wommen, as thei weren. Which is now bifore proued to be untrewe.
Also anoon aftir that thilk seid Cristen multitude biganne in Ierusalem, so greet persecucioun was maad vpon hem and upon the dekenes and the Apostilis, that alle the Cristen persoones whiche weren in Ieru|salem fledden out of Ierusalem, and weren disperclid abrode into othere dyuerse coostis and cuntrees, excepte oonli the Apostilis; as herof open storie is had, Acts viije. capitulum. in the bigynnyng. And sithen this or such othere lijk persecucioun thilk multitude awaitid and abode aftir forto to hem and upon hem come, and lijk troubelose tyme was in Ierusalem al the while Peter and Poul lyueden; it muste nedis ligge in open doom of resoun that folie hadde be to al thilk Cristen mul|titude, (thoruȝ al such tyme lyuyng in Ierusalem,) forto haue storid and tresourid to hem eny grete pos|sessiouns to be holde of hem in lordschip, and to be take to othere into ferme, and forto receyue ther of rent; bisidis the oonli housis and gardeyns, whiche weren necessarie for hem silf and her meyne forto in hem dwelle bi daies and nyȝtis. And therfore, thouȝ it hadde be folie to hem forto so kepe with hem gretter possessiouns than tho now seid, and that for the circumstaunce of thilk thanne being troubelose and perilose tyme; ȝit ther of folewith not bi ensaum|pling [bi eny ensaumpling, MS. (first hand).] therof, that it schulde be folie or that it was folie to othere Cristen multitudis, (dwelling in othere cuntrees out of so troubelose persecuciouns,) forto holde gretter possessiouns than tho in which thei in her owne persoones with her children and necessarie meyne dwellen or dwelliden. And so the ensaumpling of the seide Cristen multitude in Ierusalem bindith noon other Cristen into lijk maner of poor lyuyng; neither
