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[Page]¶ This treatyse is called the doctrynale of dethe and is to be rede afore a man or a woman whan it semeth that they be in the artycle of deth.
REde this as it foloweth afore the seke persone ye shall vnderstonde that none shall haue the kyngdome of heuen but suche as fyghteth for it / and specyally agaynst theyr body the tyme of temptacyon and sekenes. The soule and the body are of contrary na ture and of contrary condycion / and betwyxt them is contynuel bathayl. Yf your soule take pacyently the bodely sekenes / and as hertly as it can thanke god therof / for ye haue diserued this paynes & moche more in punysshement of syn̄e / than your soule preuayles agaynst your flesshe and gettest the vyctorye / and in rewarde therof ye shal haue the crowne of glorye. ¶ Rmembre how oftentymes your flesshe hath drawen your soule after it to synne by delectacion / therfore now our lorde hath sente you a tyme for to recompence for those many offences Wherfore now late the soule drawe the flesshe to it and offer it to god as a sacrefyce brennynge wyth paynful sekenes in satisfaccyon of that inordinat pleasure that it hath had in the flesshe from the tyme that it was Ioyned therto / pacyently and thankefully take the payne & than the payne is prouffytable to you / & more swete in th acceptacōn of god [Page] thenne euer flesshly pleasyre was accepte vnto you from the tyme ye ware borne / thenne ye shall haue therby the loue of god / remyssyon and foryeuenes of synne. Increace of grace / and the grete helpe of our lorde at the houre of deth / & ye shall haue per petuell Joye for that ye haue soo pacyently taken this temporell payne for the loue of hym. ¶ Now lerne ones to haue a pacyent herte / lerne mekely to here the yocke of god / do one prycypall acte for the loue of hym that bare the crosse of moost bytterest payn for your loue. Remembre he assayed your burden / he feled it / he is redy to rewarde you for it / he hath layde it on youre backe / than thynke that ye wyll bere it / shewe you his obedyent seruaunt / and yf ye bere it of loue ye shall fynde it the more lyghter / and ye shal fele that his mercy shal lessen your burden & Inwardly refresshe you by his grace wt Joyfulnes of spyryte as he sayth hymself. All ye that haue laboured & haue borne grete burden for me come to me & I shall refresshe you / shewe your selfe now a trewe chylde and dyscyple of our lorde whiche sayth yt who wyll be my dyscyple he muste forsake his flesshly desyre and take vpon hym the crosse of trybulatyon. ¶ Now the crosse is on your backe now bere it myghtely after youre saueyour your flesshe desyreth helth an rest / ye muste forsake this desyres and conferme your wyll to the wyl of god whiche knoweth what thyngꝭ is moste to your auayle / and by this shorte payne hath ordeyned yf [Page] ye applye you obedyently to take it that ye shal be delyuered therby from many a synne whiche ye haue longe tyme contynued in / and a lytell payne in this lyfe auoyded grete payne after this lyf / and a shorte payne here recompensed for a longe payne there / and by the payne that ye suffre in this lyf ye shal not only haue for yeuenes of synne but ye shal haue grete Joye after this lyfe. And the payne whi he he suffred after this lyfe it deserued only forgyuenes of synne but noo more Joye they shall haue therfore. Wherfore vnderstondynge that ye muste haue payne for synne acordynge to the ryghtwysnes of god / be gladde that ye haue the lesse payne whiche is more proyffytable to you than that grete and longe payne shold be. This ye thynke is a grete payne but in regarde of that payne whiche is a uoyded by this graciously takynge it is in manere no payne. The dere beloued soules of our lord they had grete payne afore they departed out of this lyf and they desyred so to haue for they knewe the profyte and fruyte whiche they shold haue therby whiche they haue now & are put in ful surte that they neuer shall haue suffraūce of payne after this. Remembre this blessyd felawshyp whiche hath gone afore you / and be glad that ye maye be felawshyp with them / truste it veryly ye shall haue grete comforte of them agaynst your gostely enmye yf ye Joy fully folowe them. I wote wel your fleshe grugeth with payne but that shall not lese your meryte / for [Page] it is naturall to the flesshe so to do / the meryte is in your soule that ye thynke ye haue deserued it and haue a wyll to suffre it as longe as it pleased god ye shal haue it and saye in your soule / lorde I than ke the for this ryghtwys payne whiche I suffre blessyd be thou that sendes me reason and techynge to take it pacyently / thy name be blessyd euerlastyngly and with al the force yt ye may applye your body to suffre payne lyke as our sauyour applyed his body to the crosse for you. And whan ye fele that ye drawe to sekenes haue wyll to saye gramercy my lorde lyke yf ye receyued a precyous gyfte of hym / & yf your payne be so grete that ye thynke not vpon thankynges at that tyme / soone after whan ye fele the payne asswaged than hertly thanke hym that he wyll make you partener with hym in passyon For as saynt Poule sayth / lyke as we are parteners with hym in passyon / so we shal be parteners with hym in Joye and consolacyon. ¶ Remembre