,univ4 ,corr4 ,coll4 ,tutorial ,series4 ,,the ,,ayenbite ,,of ,,inwyt4 7,,remorse ,,of ,,conscience47 ,a ,,translation ,,of ,,parts ,,into ,,modern ,,english4 ,,by ,a4 ,j4 ,,wyatt1 ,m4,a41 ,,tutor ,,of ,,university ,,correspondence ,,college4 ,london3 ,w4 ,b4 ,,clive ,,co4 ,,univ4 ,,corr4 ,,college ,,press ,,warehouse1 ,booksellers ,row1 ,strand1 ,w4,c4 ,,ayenbite ,,of ,,inwyt4 7,,remorse ,,of ,,conscience47 ,,the ,,prologue4 ,almighty ,god gave ten behests in the law of the ,jews1 that ,moses received in the hill of ,sinai in two tables of stone1 that were written with ,god's finger4 ,and 7,moses7 himself1 after his burial1 commanded in his story to each man that will be saved to keep and observe them4 ,and whoso sinneth in any of the same behests1 shall repent thereof1 and be shriven1 and pray for ,god's mercy1 if he will be saved4 ,this book is written for ,englishmen1 that they may know how they shall shrive themselves and make them clean in this life4 ,this book is called by him who writes ,ayenbite of ,inwyt4 ,first are the ten behests that all men shall observe4 ,,the ,,first ,,commandment4 ,the first behest that ,god made and commanded is this3 #8,thou shalt not have many gods2' that is to say1 #8,thou shalt neither have1 nor worship1 nor serve any ,god but ,me4 ,and thou shalt not put thy trust but in ,me4' ,for the same that puts his trust chiefly in a creature1 sinneth deadly and acts against this behest4 ,such are they that worship the idols and make their god of a creature1 whatsoever it be4 ,against this behest sin those that love their goods too much1 gold or silver1 or other earthly things4 ,whosoever sin in these things set their heart and their hope so much that they forget their ,creator1 and forsake ,him who lends them all these goods4 ,and therefore they should serve and thank1 and love and worship ,him above all things1 as this first behest teaches thee4 ,,the ,,second ,,commandment4 ,the second behest is as follows3 #8,thou shalt not take ,god's name in vain2' that is to say1 #8,thou shalt not swear for naught and without good reason1' which our ,lord ,himself forbids us in ,his ,gospel1 that one should not swear1 neither by the heaven1 nor by the earth1 nor by other creature4 ,yet from good cause one may swear without sin1 as in judgment1 where one demands oath of truth1 or out of judgment from other good cause1 and with purity and reason4 ,in no other manner is it right to swear4 ,and1 therefore1 whosoever swears without reason the name of our ,lord1 and for naught1 if he wittingly swears false he forswears himself1 and acts against this behest1 and swears deadly1 for he swears against conscience1 that is to say 7understand71 when he forswears himself by thought and by long thinking4 ,but he that swears true wittingly1 and always for naught or for some bad reason1 not wickedly1 but lightly and without slander1 swears venially4 ,nevertheless the habit is sinful1 and may well turn to deadly sin unless he beware4 ,but he that swears horribly by ,god or by ,his saints1 and breaks him in pieces1 and says slanders about him that are not to be said1 the same sins deadly4 ,nor can he have reason1 that he may excuse himself4 ,and he that accustoms himself to swear most1 sins most4 ,,the ,,third ,,commandment4 ,the third behest is this3 #8,look that thou hallow the day of the sabbath 7,saturday71' that is to say1 thou shalt not do on the day of the sabbath 7,saturday7 thy business1 nor thy works1 that thou mightest do on other days4 ,but thou shalt rest thyself in order the better to prepare thyself to pray to and to serve thy ,creator1 who rested the seventh day from works that ,he had made in the six days before1 in which ,he made and ordained 7ordered7 the world4 ,this behest he spiritually fulfils who keeps by his might the peace of his conscience1 in order to serve ,god more holily4 ,then this word #8,saturday1' which the ,jews call #8sabbath1' signifies 7as much as7 rest4 ,this behest can none keep spiritually1 that is conscious 7in conscience7 of deadly sin4 ,for such conscience cannot be at rest the while that she is in such a state4 ,and instead of the sabbath1 which was strictly kept in the old law1 holy ,church sets the ,sunday to be kept in the new law1 for our ,lord arose from death to life on ,sunday4 ,and therefore one shall beware and keep free so holily1 and be at rest1 from works over and above the week2 and more from works of sin2 and give himself more to spiritual works and to ,god's service1 and think on his ,creator1 and pray to ,him1 and thank ,him for ,his goodness4 ,and whoso breaks the ,sunday and the other high feasts that are ordained to be kept in holy ,church1 sins deadly1 for he acts against the aforesaid behest of ,god and of holy ,church1 except it be for some business that holy ,church allows4 ,but he sins more that spends the ,sunday and the feasts in sin1 and in whoredom1 and in other sins against ,god4 ,these three behests direct us specially to ,god4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,commandment4 ,the fourth behest is this3 #8,honour thy father and thy mother1 for thou shalt live the longer on the earth4' ,this behest admonishes us that we beware that we anger not father nor mother wittingly4 ,and whoso despises his father and his mother wittingly1 or slanders them1 or angers with evil1 sins deadly1 and breaks this behest4 ,in this same behest is understood the honour that we shall bear to our spiritual fathers1 that is1 to them that have the care of teaching us and of chastising us1 such as are the rulers of holy ,church1 and those that have the care of our souls and of our bodies4 ,and whoso will not bow to them that have the care of him1 when they teach the good that one is bound to do1 sins deadly2 and the disobedience may be such that it is deadly sin4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,commandment4 ,the fifth behest is this3 #8,thou shalt slay no man4' ,this behest forbids that one shall slay another for revenge1 or for his goods1 or for other wicked reason1 for that is deadly sin4 ,nevertheless to slay evildoers1 in order to do and keep right1 and for other good reason1 7it7 is good right by the law to him that shall do it and is bound thereto4 ,in this behest is forbidden sin of hate1 and of wrath1 and of great ire4 ,for1 as saith the ,scripture1 he that hateth his brother1 he is a man-slayer as to his will1 and sins deadly2 and he 7also7 that bears long wrath against others2 for such wrath1 long held and befolded in the heart1 is in wrath and in hate1 which is deadly sin and against this behest4 ,and yet sins he more that does or purchases shame or harm to others wrongfully1 or is in counsel and in help to cause others to be harmed in order to avenge himself4 ,nevertheless wrath or contempt1 that goes lightly without great will and willingness to harm others1 is not deadly sin4 ,,the ,,sixth ,,commandment4 ,the sixth behest is this3 #8,thou shalt do no whoredom2' that is to say1 thou shalt not desire carnal fellowship with other men's wives4 ,in this behest is forbidden us all sin of the flesh1 that one calls generally lechery4 ,that is one of the seven deadly sins1 though there are some branches that are not deadly sin1 as are many motions of the flesh1 all of which one cannot flee4 ,and those one shall bring to naught and withdraw from as much as one can1 not nourish nor pursue them1 either by too much meat or drink1 or by evil thoughts too long holden1 or by evil handlings4 ,for in such things one may have harm of soul4 ,in this behest is forbidden all sins against nature1 in whatever manner they are done1 either in his own body or in others4 ,,the ,,seventh ,,commandment4 ,the seventh behest is this3 #8,thou shalt do no theft4' ,this behest forbids us to take and withhold other men's thing1 whatever it be1 from wicked cause1 against the will of him that owns it4 ,in this behest is forbidden robbery1 theft1 stealing1 and usury1 and unfair dealing with others1 in order to have for his own4 ,and he that acts against this behest is bound to give up what he has wrongly of other men's1 if he knows to whom4 ,and if he knows not1 he is bound to give it for ,god's love1 or to act by the advice of holy ,church4 ,and he that wrongly withholds other men's thing for a sinful reason sins deadly1 unless he give it up1 where he owes1 if he knows it and can do it1 or unless he acts by the advice of holy ,church4 ,,the ,,eighth ,,commandment4 ,the eighth behest is this3 #8,thou shalt say no false witness against thy fellow-,christian4' ,in this behest it is forbidden us that we should lie or forswear ourselves1 either in judgment or out of judgment1 in order to cause thy fellow-,christian harm2 and that one should bring none as a witness in order to impair his 7one's fellow-,christian's7 fame1 or his grace that he hath1 for that is deadly sin4 ,against this behest those act that slander good men behind them willingly and wrongfully1 which one calls the sin of detraction2 and those also that praise the wicked and the deeds of their wickedness and of their follies1 known1 or seen1 or heard4 ,that is sin of flattery or of deceit1 when one says it before them2 or falsehood or leasings1 when he that one speaks of is not present4 ,for all those are false witnesses4 ,,the ,,ninth ,,commandment4 ,the ninth behest is this3 #8,thou shalt not desire thy neighbour's wife1 nor desire her in thy heart4' ,that is to say1 thou shalt not consent to do sin with thy body4 ,this behest forbids to desire with will of heart to have carnal fellowship with all women out of marriage2 and the sinful tokens that are made outwardly in order to lead to sin1 as are sinful words of such a kind1 or gifts1 or sinful handling4 ,and the difference between this behest and the sixth aforesaid is1 that the sixth behest forbids the deed without1 but this forbids the consent within4 ,for the consent to have carnal fellowship with a woman 7women71 who is not his own for a wife1 is deadly sin by the judgment of ,god's ,word1 which says3 #8,whoever sees a woman and desires her in his heart1 he hath sinned with her in his heart1' that is to say1 in open desire and in thought4 ,,the ,,tenth ,,commandment4 ,the tenth behest is this3 #8,thou shalt not desire a thing that is thy neighbour's4' ,this behest forbids the will to have other men's thing7s7 for a wicked reason4 ,in this behest is forbidden envy of other men's goods1 or of other men's grace4 ,for the same envy comes of sinful covetousness to have the goods or the very grace that he sees in others4 ,and the same covetousness1 when the consent and the thoughts are thereto1 is deadly sin1 and against this behest4 ,nevertheless light covetousness to have other men's things for a good reason is no sin4 ,and if there is any evil desire1 without will and without consent to harm others1 it is no sin2 and if there is sin1 it is light sin4 ,these are the ten behests1 whereof the three first direct us well to ,god2 the other seven direct us to our neighbour4 ,these ten behests are incumbent on each one that hath reason and age1 to know and to do4 ,for whoever acts thereagainst wittingly1 sins deadly4 ,,the ,,twelve ,,articles ,,of ,,the ,,christian ,,belief4 ,these are the twelve articles of the ,christian belief1 that each ,christian man shall believe steadfastly1 for otherwise he cannot be saved when he hath wit and reason4 ,and thereof are twelve according to the numbers of the twelve apostles1 who appointed them to be observed and to be kept by all those that will be saved4 ,the first1 then1 belongs to the ,father1 the next seven 7seventh7 to the ,son1 the last four 7fourth7 to the ,holy ,ghost2 for that is