'Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife'; Phil. i. 15.
413. In Piers Plowman (B-text), v. 87, it is said of Envy that—
'Eche a worde that he warpe · was of an addres tonge.'
Cf. Rom. iii. 13; Ps. cxl. 3.
440. for I teche, because I teach, by my teaching.
441. Wilful pouerte signifies voluntary poverty. This is well illustrated by the following lines concerning Christ in Piers Plowman, B. xx. 48, 49:—
'Syth he that wroughte al the worlde · was wilfullich nedy,
Ne neuer non so nedy · ne pouerer deyde.'
Several examples occur in Richardson's Dictionary in which wilfully has the sense of willingly or voluntarily. Thus—'If they wylfully would renounce the sayd place and put them in his grace, he wolde vtterlye pardon theyr trespace'; Fabyan's Chronicle, c. 114. It even means gladly; thus in Wyclif's Bible, Acts xxi. 17, we find, 'britherin resseyuyden vs wilfulli.' Speaking of palmers, Speght says—'The pilgrim travelled at his own charge, the palmer professed wilful poverty.'
The word wilful still means willing in Warwickshire; see Eng. Dialect Soc. Gloss. C. 6.