WHere as the clergy perceyueth that lordlynes & worldly dominion can not be borne out biscripture / them flie they to argumentes of mennes persuasyon sayenge after thys maner Seynt Huge & seynt Swithune were thus lordes / & in this they ensued Christes lyuyng & his doctrine / therfore we may be laufully thus lordes . But I wote well that Gabriel shall blowe his horne or they haue proued the minor . That is / that thes sayntes or patrones in this sued the doctrine or the lyfe of Iesu Christe . And of this thou mayst se that soch argumentes that ar not clothed with Christes lynynge or his teachinge / beright nought worthe all though the clerkes blynde with them moch folke in that world . But here haue Inoleyser to tell though I coulde / what chefesaunce and costes the churche maketh and what werres they hold to contynue this fymony and heresy so vnavisely brought in to the chirche . And yet they seke all the wayes therto that they can . Ye in so moch that they go openly armyd in to the felde to kyll christen men / for to get and holde soche lordshippe . And notwithstondynge seynt Peter was so pore that he had nether golde nor syluer as he saieth in the Actes of the apostles . And his other worldly good Act. iij. he left / whan he beganne to sue Christe . And as tow chynge the tytle of worldly lawe that he had to soch worldly goodes / he made neuer cley me ne neuer resceyued after any worldly lordshippe . And yet they call all their hole kingdom seynt Peters grounde or lordshippe . And therfor seynt Bernarde writeth to Engenie the pope sayenge . Yf thou wilt be a lorde / seke by a nother Lib●… . ij waye to attayne it / but not by thys apostles ryght For he may not geue the that he had not / that he had he gaue / the whiche was busynes vpon chirches . Whether he gaue lordshippe or no / here what he saieth . Be ye not lordes in the clergy / but be ye made forme and example off i. Petri. Christes flocke . And least ye trowe thys be not sayde of trothe take kepe what Christe saieth in the gospell . The kinges of hethen haue lordshippe vpon theym / forsot he ye not so . Se howe playn ly lordshippe is forboden to all apostles / for yf thou be a lorde howe darest thou take vpon the apostleshyp / or yf thou be a bysshoppe / howe darest thou take vpon the lordship ? Pleynly thou art forboden bothe . And yf thou wylt haue bothe to get her thou shalt lese bothe / and be of the n●…mber / of whych god ple●…h by the prophete 〈◊〉 sayenge . They reygnyd but not by me sayeth god . And yf we holde that / that is forboden / here we that is boden of Chryste . He that is greatest of you se that he be made as younger in symplenes / and he that is afore goere loke he be as a seruaunt . Thys is the forme of apostles lyfe / lordshyppes forboden and seruys is boden thys sayeth saynt Bernerdethere . And therfor no man may put a nother grounde besydes that that is put whych is Christe Iesu .

But yet I wote well that clarkes and relygyous fol●…ke that loue ●…nkyndly these lordlynes wyll glose here & saye / that they occupre not soche lordshyppes in proper as secular lordes doo / but in comone / lyke as the apostles & perfyte people dyde in the beginnynge of Christes chirche as w●…yteth Saynot Luke in the fourthe chaptre of the Actes of the apostles / the whyche had all thynges in comone / lyke as soche clarkes and religyous saye they haue nowe . In tokeninge wherof no man sayde of any thinge at that tyme / thys ys myne / so oure clarkes and namely rely gyous people whon they wyll speake in termes of their religyon . A pryuate person wyll not saye this or thys is myne / but in parsone of all his bretheren he wyll saye / this is oures . And ouer thys they saye more s●…elly that they occupye not this by tytle of secular lordshyppe / but by tytle of perpetuall allmes . But what euer thy people saye here / we mo●…e take hede to the rule of prefe that fayleth not . The whiche rule Christe teacheth vs in the gospell in dyuers places / where he sayeth / beleue ye the workes . For why by their workes ye shall knowe thei . And thys rule is wonder nedefull to a man that hath a do with any man of the Pharyseys condycyones . For as Christe sayeth Math. xxiij . They saye but they do not . And so as Christes workes bere witnesse of hym as he hym selfe sayeth / and sheweth what he was and howe he lyued / so the dedes and maner of lyuinge / or the thynge in it selfe bearyth wytnesse wyth out fayle howe it stondyth amonge theym in thys poynte . And yf we take hede thus by thys rule we shall se at oure eye howe the clargye sayeth other wyse than it is in dede . For in some