world & for schame & euyl demynge of men. & certis it is gret wonder þat god suffriþ so longe þis synne vnponyschid opynly, namely of prelatis courtis þat ben dennys of þeues & larderis of helle; & so of here officeris þat ben sotil in malice & coueitise; & of lordis & myȝtty men, þat schulden distroie þis wrong & oþere & meyntenen treuþe & goddis seruauntis, & now meyntenen anticristis falsenesse & his clerkis for part of þe wynnynge. & hou symple prestis durren take siche benefices, but ȝif þei weren myȝtty of kunnynge & goode lif & herty to aȝenstonde þes wrongis & moo þan [þat X.] we may now touche for þe multitude of hem & sotil colourynge bi ypocrisie. but certis god suffriþ siche ypocritis & tirauntis to haue name of prelatis for grete synnys of þe peple & vnworþinesse þer-of, þat eche part lede oþer [open X.] to helle bi blyndnes of þe fend; & þis is a þousand fold more vengaunce þan ȝif god distroie bodely boþe partis & alle here goodis [page 208] & erþe þer-wiþ, as he dide bi sodom & gomor; for þe lengere þat þei lyuen þus in synne, þe grettere peynes schullen þei haue in helle but ȝif þei amenden hem. & þis drede & many moo maken summe pore prestis to resceyuen non benefices.
Capitulum 3m.
But ȝit þouȝ pore prestis myȝtten haue frely presentacion of lordis, & ben holpen bi meyntenynge of kyngis & helpe of goode comyns fro extorsions of prelatis & oþere myspendynge of þes goodes, þat is ful hard in þis grete regnynge of anti|cristis clerkis; ȝit þei dreden sore þat bi þis singuler cure ordeyned of synful men þei schulden be lettid fro betre occupacion & fro more profit of holy chirche, & þis is þe moste drede of alle as anemtis here personys. for þei han cure & charge at þe fulle of god to helpe here breþeren to heuene ward, boþe bi techynge, preiynge & ensaumple ȝeuynge; & it semeþ þat þei schullen most esily fulfille þis bi general cure of charite, as dide crist & his apostlis, þouȝ þei bynden hem
