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THE BOOK OF
THE CRAFT OF DYING
AND OTHER EARLY ENGLISH TRACTS
CONCERNING DEATH
Digitized by-tlie internet Archive
in 2007 witli- funding from
IVI icrosoft; Co rpo ratio n .
http://www.arcliive.org/details/bookofcraftofdyiOOcaxtiala
(From the block-book of the An Moriendi
in the British Museum.)
THE BOOK OF
THE CRAFT OF DYING
AND OTHER EARLY ENGLISH TRACTS
CONCERNING DEATH
TAKEN FROM MANUSCRIPTS AND PRINTED BOOKS IN THE
BRITISH MUSEUM AND BODLEIAN LIBRARIES
NOW FIRST DONE INTO MODERN SPELLING
AND EDITED BY
FRANCES M. M. COMPER
WITH A PREFACE BY THE
REV. GEORGE CONGREVE, S.S.J.E.
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND GO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK, BOMBAY AND CALCUTTA
1917
All rights reserved
ALL THAT IS MINE IN THIS BOOK
I DEDICATE
TO THE LOVED MEMORY
OF ONE WHO HAS ALREADY
LEARNT THIS CRAFT
CONTENTS
I'AGB
Preface by the Rev. G. Congreve, S.S.J.E. . ix
Introductory Note, by the Editor . xxxix
The Book of the Craft of Dying . i
An Abridgment of the same ; translated from
the French by W. Caxton . . 55
A further Abridgment . , .93
A Chapter from the Orot.ogium SAPiENTiAiy by
Henry Suso . . . .105
A Chapter from the Toure of all Toures . 127
A Fragment from MS. Bod. 423 . . 131
A Chapter from The Form of Living, by
Richard Rolle . . . .132
The Lamentation of the Dying Creature 137
Glossary . . . . .171
PREFACE
These short treatises on the never-worn-out subject
of Death are rescued from the shelves of the British
Museum and Bodleian libraries.
The first, The Craft of Dying, is a translation of
a very popular mediaeval work De arte Moriendi, of
which many versions exist, both in Latin and English.
It offers to the Christian reader " A Commendation
of Death," followed by chapters on the Temptations
to which the last hours are subject, certain questions
to ask in helping those that are near the end, certain
suitable prayers for them, and an instruction for those
that shall die.
There follows an early English translation of a
chapter on Death from Henry Suso's Horologium
Sapienttce, which he himself translated from his earlier
work The little book of Eternal IVisdom. It became
a favourite book in the cloisters at the close of the
Middle Ages, not only in Germany, but also in the
Netherlands, France, Italy, and England.
The short chapter that follows is taken from a
book entitled The Toure of all Toures, about which
very little seems to be known.
The last treatise is The Lamentation, or comblaint of
X THE CRAFT OF DYING
the Dying Creature, on the day when the Sergeant-of-
arms, whose name is ' Cruelty,' comes from the Judge
to arrest and to warn her to be ready at any moment
to die, and to call to remembrance her sins and the
goodness of God. In her fear and distress she
appeals to her good Angel Guardian to answer for
her, who replies that having counselled her too
long in vain, she cannot help her now. Next she
summons Reason, Dread, and Conscience to answer
for her, but they dare not. Upon that she makes
her complaint to her servants, the five senses, to say
on her behalf the best they can ; but they decline,
reproaching her with having always failed to discipline
and control them. Upon this she sorrowfully betakes
herself to Faith and Hope to be her advocates, and
makes a belated appeal also to Charity, whom she had
forgotten, that they would together bring her sad
case before the Queen of Heaven for her intercession.
Encouraged by these three friends she makes suppli-
cation to the Mother of Mercy, Mary, helper of
succourless sinners. The little drama ends with the
prayer of the Blessed Virgin to her Son for pardon
for the sinful soul, and reconciliation with the Church
before Death comes.
This presentation of death as mediaeval Christianity
saw it, and as it appears in the treatises here pre-
served, is naTvely sincere, full of awful anticipations
of judgment, and of hope in the Divine mercy. It
is interesting to compare it with the pagan representa-
tion of death found in classical literature. Lucian's
adventures among the Shades are as entertaining as
- ' PREFACE xi
Gulliver's travels : he never pretends for a moment to
be in earnest. For example : Nireus,
Comeliest of all that came 'neath Trojan walls,
contends there with Thersites for the palm of beauty,
before Menippus the philosopher, who decides that
between two skulls there is no distinction as to
beauty, and sums up with, " Hades is a democracy ;
one man is as good as another here."
But this ironical and insolent tone is naturally
exceptional. When men thought of death in the
classical ages, they thought generally with what
resignation they could of a state of gloom and
unreality, in which life and hope were left behind.
Their prevailing impression is expressed by Newman
in his song " Heathen Greece " :
What the low beach and silent gloom,
And chilling mitts of that dull river,
Along whose banks the thin ghosts shiver, —
The thin wan ghosts that once were men^ — ^
And yet if death for pagan imagination implied
nothing certain but emptiness and gloom, it is never-
theless generally referred to in the literature and
inscriptions of those times with reverent awe, and
tender memory, with the human pathos of bitter
separation, and sometimes also with k manly spirit
that faces the inevitable.
^ F'trjes OH F'arious Occasions, p. 305 (Longmans, Green &
Co., 1890).
Hi THE CRAFT OF DYING
. Here is Catullus' farewell at his brother's tomb :
Nunc tamen interea prisco quae more parentiiin
Tradita sunt trictes munera ad inferias,
Accipe, fraterno multum manantia fletu :
Atque in perpetuum, irater, ave, atque rale.
Or here is the Emperor Hadrian's address to his own
soul about to depart this life :
Animula ragula, blandula,
Hospes comesque corporis,
Quz nunc abibis in ioca,
'^ Pallidula, rigida, nudula?
Theocritus gives us this brave inscription on a sea-
man's tomb by the seashore :
A shipwrecked sailor buried on this coast
Bids you set sail ;
For many a gallant ship, when we were lost
Weathered the gale.
There is the. same vagueness as in the classical ages
in what is written of death by Non-Christian authors
of to-day ; but they seem to have unconsciously
absorbed some sweetness, and stray notes from the
melody of Christian hope. The pathos and grace of
the Hindu poet Tagore in his contemplation of death
are irresistible.
** On the day when death will knock at thy door
what wilt thou offer him ?
Oh, I will set before my guest the full vessel of my
life — I will never let him go with empty hands.
All the sweet vintage of all my autumn days and
summer nights, all the earnings and gleanings of my
PREFACE xiii
busy life will I place before him at the close of my
days when death will knock at my door.
I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers i
I bow to you all and take my departure.
Here I give back the keys of my door — and I give
up all claims to my house. I only ask for last kind
words from you.
We were neighbours for long, but I received
more than I could give.
Now the day has dawned and the lamp that lit my
dark corner is out.
A summons has come and I am ready for my
journey.^
At this time of my parting wish me good luck, my
friends ! The sky is flushed with the dawn and my
path lies beautiful.
Ask not what I have with me to take there. I
start on my journey with empty hands and expectant
heart.
I shall put on the wedding garland. Mine is not
the red- brown dress of the traveller, and though there
are dangers in the way I have no fear in my mind.
The evening star will come out when my voyage is
done and the plaintive notes of the twilight melodies
be struck up from the King's gateway.
I was not aware of the moment when I first crossed
the threshold of this life.
' GitanJaJi, by Rabindranath Tagore, Nos. 90, 93 (Mac-
millan & Co.).
jdY THE CRAFT OF DYING
What was thje power that made me open out into
this vast mystery like a bud in the forest at midnight i
When in the morning I looked upon the light I
felt in a moment that I was no stranger in this world,
that the inscrutable without name and form had taken
me in its arms in the form of my own mother.
Even so, in death the same unknown will appear as
ever known to me. And because I love this life, I
know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out when from the right breast the
mother takes it away, in the very next moment to find
in the left one its consolation." *
W. Pater gives us an impression of the strangely
new attitude towards death which Christianity brought
to men as Marius the Epicurean caught a glimpse
of it on visiting a Christian cemetery : " * Januarius,
Agapetus, Felicitas ; Martyrs ! refresh, I pray you,
the soul of Cecilius, of Cornelius ! ' said an inscription.
... * Peace ! Pax tecum ! * — the word, the
thought, was put forth everywhere, with images of
hope. . . . The shepherd with his sheep, the
shepherd carrying the sick Iamb upon his shoulders.
Yet these imageries after all, it must be confessed,
formed but a slight contribution to the dominant
effect of tranquil hope there — a kind of heroic cheer-
fulness and grateful expansion of heart, as with the
sense, again, of some real deliverance, which seemed
to deepen the longer one lingered through these
strange and awful passages." •
' Gitanjali, by Rabindranath Tagore, Nos. 94. 95.
^Marius the Epicurean, vol. ii. p. 103 (Macmillan, I909).
.; .PREFACE . .. XV
The Christian revelation in regard to the signifi-
cance of death, and the awful change to which it
opens, is the same for Christians of every age ; .but in
the way death is felt and spoken of by Christians df
different ages one is conscious of some change of tone.
In the New Testament references to the subject there
is a very clear view of the victory which Christ won
for every Christian by dying ; as in the Gospel story
of His raising several persons to life ; in our Lord's
words "I am the Resurrection and the Life" ; and
in Saint Paul's desire to depart and be with Christ.
A very tender, hopeful and thankful tone prevails
in the hymn for the dead by Prudentius in the fourth
century :
There let the sad complaint be dumb ;
O Mothers, stay the falling tears ;
Weep not your children's too brief years.
Death but prepares ior life to come.
So burled seeds repair our store,
Reorient from the parched earth.
And teeming with their promised birth
Blossom and burgeon as of yore.
Take, Mother Earth, to sleep in dust,
Cherish in no unfruitful rest,
Quicken to life in thy soft breast,
These noble relics I entrust.
Take, Earth, contigned to thee this loan
To be redeemed from sheltering sod,
Not unremembered by its God,
Who stamped His image on His own.
xvi THE CRAFT OF DYING
Redeemer, we Thy word obey,
Who dyin^ mad'st black death Thy thrall,
And didst Thy Cross'* partner call
To follow Thee along the way.
These bones we'll guard with honour due,
With violets deck the hallowed mould,
I'he graven name, the marble cold.
With leaves and perfumes let us strew. ^
The graver and more severe tone of the mediaeval
funeral rite appears in Saint Bernard's hymn " Cum
sit omnis homo foenum." ;
Homo dictus es ab humo,
Cito transis, quia fumo
Similis efficeris. ...
O sors gravis ! O sors dura !
O lex dira, quam natura
Promulgavit miseris t
Homo nascens cum mocrore
Vitam ducis cum dolore-
£t cum metu moreris.
But this characteristic is nowhere so nobly ex-
pressed as in the majestic sadness of Notker's anti-
phon in the ninth century, Medi^ vitdy translated
by the English Prayer-book as follows, in the
service * at the Burial of the Dead': "In the
midst of life we are in death : of whom may we
seek for succour, but of Thee, O . Lord, Who for
our sins art justly displeased ?
Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty,
^ Jam ma: la quieter querela, etc., transl. by F. St John
Thackeray (Bell & Sons, 189c).
PREFACE xvii
O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not
into the bitter pains of eternal death.
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts ;
shut not Thy merciful ears to our prayer ; but
spare us. Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O
holy and merciful Saviour, Thou most worthy Judge
eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains
of death to fall from Thee." ^
The mediaeval instruction for the priest attending
a dying person naturally aims at the awaking in him
a disposition of conformity to the will of God, and
maintaining in him a penitential spirit. He is to
be prepared to receive the sacraments worthily.
Absolution on his confession, his Viaticum, the last
Communion, and holy Anointing. The commenda-
tion of the parting soul, " Proficiscere anima Christi-
ana de hoc mundo," expresses the profound solem-
nity of the preparation for death as it was felt in
the middle ages. In accordance with this note we
read of Saint Hugh of Lincoln * that as his end
drew near " he bade his chaplain make a cross of
ashes on the floor of his room, lift him from his
^ Media vita in morte sutnus, qiietn quserimus adjutorem
nisi te, Domine, qui pro peccatis nostris juste irasceris?
Sancte Deus : Sancte Fortis, Sancte et misericors Salvator,
amarce morti ne tradas not.
V. Ne projicias nos in tempore senectutis cum defecerit
virtus nostra. Ne dereiinquas nos Domine, Sancte Deus.
V. Noli ciaudere aures tuas ad preces nostras. Sancte
Fortis.
V. Qui cognoscis occulta cordis : parce peccatis nostris.
• 1135-1200.
b
xviii THE CRAFT OF DYING
bed at the moment of his departure, and place him
upon it. It was a November afternoon. The
Choristers of St Paul's were sent for to sing Com-
pline for him for the last time. He gave a sign
when they were half through. They lifted him,
and laid him upon the ashes. The Choristers sang
on, and as they began the Nunc Dimittis, he died." *
Yet through the more characteristic tone of pene-
tential sorrow, and fear of the last things, there
may be caught also, throughout the middle ages,
the note of victory over death. Thus we read of
"" The Passing of Saint Francis " : " As the time
of his death * drew nigh, the Blessed Francis
caused himself to be stripped of all his clothing, and
to be laid upon the ground, that he might die in
the arms of the Lady Poverty. This done they
laid him again on his bed, and as he desired they
sang to him once more the Canticle of the
Sun :
" * O most high, almighty, and good Lord God,
to Thee belong praise, glory, honour, and all
blessing.
Praised be my Lord for all His creatures ; and
especially for our brother the sun, who brings us
the day, and brings us the light ; fair is he and
shining with a very great splendour ; O Lord he
signifies to us Thee.
Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon, and
* Froude's Short Studiet, toI. ii. p. 99 (Longmans,
1884).
2 A.D. 1Z26.
PREFACE xix
for the stars, the which He has set clear, and lovely
in heaven.
Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind, and
for air, and cloud, and all weather ; by the which
Thou upholdest life in all creatures. Praised be my
Lord for our sister water, and our brother fire.
Praised be my Lord for our mother the earth, the
which doth sustain us, and keep us ; and bringeth
forth diverse fruits, and flowers of many colours, and
grass.
Praised be my Lord for all those who pardon one
another for His love's sake, and who endure weakness
and tribulation : blessed are they who peaceably shall
endure, for Thou, O most Highest, shalt give them a
crown.
Praised be my Lord for our sister the death of the
body, from whom no man escapeth. Woe to him
that dieth in mortal sin ! Blessed are they who are
found walking by Thy most holy will ; for the
second death shall have no power to do them harm.
Praise ye, and bless the Lord ; and give thanks to
Him with great humility.'
On the morrow when his pains were some little
abated, he bade call all the brethren that were in the
place, and beholding them as they sat before him, he
set his right hand upon the head of each, and gave
his blessing unto all the Order present, absent, and to
come, even unto the world's end.
Then as the sun was setting, there was a great
silence. As the brethren were gazing on his face,
desiring to see some sign that he was still with them.
XX THE CRAFT OF DYING
behold a great multitude of birds came about the
house wherein he lay, and flying a little way off did
make a circle round the roof, and by their sweet
singing did seem to be praising the Lord with him."
A writer of to-day illustrates this trait of joy in
death by the history of Saint Catherine of Siena *
attending a condemned prisoner at his execution.
Nicolas Tuldo, condemned to death by the magis-
trates of Siena for political offences, was on his way to
die on the scaffold outside his native town Perugia.
One can imagine his despair, the natural revolt of his
youth against his fate, his bitter regret for all he was
going to lose. Catherine's visit to him was all that
was needed to change those regrets into hope, that
hope into joy. " Stay by me," he said, " and all will
be well, and I shall be willing to die." Catherine
promised to attend him to the place of execution,
and Nicolas replied, " Whence comes so great a
grace to me ? What, will the comfort of my soul
attend me to the dread place of justice ? Yes, then
I will go there gladly and in good heart ; it seems to
me as if I had yet a thousand years to wait before my
death, when I think that you will be with me there."
" At last he arrived," continues the saint, " as gentle
as a lamb, and seeing me began to smile. He would
have make me the sign of the cross on his forehead,
and when he had received it, I said to him in a low
voice, * My dear brother go thou forth to the
marriage feast to rejoice in the life that never ends.'
He leaned forward with great gentleness, and I
1 1347-1380.
PREFACE xxi
uncovered his neck ready for the blow of the axe.
I had bent down to whisper him, and remind him of
the blood of the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world. His lips only replied * Jesus,
Catherine,' and as he said the words I received his
head into my hands." Upon this the saint sees in
vision our Lord receiving the blood, the soul of the
penitent, and the fire of holy longing that grace had
hidden in his heart, — sees Him welcome His penitent
in the treasury of Mercy, His wounded Side ; thus
showing that it was by grace alone and not for any
merit of his own that the Lord received the forgiven
sinner. " O ineffable happiness," she adds, " to see
how sweetly and lovingly the goodness of God
welcomed the soul separated from the body. . . .
