goostli stide; but the good reule were for to caste awey the lustis and othere passiouns of his freelnes, and lete the gouernauncis be had. And aȝenward, if it be sureli founde bi cleer and sure resoun or bi sufficient assay of experience, that the persoon is dis|posid in the ije. now seid disposicioun, sotheli thanne, thouȝ this gouernaunce deserueth not bi his wijt to be kut awey, ȝit alloweable reule it were forto kutte awey thilk seide gouernaunce, thouȝ he be ful profit|able in goostli maner in othere sides into good not being of comaundement, and so that bi the kuttyng awey of thilk gouernaunce cometh not in the ije. maner more synne to the persoon than cometh in [the] ije. maner bi the holding of the same gouernaunce, and ellis not. Forwhi a litil synne is more to be eschewid [eschewewid, MS.] and to be fled, than is a ful greet goostli good, which is not of Goddis comaundement, to be pursewid and folewid that it be had; and the gretter synne is euer more [euermore, MS.] to be fled and eschewid than the lasse synne.
And thus myche her of as now; for more of sclaun|dris is tauȝt in The book of Cristen religion the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] party the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] trety the [Spaces are left in the MS. for the references.] chapiter.
For to turne now aȝen into the mater of reli|giouns; thouȝ it be sufficientli now bifore answerid to the ije. semyng skile mad aȝens tho religiouns, ȝit into gretter [the gretter, MS. (first hand).] strengthing and enforcing of the same mad answere and into the more clering of this treuthe, that the seid religiouns ben not to be kutte awey fro the chirche, y sette thus miche more here at this tyme: Thouȝ it were so, that no more excuse were to the seid religiouns forto defende hem fro kutting awey than which is bifore seid; (that out, fro, and bi
