bischopis and louȝer persoones of the chirche richeli endewid, ȝhe, and bi such greet riche endewing thei schulen haue lasse thouȝt and lasse kark and clayng lest her godis be lost and spilled, than thei schulden haue if thei were not endewid ouer what were to hem oonli sufficient. Forwhi thei mowe wite weel and wolen considere weel that thouȝ thei lese miche, ȝit thei schulen haue ynouȝ bisidis into her nede and into her sufficience; and therfore, thouȝ thei ouȝten not be ouer myche recheles in lesing her godis, ȝit thei mowe at sumtyme ful vertuouseli and wijsly lete sum passe into lost, lest that better attendaunce to goostli deedis be therbi lost. And perauenture this cause moued deuoute temperal [It would have been better to have read temporal (there is a contraction in the MS.) here ... and elsewhere.] lordis in the oold daies forto so richeli endewe bischopis and othere statis of the chirche; and therfore noman may argue and proue that, as bi strengthe of her riche endewing, that [The repetition of that is need|less and awkward, and seems at first sight to be a mere clerical error; yet the very same redun|dancy occurs in the third sentence of the following paragraph.] the statis of the chirche ouȝten or schulden be lad into wors plijte than thei schulde be, if thei were porelier endewid; or if thei were not endewid with immou|able godis at al. Wold God the bischop writer of this book hadde so sure knowing of his saluacioun as he hath experience vpon the trouthe of this now of him affermed sentence.
The vje. processe of Holi Scripture in the Newe Tes|tament, which myȝte seeme meete aȝens the seid endewing of prelatis in the preesthode, is writun Math. ve. capitulum. thus: If thi riȝt iȝe sclaundre thee, pulle him out and caste fro thee; for it spedith to thee that oon of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go into helle: and if thi riȝt hond sclaun|dre thee, kutte him awey and caste fro thee; for it spedith to thee that oon of thi membris perische, than that al thi bodi go into helle. Lijk processe with
