IN the name of God. I, Raymond, servant of the poor of Christ and custodian of the Jerusalem Hospital , with the advice of the entire chapter of cleric and lay brothers, establish these precepts and statutes in the Jerusalem house of the Hospital.

In Dei nomine. Ego Raymundus, servus pauperum Christi et custos Hospitalis Ierosolimitani, cum consilio totius capituli clericorum et laycorum fratrum statui hec precepta et statuta in domo Hospitalis Ierosolimitana.

FIRSTLY, I ordain that all the brothers, who come to serve the poor, should keep the three things, with God’s help, which they promise to God through the hand of the priest and they hold through the book, namely, chastity and obedience, which means whatever is commanded them by their masters, and to live without personal possessions;  because God will require these three things of them in the last combat.

 In primis, iubeo ut omnes fratres ad servitium pauperum venientes tria, que promitunt Deo per manum sacerdotis et per librum teneant cum Dei auxilio, scilicet:  castitatem et obedientiam, hoc est quodcumque precipitur eis a magistris suis, et sine proprio vivere;  quia hec tria requiret Deus ab eis in ultimo certamine.

AND let them not claim more as their due than bread and water and clothing, which are promised to them.  And their vesture should be humble because our Lord’s poor, whose servants we announce ourselves to be, go naked and dirty.  And it would be wrong for the servant that he should be proud and his Lord should be humble.

Et non querant amplius ex debito, nisi panem et aquam atque vestimentum, que eis promituntur.  Et vestitus sit humilis, quia Domini nostri pauperes, quoum servos nos esse fatemur, nudi et sordidi incedunt.  Et turpe est servo ut sit superbus, et Dominus eius humilis.

THIS also is decreed that their conduct should be respectable in church and that their conversation should be appropriate, namely:  that the clerics should serve the priest at the altar in white garments;  a deacon or subdeacon and, if necessity requires it, another cleric should render this same service;  and a light should always be burning in the church, day and night;  and the priest should go in white garments to visit the sick, carrying reverently the body of the the Lord, and the deacon or subdeacon or, at least, an acolyte should precede him, bearing a lantern with a burning candle and a sponge with holy water.  

Constitutum est etiam ut in ecclesia sit honestus eorum incessus et conversatio ydonea, scilicet: clerici ad altare cum albis vestibus deserviant presbytero,  diaconus vel subdiaconus et si necessitas fuerit alius clericus hoc idem exerceat officium; et lumen die noctuque in ecclesia semper sit;  et ad infirmorum visitationem presbyter cum albis vestibus incedat, religiose portans corpus Domini, et diaconus vel subdiaconus procedat vel saltim acolitus, ferens lanternam cum candela accensa et spongiam cum aqua benedicta.

MOREOVER, when the brothers go into cities and fortified settlements, let them not go alone but two or three together.; and they shall not go there with those whom they choose, but with those whom their master shall ordain;  and when they arrive at their destination, let them remain together;  in their dress and in their conduct, let there be nothing which would offend the eyes of anyone, but only that which signals their holiness.  Moreover, when they are in a house or in a church or in any place where there are women present, let them keep guard over their modesty.  Women are not to wash their heads or their feet;  women are not to make their beds.  May God, who dwells in his holy ones, keep guard over them in this regard.  Amen.

Iterum, cum ierint fratres per civitates et castella, non eant soli sed duo vel tres, nec cum quibus voluerint sed cum quibus magister iusserit ire debent;  et cum venerint quo voluerint, simul stent in incessu;  in habitu et omnibus motibus eorum nichil fiat quod quisquam offendat aspectum, sed quod suam doceat sanctitatem.  Quando etiam fuerint in domo aut in ecclesia vel ubicumque femine sint invicem, suam pudicitiam custodiant, nec femine capita eorum lavent nec pedes, nec lectum faciant.  Deus enim qui habitat in sanctis isto modo custodiat eos.  Amen.

AND let religious persons from among both the cleric and the lay brothers go forth to seek alms for the holy poor; and when they seek lodging, let them go to the church or to some respectable person, and let them ask of that person their food for charity’s sake and let them buy nothing else.  But if they should not find anyone who will give them what is necessary, let them buy by measure one meal only, on which they can live.

Et in sanctorum pauperum querendo helemosinas, religiose persone fratrum de clericis et de laycis incedant et, cum hospitium quesierint, ad ecclesiam vel ad aliquam honestam personam veniant et ex caritate ab ea victum petant et nil aliud emant.  Si vero non invenerint qui tribuant eis, mensurate emant unum solum cibum unde vivere possint.

