The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

¶ De luxuria

[836]

AFter Glotonye þanne cometh leccherie. For þese two synnes ben so neih cosyns þat ofte tyme þay wol not departe. [837] Vnde paulus ad Ephesios ¶ Nolite inebriari vino &c. God wot þis synne is ful displesaunt þing to god. vino in quo est luxuria. For he sayde him|self. Do no leccherie. and þerfore he putte gret peyne agayn þis synne / in þe olde lawe. [838] If a wom|man þral were take in þis synne. sche scholde be beten with stoones to þe deth. and if sche were a gentil womman; sche schulde be slayn wiþ stoones./ and if sche were a bisschoppis douȝter; sche schulde be brent by goddis comaundement. [839] ¶ Forther ouer by þe synne of leccherie; god dreinte al þe world at þe

[6-text p 661] diluue ¶ And after þat he dreynte fyue citees with thonder layt and sonk hem in to helle

[840] ¶ Now let vs thanne speke of þilke stynkyng synne of leccherie þat men clepen aduoutry of weddid folk þat is to sayn if þat oon of hem be weddid or elles boþe [841] ¶ Seint Iohan saith þat aduoutris schuln be in helle in watir brennyng of fuyr and of brimston. In fuyr for þe leccherie. In brimston For þe stynk or her ordure. [842] ¶ Certis þe brekyng of þis sacrament is an horrible þing. hit was makid of god himself in paradis Confermed of ihū crist as witnesseth seint Mathew ¶ A man schal lete fader and mooder and take him to his wif and þay schul ben two in oon fleisch [843] ¶ This sacrament bitok|eneþ þe knyttyng togider of crist and of holy chirche [844] nat oonly þat god forbad aduotrie in dede; but eek he comaunded þat þou scholdest [folio 277b] not coueyte þy neyhebors wif [845] ¶ In þis heste seiþ seint austyn is forboden al maner coueytise to do leccherie ¶ lo what seiþ seint mathew in þe gospel. that who-so seth a womman to coueytise of his lust; he haþ doon lecchery wiþ hir in his herte. [846] ¶ here may ȝe se þat nouȝt oonly þe dede of þis synne is forboden; but eek þe desir to do þat synne [847] ¶ This cursed synne annoyeth greuosly hem þat it haunten and first to here soule. for he obligith it to synne and to pyne of þe deþ þat is pardurable [848] ¶ vnto þe body annoyeþ it greuously. also for it dreyeþ him and wastith him & schent him. and of his blood he makith sacrifice to þe deuel of helle ¶ It wastith eek his catel and his substaunce. [849] and certes if þat it be a foul þing a man to waste his catel on wommen; ȝit is it a fouler þing whan þat for such ordure wommen dispende vpon men here catel and here substaunce [850] ¶ This synne as saith þe prophete byreueth man and womman her good fame and al here honour. and it is ful pleasaunt to þe deuel. For þer by

[6-text p 662] wynneth he þe moste pray of þis world [851] ¶ And right as a marchaunt deliteþ him most in chaffare þat he haþ most auauntage of; Right so delitith þe feend in þis ordure

