Scripture, ‘in many words sin will not be lacking.’ (Prov. 10.19) Therefore the Saviour says: ‘By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’ (Matt. 12.37) Justly will they be damned who would not say just things when they could, but preferred to say with garrulous loquacity what is evil, unjust, irreverent, empty, harmful, dubious, false, provocative, disparaging, base, fanciful, blasphemous, rude, and tortuous. Therefore we must keep silence on these and kindred matters, and speak with care and prudence, lest either disparagements or swollen oppositions should break out in vicious garrulity.

3. Of Food and Drink (V)

Let the monks' food ‘be poor and taken in the evening,’ (cf. Hieron. Epist. lviii. 6) such as to ‘avoid repletion,’ (cf. Hieron. Epist. xxii. 17) and their drink such as to avoid intoxication, so that it p.127 may both maintain life and not harm; vegetables, beans, flour mixed with water, together with the small bread of a loaf, lest the stomach be burdened and the mind confused. For indeed those who desire eternal rewards must only consider usefulness and use. Use of life must be moderated just as toil must be moderated, since this is true discretion, that the possibility of spiritual progress may be kept with a temperance that punishes the flesh. For if temperance exceeds measure, it will be a vice and not a virtue; for virtue maintains and retains many goods. Therefore we must fast daily, just as we must feed daily; and while we must eat daily, we must gratify the body more poorly and sparingly; since we must eat daily for the reason that we must go forward daily, pray daily, toil daily, and daily read.

4. Of Poverty and of Overcoming Greed (VI)

By monks, to whom for Christ's sake ‘the world is crucified and they to the world,’ (cf. Gal. 6.14) greed must be avoided, when indeed it is reprehensible for them not only to have superfluities, but even to want them. In their case not property but will is required; and they, leaving all things and daily following the Lord Christ with the cross of fear, have ‘treasures in heaven.’ (cf. Matt. 19.21) Therefore, while they will have much in heaven, on earth they should be satisfied with the small possessions of utter need, knowing that greed is a leprosy for monks who copy the sons of the prophets, and for the disciple of Christ it is revolt and ruin, for the uncertain followers of the apostles also it is death. Thus then ‘nakedness and disdain of riches’ (cf. Cassian. Inst. iv. 43 ) are the first perfection of monks, but the second is the ‘purging of vices,’ (cf. Cassian. Conl. xiv. I) the third the most perfect and perpetual love of God and unceasing affection for things divine, which follows on the forgetfulness of earthly things. Since this is so, ‘we have need of few things, according to the word of the Lord, or even of one.’ (Luc. 10.42) For few things are true necessities without which life cannot be led, or even one thing, like food according to the letter. But we require purity of feeling by the grace of God, that we may understand spiritually what are those few gifts of love which are offered to Martha by the Lord.

5. Of overcoming Vanity (VII)

How dangerous vanity also may be is shown by a few words of the Saviour, Who said to His disciples when they exulted in this vanity, ‘I saw Satan like lightning fall from heaven,’ (Luc. 10. 18) and Who says to the Jews when once they excused themselves, ‘But what is lofty among men is an abomination in the Lord's sight.’ (Luc. 16. 15) By these and by that most notorious case of the Pharisee who excused himself, we gather that vanity and proud self-esteem are the destroyer of all good things, when the Pharisee's vainly extolled goods perished and the publican's self-confessed sins vanished away. Then let no large word proceed from a monk's mouth, lest his own large labour perish.

6. Of Chastity (VIII)

A monk's chastity is indeed judged in his thoughts, and to him, along with the disciples who approached to hear, it is doubtless said by the Lord: ‘He who looks on a woman to lust after her has already defiled her in his heart.’ (Matt. 5. 28) For while his vow is weighed by Him to Whom he is devoted, there is cause to fear lest He should find in the soul something to loathe, lest perhaps according to the opinion of St. Peter they have ‘eyes full of wantonness and of adultery.’ (2 Pet. 2. 14) And what profit is it if he be virgin in body, if he be not virgin in mind? ‘For God, being Spirit,’ (cf. Hieron. Epist. xxii. 38 Ioann. 4. 24) dwells in the spirit and the mind which He has seen undefiled, in which there is no adulterous thought, no stain of a spirit polluted, and no spot of sin.

