How we cite our quotes: (Line number)
Quote #4
And right anon thanne comen tombesteres,
Fetys and smale, and yonge frutesteres,
Sygeres with harpes, baudes, wafereres,
Whiche been the verray develes officeres
To kyndle and blowe the fyr of lecherye,
That is annexed unto glotonye. (191 – 196)
The cause of sin is specifically feminine in this passage, with all of the "develes officeres" being women, whether they are "tombesteres" (dancing girls) or "wafereres" (women selling cake). Women had a bad rap in religious thinking ever since Eve made those apple fritters. The women in the tavern are all temptresses, but instead of apples they're offering cake. Yum, cake. (Don't worry, we'll buy a pardon.) The passage also shows the interconnectedness of all sin, with lechery "annexed unto," or closely related to, gluttony.
Quote #5
O glotonye, ful of cursednesse!
O cause first of oure confusioun!
O original of oure dampnacioun
Til Crist hadde boght us with his blood agayn!
Lo, how deere, shortly for to sayn,
Aboght was thilke cursed vileynye!
Corrupt was al this world for glotonye! (212 – 218)
Many medieval theologians blamed gluttony for the Fall of man, because the story goes that it was Adam and Eve's hunger for the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil that made them disobey God's command. Because of their disobedience, says the theology, Christ had to buy back mankind from the devil with his own blood. For this reason, the Pardoner calls gluttony a dearly bought "vileynye."
Quote #6
But, certes, he that haunteth swiche delices
Is deed, whil that he lyveth in tho vices. (261 – 262)
Here the Pardoner refers to the Christian belief that "the way of sin is death." Those who overindulge their body's desires, like gluttons, condemn themselves to eternal damnation, which represents permanent death, in contrast to eternal life with God. Medieval Christianity was loaded with images of hell, and the Pilgrims would have been very familiar with what awaited sinners who died in a state of sin. Not good.