[852] ¶ This is þe oþer hond of þe deuel with fyue fyngres to cacche þe poeple to his vilonye [853] ¶ Þe firste fynger is þe foule lokyng of þe foule womman and of þe foule man þat sleth right as a basiliskoc sleþ folk by þe venym of his sight. For þe coueytise of eyen folwiþ þe coueytise of þe herte [854] ¶ The secounde fynger is the vileynes touchinge in wikkid manere. and þerfore saith salamon þat who-so touchith and handelith a womman; he farith lik him þat handelith þe scorpioun þat styngith and sodeinly sleeth þurgh his enuenemynge as who so touchith warm picche. it schent his fyngres [855] ¶ The þridde is foule wordes þat farith lik fuyr þat right anoon brenneþ þe herte [856] ¶ The ferþe is þe kissyng. and trewely he were a greet fool þat wolde kisse þe mouth of a brennyng ouen or of a forneys: [857] and more fooles ben þay þat kyssen in vilonye. For þat mouth is þe mouþ of helle. and namely þise olde dotard fooles holours. ȝit wol þay kisse þough þay may nought do & smater hem. [858] ¶ Certis þay ben like to houndes. For an hound whan he comeþ to a roser or by oþer beautes. þough he may nouȝt [folio 278a] pisse; ȝet wil he heue vp his leg and make a coun|tenaunce to pisse. [859] and for þat many man weneth he may not synne for licorousnes þat he doth with his wif; Certis þat oppinioun is fals. God wot a man may sle himself wiþ his owne knyf and mak himself dronke of his oughne tonne [860] ¶ Certis be it/ wif or child or eny worldly þing þat he louyth biforn god it is his maumet and he is an ydolastre /. [861] man schulde loue his wyf by discrescioun paciently and attemperelly. and þanne is sche as it

[6-text p 663] were his suster [862] ¶ The fyfte fynger of the deueles hond is þe stynkynge dede of leccherie [863] ¶ Certes þe fyue fyngres of glotonye þe deuel put in þe wombe of a man. & his fyue fyngres of lecchery bygripeth hym by þe reynes for to þrowe him in to þe fourneys of helle. [864] þere as þey schuln haue þe fuyr. and þe wormes þat euer schal lasten. and wepyng and wayling scharp hunger and þurst. and grislines of deueles þat schul alto-tere hem wiþoute respit/ and wiþ|outen ende [865] ¶ Of leccherie as I sayde sourdren diuers spices of fornicacion þat is bitwen man and womman þat ben nouȝt maried and þis is dedly synne and against nature [866] al þat is enemy and destruccioun to nature. [867] par fay þe resoun of a man telliþ him wel þat it is dedly synne For als moche as god forbad leccherie and seint poule ȝeuith hem þat regne þat is due to no wight but hem þat doon synne dedly [868] Anoþer synne of lecchery is for to bireue a mayden of hir maydenhede / for he þat so doþ; Certes he casteth maydenhede out of the heighest degre þat is in þe present lif [869] and bireuith hir þilke precious fruyt þat þe book clepith þe hundrid fruyt. I can ȝeue it noon oþer name in englisch. but in latyn it is I-cleped Centesimus fructus secundum Ieronimum contra Iouinianum [870] ¶ Certes he þat so doth is cause of many harmes and vilenyes mo þan eny man can rekene. Right as he som tyme is cause of alle þe damages þat bestis doon in þe feeld þat brekith þe hegge or þe closure þurgh which he destroyeþ þat may not be restored; [871] for certes no more may maydenhode be re|stored þan an arm þat is smyten fro þe body retourne agayn to waxe. [872] sche may haue mercy þis wot I wel if sche do penitence but neuer schal it be þat sche nas corrupt [873] ¶ And al be it so þat I haue spoke som what of aduoutre; ȝit is it good to speke of mo [folio 278b] perils þat longen to aduoutre for to eschiewe þat foule