7. Of the Choir office

But concerning the synaxis, that is, the office of psalms and prayers in canonical manner, some distinctions must be drawn, since its observance has been variously bequeathed to our remembrance by different authorities. Thus, in accordance with the nature of man's life and the succession of the seasons, the same will be variously suggested by myself also in writing. For it should not be stereotyped in view of the mutual changes of the seasons; for it is fitting that it be longer on the long nights and shorter on the short ones. Hence, in agreement with our predecessors, from the twenty-fourth of June, while the night increases, the office p.131 begins to grow gradually from twelve chants of the shortest measure on the night of the Sabbath or the Lord's Day, up to the beginning of winter, that is, the first of November. Then they sing twenty-five antiphonal psalms [of twice the same number] which always follow third after two chanted, in such a way that within the two aforesaid nights they sing the entire total of the psalter, while they modify the remaining nights for the whole winter with twelve chants. At winter's end, gradually each week throughout the spring, three psalms are always dropped, so that only twelve antiphons remain on the holy nights, that is, the thirty-six psalms of the daily winter office, but it is twenty-four throughout the whole spring and summer and up to the autumn equinox, that is, the twenty-fourth of September. Then the fashion of the synaxis is like that on the spring equinox, that is, the twenty-fifth of March, while by mutual changes it slowly grows and lessens.

Thus we must weigh our watching according to our strength, especially when we are bidden by the Author of our salvation to watch and ‘pray at all times,’ (Luc. 21. 36) and when Paul ordains: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (I Thess. 5. 17) But since we must know the manner of canonical prayers, in which all gather together at appointed hours in common prayer, at the conclusion of which each should pray ‘in his own cell,’ (cf. Matt. 6.6; cf. Cassian. Inst. iii. 3 ) our predecessors have appointed three psalms at each of the day-time hours, considering the interruption of work, together with an addition of versicles which intercede first for our own sins, then for all Christian people, then for priests and the other orders of the holy flock that are consecrate to God, finally for those that do alms, next for the concord of kings, lastly for our enemies, that God reckon it not to them for sin that they persecute and slander us, since ‘they know not what they do.’ (Luc. 23. 34) But at night-fall twelve psalms are chanted, and at midnight twelve likewise; but towards morning twice ten and twice two are appointed, as has been said during the seasons of short p.133 nights, while more, as I have already said, are always ordained for the night of the Lord's Day and Sabbath vigil, on which seventy-five are sung individually in the course of one office.

These things are said with reference to the communal synaxis. However, as I have said, the true tradition of praying is that the capacity of the man devoted to this work should be realized without wearying of his vow, whether the excellence of his capacity allows this, or whether his mental grasp or physical condition could allow it, considering his limitations, and that it should be realized as far as the zeal of each demands, if he be unhampered and alone, or as far as the scope of his learning requires, or the leisure of his position, the amount of study, the type of occupation and the difference of ages permits, although this is to be reckoned as the excellence of a single work in such various ways, because it alternates with labour and circumstance. And thus, although the length of standing or singing may be various, yet the identity of prayer in the heart and mental concentration that is unceasing with God's help will be of a single excellence. However there are some Catholics, who have the same ‘canonical number twelve of psalms,’ (cf. Cassian. inst. ii. 4 et 12) whether on short nights or on long ones, but they render this canon in four portions during the night; that is, at nightfall and at midnight and at cock-crow and at morning. And as this office seems small to some in winter, so in summer it is found burdensome and heavy enough, while with its frequent risings in the night's short length it causes not so much weariness as exhaustion. But on the most holy nights, namely on those of the Lord's Day or the Sabbath, three times the same number is performed at morning, that is, with thrice ten and six psalms. The crowds of these men and their holy life have directed many to this canonical number with sweet delight, as well as to the rest of their discipline, in the belief that none is found weary under their rule. And though their crowds are so great that a thousand fathers are said to live under one archimandrite, yet there, from the foundation of the community, no quarrel is related to have been seen between two monks; and without the dwelling there of God Who says, ‘I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they will be My people,’ (2 Cor. 6. 16) this clearly could not happen. Therefore they have grown deservedly, and they grow daily—thanks be to God—in whose midst God dwells, and through whose merits may we merit salvation from our Lord and Saviour.

Amen.

