Wherfore doost thou aske that questyon ?

For bycause thou arte moche sadder than thou arte wonte , more deformed , more fylthy , more ferse , to make fewe word●s , nothyng at all after thy name .

If ( as we se by experyence ) they which contynew ony space in Founders shoppes , draweth to them some blaknesse . What grete cause hast thou to merueyle , yf I beyng contynually so many days with two seke men , dyeng and buryed be more pensyf than I am wont . & also moch the more whan they were bothe my speciall frendes ?

Who doost thou tell me was buryed .

Dydest thou knowe one George balearyke ?

Onely I haue herde of him for to my knowlege I neuer sawe his face .

The other I am sure thou knowest nothynge at all / He was called Cornelius montius , with whome I had grete famylyaryte many yeres .

It was neuer my chaunce to be ps●nt at ony mannes dethe .

I haue ben more of ten than I wold .

I pray the tell me● is dethe so horryble a thyng as it is comȳly sayd ?

The passage toward deth is more harde & paynfull than dethe it self . but he whiche casteth out of his mynde the ferefulnesse and ymagynacion of dethe : to hym is released a gr●te parte of the payne . To speke brefely , all that is paynfull , eyther in sekenesse , or in dethe , is made more tollerable yf a man commyt hymself holly to the wyll of god● For as concernyng the felyng of dethe , ( whan the very tyme the soule is departynge from the body ) after my iugement is nothing at all / or ( if there be ony ) that it is very dull / for bycause nature ( before that come to passe ) bringeth in a slombre , & maketh amased all the sensyble partyes .

We are all borne without felyng of our selues .

But not without felyng of our mother .

Why dye we not in lykewyse ? Wherfore hath god appoynted dethe to be so cruciable & paynful a thyng ?

He so ordeyned that our natyuytees sholde be paynfull and full of peryls to the mother , that she myght so moche more loue that , whiche she had brought forthe . Contrary wyse it was his pleasure that dethe sholde be ferefull / leste euery where men shold infere theyr own dethe . For in so moche that whan we may se dayly many which do slee themselues , what thynkest thou to come , yf dethe had nothynge horryble ? as often as a man rebuketh his seruaunt eyther his chylde / yea , as often as the wyfe shold take dyspleasure with her husbande , as often as ony maner of thing dyde myscary , or ony thing chaunced beyng sorowfull to the mynde , by & by men wolde renne to hange themselues , to kyll them with swerde , to drawe them to some conuenyent place where they myght cast themselfes down heedlynges , eyther to poyson / now the bytternesse of dethe maketh vs that we loue better our lyfe / in especyal whan physyciens can not heale a man ones deed . Albeit lyke as we all haue not lyke chaunce in our natyuyte / euen so there be diuers maners & ways of deth . Some short & swyft deth deliuereth hens , some other wasteth awaye with slowe dethe . Lethargic● that is to say suche as hath th●sekenes of forgetfulnesse . In lykewyse they whiche be stong of the venymous Aspys altogyder in a slombryng , dyeth without ony felyng of themselve . I haue obserued this thyng in especyall , that there is no kynde of dethe so paynful but it is tollerable after that a man hath with a fully fyxed mynde decreed for to go hens .

Whither of these dethes thynkest thou to be moost lyke the dethe of a chrystyan ?

Me semeth the dethe of George more honorable .

But I pray you hath dethe also his couetousnesse of honoure ?

I dyde neuer se two persones dyeng so vnlyke a dethe● yf ye haue so moche leysure to here , I wyl shewe you playnly the departyng of bothe twayne . but it shall be thy parte to iuge whiche of the dethes is moost to be wysshed to a chrysten man .

yea , mary I pray the that thou wylt not thynke it greuous to tell / for I wold● here nothyng more gladly●

Therfore here first of G●orge . After that deth had shewed certayne & sure tokens of hymself the flocke of phisicions which of longe tyme had take cure of this pacient , nothyng beyng a knowen of th● dispayre of lyfe began to aske theyr stypendes .

How many were they ?

Sontymes ten , & somtyme twelue , & syx whan they were fewest .

There was ynow to kyl a man in good helthe .

