The Book of the Craft of Dying (Ars moriendi) and other early English tracts

THE FIRST CHAPTER IS OF COMMENDATION OF DEATH AND OF CUNNING TO?! DIE WELL Tuoucu bodily death be most dreadful of all fearful things, as the Philsopher® saith in the third book of Ethics, yet spiritual death of the soul is as much more horrible and detestable, as the soul is more worthy and precious than the body; as the prophet David saith : Mors peccaToruM PEssiMa. ‘The death of the sinful man is worst of all deaths, But as the same prophet saith : Preciosa EsT IN CONSPECTU Domini Mors saANCToRUM EIUs. ‘The death of the good man is ever precious in the sight of God, what manner of bodily death that ever they die. And thou shalt understand also that not only the death of holy martyrs is so precious, but also the death of all other rightful and good Christian men; and furthermore the death, doubtless, of all sinful men : how long, and how wicked, and how cursed they have been all their life before, unto their last end that they die in—if they die in the state of very ® repentance and contrition, and in the very faith, and virtue, and 1 i.e, knowing how to, 2 Aristotle. 3 Always means ‘true,’ ‘real.’

charity of Holy Church—is acceptable and precious in the sight of God. As Saint John saith in the Rev. xiv. Apocalypse: Beatr Mortur qui 1n Domino mori- 13. unrur. Blessed be all dead men that die in God. And therefore God saith in the fourth chapter of Wis. iv. 7. the Book of Sapience : Jusrus st MORTE PROCUPATUS FUERIT, IN REFRIGERIO ERIT. A rightful man though he be hasted, or hastily or suddenly dead, he shall be had to a place of refreshing. And so shall every man that dieth, if it be sothat he keep himself stably, and govern him wisely in the temptations that he shall have in [the] agony or strife of his death ; as it shall be declared afterwards. And therefore of the commendation of death of good men only a wise man saith thus: Death is nothing else but a going [out] of prison, and an ending of exile; a discharging of an heavy burden, that is the body ; finishing of all infirmities; a scaping of all perils ; destroying of all evil things ; breaking of all bonds ; paying of [the] debt of natural duty ; turning again into his country ; and entering into bliss and joy. And therefore it is said in the seventh book of Eccles, Ecclesiastes : MELIOR EST DIES MORTIS DIE NATIVITATIS. vil. I The day of man’s death is better than the day of man’s birth. And this is understood only of good men and the chosen people of God. For of evil men and reprovable, neither the day of their birth, neither the day of their death, may be called good. And therefore every good perfect Christian man, and also every other man though he be imperfect and late converted from sin, so he be verily contrite and

believe in God, should not be sorry nor troubled, neither dread death of his body, in what manner wise or for what manner cause that he be put thereto ; but gladly and wilfully, with reason of his mind that ruleth his sensuality,! he should take his death and suffer it patiently, conforming and committing fully his will to God’s will and to God’s disposition alone, if he will go hence and die well and surely : witnessing the wise man that saith thus : Benz Mort, EST LIBENTER MORI. ‘To die well is to die gladly and wilfully. And therefore he addeth, and saith thereto: Ur SATIS VIXERIM, NEC ANNI, NEC DIES FACIUNT, SED animus. Neither many days, nor many years, cause me to say and feel that I have lived long [enough,] but only the reasonable will of mine heart and of my soul. Sith more than that, of duty and natural right all men must needly die ; ? and that how, when, and where that Almighty God will ; and God’s will is evermore good, and over all good, in all things good, and just, and rightful. For as John Cassian saith in his CoMations: Almighty God of His wisdom and Collat. goodness, all things that fall, both prosperity and i. 5. adversity, disposeth ever finally for our profit, and for the best for us; and more provideth, and is busier for the heal and salvation of His chosen children, than we ourselves may or can be.

And sith, as it is aforesaid, we may not, in no wise, neither flee nor escape, neither change the 1 j,e. his bodily nature. 2 Cum igitur ex debito atque jure naturali omnes homines mori sit necesse. inevitable necessity and passage of death, therefore we ought to take our death when God will, wilfully and gladly, without any grutching? or contradiction, through the might and boldness of the will of our soul virtuously disposed and governed by reason and very discretion; though the lewd? sensuality and frailty of our flesh naturally grutch or strive there against. And therefore Seneca saith thus: FeEras, NON CULPES, QUOD IMMUTARE NON VALES. Suffer easily and blame thou not, that thou mayst not change nor void. And the same clerk added to, and saith: Si vis 1sra CUM QUIBUS URGERIS EFFUGERE, NON UT ALIBI SIS OPORTEAT, SED ALIus. If thou wilt escape that thou art straitly be-wrapped* in, it needeth not that thou be in another place, but that thou be another man. Furthermore, that a Christian man may die well and seemly,4 him needeth that he con® die, and as a wise man saith: Scir—E MoRI EST PARATUM COR SUUM HABERE, ET ANIMAM AD SUPERNA: UT QUANDOCUNQUE MORS ADVENERIT, PARATUM CUM _INVENIAT UT ABSQUE OMNI RETRACTIONE EAM RECIPIAT, QUASI QUI SOCII SUI DILECTI ADVENTUM DESIDERATUM EXPECTAT. To con die is to have an heart and a soul every ready up to Godward, that when-thatever death come, he may be found all ready ; withouten any retraction ® receive him, as a man would

1 murmuring. 2 evil. 3 The other MSS. have ‘ trapped.’ 4 The other MSS. have ‘surely.’ 5 learn to, receive his well-beloved and trusty friend and fellow, that he had long abideth and looked after. This cunning is most profitable of all cunnings, in the which cunning religious men specially, more than other, and every day continually, should study more diligently than other men that they might apprehend it; namely! for the state of religion asketh and requireth it more in them than in others. Notwithstanding that every secular man, both clerk and layman, whether he be disposed and ready to die or no, yet nevertheless he must needs die when God will. Therefore ought every man, not only religious, but also every good and devout Christian man that desireth for to die well and surely, live in such wise and so have himself alway, that he may safely die, every hour, when God will. And so he should have his life in patience, and his death in desire, as Saint Paul had when he said: Cupio Philip. i, DISSOLVI ET ESSE CUM CurisTo. I desire and covet 73: to be dead, and be with Christ. And thus much sufficeth at this time, shortly said, of [the] craft and science of dying.

THE SECOND CHAPTER IS OF MEN'S TEMPTATIONS PHATE “DIE Kwow all men doubtless, that men that die, in their last sickness and end, have greatest and most grievous 1 ¢namely’ generally means (as here) especially,’ ‘ chiefly.’ x Cor. iil, 4%. temptations, and such as they never had before in all their life. And of these temptations five be most principal. I. The First is of the faith, forasmuch as faith is fundament of all men’s soul’s-heal ;. witnessing the Apostle that saith: FunpaMENTUM ALIUD NEMO POTEST PONERE. Other fundament may no man put. And therefore Saint Austin saith: Fines rst BONORUM OMNIUM FUNDAMENTUM, ET HUMANE SALUTIS INITIUM. Faith is fundament of all goodness, and beginning of man’s heal. And therefore saith Saint Paul: SINE FIDE EST IMPOSSIBILE PLACERE Deo. It is impossible to please God without faith. And Saint Austin saith: Qui NON CREDIT JAM JUDICATUS EST. He that believeth not is now deemed. And forasmuch as there is such and so great strength in the faith that withouten it there may no man be saved. Therefore the devil with all his might is busy to avert fully a man from the faith in his last end ; or, if he may not, that he laboureth busily to make his doubt therein, or somewhat draw him out of the way or deceive him with some manner of superstitious and false errors or heresies. But every good Christian man is bound namely habitually, though he may not actually and intellectually apprehend them, to believe, and full faith and credence give, not only to the principal articles of the faith, but also to all holy writ in all manner things ; ne fully to obey the statutes of the church of Rome, and stably to abide and die in them. For as soon as he beginneth

to err or doubt in any of them all, as soon he goeth out of the way of life, and his soul’s heal. But wit thou well without doubt, that in this temptation, and in all other that follow after, the devil may not noy thee, nor prevail against no man, in no wise, as long as he hath use of his free will, and of reason well disposed, but if! he will wilfully consent unto his temptation. And therefore no very Christian ? man ought (not) to dread any of his illusions, or his false threatenings,? or his feigned fearings. For as Christ himself saith in the gospel: DraBoLus Est MENDAX ET PATER EIUS. The devil is a liar, and a father of all leasings. But manly, therefore, and stiffly and steadfastly abide and persevere ; and die in the very faith and unity and obedience of our mother Holy Church. And it is right profitable and good, as it is used in some religious, when a man is in agony of dying, with an high voice oft times to say the Creed before him, that he that is sick may be mortified in stableness of the faith ; and fiends that may not suffer to hear it may be voided and driven away from him. Also to stableness of very faith should strengthen a sick man principally the stable faith of our holy Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Also the perseverant abiding faith of Job, of Raab the woman, and Achor, and such other. And also the faith of the Apostles, and other martyrs, confessors, and virgins innumerable.

1 Always means ‘ unless.’ 2 bonus Catholicus Christianus, 3 The other MSS. have ¢ persuasions.’ S. John viii, 44. For by faith all they that have been of old time before us—and all they be now and shall be hereafter— they all please, and have [pleased] and shall please God by faith. For as it is aforesaid: Withouten faith it is impossible to please God. Also double profit should induce every sick man to be stable in faith. One is: For faith may do all things; as our Lord Himself witnesseth in the S. Mark gospel, and saith: OMNIA POSSIBILIA SUNT CREDENTI. ix. 22, All things are possible to him that believeth stead- ” fastly. Another is: For faith getteth a man all things. S. Mark As our Lord saith: QuicQquiID ORANTES PETITIS, x1. 24. CREDITE QUIA ACCIPIETIS, ET FIET VoBIS, etc. What- ever it be that ye will pray and ask, believe verily that. [ye] shall take? it, and ye shall have it ; though that ye would say to an hill that he should lift himself up and fall into the sea, as the hills of Capsye by prayer and petition of King Alexander, the great conqueror, were closed together.

II. The Second Temptation is Desperation ; the which is against [the] hope and confidence that every man should have unto God. For when a sick man is sore tormented and vexed, with sorrow and sickness of his body, then the devil is most busy to superadd sorrow to sorrow, with all [the] ways that he may, objecting his sins against him for to induce him into despair. Furthermore as Innocent the Pope, in his third aa book of the wickedness of mankind, saith: Every man both good and evil, or? his soul pass out of his Lace receive, 2 before. body, he seeth Christ put on the cross: the good man to his consolation, the evil man to his confusion, to make him ashamed that he hath lost the fruit of his redemption. Also the devil bringeth again into a man’s mind that is in point of death specially those sins that he hath done, and was not shriven of, to draw him thereby into despair. But therefore should no man despair in no wise. For though any one man or woman had done as many thefts, or manslaughters, or as many other sins as be drops of water in the sea, and gravel stones in the strand, though he had never done penance for them afore, nor never had been shriven of them before—neither then might have time, for sickness or lack of speech, or shortness of time, to be shriven of them—yet should he never despair ;

for in such a case very contrition of heart within, with will to be shriven if time sufficed, 1s sufficient and accepted by God for to save him everlastingly : as the Prophet saith in the psalm: Cor Ps. 1. 19. CONTRITUM ET HUMILITATUM, Deus, NON DESPICIES. Lord God, Thou wilt never despise a contrite heart and ameek. And Ezechie/ saith also: IN QuacuNQUE Ezech., HORA CONVERSUS FUERIT PECCATOR, ET INGEMUERIT, **Xili, 12. sALVUS ERIT. In what hour that ever it be that the sinful man is sorry inward, and converted from his sins, he shall be saved.

And therefore Saint Bernard saith : The pity and mercy of God is more than any wickedness. And Austin, wpon John, saith : We should never despair of no man as long as he is in his bodily life, for there is no sin so great but it may be healed, outake? despair alone. And Saint Austin saith also: All sins that a man hath done afore may not noy nor damn a man, but if he be well payd? in his heart that he hath done them. ‘Therefore no man should despair, though it were so that it were possible that he alone had done all manner of sins that might be done in the world. For by despair a man getteth nought else but that God is much more offended thereby ; and all his other sins be more grievous? in God’s sight, and everlasting pain thereby increased infinitely to him that so despaireth. Therefore against despair, for to induce him that is sick and laboureth in his dying to very trust and confidence that he should principally have to God at that time, the disposition of Christ in the cross should greatly draw him. Of the which Saint Bernard saith thus: What man is he that should not be ravished and drawn to hope, and have full confidence in God, and he take heed diligently of the disposition of Christ’s body in the cross. Take heed and see: His head is inclined to salve thee ; His mouth to kiss thee ; His arms spread to be-clip4 thee ; His hands thrilled 5 to give thee ; His side opened to love thee ; His body along strait to give all Himself to thee.

