The Church Fathers · c. 500–530
The Rule of the Master
Regula Magistri
Anonymous
What it is
An enormously detailed and controlling rule for an Italian monastery, prescribing everything from the abbot's absolute authority to who inspects the loaves.
Why it lasted
Almost certainly Benedict's principal source. Comparing the two shows exactly what Benedict cut, and why his rule proved liveable where this one did not.
Where to read it
This work is in the public domain and can be read in full, free, at the archives below. The Library catalogues it; it does not host the text.
These open a search on each archive rather than a direct link, which is the honest way to point at an edition nobody here has checked line by line.
Read next