also the grete rewarde that ye shall haue for pacyently takynge of this payne. For as saynt Poule sayth / all the paynes yt we may suffre are not able to haue that Joye whiche we shall haue for payne / but only by ye grace of god whiche hath ordeyned that a lytell payne well taken here shall haue Inestima ble Jope there. Ye shall haue god hymselfe for the good labour of your suffraunce & the same glorye that he hath. That is to saye / ye shall clerly se the same godhede and blessyd dyuynite that he seeth / [Page] & haue euerlastynge gloryous fruycyon with moste swete & brennynge loue of the same / and be in felawshyp with his blessyd moder and all the angels and sayntes of heuen in myrth and Joye with endles blysse so grete that neuer eere dyde here / neuer eye dyde see / neuer herte dyde thynke the leest parte of that Joye. ¶ O what payne wyll the dampned soules whiche are now in helle suffre soo that they myght auoyd that outrage & horryble payne that they haue & euerlastyngly shal haue / yf they myght auoyde yt perpetuell payne by ony temporel payne that they myght suffre / yf they had lycence to torne agayne to this lyfe al erthly payne shold be swete to them / and all payne of this worlde sholde be in maner as noo payne to them / all that payne they sholde haue auoyded yf thy had gracyously taken payne in this lyfe afore yt they departed / and they that ben in heuen haue so grete Joye for the payne that they suffred in this lyfe blessydly yt they thyn he yf that they were here agayne they wolde suffre an hondred tyme more payne than euer they dyde therfore now applye you to suffre thankfully this payne that ye may haue there the grete inestymable Joye whiche groweth of good suffraūce. Now gyue gode example to those yt are aboute you that they may see by your meke takynge of payne that ye are ye faythfull chylde of god / & that they maye lerne of you lyke wyse to do in tyme comynge / and than your rewarde shal be doubled / for ye shal not [Page] onely than for your selfe he rewarded / but also for them whiche are byttred by you. ¶ Haue also in ye syght of your soule your sauyour Lryste Jesu and see the grete effusyon & sheddynge of his blode and moost paynful deth that he suffred for you whiche neuer dyde synne / but suffred for your synne yt ye sholde neuer be dampned yf ye wyll aske mercy & be confessyd of youre synne / & he purchassed grace by the sacrament of baptysme that yf ye had deyed than whan ye were fyrst crystened ye sholde neuer haue had payne after this lyf / but for those synnes that ye haue done from that tyme ye muste suffre payne in this lyf or in that other lyfe bāt yf ye synne be done awaye by the sacrament of confessyon / therfore folowe now the example of your sauyour in so moche he suffred for your synne ye moost greuous payne applye you to suffre that ye maye / for all yt ye may suffre is no thynge comparable to yt he suffred for you / & than truste veryly ye shal be hertly welcome to hym for ye haue wel folowed hȳ / thyse paynes pacyently taken shall delyuer you from ye moost outrage payne of hell / & ye maye so blessydly take them wt geuynge thankyngꝭ to oure lorde for them yt ye shal neuer haue payne in purgatory / but thyse paynes with the vertue of the sacramentes of the chirche shall be to you perfyte purgacyon. Our lord of his Infynyte mercy graūte you habūdaūce of his grace so to take youre sekenes as maye be moost prouffytable to your saluacyon. Amen.
[Page] AFter that ye haue shewed to the seke person how they shal pacyently take the sekenes to the plesyre of god and theyr grete meryte / yf ye se that of lykelyhode it is a dedly sekenes and that they be lyke to departe out of this world / than fyrste of al counsell them to receyue the holy sacramē tes of the chyrche whiche they are bonde to receyue whan they are lyke to deye / whiche are the sacrament of confessyon / the sacrmente of the body of our lorde / and after this counsell them to receyue the sacrament of anelynge / and saye to them thys Ye shall vnderstonde that all sekenes & payne cometh of syn̄e / for yf there had neuer ben syn̄e there sholde neuer haue ben no payne / and the remedye ayenst synne is grace whiche our lorde hath ordeyned to be receyued by the sacramentes of the chyrche / therfore the souerayn medecyne bothe for soule and body are the sacramentes of the chirche / wherfore yf it pleased god that ye shal haue youre helth agayne ye shall haue it ye soner and the better / for withoute the specyal helpe of god there is no medycyne that may helpe nature / & yf it please his grace that ye shall not deye at this tyme ye shall haue the more gracyouse contynuance of lyfe that ye holyly dyspose you to deye. And yf it please god to take you out of this lyf ye shal go surely armed with his grace and haue specyali helpe of our lorde and departe lyke a true crysten man ¶ Also I counsell you that ye neyther desyre to go out of this worlde [Page] ne abyde in it but that ye offre you holy to yt wyll of our lorde as the obedyent chylde of hym whyche was obedyent to the wyll of his fader whan he suffred deth for you / and of both rather orther yourselfe to deye thenne to lyue / thenne ye shall not be deceyued for it is ye moste surest waye / many a man is deceyued the tyme of theyre dethe by hope yt