314 Elbert N. S. Thompson 
pleasures he desires. Backbiter volunteers to teach him the way 
to the Seven Deadly Sins, and Covetousness inflames him with 
greed. One after the other the Seven Deadly Sins instil their 
poisonous teachings into his heart. Pride, for example, urges him 
to despise his fellows, and, lest they take him for a goose, to 
jag his clothing, wear long-toed shoes, and in all other respects to: 
put holy byn hert in pride. (1073) © 
Sloth, in his turn, advises him to forget his religious duties for ease. 
whanne pe messé-bellé goth, 
lye stylle, man, & take non hede! 
lappe pbyne hed panne in a cloth, 
& take a swet, I bee rede; 
Chyrche-goynge bou forsake. (1215-19) 
Led by such invidious counsel, Mankind is apparently lost, and the 
sorrowful Good Angel, who has witnessed what he could not pre- 
vent, foretells his fate: 
alas! Mankynde 
is bobbyt & blent as be blynde! 
In feyth, I fynde, 
to Crist he can nowt be kynde. 
alas! Mankynne 
is soylyd & saggyd in synne! 
he wyl not blynne, 
tyl body & sowle parte a-twynne. (1289-96) 
Grieving thus over Mankind’s sorry predicament, Good Angel is 
discovered by his friend Shrift, to whom he explains the cause of 
his sorrow. Shrift, however, sees a chance of a quick amendment 
if only Mankind can be brought to confess his sins. Accordingly 
they seek him, and, with the aid of Penance, readily bring him to 
see his wrong-doing and ask for forgiveness: 
I haue synnyd many a browe 
In be dedly synnys seuene, 
bobe in home & halle... . 
pe x comaundementis, brokyn I haue; 
& my fyue wyttis, spent hem a-mys; 
I was banne wood, & gan to raue: 
mercy, God! for-geue me pys!... 
now, seynt Saueour! Ze me saue, 
& brynge me to Zour boure of blys! 
