that summe symple persoones hadden thilk opinion, tho iij. seid persoones ouȝtiden to be slayn and to be take [take is interlineated in a later (?) hand.] fro lijf and fro siȝt of men and fro worching of myraclis, bi cause that foolis and symple persoones hadden suche seid vntrewe opiniouns upon the seid worching of myraclis.
Also thouȝ men trowen that my precious stoonys, whiche y haue, han vertues whiche in trouthe thei han not, schal y therfore breke hem or caste hem awey, that suche lewid men haue no such wrong opinioun vpon hem? Also if men trowe that sum aldirman in Londoun is miche riccher than in trouthe he is, schal therfore thilk aldirman be slayn or be banyschid out of the citee, that men haue no such folisch vntrewe opinioun upon his ricches? God forbede. Wherfore lijk wise it is to be holde in this present purpos, that the having and vsing [the vsing, MS. (first hand).] of ymagis, (sithen therbi miche moral good cometh,) ouȝt not be left for this, that foolis han suche seid folisch opiniouns of the ije. bifore spokun soort vpon tho ymagis and vpon the vsis of hem.
And ȝit ferthermore, that men mowe haue withoute blame and withoute folie this opinioun that summe ymagis at sumwhile sweten, and that bi hem speche is mad, and that at sumwhile thei ben moued fro oon place to an other place withoute mannys therto doing, and suche othere like opiniouns, schal be schewid after in the ije. principal gouernaunce, whanne y schal trete of pilgrimage. And thus myche is ynouȝ, that the ije. bifore spokun doom of resoun is not sufficient forto lette ymagis to be had and vsid.
That the iije. bifore spokun and sett doom of re|soun, which is that ymagis ouȝten [ouȝte, MS. (first hand).] not be had and
