The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

v. CHAPITER.

THE v^e. principal conclusion concernyng and bihold|ing the seid [seid is added in the margin by a later hand.] iiij^e. principal gouernaunce is this: Doom of cleerli in kinde disposid resoun iugith, allowith, and approueth the iiij^e. principal gouernaunce sett bifore in the bigynnyng of this present iiij^e. partie. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: Resoun in his cleer doom iugith, allowith, and approueth that ouer a certein multitude [of multitude, MS. (first hand).] of the louȝest peple in the layfe be oon certein lord or iuge or officer forto iuge her causis; and that ouer a certein noumbre of suche now seid lordis or officers be oon hiȝer officer forto iuge the causis rising bitwixe tho now seid louȝer lordis or officers and forto heere the compleintis of her vndirlyngis, if thei be wrongid of the now seid louȝer lordis or officers; and in lijk maner, that ouer and aboue manye to gidere of these laste seid hiȝer lordis and officers be oon other to ouer waite hem and her reule and gouernaunce; and so forth, til we come vnto oon highest emperour, bi whos hiȝest oonheed schal reste and pees be mad thoruȝ alle peple hiȝer

and louȝer lyuyng vnder him, whanne thei wolen compleyne to him. And ellis, but if such an ordre of degrees and statis were sette in the layfe, and that oon were hiȝest in auctorite and power aboue alle other, resoun seeth openli that ther were no sure wey forto haue pees and reste and riȝtwisnesse kept by twixe persoon and persoon, and bitwixe cuntre and cuntre, rewme and rewme: and that for the natural freelte, which bi surest experience is knowun to be in al mankinde. But so it is, that thouȝ of the al hool noumbre of Adamys children summe ben ordeyned to be preestis, and summe to be dekenys, and summe ben ordeyned to be craftiose [crastiose, MS.] men and marchaundis, and summe to be othere laborers; ȝit alle thei, bothe preestis and dekenis and alle othere lay persoonys, ben mad of oon lumpe of mater descending from Adam; and preestis ben born vndir coniuncciouns and constellacciouns stiring and moving into as greet freel|nes and badde maners as othere lay men ben born, and also preestis ben of as badde kindeli complexiouns moving into badde and scharpe passiouns as ben lay men; and so al freelnes, which is naturali and strongli and fersly in lay men, ben ljik miche in preestis. Wherfore, sithen for this freelnes thus founde in the lay peple resoun iugith and deemth that such now seid dyuersite of statis and degrees in ouerte and netherte ben to be had in the lay parti of Goddis peple, and lijk euen and lijk myche freelte is founde naturali in the prestial parti of Goddis peple; it muste needis folewe that resoun ouȝte lijk weel deeme, that lijk dyuersite of statis and degrees in ouerte and ne|therte ben to be had and vsid among preestis and othere clerkis in the chirche of God, as among lay persoones of the world. If preestis and bischopis

mowen be exempt that thei be not the children of Adam, thei mowen be excusid that thei han noon ouerer ouer hem; and if thei mowen not be ther of exemptid, sotheli thei musten needis haue ouer hem reulers. More of this mater is pleinli seid and tauȝt in The book of preesthode, and therfore the lasse is sett here.

The vj^e. principal conclusioun concernyng and bi|holding the iiij^e. seid principal gouernaunce is this: The iiij^e. bifore spokun principal gouernaunce is leeful in proprist maner forto speke of leefulnes. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: What euer gouer|naunce Holi Scripture and doom of cleerli disposid resoun allowen and approuen is leeful in proprist maner of speche forto speke of leefulnes. But so it is, that [that bothe, MS. (first hand.)] Holi Scripture and cleer doom of resoun al|lowen and approuen the iiij^e. bifore spokun principal gouernaunce, as the next bifore going iiij^e. and v^e. principal conclusiouns schewen and prouen. Wherfore the same seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce is in proprist maner of leeffulnes leeful.

The vij^e. principal conclusioun concernyng and bi|holding the seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce is this: The iiij^e. principal gouernaunce sett bifore in the bi|gynnyng of this present iiij^e. partie is a gouernaunce of Goddis lawe. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: What euer gouernaunce Holi Scripture and doom of kindeli weel disposid resoun allowen and approuen is a gouernaunce of Goddis lawe, as y haue ofte tauȝt and proued in my writingis, namelich in the firste parti of the book clepid The iust apprisyng of Holi Scripture. But so it is, that Holi Scripture and doom of kindeli weel disposid resoun allowen and approuen the iiij^e. seid principal gouernaunce, as the

next bifore going iiij^e. and v^e. principal conclusiouns schewen and prouen. Wherfore the same seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce is a gouernaunce of Goddis lawe.

The viij^e. principal conclusion concernyng and bi|holding the seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce is this: It is not synne as in that and for that a man forto exaumple bi hise dedis to othere men the seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce. That this conclusioun is trewe, y proue thus: It is not synne a man forto ensaumple bi hise deedis to othere men eny deede or gouer|naunce, which is the lawe of God. But so it is, that the iiij^e. seid principal gouernaunce is a gouernaunce of the lawe of God. Wherfore it is not synne as in that and for that a man forto ensaumple bi hise deedis to othere men the seid iiij^e. principal gouernaunce. And in this y eende the mater of the ofte spokun iiij^e. principal gouernaunce.