Of seruauntis & lordis hou eche schal kepe his degree.
First, seruauntis schullen trewely & gladly serue to here lordis or maistris & not be fals ne idel ne grucchynge ne heuey in here seruyce doynge, but holde hem paied of þe staat of seruauntis, in whiche god haþ ordeyned hem for here beste to holde hem in mekenesse aȝenst pride, & besi traueile aȝenst ydelnesse & slouþe. for seynt poul biddiþ þat ȝif þou [1 Cor. vii. [21.]] be clepid a seruaunt, recke þou not þer-of; þat is to seie be not grucchynge ne heuy þerfore. ¶ Also poul techiþ þus: "ȝe [Ephes. vi. [5.]] seruauntis obeische to fleschly lordis wiþ drede & quakynge or tremelynge, in sympilnesse of ȝoure herte, as to crist; not seruynge at þe eiȝe, as plesynge to men, but as seruauntis of crist, doynge þe wille of god of herte, wiþ goode wille seruynge as to þe lord of alle lordis & not to men; wittynge þat eche man what euere good þing he do schal resceyue þat of þe lord, be he seruaunt or bonde or free man;" þat is to seie reward of god for þat good doynge. ¶ Also poul techiþ [Col. iii. [22.]] þus seruauntis; "obeche, ȝe seruauntis, bi alle þingis to fleschly lordis. what þing euere ȝe don worche ȝe of herte, þat is wisdom & wille, as to þe lord & not to men, witynge þat of þe lord ȝe [he X.] schulle take [omitted X.] retribucion, þat is mede or reward, of heritage in heuene. serue ȝe to þe lord crist; for who þat doþ wrong or iniurye schal resceyue þat þing þat he haþ wickydly don, & anemptis god is not accepcion or takynge of personys." þat is o man schal not be sparid in goddis dom for his richessis or lordschipis or heiȝ blood, & a pore man be ponyschid for a litel trespas, as men don in þis wickid world, but eche man schal be ponyschid after his owene gilte, & [page 191] eche man rewardid after his owene goode lif. but here þe fend moueþ summe men to seie þat cristene men schullen not be seruauntis or þrallis to heþene lordis, siþ þei ben false to god & lasse worþy þan cristene men; neiþer to cristene lordis, for þei ben breþeren in kynde, & ihū crist bouȝte cristene