they haue to contynue in this lyfe / for as longe as they truste verely to lyue they neuer dispose them perfytly to deye / and so deth taketh them vndisposyd to the domage and hurte of theyre soule. ¶ Also say I coūsel you as moche as ye may to enforce yourself to haue sorowe and dyspleasure for the manyfolde offeuces in dyuerse synnes wherby ye haue dyspleased god / or haue a wyll to be sory therfore wt perfyte wyl to amende youre lyfe and serue god the better as longe as they shall lyue yf it please god that ye shal retourne to your helth agayne. And ye shal not haue sorowe ne wyll to sorowe for fere of dethe ne for fere of payne / but ye shall wyll to be sory for that ye haue be so vokynde and so greuously hath offended so gentyll & louynge a lorde whiche hath made you and gyuen you al that euer ye hadde in goodnes from the tyme ye came in to this lyf / and whiche wolde suffre deth for the greate loue he had for your saluacyon and hath ordeyned euerlastynge Joye for you be sory that ye haue offended his grace / & bycause ye wolde not be disceyued from hym. Yf ye see that ye seke persone is lyke to contynue a [Page] good space or it come to deth / than it is expedyent to rede afore them some holy mater of the loue of our lorde / or of his grete mercy / or the cōmaunde mentes of god / or some cōfessyonall / that is to saye some boke whiche teched a man how he sholde confesse hym / for that shall brynge many maters to theyre mynde whyche peraduēture they were neuer confessed therof in theyr lyfe / or some holy prayers to styre them to the more deuocyon. ¶ Also see that there be plente of holy water & that it be oftymes cassed aboute the hous of the seke persone. Also set in the syght of ye seke a crucyfyx and also an ymage of our lady yf ye can haue it other n piicture or in carued werke. & oftentyme biddeth them remembre the passyon of our sauyour wherby they shal haue remyssyon of synne / and specyall defence from theyr gostely enmye / and bydde them hertly beseke oftentymes that blessyd moder of mercy / to praye for them & that she wyl be with them at the houre of dethe. And also yf he be lettred saye wyth hym the seuen psalmes and the letanye and the psalmes of the passyon / or holy aniemes and responses and hymnes of the trynyte or of our lady or of other festes. ¶ Also see that the holy candell be brennynge specyally whan ye see he draweth nyghe to deth / & blysse hym oftentymes with it and yf ye haue ony holy relukes laye them vpon hym. And whan ye se that he gyued vp the spiryte crye and bydde those whyche are aboute you crye the fader the sone and [Page] the holy goost helpe your seruaūt. Jesu Jesu Jesu by the vertu of thy passyon helpe thy seruaunt / blessed virgyn Marye and moder of mercy helpe thy seruaunt. Jesu haue mercy of thy soule / all the courte of heuen we beseke you in the charyte of oure lorde praye for his soule / the grace of the holy goost and the merytes of Crystys passyon be with the Amen
ALso yf ye thynke the tyme wyll serue therto it is expedient to shewe to the seke persone the temptacyons wt whiche cōmonly ye deuyl assayled yt soule at yt houre of deth yt it may be more stronger to resyste his malyce at that tyme for than he is moost [...]erse to tempte them / he woie well yf he gete them not than he shal neuer haue them / wherfore with all his deceyte and sutelnes he laboured to dysceyue the soule and brynge it in dysperacyon yf he maye / and specyally he wyll tempte them in theyr fayth and make them to beleue that it is false / and therfore saye to them / see that ye he faste in the fayth of Cryste / for the denyll wyll tempte you therin and make you to byleue yf he can ye yt fayth that ye haue byleued on is false / and that ye haue ben dysceyued all your lyfe therby / for he knoweth that the fayth is the grounde of al vertue and that no man is saued without the fayth / for this cause saye to them / see yt ye be faste in the fayth of Cryst for your gostely enmye wyl now do that he may to make you to forsake youre fayth / he wyl saye that [Page] ye haue ben disceyued all youre dayes in ye fayth / for it maye not be that thre persones sholde be one god. ¶ Also he wyl saye that Cryste was not very god and man & that he was not borne of a virgin & that he is not verely in the sacrament of the auter / wherfore I exorte you in gode vnderstōdynge that ye may not be saued without fayth that ye kepe faste the fayth that ye haue taken at the foute stone & defye the deuyll with al his falsehode and saye in your herte ye wyll dye in the fayth of Cryste whiche god hath declared with so many & grete myracles propre to hym self that he hath shewed it true lyke as hymselfe is true / therfore thynke that ye wolde suffre all ye martyrdomes & paynes that the body of man myght suffre rather than ye wolde forsake the fayth whiche god hath ordeyned to your saluacyon / wherfore put your hole confidence in god whose power is able to defende you agayne all the malyce of the deuyll and wyll not fayle his faythfull chylde / and truste verely that your myghty fayth shal affraye the fende / and with ye power of god and specyall assystence & helpe of that fayth full virgyn whiche by the meryte of her fayth dyde cōceyue the sone of god without knowlege of man And with the helpe of saynt