The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

iiij. CHAPITER.

THE ij^e. principal conclusioun biholding the vj^e. principal gouernaunce is this: Doom of clerili in kinde disposid resoun lettith not and weerneth not the seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce. That this conclusioun is trewe y proue thus: If eny doom of such resoun schulde lette and weerne the seid vj^e. principal gouer|naunce, it schulde be oon of these doomes which ben conteyned in the iiij. semyng skilis now next to be maad and fourmed; but so it is, that noon of tho doomes lettith and weerneth the seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce. Wherfore no doom of such seid resoun lettith and weerneth the seid vj^e. principal gouernaunce.

The firste of these iiij. now spokun semyng skilis is this: Ech religioun is vnleeful and not worthi be had and vsid, which lettith and afore barrith, ȝhe, and weerneth the comaundement of God in his lawe of kinde to be doon; but so it is, that ech of the bifore spoken religions now had and vsid in the chirche and conteyning vow of wilful expropriat pouerte and obedience to certein reulis and statutis lettith and afore barrith, ȝhe, and weerneth hise re|ligiose persoon for to do and fulfille sum comaunde|ment of God. Forwhi ech of tho religiouns lettith and forbarrith and weerneth hise persones for to do bodili almes deedis to the pore and nedi, and also forto worschipe his fadir and modir in the effect of

releeuyng her bodili and goostli neede and lak, as it is open to ech attender. And ȝit God biddith bodili almes deedis to be doon, as it is writun [Luk xj^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] capitulum. thus, That that is ouer plus ȝeue ȝe almes; and also Math. xxv^e. capitulum. it is open that for vndoing or for the leuyng of such bodili almes vndoon men schulen be dampned. Wherfore forto do such almes is the comaundement of God. And also that ech man thus worschipe his fadir and modir is the comaundement of God, it is open, Mark [vij^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] capitulum. and Effes. [vj^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] capitulum. Wherfore alle suche now spokun religiouns ben vnleeful, and not worthi to be had and vsid.

The ij^e. semyng skile is this: Thilk thing or gouer|naunce, not being necessarie into oure saluacioun for that it is the comaundement of God, what euer he be, is to be kutt awey and to be leid aside and to be not had and vsid, of which myche goostli harme and synne comen, for that that he is the occasioun that thilk goostli harme and synne comen. Forwhi into the meenyng of this now rehercid proposicioun or sentence the Gospel is alleggid bifore in the [v^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references.] chapiter of the iij^e. [this v ^e., MS. See p. 307.] parti of this book thus: If thi riȝt iȝe or thi riȝt hond or thi riȝt foot sclaundre thee, pulle him out or kutte him awey, and caste him fro thee; but so it is, that of ech of the now spokun religiouns had and vsid in the chirche miche goostli harme and synne comen; so that ech of them is the occasioun wherbi and wherfro the goostli harme and synne comen. Wherfore folewith that ech of the now spokun religiouns ouȝte be pullid out of the chirche, and ouȝte be kutt awey, and be not had and vsid.

The iij^e. semyng skile is this: If suche now spokun religiouns ben so gode and so profitable to Cristen men as is now bifore pretendid hem to be, whi or|deyned

not Crist tho same religiouns to be had and vsid; sithen he couthe haue ordeyned tho religiouns as weel as men couthen fynde hem and devise hem, and sithen he loueth us and wilneth oure goostli profit more than we silf willen, forwhi for oure goostli profit he soore laborid, suffrid, and died? Wher upon it myȝte be argued in forme thus: Crist, which was oure grettist louer and oure best prower, ordeyned al that was best for us to haue and al that is notabili bettir to be had than to not be had; for ellis he hadde not be anentis us to gidere wijsist purueier and ten|dirist louer: but so it is, that Crist not ordeyned these spokun religiouns, forwhi it is bifore grantid in the [i^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references. See p. 483.] chapiter of the [v^e.] [Spaces left in the MS. for the references. See p. 483.] parti and it is openli trewe that men founde hem and devisid hem, and that now late summe and manye of hem: wherfore thei ben not necessarie, neither thei ben in notable degre bettir to be had or to be not had.

The iiij^e. semyng skile is this: If for to haue reli|gioun and religiosite set to the comoun lawe of God maad of lawe of kinde and of sacramentis is leeful, good, and profitable, whi mai not this good and profit sufficientli be performed and fillid bi oon or ij. or a fewe of suche religions had and vsid [had and vsid is added by a later hand.] in the chirche? Skile ther aȝens semeth to be noon, namelich sithen alle tho religiouns had and vsid in the chirche ac|corden and ben as oon in the thre substancial thingis of hem alle, that is to seie in the iij. vowis whiche alle suche religioses maken. Wher fore this that ther ben now in the chirche so manye foold dyuerse reli|giouns and religiosis, (of whiche summe eten fleisch, whanne othere religiosis eten fisch; summe waken, whanne othere slepen; summe weren whijt, summe

weren blak, summe weren whijt aboue and blak bi|nethe, and summe in the contrarie maner weren blak aboue and whijt binethe; summe weren lynnen next to her skyn, and summe forberen al lynnen fro her skyn of the bodi) is not but of vnconstaunce and of vnstabilnes, of liȝtnes and vnavisidnes, and of scisme making in the oonhede of Cristen britheren; and is modir cause and occasioun of debatis and of lasse loue to be had among alle Cristen britheren to gidere, and so forth of othere yuelis.