[Capitulum primum.]
þer ben two offisis þat fallen to purging of þe chirche. þe toon falliþ to knyȝtis & kyngis wiþ oþere lordis, þat shulde defende wiþ strengþe þe lawe of crist in his boundis; & in þis seruyss þei holden of crist al þe lordchip þat þey han, & herfore þey shulden be war þat þey forfete not aȝenus þis lord. for ȝif þei ceessen of þis seruyss bi lesse tyme or more bi ony slouþe, god may not forȝete þis trespas but punysshe it in his tyme; & bi þis cause ben lordchipis chaungid, nou encreessid & nou destried. Þe toþer offiss to purge þe chirche falliþ to prestis, þat crist haþ ordeyned to telle generally his lawe to lordis & comyns what þey shulden do, & to stonde for goddis lawe to bodily deþ ȝif it be nede. & þus fiȝting of þes cristis knyȝtis stondiþ in paciense & passioun. & þus it is to saye shortly heere of þe offiss of goostly herde. Þer ben two þingis þat fallen to þe offiss of þis herde, & þes ben hoolynesse of lif & hoolsumnesse of his lore. A curat shulde preche to þe puple treuþis of goddis lawe þat euere ben grene, for þanne he lediþ his sheep wel in hool pasture þat wole not rote; & for hoolynesse of lif techiþ rude men by groos ensaumple, it is nede-ful to þis herde & to his floc to lyue hoolily. & herfore seyen hooly doctours þat þe lif of þis herde is a bok to lewyd men, & a marke þat þei shulden sue aftir. & herfore siþen crist is þe beste herde þat may not fayle in þis offiss, no cristenman shulde sue his prelate but in as myche as he sueþ crist. & þus an herde shulde passe in vertues his floc as þe herde passiþ his sheep, for he shulde be so sad in vertues & in suynge of þe firste herde þat neþer for coueytise ne fauoure ne drede of deþ he shulde not fayle; for þis herdis offiss is þe hierste þat criste ȝyueþ to ony man. & þus þey moten lerne þe craft of loue, to loue crist bifore alle oþere, & þanne a man