mychell & your good angell with his felowes ye shall make the fende a ferde of you. ¶ It passeth the power of the fende to compelle ony soule wylfully to erre in the fayth and what so euer temptacyon comed in your myn [Page] de contrarye to your fayth / haue wyll to byleue as the chirche of god byleueth and as our sauyour Jesu Cryste teched the chyrche to byleue / and all the false suggestyons of the deuyll and thoughtes contrary to the fayth shall noo thynge hurte you / for there is neuer synne in the mynde dampnable excepte it come of the wyl nor in none other power of the soule. Byleue fayhtfully suche techynge & prechynge as ye haue had by the chirche / and what so euer cometh contrary to that in your mynde / thynke it is false and cometh of the deuyll fader of all falsehode. Werfore I exorte you that lyke as ye haue begonne youre lyfe in the perfyte fayth of the chirche / so ende it in perfyte fayth and obedyence / for all the wele of your lyfe now hyngeth of the ende. ¶ Yf they be lerned saye the crede afore them in latyn. Yf they vnderstonde no latyn saye it in Englysshe after this fourme. I byleue in god fader almyghty the maker of heuen & erthe / and in Ihesu Cryste the sone of hym our oonly lorde whiche by the werke of the holy goste was conceyued & borne of the vyrgyn Marye / and suffred passyon vnder Pylate and was crucefyed / deed / and beryed / the thyrde daye he rose from deth to lyfe and ascended to heuen & there he sytteth at ye ryghte honde of the fader almyghty / and from thens he shall descende to Juge quycke & dede. I byleue also in the holy ghoste and in holy chyrche and in all ye sacrament therof / also I byleue in foryeuenes of synne & that [Page] euery man shal ryse from deth to lyf and that the good people shall haue euerlastynge lyfe and Ioye Amen. ¶ And speke this with an hye voyce that it maye be well herde / & yf ye thynke ye tyme shal be suffycient afore the deth reherse the crede dyuers tymes that the seke maye be made stronge in ye fayth & to confonde ye deuyll whiche loued not to here ye crede & fleed from ye sonde of the voyce specyally whan it is sayd to the entente y• it shold confunde the deuyll. ¶ Also saye to the seke / remembre ye grete fayth of ye Patriarkes Abraham Ysaac & Iacob whiche they had in god our sauyour Cryst of whome they ꝓphecyed / & for theyr fayth they were specyally byloued of our lorde & preserued from grete peryl / & after the passyon of our sauyour they were brought out of ye pryson called lymbo in to ye kyngdome of heuen. Also remēbre ye faythe of ye apostles Peter Poule saynt Iames saynt Iohan wt all theyr felowes. Also remēbre what paynes Innumerable martyrs dyde suffre bycause they wold not forsake theyr faythe / & in theyr martyrdoms our lorde shewed so many grete myracles yt yt enmyes of yt fayth were torned to ye fayth. Also remēbre ye inumerable men & wymē whiche haue keped this fayth truly in theyr lyf & deyed therin for whom god dayly shewed myracles al those dyd plese god by fayth / & wtout fayth no soule maye please hym. Remembre the profyte of y• faith it opteyned al thynge of god proufytable to the soule as he sayth hymselfe all thynge are possyble to a faythfull soule.
¶ The seconde temptacyon is agaynste ye vertue of hope by disperacyon.
WHan ye soule at the artycle of deth is troubled sore wt grete sekenes / thā ye deuyl wyl put in theyr ymaginacion al ye grete syn̄es that it hath done / and so in theyr grete trouble bodely & ghostely he purposed that they shal no thynge consydre but payne & synne wherby they sholde fall in disperacion seynge the grete abhomynacyon of theyr lyfe. And specyally he wyll labour to confunde them in suche synnes as they were neuer cōfessyd of whiche for neglygence they dyde forgete Wherfore ye shall saye to the seke / see that ye put your full hope in ye mercy of god / for of all synnes ye sholde specyally offende god yf ye had not a ful bylyue and hope of his mercy. And truste ye verely that ye haue foryeuenes not onely of those synnes of whiche ye be confessyd but also of all those of ye whiche ye wolde haue be confessyd of yf they had comen in your mynde / knowe ye verely yt the mercy of god is Infinite it passed your mynde to thynke how grete it is / wherfore I waren you truste verely in the full mercy of god / and yf ye had neuer done good dede in al your dayes but as many synnes as there are droppes of water in the see / or cornes of sonde in the worlde / and yf there come but two of them to your mynde the tyme of confessyon vnder vnderstondȳge ye wold be cōfessyd of them al yf ye [Page] myghte haue them all togyder in mynde and haue wyll for to be sory for them ye shall haue foryeuenes of them al / and yf your speche fayle you yet yf ye aske mercy in your mynde and haue wyll to be confessyd yf ye myght ye shall neuer be dampned for them. wherfore see that ye haue dyspleasure in your herte that euer ye dyde breke the commaunde mentes of god & synned dedly / and haue very purpose yf ye myght lyue a thousand yere that ye wyl no more breke his cōmaundement and that ye wol de rather suffre all the torment of the worlde than ye wolde synne dedly and deserue to lose the glorye of our lorde god and the kyngdom of heuen / thus meke your herte and ye shal haue grace. Our lorde saytn in