stonden neuere thoruȝ long tymes vndir oon reule, neither vndir oon maner to be doon, neither stonden in alle placis like wise or vndir lijk reule to be doon. And also that in the causis [in causis, MS. (first hand).] of God and aboute the helthe of Cristen soulis the more good is rather to be doon than the lasse gode, and the lasse good is rather to be left vndoon than the more good; thouȝ into the lasse good certyn pointing is maad bi reulis and is writun, and not into the more good. Sotheli thanne schulden not tho men iuge and deem so vnwijsly and so vntreuli of prelatis and of her gouernauncis, as y heere summen so do. Weel y woot as for my [formy, MS.] part, that how men han iugid me and my gouernaunce anentis my diocise, hath come to myn eeris; and ȝit y knowe the wittis and the disposiciouns of the same iugers, that if alle the causis and motyues and en|tentis, meenis, helpis, and lettis, and manie othere circumstauncis of the same gouernaunce whiche thei blamen were opened to hem, and if thei were made therto priuei, thei wolden be of the firste whiche schulden counseile me to kepe and fulfille the same gouernaunce.
Of mi parti y speke in special more than of the parties of othere [the othere, MS. (first hand).] prelatis: for the vniustnes of iuging which is ȝouun upon me y knowe better than the vniustnes of iugingis doon vpon othere. And as it is of me in this caas, so it is lijk to be with manie othere prelatis to be wrongli deemed of men, whiche not knowen in special al that ouȝte be considerid aboute a gouernaunce, eer than thilk gouernaunce ouȝte of hem be iugid morali good or bad.
How suche now seid politik gouernauncis of prelatis anentis her peple was doon and vnder what reule in the eeldir daies, it is writun in lawis and in holi
