Offering a Son

Si quis forte de nobilibus offerit filium suum Deo in monasterio, si ipse puer minor ætate est, parentes eius faciant petitionem quam supra diximus, et cum oblatione ipsam petitionem et manum pueri involvant in palla altaris, et sic eum offerant. De rebus autem suis aut in præsenti petitione promittant sub iureiurando, quia numquam per se, numquam per suffectam personam nec quolibet modo ei aliquando aliquid dant aut tribuunt occasionem habendi; vel certe si hoc facere noluerint et aliquid offere volunt in elemosinam monasterio pro mercede sua, faciant ex rebus quas dare volunt monasterio donationem, reservato sibi, si ita voluerint usum fructum. Atque ita omnia obstruantur ut nulla suspicio remaneat puero per quam deceptus perire possit - quod absit - quod experimento didicimus. Similiter autem et pauperiores faciant. Qui vero ex toto nihil habent, simpliciter petitionem faciant et cum oblatione offerant filium suum coram testibus.  Regula Sancti Benedicti, Caput LIX

If it happens that anyone from among the nobility offers his son to God in the monastery, if the boy himself be in infancy, let his parents make the petition that we mentioned above; and together with an oblation let them fold that petition and the boy’s hand in the altar cloth and so let them offer him. And concerning his property either let them in the present petition promise on oath that never through themselves, never through any deputy, nor in any way whatever will they give anything to him at any time, or afford him opportunity of possession: or else, at the least, if they are unwilling to do this and wish to offer something as alms to the monastery for his merit, let them make a donation from the property that they wish to give to the monastery, having reserved to themselves, if they so wish, a life interest in it. Thus then let every precaution be taken, so that there may not remain with the boy anything by which he might be deceived to his ruin, as experience has shown to be possible, but which God forbid. Let those also who are poorer act similarly. Those who have nothing at all should simply make petition and with the oblation offer their boy in the presence of witnesses. The Rule of Saint Benedict, Ch. 59