ricchessis ben ȝouun, rather than appeire hem silf in receyuyng tho ricchessis, or apperre her successouris aftir hem in removing awey tho richessis; sithen not alle men ben in lijk maner thoruȝ out disposid naturali and gracioseli. Forwhi, ije. Tessal. iije. capitulum. and ije. Cor. xje. capitulum., mensioun is mad, that in Poulis daies, bi cause endewing was not maad to prechouris other than it wher of Poul spekith ie. Cor. iije. [Probably we should read ixe. See 1 Cor. ix. 3-14.] capitulum., therfore prechers ȝauen hem to flaterie and to plesaunce forto the more likingli fille her wombis and her pursis so myche and so thikke, that for to putte hem awey out of the peplis fauour Seint Poul suffrid labour and peyne in this, that he laborid for his owne lijflode and for the lijflode of hise mynystris, not withstond|ing that he myȝte bi riȝt haue askid his lijflode and fynding of hem to whom he prechid. And therfore bi experience sufficientli take in tho daies greet pouerte and lak of stable endewing and forto stonde to deuocioun of the peple in ȝeuing and offring, (with mannys natural freelnes to suffre peyne of bodi, whanne he schal lacke hise necessarie esis,) is as peri|lose or more perilose in prelatis than is habundaunce of ricchessis (mouable or vnmouable) freeli profrid and withoute greet seching in the prelatis sides receyued.
To which now seid sentence sowneth it what Sala|mon writith, Prouerb. xxxe. capitulum. toward the bigynnyng, whanne he preied to God thus: I preied to thee twey thingis, denye thou not to me bifore that y die. Make thou fer fro me vanite and wordis of leesing; ȝeue thou not to me begrie and ricchessis; ȝeue thou oonli necessaries to mi lijflode; lest perauenture y be fillid, and be drawe to denye and seie, Who is the Lord? and lest y compellid bi nedynes stele, and forswere the name of my God. Lo, how that, thouȝ Salamon sauȝe perel in ricchessis and perel in beggerie, ȝit he
