The repressor of over much blaming of the clergy.

bothe to iugis and to othere men, that ech of hem schulde kepe the pointis of the lawe of Englond, and thouȝ he wolde reherce tho pointis and gouer|nauncis, vertues, [and vertues, MS.; but and is cancelled.] and trouthis of the lawe forto re|membre the iugis and the peple ther upon, and thouȝ he schulde stire and prouoke, and exorte, bidde, or counseile hem therto, ȝit it ouȝte not be seid that thilk epistle [pistle, MS.; e added above in a different hand.] groundid eny of tho lawis or gouernauncis of Englond, for her ground is had to hem bifore thilk epistle of the King, and that bi acte and decre of the hool Parliament of Englond which is verry ground to alle the lawis of Englond, thouȝ thilk epistle of the King or of the Duke had not be writun; and at the leest he in thilk bidding presupposith tho deedis to be knowen bifore of hem to whom he biddith tho deedis to be kept as lawis. Wherfore bi lijk skile, thouȝ Crist and thouȝ Poul and othere Apostlis wroten to peple epistlis or lettris or othere writingis, ȝit sithen tho truthis which thei so wroten weren groundid bifore tho writingis and hengen upon the doom of resoun which is lawe of kinde and moral philsophie and schulden bi dewte haue be kept of men thouȝ tho writingis hadden not be maad, it folewith that tho spoken gouernauncis ouȝten not be trowid groundid in the now seid writingis of Crist or of the Apostlis. Who euer mai seie that eny thing was bifore his ground, and ouȝte be thouȝ his ground were not, and thouȝ his ground had not be? Wherfore needis folewith that the firste bifore sett and principal conclusioun is trewe.