The unction of the Holy Spirit that possessed this
penitent overflowed him with joy enough to gladden
a thousand hearts. It is no surprise to me for Tuldo
tasted already the gentleness of God." ^
Another example of joy in view of death in the
middle ages is given in the account of the last days of
Saint John of the Cross.^ We read there that " on
December 7th the surgeon in attendance told him on
that day he had but few days to live. The saint
answered with a joyful face in the words of the
Psalmist. * Latatus sum, etc' * I was glad when
they said unto me we will go into the house of the
Lord.' Then after a momentary pause, he added,
^ Vers la Joye, by Lucie Felix-Faure Goyau, p. 276
(Perrin et Cie).
« 1542-1591.
zzit THE CRAFT OF DYING
* Since I have heard these good tidings, I feel no
pain whatever.* " ^
We recognise instinctively that the saint's joy
could not be in the contemplation of the fact of
dying, of dissolution. A later voice denies that in
death itself there can be anything to desire :
No man ever truly longed for death
Tis life, not death, for which we pant,
Tis life whereof our nerves are scant,
More life and fuller than we want.
The saint's joy was in the attainment through
death of that which made Saint Paul " desire to
depart, and be with Christ." As Saint John of the
Cross says elsewhere, " A principal reason why the soul
desires to be released and to be with Christ, is that
it may see Him face to face, and penetrate to the
depth of His ways, and the eternal mysteries of His
Incarnation." •
The more modern attitude towards death may be
illustrated by John Bunyan (1684.). He gives us in
the Pilgrim's Progress his own individual and inde-
pendent view, unhampered by Catholic tradition.
He tells how the Pilgrims address themselves one
after another to enter the river that separates them
from the heavenly city, — the river that has no
bridge.
Mr Despondency is one of the humblest of the
^ V. Ufe of St John tf thi Crttt, \>j David Lewis, ch. xxL
t%o.
*A Spiritual Canticle, trans, by David Lewis, xnd edit.,
380 (Baker, 1S91).
PREFACE xxiii
company. "When days had many of them passed
away Mr Despondency was sent for. For a post was
come and brought this message to him : Trembling
man, these are to summon thee to be ready with thy
King by the next Lord's day, to shout for joy for thy
Deliverance from all thy Doubtings.
And said the Messenger : That my Message is.
true take this for a Proof; so he gave him the
Grasshopper to be a Burden unto him. Now Mr
Despondency* s Daughter, whose name was Much-afraid,
said, when she heard what was done, that she
would go with her Father. Then Mr Despondency
said to his Friends ; * Myself and my Daughter, you
know what we have been and how troublesomely
we have behaved ourselves in every Company. My
will and my Daughter's is that our Desponds and
slavish Fears be by no man ever received from the
Day of our Departure for ever.' . . . When the
time was come for them to depart, they went to
the Brink of the River. The last words of Mr
Despondency were : Farewell Night, welcome Day. His
Daughter went through the River singing, but none
could understand what she said."
Our thoughts of the last stage of the journey of
life are enriched by the description of the wayfarers in
the Pilgrim's Progress as one by one they prepare
to pass out of this world. The book is a treasury
of peculiarly English modern Christianity, its poetry,
feeling, thought, and humour ; but how much
nearer to the height and depth of Gospel mysteries,
to the solemnity of Holy Scripture dealing with
xxiv THE CRAFT OF DYING
the last things, and to its awful silence, does New-
man attain throughout in his Dream of Gerontius.
I do not refer to the details, or to the setting of
the drama, but to the spirit of holy fear, of con-
trition, and of humble hope, that pervades it.
TuE Soul.
Take me away, and in the lowest deep
There let me be,
And there in hope the lone night-watches keep,
Told out for me.
There motionless and happy in my pain,
Lone, not forlorn, —
There will I sing my sad perpetual strain,
Until the morn.
There will I sing, and soothe my stricken heart,
Which ne'er can cease
To throb, and pine, and languish, till possest
Of its Sole Peace.
There will I sing my absent Lord and Lover-
Take me away.
That sooner I may rise, and go above.
And see Him in the truth of everlasting day.*
I doubt whether there is anything in these
mediaeval counsels for the dying more character-
istically reverent and tender than the few lines that
follow from chapter ii. of The Craft of Dying.
"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
on the Cross should greatly draw him ; of the
* Veriet on Variout Oc(aii»in, pp. 366-7.
PREFACE JDW
which Saint Bernard saith thus : * What man is
he that should not be ravished and drawn to hope,
and have full confidence in God, if he take heed
■diligently of the disposition of Christ's body on the
Cross. Take heed and see : His head is inclined
to salve thee ; His mouth to kiss thee ; His arms
stretched out to embrace thee ; His hands pierced
to give thee ; His side opened to love thee ; His
body along strait to give all Himself to thee. There-
fore 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 merit
before God. As the Apostle said and exhorted us :
Nolite amittere confidentiam vestram, qua magnam habet
remunerat'ionem. Lose not your hope and confi-
dence in God, the which hath great reward of
God."'i
The following passage from Pere Gratry gives
us the Christian Faith in regard to death with the
inimitable refinement of expression that distinguishes
a saint of the most modern type in France.
The Master
I come without hesitation to the conclusion that
above these multitudes that are for ever passing
and disappearing, above that crowd of little stars,
of souls intelligent and free, but as yet without
form and veiled, God beholds, and is at work to
gather out of that fluctuating mass an enduring
^ -V. p. 14.
xm THE CRAFT OF DYING
heaven, firm and serene, where all that we have
ever dreamed of good shall be found. And why ?
Because that eager reaching out towards God of
the living reason, the soul's prayer, is but the
effect of God Himself who beholds it, — of the
attractive power of God, the working of God.
Dijcij>/e
Yes. . . . But one cannot deny either that those
eager impulses of the soul and of reason are arrested
and repressed by the spectacle of death.
TAe Master
The contrary would follow if one knew what
death really is. Death is precisely that great force
which sets us free to pass from earth to heaven,^
that is to say from a state of life that is uncertain,
obscure, without form, to the new state for which
we look. Death is the principal process of life.
What is called life is the process that develops the
starting point of the present. Death brings the
new starting point.
Disciple
I understand. They are the two vital processes
which the two processes in logic represent. The
process of identity, which develops what one
possesses already, corresponds with life : the process
of transcendence, which lifts us up to higher
principles, corresponds with death. By death there
PREFACE xxvii
is a passing from life to a new and larger life. This
is what in the bosom of earth appears by analogy in
the succession of kinds that die, and are replaced by
more perfect kinds.
Yes, death is the principal process in life, — its-
process of transcendence. It is the operation which,,
if it is not sadly mismanaged, will carry us on to
God, and realise that wonderful word, " forsake
thyself, and pass on to thy place in God and the
infinite."
The Master
Very well. Death is then the supreme process ot
life, since it delivers up the soul to God. It anni-
hilates distance, the difference between its real and its
ideal condition. In one sense it projects life from
the finite to the infinite, not as if our created life
could ever become infinite, but in the sense that
death reunites it to its infinite source, and renders it
established, full, and eternal.
So that the hideous dissolution of the body, and
disappearance of the whole man which is called death,,
is in fact the annihilating of the obstacle that
separated the real from the ideal life in God. . . .
Death, then, is no longer that incomprehensible
enemy, that frightful phantom that the senses see in
it. Death when well considered is for the real life
of man what ... for the life of the world is the
true religion, and the working of the God Man, Who-
unites heaven and earth.^
^ La ctnnctttianct di Fame. Epilogue, p. 407. 5th Edition.
Kviii THE CRAFT OF DYING
When, as in old age, the approaching end is long
foreseen, could anything be more reverent and tender
than Tennyson's welcome to death in "The silent
Voices " ?
When the dumb Hour, clothed in black,
Brings the Dreams about my bed,
Call me not so often bacli,
Silent Voices of the dead,
Toward the lowland ways beliind me,
And the sunlight that is gone !
Call me rather, silent Voices,
Forward to the starry track
Glimmering up the heights beyond me
On and always on I
Or in his " Crossing the Bar " :
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me !
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep
Too full for sound and foam.
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark !
And may there be no sadness of farewell.
When I embark ;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
But when death comes in the most tragical guise.
PREFACE xxix
as when helpless crowds sink in a torpedoed ship, see
how Christian character ennobles what is merely
horrible :
" Father Maturin's end was that of a hero. And
by a happy chance we know some of its details.
After luncheon on that fated Friday, May 7 th, at
about two o'clock he was seen on the deck saying his
office. The torpedo struck the ship soon after two.
How long it took him to realise to the full what had
happened, we do not know, but we do know from a
lady who survived that shortly before the ship went
down twenty minutes later, he was seen striving to
keep people calm, giving absolution to those who
asked for it, fastening on life-belts, and helping women
and children into the boats. The lady who relates
this was herself helped into a boat by Father Maturing
and just as the boat was putting off he threw a little
child into her arms, with the injunction * try to find
its mother.' Then he stood waiting for the end
quite calm, but as white as a sheet. With his keen
sense of the drama of life he probably realised vividly
the approaching end. He put on no life-belt. He
did not take off his coat. He made no attempt to
escape, but simply awaited death. We can picture
him then, as ever, intensely human, and intensely
spiritual — realising keenly that his own death was
now a matter of minutes, yet eager to the last to do
good and help others, and throwing himself on God
for strength and support." ^
1 Introduction by Wilfrid Ward to sermons by Father
Maturin (Longmans).
THE CRAFT OF DYING
Among the prophets of our time Browning goes to
meet death, as our men in France to-day spring from
their trench at a signal, and cross the deadly space
between them and the enemy's first line.
I was ever a fighter, so — one fight more,
The best and the last I
I would hate that death bandaged my eyes and forebore,
And bade me creep past.
No ! let me tasre the whole of it, fare like my peers
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness, and cold."
Or
. . . There they ^ stood, ranged along the hill-sides, — met
To view the last oi me, a living frame
For one more picture ! in a sheet of flame
I saw them and I knew them all. And yet
I'auntless the slug-horn to my lips I set
And blew, ' ' ChilJe Roland to the Dark Toiver came. "
Or if all natural powers are outlived in old age,
and nothing remains but the remembrance of things
past, death is contemplated only as the end of weari-
ness and a door of hope.
So, at the last shall come old age,
Decrepit as befits that stage;
How else wouldst thou retire apart
With the hoarded memories of thy heart.
And gather all to the very least
Of the fragments of life's earlier feast,
Let fall through eagerness to find
The crowning dainties yet behind ?
* i.e. the dead leaders of lost causes.
PREFACE xxxi
Ponder on the entire past
Laid together thus at last,
When the twilight helps to fuse
The first fresh with the faded hues,
And the outline of the whole,
As round eve's shades their framework roll.
Grandly fronts for once thy soul 1
And then as, 'mid the dark a gleam
Of yet another morning breaks,
And like the hand that ends a dream,
Death with the might of his sunbeam
Touches the flesh and the soul awakes,
Then— »
Mrs Browning refuses to contemplate death : " I
cannot look on the earthside of death. When I look
deathwards I look over death, and upwards, or I can't
look that way at all." And has she not some ground
for this in the Lord's word : " I am the Resurrection
and the Life. . . . Whosoever liveth and believeth in
JVIe shall never die " ?
And some there are who seem to be carried through
death a» a babe fast asleep in his mother's arms.
Thus in " A Death in the Desert."
We had him, bedded on a camel-skin,
And waited for his dying all the while;
This did not happen in the outer cave
But in the midmost grotto : since noon's light
Reached there a little, and we would not lose
The last of what might happen on his face.
. . . We laid him in the light where we might see ;
For certain smiles began about his mouth,
And his lids moved, presageful of the end.
But he was dead . . .
1 The Flight of the Duchtsi.
xxxii THE CRAFT OF DYING
Ye will not tee him any more
About the world with his divine regard !
and now the man
Lie* as he lay once, breast to breast with God.
But the present war with its unprecedented!}-
numerous casualties seems not seldom to invade and
lay bare the inscrutable mystery of death as never be-
fore. How often of late we have had our revelations ?
How often we have seen the light that dawns as this
world's light dies ?
The Abbe Klein finds a young French officer, a
boy of twenty, brought into hospital desperately
wounded ; half of the brain laid bare, and a paralysis
setting in. He could not question him much, but
elicited his parents' address, and " I communicated at
Easter and after I was wounded." " Your sufferings
are great, resign yourself to them." — " God's will be
done." " Then," writes the Abbe, " I knew enough.
I suggested to him an act of love to God, and gave
him absolution without confessing him again, and
then the Blessed Sacrament. He received the sacra-
ment with a joyous light in his eyes, usually so dim,
and afterwards at each visit while I held his hand, our
eyes would meet in a long look. When I came the
nurse would often tell me that he no longer seemed
conscious of anything. AH the same I would suggest
to him, * My friend let us pray ' : * My God I love
Thee.* And always he would stir from his apparent
torpor long enough to repeat, * My God I love
Thee.' The first day he added of his own accord
after a moment's pause this one little word, which
PREFACE xxxiii
shed a ray of pure light on the depths of his silence.
* My God I love Thee — dearly.'
The last morning unable to speak, he made the sign
of the Cross.
What precious times we had together. I would
not have exchanged them for all the lessons of the
greatest teachers in the world.
Atonement, it was indeed there in all its sadness
and all its beauty in the person of this gentle, wounded
boy of twenty, who had endured this terrible wound
without complaint, and from the first had offered up
all his sufferings to God, and now was passing to his
death so slowly through the long days and longer
nights without breaking his silence except to say
* My God I love Thee.' It is through such
sacrifices that the salvation of races is won, and
our iniquities redeemed. . . .
Death our benefactor, our deliverer, working our
perfection not our destruction ! Thou who art the
supreme victory, pardon the folly that calls thee a
calamity. And praised and blessed for ever be Atone-
ment, the greatest work of the Love of God, which
blots out all the stain of evil, and, not content with
adding lustre to the crown of the Blessed, opens a way
into heaven for the very sinners themselves." ^
Or read a French soldier's letters to his mother :
" I had often enough known the joy of seeing a
spring come like this, but never before had I been
given the power of living in every instant. So it is
that one wins, without the help of any science, a
^ Hope in Suffering. Abb6 Klein, pp. 245-6.
xxxiv THE CRAFT OF DYING
vague, but indisputable intuition of the Absolute. . . .
These are hours of such beauty that he who embraces
them knows not what death means. I was well in
advance of the front line, but I never felt better
protected.
This morning the sun rose red and green over the
snow that was ruddy and blue ; there was a wide
expanse of fields and woods recovered into life, and
far away the distance in which the silver of the
Meuse died away. Oh Beauty ! Beauty quand
mime."
" I have just lost my dearest friend," he writes.
" Dear, dear mother ; there is only one feeling left,
— love." To the end he keeps this stern faith.
" The regiment next to ours has but forty men left to
it. I dare not speak any more of hope. What one
can demand is that one should have grace to exhaust
all that the instant holds of good."
He was lost in his last fight : and was never heard
of more. His last message had been : —
" Dearest Mother, — It is mid-day, and we are
at the last moment before the assault. I send you
all my love. Whatever happens life has had its
beauty. ... I leave you to God. I kiss you with-
out any further word. All my being is bent on its
hard task. Good-bye. Hope against hope, but
above all, hold by wisdom and love." ^
So day after day mothers and sons part in the
1 V. H. S. H. in the Commeiiiveultk, Jan. 191 7.
PREFACE XXXV
dark, separated by death, never to meet again in this
world. Their last words imply the great obscurity,
the unspoken question, what will death be ? to which
no answer ever comes. But the Christian soldier
does not stop to seek replies. " I leave you to God,"
he says in his good-bye. " Hope against hope, holdfast
by love" and goes forward in the way of duty right into
the cloud. His hope has a sure intuition that the
cloud hides the divine Love, that it is Love he will
meet in death, that we cannot know death's secret
beforehand, because it is too good to be known till
the day dawn. But as he goes straight on to face
whatever may be before him, love reveals more than
hope can, for love is a mystical possessing now of all
that hope looks for in the future, love is a personal
fellowship of the soul with God in Christ enjoyed
already.
The obscurity remains for us all while we sit still
and wait for it to lift.
There lives no record of reply
That telling what it is to die
Had surely added praise to praise.
