THE FIRST CHAP­TER CONTEYNING RVLES of health, sheweth what a man ought to do about dying wel; the whyle he is in good health.

The first rule. NO man ought to defer vnto the last hower, to prepare himself to dy, but very behooful it is that euery one dispose himself during the whole tyme of his lyf; that wel he may passe the last passage of death. Therefore [Page] then whylest thow arte in good health obserue and keepe these fower fruitful rules. The first whereof is this, bee al­wayes myndful of death, because there­in is conteyned a great secret which of few is vnderstood, & of fewer practi­sed, for that by the onlie meditation of death in due manner often vsed, suffi­cient remedie is found against all our spiritual infirmities. And therefore Kin­ges, Princes, Prelates, and riche men of the worlde, who with all industrie do put away frō them the remembrāce of death, do herein greatly offend, because more then any other thing they ought to haue it in continuall cōsideration, for that to flie the meditation and remem­brance of death is no other thing, then to cast away from them the grace of the holie ghoste, which bringeth often­times into the myndes of sinners, such feareful remembrance, to the end that being thereby terified, they may more easelie returne to good lyfe, and attaine to eternal felicitie.

And to the end that this so good and [Page 7] profitable doctrine, may alwayes rest fixed in thy mynd, I wil in few wordes declare vnto thee, the marueylous frui­tes that proceed of this continual me­morie of death.

The first frute that it produceth is a profound and entyre humilitie:The first fruit of the remembrāce of death. for yf thow think often tymes on death, thow doest abase and put downe as it were perforce, all pryde arrogancie and in­solencie, & become gentle humble and meek. For who is hee, that conside­ring in how short a tyme hee is to re­turne to ashes can wax proud? we read in bookes of natural philosophy that the peacock (a moste faire bird) behol­ding the great beautie of his glistering fethers; he reioyseth greatly, spreading out his maruelous faire taile in signe of his gladnes: but eft-soones beholding thee foulenes of his feet, he then be­cometh altogether heauie & his pryde is abated, & sodainlie hee layeth downe his winges and tayle, and for great sor­row, maketh a lamentable crie. Euen so a man made proud either through [Page] his riches, beautie of his bodie, or by glorying in his parentage, or for other worldly causes exalted, yf hee shal con­sider the miserie of his end, and in how short a tyme all his glorie is to be resol­ued into smoke, he wilbe constrayned to lay a side all pride of mynde, and to cloath himselfe with humilitie and lowlines.

To this end at the triumphant coro­nation of the Pope a woorthy custome is obserued, that a litle towe beeing tyed to the end of a staf it is held vp and set on fyre, and beeing in opē view suddeynlie burnt, one with a loud voice crieth out saying. Sic transit gloria mundi Pater sancte, that is to say: Euen thus (o holy Father) passeth a way the glorie of the world, And for this cause also a holy Patriarke desyrous in that high dignitie to keep himselfe humble and lowlie, ordeyned, that the makers of his tombe (the worke where of he would should continew all the time of his lyfe) euerie time that he was in any great pompe should appeare before him and [Page 8] tel him how his tombe was stil in ma­king, and that therefore he should pre­pare himself for death: and this he did that such remembrance might alwayes in the middest of wordlie honour keep him humble and lowlie.

The other merueylous profit that cometh of the meditation of death,The second fruit. is a suffic ēt remedie against coueteousnes: for the man that perswadeth himself to liue euer in this world, can neuer be cōtent nor satisfied with heaping vp of riches, but becometh wholy insatiable: yet when hee remēbreth that ere it be long he must leaue all things, and can­not carie away with him so much as one half peny, then beginneth he to dis­pise all the goodes of the world: This is it which S. Ierome wryteth to Pauli­nus, saying:Epist. 101. Facile contemnit omnia, qui sem­per cogitat se esse morituru, that is: he which euer hath in mynde that he shal dy, doth easelie contemne all things. And Salomon saith that a man liuing long in aboundance and glorie of the world,Ecclesiast. 12 ought to remember the darke and ob­scure [Page] time of death, which beeing once come, shal make euerie man know, how vaine and britle haue bene the thinges which are past and gon. And Plato highlie commending this medita­tion of death, sayeth, more worthie phi­losophy then this can not bee found. Whoso then desireth in short time, and with ease to become a perfect philoso­pher, yea a godlie man and beloued of God, let him giue himselfe wholie to thee meditation of death, and he shal fynd by sure experience, that my wor­des are neyther false nor vaine.

The third fruite. Lib. 16. moral. cap. [...]t.The third fruit of the remembrance of death is, that all desire of carnal lust is theirby easely extinguished. S. Gre­gorie witnesseth this, where hee saith: Nothing auayleth so much to tame the desires of the flesh, then the memorie of death, and to think what this poor flesh shal become, when the soule hath left it.

The sainctes which wear by nature cloathed with frayle and wanton flesh, as wee are, through help of this exer­cise [Page 9] of the mynd, did easelie ouercome all fleshlie motions, as it is red of ma­ny, and speciallie of an Ermite who beeing much assaulted with the temp­tation of the flesh through an imagina­tion that the diuel presented before him of a yong woman that was dead, on whome in the tyme of her lyf he had bene enamoured, hee digged her dead body stincking and ful of wormes out of her graue, and casting himself vpon this carcas licked it with his ton­gue, and smelling the filthy sauour said to his flesh, go to now cruel and vnta­med beast, take now thy fil of that which thow haste affected with an vn­measurable and dissolute loue, and so by this meanes hee was freed from this his fleshly temptation.

The fourth commoditie rising of this consideration is, that not only pride couetousnes and leacherie are thereby ouercome, but also euerie other sinne may by it bee auoyded, as the scripture testifieth. In omnibus operibus tuis, memorare nouissima tua, & in aeternum non peccabis. In [Page] all thy woorkes remember the end, and thow shalt neuer sinne. And to thesame effect a holy Abbot said: Semper memor esto exitus tui, & non erit delictū in anima tua, that is, remember alwayes thine end, & their shal neuer bee synne in thy soule.

But what need I to remember thee of the merueylous fruits of the first rule, which are almost innumerable? by this thow shalt easely get patience in all thy troubles: for euerie man in trouble is greatlie comforted, when he thin­keth that by death all aduersitie is end­ed, and that after death great rewar­des are prepared for all those that bee truely patient. By this; feare is engen­dred in the soule of a reasonable crea­ture, which is the beginning of the a­mendment of lyf: for who is so sence­lesse, that considering wel and diligent­lie the circumstāces of death, doth not from top to toe tremble and quake: And yf thow wilt say vnto mee, I can­not feare death, then must I answear thee, that it proceedeth of these causes, eyther that thow arte not a reasonable [Page 10] creature, or that thow arte without vnderstanding, or els that thow art ignorant how to consider and think on it wel. It is no sinne to feare death, because this feare is natural, and was in our Sauiour Christe, in as much as hee was man, and wee fynde that the wise and natural philosophers had an ap­prehension of death: but out of doubt, it should bee a moste grieuous & enor­mous sinne, yf for such feare one should desyre to continew & alwayes remaine in this miserable lyfe, yea against God almightie his wil and pleasure. And the feare of death in this manner, is repro­ued in holy scriptures. It is good then to feare death when such feare induceth thee to the feare and loue of God: but it is a verie il thing to feare it when thow art therby disposed to gaine-say the holy wil of God. I speak to thee of this laudable and profitable feare, and thereto I inuite thee▪ seeing without it holy men haue not profited in the per­fection of christian lyfe: I refuse and greatly blame, that other vnmeasured [Page] feare of carnal and wicked men.

If thow take a custome to remem­ber death in all thyne acts and deeds, thow wilt become so timerous to dis­please almightie God, that thow wilt cast from thee all slouth and sluggish­nes, and that this is true, is apparant, because yf thow shouldest think that to morrow thow must needs dy, sud­deynlie thow wouldest bee made wel disposed to all good woorkes. Oh how much almes, how many prayers, how great contrition, and what number of teares sobbes and sighes wouldest thow make and powre out? Fasting would not bee hard for thee, nor to pardon thine enemies, nor yet to make restitu­tion of euil gotten goods. And therefore when thow art tempted with slouth, or that wel doing grieueth thee, take this spur (of the remembrance of death) and therewith prick thyne asse for­ward, driuing him on and saying toge­ther with Salomon,Eccl cap. 9. bestirre thee to doe good, for thow arte to go out of hand where thow cāst not woork any more [Page 11] for thy profit and commoditie. S. Gre­gorie saith, valde se sollicitat in bone opere, S. Greg. qui semper cogitat de extremo fine) that is: he maketh himself verie diligent in good woorks, that alwayes thinketh on his last end. And Seneca not disa­greing from this our purpose saith, no­thing helpeth so much to temperance in all things, as the often thinking vpon death: wheer with thow maiest direct thy whole lyfe, euen as the gouernour of a ship doth direct his vessel, who de­sirous to bring it wel home into the hauen, setteth himself at the sterne in the end therof, so putting thy self by consideration into the end of thy lyfe, thow shalt guide thy soule to the hauen of health.

Set thy self then continually to con­sider the end of thy lyfe, and yf their commeth vpon thee a desire of world­lie riches, say within thy self: I must dy shortlie, and I may dy euen this ho­wer, it standeth mee vpon therefore to take heed, that for transitorie gayne I doe not lose my soule and euerlasting [Page] blisse. If thou bee tempted with am­bition, and worldlie glorie, run imme­diatlie to the remembrance of death, & say to thy desire: If I am to dy short­lie, and paraduenture to day or to mor­row, what need haue I to think how to make my self great in this world, where I am to abyde so litle and short a time? So in euerie other carnal de­syre, and in euerie other temptation that may come to thee, eyther of ha­tred, or of enuie, or of pryd, or of glut­tonie, alwayes thow shalt help thy self with the remembrance of death.

