=Sequitur de Gula.=
§ 70. After Avarice comth Glotonye, which is expres eek agayn the
comandement of god. Glotonye is unmesurable appetyt to ete or to drinke, or
elles to doon y-nogh to the unmesurable appetyt and desordeynce coveityse
to eten or to drinke. / This sinne corrumped al this world, as is wel
shewed in the sinne of Adam and of Eve. Loke eek, what seith seint Paul of
Glotonye. / ‘Manye,’ seith seint Paul, ‘goon, of whiche I have ofte seyd to
yow, and now I seye it wepinge, that they been the enemys of the croys of
Crist; of whiche the ende is deeth, and of whiche hir wombe is hir god, and
hir glorie in confusioun of hem that so saveren erthely thinges.’ /820 He
that is usaunt to this sinne of Glotonye, he ne may no sinne withstonde. He
moot been in servage of alle vyces, for it is the develes hord ther he
hydeth him and resteth. / This [624] sinne hath manye speces. The firste is
dronkenesse, that is the horrible sepulture of mannes resoun; and therfore,
whan a man is dronken, he hath lost his resoun; and this is deedly sinne. /
But soothly, whan that a man is nat wont to strong drinke, and peraventure
ne knoweth nat the strengthe of the drinke, or hath feblesse in his heed,
or hath travailed, thurgh which he drinketh the more, al be he sodeynly
caught with drinke, it is no deedly sinne, but venial. / The seconde spece
of Glotonye is, that the spirit of a man wexeth al trouble; for dronkenesse
bireveth him the discrecioun of his wit. / The thridde spece of Glotonye
is, whan a man devoureth his mete, and hath no rightful manere of etinge.
/825 The fourthe is whan, thurgh the grete habundaunce of his mete, the
humours in his body been destempred. / The fifthe is, foryetelnesse by to
muchel drinkinge; for which somtyme a man foryeteth er the morwe what he
dide at even or on the night biforn. /
820. Pt. Ln. thei; _rest om._ Hl. Pt. Ln. saueren; _rest_ deuouren.
821. E. hoord. 823. Cm. woned. 827. Cm. forȝetefulnesse.
§ 71. In other manere been distinct the speces of Glotonye, after seint
Gregorie. The firste is, for to ete biforn tyme to ete. The seconde is,
whan a man get him to delicat mete or drinke. / The thridde is, whan men
taken to muche over mesure. The fourthe is curiositee, with greet entente
to maken and apparaillen his mete. The fifthe is, for to eten to gredily. /
Thise been the fyve fingres of the develes hand, by whiche he draweth folk
to sinne. /830