now rehercid vnwijs blamyng to be reproued and improued (that is to seie, to be proued vntrewe,) it is sufficientli tretid in The book filling the iiij. tablis in ther of the firste parti; and also aȝens sum therof it is notabili procedid in the firste partie of Cristen religioun, the secunde treti, the [A space is left in the MS. for the number.] chapiter. And therfore that y be not ouer long in this present book, y speke not of thilk mater in special here; lest that for lengthe which this present book schulde haue, if alle the xj. gouernauncis weren here yn tretid in special maner, the mo of the comoun peple myȝten the wors avorthi in cost of mony forto gete to hem this present book.
The viije. principal gouernaunce, for which [forwhich, MS.] summe of the lay peple reprouen, vndirnemen, and blamen vnwijsly the clergie is this: In the bodili chirche ben had and vsid signes of greet curiosite, preciosite, and cost; and in greet multitude and dyuersite, as bellis, baners, and suche othere, not being the grete sacra|mentis; whiche myȝten be solde and be delid to poor men or be sett into othere vsis better, than to so be had and vsid in the bodili chirche; and also this, that ymagis and crossis ben lowtid of men, and the feet of ymagis and of crossis and of relikis ben kissid of men, and to tho ymagis, crossis, and relikis it is offrid, or ellis bifore hem offrid, and toward hem ben maad longe pilgrimagis in greet cost, wher|bi, (as these blamers seien,) ydolatrie is doon, sithen thilk lowting which is to be ȝouun oonli to God is ȝouun ther yn to creaturis, that is to seie, to ymagis and to crossis and to relikis. Wherfore alle the now rehercid thingis and deedis schulden be not had and vsid in the bodili chirche of Cristen peple.
