Capitulum 6m.
of þis it semyþ to many men þat neþer persoun ne prelat shulde wringe out þe godis of his sugetis bi cursis ne worldly ple. for þey ben pure almes as we supposen, on which almes shulde renne no ple; for þei shulden be willeful & ȝouyn wiþ-oute resoun of mannus dette. Also crist & his apostlis neþer cursiden ne pletiden for þer dette, & þey shulden be ensaumple to vs; why shulden we curse or plete for hem? & in tokene here-of god telde in his newe lawe litil or nouȝt of ȝyuyng of dymes. & it semyþ to trewe men þat god wolde þat dymes weren partid bi-twixe prestis & oþere pore men þat weren feble, lame or blynd. & therfore telliþ luk in his [Luke ix.] gospel hou crist cam þoruȝ samary wiþ his disciplis, & þey wolden neþer ȝyue fode ne herbore for hym & hise; & ioon & iames axiden of crist þat fier shulde come doun fro heuene & destrie hem, as ely dide; but crist answeride to þes apostlis & tauȝte þat he wolde not curse þus: "ȝee witen not," seiþ crist, "whoos spiritis ȝee ben, & hou y loue mekenesse & paciense; for mannus sone cam not in-to þis world to lese mennus soulis but to saue hem." & iurisdiccioun of crist was largere & freere þan þe popis. siþen crist wolde not curse for þes wrongis, & þei weren more þan oure wrongis, bi what lawe shulden we haue title to curse þus for oure lesse wrongis? no drede crist hadde more riȝt to þes dymes þan ony cristen|man may haue to dymes or to offeringis or to ony good by mannus lawe; & siþen crist tauȝte in þis dede not to plete for