8. Of Discretion (IX)

How necessary discretion is for monks is shown by the mistake of many, and ‘indicated by the downfall of some, who beginning without discretion and passing their time without a sobering knowledge, have been unable to complete a praiseworthy life;’ (cf. Cassian. Conl. ii. 2) since, just as error overtakes those who proceed without a path, so for those who live without discretion intemperance is at hand, and this is always the opposite of virtues which are placed in the mean between each extreme. Its onset is a matter of danger, when beside the straight way of discretion our foes place the stumbling-blocks of wickedness and the offences of various mistakes.

(X) Therefore we must pray God continually that He would bestow the light of true discretion to illumine this way, surrounded on every side by the world's thickest darkness, so that His true worshippers may be able to cross this darkness without error to Himself. So discretion has got its name from discerning, for the reason that it discerns in us between good and evil, and also between the moderate and the complete. For from the beginning either class has been divided like light and darkness, that is, good and evil, after evil began through the devil's agency to exist by the corruption of good, but through God's agency Who first illumines and then divides. Thus righteous Abel chose the good, but unrighteous Cain fell upon evil.

(XI) God made all things good that He created, but the devil sowed evils over them by cunning craftiness and the sly inducement of a perilous design. What things then are good? Doubtless those which are ‘untouched, and have remained in the undefiled state of their creation;’ (cf. Cassian. Conl. viii. 24 ) which ‘God [alone] created and prepared, [according to the Apostle], that we should walk in them; [which are] the good works in which in Christ Jesus we were created,’ (cf. Eph. 2. 10) namely goodness, innocence, righteousness, justice, truth, pity, love, saving peace, spiritual joy, together with the fruit of the Spirit—all these with their fruits are good. But to these the evils are opposed, namely wickedness, seduction, unrighteousness, injustice, lying, greed, hatred, discord, bitterness, together with their manifold fruits, things which are born from them. For countless are the things that are produced from the two opposites, that is, from goods and evils.

(XII) But what departs from its established goodness and innocence is the first evil, which is the pride of primal wickedness; the opposite of which is the lowly esteem of a righteous p.137 goodness that acknowledges and glorifies its Creator, and this is a rational creature's first good. Thus the rest also have gradually grown to a huge forest of names in two sections. Since this is so, the good must be firmly held by those that have God's help, which is ever to be prayed for in prosperity and in adversity, lest either in prosperity we be lifted up to pride, or in adversity be cast down to despair. Thus we must always restrain ourselves from either danger, that is, from all excess by a splendid temperance and true discretion, which cleaves to Christian lowliness and opens the way of perfection to Christ's true soldiers, namely by ever discerning rightly in doubtful cases, and everywhere dividing justly between good and evil, whether between both in external acts, or between flesh and spirit in the inner life, or between good works and character, or between action and contemplation, or between official duty and private devotion. Therefore the evils are to be equally avoided, pride, ill will, lying, seduction, unrighteousness, wicked transgression of morality, gluttony, fornication, avarice, wrath, dejection, inconstancy, vainglory, boasting, slander; the goods of the virtues are also to be followed, lowliness, kindness, purity, obedience, temperance, chastity, liberality, patience, cheerfulness, constancy, zeal, persistence, watchfulness, silence, which through an enduring courage and sobering moderation, as in some weighing balance of discretion, are to be weighed in the performance of our customary work, according to the capacity of our endeavour, if everywhere we seek sufficiency. For it is doubtful to none that ‘the man to whom sufficiency is not enough’ (cf. Sulp. Sev. Dial. i. 18) has overstepped the measure of discretion, and whatever oversteps the very measure is clearly a vice.

(XIII) Thus between the little and the excessive there is a reasonable measure in the midst, which ever recalls us from every superfluity on either side, and in every case posited provides what is universally fixed by human need, and spurns the unreasonable demand of superfluous desire. And this measure of true discretion, weighing all our actions in the scales of justice, in no wise allows us to err from what is just, or to suffer a mistake, if we ever follow straight behind it as our leader. For while we must always restrain ourselves from either side, according to that saying, ‘Keep yourselves from the right and from the left,’ (cf. Deut. 5. 32) we must ever proceed straight forward by discretion, that is, by the light of God, p.139 while very often we say and sing the victorious psalmist's verse, ‘My God, enlighten my darkness, since in Thee I am rescued from temptation.’ (Ps. 17. 28) ‘For temptation is the life of man on earth.’ (Iob 7. 1)