Therefore no man should despair of forgiveness, but fully have hope and confidence in God; for the virtue of hope is greatly commendable, and of great 1 i.e. except. 2 pleased. 3 The other MSS. have ‘ augmented.’ # embrace. 5 pierced, merit before God. As the Apostle saith, and exhorted us: NoLITE AMITTERE CONFIDENTIAM VESTRAM QU Heb. v, 35. MAGNAM HABET REMUNERATIONEM. Lose not your hope and confidence in God, the which hath great Furthermore, that no sinful man should in no wise despair—have he sinned never so greatly, nor never so sore, nor never so oft, nor never so long continued therein—we have open ensample in Peter that denied Christ; in Paul that pursued Holy Church ; in Matthew and Zaccheus, the publicans ; in Mary Maudeleyn, the sinful woman, [in the woman *] that was taken in avoutry ; in the thief that hung on the cross beside Christ ; in Mary Egyptian ; and in innumerable other grievous and great sinners. III. The Third Temptation is Impatience; the which is against charity, by the which we be bound to love God above all things. For they that be in sickness, in their death bed suffer passingly ? great pain and sorrow and woe; and namely they that die not by nature and course of age—that happeth right seldom, as open experience teacheth men—but die often through an accidental sickness; as a fever, a postune,? and such other grievous and painful and long sickness.) ‘The which many men, and namely those that be undisposed 4 to die and die against their will and lack very charity, maketh so impatient and grutching, that other while,® through woe and im-

1 [Insertions in square brackets, here and elsewhere, are from the Douce MS. (D). 2 je, surpassingly, 3 tumour, 4 unprepared, 5 at times, patience, they become wood! and witless, as it hath been seen in many men. And so by that it is open and certain that they that die in that wise fail and lack very charity. Witnessing Saint Jerome, that saith thus: Sr QUIS CUM DOLORE EGRITUDINEM VEL MORTEM SUSCEPERIT, SIGNUM EST QUOD DEUS SUFFICIENTER NON piticir. That is: Whoso taketh sickness or death with sorrow or displeasure of heart, it is an open and a certain sign that he loveth not God sufficiently. Therefore that man that will die well, it is needful that he grutch not in no manner of sickness that falleth to him before his death, or in his dying—be it never so painful or grievous—long time [or short time] dying; for as Saint Gregory witnesseth in his Morals: Justa sUNT CUNCTA QUE PATIMUR, ET IDEO VALDE INJUSTUM EST SI DE JUSTA PASSIONE MURMURAMUS, All things that we suffer, we suffer then rightfully [and therefore we be greatly unrightful if we grutch S. Luke of that we suffer rightfully]. ‘Then every man should xxi. 19. be patient, as Saint Luke saith: In PATIENTIA VESTRA POSSIDEBITIS ANIMAS VESTRAS. In your patience ye shall possess? your souls. For by patience man’s soul is surely had and kept, so by impatience and murmuration it is lost and damned. Witnessing Saint Gregory in his Homily, that saith thus: Recnum CCELORUM NULLUS MURMURANS ACCIPIT, NULLUS QUI ACCIPIT MURMURARE poTesT. ‘There shall no man have the kingdom of heaven that grutcheth and is impatient ; and there may no man grutch that hath it. But as the great Clerk /bert saith, speaking of very

1 mad, 2D. ‘ welde.’ contrition : If a very contrite man offereth himself gladly to all manner afflictions of sickness and punishing of his sins, that he may thereby satisfy God worthily for his offences, much more then every sick man should suffer patiently and gladly his own sickness alone, that is lighter without comparison than many sicknesses that other men suffer ; namely? that sickness before a man’s death is as a purgatory to him, when it is suffered as it ought ; that is to understand, if it be suffered patiently, gladly, and with a free and a kind will of heart. For the same clerk 4//ert saith : We have need to have a free, kind will to God, not only in such things as be to our consolation, but also in such things as be to our affliction. And Saint Gregory saith : Divina DISsPENSATIONE AGITUR, UT PROLIXIORI VICIO PROLIXIOR EGRITUDO ADHIBEATUR. It is done by the disposition and rightful ordinance of God that to the longer sin is ordained the longer sickness. And therefore let every sick man, and namely he that shall die, say as Saint Austin said to God: Hic sxca, HIS URE, UT IN ETERNAM MICHI Parcas. Here cut, here burn, so that Thou spare me everlastingly. And Saint Gregory saith: Muszricors DEUS TEMPORALEM ADHIBET SEVERITATEM, NE ETERNAM INFERAT ULTIONEM. God that is merciful giveth His chosen children temporal punition here, lest He give them everlasting vengeance elsewhere.

This temptation of impatience fighteth against charity, and without charity may no men be saved. And therefore, as Saint Paul saith: Caritas PACIENS 1 The other MSS, have < sithen.’ EST, OMNIA SUFFERT. Very charity is patient, and suffereth all things. And in these words it is notable to be marked that he spake of suffering of all things, and outake? nothing. ‘Then should all sicknesses of the body by reason be suffered patiently, without murmuration and difficulty. And therefore, as Saint Austin saith : AMANTI NICHIL IMPOSSIBILE, NICHIL DIFFIcite. To him that loveth there is nothing hard, nor nothing impossible. IV. ‘The Fourth Temptation is Complacence, or pleasance of a man that he hath in himself; that is spiritual pride, with the which the devil tempteth and beguileth most religious, and devout and perfect men. For when the devil seeth that he may not bring a man out of faith, nor may not induce him into despair, neither to impatience, then he assaileth him by complacence of himself, putting such manner temptations in his heart: O how stable art thou in the faith ! how strong in hope! how sad in patience ! O how many good deeds hast thou done! and such other thoughts. But against these temptations Jsidore saith thus: Non TE aRROGES, NON TE JACTES, NON TE INSOLENTER EXTOLLAS, VEL DE TE PRESUMAS, NICHIL BONI Tipit TRIiBUAS. Nor boast thou not, nor avaunt thee not proudly, not make not much of thyself wantonly, nor arret? not goodness to thy self; for a man may have so much delectation in such manner of complacence of himself that a man should be damned everlastingly therefore.

And therefore saith Saint Gregory : Quis REMINISC- 1 je. excepts. 2 ascribe, ENDO BONA QUE GESSIT, DUM SE APUD SE ERIGIT, APUD AUCTOREM HUMILITATIS CaDIT. A man that thinketh on (the) good deeds that he hath done, and is proud thereof of himself within himself, he falleth down anon ! before Him that is author of meekness. And therefore he that shall die must beware when he feeleth himself tempted with pride, that then he [low and] meek himself thinking on his sins: and that he wot never whether he be worthy everlasting love or hate, that is to say, salvation or damnation. Nevertheless, lest he despair, he must lift up his heart to God by hope, thinking and revolving ? stably that the mercy of God is above all His works, and that God is truein all His words, and that He is truth and righteousness that never beguileth, neither is beguiled, which be-hight and swore by Himself, and said by the Prophet : Vivo EGo, DICIT DOMINUS, NOLO MORTEM Ezech. PECCATORIS, etc. God Almighty saith: By my self [ **xiii. 11. will not the death neither the damnation of no sinful man, but that he convert himself to Me and be saved. Every man should follow Saint Antony to whom the devil said: Antony, thou hast overcome me; for when I would have thee up by pride, thou keptest thyself a-down by meekness; and when I would draw thee down by desperation, thou keptest thyself up by hope. ‘Thus should every man do, sick and whole, and then is the devil overcome.

V. The Fifth [Temptation] that tempteth and grieveth most carnal men and secular men, that be in 1 j.e. at once, immediately. 2 The other MSS, have ‘ remembering.’ 3 vowed, overmuch occupation, and business outward about temporal things ; that is their wives, their children, their carnal friends, and their worldly riches, and other things that they have loved inordinately before. For he that will die well and surely must utterly and fully put away out of his mind all temporal and outward things, and plenerly! commit himself all to God. And therefore the great clerk Dons [Scotus] saith thus, in the fourth book of sentences: What man that is sick, when he seeth that he shall die, if he put his will thereto to die wilfully, and consenteth fully unto death, as though he hath chose himself the pain of death voluntarily, and so suftereth death patiently, he satisfieth to God for all venial sins ; and therefore? he taketh away a parcel of satisfaction that he ought to do for deadly sins. And therefore it is right profitable, and full necessary in such a point of need, that a man conform his will to God’s will in all things, as every man ought, both sick and whole. But it is seldom seen that any secular or carnal man—or religious either—will dispose himself to death; or furthermore, that is worse, will hear anything of the matter of death ; [though indeed he be labouring fast to his endward, hoping that he shall escape the death and] that is the most perilous thing, and most inconvenient that may be in Christian man, as saith the worthy clerk Cantor Pariensis :*

But it is to be noted well that the devil in all these temptations abovesaid may compel no man, nor in no 1 fully. 2 The other MSS, have ‘ furthermore.’ 3 Petrus Cantor Paris(d.1197, Opp. in Migne, vol. 205). manner of wise prevail against him for to consent to him—as long as a man hath the use of reason with him—but if he will wilfully consent unto him ; that every good Christian man, and also every sinful man— be he never so great a sinner—ought to beware of above all things. For the Apostle saith: Fipetts Devs QUI NON PATIETUR VOS TEMPTARI SUPRA ID QUOD POTESTIS, SED FACIET ETIAM CUM TEMPTATIONE PROVENTUM UT POSSITIS SUSTINERE. God, he saith, is true, and will not suffer you to be tempted more than ye may bear; but He will give you such support in your temptations that ye may bear them. Whereupon saith the gloss: God is true in His promises, and giveth us grace to withstand mightily, manly, and perseverantly ; giving us might that we be not overcome, grace to get us merit, steadfastness to overcome with. He giveth such increase of virtue that we may suffer and not fail nor fall; and that is by meekness. For as Saint Austin saith : They break not in the furnace that have not the wind of pride. "Therefore (let) every man, rightful and sinful, bow himself, and submit himself fully unto the mighty hand of God ; and with His help he shall surely get and have the victory in all manner of temptations, evils, and sorrows, and of death thereto.

THE THIRD CHAPTER CONTAINETH THE INTERROGATIONS THAT SHOULD BE ASKED OF THEM THAT BE IN THEIR DEATH BED, WHILE THEY MAY SPEAK AND UNDER- Now follew the interrogations of them that draw to the death, while they have reason with them and their speech. For this cause if any man is not fully disposed to die, he may the better be informed and comforted [thereto]. And as Saint Anselm the bishop saith and teacheth, these interrogations should be had unto them that be in that plight. First ask him this : Brother, art thou glad that thou shalt die in the faith of Christ?) The sick man answereth : ¥ eal Knowest thou well that thou hast not done as thou shouldst have done? He answereth: Yea. Repentest thee thereof? He answereth: Yea; Hast thou full will to amend thee, if thou mightest have full space of life? He answereth : Yeas Believest thou fully that Our Lord Jesu Christ, God’s Son, died for thee? He sayeth: yea. Thankest thou Him thereof with all thine heart? He answereth: Yea. Believest thou verily that thou mayest not be saved but by Christ’s [death and His] passion ? He answereth: Yea. Then thank Him thereof ever, while thy soul is in thy body, and put all thy trust in His passion and in His death only, having trust in none other thing. To this death commit thee fully.1 In His death wrap all thyself fully ; and if it come to thy mind, or by thine enemy it be put into thy mind, that God will deem thee, say thus :

Lorp, I put the death of Our Lord Jesu Christ between me and mine evil deeds, between me and the judgment ; otherwise will I not strive with Thee. If He say: Thou hast deserved damnation ; say thou again: The death of our Lord Jesu Christ I put between me and mine evil merits, and the merits of His worthy passion I offer for merits I should have had, and alas I have not. Say also: Lord, put the death of my Lord Jesu Christ between me and Thy righteousness. Then let him say this thrice, IN manus Tuas, Doming, etc. Into thine hands, Lord, I commit my soul. And let the covent? say the same. And if he may not speak, let the covent—or they that stand about—say thus: In manus Tuas, Domine, COMMENDAMUS SPIRITUM EIUs, etc. Into Thine hands, Lord, we commend his soul. And thus he dieth surely ; and he shall not die everlastingly. But though these interrogations abovesaid be com- 1 The other MSS. have ‘with His death cover thee fully.’ 2 je. convent. petent and sufficient to religious and devout persons, nevertheless all Christian men, both secular and religious, after the doctrines of the noble Clerk the Chancellor of Paris, in their last end should be examined, enquired, and informed, more certainly and clearly, of the state and the health of their souls.

