User:Streabs
[[1]]Here begineth 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.
When any of likelyhood shall die, then is most necessary to have a special friend, the which will heartly help and pray for him and therewith council the sick for the well of his soul, and more over to see that all other so do about him, or else quickly for to make him 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 vii psalms with a litany or our lady 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 other saints in whom afore he had a singular trust and love and thereupon to make his progress as he may.
When death cometh or any grievous pains, or other sickness, then prayer or devotion aswageth, Wherefor 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 such a time of most need hath a faithful friend and that will say beside him prayers a forerehearsed and cause other also to say devoutly in remembrance of his charity of Jesu christ and of his passion and for to have ( ? ) his mercy and help in prenosters and in ( ? ) with a credo And therewith to exhort him by a priest or for need by an other in the manner as it followeth.
Brother or sister remember well that god sayeth by his prophet and evangelist. Blessed be those that die in and depart in our lorde, that is to say from the world and his pleasures and die in the true faith of the church and repentance for sins. Sir, you have great cause to be glad for to depart from this wretched world and fall of all mystery, and think that you needs must depart, and desire heartily to be with Jesu christ your maker redeemer, and lordgod, for he shall give to you now your inheritance that he did die 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 you be stable in your faith and believe and say your credo as that you may or else desire another heartily to do it for you here before him 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 dying, 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 you fall not in despair for that greatly would displease god and can not be remedied. And remember your sins done afore time shall never hurt you as to damnation, if they please you not now and that you be sorry for them. Saint Jerome sayeth, 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 sickness and sorrow. so he may be saved hereafter for ever. Now meek yourself and be sorry that you have been so unkind to please, and to keep his commandments and presume not as of your self any goodness and say with all meekness thus. Good lord jesu christ I knoweth that I have sinned grievously, and by thy grace I will gladly amend myself if I should live, have mercy now of me for thy better passion.
Then ask him these questions following, afore his death.
Be thee glad that you shall die in christian belief: Let him answer,
you, know you if you have not so well lived as you should.
you, have you will to amend if that you should live.
you, believe you that Jesu christ god son of heaven was born of blessed mary.
you, Believe you also that Jesu christ died upon the cross to buy man's soul on good friday.
you, Do you thank god therefore.
you, Believe you that you may not be saved but by his passion and death.
you, As long as his soul is in your body thank god for his death and have a sure trust by it and his passion to be saved.
And council him to say if that he may these following words of great virtue.
Put christ's passion between me and mine evil works, and between 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 between me and all mine enemies now and in the hour of my death and departing Amen. Also these verse following be of good virtue in the time of death, and to be said of the sick if he may or by an other for him. (Here are 14 lines of untranslated Latin containing 8 words in English in 2 short separate phrases)
There followeth a short and sweet remembrance of the sacrament of the alter so that it be received of the sick person or of any other afore there communing.
Welcome blessed Jesu my lord god and saviour, to whom is (approved?) 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 better passion, for I (knowledge?) and believe faithfully as a christian child of thyne, that thou here inform of (?), is the same my lord god as of thy goodness come 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 reside with the father and the holy ghost and all saints for ever immortal, that which for our great health, frailty, and daily transgression and in remembrance of thy great love and passion has ordained this thy blessed body in this life to be taken of me and all other willing to be saved.
I know well that I am unworthy to be called thy child or servant for the great multitude of my sins, how be it thou mayest make me rightful and able (by?) which only of sinners haft made great saints of heaven. By (this?) thy great power and might grant me now to take (?) meekly (?) all fear and with wailing for my sins and with a spiritual gladness. Come now good lord in to my heart and cleanse it of all sin, enter in to 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, (be?) I then so defended by (this?) 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 thy world without end amen. By these following (?) venal sins (taken away if they be done devoutly. In taking holy water holy bread, also by saying of the Pater (nostrum?) and spiritually for this clause and petition. (Here follow about ten words in Latin) And also by knocking of (your?) breast for ones sins and also for saying of (five words in Latin), and by saying of the common confession at mass or at other time. Also by receiving of any of the sacrament 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 alter there or else where by the blessing of a Bishop or of a priest at his mass. By any of the deeds of mercy, by pardons, by martyrdom, and penance, by forgiveness to a trespasser, by good example giving, or by converting of other to good life, by patience thanking in trouble, and by contrition for sins with displeasure of them. And for every good deed doing with good intent and devotion Amen. The famous doctor Johan gerson chancellor of paris taking his ground of holy scripture and according with holy orders sayeth thus. Our most merciful father lord god knowing our frailty and readiness to sin, is ever ready during this wretched and mortal life by many and diverse ways to forgive us our trespass and to grant and give us his grace, if so be that truly we do ordain unto him these iii virtues following, so that they be said and done with all heart devoutly. The first is that thou shalt say Blessed lord I knowledge that I have sinned grievously against thy goodness thus and thus rehearsing thy sins, and I am displeased therewith by reason of the which I do penance and will do, for I know well that I have grieved the merciful lord and broken thy commandments in the which thou only ought to be worshiped. The second, say this. Good lord I