[6-text p 653] seith Seneca ¶ thy prudence sholde lyue benignely with [¶ Seneca] thy thralles /. [760] thilke þat thou clepest thy thralles been goddes peple. for humble folk/. been cristes freendes / they been contubernyal with the lord /
[761] ¶ Thynk eek / that of swich seed as cherles spryngeth. of swich seed spryngen lordes. As wel may the cherl be saued as the lord. [762] the same deeth þat takeþ the cherl. swich deeth taketh the lord. wherfore I rede / do right so with thy cherl. as thou woldest that [¶ Nota] thy lord dide with thee if thou were in his plit/. [763] euery synful man / is a cherl to synne I rede thee certes that thou lord werke in swiche wise with thy cherles. that they rather loue thee than drede / [764] I woot wel ther is degree aboue degree. as reson is and skile it is that men do hir deuoir/ ther as it is due / but certes extorcions and [folio 228a] despit of youre vnderlynges / is dampnable /
[765] ¶ And forther ouer vnderstoond wel / that thise Conquerours / or tirauntz / maken ful ofte thralles of hem that been born / of as roial blood as been they that hem conqueren / [766] ¶ This name of thraldom / was [¶ Genesis ‖ Male|dictus Canaan seruus seruorum erit / fratribus suis] neuere erst kowth. til that Noe seyde / that his sone Canaan sholde be thral to hise bretheren for his synne [767] What seye we thanne / of hem that pilen and doon [¶ Of hem þat pilen & doon extorcions in hooly chirche] extorcions in hooly chirche? / ¶ Certes / the swerd that men yeuen first to a knyght whan he is newe dubbed / signifieth / that he sholde deffenden hooly chirche / and nat robben it ne pilen it /. and who so dooth is traitour to Crist [768] ¶ And as seith seint Augustyn / they been [¶ sanctus Augustinus] the deueles wolues that stranglen the sheepe of Ihesu crist. and doon worse than wolues. [769] ffor soothly / whan the wolf hath ful his wombe / he stynteth to strangle sheepe. / but soothly / the pilours and destroy|ours of goddes hooly chirche / ne do nat so / for they ne stynte neuere to pile [770] NOw as I haue seyd / sith so is / that synne / was first cause of thraldom. thanne is it
