The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

To the firste of thes now mad obiecciouns and chalengis y may answere thus: For to handle or bere money is a more homely entermeting with the same money, than is forto telle it with a stik; and therfore the more homelynes is forborn, and the lasse homelynes is suffrid. To the ije. obieccioun and chalenge y mai answere thus: Iewelis ben not in so manye kindis so redy and so niȝe to the vce in which the hauer mai delite him synfulli, as is money. Forwhi the hauer of iewelis may not delite him silf with iewelis fleischli neither worldli except veinglorioseli, [vein glorioseli, MS.] eer than he haue turnede or chaungid the iewelis into money; and so into ful many synful vsis the money is nyȝer and redier than ben iewelis; and therfore the more perel is forborn, whilis the lasse is suffrid to abide. And thouȝ it were so, that the telling of money with a stik were as greet a neiȝing in homelynes to money as is bare handling, and thouȝ the handling of iewelis were as perilose as is the handling of money; ȝit ther of not folewith, that if eny man for deuocioun wolde forbere the oon, that therfore he ouȝte forbere the other; neither it were chalengeable, if he wolde forbere the oon and wolde not forbere the other. Forwhi it is fair, good, and preisable to forbere the oon, whilis he is not con|streyned to forbere of hem bothe eny oon; and it is preisable him to binde him silf in to the forbering of the oon, whilis othere men bynden not hem silf to of the same bothe eny oon. And in lijk maner y seie, thouȝ the forbering of mony tellyng with a stik were as good a remembrauncing meene in to the bifore seid effect, as is the forbering of money tellyng with bare hond; and thouȝ the forbering of iewelis touch|ing were as good a remembring meene into the