place in pryuate parsone / and in some place in comone or parsone aggregate / whiche is all one as saynct Austyne sayeth vppon the psalter / the clargy occupyeth the secular lord shyppe secularly / & so in propere . For in the same maner wyse as that Barone / or the knyghte occupyeth and gouuer nyth hys baronrye or hys knyghtes fe / so after the amortesyenge occupyeth the clarcke / the Monke / or Chanon / the College or Conuente / the sa me lordshippe & gouerneth it by the same lawes in iudgement & punishinge as presonnynge and hangynge with soche other worldly turmentyng the which some tyme belongyd to the secular arme of the chirche . Ye oft tymes we may se ho we they busye theym selfes to be kinges in their owne / and reioyce them full moche in that ciuilyte or secularite yf they may get it . And this is an euidence that they wold gladly be kynges of all the realme or the world . For where their londes & secular mennes fraunchyse ar to gether they striue who shall haue the galowes / or other maner tourmentes for fela●…nes . They kepe also vnder bondage their tenauntes and their yssue with their londes . And this is the moste ciuilite or secular lordshyppinge that any kynge or lorde hath on his renauntes And therfore we maye se howe they cleyme in their goodes a maner of proper possessyon contrarye to the c●…monnynge of the comone goodes in tyme of the perfyte men in the begynnynge of Christes chirche . And so what so euer the clergy sayeth the dede sheweth well that they haue not their goodes in comone lyke as Christe with his apostles and perfyte men had in the begynnynge of christes chirche . For in holdynge or hauynge of their goodes / is properte of possessyon and secular lordshippinge . The which stondith not with the plente of chri stes perfeccyon in prestes as it sueth of this pro cesse and of that / that is declared before . And as for that o●…her glose that clerkes haue here / where they saye that they holde thes lordshyppes by tytle of perpetuall almes . But here ye shall vnderstandeth at mercy or almes is a will Almes . of releuinge of some wretche oute of his my sese as Lyncolniensis sayeth in the begynnynge of his dicris . So that yf a man shuld effectually Dicto . 〈◊〉 do almesse he must loke to whom he shulde do almesse to / were in my sease and had nede to be releuyd . In tokeninge wherof / christ onely assigneth almesse to thos / in whom he marketh my sease . And so here of this it will sue / that yf a man will releue one wretche and make a nother or ●…o / he dothe none almesse / but rather maketh mysease . And moche more he dothe none al messe yf he make riche thos persones that haue no nede . For as moche as they be sufficient to theym selfes / this hath no coloure of almesse . For this may be better called a woodnes or a wastynge of goddes goodes . And ouer this yf a man take thos goodes / the which god in the best wyse euen and with oute erroures hath assygned to the state of secular lordes / and geue thos goodes to another people that hath no nede of theym / ye to the which people soche goodes are forfendid . This shuld be called no almesse / but peruertinge of goddes ordinaunce / and the destruction of the state of secular lordes the which god hath approued in his chirche . For as saynt Paule sayeth . Almesse dede shuld be ruled so the ij . Cori. viij . it were releuinge to thos the receiue it . And moch rather it shuld not be vndoynge of thos that do it . And therfore Christ teachith in the gospell to do almes of the thinges that be nedeles or super fluite . And in this dede a man shuld haue regarde Qd superest da te ●…lemo sinan . Luce . xiiij . to the nede of him that he dothe almes to and to the charge of his owne house . What almes was it then I praye you / to vndo the state of the Emperoure / and to make the clarkes riche with his lordshippes / namely syth Christ confirmyd to the Emperour his state / with tho thinges that longe therto / notwithstonding at that tyme the emperoure was hethen . And he hath forfendyd expresly hys clergy in worde & in example soche lordshyppe . And as thys was no allmes / so we mote saye of other kynges / dukes and erles / barones and knyghtes that are vndone hereby / & the clerkes made ryche and worldly lordes with theyr goodes . And though it had be so that the clergy myght haue occupyed thus worldly lordshyppe / & also though it hadde be no destruccion nor appeyrynge of any other state / yet it hadde be no allmes for to geue to theym soche goodes / wherfor it may be ryghtfully sayde . No man may put a nother grounde besydes that is put / which is Christe Iesu .

