§ 32       After Pride wol I speken of the foule synne of Envye, which that is, as by the word of the Philosophre, "sorwe of oother mannes prosperitee"; and after the word of Seint Augustyn, it is sorwe of oother mennes wele, and joye of othere mennes harm. This foule synne is platly agayns the hooly goost. Al be it so that every synne is agayns the Hooly Goost, yet nathelees, for as muche as bountee aperteneth proprely to the Hooly Goost, and envye comth proprely of malice, therfore it is proprely agayn the bountee of the Hooly Goost. Now hath malice two speces; that is to seyn, hardnesse of herte in wikkednesse, or elles the flessh of man is so blynd that he considereth nat that he is in synne, or rekketh nat that he is in synne, which is the hardnesse of the devel. That oother spece of malice is whan a man werreyeth trouthe, whan he woot that it is trouthe; and eek whan he werreyeth the grace that God hath yeve to his neighebor; and al this is by Envye. Certes, thanne is Envye the worste synne that is. For soothly, alle othere synnes been somtyme oonly agayns o special vertu; but certes, envye is agayns alle vertues and agayns alle goodnesses. For it is sory of alle the bountees of his neighebor, and in this manere it is divers from alle othere synnes. For wel unnethe is ther any synne that it ne hath som delit in itself, save oonly envye, that evere hath in itself angwissh and sorwe. The speces of envye been thise. Ther is first, sorwe of oother mannes goodnesse and of his prosperitee; and prosperitee is kyndely matere of joye; thanne is envye a synne agayns kynde. The seconde spece of envye is joye of oother mannes harm; and that is proprely lyk to the devel, that evere rejoyseth hym of mannes harm. Of thise two speces comth bakbityng; and this synne of bakbityng or detraccion hath certeine speces, as thus. Som man preiseth his neighebor by a wikked entente; for he maketh alwey a wikked knotte atte laste ende. Alwey he maketh a but atte laste ende, that is digne of moore blame, than worth is al the preisynge. The seconde spece is that if a man be good, and dooth or seith a thing to good entente, the bakbitere wol turne al thilke goodnesse up-so-doun to his shrewed entente. The thridde is to amenuse the bountee of his neighebor. The fourthe spece of bakbityng is this, that if men speke goodnesse of a man, thanne wol the bakbitere seyn, parfey, swich a man is yet bet than he; in dispreisynge of hym that men preise. The fifte spece is this, for to consente gladly and herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of oother folk. This synne is ful greet, and ay encreesseth after the wikked entente of the bakbitere. After bakbityng cometh gruchchyng or murmuracioun; and somtyme it spryngeth of inpacience agayns god, and som-tyme agayns man. Agayn God it is, whan a man gruccheth agayn the peyne of helle, or agayns poverte, or los of catel, or agayn reyn or tempest; or elles gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or elles for the goode men han adversitee. And alle thise thynges sholde man suffre paciently, for they comen by the rightful juggement and ordinaunce of God. Somtyme comth grucching of avarice; as Judas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne, whan she enoynted the heved of oure lord Jhesu Crist with hir precious oynement. This manere murmure is swich as whan man gruccheth of goodnesse that hymself dooth, or that oother folk doon of hir owene catel. Somtyme comth murmure of pride; as whan Simon the Pharisse gruchched agayn the Magdaleyne, whan she approched to Jhesu Crist, and weep at his feet for hire synnes. And somtyme grucchyng sourdeth of envye; whan men discovereth a mannes harm that was pryvee, or bereth hym on hond thyng that is fals. Murmure eek is ofte amonges servauntz that grucceh whan hir sovereyns bidden hem doon leveful thynges; and forasmuche as they dar nat openly withseye the comaundementz of hir sovereyns, yet wol they seyn harm, and grucche, and murmure prively for verray despit; whiche wordes men clepen the develes Pater noster, though so be that the devel ne hadde nevere Pater noster, but that lewed folk yeven it swich a name. Somtyme it comth of ire or prive hate, that norisseth rancour in herte, as afterward I shal declare. Thanne cometh eek bitternesse of herte, thurgh which bitternesse every good dede of his neighebor semeth to hym bitter and unsavory. Thanne cometh discord, that unbyndeth alle manere of freendshipe. Thanne comth scornynge of his neighebor, al do he never so weel. Thanne comth accusynge, as whan man seketh occasioun to anoyen his neighebor, which that is lyk the craft of the devel, that waiteth bothe nyght and day to accusen us alle. Thanne comth malignitee, thurgh which a man anoyeth his neighebor prively, if he may; and if he noght may, algate his wikked wil ne shal nat wante, as for to brennen his hous pryvely, or empoysone or sleen his beestes, and semblable thynges.