And their shalbe no sinner so great, that with this onlie remedie wel vsed and practised, shal not be able to leaue sinne, and to do trew pennance with perseueration. And note that this re­medie although it bee profitable to all, yet is it much more profitable to be­ginners, and to those that be nouices in the way of our Lord, then to others that be wel forward or come to per­fection. Therefore (as a holie father saith) for those that haue gotten an ha­bit [Page 12] in sinne, and for the beginners in spiritual lyfe, the remembrāce of death is no lesse necessarie and needful then daylie bread vnto the lyfe of the bodie: yea it is wrytten, that without such re­membrance hardlie any one can bee sa­ued, for the scripture saith:Ecclesiast. [...].2. without feare no man is iustified, which feare is wont to proceed of the remembrance of death. Seeing then that thow kno­west sufficientlie the medecine for all thy spiritual infirmities, yf thow do not put it in practise vsing it when thow haste need, the fault shalbe thine. And yf thow wilt be a diligent ob­seruer of this vniuersal remedie, at the last end of thy lyfe, that may be trewlie sayd of the, which a bishop called Theophilus, said vpon his death bed vnto the abbot Arsenius. Blessed art thow Arsenius, which haste alwayes had before thine eyes this last hower of death.

The Marchant hauing with much attension heeded these the Ermites woords, and not without great cōten­tation [Page] receaued thereby the aforesaid fruites, beeing filled with a kynd of spi­ritual sweetnes, hee said vnto the Ere­mite: Father, of two thinges I do much meruaile, the first is, that so few by this so easie way of the remembrance of death, endeuour themselues to get so many marueylous spiritual commodi­ties: the second is, how it cometh to passe that many think and remember themselues of their lyues last hower, & yet notwithstanding do not attayne to one of the least of these fruits and mar­ueylous commodities.

To this answered the olde Ermite, I shal not be able (my sonne) without tea­res to answere thee, if I assoyle thy propounded questions, seeing so great a multitude of christians to bee damned, which so easilie might saue themselues, for I am by fraternal charitie constrai­ned to this grief and compassion of the ignorance and negligence of the world.

To the first then I answere, that the world is so ful of so great ignorances and blyndnes, and the health of soules [Page 13] so litle or nothing cared for, that one ducat of gold, or one carnal conten­tation is more estemed then a thow­sand heauens. The least thought or care, that worldlings haue now adayes, is of their saluation. Therefore it is not to bee marueyled at that so few be sa­ued, but it is to bee woundered at, and a thing to make euerie man amased, that in a reasonnable humain creature can raigne so great blyndnes and so lit­le care of a thing of so great a weight as his saluation. To the second I say, the cause therof is, that they know not how they should think on death, for their thoughts thereon are superficial and short and not vsed with due mea­nes: and therefore it is no meruayle yf of such cogitation they carie a way lit­le or no fruite at all. Few preachers of this tyme haue care to teach, in what manner a man ought fruitfullie to me­ditate and think vpon his death. Some because they neyther think vpon it themselues, nor take delyte in it, as they that be more seculer and wordlie then [Page] holie and religious. Some others dis­dayne to handle a matter so base, saying they be things for women and simple folkes, and therefore they goe aloft by the toppes of trees, disputing high things without fruit, and do not see that the principal intent of a preacher ought to bee, to teach the way to salua­tion, the which consisteth in rooting out of vice and planting of vertue: and to do both the one and the other him­self.

Nothing truely is more apt and pro­fitable than the continual remembrāce of death, and the meditation therof vsed and practised as it ought to be. By this meane all wyse men haue come to be good Christians. And all Catholyke Doctors with all their learning, haue not found a better way to shonne sinne and follow vertue, then the remem­brance of death. Wyse Salomon, di­uyne Plato, moral Seneca, yea and all our holy men of tyme past, as wel lear­ned as vnlearned, haue of one accord cōfirmed & approued this our doctrine [Page 14] of death both with woords and deeds. Onlie the miserable and ill Christians be those, that make therat a ieast, and mock and scorne it, but in the end they wil fynde themselues mocked and deceaued.

Then said the Marchant, let vs let others go at their peril, that wil not seek to bee saued, and let vs attend to our owne saluation: wherefore with great desire I look that you vouchsafe to instruct mee, in what manner the remembrāce of death ought to be vsed, that it may bring fourth the fruits a­boue rehearsed. The Ermite answered, yf I yeild to thy desire, I doubt I shalbe to long, yet considering that moderate length in a doctrine profitable and ne­cessarie is not reprehensible, especiallie when the hearer is wel disposed, it shal not be grieuous vnto me in the first rule to lengthen my speach more then I thought,Three mea­nes to haue the remem­brance of death vvith profit. for thy greater profit and better contentation. Marke then that by three meanes a man may haue thee remembrance of death, the which shal [Page] bring thee to taste thereof in such wise, that exercising thy self in them, thow shalt reap the fruites before mentio­ned.

The first meane.The first meane is, willinglie to heare speaking and preaching of the terrible conditions & paynes of death, and willinglie to read spiritual books, where that matter is hādled, and where the stories and examples bee written of many persons, which by feare of death haue bene conuerted. For such exam­ples help much, and not a litle moue sinners to repentance.

The second meane.The second meane much more ef­fectual then the first, is willinglie and oftentimes to go to see men when they be in the agonie of death, and whē they passe out of this lyfe, and when they be borne vnto their graues: and besydes to accustome to visit Churche-yeards and monuments and sepulchres of the dead.

Oh how profitable is such an exer­cise as this, yf it bee vsed with a deep and discreet cōsideration: where-vpon [Page 15] the wise man saith:Eccl. cap. 7. it is better to go in­to the howse of mourning, then to the howse of feasting. Wheare the dead bee lamented, there occasion is geuen vs to remember our selues of the end of all men.

And the better to print this remem­brāce in themselues,Beholding causeth re­membring. some haue taken a dead mannes head, and kept it in a se­cret place, and certaine tymes in the week set it before their eyes, and verie wel and diligentlie considered it, and by way of imagination kept long talk with it, and this not euerie day but once or twise a week, because it so mo­ueth, more our affection, then it would do yf euerie day wee should see the­same: for by long custome being once made familiar vnto vs, it would moue vs nothing at all.

A great sinner that some tyme vsed thesame, asked diuers questions of a dead mannes skul which he kept, as thus, tel me yf it please the (o lothsome and deformed head, whose head haste thow bene and what cause hath made [Page] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page] thee so vglie? where bee thy fine yealow heares? where is thy faire white fore­head? where is thy cleare shyning eyes? where is thy tongue that so wel could speak? where be all the liuelie sences of thy bodie? where is thy face so goodlie and so faire? where is thy trim delicate skin and flesh? Thow arte now without a nose, without eyes, without eares, thow haste not so much as one haire left vpon thy head: what rasor hath bene so cruel that it hath shauen away all thy haire and flesh; euen to the very bone? who hath taken away thy beau­tie? who hath made thee so monstrous and il fauoured? whereof cometh so great deformitie? Thow arte to vs that be liuing so horrible and vglie to be­hold, that thow puttest euerie one in feare.

The head with lamenting voyce & wayling woordes he imagined to an­swere him thus, I was the head of a young man, beautyful, rich and mightie, which in the short tyme of my flourish­ing youth gaue my selfe wholie to car­nal [Page 16] lust and wordlie pleasures. I took no heed of my fathers admonitions, godlie talk I vtterlie dispised, mocking simple and deuout people: and belee­uing that I should haue bene a lōg tyme happie in the world, I neuer thought vpon death. I was altogether drowned in worldlie desires, and so liuing in io­lity, singing, dauncing and laughing, I was sudainly assaulted, with a sudain & deadlie disease, in which seeing my self in so short a tyme depriued of all my ioy, and in a manner desperate be­cause I had neuer done good workes, I began with my self not without sore grones and deep sighes to consider myne estate, saying: alas vnhappie that I am, I see my selfe depriued of all thinges that did delight mee: o poor yongman whereto am I now brought? I must leaue the world that I did loue so much: alas what helpeth me now my vading goodlie beautie, in this mi­serable state? o cruel death, how bit­ter is the remembrance of thee to a merie harte, which hath alwayes flou­rished [Page] in delightful pleasures? o how horrible is thy presence to a young man healthful, lustie and beauteful, & to him that taketh delight onelie in worldlie pleasures and prosperities: I see thow comest to mee lyke a traytor, with de­ceytes, laying wayt for my lyf, I feel thow byndest mee hand and foot, and by thy cruel forces suddaynlie bound and taken, I see I am drawne as a thief, and malefactor to the miserable punishment of myne end: seeking ayd in so great sorrow and payne I finde no help nor succour, neyther of riches, nor of freinds, nor yet of kynsfolkes, & why? the hower appoynted of God is comme, I must needs go, and I know not whether, I depart from this world that I loue so wel, I leaue all my world­lie goodes, and my worldlie felicitie greatly against my wil: and so weeping and howling without hope of Gods help, I was of cruel death preuented and in a moment lost all my prosperi­tie, the wreched soule was assigned to the euerlasting paynes of hel, and my [Page 17] corruptible bodie lost all his beautie, and became loth some and stinking, & the food of wormes.