After the tyme they had theyr money / t●●●●●rned they pryuely suche as were about the seke man , that dethe was at hande . And that they sholde prepayre , and make redy all suche thynges as sholde parteyne vnto the helthe of the soule / seyng that there was no hope at all of ony bodyly welthe . And therupon the seke man was louyngly , by suche as were his spaecial frendes , monysshed that he sholde commyt the cure of his body to god● and that he sholde onely mynde those thynges whiche perteyned to departe wel hens . As soone as George herde these thynges : he loked , & that very fers●y , vpon the physicions / and as it were one sore dyspleased that they shold all gyue hym vp , they sayd to hym agayne , that they were physycions & no goddes / & that they had done so moche as they coude by theyr scyence . albeit that there was no medycyne whiche coude remedy agaynst the ordynaunce of god . This doone , they go in to the next chambre .

What ? dyde they tary styl after that they had receyued theyr wages ?

They were not yet agreed what kynde of sekenesse it was . One affyrmed that it was a dropsy / another sayd it was a tympany . some sayd it was apostome in the inner partes . some sayd it was one dysease / some another . and all the tyme they toke in gouernaunce the pacyent they dysputed styfly what maner of sekenes it shold be .

O , how happy was the pacyent in the meane tyme ?

But bycause at length to ende theyr contencyon they desyred his wyfe to aske of suche as were his frendes to suffre an Anothomye or section to be mad● of the deed body . and that it shold cause moche honour to be spoken / and also that it was so accustomed to be done for honours sake in grete noble men . And moreouer that the thing it self sholde be helthfull to many / & also merytoryous to the seke man . And the rather to optayn theyr purpose they promised to bye of theyr owne charges a trentall of masses , for the profyte of the deed . This request hardly , but at the length with intreatynge of the wyfe & certayn of his kynsmen was opteyned . These maters doone the garde of physiciens dyde wynde themselues away / for they say comynly , that it is not conuenyent that they which be wont to helpe lyfe : sholde be the beholders of dethe , or be pres●t at buryalles . Anone was called for one Bernardinus a reuerend father as ye knowe well ynough , keper of one of saynt franceys flockes , to here his confessyon . Before the confessyon was all togyder fynysshed a multytude of the .iiij. ordres , whome the people call the beggyng ordres was come in to the hous .

So many deuouring Uultures to one poore pyece of caryon ?

Than afterwarde the parysshe preste was called for to anoyle the man , and to gyue hym the sacrament of our lordes body .

Deuoutly .

But there was almoost a blody fray betwyxte the parysshe preste & the other solytary fathers .

At the seke mannes bed ?

And also Chryst hymselfe lokyng vpon them .

What caused all the besynesse so sodeynly ?

The parisshe preste ( after that he knewe the seke man was confessed to the Francyscane ) sayd that he wolde neyther mynystre the sacrament of anoylyng nor of the aulter / or ony buryeng / onelesse that he herde with his eares the seke mannes confession . He sayd moreouer , that he was the parysshe preste / and that he must gyue accompt to god for his lytell shepe . but that he sayd he coude not do yf onely he were ignoraunt of the secretes of his conscyence .

Semed he not to speke reasonably ?

Not vnto them veryly . For they all cryed agaynst hym , and in especy all Bernardinus , & Uincentius the domynycan .

What reasons brought they ?

They set vpon the poore preste with grete rebukes and raylynges● callyng him often asse , and a mete keper for hogges . I sayd Uincentius , am a bacheler of dyuynyte formate / and shortly shall belycencyate / and also shall be promoted with the tytle of a doctour . Thou arte scarcely come to the redyng of the gospell . How is it than possyble that thou canst excuse , and iuge the secretes of ony mannes conscyence ? But and yf thou lyste for to be besyed , goo see what thy harlottes , and bastarde brattes doo at home . and many other obprobryous thynges whiche I am gretly ashamed to shewe .

What sayd he / was he domme at those wordes ?