We stoutly refuse belief to the adventures of mediums
in the spiritual world. But the Christian listens
intently to the high thoughts of our noblest teachers
who have spoken to us of death, not with certainty
or by revelation, but as Saint Paul when he gave us
his best convictions as his own, and added, "5«/ /
think I have the spirit of God." Who of us does not
desire to know what the poet Wordsworth's thoughts
xxxvi THE CRAFT OF DYING
were about death ? We listen keenly as his sonnet
sings them :
Methought I saw the footstep* of a throne
Which mists and vapours from mine eyes did shroud —
Nor view of who might sit thereon allowed ;
But all the steps and ground about were strown
With sights the ruefullest that flesh and bone
Ever put on : a miserable crowd,
Sick, hale, old, young, who cried before that cloud,
*' Thou art our king, O Death ! to thee we groan."
I seem'd to mount those steps ; the vapours gave
Smooth way : and I beheld the face of one
Sleeping alone within a mossy cave.
With her face up to heaven ; that seemed to have
Pleasing remembrance of a thought foregone ;
A lovely Beauty in a summer grave !
We are touched and cheered indeed, but the
noblest guesses leave the secret of death undisclosed.
We leave it without anxiety, for we leave it with
God, Who is not merely the Arbiter, but the Father
and lover of souls ; sure at least of this that the
revelation when the cloud lifts, will be lovelier than
our loveliest thoughts about it ; for we are convinced
that it is not merely some benevolent purpose of God
that death has to reveal to the loyal soul that goes
forward into the dark to seek Him, but God
Himself.
We may take a last word on the art of dying well
from Henry Suso, in his Orologium Sapientice : "c-to
" That is a sovereign gift of God ; soothly 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
PREFACE xxxvii
him ready, so that he receive it gladly, without any
withdrawing ; right as he that bideth the desired
coming of his well-beloved fellow." ^
Prayer for Happy Death."
Oh, my Lord and Saviour, support me in that
hour in the strong arms of Thy Sacraments, and by
the fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the
absolving words be said over me, and the holy oil
sign and seal me, and Thy own Body be my food,
and Thy Blood my sprinkling ; and let my sweet
Mother, Mary, breathe on me, and my Angel
whisper peace to me, and my glorious saints . . .
smile upon me ; that in them all and through them
all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, and die, as
I desire to live, in Thy faith, in Thy Church, in Thy
service, and in Thy love. Amen.
GEORGE CONGREVE, S.S.LE.
1 V. p. io6.
^ Cardinal Newman's MeJitations and Dtvetioiu,
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO THE BOOK
Death is the greatest fact in life. It faces us from
our earliest consciousness. There is nothing startling
in it to the child's mind. As children many of our
happiest moments were centred round the funerals of
our pet animals.
A wedding or a festival,
A mourning or a funeral;
And this hath now his heart,
And unto this he frames his tongue.
And it was the same in the childhood of the race.
In mediaeval times death was a favourite theme. The
Mystery plays nearly all ended in heaven or hell, for
which there were special pageants ; and the influence
of these plays is very great on these writings on death.
We have only to compare Everyman — perhaps the best
known of these early plays — with the last tract in this
book to see how close is the resemblance. In the
latter the Dying Creature summons to his aid reason,
dread, conscience, his five wits, faith, hope, charity,
and last of all our Lady, by whose aid he is delivered ;
in Everyman when Fellowship, his cousin and his
xl THE CRAFT OF DYING
kindred fail him, Good-Deeds brings him to Know-
ledge, who in turn leads him to Confession. Then
his friends gather round him — Discretion, Strength,
Five-wits, and Beauty — but only to desert him when
they find that his pilgrimage is to the grave. But
Knowledge, Good-Deeds, and his Angel remain with
him unto the end, and the Doctor draws a moral.
It is worth reading the two together to sec how the
play has helped to shape the treatise, and yet how
much less crude, and finer in thought is the latter.
And that is to be expected, for not only are these
treatises of later date, but they were not popular in
the sense in which the Plays were popular, but were
the grave and thoughtful writings of men of authority
and weight, and translated and printed so frequently
during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that we
can only conclude that they were of real service and
help. The view of death is the same in both, as was
natural. In the Mystery Plays the spiritual life of
the soul had to be depicted as a contest for Everyman
between his good and evil angels ; and at death this
struggle, as they thought, was at its fiercest. The
death-bed was the great battlefield where man's
enemy, the devil, staked his last throw, and drew up
all his strongest forces for one final and bitter assault.
Every temptation to which the soul had been sub-
jected in the long days of its pilgrimage on earth was
now arrayed against it ; but against each diabolical
temptation was set the Inspiration of the Good Angel,
as we see in the pictures of the old block-book.
Since then our whole attitude of mind in regard to
INTRODUCTORY NOTE xli
death has changed. Until lately we were inclined to
put the thought of death aside as something of which
it was not good manners to speak, even in illness.
Then more especially the thought of death must be
banished. In the old days it was commanded that
the leech and physician of the body should give no
help to the sick man's body until they had admonished
and warned him to take first the spiritual medicine,
which the Church has always ready in her keeping.
To-day it is not infrequent to meet with those who
think it unlucky to send for a priest or minister. " Is
he as bad as that ?" is the question often asked.
With many there is less attempt than there used to
be to prepare for death as the last great sacrament
of life ; the outward sign of a new birth, a second
baptism.
But the grim reality of death, which has become to
most of us during these three years a household word,
a constant companion, has brought back quite simply
and naturally many outward signs which for long we
have been content without. Calvaries and wayside
crosses are again becoming familiar in our streets.
Rogation processions are more frequent. Before long
may we not hope that other processions also may be
restored, even as Mystery Plays are already resuming
their old office of teaching the young and the ignorant.
And since we have been made to realise more than
ever before the inevitableness of death, is it not well
to " learn to die " as this book would teach us ? Shall
we learn to greet it as a friend for whose coming we
have long looked " in thought and desiring " and
xlii THE CRAFT OF DYING
welcome, when it comes as we should welcome one
who rids us of a heavy burden ; or shall we dread
it because it takes from us that by which we have set
most store ? Shall we look upon it as the beginning
of life, or as the end ? " For this death they clepen
life, and the death, that these good men (clepen the)
beginning of life, they clepen the end."
Or shall it remain to us something which we re-
fuse to think of until we must. Men die none the
less bravely for that refusal. The spirit of the French
Noblesse who met the guillotine with a mocking jest
is still with us. We will scorn death as we scorn our
enemy.
Perhaps these old writings will at least rouse us to
think. They may seem too far remote from our
present outlook to be of any practical value. Shelley,
dead nearly ninety years ago and yet the most modern
of our poets, likens death to sleep, and the scientist
to-day would use the same simile. To all appearances
we, for the most part, slip out of life unconsciously
with little fear, so doctors tell us. As we were born
so we die. "The child cries out when from the
right breast the mother takes it away, in the very next
moment to find in the left one its consolation."
All this seems far removed from the thought of
death as a hand to hand conflict of the soul with the
powers of evil.
Is it because we have lost sight of the fact that
death is far more than a natural process. It is but
the outward sign of a much greater reality. The
last great sacrament of which we can only partake
INTRODUCTORY NOTE xliii
once ; for which all life should be a preparation:
And therefore when it comes we do not need to be
brave, as in the presence of a foe, but we stretch out
our hands in welcome as to a friend we have " long
abideth and looked after." " For love is stalworth
as death ; and love is hard as hades."
And in death we meet the Conqueror of death ;
we meet Love.
F. M. M. C.
Feast of St Mary Magdalene, 191 7
THE BOOK
OF THE CRAFT
OF DYING
TABLE OF CHAPTERS
PACB
I. The First Chapter is of Commendation of death :
and of cunning to die well .... 5
II. The Second Chapter is of Men's Temptations
that die ........ 9
III. The Third Chapter containeth the Interrogations
that should be asked of them that be in their
death bed : while they maj speak and
understand ....... zz
IV. The Fourth Chapter containeth an Instruction :
with certain Obsecrations to them that shall
die 27
V. The Fifth Chapter containeth an Instruction onto
them that shall die . . . . . 32
VI. The Sixth Chapter containeth Prayers that
should be said unto them that be a-dying
of some man that is about them ... 39
HERE BEGINNETH THE BOOK OF
THE CRAFT OF DYING
Forasmuch as the passage of death, of the wretched-
ness of the exile of this world, for uncunning ^ of
dying — not only to lewd men ' but also to religious
and devout persons — seemeth wonderfully hard and
perilous, and also right fearful and horrible ; there-
fore in this present matter and treatise, that is of
the Craft of Dying, is drawn and contained a short
manner of exhortation, for teaching and comforting
of them that be in point of death. This manner
of exhortation ought subtly to be considered, noted,
and understood in the sight of man's soul ; for
doubtless it is and may be profitable generally, to
all true Christian men, to learn and have craft and
knowledge to die well.
This matter and treatise containeth six parts of
chapters :
The first is of commendation of death ; and
cunning to die well.
The second containeth the temptations of men
that die.
The third containeth the interrogations that should
^ i.e. ignorance. ^ laymen.
3
4 THE CRAFT OF DYING
be asked of them that be in their death bed, while
they may ^ speak and understand.
The fourth containeth an information, with
certain obsecrations to them that shall die.
The fifth containeth an instruction to them that
shall die.
The sixth containeth prayers that should be said
to them that be a-dying, of some men that be
about them.
* ' may' is generally equivalent to modern 'can.'
CHAPTER I
THE FIRST CHAPTER IS OF COMMENDATION OF DEATH
AND OF CUNNING TO ^ DIE WELL
Though bodily death be most dreadful of all fear-
ful things, as the Philosopher^ 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 Z)jf/</ saith : Mors peccatorum pessima. The Pg. xxxiii.
death of the sinful man is worst of all deaths. But 2*-
as the same prophet saith : Preciosa est in conspectu Ps. cxv.
Domini mors sanctorum eius. The death of the 'S*
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
' i.e. knowing how to. 2 Aristotle.
3 Always means ' true,' ' real.'
6 THE CRAFT OF DYING
charity of Holy Church — is acceptable and precious
in the sight of God. As Saint John saith in the
Rev. xiv. Apocalypse : Beati mortui qui in Domino mori-
*3' UNTUR. Blessed be all dead men that die in God.
And therefore God saith in the fourth chapter of
Wis. iv. 7. the Boole of Sapience : Justus si morte pr^ocupatus
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 so that 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
Eccl«(. Ecclesiastes : Melior est dies mortis die nativitatis.
vu. I. 'pjjg jjjy Qf 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
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 7
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 : witness-
ing the wise man that saith thus : Bene mori, est lib-
enter MORI. To die well is to die gladly and wilfully.
And therefore he addeth, and saith thereto : Ut
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 Collations : Almighty God of His wisdom and Collat.
goodness, all things that fall, both prosperity and •• 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 i.e. his bodily nature.
2 Cum igitur ex dcbito atque jure natarali cmnes homines m^ri tit
neatse.
« THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 : Feras,
NON CULPES, QUOD IMMUTARE NON VALES. SufFef
easily and blame thou not, that thou mayst not
change nor void. And the same clerk added to,
and saith : Si vis ista cum quibus urgeris effucere,
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,* him needeth that he con ' die, and
as a wise man saith : Scire mori est paratum
cor suum habere, et animam ad superna : UT
QUANDOCUNQUE MORS ADVENERIT, PARATUM CUM IN-
VENIAT 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-that-
cver death come, he may be found all ready ; with-
outen any retraction • receive him, as a man would
^ murmuring. 2 jyJL
' The other MSS. have « trapped.'
* The other MSS. have ' surelj.' • learn to.
* /'.«. withdrawal.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 9
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 Saini Paul had when he said : Cupio Philip, i.
DissoLvi ET ESSE CUM Christo. I dcsirc and covet ^3-
to be dead, and be with Christ. And thus much
sufficeth at this time, shortly said, of [the] craft and
science of dying.
CHAPTER II
THE SECOND CHAPTER IS OF MEn's TEMPTATIONS
THAT DIE
Know all men doubtless, that men that die, in their
last sickness and end, have greatest and most grievous
^ ' namely ' generally means (as here) ' especially,' ' chiefly.'
lo THE CRAFT OF DYING
temptations, and such as they never had before in all
their life. And of these temptations five be most
pnncipu.
I. The First is of the faith, forasmuch as faith
is fundament of all men's soul's-heal ; witnessing
I Cor. Hi. the Apostle that saith : Fundamentum aliud nemo
>*• POTEST PONERE. Other fundament may no man put.
And therefore Saint jiustin saith : Fides est bonorum
OMNIUM fundamentum, ET HUMANE SALUTIS INITIUM.
Faith is fundament of all goodness, and beginning
Heb, xi. 6. of man's heal. And therefore saith Saint Paul :
Sine fide est impossibile placere Deo. It is im-
possible to please God without faith. And Saint
Justin saith : Qui non credit jam iudicatus est.
He that believeth not is now deemed. And for-
asmuch 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 Liboureth busily to make his
doubt therein, or somewhat draw him out of the
way or deceive him with some manner of super-
stitious 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 ; and fully to obey
the statutes of the church of Rome, and stably to
abide and die in them. For as soon as he beginneth
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 1 1
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 : Diabolus est mendax et pater eius. S. John
The devil is a liar, and a father of all leasings. But ^'"' 4+*
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.
* Always means ' unless.'
^ bonus CathoUcus Chrisiiantit.
• The othtr MSS. have ' persuasions.'
It THE CRAFT OF DYING
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. j2, 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 : Quicquid orantes petitis,
*'• •4- 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.
n. 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.
De Tilitate Furthermore as Innocent the Pope, in his third
^^"Vh'"" ^^ooV. of the wickedness of mankind, saith : Every
' ^' man both good and evil, or * his soul pass out of his
* *.-. receive. • before.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 13
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 dravv^ 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, is
sufficient and accepted by God for to save him ever-
lastingly : 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 a meek. And Exechiel saith also : In quacunque Ezech.
HORA CONVERSUS FUERIT PECCATOR, ET INGEMUERIT, xxxiii. 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 ^a'lnt Bernard saith : The pity and
mercy of God is more than any wickedness. And
Austirty upon John, saith : We should never despair of
no man as long as he is in his bodily life, for there
14 THE CRAFT OF DYING
is no sin so great but it may be healed, outake*
despair alone. And Saint Justin 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 dcspaireth.
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-clip * thee ; His hands
thrilled * 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
^ i.e. except. « pleased.
' The other MSS. have ' augmented.'
* embrace. » pierced.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 15
merit before God. As the Apostle saith, and exhorted
us: NOLITE AMITTERE CONFIDENTIAM VESTRAM QUjE Heb. V. 35.
MAGNAM HABET REMUNERATIONEM. LoSe nOt yOUr
hope and confidence in God, the which hath great
reward of God.
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 * 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). ■ i.e. surpassingly,
•tumour. * unprepared. 'at times.
i6 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 : Si quis cum dolore egritudinem vel mortem
SUSCEPERIT, SIGNUM EST QUOD DEUS SUFFICIENTER NON
DiLiGiT. 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 mur-
muration it is lost and damned. Witnessing Saint
Gregory in his Homily, that saith thus : Regnum
CCELORUM NULLUS MURMURANS ACCIPIT, NULLUS QUI
ACCiPiT MURMURARE POTEST. There shall no man
have the kingdom of heaven that grutcheth and is im-
patient ; and there may no man grutch that hath it.
But as the great Clerk Albert saith, speaking of very
imad. "D. 'welde.'
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 17
contrition : If a very contrite man ofFereth himself
gladly to all manner afflictions of sickness and punish-
ing 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 sick-
ness 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 Albert 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 ^aint
Gregory saith : Divina dispensatione agitur, ut pro-
LIXIORI 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 Justin said to God : Hic seca,
HIS URE, UT IN ETERNAM MICHI PARCAS. Here CUt,
here burn, so that Thou spare me everlastingly. And
Saint Gregory saith : Misericors deus temporalem
ADHIBET SEVERITATEM, NE ETERNAM INFERAT ULTIONEM.
God that is merciful giveth His chosen children tem-
poral 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 i Cor.
1 The other MSS. have ' sithen.' '^'"- 4-
1 8 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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
jiustin saith : Amanti nichil impossibile, nichil diffi-
cile. 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 Isidore
saith thus : NoN te arroges, non te jactes, non te
INSOLENTER EXTOLLAS, VEL DE TE PRESUMAS, NICHIL BONI
TIB! TRiBUAS. 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 com-
placence of himself that a man should be damned
everlastingly therefore.
And therefore saith Saint Gregory : Quis reminisc-
* i.e. excepts. 2 ascribe.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 19
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. Never-
theless, 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
true in all His words, and that He is truth and righteous-
ness that never beguileth, neither is beguiled, which
be-hight * and swore by Himself, and said by the
Prophet : Vivo ego, digit dominus, nolo mortem Ezech.
PECCATORis, etc. God Almighty saith : By my self I xxxiii. 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
^ i.e. at once, immediately.
