to þe substance þer-of, so þat he here on. But he schal not be excused but ȝif he seie matynes & euensong him self þat synful men han ordeyned, & þus þei chargen more here owene fyndynge þan cristis comaundement. A lord, ȝif alle þe studie & traueile þat men han now abowte salisbury vss wiþ multitude of [& X.] newe costy portos, antifeners, graielis, & alle oþere bokis weren turned in-to makynge of biblis & in studiynge & techynge þer-of, hou moche schulde goddis lawe be forþered & knowen & kept, & now in so moche it is hyndrid, vnstudied & vnkept. lord, hou schulden riche men ben excused þat costen so moche in grete schapellis & costy bokis of mannus ordynaunce for fame & nobleie of þe world, & wolen not spende so moche aboute bokis of goddis lawe & for to studie hem & teche hem, siþ þis were wiþ-oute com|parison betre on alle siddis & lyȝttere & sykerere. but ȝit men þat knowen þe fredom of goddis ordynaunce for prestis to be þe beste wiþ grete sorow of herte seyn here matynes, masse & euensong, whanne þei schulden ellis be betre occupied, last þei sclaundren þe sike conscience of here breþeren þat ȝit knowen not goddis lawe. god brynge þes prestis to þe fredom to studie holy writt, & lyue þer-after, & teche it oþer men frely, & to preie as long and as moche as god meueþ [page 170] hem þer-to, & ellis turne to oþere medeful werkis, as crist & his apostlis diden; & þat þei ben not constreyned to blabre alle day wiþ tonge & grete criynge, as pies & iaies, þing þat þei knowen not & to peiere here owen soule for defaute of wis deuocion & charite.
Also bysynesse of worldly occupacion of prestis lettiþ prechynge of þe gospel, for þei ben so besy þer [omitted X.] aboute & namely in herte, þat þei þenken litel on goddis lawe & han no sauour þer-to. ¶ And seyn þat þei don þus for hospitalite & to releue pore men wiþ dedis of charite; but, hou euere men speken, it his for here owen coueitise, & lustful lif in mete & drynk & precious cloþis, & for name of þe world in fedynge of riche men, & litel or nouȝt comeþ frely
