The sixth bough of avarice is simony, which is so named because of a
wizard, that was called Simon, who wished to buy of St. Peter the
Apostle the grace to do miracles, and offered great wealth, and
therefore all those are called Simoniacs, that will sell or buy
spiritual things, which is, among all the deadly sins, one of the
greatest. And this bough has many twigs. The first is in them that sell
or buy the holy orders, or the body of our Lord, or the other sacraments
of holy Church. The second is in them that sell God’s Word, and preach
principally for pence. The third is in them that by gifts, or by
promises, or by entreaties dreadful or carnal, prevail so far that they
or others are chosen to dignities of holy Church, such as bishoprics,
abbeys, or deaneries, or other dignities that one fills by election. The
fourth is in them that through gifts, or through promises, or through
terrible entreaties, or through unclean service, give the prebends and
the parishes, or other benefices of holy Church. The fifth is in them
that by bargain-making let or change their benefices. The sixth is in
them that by bargain-making go into religion, and in them that in such
manner receive them.
Many other sins there are, and of divers cases, in simony. But they
belong more to clerks than to laymen. And this book is made more for
laymen than for clerks who have books. But always it is necessary for
laymen that they should keep themselves from this sin in three cases.
One is when they will help their kin or their friends to rise in
dignities of holy Church. The second when they give prebends or
benefices that are in their gift. The third when they yield their
children to religion. In these three points, if they give or receive
gifts or evil entreaties or evil services, they might soon fall into
this sin of simony. For, as say the holy writings, there are three kinds
of gifts that make simony: gift of land, gift of mouth, as entreaties,
gift of uncleanly service. I call uncleanly when the services are done
for an uncleanly cause, or principally for a spiritual matter.