I. And First thus: Believest thou fully all the principal articles of the faith; and also all Holy Scripture in all things, after the exposition of the holy and true doctors of Holy Church ; and forsakest all heresies and errors and opinions damned by the Church ; and art glad also that thou shalt die in the faith of Christ, and in the unity and obedience of Holy Church ? The sick man answering: Yea. II. The Second Interrogation shall be this: Knowledgest thou that often times, and in many manner wises, and grievously, thou hast offended thy Lord God that made thee of nought? For Saint Bernard saith upon Cantica canTicoruM : I know well that there may no man be saved but if he know himself; of which knowing waxeth in a man humility, that is the mother of his health, and also the dread of God, the which dread, as it is the beginning of wisdom, so it is the beginning of health of man’s soul. III. The Third Interrogation shall be this: Art thou sorry in heart of all manner of sins that thou hast done against the high Majesty, and the Love of God, and the Goodness of God; and of all the

goodness that thou hast not done, and mightest have done ; and of all graces that thou hast slothed! —not only for dread of death, or any other pain, but rather ? more for love of God and. His righteousness—and for thou hast displeased His great goodness and kindness ; and for the due order of charity, by the which we be bound to love God above all things; and of all these things thou askest the forgiveness of God? Desirest thou also in thine heart to have very knowing of all thine offences and forgets that thou hast done against God, and to have special repentance of them all? IV. The Fourth Interrogation shall be this: Purposeth thou verily, and art in full will, to amend thee if thou mightest live longer ; and never to sin more, deadly, wittingly, and with thy will: and rather than thou wouldest offend God deadly any more, to leave and lose wilfully all earthly things, were they never so lief to thee, and also the life of thy body thereto? And furthermore thou prayest God that He give thee grace to continue in this purpose ? V. The Fifth Interrogation shall be this: Forgivest thou fully in thine heart all manner men that ever have done thee any manner harm or grievance unto this time, either in word or in deed, for the

1 je. delayed, neglected, 2 j.e, sooner. 3 Optas insuper cor tuum illuminari ad oblitorum cognitionem ut de eis specialiter valeas penitere. love and worship of Our Lord Jesu Christ, of Whom thou hopest of forgiveness thyself; and askest also thyself to have forgiveness of all [them thou hast offended in any| manner wise ? He answereth : Yea. VI. The Sixth Interrogation shall be this: Wilt thou that all manner things that thou hast in any manner wise misgotten, be fully restored again,—so much as thou mayst, and art bound, after the value of thy goods; and rather leave and forsake all the goods of the world, if thou mayst not in none other wise? VII. The Seventh Interrogation shall be this: Believest thou fully that Christ died for thee, and that thou mayst never be saved but by the mercy of Christ’s passion; and thankest thou God thereof with all thine heart, as much as thou mayst ? He answereth : Yea. Whoso may verily, of very good conscience and truth, withouten any feigning, answer yea to the foresaid seven interrogations, he hath an evident argument enough of health of his soul, that, and he died so, he shall be of the number of them that shall be saved.

Whosoever is not asked of another of these seven interrogations when he is in such peril of death—for there be right few that have the cunning of this craft of dying—he must remember himself in his soul, and ask himself, and subtly feel and consider, whether he be so disposed as it is above said, or no. For without that a man be disposed in such wise finally, he may not doubtless1 be saved everlastingly. And what man that is disposed as is abovesaid, let him commend and commit himself, all in fear, fully to the passion of Christ ; and continually—as much as he may, and as his sickness will suffer him—think on the passion of Christ ; for thereby all the devil’s temptations and guiles be most overcome and voided.

THE FOURTH CHAPTER CONTAINETH AN INSTRUCTION: WITH CERTAIN OBSECRATIONS 2 TO THEM THAT SHALL DIE FuRTHERMORE, forasmuch as Saint Gregory saith: Every doing of Christ is our instruction and teaching ; therefore such things as Christ did dying on the cross, the same should every man do at his last end, after his cunning? and power. And Christ did five things on the cross. He prayed, for He said these psalms: Deus, Deus Mrus, RESPICE IN ME3 and Ps. xxiv. all the psalms following unto that verse: In manus 1° Tuas, Domine. Also He cried on the cross, as the P% ***: apostle witnesseth. Also He wept on the cross. Also He committed His soul to the Father on the cross. Also wilfully He gave up the ghost on the cross. First He prayed on the cross. So a sick man, that is in point of death, he should pray ; namely in his heart, if he may not with his mouth. For 1 je. without doubt, certainly, 2 supplications. 3 knowledge. Saint Isidore saith: That it is better to pray still in the heart, without any sound of voice outward, than to pray with word alone, without devotion of heart.

The second was He cried. So should every man in his dying cry strongly with the heart, not with the voice. For God taketh more heed of the desire of the heart than of the crying of the voice. The crying of the heart to God is nought else but the great desiring of man to have forgiveness of his sins, and to have everlasting life. The third was He wept. With His bodily eyes and with tears of the heart, in token that so should every man in His dying weep with tears of his heart, that is to say, verily repenting of all his misdeeds. The fourth He commendeth His soul to God. So should every man in his end, saying thus in heart and mouth, if he may, and (if not) else in heart : Lord God, into Thine hands I commend my spirit ; for truly ‘Thou boughtest me dear. The fifth was He gave up wilfully His spirit. So should every man in his death ; that is to say, he should die wilfully, conforming fully therein his own will to God’s will, as he is bound. Therefore as long as he that is in point of death may speak, and have the use of reason with him, let him say these prayers following :

O Tuou Hicu Gopueap, and endless Goodness, most merciful and glorious Trinity, that art highest Love and Charity ; have mercy on me, wretched and sinful man, for to Thee I commend fully my soul. My Lorp Gop, Most BENIGN FaTHER OF MERCY, do Thy mercy to me Thy poor creature. Help now Lord my needy and desolate soul in her last need, that hell hounds devour me not. Most sweetest and most lovely Lord, my Lord Jesu Christ, God’s own dear Son, for the worship and the virtue of Thy most blessed passion, admit and receive me within the number of Thy chosen people. My Saviour and my Redemptor, I yield all myself fully unto Thy grace and mercy, forsake me not; to Thee Lord I come, put me not away. Lord Jesu Christ, I ask Thy paradise and bliss, not for the worthiness of my deserving that am but dust and ashes and a sinful wretch, but through the virtue and effect of Thine holy passion, by the which Thou vouchest safe, and wouldest buy me, sinful wretch, with Thy precious blood, and bring me into Thy paradise. And let him say often also this verse: Dirupisti DoMINE VINCULA MEA, TIBI SACRIFICABO HOSTIAM LAUDIS ET NOMEN Domini 1nvocazo. Lord Thou hast broken my bonds, and therefore I shall thank Thee with the sacrifice and the oblation of worship. For this verse, as Cassiodorus saith, is of great virtue that a man’s sins be

forgiven him, if it be said thrice with good true faith at a man’s last end. ORATIO Lorp Jesus Curist, for the bitterness that Thou sufferedest for me on the cross, and most in that hour when Thy most blessed soul passed out of Thy body, have mercy on my soul in her strait passing. Also afterward, with all the instance and devotion that he may, with heart and mouth let him cry to Our Lady, Saint Mary, that is most speedful, and most remedious speed and help of all sinful men to God, saying thus : ORATIO O ctortous Queen oF Heaven, Mother of mercy, and refuge of all sinful men; reconcile me to thy sweet Son, my Lord Jesu, and pray for me sinful wretch, to His great mercy, that for love of thee, sweet Lady, He will forgive me my sins. Then let him pray to angels, saying thus : Hoty Ancets or Heaven, I beseech you that ye will assist to me that shall now pass out of this world, and mightily deliver me and keep me from all mine enemies, and take my soul into your blessed company; and namely thou my good angel, that hast been my continual keeper, ordained of God.

Then let him pray the same wise, devoutly, to all the apostles, martyrs, and confessors, and virgins—and specially to those saints which he loved and worshipped most specially in his heal—that they would help him then in his last end and most need. Afterwards let him say thrice, or more, these words, or like in sentence,! the which be ascribed unto Saint Austin : ‘THE PEACE OF ouUR Lorp Jssus Curist; and the virtue of His passion ; and the sign of the holy cross; and the maidenhead of Our Lady, Saint Mary ; and the blessing of all Saints; and the keeping of all Angels ; and the suffrages of all the chosen people of God ; be between me and mine enemies, visible and invisible, in this hour of my death. Amen. Afterward let him say this verse : LARGIRE CLARUM VESPERE Quo VITA NUSQUAM DECIDAT, SED PRAEMIUM MORTIS SACRE, PERENNIS INSTET GLORIA. Grant me Lord a clear end, that my soul fall never downwards ; but give me everlasting bliss, that is the reward of holy dying. And if he that is sick can not ? all these prayers, or may not say them for grievousness or sickness, let some man that is about him say them before him, as he may clearly hear him say them, changing the words that ought to be changed in his saying. And he that is dying, as long as he hath use of reason, let him pray devoutly within himself, with his heart and his desire, as he can and may, and so yield the ghost up

to God ; and he shall be safe. 1 meaning. 2j.e, knows not.

THE FIFTH CHAPTER CONTAINETH AN INSTRUCTION UNTO THEM THAT SHALL DIE Bur it is greatly to be noted, and to be taken heed of, that right seldom (that) any man—yea among religious and devout men—dispose themselves to death betimes as they ought. For every man weeneth himself to live long, and troweth not that he shall die in short time; and doubtless that cometh of the devil’s subtle temptation. And often times It is seen openly that many men, through such idle hope and trust, have for-slothed themselves,1 and have died intestate, or unavised, or undisposed,? suddenly. And therefore every man that hath love and dread of God, and a zeal of [the heal of] man’s soul, let him busily induce and warn every of his even christians that is sick, or in any peril of body or of soul, that principally and first, over all other things, and withouten delays and long tarryings, he diligently provide and ordain for the spiritual remedy and medicine of his soul. For often times, as a certain decretal saith, bodily sickness cometh of the sickness of the soul; and therefore the Pope in the same decretal chargeth straitly every bodily leech that he give no sick man no bodily medicine unto the time that he hath warned and induced him to seek his spiritual leech.

1 je. lost themselves through sloth. 27,e, unprepared, But this counsel is now for-slothed almost of all men, and is turned into the contrary; for men seek sooner and busier after medicines for the body than for the soul. Also all our evils and adversities, by righteous doom of God, cometh evermore to men for sins; as the Prophet witnesseth, that saith thus : Non EST MALUM IN CIVITATE, QUOD Deus Non FECIT. There is none evil in the city, but God do it. Thou shalt not understand that God doeth the evil of the sin, but yieldeth the punishing for sin. Therefore every sick man, and every other man that is in any peril, should be diligently induced and exhorted that he maketh himself, before all other things, peace with God ; receiving spiritual medicines, that is to say the sacraments of Holy Church ; ordaining and making his testament ; and lawfully disposing for his household, and other needs, if he hath any to dispose for. And there should not be given first to no man too much hope of bodily heal. But the contrary thereof is now often times done of many men, into great peril of souls; and namely of them that actually and openly be drawing and in point hastily to die, for none of them will hear nothing of death.

And so as the great Cierk, the Chancellor of Paris saith: Often times by such a [vain and a] false cheering and comforting, and feigned behoting! of bodily heal, and trusting thereupon, men run and fall into certain damnation everlastingly. And therefore a sick man should be counselled and ex- horted to provide and procure himself his soul’s heal by very contrition and confession—and if it be expedient for him, that shall greatly avail to his bodily heal; and so he shall be most quiet and sure. And forasmuch, witnessing Saint Gregory, as a man hath seldom very contrition, and as Saint Austin saith also, in the fourth Book of Sentences, the twentieth distinction, and other doctors also: Repentance that is deferred, and had in a man’s last end, unneth? is very repentance or penance sufficient to everlasting heal. And specially in them that all their time before neither the commandments of God nor their voluntary avows kept not effectually nor truly, but only feignedly and to the outward seeming. Therefore to every such man that is in such case and is come to his last end, is to be counselled busily that he labour, with reason of his mind after his power, to have ordinate and very repentance ; that is to mean—notwithstanding the sorrow and grievance of sickness, and dread that he hath of hasty death— that he use reason as much as he may, and enforce himself to have, wilfully, full displeasing of all sin, for the due end and perfect intent that is for God; and withstand his evil natural inclining to sin, though he might live longer, and also the delectations of his sins before ; and labour as much as he may to have a very displeasure of them, though it be never so short. And lest he fall into despair tell him, and arm him with

such things as be said above, in the second part, of temptation of Desperation.. Exhort him also that he be strong in his soul against other temptations that be put and told, also mightily and manly withstand them all; for he may not be compelled by the devil to consent to none of them all. Let him also be charged? and counselled that he die as a very true Christian man, and in full belief. Also it is to be considered whether he be involved with any censures of Holy Church ; and if he be let him be taught that he submit himself with all his might to the ordinance of Holy Church, that he may be assoiled. Also, if he that shall die have long time and space to be-think himself, and be not taken with hasty death, then may be read afore him, of them that be about him, devout histories and devout prayers, in the which he most delighted in when he was in heal ; or rehearse to him the commandments of God, that he may be-think him the more profoundly if he may find in himself that he hath negligently trespassed against them. And if the sick man hath lost his speech, and yet he hath full knowledge of the interrogations that be made to him, or the prayers that be rehearsed before him, then only with some outer sign, or with consent of heart, let him answer thereto. Nevertheless it is greatly to be charged and hasted 2 that the interrogations be made to him or he lose his speech ; for if his answers be not likely, and seemeth not in all sides to be sufficient to full heal and perpetual remedy of his

1 The other MSS, have ‘ monished.’ 2 i.e, urged, soul, then must he put thereto remedy and counsel in the best manner that it may be done. Then there shall be told unto him plainly the peril that he should fall in, though he should and would be greatly a-feared thereof. It is better and -more rightful that he be compunctious and repentant, with wholesome fear and dread, and so be saved, than that he be damned with flattering and false dissimulation ; for it is too inconvenient! and contrary to Christian religion, and too devil-like, that the peril of death and of soul—for any vain dread of a man, lest he were anything distroubled thereby—shall be hid from any Christian man or woman that should die. But Jsaye the Prophet did the contrary ; for when the King Ezechiel lay sick and upon the point of death, he glosed? him not, nor used no dissimulation unto him, but plainly and wholesomely a-ghasted him, saying that he should die ; and yet nevertheless he died not at that time. And Saint Gregory also wholesomely a-ghasted the monk that was approprietary,* as it is read in the fourth Book of his Dialogues.