This sinner with this head made many other long discourses, and had many imagined speaches, ful of com­punction and verie profitable to him that desireth to dy wel, the which did in such wise imprint in his mynd the remembrance of death, as thereby hee profited greatly in the way of saluation, for he thought, that all the miseries a­boue mentioned hee might proue in himself, yf hee should not against the hower of death be wel prepared.

But to be short, I leaue this second mean, and come to the third, the which is yet of much more effect, then eyther the first or the second. The reason whereof may easilie be comprehended, for in the first the miserable paines and anguishes of death are heard with the eares, in the second they be as it weer seene with the eyes, but in the third wee feel them in our selues. The hea­ring surely doth moue much, the seeing [Page] doth yet moue more, but the feeling farre more moueth then either of the other. Yf then the first and second mean to meditate vpon death do not moue thee, take the third; which is practised in this manner, Imagine with all the forces of thy mynd, that thow art presentlie in that last sicknes, in which thow shalt be compelled to passe from this lyfe to another, and thow shalt transforme into thee all those ac­cidents, which in that hower may hap­pen thee, and make them with thy mynde present vnto thee, intentiuelie considering all the anguishes, sorro­wes and paynes of that heauie & dole­ful tyme, as though now presentlie thow wearest in the verie agonie of death, and think thereon not as it shal come, but as yf euen now at this in­stant thow didest feel in thy self the verie paynes and agonie thereof: with thy thought then and with thyne ima­gination, thow shalt suppose that thow art in thy bed, forsaken of the phisitiōs, as one without all hope of recouering [Page 18] bodilie health, when thy tōgue fayleth thee, the sences of thy bodie cease to do their woonted offices, thow seeist no more, nor more shal euer see in this lyfe, thow speakest not, nor euer shalt in this world speak more, eyther wel or il, thow hearest no more, thow ea­test no more, thy pulse is scarselie to be perceyued, thy bodie in all partes vexed with payne forsaketh thee, thy mem­bers moue no more, thow liest in thy bed like an image of wood or stone, thow sweatest from top to toe for ex­tream payne and torment, their doth remaine in thee but a litle breath, and in this manner, sorrowing, gaping, for breath and striuing with death, thow lyest for a litle tyme in such horrible & terrible paynes, both of mynde and of bodie, as in this lyfe thow neuer didest feel so bitter griefes, The synful soule seing herself forsaken and abandoned of the bodie, whome she loued so deer­lye, with deep sighes (her estate tho­rowlie weyghed) knoweth she can haue neyther succour nor help of the world [Page] in this her extream need: and therfore on her owne part willing to comfort and helpe her self, beginneth to think on her workes, yf yet in them she might finde some refuge: but not able to finde in her self any other workes then weightie and wicked vices, she maketh far greater sorrow then before. Yet searching yf on any syde she might finde refreshing in this her hard and bitter case, she then with wayling tourneth her to the mercie of God, but there­withal knowing this her conuersion to rise of seruile feare seeith her self not in this last hower woorthie of mercie, but rather of all rigour of iustice, foorth­with is wholy cōfounded, not knowing how to escape this horrible and feare­ful iudgement of the moste great & iust iudge, before whome the poore and vn­happy soule is now to bee called to ap­peere in iudgemēt, & to render a gene­ral accompt of all her actiōs euē to the least thought; then the sorrowfull soule seeing her self in so great extremitie, and not able to satisfie so great a iudge: [Page 19] because so strait an accompt is demaū ­ded of her, as of all her worldlie goods, of her worldlie honours, of the mem­bers of her bodie, and of their powers, and how she hath vsed them to the ho­nour of her creatour, and the miserable soule not knowing what to answeare, the eyes of her vnderstanding beeing opened, she knoweth that she is not of her self by the giltinesse of her owne cō ­sciēce woorthie of glorie but deserueth payne, and therefore vtterly desperate, seeing she can fynde no relief to ease her vnshunnable payn, but rather the en­crease, therof seeing the diuels appeare before her with moste soule and vglie shapes, like fiers lyons watching to de­uour her, she then more vnhappie than any other creature, in that instant feeleth such bitter grief and sorrow, that she is forced for vehemencie of her vnspeakable passions, to forsake for euer her miserable and contemptible bodie. And so suddaynlie taken by those cruel fiendes of hel, she is with such grief as cannot bee vttered bound and [Page] brought against her wil, to that vnhap­pie and sorrowful countrie, where beeing cast in burning fire she their re­mayneth in euerlasting wo and payne: and the dead carkas now become car­rion, and all foule and stinking, with a litle sound of belles, and with weeping teares of kinsfolkes is brought vnto the graue, whereafter it is put in the groūd, it is soone deuoured of wormes, & tur­ned into earth and ashes. And then is verified, the saying of Dauid in the Psalme,Psalm. 9. Perijt memoria eius cum sonitu, & iustus in eternum permanet, that is: his me­morie hath perished with the sound, & the iust abydeth for euer, and thus is the end of this worldes pomp and glorie.

Of how great effect the remembrāce of death may bee, is shewed by many examples, and chiefly by that which Iohn Climacus recyteth of a moste negligent and keycold religious man, who taken with a grieuous sicknes, was within a while rapt in spirit, and when his soule was (as it weer) cleane sepa­rated [Page 20] from the bodie, hee saw the iust iudgments of God, & afterward beeing returned to himself, by & by he despat­ched away all those that then wear with him in his sel, and their shut him­self vp, and liued with bread and wa­ter xij. yeares, neuer speaking to any person so much as one woord, vntil hee was neer vnto death, that then the other monkes desirous to receaue, of him some good instructions did break open his chamber door and entred in vnto him, and prayed him that it might not bee grieuous vnto him, in this his last hower, to speak in the way of cha­ritie, for the edification of others, and disclose vnto them in what manner so sudaynlie from so great negligence, hee was come to so great perfection, who after much intreatie, made them this answere: pardon mee yf I do not vse many words, and assure your selues, none can euer sinne grieuously which haue the true feeling of the remēbrance of death. The monkes buried him with great deuotion, but the next day [Page] following, when his bones were sought by such as desired to reuerence them, they wear not found. Whereby they knew how much the feeling in deed of the remembrance of death doth please God, and what effect it woorketh, and how expedient it is for them that de­sire to become good: since that in one moment it can make euen those that bee verie negligent, zealously disposed and most feruent to euerie good woork. And now seeing that with more pro­lixitie then I ment I haue handled this first rule, the more to shew the vtilitie thereof, the shorter wil I now enforce my self to be in the rules following.

The second rule. THE second principal rule of the arte to dy wel consisteth in dispo­seing of a mannes last wil and testa­ment, for a wyse man ought not to dy without making his testament. And although hee bee willing to make it, yet ought hee not to deferre it to the last extremitie. Therefore said Iacob to Laban,Genes. 3. Iustum est, vt aliquando domut meae [Page 21] disponam, that is to say: It is meet, that without any more adoe I dispose of my howse. And Esay said to Ezechias king of Iudea: Dispone domut tuae, quia, Regum 20. morieris & nō viues, that is: set thy howse in order, for thow shalt die, and not liue. Hee that at the beginning of his sicknes maketh his testament, may the better prouyde for himself and his kin­red, because he taketh the fitter opor­tunitie to do it with greater foresight and iudgement, and is more readdie af­terward at the point of death to attend to the health of his soule.

The diuel doth his endeuour to make thee defer the making of thy testament, to the intēt that after when thow shalt be grieued with thy sicknes, thow mayest also be troubled with thy chil­dren and kinred, who all seek their owne commoditie and litle care for thy soules health. Therefore yf thow bee wyse, thow wilt make thy testament so soone as thow canst: and to the end thow mayest make it as it beheueth & with the more commoditie I wil teach [Page] thee certaine secrets concerning the­same.

First then I must put thee in remem­brance that thow do not to much truste vnto freindes or kinsfolkes, when they promisse thee to do good for thy soule after thy death, for yf in thy lyf tyme thow wilt bee negligent to procure help and necessary prayers for thy self, far more negligent wil they bee when thow arte gone. This is so playnlie seene euerie day by manifest experiēce, that it would seeme a thing vtterly needles to go about to proue it.

Secondlie I am to aduertise thee▪ that thow cāst not make any legacies which can bee more profitable for thy soule, then legacies to haue masses sayd for thee, the which is proued by all the di­uines, & chiefly by Gabriel Beele vpon the canon of the Masse, and by the An­gelical Doctor S. Thomas Aquinas vpō the fourth of the sentences. Who af­firme the Masse to bee alwayes auayle­able to the soules that are in purgatorie, yea although the priest which said it [Page 22] were in deadlie sinne, because he as the minister; sayeth it in the person of the Churche militant, which is euer ac­ceptable vnto God.

Thirdlie I aduise thee, that thow or­deyne and appoynt thy legacies in such wyse, as without delay after thow be dead, they may bee performed and thy wil executed, aswel for the masses, as for the almes which thow shalt leaue to be bestowed. For (as Iohn Gerson sayth) far better it is to haue them said out of hand, then to tarie diuers yeares, because the sooner they be said, the sooner the soules be deliuered out of the paynes of purgatorie.

Fourthlie I must put thee in mynde to confesse thy self, and to communi­cate before thow make thy testament. For when thereby thow art the more in the fauour of God, legacies of almes & masses do far more auaile thee, then yf thow weert out of the state of grace. This is grounded vpon the doctrine of S. Thomas in the fourth of the sen­tences, where hee saith, the satisfaction [Page] inioyned of the confessor made when thow art in deadly sinne doth not take away the payne of the sinne remitted: although the opinion of Scotus, which holdeth the contrarie, bee more fauo­rable, but yet in our case I iudge that of S. Thomas to be the more sure.

