The Parade of the Seven Deadly Sins

The following is a scene taken from the book The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe; the scene went very much visual as I read through an I hope you to find it interesting!

FAUSTUS. That sight will be as pleasant unto me,

As Paradise was to Adam the first day

Of his creation.

LUCIFER. Talk not of Paradise or creation; but mark the

show.—

Go, Mephistophilis, and fetch them in.

MEPHISTOPHILIS brings in the SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

BELZEBUB. Now, Faustus, question them of their names

and dispositions.

FAUSTUS. That shall I soon.—What art thou, the first?

PRIDE. I am Pride. I disdain to have any parents. I am like

to Ovid’s flea; I can creep into every corner of a wench;

sometimes, like a perriwig, I sit upon her brow; next, like a

necklace, I hang about her neck; then, like a fan of feathers,

I kiss her lips; and then, turning myself to a wrought smock,

do what I list. But, fie, what a smell is here! I’ll not speak a

word more for a king’s ransom, unless the ground be perfumed,

and covered with cloth of arras.

FAUSTUS. Thou art a proud knave, indeed.—What art

thou, the second?

COVETOUSNESS. I am Covetousness, begotten of an old

churl, in a leather bag: and, might I now obtain my wish,

this house, you, and all, should turn to gold, that I might

lock you safe into my chest: O my sweet gold!

FAUSTUS. And what art thou, the third?

ENVY. I am Envy, begotten of a chimney-sweeper and an

oyster-wife. I cannot read, and therefore wish all books

burned. I am lean with seeing others eat. O, that there would

come a famine over all the world, that all might die, and I

live alone! then thou shouldst see how fat I’d be. But must

thou sit, and I stand? come down, with a vengeance!

FAUSTUS. Out, envious wretch!—But what art thou, the

fourth?

WRATH. I am Wrath. I had neither father nor mother: I

leapt out of a lion’s mouth when I was scarce an hour old;

and ever since have run up and down the world with this

case of rapiers, wounding myself when I could get none to

fight withal. I was born in hell; and look to it, for some of

you shall be my father.

FAUSTUS. And what art thou, the fifth?

GLUTTONY. I am Gluttony. My parents are all dead, and

the devil a penny they have left me, but a small pension, and

that buys me thirty meals a-day and ten bevers,—a small

trifle to suffice nature. I come of a royal pedigree: my father

was a Gammon of Bacon, my mother was a Hogshead of

Claret-wine; my godfathers were these, Peter Pickled-herring

and Martin Martlemas-beef; but my godmother, O,

she was an ancient gentlewoman; her name was Margery

March-beer. Now, Faustus, thou hast heard all my progeny;

wilt thou bid me to supper?

FAUSTUS. Not I.

GLUTTONY. Then the devil choke thee!

FAUSTUS. Choke thyself, glutton!—What art thou, the

sixth?

SLOTH. Heigho! I am Sloth. I was begotten on a sunny bank.

Heigho! I’ll not speak a word more for a king’s ransom.

FAUSTUS. And what are you, Mistress Minx, the seventh

and last?

LECHERY. Who, I, sir? I am one that loves an inch of raw

mutton better than an ell of fried stock-fish; and the first

letter of my name begins with L.

LUCIFER. Away to hell, away! On, piper!

[Exeunt the SINS.]