Domme ? yea , thou woldest haue sayd he had ben as the prouerbe sayth . A greshop taken by the wynges . I sayd he , shall make of beane stalkes moch better bachelers than thou arte . The ●utours and capytaynes of youre ordres Domynyke and Fraunceys , where lerned they I pray you Aristoteles phylophy / or the argumentes of Thomas / eyther Scotus speculacions ? or where I pray you were they made bachelers ? ye creped in to the worlde , than easy to beleue your superstycions / but than ye were but a fewe & lowly● and some also meke & wel lerned men . Than your nestes were in the feldes and poore cotages / but shortly after ye flitted thens , bothe in to the rychest cytees and in to the fayrest partes of them . Seyng there be so many poore vyllages in the countree abrode whiche can not fynde a shepeherde / there shold ye bestow your labours● there were conuenyent places for you to labour in / but now ye wyll be nowhere but in the houses of ryche men . ye face & crake vnder the name of popes / but your pryuyleges be not worth a strawe : but where as the bysshop , parsone , or vycare dooth not his duety . In my chyrche shall none of you preche so longe as I am the curate and haue my helthe . I am no bacheler , neyther saynt Martyn was ony bacheler , and yet he played the very bysshop . yf I lacke lernyng I wyll not aske it of you . Suppose ye that the worlde is yet so blynd & folysshe , that ( whersoeuer they se saynt Domynyke or Fraunceys co●e ) they wyll thynke theyr sanctymony and holynes there to be ? or is it to you ony mater at all what I do at home at my hous ? What pageauntes ye play in your dennes , & what knauery ye vse with holy nonnes all the worlde knoweth . Also how lytell the better or clener be the ryche mennes howses which ye haunt is openly knowen . yea as the prouerbe sayth , bothe to blere eyed persones & barbours . To tell the what was more spoken I dare not . truly he handled those reuerend fathers with small reuerence . And none ende sholde haue ben , oneles Georgius had sygnyfied with waggyng of his hande , that he wolde say some thyng . Moche adoo it was to apteyne that theyr chydyng myght cease so longe . than sayd the seke man . Kepe peas betwene you , I wyll confesse me agayn to the my curate / than after thou shalt be payed thy money or thou go out of this hous / bothe for bell ryngynge , dyriges , the herse , for buryall vnd stole● neyther by ony meanes I wyll gyue the occasion to complayn on me .

Dyde the preste refuse so equal a condycion ?

Nothyng at all onely he murmured moche of the confessyon , which he forgaue the seke man . What nedeth it , sayd he , in repetyng the same agayn to fatygate & trouble bothe the seke man & the preste : in repetyng all one thyng ? If he had confessed hym to me in season , parauenture he sholde haue made his wyll better for his soule helth , now take ye the charge . This indyfferency of the seke sore agreued those solytary fathers , no●hyng contented that ony morsell of theyr pray shold be cut out for the parysshe preste . But I went betwene them & conclud●d so that theyr stryfe was ended . & the preste anoyled the seke man , & gaue hym our lordes body . And after he was payde his money & went his way .

Dyde Caromenes than felowe after so grete a tempest ?

Nay by saynt Mary , a sharper storme folowed by & by .

I pray the what was the cause ?

Thou shalt here . There were flocked togyther in one hous foure ordres of beggyng freres / the fyfthe ordre the which● be called the croked ( the crouched freres I wolde say ) came in amonge them . Agaynst whiche as it had bene a chylde base goten , that other foure arose all togyder makyng no lytell ado . and they asked the fyfth ordre whan euer they dyde se a charyot of .v. wheles / or how they durst make mo ordres of beggers than there be Euangelystes . By the same reason ●they sayd ) bryng in hyder all beggers whiche vse to syt at brydges & hye wayes .

What sayd the crouched freres to that ?

They asked the other fr●res agayn / how the charyot of the chyrche went , at suche tyme whan there was no ordre of beggers● and agayn whan there was onely one , & after thre . for truly the nombre ( sayd they ) of the euangelystes hath nomore affynyte with our ordres than with a dyce , which on euery syde shewith .iiij. corners . Who brought the Austyn freres in to the ordre of beggers ? or who the Carmelytes ? or what tyme begged Augustyn or Hely ? for these they make the auctour of theyr ordres . These thonderboltes with many other the crossed freres dyde clatter out , & doubtles very manfully . But bycause they had none to take parte with them / therfore thynkyng them not able to resyst the violence of .iiii. suche hostes , gaue place / onely thretnyng them very cruelly●

Than I trowe there was nomore brablyng .

No mary . For this parte takynge and atonement agaynst the fifth ordre was torned in to an open fray . The francyscan & the domynycan contended , that neyther the augustynyans nor the carmelytes were proprely called beggers / but rather mungrelles , & chaungelynges . This stryfe dyde so moche encrease , that playnly I was afrayd leest it shold come to hand grypes and strokes .

