THE FIRST CHAPITRE.
THE iiije. principal gouernaunce or point to be tretid in this iiije. principal partie, for which gouernaunce summe of the lay peple vniustli and vnworthili blamen and vndirnymen the clergie, is this: In the clergie ben dyuerse statis and degrees of ouerte and netherte; as that aboue manye preestis soortid to gidere in to oon cuntre or diocise is oon bischop forto ouer se and attende that alle tho preestis lyue and do as it longith to hem bi her preesthode, and forto iuge querelis and pleintis and causis and stryues, if eny such rise among summe of tho preestis, and forto redresse the wrongis whiche preestis doon to her parischenys or ministris, if thei eny such doon; and aboue manie bischopis of a larger cuntre or of a prouynce is oon archibishop for to in lijk maner ouer se and attende that tho bischopis lyue and do as it longith to hem bi her bischophode, and for to iuge querelis and pleintis and debatis, if eny suche arise among tho bischopis, and forto redresse the wrongis whiche tho bischopis doon to her preestis, if thei eny such doon; and in lijk maner aboue manye archibischopis is oon patriark forto ouer se and reule and amende the gouernancis of tho archibischopis; and aboue manie and alle patriarkis is oon pope forto ouerse and reule and amende the goueruauncis of patri|arkis, and forto redresse wrongis doon to eny persoon in the clergie bi eny other persoon in the clergie, if ther upon to him be mad compleint that the netherer iugis wolen not do to him riȝt. Al this now re|hercid gouernaunce and policie in the clergie summe
