bischop forto be persouns in othere not approprid chirchis, euen as lay men mowe presente. In lijk maner, thouȝ the king graunte that the bischop or abbot haue the labour forto aspie and gete a man which can and wole iustli occupie the office of a stiward in the seid court, namelich in causis of deeth; ȝit what euer man the bischop or abbot so chesith, the king ther with and ther yn committith his power to the same person so chosun, and he ouȝte not but in an vnpropre maner of speche be clepid (namelich in maters of deeth) to be stiward of the bischop or of the abbot, but of the king.
And sithen it is so, that as leeful and as honest it is the bischop or the abbot for to receyue the seid avauntage fro the seid stiwardis hondis, as forto abide into tyme the king had receyued it of the stiward, and thanne to receyue it of the kingis hondis, and more ese it is and lasse cost to receyue it of the stiward at next than of the king at next: therfore it is not to be blamed bischopis and abbotis forto holde and haue avauntagis of courtis and of causis [and of causis is added by a later hand.] strecching into deeth, which the ve. semyng skile is aboute forto proue be vniust. For as it is iust ynouȝ and honest the king forto receyue suche eschetis and forfetis comyng bi iust deeth of a malefactour, so it is iust and honest ynouȝ bischopis or abbotis to haue the same bi ȝifte to hem mad therof bi the king. And thus miche is ynouȝ for answere to the ve. semyng skile.
Now at the laste eende of al this afore going defense mad for the iije. principal gouernaunce, that knyȝtis and squyeris, gentil men, and othere louȝer comuneris han no caus forto grucche and be displesid, that the clergie (religiose and not religiose) ben so richeli
