þe gospel, hou crist lyuede most mekely and most porely and most vertuously bi-forn alle oþere men as þe gospel techeþ; and knowlechynge in lif, lyuynge after þe lawe of god and in [page 18] wille to die þer-fore ȝif it be nede; þis verrei knowlechynge schal make men to ben approued of crist at þe day of dome, biforn alle þe compayne of angelis and seyntis and good creaturis and euyle, hou þei were verrei wittenesse of crist in erþe bifore men, and in fulwille to suffre sclandris pursuynge and bodili deþ for þe loue of ihū crist and his lawe.
Capitulum 8m.
Here may men touche þe cowardise and fal[s]nesse of prestis, lordis, marchauntis and alle oþere men þat failen in charite anemtis god and his lawe. where ben þo prestis þat maken hem so bisy aboute grete benefices, wordly worschipis and stynkynge muk or drit of worldeli richesse, þat þei wolen travaile [omitted X.] gladly nyȝt and day in lordis courtis, in worldely offis, for litel cost takynge of þe lord in hope of beneficis; and so bisily þat vnneþis may þei at reste seie metenes or masse with deuocioun. oþere prestis rennen out of oure lond ouer grete sees and þoruȝ londes of enemyes in peril of here lif, in gret cold, hungur, þrist, stormes and tempestis, þat it is wondir hou þei may lyue; but hou bisi maken þei hem self and oþere to lerne, kepe and teche goddis lawe? certis but ȝif þei more bisily lerne bi grete traueile and studie holy writt, and kepen it trewly in here lyuynge, and openly to ȝeue good ensaumple to alle men, and prechen it sadly and trewly with als myche traueile and more, and ȝit it be nede ben wilful to die þerfore, þei may drede ful sore þat þei ben out of charite and out of feiþ, but ȝif it be ded feiþ as fendis han; for þei traueilen more for worldly worschipe and stynkynge drit þan for loue of god and helþe of mannus soule. And ȝit, þat is werse, þei beren gold out of englond, and
