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

¶ De Inuidia.[in margin]

[484]

AFter pride now wol I speke of þe foule synne of Envye which þat is as by þe word of þe philosophre. sorwe of other mennes prosperite ¶ And after þe word of seint austyn. is it sorwe of oþer mennes wele & ioye of oþer mennes harm [485] ¶ This foule synne is platly agayns þe holy gost. al be it so þat euery synne is agayn the holy gost; ȝit natheles for as moche as bounte aperteyneth proprely to þe holy gost. and enuye proprely is malice; þer|fore is it proprely agayns þe bounte of þe holy gost [486] ¶ Now haþ malice [folio 265b] tuo spices . þat is to sayn hardnes of hert in wickednes or ellis þe fleisch of man is blynd þat he considereth not þat he is in synne . . . . . [no gap] which is þe hardnes of the deuyl [487] ¶ That oþer spice of enuye is . whan a man warieth trouþe and wot þat it is trouþe. and eek whan he warieth þe grace þat god haþ ȝeue to his

[6-text p 628] neighebor and al þis is by enuye [488] ¶ Certes þan is enuye þe worste synne þat is ¶ For sothely alle oþer synnes ben somtyme oonly agains oon special vertu [489] ¶ But certes enuye is agayns alle vertues and agayns al goodnes. for it is sory of alle þe bountees of his neighebor ¶ And in þis maner it is diuers from alle þe synnes. [490] ¶ For wel vnneþe is þer any synne þat he ne hath som delit in himself sauf oonly enuye þat euer hath in it self anguisch and sorwe [491] ¶ The spices of enuye ben þese ¶ Ther is first sorwe of oþer mennes goodnes and of her pros|perite. and prosperite is kyndely matier of ioye. þanne is enuye a synne agayns kynde [492] ¶ The secounde spice of enuye. is ioye of oþer mennes harm. and þat is proprely lik to the deuyl þat euer reioyeth him of mennes harm [493] ¶ Of þese tuo spices comeþ bacbityng. and þis synne of bakbytyng or detraccioun hath certein spices as þus ¶ Som man praiseth his neighebor by a wickid entent. [494] For he makith alway a wickid knotte atte last ende. alway he makith a but. at þe last ende þat is þing of more blame þan worth is al þe praysing [495] ¶ The secounde spice is þat if a man be good and doth or saiþ a þing to good entent; þe bacbiter wol torne al þilke goodnes vpso-doun to his schrewed entent. [496] Þe þridde is to amenuse þe bounte of his neighe|bor. [497] þe ferþe spiece of bakbytyng is þis. þat if men speke goodnes of a man; þan wil þe bakbiter seyn . par fay ȝit such a man is bet þan he in dispraysynge of him þat men praise. [498] þe fifte spice is þis for to consente gladly and herken gladly to þe harm þat men speke of oþer folk . þis synne is ful gret and ay encresith after thentent of þe bakbiter [499] ¶ After bakbytyng comeþ grucching or murmuracioun. And som tyme it springith of Insapiens agayns god. and somtyme agains man.

[6-text p 629] [500] agayns god is it. whan a man grucchith agayn pyne of helle or agayns pouerte. or of losse of catel. or agayn reyn or tempest [folio 266a] or elles grucchiþ þat schrewes han prosperite or ellis þat goode men han ad|uersite. [501] and alle þese þinges schulde men suffre paciently. for þay come by rightful iuggement and ordinaunce of god [502] ¶ Som tyme cometh grucching of auarice as Iudas grucched aȝens þe Maudeleyn whan sche anoynted þe hed of oure lord ihū crist with hir precious oynement. [503] þis maner murmur is swich as man grucchith of goodnes þat himself doþ or þat oþer folk doon of here owne catel [504] ¶ Som tyme comeþ murmur of pride. as whan Symon þe pharise grucchid agayn þe maudeleyn whan sche approchid to ihū crist and wepte at his feet for hir synnes. [505] And somtyme it sourdith of enuye whan men discoueren a mannes harm þat was priue or bereþ him on hond þing þat is fals [506] ¶ Murmuryng eek is ofte among seruauntȝ þat grucchen whan here souerayns bidden hem to doon leeful þinges. [507] and for as moche as þay dar nouȝt openly wiþstonde the comaundementȝ of here souerayns; ȝit wol thay sayn harm and grucche and murmure priuely for verray despit / [508] whiche wordes men clepe þe deueles pater noster. þough so be þat þe deuel hadde neuer pater noster but þat lewed men calle it so [509] ¶ Som tyme it comeþ of Ire of priue hate þat norischeth rancour in herte as I schal declare. [510] þanne comeþ eek bitternes of herte. þorugh which bitternesse euery good deede of his neighebore semeþ to him bitter and vnsauery [511] ¶ But þanne comeþ discord þat vnbyndeth alle maner of frendschipe. þanne comeþ scornynge. of . . . . . [no gap] his neighe|bor al do he neuer so wel. [512] þanne comeþ accusyng. as whan man seketh occasioun to annoyen his

[6-text p 630] neighebore which þat is lik þe craft of þe deuel þat waytith boþe night and day to accuse vs alle [513] ¶ Þanne comeþ malignite þurgh which a man annoyeth his neighebor priuely if he may. [514] And if he not may algate his wikkid while schal nought wante as for to brenne his hous priuely or empoysone or sleen his bestis priuely and semblable þinges [[No break in the MS.]]