vndir him and in his absence; certis this excuse is no [not, MS. (first hand).] sufficient excuse. Forwhi what euer is doon in an othir mannis name, power, stide, and auctorite, (him it witing and not weerning) is doon of him; and he therof is the doer, as into this point, that he therbi be iust or vniust, riȝtful or vnriȝtful, preisable or dispreisable, doing honestli or doing vnhonestli. And therfore if iugementis of deeth be doon in the seid courtis in name and auctorite of the bischop or abbot, al is oon (into the now rehercid effectis) as thouȝ tho bischopis or abbotis diden it in her owne persoones. For ellis Pilat hadde be excusable of Cristis deeth, bi cause he lefte him to the hondis of othere men doing amys in his name. Also ellis it schulde be seid that the king iugith no man into deeth, neither sleeth eny man, neither executith iuge|ment of deeth; bi cause he so euermore dooth bi hise officers doing in his name: which is fals and vntrewe. For no iugement of deeth may come iustli saue fro him and bi him, for he is the mynystre of God or|deyned therto bi God, as Poul seith, Rom. xiije. capitulum. And therfore this afore sett answere is not worth.
For answere and assoiling to these semyng skilis and colouris, and first for answere to the first of hem y graunte weel that "such is the tree which is the fruyt of the tree;" that is to seie, if the fruyt of a tree be badde, the tree is badde; and if the fruyt of a tree is good, the tree is good. Forwhi the tree is not oonli an occasioun of the fruyt, but he is the cause [is cause, MS. (first hand).] of his fruyt making and wirching into the fruyt that it be brouȝt forth. But certis so is it not bitwixe ricchessis and the synnes whiche comen fro out and bi tho ricchessis. For tho ricchessis ben not causis of tho synnes, but ben oonli occasiouns of tho synnes; and that oonli to the freel and culpable wil
