(418)
¶ If þe pope to þat estate prouyde
Line 2920
A persone, at your prayer and instaunce,
Your sonde he takeþ to þe better syde;
He holdeth þe persone of sufficïaunce
To hauë swich a cure in gouernaunce,
Line 2924
ffor so wittenessith [witnesseth R.] þe suggestioun
Þat to hym made is for prouisïoun. [his promocioun R.]
Line 2926
(419)
¶ To kynges letters, yeven is credence;
Line 2927
Beth ware how þat ye wryte in swich matere,
Lest þat ye hurt and maynë concïence.
ffor if þat execute be your prayere,
Þe persone vnworthy, ye shul ful dere
Line 2931
Rewe it; no smal charche [charge R.] is the soulës cure
Of al a diocise, I yow ensure.
Line 2933
(420)
¶ Of swich writyng be of right súffrable,
Line 2934
And þe man able, swich charge to resseyue,
ffor whom ye writte, þat is comméndable;
And ellës wol [elles wole R, els wol H.] it your soule deseyve.
Help him þat able is [abl' is.] ; and tunhable [tunhable H, unable R. The t of "th' unable" after d, is Midland, like the "qwat" for "what," and "whyte" for "quyte" above.] weyue;
Line 2938
Weyuë fauel with his polýsshïd speche;
And help him þat wel doth, and wel can teche.
(421)
¶ But certes, fauel hath caght so sad foote [folio 51a]
Line 2941
In lordës courtës, [courtes R, court H.] he may naght þens slyde;
Who com or go, algate abyde he moote;
His craft is to susteyne ay þe wrong syde,
And fro vertu his lordë to devide;
Line 2945
And, for soth [sothe R.] sawës ben to lordës lothe,
Noght wol he soth seyn, he hath made his oth.