the sauter that he neuer despysed a contry te & a meke herte. And the prophete Ezechyel saith that in what houre a synner taketh sorowe for his synne he shall be saued. And saynt Bernard sayth that the pyte of god passeth without all mesure the wretchydnes of man / for he is euer redy to forgyue the synne yf we haue wyll to be sory therfore and aske mercy with confessyon. One of the gretest sȳ nes is to byleue yt god is not mercyfull / for in that a synner dooth all that is in hym to spoyle god of one of his moost gretest vertues whiche is called mercy / & as longe as your soule is in your body ye shall haue mercy yf ye aske it / therfore see that oftymes ye lyft vp your hert to god & aske hȳ mercy And whan the persone whiche is in the artykell of [Page] deth maye not speke / bydde them holde vp ye fynger or styre it in token that they asken mercy with herte. And yf they haue syght to loke vpon the crucefyxe / saye thus to them. Beholde how you lorde god bowed his necke to kysse you / his armes casted abrode to halse you / his handes are open to rewarde you / his herte also is opened to loue you / all his blessed body is offred to the fader in sacrefyce for you yhat ye shall by the vertue of this oblacyon haue remyssyon of synne / and yf ye hertly aske mercy ye shall haue foryeuenes by ye vertue and merytes of his passyon though ye neuer haue done gode dede wherby ye deserue to haue foryeuenes / for this cause he suffreth passyon that al synners sholde haue helpe therby whyche wyll aske mercy. And euery man as longe as ye soule is in the body is in the state yt he may haue grace. ¶ Remembre how that saynt Peter denyed Cryste and asked grace & had it. ¶ Also saynt Poule dyde persewe yt, crysten people for to kyll them / and afterwarde he asked mercy and was made the chosen vessell and ye louer of god. ¶ Also saynt Mathewe and zache were synfully occupyed / and yet afterwarde by a repentaūce of herte they came to greate grace. ¶ Also Marye Mawdeleyne by askynge mercy and repentaūce of herte is now aboue many virgyns in heuen / notwithstondȳge she was a comon woman in this lyf ¶ Also Marye Egypcyen a comon woman and now by mercy is an holy saynt. ¶ Also the theef [Page] whiche hynge on the ryght syde of our lorde asked mercy and had it and was that same daye put in possessyon in the glorye of god. ¶ Adam. Dauyd. ysachy / & Manasses, with many moo / thus by cō trycyon and askynge of mercy hadde foryeuenes of theyr synnes / wherfore sythen that ye haue thus many wytnesses of the mercy of our lorde I requyre you in god that ye put full confydence in the me rytes of Crystys passyon & aske mercy & ye shall haue it.
¶ The thyrde temptacyon is to angrenes and Ire agaynst the vertue of pacyence without whiche vertue payne is not profytable.
SAye to the seke persone thus. Youre goostly enmye ye fende wyll tempte you to grutche with your sekenes and to thynke that your payne is to grete and for to grutche agaynst god bycause he suffred you to contynue in so grete and so longe payne / for the fende konweth well yt by grutchynge agaynst god the soule lesed the greate vertue of pacyence whiche shall be moste necessarye to them whan they shall be broughte afore ye grete Iuge for to res [...]eyue the sentēce of saluacyon or of damynacyon. Wherfore agaynst this tēptacyon see that ye remembrewell that all the payne that ye suffre cometh of the ryghtwysnes of god / and that almyghty [Page] god is the pryncypall werker of all the payne that ye fele / lyke as ye haue wrought synne so he werked now payne / for of ryght synne muste haue payne. ¶ Now remembre how oftentymes ye haue ben dysobedyent to god and done agaȳst his lawe and cōmaundementes / and with all your herte appiye you now to make amendes by pacyent & Joyful sufferynge of payne afore ye departe out of this worlde for a lytell payne thankefully taken satysfyed for grete sȳne / & moche more your grete payne shall delyuer you from many and grete synnes. ¶ Now shewe your self ye very obedyent childe of god / and thanke hym hertly of his gracyous vysytacyon / and beseke hym that ye may haue grace to suffre pacyently with obedyent herte a lytell whyle for his loue whiche suffred the grete payne & passy on for you with moost bytterest deth on the crosse. Our lorde sayth we shal kepe our soule with pacyence / & there is vnderstondynge yt we may lese it by Inpacyence. The kyngdom of heuen sayth saynt Gregory is not opened to suche as grutched wt ye werkes of god / alcontryte herte is redy to suffre all paynes & sekenes Joyfylly / & if offred hymselfe to payne to satisfye for syn̄e / wherfore trust verely yt yf ye take mekely this payne it shal stonde you for grete parte of your purgatory / & it may be so Joyfully taken wt entent to please god & satisfye for syn̄e that this shalbe your hole purgatory / & ye shal neuer come in purgatory after this / by ye ryghtwysnes [Page] of god grete synne deserued grete payne / and longe synne longe payne / but ye pacyent takynge of payne thrugh the merey of god maketh grete payne ly tell payne / and longe payne shorte payne. Wherfore saye to our lorde / a mercyful lorde I beseche the punysshe me here and spare me euerlastyngly that I neuer come in the endles payne but suffre me gode lorde to crepe vnder the wynge of mercy.