the beginning of the belief1 #8believe in the ,holy ,trinity2' that is1 in the ,father1 and in the ,son1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 one ,god and three persons4 ,all these articles are contained in the creed1 that the twelve apostles made1 whereof each ordained his own4 ,the first article is this3 #8,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 ,creator of heaven and of earth4' ,this article ,st4 ,peter ordained4 ,the second article belongs to the ,son1 as to ,his ,godhead2 that is to say1 that ,he is ,god1 and is this3 #8,i believe in ,jesus ,christ1 our ,lord1 the ,son of ,god the ,father1 and 7,he7 is one with the ,father in all things that appertain to the ,godhead1 but1 with regard to the person1 who is other than the person of the ,father4' ,this article ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist ordained4 ,the third article and the fifth1 that follows after1 belong to the ,son as to ,his manhood2 that is to say1 as ,he is mortal man4 ,then in the third article is contained1 that ,he was conceived of the ,holy ,ghost1 and born of the maid ,mary4 ,by which it is to be understood that ,he was conceived in the maid ,mary by the deed and by the virtue of the ,holy ,ghost1 and not at all by deed of man4 ,and the maid ,mary remained ever maid and whole before and after4 ,this article ,st4 ,james1 ,st4 ,john's brother1 ordained4 ,the fourth article belongs to ,his passion2 that is to say1 that ,he suffered death under ,pontius ,pilate1 who was a pagan1 and judge at that time in ,jerusalem1 by the ,romans4 ,under that judge was ,jesus ,christ condemned wrongfully at the command of three wicked ,jews1 and crucified1 and dead1 and placed in a tomb4 ,this article ,st4 ,andrew ordained4 ,the fifth article is as follows3 that ,he went into hell after ,his death1 in order to lead out thence and to deliver the souls of the holy fathers1 and of all those that1 from the beginning of the world1 died in true and good belief1 and in hope that they should be saved by ,him1 because of the sin of the first man4 ,it behoved that all should go into hell and abide there1 the good in sure hope that ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's ,son1 should come to deliver them1 according as ,he had promised by ,his prophets4 ,and for that reason would ,he after ,his death go into hell1 that is to say1 on that side where the saints were1 not on that side where were the lost1 who were dead in their sin and in their unbelief4 ,and those ,he led not out1 for they are lost for evermore4 ,this article ,st4 ,philip ordained4 ,the sixth article is of ,his resurrection1 to wit1 that the third day after ,his death1 in order to fulfil the ,scriptures1 ,he arose from death to life1 and showed ,himself to ,his disciples1 and proved ,his resurrection to them in many ways for forty days4 ,this article ,st4 ,thomas ordained4 ,the seventh article is1 that the fortieth day after ,his resurrection1 when ,he had eaten with ,his disciples1 ,he ascended before them quite openly into heaven1 who is above every creature that is in heaven1 unto the right hand of ,god the ,father1 where ,he made ,him sit4 ,this article ,st4 ,bartholomew ordained4 ,the eighth article is1 that ,he shall come at the day of judgment to judge the dead and the living1 the good and the bad1 and render to each according as he hath deserved in this world4 ,these are the articles that belong to the ,son4 ,this article ,st4 ,matthew1 the evangelist1 ordained4 ,the ninth article and the three last belong to the ,holy ,ghost1 and is this3 #8,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost4' ,this article requires that one believe that the ,holy ,ghost is the gift and love of the ,father and of the ,son1 from whom comes all the good of grace1 and that ,he is one ,god1 and one with the ,father and the ,son1 except the person1 which is other than the person of the ,father and of the ,son4 ,this article ,st4 ,james1 ,st4 ,simon's and ,st4 ,jude's brother1 ordained4 ,the tenth article is this3 #8,i believe 7in7 the holy ,catholic ,church and the communion of saints2' that is to say1 the fellowship of all the saints1 and of all the good men that are1 and shall be unto the end of the world1 and were since the beginning1 together in the faith of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and in this article are understood the seven sacraments that are in holy ,church1 to wit1 christening1 confirming1 the sacrament of the altar1 orders1 marriage1 the holy shrift1 and the last anointing4 ,this article ,st4 ,simon ordained4 ,the eleventh is1 to believe the forgiveness of sins1 that ,god gives by the virtue of ,his holy sacraments that are in holy ,church4 ,this article ,st4 ,jude ordained4 ,the twelfth article is1 to believe the general resurrection of the body1 and the life without end1 that is the bliss of ,paradise1 which ,god shall give to them that have deserved it by good faith and by good works4 ,this article gives 7us7 to understand its contrary1 that is1 the torment without end that ,god hath prepared for the lost4 ,this article shall be understood in such a manner1 that each1 be he good1 be he bad1 shall be at the day of judgment raised from death to life in his own body1 wherein he shall have lived1 and receive his reward in body and in soul1 according as he has deserved in this life4 ,and therefore shall the good at that day in body and in soul be in life without end1 and the wicked lost evermore in body and in soul4 ,this article ,st4 ,matthew ordained4 ,,of ,,the ,,revelation ,,that ,,st4 ,,john ,,the ,,evangelist ,,saw4 ,my lord1 ,st4 ,john1 in the book of his visions1 which is called the ,apocalypse1 so says that he saw a beast that came out of the sea wonderfully adorned and exceedingly dreadful4 ,for the body of the beast was as a leopard1 the feet were of a bear1 the throat of a lion1 and it had seven heads and ten horns1 and upon the ten horns ten crowns2 and ,st4 ,john saw that the same evil beast had power of himself to fight with the saints1 and to overcome and to overmaster them4 ,this same beast1 so wonderful and so counterfeited and dreadful1 betokens the devil1 who came out of the sea of hell1 which is full of all sorrow and of all bitterness4 ,the body of the beast1 as ,st4 ,john says1 was so like the leopard because1 as the leopard hath divers colours1 so hath the devil divers modes of watching and of dispute1 in order to beguile and to tempt folk4 ,the feet were like the feet of a bear1 for as the bear1 which hath its strength in its feet and in its arms1 holds strongly and binds what it hath under its feet1 what it embraces1 just so does the devil them that he hath embraced and overthrown by sin4 ,the throat was of a lion1 because of his great cruelty1 that will devour all4 ,,the ,,tokens ,,of ,,the ,,heads ,,of ,,the ,,beasts4 ,the seven heads of the beast of hell are the seven capital sins by which the devil draws to himself also all the world4 ,for scarcely it befalls that one falls not into the throat of some of the seven heads1 and therefore ,st4 ,john says well that it had power against the saints4 ,for on earth is no man so holy that he can perfectly escape all the kinds of sin that come of these seven heads without special privilege of grace1 as it was in the maid ,mary1 or in some others by special grace1 which they had of ,god4 ,the ten horns of the beast betoken the offences against the ten behests of our ,lord1 which the devil obtains1 as much as he can1 by the seven aforesaid sins4 ,the ten crowns above betoken the victory that it 7he7 hath over all the sinful1 because he causes them to sin against the ten behests4 ,,the ,,first ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,beast4 ,the first head of the beast of hell is pride2 the second is envy2 the third1 wrath2 the fourth1 sloth1 which one calls in book-lore1 indolence2 the fifth1 itching--in book-lore1 avarice1 or covetousness2 the sixth1 gluttony2 the seventh1 lechery1 or luxury4 ,of these seven heads comes every kind of sin1 and therefore they are called capital sins1 because they are the head of all evil and of all sins1 and the beginning of all evil1 be they deadly1 be they venial4 ,then each of the same seven divides into many divisions1 and first we will talk of the sin of pride1 because that was the first sin and the beginning of all evil4 ,for pride first broke fellowship and order1 when ,lightbearer 7,lucifer7 the angel1 because of his great beauty and his great wit1 would be above the other angels1 and would make himself equal to ,god1 who had made him so fair and so good1 and therefore he fell from heaven and became a devil1 both he and all his fellowship4 ,all the proud1 who fellowship and order of men destroy and break1 are like him1 when they will be above others1 and be more famed and praised than any other that are more worthy4 ,,the ,,might ,,of ,,pride4 ,this sin of pride is too dreadful1 for it 7she7 blinds men1 so that they themselves neither know nor see2 it is a very strong and a very special aid to the devil1 whereby he beguiles the high men1 and the fair1 and the rich1 and the wise1 and the hardy1 and the honourable1 and generally every manner of folk1 but especially the great lords1 so that they themselves neither know nor see their misdeeds1 nor their follies1 nor their faults 7read wytes72 then is it the most perilous sickness of 7all7 others4 ,forsooth he is in great peril1 to whom every remedy turns into venom1 as do teaching and chastisement to the proud4 ,for the more one reproves and blames and chastises him the more angry he is and the more weary he becomes4 ,pride is the devil's own daughter1 who has a great share in his nature4 ,pride wars against ,god because of ,his goodness1 and ,god throws down pride and wars against it4 ,pride is king of wicked habits4 ,it 7she7 is the lion that devours all4 ,pride destroys all the goodness and all the graces and all the good works that are in man4 ,for pride makes of alms sin1 and of virtues vices1 and by good works1 whereby one should buy heaven1 it makes us win hell4 ,this sin is the first that assails the knight our ,lord1 7and7 whom it is the last to leave1 for when ,he hath all other evils overcome1 then pride assails ,him the more strongly4 ,,how ,,one ,,shall ,,divide ,,the ,,seven ,,boughs ,,of ,,pride4 ,this sin divides and spreads into so many parts that one can scarcely reckon them4 ,but seven principal divisions there are1 which are as seven boughs1 which go out1 and are born of a wicked root4 ,the first bough1 then1 of pride is untruth2 the second1 contempt2 the third1 overweening1 which we call presumption2 the fourth1 over-boldness1 which we call ambition2 the fifth1 vainglory2 the sixth1 hypocrisy2 the seventh1 wicked dread4 ,to these seven divisions belong all the sins that are born of pride4 ,but each of these seven boughs has many small twigs4 ,the first bough of pride1 which is untruth1 divides itself into three little boughs1 whereof the first is bad1 the second worse1 the third worst of all4 ,the one is crime1 the second madness1 the third apostasy4 ,crime generally is in every sin1 for no sin is without crime1 and so begin all sins by crime4 ,but the crime that we speak of here specially1 which comes of pride1 is a kind of untruth1 is a vice1 that is called in book-lore ingratitude2 that is1 forgetfulness of ,god and of ,his gifts1 that one thanks ,him not as one should do1 nor yields ,him thanks for ,his gifts that ,he hath given us4 ,forsooth1 he is indeed a villain and untrue towards his ,lord1 who hath done him all good1 and he does not thank ,him1 but forgets1 and yields ,him evil for good1 and villainy