Also present to the sick the image of the crucifix ; the which should evermore be about sick men, or else the image of our Lady, or of some other saint the which he loved or worshipped in his heal. Also let there be holy water about the sick ; and spring 5 often times upon him, and the others that be about him, that fiends may be voided from him. 1 inconsistent. 2 flattered. 3 i.e. frightened him. 4 i.e, who had appropriated what belonged to another. 5 sprinkle, If all things abovesaid may not be done, for hastiness + and shortness of time, then put forth prayers ; and namely such as be directed to our Saviour, specially Our Lord Jesu Christ. When man is in point of death, and hasteth fast to his end, then should no carnal friends, nor wife, nor children, nor riches, nor no temporal goods, be reduced ? unto his mind, neither be communed of before him ; only as much as spiritual health and profit of the sick man asketh and requireth. In this matter that is of our last and most great need, all manner of points and sentences? thereof, and adverbs also that be put thereto, should most subtly and diligently be charged and considered of every man ;* forasmuch as there shall no man be rewarded for his words alone, but for his deeds also joined and according to his words. As it is said in the book cleped Compenpium oF THE TrRutH oF Divinity, the second book, the tenth chapter: That what man that lusteth, and will gladly die well and surely and meritorily, without peril, he must take heed visibly, and study and learn diligently this craft of dying, and the dispositions thereof abovesaid, while he is in heal ; and not abide till the death entereth in him.

For sooth, dear sister or brother, I tell thee sooth, believe me thereof, that when death or great sickness 1 j,e. suddenness, * i.e. brought back. 3 meanings. 4 Porro in materia ista . . , ponderentur singula puncta etiam sentencie quibus adjecta sunt adverbia, co quod non in verbis sed adverbis meremur (i.e. it is not only what we do, but how we do it). falleth upon thee, devotion passeth out from thee ; and the more near they take thee and grip thee, the further fleeth devotion from thee. Sicker this is sooth, I know it by experience ; for in sooth thou shalt have little devotion if thou be sore touched with sickness.2 Therefore if thou wilt not be deceived or err—if thou wilt be sure—do busily what thou mayst while thou art in heal, and hast the use and freedom of thy five wits and reason well disposed, and while thou mayst be master of thyself and of thy deeds. O Lord God how many, yea without number, (that) have abiden so to their last end have forslothed and deceived themselves everlastingly. ‘Take heed, brother or sister, and beware, if ye list, lest it happen thee in the same wise. But let no man wonder, nor think that it is inconvenient that so great charge and diligence and wise disposition and providence, and busy exhortation should be had and ministered to them that be in point

of death, and in their last end—as it is abovesaid—for they be in such peril and in so great need at that time, that, and it were possible, all a city should come together with all haste to a man that is nigh to the death or dying ; as the manner is in some religious,? in which ‘it is ordained that when a sick man is nigh the death, then every of the brothers shall, when they hear the table smitten—what hour that ever it be, and where that ever they be—all things being left, hastily come

1QOnly in this MS, (Bod. 423). 2j.e religious houses, 3 A flat board which was struck instead of a bell. to him that is a-dying. Therefore it is read that religious people and women—for the honesty of estate —should not run but to a man that is a-dying and for fire.?

THE SIXTH CHAPTER CONTAINETH PRAYERS THAT SHOULD BE SAID UPON THEM THAT BE A-DYING OF SOME MAN THAT IS ABOUT THEM Last of all it is to be known that the prayers that follow may be conveniently said upon a sick man that laboureth to his end. And if it is a religious person, then when the covent is gathered together with smiting of the table, as the manner is, then shall be said first the litany, with the psalms and orisons that be used therewith. Afterward, if he live yet, let some man that is about him say the orisons that follow ? hereafter, as the time and opportunity will suffer. And they may be often rehearsed again to excite the devotion of the sick man—if he have reason and understanding with him. But nevertheless this ought not to be done of necessity, as though he might not be saved but if it were done ; but for the profit and devotion of the sick that laboureth to his endward it may, and it is well done, that it be done so. But among seculars that be sick let these prayers be said ; as the devotion and disposition, and the profit of them and others

1MS. fere =ignem, 2 MS. suen. that be about them ask and require, and as the time will suffice. But alas there be full few, not only among seculars but also in diverse religious that have the cunning of this craft, and will be nigh and assist to them that be in point of death and departing out of this world ; asking them, and exhorting and informing and praying for them, as it is abovesaid—namely when they that be in dying would not, or hope not, to die yet, and so the sick men’s souls stand in great peril. In these prayers, if thou say them thyself, turn the words that should be turned, as thou shouldest do to say them thyself; for I write them as another should say them for thee. For THAT LOVE that made Thee to be wounded and die for the heal and salvation of mankind, that were most worthy and most delicate,? Son 3 of God, of Thy blessed Father of Heaven, and for our sake made Man; sweet Lord Jesu, full of mercy, forgive Thy servant that he hath trespassed in thought, word, and deed, in all his affections, desires, motions, strengths, and wits of his soul and his body ; and in very remission of them all forgive thy servant that he hath trespassed, give him that most sufficient amendment, by the which Thou washest away all the sins of the world, and in supplicion® of all his negligences, and put to him that holy con-

1 Only in this MS. 2 i.e. lovely. 3 ¢loue,’ probably a mis-writing for ‘sone’ since it=/filium. 4ie, in supply of. versation that Thou haddest from the hour of Thy conception, unto the hour of ‘Thy death ; and furthermore the fruit of all good deeds, the which have pleased Thee, and shall please Thee, in all Thy chosen people from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof. Sweet Lord Jesu, which livest and reignest with Thy Father and with the Holy Ghost, one very God For THE uNIoN of the most fervent love that stirred and made Thee—life of all things that is living—to be incarnate of our Lady, and with great anguish of Thy spirit to die for charity and the love of us; we cry to the root of Thy most benign heart! that Thou forgive the soul of Thy servant all his sins; and with Thy most holy conversation and most worthy merit of Thy passion fulfil all his negligences and omissions, and make him to feel by experience the most superabundant greatness of Thy mercies, and us all ; and specially this person, our brother, the which Thou hast disposed hastily? to be called before Thy glorious Majesty—in the most pleasant manner to Thee, and most profitable to him and us all. Make him to be presented to You with sweet patience, very repentance, and full remission ; with rightful faith, stable hope, and perfect charity ; that he may die blessedly, in perfect state, between Thy most sweetest clipping * and

1 ad medullam ben'gnissimi cordis tui. 2 i.e. hast made ready suddenly. 3 embracing. most sweetest kissing, in to Thine everlasting worship and praising. AMEN. Inro THE HaNDs of Thine endless and unquenchable mercy, holy Father, rightful? and most beloved Father, we commend the spirit of our brother, Thy servant, after the greatness of love that the holy soul of Thy Blessed Son commended Himself to Thee on the cross; praying entirely? that for thilk inestimable charity that Thine Holy Godhead drew fully into Thyself that blessed soul of Thy Son, that now in his last hour Thou receive sweetly the spirit of our brother, Thy servant, in the same love. AMEN. SainT MicuakE.L, THE ARCHANGEL of our Lord Jesu Christ, help us at® our high Judge. O thou most worthy giant and protector, that mayst never be overcome, be nigh to our brother, thy servant, labouring now sore in his end ; and defend him mightily from the dragon of hell, and from all manner guile of wicked spirit. Furthermore we pray thee, that art so clear* and so worthy a minister of God, that in the last hour of the life of our brother thou wilt receive the soul of him easily and benignly into thine holy ® bosom; and bring

lie. righteous, sincerely. with, 4 preclarum. 5 « wholesome,’ but the other MSS, have ¢ holy,’ her into (the) place of refreshing and of peace, and of rest. AMEN. EVER CLEAN AND BLESSED MAIDEN Mary, singular help and succour in every anguish and necessity, help us sweetly, and show to our brother, thy servant, thy glorious visage now in his last end. And void! all his enemies from him, through the virtue of thy dear beloved Son, our Lord Jesu Christ, and of the holy Cross ; and deliver him from all manner disease of body and soul, that he may thank and worship God withouten end. Amen. My mosr sweeT RepEmMPrTor, most merciful Jesu, and most benign Lord, for that sorrowful voice that Thou haddest in Thy manhood when Thou shouldest die for us, and were so consumed with sorrows and travails of Thy passion that Thou crydest? Thee forsaken of Thy Father; be not far from Thy brother, Your servant, but give him Thine help, of Thy mercy, in the hour of his death ; and have mind of the grievous affliction and pain of his soul, the which in his last hour of passing, for failing of his spirits, hath no might to call upon Thee for help: but by the victory of the cross, and by virtue of Thine holy passion and Thine amorous death, think upon her thoughts of peace and not of affliction, but of mercy and comfort ; and deliver her fully from all manner 1 je, expel, 2 i.e. proclaimed by loud erying,

of anguishes. With the same hands that Thou didst suffer to be nailed on the cross for her sake with sharp nails, good Jesu and sweet Father, deliver her from the torments ordained for her, and bring her to everlasting bliss and rest, with a voice of exaltation and knowledging of Thy mercy. AMEN. Mosr merciruL Lorp Jesu Curist, Gon’s Son, for the union of the recommendation that Thou commendest Thine holy soul to Thine heavenly Father, dying on the cross, we commend to Thine innumerable! pity the soul of our brother, Thy servant, praying Thy most merciful goodness that for all the worship and merit of Thy most holy soul, by the which all souls be saved and delivered from the debt of death, Thou have mercy upon the soul of our dear brother, Thy servant ; delivering her mercifully from all miseries and pains, and for the love and mediation of Thy sweet Mother, bring her to contemplation of the joy of Thy most sweet and merciful sight everlastingly. AMEN. Mercirut anp sBentcn Gop, That for the mickelness of Thy mercy doest away the sins of them that be verily repentant, and voidest the blames of sins that be passed and done before through grace of Thy forgiveness, we beseech that Thou look mercifully upon our brother, 1 je, incapable of being reckoned or uttered = ineffabilis,

Thy servant, and graciously hear him asking, with all confession of his heart, remission of all his sins. Renew in him, most merciful Father, all thing that is corrupt in him by bodily frailty, or defouled with the fraud of the devil, and gather him to the unity of the body of Holy Church, and make him a member of Holy Redemption. Have mercy, Lord, upon his wailings, have mercy upon his tears, and admit to the sacrament of Thy reconciliation him that hath no trust but upon Thy mercy; by Our Lord Jesu Christ. Amen. Dear Broruer, I commend thee to Almighty God, and commit thee.to Him, Whose creature thou art, that when thy manhood hath paid his debt by the mean of death, that thou turn again to God thy creature, That made thee of the slime of the earth. When thy soul passeth out of thy body, glorious companies of angels come against thee: the victorious host, worthy judges, and senators of the holy apostles meet with thee: the fair, white, shining company of holy confessors, with the victorious number of glorious martyrs, come about thee : the joyful company of holy virgins receive thee : and the. worthy fellowship of holy patriarchs open to thee the place of rest and joy, and deem thee to be among them that they be among, everlastingly.

Know thou never that (which) is horrible in darkness, that grinteth? in flaming fire. They that punish in torments give place to thee, and grieve thee not. They that follow Sathanas with all his servants, in the coming against thee, be a-ghast at the presence of holy angels, and flee into darkness of everlasting night ; into the great tribulous sea of hell. Our lord ariseth and His enemies be dispartled? about; and flee, they that hate Him, from His visage. Fail they as the smoke faileth, and as the wax melteth against 3 the fire, so perish sinners from the face of God ; and let rightful men eat and rejoice in the sight of God.‘ All the contrary legions and ministers of Sathanas be not hardy to let thy journey. Christ deliver thee from torment, that vouchsafed to die for thee. Christ, God’s Son, bring thee to the merry joys of Paradise, and the very Shepherd know thee among His sheep. He assoil thee from all thy sins, and put thee on His right side; in the sort 5 of His chosen children, that thou may see thy Redemptor visage to visage, and _presentially § assisting to Him, see with (thine) eyes the blessed everlasting truth openly ; and among the blessed company of the children of God have thou, and rejoice in the joy of the contemplation of God without end. Amen.

1 i.e. grindeth his teeth. 2 scattered. 3 i.e. exposed to. 4 et juti cpulentur et exultent in conspectum Tei, 5 lot. 6 ;.c. as being present, Go Curisrian Sout out of this world, in the Name of the Almighty Father that made thee of nought ; in the Name of Jesu Christ, His Son, that suffered His passion for thee; and in the Name of the Holy Ghost, that was infounded } into thee. Holy angels, Thrones and Dominations, Princehoods, Protestates and Virtues, Cherubim and Seraphim, meet with thee. Patriarchs and prophets, apostles and evangelists, martyrs, confessors, monks and hermits, maidens and widows, children and innocents, help thee. The prayers of all priests and deacons, and all the degrees of Holy Church, help thee ; that in peace be thy place, and thy dwelling in heavenly Jerusalem everlastingly ; by the mediation of Our Lord Jesu Christ, that is Mediator between God and man. Amen. NOTE ON THE BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING Tuere are three manuscripts of this treatise in the Bodleian Library; the Douce MS. 322, the Rawlinson MS. C, 894, and the Bodleian MS, 423.1 This transcription has been taken from the last of these, since it appears to be the earliest.2 It is to be found in a large brown volume containing five different manuscripts bound together by Sir Thomas Bodley. Some are written on paper, and some on parchment. Our book is the fourth in order, written on parchment in a clear and careful hand, and dating probably from the middle of the fifteenth century. The headings to the chapters are in red, the capitals are in blue and red, and on the first page a border is outlined which has never been finished.

