The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

¶ De luxuria.

[836]

After glotony. þan commeþ lycherye for þes two sinnes bien so nyhe cosines þat often tim þei wil not departe; = [837] god wote þis sinne is displesant to god; for he seiþ him selfe do no lychery;// & þere-fore he put grete peynes aȝeines þis sinne. in þe olde lawe [838] If a wom|man þrall were taken in þis sinne sche scholde be beten with stones to þe deþ; And if sche were a gentil womman sche scholde be sleyne with stones; And if sche wer a bischopes douhtere sche scholde be bernte be goddes commandement; [839] ¶ Forþermore be sinne of licherye god dreynte al þe werlde att þe

[6-text p 661] diluve; & after he berned .v. Cytes with lyht & sanke hem in to hell

[840] ¶ Now latt vs spek of þilk foule stinkynge sinne of lichery; þat men clepen aduoutre of wedded folke; þat is to sey if þat one of hem be wedded or elles boþe; [841] Seint Iohn seiþe þat þat þe advowtrers schal bien in hell in a stinkinge birneinge fire of brimstone for licherye ¶ In brimstone for þe stinkeinge of hire ordure; [842] Certeȝ þe brinynge of þis sacrament is an horible þinge; It was maked of god him self in paradise & confermed be ihesu criste as seiþ seinte Mathewe in þe gospell; A man schal lete fader & moder & take him to his wif. And þe scholne haue be tuo in one flesche; [843] ¶ This sacrament be|tokeneþ þe knyttinge to-geder of criste & of holy chirche [844] ¶ And nouht onely þat god for-badde aduoutre in bedde; Bot eke he commanded [folio 248b] þat þou scholdest nouht coueyte þine neyhebours wif [845] ¶ In þis hest seiþe seint Austine is forboden almanere Couetise to done lychery; Lo what seiþe seint Mathewe .v. c^o. in þe gospel þat who so seþe a womman to couetise of his luste he haþe done lycherye wiþ hire in his herte; [846] Here maye ȝe see þat not onelye þe dede of his sinne is forbode bot eke þe desire to done þat sinne [847] ¶ þis cursed sinne anoyeþ hem greuously þat it haunteþ; & first to here soule ffor he obligeþ it to sinne; & to þe peyne of þe deþe þat is perdurable [848] ¶ Vnto þe body anoyeþ it greuously also; ffor it drieþ him & wasteþ him; & of his blode he makeþ sacrifice vn-to þe fende of hell ¶ It wasteþ eke his catel & his substance; [849] & certes if it be a foule þinge a man to wast his catell one wemmen; ȝit is it a fouler þinge whan þat for whiche ordure wemmen dispenden vpon men here catel & here substance [850] ¶ þis sinne as seiþe þ^e prophite bereueþ man & womman her goode fame & al her honour; And it is ful plesant to þe deuel; & þerby

[6-text p 662] he wynneþ þe moste party of þis werlde; [851] ¶ And riht as a marchant deliteþ him moste in chaffer þat he haþ most a-vantage of Riht so deliteþ þe fende þis ordure;//