for courtesy4 ,the same villainy doth man to ,god when he bethinks him not of the gifts that ,god hath given him1 and gives him always1 and thanks ,him not1 but rather often opposes ,him in that which he uses wickedly and against ,god's will4 ,that is very great villainy1 as it appears to me1 that he 7should7 receive great goodness and not deign to say great thanks4 ,and yet it is greater when one forsakes ,him1 or when one forgets ,him4 ,but the same is too great1 when each day he receives the goodnesses1 and each day yields evil for good4 ,he then that thinks well1 and often considers the gifts which ,god hath given him1 and gives always1 and that he has no good thing which ,god has not given him1 neither gifts of nature1 as fairness and health and strength of body1 and sleight and natural wit as regards the soul2 nor gifts of chance1 as riches1 honour1 and nobility2 nor gifts of grace1 as are virtues and good works1 well should he thank ,god for all ,his good things2 for one goodness demands another4 ,the second untruth that comes of pride is madness4 ,one holds a man mad who is out of his wits1 in whom reason is gone astray4 ,then the same grows right foolish and gone astray and well called mad1 that wittingly and boldly the goods1 that are not his but his ,lord's goods--whereof it behoves him strictly to yield reckoning and account1 to wit1 the goods of such great price and the temporal goods that he hath in custody1 the virtues of the body1 and the thoughts1 and the consents1 and the wills of the souls--wastes and spends in follies and in excesses before the eyes of his ,lord1 and provides not for his reckoning and knows well that it behoves him to reckon1 and knows not when1 neither the day nor the hour4 ,such folly is well called witlessness4 ,of such vices the great proud men are full1 that use wickedly the great goods that ,god has lent them4 ,the third untruth that comes of pride is apostasy4 ,he is indeed an apostate that puts the land that he holds of his ,lord into the hand of the enemy1 and does him homage4 ,such sin makes him who sins mortal1 for then1 as much as in him lies1 he does homage to the devil1 and becomes his thrall1 and yields him all that he holds of ,god1 both body and soul and other good things1 which he places at the service of the devil4 ,and although he be by his saying a ,christian1 he denies by deed and shows that he is not4 ,but especially in three ways1 is a man called an apostate and false ,christian1 either because he believes not what he should1 as does the ,bulgar1 and the heretic1 and the apostate1 who deny their belief2 or because he sins against the belief that he believes1 as do the perjured and the liars of the belief2 or believes more than he should1 as do the diviners and the witches and the sorceresses1 who work by the devil's power4 ,and all those that in such things believe and put their trust1 sin deadly4 ,for all such things are against the belief1 and therefore holy ,church forbids them4 ,these are the kinds of untruth1 which is the first bough of pride4 ,,the ,,second ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the second bough that comes out of the stock of pride 7so7 is contempt 7despite71 which is a very great sin4 ,and though it be so1 that no deadly sin is without contempt of ,god1 always by that which we here specially call contempt1 by this sin one may sin in three ways3 either because one praises not others aright in heart as one should1 or because one shows not honour and reverence where one should1 or because one obeys not aright them that one should rightfully obey4 ,now1 think right well in thy heart how often thou hast done the same sin that thou hast in thy heart1 despisest those that are more worthy than thou because of some external graces that ,god hath given thee1 either because of nobility1 or prowess1 or riches1 or wisdom1 or fairness1 or other gifts1 whatever they may be2 wherefore thou praisest thyself more than thou shouldst1 and others less4 ,afterwards1 think how many times thou hast shown little honour and reverence to whom thou shouldst 7have shown them72 first to ,god1 and to ,his mother1 and to ,his saints1 and to the angels of heaven4 ,for there is none against whom thou hast not sinned in contempt 7despite71 or by the contempt that thou hast oftentimes evilly and badly kept their feasts4 ,after that1 think how many times thou hast misserved our ,lord ,jesu ,christ1 either in this1 that thou hast not joyfully heard ,his service1 nor said ,his prayers1 nor heard sermons2 and when thou shouldst hear ,his mass or ,his sermon at church1 thou chatteredst and jestedst before ,god1 and in that thou showedst ,him little honour4 ,afterwards 7think7 how thou hast many times shown little honour to the body of ,jesu ,christ when thou sawest it or when thou receivedst it1 in that thou wast not worthily prepared by shrift and by repenting1 or perchance1 what is worse1 that thou wittingly receivest in deadly sin1 which is great contempt 7despite74 ,afterwards1 to thy sweet fellow1 and to thy good guardian1 thine angel1 who always guards thee3 how many shames thou hast done him1 in that thou didst thy sins before him4 ,afterwards1 think how many times thou hast been disobedient to thy father and to thy mother1 and to those to whom thou shouldst be obedient and show honour4 ,if thou wilt in this manner call to mind thy life1 thou shalt see that thou hast sinned more times in such kind of pride as is called contempt 7despite7 than 7that not7 thou canst reckon4 ,,the ,,third ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the third bough of pride is arrogance1 which one calls overweening or presumption1 when the man thinks more of himself than he should2 that is to say1 that thinks he is worth more than he is1 or that he can do more than he can1 or that he knows more than he does1 or thinks that he is worth more1 or more able1 or more knowing than any other4 ,this sin is the strength of the devil1 for it protects and nourishes all the great spiritual sins4 ,this sin shows itself in many ways1 either by deed or by speech1 but especially in six ways2 to wit1 in singularity1 for the proud and the presumptuous thinks that he is more worthy and knows more than any others1 and deigns not to do as others that are more worthy than he is1 but rather will be singular in his deeds4 ,that is the first sin by which overweening is 7shown7 in deed4 ,the second is foolish undertaking of great expense1 which one calls prodigality1 when he doth too much spending1 either of his own or of other men's1 in order to be praised1 and therefore that one should hold him 7to be7 the more liberal and the more courteous4 ,the third evil that comes of overweening is foolish undertaking of false strife1 as ,solomon says2 that is to say1 whoever takes a false strife in hand1 and knows well that it is false1 and follows it4 ,the fourth twig of the same bough1 whereby the proud shows the pride of his heart1 is boasting1 which is a very foul sin both to ,god and to the world4 ,the boaster is the cuckoo1 which cannot sing1 but of himself4 ,this sin is found 7bound7 in him who by his own mouth boasts1 either of his wit1 or of his kin1 or of his works1 or of his prowess4 ,but it 7the sin7 doubles itself in those whom the boaster and the liar seeks1 and counsels1 and gives them of his own1 for them to praise and to say of him 7them7 what he 7they7 dare not say1 and to lie concerning him 7them71 and to boast his 7their7 nobility4 ,the fifth offshoot of the same stock is scorn4 ,for that is the wont of the proud overweener1 that it is not enough for him to despise in his heart the others that have not the graces that he thinks he has1 but makes his mockings and his scorns1 and1 what is worse1 mocks and scorns the good men1 and 7of7 those that he sees turn to good1 which is very great sin and very dreadful4 ,but by their evil tongues they turn aside much folk from doing well4 ,the sixth offshoot of the same bough is withstanding4 ,that is when the man withstands all them that would do him good4 ,for the proud overweener1 if one reproves him1 he excuses himself1 if one chastens him he is wroth1 if one advises him well he believes none but his own wit4 ,it is a perilous sickness when one cannot endure that one may teach him1 and to whom all medicines turn into venom4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the fourth bough of pride is foolish desire1 which one calls in book-learning ambition2 that is1 an evil desire to climb high4 ,this sin is the devil's pan of hell1 wherein he makes his fryings4 ,this bough spreads in many ways right and left4 ,for he that desires to climb high1 7to7 some he will please1 and therefrom grow many sins1 as on the right hand to wit1 deceit1 simulation1 giving foolishly1 in order that one shall esteem him courteous and liberal4 7,to7 others he will harm1 and therefrom comes the sin on the left side1 as to slander them whom he will harm in order to exalt himself1 and raises up blame for him and desires the death of that 7man71 who holds what he weens to come into1 and frauds1 and evil counsel1 conspiracies1 strife1 and many other sins1 that grow out of this evil bough4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the fifth bough of pride is idle bliss2 that is1 foolish liking of foolish praise1 when he feels in his heart knowingly that he is1 or weens to be1 praised for something that he has in him1 or weens to have1 and will be praised therefore1 for which he should praise ,god4 ,and therefore idle bliss robs ,god1 and steals what is ,his4 ,for of all our goods ,he shall have the honour and the praise1 and we the gain4 ,idle bliss is the great wind that throws down the great towers and the high steeples1 and throws to the ground the great beeches in woods1 and makes the great hills to quake1 which are the high men and 7those7 that are most worthy4 ,that is the devil's penny1 wherewith he buys all the fair pennyworths in the market of this world1 which are the good works4 ,and because there are three kinds of goods that man hath of ,god1 and that the devil wall buy with his pence1 therefore this bough divides into three kinds of small boughs1 whereof grows every kind of sin1 which no clerk can tell4 ,the same three kinds of goods that one has of ,god are the gifts of nature1 the gifts of hap1 the gifts of grace4 ,the natural gifts are those that one calls #8by nature1' either as to the body or as to the soul2 as regards the body1 as health1 fairness1 strength1 prowess1 nobility1 good tongue1 good speech2 as regards the soul1 as clear wit to understand well1 and subtle wit to devise well1 good memory to retain well1 and the virtues of nature1 whereby one is more natural than another1 or more liberal1 or meeker1 or more gracious1 or contented and well ordered4 ,for all these gifts one shall thank and serve ,god1 because they all come from ,him4 ,nevertheless the proud sells them to the devil for the false penny of idle bliss1 and often wars against ,god for all ,his gifts1 for which he should thank ,god4 ,and whoever takes good heed may see that in all these gifts of nature that ,i have briefly told1 it is sin by idle bliss in too many ways1 which each may better see in himself1 if he will study well1 than others can tell him4 ,the gifts of hap are exalted stations1 riches1 delights1 and prosperities1 whereof one thinks in many ways4 ,for when the lady of hap has turned her wheel to the man1 and raised and set 7him7 to the height of her wheel1 like the mill to the wind1 and 7he has7 climbed high there1 there blow all the twelve winds of idle bliss4 ,for when he that is arisen so high in prosperity thinks in his heart