expressith the gretter perel of synne to come bi begrie than to come bi ricchessis. And if herto be cast that noon persoon, noon comounte can be en|dewed into his oonli sufficience and forto abide in thilk sufficience thoruȝ manye ȝeeris in successioun, but if the endewing be mad in the bigynnyng forto be ouer the sufficience as for thanne being, (as her of is miche experience had in Englond, Fraunce, and othere londis, and cause her of is this, that euer more the world decrecith in peple,) the seid sentence wole seme the trewer.
The ve. principal processe of the Newe Testament is writun to Thimothie Bischop, ije. Thimothie ije. capitulum., where Poul seith to him thus: Noman holding knyȝt|hode to God wlappith him silf with wordli nedis, that he plese to him to whom he hath preued him silf. For he that fiȝteth in a bateil schal not be crowned, but if he fiȝte lawfulli. Certis this processe dooth not aȝens the seid gouernaunce; forwhi grete lordis han lasse nede forto wlappe hem silf in worldli nedis aboute her londis than lasse lordis han, for as miche as greet lordis mowe avorthi to haue and fynde with her costis officers vndir hem forto attende sufficientli to alle the wordly nedis of her londis, and ȝit thei mowe haue ynouȝ bisidis. In so miche that expe|rience hath ȝouun bifore these daies, that grete lordis and ladies being worthi householders and ful grete forȝeuers of dettis to her tenauntis, ȝhe, and gretter and habundanter forȝeuers than othere, couthen [couthe, MS. (first hand).] not rekene a summe into an hundrid schilingis; and han had her londis and householdis in best maner reulid bi othere officers weel thryuyng vndir hem; and the lordis han had therbi ful riche and preciose leisers forto haue serued God in hiȝer and deuouter weies, if thei wolden; and in lijk maner it myȝte fare with
