tyme chese oon and make oon syngulerli with hem oonli and no mo, (that is to seie, Mathie,) but if thei hadden feelid and meened that thei xij. hadden a syn|guler prerogatijf and dignite, state, and degree, and ouerte, more than othere persoones schulden haue, whiche thei wolden aftirward chese and assigne into preesthode? And also whi ellis wolden thei make this choise of Mathie into the noumbre of xij. with so greet solempnite and bi preier going afore and with lott and token askid of God, but if thei hadden holde and meened, as now is seid that thei helden and meen|eden? And in this meenyng and holding the Apostlis chosen Mathie forto be euene to hem in the dignite, degree, and state of the xij. Wherfore folewith that the Apostlis feleden hem silf to haue state and degree in preesthode aboue othere bischopis, whiche thei aftir|ward maden and ordeyneden bisidis the noumbre of xij.; and also thei maden and ordeyned such a persoon lijk to hem forto be aboue the othere bischopis aftir comyng. And so folewith that the Apostlis helden and meeneden hem silf to be as archibischopis.
To this argument it mai be answerid colorabli and likeli ynouȝ, that Peter, Acts, ie. capitulum., whanne he fille into deuocioun forto haue a special and a singuler successour to Iudas, was not moued therto bi nede of resoun or of feith, but bi a deuocioun which was honest and ȝit myȝt be lackid; and that he entendid forto chese Mathie into this, that he myȝte make the same hool noumbre of homeli and experimental wit|nessers of Cristis deedis, and not into this that Mathie schulde be chose therwith in to eny hiȝer state than into preesthode: and to this deuocioun of Peter, for that it was honest, God condescendid, as he dooth ful ofte in performyng the desiris of hise louers, though thei ben not needis necessarie. And thus the ije. argu|ment next bifore mad is bi sufficient likelihode assoilid. And therfore y stonde to the iij. firste to gidere going
