“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

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Bodleian LibrariesUniversity of OxfordMS Fr.E.22, fols. 86v–87vImages copyrightBodleian Libraries
Orguil fet
hume
- Auanter sei des biens quil nat [mie] Bd: mieTr: pasEm: mie[*]Bd: mie
Tr: pas
Em: mie
en seji - Feindre sei autre quil [ne] Bd: neTr: neEm: [*]Bd: ne
Tr: ne
Em:
seit - Cuntrouer noueleries
- Estriuer saunz [bosoign] Bd: bosoignTr: busuinEm: encheisun[*]Bd: bosoign
Tr: busuin
Em: encheisun
- Inobedient a deu [⁊]{e} sun proesme
- Fet home poruers [⁊]{e}
[ꝯ]{con}trarius
[. Tenc[ꝰ]{er}
sau[̅]{n}z
acheisu[̅]{n}
]
Em: Tencier sanz encheisun
Bd: . Tenc[ꝰ]{er}
sau[̅]{}z
acheisu[̅]{n}
Tr: Tenser sanz en chesun
[*]
Em: Tencier sanz encheisun
Bd: . Tenc[ꝰ]{er} sau[̅]{}z acheisu[̅]{n}
Tr: Tenser sanz en chesun
Envie
- Fet home fere [det[ac]{rac}tiun
]
Bd: det[ac]{rac}tiun
Tr: traisun
Em: detractiun
[*]
Bd: det[ac]{rac}tiun
Tr: traisun
Em: detractiun
de sum proesme - auer [ioie dautri mal
]
Bd: ioie dautri mal
Tr: ioye de autri mal
Em: de altri mal ioie
[*]
Bd: ioie dautri mal
Tr: ioye de autri mal
Em: de altri mal ioie
- Hair les biens dautri
- Grocer p[̅]{our} aut[i]{ri} auauncement
- Estre homicide
- [Estre de
]
Bd: Estre de
Tr: De
Em: De
[*]
Bd: Estre de
Tr: De
Em: De
amer corage - Deprauer autri biens
- Fet home enfler [note]In the Emmanuel College manuscript, this branch of "Ire" and the next two are all on the same line.
- Forsaner