ALSO, let them take delivery of neither land nor security from the alms-quests but let them deliver these up to their master with an account in writing and let the magister hand them over with his own account in writing to the poor in the hospital;  and let the master receive from all the obediences the third part of the bread and the wine and of all food; and whatever surplus there may be, that should be added to the alms, and let him hand it over in Jerusalem to the poor with his own account in writing.

 Et ex inquisitione helemosinarum nec terram nec pignus recipiant, sed suo magistro per scriptum reddant, ac etiam magister cum suo scripto pauperibus ad hospitale transmittat, et de omnibus obedientiis terciam partem de pane et de vino et de omni nutrimento magister suscipiat;  et si superavit, hoc quod amplius fuerit ad helemosinam coniungat et Ierosolimis cum suo scripto pauperibus mitat.

AND let not any of the brothers, of whatever obedience they may be, go to preach or to make collections, except only those whom the chapter and the master of the church shall send.  And let those same chosen brothers, who shall go to make collections, be received in whatever obedience they shall come, and let them receive such food as the brothers have ordained among themselves, and let them make no other demands there.  Also, let them carry with them a light and in whatever house they shall be lodged at night, let them cause the light to burn before them.

Et non eant ad predicacionem aliqui fratrum de ullis obedientiis ad collectas colligendas, nec solummodo illi quos capitulum et magistri ecclesie miserint.  Et ipsi sumpti fratres, qui exierint ad collectas colligendas, in quamcumque obedientiam venerint recipiantur, et accipiant talem victum qualem fratres inter se dispensaverint, et aliam vexationem ibi non faciant.  Lumen secum portent et in quacumque domo hospitati fuerint nocte, ante se lumen ardere faciant.

FURTHERMORE, we also completely forbid the brothers to wear any brightly colored cloth or fustian or animal pelts.  Also, let them not eat more than twice a day; let them eat no meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and from Septuagesima until Easter, except those who are sick or feeble.  Let them never lie down naked but clothed in linen or woolen shirts or in other similar garments.

Deinde pannos ysambrunos et galambrunos ac fustania et pelles silvestres omnino prohibemus ne amodo induant fratres.  Et non comedant nisi bis in die, et quarta feria et die sabbati et a Septuagesima usque in Pascha, carnes non comedant preter eos qui sunt infirmi et inbeciles.  Et nunquam nudi iaceant sed vestiti camisiis lineis vel laneis aut aliis quibuslibet vestimentis.

BUT if any brother  –and may such a thing never happen–  through sinful passion shall fall into fornication, if he shall sin in secret, let him do his penance in secret and let him impose upon himself suitable penance.  However, if it shall be known and clearly become a public matter in that town in which he shall have committed the sin, then, on Sunday after the Masses, when the people shall have left the church, let him be stripped in the sight of all.  Let him be beaten by his master who is a cleric, if it was a cleric who sinned;  but if he was a lay brother, let him be severely flogged and beaten with rods or leather thongs by a cleric or by someone deputized by the cleric.  Let him be expelled out of all  our company.  But afterwards, if God shall enlighten the heart of that man and he shall return to the house of the poor and shall confess himself to be guilty and a sinner and a transgressor against the law of God and shall promise amendment, he should be received and a suitable penance be imposed on him.  For a whole year, he should be treated as an outsider and the brothers should observe during this period of time whether he be satisfactory.  Afterwards, let them do as shall seem good for him.

Ac si aliquis frater –quod utinam numquam eveniat– peccatis exigentibus ceciderit in fornicationem, si occulte peccaverit, occulte peniteat et iungatur sibi penitencia congrua;  si autem conprehensus et publicatus pro certo fuerit in eadem villa in qua facinus perpetraverit, die dominica post missas, quando populus ab ecclesia egressus fuerit, videntibus cunctis exuatur, et a magistro suo clerico, si clericus fuerit qui peccaverit, verberetur, si vero laycus fuerit a clerico vel ab eo cui clericus iniunxerit, corrigiis vel virgis durissime flagelletur et verberetur, ac de omni societate nostra expellatur;  postea vero si Deus cor illius illustraverit, et ad domum pauperum reversus fuerit, atque se reum et peccatorem atque legis Dei transgressorem confessus fuerit et emendationem promiserit, recipiatur et penitentia digna sibi imponatur, et per annum integrum in loco extranei teneatur, et in hoc spatio videant fratres satisfactionem suam, postea faciant quod melius sibi videbitur.

