The English works of Wyclif hitherto unprinted.Edited by F. D. Matthew.

Þat þe grete blasphemye of goddis name in veyn & fals swerynge & vnlefully creaturis, as bi cristis woundes, nayles & oþere membris, be refreyned bi drede of peynes sett bi þe kyng, lordis & comounte of cristene peple, lest god take grete vengaunce on oure peple, boþe in þis wor[l]d & in þe toþer. ¶Þat falsse witnesse in assises & oþere causes, þat forsweren hem for coueitise, loue or drede or hate, & alle þat procuren hem þer-to, ben opynly ponyschid in ensaumple of oþere; for ellis schal no man meyntene his heritage, goodis or lif for multitude of false questis. ¶Þat meyntenours of false causes bi strengþe or lordischipe or bi sotel cauillacions feyned on þe lawe be wisly refreyned & scharply ponyschid in oure lond; for ellis no pore man schal ben hardy to chalenge his owene goodis, neiþer riche man but ȝif he wole make opyn debate or werre; or ellis treuþe, pees & charite schullen be exilid, & wrong & mansleyng, þefte & werre be hauntid, til oure lond be con|querid bi enemys or heþene men, as it haþ ofte ben bi-fore þis tyme. ¶Þat þe open þefte of mennus children þat feyned religious vsen vnder colour of holynesse be scharply ponyschid & forbeden, for bi þis many children ben deppere dampned þan þei schulden ellis; & þei may not worschipe here eldris as god biddiþ ne vsen þe fredom of cristis gospel; for whanne þei beþ stolen awey fro here eldris, ȝe wiþ-inne age of discrecion, þei schul not forsake þe habit of freris for drede of prisonynge & deþ, þouȝ it be agens here wille & conscience; & þouȝ here frendis seke neuere so faste þei schullen not fynde hem, so þei schul be led fro place to place. ¶Þat pore tenauntis of oure lond be not robbid bi þe gredy & nedles beggeris of sotel ypocritis hauynge þe name of religiouse men, & þat ihũ crist be not sclaundred her by affermynge [page 237] þat he beggede nedely fro hous to hous, as feyned religiouse vsen nowe; siþ holy writt forbediþ siche beggynge, þouȝ summe beggen myȝte be suffrid in tyme of grete nede. ¶Þat þe sotil amortasynge of seculer lordischipis þat is don bi menene hondis in fraude of