Reading 38: On the tonsure

At any given time, tonsure falls every fifteen days, or sooner, following an order of the prior. If in the two or three days after tonsure, or before it, there follows some solemn feast, tonsure may be suspended until the vigils of the feast or it may be done earlier. All ought to shave together their beard and crown at the same time. Now after chapter, if from that hour on all may shave, the infirmarer should prepare the razor, and hot water and basins and towels in a proper and secluded place, where the brothers are to be shaved. Then the brothers shall come from the convent in accordance with the availability of the razor. The juniors are to be shaved first in order (according to seniority), and so [it is to be done] from then on according to order unless the brothers are detained by some business. The crown shall be formed ample and round on top [of the head]. The hair shall be cut in circular form around the [lower] tip of the ears with the forehead clear and the neck covered, and when they have been shaved, they shall go back and others shall go in turn, until all are done properly and according to the standard until all the brothers are ready in a decent and regular manner. This care shall be exclusively assigned to the prior, so that both the hair is cut and the crown is regularly formed at his discretion. The Infirmarer then shall give out scissors for cutting the nails. In waiting, going, returning and shaving they shall carry themselves discreetly and in orderly fashion. If one of the brothers needs to wash his head, it is the task of the almoner to provide for this; these shall, however, wash together and in a decent place.

DE TONSVRA : lectio 38.

Tempora tonsurae sunt omni tempore singulis quindenis uel citius secundum ordinem prioris. Si post terminum tonsurae duobus diebus uel tribus uel ante, sequatur solemne festum, potest suspendi usque ad uigiliam festi uel festinari. Omnes simul debent radi barba et corona simul. Post capitulum autem, si ab illa hora omnes possunt radi, debet infirmarius rasorem praeparasse et callidam aquam et bacinos et tersoria in loco honesto et secreto ubi radendi sunt fratres. Deinde secundum possibilitatem rasoris ueniant de conuentu. Iuniores in ordine prius radendi sunt, et sic deinceps secundum ordinem nisi aliquibus sint detenti negotiis. Corona desuper larga et rotunda formetur. Coma in rotundum circa finem auricularum fronte libera apparente et collo detecto incidatur, et quando rasi fuerint, reuertantur, et alii rursum eant, quousque omnes decenter et regulariter fuerint praeparati. Haec cura specialiter priori iniungitur, ut ad examen eius et coma incidatur et corona regulariter formetur. Forcipes tunc debet ministrare infirmarius pro unguibus scindendis. Stando, eundo et redeundo et radendo modeste et ordinate se habeant. Siquis fratrum caput abluere necesse habuerit, elemosinario pertinet prouidere ; simul tamen lauent et loco honesto.