The Book of the Craft of Dying/orologium
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI
Since it is that death nought to man, but rather from him, taketh, and priveth him of that he hath, whereof profiteth this doctrine of death? Say me it seemeth wonderful, and therefore teach me heavenly master.
Wisdom
Thou shalt understand that it is a science most profitable, and passing all other sciences, for to con [2] die. For a man to know that he shall die, that is common to all men; as much as there is no man that may ever live or he hath hope or trust thereof; but thou shalt find full few that have this cunning to con to die. For that is a sovereign gift of God; sothly for a man to con to die is for to have his heart and his soul at all times upward to those things that be above; that is to say that what time death cometh it find him ready, so that he receive it gladly, without any withdrawing; right as he that bideth the desired coming of his well-beloved fellow. But alas, for sorrow thou shalt find among some religious, as well as in vain seculars, full many that hate so much the death that unneth[3] they will have it in mind, or hear speak thereof; for they would not go from this world. And the cause is for they learn not to con die. For they spend much of their time in vain speaking, playings, and in vain occupations and curiosities; and other such vain things. And therefore what time death cometh suddenly, for as much as he findeth them unready, he draweth out of the body the wretched soul and leadeth it to hell; as he would oftentimes have done to thee, had not the great mercy of God withstood him.
Wherefore leave you vain things to them that be vain, and give good intent to my doctrine; the which shall profit thee more than choice gold, and than the books of all the philosophers that have been. And [that] this doctrine of me may more fervently move thee, and that it be alway dwelling and fixed in thy mind, (and) therefore under a fellowable ensample, I shall give thee the mystery of this doctrine; the which shall profit thee greatly to the beginning of ghostly health, and to a stable fundament of all virtues.
See now therefore the likeness of a man dying and therewith speaking with thee.
And then the disciple hearing this began to gather all his wits from outward things, and in himself busily to consider and behold that likeness set before him; for then there appeared before him the likeness of a fair young man, the which was suddenly overcome with death in hasty time for to die, and had not disposed for the health of his soul before: the which with a careful[4] voice cried, and said: CiRCUMDEDERUNT ME GENITUS MORTIS: DOLORES iNFERNi CIRCUMDEDERUNT ME. [Ps 17:5] That is: the way-menting[5] of death hath umbelapped me,[6] and the sorrows of hell have environed me.
Alas, my God Everlasting, whereto was I born into this world, and why, after that I was born, had I not perished anon? For the beginning of my life was weeping and sorrow, and now the end and the passing is with great care and mourning. O death how bitter is thy mind[7] to a liking heart, and nourished up in delights! O how little trowed I that I should so soon die! But now thou, wretched death, suddenly lying in wait as a thief, hast fallen upon me. Now for sorrow, wringing mine hands, I yield out my groaning and yelling, desiring to flee death. But there is no place to flee from it. I look on every side and I find no counsellor nor comforter; for death is utterly fixed and set in me, and therefore it may not be changed. I hear that horrible voice of death saying to me in this manner: " Thou art the son of death; neither riches, nor reason, nor kinsmen, nor friends, may deliver thee from my hand; for thy end is come, and it is deemed, and therefore it must be done."
O my God shall I now needs die? May not this sentence be changed? Shall I now so soon go from this world? O the great cruelty of death. Spare, I pray thee, to the youth, spare to the age that is not yet fully ripe. Do not so cruelly with me. Withdraw me not so unpurveyed[8] from the light of life.
The Disciple, hearing these words, turned to him and said:
Disciple
Friend thy words seem to me not savouring of discipline. Wot thou not that the doom of death is given to all men, for it taketh no person afore other and it spareth no man; and it hath no mercy neither of young nor old. It slayeth as well the rich as the poor; and sooth it is that right many, before the perfect fulfilling of their years, be drawn away from this life. Trowest thou that death should have shared thee alone? Nay, for the prophets be dead.