' The other MSS. have ' remembering.' ^ vowed.
ao THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 out-
ward 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 suflereth death
patiently, he satisfieth to God for all venial sins ;
and therefore • he taketh away a parcel of satis-
faction 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.'
* Petrus Cantor Paris (d. 1 197. Opp. inMigne,vol. J05).
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING zi
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 : Fi delis i Cor. x.
Deus qui non patietur vos temptari supra id quod 'S-
potestis, sed faciet etiam cum temptatione pro-
VENTUM 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 Saini 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.
as THE CRAFT OF DYING
CHAPTER III
THE THIRD CHAPTER CONTAINETH THE INTERROGATIONS
THAT SHOULD BE ASKED OF THEM THAT BE IN THEIR
DEATH BED, WHILE THEY MAT SPEAK AND UNDER-
STAND
Now follow 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 Satnt 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 :
Yea.
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 :
Yea.
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.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 23
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.^ 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 :
Lord, 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,
DoMiNE, 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, commen-
DAMus spiRiTUM Eius, etc. luto 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.'
• i.e. convent.
a4 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 y 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.
He answereth : Yea.
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
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 25
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 askcst the forgiveness of God ?
Desirest thou also in thine heart to have very know-
ing of all thine offences and forgets that thou hast
done against God, and to have special repentance of
them all ? »
He answereth : Yea.
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 ?
He answereth : Yea.
V. The Fifth Interrogation shall be this : For-
givest 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
* i.e. delayed, neglected. * i.e. sooner.
• Optat insuper cor tuum illuminari ad oblitorum cognilionem ut de
tit iptdaliter valtas peniltre.
26 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 ?
He answereth : Yea.
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 fore-
said 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.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 27
For without that a man be disposed in such wise
finally, he may not doubtless ^ 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.
CHAPTER IV
THE FOURTH CHAPTER CONTAINETH AN INSTRUCTION : WITH
CERTAIN OBSECRATIONS ' TO THEM THAT SHALL DIE
Furthermore, forasmuch as Saini Gregory saith :
Every doing of Christ is our instruction and teach-
ing ; 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 meus, respice in me ; and Ps. xxiv.
all the psalms following unto that verse : In manus '^•
TUAS, Domine. Also He cried on the cross, as the ^ • ^*^
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
^ i.e. without doubt, certainly.
2 supplications. ' knowledge.
«8 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 :
ORATIO
O Thou High Godhead, and endless Good-
ness, most merciful and glorious Trinity, that
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 29
art highest Love and Charity ; have mercy on
me, wretched and sinful man, for to Thee I
commend fully my soul.
ORATIO
My Lord God, 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 wor-
ship 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 invocabo. 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
30 THE CRAFT OF DYING
forgiven him, if it be said thrice with good true faith at
a man's last end.
ORATIO
Lord Jesus Christ, 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 afterw.ird, 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 GLORIOUS 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 :
Holy Angels of 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
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 31
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 Justin :
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ ; 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 premium 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.
* meaning, ^/.f, knows not.
32
THE CRAFT OF DYING
CHAPTER V
[Gratian]
De pent-
ttnlia,
" Cum in-
firmitaie. ' '
THE FIFTH CHAPTER CONTAINETH AN INSTRUCTION
UNTO THEM THAT SHALL DIE
But 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,^ and
have died intestate, or unavised, or undisposed,' sud-
denly. 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 tarrj'ings,
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.
^ i.e. lost themselves through sloth. * i.e. unprepared.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 33
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 Clerk, 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-
* promising.
34 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 Sainf Jtut'tn
saith also, in the fourth Book of Sentences, the
twentieth distinction, and other doctors also : Re-
pentance that is deferred, and had in a man's last
end, unneth ^ is very repentance or penance suf-
ficient 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
^ seldom.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 35
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 tres-
passed 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 * that the interroga-
tions 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
^ The other MSS. have ' monished.* ^ / ,^ urged.
36 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 dissimula-
tion ; 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 Isaye the Prophet did the contrary ; for when
the King Ezcchiel lay sick and upxjn 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 approprietarj',* 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 • often
times upon him, and the others that be about him,
that fiends may be voided from him.
^ inconsistent ' flattered. ^ i.e. frightened him.
* i.e. who had appropriated what belonged to another.
• sprinkle.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 37
If all things abovesaid may not be done, for hasti-
ness ^ 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 re-
warded for his words alone, but for his deeds also
joined and according to his words. As it is said in the
book cleped Compendium of the Truth 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
^ i.f. suddenness */'.;. brought back. * meanings.
* Porto in materia ista . . , penderenlur singula puncta etium
tenteticie quiliuj aitjecta tunt adveriia, eo quod non in verbis ted
adverbis meremur {i.e. it is not only what we do, but how
we do it).
38 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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.*
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 for-
slothed 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 provi-
dence, 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
1 Only in this MS. (Bod. 423).
^i.t. religious houses.
s A flat board which was struck instead of a bell.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 39
to him that is a-dying. Therefore it is read that re-
ligious people and women — for the honesty of estate
— should not run but to a man that is a-dying and
for fire.*
CHAPTER VI
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 smit-
ing 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
*MS. kn=ignfm. 2 MS. suen.
40 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 pray-
ing 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 '
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 tres-
passed 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 amend-
ment, 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. ' i.e. lovely.
• 'loue,* probably a mis-writing for 'sone' since
it =fiJiitm. * i e. in supply of.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 41
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
withouten end. Amen.
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 gloriousMajesty — 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 remis-
sion ; with rightful faith, stable hope, and perfect
charity ; that he may die blessedly, in perfect
state, between Thy most sweetest clipping ' and
* ad medullam ben •gnitsimi cor Jit tui.
• i.e. hast made ready suddenly. ' embracing.
42 THE CRAFT OF DYING
most sweetest kissing, in to Thine everlasting
worship and praising. Amen.
ORATIO
Into the hands of Thine endless and un-
quenchable 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 Michael, 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
^ i.e. righteous. ^ sincerely. • with. * pr^clarum,
* ' whoTecome,' but the other MSS. hare < holy.'
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 43
her into (the) place of refreshing and of peace,
and of rest. Amen.
Ever clean and blessed maiden Mary, singu-
Lir 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 most sweet Redemptor, 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 fail-
ing 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 i.e. expel. ^ /,,. proclaimed by loud crying.
44 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 knowlcdging of Thy
mercy. Amen.
Most mkrciful Lord Jesu Christ, God'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.
Merciful and benign God, That for the
mickelness of Thy mercy docst 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 i.e. incapable of being reckoned or uttered = iitej^a6i/h.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 45
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 Brother, 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 com-
pany 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
46 THE CRAFT OF DYING
darkness, that grlnteth ^ 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,
Ps. Ixviii. they that hate Him, from His visage. Fail
s. they as the smoke faileth, and as the wax
melteth against ' 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 • of His chosen children, that thou may see
thy Redemptor visage to visage, and prescnti-
ally • 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 contempla-
tion of God without end. Amen.
> i.e. grindeth liii teeth. * sctttered.
* i.e. exposed to.
* tt juti etulentur et exutlent in conipec'um Pei, * lot,
* i.e. as being present.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 47
ORATIO
Go Christian Soul 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 Domina-
tions, 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.
EXPLICIT TRACTATUS UTILISSIMUS
DE ARTE MORIENDl
1 shed.
NOTE ON THE BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING
TiiiRE are three manuscripts of this treatise in the Bodleian
Library; the Douce MS. 322, the Rawlinsun MS. C. 894, and
the Bodleian MS. 4x3.' This transcription has been taken
from the last of these, since it appears to be the earliest.^ It
is to be found in a large brown volume containing five differ-
ent manuscripts bound together by Sir I'homas Bodlcy. 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 Tht
Craft of Dying hi% 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 Imitaiione Christi, which some have attributed to
him. Gerson certainly compiled a long treatise in Latin
and French which he named the Opyiculum Tiipariitum de
Prietpttt Decalogi, de Confettione, et de Arte Moricndi.* But
this book is very much shorter than the Engli-h rersion
of The Croft of Dying, and there is nothing in it which corre-
sponds to the first two chapters of the Craft; moreover, the
^ 1 have collated these three MSS., and have drawn atten-
tion to differences of any interest in the footnotes.
2 Ft 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. 45; cf Tht
Library of Engtith Wtilers, vol. ii. p. 406.
• Published at Cologne c. 1470.
48
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 49
references in Chapters III. and V. of the Craft to " the
noble" and "great clerk, the Chancellor of Paris," ^ 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 Ars Mor'undi is one of some difficulty
and obscurity. I'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 Art Moritndl, of which many
copies exist ; and a rarer French book, L'Art de bien Vi-ure et
bien Mourlre, which seems to be related to the block-books.
The Latin treatise is found under three titles : De Arte
Moriendi ; Tractatus de Arte MorUndi ; and Speculum Artit
Morlendl. 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: Tractatui brevit ac vaUe utilis de
arte et tcientia bene moriendi. it 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 telis us he has translated his tract "abridged
of the art to learn well to die." L'Art de bien Vi-ore et bien
Mourire is quite another book. It was published by Verard
in Paris in 1493, ^"^ 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 <* Thi»
»*/. pp. 24, 33.
^ cf. mj note on Caxton's Abridgment, p. 88.
D
50 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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,
1 have been able to compare them, and find that de Worde's
reproduction is an improvement, both in spelling and English,
upon the translation of 1505.
VArt de hien Vivre et bitn Mourire seems to have more in
common with Gerson's Opuiculum Tripartitum, for both
contain discourses on the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Command-
ments, 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, "i
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 re-
source 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
woids Non jii auarus. At the head of the bed stands Our
Lady, beside her Blessed Son outstretched upon the cross.
' See his Introduction to the " Art Moriendi" pub, by the
Holbein Society, 1851, p. 21.
BOOK OF THE CRAFT OF DYING 51
On the other side of the crucifix is a figure which may
represent the Good Shepherd, as close beside him there art-
three sheep, and he holds a staf!° 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 lus 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 : " AV inUnde 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."^ But the words ol
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 Quidfaclam?
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.
* Introduction to the " An Moriendi," p. i6.
THE ART AND CRAFT
TO KNOW WELL TO DIE
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.
^ i.e. consider, ponder on.
55
56 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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.
CHAPTER I
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 ;
* i.e. the very moment.
* i.f, deserving of reproach, censurable.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 57
for the dead men be well happy that die in our
Lord.
To this purpose saith Flato : 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 griev-
ous 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 sorrow-
ful nor trouble him of the temporal or bodily death,
nor he ought not to fear nor doubt ^ it, for what-
somever 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 *
* dread. * i.t, yielding himself fully.
• i.e. own. * prepared for.
58 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 Philosopher : 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
CHAPTER II
THE TEMPTATIONS THAT THE PERSON HATH
AT THE HOUR OF THE DEATH
It 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 tempta-
tions 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-
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 59
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, super-
stitions, 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 above-
said, 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] cer-
tainly [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
^ striveth. " straightway.
6o - THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 stead-
fastness 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 —
t;o the end that by that means he draw him into
desperation. Upon this purpose saith Innocent : 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 commiscd 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
* i.e. strengthen.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 6i
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 ; — notwith-
standing 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 ; ^ 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 commiscd and passed grieve not
so much but despair displeaseth more. And there-
fore 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
' i.e. that one sin of which he cannot be saved or cured.
* aggravated.
^
y
62 THE CRAFT OF DYING
then is a virtue much lowable ^ 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 Zacchaeus, 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
' i.t. to be praised.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELD TO DIE 63
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 suiFered 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 is
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 prais-
ing, nor avaunt him ; nor none glorify himself of his
^ i.e. hath not power, or might.
64 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 wretched-
ness 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
* i.e. disorderly or unruly.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 65
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 oughfr 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.
CHAPTER III
OF THE DEMANDS AND QUESTIONS THAT OUGHT
TO BE MADE TO THE SICK PERSON
Then 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
^ instigation. 2 except.
66 THE CRArr OF DYING
they be less or worse disposed than it appertaineth ; ^
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 :
Lord, 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
^ i.t, is befitting or proper. • mean*.
' i.e. without delay, immediately.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE S-j
therefore now ; and [I] recommend at this time my
^irit 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 ^aint Bernard there is none saved without
(to have) knowledge of himself; for of this know-
ledge 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
68 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 lovcst —
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 tres-
passed to thee in word or in deed r 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 :
Yea.
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
* now. • requestejt or desirest.
* resources or possessions.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 69
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 beforcsaid, with good con-
science 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 consider-
ing 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 whom-
soever 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.*
* i.e. be able. • this moment of time.
• be able to have power to. * i.e. snares and delusions.
70 THE CRAFT OF DYING
CHAPTER IV
[an instruction with certain obsecrations
TO THEM THAT SHALL DIe]
Saint Gregoty saith that all the action and work
of our Lord Jesu Christ ought to be our instruction^
^nd therefore every good Christian person disposed
well to die ought to do, after his manner and possi-
bility, 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 princi-
pally 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 speak-
ing, 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 desire of the heart than the sound of the
voice. Also to cry with the heart is none other thing,.
^ placed at the point of.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 71
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 volun-
tarily, in conforming him all to the will of God like
as it appertaineth, and in saying, if he may, the obse-
crations that follow :
' To THE Trinity
Sovereign Deity, right great Bounty, ex-
cellent and glorious Trinity, Sovereign Dilec-
tion,^ 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. I
come to Thee ; put me not from Thee.
Lord Jesu Christ, I ask of Thee heaven ;
nothing for the love of my merits, for I am
* i.e. spiritual love. .
72 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 Jcsu 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.cKv.i6. verse that foUoweth. Dirupisti domine vincula mea,
TIBI SACRIFICABO HOSTIAM LAUDIS, ET NOMEN DOMINI IN-
vocABo. 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 *
of all sinners, and she that addresseth • them in their
necessity ; saying to her in this manner :
Queen of Heaven, Mother of mercy, and
Refuge of sinners, I meekly beseech thee that
1 mediator. • />. redresieth.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 73
thou wilt reconcile me to thy dear Son, in call-
ing 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
glory.
He ought afterward, if he may, call on the holy
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 Saitii Justin :
The Peace of our Lord Jesu Christ ; 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
^ i.e. present.
74 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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]
Yet 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 straitly 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
* i.t. bystanders. ' i.e. from.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 75
first the spiritual medicine ; that is, to wit, in receiv-
ing 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 Saini 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 command-
ments 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
■•I'fii.f ■• ^ at times.
76 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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, howbcit
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 tempta-
tion 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.
^ Also. * i.e. surprised by sudden death.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 77
Alway ought [it] to be taken heed that the in-
terrogations 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 Isa-^e 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 ^aint Gregory, when he feard whole-
somely 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. • i.t. made to fear.
' appropriation of goods.
78 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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
* i.e. present to their mind.
* 'faytte ' = actions, conduct.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 79
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 [to] run hastily
to a person that dieth.
CHAPTER VI
THE ORISONS AND PRAYERS THAT OUGHT TO BE SAID
UPON THE SICK PERSON IN THE ARTICLE OF DEATH
Finally 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 rehearsed 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.
8o THE CRAFT OF DYING
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
rcquireth. But few people or none be at this day
that have the knowledge of this art.
Lord Jesu Christ, 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 viv'ts et regnas Deus per omnia secula seculorum.
In the honour of the right fervent love by
^ coriTcnience or supply of.
• either * emotions ' or ' motires.'
' i.e. behaviour or manner of life.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 8i
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 *
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 embrace-
ments and company, to Thy praising eternal.
Amen.
To God the Father
Into 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
^ ' anguysshous esperyte.' ^ remind, or recall to.
^ i I. compassion. , * complete.
Bz THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 God the Son
O MY MUCH JLOVED 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 con-
sumed by labours and sorrows, in such wise that
Thou wert left of Thy Father, that Thou with-
draw 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 con-
sumption 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,
i I e. spiritual love,— of Cod.
i.e. pitiful. 3 itf. voice of lamentation.
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 83
and bring him to eternal rest with voice of
exultation and of confession. Amen.
O SWEET Jesu, Son of the living God, right
merciful Lord, in union with that commenda-
tion 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.
God right mighty, 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
84 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 Redemp-
tion. 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 Our Blessed Lady
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.
To Saint Michael
Saint Michael Archangel of God, 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
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 85
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 THE Sick Person at his End
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 diftend 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 re-
ceive 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
86 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 con-
founded 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 con-
stituted without end among the companies well
blessed, thou mayst joy in divine contemplations,
world without end. Amen.
Christian Soul, depart thee from this world
when it shall please God, in the Name of the
I'empeshe.'
THE CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE 87
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 Potest-
ates, the Dominations, the Thrones, the Cheru-
bins, 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 de-
voutly, 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
88 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 iiij C Ixxxx.