9. Of mortification (XIV)

The chief part of the monks' rule is mortification, since indeed they are enjoined in Scripture, ‘Do nothing without counsel.’ (Ecclus. 32. 24) Thus if nothing is to be done without counsel, ‘everything must be asked for by counsel.’ (cf. Cassian. Conl. ii. 10) Thus we are enjoined through Moses also, ‘Ask thy father and he will show thee, thy elders and they will tell thee.’ (Deut. 32. 7) But though this training seem hard to the hard-hearted, namely that a man should always hang upon the lips of another, yet by those who are fixed in their fear of God it will be found pleasant and safe, if it is kept wholly and not in part, since nothing is pleasanter than safety of conscience and nothing safer than exoneration of the soul, which none can provide for himself by his own efforts, since it properly belongs to the judgement of others. For what the judge's examination has already tried preserves from the fear of censure, and on him is laid the weight of another's burden, and he bears all the peril that he undertakes; for, as it is written, the peril ‘of the judge [is greater than that] of the accused.’ (cf. Matt. 7.1. et seq.) So anyone who has always asked, if he follows will never err, since if the other's reply has erred, there will be no error in the faith of him who believes and the toil of him who obeys, nor will they lack the reward of his asking. For if he has considered anything by himself when he ought to have asked, he is proved guilty of error in this very fact that he dared to judge when he ought to have been judged; even though it turn out right, it will be reckoned to him as wrong, since he has departed from the right course in this; for the man to whose duty it belongs only to obey presumes to judge nothing by himself.

Then, since this is so, monks must everywhere beware of a proud independence, and learn true lowliness as they obey without murmuring and hesitation, that according to the Lord's word ‘[they may feel] the yoke [of Christ] pleasant and [His] burden light.’ (Matt. 11. 30) Otherwise, while they are learning the lowliness of Christ, they will not feel the pleasure of His p.141 yoke and the lightness of His burden. For lowliness of heart is the repose of the soul when wearied with vices and toils, and its only refuge from so many evils, and in so far as it is wholly drawn to the meditation of this from so many errant and empty things without, so far does it enjoy repose and refreshment within, with the result that even bitter things are sweet to it, and things before considered hard and toilsome it feels to be plain and easy, and mortification also, which is unbearable to the proud and hard-hearted, becomes his comfort who takes pleasure only in what is lowly and mild. But we must know that neither this bliss of martyrdom nor any other benefit that follows can be perfectly fulfilled by any, save him who has given particular attention to this, that he be not found unready. For if, in following this pursuit, he has wished to observe or nourish any of his own desires, at once occupied and wholly confused by concern for these intrusions, he will not always be able to follow thankfully where the commandment leads, nor can the disorderly and unthankful perform as is his duty.

Thus there is a threefold scheme of mortification: not to disagree in mind, not to speak as one pleases with the tongue, not to go anywhere with complete freedom. Its part is ever to say to a senior, however adverse his instructions, ‘Not as I will but as thou wilt,’ (Matt. 26. 39) following the example of the Lord and Saviour, Who says, ‘I came down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him Who sent Me, the Father.’ (Ioann. 6. 38)

10. Of the Monk's Perfection

‘Let the monk live in a community under the discipline of one father and in company with many, so that from one he may learn lowliness, from another patience. For one may teach him silence and another meekness. Let him not do as he wishes, let him eat what he is bidden, keep as much as he has received, complete the tale of his work, be subject to whom he does not like. Let him come weary to his bed and sleep walking, and let him be forced to rise while his sleep is not yet finished. Let him keep silence when he has suffered wrong, let him fear the superior of his community as a lord, love him as a father, believe that whatever he commands is healthful for himself, and let him not pass p.143 judgement on the opinion of an elder, to whose duty it belongs to obey and fulfil what he is bidden’ ([for the entire chapter] cf. Hieron. Epist. cxxv. 15) as Moses says, ‘Hear, O Israel,’ (Deut. 6. 4) and the rest.

END OF THE RULE.

