Oþer two poyntis þat are put and askid are þeis. On, þat þe pope selliþ indulgence. An oþer, þat he may ȝef non indulgence noiþer to man in purgatori, neiþer to hem þat are prescit, þat is to sey þat are to be dampnid, or are now dampnid.
To þeis I seid þus; I rehersid a doctor þat seid þus; We owe not to tak as feiþ indulgencis, now sale worþ, for þi þat are not þus grauntid of our lord Jhu Crist. And, sin sophisticacoun falliþ ofte in þis matir, feiþful men askyn, vnder peyn of þrowing hem a wey, þis witnes; feiþ of holi writ is sufficient to reule alle holi kirk, but men redun not þat ani of þe apostles grauntid silk indulgencis. And feiþful curats owen to sorowe as wel of þe spoling of þer sogetis, as also of þe synne of þe spoliars, for Crist seiþ, Blessid be þoo þat mornun, for þei schal be coumfortid. [Matt. ijo.] Blessid be þoo þat hungrun and þristun riȝtwisnes, for þei schal be filled. Blessid be þe merciful for þei schal gete mercy. It semiþ to mani, þat it were wark of mercy to opun þe trowþ of þe feiþ in þis part, þat þe pope haþ not power to graunt silk indulgencis for so liȝt price. Also abodily þing of how euer litil price howiþ not to be bout but wiþ þis wisdam; þat þe byȝar be profhabili sekir of þe þing sold. But þe pope mai not siker ani man þat aftir his dede, or be forn, he schal haue so mikil indulgencis; þer|for prouabily silk marchaundise owiþ to be left. For þe pope wat not, ne of himsilf, if he be sauid of God, or prescit to be dampnid, þat if he be prescit, silk indulgencis rennun not forþ aȝen þe ordinaunce of God, ordeyning aylastingly þe contrary; þerfor, wan þe pope may not procure silk indulgencis generaly to himsilf, it is euident to many þat silk marchandis are suspect of coueytise of symonie. It is not aȝen þe feiþ, or prouable aȝen þe trowþ, þat mani popis þat be word onli han grauntid mani large indulgencis are dampnid; þan how may þei defend þer indulgencis bifor God? Also, a duke, or an ȝerle, stonding ny a ȝerþli king, and þe king grauntid a fredam or priuilege, it is not inferrid of þis, þat