first of the dignity1 afterwards of his prosperity1 after that of his riches1 afterwards of his lusts that his body has1 after that of the great fellowship that follows him1 afterwards of the fair company that serves him1 after that of his fair manner1 afterwards of his fair ridings1 afterwards of the plenty of fair robes1 after that of the adorning of his house with lustful ease and other kinds of equipment1 7so7 that so much is fair and noble1 afterwards of the great presents and of the great feasts that one makes him everywhere1 after that of his good fame1 and of his praises1 that fly everywhere4 ,thus the wretch rejoices and glories in his heart1 so that he knows not where he is4 ,these are the gifts that come of idle bliss1 7that is7 to wit1 twelve kinds of temptation of idle bliss1 which those in high estate have1 either in the world or in religion1 either cleric or layman4 ,the gifts of grace are virtues and good works4 ,and against these gifts idle bliss often blows the more strongly1 and often fells the great trees and the highest1 which are the best men4 ,and thou shalt know that in virtues and in good works the devil tempts by idle bliss in three ways4 ,the one is within in the heart1 when one hears of the good things that one does privily1 as of prayers or of privy works1 and the man thinks that he is better with ,god than he is4 ,the second is when he has a foolish bliss in him because he hears or sees of his good renown1 and that he is praised and holden for a good man4 ,the third is when he desires and seeks and obtains fame and renown1 and in such understanding doth his good deeds1 not for ,god properly1 but for the world4 ,,the ,,sixth ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the sixth bough of pride is hypocrisy1 which is a sin that makes one show the good without that is not within4 ,those1 then1 are hypocrites who pretend to be good men and are not1 who pretend to have more strength than name of good man1 than truth and holiness4 ,and this 7bough7 divides 7herself7 in three4 ,for there is an hypocrisy foul1 and another foolish1 and the third subtle4 ,those are foul hypocrites who do their foul deeds in corners and show themselves good before the people4 ,such our ,lord calls painted and gilded sepulchres4 ,those are foolish hypocrites who keep themselves cleanly enough as regards the body1 and do many and good penances principally for the fame of the world1 because one holds them to be good men4 ,those are indeed fools1 for of good metal they make false money4 ,those are subtle hypocrites who subtlely will climb up and steal the dignities and the kingdoms4 ,they do all that a good man shall do1 so that no man can know them until 7then that7 they are full grown and climbed high in dignities4 ,and then show they the evils that were hidden and rooted in the heart1 to wit1 pride1 avarice1 malice1 and other evil deeds1 whereby one knows openly that the tree never was good1 and that it was all deceit and hypocrisy1 all that he had before showed4 ,therefore it is truly said3 #8,thou shalt never know what man is1 until he is where he wishes to be4' ,,the ,,seventh ,,bough ,,of ,,pride4 ,the seventh bough of pride is foolish dread and foolish shame1 when one ceases to do well because of the world1 that one be not held a hypocrite or a canter1 where one dreads the world more than ,god4 ,the same shame comes of sinful pleasing1 by which one wishes to please the sinful4 ,and therefore chiefly is she daughter of pride and the seventh bough1 and often makes 7men7 cease to do the good and do the evil1 in order sinfully to please the world4 ,,the ,,second ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,beast ,,of ,,hell4 ,the second head of the wicked beast is envy1 which is the adder that poisons all4 ,envy is mother to death1 for by the envy of the devil came death into the world2 it is the sin which most immediately makes man like the devil his father4 ,for the devil hates not but others' good1 and loves not but others' harm1 and so does the envious4 ,the envious man cannot see the good of others1 any more than the owl or the bat 7can see7 the brightness of the sun4 ,the same sin divides chiefly into three boughs4 ,for the same sin envenoms first of all the heart of the envious1 and afterwards the mouth1 and afterwards the works4 ,the heart of the envious is envenomed and goes astray1 so that he cannot see other men's good without repenting within his heart and judging evilly1 and what he sees or what he hears takes it in a bad sense1 and of all makes 7his7 harm1 so much 7so7 that to the heart of the envious come venomous thoughts of false judgment1 that one cannot tell 7them74 ,afterwards1 when the envious hears or sees other men's ill1 whatever it be1 either ill of body1 as death or sickness1 or ill of chance 7hap71 as poverty or adversity1 or spiritual ill1 as when he hears that some1 that one held good men1 are blamed for some vice4 ,at such things he rejoices in his heart4 ,afterwards1 when he sees or hears the good of others1 be it good of nature1 or good of hap1 or good of grace1 whereof we have spoken above1 then there comes a sorrow to his heart1 so that he cannot be at rest1 nor make gladness1 nor fair pretence4 ,now1 thou canst see that the venomous heart of the envious sins generally in three ways3 in false judgments1 in wicked gladness1 in worse sorrows2 he sins also by the mouth4 ,for it behoves that such wine as there is in the tun should run by the tap4 ,and because the heart was full of venom1 it behoves that it leap out by the mouth4 ,then from the mouth of the envious come out three kinds of venomous words1 whereof ,david speaks in the ,psalter1 #8,the mouth of the envious is full of cursing1 and of bitterness1 and of treason4' ,of cursing1 for the goods of others he defames1 and depreciates them as much as he can4 ,of bitterness1 for the ills of others he exaggerates and increases according to his might4 ,of treason1 for all that he sees or hears1 he turns it to ill and judges it falsely4 ,afterwards1 the envious has three kinds of venom indeed1 as he hath in mouth and in heart2 for the nature of the envious is to withdraw and destroy all good by his might1 be it little1 be it less1 be it perfected4 ,he is then of the nature of the basilisk1 for no greenness can last before him1 either in grass1 or in bush1 or in tree4 ,then1 according to the ,gospel1 corn has three states1 for it is first as in grass1 afterwards in the ear1 afterwards is full of fruit and quite ripe4 ,and so there are some that have a good beginning1 in order to live well and to profit1 and are as in grass2 the same the envious takes pains to quench if he can4 ,others are as in the ear1 which flowers well in goodness and by it is profitable to ,god or to the world2 and the envious rebels in order to confound and to destroy those by his might4 ,the others are perfect and in great state1 and do much good to ,god and to the world4 ,their good fame to abate and their goodness to depreciate the envious prepares all his devices4 ,for the greater that the goodness is1 the more the envious sorrows4 ,this sin is so perilous1 that one can scarcely come to right repentance1 because it 7she7 is contrary to the ,holy ,ghost1 who is the well of all good4 ,and ,god says in ,his ,gospel1 that whoever sins against the ,holy ,ghost 7he7 shall never have mercy in this world nor in the other1 for he sins of his own wickedness1 and one must in that wholly understand 7it so74 ,for there is no sin so great that ,god does not forgive in this world1 if man repents and prays for mercy for the sin1 that wars by its might against the grace of the ,holy ,ghost1 in that it wars against other men's spiritual good1 as the ,jews opposed ,jesu ,christ for the good things that ,he did4 ,,the ,,sins ,,against ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,and thou shalt know that there are six sins that are specially against the ,holy ,ghost2 to wit1 overweening1 which makes the mercy of our ,lord spread too much1 and praises ,his righteousness little1 and therefore many people sin in hope4 ,the second is despair1 which robs ,god of ,his mercy1 as overweening 7does7 of ,his righteousness4 ,the third is withstanding1 that is1 hardness of heart1 when man is hardened in his wickedness1 so that one cannot turn him1 and he will not amend4 ,the fourth is contempt of penance2 that is1 when man ordains in his heart that he shall not repent of his sin4 ,the fifth is to oppose the grace of the ,holy ,ghost in others4 ,the sixth is to oppose truth wittingly1 and especially the truth of the ,christian belief4 ,all these sins are against the goodness of the ,holy ,ghost1 and are so great that 7they7 hardly come to right repentance1 and therefore hardly are they forgiven4 ,,the ,,third ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,evil ,,beast4 ,the third head of the beast is hate4 ,but thou shalt know that there is one hate1 which is virtue1 which the good man hath against evil2 another1 which is very great sin1 that is fierceness of heart1 wherefrom come many boughs1 and chiefly four1 7which7 are the four wars that the felon hath4 ,the first is with himself1 for when man bears 7him7 hate to the torment 7read of7 soul and body1 so that man cannot sleep nor have any rest1 sometimes it deprives him of meat and drink and makes him fall into a fever1 or into such sorrow that he receives death4 ,that is a fire that wastes all the goods of the house4 ,the second war that the felon hath is with ,god4 ,for wrath and felony so support and seize sometimes the heart of the fierce one1 because of some temporal adversity1 or sickness1 or death of friends1 or some misfortune1 when his will is not done1 that he murmurs against our ,lord1 and thanks ,god ill and ,his saints1 and swears and blasphemes against ,god and ,his saints4 ,the third war that the wrathful hath is with those that are under him1 that is1 with his wife and with his household2 for the man is sometimes so out of his wits that he beats and smites both wife and children and household1 and breaks pots and cups as if he were out of his wits2 and so he is4 ,the fourth is war outside with his neighbours and with his nearest1 that are all about him4 ,and from this bough grow seven small boughs4 ,for when wrath arises between two men there is first chiding1 and then wrath that remains in the heart1 afterwards wrath1 afterwards strife often comes1 afterwards desire of vengeance1 afterwards sometimes manslaughter1 and afterwards sometimes deadly war between the friends1 whereof often comes too much evil1 and perils that cannot be amended4 ,for when there is war between two men1 it often befalls that there are many people dead who have no guilt1 churches broken down1 towns burnt up1 abbeys1 priories1 barns destroyed1 and men and women and children disinherited and exiled1 and lands destroyed1 and too much other harm1 which is done by reason of those who are bound to amend what this brings1 both the lord and all those that are helping him 7them71 and 7concerned7 in such a business1 and therefore they are in great peril of their health of soul1 for they may not be able to amend or give up the harm that they have done1 and it behoves them to give it up or to be hanged4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,evil ,,beast ,,of ,,hell4 ,the fourth head of the wicked beast is sloth1 that is1 idleness and disinclination to do well4 ,this sin is too evil a root1 that casts many evil boughs4 ,this idleness1 which is sloth1 makes a man have evil beginning1 and more evil amending1 and worse ending4 ,evil beginning has the slothful through six sins4 ,the first is thinness1 