The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

Capitulum 38^m.

Also prelatis disceyuen cristene men in feiþ, hope & charite bi here nouelerie of massis at rome, at scala celi, & newe pardons & pilgrimages; for þei maken þe peple to bileue or triste þat ȝif a prest seye a masse at scala celi for a soule it schal onoon ben out of purgatorie, þouȝ god of his riȝtwis|nesse ordeyne þat soule to abide þere fourty ȝere or mo, & þouȝ þe prest be cursed for symonye & pride; for as þei feynen falsly þe masse may not be peirid. certis þe sacra|ment may not be paired for synne of þe prest; but þe preiers of cursed prestis in þe masse ben cursed of god & his angelis, & certis a prest may be so cursed & in heresie þat he makiþ not þe sacrament. & god only knowiþ whanne his synne is in þat degre & whanne in lesse, but euere it is harmful to him þat makeþ þe sacrament vnworþily. & bi þes feyned pardons þe peple leueþ to do here almesse to pore nedy men enprisoned bi god himself & doþ it to ryche men & wasteris, & hopiþ to haue more þank of god þer-by þan to do it aftyr cristis owne techynge; & þes prelatis chargen more folye

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.