Like so many other English writings of this date The Craft of Dying has been ascribed to Richard Rolle. It may possibly have been translated by him into English, but the author of the older Latin original is unknown. It has been suggested that it was written by Jean le Charlier de Gerson, the famous Chancellor of Paris—known to us in connection with De Imitatione Christi, which some have attributed to him. Gerson certainly compiled a long treatise in Latin and French which he named the Opusculum Thripartitum de Preceptis Decalogi, de Confessione, et de Arte Moriendi.* But this book is very much shorter than the Englich version of The Craft of Dying, and there is nothing in it which corresponds to the first two chapters of the Cra/t; moreover, the 1] have collated these three MSS., and have drawn attention to differences of any interest in the footnotes. 2[t is not mentioned by Dr Horstman. Besides the Douce and Rawl. MSS. his list contains; C.C.C. Oxfd. 220, Harl. 1706, Reg. 17 C, xviii., Addit. 10596, Ff. v. 453 of. The Library of English Writers, vol. ii. p, 406. 3 Published at Cologne c, 1470. references in Chapters III. and V. of the Craft to “the noble” and ‘‘ great clerk, the Chancellor of Paris,” 1 must be to Gerson.?

Indeed the whole question of the authorship and the various versions of the treatises which are in the catalogues generally included under the title 4rs Moriendi is one of some difficulty and obscurity. ‘here seem to be at the least three distinct books: the Latin treatise, of which this is a translation; the very popular block-books of the Ars Moriendi, of which many copies exist; and ararer French book, L’Art de bien Vivre et bien Mourire, which seems to be related to the block-books, The Latin treatise is found under three titles; De Arte Moriendi ; Tractatus de Arte Moriendi; and Speculum Artis Moriendi. Many printed versions exist, the oldest of which is ascribed to Mathieu de Cracovie, Bishop of Worms, the date given being 1470 or 1472. Another edition was printed at Venice in 1478, and called: Tractatus brevis ac valde utilis de arte et scientia Lene moriendi. \t seems to be a compendium of the older version, and was attributed to Dom Caprianica, Cardinal de Fermo, Most of the later editions were printed at Paris, and contain additional prayers and admonitions, and in some cases verses, which are not found in any of the manuscripts nor in the earlier printed versions, and which I have not included here since they are of no special interest. When it has been necessary to refer to the Latin original I have had recourse to a beautiful manuscript in Magdalen College, Oxford, from which I have made an occasional quotation in a footnote.

I have not yet been able to trace the French versions from which Caxton tells us he has translated his tract ‘‘ abridged of the art to learn well to die.” L’ Art de bien Vivre et bien Mourire is quite another book. It was published by Verard in Paris in 1493, and translated into very bad English in 1503, this translation being also issued by Verard, There are copies of both these in the Bodleian ; and written on the cover of the English translation is a note stating that ‘* This 1 cf. PP. 24; 332 ¢f, my note on Caxton’s Abridgment, p. 88, was reproduced by Wynken de Worde, ‘ The craft to live and dye well,—made parfyte in our moder tongue; the 21st day of January 1505,’” There is a copy of this reproduction of de Worde’s in the John Rylands Library at Manchester, the only one as far as is known. ‘Through the kind courtesy of the librarian there, who has sent me the transcription of a short passage, I have been able to compare them, and find that de Worde’s reproduction isan improvement, both in spelling and English, upon the translation of 1505. L’ Art de bien Vivre et bien Mourire seems to have more in common with Gerson’s Ofusculum Tripartitum, for both contain discourses on the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Sacraments, etc. Mr Bullen states that it also comprises ‘‘a complete translation into French of the letterpress of the block-book, accompanied by copies of all the wood engravings,”’}

The block-books of the Ars Moriendi are very numerous and interesting, and need really a volume to themselves. ‘They seem to have been most popular in England, Germany and France, though we find copies in almost every European language. They generally contain eleven illustrations depicting the five great temptations which beset the soul at death. These temptations are embodied in the forms of hideous demons, which are repelled by angels and saints, and by Our Lady, who is the great interceder and last resource of the Dying Creature. Our frontispiece is taken from the famous block-book in. the British Museum, which was published at Cologne c. 1450. The artist probably belonged to the Lower Rhenish School. It represents the Good Angel coming to strengthen and console the dying man when tempted by the devil of Avarice. His Guardian Angel stands in front of him with his hand raised in exhortation, bearing a scroll with the words Nox sis auarus, At the head of the bed stands Our Lady, beside her Blessed Son outstretched upon the cross. 1See his Introduction to the ‘* Ars Moriendi,’ pub, by the Holbein Society, 1851, p. 21. On the other side of the crucifix is a figure which may represent the Good Shepherd, as close beside him there are three sheep, and he holds a staff in his hand. Behind this figure stand three women, and the head of a man is seen at the back.

It is difficult to conjecture what they are meant to typify, unless those ‘‘ other saints which the sick man may most have loved and honoured in his life,” for they all look compassionately on him, Below is another angel, half hidden by a cloth which he holds in his hands, apparently trying to shield the figures of a man and woman from the sick man’s gaze. On a scroll encircling his head are the words: ‘* Ne intende amicis. Do not concern thyself with thy friends.” Mr Bullen suggests that both may possibly be ‘¢disappointed expectants of sharing the dying man’s wealth; or else the female figure representing his wife, and the male figure that of his physician.”1 But the words ot the scroll lead us to suppose they symbolise the relations of the sick man, whom he has been exhorted to forget at the hour of his death, that he may give his mind more intently to the things which are not seen. “ In the other illustrations of the block-book hideous demons are depicted howling round the bed, or fleeing under it, but here (and partly this is the reason for its choice) only one impotent and angry devil is seen, ejaculating in despair Quid faciam ?

In conclusion I can only say how sadly I am conscious of the inadequacy of these notes; but the longer one works among manuscripts and old reprints the more there seems left to be discovered, and my hope is that I may at least have cleared the ground so as to help another on the same quest. 1 Introduction to the ‘* Ars Moriendi,” p. 16. f , fe + aye oe t 2 gab ; Spare as SO arg AS Oe ie ieee feet irene a yore owe =x un ip ha at, a THE ART AND CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE Le 1a i Pete, : IS af i 7 ’ VAAN ~* t \ y ns i ‘ ; ' : ' 4 ss f , , i va %y 2 7 ‘ i i} HERE BEGINNETH A LITTLE TREATISE SHORT AND ABRIDGED: SPEAKING OF THE ART AND CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE WHEN it is so that what a man maketh or doeth, it is made to come to some end, and if the thing be good and well made, it must needs come to good end ; then by better and greater reason every man ought to intend in such wise to live in this world, in keeping the commandments of God, that he may come to a good end; and that out of this world—full of wretchedness and tribulations—he may go to heaven, unto God and His saints, into joy perdurable.

But now in these days few there be that advise? them of their end so much as they ought to do, though they be sick, ancient or old; and to them cometh this folly by a foolish hope that every man, in what estate he be, hath an hope to live long. And therefore hath this present treatise been made ; composed in short terms for to teach every man well to die whilst he hath understanding, health and reason, to the end that it is needful to him to be the better warned, informed and taught. 1 j,e, consider, ponder on, The which treatise is divided into six parts: of which the first treateth of the praising of death, and how one ought to die gladly. The second treateth of the temptations that they have which be or lie in the article! of death. The third treatise is of the questions that ought [to] be made to them then. The fourth containeth a manner of instructions and of teaching that ought to be made to them. The fifth of the remembrance that God hath won and suffered for us. The sixth and last treateth of certain orisons and devout prayers that they ought to say if they may ; or else ought to be said before them, by some that be assistant or present.

OF THE ALLOWING OR PRAISING OF THE DEATH : AND HOW ONE GLADLY OUGHT FOR TO DIE As then the bodily death is the most fearful thing of all other things, so yet is the death of the soul of as much more terrible and reproachable,? as the soul is more noble and more precious than the body. And the death of sinners is right cursed and evil ; but the death of just and true people is precious before God ; 1 j,¢, the very moment, * j,e, deserving of reproach, censurable, for the dead men be well happy that die in our Lord. To this purpose saith P/ato: That continual remembrance of the death is sovereign wisdom. Also for truth the bodily death of good people alway is none other thing but the issue, or going out, of prison and of exile, and discharging of a right grievous burden, that is to wit of the body; finishing of all things, and end of all maladies and sicknesses, and also of all other strifes mortal. It is the voiding of this present wretchedness ; it is consumption of all evils, and the breaking of all the bonds of this cursed and evil world; it is the payment of the debt of nature, return into the country, and entry into joy and glory. ‘Therefore saith the wise man: That the day of the death is better than the day of the birth. But this word ought to be understood for them that be good only.

And therefore every good Christian man, and also every sinner verily contrite, ought not to be sorrowful nor trouble him of the temporal or bodily death, nor he ought not to fear nor doubt? it, for whatsomever matter or cause be laid to him, but he ought to suffer and receive it patiently and in thanks and gladly ; in conforming himself plainly,? and in committing wholly his proper® will to God’s will, like as (he) is bounden to him. For well to die is gladly to die; and to con die is to have in all times his heart ready and apparelled to* 1 dread, 2 7,¢, yielding himself fully. 3 3.¢ OWN, 4 prepared for, things heavenly and supernal. And that at every hour, when the death shall come to the person, that - he be found ready ; and that he receive it without any contradiction, but also joyfully, as he should abide the coming of his good friend. To this purpose saith the Philsopher: ‘That natural reason well counselled judgeth that the good death ought better to be chosen than the evil life, and that one ought sooner to choose the bodily death than do anything against the weal of virtue.

Thus then it appeareth of the praising of the death ; and that every good person and religious ought to desire departing of the body and soul for to be with our Lord Jesu Christ, and for to leave this present world for the better to live in the world to come.

THE TEMPTATIONS THAT THE PERSON HATH AT THE HOUR OF THE DEATH Ir ought to be known and be believed certainly that they that be in the article of death have many grievous and strong temptations ; verily such that in their life they never had like. And of these temptations there be five principal. I. The First is of the Faith ; for because that faith is foundation of all health, and that without faith it is impossible to please God. ‘Therefore it is that then in this point the devil with all his might en- forceth? him to trouble the person from his faith wholly, or at the least to make him to go out of the way from his faith; and laboureth then much strongly for to deceive him by some errors, superstitions, or heresy. And because every good Christian person is bound to believe, not only in the articles of the faith Catholic, but all the holy scripture ; and ought to be subjugate and submit himself to all the statutes of the church of Rome, and firmly to abide and die in the same creance and belief. For else, if he should begin to err in any of the things abovesaid, then incontinent ? he should go out of the faith of life and way of health.

Always [it] ought to be known certainly that in this temptation of the faith—or in other things following—the devil may not overcome the person as long as he shall have the usage of his free will well disposed, if by his own agreement he will not consent to the devil. And therefore it is good, and a thing much profitable, that about them that travail in the article of death be repeated with an high voice the Credo and symbol of the faith, to the end that by that means the person dying be the more hearted and encouraged in the constancy of the faith. ‘To the end also that the devils, which have horror to hear it, be put aback and driven away. [So] certainly [was] the faith of the true ancient men, as sometime were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; also of some paynims and gentiles as were Job, Raab, Ruth, Achior, and other. semblable. And also they of the 1 striveth, 2 straightway. apostles and of the innumerable martyrs, confessors and virgins. The faith of such people ought much to comfort! the sick man to the constancy and steadfastness of the faith. For by faith all they of time past, and of this present time, have pleased God ; and it is impossible to please God without faith. For faith may all, and very faith getteth all that it requireth.

