ould be immortal,
who delighted only in the treasures of wisdom, who most laboriously
provided shining lamps against future darkness, and against hunger of
hearing the Word of God, most carefully prepared, not bread baked in
the ashes, nor of barley, nor musty, but unleavened loaves made of the
finest wheat of divine wisdom, with which hungry souls might be
joyfully fed These men were the stoutest champions of the Christian
army, who defended our weakness by their most valiant arms; they were
in their time the most cunning takers of foxes, who have left us their
nets, that we might catch the young foxes, who cease not to devour the
growing vines. Of a truth, noble fathers, worthy of perpetual
benediction, ye would have been deservedly happy, if ye had been
allowed to beget offspring like yourselves, and to leave no degenerate
or doubtful progeny for the benefit of future times.

But, painful to relate, now slothful Thersites handles the arms of
Achilles and the choice trappings of war-horses are spread upon lazy
asses, winking owls lord it in the eagle's nest, and the cowardly kite
sits upon the perch of the hawk.

Liber Bacchus is ever loved,
And is into their bellies shoved,
By day and by night;
Liber Codex is neglected,
And with scornful hand rejected
Far out of their sight.

And as if the simple monastic folk of modern times were deceived by a
confusion of names, while Liber Pater is preferred to Liber Patrum, the
study of the monks nowadays is in the emptying of cups and not the
emending of books; to which they do not hesitate to add the wanton
music of Timotheus, jealous of chastity, and thus the song of the
merry-maker and not the chant of the mourner is become the office of
the monks. Flocks and fleeces, crops and granaries, leeks and
potherbs, drink and goblets, are nowadays the reading and study of the
monks, except a few elect ones, in whom lingers not the image but some
slight vestige of the fathers that preceded them. And again, no
materials at all are furnished us to commend the canons regular for
their care or study of us, who though they bear their name of honour
from their twofold rule, yet have neglected the notable clause of
Augustine's rule, in which we are commended to his clergy in these
words: Let books be asked for each day at a given hour; he who asks
for them after the hour is not to receive them. Scarcely anyone
observes this devout rule of study after saying the prayers