The Likness, or Image of Death, answered and said
Soothly, he said, thou art an heavy comforter for my words sound not to wisdom, but rather they be like to fools; the which have lived evil unto their death, and have wrought those things that be worthy death, and yet they dread not death when it nigheth them. They be blind, and like to unreasonable beasts that see not, before their last end, nor that that is to come after death. And therefore I weep not all for sorrowing of the doom of death, but I weep for the harms of undisposed death; I weep not for I shall pass hence, but I am sprry for the harms of those days that be passed, the which unprofitably dispendeth without any fruit. Erravimus a via VERITATIS ET JUSTITIAE LUMEN NON LUXIT NOBIS, etc. [Wis 5:6, sqq] Alas, how have I lived. I have erred from the way of soothfastness, and the light of righteousness hath not shined into me, nor the truth of understanding was not received in my soul. Alas what profiteth to me pride, or the boast of riches; what hath that holpen me? All those be passed as shadows and as the mind[9] of gests[10] of one day passing forth. And therefore is now my word and my speech in bitterness to my soul, and my words full of sorrow, and mine eyes deceived.
O why had not I been ware in my youth of this that falleth me in my last days, when I was clothed with strength and beauty, and had many years before me to come; that I might have known the evils that have suddenly fallen upon me in this hour.
I took no force[11] to the worthiness of time, but freely [have] given me to lost and to wretched life, and spent my days all in vanities. And therefore, right as fishes be caught with the hook, and as birds be taken with the grin,[12] so am I taken with cruel death that hath come upon me suddenly; and my time of life is passed and slidden away, and may not be cleped again[13] of no man. There was none hour so short but therein I might have gotten ghostly winnings that pass in value all earthly goods withouten comparison. Alas, I wretched, why have I dispended so many gracious days in most vain and long speaking, and so little force have taken of myself!
O the unspeakable sorrow of mine heart! Why have I so given me to vanities, and why in all my life learned I not to die! Wherefore all ye that be here and see my wretchedness, ye that be jocund in the flower of youth, and have yet time able to live, behold me and take heed of my mischieves[14] and sorrows, and eschew[15] your harm by my peril. Spend ye in God the flower of your youth, and occupy ye the time that is given you in holy works; lest that if ye do like to me, ye suffer the pains that I suffer.
O everlasting God, to Thee I knowledge, complaining the great wretchedness that I feel of the wanton youth in which I hated words of blaming for my trespasses. I would not obey to him that taught me, and turned away the ear from them that would goodly counsel me. And I hated discipline, and mine heart would not assent to blaming. And therefore now am I fallen into a deep pit, and am caught with the grin of death. It had been better to me if I had never been born, or else that I had perished in my mother's womb, than I had so unprofitably spent the time that was granted to me to do penance, and misused it so wretchedly in pride.
Disciple
Lo, we all die: as water falleth down into the earth, and turneth not again. And God will not that man's soul perish, but withdraweth from him, that he be not fully lost that is of himself abject. Wherefore hear now my counsel. Repent ye of all thine offences, and do penance for thy misdeeds that be passed, and turn ye to thy Lord God by good deeds. For He is full benign and merciful: and if it so be that the end be good, it sufficeth to heal of soul.
The Image of Death answered
What word is this that thou speakest? Shall I turn me and do penance? Seest thou not the anguish of death that overlieth me? Lo, am so greatly feared with the dread and horror of death, and so bounden with the bonds of death, that I may not see nor know what I shall do. But right as the partridge constrained under the claws and nails of the hawk is half dead for dread, right so all vice [16] is gone from me; thinking not else but how I might in any wise escape this peril of death, the which nevertheless I may not escape.
