gret hungur and þrist and gret werynesse and cold and muche sclaundrynge and cursynge aud oþere peynes ynowe. ¶ Ȝif þei wolen not forȝeue litel trespace don aȝenst hem self or feyned seyntis of here singuler secte but moste cruelly [page 15] pursuen men þerfore; þei forsaken pacience and mekenesse and ensaumple of cristis lif. and men dreden þat enuye, rancour and euyl wille dwelliþ lengest amonges hem of alle oþere men, be þei lordis, be þei prelatis, þouȝ þei ben men of armys; but where is falsere holynesse, and so foulere ypocrisie? for þouȝ a man speke aȝenst a lord, clerk or prelat he schal sonere be reconsilid be weie of mekenesse þan to newe feyned religions; for þei wolen pursue to deþ or open schame, and ȝit vndir colour of holynesse.
¶ Ȝif þei soone lesen pacience and bringgyn men out of pacience þat speken aȝenst here ypocrisie and euyl dedis; hou don þei werkis of mercy, siþ þei schulde be here meke|nesse and pacience bryngyn oþere in-to reste and pees of body and soule. Ȝif þei profren gentil men and oþere to fiȝte wiþ hem whanne þei reprouen hem of here opyn wyckyd dedis, hou ben þei ensaumple of crist and his apostelis to saue oþere men in reste and charite? it semeþ þei ben fendis children to stryue aȝenst þe treuþe, and meyntene syn and brynge oþer men to helle bi procurynge of fiȝt and lesynge of pacience and charite.
¶ Ȝif þei cursen and warien and pursuen here enemyes and axen vengaunce of god aȝenst hem; hou suen þei charite of crist þat biddiþ men to loue here enemyes, and don good to men þat haten vs, and to preie for hem þat falsly chalengen vs and falsly and wickidly pursuen vs? ȝif þei don þus and welle werse aȝenst þe hestis of god and werkis of mercy boþe bodily and gostly, þei ben foule ypocritis and not worþi but to be putt out fro cristen men and defoulid, and not worþi to be putt in þe erþe, þat is to haue þe leste office in þe chirche.
