of þe deuyl among men. And for þis worldly lif & coueitise þei wolen coste & die to meyntene it; but for to meyntene þe treuþe of cristis lif in mekenesse & pouert & bisi traueile in prechynge þe gospel þei wolen not traueile, but raþere pursue hem to deþ þat traueilen for þis holy lif; & þus þei lyuen in delices of þe world & here flech, & þerfore þei ben dede to god as poul seiþ, & so þei lyuen anticristis lif & [Romans viii. 13.] meyntene þat to here deþ aȝenst cristis lif and lawe & techeris þer-of.
Capitulum 11m.
Ȝit proude possessioners ben anticristis, for þei letten trewe men to preche þe gospel of ihū crist & suffren not þe peple knowe goddis lawe bi whiche þei schulden be sauyd. For prestis þus dowid ben so occupied aboute þe world and newe seruyce and song & feyned obedience to worldly foolis þat þei may not studie & preche goddis lawe in contre to cristis peple. ¶And ȝif þei preche selde whanne þei prechen cronyclis & poisies & newe fyndynges [feyndyngis AA.] of hem self, & maken false comendaciones of dede men for to geten a name of veyn sotilte & worldly þank, & leuen to preche cristis gospel and his lywynge; & ȝif oþere men wolen treuly & frely preche þe gospel & dispise synne, as crist comaundeþ, þes proude possessioneris [possioners X.] letten hem bi cautelis of anticristis censuris & worldly power & sclaundrynge & prisonynge, & dryuen hem [page 113] out of londe & ellis brennen hem ȝif þei may. & þis is for drede leeste cristis pore lif & meke & traueilous & peyneful be knowen, & hou clerkis & namely religious ben bounden to holde sich pore lif & meke & peyneful in [and X.] reson|able abstynence, & traueile in [and X.] studiynge & prechynge of holy writt, & ellis as crist seiþ þei schulde be put out & dispised of men; for bi þis prechynge here worldly lif & coueitise schulde awey & penaunce & traueyle come aȝen.
