[Capitulum 1.]
For þe office of curatis is ordeyned of god & fewe don it wele & many ful euyle, þerfore telle we summe defautis [defaute AA.] to amende hem wiþ goddis helpe. First þei ben more bisi aboute worldly goodis þan vertues & goode kepynge of mennus soulis; for he þat can best geten richesses of þis world to-gidre & holde grete houshold & worldly aray, he is holden a worþi man of holy chirche, þouȝ he conne not þe leste [beste X.] poynt of þe gospel; & such on is preised & born vp of þe bischop & here officeris at þe fulle; but þat curat þat ȝeueþ him to studie holy writt & teche his [is X.] paryschenys to saue here soulis, & lyueþ in mekenesse, penaunce & bisi traueile a boute gostly þingis, & reckiþ not of worldly worschipe & richesse, is holden a fool & distroiere of holy chirche, & is [omitted X.] dispised & pursued of hiȝe prestis & prelatis & here officeris, & hatid of oþere curatis in contre; & þis makiþ many curatis to be necgligent in here gostly cure & ȝeue hem to occupacion & bisynesse of worldly goodis. þes necgligent curatis þenken ful [omitted AA.] litel hou dere crist bouȝte mannys soule wiþ his precious blood & deþ, & hou harde rekenynge schal he make at domes day for þes soulis. certis it semeþ þat þei ben out of cristene mennys feiþ; for þei maken hem not redy to come þedir & answere wel hou þei camen in-to here benefices & hou þei lyueden & tauȝten & spendiden pore mennus goodis; for ȝif þei hadden þis feiþ redy in here mynde þei wolden bigynne a betre lif & con|tynue þer-inne.