Dyde the seke man abyde all these brablynges ?

These maters were not done at his bed syde , but in a court by whiche ioyned to the chambre . But all the wordes came to the seke man / for they dyde not whysper the mater , but it was spoken loude ynough , & with ful shawmes , as the prouerbe sayth . And thou knowest moost comynly that seke men are sharpe of heryng in especyally .

But how ended the batayle ?

The seke man sent vnto them his wyfe , to exhorte them to kepe scylence a lytell whyle , & sayd that he wolde ende this variaunce . And so desyred , that for that tyme the Augustynyens & the Carmelytes wolde depar●e / and promised that they sholde lose nothyng therby . And sayd more ouer that so moche meate sholde be sent home to theyr houses : as the rest whiche taryed styll sholde haue . But he commaunded that they shold all foure ordres be at his buryeng , & also the fyfth , and that they shold euery one haue lyke porcion of money . Neuerthelesse he wolde in no wyse that they shold al syt togyder at dyner , lest ony trouble sholde insue at theyr metynge .

Thou tellest me of a ryght good hous keper / whiche at the poynt of dethe coud set in quyetnes so many besy maters .

He had been many yeres a capytayn in warres . there are wont dayly to spryng vp suche clamoures amonge the souldyours ,

Was he ryche ?

Uery ryche .

But it was euyl goten , with spoyling & sacrylege . or robbynge holy places / extorcions & brybes .

Suche is the comyn facion of the capytaynes in warres : nor I dare not styfly swere that this man was altogyder clere & differyng fro theyr maners . But as ferre as I can perceyue he gate more good with , polycy of wyt than with vyolen●e .

How so ?

He vnderstode very wel arythmetike or craft of nombryng .

What therof ?

What than ? To the hygh capytayne he wolde somtyme accompt ●xxx . M. souldyers , whan there were scarcely .vii. M. And more ouer he payd to many of them neuer a deale .

Certaynly thou shewest me a worthy craft of accomptyng .

And somtime he caused the warres by craft to contynue & was wont also to receyue euery moneth money of vyllages & townes : bothe of his enmyes & frendes . of his en●myes : to saue them harmeles , of his frendes to suffer theym to make peace with theyr ennemyes .

I knowe of olde the maners of souldyers . but go forthe in your tale .

Bernarde and Uyncent with certayne other of theyr companyons taryed styll with the seke man / the other whiche were departed had vytayles sent theym .

Dyde not they agre well togyder whiche taryed styll in the house ?

not alway , they like hogges grunted I wote not wherfore , of the prefermentes of theyr bulles , but leste theyr deuyse sholde not come to passe , they dissembled for that tyme . Here they brought forthe his testament , and certayne demaundes were asked before wytnesses , of suche thynges whiche they had concluded amonge themselues before .

I am very desyrous to here what thynges they were .

I shall tell the chyef poyntes , for the mater is somewhat tedyous . There remayned his wyfe .xxxviii. yeres of aege / beynge a woman certaynly very commendable & wyse . Two sones , the eldre was .xix. yeres of aege , and the other .xv. And as many doughters , bothe within aege . Thus was it deuysed by his testament / that his wyfe ( bycause they coude not enforce her to be a Nonne ) sholde take the habyte of a Bighyne , that is an or●re betwene Nonnes and laykes . The elder sone , bycause they coude not entyse hym to be of ony solitary professyon .

An olde foxe is taken but seldon in a snare .

Hastely after his faders buri●ng they determyned that he sholde in al haste go to Rome / and there bye the popes dyspensacyon before his law ful aege to be made a preste , to syng dayly in Uatycanes temple , for his faders soule . And that he sholde crepe on his knees euery fryday all the holy stayres in Laterane .

Dyde he take all this wyllyngly ?

Euen to be playne , as asses be wont to take vpon them theyr caryages . More●●r that the yongest sone shold be professed to saynt Fraunceys , the elder doughter to saynt Clare , the yongest to saynt Katheryn . For they coude bryng nomore of theyr purpose ●o passe . for George was minded , bycause he wold haue god more bound to hym , to haue his wyfe & .iiii. chyldren to be parted amonge the .v. ordres of beggers / and there was grete procurement therto / but the wife and the eldest sone were to olde to agre thereto , eyther for fayre wordes or foule .