§ 32         After Pride will I speak of the foul sin of Envy, which is, as by the word of the Philosopher (which is Aristotle), "sorrow of another man's prosperity"; and according to the word of Saint Augustine, it is "Sorrow of other men's well-being, and joy of other men's harm." This foul sin is flatly against the Holy Ghost. Although it is so that every sin is against the Holy Ghost, yet nonetheless, forasmuch as goodness pertains particularly to the Holy Ghost, and Envy comes particularly of malice, therefore it is particularly against the goodness of the Holy Ghost. Now malice has two species; that is to say, hardness of heart in wickedness, or else the flesh of man is so blind that he considers not that he is in sin or cares not that he is in sin, which is the hardness of the devil. That other specie of malice is when a man wages war on truth, when he know that it is truth; and also when he wages war on the grace that God has given to his neighbour; and all this is by Envy. Certainly, then is Envy the worst sin that is. For truly, all other sins are sometimes only against one special virtue, but certainly Envy is against all virtues and against all goodness. For it is sorry of all the goodness of his neighbour, and in this manner it is diverse from all other sins. For well hardly is there any sin that has not some delight in itself save only Envy, that ever has in itself anguish and sorrow. The species of Envy are these. There is first, sorrow of other man's goodness and of his prosperity; and prosperity is natural cause of joy; then is Envy a sin against nature. The second species of Envy is joy of other man's harm, and that is particularly similar to the devil, who always rejoices for man's harm. Of these two species comes backbiting; and this sin of backbiting or detraction has certain species, as thus: A certain man praises his neighbor with a wicked intent, for he makes always a wicked knot at the last end. Always he makes a "but" at the last end, that is worthy of more blame than is worth all the praising. The second species is that if a man be good and does or says a thing to good intent, the backbiter will turn all this goodness upside down (opposite) to his wicked intent. The third is to detract the goodness of his neighbour. The fourth species of backbiting is this: that if men speak goodness of a man, then will the backbiter say, "Indeed, so and so is yet better than he," in dispraising of him that men praise. The fifth species is this: to consent gladly and hearken gladly to the harm that men speak of other folk. This sin is very great and ever increases according to the wicked intent of the backbiter. After backbiting comes grouching or grumbling; and sometimes it springs of impatience against God, and sometimes against man. Against God it is when a man grouches against the pain of hell, or against poverty, or loss of possessions, or against rain or tempest; or else grouches that scoundrels have prosperity, or else because good men have adversity. And all these things should man suffer patiently, for they come by the rightful judgment and decree of God. Sometimes grouching comes from avarice; as Judas grouched against the Magdalene when she anointed the head of our Lord Jesus Christ with her precious ointment. This sort of murmur is such as when man grouches of goodness that himself does, or that other folk do of their own possessions. Sometimes comes murmur of Pride, as when Simon the Pharisee grouched against the Magdalene when she approached to Jesus Christ and wept at his feet for their sins. And sometimes grouching arises from Envy, when one discovers a man's harm that was private or deludes someone about a thing that is false. Murmur also is often among servants that grouch when their superiors command them to do lawful things; and forasmuch as they dare not openly deny the commandments of their superiors, yet will they say harm, and grouch, and murmur privately for true disobedience; which words men call the devil's Pater noster, though it is so that the devil never had Pater noster, but that ignorant folk give it such a name. Sometimes it comes of Anger or privy hate that nourishes rancor in heart, as afterward I shall declare. Then comes also bitterness of heart, through which bitterness every good deed of his neighbour seems to him bitter and unsavory. Then comes discord that unbinds all sort of friendship. Then comes scorning of his neighbour, although he does never so well. Then comes accusing, as when man seeks occasion to annoy his neighbour, which is like the craft of the devil, that waits both night and day to accuse us all. Then comes malignity, through which a man annoys his neighbour privately, if he can; and if he can not do, surely his wicked will shall not be lacking, as to burn his house stealthily, or poison or slay his beasts, and such things.