ALSO, if a brother disputes with another brother and the procurator of the house shall have heard the complaint, the penance should be as follows:  he shall fast for seven days, the Wednesday and the Friday on bread and water, and he shall eat seated on the ground without table and without napkin.  And if a brother should strike another brother, he shall fast for forty days.  And if he shall depart from the house or the master under whose authority he shall be, willfully and without the leave of his master, and afterwards he shall return, he shall eat for forty days seated on the ground and he shall fast on Wednesdays and Fridays on bread and water;  and for as long a time as he has been absent, let him be treated like an outsider, unless by chance the time should have been so long that the chapter should think proper to modify it.

Et si frater altercatus cum altero fuerit fratre, et clamorem procurator domus habuerit, talis sit penitentia:  septem diebus ieiunet quarta et sexta feria, in pane et aqua, comedens in terra sine mensa et manutergio.  Et si percusserit, quadraginta.  Et si recesserit a domo vel a magistro cui commissus fuerit propria voluntate, sine eius voluntate, et postea reversus fuerit, quadraginta diebus manducet in terra, ieiunans quarta et sexta feria in pane et aqua, et per tantum tempus permaneat in loco viccarii extranei quantum foris extitit, nisi tam prolixum fuerit tempus ut capitulo conveniat temperari.

ALSO at table, as the Apostle says, let each one eat his bread in silence and let him not drink anything but plain water after Compline.  And let the brothers keep silence in their beds.  

Ad mensam etiam, sicut apostolus ait, unusquisque panem sum cum silentio manducet, et post completorium non bibat nisi puram aquam.  Et in lectis fratres silentium teneant.

AND if any brother, having not conducted himself well, shall be corrected and admonished two or three times by his master or by other brothers and if, at the instigation of the devil, he is unwilling to amend his ways, he should be sent to us on foot with a written report of his sin;  nevertheless, a small allowance should be given him, sufficient to enable him to come to us, and we will correct him;  also, no brother should strike the sergeants subject to him, but let the master of the house and the brothers exact vengeance in the presence of all;  but always let the justice of the house be maintained completely.

Ac si aliquis frater, non bene se habens, a magistro suo vel ab aliis fratribus bis atque ter correptus fuerit et ammonitus, diabolo instigante, se emendare noluerit, nobis mitatur pedestris cum carta continente suum delictum;  tamen procuratio rara ei donetur ut ad nos venire posit, eumque corrigemus;  et nullus servientes sibi commissos percutiat, sed magister domus et fratres coram omnibus vindictam accipiant;  tamen iustitia domus omnino teneatur.

AND if any of the brothers has made a disposition of private property at his death and, while alive, he shall not have revealed this to his master, let no divine service be celebrated for him but let him be buried as one excommunicated;  and if, while still alive, he had private property and shall have concealed it from his master, and afterwards it shall be found upon him, let that money be tied around his neck and let him be led naked through the hospital of Jerusalem or through the other houses where he dwelt, and let him be flogged by a cleric, if he is a cleric, but if he is a lay brother let him be flogged by another brother,  and let him fast for forty days on Wednesdays and Fridays on bread and water.

At si aliquis fratrum de propriis dimissus in morte sua proprietatem habuit, et vivens magistro suo non ostenderit, nullum divinum officium pro eo agatur, sed quasi excommunicatus sepeliatur;  et si vivens incolumis proprietatem habuit et magistro suo celaverit, ac postea super eum inventa fuerit, ipsa pecunia ad collum eius ligetur et per hospitale Ierosolimitanum vel per alias domos ubi permanserit ducatur nudus, et verberetur a clerico si clericus est, si vero laycus, ab alio fratre verberetur, et quadraginta dies ieiunans quarta et sexta feria in pane et aqua.

MOREOVER, we command that this statute should be made for all of you, which is most necessary for us all, and we ordain it in commanding that for all the brothers who, entering upon the way of all flesh, die in your obediences, Masses should be sung for his soul for thirty days;  and at the first Mass, each of the brothers present shall offer one candle with one denier.  These deniers, as many as there shall be, should be given to the poor;  and the priest who shall sing the Masses, if he be not of the house, should have provision in the obedience on those days;  and on completion of the office, the master should render charity to said priest; and let all the garments of the deceased brother be given to the poor;  also let the brother priests, who shall sing the Masses, pray for his soul to our Lord Jesus Christ, and let each of the clerics chant the psalter once and each of the lay brothers 150 pater-nosters.  And concerning all other sins and matters and complaints, let them judge and decide in chapter with righteous judgment.  

