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“The Effects of the Seven Sins”: A Critical Edition

Edited by Krista A. Murchison

Toggle Bd[?]Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Fr.e.22Toggle Tr[?]Trinity College, Cambridge MS B.14.39Toggle Em[?]Cambridge, Emmanuel College MS I.4.4 (83)

Editorial Marks

Curly brackets { } mark an expanded abbreviation
Square brackets [ ] mark a section of the text for which variant readings exist

Clicking on [*] will show the variant readings. In these, the following abbreviations are used:
Bd - Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Fr.e.22
Tr - Trinity College, Cambridge MS B.14.39
Em - Cambridge, Emmanuel College MS I.4.4 (83)
Bold type is used to mark preferred readings

Pride makes   man
  • Boast of having good qualities that he does not have 
  • Pretend to be other than he is 
  • Fabricate novelties 
  • Strive needlessly 
  • Disobedient to God and to his neighbour 
  • Perverse and contrary. Quarrel without cause  

Envy 
  • makes man [denigrate ] Bd: denigrate Tr: betray Em: denigrate [*] Bd: denigrate
    Tr: betray
    Em: denigrate
    his neighbour 
  • Take joy in the harm of another 
  • Hate the good of another 
  • Grouch over the advancement of another 
  • Be one who commits homicide 
  • Be of bitter intent 
  • Corrupt the good of another 

  • Makes man swell with rage [note]In the Emmanuel College manuscript, this branch of "Ire" and the next two are all on the same line. 
  • Go mad [ 

Ire 
  • [Cry out ] Bd: Cry out Tr: Cry out and chatter Em: Cry out[*] Bd: Cry out
    Tr: Cry out and chatter
    Em: Cry out
     
  • Mock his neighbour 
  • [ Threaten ] Bd: Threaten Tr: Insult Em: Threaten. Insult[*] Bd: Threaten
    Tr: Insult
    Em: Threaten. Insult
     
  • [Insult  ] Bd: Insult  Tr: Threaten  Em: [*] Bd: Insult 
    Tr: Threaten 
    Em:
  • Blind the intellect so that he cannot understand the truth 

Sloth 
  • makes man [displeased] Bd: displeased Tr: displeased Em: vexed[*] Bd: displeased
    Tr: displeased
    Em: vexed
    with every good and [] Bd: Tr: often Em: often[*] Bd:
    Tr: often
    Em: often
    with his own life 
  • Heavy of heart, and lazy, and sleepy 
  • Negligent of the things he ought to do 
  • More timid than is necessary 
  • [Abounding in weary looks [note]Where "plentivus" is followed by "de," I have translated it as "abounding," following the Anglo-Norman dictionary, and where it is followed by the conjunction "e," I have taken it as the adjective "plaintif," meaning "wretched." ] Bd: Abounding in weary looks Tr: Wretched and of weary countenance Em: Wretched and of weary countenance [*] Bd: Abounding in weary looks
    Tr: Wretched and of weary countenance
    Em: Wretched and of weary countenance
     
  • Often in despair  
  • Be without the comfort of the holy spirit  

Avarice 
  • makes man think up new tricks so that he can [ ] Tr: more craftily Bd: Em: more craftily[*] Tr: more craftily
    Bd:
    Em: more craftily
    deceive his neighbour 
  • Desire the death of his neighbour 
  • Lie, perjure, and give false testimony 
  • Steal and seize [wrongfully ] Bd: wrongfully Tr: wrongfully Em: from everyone[*] Bd: wrongfully
    Tr: wrongfully
    Em: from everyone
     
  • Flatter those who are bad 
  • Consent to all sin 
  • Give false verdicts 

Lechery [note]In the Bodleian MS, the order of these last two lists is reversed.
  • makes man filthy in both [body ] Bd: body Tr: heart Em: body[*] Bd: body
    Tr: heart
    Em: body
    and spirit 
  • Stink before God and his angels 
  • [Become foolish ] Bd: Become foolish Tr: Foolish Em: Foolish[*] Bd: Become foolish
    Tr: Foolish
    Em: Foolish
    in thought 
  • Speak of vulgarity and filth 
  • Think of harm 
  • Flatter [and beguile ] Bd: and beguile Tr: Em: everyone to make his mischief[*] Bd: and beguile
    Tr:
    Em: everyone to make his mischief
     
  • Chase away the Holy Spirit, and uncouth and dissolute  

Gluttony 
  • makes man forget God 
  • Destroys innate good qualities 
  • Shortens the life of man 
  • Takes away [] Em: all Tr: Bd: [*] Em: all
    Tr:
    Bd:
    sense and memory 
  • Reduces the strength and beauty of the body 
  • Produces drunkenness that cannot be hidden by anything 
  • Makes man chatter and cry out abominations