[6-text p 652] seint poule ad Ephesios. þat an auerous man is þe þraldom of ydolatrie
[749] ¶ what difference is þer bitwen an ydolaster and an auarous man. but þat an ydolaster per aduenture hadde but a mawmet/ . . . . . [no gap] [750] ¶ and certes þe synne of mawmetrie is þe firste þing þat god defendith in þe ten comaunde|mentȝ as beriþ witnes in exodo capitulo [751] þou schalt/ haue noone false goddes biforn me. ne þou schalt make to the no graue þing. thus is he an auerous man þat loueth his tresor toforn god ¶ And an ydolaster [752] þurgh his cursed synne of auarice and coueytise comen þese harde lordschipes þurgh whiche thay ben distreyned by talliages custumes and cariages more þan here duete of resoun is. and elles take þay of here bonde men amercimentes whiche mighte more resonably ben callid extorciouns þan mercymentis. [753] of whiche mersyments and raunsonyng of bonde men some lordes stywardes seyn þat it is rightful. For as moche as a cherl haþ no temperel þing þat it nys his lordes as þay sayn [754] ¶ But certes þise lordschipes doon wrong þat bireuen here bonde men þinges þat þay neuer ȝaue hem. Augustine . . . [blank in MS.] [755] soth is þe condicioun of þraldom and þe firste cause of þraldom is sinne Genesis
[756] ¶ Thus may ȝe seen þat þe gilt deserued þraldom but not nature [757] ¶ wherfore þese lordschipes schulden nouȝt moche glorifie in here lordschipes sith þat by naturel condicioun þay ben nouȝt lordes ouer þalles. but for þraldom com first by þe desert of synne [758] ¶ And forther-ouer þer as þe lawe sayth þat temporel goodes of bonde folkes been þe goodes of her lordschipes; ȝe þat is to [folio 274b] vnderstonde. þe goodes of þe emperour to defende in here right. but not to robbe hem ne to reue hem. [759] and þerfore