¶ The fourth temptacion is to vayne glorye agaynste perfyte mekenes.
THe fende whan he can not ouercome ye soule by none of these temptacions than he wyl tempte the soule to vayne glory and saye. O how stronge thou arte in thy fayth / and how stable thou arte in hope / and how perfyte thou arte in pacyēce thou shal fynde but fewe suche as y• arte / all those whiche are aboute the may be glad to see the grete vertue whiche is shewed in the. O how many gode dedes thou hast done in thy dayes / thou shall be remēbred many a daye / therfor yf ony suche thoughtes come in youre mynde say ye ayene / al my Ioye is in god / for al vertue comed of hym / and yf euer I dyde gode dede of all my dayes it came of hym wherfore onely to hym be louynge and Ioye / he be blessyd whyche hath gyuen me grace ony thynge to do whiche is to his pleasyre. Yf ye fele youre selfe tempte to vayne glorye / calle ye to mynde how many [Page] euyll dedys ye haue done sythen ye were borne & myspended moche tyme in vayne. Remembre how the deuyll sayd to saynt Anthony / thou ouercomest me sayd he / for whan I wolde exalte the by pryde thou lowest thyself by mekenes / and whan I wolde lowe the by disperacyon / thou exaltest thyselfe / by full hope of mercy.
¶ The fyfte temptacyon in the artykel of deth is to haue ye mynde occupyed with worldly thyngꝭ more than with ye goostly prouffyte of the soule.
Suche temporal thyngꝭ as a man hath moste loued in this lyf / he shall be moost tempted with to haue his mynde moost vpon it in his departynge / as ryches / flesshely pleasyre / honour / wyf & chyldern with other suche as he hath gretly loued in this lyfe / & the fende shall tempte hym to be more occupyed therwith Inwardly in his mynde than with the gostely wele of his soule. wherfore it is expedyent that euery wyse man to god and to his soule haue his testament made in ye tyme of his helth that he be not letted in ordeynynge of ye temporall chynges from the moste perfyte ordenaunce of his soule to haue the more blessyd endynge yt they may haue a quyete tyme to gyue attendaunce to theyr goostly physycyan. And agayne this tyme it is expedyent yt a man prouyded specyally for a goostly physycyan / that is to saye a man whiche is lerned well in the lawe of god / and can blessydly helpe to [Page] order the soule agaynste the departynge from the body / for all the wele of the lyf hanged of that endynge. Yf it hath ben neuer so wretched a soule yf the ende be gode it shal be saued / for than in theyr departynge they sholde haue none Inquietacion by makynge or by executynge of theyr wyl / wherfore whan the wyll is made and the worldly thynges ordred / than bydde them torne theyr mynde to god as moche as it maye / bydde them crye for helpe In wardly in theyr herte and also with mouth yf it can or maye vnto god and to his blessyd moder & other sayntes the whyche they haue had deuocyon to & also for mercy & grace / and specyally se that they beseche the moder of mercy and aduocate for mannes soule to praye for them & to be with them and helpe them in the departynge from the body. Also bydde them crye for helpe to saynt mychell & other holy angels whyche haue had labour with kepyng of them sythen the tyme yt it was create and made of almyghty god. ¶ Also yf the seke may cō petently well speke it is a spetyall prayer at yt tyme to saye the. vij. psalmes & letanyes / or som other the whiche they haue deuocyon vnto. & yf they may not wel speke it is gode to say than afore them after ye ordenaūce of ye chyrche / specyal to exorte them yt they haue specyall remēbraūce of Jesu & his passyon for saluacion & helpe is specyally promysed to vs in yt name. Also saye to them o how glad maye ye be yt ye shall now go from all myserye of payne [Page] and of synne & come to the Joyfull felycyte of god where ye shall neuer haue payne nor sorynes / and remembre that ye shall go to your owne moste louynge and pytefull fader whiche made you and redemed you / and hath ordeyned ye kyngdom of heuen ful Ioye and blysse for to receyue you / thus speke to it of the Joyes of heuen of the grete mercy of god how gentyll he hath be to synners / also speke to them of the proufyte of pacyence in payne of martyrdomes of sayntes and grete paynes whiche the good soules had taken vpon them in this worlde for the loue of god and theyr grete rewarde in heuen / and prouyde that there be no grete styrynge nenoyse aboute it to withdrawe the soule from suche meditacyon and desyre as sholde be to the grete defence of it ayenst the fende & procure specyall helpe of god.
¶ Here folowē certayne questyons proufytable to suche as apyreth to be in the artykell of deth.
