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Frendes, this Emperour̛ is oure lord̛ Ihesu Crist, that made this lawe, that every man shuld̛ halow the holyday. By virgile, that made the Image, to sey trouthe, Is vndirstond̛ the holy gost, that reisetℏ vp the prechour for to preche, and shew vertues and vices, so that he neither spare nother riche ne poore, hye ne low. ¶ But now, yf
the prechour say trouthe agayn̛ synne, anon̛ he is that that thretetℏ and manasetℏ by the enemyes of crist, that are wikked̛ men, that neither love god̛, ne her Eme-cristen̛. ¶ Wherfore the prechour may say trewly in thise daies that was writen̛ in the forhede of the ymage, Tymes are chaunged̛, that is, fro wikkednesse into worse. For olde tymes were wonte to be to vs more profitable than thei be now. And men are now made worse; for thei were wonte to be deuoute, meke, and buxome, and now thei are deuoute in crewelnesse, and have no mercy. ¶ And therfore who so saietℏ trouthe in thise daies, he shaƚƚ have a broken̛ hede. ¶ Wherfore it is necessary that armed̛ men stonde before the ymage, that is, the prechour̛. Tho are goode werkes in every prechour or prelate of holy chircℏ; And yf it be so, than dare he not drede, sithen̛ thei have god̛ and trouthe before hem. For as the Apposteƚƚ saitℏ, yf gode be with vs, who is agayn̛ vs? ¶ Foke, the Smytℏ, that wrought as every good̛ cristen man, that every day owetℏ for to werke meritorie werkes, and so offre hym before the Fadir of heven̛. ¶ This Foke, Smytℏ, yelded̛ ij. pens to
his fadir. ¶ Right so we are holden̛ to yeld̛ ij. pens to the Fadir of heven, that is, love and worshippe; for whan we are [were ?] children̛ of losse and perdicion̛, and in servage of the fende, he sent his sone only to bye vs agayn̛; sicut habetur in euangelium, Sic Deus dilexit mundum, &c. [leaf 10] Foke, the Smytℏ, lent ij. pens to his sone. This ij. pens are our̛ goode werkes, that is, wille and meritorie dedes; whiche ij. werkes we owen̛ to lene to Ihesu Crist in this lyf̘, that he may yelde vs atte day of dome, whan the body witℏ the soule shaƚƚ be glorified̛, that he be our sone. ¶ It is written̛ in ysaie the prophete, a childe is borne to vs, and a childe is yeven̛ to vs. This childe Ihesus shaƚƚ yeld̛ this ij. pens; he shaƚƚ shew to our bodely eye his blissed̛ manhede glorified̛. And the other̛ peny is the sight of oure soule, his glorious godhede, the whicℏ sight shaƚƚ never faile, but ever be ioye and blisse, bothe to the body and to soule. ¶ Also Foke, the Smytℏ, lost ij. pens on his wyf̘. This wyf̘ is thyne owne flessℏ, the whiche thou maist not forsake. The ii. pens, that thou lesest on thi flessℏ, is eveƚƚ delectacion̛, and consent to synne, in as moche as the flessℏ is alway contrarie to the spirite, and redy alway to eveƚƚ. ¶ Also he spent ij. pens on hym self̘, for his liflode. by the first peny is vndirstond̛ penaunce for synne, by the whicℏ the soule is gladed̛, and in heven̛ glorified̛. By the second̛ peny is vnderstond̛ goode
perseveraunce, the whiche thou owest to hold̛ aƚƚ thi lyf̘ tyme; For as the Aposteƚƚ saitℏ, he that is perseveraunt in goode werkyng, vnto the ende, he shaƚƚ be sauf̘. ¶ And yf ye spend̛ thise ij. pens thus, as Foke did̛, ye shaƚƚ have everlastyng lyf̘. To the whiche brynge vs he that reignetℏ in blisse witℏ outen̛ ende! Amen.