is leful to curse þe iust man, wiþ outun his demerit, of forbeding him comyn of men, and taking of sacraments, þat he geit mede of his obedience, and þe sinnar be mad redy, or for summe oþer swilk cause. But certeyn I am þat þis curse may not be done wiþ outun resounable cause; ne þe nakyd wille of þe prelat is not inowe þerto; ne a man is not holdun for swilk curse to leef þing þat he is holdun to do bi Godds bidding. Neuerþeles he mai medulfully cesser fro summe dedis for a tyme, and deserue for obediens. And if ani can ground þis maner of cursyng I consent.
But how þat we spek of curse oiþer it þat is dedly, or peyn con|sequent þer of, or ellis warying, or it þat is sequestracoun of þe iust man fro comyn, or it be wilke þe iust man be cursid as contrari to Godds lawe, þat is but only in name or pretendand, or ani oþer, it semiþ þat noun owiþ to curse ani principali for money, for his proper cause or wrong don til him.
Þis semiþ bi ensaumpul of Crist and Moyses, and swilk oþer; and also be doctors and laws of þe kirk: for bi lawe canoun no man howiþ to curse in his owne proper cause; for vnder þe autorite of Gregor þe kirk writiþ þus; Among mani quarells a nobil man, [Gregor.] Ysidore, pleynid him to be cursid of þe [thy] broþer hed, and wan we lere of þe [thy] clerk þat was present for wat cause þis was don, he maad knowen for non oþer cause, but for he had greuid þee. Wilk þing noiȝiþ vs riȝt gretly, if it be so; þu schewist þee to þenk no þing of heuenly þings, but tokunist þee to haue an ȝerþli conuer|sacoun, til þu haue done cursing for venging of þi selue; þat is defendid bi holi rewlis. Werfore fro hene forþ be wel bisy abowt. And presume þu neuer to do aftur swilk þingis, for defence of þi noune iniurie; for if þu do ani swilk þing, wyte þu wel it to vengid after in þi self. Werfor þe glose of Ion seiþ, Þe bischop [Ion.] mai not curse ani man for wrong don to him, nor mai not be iuge in his oune cause, þat is to vnderstond, namly, it is leful to no man to curse principali for his o une proper cause.
