The sections on the deadly sins are usually, however, well worth reading, because of the vivid illustrative details which they often give about daily life.

The Menagier's sections are full of vigour and colour, as one would expect.

Here, for instance, is his description of the female glutton: 'God commands fasting and the glutton says: "I will eat".

God commands us to get up early and go to church and the glutton says: "I must sleep.

I was drunk yesterday.