or ȝif he stonde in lordis courtis or in offiss of þe king or of oþere, and leeue þe seruyss þat god axiþ to kepe his sheep in goddis lawe; ȝif þis synne passe lecchery, it shulde be more punyȝshid bi skile. & so men shulden wiþ-drawe þer tiþis & ȝyue hem to oþere wisely. it were an almes & greet wit to ȝyue tiþis of siche wolues to oþere pariȝschens þat ben trauelid bi lawis þat anticrist haþ brouȝt yn; & so ofte tyme þe remenaunt of tiþis were to litil for dispensis þat anticrist makiþ to pursue siche men, þat stonden for resoun of goddis lawe. & hou euere iuges speken heere, þis were not aȝenus goddis lawe, for al siche almes of tiþis shulde be boþe skileful & willeful; but what skile is it to hire a wolf to do harm to a pariȝs? þis were a mouyng of þe fend, þat stiriþ euere aȝenus skile. & þe same skile is of curatis þat stonden in þe court of rome forto gete mo benefisis, or to serue þat wickid court; [page 13] for þes ben smyttid wiþ symonye & don men harm ouer þe see, as a iust man of ynde profitiþ to engliȝsch men; for þe lord þat seeþ þis meede is euery where to dele it wel. for sum help axiþ bodily residense, & sum help axiþ noon; as preyeris & many oþere gode dedis ben as wel don afer as neer; but þis is noon herdis offiss to be hirid for tiþis or offeringis.
Capitulum 20m.
it were for to wite ouer hou prelatis shulden teche þer sugetis to vencuȝsche þe world & þe fend, for to þis lore ben þei holdun. lore to vencuȝshe þe world stondiþ specialy in charite, & in fleyng of coueytise to godis of þer pariȝs & oþere; & so it semyþ an yuel lore to ȝyue pariȝschens ensaumple to plete & to stryue wiþ hem for litil, whanne þey han ynow bi-syde. for siche ple is groundid in wronge don aȝenus goddis lawe, for bi goddis lawe prestis shulden haue no more but fode & hiling for þer offiss, & al þe remenaunt of þer hire þey shulden hope of god in blis. Also it falliþ
