An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd.

schal schap þe perel of þe charge, þat þey be þolid to minister prestly oþer sacraments, for þey are remeuid fro þis not only for heresy, or oþer ilk gretter syn, but also for negligens. In wilk þingis bysily it is to not, þat þe sacrament of presthed befor oþer, more worþily, and wiþ cure, is to be ȝeuen and tane; for but if it be so ȝeuen and tane, it schal fuyle to be rate or ferme, os it is not perfitly done. Oþer sacramentis are ȝeuen to ilk man for himsilf, and silk þey are to ilk man as þei are tane wiþ hart and concience; but þis is not only ȝeuen for hem silf but for oþer, and þerfor is nede it be tane wiþ verrey hart and clene concience for him self, and as to oþer, not only wiþ out ilk synne, but also wiþ out ilk name of fame, for schunder of breþer, to was profit presthed is ȝeuen, not only þat men prest, or be boun, but þat þey prophet. þis þe decre. Lo it semiþ þat he is not liȝtly nor profiȝtly Crists pope ne his vicar but if he be holi, ellis whi is he callid holiest fadir? Jerom seiþ, [Jerom.] Þei þat ordeyn of þer assessory in to prestis, and putten hem þer lif in to sclaundre of þe peple, þei are gilty of þe vnfeiþfulnes of hem þat are sclaundred. For soþ þei are chosun to þis to be prestis to þe peple, as þei ordeynid befor to dignite, so þey hauȝt to schine be for in holines, ellis whi are þei preferrid to oþer þat passun in grace of meritis. And þerfor seiþ þe pope Symachus, He [Symachus.] is to be countid most vile, þat is befor in dignite, but if he pre|celle in sciens and holines. Þe Lord seiþ bi þe prophet, for þu hast [Osee iuo.] putt a wey sciens, I schal put þe a wey þat þu vse not presthed to me. Þe dede of þe bischop houwiþ to passe a boue þe lif of þe peple, as þe lif of þe ȝerd transcendiþ þe lif of þe schep, as Gregori seiþ. [Gregori.] And Bernard seiþ to pope Eugeni, Þi felawis bischops lere þei at [Bernard.] þe to haue not wiþ hem childer so curhid, nor ȝeng men kembid or compert; certeyn it semiþ not chapletid men to ren among þe mytrid vncorteysly; þof þu desire to be prest, or be befor to hem þat þu coueitist not to profiȝt to, ouer proudly in coueiting subieccoun of hem, of þe wilk þu hernist not þere ȝele.