O that blessed penance and turning from sin be-times, for that is [the] sicker way. Forsooth he that hath late turned him and giveth him to penance, he shall be in doubt and uncertain, for he wot not whether his penance be true or feigned. Woe to me that hath so long suffered for to amend my life. Alas I have too long tarried for to get me heal. Lo all my days be passed and lost, and wretchedly been perished and gone so negligently that I wot not whether I have spent one day of them all in the will of God; and the exercises of all virtues not done so worthily and so perfectly as peraventure I might and should have done, or else if I ever did to my Maker so pleasant service and acceptable as mine estate asketh. Alas, for sorrow thus it is, wherefore all mine inward affections [have] been sore wounded. O God everlasting, how shameful shall I stand at the doom before Thee and all Thy saints, when I shall be compelled to give answer and reason of all that I have done and let undone. And what shall I say hereto, but at next [17] is my tribulation, then [when] I pass forth from this world. Take now heed of me I pray you busily. Lo, in this hour I would have more joy of a little short prayer, as of an Ave Maria, said devoutly of me, than a thousand pounds of silver or gold.
O my God, how many goods have I negligently lost. Soothly now know I that as [to] the greatness of heavenly needs, it should more have availed me a busy keeping of mine heart, and all my wits with cleanness of heart, than that I lost, or by inordinate affection defouled and defected,[18] that any other man thirty years had made him by prostrations, for to get me reward of God here or in bliss.
O ye all that see my wretchedness, have compassion on me, and have mercy on yourself; and while your strength suffices and have time, help and gather to heavenly barns heavenly treasures, the which may receive you into everlasting tabernacles, what time that ye fail; and that ye be not left void in such an hour that is to come to you, as ye see me void now and of all goods dispoiled.
Disciple
My loved friend I see well that thy sorrow is full great, and therefore I have compassion of thee with all mine heart; adjuring thee by God Almighty that thou give me counsel whereby that I may be taught, that I fall not in such peril of undisposed death.
Hereto said the Image of Death
The counsel of sovereign prudence and most providence standeth in this point, that thou dispose thee, while thou art whole and strong, by true contrition and clean and whole confession, and by due satisfaction; and all wicked and noyous things, that should withdraw or let thee from everlasting health, that thou cast away from thee; and that thou keep thee so in all times as [though] thou should pass out of this world, this day, or to-morrow, or at the uttermost within this sen'night. Put[19] in thine heart as though thy soul were in purgatory and had in penance for thy trespass ten years in the furnace of the burning fire, and only this year is granted thee for thine help; and so behold often sithes thy soul among the burning coals, crying:
"O Thou best beloved of all Friends, help Thy wretched soul! Have mind on me, that am now in so hard prison. Have mercy on me that stand[20] all desolate, and suffer me no longer to be tormented in this dark prison. For I am forsaken of this world. There is none that showeth me kindness, or that would put to [a] hand to help me, needy. All men seek their own profit and have forsaken me, and left me in this painful burning flame and desolate."
[The] Disciple answered
Soothly this doctrine of thine were most profitable, whoso hath it by experience as thou hast. But though it so be, that thy words be seen full stirring and biting, nevertheless they profit little as to many folk, for they turn away their face that they will not see unto their end. Their eyes see not, nor their ears hear not. They weened to live long, and that deceiveth them; and for they dread not undisposed[21] death, therefore they take no keep of seeing to-fore the harms thereof, what time that the messenger of death cometh; — that is to say hard and great sickness. Then come friends and fellows to the sick man for to visit him and comfort him. And then all proffer and behote[22] good things; and that him need not to dread the death, and that there is no peril thereof, and that it is but a running of humours unkindly, or stopping of the sinews or the veins, that shall soon pass over.
Thus the friends of (the) bodies be enemies to (the) souls. For what time the sickness continually increaseth, and he that is sick trusteth ever of amendment, at the last suddenly he falleth and without fruit of heal yieldeth up the wretched soul; right so these that hear thy words — the which beleven[23] all together to man's prudence and worldly wisdom — they cast behind their backs thy words, and will not obey (to) thy healthful counsel.