1. A

‘True penance is not to commit things worthy of repentance but to lament what has been committed.’ (cf. Ambr. De Quadrag. Serm. 9, Greg. Magn. Homil. in Evang. ii. 34. 15) But since this is annulled by the weakness of many, not to say of all, the measures of penance must be known. And thus a scheme of these has been handed down by the holy fathers, so that in accordance with the greatness of the offences the length also of the penances should be ordained.

‘Therefore, if any has sinned in thought, that is, has desired to kill a man, or to commit fornication, or to steal, or to feast in secret and be drunken, or indeed to strike someone, or to desert, or to do anything else like this, and has been ready in his heart to carry out these sins; let him do penance for the greater in half a year, for the less in forty days on bread and water.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 1-3)

But if any has sinned in act with the common sins, if he has committed the sin of murder or sodomy, let him do penance ten years; if he has committed fornication once only, let him do penance three years as a  p.171 monk, if oftener, seven years; if he has deserted and broken his vows, if he repents and returns at once, let him do penance a hundred and twenty days, but if after a period of years, three years.

If any has stolen, let him do penance for a year.

If any has perjured himself, let him do penance for seven years.

5. If any has struck his brother in a quarrel and spilt blood, let him do penance three years.

But if any has made himself drunk and vomited, or being overfed, for this reason has vomited the sacrifice, let him do penance forty days.

However, if he is forced by ill health to vomit the sacrifice, let him do penance seven days. If any has lost the sacrifice itself, let him do penance for a year.

If any has defiled himself, let him do penance for a year, if he is a Junior.

If any has borne false witness knowingly, let him do penance for two years, together with the loss or restitution of the object in dispute.

So much for ordinary cases; now for the slight sins of disorderly characters.

He who does something by himself without asking, or who contradicts and says, “I am not doing it,” or who murmurs, if it is a serious matter, let him do penance with three impositions, if a slight one, with one. An affirmation frankly made against another is to be rewarded with fifty strokes, but if it is made of design, with an imposition of silence; for if it is made through contentiousness, the penance should be for a week.

He who slanders or willingly hears a slanderer, let him do penance with three impositions; if it concerns the superior, let him do penance for a week.

He who has despised his immediate superior in pride, or has spoken evil of the rule, is to be cast out, unless he has said immediately, “I am sorry for what said;” but if he has not truly humbled himself, let him do penance forty days, because he is infected with the disease of pride.

The talkative is to be punished with silence, the restless with, the practice of gentleness, the gluttonous with fasting, the sleepy with watching, the proud with imprisonment, the deserter with expulsion; let each suffer exactly in accordance with his deserts, that the just may justly live.

B

The diversity of offences makes adiversity of penances. ‘For doctors p.173 of the body also compound their medicines in diverse kinds;’ (cf. Greg. Magn. Reg. Past. iii. 36) thus they heal wounds in one manner, sicknesses in another, boils in another, bruises in another, festering sores in another, eye diseases in another, fractures in another, burns in another. Then so also should spiritual doctors treat with diverse kinds of cures the wounds of souls, their sicknesses, offences, griefs, distresses, and pains. But since this gift belongs to few, namely to know to a nicety how to treat all things, how to restore the weak to a complete state of health, let us set out even a few prescriptions according to the traditions of our elders, and according to our own partial understanding, ‘for we prophesy in part and we know in part.’ (1 Cor. 13. 9)

First we must enact concerning mortal sins, such as are punished even by the cognizance of the law.

‘If any cleric has committed murder and killed his neighbour, let him do penance for ten years in exile. After these let him be restored to his native land, if he has performed his penance well on bread and water, being approved by the testimonial of the bishop or priest with whom he did penance and to whose care he was entrusted, on condition that he make satisfaction to the relatives of the slain, playing the part of a son, and saying, “Whatever you wish I will do for you.” But if he has not made satisfaction to his relatives, let him never be restored to his native land, but like Cain let him be a wanderer and fugitive upon the earth.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 23)

‘If any has fallen by the worst lapse and begotten a son, let him do penance as a pilgrim for seven years on bread and water. Then first at the discretion of the priest let him be restored to communion.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 12)

But if any has committed fornication as the Sodomites did, let him do penance for ten years, for the three first on bread and water, but for the seven others let him refrain from wine and meat, and let him never again live with another.

