feeldis into ferme and rente; for [or, MS. (first hand).] ellis tho housis and feeldis schulden [schulde, MS. (first hand).] not be to hem availing.
If eny man wolde seie here, that in tho daies no lay persoon ouȝte ȝeue eny hous or feeld [or feeld is added by a later (?) hand.] to the clergie of thilk tyme, saue whanne the clergie had nede to occupie bi her owne vce thilk same or summe othere like hous or feeld, certis this seiyng may be at fulle putt abak and be rebukid. Forwhi if this seiyng were trewe, thanne the clergie schulde not and ouȝte not sille anoon forth with eny hous or feeld, which the lay peple hadde ȝeue to hem; and ȝit pleinli in the laste chapiter of Leuitik it is licencid to preestis and dekenis for to sille the hous or feeld which a lay persoon schal ȝeue to hem; ȝhe, forto sille it anoon aftir the ȝifte maad to hem; ȝhe, and forto sille anoon forthwith to hem that ȝauen the hous and the feeld or to othere per|soones whiche ȝauen [ȝaue, MS. (first hand).] hem not. And so bi al this processe now bifore going (fro the bigynnyng of the firste argument markid in the firste chapiter of this present iije. parti hiderto) it is weel proued, that to preestis and to othere clerkis of the Oold Testament it was not forbodun bi the lawe of God forto haue lordschip and in possessioun immouable godis; but it was licencid and grauntid to hem bi the lawe of God for to haue in lordschip and in possessioun citees, housis, and feeldis, and pasturis,—not oonli tho whiche thei helden in her owne demenys, but also mo othere [Perhaps we should read othere mo.] whiche thei myȝten sette forth to ferme and rente. And therfore Holi Scripture of the Oold Testament forbedith not to preestis and clerkis of the Newe Testament forto haue in lijk maner like immouable goodis.
