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

50 V. REGINALD PECOCK.which wommen schulden haue, & ]>ei schulden so lacke bi]jat \>e heeris of her heedis schulden be schorne, & schuldenot growe in lengjje doun as wommannys heer schulde growe.Perauenture, as wijs as }30u makist ]?ee in ]>e bible forto re-30 proue pilgrimage & setting up of ymagis and worschipingdoon bifore ymagis, |)0U cou]5ist not aspie jjis laste seid pointof wommannis coueryng ;]?erfore, how ])0u canst fynde it biholi scripture, lete se ; & if j)0u canst not it fynde, it maybe founde & proued so bi holi scripture J>at ]>ou schalt not35 kunne seie nay ; & ^it it is holde for a dede alloweable &vertuose ))at wommen were couerchefis, & ])at men & wommenwere gownys & clokis, not-wi|)Stonding ]7at more synne come]?bi wering of wommennys couercheefis & bi wommennysgownis )7an by vce of ymagis & bi pilgrimagis; as al ]>e40 world may wite, if ]>e mater be well & J)riftili examyned, biwhat schal be seid and proued of ymagis & of pilgrimagis in\>e if partie of j)is present book, & bi what is al-redi jjerofclereli seid & proued in ' |)e book of worschiping.'Also, ))0u schalt not fynde expresseli in holi scripture )jat45 j'e newe testament schulde be write in englisch tunge tolay-men, or in latyn tunge to clerkis ; nei))er )?at ]>e ooldtestament schulde be write in englisch tunge to lay-men,or in latyn tunge to clerkis ; & ^it ech of )?ese gouernauncis|>ou wolte holde to be leeful, & to be a meritorie ver-50 tuose moral deede forto ]?erbi deserue grace & glorie, & tobe \>e seruice of god, & ))erfore to be ]?e lawe of god ; si|>enbi no deede a man haj? merit, saue bi a deede which is ]>eseruice & ]>e lawe of god ; & ech moral vertu is \>e lawe ofgod, as it is proued weel in oj)ere place of my writingis.55 Also |)us. Where is it^ groundid expresseli in scripture,jjat men mowe lete schaue her berdis ? & how dare ])ei solete, si)>en itcan not be founde expresseli in holi scripture ])at'MS. ' it is.'