[Sidenote: Hic loquitur quod septem sunt peccata mortalia, quorum caput Superbia varias species habet, et earum prima Ypocrisis dicitur, cuius proprietatem secundum vicium simpliciter Confessor Amanti declarat.[293]] Mi Sone, as I thee schal enforme, Ther ben yet of an other forme Of dedly vices sevene applied, Wherof the herte is ofte plied To thing which after schal him grieve. The ferste of hem thou schalt believe[294] 580 Is Pride, which is principal, And hath with him in special Ministres five ful diverse, Of whiche, as I the schal reherse,[295] [Sidenote: [FIVE MINISTERS OF PRIDE. i. HYPOCRISY.]] The ferste is seid Ypocrisie. If thou art of his compaignie, Tell forth, my Sone, and schrif the clene. [Sidenote: Amans.] I wot noght, fader, what ye mene: [Sidenote: =P. i. 62=] Bot this I wolde you beseche, That ye me be som weie teche 590 What is to ben an ypocrite; And thanne if I be forto wyte, I wol beknowen, as it is.[296] [Sidenote: Confessor.] Mi Sone, an ypocrite is this,-- A man which feigneth conscience, As thogh it were al innocence, Withoute, and is noght so withinne; And doth so for he wolde winne Of his desir the vein astat. And whanne he comth anon therat, 600 He scheweth thanne what he was, The corn is torned into gras, That was a Rose is thanne a thorn, And he that was a Lomb beforn[297] Is thanne a Wolf, and thus malice Under the colour of justice Is hid; and as the poeple telleth, [Sidenote: Ipocrisis Religiosa.[298]] These ordres witen where he duelleth, As he that of here conseil is, And thilke world which thei er this[299] 610 Forsoken, he drawth in ayein: He clotheth richesse, as men sein, Under the simplesce of poverte, And doth to seme of gret decerte Thing which is litel worth withinne: He seith in open, fy! to Sinne, And in secre ther is no vice Of which that he nis a Norrice: [Sidenote: =P. i. 63=] And evere his chiere is sobre and softe, And where he goth he blesseth ofte, 620 Wherof the blinde world he dreccheth. Bot yet al only he ne streccheth His reule upon religioun, Bot next to that condicioun In suche as clepe hem holy cherche [Sidenote: Ipocrisis ecclesiastica.[300]] It scheweth ek how he can werche[301] Among tho wyde furred hodes,[302] To geten hem the worldes goodes. And thei hemself ben thilke same That setten most the world in blame,[303] 630 Bot yet in contraire of her lore