[6-text p 664] synne [874] ¶ Aduoutrie in latyn is for to sayn approching of oþer mannes bed þorugh þe which þat whilom were oon fleisch abounden here bodyes to oþer persones [875] ¶ Of þis synne as saiþ þe wise man many harmes cometh þer-of ¶ First brekyng of faith ¶ And certes faith is þe keye of cristendom. [876] and whan þat faith is broke & lorn; soþely cristendom stont veyn and wiþouten fruyt [877] ¶ This synne is eek a þeef. For þefte is generally to speke to reue a wight his þing agayns his wille [878] ¶ Certis þis is þe foulest thefte þat may be whan a womman stelith hir body from hire housbounde and ȝiueth it to hire holour to defoule hire & stelith hir soule fro crist/ and ȝeuith it to þe deuel [879] ¶ This is a fouler þefte þan for to breke a chirche and stele chalises. For þese aduouteres breke þe temple of god spirituelly and stelen þe vessel of grace þat is þe body and þe soule ¶ For Ihū crist schal destroyen hem as saith seint poule [880] ¶ Sothely þis þefte doutyd gretly Ioseph whan þat his lordes wyf prayde him of vilonye whan he saide. lo my lady how my lord haþ take to me vnder my warde al þat he haþ in þis world. ne no þing of his power is oute of my power but oonly ȝe þat ben his wyf. [881] and how schuld I do þanne þis wikkidnes and synne so horribly agayns god and my lord. God it forbede ¶ Alas al to litel is suche trouþe now I-founde [882] ¶ The þridde harm is þe filthe þurgh which þay breken þe comaundement of god and defoule þe auctour of here matrimonye þat is crist. [883] For certis in so moche as þe sacrament of mariage is so noble and so digne; So moche is it þe gretter synne for to breke it. for god makid mariage in paradis in þestat of Innocence to multiplie man kynde to þe seruice of god [884] and þerfore is þe brekyng þe more greuous. Of which breking comeþ fals heires ofte tymes þat wrongfully occupien mennes heritage. and þerfore wolde crist putte

[6-text p 665] hem out of þe regne of heuen þat is heritage to goode folk. [885] Of þis breking comeþ ek ofte tyme þat folk vnwar wedden or synnen wiþ her kynrede and namely þese harlottis þat haunten bordels of þese foule wommen þat mowe be likened to a comune gonge where as men purgen here entrayles of her ordure [886] ¶ what say we ek of putours þat lyuen by þe orrible synne of putrie & constreyne wymmen ȝe som tyme his oughne wyf or his child as don [folio 279a] þese baudes to ȝelde hem a certeyn rente of here bodily putrie ¶ Certes þese ben cursede synnes [887] ¶ Vnderstonde eek that avoutrie is set gladly in þe ten comaundements bituixe man|slauȝter and thefte. For it is grettest thefte þat may be. for it is thefte of body and soule / [888] and it is lik homicidie For it kerueth a-tuo hem þat first were makid oon fleisch. and þerfore by þe olde lawe of god þay scholde be slayn [889] ¶ But naþeles by þe lawe of Ihū crist þat is lawe of pite whan he sayde to þe womman þat was founde in aduoutri and schulde haue ben slayn with stoones aftir þe wille of þe Iewes as was her lawe. Go quod ihū crist and haue no more wille to synne. or wilne no more to do synne. [890] ¶ Sothely þe vengeance of avouterye is awardid to . . . . . [no gap] helle / but it be destourbed by penitence [891] ¶ Ȝit ben þer mo spices of þis cursed synne. as whan þat oon of hem is religious or ellis bothe or for folk þat ben entred in to ordre as subdekin or dekin or prest or hospitalers and euer þe higher þat he be. þe gretter is þe synne. [892] þe þinges þat gretly aggreggith her synne is þe brekyng of here avow of chastite whan þay resceyued ordre. [893] and forþer ouer is soþ þat holy ordre is chef of alle þe tresor of god and his especial signe and mark of chastite to schewe þat þay ben ioyned to chastite which þat is þe moste precious lif þat is [894] ¶ And eek þese ordred folk ben specially tytled to god and of þe