AFter that ye haue made the soule stronge a gaynst the comon temptacyons whiche cometh in the artykell of deth / than it is expedyent to questyon with it / for in answeryng to the questyons ye shall fele where it hath nede of reformacion and there ye maye reforme it. Fyrste aske are ye not gladde that ye shall deye in trewe fayth of Cryste and with full fayth of all the sacramentes of the chirche. Are ye not sory that ye haue broken the cō maūdementes [Page] of god many tymes sythen ye were horne / haue ye not wyl now thatiyf ye myghte lyue in this lyf many yeres that ye wolde better kepe ye cōmaundementes of god than euer ye dyde. Are ye not sory yt ye haue not lyued so well as ye myght haue done / ye byleue that ye shall be saued by the merytes of Crystys passyon & by the vertue of his sacrament / & yt he hath suffred deth for you in his body whyche was very god & man. Ye thanke your saueour Cryste Jesu whiche wolde suffre ye moost bytterest payne of deth to redeme & saue you from dampnacion. Ye thanke hym hertly & as longe as ye lyue ye wyl put your ful hope of saluacion in ye merytes of his passyon. See that ye aske helpe of Jesu Inwardly in your soule / see that ye oftentyme cōmaūde the deuyl in ye vertue of Jesu to go from you / in whose name heuen & erth and helle dooth obedyence / byleue not ye in the lawe of god & in al the artycles of the fayth / dyspyse not ye all heresyes & errours witchecraftes with al vayne byleue contrary to the doctryne of the chirche. Are not ye sory that ye haue done many good dedes more for dayne glorye of the worlde and for drede of payne than for the loue of god. Aske not ye god mercy for that ye haue offended hym & hym beseke faderly to receyue your soule & to haue pyte of ye freyll conuersacyon yt ye haue ben of in this lyf. Also wolde not ye rather suffre deth than ye wolde ones more synne dedely yf ye sholde lyue lenger / ye praye god [Page] that he wyll cōtynue this same wyll in you as longe as ye shall lyue. Also forgyue not ye euery man and wnman whiche hath offended you sythen that yf were borne in worde or in dede. Also aske ye not foryeuenes of all people & specyally of your neyghbours and suche as ye haue dwelled with in onehous to whome ye moost offended. Also are ye not wylly that restytucyon be made to euery man of whome that ye haue hadde ony good wrongfully accordynge to your power. Hadde ye not leuer spende in restitucyon al your goodes than that ye wold wrongfully kepe ony mannes good cōtrarye vnto the pleasyre of god and the losse of your saluacyon Also are not ye gladde that ye shall departe from this wretched synfull lyfe full of myserye and of payne / and myserye of synne to youre owne fader and lorde god whiche loued you so specyally that he wolde make you lyke to his owne ymage / and suffre the moste bytterest deth for you to brynge you to his glorye. Also are not ye gladde to go to youre owne coūtre there ye shal see god in his glorye his blessyd moder and all the angels of heuen / and all your frendes the whiche ben departed out of this lyfe in the state of grace where ye shall neuer syn̄e ne neuer feell sorowe ne payne but euer perseuer in perfyte Joye and gladnes and euer a lyke fresshe. Beseke not ye the blessyd moder of god saynt Mychaell and all the sayntes in heuen / and specyally all those the whiche ye haue serued in this lyfe by [Page] fastynge theyr euyns or prayenge that they wyl be with you now at your departyng. Ye crye mercy of god and of all ye worlde that ye haue offended / ye aske helpe of god and of all his sayntes to defende you from the fende now at the hour of your departynge. Who so answered to this questyons faythfully it is a token as man may haue euydente that they departe blessydly and are of the chosen chylderen of god. ¶ After this byd the seke persone saye thre tymes. In manus tuas domine cōmendo spiritum meum. redemisti me domine deus veritatis. And yf he can not saye it than bydde hym saye it after you / and yf he maye not speke than saye ye ye same verse in the place of hym / and thus with the mercy of god he shall deye blessydly and be delyuered for euer from the euerlastynge deth Amen.
AFter this yf ye seke may here so bydde him that he praye in his mynde after you. Also desyre of those whiche are present to praye in mynde or with mouth after you / and that they desyren of oure lorde to graunte the petycyons whiche are made in this prayers / and praye suche as can saye the psalmes of the passyon to saye them to the entente that this soule maye haue a blessyd passynge
¶ Here foloweth a prayer to the trynyte.
EAder sone & holy goost gloryous trynyte one god almyghty haue mercy of thys synner & by the vertue of thy moost holy diuinyte & honour of thy name forgyne him that he hath offended the by Ignoraūce malyce or freylte of conuersacyon in this synful lyfe. I commende lorde his soule to the / whiche of nought dyde make it to thyne ymage. O moost pyteful fader of mercy for the vertue of thyn Infynyte goodnes she we mercy and forgyuenes to this poore soule / & in this grete necessyte helpe this feble & Inpotent soule whiche now hath moost nede of thyne helpe. O moost pytefull fader suffre it not to be deuoured with the hoūdes of heil / but take it to thy possessyon for it is thyne / gode lord thou made it therfore late neuer thy handewerke peryshe in defaute of thy helpe. We al beseke the in the merytes of our sauyour & his blessyd moder and al the merytes of thy chirche to be mercyful fader & lorde to it & brynge it to thy glore Amen.
