Select English works of John Wyclif; edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

And wel were him þat coude þis lore, ȝif þe gospel tauȝte him no more. And reversing of þis lore now, bi dowyng of þis Chirche, haþ maad al newe preestis and oþer ordir fro Cristis Chirche [That is, — church-endowment, practised in defiance of the teaching of Christ, has separated the modern clergy, as well as the cloistered orders, from the true Church of Christ.] . For more worldli lordship axiþ þe more service to preestis, and lettiþ hem to be more servauntis, and more hie in Cristis rewme. And þus, whanne Crist biddiþ þat his preestis shulden not lyve þus, þat preest is now holden betere þat lyveþ more lordli. And þis pride of þe fend distrieþ myche of þe Chirche; and Y can see no more mede þan to distrie þis [þes, E.] preestis pride. Take awei þes brondis ȝif þou wole quenche þe fier.

ÞIS gospel telliþ þe cause and forme whi þat Baptist was do to deþ, and seiþ, how þat Heroude þe kyng sente and held Joon Baptist, and bonde hym in prysoun for a womman, Herodias, which was wiif and weddid to Philip, Heroudis broþir. For Joon seide to þis Heroude, It is not leeveful to þee for to have þi broþeris wiif, while ȝe boþe ben on lyve. And herfore þis Herodias aspiede Joon many gatis, how he myȝte be do to deþ. But alȝif she wolde do þis, ȝit she myȝte not come þerto. Þe cause of envie to Joon was his tellinge of treuþe, þat shulde be profitable to Heroude and eke to þis wickide womman. And þis cause shulde glorifie martirdome of a man; for it touchiþ Goddis riȝt, and profit of þe yvel part, and charite of þe martir þat telliþ þis for Goddis sake. And beter cause haþ no man in suffringe of martirdome. Þis Heroude dredde Joon Baptist, for