and thei that han power of hem ben clepid gode doers; but ȝe not so; but he that is grettist among ȝou be mad as ȝonger, and he that is bifore goer as a seruaunt. For who is gretter, he that sittith at the mete or he that mynystrith? whether not he that sit|tith at the mete? And y am in the myddil of ȝou as he that mynystrith. Certis in this that Crist seide, Thei that han power of hem ben clepid gode doers, but ȝe not so, Crist meened not of hem whiche ben verrili gode doers to her vndirlingis, but whiche ben not gode doeris, and ȝit for flatery and plesaunce, (lest gretter tirantrie be doon,) ben clepid gode doeris of her vndirlingis.
An other maner of ouerte bering and vsing is for to (in alle deedis of thilk ouerte vsing and executing) awaite and performe the profit of the vndirlingis in hem weel reuling bi doom of resoun, and of hem not more or other asking than as resoun or feith wole; which maner of ouerte holding and vsing mai be clepid therfore seruice to the vndirlingis, bi cause it is into the profit of the vndirlingis; thouȝ it be ther with an ouerte beryng and hauyng and holding. And of this ouerte spekith Crist in the place now bifore alleggid, Luk xxijecapitulum., Who is gretter, he that sittith at the mete, or he that mynystrith? whether not he that sittith at the mete? And y am in the myddil [myddis, MS. (first hand). myd|dil is the reading of most MSS. in the later form of Wiclif's version, from which this quotation is made, and is written more than once by the first hand in this MS. just below.] of ȝou as he that mynystrith. Lo, how Crist pleinli and openli was aknowe that he took upon him to be the gretter, in that that he settid him silf in the myddil; and seith that therfore he sate in the myddil, forto schewe that he bare him as her gretter and worthier. And ȝit therwith, in that that in so sit|ting