Lastly there is come to my mynde an other thing to remember thee of, which I heard of that noble capitaine Bartholomew of Bergamo, which is, that yf thow wilt make a singular good testament and a perfect preparation, to dy wel; then beare thy self alwayes in such sorte whilest thow art a liue, and let thy wordes bee so charitable direct and cleere cōcerning thy last wil in thy lyfe tyme, that after thy death no man may haue iust cause to complayne of thee. Yf thow arte a secular man in thus doing thow maist leaue thy heyres in peace without stryf, which is the best inheritance that thow maist leaue vnto them, & moreouer thow doest therein the better prouyde for thy saluation & theirs, and therefore thow oughtest in [Page 23] any case to obserue this good & profita­ble lessō in the making of thy testamēt.

But yf thow bee a spiritual man not hauing worldlie goods to distribute, thow mayest make a spiritual testamēt, after the example of many sainctes, which haue spoken in their testaments not of wordlie wealth & earthlie pos­sessions, but of spiritual and heauenly thinges.

The thir [...] rule. THE third rule of the arte to dy wel, which is to bee practised in health, is daylie prayer, to obtayne at Gods hādes a good and laudable death. For as without God his grace no man cā do any good or meritorious woork, nor think my good thought so a good death without his grace wee can in no wyse look for. Therefore wee ought euerie day to pray vnto God, that he wil for his infinite goodnes graunt vs a good and happie end. In obseruing the custome so to pray, S. Augustine, and S. Catherine of Siena were wont to say this verse of the Psalme, which is verie [Page] fit for the purpose. Illumina oculos meos, ne vnquam obdormiam in morte ne quando di­cat inimicus meus, praeualui aduersus eum. That is, lighten myne eyes that I sleep not in death, least that at any tyme my enemy say I haue preuailed against him. And yf thow canst say none other, at least thow shalt say a Pater noster and Aue Maria deuoutly euerie day; with this intētiō that God wil geue thee grace to dy lyke a true christian. And although it be a thing very cōueniēt for the obtay­ning of such singular grace to haue re­course to the glorious mother of God, as also to the apostles, martirs, cōfessors, virgins & other saintes in heauē: yet ne­uerthelesse thow oughtest particularly to inuocate the ayd of thy good angel, who for so much as hee hath a particu­lar care ouer thee, wil not faile in that so dangerous and perillous an howre to assist thee with a singuler and spe­cial help. Some bee accustomed to say this prayer. O Domine Iesu Christe depre­c [...]r te propter illam amaritudinem, quàm pro me misero peccatore sustinuisti in cruce, maxime [Page 24] quando nobilissima anima tua egressa est de corpore tuo, miserere animae meae in egressu suo, Amen. That is: O Lord Iesu Christe, I beseech thee for that bitternes, which for mee wretched sinner thow didst endure on the crosse, espetialy when thy moste noble soule went foorth of thy body, haue mercy vpon my soule when it shal departe out of my body. A chanon reguler of the order of S. Au­gustyne, after his death appearing to a freind of his, told him, that by meanes of this prayer, which hee had ordinarily in his lyfe tyme said euery day, there was graunted vnto him a verie good happie and quiet death. Yf thow shalt then daylie vse so to recommend thy self to God, to the saincts and angels, thow mayest hope neuer to be abando­ned of them in that case. And although in time of pestilence or of war, thow fynde thy self depriued of all man­nes help, do not doubt: For in that hower thy good angel and the saincts wil not fayle of their desired helpe in [Page] due tyme, as it is knowne to haue hap­pened to many that trusted in their ayd.

The fourth and last rule. THE fourth rule, which ought to be obserued in health is called mortification. The deuout men that haue treated of this doctrine, wryte, that a man ought euerie day to dy, that is to say, to mortifie his proper passions & sences, as for example, one doth abuse thee in wordes, thy passion would an­swere him, and thow wouldest not suf­fer him to tread thee (as it weer) vnder his feet, but thereby thow shouldest shew thy self not to haue mortifyed thy affections, whereas holding thy peace and mortifiyng that violent motion, thow shouldest shew thy selfe to bee dead to the world, and that thy reason comaundeth ouer thy inferiour affec­tions.

When thyne eye would see and be­hold a beautiful creature, yf thow re­straine thy desire, thow shalt mortifie [Page 25] it, but yf thow suffer thy self to be ca­ried away by sensualitie, then cāst thow not be called dead vnto the world but aliue. Therefore it is said of holy men, that yf thow desire to dy a trew chri­stian, and at the end of thy lyfe to enioy euerlasting blisse, it behoueth thee euerie day whilest thow liuest many times to dy. And thus oftentymes dy­ing spiritually, thow shalt learne the arte to dy wel, and safelie and without feare come to the end of thy lyfe, with good preparation, and their shalbe ve­rified in thee the saying of blessed S. Gregorie the great, when hee said: Non timebit facere, quod se nouerit bene didicisse, that is to say: hee shal not feare to doe that, which hee knoweth himself to haue learned wel to do.

And thus haste thow somwhat vn­derstood, how thow oughtest to pre­pare thy self for death in tyme of health, which is practised beforehand, and in it consisteth fowre rules or prin­cipal points, the first is called the re­membrance of death, the second, the [Page] making of thy testament: the third prayer: the fourth, mortification.

And now come wee to the second parte where wee shal speak more briefly of the preparation a man ought to make; when hee beginneth to bee sick, and it conteyneth fowre other principal rules.

THE SECOND CHAPTER wherein is principally treated of the prepa­ration which a man ought to make in the begining of sicknes, and conteyneth fowre principal rules.

The first rule. THE first rule is, that when thow feelest thy selfe depriued of health, thow do think by and by, that almightie God, who is the chief goodnes, is hee that sendeth thee this sicknes for the greater weal of thy soule, and to the end that thow shouldest leaue thy euil lyf: or els yf alreadie thow haest amen­ded thy euil lyfe, that then thow mayest bee preserued in good lyfe with greater perfection. The wyseman sayd: Infir­mitas [Page 26] grauis sobriam facit animam, that is to say: A grieuous sicknes maketh the soule sober. And Dauid saith: Multipli­cate sunt infirmitates eorum, postea accelera­uerunt: that is, Their infirmities weare multiplied, and afterward they made haste: Therefore this sicknes without doubt being sent thee of God for thy profit, thow oughest to receyue with great patience, and thank him for his giftes. For although these strypes and fatherlie corrections afflict and greeue the bodie, yet they cure the soule: and of this thy prayse-woorthie patience, many good fruites shal follow. First thow shalt greatly merit in the sight of God, being conformable to his iust and holie wil and pleasure, and it shalbe a satisfactiō for thy sinnes: and the more, in that thow shalt the more easilie suf­fer the sicknes it self, and so yf God wil that thow amēd, thow shalt sooner bee deliuered. Whereas on the contra­rie part, yf thow shouldest bee impatiēt, thow shouldest synne, and thy sicknes should bee prolonged, and peraduen­ture [Page] also encreased: and thow weake­ned by thyne impatience, shouldest then with more difficultie beare euerie litle payne or grief. To this purpose S. Au­gustine said: Si Deum diligis quod faecit Deus diligis, that is: Yf thow loue God, thow louest that which God doeth.

And S. Hierome saith, Qui cum dolore agritudinem suscipit, signum est quod Deum non sufficienter diligit, that is to say: It is a signe hee doth not loue God with all his hart as hee ought to do, which re­ceyueth sicknes with greef of mynde.

The second rule. THE secōd rule of preparatiō, that ought to be made in sicknes is, so soone as thow perceyuest thy self to bee sick, that thow think thow mayest dy of this disease, and that thow therefore doe dispose thy selfe to receyue the sa­craments of holy Churche, as yf thow wert sure thow shouldest then dy in deed. In this case the deuil is wont to lay many stoppes to let a man to doe so great good. First hee putteth in his mynde that hee shal not dy of that sick­nes, [Page 27] and that their is no peril at all. After that hee procureth the phisition to giue him too much hope of lyfe, and lykewyse all them of the howse. And his fteindes and kinsfolkes to comforte him, saying, Sir bee of good cheere, for ye shal amend verie shortlie. And yf any religious man come to visit him, they warne him or tel him, that for nothing in the world he put any feare in him, or tel him that hee is in peril to dy. All these bee woorkings of our ghostelie enemie. Therefore a wyseman so soone as hee feeleth himself sick, saith, I wil confesse my self and receyue the bles­sed sacrament, and prepare my self for death, and after let God woork his holy wil of mee as it pleaseth him, for that I am his creature.

But note that when hee hath made this good determination, the deuil doth not yet ceasse to make him delay so good a deed, and beginneth to moue his wyf (yf hee bee maried) and his kinsfolkes to leaue them some of his worldlie substance, and they talk to [Page] him of many hard thinges, and all worldlie. In the meane while the sick­nes encteaseth and the sickman saith dispatche these businesses, I wil in any wyse bee confessed. In suche case I would aduyse thee to haue an eye to the principal, which is the health of thy soule, for the malice of the deuil layeth many snares to catche thee. Say not I wil first dispatche my worldlie busines and then confesse mee, because it is the deuil that maketh thee to speak so: but say I wil first confesse me and prepare for my soule, and after I wil dispose these other things of the world, because this busines of the soule doth (to say the truth) importe mee much more then a thowsand worldes. And doubt not when thow shalt be confessed thow shalt haue in thee the grace of God, and bee better able then; to dispose of thy worldlie things with more iudgement and better meanes.

