lordis or riche cristene men stonden bi goddis lawe & profit of cristene mennus soulis for to wynne þe blisse of heuene; & þerfore pore clerkis ben sclaundrid for heretikis, for þei seyn þe treuþe of holy writt, & hurlid & cursid & prisonyd & lettid to preche þe gospel, for drede laste þei warne þe peple after cristis techynge of þe [page 198] false disceitis of anticrist & his worldly & proude & coueitouse clerkis. & þus str[i]ues & debatis ben reised & meyntened in oure lond.
¶ Also diuerse gilis or disceitis & falsnesses rengnen moche in oure lond; for prelatis hiden þe gile of here symonye & ypocrisie, þat vnneþis comeþ ony to ony grete benefice wiþouten symonye, priuy or apert; & þus alle prestis & lordis & comyns also ben enuenymed wiþ heresie of cursid symonye, & prelatis þat schulden distroie synne & chasse it [omitted X.] out of londe wolen meyntene men in synne of leccherie & oþere fro ȝeer to ȝeer for a pencion bi ȝere, & clepen þis holy correction; & þei ben wode ȝif ony lord or oþere myȝtty man lette hem of þis correction, þe whiche is roberie & extor|sion. In confessouris regneþ moche gile for þei conforten & norischen grete men of þis world in here synnys for to gete a benefice, worldly wynnynge or frendischipe or lustis of [omitted X.] here stynkynge bely, & vnder colour of holynesse leden men to þe ȝatis of helle & sellen soulis to sathanas for drit of worldly goodis & wombe ioie for a while; for þei doren not telle hem þe soþe & gretnesse of here foule synnys & horiblite of peynes of helle, & forsake here companye whanne þei wolen dwelle stille in here synne, leste þei lese worldly [omitted X.] worschipe & lustis þat þei seken more þan to saue cristene soulis. In men of lawe regneþ moche gile, for þei meyntenen 4falsnes for wynnynge & maken lordis to4 [4_4 omitted X.] meyntene wrongis & don wrongis whanne lordis hopen to do riȝt & plese god, & bi here coueitise & falsenesse þei purchasen londis & rentis ynowe and don many extorsions & beren don þe riȝt boþe of pore & riche, & ȝit þei maken it so [omitted X] holy in signes outward,
