chirche þan he þat haþ þe name of ordre & holynesse and þer-wiþ lyueth euele, for comunly no man reproueþ hym, & men taken gretly ensaumple of his synne; & þerfore crist purgid þe temple with his owen hondis, as þe gospel telliþ, in [& X.] tokene þat ȝif prestis weren good þe peple schulde sone be amendid. & for þis skille trewe men seyn þat prelatis ben more bounden to preche trewely þe gospel þan þes sugetis ben holden to paie here dymes, for god chargiþ þat more, and þat is more profitable to boþe parties & more esy. And þerfore prelatis ben more cursed to cesse of þis prechynge þanne þe sugetis ȝif þei cessen to paye tiþes; ȝe, whanne here prelatis don wel here offis. ¶ Also prelatis ben more bounden to þis prechynge, for þat is comaundement of crist bifore his deþ & eke aftir, þan to seie matynes, masse, euen song, or placebo, for þat is mannus ordynaunce; þanne siþ prelatis ben not worþi to haue dymes & offrynges ȝif þei don not matynes, masse & oþer mannes ordeynyngis, moche more ȝif þei don not þis heȝe ordynaunce of god; & here-fore seiþ crist, ȝif þe salt be fonnyd it is not worthi ouer þis, but ȝif it be to be cast out & be defoulid of men; þat is ȝif prelatis [[Matt. v. 13.]] failen of good lif & techynge, þei moten be þus seruyd of men, for ȝif men vnder hem knowe þis defaute & may amenden it & don not, þei consenten & meyntenen hem in þis grete synne.
Capitulum 2m.
[page 67] Also prelatis letten men to do goddis wille & comaunde|ment, & so þei neden hem to be dampnyd, & letten many to here goddis lawe; for prelatis letten & forbeden prestis to preche þe gospel in here iurdiccion or bischope-riche, but ȝif þei han leue & letteris of hem; & ȝit god comaundeþ & chargiþ alle his [þes X.] prestis to preche freely the gospel. for alle cristis apostlis & disciplis weren chargid to preche þe gospel, & alle prestis ordeyned of god comen oþer in staat of apostlis or disciplis of crist, as bede & þe popis lawe seiþ; þanne
