of whiche textis tweyne ben these. It is writun, Math. xxiije. capitulum., thus: Nile ȝe be clepid maister, for oon is ȝoure maystir, and alle ȝe ben britheren; and nyle ȝe clepe to ȝou a fader on erthe, for oon is ȝoure Fader in heuens. Also Iames, iije. capitulum.: Nile ȝe manye be mad maistris, witing that ȝe taken the more doom, for alle we offenden in manye thingis: if eny man not offendith in word, this is a perfit man. Wher of semeth folewe this, that it is for|bodun bi these textis eny man wilne or suffre him silf be clepid maister. But open it is, that noman can take upon him to be in eny state or degre of the seid politik iiije. gouernaunce, but if he theryn and therbi take upon him a thing wherbi he is verili and trewli maister to hise netherers; and therfore mai verili, truli, and iustli be clepid maister of hem. Wherfore it is not leeful eny such state, dignite, or degree be in the clergie, sithen it is not leeful eny man be clepid maister.
Answere herto is this: Certis if the arguyng fourmed vpon these ij. now rehercid textis were worth, therbi wolde folewe that it were not leeful eny preesthode to be. Forwhi ech preest is ouer and aboue a deken, as it is open, Acts vje. capitulum.; and ech deken is ouer and aboue a lay persoon, euen as a bischop is aboue a preest and an archibischop aboue an other bischop, as it is here aftir open in the next chapiter by Dynys in his epistle to the monk Demophil. [Domophil, MS. See below, p. 425.] Wherfore ech man, whanne he takith preesthode, takith a ground and a foundement wherbi he is verili and iustli a maister, and mai therbi, if he wole, be clepid verili and iustli a maister, sithen ech man mai iustli take and vse his riȝt or that that bifallith to him bi riȝt. And so if it be not leeful a man be clepid maister, it
