wirchith in sumtyme good and in sumtyme yuel. And so bothe the tungis of preestis and ricchessis of preestis ben instrumentis and occasiouns of ful miche good and of ful miche yuel.
What schal therfore be doon to her tungis? Schulen thei be kutt of, for that thei ben founde occasions of yuel? Certis, nay; for thanne bi thilk kutting of schulde also ther with be kutt of alle the godis, whiche bi tho tungis mowe also be doon and had. Wherfore, bi lijk resoun and skile, neither ben ricchessis to be kutt awey fro preestis, for that of the ricchessis com|eth yuel; sithen in thilk kutting awey schulden be kutt awey alle the goodis, whiche schulden come and whiche mowen come bi vce of the same ricchessis. What thanne is to be doon anentis the vicis of the tunge? Certis the freelnes of the wil is to be kutt awei and to be leid aside with greet bateil, greet scole, and greet craft; and the tungis ben to be lete stonde stille. And if this be trewe, certis so bi lijk forme and for lijk skile anentis the vicis comyng forth among preestis bi her ricchessis, the freel wil is to be curid and to be leid aside, and the ricchessis ben to be holden [holde, MS. (first hand).] ; namelich for, thouȝ oon of hem vse tho ricchessis vicioseli, summe succes|souris to him schulen vse hem vertuoseli. And God forbede that the vice of this preest now lyuyng schulde hindre the vertues of gode men after him in tyme comyng!
To this same sentence ful weel accordith Seint Austyn in a long proces so cleerli, so sweeteli, and so resonabili, that noman may berke or bite theraȝens; which proces is writun in the iije. parti of hise ser|mouns, the xxxiije. sermoun, and is this in wordis now folewing. Scripture preisith him which myȝte haue trespacid and not trespacid, which "wente not after
