Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XVII. (c) A DIALOGUE CONCERNING HERESIES. 18/cion be taken therein, as neither good vert[u]eous ley folke155 shoulde lacke it, nor rude and rashe braynesGood counsel.abuse it. For it might be, with diligence, welland truelye translated by some good catholike and welllearned man, or by dyuers diuiding the labour among them,and after conferring theyr seueral parties together eche with160 other. And after that might the worke be alowed and approuedby the ordinaries, and by theyr authorities so putvnto prent, as all the copies should come whole vnto thebysshoppes hande. Which he may, after his discrecion andwisedom, deliuer to such as he perceiueth honest, sad, & ver-165 teous, with a good monicion & fatherly cou?«ell to vse itreuerently with humble heart & lowly mind, rather sekyngtherin occasion of deuocion than of despicion. And prouidingas much as may be, that the boke be, after /ke deceaseof thepartie, brought again & and reuerently restored170 vnto /ke ordinarye. So that, as nere as maye be deuised, noman haue it but of /ke ordinaries hande, & by hym thought& reputed for such as shalbe likly to vse it to gods honor& merite of his own soule. Amo;^g whom if any be prouedafter to haue abused it, thafz /ke use therof to be forbode;z175 him, eyther for euer, or till he be waxe;/ wyser.*By ourlady,' qtwd your fre;zd, ' this way misliketh not me. Butwho should sette the price of the booke ?' Forsoth, quod I,that reke;^ I a thing of lide force. For neither wer it a greatmatter for any man in maner togiue a grote or twain aboue180 the mene price for a boke of so greate profite, nor for thebysshoppe to geue them all free, wherin he myght serue hisdyoces with the cost of x.li., I thynke, or xx. markes. Whichsumme, I dare saye, there is no bishop but he wold be gladto bestow about a thing /kat might do his hole dyoces so185 special a pleasure ^y^lk such a spirituall profit.'By mytrouth/ quod he, ' yet wene I /kat /ke peple would grudge to