vntreuli to God and to man. And bi cause thei han lyued in religioun thei han not lyued so as is now rehercid, but myche better. Wherfore the ije. premysse of this present argument is trewe. And thouȝ it be so, that in religioun manye men han lyued louceli fro vertu, ȝit tho han be fewe in reward of the othere, which han ther yn lyued vertuoseli; ȝhe, and thei han lyued in religioun more ver|tuoseli or lasse vicioseli, than if thei had lyued out of religioun. And thouȝ tho badde lyuers in religioun han lyued ther yn so vicioseli, ȝit myche more vi|cioseli thei wolden haue lyued, if thei hadden lyued out of religioun. And therfore, if it be weel and wijsly and treuli aboute considerid, it wole be seen that religioun is a ful noble hegge forto close yn him men and wommen, that tho whiche ben weel disposid schulen be kept from yuel, into which withoute thilk hegge thei schulden falle; and tho whiche ben yuel disposid schulen be kept that thei schulen falle not into so myche yuel, as thei schulden falle, if thei weren withoute hegge. This bifallith ofte and miche and for the more parti in noumbre of hem that lyuen in religioun, thouȝ y seie not that it so farith bi alle hem which lyuen in religioun. And herbi it is suf|ficientli proued, that religioun is bi doom of resoun allowable and approuable. And ȝit therwith stondith what y haue seid in the extract or outdrauȝt of The Donet, that summe men ben so disposid that thei schulen lyue better out of religioun than in religioun, so that to suche summe persoones religioun schulde be an occasioun of her more goostli harme and hurt. And this is ynouȝ for proof of this present ve. prin|cipal conclusioun.
Certis if this present argument be take into perfit and ful avise and into depe leiserful consideracioun, it wole be seen that he proueth myȝtili this present ve. conclusioun, and schal be to euery considerer