II. The Second Temptation is against Hope, by Despair. For a person ought to have all hope and confidence in God. And it happeth then, when a person being sick in his body is tormented with great pain and sorrows, that the devil enforceth to bring to him sorrow upon sorrow, in bringing before his remembrance all his sins, by all the ways that he may—at least them that he never confessed him of— to the end that by that means he draw him into desperation. Upon this purpose saith Zmnocent: ‘That ‘every Christian person—be he good or evil—before ‘that his soul issueth out of his body seeth our Lord Jesu Christ set in the cross. That is to wit: the evil ‘to their confusion, to the end that they have shame and displeasure that they have not gotten in their life the fruit of the Redemption ; and the good to their honour and pleasure. Natheless none ought to have despair in no wise, how much felon and evil he hath been. ‘Though that he had commised as many murders and thefts as there be drops of water and small gravel in the sea, yet were it so that of them he had never done

penance nor confessed them, as long as the patience of our Lord holdeth him in this mortal life, and that he have power and might to repent him ;—notwithstanding that then by force of malady and sickness he may not confess him. For contrition only, within forth, may suffice in such a case. For God despiseth never a contrite heart and humble ; and also the pity and mercy of God is much more than any iniquity or wickedness. And therefore the sin and crime of desperation is to him that only by which he may not be saved nor guarished ;1 for by this sin God, which is right piteous, is overmuch offended, and the other sins be so much more aggrieved ;? and also the pain eternal is by so much more augmented into the infinite. The evils and sins commised and passed grieve not so much but despair displeaseth more. And therefore none ought to despair of the mercy of God, though that he only had commised all the sins of the world ; though yet he suppose [himself] to be of the number of [those] that be damned. In truth the disposition of the body of our Lord Jesu Christ hanging on the cross ought much to induce a sick person, paining to the death, to have very hope and confidence in God. For He hath the head inclined and bowed to kiss us; the arms stretched abroad for to embrace us; the hands pierced and opened for to give us; the side open for to love us; and all His body stretched for to give Himself all to us. Hope

1 je, that one sin of which he cannot be saved or cured. 2 aggravated, ; then is a virtue much lowable1 and of great merit before God. To this purpose come many examples: as of Saint Peter, which renyed and forsook-Jesu Christ ; of Saint Paul which persecuted Holy Church ; of Saint Matthew and of Zacchzeus, which were publicans ; of Mary Magdalene the sinner ; of the woman that was taken in adultery; of the thief that hanged on the right side of Jesu Christ; of Saint Mary Egyptian. And of many more other, which were great sinners and horrible, which alway set all their hope in God and were saved. III. The Third Temptation that the devil maketh to them that die is by Impatience; that is against Charity. For by charity we be holden to love God above all things. Now is it thus that to them that die cometh right great sorrow and pain of heart and of body, be it that the death come naturally, or that it come by any other evil accident. For by pain and sorrow many there be that [have] been impatient and grutching, and die in such wise as they seem mad, or out of their wit, as it appeareth oft. Wherefore it is certain that such people be out of very love and charity, and that they love not God sufficiently. And therefore it is necessary to every man that will die, that in what sickness be it, short or long, that he murmur nor grutch not, but suffer it patiently. For we suffer by good right all the evils that come to us, and yet be not the passions of this world condign nor worthy to the glory to come. This is then a thing

1 j,e, to be praised, much unjust if of the just passions we murmur or grutch ; for like as the soul is possessed in patience, and by murmurs the soul is lost and damned. Ought not then our Lord thus [to] enter into His glory : and know ye that the infirmity before the death is like as a purgatory, so that it be suffered like as it appertaineth, that is to say patiently, gladly, and agreeably. And it cometh by divine dispensation that to the longest vice and sin is given the longest malady ; and that God mercifully sendeth temporal tarrying, to the end that he go not to eternal pain. It appeareth then that all maladies and sicknesses of the body, whatsoever they be, ought by reason to be suffered without grutching; for he that well loveth, to him is nothing impossible. IV. The Fourth Temptation of them that die is the Complacence or pleasing of himself; and that 1s a spiritual pride by the which the devil assaileth most them that be devout. And it happeth when the devil hath not mowe,! nor can not induce'the man to go out of the faith, nor to make him fall into desperation or into impatience, that then he assaulted him by complacence, or pleasing of himself; to him presenting in his heart such things: O how thou art firm and steadfast in the faith! O how thou art sure in hope! O how thou art strong and patient! O how thou hast done many good deeds! or such things semblable, for to put him in vainglory. But against this let none give to himself no manner praising, nor avaunt him ; nor none glorify himself of his

1;,¢, hath not power, or might, good deeds, nor presume nothing of himself, nor not attribute himself to do nothing well; for this complacence is vainglory, and it may be so great that by it a man might be damned. A man nigh his death ought to be well advised when by such pride he feels himself tempted, that then he humble and meek himself so much the more ; that he withdraw him in thinking [on] his wretchedness and his sins. For none is certain if he be digne or worthy to have deserved the love of God, or the hate of God. Natheless none ought to despair ; but right always to address his heart to God by good hope, in thinking and considering the mercy of God to be above all his works. V. The Fifth Temptation that most troubleth the secular and worldly men is the over great occupation of outward things and temporal: as toward his wife, his children and his friends carnal; toward his riches or toward other things which he hath most loved in his life. And therefore whomsoever will well and surely die, he ought to set simply and all from him all outward things and temporal, and ought all to commit to God fully. And if he so do, in suffering patiently the pain of death he satisfieth for all his venial sins; and, what more is, he bringeth something for to satisfy for the deadly sins. But it happeth not oft that any be found—be he secular or regular—that hopeth not but to escape from death ; and always this foolish hope is a thing right perilous and much disordered! in every Christian man, and

1 j,¢, disorderly or unruly, that oft cometh by instinction! of the devil; the which may not surmount the man in none of the said temptations, nor in none other whatsomever they be, but if? the man, having the usage of reason, will by his own agreement consent to him. For our enemy is so feeble that he may not overcome but him that will be vanquished ; and God is so good and just that He shall not suffer us to be tempted above that which we may not withstand ; but He shall do to us aid and profit with the temptation, to the end that we may sustain it. And every man ought to know that the victory of temptations cometh alway by humility and meekness ; for they that have not in them the wind of pride fall never into the furnace. And therefore every sinner ought wholly to meek himself under the mighty hand of God, to the end that by the help . of our Lord he may obtain victory in all temptations, in all sicknesses, and in all tribulations of pain and of sorrow, unto the death inclusively. OF THE DEMANDS AND QUESTIONS THAT OUGHT TO BE MADE TO THE SICK PERSON

Tuen ought to be made askings and demands of them that be in the article of death, as long as they have the usage of reason and of speech ; to the end that if 1 instigation, 2 except, they be less or worse disposed than it appertaineth ; 4 and that they be by that moyen ? the better informed and comforted. After [the saying of] Saint Anselm these manners of demands ought to be said thus, as here followeth : Thou, brother or sister, (in naming the name) art thou joyful that thou diest in the faith of our Lord Jesu Christ? And he or she ought to answer yea. Repentest thee of that (or such thing) whereto thou wert inclined? Answer: Yea. Hast thou will to amend thee if thou haddest space to live? Answer: Yea. Believest thou that thou mayst not be saved but by the death of our Lord Jesu Christ and by His passion ? Answer: Yea. Yield to Him thankings with all thine heart whiles that thy soul is in thee, and constitute and set all thy trust in His death that thou abidest now presently, and have no trust in any other thing. Give thyselt over, cover thee all and wrap thee in this death ; and if God will judge thee, say thus to Him:

Lorv, I put Thy death between Thy judgment and me; other wise I will not debate nor strive against Thee. I offer Thee the merits of Thy right worthy passion, by the merit that I ought to have gotten—which I have nothing done, and woe is me 1 j,e, is befitting or proper, 2 means, 3 j,e, without delay, immediately, therefore now ; and [I] recommend at this time my spirit into Thy hands. These demands and questions beforesaid ought to be said, as well to religious as to seculars, to the end that in the pain of death they be the better informed of their estate. And if the time suffer it, men ought yet to say this that followeth : Believest thou all the principal articles of the faith of Holy Church, and all the Holy Scripture in all things; and the exposition of the catholic and all holy doctors, of our Mother, Holy Church? Answer: Yea. Despisest thou and reprovest all heresies, errors and superstitions, which be reproved of Holy Church? He ought to answer: Yea. Knowledgest thou that oft, and in many manners, thou hast right grievously offended thy Maker? Answer: Yea. As saith Saint Bernard there is none saved without {to have) knowledge of himself; for of this knowledge groweth humility which is mother of health.

Yet ought to be demanded : Brother or sister, sorrowest thou for all thy sins which thou hast commised against the majesty, the love, the ‘goodness of God ; and of the good deeds that thou hast not done; and of the graces of God of which thou hast been negligent? He ought to answer: Yea. Thou oughtest not only to sorrow for doubt of the death which thou attendest, or for any pain, but for the love of God: or of justice ; and thou requirest pardon with all thy heart. Answer: Yea. Desirest thou also that thy heart may be meeked to the knowledge of the defaults of which thou art not remembered. presently,} to the end that thou mayst duly repent them? He ought to answer: Yea. Purposest thou veritably to amend thee, if thou mightest live and be whole, and that thou wouldest never sin deadly in earnest ; and haddest liever to lose the best thing that thou lovest— yea the bodily life—before thou wouldest offend thy Maker ; and to pray God with good heart that He will give thee grace for to continue in this purpose? Answer: Yea. Forgivest and pardonest thou with good heart, for the love of God, all that have been trespassed to thee in word or in deedt He ought to answer: Yea.

Requirest ? thou also for the love of God, of whom thou hopest to receive forgiveness, that that thou hast trespassed ever to any other, [of] that thou mayst be quit and forgiven? Answer : Y 2. Wilt thou the things that thou hast taken and holden unduly be by thee restored wholly, like as thou art bounden, and after the value of thy faculty,? unto the renunciation of all thy 1 now. 2 requestest or desirest, 3 resources or possessions, goods, if otherwise thou mightest not make satisfaction? He ought to answer: Yea. Believest thou that our Lord Jesu Christ be dead for thee ; and that otherwise thou mightest not be saved, but by the merit of His precious passion ; and thankest Him therefore with all thy heart? Answer: Yea. : In truth whosomever shall mowe! affirmatively to answer these askings beforesaid, with good conscience and very faith without feigning, he shall have evident sign and argument of health ; and (that) he shall be of the number of them that thall be saved, if he die in this point.? And if there be none to demand him he ought to return to himself and to demand himself, in considering the most subtly that he shall con mowe® if he be disposed like as is said ; for without this disposition may no man by any manner be saved. And whomsoever shall feel himself thus well disposed, he ought to commend him all to the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ ; and to put himself all in remembrance and in meditation of the same, as he shall mowe, and that as his infirmity shall suffer him. And by this moyen be surmounted and overcome all the temptations of the devil, and his right subtle awaits and fallacies.

1 j,¢, be able, 2 this moment of time. 3 be able to have power to, 4 i.e, snares and delusions,

[AN INSTRUCTION WITH CERTAIN OBSECRATIONS TO THEM THAT SHALL DIE] Saint Gregory saith that all the action and work of our Lord Jesu Christ ought to be our instruction, and therefore every good Christian person disposed well to die ought to do, after his manner and _possibility, in his last end like as did our Lord when He died on the cross. Now it is so that our Lord did five things principally hanging on the cross. He adored and prayed, He wept, He cried, He commended His soul to God, and He yielded to Him His spirit. "Thus semblably every sick man, constituted in the article of} death, ought to adore and pray ;—at least in his heart, if he may not speak. For as saith Saint Isidore: It availeth more to pray with heart, in silence and without speaking, than by words only without taking heed of the thought. Secondly he ought to weep, not with his bodily eyes only, but with the tears of his heart, in repenting verily himself. Thirdly he ought strongly to cry from the depths of his heart, and not by voice. For God beholdeth more the ae of the heart than the sound of the ©

voice. Also to cry with the heart is none other thing, 1 placed at the point of. but strongly to desire remission of his sins and to come to everlasting life. Fourthly he ought to commend his soul to God, saying : In Manus Tuas, etc. Fifthly he ought to yield his spirit to God voluntarily, in conforming him all to the will of God like as It appertaineth, and in saying, if he may, the obsecrations that follow : Sovereicn Derry, right great Bounty, excellent and glorious Trinity, Sovereign Dilection,! Love, and Charity, have mercy on me, sinner, for I commend to Thee my spirit, my God, Father right piteous. Father of mercy give Thy mercy to this poor creature. Help me now in my last necessity. Lord, succour my poor soul, helpless now and desolate, to the end that it be not devoured by the hounds infernal. My right sweet and best beloved, Lord Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, for the love and ‘honour, and by the virtue of Thy precious passion, command Thou, I Thee pray, that I be now received among the number of ‘Thy chosen blessed souls. My Saviour and my Redeemer, I yield. me all ‘to Thee ; refuse me not. f come to Thee ; put me not from Thee.

Lorp Jesu Curist, I ask of Thee heaven ; nothing for the love of my merits, for I am nothing but dust and ashes, and a sinner right miserable ; but I demand of Thee, in the virtue and in the value of Thy right holy passion, by the which Thou hast willed to redeem me which am a right miserable sinner with Thy much precious blood. Lord Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, I Thee supplicate meekly, by that bitterness of death which for me Thou sufferedst in the tree of the cross, and in especial at that hour when Thy right holy soul issued out of Thy precious. holy body, that Thou have mercy on my most wretched soul at his departing. Also, if he may, he ought to say three times the Ps.cxv.16. verse that followeth. Dirupisr1 DOMINE VINCULA MEA, TIBI SACRIFICABO HOSTIAM LAUDIS, ET NOMEN DOMINI INvocazo. ‘That is to say: Lord Thou hast broken my bonds ; I shall sacrifice to Thee an host of praising, and shall call on the name of the Lord. -For Saint Isidore saith that this verse is believed to be of so much virtue that if a man by very confession saith [it] in the end of his life, his sins be to him forgiven. After these things the sick man ought, if he may, much entirely, with heart and mouth, the best wise that he shall mowe, require and call unto his help the right glorious Virgin Mary, which is the very mean 3 of all sinners, and she that addresseth 2? them in their necessity ; saying to her in this manner :

~ Qureen oF Heaven, Mother of mercy, and Refuge of sinners, 1. meekly beseech thee that 1 mediator. 2 7,¢, redresseth, thou wilt reconcile me to thy dear Son, in calling His worthy goodness for me, unworthy sinner, that for the love of thee He will pardon and forgive me my sins, and bring me into His He ought afterward, if he may, call on the et) Angels, in saying : Ye Spirits oF Heaven, Angels much glorious, I beseech you that ye will be assistant + with me that now beginneth to depart, and that ye deliver me mightily from the awaits and fallacies of mine adversaries ; and that it please you to receive my soul into your company. ‘The principal, my leader and my good angel, which by our Lord art deputed to be my warden and keeper, I pray and require thee that thou now aid and help me. And after he ought to require the apostles, the martyrs, the confessors and the virgins, and in especial all the saints that he most loved ever. After all these things he ought to say three times, if he may, these words that follow ; which is said to be made and composed by Saint Austin :

The Prace of our Lorp Jesu Curist; the virtue of His holy passion ; the sign of the holy cross; the entireness of the humility of the Virgin Mary ; the blessing of all the saints ; the keeping of the angels; and the suffrages of all the chosen of God ; be between me and all mine enemies, visible and invisible, in the hour of my death. Amen. And if the sick man or woman may, nor can not, say the orisons and prayers beforesaid, some of the assistants! ought to say them before him with a loud voice, in changing the words there as they ought to be changed. And the sick person, as far as he hath the usage of reason, ought to hearken and pray with his heart, and desire as much as he shall mowe ;. and so praying, render and yield his soul to God and without fail he shall be saved. CHAPTER V [AN INSTRUCTION UNTO THEM THAT SHALL DIE] Yer ought it to be known that every person having the love and dread of God in himself, and also the cure of souls, ought much busily and diligently induce and admonish the sick person constituted in peril of body or of soul, that first, hastily and principally, he purvey for him, without any delay, for remedy of medicine ghostly and spiritual. For it happeth oft that the infirmity and sickness of the body taketh his beginning of? the languor of the soul. And therefore the pope commanded sstraitly to all leeches and physicians of the body that to no manner sickness. they minister nor give bodily medicine till that they have admonished and warned them to get and take: 1j,¢. bystanders. 2 i.e. from.

THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 7s first the spiritual medicine ; that is, to wit, in receiving devoutly the sacraments of Holy Church, in ordaining his testament, and in disposing lawfully his house and other goods and needs. And there ought not to be given to any sick person over much hope of recovering his bodily health. Howbeit oft times many do the contrary, in prejudice of their souls, yea, to them otherwhile! that draw to their death. And it happeth oft that they will not hear of death, and so by such false comfort, and by such faint trust of health, the sick person falleth into damnation. And therefore the sick person ought to be exhorted and desired that by very contrition and by very confession he procure the health of his soul. Also that same may much avail for the health of the body, if it be to him expedient, and he shall be better appeased and more assured. For it seldom happeth, saith Saint Gregory, that very contrition be in the-end, and that the penance that the sick men or women have then be very and sufficient to their health ; and they in especial,—as it is known in all the time of their life they never kept the commandments of God, or their vows voluntarily, but only faintly and by semblance.

Yet ought every man to induce him that is in the article of death that, after the possibility, and by reason of thought, he do pain and labour to have very and ordered patience; that is to say, that, notwithstanding [the] sorrow and dread which then languish, he use reason as much as he shall mowe ; and that he enforce him to have voluntary displeasure for his sins for the love of God ; and that he resist his evil inclination used, in which he hath before taken delectation ; and that he do pain to have displaisance as much as he shall mowe, howbeit that it be short. But to the end that he run not into despair [there] ought to be proposed to him and laid before [him] the things that were said in the second part of this present treatise upon the temptation of desperation. He ought also to be admonished to be couraged and strong against all other temptations there declared. Also be he admonished to die as a very and true Christian man (or woman) ; and that he take heed that he be not bound in the bond of excommunication ; and that with all his might he submit him to the ordinance of our Mother, Holy Church, to the end that he be saved.

Item? if the sick man have long space of time, and that he be not oppressed of hasty death,? the assistants ought to read before him_ histories and devout orisons, which before he delighted and took pleasure in; and men ought to remember him of God’s commandments, to the end that he think the more profoundly if he could find anything in himself that he hath against the said commandments commised and trespassed. And if he be so-sick that he hath lost the usage of speech, and ‘hath his knowledge whole and entire, he ought to answer to these things by some sign outward, or by whole consenting of heart, for that sufficeth to his salvation. 1 Also. 2 ;,e, surprised by sudden death. Alway ought [it] to be taken heed that the interrogations be made before or that the sick man lose the usage of speech; and if the answers of the sick person appear not sound nor sufficient to his salvation, let there be put thereto remedy—by necessary information—by the best manner that may be. And also [it] ought to be showed to the sick person the great peril that might fall and come to him, notwithstanding though he thereby should be afeared.. For better it is that by fear and wholesome dread he have compunction and be saved, than by blandishing dissolution,! or by noyous comfort, he be damned. In truth this thing is much strange and over perilous, and contrary to the faith and Christian religion, but it is a thing diabolical, that to a Christian man, being in the article of death, for to hide from him the. peril of the death of his soul, and that by human dread men dare not trouble him.

Contrary to this did [saye the prophet when he feared? wholesomely the King Ezechias, lying sick unto the death, saying to him that he should die of that sickness ; and nevertheless yet he died not. In like wise did Saint Gregory, when he feard wholesomely his monk—which was constituted in the article of death—for his propriety.® Item [there] ought to be presented to the sick person the image of the crucifix, which alway should be among the sick people, and also the image of our Blessed Lady, and of other saints which the sick man 1 softening. 2 j.e, made to fear, 3 appropriation of goods. hath most loved and honoured in his life. Also (there) ought to be about them holy water, and oft cast upon them and about them to the end that the devils be put a-back from them. And if because of shortness of time all these things aforesaid may not be done, yet they ought at least to purpose to them } the orisons and prayers which [are] addressed unto our Lord Jesu Christ. And there ought never to be brought to their remembrance the carnal friends, nor wife, nor children, nor riches, nor other goods temporal, but only as much as the spiritual health of the sick person demanded and requireth.

Whosomever then will learn to die let him come and learn all the things foresaid before, or he have need in the article of necessity. For in truth in grievous infirmity the devotion of the person goeth away and passeth ; and as much more as the sickness approacheth or increaseth, so much more the devotion fleeth from him. If thou wilt not then err nor be deceived, and that thou wilt be sure, do instantly all that thou mayst good, whiles that thou art whole and sound, and that thou hast the usage of reason and [art] well disposed, and that thou mayst be lord of all thy feats.? O how much people, truly without number, have deceived themselves and bound themselves in abiding the last necessity! And always it ought not to seem to none incongruous nor marvellous, (but) that it ought to [be] shown to them that die by some 1 j,e, present to their mind, 2 ‘faytte ’=actions, conduct, diligent cure, by busy disposition and also by studious exhortation ; for without doubt such force and necessity runneth upon them suddenly, that if it were possible all a whole city ought ite] run hastily to a person that dieth.

THE ORISONS AND PRAYERS THAT OUGHT TO BE. SAID UPON THE SICK PERSON IN THE ARTICLE OF DEATH Finatiy it ought to be known that the orisons which follow ought to be said upon, or over, a sick person, above the prayers that our Mother, Holy Church, hath accustomed to say over the sick persons labouring to the death. And if the sick person be [a] religious the covent ought to be assembled by the table? as it is accustomed ; and after they ought to say the litany with the orisons, and the psalms ordinary and accustomed. After the which may be said the prayers that follow, as long as the time shall suffice ; and [they] may be ichearsed again divers times for to move the sick person the more to devotion, if he hath yet the usage of reason. And this is not done for necessity, but for the profit and devotion of the sick person. And as touching the sick persons, seculars [there] 1 A flat board which was struck in place of a bell. ought to be said the orisons that follow ; after that the disposition and devotion of the sick: person, and the commodity! of the time, and if the assistants requireth. But few people or none be at this day that have the knowledge of this. art.

Lorp Jesu Curist, son of the FATHERLY | cHariTy, I beseech Thee by the Love that Thou, right much worthy, right innocent and most delicate, madest Thyself to be as man, to be wounded and die for the health of man, that Thou wilt pardon and forgive this Thy servant N. Jesus right merciful, forgive him all that by thought, by word or by deed, by affections or movings,? by his strength and by his wit, of body and of soul, he hath trespassed. And for remission, give to him, Lord, that right sufficient emendation by the which Thou unboundest the sins of all the world ; and, for the fulfilling of all negligences, join to him that right ready and valiant conversation ® that Thou haddest, sith and from the hour of Thy conception unto the hour of Thy death. And moreover give to him the fruit of all the good works made and done by all the chosen saints, sith the beginning of the world unto the end. Qui vivis et regnas Deus per omnia secula seculorum. In THE Honour of the right fervent love by 1 convenience or supply of. 2 either ‘emotions’ or ‘ motives,’ 3 7.e. behaviour or manner of life,

the which the Life of all living constrained Thee to be incarnate, and in anguish of spirit? to die on the cross, we remember on,? anew, (of) Thy right benign heart to the end that to this Thy servant, N. our brother, Thou put away all his sins, and that Thou forgive him all, by Thy right holy conversation and by the merit of Thy right holy passion; that Thou make him to experiment the superabundant multitude of Thy miserations ;? and that Thou make ready us all, and in especial this person our brother, N., whom Thou hast disposed hastily to call to Thee by right pleasant manner ; and that it be to him right profitable by Thy sweet patience, by very penance, by plain 4 remission, by rightful faith, by steadfast hope, and by right perfect charity ; in such wise that in right perfect state he may blessedly depart and expire between ‘Thy right sweet embracements and company, to Thy praising eternal. AMEN. To Gop THE FaTHER Inro THE HaNDs of Thy mercy inestimable, holy Father, just Father, and much _ beloved, we commend the soul of Thy servant, N. our brother. In praising Thee humbly after the greatness of the love by the which the right holy soul of Thy Son commended Him to Thee 1 «anguysshous esperyte.’ 2 remind, or recall to. 3 i.¢, compassion, | 4 complete.

on the cross; that by the inestimable charity of dilection,! by the which ‘Thou, which art Divine Paternity, drewest to ‘Thee the same right holy soul, Thou wilt at this last hour of (the) death of this Thy servant, N. our brother, receive in the same love his spirit. AMEN. To Gop THE Son O my mucH LovepD REDEEMER, right piteous,? Jesus right benign, we pray ‘Thy lacrimable ® voice, by the which in Thy humanity, when Thou shouldest for us die, Thou wert consumed by labours and sorrows, in such wise that Thou wert left of Thy Father, that Thou withdraw not the help and aid of Thy mercy from this N. Thy servant, our brother, unto this hour and moment of his affliction; and the consumption of his spirit suffer not in this extreme hour of his death: but by the triumph of Thine holy cross, and by virtue of ‘Thine healthful passion, and of ‘Thy bitter death, think on him. Think of peace and not of affliction, and deliver his soul from all anguishes ; and with the same hands the which, for love of him, Thou didst suffer to be fixed and nailed to the cross with right sharp nails, good Jesus, much sweet Father and Lord, deliver his soul from the torments which be deputed to him,

1 je, spiritual love,—of God. i.e. pitiful. 3 7,2. voice of lamentation, and bring him to eternal rest with voice of exultation and of confession. AMEN. O sweer Jesu, Son oF THE Livinc Gop, right merciful Lord, in union with that commendation by the which, in dying on the cross, Thou commendest Thy right holy soul to Thy heavenly Father, we commend to Thine ineffable pity the soul of this Thy servant, N., our brother ; (in) requiring and praying Thy right merciful bounty that by the merit and honour of Thy much holy soul, by the which all souls be saved and from (the) death duly delivered, that it may please Thee, merciful Lord, to deliver this soul from all pains and miseries ; and that for the love and intercession of Thy right sweet Mother, thou wilt conduct and lead it to behold the glory of this glorious vision, AMEN. Gop ricHT micHTy, debonair and merciful, which that, after the multitude of Thy mercy, effacest and puttest away the sins of them that be repentant, and that by pardon and remission voidest the culpe and blame of all sins ; behold with pity (upon) this Thy servant, N., our brother, which with all confession of heart requireth of Thee pardon and remission of all his sins. Accord and grant it to him, we pray Thee, and renew in him, much piteous Father, all that which by worldly frailty hath been in him corrupt, and all that which by fraud

diabolic hath been in him violated and despoiled, and assemble him in the unity of our Mother, Holy Church, as one of the number of Redemption. Lord have mercy on his wailings, have mercy on his tears, and bring him to the sacrament of Thine holy reconciliation ; for he hath no trust but in Thine infinite mercy. To Ovr Busssep Lapy O RIGHT ENTIRE, AND ETERNAL BLESSED VIRGIN, glorious Maid, aideress and helper of all anguish and necessity, succour us sweetly now ; and show to thy servant here, N., our brother, thy gracious visage in this last necessity. Withdraw and put from him all his enemies, by the virtue of thy right dear Son, our Lord Jesu Christ, and by His holy cross and passion ; and deliver him from all anguish of body and soul, to the end that to God our Lord he yield praising without end. Amen. Saint Micuar, ARCHANGEL oF Gop, succour us now before the right high Judge. O champion invincible, be thou present now and assist to this, N., our brother, which strongly laboureth towards his end, and defend him mightily from the dragon infernal, and from all the frauds of the evil spirits. O yet furthermore, we pray thee, which art the right clear and much fair

shower of the divinity, to the end that in this last hour of the life of this N. our brother, thou wilt benignly and sweetly receive his soul into thy right holy bosom; and that thou wilt bring him in the place of refreshing, of peace and rest. AMEN. "To Tue Sicx Person ar unis Enp Right dear brother, or sister, I commend thee to God Almighty, and commit thee to Him of whom thou art creature, to the end when, by thy death, thou shalt have paid the duty of human nature, thou mayst return to thy Maker, which of the slime of the earth formed thee, [and] thy soul issue and go out of thy body when it shall please God. The right splendant company of angels be at thy departing and meet thee; the right clear senate of apostles will diffend thee ; the victories of martyrs may meet thee ; the company adorned with shining confessors will environ thee; the assembly of the right joyous virgins take and receive thee ; and the bosom of the blessed rest of patriarchs will open to thee, and join them with thee, and make thee to deserve to be among the assistants with thee: that thou avoid all that in darkness is horrible, all that in flames burneth and straineth, and all that which travaileth in torments. So depart from thee right black Sathanas, with all his cruel satellites, and the

good angels of God may accompany thee in thy coming to glory. Flee from thee that felon Sathanas, and flee he into that stinking prison of darkness eternal. So grant, God, that his enemies be dissipated, and they that hate him flee before his face. Defail they like as smoke faileth, and as the sinners perish before the face of God ; and the just persons come and enjoy them in the sight of God, and delight them in gladness. All the legions of hell and the ministers of satan be confounded in the fire, and be they ashamed and confounded ; nor have they none hardiness to let nor hinder? thy way. Jesu Christ deliver thee from torment, which for thee deigned to die on the cross, and constitute thee among the sweet and flowering places of paradise. ‘The same very Pastor and Herdman know thee among His sheep ; which forgive to thee all thy sins, and set thee on His right side and in the party of His chosen people, and that thou may see face to face thy Creator and Maker. And that being with Him present and assistant, thou mayst behold His right manifest verity, and constituted without end among the companies well blessed, thou mayst joy in divine contemplations, world without end. Amen.

