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

[page 234] Þe first general poynt of pore prestis þat prechen in engelond is þis; þat þe lawe of god be wel knowen, tauȝt, meyntened, magnyfied. ¶ Þe secunde þat þe grete opyn synne þat regneþ in diuerse statis be distroied, & also heresie & ypocrisie of anticristis & his folweris. ¶ Þe þridde þat verrey pees, pros|perite & brennynge charite be encresed in cristendom, & namely in þe rewme of engelond, for to brynge [men] redily to þe blisse of heuene. ¶ Þe first special poynt is þis, þat cristene men, & namely clerkis of scole & curatis, studie, kepe, teche, & meyntene holy writt more þan newe statutis, cus|tomes & s[er]ymonyes maad of synful men. ¶ Þe secunde, þat þe ordynaunce of ihū crist be stedfastly [page 235] kept in alle degres, so þat alle clerkis lyue clenly on spiritualte, as crist & his apostlis deden, & ȝeuynge ensaumple of mekenesse, pacience & heuenly lif & charite; & þat alle seculer lordischipis turne clene to seculer lordis, as god biddiþ in þe olde testament & newe, & þat þei don riȝtwisnesse, mercy & pite, & riȝtly gouerne þe comouns in reste, pees & charite, iuste customes, [&] resonable rentis to here lordis & maistris; & þat þe comyns wilfully, mekely & trewely do here seruyce. ¶ Þe þridde, þat þe ordre of presthod wiþ clennest reulis of cristis gospel be holden [&] meyntened boþe perfiter & esier & sikerer þan ony newe [ordre] [Not in MS., but some such word is evidently wanted.] or secte wiþ bilawis, customes, obseruauncis founden of synful men, þat ofte erreden in þouȝt, worde & dede. ¶ Þe firþe, þat cursed heresie of symonye in þe clergie be distroied boþe in benefices, ordris, sacramentis & pardons. ¶ Þe fifte, þat þe raueyne & extorcion of prelatis & here officeris, þat þei don vnder colour of iuridiccon & almes in meyntenynge of synne for annuel rente, wisly & trewely be stoppid, & þat þei be wel chastised for robbynge of þe kyngis lege men. ¶ Þe sixte, þat curatis ben not occupied in worldly