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

inne, so moche þe betre boþe for body & soule & alle oþere men. but hou euere we excusen vs we wasten nedeles moche goode boþe in mete & drynk & cloþis, werbi pore men schulden be holpen & we betre serue god & lesse bisi aboute þe body & more bisy aboute god & helþe of oure soulis bi lesse cost & spendynge ȝif we holden goode mesure. ¶ Þe fend disceyueþ men & wymmen bi touchynge of membris ordeyned for genderure of mankynde, & bi kissyng & clippyng is þe fier of lecherie kyndlid & norischid in herte til þe dede sue, & many tymes long custome in [&X.] þis cursed synne. þerfore seiþ þe wise man, he þat handliþ pich schal be foulid þer-of: [Ecclus. xiii. 1.] þat is men handlynge wymmen & kyssynge hem schullen be blickid wiþ lust of lecherie, oþer in herte oþer in body or ellis in boþe. þerfore ierom & seyntis seyn þat fleynge fro suche companye & abstynence & saad traueile is best medecyne aȝenst lecherie; but þis weiward dalliaunce wiþ wymmen is so comyn þat vnneþe can ony man kepe hym clene, or sengle or weddid or men of ordre of [and AA.] religion. And þus it is verrifyed þat god seiþ by Jeromye; deþ haþ entrid by ȝoure [Jeremiah ix. 21.] wyndowis, þat ben fyue wittes. bi þes queyntises & many moo þe fend disceyueþ men & of instrumentis or [of X.] menys & armu[r]e of vertue he makiþ instrumentis or menys & armour of synne. God graunte vs grace to haue mynde on þe peynes þat crist suffrede in his [omitted X.] herte, in his hondis & feet, in his heed, in his siȝtte, & herynge, spekynge, smellynge, & tastynge, & in eche place of his bodi fro þe heued to þe sole of þe foot, & to spende alle þe myȝttis of soule & bodi & oure fyue wittis trewely in his seruyce, to seke his worschipe in [& X.] alle þingis & distroie synne & falsnesse boþe in oure self & oþere men, & to holde & meyntene vertuous lif & riȝtwis|nesse & pees & charite. Amen.