Now marke wel my sonne, for in this rule I wil discouer vnto thee some goodlie secretes, which commonlie are [Page 28] not set fourth of some deuout men which haue entreated of this arte to dy wel. All how shold and worldlie care beeing then set a side, I wil haue thee after thow haste examined thy con­science, to make thy confession to a good and learned priest, following the example of S. Augustine, who in his last sicknes, would haue none to enter into his chamber for some dayes together vntil he had made a diligent search, & examination of his conscience. And so hee had written before to a nephew of his, and perswaded him, that putting a syde all earthlie care in his sicknes, hee should turne himselfe wholie to God almightie, with great contrition: be­holding the blessed woundes of our moste mercyful redeemer, and beway­ling & detesting al his faultes past. In this tyme, it should be verie good to say the seauē penitētial Psalmes, as did thesame S. Augustyne, who turning his heauie & pale face to the wall where the seauen Psalmes weere written, and beeing frō all other care sequestred, sayd them [Page] with great aboundance of teares, de­maunding of almightie God mercie & pardon for his sinnes.

And after such a contrition and re­pentance for thy sinnes thow shalt then make thy confession with an exact exa­mination of thy conscience, and after while thow art in perfect memorie thow shalt receyue the blessed sacra­ment, which is called in latyn viaticum, that is to say: a viage prouision, because it is necessarie and needful in the way by which wee haue to passe from this lyf to the next. With how great reue­rence and deuotion so great a sacrament is to be receyued I wil not (for breui­ties sake) heere declare, but wil referre thee for this matter to the examples of the sainctes, and especially for the pas­sage out of this lyfe to the glorious doctor S. Hierome, where thow shalt fynde with how many teares, and with how merueylous great consideration hee receyued the blessed sacrament, all which is wrytten for our example.

When now thow shalt be commu­nicated, [Page 29] immediatelie thow shalt re­quire; that growing woors, thow mayest haue the sacrament of extreme vnction, when it shal seeme good to thy ghostly father. And heer I wil tel thee, a good note, which is that yf thow take the sacramēt of extreme vnctiō in such manner, as I haue instructed thee, and yf thow pray to our Lord aswel as thow canst, and oftentymes repeat thy prayer, and perseuer in desire vntil death, asking of God, that for his infinite mercy, and by the vertue of this holie Sacrament of extreme vnction, he wil graunt thee plenarie remission in this lyfe of all thy sinnes, that is to say, that when thy soule shalbe seperated from thy bodie, immidiatly without touche of the paynes of purgatorie, thow mayest flie to the blisse of euerlasting lyfe: Iohn Gerson Chancelor of Paris, and William Altissiodorensis affirme (with whome agreeth also Peter de Palude) that in this case the sick dying with the disposition and holy prepara­tion before mentioned, shal not feel the [Page] paynes of purgatorie, but straight way shal ascend to the eternal ioyes of hea­uen. And it seemeth Cassiobrus was of this opinion touching the plenary remission in alleaging this verse, [...]salm. 115. Diru­pisti Domine vincula mea, tibi sacrificabo ho­stiam laudis, that is: thow haste broken my bandes in sonder o lord, to thee wil I yeeld the sacrifice of prayse, which (as some hold opiniō) being sayd in the end of a mannes lyf doth procure that his sinnes be remitted, that is, as I expound it, touching the payne: for as for the fault; perfect contrition sufficeth. Be­hold my welbeloued sonne how easilie a christian may obtayne plenarie re­mission and ful pardon of his sinnes. See besydes how much it importeth to knowe this arte of dying wel, and how greatlie it profiteth how to knowe to make preparation, with the sacraments of holy Churche. And yf thow weart at that point that thow couldest then not haue the sacramēts, in this case thy good desire with the continewance of the said prayer would suffice thee: And so [Page 30] by the opinion of Iohn Gerson a verie Catholike doctor, & William Altissio­dorensis thow shouldest lykewyse ob­tayne plenarie remission by the vertue of that prayer. Yea without the sacra­ments actuallie receyued. Therefore marke this notable saying, and keep it in memorie, and prayse the infinite goodnes of God, who for so short and few wordes, doth deliuer vs from the payne of so great a fyer.

The third rule. THE third rule for the tyme of sick­nes is, that thow prepare thy self to be constant and strong against the sundrie temptatiōs, whear with the de­uil wil trouble thee. Wherefore it is to be known, according to the doctrine of diuynes, that the deuil is more dili­gent in tempting at the tyme of death, then in the tyme of health: for he thin­king the disease to be mortal; saith to himself, yf I lose this soule at this in­stant, I lose it for euer, wherfore I wil not leaue to doe what I can to winne it. And so calling to him a multitude [Page] of deuils in diuers manners they pro­cure his damnation, laying wait euen vntil the end of his passage. First they temp him with impatience whervnto for sorrow and payne hee is much in­clined. When they cannot ouercome this way they take an other and tempt him with his owne, pleasing of himself and his proper reputation, desirous to perswade him that hee is one of great perfection, and constant in his aduersi­ties, and that hee hath done many good woorkes woorthy of great recōpence, & with this temptation deuout men are speciallie vexed, and this temptation is much to be feared, because many haue bene brought in peril by it, and ma­ny damned. Wherefore it behoueth them to haue recourse to humilitie, and to consider our owne faultes which in deed be many, and to acknowledge the mercie and goodnes of our Sauiour, from whome all goodnes proceedeth without any proper merit or deseruing of ours, more ouer by diuers wayes and meanes they endeuour themselues to [Page 31] make him think, that hee shal not dy of this infirmitie, and this they do to the end hee go not about to prepare and fortifie himself against them, and that they may take him at vnawares.

But yf thow wilt bee wyse and pro­uident, thow shalt prepare thy selfe in euerie least sicknes, as yf thow weart out of all doubt thow shouldest dy of that disease. And yf they see they can­not deceyue thee this way, then they set hand to greater blowes, and with false arguments beginne to cal thee back from the truthe of the christian faith. In this case yf thow be not verie warie, thow art like to bee catched in their nettes: therefore I giue thee war­ning that thow giue not eare to their deceitful arguing, nor dispute with them in any wyse, because so, thow shouldest bee sodeynlie bound and takē. The best remedie in this straight wil bee, with tongue & hart to say the arti­cles of our faith, that is the Creed, & to confesse thow beleeuest all that our holie mother the Catholyke Churche [Page] beleeueth, and so cause the gospels to be red vnto thee, with this temptation the learned are more troubled then the vnlearned, therefore it is good to sub­mit our vnderstanding vnto obedience of faith, and not to search out the truthe therof by reason, but with humilitie to referre our selues to the iudgement of our fore-fathers and the Catholyke Churche. Yf in this temptation of in­fidelitie thow shalt make due resistance, then with their last battayle they wil tempt thee with desparation, perswa­ding thee that in this lyfe thow haste not vsed thy selfe in such wyse as thow deseruest to be saued: and to put thee besyde all hope they wil bring to thy memorie all thy defects and wants, and tel thee thy confessions haue not bene good, nor thy communications merito­rious, and that thow hast not done eue­rie thing for the loue of God, but for feare of hel and for thyne owne profit. Then it wilbe tyme to runne to the in­finite mercie of our louing and sweet lord God, and remember thy self that [Page 32] his sonne for our saluation did become man, and as man suffered hunger, and thirst, paynes, and torments, and finallie vpon the crosse for our saluation, an opprobrious and shameful death. Thow shalt answere then to the enemie: it is true, thow doest not deserue paradise, nor diddest woork in all thy lyfe by which thow couldest merit so great blisse, but thy merciful lord is hee, that of his infinite mercie and goodnes hath merited for thee; and purchased thee paradise, when hee died on the crosse for thy redemption. Yf thow say this, they shal remayne confounded like hel­lish beastes, not knowing what more to do against thy saluation: except (God permitting it) they appeare vnto thee in verie horrible and feareful shapes, to geue thee some payne and to make thee afeard, to the intent they may more easilie take thee in their malitious trap­pes, whylest thy mynde is occupied with such trouble, and greef. But yf thow wilt runne for refuge to the help of our blessed Ladie, and of thyne an­gel, [Page] and of thy heauenle aduocates, they wil reddilie geue thee succour, and per­aduēture appearing vnto thee in [...]ouing & gratious shapes, sodeynlie from their presence euery deuilish vision wilbe gonne.

The fourth [...]ule. THE fourth rule of the arte to dy wel, that ought to be obserued in tyme of sicknesse, is the election or pro­uision of two or of one faithful & wel­beloued companion or freind, eyther seculer or religious, which in the end of thy lyfe may be present with thee, and assist thee; whose office shalbe princi­pally about three things.