Here we may se by the grounde of the gospel and by the ordynaunce of christe / that the clergye was sufficiently purueyd for lyuelood . For god is so perfyte in all his werckynge / that he may ordeyne no state in hys chirche but yf he ordeyne sufficient lyuelood to the same state . And this is open in goddes lawe who so takyth hede / and that vnder euery lawe of god / as vnder the lawe of innocencye and of kynde / vnder the lawe geuen by Moyses and also vnder the lawe geuen by chri ste. In the tyme of the state of innocencye we knowe well by beleue the god hadde so ordeyned for man kynde that it shuld haue hadde lyuelood ynough withoute any tedious laboure And of the lawe of kynde / christ speakyth in the gospell sayen Mat. vij sayenge thus All thynges the ye wyll that other men do to you / do ye to theym . And yf thys lawe hadde be kepte ther shuld no man haue bene myscheuously nedy . And in the tyme of the lawe geuen by Moyses / god made a full and a sufficient ordynaunce for all hys people howe & wher by they shuld lyue . For he dealyd the londe amonge the laye people and he assygned the fyrst frutes & tythes to the prestes & deakenes . And all though that he wold that ther shuld be all waye pooremen in the lande of ysraell / yet he made an ordinaunce Seu●…e . 〈◊〉 . agaynst myscheuous nede . And comandyd all the people that ther shuld be in no wyse a nedye man and a begger amonge them as it is wrytten . And so in thys lawe he ordeyned sufficiently ynough for hys people . And in the tyme of the newe lawe christe assigned the seculer lordshyppes to temporall lordes as it is taught before / And alowed the comonte her lyuelood gotten by true marchaundyse & husboundrye & other craftys . And in worde & ensaumple he taught hys prestes to be proctoures for nedye people & poore at the ryche men / & specifyed thes poore / & taught howe they that were myghty / shuld make a purueaunce for soche poore folke that they were not constrayned by nede for to begge / as great clerkes marcke vpon thes wordes of the gospell where chryste sayeth thus . Whan thou makest thy feast / that is of allmes / call poore people / feble / lame & blynde ▪ He sayeth not lett soche pooremen Luc●… . xiiij . call vpon the / but call thou vpon theym meanynge in that / that thou shuldest make a purueaunce for soche people / that they be not myscheuously fa●… tye . And for the clergy he ordeined sufficiently / reching theym in worde and ensample howe they shuld holde theym appayde with lyuelood and hylynge mynistred to theym / for theyr true laboure in the gospell as it is written before . Of thys than thou mayst se howe god in all hys lawes hath sufficiently ordeyned for all the stares that be founded and approuyd And howe it is agaynst the goodnes and wysdom of god / to ordeyne any state / but yf he ordeyned sufficient lyuelood therto . Syth than thys ordenaunce of god was sufficient as well for the clergye as for other men it semeth a foule presumpcion to brynge in a newe & a contrarye ordinaunce of lyuelood for clerckes vpon the ordinaunce that Criste hath made for theym before . Of the whiche ordynaunce / the clergye full many yeres after the begynnynge of Chrystes chyrche / whan it was best gouuernyd / held theym well a payde . For thys meaneth that Christes ordynaunce was insufficient / and worthy to be vndone And yf we take good hede / they hadde no more nede to pl●…y ne theym of thys ordynaunce / than hadde the other two states of hys chyrche / which vnto this daye holde theym a payde with thys ordynaunce of chryst / were it fully kepte . And more sekirnes & ensuraūce maye no man make of any thinge than chryst hath of hys lyuelood to the clergye For chryst not onely affermyth to the people that he wyll not fayle theym in lyuelood and hylinge / but also prouyth thys by argumentes that may not be assoyled / So that they be true seruauntes to him . For Chryste meanyth thus in his