Lete oonli good men and weel proued men in vertues be takun in to preesthode and into pre|lacie, wherynne ben riche possessiouns; and without dout miche more good schal come bi the hauyng of tho riche possessiouns, than schulde come if thei were not had. But alle the cause, whi yuel cometh fro and bi tho riche possessiouns had in prelacie, is for that vertuose men and weel proued men in leernyng and in lyuyng ben not chosun and takun into prelacies; but sumwhile children, sumwhile men wantounli brouȝt up in court, sumwhile vnleerned men for her greet blood and her hiȝe birthe; ȝhe, into the dampnacioun of hem whiche so chesen and takun, as it is ful miche to drede. Lete therfore this that is verry cause of the yuel be take awey, and lete it abie which is gilti: lete not it be take awey, which profrith him silf redi into good and of which schal come good, whanne it schal come into gode mennys hondis: lete not it abie which trespacith not. And thanne is [The six following words are added in the margin by a later hand.] doon, what ouȝte here ynne be doon; and ellis it is doon, which ouȝte not be doon. And thus myche is ynouȝ for answere to the ie. semyng skile.
ix. CHAPITER.
FOR answere to the ije. semyng skile, the first pre|mysse is to be denied, which is this: "If riche en|dewing had be profitable to the clergie and to al the hool chirche of God, Crist him silf bi his owne persoon hadde endewid richeli the clergie of the chirche in hise daies," et cætera. Forwhi if this premysse now denyed were trewe, certis, bi lijk skile