A propre facyon of dysinherytyng .

The inherytaunce altogyder was in suche wyse deuyded , that after the charges of the buryeng was taken out of all the hole , one parte sholde inure to the wyfe vpon this condycion / that she sholde lyue with the one halfe therof / the other half shold be put in the place where she shold oblyge herself . Frōwhens , yf she at any tyme hereafter departed , all the same money sholde remayne to that flocke : Another lyke porcion shold be gyuen to the eldest sone , to whome by & by after sholde be inioyned a iourney toward Rome / and as moche as was suffycient to bye his bulles , & to paye his costes of meate and drynke at Rome . And yf he refused to be made preste , his porcion shold than be deuyded betwene the freres of saynt Fraunceys , and of saynt Domynyke / and yet I feare me that he wyll not perform theyr iniūct●on / the yong man appered to abhorre so moche from holy ordres . Two porcyons sholde be put in to the monastery which was content to take the yongest sone . Other two partes also to the .ii. monasteryes where the doughters were but vnder this condycion / that yf they at ony tyme hereafter refused to professe the lyfe , yet all the money sholde be in theyr custody , sauf , & in no wyse dymynysshed . Agayn on the other syde , the good father Bernardyne must haue one of the porcions , & Uyncent another / & half of one of the porcyons to the Charter monkes , for communyon and parte takyng of all good workes , whiche sholde be done in all the ordre , All the rest sholde be distrybute to poore people that were pryuely kept / vpon whome Bernardyne and Uyncent thought it best bestowed .

thou sholdest haue sayd as the lawyers do , Quos ve● quas .

After the wyll was redde / they asked him vnder these wordes . George balearike , doost thou beyng on lyue & hole memory approue this testament , which thou lately hast made of thyn own mynde ? He answered / I do approue it . & is this thy last & immutable wyl ? it is . And thou doost instytute & ordeyn me & fader bacheler Uyncent here : executors of thy last wyll ? I do ordeyne . Than they commaunded hym yet ones to subscrybe it with his owne hand .

How coud he , than beyng at poynt of dethe ?

Bernardinus dyd gouerne the seke mannes hande .

What dyde he subscrybe ?

These wordes . the hygh displeasure of saynt Fraunceys & saynt Domynyke may come to him whiche gooth about to chaunge ony thing her in .

But feared they not the action called in the lawe Actio officiosi testamenti .

No , no : this action lyeth not in those thinges that be dedycate to god / neyther I thynke that ony man is so folysshe to make ony trouble with god . All these maters fynysshed , the wyfe & the chyldren gaue theyr ryght handes to the seke man . sweryng that they shold obserue that thyng whiche they had receyued . ¶ After these thynges they began to comyn ( not without stryfe ) of the funeral pompe . At last this sentence had the vyctory , that .ix. of of euery one of the .v. ordres shold be present in the honour of the .v. bokes of Moyses / and of the .ix. ordres of aungelles . And the euery ordre sholde haue theyr crosse borne before them / and they sholde synge theyr mournyng songes . Moreouer .xxx. ( besyde suche as were kynne to hym ) shold be hyred , ( for so many pyeces of money was our lorde solde ) all in blacke to bere the torches . & for his honours sake .xii. mourners . ( this nombre is in the honour of the .xii apostles , ) sholde go about the corps . Next after sholde folowe Georges own hors all in blacke , with his necke so bound doune to his knees as though he wold be sene to seke his mayster on the erthe . ¶ It was forthermore procured that the couerynge which shold be cast ouer him , shold shewe on euery party his armes . Lykewise euery torche & blacke garment sholde the same . The corps they purposed sholde be layde at the ryght hande of the hygh aulter in a tombe of marble , whiche sholde be made iiij . fote hygh fro the the ground . He sholde lye in the top of it grauen in a whyte marble stone / all armed fro top to toe . neyther myght the helmet lacke his creste . the creste was the necke of an Anocrotale . A target in the left arme / in the which was his armes blased in this wyse , Thre wylde bores heedes all of golde in a syluer felde . A swerde by his syde with a gylted pomell . The gyrdle was gylted , & deuyded with studdes of precyous stones . Golden spurres to his fete , bycause he was a gentyll man of cote armour , vnder his fete shold be set a leoperd , the brynk●s of his sepulker sholde haue an epitaphye mete for a worthy man . He was wyllyng that his hert sholde be buried seuerally in a chapell of saynt franceys . He committed the other inward partys of his body to the parysshe prest , to be buryed honorably in a chapel of our lady .