The Image of Death said
Therefore what time they be taken with the grin of death, when there falleth upon them suddenly tribulation and anguish, they shall cry and not be heard; forasmuch as they had Wisdom in hate, and despised to hear my counsel. And right as now full few be found that be compunctious through my words for to amend them and turn their life into better, so forsooth — for the malice of the fiend in this time, and default of ghostly fervour, and the wickedness of the world, now in his eld,[24] letteth him — so that there be but few so perfectly disposed[25] to death : the which for great abstraction from the world and devotion of heart, coveting to die for the desire of everlasting life, and within all his inward affection desiring to be with Christ; — but rather the contrary. And for the most part of people, — they be suddenly with bitter death overcome that they be found at that time all undisposed in manner; as I am now overcome.
And if thou wilt know the cause of so great and so common a peril, lo, it is the inordinate desire of worship[26] and the superfluous care of the body. Earthly love, and too much busyness about worldly living, blinds many hearts of the commonalty, and brings them at the last to these mischieves. But soothly if thou, with few, desirest to be saved from the peril of undisposed death hear my counsel, and oft sithes set before thine eyes this that thou seest now in my sorrowful person, and busily bring it to thy mind; and thou shalt find soon that my doctrine is to thee most profitable. For thou hast so [much] profit thereby that, not only thou shalt not dread to die, but also (the) death — that is to all living men dreadful, — thou shalt abide and receive with desire of thine heart, in that it is the end of travail and the beginning of the felicity of everlasting joy. This thing look thou do: that thou every day bring me inwardly to thy mind, and busily take tent[27] to my words, and sadly[28] write them in thy heart. Of the sorrows and anguish that thou seest in me take heed, and think upon those things that be to come in hasty[29] time upon thee. Have mind of my doom, for such shall be thy doom.
O how blessed art thou, Arsenie, that ever had this hour of death before thine eyes! And so blessed is he, the which wot what time his Lord cometh and knocketh on the gate, and findeth him ready to let Him in. For by what manner of death he be overlaid, he shall be purged and brought to the sight of Almighty God; and, in the passing of his spirit, it shall be received into the blessed palace of everlasting bliss.
But woe is me, wretched! Where trowest thou shalt abide this night my spirit? Who shall receive my wretched soul, and where shall it be harboured at night in that unknown country? Oh how desolate thou shalt be, my soul, and abject, passing all other souls! Therefore, having compassion on myself among these bitter words, I shed out tears as the river. But what helpeth it to weep or to multiply many bitter words? It is concluded and may not be changed.
O my God, now I make an end of my words. I may no longer make sorrow, for lo, now is the hour come that will take me from the earth. Woe is me now! I see and know that I may no longer live, and that death is at next.[30] For lo, the hands unwieldy begin to rancle,[31] the face to pale, the sight to 'deceive, and the eyes to go in. The light of the world I shall no more see, and the estate of another world, before the eyes of my soul, in my mind, I begin to hold. O my God, how dreadful a sight is this! Lo, the cruel beasts and the horrible faces of devils, and black forshapen things withouten number have environed me, a-spying and abiding my wretched soul — that shall in haste pass out — if peradventure it shall be taken to them for to be tormented, as for her bote.[32]
O thou most righteous Doomsman, how strait and hard be thy dooms; charging[33] and hard deeming me, wretched, in those things the which few folk charge or dread, forasmuch as they seem small and little. Q the dreadful sight of the righteous Justice, that is now present to me by dread, and suddenly to come in deed. Lo, (the) death, swift perishing[34] the members^ is come, that witnesseth the kind[35] of the flesh that perisheth and overcometh the spirit.