[6-text p 666] special meyne of god of whiche whan þay don dedly synne þay ben þe special traytours of god and of his poeple. . . . . [no gap in the MS.] and whil þay ben suche traytours; here prayer auayleþ not to þe poeple [895] ¶ Prestis ben aungels as by þe dignite of here misterie ¶ But forsoþe seint poul saith þat Sathanas transformeth him in aungel of light. [896] Soþely þe prest þat hauntith dedly synne; he may be likened to þe aungel of light. . . . . [no gap] & he semeth aungel of light: but for soþe he is aungil of derknes [897] whiche ben þe sones of belie as schewith in þe book of kinges þat þay were þe sones of belial þat is þe deuel. [898] belial is to say wiþoute Iuge and so faren þay þay þynke hem fre and han no Iuge no more þan hath a fre bole þat takith which cow þat him likeþ in þe toun [899] so faren þay by wommen For right as a fre bole is y-nough for al a toun; / Right so is a wikked prest corrupcioun ynough for al a parisch or for al a contray [900] ¶ These prestes as saiþ þe book ne conne not þe mistery of presthode. þe poeple ne [folio 279b] god ne knowe þay not. þay holde hem nought apayed as saith þe book of soden fleissh þat was to hem offred; but þay tooke by force þe fleissch þat is raw; [901] Certes so þese schrewes holde hem not appayed with rosted fleissh and sode fleissh wiþ whiche þe poeple feeden hem in gret reuerence. But þay wil haue raw fleisch of folkes wyues and here douȝtres [902] ¶ And certes þese wommen þat consenten to here harlotrie don gret wrong to crist and to holy chirche and alle halwes / and to alle soules for þay bireuen alle þese hem þat schulde worschipe crist and holy chirche and praye for cristen soules [903] ¶ And þerfore han suche prestis & here lemmans eeke þat consenten to here leccherie þe malisoun of al þe court cristian til þay come to amendement

[6-text p 667] [904] ¶ The þridde spice of aduoutry is som tyme bitwix a man and his wif and þat is whan þay take noon reward in her assembling but only to þe fleischly delit as saith seint Ierom. [905] and ne rekke of no þing but þat þay be assemblid by cause þat þay ben maried. al is good ynough as þinkith hem. [906] But in suche folk haþ þe deuel power as saith þe aungel Raphael to Thoby in here assemblyng þay putten ihū crist out of her herte. and ȝiuen hemself to alle ordure [907] ¶ The ferthe spice is þe assemble of hem þat ben of here kynrede or of hem þat ben of oon affinite or elles wiþ hem wiþ whiche here fadres or here kynrede han delitid in þe synne of leccherie. þis synne makith hem like houndes þat taken noon heede of kynrede [908] and certes parenteal is in tuo maneres eyþer gostly or fleisshly. gostly as for to dele wiþ her gossib. [909] For riȝt / so as he þat engendrith a child is his fleisshly fader; Riȝt so is his godfader his fader espirituel. for which a womman may in no lasse synne assemble wiþ hir gossib þan wiþ hire oughne fleischly fader or broþer [910] ¶ The fifte spice of þilke abhominable synne of which þat no man unneþe oughte to speke ne write. naþeles it is openly rehersed in holy wryt/. [911] . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] but þough þat holy writ speke of horrible synne; Certes holy writ may not be defouled no more þan þe sonne þat schyneth on a dongehul [912] ¶ Anoþer synne appertenith to lecchery þat comeþ in sleping. & þis synne comeþ ofte to hem þat ben maydenes and eek to hem þat ben corrupte and þis synne men clepen pollucioun þat cometh in .iiij. maners [913] ¶ Som tyme of languisschynge of body for þe humours ben to ranke and to abundaunt in þe body [folio 280a] of man. somtyme of infirmite for þe feblenesse of þe vertu retentyf as phisik makeþ mencioun. And som tyme for surfete of mete and drynke. [914] som tyme of

[6-text p 668] vileins þoughtes þat ben enclosed in mannes mynde whan he . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] kepe him wisely or elles may men synne greuously [[No break in the MS.]]

