avowis of siche pilgrimagis & brekynge of hem, þan þe strong comaundementis of god & brekynge of hem, & þus þe peple drediþ [drawiþ X.] more to breke þis folie avowis maad of here owen errour þan to breke goddis comaundementis, & louen more here folye avowis to fulfille hem þan to fulfille goddis hestis; & þus þei ben disceyued bi þes nouelries in feiþ, hope & charite bi þes anticristis prelatis.
Capitulum 39m.
Prelatis also ben malicious foxis & rauyschynge wolues, oppressynge pore curatis & annuel prestis in here iurdiccion; for whanne þe kyng & lordis axeden of grete prelatis subsidies & dymes for here temperaltes þei graunten hem so þat pore curatis & annueleris may be taxid at here settyng; & so alle þe charge falliþ on here pore curatis, & oþere & þe riche prelatis gon free or hellis wynnen a porcion to hem self of goodis of here pore curatis. & þus whanne þei han robbid lordis bi ypocrisie of here temperal lordischipis sotylly & wrongfully þei rauyschen þe goodis of pore prestis vnder hem; & þus þei don wrong to lordis, wrong to pore curatis, & to pore comunes also; & bi þes seculer lordischipis þat þei han be ypocrisie þei ben [page 101] emperours & tirauntis of oþere prestis. & ȝit þei owen to be most meke of alle oþere, and most bisi in studiynge & techynge of holy writt & ensaumple of alle goode manere of lif, boþe to cristene men & to heþene; but alle þes gostly goodis ben rauysched & stolen from holy chirche, & contrarie synnes brouȝt in in stede of hem bi þis dowynge of prestis wiþ seculer lordischipis; & þis is werse þan rauyschynge & stelynge of alle worldli goodis & sleynge of many þousand of mannus bodies, as soulis & vertues ben betre þan roten drit.