The first is, that hauing committed the charge of thy soule vnto such, in this extremitie they wil make thee some spiritual exhortations, comforting and perswading thee to patience and constācie, to the end thow mayest haue the greater reward in heauen for con­forming thy self to God his holy wil & pleasure, in this and euerie other af­fliction. Also they shal exhort thee, [Page 33] that all care and all loue of transitorie thinges of this world set a syde, with all thy hart thow bee attentyue to the health of thy soule, thanking our lord God continually for his innumerable benefites bestowed vpon thee. Secondly that whilest they assist thee, they do make thee many good and profitable demaundes. First they ought to de­maund, yf thow firmelie beleeue all the articles of the christian faith, and that our holy mother the Churche be­leeueth and holdeth, moreouer they ought to aske thee yf thow haue greef and sorrow for all thyne offences com­mitted against God, asking pardō with an humble and contrite hart, and yf thow purpose neuer to offend him more, & yf for his loue thow willingly pardonest all those that haue offended thee. And they shal also put thee in remembrance, that yf thow haue taken away the good name or the goodes of any person, that thow actualy yf it be in thy power, do without delay restore it. And after they shal exhort thee to [Page] put all thy hope and set all thy loue in our moste mylde and louing redeemer, beseeching him with feruent desire, that hee wil giue thee perfect faith, hope and charitie, and that for the merits of his holy passion, and for his infinite mercie hee wil giue thee the euerla­sting glorie of heauen. And yf the sick­man should not to these demandes an­swere like a good christian, then his chosen freindes before mentioned shal with all diligence do their endeuour to remoue from him euerie il apprehen­sion and disposition of spirit, perswa­ding him with louing & sweet woor­des, how much it is needful at this tyme to prepare himself to receyue deuoutly all the sacraments of the Churche, and wholie and thorowlie to do according to the demaundes and questions aboue specified. To the office of this faithful and deuout freind or freinds, it shal also belong to prouyde that the sick do not dy without the sacramentes, and that the images of the Crucifix and of our Ladie be their in presence, and stād be­fore [Page 34] the eyes of the sick: also that their bee holy water, with the which let all the chamber and the sick person be sprinckled, because it auayleth greatly against the power of the deuil. Also that their be red the gospels of Christes passion and specially that of S. Iohn, or some other thing of the bible, and that hee be put in mynde of the saintes, and principallie or his aduocates and patrōs to whome in his lyfe tyme hee hath had particuler and special deuotion, let their also be warning geuen, that in the chamber wheare the sick lyeth their be no reasoning of worldlie matters, nor lowd speaking, but onely so much as is needful for behoof of the sick, for then is tyme to pray, and not to prattle: also that none weep their, that great sy­lence be kept, and that their be in the chamber no great multitude of per­sons: they ought also to prohibite that the sick person be not much molested with the visitinges of his freindes and kinsfolkes, and speciallie when his sick­nes [Page] encreaseth, and that there is in him no great hope of lyfe.

And thus I make an end of this secōd chapter, in the which I haue declared the preparation called the approching, which ought to be made in tyme of sicknes. And it conteyneth 4. rules: the first is called constancie or patience: the second deuout receyuing of the sacra­ments of the Churche: the third a wary and good prouision against the deuils temptations: the fourth a good election or choyse of one or two faithful freinds, that may haue diligent care of the sick.

And now in a few woordes I wil dispatche the last preparation, decla­ring that which is to be done, in the passage and very last end of this present lyfe.

THE THIRD CHAPTER, wherein is declared in few woordes, the last preparation which hee ought to make, that is come vnto the very end of his lyf.

IN this third chapter, wee are to speak of the preparation, which ought to be made when a man is nee­rest the end of his lyfe, as when hee be­ginneth to enter into his agony and draweth onward to his last gaspe. This chapter conteyneth foure short rules, the which after the example of our lord Iesu Christe wee ought to obserue in this last passage of our lyfe, for wee ought to know, that as the lyfe of our Sauiour hath bene geuen vs for a rule, and for the instruction of our lyfe: so also his death hath bene set before vs to teach vs how to dy. Therefore S. Gregorie saith that, Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio, that is to say: all the actions of Christ are instructions for vs. As our lyfe then shalbe best, when it shalbe lyke to that of our redeemers, who was verie man, and verie God: so [Page] also our death shalbe verie laudable and holy when it shal haue those conditiōs, which that death of our blessed May­ster had, who being on the hard wood of the crosse neere vnto death; diligent­lie obserued fower rules before his blessed soule departed from his sacred bodie.

The first [...]ule. THE first rule was, that spoyled & naked hee ascended the holie crosse, forsaken almoste of all, where hee would dy poor; reseruing no worldly thing for himself. So wee ought at the least, now at the last, after the ex­ample of our Sauiour to renounce ef­fectually euerie superfluous and vayne possessiō, & all worldlie & carnal loue, leauing that to-great affectiō which wee weere wont to beare to wyfe and chil­dren, careing no more neyther for ri­ches nor for honours of the world, to the end that wee bee not troobled by any thing: but in this laste period of our lyf, to think wholy vpon almighty God.

The second rule. THE second rule obserued by our lord on the crosse, was, that hee prayed for himself, and for his enemies: repeating as he prayed vnto his father, the woordes of the Psalme, Deus, Deus meus (respice in me) quare me dereliquisti? that is to say: O God my God (look vpon mee) why hast thow forsaken mee? and afterward this verse of the Psalme: In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, that is: Into thy handes o Lord, I com­mend my spirit. So ought wee to pray first for our selues & after for enemies. And at that tyme a man put in such heauines and peril of his saluation, ought neuer to cease to cal for help of our moste mercyful lord God, and of his blessed mother, of all the Angels, Pa­triarches, Prophets, Martyrs, Cōfessors, Virgins, and matrons, soliciting them with great grones and deep sighes, to help him in this perillous battayle and in so great necessitie: and to inuite them that they vouchsafe to accompa­nie his soule and guide it into the eter­nal tabernacles, to enioy the diuine es­sence, [Page] and to reioyce with them in euerlasting peace:

The third rule. THE third rule obserued of our redeemer Iesus Christe; was, that hee with bowing of his head, & in such manner as hee might, took leaue of his moste deer mother, and of his moste hartie freindes which were their pre­sent about the crosse, and recommēded his blessed mother to her new sonne which hee gaue her. By this hee gaue vs example; to do the lyke, to wit, that when the sick person seeth himselfe to bee neer death, it is very conuenient, that hee recommend his family, as his wel-beloued wyf, and his deere chil­dren, to some freind that may counsel and help them. After this, all his ser­uants and how shold called together, let him take leaue of them, aske them forgiuenes for the il examples hee hath geuen them, and make them some good exhortation. And yf that hee be a fa­ther let him giue his fatherly blessing to his derely beloued children, saying [Page 37] vnto them: my children yf ye wilbe good, and haue the feare of God before your eyes, your principal and heauenly Father wil neuer forsake yow. Be di­ligent to keep his commaundements, The blessing of the Father, of the Sonne, & or the holy Ghoste, & of our blessed Ladie, and of all the Saintes in heauen be with yow. Then taking euery one of them by the hand, and kis­sing them, and imbracing his louing wyf and children hee shal say: O my deere wyf I pray thee honour and feare our Lord God aboue all thinges, I leaue thee these our children, haue dili­gent care of them: vntil this tyme they haue bene ours, now they shalbe thyne: yf thow wilt continew in good lyfe; thow shalt neuer wāt the help of God. Be of good cheer, & do not not weep, for our Lord wilbe with thee: Then shal hee exhort his children, that they be obedient to their mother, and feare and reuerence her as they ought. After this he shal take leaue of them all, cau­sing [Page] them to go out of his chamber, that hee may remayne alone, with his faithful and chosen freindes which are to haue care ouer him euen to the last end of his lyfe.

The fourth rule. Hebr. 5. THE fourth and last rule obserued of our Sauiour in his passage, was, that (as S. Paule saith) Cum clamore valido & lachrymis preces offerens exauditus est pro sua reuerentia, that is to say: offering vp his prayers with a loud cry and teares, he was heard for his reuerence sake: And the text of the holy gospel saith; that our lord hauing cryed with a loud voyce, and recomended his soule to his heauenly Father (saying:Luc. 23. Father into thy handes I commend my spirit) yeel­ded vp his ghoste, leauing the bodie without the soule, wherevpon is ga­thered, that our Sauiour hath done three things in this last rule.

First hee cryed with a loud voyce: secondly hee wept: thirdly hee com­mended his soule to his Father, and [Page 38] then his blessed soule departed from his precious and holy bodie. All these thin­ges ought the sick man to doe, that is vpon his last passage, and in the agonie of death. So that after he hath caused his parents and frendes to retyre; hauing taken his leaue of them, hee shal first think vpon the state of his conscience, and then call vpon almighty God, not with a loud voyce, but with deep and profound sighes from the bottome of his hart, crauing pardon with moste sorrowful teares and intyre contrition, of his creator, for all his sinnes and of­fences comitted against his diuyne ma­iesty, let him repent himself of euerie sinne he hath comitted, and with so­rowful hart aske mercie of almightie God for euerie smal negligence, bit­terly also lamenting for euerie litle losse of tyme, and requiring helpe of our blessed Ladie and all the saintes: often­tymes let him say. In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, that is: into thy handes o Lord, I commend my spirit. [Page] The which woordes the diuynes think to be of verie great vertue: And so by meanes of thease preparations, beeing filled with good and holy desires, thow shalt come to a happy passage of death: and finally rēder thy body to the earth, and thy soule to thy creator with whome thow shalt liue eternally.

When the young Merchāt had heard all these rules, hee said to the Ermyte. I cannot expresse with my tongue how much your profitable wordes haue bene acceptable vnto mee. Surelie ye haue made me know thinges which I shal neuer forget, yea more then that, I shal endeuour my self through the grace of God, with all possible diligence to put in practise and execution all thease 12. golden rules of the arte to dy wel, which ye haue declared vnto mee in the precedent chapters.

But I beseech yow seeing wee be in this talk of death, that ye wil answere to certayne doubtes of myne, according to your learning & the opinion of the [Page 39] sacred diuynes, and as ye shalbe illumi­ned by the holy Ghoste. The Ermite answered that hee was verie wel con­tented, so that hee did not seek to know them of a vaine curiositie. The Mer­chant said: I desire to be resolued of certayne doubtes, of which the resolu­tions and declarations shalbe to all men prontable and pleasing, for their are none which ought not to des re and vnderstand such doctrine, because death is common to all, and therefore ought euerie one willingly to talk and reason there of.

