VIII. To curse a man that is not cursid.
A noþer poynt putt is þis: he þat cursiþ ani man, or denounciþ him cursid, wan he is not cursid, he brekiþ Goddis binding, beriþ fals witnes aȝen his neȝbore. Þis schewiþ it self soþ, and oþer resouns prouun it wele. And for soþ, as he liȝþ þat seiþ aȝen mend, as wan he wot how a þing is if he denay and afferm in þe contrari; or ells he þat presumiþ and weniþ to wete verily of a þing, and properli denaiþ þat, and affermiþ þe contrari, wening him to liȝe in þis, so liȝþ he þat chargid to afferm of a þing os it is aftur witing, and he affermiþ aȝen þe soþe, and a þing os it is, for in þis he seiþ aȝen God, and so aȝen his mynde; for þe trouþ of his mynd affermiþ not to him þe þing to be but os it is; for þe toþer is fals presumpcoun. And þus wan he affermiþ him to wite þing þat he wot not, he affermiþ aȝen his mynd, and namly wan þe þing is nowt, for he mai not wet but þing þat is, for if he wene to wit þing þat is not, þat is but fals presumcoun; and for þis seiþ Crist in sentence, if I denoy þis þat is, I schuld be lik ȝow a lier. On þis schuld here witnes hang þat þei witnes not aȝens God, nor be not disseyuid hemsilf, nor disseyue non oþer men.