Now farewell, fellows and friends most dear: for now in my passing I cast the eyes of my mind into purgatory, whither that I shall now be led, and out thereof I shall not pass till I have yielded the last farthing of my debt for sin. There I behold with the eye of mine heart wretchedness and sorrow, and manifold pain and tormenting. Alas, me wretched! There I see — among other pains that longen to that place — rising up flames of fire, and the souls of wretched folk cast therein; up and down, to and fro, that run as sparks of fire in midst of that burning fire: right as in a great town, all one fire. And in the fire and in the smoke the sparks be borne up and down. So the souls, waymenting for sorrow of their pains, cry everyone and say these words: Miseremini MEi, MISEREMINI MEi, SALTUM vos, ETC. Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, at the last, ye that be my friends. Where is now the help of my friends? Where be now the good behests of our kinsmen and others; by whose inordinate affection we took no force[36] of ourselves, and so increased we this pain to ourselves. Alas, why have we done so? Lo the least pain of this purgatory that we now feel passeth all manner of Jewesses[37] of that temporal world; the bitterness of pain that we now feel in one hour, seemeth as great as all the sorrows of the passing world in an hundred years. But passing[38] all other torments and pains, it grieveth me most the absence of that blessed Face of God.
These words that I have here now said in my last passing I leave to thee as a mind: and so passing I die.
At this vision the disciple made great sorrow, and for dread all his bones quaked. And then turning him to God he said:
Disciple
Where is everlasting Wisdom? Now Lord hast Thou forsaken me. Thy servant. Thou wouldest teach me wisdom enough, but I am almost brought to the death. O my God, how much bindeth me the presence of death that I have seen! Now the Image of Death hath so overlaid all my mind that unnethes[39] wot I whether I have seen the Image of Death or not; for I am so greatly astonicd that unnethes wot I whether this that I have seen be so in deed, or in likeness. O Lord of Lords, dreadful and merciful, I thank Thee with all mine heart of Thy special grace, and I behote[40] amendment, for I am made afeared with passing great dread.
Ah forsooth! I never perceived in my life the perils of undisposed death so openly as I have now in this hour. I believe for certain that this dreadful sight shall avail to my soul for ever. For certain now, I know, that we have not here none everlasting city, and therefore to the unchangeable state of the soul that is to come, I will dispose me with all my might. And I purpose me to learn to die. And I hope by God's grace to amend my life withouten any with- drawing or differing;[41] for sithen I am made so sore afeared so only to the mind, what should be to me the presence thereof? Wherefore now do away for me the softness of bedding, and the preciosity of clothing, and the sloth of sleep, and all that letteth me from my Lord Jesu Christ.
O Thou Holy and merciful Saviour put[42] me not to bitter death. Lo, I falling down before Thee, with weeping tears ask of Thee that Thou punish me here at Thy will, so that there Thou receive[43] not my wicked deeds into the last end; for soothly in that horrible place there is so great sorrow and pain that no -tongue may suffer to tell.
O how great a fool have I been unto this time, in-so-much as I have so little force taken of undisposed death, and the pain of purgatory that is so great. And how great wisdom it is to have these things oft before thine eyes. But now that I am so ferdly[44] monished and taught, I open mine eyes and dread it greatly.
Wisdom answering and said
These things that be said, my Son, in all times have in mind, while thou art whole, young, and mighty, and mayst amend thyself. But what time thou comest to that hour, in soothness and none otherwise may thou help thyself; then is there none other remedy but that thou commit thee to the mercy of God only; and that thou take My passion betwixt thee and My doom, lest that thou dread My righteousness more than needeth — for so thou might fall down from thine hope. And now, forasmuch as thou art afeard with a passing dread, be of good comfort; understanding that the dread of God is the beginning of wisdom. Seek thy books, and thou shalt find how many goods and profits the mind of death bringeth to man. [Ecc. 12:1] Wherefore have mind of thy Creator and Maker in the days of thy youth, or that the powder turn again into his earth, whence he came from, and the spirit turn again to the Lord that gave it him. And bless thou God of Heaven with all thine heart, and be kind to him that giveth thee grace to see this. For there be full few that perceive with their heart the unstableness of this time; nor [the] deceit of death, that in all times lieth in a-wait, nor the everlasting felicity of that country which is to come. Lift up your eyes and look about thee busily, and see how many there be blind in their souls, and close their eyes, that they look not unto their last end, and stop their ears, that they hear not for to be converted and healed of sin. And therefore their loss and damnation shall not long tarry, but if they amend.