‘However, if any has committed fornication with women, but has not begotten a son, and it has not reached public knowledge; if he is a cleric, three years, if a monk or deacon, five years, if a priest, seven, if a bishop, twelve years.’ (cf. Excerpt. de libr. David. 7, Paen. Venniani 10-11)

‘If any has perjured himself, let him do penance seven years, and never take an oath again.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 22)

‘If any has destroyed someone by his magic art, let him do penance three years on bread and water by measure, and for three other years let him refrain from wine and meats, and then finally in the seventh year let him be restored to communion. But if any has used magic to excite love, and has destroyed no one, let him do penance on bread and water for a whole year, if a cleric, for half a year if a layman, if a deacon for two, if a priest for three; especially if any has thus produced abortion, on that account let each add on an extra two hundred and forty days, lest he be guilty of murder.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 18-20)

‘If any cleric has committed theft, that is, has stolen an ox or a horse, a sheep or any beast of his neighbour's, if he has done it once or twice, let him first make restitution to his neighbour, and do penance for a whole year on bread and water. If he has made a practice of this, and cannot make restitution, let him do penance three years on bread and water.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 25-26)

‘But if any cleric or deacon, or a man in any orders, who in the world was a layman with sons and daughters, after his profession has again known his wife, and again begotten a son of her, let him know that he has committed adultery, and has sinned no less than if he had been a cleric from his youth, and had sinned with a strange maiden, since he sinned after his vow, after he consecrated himself to the Lord, and has made his vow void. Therefore let him likewise do penance seven years on bread and water.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 27)

‘If any cleric has struck his brother in a quarrel and spilt blood, let him do penance for a whole year; if a layman, for forty days.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 8-9)

If any has defiled himself with his own hand or with an animal, let him do penance two years, if he is not in orders; but if he is in orders or under a vow, let him do penance three years, if his age does not forbid.

‘If any desires a woman and cannot commit the act, that is, if the woman does not allow him, let him do penance half a year on bread and water, and for a whole year let him refrain from wine and meats and the communion of the altar.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 17)

If any has lost the sacrifice, let him do penance for a year. If through drunkenness or greed he has vomited it up and cast it carelessly aside, let him do penance a hundred and twenty days on bread and water; but if through ill health, let him do penance seven days.

But these provisions are made for clerics and monks collectively; now for laymen.

‘Whoever has committed murder, that is, has killed his neighbour, let him do penance three years on bread and water as an unarmed exile, and after three years let him return to his own, rendering the due of affection and duty to the relatives of the slain; and thus after making satisfaction let him be restored to communion at the discretion of the priest.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 35)

‘If any layman has begotten a son by another's wife, that is, has committed adultery in violating his neighbour's bed, let him do penance for three years, refraining from the more appetizing foods and from his own wife, giving in addition the price of chastity to the husband of the violated wife, and thus let his guilt be cancelled by the priest.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 36)

But if any layman has committed fornication in sodomite fashion, that is, has sinned by effeminate intercourse with a male, let him do penance for seven years, for the three first on bread and water and salt  p.177 and dry produce of the garden, for the remaining four let him refrain from wine and meats, and thus let his guilt be remitted to him, and let the priest pray for him, and so let him be restored to communion.

‘But if any of the laity has committed fornication with women who are free from wedlock, that is, with widows or virgins, if with a widow, let him do penance for one year, if with a virgin, for two years, provided that he pays her relatives the price of her disgrace; yet if he has no wife, but has lain as a virgin with the virgin, if her relatives agree let her be his wife, but on condition that both first do penance for a year, and so let them be wedded.’ (cf. Excerpt. de libr. David. 6, Paen. Venniani 36)

But if any layman has committed fornication with an animal, let him do penance for a year, if he has a wife; yet if he has not, for half a year. Likewise also let him do penance who, having a wife, has defiled himself with his own hands.

If any layman or lay woman has smothered their child, let them do penance for a whole year on bread and water, and for two others let them refrain from wine and meats, and so first let them be restored to communion at the discretion of the priest, and then let such a husband use his bed lawfully. For the laity must know, that in the period of penance assigned to them by the priests it is not lawful for them to know their wives, except after the conclusion of the penance; for penance ought not to be halved.