[852] þis is þe toþere honde of þe deuel with .v. fingeres þat caccheþ þe peple to his velany; [853] þe first finger is þe foole lokeynge; of þe foole man; & of þe foole womman þat sleþe Riht as þe Basilicoc sleþe folke be þe venym of his syht; ffor couetise of þe eyȝen foloweþ þe couetyse of þe hert; [854] þe toþere finger his þe violence toucheinge in wykked manere; And þerfor seiþ Salomon. þat who so toucheþ & handeleþ a womman; he fareþ y-lyke him þat handeleþ þe scorpion þat stingeþe; And sodanly sleþe þoruhe his envenymynge; As who so towcheþ warme piche þat fouleþ his fingers [855] ¶ þe. þred is; foule wordes þat fareþ.y-lyke fire þat birneþ; þat riht anone birneþ þe herte; [856] ¶ þe ferþe is. kissinge; & trewly he were a grete foole þat wolde kisse þe mouþe of a birneinge houen; or of a forneys;? [857] And more fooles bien þei þat kissen in velanye; ffor þat mouþe is þe mouþe of hell; & namely þes holde dotardes hulours; ȝit wil þei kisse þouhe þei may nouȝt do & smater hem; [858] Certes þei bien ylyke to þe houndes. For an hounde whan he commeþ be þe roser or be oþere beautees þouhe he maie nouht pisse; ȝitte will he lift vp his legge & make coun|tenance to pisse. [859] ¶ And for þat; many weneþ þat þei maie nouȝt sinne for no likerous þat he doþe with his wif; Certeȝ þat opynioune is fals; God wote a man maie sle him self with his owen knyf; & maken him dronken with his owen tunne. [860] Certeȝ be it wif of childe or any oþer werldely þinge þat he loueþ be-for god; it is a maumet & he is an ydolastre; [861] ¶ Man scholde loue his wif be discrecione paciently & temporalye; & þan is sche as it

[6-text p 663] were his sustere; [862] ¶ þe fift finger of þe deueles honde is þe stinkeinge dede of lycherye; [863] Certes þe .v. fingers of glotonye þe fende putteþ in þe wombe of a man; & with þes .v. fingers of lychery; he gripeþ him be þe reynes for to þrowe him into þe forneyse of hell [864] þere as þei scholne haue þe fuyre & þe wormes þat euer schal laste; & wepeinge & waileinge scharpe hunger & þurste griselynesse of deueles þat schal al to treden [folio 249a] Hem wiþ-outen respite & with|outen ende [865] of lychery as .I. seide sourden diuerse spyces; as fornicacion. þat is be-tuex man & womman þat bien not maried; & þis is dedely sinne & aȝeines nature; [866] Al þat is enemy & destruccion to nature is aȝeines nature [867] parfeye ¶ þe resone of a man telleþ him eke wele þat it is dedely sinne for als muche as god forbad lycherye; = And seint Poule ȝeueþe him þe regne þat is dieu to no whight bot to hem þat done dedely sinne [868] ¶ Anoþere sinne of lycherye is; for to be-reven a mayden of hire maydenhade; ffor certes he þat so doþe he takeþ a maiden oute of þe hiest degre þat is in þis present lif; [869] & bereueþ hire þilke precious fruyte þat þe boke clepeþe þe hundreþ fruyte. I. can nouht seye it in none oþere weye in ynglische Bot in latine it hiht Centesimus fructus; [870] Certes he þat so doþe is cause of mony damage & velanyes mo þan any man kan reken ¶ Riht as he sūmtyme is cause of al þe damage þat bestes done in þe felde; þat brekeþ þe hegge of þe closur þoruhe whiche he distroyeþ þat may not be restored; [871] ffor certes no more maye maydenhede bue re|stored; þan an arme þat is smeten fro þe body maye retorne aȝeine to wex; [872] Sche maye haue mercye þis wote .I. wele if sche do penitence; Bot neuer schal it be þat sche nas corrupte; [873] ¶ And albeit so þat .I. haue spoken sumwhat of aduowtre it is goode to schewen mo periles þat longen to aduoutre ¶ For to eschewe þe foule