An honourable buryenge , but very chargeable . At venyce a pore cobler sholde haue more honour for a lytel coste . for company maketh ornate & elygant the bere , & there somtyme syx hondreth monkes : some in sleueles s●oppes , & other some with copes wyll folowe one corps .

I haue sene that myself , & haue somtime laughed at suche folysshe vaynglories of poore men . there goeth fullers & curriers before : & coblers behynd , & monkes in the myddest . thou woldest say they were monsters / neyther here was ony other thynge yf thou had sene it . It was also prouided by George , the Barnardyne & Uyncent shold decerne by lottes whiche of them sholde haue the hyghest place in the grete pompe . And afterwarde other sholde doo soo lykewyse , lest ony rumour or besynesse sholde be for the same . The parysshe preste & his clerkes were apoynted to the moost inferyour place , that was to go the formest / neyther the solytary fathers wolde suffre it otherwyse .

He coude not onely or●●yn an army to batayle / but also other solempne tryumphes and pompes .

It was also prouyded that the masse of Requiem whiche sholde be done by the parysshe preste sholde be in prycke songe , for the more honour . ¶ Whyle these thynges and certayne other were indeuysyng , the seke man shaked very sore , and dyde gyue certayne parfyte tokens that his laste tyme was nygh at hande . The last acte of the comedy was therfore prepared .

Is it not yet at an ende ?

The popes bull was there rehersed / in the whiche was graunted remyssyon of all his synnes quyte and clene / and all the feare of purgatory was taken away . Beside al these al his goodes was iustyfied .

Suche as was goten by extorcyon and robbery ?

Certaynly euen suche as were goten by the lawe of batayle or sowlderye . But it fortuned to be present one Phylyp a man of lawe the wyfs brother , whiche marked a place in the bull otherwise set than it ought to be / & caused suspecyon that it was but forged .

Nay , that was not done in tyme . he sholde haue rather dyssembled it , though there had ben errour therin / and the seke man sholde haue done neuer the worse .

I thinke the same . For the seke man was so troubled with this mater , that he was not ferre of from disperacion . And there father bacheler Uyncent played the man . He commaunded George to be of a quyet mynde , he sayd that he had auctoryte bothe to correct ony thyng whiche was fals in the bulles , eyther to restore ony thynge that lacketh . But yf the bull deceyue the , euen very now I put my soule for thyne / that thyne may come to heuen , and myne I gyue for euer to the derkest pyt of hell .

But wyll god accept suche chaungyng of soules ? and yf he wolde , was this prouysion for George with suche a gauge suffycyent ? What & yf the soule of Uyncent was ( without ony chaunging at all ) due to hell .

I shewed you as the mater was / but Uyncent fynyshed tha● ma●er . The pacyent semed to take a good stomacke to hym / by & by was red the pardons , wherin was promysed to George to be parte taker of all the workes whiche sholde be done by the . iiii● ordres & of the Charter monkes .

I wolde be afrayde leste I sholde be thurst downe to the botom of hell , yf I sholde bere suche an vnprofitable burden .

I speke of theyr good werkes : which dooth no otherwyse aggraua●e the soule redy to departe , than fethers dooth the byrde .

To whome bequeth they theyr yll workes ?

To the landeskneyghtes of Germany .

By what auctoryte ?

Of the gospell , sayeng to hym that hath : it shall be gyuen / and withall was rehersed the nombre of masses and nocturnes , whiche shulde accompanye the dead mannes soule / truely it was an vnreasonable nombre . After all these thynges , he was confessed , & had absolucyon .

Dyed he thus ?

Not yet . A matte of russhes was spred vpon the grounde , in suche wyse that the vpper parte was lapped togyther , for to make as it were a similitude of a bolster .

What ment they by that ?

They sparpled it all ouer with asshes , but very thynnely , and there they layde the sycke mannes body . A gray freres cote was spred aboue him , but beyng halowed before with a certeyn prayers & holy water . A cowle was put vnder his hed , for at that tyme it coulde not be put vpon hym , and with all was layde the bull and the pardons .

A new maner of dethe .

