Foure gleedes han we, which I shal devyse –
Avauntyng, liyng, anger, coveitise;
Thise foure sparkles longen unto eelde.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Reeve’s Prologue. The Reeve claims that old men like him are still cunning and the qualities of boasting, lying, anger and greed belong to old age. In metaphorical language, he says these vices are four embers and sparks that belong to the old.