[6-text p 664] sinne of [874] aduoutre; in latine is for to seye; Approcheinge to anoþere manes bedde; þoruhe whiche þo þat whilom were first o flesche; abawndon here body to oþere persones [875] ¶ Of þis sinne as seiþe þe wisman comeþ mony harmes; ffirste brekinge of feiþe; And certes faiþe. is kaye of cristendome; ¶ [876] And whan þat feiþe is broke & lorne; soþely cristendome stant wiþ outen fruyte; [877] ¶ þis sinne is eke a þefe; ffor þeft generaly to speke is for reue a wight his þinge aȝeines his will; [878] Certes þis is þe fouleste þeft þat maie bue; whan a womman steleþ hir body fro her husbonde; & ȝiueþ it to hire holoure to defoule here & steleþ hire soule fromme criste; & ȝeueþ it to þe deuel. [879] þis is foulere þeft; þan for to breke & stele þe chalys; ffor þes aduoutres breken þe temple of god spyrituelly & stelen þ^e vessel of grace; þat is þe bodye & þ^e soule; ¶ For whiche criste schal destroyen hem as seiþe seinte Poule. [880] Soþely of þis þeft douted gretely Iosephe whan þat his lordes wif preide him of velanye; whan he seide; Lo my lady howe my lorde haþe take to me vnder my warde al þat he haþe in þis werlde ne noþinge of his oute of my powere bot onely ȝe þat bien his wyf [881] ¶ And howe schold .I. þan do þis wikkednesse & sinne so orrible aȝeines god; god it for-bede ¶ Alas al to litel is suche treuþe no wey founde; [882] ¶ þe þredde harme is þe felþe þoruhe whiche þei breken þ^e commandement of god. & defoulen þe autere of here matrimoygne þat is criste; [883] ¶ For certes in so muche þat þe sacrament of Mariage is so noble & so digne So muche it is þe gretter sinne for to breke it; ¶ For god maad mariage in paradise; in þestate of Innocence to multeplie mankynde to þe seruice [folio 249b] of god; [884] & þerfore is þe brekeinge þere-of greuous; Of whiche brekeynge commeþ fals heires often time þat wrongefully occupien oþer mennes heritage; And þere fore wil criste put

[6-text p 665] hem oute of þe Regne of heven þat is þe herytage to good folke [885] Of þis brekeinge commeþe eke oft times þat folke vnware wedden or sinnen wiþ here owen kynred; & namely þil harlotes þat hanten bordels; Of þes foole wemmen þat maie bu likned to a comune gonge where as men purgen here ordur; [886] what saie we eke of poytours þat lyuen bi þe orrible sinne of puytrye And constreyned wemmen ȝe somme time his owen wif; or his childe as done þes baudes to ȝelden hem a serteine rente of her bodely putrye ¶ Certes þes bien cursed sinnes; [887] ¶ Vnderstandeþ eke þat aduoutre is sette gladly in þe ten commandementes; by-tuex þeft & man|slawhter For it is þe gretest þeft þat may be; For it is þe þefte of body & soule; [888] & it is ylike homicide for it kerueþe a tuo; & brekeþ atuo hem þat first weren ymaked o flesche And þere-fore by þe olde lawe þei scholde be sleyne; [889] ¶ Bot naþeles be þe lawe of ihesu crist þat is þe lawe of pite whan he seide to þe womman þat was fou[n]den in aduoutre; and scholde haue slawe with stones after þe will of þe Iewes as was her lawe; ¶ Go quod ihesu criste & haue no more will to do sinne; or willen no more to do sinne; [890] Soþely þe vengeance of advoutre is awarded to þe peyne of hell; bot it bue distroubled be penance. [891] ¶ ȝette bien þere mo spyces of þis cursed sinne as whan þat one of hem is religious or elles boþe; Or of folke þat bien entred vnto order as subdecane & deken; or preste or hospitaleres; And euer þe hyer þat he is in ordre þe gretter is þe sinne; [892] ¶ þe þinges þat gretely agregen his sinne is þe brekeinge of his avowe of chastite whan he receyueþ ordre [893] ¶ And forþere ouere soþe is þat holy holy ordere is chef of al þe tresoure of god; & his especial sinne & merke of chastite to schewe þat þei bien Ioyned to chastite; whiche þat is þe most precious lif þat is [894] ¶ And eke þes ordred folke bien specialy titlyd to god; = & of þe

