haue had for the feith, which othere men in tho daies hadden and to whiche thei attendiden. And therfore the principal clerkis and grettist and wor|thiest reulers of tho hethen men fillen into idolatrie bi the now discriued and tauȝt maner, and the sympler partie of hem folewiden the worthier and the more wijs partie, as hem thouȝte it was conuenient forto do; and thus al the greet multitude fil into ydolatrie and continueden therin.
Manye also of the Iewis, whiche weren [were, MS. (first hand).] bifore suffi|cientli instructid in the feith of oon God and of veri God and in the evidencis longing therto, fillen bi her necligence fro the attendaunce which schulde haue be ȝouun bi a continuaunce to tho evidencis; and thanne thei reuliden hem after her owne witt and after the wittis of the hethen men, whiche weren in tho daies miche wijse and grete philsophiris. And therfore and therbi manie of the Iewis at dyuerse tymes fillen into ydolatrie and continueden therinne.
But now sumwhat bifore the birthe of Crist alle Iewis camen into so greet attendaunce to the euydencis of verry feith teching oon God to be, and also aftir the passioun of Crist hider to in this [inthis, MS.] present day so gret doom of resoun hath be founde bothe of hethen men and of Iewis and of Cristen men, and herwith also so grete evidencis of the feith teching oon God to be aloon ben hadde in so greet haunt and vce and in so long confermed continuaunce, that a this side the passioun of Crist was not into this present dai eny ydolatrie among Iewis neither among hethen men, whiche lyuen in eny notable famose sect; or, if among hethen men be eny ydolatrie, it is in ful fewe placis among wrecchid persoones not sett bi of othere hethen men. And sithen al this is trewe, (as
