Select English works of John Wyclif. Vol. 3. Miscellaneous works / edited from original mss. by Thomas Arnold.

CAP. XXXI.

Also freris ben ressett, and a swolowhe of symonye, of [Their usury, simony, cove∣tousness, and extortion.] usure, of extorsiouns, of raveyns, and of thefftis, and a nest or hoorde of mammons tresoures. Ffor þof men lyven in sy∣monye, þei wil not counseil hom and charge hom in schriffte to resigne hor benefice, bot counforten hom to holde hit stille, and bringe hom myche dritt þerof, and þei wil undertake for hor synne. And so of usureris, þei chargen hom not spedely to make restitucioun, bot raþer colouren þis synne, to be partyner of þis wynnyng. And so of oþer robberie, þei resseyven hit prively, and so mayntenen and colouren thefes in theffte, where oþer lege men schulden be punisched þerfore. And so þei ben more coveytous þen þo wicked Jewes þat bouȝten Crist, for þei wolden not take þo money of Judas, and do hit to hor money ne tresoure, for hit was þo price of Cristis blode, for Crist was solde and trayed to deth for þat money; bot freris wil resseyve money, geten by as grete synnes or more, to make grete housis

and grete festis to lordis, and not bye a felde to birie inne pil∣grimes, as þo Jewis diden, bot raþer leyen hit up in hor tresoure, to mayntene wronges ageyns hor curatis and oþer pore men, by fals plee at Rome, and marchaundise in Englond.