when the man loves our ,lord little and lukewarmly1 whom he should love ardently1 and therefrom it comes that he is feeble and lukewarm to do all good things4 ,the second is timidity1 that is1 disinclination of heart1 which is the devil's bed1 wherein he rests himself1 and says to the man and to the woman3 #8,thou hast been too softly drawn forth1 thou art too feeble in constitution1 thou canst not do the great penances1 thou art too tender1 thou wouldst very soon be dead2' and therefore the wretch lets himself fall to do the lusts of his flesh4 ,the third is idleness1 which is a sin that causes much evil1 as says the ,scripture4 ,for when the devil finds the man idle he puts him to work1 and causes him first to think evil1 and afterwards to desire villainies1 ribaldries1 lecheries1 and to lose his time and many good things that he might do1 whereby he might win paradise4 ,the fourth is heaviness1 when the man is so heavy that he loveth not but to lie and rest and sleep3 sometimes they are necessarily so long 7enough7 awake1 that they had rather lose four masses than a sweat or a sleep4 ,the fifth is wickedness1 that is when the man lies in sin1 and feels the temptations of the devil and of his flesh that assail him1 and through downright wickedness will not raise the head to ,god in sorrow1 nor cry #8,harou6' 7,norman cry for assistance7 in shrift1 nor raise the hands in satisfaction 7amends74 ,the same is like the wretch that would rather rot in a foul and stinking prison than have the torment of steps to climb for his outgoing4 ,the sixth is little will 7inertness74 ,in this sin are those that have dread for naught1 that dare not begin to do well because they have dread that ,god will fail them1 which is the dread of the dreamers who have dread of their dreams4 ,they are like him that dare not go in the path because of the snail which shows him his horns1 and like the child that dare not go his way because of the goose that blows4 ,these are the six vices that rob the man of good beginning4 ,because of six other vices the slothful cannot have good beginning or amendment4 ,they are the bad habits of an evil servant1 who causes that no good man shall receive him 7them7 into his service when he is so slothful1 untrue1 careless1 forgetful1 slack1 and failing4 ,the first vice is untruth4 ,for when ,god sets in the heart of man goodwill to do well1 then comes the devil and says to him3 #8,thou shalt easily recover it2 thou art young and strong2 thou shalt live long1' and so the devil makes him to cease from doing well4 ,afterwards comes sloth2 for he that does well and does it delayingly1 it is no wonder if he does it slothfully4 ,that is a vice whereby all the world is besmutted1 7as7 whoever takes good heed may see4 ,for few folk there are that are diligent in what they are bound to do as regards ,god and their neighbour4 ,after sloth is forgetting4 ,for whoever is slothful often forgets4 ,because of these two sins of forgetting it often befalls that he cannot be shriven2 he forgets his shortcomings and his sins1 which is great peril4 ,for none can have forgiveness without true shrift1 which produces repentance of heart1 confession of mouth1 obedience in deed2 that is1 amending and reparation4 ,there is no man so good that1 if he saw well his own shortcomings1 would not find enough to say each day in his shrift4 ,but sloth and forgetting make the sinners blind1 so that they see not in the book of their conscience4 ,,the ,,peril ,,of ,,slackness4 ,afterwards comes slackness1 which comes of want of heart1 and of evil habit1 which so binds the man that with difficulty he gives himself to well-doing4 ,sometimes it comes of ignorance and of foolish heat1 whereby the man so starves his heart and his body by fasts and by vigils and by other deeds1 that he falls into feebleness and into such sickness that he cannot labour in ,god's service1 and perishes in the slackness because he has neither taste nor devotion for well-doing4 ,afterwards comes weariness1 which makes the man become weary and worse from day to day1 until he is quite defeated and overcome with weariness4 ,and this is the sixth vice of the evil servant1 that he fails ere he come to the end or to his term1 and one can say1 whoever serves and serves not fully1 he loses his reward4 ,,the ,,six ,,points ,,of ,,sloth ,,that ,,bring ,,man ,,to ,,his ,,end4 ,and yet again there are six evil points whereby sloth brings man to his end4 ,the first is disobedience1 when the man will not do what one tells him in penance2 or 7when7 one commands him something that seems to him hard1 he excuses himself that he cannot do it2 or if he receives it1 he does it either little or naught4 ,the second point is impatience2 for as he can bear nothing in the way of obedience1 he cannot endure in the way of patience1 so that none dare speak to him of his good4 ,the third is murmuring1 for when one speaks to him for his good1 he is angry and murmurs1 and thinks that one despises him1 and therefrom he falls into sorrow1 which is the fourth vice4 ,and the same sorrow overcomes him so much that all that one says to him1 all that one does to him1 all that he hears1 all that he sees1 it all annoys him1 and so he falls into sorrow and into disinclination to live1 so that he himself hastens and desires his death2 and this is the fifth vice4 ,after all these sorrowful points of sloth the devil gives him the deadly stroke1 and brings him to despair4 ,therefore1 he compasses his death and slays himself1 as desperate and gives himself to all evils1 and dreads not to do sin1 whatever it be4 ,to such an end sloth leads the man4 ,these are eighteen points that the devil throws upon the slothful2 it is no wonder though he lose the game4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,beast4 ,the fifth head of the beast before mentioned is the sin of avarice and of covetousness1 which is the root of all evil1 as says ,st4 ,paul4 ,that is the mistress who has so large a school that all go therein to learn1 as says the ,scripture4 ,for all manner of folk study in avarice1 both great and small3 kings1 prelates1 clerks1 both lay and religious4 ,avarice is inordinate love1 so inordinate it shows itself in three ways generally1 in winning boldly1 in withholding straitly1 in spending niggardly4 ,these are the three principal boughs which grow from this root4 ,but specially and properly from the root of avarice go out many small roots1 which are very great1 deadly sins4 ,the first is usury1 the second theft1 the third robbery1 the fourth false claim1 the fifth sacrilege1 the sixth simony1 the seventh wickedness1 the eighth is in chaffer1 the ninth is wicked craft1 the tenth is in evil folk1 and each of these small roots divides in many ways4 ,then the first root1 which is usury1 divides into seven outcastings4 ,for there are seven kinds of usurers3 lending1 who lend silver for others1 and1 above the principal1 take the profits1 either in pence1 or in horses1 or in corn1 or in wine1 or in fruit of the ground1 which they take in mortgage1 without reckoning the fruit in payment1 and what is worse1 they will reckon twice or thrice 7in7 the year in order to make the usury increase1 and will yet have gifts over and above for each term1 and often make of the usury a principal debt4 ,these are usurers evil and foul4 ,but there is another lender1 courteous1 who lends without bargain-making1 always for profit1 either in pence1 or in horses1 or in cups of gold or of silver1 or robes1 or tuns with wine1 or in fat swine1 material services of horses1 of carts1 or food1 to them or to their children1 or in other things1 and everywhere for usury1 when one takes it by reason of the loan4 ,the second kind of usury is in those that lend not to their parson1 but what their fathers and the fathers of their wives or their elders have obtained by usury they withhold1 and will not give it up4 ,the third kind of usury is in them that have shame to lend with their own hand2 but they cause their servants or other men to lend of their pence4 ,these are the master usurers4 ,of the same sin the great men are not quit1 who support and sustain ,jews and the ,saracens1 who lend and destroy the country1 and they take payments and great gifts1 and sometimes the ransoms that are for the goods of the poor4 ,the fourth kind is in them that lend of other men's silver1 or take in pledge at little cost in order to lend at greater cost4 ,these are like usurers that learn such foul craft4 ,the fifth kind is in unfair dealing3 when one sells the thing1 whatever it be1 for more than it is worth at the time1 and what is worse1 the dishonest time-setter1 when he sees the folk most necessitous1 then will he sell twice as dear as the thing is worth4 ,such folk do too much evil4 ,by means of their time-setting they destroy and make beggars the knights and the nobles that follow the tournaments1 who assign their lands and their heritage in pledge of mortgage1 which is not paid4 ,another sins in buying things1 as corn or wine or other thing7s for7 less by half than it is worth1 for the pence which he pays at first1 and then sells it them again twice or thrice as dear4 ,another buys things when they are worth least 7and7 very abundant 7or a great bargain71 corn in harvest1 wine in vintage 7vendage in ,glossary71 or wares1 in order to sell again1 7and keeps them7 until they are most dear1 and desires the dear time in order to sell the dearer4 ,another 7buys7 corn in grass1 vines in bloom1 when they are of fair appearance1 by such a bargain that they may have1 whatever chance befall1 their property safe4 ,the sixth kind is of those that take their pence to merchants1 so that they may be partakers in the winning and not in the loss1 or who entrust their beasts1 as many as half1 7to them17 so that they may be of high price2 that is to say1 that if they die in the meantime they have to put others in their stead worth as much4 ,the seventh kind is in those that do this to their poor neighbours in their needs--7and7 because they have lent them a little silver or corn1 or done some kindness1 7and7 when they see them poor and needy1 then make they a bargain with them to do their jobs1 and the pence that they delivered before to the poor man1 or lent him a little corn1 they have three pennyworths of work for one penny4 ,,the ,,second ,,bough ,,of ,,covetousness4 ,the second bough of avarice is theft2 that is1 to take or withhold other men's things wrongfully1 and without the knowledge and will of the owner4 ,and that one may do in four ways after the manner of thieves4 ,for there is a thief open and a thief hidden1 a thief privy and a fellow-thief4 ,the thief common and open are those that by such craft live1 on whom one does judgment when one takes them4 ,of such there are many kinds on land and on sea4 ,the hidden thief is he that steals in corners and secretly1 great things or little by 7their7 fighting1 or by treason1 or by cunning4 ,the privy thieves are those that steal not of strangers1 but of private persons4 ,and of such there are of great and of small4 ,the great are the sinful and dishonest reeves1 provosts1 beadles and constables1 that steal the fines and withhold the revenue of their lords1 and reckon more in deeds and in expenditure1 and less in receipts and in revenue4 ,such are the great officials that are in the house of rich men1 that make great outlays1 and give liberally the goods of their lords without their knowledge and without their will4 ,to this sin belong the sins of the wife1 that does so much by her sin that the children1 that she knows well that she has by adultery1 bear away the legitimacy4 ,such is the sin of the wife