to be forborn, it is preiseable forto forbere the nyȝing and the homeli cumpeniyng with hir; and in lijk maner, for that Adam and Eue ouȝten haue forborne the eting of the appil in Paradise, it hadde be good and preiseable if thei hadden forborn the entermeting which thei maden aboute the appil in it biholding, handling, taasting, ymagynyng, and questiouns ther|aboute moving. But so it is, that loue to money (and namelich greet loue to money) is worthi to be forborn, as experience weel schewith, for that it is moder of passing myche yuel, and, as Poul seith, it is "the roote of al yuel," [See 1 Tim. vi. 10.] and it is "seruice of ydol|atrie," [See Ephes. v. 5.] and the touching and handling and bering of it is a greet neiȝing and entermeting and a ful greet homelines therwith making. Wherfore it folewith that it is preiseable forto forbere the bare touching and handling of money, that bi this forbering sumwhat the more the seid ouer greet loue to money be lettid forto gendre or to growe or to contynue; [to contynue, MS. (first hand), rightly; but a corrector has can|celled to.] riȝt as bi the forbering of kissing or of handling a wom|mannys hondis schulde sumwhat be kutt awey of the loue, which ellis schulde be had toward the same womman.
The secunde cause is this: Whanne euer eny man is bounde to eny deede or gouernaunce, it is profit|able him to haue sum thing forto ofte and miche remembre him into the fulfilling of thilk deede into whiche he is so bounde. But so it is, that freris of Seint Frauncessis religion ben bounde bi the reli|gioun forto forbere the ouer miche loue [loue is interlineated in a later hand.] to money: and herwith it is trewe, that the forbering [for bering, MS. (without hy|phen).] of the bare touche ther of and the forbering of the pursing
