for meyntenynge of cristis gospel, & trewe vnderstondynge þer-of geten bi holy lif & gret studie, & not sette here feiþ ne triste in synful prelatis & here cursed clerkis, ne in here vnderstondynge of holy writt, for þei ben vnable wiþ þis worldly lif ful of pride, coueitise, glotonye & ydelnesse, as [& X.] haukynge & huntynge, & pleiynge at þe chees & tablis, & riot & daunsynge, & festis makynge, dronkenesse & lecherie, to perceyue þe treuþe of holy writt & heiȝe preuytees of god. for crist seiþ in þe gospel þat þe fadir of heuene hidiþ þes [Matt. xi. 25.] treuþes fro worldly wise men & queynte, & schewiþ hem to meke men as weren cristis disciplis. & þe wise man seiþ þat [Prov. ix. 10.] þe wisdom schal not entre in-to an euyl willid man, for þe drede of god is bigynnynge & plente of wisdom, & þei han not þis drede; þan þei han not þis wisdom. Þerfore it is luciferis pride, & passeþ it, to constreyne men to take vnder|stondynge of holy writt after þe witt & dom of siche worldly [page 212b] clerkis, þat ben enemys of crist & his lawe & his seruauntis, for þei ben blynde in goddis lawe & good lif, & leden blynde men to helle, as crist seiþ in þe gospel; for in steed of keies of heuene, þat ben kunnynge of holy writt & power to distroie synne & saue cristene soulis bi trewe techynge & good ensaumple, þei han ignoraunce of goddis lawe, & no wil [wel X.] to studie & lyue þer-aftir, but kunnynge & practisynge in here owene wickede lawis for pride & coueitise, & feynen hem power of tirauntrie to stoppe treue men fro prechynge of þe gospel, & ȝif þei prechen aȝenst here wille to curse hem & prisone hem & brenne hem [omitted AA.] ; & certis þes ben keies of helle.
Capitulum 4m.
See now þe þridde wheel of sathanas chaar. Þes cautelous clerkis & religious of lucifer seyn þat no man wot whiche is the gospel but bi approuynge & confermynge of þe chirche. but trewe men seyn þat to here vnderstondynge þis is ful of