that steals the goods of her lord in order to give to her kin1 or to put to sinful use2 and of them of religion that are owners1 for they promise to live without possession4 ,the others are the little thieves1 that steal in the house bread1 wine and other things1 whatever they may be2 or of their neighbours1 their capons1 hens1 fruit of their gardens1 or other things1 whatever it may be4 ,such are those that withhold the things that they find1 and know well whose they are1 and will not give them up4 ,for if thou findest and restorest not1 thou stealest it4 ,and though they know not whose they are1 they shall not therefore withhold it1 but they shall act by the advice of holy ,church or that of their father confessors4 ,the thieves in fellowship are those that share in the theft1 either because of partnership1 or by gift1 or by buying1 or in other ways2 afterwards those that consent1 or advise1 or command to do it4 ,and those that excuse the thieves1 or support them in their wickedness1 or receive them into their house1 or into his land1 with their theft2 afterwards the wicked judges that suffer them1 either through gifts1 or through entreaties1 or for other evil cause1 and will not1 or dare not1 do right4 ,,the ,,third ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the third bough of avarice is robbery1 which hath many small roots4 ,the first is in evil executors of bequests4 ,the second is in evil lords1 be he knight or other1 that fleece the poor men that they should protect1 by tolls1 by duties on corn and cattle 7read coruees71 by loans1 by evil customs1 by lines1 by threatenings1 or by other customs that they seek or bethink how they may have of theirs4 ,in this sin are the great princes or barons that by their power take cities1 castles1 lands1 baronies1 and the other rich men that rob their poor neighbours by force of lands1 vines1 or other things1 and take on the right hand and on the left1 so that nothing can escape them4 ,the third is in robbers and evil innkeepers1 that rob the pilgrims and the merchants and other wayfaring men4 ,the fourth is in them that will not pay what they must1 and that withhold wrongfully the wages of their servants1 or of them that attend to their needs4 ,the fifth is in these great prelates1 that deprive and rob their underlings by too much procuring1 or by some unlawful exactions1 which they make in too many ways4 ,those are the wolves that devour the sheep4 ,the sixth is in such reeves1 provosts1 beadles1 or official men1 whatever they may be1 as commit great robberies and wrongs upon the poor1 and buy great heritages4 ,there are so many other kinds of robberies1 which it would be a long business to tell1 but some are continued above that that is 7here7 related4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the fourth bough of avarice is false claiming2 that is1 running upon others wrongfully3 to this sin belong all the fraud1 all falsehoods1 and all guile7s7 that come in pleading4 ,in this learning ,dame ,avarice has many scholars1 both of clerks and of laymen1 and especially seven kinds of folk that all study thus4 ,the first is the false plaintiffs1 that make false pleas1 and seek false judges1 and long time1 and false witnesses1 false advocates1 false letters1 in order to grieve others and oppress the people wrongfully1 either in a ,christian court or in a secular court4 ,the second are the false fugitives that flee and do not what is right1 and seek exceptions and respites1 in order to deprive others of their own4 ,the third is the false witnesses2 these make the false marriages2 these steal the heritages1 7and7 thus do so much evil and harm as none can amend2 and all this they do through their great covetousness4 ,the fourth is the false pleaders1 that receive and sustain wittingly false causes1 and plead them for hire and for gifts1 which they take on the right hand and on the left1 and often lose good suits by their sin1 or because of ignorance or through sloth turn aside the rights and do all the wrongs on account of their covetousness1 as those that are masters of guile and of dispute and of false accusation4 ,the fifth is the false notaries that make false letters and forge the seals1 make wicked libels and too many other falsehoods4 ,the next is the false judges1 that incline more to one side than another through gifts or through promises or through entreaties1 or for love or for anger or for dread1 and unbind suits wrongfully2 and have great costs made1 and take great gifts1 sometimes from the one1 sometimes from the other1 sometimes from both1 and sell their judgments1 or let them come to nothing2 and do poor men great harm1 which they cannot amend4 ,the last are the evil assessors1 that give evil advice to the judges1 and cause suits to be lost on account of the services that they give4 ,all the persons before mentioned are bound to give up what they have had wrongfully of others1 and the harm that others have had by them4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the fifth bough of avarice is sacrilege4 ,sacrilege is when one breaks or injures1 or takes away foully1 the holy things1 or the men of holy ,church1 or the hallowed places that are appropriated to ,god's service1 and that often cause covetousness in many ways4 ,first1 when one takes away foully the body of our ,lord1 as do the heretics and the witches and the wicked priests1 in order to make gain4 ,also ,i speak of the other sacraments4 ,afterwards1 when one breaks1 or steals1 or takes away foully1 the hallowed things1 the crosses1 the chalices1 the chrism1 the fine linen1 the consecrated vestments1 and other consecrated things4 ,afterwards1 when one burns or breaks churches1 or holy places1 church-towns1 or religious houses1 or when one takes those out that flee to holy ,church1 or into church-towns1 in order to be protected4 ,afterwards1 when one makes quarrels in church so that there is blood shed1 or when one commits sin of lechery4 ,afterwards when one lays hands wickedly on clerk1 or on man or on woman of religion4 ,afterwards1 when one steals1 or carries out of the holy place for an evil cause consecrated things or unconsecrated1 whatever it may be4 ,of these sins those are not quit that spend the goods of holy ,church1 the patrimony of ,jesu ,christ1 for an evil purpose1 nor those any the more that steal1 or withhold by wrong or by force1 or hide the things that are appropriated to holy ,church1 or pay them badly1 as the rents1 the offerings1 the tithes1 and the other rights of holy ,church4 ,of this same sin those are not quit that break ,sundays1 and the feasts that are to be observed4 ,for the holy day has its freedom1 as have the holy places4 ,these are the small boughs that grow from the bough of sacrilege4 ,,the ,,sixth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the sixth bough of avarice is simony1 which is so named because of a wizard1 that was called ,simon1 who wished to buy of ,st4 ,peter the ,apostle the grace to do miracles1 and offered great wealth1 and therefore all those are called ,simoniacs1 that will sell or buy spiritual things1 which is1 among all the deadly sins1 one of the greatest4 ,and this bough has many twigs4 ,the first is in them that sell or buy the holy orders1 or the body of our ,lord1 or the other sacraments of holy ,church4 ,the second is in them that sell ,god's ,word1 and preach principally for pence4 ,the third is in them that by gifts1 or by promises1 or by entreaties dreadful or carnal1 prevail so far that they or others are chosen to dignities of holy ,church1 such as bishoprics1 abbeys1 or deaneries1 or other dignities that one fills by election4 ,the fourth is in them that through gifts1 or through promises1 or through terrible entreaties1 or through unclean service1 give the prebends and the parishes1 or other benefices of holy ,church4 ,the fifth is in them that by bargain-making let or change their benefices4 ,the sixth is in them that by bargain-making go into religion1 and in them that in such manner receive them4 ,many other sins there are1 and of divers cases1 in simony4 ,but they belong more to clerks than to laymen4 ,and this book is made more for laymen than for clerks who have books4 ,but always it is necessary for laymen that they should keep themselves from this sin in three cases4 ,one is when they will help their kin or their friends to rise in dignities of holy ,church4 ,the second when they give prebends or benefices that are in their gift4 ,the third when they yield their children to religion4 ,in these three points1 if they give or receive gifts or evil entreaties or evil services1 they might soon fall into this sin of simony4 ,for1 as say the holy writings1 there are three kinds of gifts that make simony3 gift of land1 gift of mouth1 as entreaties1 gift of uncleanly service4 ,i call uncleanly when the services are done for an uncleanly cause1 or principally for a spiritual matter4 ,,the ,,seventh ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the seventh bough of avarice is wickedness4 ,i call wickedness1 when the man is so wicked and such a devil1 that he dreads not to do a great sin1 deadly and horrible1 or great harm to others1 for a little gain or for advantage to himself4 ,this bough has many twigs4 ,the first is when any for dread of poverty or for covetousness1 in order to make gain1 forsakes 7denies7 ,god and the ,christian belief1 and becomes a ,bulgar1 or ,jew1 or ,saracen4 ,to this sin belongs the sin of them that for pence have the devil summoned1 and make enchantments1 and cause to look into a sword or into the nail of the thumb1 in order to overtake thieves or for other things4 ,and of them also that cause or obtain by charms or by witchcraft or by evil1 whatever it be1 that folk that are in wedlock together hate one another1 or cannot have fellowship the one with the other in wedlock2 or that folk1 that are not in wedlock1 love one another foolishly and in sin4 ,the second is the sin of grudging and of treason 7fraud71 when the man for gain or for reward doth thing7s7 whereby they lead others to death1 either by sword1 or by poison1 or in other way1 whatever it may be4 ,the third is the sin of them that for gain burn houses1 towns1 castles1 cities1 or churches1 or destroy the vines1 or corn1 or do other harm for reward4 ,the fourth is the sin of them that sow discord1 and obtain strife and wars in cities1 or in capitals1 or between the nobles1 because they think to gain more with strife in war than in peace4 ,the fifth is the sin of reeves1 of provosts1 of beadles1 of servants1 that accuse and challenge poor folk1 and cause them to be charged1 and use them ill1 for a little gain that they have besides4 ,to this sin belongs the sin of false judges1 and of false advocates1 and of false witnesses1 of whom we have spoken above4 ,in many other ways the sin of wickedness is done4 ,but it were a long business to tell1 and better may each man read the same sin and the others in the book of his conscience1 than in any sheepskin4 ,,the ,,eighth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the eighth bough of avarice is unfair dealing1 wherein one sins in many ways for temporal gain1 and especially in seven ways4 ,the first is to sell things as dear as one can1 and to buy as cheap as one can4 ,the second is lying1 swearing1 and forswearing1 the dearer to sell their chaffer4 ,the third way is what one does in weights and measures1 and that may be in three ways4 ,the first when one has diverse weights or diverse measures1 and buys by the greatest weights or by the greatest measures1 and sells by the least4 ,the second way is when one has just weights and just measures1 