have a good purpose and desire with thy help, to be right aware hereafter that I shall not in to sin, and I intend to flee the occasions after the possibility of my power. The third is this. Gracious lord I have good will to make an hole confession of all my sins, when place and time convenient may be had according to thy commandments and all holy church. These three virtues or truths who soever sayeth with his heart unfeigningly in what place that ever he be, he may be sure that he is in the state of grace and salvation and that he shall have everlasting life though all he had done all the sins of the world. And if he deceased without any other confession for lack of a priest as sleeping or sudden death, he should be save suffering afore hard pain in purgatory. Wherefore it is good council that every christian man once or twice on the day early or late or else at least on holy days examine his concience, and remember if that he may with all his heart unfeigningly this say (in true this ?), and if he can so do, he may be sure that he is in the state of grace, and if he may not, But is in will to sin again, and to have his delectation with deed, and will not flee the occasions of mortal sins, and so drowned in sin will not arise, such one may be certain that the Pope may not assoyle* him. not for thy sin it is that such one use mock prayer and give (almes?) and to do other good deeds after their power, that god the father may lighten their hearts and the sooner turn to goodness Amen. There followeth a singular prayer to be said in the (safety?) of the dedication of any church or at any other time. O mightyful and most piteous lord god Jesu Christ which of thy great goodness hath ordained all things that be in heaven and in earth for the use and well of man, to the entente and end that they shall serve him, and he the allone. And how be it that in each place he ought to be served and worshipped, yet it pleaseth thee much more such service and prayer in a place or church that is deified, unveiled and hallowed by a bishop and his ministers with hymns, psalms and litanies, and other suffrages with their mystical observance ordained therefore, and for by cause thy precious body and blood is there daily offered up unto thy father in heaven in knowledge of thy great love and passion that thou haddest for man. And if it pleased thee in the old testament with thine angels night and day to be (assistant?) and to hear the prayers of thy servants in the temple, where was but the flesh and blood of unreasonable beasts offered in sacrifice, much more we trust that thou will (?) and be assistant to us night and day with thine angels in this thy new temple and church, where thine own body and very blood daily is offered up unto thy father in heaven, and therewith received according to thy desire and will of us thy servants though sinners for our salvation and thereto hear the prayers of us and other that intend to love worship and thank thee in the best manner we can or may Now then blessed lord full of all mercy and pity, that will that we call upon thee and hath promised to hear the prayers of the servants grant now and at all times to us and to all other of thy superabundant mercy and grace, that whosoever come unto this church or to any other with devotion and pray in what case that ever they be, prosperity, temptation, trouble, or adversity, that their petition behovefull and necessary prayer may be heard, and that the pardon granted to them may in their souls and bodies with all other things appertaining unto them may take effect in every part graciously. And ever this grant us of thy pity, peace and accord in the church and realm, and to our founders, fathers and mothers, friends, benefactors, and to all christian souls, forgiveness of their sins with release of their pains and (?). And finally we desire of thy bounteous goodness (seasonal weather with fruit?) and to exclude from us pestilence hunger (?) and sickness and all enemies ghostly. and bodily and therewith grant us of thy grace good life and endless bliss. Amen
Here be the xii degrees of humility:
Cast thy sight downward, and show meekness both in thy heart and body. Beware of high speech and clamorous, and see that thy words be few, well set, and reasonable. Be not light for to laugh, But use (ever or your?) sadness Be still and keep silence, to need require that an answer must be had. Keep well the common rule as the holy place hath used. Think the most (vilest?) of all other and so (pronounce?) thyself. Knowledge the unworthy and not profitable to any thing, and so believe in deed. Make oft confession of thy sins, and that with great contrition. Keep patience in thine obedience, at all thy pains and trouble. To all people be (?) for thy masters sake Thine own will foresake it, and love it in no wise And ever keep thee from sin for fear of him above
The vii degrees of obedience.
The first is to do that is commanded of thy sovereign without grutching. The second is to make none exception, neither of (the?) time neither of (the?) deed that is to be done. The third is to be glad and cheerful in the heart to do such deeds commanded any compulsion setting aside all (beastly?) conditions. The iiiith is to be quick in such deed doing leaving all other occupations for that time or any manner or excuse. The fifth is to do such things with all thy might and power, thinking (that?) thy reward shall be great. The vi is to do them also with all meekness The vii is to continue such obedience to the end of thy life ever following thy master Jesu christ (?) was made obedient for thy sin unto death.
The vii degrees of patience.
The vii degrees of patience thou mayest behold here To evil done to thee or adversity make no resistance Do not evil for evil nor give an evil answer Love thine enemy and do good for evil to him in recompense Grutch not against adversity but take it as sweet encence* Account it for best medicine, and be glad in thine pain Thank god therefore, and look for more with all benevolence. And when thou hast no grutching in these then mayest thou be fayne.*
The xv degrees of charity.
These make (perfect?) charity, after pauls epistle. Be patient continual for any adversity. Liberal to the needy, and good do for evil. Of other mens welfare envy not (nor be heavy?). Let not by crookedness good works to multiply. Swell not inward by malice if thy neighbour prosper. Love to be in low degree and loathe to be high. To labour for other as thy self do this (?) devoir.* Be not moved for any cause to vengeance or ire.* Think none evil to an other for any provocation. Joy thou not in wickedness but sorrow thou rather. Be glad in truth and righteousness and hate simulation. For such right here adversity or any tribulation. To that the church teacheth thee put full credulity. That god hath promised trust it well without defallacyon.* In hope abiding his reward and everlasting glory. Amen Explicit.