god. for many men ben drawen, bi lesynges and ȝiftis and so by symonye, fro þe betere ordre to þe werse and maad more cursed and deppere dampnyd in helle. For þouȝ children ben brouȝt be lesyngis, symonye and fals bihestis in-to þis feyned ordre bifore tyme of discrecion and ben not able þer-to, ȝit þei schulle be nedid bi peyne of dampnynge in helle, as þei seyn, and bi drede of bodely deþ to holde forþ þis feyned religion aȝenst here conscience and fredom of þe gospel. and he þat most steliþ children to þes priuatis ordris is most preised of þes cursed congregacion, and þat is a cursed reward. For he þat steliþ an oxe or a cowe is a þef and gretly [page 9] peyned bi mannus lawe; myche more owiþ he to be ponyschid boþe of god and man þat steliþ his owne child, þat is betere þan alle worldely goodis; and here-bi ben gentil mennus heiris distroied, and so lordis and also laboreris and sumtyme trewe prestis and curatis ben made beggeris and lesyngmongeris to destruction of londis. Ȝif þei techen wyues, prentis, seruauntis and children to stele fro here housbondis, maistris and fadir and modir and ȝeuen it to þes pharisees, as hildegar seiþ, þei ben perilous þeuys to make discencioun among manye. Ȝif þei feynen hem nedy and pore whanne þei ben ryche and proude, and beggen of þe pore peple, and maken men to wene þat þei schulden haue more þank of god to ȝeue here almes to riche possessioners or oþer ryche pharisees þan to ȝeuen it to here pore neiȝbores as crist biddiþ; þei ben foule þeues, for þei robben þe almes ȝeuere boþe of feiþ, of worldely catel, and pore bedrede men of here liflode.
¶ Ȝif þei putten on here pore breþren þat lyuen wel and reprouen hem of here synnes þat þei wolden distroie holy religion, and here-fore disceisen hem and putten hem in prison, and sumtyme morþere hem aȝenst goddis lawe and þe kyngys; þei beren false wyttenesse aȝenst here neiȝebore, and ben cursed manquelleris. ¶ Ȝif þei beren on pore prestis þat techen þe trewþe of þe gospel and þe goodenesse of cristis ordynaunce þat þei wolde distroie holi chirche, and here-fore