NOTE ON CAXTON'S ABRIDGMENT
Not many copies of this book exist. There is a perfect
copy in the British Museum^— of which this is a 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 Ariis 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 Di/ing there is no exhortation which quite corre-
sponds 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; prjEsertim cum ipsi morientes nondum mori velin,
et anima: morientum saepe miserabiliter periclitantur."
Gerson's exhortation is longer, and he places it at the be-
ginning of the third part of his Opusculum iripartltum de frecepth
deealoni, de confetsione, et icientia mortis (or as some versions
have it de arte moriendi^.
It is as follows: "Si veraces fidelesque amid cujuspiam
egroti, curam diligentium agant pro ipsius vita corporal!
iC. II, c. 8. ^v. p. 102.
S9
9© THE CRAFT OF DYING
fragili et defectibiii conservanda, exigunt a nobis multo
fortius Deus et caritas pro salute sua spiritual! soUicitudinem
gererespecialem. In hacextremanecessitatemortisfidelispro.
batur amicus. Quippe nullum est opus misercordie majus
sive commodius. Quod et tanti apud Deum merit! et ampli-
oris frequenter estimatur, quemadmodum persone nostri
Salvatoris Jesu Christi, si in terris nobiscum degeret impen-
•um serTitium corporate. Quamobrem cura fuit present!
scripto componere brevem quemdam exhortationis modum
habendum circa eos qui sunt in mortis articulo constituti.
Valentem etiam generaliter omnibus catholicis ad artem et
Dotitiam 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
JRS MORIENDI : THAT IS TO SAY,
THE CRAFT FOR TO DIE FOR THE
HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL
When 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 vii 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
^ «.<■. is likely to.
93
94 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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, iij 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 sick-
ness, sorrow, and trouble shall depart now from you
* i.f. sooner.
TO THE HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL 95
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 ►J* 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 damna-
tion, 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
96 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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
live ? 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
TO THE HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL 97
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
praemium mortis sacre perennis instet gloria.
Also to Our Lady :
Maria plena gracie. Mater misericordie, tu
nos ab hoste protege, et in hora mortis suscipe.
And at last :
In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum
meum. In nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus
sancti. Amen.
Here followeth a short and sweet Remembrance of
THE Sacrament of the Altar or that it be re-
ceived OF THE Sick Person, or any other, afore
their Communing
Welcome Blessed Jesu, my Lord God and
Saviour, to whom is appropried all mercy and
G
98 THE CRAFF OF DYING
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, multi-
tude 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 .ill mine enemies far from the
presence of Thy power ; that I then so defended
TO THE HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL 99
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 ;
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 Detis propicius esto
in peccatori ; and by saying of the common Con-
Jiteor 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 martyr-
doms and penance ; by forgiveness to a trespass-
our ; by good ensample giving, or by converting
of others to good life ; by patient thanking in
trouble, and by contrition for sins, with dis-
pleasure of them. And for every good deed
doing with good entent and devotion. Amen.
loo THE CRAFT OF DYING
The Famous Doctor Johan Gerson, Chancellor
OF Paris, taking his ground from Holy Scripture, and
according with holy doctors, saith thus :
Our most merciful Father, Lord God, know-
ing 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 iii
virtues following, so that they be said and done
with all the 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 worshipped.
The second, say this : Good Lord, I have a
good purpose and desire with Thy help to be
right ware hereafter that I fall not into sin, and
I entend to flee the occasions after the possi-
bility of my power.
The third is this : Gracious Lord, I have
good will to make an whole confession of all
my sins, when place and time convenient may
be had, according to Thy commandments and
all holy church.
These three verities or truths whosoever
TO THE HEALTH OF MAN'S SOUL loi
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 saved
suffering and sore hard pain in purgatory.
Wherefore it is good counsel that every Christian
man once or twice on the day, early or late, or
else at least on holy days, examine his con-
science and remember if that he may with all
his heart unfeigningly say these iij truths.
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 assoil him. Not for thy good it is
that such one use much prayer and give alms,
and (to) do other good deeds after their power,
that God the rather may lighten their hearts
and the sooner turn to goodness. Amen.
NOTE ON CAXTON'S TRACT
This tract of Caxton'a was found in the middle of a
volume of black letter tracts in the Bodleian Library, and
Mr Blades avers that " no other copy in any language, in
print or manuscript, appears to be known." ^ It has no
date, printer's name, or place, but it is in Caxton's No. 6 type,
with a few lines in the No. i type of Wynkyn de Worde,
who was Caxton's workman and successor. We may there-
fore infer that it was one of the last books printed by
Caxton, or one of the first printed by de Worde. In
either case it was probably issued from Caxton's House at
Westminster, in 1491, the year of his death. Mr Nicholson
the late librarian of Bodley's Library says " it does not
answer to any of the three printed Latin treatises known as
Ars iVfor/VW* which the Bodleian possesses," but that "the
heading of the treatise suggests that it was a translation of
a work already known by a particular name ; the name
given is in Latin ; and occasional turns of expression . . .
suggest a Latin original for parts at least."*
1 think it will be evident to anyone who reads these two
tracts of Caxton's, after reading the longer version of The
Craft of Dyin^i that Mr Nicholson was right about the Latin
original, and that the latter must have been the Speculum or
Tractatus de arte Moriendi ; and also that this particular tract
appears to be a further abridgment of Caxton's own already
abridged version.
Only those parts of the Tract which have any reference
to death are given here. The last pages contain : A
singular prayer to be said at the Feast of the Dedication of
any church, or at any other time ; The twelve degrees of
Humility ; The seven degrees of Obedience ; The seven
degrees of Patience ; and The fifteen degrees of Charity.
^ Biography and Typography of William Caxton (1582), p. 350;
but see appendix, p. 170. ■*
* See Introductory Note to the facsimile issued by E. W. B.
Nicholson, M.A., p. 5.
103
A CHAPTER TAKEN FROM THE
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^
Her showeth the Fifth Chapter of a Treatise
CALLED OrOLOGIUM ^APIliNClE IN MANNER OF A
Dialogue : and treateth how we shall
learn to die
how the disciple of everlasting wisdom shall
CON ^ LEARN TO DIE FOR THE LOVE OF JeSU
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 *
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 xleath cometh
^ be able to. ' learn to.
105
io6 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 * 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 there-
fore 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 ensamplc,
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
^ scarcely.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTIiE 107
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 over-
come with death in hasty time for to die, and had
not disposed for the health of his soul before : the
which with a careful ^ voice cried, and said :
CiRCUMDEDERUNT ME GENITUS MORTIS : DOLORES Ps. xvii.
iNFERNi CIRCUMDEDERUNT ME. That is : the way-
menting ■ of death hath umbelapped me,^ 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 * 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
1 sorrowful. • i.e. sighing, lamenting.
• enwrapped. * «>. memory.
io8 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 ^ 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
1 i.e. unprovided. .
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^ 109
death, and yet they dread not death when it
nigheth them. They be blind, and like to unreason-
able 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 JUSTITI^ LUMEN NON LUXIT NOBIS, etC. : I" lil>ro
Alas, how have I lived. I have erred from the way ^ff'."i'"'>
• • W isii V
of soothfastness, and the light of righteousness hath g *
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 ^ of gests * of one day passing forth. And
therefore is now my word and my speech in bitter-
ness to my soul, and my words full of sorrow, and
mine eyes deceived.
0 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.
1 took no force * 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
1 i.e. memory. * deeds or actions.
^ Le. gave no heed to.
no THE CRAFT OF DYING
be taken with the grin,"^ 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 " of no man. There was none hour
so short but therein I might have gotten ghostly
winnings that pass in value all earthly goods with-
outen comparison. Alas, I wretched, why have I
dispended so many gracious days in most vain and
long speaking, and so little force have taken ot
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 mymischieves ' and sorrows,
and eschew * 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, com-
plaining 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 there-
fore now am I fallen into a deep pit, and am caught
with the grin of death. It had been better to me if
* snare. 2 ,_,_ re-called,
' distresses or needs. * avoid, confess.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTIiE in
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, 1 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 ^ is gone
from me ; thinking not else but how I might in any
wise escape this peril of death, the which neverthe-
less I may not escape.
O that blessed penance and turning from sin
' Douce 114 reads ' witte.'
112 THE CRAFT OF DYING
bc-times, fbr that is [the] sicker way. Forsooth he
that hath late turned him and givcth 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 *
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
' i.e. the nearest or first thing.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^E 113
affection defouled and defected,^ 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 pro-
vidence 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
i i.e. made defective or dishonoured.
114 THE CRAFT OF DYING
the uttermost within this sen'night. Put ^ 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 •
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 •
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.
^ i.t. consider or ponder. ' i.e. remain, or am.
• i.e. unprepared.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^ 115
Then come friends and fellows to the sick man for to
visit him and comfort him. And then all proffer and
behote ^ 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 amend-
ment, 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 • 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,' letteth
him — so that there be but few so perfectly disposed *
to death : the which for great abstraction from the
^ promise, * i.e. trust. ^ old age. * prepared.
ii6 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 ^ 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 * to my
words, and sadly ' 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 •
' i.e. honour. ^care or heed.
* constantly. */.*. sudden.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTIiE 117
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 over-
laid, 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.^ For lo, the hands un-
wieldy begin to rancle,* 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
1 i.e. directly at hand. O. E.D. * fester.
ii8 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 peradventurc it
shall be taken to them for to be tormented, as for her
bote.i
O thou most righteous Doomsman, how strait and
hard be thy dooms ; charging • 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 ' the members^
is come, that witnesseth the kind * of the flesh th'at
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
1 remedy. ^ accusing.
3 i.e. causing to perish, destroying. * nature.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTIiE 119
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 ^ 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 ■ 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 ^ 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
^ i.e. heed. ^ /,,, extortioners. ^ i.e. surpassing.
ito THE CRAFT OF DYING
Image of Death hath so overlaid all my mind that un-
nethes ^ 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 • 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 ; ' 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 cloth-
ing, and the sloth of sleep, and all that letteth me
from my Lord Jesu Christ.
O Thou Holy and merciful Saviour put * 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 ' not my
wicked deeds into the last end ; for soothly in that
• scarcely. * promistr. ' /.*. disputing.
* : e. give. */.«■. admit.
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI.E 121
horrible place there is so great sorrow and pain that
no -tongue may suffer to tell.
.. jO how^eat 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 *
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 right-
eousness 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. Wherefore have mind of thy Creator and Ecd. xii i.
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,
' fearfully.
122 THE CRAFT OF DYING
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 damna-
tion 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 pur-
veyeth for these last things ; and keepeth him from sin,
and doeth after thy counsel ; and in all time disposeth
him to kis last home.
Wherefore putting a-back all things that shall with-
draw 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
OROLOGIUM SAPIENTI^ 123
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.^ By the which thou mayst at the last
come to thy place of immortality and everlasting
felicity. Amen.
NOTE ON THE OROLOGIUM SAPIENT!^
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
^ i.e. death.
124 THE CRAFT OF DYING
Horologium, containing seven chapteri, is found in the
Douce MS. ii4(lol. 117).* This was printed by Caxton in
1490, under the title: The seuen points of the Wisdom, or
Orologium Sapientiz." There is also a French translation
of these " seuen chapters," in a fifteenth-century manuscript
in the British Museum (Harl MS. 43869), which is nearly
twice as long as the English text.
The Orologium Sapitntitg has frequently and quite mistalienly
been ascribed to Kichard KoUe. It is of course by Henry
Suso, although Dr Horstmann's statement that it is an
'• English reproduction of Heinrich Suso's Buck von der gott-
lieltH IVthheit is also misleading.^ In reality Suso translated
his own Biichlein der e-uigen fVeuheit into Latin under the
title Horologium Sapienti^, and in thus doing added to it so
considerably as to maice it almost a new book.
Suso, who took his mother's name, his father being Herr
von Berg, was born in 1300 at tJberlingen near Lalie Con-
stance. He came under Eckart's influence when studying
theology at Cologne, where he wrote his most mystical
treatise, Daj biichlein der Wahrheit. After wandering
through Suabia as a preacher he settled at Ulm about 1348.
It was there that he wrote these later books in which he dis-
cusses the more practical aspects of mysticism. Suso has
been called the poet of the early mystic movement, the
** Minnesinger of Gotiesminne " ; he is purely medieval in tone,
though inspired by the romanticism of the age of chivalry.
He died at Ulm in 1366.
1 cf. Anglia, vol. x. p. 323.
"^cj. Library of English Writers, vol. ii. p. xliii.
THREE FRAGMENTS WHICH
TEACH A MAN FOR TO DIE
HERE SHOWETH A CHAPITLE TAKEN
OUT OF A BOOK CLEPED TOURE OF
ALL TOURES: AND TEACHETH A
MAN FOR TO DIE
Against his will he dieth that hath not learned to
die. Learn to die and thou shalt con ^ to live, for
there shall none con to live that hath not learned to
die ; and he shall be cleped a wretch that cannot
live and dare not die.
If thou wilt live freely learn to die wilfully ; * and
if thou ask of me how many it learneth, I shall tell it
thee anon.
Thou shalt understand that this life is not else but
death ; for death is a passing as every man knoweth
well. Wherefore men say of a man when he dieth
that he passeth ; and when he is dead he is passed.
This life is not but only a passing, yea, forsooth, and
that a full short passing. For all the life of a
man's youth — if he lived a thousand year — were not
as a moment in regard to the other life that ever shall
last ; other in joy withouten end, other in torment
everlasting. This witnesseth to us well earls, kings,
and emperors, which some time had the joy of this
1 i.e. learn. * i.e. willingly.
127
128 THE CRAFT OF DYING
world, and now in hell wallowing and weeping, crying
and saying : Alas, what is now worth to us our power,
honour, noblesse, joy, and boasts ! Sooner it is passed
than the shadow. For as the shot of an arblaster ^
passeth, right so passeth our life. Now be we born,
and now be we dead anon ; and all our life is not a
moment. Now we be in torment everlasting : our
joy is turned into weeping, carols to sorrow, garlands,
robes, games, feasts, and all goods to us be fallen.
Such be the songs of hell. And Holy Writ telleth
us that this life is not but a passage, and for to live is
not but for to pass. Then for to live is not but
for to die, and that is sooth as the Paternoster.
For when thou beginnest for to live, anon thou
shalt begin for to die : and all thine age and thy
time that is passed, death hath it conquered and
holdeth.
Thou sayest that thou hast now forty years. That
is not sooth. The death hath them, and never shall
they thee hold.
Therefore is the wit of this world folly. These
clerks see not this thing ; and yet day and night
they do this thing. And the more that they [have] it
done, the less they it know : for alway they die, and
yet con they not die. For day and night diest thou,
as I have to thee said ; yet in another manner I shall
teach thee this clergy,* that thou con die well and
live well.
Now hearken and understand. Death is not else
but a departing of the body and of the soul, as every
^ cross-bowman. ' i.e. clerical learning or skill.
TOWER OF ALL TOWERS 129
man knoweth. Now teacheth us the wise man,
Caton. Learn we, he sayeth, for to die. Depart we
the spirit from the body. Oft so die the great
philosophers, that this life so much hated, and this
world so much dispraised — and so much desired the
death, that they fell down by their own will : but
that was to them little worth for they had not the
grace nor the truth of Jesu Christ.
But these holy men, that loved and dreaded God,
that out of three deaths hath passed. Twain, for they
be dead unto sin, and dead unto the world ; and
they abiden the third death, that is departing of the
body and the soul. Betwix them and paradise is not
but a little wall, which they pass through thought and
desiring. And if the body be on this half, the heart
and the spirit is on the other half. There they have
(the) conversation, as Saint Paul saith : their place,
their joy, their comfort and their desiring. And
therefore they hate this life that is but death, and
desire the bodily death.
Death unto the good man is end of all evils, and
entry and gates of all goods. Death is the running
brook that departed from (the) life. Death is on
this half, and life is on the other half. But the wise
men of this world (that) on this half on the running
brook see so clearly, and on that other half see not —
and therefore Holy Writ clepeth them fools and blind.
For this death they clepen life, and the death that
these good men beginning of life, they clepen the
end. And therefore they hate so much (the) death
that they wot not what it is ; nor beyond the run-
I30 THE CRAFT OF DYING
ning brook they have not dwelled. And he can
nought * that goeth not out.
Then, if thou wilt wit what is good and what is
evil, [cast out the world and learn to die. Depart
thy body from thy soul through thought, send thine
heart into that other world, that is into heaven, into
hell, and into purgatory. And then thou shalt see
what is good and what is evil].*
In hell thou shalt see more sorrow than man may
devise. In purgatory more torment than man may
endure. In paradise more joy than man may desire.
Hell will teach thee how God shall venge deadly sin.
Purgatory will show thee how God shall venge
venial sin. In paradise thou shalt see aptly virtues
and good works rewarded highly.