Also behold the company without number of them that be now lost through the mischief of undisposed death. Number the multitude of them, if thou may, and take heed how many there be the which in thy time, dwelling with thee, now be dead and passed hence from this earth. How great a multitude of brethren and fellows, and others of thy knowledge, in so few years be gone before thee — that art yet a young man and left yet on life — and they be dead. Ask of them all, and seek of everyone; and they shall teach thee and answer to thee, weeping and moaning, saying thus: O how blessed is he that seeth before, and purveyeth for these last things; and keepeth him from sin, and doeth after thy counsel; and in all time disposeth him to his last home.
Wherefore putting a-back all things that shall withdraw thee here-from, ordain for thine house, and make thee ready to that last way of every man, and to the hour of death; — for in certain thou wottest not in what hour it shall come, and how nigh it is. And therefore, right as a travelling man, standing in the haven, beholdeth busily a ship that swiftly saileth toward far countries that he should go to, lest that it should overpass him he standeth still and removeth not thence till it come to him ; right so stand thou stably in virtues, and more for love and for dread, so that thy life and all thy working be dressed and set to that intent : ever principally to love and please thy Lord God, turning to His mercy so that thou have a blessed obit.[45] By the which thou mayst at the last come to thy place of immortality and everlasting felicity. Amen.
NOTE ON THE OROLOGIUM SAPIENTAE
This chapter is a transcription from the Douce MS. 322 (fol. 20) and is also found in MS. Harl. 1706 (fol. 20); — these two manuscripts being in many respects very similar, although the Harleian MS. contains much that is not in the Douce MS. Another translation of this chapter — which I have not seen noted elsewhere — is in MS. Bod. 789 (fol. 123) under the heading: "The most profitable sentence to deadly men in the which they may learn to know to die." It begins : "To kunne deie is to have the herte and the soule," etc. This manuscript dates from the beginning of the fourteenth century and is therefore earlier than the Douce MS. Another more complete version of the Page:Bookofcraftofdyi00caxtiala.djvu/174 Page:Bookofcraftofdyi00caxtiala.djvu/175 Page:Bookofcraftofdyi00caxtiala.djvu/176
- ↑ be able to.
- ↑ learn to.
- ↑ scarcely
- ↑ sorrowful
- ↑ i.e. sighing, lamenting
- ↑ enwrapped.
- ↑ memory
- ↑ unprovided
- ↑ i.e. memory.
- ↑ deeds or actions.
- ↑ i.e. gave no heed to.
- ↑ snare
- ↑ i.e. re-called
- ↑ distresses or needs.
- ↑ avoid, confess.
- ↑ Douce 114 reads ' witte.'
- ↑ i.e. the nearest or first thing.
- ↑ i.e. made defective or dishonoured.
- ↑ i.e. consider or ponder
- ↑ i.e. remain, or am.
- ↑ i.e. unprepared.
- ↑ promise
- ↑ i.e. trust
- ↑ old age.
- ↑ prepared
- ↑ i.e. honour.
- ↑ care or heed.
- ↑ constantly
- ↑ sudden.
- ↑ i.e. directly at hand. O.E.D
- ↑ fester.
- ↑ remedy.
- ↑ accusing
- ↑ i.e. causing to perish, destroying.
- ↑ nature.
- ↑ i.e. heed.
- ↑ i.e. extortioners.
- ↑ i.e. surpassing.
- ↑ scarely.
- ↑ promise
- ↑ i.e. disputing
- ↑ i.e give
- ↑ i.e. admit
- ↑ fearfully
- ↑ i.e. death.