[915] ¶ Now cometh þe remedye aȝens lecchery and þat is generally chastite of wikkedhede and continence þat re|streyneþ alle þe desordeigne moeuynges þat comen of fleischly talentes. [916] and euer þe gretter meryt schal he han þat most restreyneth eschau|fynges of ordure of þis synne. and þis is in þre maneres. þat is to sayn chastite of mariage / chastite of/ wickedhede [917] ¶ Now schalt þou vnderstonde þat matrimoigne is leful assemblynge of man and womman þat resceyuen by vertu of þe sacrement þe bond þurgh which þay may not be departid in al here lif þat is to say whil þay lyuen boþe. [918] þis as saith þe boke is a ful gret sacrement God makid it / as I haue said in paradis and wolde him|self be born in mariage [919] and for to holden mariage. he was at þe weddyng wher as he turnede watir in to wyn which was þe firste miracle þat he wrought in erþe biforn his disciples [920] trewe effect of mariage clensith fornicacioun and replenischith holy chirche of good lynage. for þat is þe ende of mariage and it chaungith dedly synne in to venyal bituixe hem þat ben weddid . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] as wel as þe bodyes [921] ¶ þis is verray mariage þat was first blessed by god er þat þe synne bigan whan naturel lawe was in his first poynt in paradis. and it was ordeyned þat/ oo man schulde haue but oon womman. and oon womman but oon man as saith seint augustyn by many resouns

[922] ¶ First for mariage is figured bitwixe crist and

[6-text p 669] holy chirche ¶ Anoþer is for a man is heed of a womman algate by ordinaunce it/ schulde be so [923] ¶ For if a womman had mo men þan oon; þanne schulde sche haue mo hedes þan oon & þat were an horrible þing biforn god. And eek a womman. myȝte nouȝt please to many folk al at oones. and also þer ne schulde neuer be pees & rest among hem. For euerich wolde aske his oughne þing. [924] and forþer-ouer no man schulde knowe his oughne en|gendrure ne who schulde haue his heritage and þe womman scholde be þe lasse loued fro þe tyme þat sche were ioyned to many men

[925] ¶ Now comeþ how þat a man schulde bere him wiþ his wif and namely in tuo þinges þat is [folio 280b] to sayn in sufferaunce and in reuerence and þat schewed crist whan he made first womman. [926] For he ne made hire not of þe heed of adam. for sche schulde not to gret lordschipe haue / [927] þer as þe womman haþ þe maistry sche makith to moche disaray. þer nedith noon ensample of þis. þe experience of þis of day by day oughte suffice [928] ¶ Also certes god ne made nouȝt womman of þe foot of adam. For sche ne scholde nouȝt be holden to lowe for sche can not/ paciently suffre ¶ But god made womman of þe ribbe of adam For womman schulde be felawe vnto man [929] Man schulde bere him to his wif. in faith in trouþe and in loue as saiþ seint poule. aman schulde loue his wif as crist loued holy chirche . . . . . [no gap] þat deyed for it. so schulde a man for his wyf if/ it were neede

[930] ¶ Now how þat a womman schulde be subiect to hir housbonde þat tellith seint peter. iij^o. c^o. first in obedi|ence [931] and eek/ as saiþ þe decre. A womman þat is a wif as longe as sche is a wif sche haþ noon auctorite to swere ne to bere witnesse wiþoute leue of hir housbonde þat is hir lord. algate he schulde be so by resoun. [932] sche schulde eek serue him in al