In these three things standeth what behovcth for
to con well for to live, and well for to die.
^ i.e. knows nothing.
* Omitted in Harl. 1706, probably because of the repetition
of 'what is CTil.'
THIS FOLLOWS THE CRAFT OF DTING
IN MS. BOD. 423
Have in mind that thou hast one God that made
thee of nought ; which hath given thee thy right
wits, thy right limbs, and other worldly ease, more
than to another, as thou mayst see all day — which
live in much disease and great bodily mischief.^
Think also how sinful thou art, and were [it]
not the keeping of that good Lord God, thou
shouldst fall into all manner of sin, by thine own
wretchedness ; and then thou mayst think soothly as
of thyself there is none more sinful than thou art.
Also if thou have any virtue or grace of good
living, think it cometh of God's fonde ' and nothing
of thyself. Think also how long and how oft God
hath suffered thee in sin. He would not take thee
into damnation when thou had deserved it, but
gladly hath abiden thee till thou wouldst leave sin
and turn thee to goodness ; for loth Him were to
forsake that He bought full sore with bitter pains.
And, for He would not lose thee. He became man,
born of a maiden, suffering great passion and death
to save thee.
^ ill, or need. ^ /,,_ source.
131
HERE FOLLOW FOUR PROFITABLE
THINGS TO HAVE IN MIND : WHICH
BEEN HAD OUT OF THE THIRD
CHAPTER OF A DEVOUT TREATISE
AND A FORM OF LIVING ;» THAT
RYCHARDE HAMPOLE WROTE TO A
DEVOUT PERSON IN THIS MANNER
WISE
The first is the measure of thy life here ; that is so
short that unnethes it is nought ; • for we live in a
point — that is the least thing that may be — and
soothly our life is less than a point if we liken it to
the life that lasteth ever.
Another is uncertainty of our ending ; for we wit
never when we shall die, nor how we shall die, nor
whither we shall go when we be dead ; and that
God will that it be uncertain to us, for He wills
that we alway be ready to die.
The third is that we shall answer before the
righteous Judge of all, the time that we have been
here. How we have here lived, what our occupation
hath been, and why ; and what good we might have
^ It is from chap. iv. of The Form of Living. Cf. Dr
Hodgson'i edit., p. 24, or Horstman, i. 19.
' i.e. scarcely is it anything.
IBS
FOUR PROFITABLE THINGS 133
done, while we have been idle. Therefore the
prophet said : He hath cleped the time against me ;
that is, each day He hath lent us here, for to spend
in good use here, and in penance, and in God's
service. If we waste it in earthly love and vanities,
full grievously may we be deemed and punished.
Therefore it is one of the most sorrows that may be,
but ^ we enforce us namely in the love of God, and
do good to all that we may, the while that our short
time lasteth. And each time that we think not on
God, we may account it as the time that we have
lost.
The fourth is that we think how much that the
joy is that they shall have which last and endure in
God's love into their ending ; for they shall be
brethren and fellow with angels and holy men, loving
and having praising, and seeing the King of Joy, in
the fairhead and the shining of His majesty ; the
which sight shall be meat and all delights that any
creature may think, and more than any man may
tell to all his lovers withouten end. It is much
lighter to come to that bliss than to tell it.
Also think what sorrow, and what pain and what
torment, that they shall have the which loved not
God over all other things that men see in this world ;
but fill their body and their souls in lust and liking
of this life, in pride and covetuousness and other
sins. They shall burn in the fire of hell with the
devil whom thy serve, as long as God is in heaven
with His servants : that is evermore.
* unless.
NOTE ON THE TOWER OF ALL TOWERS
This fragment is taken from the Douce MS. 322 (fol.
X5»). It follows the Orelogium Sapientia, and immediatelj
precedes The Craft of Dij'ing. I have not been able to
trace the book " cleped toure of all toures." Tower of all
towers is probably a name for Heaven, and it may possibly
be a translation from some Latin original. Perhaps some-
one who reads this may be able to throw light upon it.
The Harleian MS. 1706 also contains a copy of the same
fragment.
The other two fragments are from the Bodleian MS. 423.
They are not contained in either the Douce or Rawlinson
manuscripts.
184
THE LAMENTATION OF THE
DYING CREATURE
THE LAMENTATION OF THE
DYING CREATURE
The Dying Creature enset with Sickness incurable
sorrowfully complaineth him thus
Alas that ever I sinned in my life. To me is come
this day the dreadfullest tidings that ever I heard.
Here hath been with me a sergeant of arms whose
name is Cruelty,^ from the King of all Kings, Lord
of all Lords, and Judge of all Judges ; laying on me
the mace of His office, saying unto me : I arrest thee
and warn thee to make thee ready, and that thou
fail not to be ready in every hour when thou be
called on ; thou shalt not wit when. And call sadly
to thine remembrance thine old and [long] * continued
offences ; and the goodness of God, how largely He
hath departed ' with thee the gifts of nature, the
gifts of fortune, and the gifts of grace. And how
He hath departed with thee largely and ordained
thee at thy baptism three borrows,* that thou
shouldest safely and surely be kept in thy tender age
1 All words printed in capitals are written in red in
the MS.
• Additions in square brackets are from Wynkyn de
Worde's printed version.
' divided. * i.e. sureties.
137
138 THE CRAFT OF DYING
as well from vices as bodily peril ; and ordained thee
a good angel to keep and counsel thee — if thou have
been counselled by him, bethink thee — and when
thou camest to years of discretion he ordained thee
three sad counsellors ; Reason, Diead, and Conscience^
If thou have ruled thee by their counsel, call that to-
thy remembrance.
He ordained thee also five [Wits] servants, that
thou shouldest be master of, and rule them after thy
discretion ; that is to say, thy sight, thy hearing, thy
speech, thy feeling, and thy taste. How hast thou
ruled those that be under thine obedience ? Me
seemeth thou hast much things to answer for. The
Judge that shall sit upon thee. He will not be partial,^
nor He will not be corrupt with goods, but He
will minister to thee justice and equity certainly as
well as these three were. Certain things He forbade
thee, and those things thou shouldest flee in every
wise. There is, to wit, the seven deadly sins; and all
things that should provoke, move, or stir thereto. He
bade thee flee. Hast thou done so ? Hast thou
kept His commandments ten : and yet that is but
a little thing.
The Lamentation of the Dying Creature
Alas ! alas ! Excuse me I can not, and whom
I might desire to speak for me I wot not. The day
and time is so dreadful ; the Judge is so rightful ;
mine enemies be so evil ; my kin, my neighbours,
my friends, my servants, be not favourable to me ;
and I wot well they shall not be heard there.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 139
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO THE -Good Angel
O my Good Angel, to whom our Lord took me
to keep, where be thee now ? Me thinketh ye
should be here, and answer for me ; for the dread of
death distroubleth me, so that I cannot answer for
myself. Here is my bad angel ready, and is one of
my chief accusers, with legions of fiends with him.
I have no creature to answer for me. Alas it is an
heavy case !
The Answer of the Good Angel
TO the Dying Creature
As to your bad deeds, I was never consenting.
I saw your natural inclination more disposed to be
ruled by your bad angel than by me. Howbeit, ye
cannot excuse you, but when ye were purposed to do
anything that was contrary to the commandments of
God, I failed not to remember lyou that it was not
well ; and counselled thee to flee the place of peril,
and the company that should stir or move you
thereto. Can ye say nay hereto ? How can ye
think that I should answer for you ?
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO Reason, Dread, and Conscience
O ye Reason, Dread, and Conscience, ye were
assigned to be of my counsel. Now come, I require
14© THE CRAFT OF DYING
you, and help me to answer for me. For my
defaults be so many, and so abominable in the
sight of Him that shall be my Judge, and mine
accusors so many and so unfriendly, that they leave
not one fault behind. Now come, I require you,
and help to answer for me, for it was never so great
need. The fear and the dread that I am in dis-
troubleth me so that one word I cannot speak for my
life. Alas that ever I saw this day !
The Answer of Reason to the Dying Creature
Be not ye remembered that Our Lord ordaineth
you a good angel and a bad angel ; and He ordained
you reason and discretion to know good from evil.
He put you in free choice whether ye would do well
or evil ; and also commanded you to do good and leave
the evil. Ye ought to call to your remembrance how
well God hath done for you, and holpen you in every
danger and peril : He would have been beloved,
dreaded, and served, according to the manifold mercies
and kindnesses that He hath showed unto you. How
to answer for you I wot not. Loth I am to accuse
you, and excuse you I can not.
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO Dread
O Dread, where be ye ? Is there none help and
succour with you to speak for me when I shall come
to judgment i
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 141
The Answer of Dread
No certainly. For when ye were set on pleasure
and delectation of the world, Reason put in your
mind that ye did not well, and I, Dread, was with
you at all times and in every place ; and failed not
to speak to you and to put you in mind of the
shame of the world, dread of damnation, and of the
peril that would follow — as well here as elsewhere —
remembering ^ unto you the punishments that our
Lord ordained for sin ; saying to you : See ye not
how graciously our Lord hath called you away from
sin and wretchedness, if ye would understand it.
How hath He long kept you in worship, estate, and
in prosperity, and (ye) coude not * know the good-
ness of God. How hath He chastised you, and how
oft ; by loss of your children, loss of your kin,
friends, and goods, and loss of all those things that
ye be not pleased with ; and set you in the indigna-
tion of high and mighty princes, and holp you out of
the dangers and perils that ye have been in at all
times ; and yet have ye not loved Him and served
Him, that in all these perils hath preserved and kept
you, and hath been so gracious and good Lord to you.
Who should speak for you. I ? Nay certainly.
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO Conscience
Alas, Conscience, is there no help with you ? I
have heard say, long ago, the world was evil to trust,
^ de Worde, * rehearsing.' * /e were not able to.
141 THE CRAFT OF DYING
but I would hope that Conscience would have
compassion of my distress ; and much the more that
I am friendless.
The Answer of Conscience to the Dying Creature
I am sorry to accuse you, and excuse you I cannot.
For Conscience and Dread have been full seldom
from you in every time and place of peril, and bad
you flee the occasions of sin. Ye might have fled at
that time, and would not. Now ye would flee
Death, and can not. We should speak for you, and
dare not ; and though we would, it availeth not.
Ye must sorrowfully and meekly suffer the judgments
that ye have deserved.
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO THE Five Wits
O ye Five that were ordained to be my servants,
and under mine obedience, and to have been ruled
at all times as I would have you ; is there no good
word that ye may say for me, and record my
demeaning ^ to you, and report how I have ruled
and governed you that were taken • me to keep,
rule, and govern. Me seemeth ye should say for me
now. Who might say so well for me as ye Five ?
Ye have been continually with me ever sith I was
born, night and day, and never at no time from me.
Me thinketh of your kindness ye should have com-
passion on me, and say the best that ye coude say for
* demeanour. ■ /.*. given.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 143
me. I have been friendly to you, and brought you
in every place of pleasaunce and disport. Now show
your kindness again to me and speak to Faith and
Hope for me, that they would charitably do my
message unto the most glorious Prince that ever was,
is, or ever shall be.
The Answer of the Five Wits
Certainly we marvel that ye will desire us to speak,
for you understand those worshipful people hath
denied and refused to speak for you ; your Good Angel,
Reason, Dread, and Conscience. How should ye be
heard ? Or what credence will be given unto us
that have been your servants and under your obeisance,
and nothing done all times but as ye have commanded
us to do ? Call to your remembrance how you
ruled us Five, Sight, Hearing, Feeling, Tasting
and Smelling. Ye have at all times brought us
in places of pleasance and disport ; and though it
were disport and pleasance for the time, it is now
sorrow, weeping, and wailing for your sake, that we
cannot excuse you nor anything say for you that
might be your weal or to your ease. For we have
been privy and partners to all that hath been mis-done
in any wise, and in every place. And our offence in
all things is in your default. For, and ye had sadly ^
ruled us as a sovereign should, ye should have
restrained in us every vice. For we should have been
ruled by you in every thing ; and otherwise than ye
^ wisely.
144 THE CRAFT OF DYING
would have had us do, we would not have done.
Therefore of your necessity your defaults must be
laid upon you, for we have done as servants should do ;
and obeyed you in every thing, and disobeyed you
in nothing. Wherefore of right the peril must be
yours. What credence then would be given to us if
we should say well for you ? The people would say
that we were false dissimulers,^ and favourers of sin.
The Lamentation of the Dying Creature
Alas, there is no creature that I can complain me
to but utterly rcfuseth to say anything that might be
to my comfort.
The Complaint of the Dying Creature
TO Faith and Hope
O holy Faith and Hope, in you is all my trust.
For how grievously, how mischievously • that ever
I offended God, you displeased I never. I have
alway believed as the Church of Christendom hath
taught me ; and specially of the most holy Incarna-
tion I was never in doubt. I have believed in the
most holy and glorious Trinity, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost, three Persons ; and They three
but one God. I have believed in the second Person
of the Trinity, descended into the bosom of the most
pure, glorious, chaste, and meek Virgin, that ever
was, is, or shall be ; and medled * His very Godhead
with her pure, chaste, virginity and maidenhead ; and
^ /.*. dissemblers. • wickedly. » i.e. mingled.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 145
in her bosom was perfectly contained very God and
Man, by the great mystery of the Holy Ghost,
without knowledge and company of any earthly man,
and she a pure, chaste, virgin, flowering in virginity,
and by hearing of the holy Archangel Gabriel, which
brought unto her the most gracious and good tidings
that ever came to mankind.
Now holy Faith, take with you Hope, and ye
twain, of your perfect charity, be mine advocates in
the High Court, and refuse me not; nor disdain me for
mine horrible and abominable sins that I have done,
which asketh vengeance in this world, and damnation
eternal, without the mercy of Him that is Almighty.
What mean ^ might I have thereto ? I pray you
counsel me, for ye know well that my reason never
discorded from the faith.
And as to you Hope, I hope that ye will say for
me that I have hoped always to the mercies of
Almighty God ; and that I should be one of the
children of salvation, and one of those that should be
redeemed by the precious and bitter painful passion,
as other sinners have been. And certainly other plea
or resistance I can not make. But, and ye twain
would be mean for me to that most glorious and pure
chaste Virgin, that chosen was by the one assent of
the whole glorious Trinity to do the most glorious
and worshipfuUest act that ever was done. For her
chastity, her pure virginity, her meekness, her virtue
and her constancy, was cause that she was chosen by
all the whole glorious Trinity to be the Daughter,.
1 mediator.
146 THE CRAFT OF DYING
Mother, and Spouse to the most glorious Trinity ;
and that she should bear Him that should redeem all
mankind from damnation. Who may so well (be)
advocatrice to the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost as she ? And ye will be mean to her for
me, I hope she will not refuse me. For I understand
and know well that she hath holpen many a sinner
that hath right grievously offended ; and in the holy
psalm that was made between her and her cousin,
Saint Elizabeth, it was said that all generations should
bless her. I hope at the beginning of the world Our
Lord put not me out of His number of those that
should bless His most holy Mother, and record her
mercy, pity, and grace that she showeth to sinners
when they have none other succour nor help.
She is Mother of orphans, and she is Consolation
of those that be desolate. She is Guide to those that
be out of the way, to set them in the right way. I
am an orphan. I am desolate. I am out of the way.
I wot not where to cry and call after succour and
help, but only to her that bare our aller ^ Redemptor.
Who may so well be mean to the Son as the Mother ?
And ye twain. Faith and Hope, would be mean to
the Mother of mercy for me. Now gracious Faith
and Hope, do your part, and disdain not my request
though I desire you to this occupation. For, and ye
twain would deny me, to say for me, I doubt I should
fall in despair. For on whom to call for after succour
I wot not ; and to put myself in press " as a poor
naked beast, unclothed in virtue and repleted with
1 if. of us all. - i.r. exert myself.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 147
vices, naked of grace and in mine own default ; and
to come to the presence of the King of all Kings,
(and) unpurveyed of^ all things that would accord
with His most royal and imperial estate ; — I dare not
take it upon me. I should be in such dread and fear
that I should not come, nor dare speak for myself.
For I have prayed my Good Angel to speak for me,
and he hath denied it. I have called upon Reason,
Dread, and C0NSCIEN9E, and they have answered me
full heavily that they be loth to accuse me, but excuse
me they can not ; and alledgeth many a great, reason-
able cause why, that I cannot say nay thereto. I have
called upon my servants which were taken ^ me to
rule and govern, and if they would answer for me
[as I would answer for them,] and they answer me
right shortly, and say : If they should say any good
word for me they should not say truth of me, and
casteth to me that peril, that nobody would give cre-
dence unto them if they would say well of me ; but
call them flatterers, false dissimulers and favourers of
sin.
