drede lest here ypocrisie be parceyued and here wynnynge and worldly fame leid a-doun; þei ben cursed manquelleris, and gylti of dampnacion of alle þe soulis þat perischen for þe defaute of kunnynge and kepynge of goddis comaunde|mentis.
¶ Ȝif þei prechen principaly for worldeli muk or veyn glorie, and so prechen here owne sotiltes to be preised of men, and not [page 8] symply and pleynly þe gospel of crist for his glorie and sauyng of mennus soulis; þei don gostely lecherie bi goddis word as poul seiþ.
¶ Ȝif þei seyn and meyntenen in scole and oþere placis þat þe wordis of holy writt ben false and manere of spekyng of newe idiotis is trewe, þei don gostly auoutrie and putten falsnesse and blasphemye vpon god; for in þat þei seyn þat an heþene philosofre or a newe synful caitif is wittiere and trewere þan almyȝti god, ȝe þat god is fals and a fole and þes heþene blasphemes and newe dremeris ben trewe and witti.
¶ Ȝif þei feynen hem sotil of fisik and knowynge of wym|menys complexcion and preuyte, seiynge þat siche siknesse or deþ schal com to hem in absence of here housbondis but ȝif þei haue mannus helpe, and þus defoulen on and oþer; þei breken foule þis comaundement þat biddiþ men do no lecherie; and in þis poynt men dreden þat þes pharisees geten hem moo holderis vp for here putrie þan for here trewe prechyng or holy lyf.
¶ Whanne lordis ben fro hom in werris, in iustis and par|lementis and in dyuerse lordschipis, and whanne marchauntis ben out of lond or in fer cuntrees for here marchaundise, and whanne plowmen ben al day in þe feld at here plowȝ ore medes; þan þes pharisees presen faste to here wyues vnder colour of holynesse.
¶ Ȝif þei stelen mennus children, boþe gentyl mennus and pore, to make hem of here synguler ordre þat is maad of synful men and confermyd, & in cas of [omitted X.] deuelis and not of god; þei don cursed þefte aȝenst þe seue[n]þe maundement of
