longing to the taking of thilk pouerte ben in alle preestis now, whiche weren thanne in hem.
Noman may kunnyngli allegge this, that Crist forsoke forto be chose king, whanne the peple wolde haue chose and mad him king upon hem, as that ther yn Crist ȝaue an ensaumple to preestis or to eny other persoon forto not receyue eny temperal posses|siouns or eny temperal dignite. Forwhi, as mai be take out of dyuerse placis of the Newe Testament, thilk peple were (as for thilk tyme) leefulli vndir the Emperour of Rome, bi her owne graunt and couenaunt mad betwixe hem and the Emperour of Rome; and therfore iustli and riȝtli thei were sugettis to the Emperour of Rome; and he was her hiȝest king and emperour; and he made Heroud king vnder him forto regne upon the same peple of Iewis; and bisidis this, Pilat also bare an office there vndir the Emperour of Rome. And so thilk peple myȝte not iustli (as for thanne) haue chose Iesus or eny other persoon forto be her king; for thanne in that thei hadden be trai|touris to the Emperour and to Heroude, and thei hadden do wrong to him aȝens doom of resoun: which doom of resoun Crist him silf allowid; for he seide, (Math. xxije. capitulum., Mark xije. [xv e., MS.] capitulum., and Luk xxe. capitulum.,) Ȝelde ȝe to Cesar tho thingis that ben of Cesar, and to God tho thingis that ben of God. And so, if Crist wolde haue consentid to the peple willing forto chese him her king, he had in that consentid to her wrongful doing. And therfore al the ensaumpling which Crist schewid, as in that, was no more than this: that ech man schulde fle, that he consente not to eny wrong|ful eleccioun or chesing mad vpon him. And this en|saumpling is fer fro the ensaumpling that no preest schulde haue eny vnmouable possessioun.