and sells dishonestly1 as do these tavern-keepers that fill the measure with scum4 ,the third way is when those that sell by weight so procure and cause that the thing that one shall weigh shows more heavy4 ,the fourth way to sin in unfair dealing is to sell to time2 of this we have spoken above4 ,the fifth way is to sell another thing than one is shown before1 as do these scriveners that show a good letter at the beginning and afterwards make a bad one4 ,the sixth is to hide the truth about the thing that one will sell1 as do the fraudulent dealers4 ,the seventh is to cause 7to procure7 that the thing that one sells seems to have a better appearance than it has1 as do these sellers of cloth that choose dark places1 where they sell their cloth4 ,in many other ways one may sin in unfair dealings1 but it would be a long matter to tell4 ,,the ,,ninth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the ninth bough of avarice is in evil crafts4 ,in this sin much folk in many ways2 as these foolish women1 that for a little gain give themselves to sin3 also these heralds and these champions and many others1 that for pence or for temporal profit give themselves to dishonest craft1 which cannot be done without sin1 both of those that do it and of those that support them4 ,,the ,,tenth ,,bough ,,of ,,avarice4 ,the tenth bough of avarice is evil games1 such as games of dice and of tables and others1 whatever they may be1 where one plays for pence or for other temporal gain4 ,such evil games1 especially of dice and of tables1 are forbidden by right because of many sins that follow such games4 ,the first is covetousness1 to win1 and to despoil his fellow4 ,the second is too great usury1 as nine for twelve1 not for a month1 nor for eight days1 but in one self-same day4 ,the third is to increase lies and idle words and1 what is worse1 great blasphemies of ,god and of ,his saints1 wherefore ,god is angry1 as oftentimes ,he has taken too little vengeance4 ,for sometimes their visage turns round1 with the front behind4 ,a ,tale4 ,there was a knight that swore by ,god's eyes2 in haste his one eye leapt upon the checker4 ,an archer1 because he had lost at gambling1 took his bow and shot upwards at ,god4 ,in the morning1 when he sat at play1 his arrow fell upon the checker all bloody4 ,the fourth is the evil example1 which he that plays gives to others that see the game4 ,the fifth is loss of time that one should occupy in good works4 ,and many other sins which it were a long matter to tell4 ,one thing ,i shall not forget1 that he that wins cannot well withhold what he wins1 but shall give it for ,god's love1 except it be in such a way that he had it by fraud or by force1 like him that by force causes others to play4 ,in that case he should restore it to him that has lost it4 ,also ,i speak of what one wins at a tournament4 ,these are the boughs of avarice3 there are enough others4 ,but they are more for clerks than for laymen4 ,and this book is made more for laymen than for clerks1 who know the writings4 ,,the ,,sixth ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,beast4 ,the sixth head of the evil beast is lechery2 that is1 excessive and inordinate love1 in lust of loins or in fleshly lust4 ,as regards this sin the devil tempts in five ways1 as says ,st4 ,gregory4 ,first in foolish sight1 afterwards in foolish words1 afterwards in foolish handling1 afterwards in foolish kissing1 afterwards one comes to the deed4 ,for from foolish sight one comes to the speech1 and from the speech to the handling1 from the handling to the kissing1 from the kissing to the deed4 ,and thus subtlely the devil makes 7one7 go from one to another4 ,this sin divides first into two kinds1 for there is lechery of heart and lechery of body4 ,the lechery of heart has four steps4 ,for the spirit of fornication1 which attends on the fire of lechery1 embraces the hearts2 first makes the thoughts come1 and the delights1 and the imaginations of sin to the heart1 and makes 7it7 think4 ,afterwards the heart dwells on the thoughts1 and so is delighted2 yet it does not the deed for anything4 ,and in this dwelling and in the same lust is the second step1 which may be deadly sin4 ,the great sin may be the lust4 ,the third step is the consenting of heart1 and of the reason1 and of the will4 ,and such consentings are always deadly sin4 ,after the consenting comes the desire and the great heat that they have to sin1 and do more than twenty sins in the day1 in sight of ladies and of maidens1 who show themselves fairly adorned1 who often show and adorn themselves the more quaintly and the more beautifully in order to make fools wonder at them1 and think not to sin greatly because they have no will to do the deed4 ,but forsooth they sin very grievously4 ,for by reason of them are many souls lost4 ,and there is much folk brought to death and to sin4 ,for1 as says the proverb1 #8,lady of fair adorning is arbalest to the tower4' ,for she has not a limb in her body that is not a trap of the devil1 as ,solomon says4 ,then it behoves at the day of judgment to give account of the souls that by reason of them are lost3 that is to say1 when they give occasion to sin wittingly4 ,lechery of body is divided into lechery of eyes1 of ears1 of mouth1 of hands1 and of all the senses of the body1 and especially of the foul deed4 ,and how is it a foul deed since it is natural8 ,because ,god forbids it in ,his ,gospel1 and ,his ,apostle ,paul1 who thus says3 #8,let each man have his own1 because of fornication2' that is to say1 his own wife4 ,to that sin belong all the things whereby the flesh rises and desires such a deed1 such as the great drinkers and eaters1 the soft bed1 pleasant clothes1 and all manner of ease of body unnecessarily1 and especially idleness4 ,the sin of the deed of lechery is divided into many boughs according to the state of the persons that do it1 and goes upwards from bad to worse4 ,the first is of man or of woman that have no bond1 either of widowhood1 or of wedlock1 or of orders1 or of religion1 or of another kind4 ,that is the first deadly sin in the deed of lechery4 ,the second is with a common woman4 ,this sin is harder because it 7she7 is older1 and because such women are sometimes wives1 or 7women7 of religion1 and forsake no one1 neither father1 nor brother1 nor son1 nor kin4 ,the third is of a single man with a widow1 or the converse4 ,the fourth is with a single woman4 ,the fifth is with a married woman2 that is the sin of adultery1 which is very wrong1 because there is breaking of troth1 which the one shall bear to the other2 afterwards there is a sacrilege1 when one breaks the sacrament of marriage2 sometimes desertion of heir befalls1 and false marriages4 ,this sin is sometimes doubled1 when it is of a married man with a woman that has a husband4 ,the sixth is when the man1 7that7 has his own wife1 does a thing that is forbidden and inordinate1 against the nature of man and orders and marriage4 ,and with his own sword a man may slay himself4 ,also he may with his own wife sin deadly4 ,therefore ,god smote to an evil death ,onan1 ,jacob's nephew4 ,and the devil that was called ,asmodeus strangled the seven husbands of the holy maid1 ,sara1 who was afterwards the wife of young ,tobias4 ,for all the sacraments of holy ,church one shall use cleanlily and with great honour4 ,the seventh is of a man with his godmother or with his goddaughter1 or of a godson with the children of his sponsors1 for those children cannot come together without deadly sin1 not even in marriage4 ,the eighth is of a man with his kin1 and the same sin is increased and lessened according as the kinship is near or far4 ,the ninth is of the man with the kin of his wife1 or1 on the contrary1 of the wife with the kin of her husband4 ,the same sin is very dreadful4 ,for when the man hath fellowship with any woman1 he can no longer in marriage have any of her kin1 and if he takes any the marriage is naught4 ,and if he takes a wife and afterwards another woman on the side of her kin1 he loses the right that he had to his wife1 inasmuch as she may not afterwards dwell with him1 except she beg for it before4 ,the tenth is of women with hooded clerks4 ,this sin is increased and lessened according to the hoods and the esteem4 ,the eleventh is of a man of the world with a woman of religion1 or1 on the contrary1 of a woman of the world with a man of religion4 ,the twelfth is of a man of religion and a woman of religion1 and this sin is increased and lessened according to the state of the persons that do it4 ,the thirteenth is of prelates1 who should be a pattern and example of holiness and of cleanness to all the world4 ,the last is most foul and most loathsome1 which is not to be named4 ,the same sin is against nature1 which the devil teaches to man or to woman in many ways1 which are not to be named because of the matter1 which is too abominable4 ,but in shrift the same shall name it1 to whom it is befallen4 ,for as much more foul and more horrible the sin is1 the more shrift avails4 ,for the shame that one has in the telling is a great part of the penance4 ,this sin is so hateful to ,god that ,he did rain burning fire and stinking brimstone upon the city of ,sodom1 and of ,gomorrah1 and caused five cities to sink into hell4 ,the devil himself1 who brings it about1 has shame when man does it1 and the air is envenomed with the deed4 ,,the ,,seventh ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,beast4 ,the seventh head of the evil beast is the sin of the mouth2 and because the mouth has two offices1 whereof the one belongs to the swallow1 as to meat and to drink1 the other is in speech2 therefore the same sin is divided principally into two parts3 to wit1 into the sin of gluttony1 which is in meat and in drink2 and into the sin of an evil tongue1 that is1 foolish speaking4 ,and first let us speak of the sin of gluttony1 which is a vice that the devil is much pleased with1 and 7which7 much displeases ,god4 ,through such sin has the devil very great power over man4 ,whereof we read in the ,gospel1 that ,god gave the devils leave to go into the swine1 and when they were in them 7they7 drowned them in the sea1 as a sign that gluttons lead the life of swine1 and the devil has leave to go into them1 and drown them in the sea of hell1 and to cause them to eat so much that they burst asunder1 and to drink so much that they drown themselves4 ,when the champion has felled his man and holds him by the throat1 with great difficulty he arises4 ,and so it is with those that the devil holds through sin1 and therefore blithely he runs at the throat1 like the wolf to the sheep1 in order to strangle him1 as he did to ,eve and to ,adam in the terrestrial paradise4 ,that is the fisherman of hell1 who takes the fish by the throat and by the chin4 ,this sin much displeases ,god4 ,for the glutton works too great a shame when he makes his god of a sack full of dung1 that is1 of his belly1 which he loves more than ,god1 and in it remains1 and serves it4 ,god commands him to fast2 the belly says3 #8,thou shalt not1 but eat long and continuously4' ,god commands him in the morning to arise2 the belly says3 #8,thou shalt not2 ,i am too full1 it behoves me to sleep2 the church is no hare1 it can well await me4' ,and when he arises1 he begins his matins and his prayers and his orisons1 and says3 #8,ah1 ,god6 what shall we eat to-day8 whether one shall find anything that is worth 7eating78' ,after these matins come the praises1 and he says3 #8,ah1 ,god6 lo1 we had good wine yester evening and good meats4' ,and after that he beweeps his sins and says3 #8,alas6' he says3 #8,i have been nigh dead to-night2 