[Poems from the Vernon MS]

Seuen Sinnes þer ben dedly:
Pruide, Wraþþe, Sleuþe, and Envy,
Glotonye, and gredines also,
Couetyse and lecheri, wiþ hem to go.
Pruide no-þing elles ne is
Bote loue to muche monnes hihnes.
And of him comeþ oþur seuene:
Vnbuxumnes, þat draweþ from heuene,
Aȝeynes god, be þou serteyn,
Or elles aȝeyn his souereyn;
Þat is to sei, I telle þe son,
To leue þat is hym beden don—
Þus is he peired and not mendet,
He doþ þing þat him is defendet.

Þat oþur þing is Auauntyng,
Whon mon of oþur monnes þing
And to him-self bi wikkednes
He hateþ and bringeþ him in distres.

Þe þridde spice is Ypocrisye,
Whon mon feineþ him to haue in hiȝe
Holines þat he haþ nouht,
And doþ his wikkednes in dede and þouȝt.

Þe ffeorþe spice, hit is þen
Dispit þat he haþ to oþur men,

236

Whon mon reherceþ oþur mennes good dede,
He wolde beo holde þe beter in leode.

Þe ffyfþe spice is Arrogaunce boun,
Whon a Mon Makeþ comparisoun
Bi-twenen his vuel doynges
And oþur mennes for eny þinges,
ffor his wikkednes and trespas
Scholde seme muche þe las.

Þe sixte spice is boldnes in nome,
Whon a Mon haþ no schome
Of his grete wikkednes forþi
Þat he haþ don so openly.

Þe seuenþe Elaciun is to rede,
Whon mon is proud of his vuel dede.

Þou schalt wite boþe in and out
Þat þis þreo þinges makeþ Mon prout:
Þat is to wite and haue in muynde
Þe goodes þat he haþ of kuynde,
Þat is of feirnes, or strengþe to say,
Or souereyn wit, or Noblay—
Þat noblei calle I in þis stage
He þat is prout of hei lynage.

Þat oþur þing is and euer was
Þe godus þat men han of purchas,
As wittes, vertuwes euerichane,
Graces, Dignite, and eke good fame.

Þe þridde is worldly godus þus,
As Cloþinge, housynge, Rentes, possessions,
Meyne, and also gret honour
Of þe worldly þinges in eueri stour.

Off Envye comeþ, haue we no care,
Ioye of oþur mennes vuel-fare,
And also to make sweryng gret
ffor oþur mennes wel-farynge and get.
And þat may ben in herte stinkynge,
Or in Mouþ þorwh Bakbytynge,
Or in werkes of vuel entent
Þorwh defaute of good entisement.
Chidyng waxeþ of Wraþþe þen,
Swellyng of herte amonges men,

237

Schomeful wordus þenke to seyn,
Sclaundre, and also gret dedeyn.
Of slouȝþe comeþ drerines, wikkednus, and swelling
Of foul wille, wiþ gret þretyng,
Aboute godus comaundemens not to do,
Wonhope, Rechelesnesse also,
Outrage wille of herte to sen
Aboute þinges þat defendet ben.
Off gredines comeþ tresun prest,
fforswerynges, and wikked rest,
Violence, and hardnes of herte
Aȝeynes Merci wiþ muchel vnquerte.
Þenne þer comeþ of Glotonye
Veyne gladnesse, and Lecherye,
ffulþi, Muche speche in hiȝing,
And ful feble vndurstondyng.
Of Lecherie comeþ blyndnes of herte,
In Orisun wiþ muchel vnqwerte—
In al þe preyers he scholde in be
Nis þer wiþ him no stabulte;
Of him comeþ fool-hastines also,
Loue of him-self wol wiþ hym go,
Hate of god þat vs bouht,
Loue of þis world þat is nouht,
Drede of dispeir Is al his wone
Of þe world þat is to come.
Þeose ben þe seuen dedly synnes forþi.
Wel may þei ben cald dedli:
Þe furste þreo dispoyleþ þe mon,
Þe ffeorþe abateþ hym as he con,
Þe ffyfþe byndeþ him in bonde,
Þe Sixte deseyueþ him in londe,
Þe seuenþe him put in þraldome,
Him to muche harm and schome.
ffor Pruide, beo þou þerof bolde,
Bi-nymeþ a Mon his god to holde;
And Envye bi-nymeþ also him fro
His euencristen, from god to go;
Wraþþhe, þat is a schrewed delf,
Bi-nymeþ a Mon his owne self;

238

Of Slouþe þat ilke foule synne
Euere hit tormenteþ hymme;
Gredines in eueri toun
Casteþ þe vnsely mon adoun;
Glotenye deseyueþ hym in luytel stage;
Lecherie put him in foul seruage.

University of Virginia Library

Off þe seuen dedly synnes.