But they affyrme sty●fely that he deuyll hath no power ouer them whiche dyeth in suche fasshyon . So they sayde that bothe saynt Martyne and saynte Frauncys dyed .

But then theyr lyues were no lesse vertuous . I praye the tell me what folowed ?

They reachyd the ymage of the crosse , & a waxe candell to the sycke man . At the syght of the crosse he sayd , I was wonte in batayles to be defendyd with myne owne bucklar , but now I wyll put this bucklar agaynste myne enemye , and kyssed it , and put it towarde the left shulder . To the holy candell he sayd : in tyme past I haue ben valyaunt in warres with speare , nowe I wyll shake this speare agaynste the enemy of soules .

Euyn lyke a man of warre .

These wordes he spake laste / for by and by his tonge was taken with dethe , and with all the pangys of dethe came vppon hym . Barnardyne stode harde by hym on the ryght hande , and Uincent on the left syde , bothe two lowde ynough / the one shewed the pycture of saynt Franceys , the other of saynt Domynyke / the other good holy fathers sparpled abrode about the chambre , mombled vp besyly certayn psalmes . Bernardyne with greate out cryes precelled his ryght eare , and Uyncent the lefte .

What cried they ?

Bernardyne sayd in this wyse . George balearyke● yf thou now approue those thynges , whiche we haue done betwyxt vs : bowe downe thy heed towarde thy ryght syde . He dyde so . Uyncent on the other syde sayd , be nothing adredde George / thou hast saynt Franceys and saynt Domynyke thy defenders , care nothing at all . Remembre what a grete sorte of merytes , what a strong Bull. brefely , remembre that my soule is pledged for thyne , If there were ony ieopardy , yf thou vnderstand what I say , and also a lowest the same , bowe doun thy heed toward the left syde . He dyde so . And agayn with a lyke outcry , they sayd bothe . yf thou thynkest surely all these thynges thyrste downe my hande / and with the same he thirst doune his hande . And so in bowynge his heed here and there / and puttynge doune handes , was almoost .iii. houres past . And shortly after whan George began to gaspe , there Bernardyne standyng vp pronounced the absolucyon / whiche he coude not parfitely fynysshe , before George was departed . this was a lytel after mydnyght . in the mornyng the Anothomy was made .

What noysome thyng was founde within him ?

Thou remembrest me in good tyme / for it was gone out of my remembraunce . A pyece of lead cleued in the skynne , which closeth the herte and the lyghtes about , & dooth seperate them from the mylte and the lyuer , called Diaphragma .

How came it there ?

His wyfe shewed that he was ones stryken with a gon̄e stone / and therof the physyciens coniectured that a pyece of the lead moltyd , taryed styll within his body . By and by , the corps all to cut and dilanyate aswell as it wolde be , was put in a gray freres cote . After dyner , the buryeng was done with suche and lyke solempnytye , as it was decreed before .

I neuer herde of a more curious dethe , nor a corps more ambycyous . But I suppose thou woldest not haue this spoken abroode .

Wherefore ?

Leste the hurnettes wolde be an angred .

There is no ieoperdy at all . For yf these thynges be godly whiche I shewe , it is theyr profet that the people do know them / yf they be otherwyse , so many as be good among them , wyll gyue me thankes whiche haue shewed forthe suche , wherby some correcte with shame , may refrayne lyke dedes . Also such as be symple , may take hede lest they be drawen in to like errour / for there be amonge this sorte great wyse men , & very godly , whiche hathe often complayned to me , that by the supersticion improbyte or lewdnes of a fewe , the hole order is brought to hatred of good men .

Thou sayest very ryght , and boldely / but I am very desyrous to knowe , how Cornelius dyed .

Like as he lyued greuous to no man , so dyed he . He was euery yere greued with the febre , commyng to hym at certeyne tymes . The same ( bothe for bycause he was somewhat in age : for he was past thre score yeres ) are for other causes more than was wont infebled the man , and it apered that he felt before that his fatall day was at hande . For the fourthe daye before he dyed , was Sondaye , our lordes daye , he wente to the temple , was confessyd to his curate , he herde the commune preachynge and masse / and after the masse was done , he was howseled , and so wente home .

Used he no Physycyons ?

Onely one he counselled , but he was no lesse a good man , then a good Phisycyon , his name is Iacobus Castrutius .

I knowe hym very well● There is no more pure man .