too strong was that wine last evening4 ,my head aches2 ,i shall not be at ease until ,i have drunk4' ,thus1 too1 the evil man says4 ,this sin leads man to shame4 ,for first of all he becomes a tavern-goer1 then he plays at dice1 then he sells his own1 then he becomes ribald1 a whoremonger and thief1 and then one hangs him4 ,this is the scot 7payment7 that one often pays4 ,this sin is divided1 as by ,st4 ,gregory1 into five boughs4 ,for in five ways one sins by meat and by drink2 either in that one eats and drinks before time1 or too greedily1 or out of measure1 or too ardently1 or too plenteously4 ,the first bough1 then1 of this sin is to eat before time1 and too foul a thing it is of a man that has age when he cannot wait for the time to eat2 and of great lechery of throat it comes that a man who is strong and whole of body without reasonable cause yearns for meat before the right hour1 as does a dumb beast4 ,and many sins come of the same habit4 ,then it comes about that such a man says1 that he cannot fast or do penance2 for he has said this3 #8,i have too bad a head4' ,and he says true1 for he has made it such1 and an evil heart also1 which that sin has made1 and has caused him to break the fasts1 which is a great sin4 ,and if he damned himself by himself1 thereof no matter2 but he will have fellows1 that do as he does1 whom he draws from well-doing1 and leads them with him into hell4 ,for he causes them to break their fasts and do their gluttonies1 wherefrom they would keep themselves1 if there were no evil companions4 ,for the drinker and the whoremonger1 among the other evils that they do1 commit one sin that is properly the devil's1 when they withdraw others from well-doing4 ,they say that they cannot fast1 but they lie4 ,for little love of ,god possesses them that ,i speak of4 ,for if they loved the true joy of heaven as much as they do the idle bliss of this world1 as they fast because of temporal needs until night1 as well might they fast until noon for ,god1 if they loved ,him so much4 ,but they are just like the child that will always have the bread in his hand4 ,and thou shalt know that as one sins by too early rising in order to eat1 so also one sins in supping late4 ,the folk1 then1 that love to sup late1 and to keep awake at night1 and waste the time in idleness1 and go late to bed and rise late1 sin in many ways4 ,first1 in that they waste the time and misspend it1 when they make of the night day and of the day night4 ,such folk ,god accurses by the prophet4 ,for one shall by day do good1 and by night praise ,god and pray2 but whoever lies abed when he should arise1 sleep he must when he should pray1 and his service hear1 and praise ,god2 and thus he loses all his time1 both by night and by day4 ,afterwards in such vigils one does many evils1 as play at chess or at games of hazard1 and one says much scorn and folly1 and thus the wretch wastes his time and his wits and his goods1 and angers ,god1 and harms his body1 and still more his soul4 ,the second bough is excess and want of moderation in meat and in drink4 ,the same are properly gluttons1 who devour all1 as does the kite with his sparrow4 ,there is great sense in observing moderation in meat and in drink1 and great health1 for many people die1 and often there come great sicknesses4 ,but whoever will learn this moderation1 he shall know and understand that there are many ways of living in the world4 ,the first lives by the flesh1 the second by his jollity1 the third by his physic1 the fourth by his honesty1 the fifth by what his 7their7 sins require1 the sixth by the spirit and by the love of ,god4 ,those that live by the flesh1 as says ,st4 ,paul1 slay their souls1 for they make their god of their belly4 ,the same observe neither reason nor measures1 and therefore they shall have in the other world torment without measure4 ,those that live by their jollity will keep their foolish fellowships1 so that they neither know how1 nor are able to observe measure4 ,those that live by hypocrisy1 who are the devil's martyrs1 have two measures1 for the two devils that torment the hypocrite are much opposed to each other4 ,the one says to him3 #8,eat enough1 until thou art fair and fat2' the other says to him3 #8,thou shalt not1 but thou shalt fast until thou art pale and lean4' ,now1 it behoves to have two measures1 one little and 7one7 scant that he uses before people2 and another good and liberal1 which he uses so that none sees2 this holds not the right measure4 ,he whom covetousness leads has such a measure as the purse wills1 who is lady and hostess of the house4 ,then shall we between the purse and the belly of the glutton have a fair strife4 ,the belly says3 #8,i will be full2' the purse says3 #8,i will be full4' ,the belly says3 #8,i will that thou eat and drink1 and that thou spend4' ,and the purse says3 #8,thou shalt not2 ,i will that thou keep and retrench4' ,alas6 what shall he do1 this wretch who is thrall to two such evil lords8 ,two measures make the wight mad3 the measure of the belly1 in other men's house good and liberal2 and the measure of the purse1 of her who is sorrowful and sparing4 ,those that live by physic observe the measure of ,hippocrates1 which is little and narrow2 and it often befalls that he that by physic lives by physic dies4 ,those that live by their honesty1 the same observe the measure of reason and live honourably to the world1 who eat at the time and at the hour1 and take with goodwill what they have both courteously and gladly4 ,those that live by what their sins demand observe such manner and measure as one enjoins on them in penance4 ,those that live by the ,spirit are those that dwell in the love of ,god1 whom the ,holy ,ghost teaches to observe order and reason and measure2 those that have control over their bodies1 who is so taught that he asks for no extraordinary thing1 and does what the ,spirit commands without murmuring and without contradiction4 ,now canst thou see1 from what we have said here1 that the devil has many gins to take people by the throat2 for first he shows them wines and meats that are fair and pleasant1 as he did the apple to ,eve4 ,and if that avails not1 he says to him3 #8,eat and drink like so and so and so and so2 it behoves thee to keep fellowship1 if thou wilt that one should not starve thee1 nor esteem thee a hypocrite2' or he says to him3 #8,the health of thy body thou shalt look after1 for whoever hath not health hath naught4 ,be not thine own manslayer2 thou owest to thy body sustenance4' ,or he says to him3 #8,take heed to the good things that thou dost or mayest do2 thou eatest not for the lust of thy body1 but to serve ,god2 thou shalt keep thy strength for ,god1 as ,david says4' ,these reasons are so convincing that the wisest and holiest man is sometimes beguiled4 ,the third bough of this sin is to run hastily after meat1 as does the hound after the hare2 and the greater the haste is1 the greater is the sin4 ,for as it is no sin to have riches1 but to love them too much2 just so it is no sin to eat good meats1 but to eat them too hastily or immoderately4 ,to eat meats is good for the good1 and for them that use them in reason and in measure1 and take them with the sauce of the dread of our ,lord4 ,for one shall evermore have dread lest one mistake through excess1 and one shall praise ,god and yield ,him thanks for ,his gifts4 ,and by the sweetness of the meat1 which otherwise cannot be1 one shall think of ,god's sweetness and of that meat which fills the heart4 ,therefore one reads in a religious house at meat1 in order that when the body takes its meat on the one hand the heart should take its on the other hand4 ,the fourth bough of this sin is of those that will live too nobly1 who spend and waste1 in order to fill 7up the measure of7 their gluttony1 7that7 whereby a hundred poor might live and sufficiently be filled4 ,such folk sin in many ways4 ,first1 in the great spendings that they make2 afterwards in that they use it in too great heat and in too great lust2 and afterwards in the idle bliss that they have4 ,for it is not only lechery of taste1 but it is very often for boasting that they seek such rich meats and make so many messes1 whereof come often many evils4 ,the fifth bough is the anxiety of gluttons1 who seek only the delight of their swallow4 ,these are properly lechers1 who seek only the lust of their swallow4 ,in three things especially lies the sin of such folk4 ,first1 in the great anxiety that they have to purchase and to prepare2 afterwards1 in the great lust that they have in the use2 afterwards1 in the bliss that they have in the recalling4 ,and who 7is there7 that could tell what trouble they take in order that their meats may be well prepared1 and each to his own smack1 and how they may make of one meat many disguised messes because of their foul lust4 ,and when the messes are come1 one after the other1 then are 7there7 jests and trifles for entrements1 and in this manner goes the time4 ,the wretch forgets himself1 reason sleeps1 the stomach 7in complaint7 cries and says3 #8,dame ,swallow1 thou slayest me2 ,i am so full that ,i burst asunder4' ,but the tongue1 the lickster1 answers him and says3 #8,though thou shouldst burst asunder1 ,i will not let this mess escape4' ,after the lechery that is in eating comes the bliss that is in him who recalls 7it74 ,afterwards they wish that they had the necks of a crane and the belly of a cow1 in order that the morsels might remain longer in the throat1 and 7that they7 might devour more4 ,now thou hast heard the sins that come of gluttony and of lechery4 ,and because such sins arise commonly in the tavern1 which is a well of sin1 therefore ,i will touch a little upon the sins that are done in the tavern4 ,the tavern is the school of the devil1 where his disciples study1 and his own chapel1 where one performs his service1 and where he does his miracles1 such as it behoves the devil 7to do74 ,at church ,god can show ,his virtues and do ,his miracles1 to give sight to the blind1 to make the crooked straight1 to restore the wits of the mad1 speech to the dumb1 hearing to the deaf4 ,but the devil does all1 on the contrary1 in the tavern4 ,for when the glutton goes into the tavern1 he goes upright2 when he comes out1 he has not a foot that can sustain or bear him4 ,when he goes therein1 he sees and hears and speaks well and understands2 when he comes out1 he has lost all this1 just like one that has not wit or reason or understanding4 ,such are the miracles that the devil does4 ,and what lessons he reads there6 ,all filth he teaches there1 gluttony1 lechery1 swearing1 forswearing2 to lie1 to slander1 to deny ,god1 to misreport1 to dispute1 and too many other kinds of sins4 ,there arise chidings1 strifes1 manslaughters2 there one teaches to steal and to be hanged4 ,the tavern is a ditch to thieves1 and the devil's castle in order to war against ,god and ,his saints2 and those that sustain the taverns are sharers in all the sins that are done in their taverns2 and forsooth if one said or did as much shame to their father or to their mother or to their lads1 as one does to their heavenly ,father and to our ,lady and to the saints of paradise1 they would grow very angry and take other counsel in regard to it than they do4 ,to ,dr4 ,skeat our cordial thanks are tendered for kindly looking over the proof-sheets and making some valuable suggestions4 ,transcriber's ,notes --,retained publication information from the printed edition3 this e,book is public-domain in the country of publication4 --,silently corrected several palpable typos4 --,in the text versions only1 delimited text in italics by underscores4