This sin of pride is too dreadful, for it (she) blinds men, so that they
themselves neither know nor see; it is a very strong and a very special
aid to the devil, whereby he beguiles the high men, and the fair, and
the rich, and the wise, and the hardy, and the honourable, and generally
every manner of folk, but especially the great lords, so that they
themselves neither know nor see their misdeeds, nor their follies, nor
their faults (_read_ wytes); then is it the most perilous sickness of
(all) others. Forsooth he is in great peril, to whom every remedy turns
into venom, as do teaching and chastisement to the proud. For the more
one reproves and blames and chastises him the more angry he is and the
more weary he becomes.
Pride is the devil’s own daughter, who has a great share in his nature.
Pride wars against God because of His goodness, and God throws down
pride and wars against it. Pride is king of wicked habits. It (she) is
the lion that devours all. Pride destroys all the goodness and all the
graces and all the good works that are in man. For pride makes of alms
sin, and of virtues vices, and by good works, whereby one should buy
heaven, it makes us win hell.
This sin is the first that assails the knight our Lord, (and) whom it is
the last to leave, for when He hath all other evils overcome, then pride
assails Him the more strongly.