arguynge there . Syth god fayleth nor bryddes and lyles and grasse that groweth in the felde / nether herhen men . Howe moche rather shall he not fayle his true seruauntes ? And so this purneaunce of perpetuall almes that oure clerkes speake of / meanyth faute of beleue & despeyre of the gracious gouernaunce of god . Syth than as it is sayde before / it is no allmes to releue one wretche & to make another or moo / & to make thei ryche wyth temporall lordshippe / the whiche be ne forfendyd to soche people & namely yf soche almes geuynge be destroyenge or appeyringe of any state approuyd by God in his chirche / it willsue that the endowynge of the clargye with worldly lordshippe / ought not to be called allmesse / but rather all a mysse / or wastynge of goddes goodes or destroyenge of his ordinaunce / for as moche as the clergye was sufficiently ordeyned be Christe . For why / this almes that clerckes speake of here / made many wretches & it was geuen to theym that had no nede . And ●…s it is em●…y 〈◊〉 not only of one estate of the chyrche / but of all 〈◊〉 of the which I spake in the begynynge . And so this almes geuynge hath made all oure realme nedy / ye and as I suppose fullnygh all christendom full poore & nedy and mischeuous ouer that it shulde haue bene yf the clargye had held theym a payde with christes ordinaunce . But nowe thou rough this perpetuall all a mysse / that the clarkes call almes / christes ordinaunce ys vndon in some landes holly and in Englonde for that more party & it is lykely to be all vndone in processe of tyme . For by a mortesy enge of lordshippes / the lordes be yndone in great party . And many noble men because they lacke their owne parte through folishe gifte of their aunceters be full nedy . Forthermore it may be vnderstonde of this processe / that withdrawyng of this lordshippes from the clergy & restoringe againe of them to the states that god hathe assigned them to / shuld not be called robbery of holy chirche as oure clerkes faye / but rather rightwise restitucion of good wrongfully & theefly with old . And therfore ther maye none othe or vowe binde any man to maytayne this theft & destruccion of goddes ordinaunce / & this great harmynge of Christes chirche . As the vowe of Iepte shuld not haue bounde him to kill & sacrifice his owne doughter . Ne the othe of herode shuld not haue bounde him to kill innocent Ihon. But as Iepte shuld a broken his othe or vowe & haue offered a nother thinge that had bene pleasynge to god & accordinge with his lawe : As saynt Austyne sayeth vpon the same storye . So Herode shuld haue broken his othe & a saued innocent blood & sore a repented him for his vnavysed swerynge . And so shuld lordes nowe a dayes breake they : othes that they haue vnavysely & without counseyle of holy scripture sworne to maynteine this theefte / ye heresy & symony as it is proued before / the which oure clerkes call perpetuall almes And not sue theire folishe dedes & othes that they haue made to maynteyne this mischeuous peruertinge of chhristes ordinaunce . For as the sta te of the clergye hath no power or leaue / to make the people or lordes to synne deadly or to destroye gods ordinaunce in his chirche . So they haue no leaue or power of god to counceile or to ●…oke well ●…ponthis ●…ason constrayne in any case the lordes or the people to swere for to maynteyne this endowēge of the clerkes & religious folke / which is full great thefte heresy & symony / & wounder harmefull to chri stes chirche as it is shewed in this processe & in other writen before . But the lordes specially shuld se here / what were pleasynge not to these clerkes / but to god / & that shuld they do . For her to they be bounde by vertue of their office vppe peyne of dampnacion . And there may no no man dispence with them of that bound stondinge her sta te . For no man shuld put another grounde besydes that / that is put which is christ Iesu .