THE SIXTH BOUGH OF PRIDE.
The sixth bough of pride is hypocrisy, which is a sin that makes one show the good without that is not within. Those, then, are hypocrites who pretend to be good men and are not, who pretend to have more strength than name of good man, than truth and holiness. And this (bough) divides (herself) in three. For there is an hypocrisy foul, and another foolish, and the third subtle. Those are foul hypocrites who do their foul deeds in corners and show themselves good before the people. Such our Lord calls painted and gilded sepulchres. Those are foolish hypocrites who keep themselves cleanly enough as regards the body, and do many and good penances principally for the fame of the world, because one holds them to be good men. Those are indeed fools, for of good metal they make false money. Those are subtle hypocrites who subtlely will climb up and steal the dignities and the kingdoms. They do all that a good man shall do, so that no man can know them until (then that) they are full grown and climbed high in dignities. And then show they the evils that were hidden and rooted in the heart, to wit, pride, avarice, malice, and other evil deeds, whereby one knows openly that the tree never was good, and that it was all deceit and hypocrisy, all that he had before showed. Therefore it is truly said: ‘Thou shalt never know what man is, until he is where he wishes to be.’