[6-text p 670] honeste and ben attempre of hir array / I wot wel þat þay schulde sette here entent to please her house|bondes but nought by here queyntise of array [933] ¶ Seint Ierom saith þat wyues þat ben arrayed in silk and in purpre ne mowe nouȝt cloþe hem in ihū crist ¶ loke what saith saint Iohn eek in þe same matier [934] ¶ Seint gregori saith eek þat no wight sekith precious cloþing ne array but oonly for veyn glorie to ben honoured þe more biforn þe poeple [935] ¶ It is a gret foly a womman to haue fair array outward and hirsilf to ben foul inward [936] ¶ A wyf schulde eek be mesurable in lokyng and in beryng and in laugheing and discrete in alle hir wordes. [937] and aboue alle worldly þinges sche schulde loue hir housebonde/ with al hire herte and to him to be trewe of hir body. [938] so scholde an housebonde eeke ben to his wif. For sith þat al þe body is þe housebondes. so schulde here herte ben. or ellis þer is bitwixe hem tuo as in þat no parfyt mariage [939] ¶ Thanne schal men vnder|stonde; þat for þre þinges a man and his wyf mowe fleischly assemble ¶ The firste is in entent/ of engen|drure of children to the seruice of god. for certis þat is þe cause fynal of matrimoyne [940] ¶ The secounde cause is to ȝelden euerych of hem his dette vn [folio 281a] to oþer of his body ¶ For euerych of hem haþ power of his oughne body ¶ The þridde is for to eschiewe leccherie and vilenye. þe ferþe forsoþe is dedly synne. [941] as to þe firste it/ is meritory. The secounde also for as saiþ þe decre þat sche haþ merit of chastite þat ȝeldith to hir housebonde þe dette of hir body. ȝe þough it/ be agayn hir likyng and þe lust of hir hert [942] ¶ The þridde maner is venial synne. and trewly scarsly may eny of þese be wiþoute venial synne for þe corrupcioun and for þe delit. [943] The ferþe maner is for to vnderstonde as if þay assemble oonly for amorous loue and for noon of þe forsayde causes. but

[6-text p 671] for to accomplise þilke brennynge delyt þay rekke neuer how ofte. soþely it is dedly synne and ȝit wiþ sorwe some folk wole more peyne hem for to doon þan to her appetit suffiseþ.

[944] the secounde maner of chastite is to ben a clene wydewe and to eschiew þe embrasynges of men and desiren þe enbrasynges of ihū crist [945] þese ben þo þat han ben wyues and han forgon here hous|bondes and eek wommen þat han doon leccherie and be relieued by penitence / [946] and certis if þat a wyf couþe kepe hir al chast by licence of hir housebonde so þat sche ȝeue non occasioun þat he agilt it were to hir a gret merit [947] ¶ Thise maner wymmen þat obseruen chastite moste be clene in herte as wel as in body and in þought and mesurable in cloþing & in countenaunce. abstinent in etyng and drynkyng in speche and in dede. and þanne is sche þe vessel or þe boyst of the blessed Magdaleyne þat fulfillith holy chirche ful of good odour. [948] ¶ The þridde maner of chastite is virginite. and it/ bihoueþ þat sche be holy in herte and clene of body. and þanne is sche spouse of ihū crist and sche is þe lif of aungels. [949] sche is þe preysyng of þis world. and sche is as þese martires in egalite. sche haþ in hir þat tonge þat tonge may nouȝt telle. [950] virginite bar oure lord ihū crist and virgine was himselue

[951] ¶ Anoþer remedy agayns leccherie is specially to wiþdrawe suche þinges as ȝiuen occasioun to þilke vilonye as is ease and etyng and drynkyng For certes whan þe pot boylith strongely. þe beste remedye is to wiþ|drawe þe fuyr [952] sleping eek in gret quiete is eek a greet/ norice vnto leccherie

[953] ¶ Anoþer remedy agayns leccherie [folio 281b] is þat a man or a womman eschiewe þe companye of hem by whiche he doutith to be tempted. for al be it so þat þe dede be wiþstonde; ȝit is þer gret temptacioun

[6-text p 672] [954] sothely a whit wal al þough it brenne not fully by stikyng of a candel ȝet is þe wal blak of stiking of a candel ful ofte tyme. [955] I rede þat no man truste in his oughne perfeccioun but he be strenger þan Sampson or holiere þan Dauyd. and wiser þan salamon

[956] ¶ Now after þat I haue declared ȝow þe seuen dedly synnes as I can & some of here braunches and here remedyes; soþely if I couþe I wolde telle ȝow þe ten comaundementes. [957] but so heigh a doctrine I leue to diuines. but/ naþeles I hope to god þay ben touchid in þis litil tretys eue¶rich of hem alle