“The Effects of the Seven Sins”: A Critical Edition
Edited by Krista A. Murchison
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
- 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