The Ermite then said, my sonne it is conuenient wee sit downe, because my great age requireth some rest, as also because when wee sit and repose our selues, the spirits wilbe better disposed to conceyue and more apt to vnderstād the answere and resolution to thy de­maundes. Begin then, and propound in few woordes thy doubtes, the Merchāt then (they beeing set downe) began to make his demaundes as followeth.

The first [...]estion. I Demaund in the first place, yf wee be all bound to desire death?

The Ermite answered, that in re­spect of the appetite or desire sensitiue wee be not bound: but contrarie it is in respect of the appetite or desire re­sonable voluntarie and free, vnder which the appetite sensitiue ought to be both subiect & gouerned. The rea­son heerof is for that according to the opinion of the diuynes, wee be bound to leaue our owne lyfe, and to accept death for the certayne & sure saluation of our neighbour, much more then be wee bound to this charitie for our owne saluation, the which wee know for certayne cannot be had ordinarily, yf first wee dy not. And wee beeing bound to desire this last and eternal fe­licity, wee are consequently bound to desire all the meanes necessarie to the attayning thereof. And for not desiring of death with reason as afore­said, many Christians are dāned, which yf they might, would choose to liue in [Page 40] this miserable world for euer, & would say to almightie God; keep thow thy heauen for thy self, for I care not for it, it sufficeth mee to liue heer with my freindes and kindred. Wherefore it is a thing manifest and playne, that such men loue not God. And they haue not charitie, seeing they neuer care to see his face: wherein consisteth all our true and chiefest blisse. And thus by this answere the Merchant was tho­rowlie satisfied: and hee said this was a good poynt, woorthy to bee wel con­sidered of many worldlings, which are perswaded they are not bound to desire death, alleaging that the religious and perfect men be they which are bound to desire death, and in no wyse seculer and wordly men. But without all doubt they be deceyued, for wee are there vnto all bound indifferentlie.

The second question. THE second question was whe­ther wee ought to haue an ill opi­nion of those that dy vnwillingly:

[Page]The Ermite answered, saying, my sonne take heed to my woordes, for in this place I wil tel thee another point, which as I think is of very few vn­derstood. Assure thy self it is not law­ful, to desire long lyfe, except it bee to make some spiritual fruit, eyther in himself or others: where-fore when-soeuer a sickman dyeth vn­willingly, and that hee desireth the prolonging of hi [...] lyfe principally to other end then to do spiritual good, ey­ther in himself or in others, I say that in this case hee sinneth greatly: my rea­son is, for that yf hee had the vertues of hope and charitie, hee would more de­sire to bee ioyned with his God, then any other thing that is not in any sorte giuen or ordayned to that end, that is, the coniunction and vnion with the soueraigne good. It is needful then to satisfy thy demaund with a distinction: wherefore I say vnto thee, when a sick man dyeth vnwillingly, to the end hee would abyde in this world to ioy [Page 41] and triumphe & not to the end to a­mend his lyfe, nor yet to help others: of such an one a man cannot but haue a sinister and il opinion, because it is a signe hee hath not charitie toward his creator. But when the sick person de­sireth his lyfe may bee prolonged to do penance for his sinnes, or to haue tyme to merit more, or to come more in Gods fauour, or els to help others, after the example of S. Paule, S. Martin, & diuers holy men, of such a man (so as hee be confirmable to God his holy wil and pleasure) we ought to haue a good and holy opinion, because hee hath his desires agreable vnto charitie.

Hereunto replyed the Merchant; yf this be so then are but few saued, be­cause few they be which desire not to haue long lyfe, to triumphe heer in ioy, and to get worldly riches and honours. Therefore these things ye tell mee seeme vnto mee verie strange and dif­ficil. To this answered the good Er­myte, saying, my sonne I graunt thee, [Page] that few are saued, but yet that which I tell thee is true, and taken out of the doctrine of holy diuynes, which to a­uoyd tediousnes I name not, nor yet goe I about to proue at length this my saying, because it is a thing verie palpa­ble, and wel knowne to deuout & holy persons.

The third question. THE third question was, whether wee ought to haue an ill opinion of them that at the last end of their lyf do lose the vse of reason, & many tymes do vtter vaine and il speeches.

The Ermite answered with distinc­tion, saying, that of these wee ought to say as of them which in health become mad, and dy in their madnes, who yf they weare in state of grace, when they loste the vse of reason, & so dyed, they are saued: but yf then they wear in mortal sinne and so dyed they be with­out all doubt damned in hel. And note for our purpose, that the iust iudge our Lord Iesus Christe suffereth somtymes [Page 42] some great sinners, in their last sicknes to lose the vse of reason in iust iudge­ment, to the intent that as in their lyfe tyme they haue not bene myndful of almightie God, so in their death they should not remember themseluee. This is that which S. Augustine said: Hac ani­maduersione percutitur peccator, vt moriens obliuiscatur sui, qui dū viueret oblitus est Dei, that is to say: with this punishment the sinner is stricken, that dying hee for­getteth himself, which whilest hee liued did forget almighty God. Such men as these hauing liued beastly and without reason, for their woorthie pu­nishment ought to dy as brute beastes; without any good preparatiō, & there­fore without confession and commu­nion, and without any signe of con­trition: oftentymes with blasphemies and ill woordes they passe out of this miserable lyfe; to the more miserable and euerlasting paine of hell. On the contrary parte it happeneth somtymes to some iust and holy persons, that in [Page] the end of his lyfe, through the great mercie of God, being in state of grace, hee loseth the vse of reason, and beco­meth frantick, and speaketh many soule and vnseemely woordes, God who is mercyful, suffereth this to fall vnto him for his profit, and of compas­sion to the end hee feele not the great payne of his sicknesse, and that the de­uils may not haue occasion to afflict him with temptations, after the losse of the vse of reason. God almightie of his benignitie vseth this mercy with him that hath bene good, and is of na­ture fearful and frayle, deliuering him by this mean from the grief of the sick­nes, which hee doth not feele so much when his bodie is without vse of rea­son: and making him vnable to receyue the deuils temptations, because he that is without vse of reason doth not sinne. And say hee or do hee what hee wil, yea though hee vtter woordes a­gainst God in that tyme, it is not impu­ted vnto him for sinne, but it is inoughe [Page 43] for him whē hee had his vnderstāding, that hee had true cōtrition for his sin­nes, and was in the grace and fauour of God.

The fourth question. THE fourth question was, whether wee ought to thinke il of them, that dy of sodayne or violent death.

The Ermyte answered, that accor­ding to the iudgement of S. Augustine. Mors mala dicenda non est, quam bona vita praecessit, that is to say: That death is not to be esteemed il, which a good lyfe hath gonne before. Alwayes when a man hath lyued wel, and at the point of death is without deadlie sinne, such a death ought to bee esteemed good: be­cause, Preciosa in conspectu Domini mors san­ctorum eius, that is to say: precious in our Lords sight is the death of his sain­tes, So as let a man dy of what kynde of death soeuer it bee, eyther of fire, or water, or swoord, or pestilence, or poyson, or sodaynly, or lingringly, al­wayes his death is said to be holy and [Page] pretious when hee dyeth in the state of grace. Wee haue example of this in many holy confessors & martirs, which (in respect of the world) haue dyed ignominious and shameful deathes; and neuerthelesse they are now happy with God in heauen. And thesame also hap­pened to our Lord Iesus Christe, to whome as yf hee had bene the prince of thieues, was allotted by the wicked and obstinate Iewes, the infamous death of the crosse. And for the con­trarie hee saith, that alwayes of wyse­men that death is iudged il, when one dyeth in mortal sinne: although hee haue a quiet and honourable death, to the sight of the world, and bee in dis­grace with almightie God: and alwayes by holy men that death is iudged the wurst, because as Dauid saith, Mors pec­catorum pessimae, the death of sinners is the most euil. All deathes then be ill, when men dy in deadly sinne: and con­trariwise euerie kynde of death is good and holy, when a man dyeth in the fa­uour of almightie God.

The fift question. THE fift question was, whether it be lawful to desire a man when hee dyeth, that after death hee wil appeare vnto thee, and tel thee his estate.

The Ermite answered, that hee foūd to this question two contrarie an­swears giuen by the Doctors. The one is of the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas,In quodli­beti. who saith, that when there is not ioy­ned withal any curiositie or infidelitie, but onely a careful desire to know the state of him that dyeth, then is it law­ful to require such a thing. The other answear cōtrarie; is of Henry de Ascia, who saith that it is not a thing lawful, because it can hardly come but of a­vayne curiositie; and peraduenture of infidelitie, to be assured of the lyfe to come, and besydes that, hee putteth himself in peril to be deluded of the deuil, who many tymes appeareth in forme and shape of the dead, and re­uealeth false things. And therefore wee read in the gospel, that Abraham would not permit that any reuelation or ap­parition [Page] should be made vnto the bre­thren of the wicked riche man, who prayed him to send some one that was dead vnto them (that yet liued) to ad­uertise them of his miserable state. To whome Abraham answered, Habent Moysen & Prophetas, audiant illos, that is to say: They haue Moyses & the Prophe­tes, let them heare them. But it seemeth vnto mee that when a man is not mo­ued, neyther of infidelitie, nor of curio­sitie, but onely for a spiritual consola­tion, and to fulfil without offence to God, a desire to know such a thing, that this is no sinne. Notwithstanding hold thow that opinion which moste pleaseth thee, so that thow haue the vertue of humilitie, ioyned with godly and holy desire.