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Bodleian LibrariesUniversity of OxfordMS Fr.E.22, fols. 86v–87vImages copyrightBodleian Libraries
Ire
- [Crier
]
Bd: Crier
Tr: Crier e ianheler
Em: Crier[*]
Bd: Crier
Tr: Crier e ianheler
Em: Crier
- [Eschamer
]
Tr: Escharnier
Em: Escharnir
Bd: Eschamer
[*]
Tr: Escharnier
Em: Escharnir
Bd: Eschamer
sun proesme - [
Mana[s]{s}cer
]
Bd: Mana[s]{s}cer
Tr: Reprecer
Em: Manacer. Reproueir[*]
Bd: Mana[s]{s}cer
Tr: Reprecer
Em: Manacer. Reproueir
- [Reprucher]
Bd: Reprucher
Tr: Manacer
Em: [*]
Bd: Reprucher
Tr: Manacer
Em:
- Avoegle lentendement q[i]{ui}l ne p[ꝰ]{uis}se entendre u[ꝰ]{er}ite
Accidie
- Fet home [enure]
Bd: enure
Tr: enure
Em: ennuie[*]
Bd: enure
Tr: enure
Em: ennuie
de chescu[̅]{n} bien [⁊]{e} de sa uie [ ] Bd: Tr: suuent Em: souent [*] Bd:
Tr: suuent
Em: souent
- Pensaunt [⁊]{e} [ꝑ]{par}ecus [⁊]{e} sompnolent
- Neggligent en co ke il deit fere
- Pourus plus
q[i]{ui}l
[nait]
Bd: nait
Tr: nunt
Em: nad[*]
Bd: nait
Tr: nunt
Em: nad
mester - [Plentiuus
]
Bd: Plentiuus
Tr: Plantivus e
Em: Plentius e
[*]
Bd: Plentiuus
Tr: Plantivus e
Em: Plentius e
de pesaunte chiere - Meintefeiz [en des espeir
]
Em: en despeyr
Tr: enuis desasper
Bd: en des espeir
[*]
Em: en despeyr
Tr: enuis desasper
Bd: en des espeir
- Estre sanz solaz del seint es[ꝑ]{pir}it
Avarice
- ¶su[̅]{n}
[ꝓ]{pro}esme [
Fet home p[̅]{ur}penser
nouelerie[s]{s}
come[̅]{n}t
il p[ꝰ]{us}se [
]
Tr: plus cointement
Bd:
Em: plus coyntement[*]
Tr: plus cointement
Bd:
Em: plus coyntement
deceuir - Desirer la mort sun [ꝓ]{pro}esme
- Mentir [⁊]{e} pariurer [⁊]{e} tesmoiner faus
- Embler e rauir [atort
]
Bd: atort
Tr: acord
Em: a tuz[*]
Bd: atort
Tr: acord
Em: a tuz
- Losenger les mauueis
- Cunsentir a tuz pechez
- Duner faus iugement
Lecherie[note]In the Bodleian MS, the order of these last two lists is reversed.
- Fet home ord en [cors
]
Bd: cors
Tr: queor
Em: cors[*]
Bd: cors
Tr: queor
Em: cors
[⁊]{e} en alme - Puir deuant deu [⁊]{e} ses aungles
- [Fol de sage deuenir
]
Bd: Fol de sage deuenir
Tr: Fol de sache
Em: De sage fol[*]
Bd: Fol de sage deuenir
Tr: Fol de sache
Em: De sage fol
- Parler de ordure [⁊]{e} de uilanie
- Penser de mal
- Blaundir [[⁊]{e} losenger
]
Bd: [⁊]{e} losenger
Tr:
Em: a tuiz pur feire sa folie[*]
Bd: [⁊]{e} losenger
Tr:
Em: a tuiz pur feire sa folie
- Enchace le seint
es[ꝑ]{pir}it
e dissolt [⁊]{e} [desafeit
[note]The Anglo-Norman Dictionary includes an entry for "desacreeit,"
a word that Olwen Rhys gives in her printing of the Trinity manuscript version of the "Effects of the Seven Sins."
The dictionary suggests that it means "to diminish." However, the word seems to have been a transcription mistake on Rhys'
part.
The word "desacreeit" is not attested elsewhere; Rhys' transcription is the only example in the Anglo-Norman Dictionary.
Reichl transcribes this word as "deshenfaite," and I see the same (fol. 81v). "Deshenfaite" is itself surely a scribal error
for
"desafeit."
]
Bd: desafeit
Tr: deshenfaite
Em: desafeite[*]
Bd: desafeit
Tr: deshenfaite
Em: desafeite

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Bodleian LibrariesUniversity of OxfordMS Fr.E.22, fols. 86v–87vImages copyrightBodleian Libraries
Glotonie
- Fet home ublier deu
- Destrut naturels biens
- Abrege la uie del home
- Tout []
Em: tuite
Tr:
Bd: [*]
Em: tuite
Tr:
Bd:
[sen] Bd: sen Tr: sen Em: seinte[*] Bd: sen
Tr: sen
Em: seinte
[⁊]{e} memoire - Amenuse la force [⁊]{e} la biaute del cors
- Engendre yveresce ke rien ne [fet
]
Bd: fet
Tr: poet
Em: feit[*]
Bd: fet
Tr: poet
Em: feit
celer - Fet home [jangler]
Bd: jangler
Tr: sangler
Em: jangler[*]
Bd: jangler
Tr: sangler
Em: jangler
[⁊]{e} [pronuncier[?] ] Bd: pronuncier[?] Tr: pur runine Em: pronuncier[*] Bd: pronuncier[?]
Tr: pur runine
Em: pronuncier
abhominaciun
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