[6-text p 666] special meyne of god; = ffor whiche whan þei done dedely sinne þei bien þe special traytours of god & of his peple; for þe leven of þe peple to preie for þe peple; ¶ And while þere biene suche traitours Here preyerȝ availeþ nouht to þe peple [895] ¶ Pristes bien as aungels as by þe dignete of here mysterie; ffor soþe seint Poule seiþe; þat Sathanas transformeþe him in Angel of lihte; [896] ¶ Soþelye þe preste þat haunteþ sinne may bue lykned to þe angel of derkenesse transformed in þe Angel of lyht; ¶ He semeþ an Angel of liht; Bot for soþe he is an Angell of derknesse [897] ¶ Suche prestes bien þe sonnes of of Belye. As scheweþe in þe boke of Kynges þat þei weren þe sonnes of belial þat is þe deuel; [898] Belyall is to seyne withowten Iuge; & so faren þei hem þenken þei bien fre & han none Iuge no more þan haþe a fre boll þat takeþ whiche kowe þat him likeþ in þe toune; [899] so faren þei bue wymmen; ffor riht as a fre boll is ynouhe for al a toune [folio 250a] Riht so is a wykked priste corruped ynowhe for al a parische or al a contre // [900] þes prestes as seine þe boke ne konne nouht mynisterye of prestehode to þe peple; ne god ne knoweþ hem nouht; þei ne halde hem not apaide as seiþe þe boke of soþen flesche þat was to hem offred; ¶ Bot þei toke be force þe flesche þat is rowe; [901] Certes riht so þes schrewes ne holden hem nouȝt apaiede of Roste flesche & soþen flesche wiþ þ^e whiche þe peple fedden hem in grete reuerence; Bot þei woll haue rowe flesche as mennes wyves & here douhtern; [902] And certes þes wemmen þat consenten to here harlotries done grete wronges to criste & to holy chirche & to all halowes & to al sowels; ffor þei be-reven al þes him þat schold worschipen criste & holy cherche & pray fo[r] all cristen sowles; [903] And þerfore haue suche prestes & here lemmans eke þat consenten to here lycherye þe malison of þe courte cristen til þei comme to amendement.

[6-text p 667] [904] ¶ þe þred spice of aduoutre is sumtime betwene a man & his wif & þat is whan þei taken no rewarde in here assemblynge bot onely in his ffleschely delite as seiþ seinte Ierom; [905] & ne reken of noþinge bot att þei bien assembled be cause þei bien ymaride; al is good ynouhe as þinkeþ to hem; [906] Bot in suche folk haþe þe deuel pouere as seide þe Angel Raphael to thobie. = ffor in hire assemblynge þei puten oute iheus criste of here hert & ȝaff hem self to al ordour [907] ¶ þe ferþe spice is þe assemblynge of hem þat bien of her kinrede or of hem þat bien of one affinite or elles wiþ hem; with whiche hire fadres or here kinred haþe deled wyþþe inne þe sinne of licherie; þis sinne makeþ hem like houndes þat taken no kepe of kinred; [908] ¶ And certes Parentela is in tuo maners owþer gostely; oþere flesslye; Gostly as for to delen wiþ her gossebes. [909] For riht so as he . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] is his godfader; he is his fader spirituele; For whiche a womman maie in no lesse sinne assemble wiþ hire gossib þat with hire owen ffleschely broþere; [910] ¶ þe fifte spice is þilke abhomynable sinne of whiche þat no man vnneþes ouht write or speke; ¶ Neþeles it is openly rehersed in holy writte; [911] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] to speke of orrible sinne; certes holy writte may not bue defoulede nomore þan þe sonne þat schineþ on a mexen. [912] ¶ Anoþere sinne þat pertineþ to licherye þat commeþ in slepeinge; & þis sinne commeþ oft to hem þat biene maydens; And eke to hem þat bien corrupt ¶ & þis sinne men clepen pollucione þat commeþ in .iiij. maners; [913] somme time of a languysseinge of bodye for þe humers bien to rank & abundant in þe body of a man; Sumtyme for þe infermete for þe feblenesse of þe vertue retentif as phisik makeþ mencion; Somtim for forfete of mete & drinke; [914] And sume time for

[6-text p 668] violence þouhtes þat bien enclosed in mannes mynde whan he goþe to slepe whiche may not bue with outen sinne; For whiche he may noȝt kepe him wiselye; or elles maie men sinne ful greuously