Alas ! alas ! I have heavily dispended my long life
that, in all this long time (I) have not purchased me
one friend to speak for me. Had our Lord, of His
most ample grace, ordained me immediately after my
Christendom to have died forthwith, I might say I had
been born in a blessed hour. But would it please
your goodness to speak for me, and understand *
whether I shall have hardiness to make a bill to the
^ i.e. unprovided with. * i.e. given.
3 i.e. make me understand.
148 THE CRAFT OF DYING
Blessed Lady, and most holy Virgin that ever was ;
and she that disdaineth not, nor denieth sinners when
they call after grace, notwithstanding her chastity
and her pure virginity excelleth all other virgins.
Now good,^ go your way and let me wit how I
shall speed. For all this time I live in such dread
and fear that me were better to die anon than live
any longer in [the dread that I am in. And also I
have so great] dread and fear of the righteousness of
Almighty God that I am almost dead for fear. For
Reason, Dread, and Conscience said to me shortly that
the high Judge would not be partial, nor He would
not be corrupted with goods, but He will minister to
me justice certainly. But, and He intend to minister
to me justice without favour, I would appeal to His
mercies certainly; for other remedy is there none pardie.
Origen our Blessed Lady hath holpen, Theophil and
Sir Emory;' how should they have done ne ' the
Mother of mercy had been ? And many another
sinner that her grace hath holpen. She is Queen of
Heaven, Lady of the World, and Empress of Hell ;
and sithen her own Son, Our Lord Jesu Christ, hath
died and suffered so tormentuous a death, and in her
own sight, to her great sorrow and motherly com-
passion, I hope that she would be loth that thillc
precious passion should be lost in any creature that
her Blessed Son suffered so patiently.
^ i.e. good Faith and Hope.
• de Worde, 'Thyophyle and Sir Emery.
' i.e. lest.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 149
The Answer of Faith to the Dying Creature
Have ye none acquaintance with our brother
Charity ? We marvel that ye have not spoken of
him in all this time ; for, and he were joined with
us twain, your message should be more acceptably
heard many fold.
The lamentable Complaint of the Dying
Creature to Faith, Hope, and Charity
Certainly I have but little dealed with him. I
ivas never conversant with him. That me repenteth
now, for I feel by you twain that he may do much
in the High Court. I have more dealed with venge-
ance than I have with charity. For I would have
been avenged upon every man by my will. When
the people had slain my children, my kin, my
friends, and robbed and spoiled myself ; and cer-
tainly I would have been a-wroke ^ right fain, and I
had had power to my will. But though my power
•were little, certainly I have hated them, and willed
them to have been done to as they have done to me.
And well I wot that is not the order of charity.
But now heartily I cry God mercy, and our Blessed
Lady, and you, holy Charity ; and here, afore God,
Our Blessed Lady, and you three, I forgive them all
—and all mine enemies — that they have done against
me, and will not be avenged though I might. And
I pray you holy Charity, though it were long or I
^ avenged.
I50 THE CRAFT OF DYING
were acquainted with you, be not the lother to do
for me. I sore repent me that I have thus un-
reasonably and unwittingly absented me from you,
and heartily I cry you mercy, and pray you of
your charity to put out of your mind my presumptu-
ous folly. For certainly I shall never do so more
again, but in every thing that I have to do I shall
desire your favour, succour, and counsel. And I
utterly deny and defy Vengeance, and never to deal
with him more, howsoever I be done to ; but take
it in patience and think, as me ought of right, that
worse than I have been done to, I have deserved to
be done to. But that is not the World, for him
have I served and pleased, and displeased Almighty
God, that is Maker of all things, and His Holy
Begotten Son, that conceived was of the Holy Ghost,
and born of the pure and chaste Virgin, and died for
our redemption. And I have grievously offended
and broken His commandments in all things, know-
ing that I did not well ; wherefore my peril is the
more. Nor I have not called after the blessed Holy
Ghost's grace, mercy, succour, and His help, when I
have been in places of peril of deadly sin. Nor upon
that most holy, pure, chaste, and excellent Virgin,
and besought her of grace. And she turned her
visage from me not from lack of faith, but that me-
thought that her most excellent [charity and]
chastity must of very right abhor my sins, and all
things that I pleased the world with.
I know well that I have displeased Him that
redeemed me with His precious passion ; and this,,
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 151
I wot well, deserved a greater punishment than I
have yet suffered. And there, as me lacked suffisance
and boldness to come in the presence of them that I
have so grievously offended, will it please your good-
ness. Faith, Hope, and Charity, charitably to go
before and be mean for me to the Mother of mercy
and pity, that she will go for me to the glorious
Trinity, and take you three with her. For well I
wot the glorious Trinity will nothing deny that she
desireth. They understand her perfect charity is
such that every creature that calleth after grace, she
hath pity upon them ; have they never so grievously
offended. I should fall in despair and I had not
perfect trust in her grace, mercy, and pity. And so
I have great cause, for I have brought my seely ^ soul
to great bondage, and in such adversity without
remedy, that it passeth my power to ease him or help
him, nor * the great nor special trust that I have in
that most blessed Lady, and in you, holy Faith, Hope,
and Charity.
How THE SORROWFUL SoUL COMPLAINETH HIM TO
THE Dying Creature : saying right thus
How much hast thou done with thy master, the
World ? How nigh be ye twain departed ? Under-
standest thou not how unsure he is, and at thy most
need will fail thee ? Hast thou not seen, afore this
time, in the times of great adversities and troubles,
1 Here means ' poor,' " often used of the soul as in danger
of divine judgment." O.E.D.
• except for.
152 THE CRAFT OF DYING
what hath he eased or profited thee ? Certainlj
little or nought. For, and he hath flattered or
dissimuled with thee one day or one hour, he hath
loured and grutched with thee * an whole year there-
fore. Hast thou not understood him in all this time,
but hanged upon him always, so long as thou mightest ;
and longer wouldest if thou might ? But now the
season [and time] is come he will depart from thee ;
and what distress that ever thou art in, little will
he savour, succour or help thee. Such as thou
thinkest be thy friends will show thee a feigned
favour, till they know the certainty of thy riches ; and
if thou have goods they will cherish and favour thee
for a season, and complain and wail thy death. And
yet they would right fain thou were a-gone, and be
right glad of thy death. And when thine eyes be
closed, thine hearing a-gone, thy speech withdrawn
and may not speak, then shalt thou see what thy
master the World will do for thee. Seek thy coffers
he will, and every corner by the way of likelihood
where any goods is in. And little will thy worldly
friends depart with* to thee then, and little com-
passion will they have on thy poor soul. And if
they find little or nought in thy coffers, what will
they say then ? They will say thou were a fool, a
waster ; thou couldest not keep ; thou spendest
more than thou haddest. Thus will they say by
thee. And though they find much, thou shalt have
but a little thereof, and fare but little the better.
^ i.e. frowned upon and complained of thee.
- i.e. divide.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 153
And if they find but little, they will grudge with
thee ^ and say thee never a good word.
Think thereon betimes, and be thine own friend ;
for, and thou canst not love thyself, who will love
thee ? Canst thou love every ^ creature better than
thyself? If thou do so, I wis thou art not wise.
Remember (what I say now, for thou shalt find this
true, every word. And though I speak thus grievously
and straitly unto thee, marvel not for it ; for he am I
that shall abide and suffer, and endure the pains of
thy distress. Alas that ever I was coupled with thee !
And so have I cause to say, for I shall be punished
without favour for thy deeds. How hastily, how
soon [I cannot say. How unadvisedly and how un-
readily thou purveyeth for me ;] I wot never. How
should any other creature have compassion on me
when thou hast not, that, sith that thou were first
formed a creature, I have always been with thee and
never from thee ; and in the age of thine innocency
was kept full virtuously to my great comfort ; and in
thy middle age was kept full viciously and sinfully to
my great sorrow ; and in thine old age little or nought
remedied ^ thy wretched living.
Alas ! Alas ! Alas ! that ever thou and I were
coupled together ! For the season hasteth fast that I
must go to pains for thy misrule, and endure pain —
whether it be eternal or for a long season. I wot not
what remedy thy worldly friends will find to ease me.
I am in great dread. I trow they will have little com-
' complain of thee. • de Worde, ' any.'
' de Worde, ' remembered.*
15+ THE CRAFT OF DYING
passion on me that am thy poor soul, but give their
attendance to bury thee richly and worshipfully, and
make thy house cleanly and thy purse empty ; and
little compassion or remembrance have on thee and me
certainly, but let me burn eternally, but if ^ (by) the
mercies of Him that is Almighty, (and) by the mean •
of His most holy Mother ; that pure, chaste, maiden
that helpeth every sinner that calleth after grace when
there is none other remedy.
Now farewell Body. Thou shalt to the Earth,
and lie and rot, and worms eat thee ; and I shall to
pains long, or else eternal. Mercy, blessed Lady, that
bare Christ Jesu, Our aller Redemptour : for in none
other help I assure me.
The lamentable Lamentation of the Dying
Body to the Soul
Alas, seely soul, the torments and pains of mine
offences shall ye suffer. I am so sorry. There can no
tongue tell the sorrow that I endure that have brought
you in such bondage, peril, danger and adversity, with-
out remedy ; nor the high and mighty mercies of
Almighty God, whose mercies cannot be had but by
the mean of His Blessed Mother. And if she that is
so chaste, so pure, and so holy, would abhor the
abomination of our sins, what should we do ? I have
desired Faith, Hope, and Charity, to be mine advo-
cates to her that bare Christ Jesu, and when I am
answered again, such answer as I have I shall let you
wit.
* i.e. except. • i.e. mediation.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 155
How THE Dying Creature complaineth Him
TO Faith, Hope, and Charity
O ye holy Faith, Hope, and Charity, where have
ye been so long ? I have lived in great dread how ye
have sped. Have ye been with the Queen of Heaven,
Lady of the world, and Empress of hell ? That most
glorious, pure, chaste virgin, that bare the Son of God
that should redeem all mankind. How will her chaste
and pure virginity receive me that am a sinner, and
suiFer me to come in her presence, and put a suppli-
cation to her most high, glorious, and excellent
Prince, that have so grievously offended her blessed
Son and her. Will she not abhor, nor disdain to look
on me that am of all sinners the most horrible and
abominable, and have so done that I cannot, without
her most abundant grace, find a mean how to make
aseth.^ But I have heard say of old antiquity that she
is so merciful and so gracious to sinners [when they
call after grace, and hath holpen so many sinners] that
of right must have perished n'ere her grace had been.
But what comfort ye have of her most abundant grace
I pray you let me wit, for certainly I live in great
despair. For here hath been with me, sith ye went,
my Soul, and complained that he must perish eternally
in my default," and crieth and waileth the time that
ever he was coupled with thilk ungracious body, that
so hath ruled him ; and I can give him no comfort
without you three.
^ satisfaction. ^ ;_,, for my failure*
156 THE CRAFT OF DYING
The answer of Faith, Hope, and Chawtv
TO THE Dying Creature
We, Faith, Hope, and Charity, have done your
message, and found that Princess full graciously dis-
posed ; and saith that she remembereth well how
the glorious Trinity chose her of one assent to be
mediatrix and mean between God and man. And
that her great worship and joy was caused for our re-
demption,— which she cannot put in oblivion ; and
also the great sorrows, not one but many, that she had
at her blessed Son's passion, and saw her blessed and
well-beloved Child die so tormcntously for the re-
demption of sinners, and He guiltless Himself in every-
thing, but of His great and most ample grace, mercy,
and charity that He showeth to all sinners. And so
precious, so glorious, and so tender was never none as
He was. For He was the very pure Godhead, medled
with her pure, chaste, virginity and maidenhood ; and
in her precious body made His holy habitation nine
months ; and in her soul eternally. And when she un-
derstood the prophecy, of her great meekness desired
that she might be one of those and simplest servant,
to her that should bare the Son of God and Him
that should redeem all mankind : and her great meek-
ness thought herself not worthy to that most holy
occupation.
And therefore be of good chere, for we three.
Faith, Hope, and Charity, will bring you there, and
not leave you till ye be answered. And sith ye have
put your special trust in us to be your advocates, and
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 157
laid apart all temporal and worldly trust, we three
will not fail you. And therefore put your soul in
comfort, and arm you with the armour of a sure and
holy Confession, with a sorrowful Contrition, pur-
posing to do very Satisfaction ; and be out of doubt.
We hope ye shall speed right well, if it be in your
heart as ye speak with your mouth, — and else trust
not to our friendship in no wise. But go and labour
your supplication as effectually as ye can devise, and be
out of all despair ; for we. Faith, Hope, and Charity,
will believe ^ you for the trust that ye have had alway
in us.
How THE Dying Body calleth after the Soul
AGAIN
Where be ye, dear Soul, that here was with me but
late, complaining that ye must to pain for a long
while or else eternally, and in my default and without
remedy ? I have been in such dread, sorrow, and
fear for you that nothing could comfort me till
Faith and Hope came to me and asked me if I were
not acquainted with Charity. And I have answered
them simply that I was never acquainted with him^
and that me repenteth sore now. But Faith and
Hope have brought me with him, and I have lowly
and humbly submitted myself to him, and meekly
cried him mercy of my presumptious folly ; pro-
mising that I will never offend him more, denying
all such as be his enemies, and as he loveth not
^ de Worde, ' not leave you.'
158 THE CRAFT OF DYING
vengeance, hatred, and cruelty, and promised him
faithfully that I will never deal with them more ;
and I hope ^ he hath pardoned me. And (he) hath
been in the company of Faith and Hope to the
Mother of mercy for me, and brought me (a) right
gracious answer again : That she cannot put in
oblivion the great joy, worship, and comfort that
she had of the Son of God for the redemption of us
sinners, neither the maidenly and motherly com-
passion that she suffered for Him in the time of the
most precious, painful, and bitter passion ; and that
I shall have • hardiness to come to the presence of
that most royal and imperial Princess, and put a
supplication to her.
And therefore be of good cheer and suffer your
pains patiently, for though it be long I hope it shall
not be eternally. And good, dear Soul, while ye and
I be together, or that we depart, purvey* in your
wisdom some remedy — what can be to your ease — and
I will be agreeable thereto. For were we twain once
divided and departed, few or none would have com-
passion on your pain. See ye not how the World
loureth upon us now every day, and is ready to
depart from us every day, for little thing or nought ?
And less would they do for us and we twain were
departed. Therefore, dear Soul, the remedies that
may be found through your wisdom I pray you find
them, and I shall be right fain to execute them.
For I am at this hour as sorry as it is possible any
^ i.e. trust - i.e. must have.
' foresee or provide.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 159
wretch to be, that have brought you in the peril and
danger that ye be in, and as fain would be to do
that (that) might ease you, and gladder than ever
I was to do anything that hath hurt you.
How THE Dying Creature putteth his Supplica-
tion TO THE Mother of Mercy, Mary, re-
plete WITH Grace : Princess of Ruth, Mercy,
AND Pity, to whom all Sinners resorteth
WHEN they be SUCCOURLESS
Meekly beseecheth and sorrowfully complaineth
your dreadful ^ suppliant, that all my life long unto
my last age have lived and not obeyed the com-
mandments of Almighty God in nothing ; but
misruled myself and my life in all the seven deadly
sins, and sinfully and simply have occupied [my five
wits, and set aside all virtues and used and occupied]
all vices, and served the devil, the world and the flesh,
having very knowledge both of good and evil : and
knew well that what pleased them displeased God,
but I dreaded to displease them. And now hath
been a servant-of-arms with me, and laid upon me
the mace of his office cruelly, and hath commanded
me to make me ready every hour ; for I shall not wit
when I shall be called to my judgment.
The certainty of death hath brought me into so
grievous an infirmity that none earthly medicine can
cure me. Mine enemies be great in multitude, and
have environed • me and all my defaults brought with
^ i.e. full of dread. * de Worde, ' overcome.'
i6o THE CRAFT OF DYING
them, and I wot well they will accuse me. My
worldly friends have forsaken me. I have cried and
called after them to answer for me ; and they have
answered me full straitly and unfriendly that they
neither dare nor can, nor will answer for me, nor
excuse me ; and shortly they be departed from me.
