Text 79: Chaucer’s ‘The Parson’s Tale’

Aftere auarιce comyth Glotenye Which ιs expres a gayne the comaundmet of god What Gloteny ιs Glotenye ιs vnmeſurable appetιt to ete or to drιnke or ellys to don ynogh to the vnmeſurable apetιt and deſordeynee coueιtιſe to ete or to drιnke thιs synne corrumped all thιs world . as ιs wel shewd ιn the synne of adam and of Eue
he þt ιs vſaunt to thιs synne of Glotenye he ne may noo synne wtſonde he mote ben ιn servage of all vιces ffor ιt ιs the deuell hoord there he hιdeth hym and reſteth hιm thιs synne hath manye spιces Of dιurſe speces of Gloe þe fιrſt ιs drokenneſſe The fιrſe ιs dronkynneſſe that ιs the horrιble sepulture of mannes reſon and þ’ for whan a man ιs dronken . he hathe loſt ιs reſoun and thιs ιs dedly synne But sothely whan that a man ιs not wont to ſtronge drιnke and peruenture ne knoweth not the strenght of the drιnke or hathe ffebleſſe ιn hιs hedd or hathe trauayled þorow the whιche he drιnketh the more al be he sodenly caught wt drιnke, ιt ιs no dedly synne but venyall The seconde spece of Glotenye ιs þt the spιrιt of a man wexeth all trouble for dronkeneſſe bιreueth hym the diſcrecyou of hιs wytte The ιιjde spece of Gloe The therde spece of Glotenye ιs whanne a man deuoureth hιs mete and hathe no ryghtfull man’e of etynge. The ιιιjte spιce of Gloe The ιιιjte spece of Glotenye ιs whanne thourgh the grete habundaunce of hιs mete the humởs of hιs body ben deſtemperyd The ve spece of Gloe The fyfte ιs foryetylneſſe by to muchell drιnkeynge ffor whιch som tyme a man forgeteth er the morwe what he ded at evyn or on the nyght before…
Theſe ben the v fιngers of the deueles hand by Whιche he draweth folk to synne.

After avarice comes Gluttony which is expressed against the commandment of God. What is Gluttony? Gluttony is immensurable appetite to eat or to drink or else to do anything to the immensurable appetite and chaos and desire to eat and to drink. This sin corrupted the entire world, as it is clear in the sin of Adam and Eve.

The one who is accustomed to the sin of Gluttony may not withstand the sin. He must be in service of all vices for it is the devil’s hoard. There, he hides and rests himself. This sin has many types, diverse kinds of Gluttony. The first is drunkenness that is the horrible grave of man’s reason and therefore when a man is drunk, he loses his reason and this is a deadly sin. But certainly when a man is not accustomed to strong drink and perhaps does not know the strength of the drink or is feeble in his head or has worked too much so he drinks more although he suddenly gets drunk, it is not deadly sin but venial.

The second type of Gluttony is the spirit of a man who becomes all troubled for drunkenness and bereaves him of the reason of his wit. The third type of gluttony: the third type of Gluttony is when a man devours his meat and has no rightful manner of eating. The foruth type of gluttony: the fourth type of Gluttony is when through the great abundance of his meat the moistures of his body are distempered. The fifth type of Gluttony: the fifth type of Gluttony is forgetfulness by too much drink because sometimes a man forgets in the morning what he did in the evening or in the night before…

These are the five fingers of the devil's hands by which he brings folk to sin.