large palayce, nor gedre not baggis to gidre, nor wast not þe goodis in vanite, nor in superfluite, bere him not hiȝe of þe facultees of þe kirk, nor gif not to wenddingis his coseynis nor his childre. It is grauntid to þe if þu serue wel þe auter to lif þer of, not to do lechery, nor to be gilt bridils, peyntid sadels, ne siluern sporis, nor perpulid aray, ffor soþ wat þu holdist to þe of þe auter ouer necesary liflod and simple aray, it is not þin, it is þeft and sacrilege. Þis seiþ he.
X. Of fasting.
An oþer poynt putt is þis: Fastingis are not necesary, wil man absteniþ him fro oþer synne. And as to þis I sey þus, þat fasting generaly is not onli in forbering of meit and drink, but in forbering of iuel, and al iuel spite, and in doing of good dedis. Þis semiþ þus bi þe scripture; for þus seiþ þe prophet, Halow ȝor [Joel iio.] fasting. Wat is it, seiþ Gregory, to halow fasting, but to schew [Gregory.] due or worþi abstinens of flesch, wiþ oþer good verteuis ioined þer to; do a wey prid, wraþ, strif, and oþer vices; for in veyn þu foilist þi flesch wiþ abstinens, if þi soule be not refreynid fro synnis. And as sum fastingis are but of ordinaunce of þe lawe, so bi þe lawe are mani excusid þer of; as wymmen wiþ childe, and waxit folk, wold, and ȝong, sek, and feble. And þe pore are excusid bi þe lawe. And neuerþeles fasting is mikil profitable boþ to grace and to blis; for þus we sey to God, by bodyli fasting þu berist doun vices, liftist up þe mynd, and ȝefyst vertu and medis. And eft þus, þe clere fairnes of fasting is schewid to þe world heuenly, þat Crist, autor of al þing, abstening richid. By þis Moyses, dere to God, was makid ȝeuar of þe lawe; þis liftid up Hely bi þe aire in a chare of fire; for þis Daniel, ouercomer of lyowns, saw misteris of priui þingis; bi þis Ion, þe inward frend of þe Spows, was clere; þise are opun in þe stories. God graunt in vs to folow þeis ensaum|plis of abstinence.
XI. Of horis.
An oþer poynt putt is þis, þat þe prest is not holden to his horis canoniȝid, not but if he be to syng. To þis I answere þus, I denoy
