The Peynes for Glotonye

Capitulo Nono

Thanne sawe I yet another companye, of whiche fowle Sathanas slytte the throte, and drowe oute theyr tonges vnder the chyn. And these were leyd a long vpon a table that was couchid with sulfur and with quyck coles, whiche brente them ful bytterly with the fowle flamme that roose oute ther fro.

`These ben folk', quod myn angel, that hadde none other cure ne besynes, but only to fyllen theyr belyes. They hadde none other lust, but al day syt at the table. These haue ben bollers of wyn and of ale, dronkelewe surfetours, so vnmesurable in their expensys, that many other myght haue ben fed and fulfylled with theyr superfluytes. But soo moche hauen they loued and [56r] delyted in the passage of the fowle throte and in the lady of the besy forge, that forgeth with hyr teeth al that she wyl cast in to his gorge, and what ne lyketh hyr nought, she casteth it oute ageyne. Suche folk haue ben soo delycate and lothe to good werkes, that now hath glotony them by the gorge or that they be ware, and ther they be rent and to racyd, slitted and euell woundid.

`Dame Tonge, the maystresse of this forge, is put oute of hyr place by cause of hyr ryote, and not by the dore, but vnder the threshfold drawen oute, for that they went al that she wrought in to a fowle swolewe, that stanke ful hydously. Ther had she alle hyr luste and alle hyr delyte. Now mowe this folke swolewe ynowe of the fyre of Helle, and lycken till them lothe. One auauntage they haue: the wyndowe is open. In this fyre haue they theyr sepulture; none other be they worthy, with the riche gloton, that lacketh water to kele with his tonge.'