The sixth bough of pride is hypocrisy, which is a sin that makes one
show the good without that is not within. Those, then, are hypocrites
who pretend to be good men and are not, who pretend to have more
strength than name of good man, than truth and holiness. And this
(bough) divides (herself) in three. For there is an hypocrisy foul, and
another foolish, and the third subtle. Those are foul hypocrites who do
their foul deeds in corners and show themselves good before the people.
Such our Lord calls painted and gilded sepulchres. Those are foolish
hypocrites who keep themselves cleanly enough as regards the body, and
do many and good penances principally for the fame of the world, because
one holds them to be good men. Those are indeed fools, for of good metal
they make false money. Those are subtle hypocrites who subtlely will
climb up and steal the dignities and the kingdoms. They do all that a
good man shall do, so that no man can know them until (then that) they
are full grown and climbed high in dignities. And then show they the
evils that were hidden and rooted in the heart, to wit, pride, avarice,
malice, and other evil deeds, whereby one knows openly that the tree
never was good, and that it was all deceit and hypocrisy, all that he
had before showed. Therefore it is truly said: ‘Thou shalt never know
what man is, until he is where he wishes to be.’