The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

cleree her wordis. Perauentur summe of tho writingis vnderstonden of grounding takun vnpropirli and largeli and not propirly, of which maner of taking this word ground or grounding y haue spoken bifore in this book in the eende of the [fifth] [A space left in the MS. for the number.] chapiter. And summe of tho writingis ben to be vnderstonde in figure of yperbole or in summe other figuratijf speche, for whanne vpon eny thing spechis or writingis ben maad bi wey of commendacioun or bi wey of vitupe|racioun, tho spechis ben [be, MS. (first hand.)] woned be myche fauorid bi figuris excusing what ellis in hem schulde be vntrewe and defauti; and a greet licence han writers and spek|ers in these now seid causis forto write and speke more wijldeli, than thei schulden be suffrid forto write and speke of the same thing out of these now seid causis. And therfore, brother, be not ouerboold vpon wordis and writingis in suche maters where yn resoun hath to deeme; but truste ther yn to cleer doom of resoun, and thenke what an oolde Doctour Hillary seith (and sooth it is) that the wordis of a speker ben to be referrid into the entent wherto he hem spekith. [Intelligentia dictorum ex causis est assumenda dicendi, quia non sermoni res sed rei est sermo sub|jectus. S. Hilar., de Trin., lib. iv. (p. 835. Ed. Bened.) Dicti ratio ex sensu erit intelligenda dicendi (dicentis, some MSS.) Id., lib. ii. (p. 803. Ed. Bened.) To one or both of these passages Pecock here alludes.] For therbi ful ofte and ellis not schal be cauȝt [The MS. probably originally had tauȝt, but an erasure has altered it into cauȝt.] of tho wordis the trewe and dew vndir|stonding. But forto seie in oon word what mai be seid in manie, who euer wole for eni Doctouris writ|ing fauore the firste opinioun and countre aȝens the firste conclusioun, assoile he ther with alle the euy|dencis or argumentis bifore sett into proof of the firste conclusioun. And no more bi me of this vnto other place and tyme.