The sixt question. THE sixt question was, whether hee that hath alwayes liued il, & neuer hath made preparation for death, being now at the point of death, may at that instant sufficiently prepare himself to [Page 45] dy. The Ermite answered, saying, sonne, so long as a man liueth and hath the vse of reason; hee may alwayes dis­pose and prepare himself to dy wel. But in truth I say vnto thee, that of ten thowsand men that delay it to the last instant, their is not one saued. This is the iudgement of S. Hierome, and S. Augustine, and verie wel knowne and manifest to other holy doctors, there­fore I wil not go about to multiplie wordes in vayne.

The seuēth question. THE seuenth question was, whe­ther the deuil do appeare to all those that dy. The Ermite answered, saying, that ordinarily the deuils ap­peare to all; in the end of their lyues, as may be proued by the authoritie of diuers holy men. The ordinary glosse explicating these woordes of Geneses. Tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius: that is,Genes. 3. Thow shalt ly in wayt euen at his heel, saith, that this is to be vnderstood to be at the end of mannes lyf.

[Page]To the same purpose Ecclesiasticus also saith, Sunt spiritus qui ad vindictam creati sunt, & in tempore consummationis ef­fundunt virtutem suam, that is to say: their be spirits which were created for re­uenge, and at the tyme of consumation they do shew their force: which autho­rity S. Vincent and other Doctors ex­pound of deuils that appeare at the tyme of death. And S. Gregorie saith, that the deuil so much the more dili­gently tempteth a man in the end of his lyfe, as he knoweth hee hath lesse tyme to tempt him.

Thesame S. Gregorie also wryteth that the deuil in the end of lyfe appee­reth aswel to the good as the euil; yea and that hee durst appeer to Christe himself beeing on the crosse. If then this wicked spirit came to Christe on the crosse, how much more boldly wil hee appeere to all other? yf it be not that some through the spetial grace and priuiledge of almighty God be ex­empted from such a diuelish appari­tion, [Page 46] as wee read of our blessed Ladie, in some bookes of smalle authoritie, that she asked and obtayned of her blessed sonne, that at her death she should not see any wicked spirit or deuil.

The eight question. THE eight question was, whether our Sauiour Christe discend corpo­rally to the particuler iudgment of all those that dy.

The Ermite answered, that to some it seemeth hee doth, and they confirme their opinion with authoritie of holy scripture, in the actes of the Apostles: where it is said of our Lord.Act. 10. Ipse est qui constitutus est à Deo, iudex viuorum & mor­tuorum, that is to say: it is hee that is ap­poynted of God the iudge of the quick and the dead. And in S. Iohn the 5. Chap. it is written: Pater omne iudicium dedit filio, that is to say, God the father gaue all iudgement to his sonne. But to some other this opinion seemeth not credible, because it happeneth that in one and the self same tyme diuers per­sons [Page] dy in diuers places, and it is not conuenable that Christes humanitie in one instant should bee to this end in so many places, and therefore they say, our blessed Sauiour doth not discend per­sonally to giue this particuler iudgmēt, but rather committeth that office to the good Angel that is giuen vs for our gard, giuing him authoritie as iudge, to end and execute the proces and senten­ces to him appoynted, and the Angel, so made iudge, condemneth or absol­ueth the soule according to iustice: and after guideth it to the place assigned, eyther in heauen, in hell, or in purga­torie, according as it hath deserued. But to the vniuersal iudgment, our blessed Sauiour himself wil discend and iudge the quick and the dead. And in this sence they expound the authoritie be­fore aleaged.

The nynth question. THE nynth question was, whether our Sauiour Christe appeare at the hower of death generallie to all men, good and il.

[Page 47]The Ermite answered that some great doctors haue said that hee dothe, and to approue thesame they alleage the authoritie of Pope Innocent the third in the second book, de conditione vilitatis humane: that is of the misery of man, where it is said that all men, as­wel good as bad do see Iesus Christe be­fore the soule go out of the bodie. The good to their great consolation and the euil to their great confusion, to the end that by such apparance they may be ashamed to haue lost through their negligence the precious fruit of their redemption. And albeit this bee the opinion of very famous doctors yet do I not fynde it sufficiently confirmed by authority of holy scripture: & for this reason there are others that do not con­cur in this opinion; though yet very Godly and deuout. About this matter then I wil make none other resolution, but that I hold for certayne, that our benigne and mercyful redeemer appeareth to many in the end of their [Page] lyues as by innumerable examples and approued histories it may be verefyed, but that hee appeareth to all vniuersal­ly, I neyther affirme nor deny.

The tenth question. THE tenth was, whether the par­ticuler iudgement bee immediatly after the soule is gon out of the bodie, or that there bee some space of tyme be­fore the sentence of the said iudgement be giuen.

The Ermite answered, that ordina­rilie without delay after the soule be separated from the bodie it receyueth his particuler iudgment, with the sen­tence of damnation or saluation, accor­ding to the condition of his merits. But verie trew it is, that Omnis regula patitur exceptionem, euery rule suffereth excep­tion. Therefore some soules after their separation attend a good space before their particuler iudgement be giuen, as wee read of a famous Doctor, of Paris who was reputed a man of holy lyfe, but beeing dead, whyles they made his [Page 48] funeralles in the Churche, hee lifted vp his head as he lay on the beere, in the presence of many people, & a great nū ­ber of maisters & Doctors in diuinitie, and diuers schollers, and said, Ad iudiciam vocatus sum: that is, I am called to iudge­ment: and then layd himself down a­gaine, wherevpō it was ordayned that hee should not be buried vntil the next day, and so the day following hee did the like, for lifting vp his head againe hee said, Iudicatus sum: I am iudged. And there vpon his burial was deferred til the third day, when as hee in lyke man­ner (as twyce before) lifting vp his head said aloud, Condemnatus sum: I am con­demned, whereby it is manifest, that this particuler iudgement continued for the space of three dayes. Through the which great miracle sundry doctors & schollers left the world, & went into the wildernes, where they began the first foundation of the order of the Car­thusians; otherwise called the monkes of the Charterhows.

The eleuēth [...]estion. THE eleuenth questiō was, yf when this particuler iudgement is done, and the sentence giuen; the soule be ca­ried by and by to the place appoynted.

The Ermite answered, that the holy Catholike Churche holdeth and firmly beleeueth, that our soules beeing depar­ted out of our bodies; do after their par­ticular iudgemēts ordinarily passe vnto the place of euerlasting ioy or paine, ac­cording to their merites or demerits. And the reason hereof is, for that it is the soule that principally synneth or meriteth, and the bodie without it cannot sinne nor merit: and therefore it is not against reason, that the soule without the bodie, receyue eyther good or euil, vntil the day of the vniuersal iudgement: it sufficeth that afterward at the tyme of the vniuersal iudgement beeing vnited with the bodie it be therewith for euer eyther saued or dam­ned. The sacred diuynes in the fourth of the sentences do proue this our Ca­tholike conclusion with reasons, autho­rityes, [Page 49] and authentical histories: but in this place onely the authority of the scriptures is sufficient for vs, as it apee­reth in the 23. of S. Luke, where our Sauiour Christe said to the good theef, Hodie mecum eris in paradiso: This day thow shalt bee with mee in paradise; hee said not at the end of the world, but this day. And Iob speaking of wordlings said, Ducunt in bonis dies suos, & in puncto ad infernum discendunt, that is to say: they spend their dayes in plea­sures, and in a momēt they descend into hel. Whereby it apeereth that whylest they bee in their triumphes and ioyes, sodeynlie in the twinckling of an eye they fall into hel.

The twelfth question. THE twelfth question was, yf all they that dy do suffer equal payne and anguish in the agonie of death.

The Ermite answered no: as it ap­peareth in some olde men which dy easily, and also some that seeme to dy sleeping, and some whilest they bee in [Page] an extasie or traunce: as S. Augustine declareth in his book, De ciuitate Dei. Moreouer it happeneth somtymes that one aliue and in health doth endure greater payne, then an other in the tyme of his death, and it is iudged of Wysemen, that oftentymes it is a grea­ter difficulty to beare the troubles and miseries of this lyfe, then dying to loose the lyfe of the bodie. So as in this re­spect; there haue bene many holy Con­fessors that haue suffered more gree­uous afflictions then some martirs.

Wee may therefore think, that there is no man, who eyther before his death, or at the tyme of his death, or at least after death, doth not suffer ex­cessiue grief and great torment.

When the youngman had wel vn­derstood all these things aforesaid, hee would yet haue propounded other questions, but the Ermite feeling him­selfe wearie, aswel for his great age as also for his long talk, prayed him, that hee would bee content to aske [Page 50] him no more, but rather that hee would do his endeuour to put in exe­cution that, which hee had all read­die tolde him, for woordes without deedes are litle profitable, and to such as haue a good wil to do wel it is not needful to vse many persuasions; but breefly to tel them their dueties.

Then the youngman with great re­uerence and humility did vpon his knees giue thankes vnto the good Er­mite, for so many his good & holy les­sons, & promised him to make it apeer, that his long discours should not bee vnprofitable and without great fruit, And so hauing had his blessing took his leaue, and without delay, desirous to giue himself wholie to learne to dy wel, distributed all his riches to poor orphans, Churches and hospitalles, and forsaking this miserable and deceyuing world entred into religion, where hee continewed a long tyme, and diligent­ly obserued the aforesaid rules, til at length hauing liued long and ver­tuously, [Page] hee happely rendred his soule into the handes of this creator, to whome bee all honour and glorie world without-end, Amen.