it is open ie. Thim. iije. capitulum., and Tite ie. capitulum., that no man schulde be a bischop neither deken, (and ther|fore in the same he meened therwith, that neither he schulde be preest,) if he hadde be twies weddid; that is to seie, if he hadde had oon wijf and sche hadde be deed and he hadde eftsoone take an other wijf, he schulde not be mad a bischop neither a preest neiȝthir [Perhaps a clerical error for neithir.] a deken louȝer than a preest, for cause which schal in other place of my writing be tauȝt. And this ordynaunse so mad bi Poul was a mannys ordi|naunce, for it was his ordinaunce mad bi his witt and his wil and power; and ellis ther myȝte no dispensacioun be mad bi man, that eny man tweies weddid schulde be a preest; not withstonding that the pope takith upon him forto mowe so dispense, and resoun weerneth him not. Wherfore bi Holi Writt it is open and cleer, that mannys lawis mowen be maad and be sett into vse for to renne with Goddis lawe.
And so fynali and eendli y mai conclude as weel proued, that religiouns and mannys lawis and tradi|ciouns to be mad and be vsid and be set to the comoun lawe of Crist, which is mad of lawe of kinde and of hise sacramentis, is not blameable and reprou|able as for this oonli that thei ben religiouns or mennys lawis and mennys tradiciouns. Also aȝens this pretencioun to be mad aȝens religiouns, it is seid sufficientli aftir thoruȝout the ve. parti of this book. And aȝens lijk pretencioun mad aȝens othere lawis of men schal be seid anoon next aftir in answeris to be mad to apparent and semyng skilis aȝens the now seid ve. principal gouernaunce. If eny man can seie that eny of hem is blameable and reprouable, not for that thilk religioun is a religioun of mannys making,