Curistian Sout, depart thee from this world when it shall please God, in the Name of the Father, which thee created; in the Name of Jesu Christ, His son, which for thee suffered death ; and in the Name of the Holy Ghost, which hath shed in thee His grace. Come to thy meeting and succour thee the holy Angels of God, the Archangels, the Virtues, the Potestates, the Dominations, the Thrones, the Cherubins, the Seraphins. Come to thine help and aid the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and evangelists, the matrons and confessors, the monks and hermits, the virgins and widows, the children and innocents. Also help thee the prayers and visions of all priests and deacons, and of them of all degrees of the Church Catholic ; to the end that thy place be in peace, and that thine habitation be in celestial Jerusalem. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. AMEN. Like as the health of every man consisteth in the end, [let] every man then much busily take heed to purvey him for to come to a good end, whiles that he hath time and leisure. To this might much well serve a fellow and true friend, devout and comendable, which in his last end [may] assist him truly ; and that he comfort and courage him in steadfastness of the faith, with good patience and devotion, with good confidence and perseverance. And that over him [they] say all these said orisons, well entently and devoutly, whiles that he is in travail of death. But always, for to come to the effect of these prayers, is all necessary the disposition of him that dieth, like as it

hath been said heretofore. And therefore to every person that well and surely will die [it] is of necessity that he learn to die, or the death come and prevent him. Thus endeth the tract abridged of the “art to ‘learn- well) to. die™ translated out of the French into English, by William Caxton. The xv. day of June, the year of our Lord a M inj C Ixxxx. Not many copies of this book exist. There is a perfect copy in the British Museum1—of which this isa transcription, another belonging to Lord Spencer of Althorp, besides one ‘in the National Library at Paris, and a copy in the Bodleian from which the last page is missing. Judging from the colophon Caxton has evidently had some French translation of the Speculum Artis Moriendi before him ; which he has abridged, all save the prayers. ‘The date given is 1490, that is to say the year before his death, and it is of interest to find that a year later, the actual year of his death, he is making a still further abridgment of this same treatise.? There is no title page, and his No. 6 type is the only one used.

It is worth noting that in the complete version of The Craft of Dying there is no exhortation which quite corresponds to the one which Caxton places at the end of this abridgment, and at the beginning of his shorter tract. It occurs, however, both in the block-book, and in Gerson. In the block-book it is found, as here, at the end, and runs thus: ‘*Sed heu, pauci sunt qui in morte proximis suis fideliter assistunt, interrogando, monendo, et pro ipsis orando; presertim cum ipsi morientes nondum mori velin, et anime morientum sxpe miserabiliter periclitantur.” Gerson’s exhortation is longer, and he places it at the beginning of the third part of his Opusculum tripartitum de preceptis decalogi, de confessione, et scientia mortis (or as some versions have it de arte moriendi). It is as follows: ‘*Si veraces fidelesque amici cujuspiam egroti, curam diligentium agant pro ipsius vita corporali PANE. eB 72. Dp. YO2, 89 go THE CRAFT OF DYING fragili et defectibili conservanda, exigunt a nobis multo fortius Deus et caritas pro salute sua spirituali sollicitudinem gerere specialem, In hacextrema necessitate mortis fidelis probatur amicus. Quippe nullum est opus misercordie majus sive commodius. Quod et tanti apud Deum meriti et amplioris frequenter estimatur, quemadmodum persone nostri Salvatoris Jesu Christi, si in terris nobiscum degeret impensum servitium corporale. Quamobrem cura fuit presenti scripto componere brevem quemdam exhortationis modum habendum circa eos qui sunt in mortis articulo constituti. Valentem etiam generaliter omnibus catholicis ad artem et notitiam bene moriendi conquirendam. Continet autem hoc opusculum breve quatuor particulas; scilicet exhortationes, interrogationes, orationes et obsecrationes,”

THE CRAFT FOR TO DIE TO THE HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL HERE BEGINNETH A LITTLE TREATISE SHORTLY COMPILED AND CALLED ARS MORIENDI: THAT IS TO SAY, THE CRAFT FOR TO DIE FOR THE HEALTH OF MAN’S SOUL | Wuen any of likelihood? shall die, then it is most necessary to have a special friend, the which will heartily help and pray for him, and therewith counsel — the sick for the weal of his soul ; and moreover to see ~ that all others so do about him, or else quickly for to make them depart. -Then is to be remembered the great benefits of God done for him unto that time, and specially of the passion of our Lord ; and then is to be read some story of saints or the vil psalms with the litany or our Lady’s psalter, in part or whole, with other. And ever the image of the crucifix is to be had in his sight, with other. And holy water is oftimes to be cast upon and about him for avoiding of evil spirits, the which then be full ready to take their advantage of the soul if they may. And then and ever make him cry for mercy and grace, and for the help of our Blessed Lady and of 1j.¢. is likely to.

other saints in whom afore he had a singular trust and love, and thereupon to make his prayers if he may. When death cometh or any grievous pangs, or other great sickness, then prayer or devotion assuageth ; wherefore it is wisdom for one to pray afore any sickness come, and also when one may in his sickness, if he will not be deceived. So he is happy and may be glad that [at] such a time of most need [he] hath a faithful friend ; and that will say beside the prayers afore rehearsed, and cause other also to say devoutly in remembrance of the charity of Jesu Christ and of His passion, and for to have the rather? His mercy and help, 11j Paternosters and iij Aves, with a Credo ; and therewith to exhort him, by a priest, or for need by another, in the manner as followeth : Brother, or sister, remember well that God saith by His prophet and evangelist : Blessed be those that die and depart in our Lord, that is to say from the world and his pleasures, and die in the true faith of the church, and repentance for their sins. Sir, ye have great cause to be glad for to depart from this wretched world, and full of all misery ; and think that thee needs must depart, and desire heartily to be with Jesu Christ your Maker, Redeemer and Lord God, for He shall give to you now your inheritance that He did buy for you with His precious passion and blood. Wherefore this time of your departing shall be better to you than the time of your birth, for now all sickness, sorrow, and trouble shall depart now from you

for ever. ‘Therefore be not aggrieved with your sickness and take it not with grutching, but take it rather by all gladness. See at all times that ye be stable in your faith, and believe, and say your Credo, if that ye may—or else desire another heartily to do it for you here afore us openly. And arm you ever with the sign of the cross >} as a Christian man, for your defence against your ghostly enemies ; in the which doing God will be greatly pleased, and the rather take you for one of His folk, by protection and grace, and as His child of salvation. Have ever a good and true belief, and nothing may be impossible unto you. And ever beware that ye fall not in despair, for that greatly would displease God, and can not be remedied. And remember the sins done aforetime shall never hurt you as to damnation, if they please you not now and that ye be sorry for them. Saint Jerome saith: If one should take his sickness or his death with grutching it is a token that he loveth not God sufficiently ; all is righteous that we suffer. Desire, with Saint Austin, of our Lord here to be cut with tribulation and to be burned with sickness and sorrow, so that ye may be saved hereafter for ever.

Now meek yourself and be sorry that ye have been so unkind to please and to keep His commandments, and presume not as of yourself any goodness, and say with all meekness thus: Good Lord, Jesu Christ, I knowledge that I have sinned grievously and by Thy grace I will gladly amend me if I should live. Have mercy now of me for Thy bitter passion. Then ask him these questions following afore his death. Be ye glad that ye shall die in Christian belief? Let him answer: Yea. | Know thee that ye hath not so well lived as ye should? Yea. Have ye will to amend if that ye should ver" Yea. Believe ye that Jesu Christ, God Son of heaven, was born of Blessed Mary? Yea. Believe ye also that Jesu Christ died upon the cross to buy man’s soul on Good Friday ? Yea: Do ye thank God therefore? Yea. Believe ye that ye may not be saved but by His passion and death? Yea. As long as the soul is in your body thank God for His death, and have a sure trust by it and His passion to be saved. And counsel him to say if he may these following words of great virtue :

Put Christ’s passion betwix me and mine evil works, and betwix me and His wrath. Now Lord God be merciful to me a sinner. The praise of Our Lord Jesu Christ, and the virtue of His passion, with the sign of the holy cross, and the undefiled virginity of Blessed Mary, His Mother, and the blessing of all saints, and the protection of all holy angels, with the help and prayers of all saints, be betwix me and all mine enemies, now and in the hour of my death and departing. Amen. Also these verses following be of great virtue in the time of death, and to be said by the sick if he may, or by another for him. Dirupisti Domine vincula mea, tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis, et nomen Domini invocabo, Deus propitius esto michi peccatori. Domine Jhesu Christe ego cognosco me graviter peccasse, et libenter volo me emendare per graciam tuam. Miserere mei propter amaram passionem tuam. Domine Jhesu, redemisti nos in sanguine tuo. Laus sit tibi pro amare passione tua. Largire clarum vespere, quo vita nusquam decidat : sed premium mortis sacre perennis instet gloria. Also to Our Lady : Maria plena gracie, Mater misericordie, tu nos ab hoste protege, et in hora mortis suscipe.

In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum. In nomine patris, et filil, et spiritus sancti. AMEN. HERE FOLLOWETH A SHORT AND SWEET REMEMBRANCE OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR OR THAT IT BE RECEIVED OF THE SICK PERSON, OR ANY OTHER, AFORE THEIR CoMMUNING Welcome Blessed Jesu, my Lord God and Saviour, to whom 1s appropried all mercy and pity. Remember good Lord how frail my nature and substance is, and have mercy and pity on me, great sinner, after Thy great mercies and for Thy bitter passion. For I knowledge and believe faithfully, as a Christian child of Thine, that Thou here in form of bread is the same my Lord God that of Thy goodness came down from heaven, and was born and took my nature of Blessed Virgin Mary, and died for me, and rose the third day, and after ascended in to heaven, and there reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost and all saints, for ever immortal : the which for our great health, frailty, and daily transgression, and in remembrance of ‘Thy great love and passion, hast ordained this ‘Thy blessed Body in this wise to be taken of me, and of all other willing to be saved.

I know well that I am far unworthy to be called Thy child or servant, for the great multitude of my sins; howbeit Thou mayst make me rightful and able the which only of sinners hast made great saints of heaven. By that ‘Thy great power and might grant me now to take Thee meekly, in all fear, and with wailing for my sins, and with a spiritual gladness) Come now, good Lord, into my heart and cleanse it of all sins. Enter into my soul and make it whole, and therewith sanctify me within and without, and be my defence for body and soul, rebuking and putting aside all mine enemies far from the presence of Thy power ; that I then so defended by Thee, may have a free and sure passage to Thy kingdom, where I shall not see Thee in This form by mystery, but I shall see Thee face to face ; where I shall never hunger nor thirst, but ever be in joy with Thee and Thine, there to glorify Thee and to worship Thee, to laud and to praise Thee, world without end. Amen. By THESE FOLLOWING ARE VENIAL SINS TAKEN AWAY 3 IF THEY BE DONE DEVOUTLY

In taking holy water [and] holy bread ; also by saying of the Paternoster, spiritually, for this clause and petition: Dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; and also by knocking of the breast for one’s sins ; and also for saying of Deus propicius esto in peccatori ; and by saying of the common ConJiteor at mass or at other time. Also by receiving of any of the sacraments of the church, and specially of the Body of our Lord. Also by hearing of mass, and by the sight of the sacrament of the altar, there or elsewhere. By the blessing of a bishop or of a priest at his mass. By any of the deeds of mercy ; by pardons ; by martyrdoms and penance ; by forgiveness to a trespassour ; by good ensample giving, or by converting of others to good life; by patient thanking in trouble, and by contrition for sins, with displeasure of them. And for every good deed doing with good entent and devotion. AMEN. Tue Famous Docror JoHan Gerson, CHANCELLOR oF Paris, taking his ground from Holy Scripture, and according with holy doctors, saith thus : Our most merciful Father, Lord God, knowing our frailty and readiness to all sin, is ever ready during this wretched and mortal life, by many and diverse ways to forgive us ever our trespass and to grant and give us His grace ; if so be that truly we do ordain unto Him these ii virtues following, so that they be said and done with all the heart devoutly.