knowing which is lawe of kinde geten bi labour in doom of mannis resoun oonli, as it is open if a man weie weel the wordis of tho textis. And therfore these iij. textis ben not for the purpos for to grounde the iiije. opinioun.
As to this, that the holders of the iiije. opinioun deemen prelatis of the chirche forto be mys lyuers and trespacers aȝens Goddis lawe, weel y wote that in summe thingis prelatis synnen and amys [mys, MS. (first hand).] doon. For, thouȝ thei ben prelatis in the chirche, thei ben men and not pure aungels, and therfore thei ben suche, and muste needis be suche, that han the natural temptatyue wrecchidnessis whiche other men han. And weel y wote herwith, that in summe thingis thei ben iugid to be more gilti than thei ben, and also in summe thingis thei ben iugid to be gilti whanne thei not gilti ben, as tho same iugers schulden weel wite, if thei were homeli with the same prelatis, and weren priuey to the same gouernauncis and to alle the causis and motyues and circumstauncis of the same gouernauncis whiche thei blamen.
Wolde God that men, eer thei wolden [wolde, MS. (first hand).] blame eny mannys gouernaunce, wolden weel leerne and wolden be remembrid weel vpon the same leerning wher of a deede or a gouernaunce takith his moral godenes and his moral badnes, and that a gouernaunce is not moraly [moral, MS. (first hand).] good for and bi his owne substaunce, but for and bi his causis, hise motyues, and hise circumstauncis, as it [as is, MS. (first hand).] is tauȝt in othere placis of my writingis, name|lich in The folewer to the donet: ȝhe, and that moral gouernaunces of mennis conuersacioun, namelich suche that ben politik (that is to seie, suche wherbi prelatis of the chirche or othere ouerers gouerne othere men vndir hem bi spiritual policie or worldli policie)