Quin etiam, quod valde nobis necessarium est, omnibus vobis statutum fieri precipimus et precipiendo mandamus ut de omnibus, viam universe carnis ingredientibus, in omnibus obedientiis quibuscumque obierint, triginta diebus misse pro eius anima cantentur;  in prima missa unusquisque fratrum qui aderit candelam cum nummo offerat.  Qui videlicet nummi, quotcumque sint, pauperibus erogentur, et presbiter qui missas cantaverit, si non est de domo, procurationem hiis diebus habeat, et peracto officio magister sibi caritatem faciat, et omnia indumenta fratris defuncti pauperibus dentur;  fratres vero sacerdotes, quando missas cantaverint pro eius anima, orationes fundant ad dominum Iesum Christum, et clericorum unusquisque unum cantet psalterium, laycorum autem CL paternoster.  Et de omnibus aliis peccatis et rebus et clamoribus in capitulo iudicent et discernant iudicium rectum.

ALL these things, just as we have detailed them above, we command and ordain, in the name of Almighty God and of Blessed Mary and of Blessed John and of the poor, that these same things should be kept with the utmost strictness.  

Et hec omnia, uti ut supra scripsimus, ex parte Dei omnipotentis et beate Marie et beati Ioannis et pauperum, precipimus ut cum summo studio ita per omnia teneantur.

AND in that obedience where the master of the hospital shall permit, when a sick person arrives, let him be received thus:  let him receive Holy Communion after he has first confessed his sins to a priest and afterwards let him be taken to a bed; and there, as if he were a lord, each day before the brothers eat dinner, let him be given food charitably according to the ability of the house; and on all Sundays let the Epistle and the Gospel be chanted in that house and let the house be sprinkled with holy water during the procession.  Likewise, if any of the brothers who hold obediences in different lands, shall give the money of the poor to any secular person, in order that those persons should cause said brother to prevail by force against the master and the other brothers, let such a one be cast out of the whole company of the brothers.  

Et in ea obedientia ubi magister hospitalis concesserit, cum venerit ibi infirmus, ita recipiatur, primum peccata sua presbitero confessus religiose, communicetur, et postea ad lectum deportetur, et ibi quasi dominus secundum posse domus omni die, antequam fratres eant pransum, caritative reficiantur, et in cunctis dominicis diebus epistola et evangelium in ea domo cantetur, et cum processione aqua benedicta aspergatur.  Item si quis fratrum, qui obedientias per diversas terras tenent, ad quemlibet secularem personam pecunias pauperum dederit, ut cum per suam vim contra magistrum suum et fratres regnare faceret, ab universa societate fratrum prohiciatur.

ALSO, if two or more brothers shall be together and one of them shall behave wickedly by evil living, the other of the brothers must not denounce him either to the people or to the prior, but first let he himself chastise him, and if he is unwilling to be chastised, let him join to himself two or three brothers to chastise him.  And if he should amend  his ways, they ought to rejoice in it;  but if he is unwilling to amend his ways, then let him write down the fault of the brother and let him send it to the master privately and, according as the master shall order, let it be done concerning him.  

Et si duo vel amplius fratres insimul fuerint, et unus illorum nequiter male vivendo se habuerit, alter frater non eum diffamare debet neque populo neque priori, sed primum per se ipsum castigare eum, et si se noluerit castigare, adhibeat secum duos vel tres ad eum castigandum.  Et si se emendaverit inde gaudere debet;  si autem emendare noluerit, tunc culpam suam scribens secrete mitat magistro, et secundum hoc quod magister iusserit de eo fiat.

LET none of the brothers accuse another brother unless he is well able to prove it;  and if he does this, he is no true brother;  and let him undergo the same punishment the accused would have undergone, if it was able to be proven.   

Atque ullus fratrum alium fratrem suum non accuset nisi bene posset probare;  si fecerit, ipse frater bonus non est, et eandem penam sustineat quam accusatus, si probari posset, sustineret.

LIKEWISE, let all the brothers of all the obediences, who now and formerly shall offer themselves to God and to the holy hospital of Jerusalem, wear crosses on their chest, on their capes and on their mantles, to the honor of God and of his Holy Cross that God by that banner and though faith and works and obedience may guard us and, in this world and the next, defend us in body and soul from the power of the devil along with all our Christian benefactors. Amen.

Item omnes fratres omnium obedientiarum, qui nunc vel in antea offerunt se Deo et sancto hospitali Ierosolimitano, cruces ad honorem Dei et Sancte Crucis eiusdem in cappis et in mantellis secum defferent ante pectus, ut Deus per ipsum vexillum et fidem et operationem et obedientiam nos custodiat, et a diaboli potestate nos in hoc et in futuro seculo deffendat in anima et in corpore simul cum omnibus nostris benefactoribus christianis. Amen.