¶ A prayer to the sone.
O moost swete sauyour & mercyfull lorde Ihū cryste the sone of the almyghty fader for the merytes of thy moost blessyd passyon & honour of thy diuinyte cōmaunde this soule to be resceyued a monge thy chosen children. O swete sauyour & redemer [Page] we thy seruaūtes grounded in the byleue of the / cōmenden this soule to thy moost blessyd proteccyon / good lorde forsake it not but make it pertyner of thy glorye & cōsolacyon lyke as thou wolde wouchesauf in this lyfe for our saluacōn to be partyner with vs in passyon. All we good lorde asken in thy name thy heuenly paradyse for hym / not in hys merytes ne in our whyche are but asshes & pouder & wretched synners but in the vertue & goodnes of thy passyon we aske it wherby thou dyde redeme hym and for the pryce of thy moost precyons blood wherby thou dyde open paradyse for synners whiche puten ful hope in the of helpe & saluacyōn from euerlastynge dampnacōn & enmyte. And yf the seke man may say this verse folowynge late hym / saye it. Disrupisti dn̄e vincula mea tibi sacrificabo hostiā laudis. Late hym saye it. iij. tymes els saye / it for hym / it is of grete vertue. Than saye o lorde Ihū Cryste for the grete bytternes of payne & passyon yt thou suffrest on the crosse / & moste specyally in that houre whan thy holy soule departed from thy body haue mercy of this soule now whan it shal departe from the body that it maye gracyously be receyued of the amen.
¶ A prayer to the holy goost.
O Moost holy spyryte of the fader & of the sone whiche by heuēly Inspiracyon of thy gra [Page] ce maketh, holy soules and purged them from synne haue mercy of this synner and foryeue him that he hath offended agaynst thy grace / kepe in it gode lord perfyte vse of reason as longe as ye soule there shall abyde in the body that it may merytoryously by thy grace perfytly resyste ye temptacions of the fende and auoyde all his malyce / make this soule lorde god fast in fayth hope & charyte that it may euerlastyngly loue the & blysse the Amen.
¶ A prayer to our lady.
O Quene of heuen and moder of mercy vnder god moste specyall helpe to all synners why the faythfully called for helpe to the / gode lady reconsell this soule to thy sone by the merytes of thy grete fayth charyte mekenes and chastyte / and wt thy moost acceptable prayer purchase blessyd lady foryeuenes and fredom from the doubte of synne that for thy loue specyally moste benygne lady he wyl foryeue it the manyfolde offences that it hath done agaynst hym and make it possessyoner of his glorye. O gloryous lady whiche neuer fayled thy louers in theyr grete nede / now helpe blessyd vyrgyn in this moste necessyte that euer this soule hadde sythen that it was create / for now hastely it shall for the dedes done of his lyfe receyue sentence of dampnacyon or of saluacyon. I beseche the moost pytefull moder the true aduocate for mannes soule [Page] be medyatryce for this soule at this tyme-to the grete Juge our lorde god. We thy seruauntes and louers commenden it to thy blessyd kepyng / now forthy moderly pyte and tender herte kepe it and protecte it we beseche the to the honoure of god and ye and to the saluacyon of it Amen.
¶ A prayer to the angels.
O Blessyd angels of heuen. We beseche you of your grete charyte and also for the grete loue that ye ought to almyghty god Cryst Jesu your maker / and also for the grete loue that ye haue to the saluacyon of mannes soule that ye now helpe this soule passynge out of this wretchyd worlde / & myghtely delyuer it from all the greate daungers and perylles whiche are afore it and take it to your fela wshyppe. Saynt Mychaell whose offyce is for to helpe and to lede the soules in theyr departynge now helpe this soule we beseche the and all the holy angels whiche hath ben the keper therof we beseche the now helpe and shewe the offyce of thy kepynge and assemble angels of thy holy felawshyp for to represse the wycked spyrytes of derkenesse / and to all the. ix. ordres we make suplycacyon for this soule. Also all Patriarkes prophetes martyrs confessours virgins wedowes matrons we beseche you helpe new this soule / and in specyall ye whome it hath moost serued and hadde deuocyon to in [Page] this lyfe / the pease of our lord Jesu Chyste / ye vertue of hys passyon / ye synge and token of his holy crosse / the clene virginyte of his blessyd moder / the blessynge of all sayntes / ye proteccyon & defence of all the holy angels / the prayers & suffrages of all the chosen people of god be bytwyxt this soule & al the enmyes therof in this houre of deth Amen.
¶ It is prouffytable to saye this prayers whan ye soule is departed yf there be none oportunite to saye them afore with this hymnes. Memento salutis auctor. and Rerum deus tenax vigor &c.