If any layman has committed theft, that is, has stolen an ox or a horse or a sheep or any beast of his neighbour's, if he has done it once or twice, let him first restore to his neighbour the loss which he has caused, and let him do penance for a hundred and twenty days on bread and water. But if he has made a practice of stealing often, and cannot make restitution, let him do penance for a year and a hundred and twenty days, and further undertake not to repeat it; and thus let him communicate at Easter of the second year, that is, after two years, on condition that, out of his own labour, he first gives alms to the poor and a feast to the priest who adjudged his penance, and so let the guilt of his evil habit be annulled.

If any layman has perjured himself, if he did it out of greed, let him sell all his property and give it to the poor, and devote himself wholly to the Lord, and receive the tonsure, bidding farewell to the entire world, and until death let him serve God in a monastery. Yet if he did it, not out of greed, but in fear of death, let him do penance for three years on bread and water as an unarmed exile, and for two more let him refrain from wine and meats, and thus by offering a life for himself, that  p.179 is, by freeing a slave or maidservant from the yoke of bondage, and by doing many alms throughout two years, in which he may quite lawfully use all foods except meat, let him communicate after the seventh year.

‘If any of the laity has shed blood in a brawl, or wounded or maimed his neighbour, let him be compelled to restore all the damage he has done; but if he has nothing to pay with, let him first attend to his neighbour's work, while he is sick, and call in a doctor, and after his recovery, let him do penance for forty days on bread and water.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 9)

If any layman has become intoxicated, or eaten or drunk to the extent of vomiting, let him do penance for a week on bread and water.

‘If any layman has desired to commit adultery or fornication with a married woman, and has lusted after his neighbour's wife, and not committed the act, that is, has not been able to, because the woman did not allow him, yet he was ready to fornicate, let him confess his guilt to the priest, and so let him do penance for forty days on bread and water.’ (cf. Paen. Venniani 17)

But if any layman has eaten or drunk beside the temples, if he did it through ignorance, let him undertake forthwith never to do it again, and let him do penance forty days on bread and water. But if he did it in derision, that is, after the priest has declared to him that this was sacrilege, and if then he communicated at the table of demons, if it was only through the vice of greed that he did or repeated it, let him do penance for a hundred and twenty days on bread and water; but if he did it in worship of the demons or in honour of idols, let him do penance for three years.

If any layman in ignorance has communicated with the followers of Bonosus or other heretics, let him rank among the catechumens, that is, separated from other Christians, for forty days, and for another eighty days in the lowest rank of Christians, that is, among the penitents, let him wash away the guilt of his unsound communion. But if he did this in derision, that is, after he had been warned and forbidden by the priest not to pollute himself with the communion of an evil faction, let him do penance for a whole year and a hundred and twenty days, and for two other years let him refrain from wine and meats, and thus after imposition of hands by a Catholic bishop let him be restored to communion.

Finally we must add concerning the minor ordinances of monks.

If any has left the enclosure open during the night, let him do penance with an imposition; but if during the day, with twenty-four blows, if others were not following behind when he left it open. If p.181 someone has gone immediately in front of himself, let him do penance with an imposition.

If any, desiring a bath, has washed quite alone, let him do penance with an imposition. But if any, while washing lawfully in presence of his brethren, has done this standing, unless through the need for cleansing dirt more fully, let him be corrected with twenty-four strokes.

But if any, even while sitting in the bath, has uncovered his knees or arms, without the need for washing dirt, let him not wash for six days, that is, let that immodest bather not wash his feet until the following Lord's Day. Yet a monk, when standing privately alone, is permitted to wash his feet; while a senior even publicly, but with another washing his feet, is permitted to be washed standing.

But before sermon on the Lord's Day let all, except for fixed requirements, be gathered together, so that none is lacking to the number of those who hear the exhortation, except for the cook and porter, who themselves also, if they can, are to try hard to be present when the gospel bell is heard.

It is ordained that confessions be made carefully, especially of mental disturbances, before going to Mass, lest perhaps any should approach the altar unworthily, that is, if he does not have a clean heart. For it is better to wait until the heart is healed, and becomes a stranger to offence and envy, than rashly to approach the judgement of the throne. For Christ's throne is the altar, and His Body there with the Blood judges those who approach unworthily. Therefore, just as we must beware of mortal and fleshly sins before we communicate, so we must refrain and cleanse ourselves from interior vices and the sicknesses of a drooping spirit, before the covenant of true peace and the bond of eternal salvation.