My Good Angel first. Reason, Dread, and Conscience
and my Five Wits, hasteth them from me-ward, and
leaveth me destitute and alone : and where to have
succour I wot not, nor help. But as it fortuneth me
in good time, may I say, I met with Faith, Hope, and
Charity ; and they have promised me that they will
speak to your most excellent benign grace and mercy
for me : and so I trust they have. For certainly of
your most pure, chaste virginity, and un-wemmed ^
maidenhead was I never in doubt, and I have hoped
and trusted to your mercies always. I have heard
say that ye be Mother of orphans, and I wis I am a
very orphan, fatherless and motherless. Yc be com-
fort and succour to all those that be destitute, desolate^
and succourless. I wis Lady, that am I. For I have
neither help, succour, nor comfort of no creature, but
only the trust that I have in your benign grace. Ye
be guide to them that be out of the way and seek the
means to come to the right way. Ah, blessed Lady,
I have been so long out of the right way that I sore
dread and fear to call upon you for grace : but as
Faith, Hope, and Charity have put me in comfort
how loth ye be to sec your Son's precious passion lost
in any creature, and they have given me hardiness to
* i.e. unstained.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE i6i
call upon your most noble and benign grace. And so
Lady, with humble, sorrowful, and dreadful heart and
mind, I beseech your most benign grace, mercy, and
pity, to set me in the right way of salvation and make
me one of the partners of your Blessed Son's precious
passion, and of your maidenly and motherly com-
passions. And as ye became borrow^ for Mary
Egyptian to your Blessed Son, so good Lady be my
borrow, that I shall never from henceforth wilfully
offend your Blessed Son or you, but sore repent that
ever I have heard or did anything that hath displeased
your Blessed Son or you ; being in will never to
return to sin and wretchedness again, but rather to
die than wilfully to do anything that would displease
my Lord Christ Jesu, or you.
Now Princess, excelling in might and worthiness
all creatures, as in dignity ; mine heart's Lady, my
worldly chief Goods, pray your Son to have mercy
upon me, sith in all my greatest mischief* to your
grace I fly. I can no further resort to find any con-
solation. And sith my hope and trust is only set in
you, be my refuge now in this great tribulation, and
cover my sinful Soul with the mantle of your mercies,
and set your Son's precious passion between me and
eternal damnation. Amen.
The Supplication of Our Lady to Our Lord Jesu
HER Son for the Sick Creature
O Jesu, my Lord and God, and my most Blessed
Son, in whom is all plenty of grace and of undoubted
^ i.e. pledge. ' i.e. need.
1 62 THE CRAFT OF DYING
mercy to and for all sinners that with steadfast faith
and assured hope devoutly call unto God for help
and grace, and humbly beseech mercy and forgiveness
of their misfaults and offences. To You ^ I come as a
solicitor and beseecher for this sick creature, which right
humbly and with sorrowful and contrite heart sueth
continually for Your grace and pardon, that it may
like You to incline You of Your wonted pity to his
request and complaints, and graciously to consider
his needs and causes.' He is sore abashed and dis-
comforted ' in himself, and as who saith utterly con-
founded ; considering his grievous and deep sins by
the which he hath provoked Your wrath and indigna-
tion, by the which he is also sore encumbered and
standeth in great danger of his enemies ; — and namely
he feareth him of Your dreadful judgment. For well
he witteth that if Ye do him justice he is but lost for
ever.
Yet for all this he despaireth not of Your mercy,
for he is in good opinion,* and trusteth to rejoice '
Your pardon, and be reconciled to grace. Where-
upon he sueth continually to You as he may and
dare. For he knoweth himself deeply drenched in
sin, and so sore elonged • from grace by sin that he
thinketh himself unworthy to approach to offer his
prayer. And therefore he sueth by means,' and
^ The plural form you and your is often used in address-
ing God as sovereign.
* < cause ' here means sickness or disease.
• grieved.
* i.e. in good hope, or expectation.
• enjoy. • removed. ' i.t, mediators.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 163
especially by me to whom he calleth importunately,
with piteous and elenge ^ voices ; and ceaseth not,
but continueth in sobbing and weeping so lamentably
that my heart rueth to hear. And certes I can no
longer me contain, but to instant * his prayers and to
put in * Your grace for him. For he clepeth me the
Mother of mercy, for encheson * that I bare You,
which be the very Well and Fountain of mercy, and
have it of unseverable property to be merciful to all
sinners. And for this he challengeth me in manner, as
though I should [owe] of duty to enterpart " my
labours and prayers in this behalf with him and for
him, and to sue for the hasty speed of his reconcilia-
tion ; and that he letteth " not to put me in mind
that I was ordained of God to be mean atwixt Him
and man. And certes I allow well his mind therein,
for true it is that I ought so to be ; that likewise as
Ye, my dear Lord and Son, descended from heaven
to earth by me, and became partner of man's nature
by me, so that all sinners that be not in state of grace
should be reconciled and restored to grace by me,
and be made partners of joy by me.
This is well signified in the figure of Aaron's rod
which bare a flower miraculously, as Scripture
witnesseth : the which rod signifieth me, like as the
flower betokeneth You. For as a rod groweth
directly upward and is the straight mean betwixt the
root and the flower, and he that will climb to gather
^ miserable ; de Worde has ' waylinge voyces.'
* urge or press. ^ ;,,_ claim. * for reason.
' i.e. share, ' here = ceaseth.
1 64 THE CRAFT OF DYING
the flower must ascend by the rod, [or else bow the
rod] and cause the flower to stoop ; so he that willeth
to arise from sin must rise by me, and he that will
accline ^ Your grace and rejoice Your pardon, must
bow me by prayer, that I may cause You to stoop ;
that is to say to incline to their prayers.
Lo thus, my dear Lord and Son, it is open and
evident that I am ordained to reconcile man, and that
it is in manner my duty and office for to do. Where-
fore, sith this sick creature thus continually and
undefatigably crieth to me with piteous and doleful
complaint, and requireth me so straitly that I can no
less do than put me in endeavour for him [and
enterpart my labours with him for him] — and certes
not only for his importunate suit and prayer, but
also for other considerations reasonable and charitable
that move me to tender and instant his causes.
The First Consideration
One is that he is allied right nigh to me by
spiritual cognation ; • for both we have one Father,
that is God Which is our Father by creation and one
Mother, the Church, which is our Mother by re-
generation. Thus is he my brother, and I his sister.
And now, my Lord, me seemeth right unfitting, me
being a Queen, to see my brother a prisoner. I at
liberty, and he in thraldom. I in bliss, and he in
torment. Wherefore I am constained, as who saith
by nature, to sue for his delivery and reconciling.
1 i.t. bend towards. • i.e. kindred.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 165
And this is one of the considerations that reasonably
move me to sue for his pardon.
The Second Consideration
Another is this : That sith it liked You, of Your
great bounty and inestimable charity, for the reconcil-
ing of man, to taice [of me Your handmaiden] flesh
and blood to offer in sacrifice for the redemption of
me and this creature, — and all other whom it hath and
shall like You to call to Your faith ; me seemeth I
ought not, forasmuch as in me lieth, to see that
thing miscarry which Ye have so preciously redeemed
and bought, as dearly as Ye bought me and with the
same flesh and blood which Ye took of me, Your
humble creature and handmaiden.
The Third Consideration
Another is this : I and every each (of) Your other
creatures be for Your part bound to sue ^ the means to
honour, worship, and glorify You, — in that we can or
may. But so it is that in justifying this sinner, great
honour and glory shall be to You and to Your saints :
for Your Scripture saith : Gaudium est angelis dei st Luke
SUPER UNO PECCATORE PCENITENTIAM AGENTE. That is XV. 10.
to say : Joy and gladness is to Your angels the con-
version of one sinner contrite and penitent. And in
another place Your Scripture saith : Magis gaudium st Luke
EST super PECCATORE PCENITENTIAM AGENTE, QUAM SUPER XV. 7.
nonaginta novem justis. That is to say and to
signify that more joy and honour is to God in
1 i.e. pursue.
1 66 THE CRAFT OF DYING
reconciling a sinner that is in full and assured purpose
to persevere in grace, than in (a) great multitude of
other righteous that never offended.
Wherefore my Lord as I am bound to glorify and
honour You, so am I in manner bound to make
instance ^ for reconciling of this Your creature ; in
the which thing Ye shall be greatly honoured and
glorified. And these be the things that move me to
instant and solicit his causes, and to endeavour • me
for him.'
The Fourth Consideration
Furthermore I see in him great ability and likeli-
hood to be that creature that may serve You, honour
and glorify You. For he is entirely displeased with
himself that he hath so grievously sinned and offended
Your grace, and he is right heavy and contrite there-
fore ; and he remembereth him many sithes of his
old sins — not as delighting nor having pleasure in
them, but to his shame and great remorse — and he
hath them in perfect hatred, insomuch that he would
not offend again in the least of them for all the
world ; and he hath fastened his intent and purpose
to be hereafter all of other demeanour, through Your
help and grace ; and he will gladly do penance for
that he trespassed ; and he lowly submitteth him to
the correction of Holy Church, and wilfully assenteth
to pay the finance and suffer the penance attached by
Your Church, and to do satisfaction as is for his
^ urgent entreaty. * de Worde, ' submit.'
* Here the handwriting in the MS. changes.
LAMENTATION OF THE CREATURE 167
frailties possible. And where, as he saith himself^
(he is) not of ability nor power to do satisfaction as
him ought, in that behalf he putteth himself wholly
in Your grace, and remitteth him to Your great mercy
and to the merits of Your passion ; which counter-
vaileth and prevaileth all the penances and satisfaction
that might [be] possible [for to] be done by all the
world, from Adam to the last creature that shall be
born. And he piteously crieth to me and beseecheth
me to enterpose my merits atwixt Your judgment and
him, and to offer in sacrifice for him the sobbings
and sighings and sorrowful and lamentable tears that
I wept for You in Your tender young age and child-
hood, when Simeon prophesied to me Your passion,
and when I had lost You in Jerusalem ; and the
sorrows that I suffered for You in time of Your
painful and grievous passion, when the sword of
sorrow pierced my heart. And certain I am right
well content and glad so to do ; and I beseech You
so to accept my merits for his, as his, as he goodly
deserveth, and to set my sorrows and tears of pity in
place of his penances and contrition.
Furthermore it might like you to consider the
great labour and business of Faith, Hope, and
Charity : and namely of Charity, which sueth for
him continually and never is idle, but busy in labour
for him. And she clepeth and calleth on me for
him incessantly to see the expedition of his causes,
and she undertaketh for his a-bearing.^ And well
Ye wot that her desire and prayer may not be void
^ behaviour or endurance.
i68 THE CRAFT OF DYING
jior frustrate, but she must be graciously heard in all
her goodly requests and desires. She hath also
retained Faith and Hope on her part for this sick
creature ; and he hath professed to keep Your faith
inviolably, and hath put him in full assurance of
Your mercy. For though it so be that he see not in
himself whereof he may trust to rejoice Your pardon,
yet she showeth him that in You is so great prompt-
ness of mercy and continual custom, that Ye be
[wont] and used alway to forgive, and have of natural
property to be merciful to all sinful, that it maketh
him bold to fasten the anchor of his hope in You ;
and (he) trusteth finally to make a voyage in the port
of Your mercy.
The Conclusion of Our Lady's Supplication
Now my Lord, sith all the good abilities and
dispositions to grace be in this creature by Your
sufferance, there is no more to do but that Ye let
descend Your grace to the vessel so disposed ; and
that Ye vouchsafe to suffer him rejoice Your pardon,
and reconcile him to Your Church, and make him a
member thereof, the sooner and speedier for this my
prayer and bequest. I You beseech, my most dear
Lord and Son, whom it hath liked You alway to
hear graciously, and never sufler to depart [boteless]
but lievcr ^ of my petition : for which be to You and
Your most honourable and dread Father, with the
Holy Ghost Your equal Peer, everlasting joy, honour,
and glory. Amen.
^ i.e. gladder.
NOTE ON THE LAMENTATION OF THE
DYING CREATURE
This is copied from the MS. Harl. 1706 (fol. 96). The
author is unknown. The catalogue says "perhaps by
Hampole," but I think Jittle heed need be taken to the
suggestion since most of the longer treatises in this manu-
script are ascribed to Rolle of Hampole; such for example
as The Orotogium Sapientia, The Craft of Dicing, The Treatise of
Ghostly Battle, and The Ladder of Four Rungs ; all of which
hare been proved not to be his.
The Lamentation of the Dying Creature is in a different and
later hand than the first part of the manuscript, and its style
leads us to think that it is of later date than the other
treatises collected together in this volume. It is more
nearly related to the Mystery Plays than any of the former.
4n the old printed edition of Wynkyn de Worde's which is
in the Bodleian Library (Tanner 193) there is a rough
wood-cut — repeated curiously on the reverse side of the same
leaf — which is evidently a reproduction of the one chosen
from the block-book Ars Moriendi as the frontispiece for
this volume. In de Worde's illustration, however, the
scrolls are left blank, and the demon wears a more revenge-
ful expression on his face. There is also a tower in the
-background behind the ciucifix (can this have any con-
nection with the " toure of all toures"?) and a latticed
window is seen in the corner of the picture. In other
respects it follows the illustration from the block-book ;
Our Lady stands beside the bed, and the same figure, with
a staff in his hand and sheep by his side, is depicted as in
■our frontispiece.
ie»
APPENDIX
(See note to p. loz)
Since writing the above note I have heard from the Librarian
of the John Ryiands Library that they possess a copy of this,
tract reprinted by Wynkyn de Worde in 1496, under the
same title, viz. : " A iytell treatyse shortely compyled and
called ars moriendi, that is to saye the craft for to deye
for the helthe of mannes solile." Mr Guppy tells me it is
"identically the same text as that contained in the unique
copy in the Bodleian, which is without printer's name, date
or place, but which is printed in Caxton type No, 6."
170
GLOSSARY
(JVhen a ■word only occur » once in the tixt it tvill not be Joundin
the glossary.^
advite, ponder, think on.
aggrieve, aggravate, make
heavy.
alloxving, praising, hallowing.
anon, immediately.
apparelled to, prepared to.
article, a critical point or
moment ; chiefly used of
the moment of death.
asjittant. Standing by, present.
he-clip, embrace.
be-hest, a promise.
be-hight, promised.
he-hote, promised, vowed.
bote, remedy.
busy, careful, diligent.
but if, unless.
can, often means 'know.'
careful, sorrowful.
charging, accusing.
chere, countenance, face.
clepe, clepen, call.
clip, embrace, clasp.
comfort («.), to strengthen.
commodity, convenience, supply
of.
con (v.), to learn, be able to,
conversation, behaviour, life.
coude, knew.
covent, convent.
cunning, knowledge.
default, failure.
default of, lack of, absence
of.
depart, divide, separate.
dilection, spiritual love.
dis-partle, scatter.
dispoted, prepared.
dispose to (v.), prepare for.
doubt, dread.
dress («.), prepare, direct.
enforce (w.), strive, exert.
faculty, resource.
fonde, foundation, source.
force, to give, to take heed
to.
for-sloth, to lose through
sloth.
glose («.), flatter.
grin, a snare.
171
172
THE CRAFT OF DYING
grimi (v.), to gnash with the ofuUhtt, oft-times.
teeth. or, before.
grutch, i. complain, grumble ; othertvhile, at times.
ii. grudge.
grutching, murmuring.
hatttd, pressed, urged.
out-take, except.
pat sing, surpassing.
pai^, pajfd, to please, pleased.
hasty, hattili/, sudden, sud- perish, perishing, destroy, de-
denly.
incontinent. Straightway.
inconvenient, incongruous.
infounde, to shed into.
instance, entreaty.
, stroying.
I plain, absolute.
; plainly, fully, entirely.
point (in a), point of time,
moment.
presently, without delay.
instant («.), to urge, eu- proper, own.
treat. , . .- purvey, foresee, provide.
put, i. give, place ; ii. ponder,
iinJ, nature. , consider.
put in, urge, claim.
let, letted, hinder, hindred.
letting, hindering, ceasing.
leivi/, ignorant.
letvd man, layman.
lotoable, deserving of praise.
may, generally equivalent to
'can.'
mean, mediator, mediation.
medled, mingled.
mischief, i. need, want ;
ii. misfortune, evil.
miserations, mercy, compas-
sion.
mutv^ (/.), power, might.
moTue (f.), to be able.
movings, emotions, impulses.
namely, especially^, particu-
larly. ,: ,.• -i- ~ •.-
rather, soon, earlier.
rejoice, enjoy,
reproachable, deserving of re-
proach.
require, request, desire.
sad, wise.
.(ai//y,i. wisely; ii. constantly.
seely, i. holy, blessed; ii. poor,
wretched.
sentence, meaning.
sith, sithen, since.
sithe, time.
slothed, delayed.
sort, lot.
spring, sprinkle.
suddenly, without delay, lorth-
with.
sue, parsue, follow.
GLOSSARY
tate, often means < receive,'
' give.'
thili, the same.
thirl, thrill, pierce,
unbelapped, enwrapped.
uncunning, ignorance.
undispoiid, unprepared.
unkindly, unnatural.
unnelh, unnethes,
scarcely.
very, real, true.
seldom,
•waymeniing, lamenting.
•wilfully, willingly.
•wood, mad.
•worship, honour.
Printed in G*xat Britain
6y Tumbuli^ Shears, Edinburgh
1157i
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