muste nedis folewe, what euer be seid ther aȝens, that at the leest thilk abstinence or forbering is a mery|torie deede and a deseruyng to haue therbi grace and sum forȝeuenes of synne, as othere abstinencis ben merytorie and deseruyng to haue grace and sum for|ȝeuenes of synne, as is abstinence in sum day [In all the above instances the MS. has sūday (conjunctim).] fro fisch, or abstinence in sum day [In all the above instances the MS. has sūday (conjunctim).] fro mylky mete, or abstinence in sum day [In all the above instances the MS. has sūday (conjunctim).] fro pley, and abstinence in sum day [In all the above instances the MS. has sūday (conjunctim).] fro siȝt taking of sum delectable thing. And this same withoute more were ynouȝ forto excuse fro waast or fro ypocrisie the seid forbering of monyes handling.
xv. CHAPITER.
THE vije. principal gouernance aȝens which summe of the lay peple erren is this: That the preestis and othere clerkis preien to God and to Seintis, and thei so preien bothe for hem silf and for her neiȝboris; and thei graunten to summe othere persoones forto be partyners in sum kinde of her preiers, and of her abstinencis, of her wacchis, and of her othere gode deedis and suffrauncis. This now seid gouernaunce summe of the lay peple blamen vnwijsly, seiyng and holding that it is waast and vein forto preie to God, whilis he knowith ech mannys hertis desijr and ech mannys nede; also that it is waast and veyn forto preie to eny Seint, whilis God loueth us more than eny Seint loueth us. And, as it myȝte seme, thei holden that no man may take an other man so into his nyȝ frendschip, that therbi the other man schal fare the better bi this mannys fasting, waking, and hise othere gode deedis; but ech man schal fare weel goostli oonli bi hise owne gode deedis. Aȝens which
