Here begynneth a lytell treatyse called Ars moriendi Ars moriendi. English. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A21562 of text S642 in the English Short Title Catalog. Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 20 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A21562 STC 787 ESTC S642 22096091 ocm 22096091 25036

To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.

 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A21562) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 25036) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1762:4) Here begynneth a lytell treatyse called Ars moriendi Ars moriendi. English. [16] p. : ill. By Wynken de Worde, Enprynted at Westmynstre : [1497] Caption title: Here begynneth a lytell treatyse shortely compyled and called Ars moriendi, that is to saye the craft for to deye for the helthe of mannes soule--P. [3]. Place and name of publisher from colophon; date of imprint suggested by STC (2nd ed.). Signatures: A⁸. Contains illustrated t.p. Reproduction of original in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester.

Header created with script mrcb2eeboutf.xsl on 2014-03-05.

Manually keyed and coded text linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines available at TCP web site (http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/docs/)

 eng Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity. eebo Here begynneth a lytell treatyse called Ars moriendi n/a 1497 20 3563 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2005-07 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-08 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-01 Sampled and proofread 2006-01 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Here Begynneth a lytell treatyse called Ars moriendi .

Here begynneth a lytell treatyse shortely compyled and called ars moriendi . that is to saye the craft for to deye for the helthe of mannes soule .

WHan ony of lyklyhode shall deye / thenne is moost necessarye to haue a specyall frende / the whiche wyll hertly helpe & praye for hym / and therwith counseyll the syke for the wee le of his soule / & more ouer to se that all other so do about hym / or elles quyckly for to make hym departe . Thenne is to be remembred the grete benefaytes of god done for hym vnto that tyme / & specyally of the passyon of our lord & thenne is to be rede some storye of sayntes or the vij . psalmes with the letanye / of our lady sawter in parte or hoole with other . And euer the ymage of the crucyfixe is to be had in his syght with other . And holy water is oftymes to be cast vpon & about hȳ for auoydynge of euyll spyrytes the whiche thenne be full redy to take theyr auauntage of the soule yf they may . And thenne & euer make hym crye for mercy & grace and for the helpe of our blessyd lady & of other sayntes in whom afore he had a synguler trust & loue / & therupon to make his prayers yf he may . Whan deth cometh or ony greuous panges other grete sykenes / thenne prayer or deuocy on asswageth / wherfore it is wysdome for one to praye afore ony sykenesse come / and also whan one may in his sykenesse yf he wyll not be deccyued . So he is happy & may be glad that such a tyme of moost nede hath a faythfull frende & that wyll saye besyde the prayers afore rehersed & cause / other also to saye deuoutly in remembraunce of the charyte of Ihesu Cryste & of his passyon / and for to haue the rather his mercy & helpe .iij. Pr̄nr̄ and .iij. Auees with a Credo / & therwith to exhorte hym by a preest or for nede by an other in the maner as it foloweth .

BRoder or syster remembre well that god sayth by his prophete & euangelyst . Blessyd be tho that deye & departe in our lorde / that is to saye from the worlde & his pleasures / & deye in the true fayth of the chirche & repentaunce for his synnes . Syr ye haue grete cause to be glad for to departe from this wretched worlde & fall of all mysery / & thynke that ye nedes must departe / & desyre hertly to be with Ihesu Cryste your maker / redemer / and lorde god / for he shall geue to you now your enherytaunce that he dyde bye for you with his precyous passyon and blood / wherfore this tyme of your departynge shall be better to you than the tyme of your byrth / for now all sykenesse sorowe & trouble shall departe now from you for euer . Therfor be not agreued with your sykenesse & take it not with grutchynge but take it rather by all gladnesse . Se at all tymes that ye be stable in your fayth & byleue / and saye your Credo yf that ye may or elles desyre an other hertly to doo it for you here afore vs openly . And arme you euer with the sygne of the crosse ✚ as a crysten man for your defence ayenst your ghostly enemyes / in the whiche doynge / god wyll be gretly pleased & the rather take you for one of his folke by proteccyon & grace and as his childe of saluacyon . haue euer a good & true byleue / and no thynge may be Impossyble vnto you . And euer beware that ye falle not in dyspeyre for that gretely wolde dysplease god / & can not be remedyed . And remembre the synnes done afore tyme shall neuer hurt you as to dampnacyon / yf they please you not now & that ye be sory for them . Saynt Ierome sayth / yf one sholde take his sykenesse or his deth with grutchynge / it is a token that he loueth not god suffycyently / all is ryghtwyse that we snffre . Desyre with saynt Austen of our lorde here to be cutte with trybulacyon & to be brenned with sekenesse & sorowe / so that ye may be saued herafter for euer . Now meke your selfe & he sory that ye haue ben so vnkynde to please & to kepe his commaundementes & presume not as of your self ony goodnesse / and saye with all mekenes thus . Good lorde Ihesu Cryste I knowleche that I haue synned greuously / and by thy grace I wyll gladdely amende me yf I sholde lyue / haue mercy now of me for thy bytter passyon . Than aske hym thyse questyons folowynge afore his deth .

BE ye glad that ye shall deye in crysten byleue . Lete hym answere / ye / knowe ye that ye haue not so wel lyued as ye sholde / ye / haue ye wyl to amende yf that ye sholde lyue / ye / byleue ye that Ihesu Cryste goddes sone of heuen was born of the blessyd virgyn Marye / ye / byleue ye also that Ihesu Cryste deyed vppon the crosse to bye mannes soule on good frydaye / ye / do ye thanke god therfore / ye / Byleue ye that ye may not be saued but by his passyon & deth / ye / As longe as the soule is in your body thanke god for his deth / and haue a sure trust by it & his passyon to be saued . And counseyll hym to saye yf that he may thyse folowynge wordes of grete vertue .

I Put Crystis passyon betwix me & myn euyll werkes / and betwix me & his wrathe . Now lorde god be mercyful to me a synner . The pease of our lorde Ihesu Cryste and the vertue of his passyon with the sygne of the holy crosse ✚ and the vndefoyled virgynyte of the blessyd Mary his moder / and the blessynge of all sayntes / & the proteccy on of all holy angels with the helpe & prayer of all sayntes be betwix me & all myn enemyes now and in the houre of my deth & departynge Amen . Also thyse verses folowynge be of grete vertue in the tyme of deth / & to be sayd of the syke yf he may or by an other for hym . Disrupisti dnne vincula mea tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis . et nomen dm̄ inuocabo . Deus {pro}picius esto michi peccatori . Dnne thu xp̄e ego cognosco me grauiter peccasse . et libenter volo me emendare per grām tuam . Miserere mei {pro}pter amaram passionem tuam . Dnne thu redemisti nos in sanguine tuo . laus sit tibi {pro} amara passione tua Largire clarum vespe . quo vita nus{quam} decidat . sed premium mortis sacre perennis instet gloria . Also to our Lady . Maria plena gracie mater misericordie . tu nos ab hoste protege . et in hora mortis suscipe . And at laste . In manus tuas dnne commendo spiritum meum . In noie patris et filij & spiritus sancti Amen

here foloweth a shorte & swete remembraunce of the sacrament of the awter or that it be reccyued of the syke persone or of ony other afore ther comunynge

WElcome blessyd Ihu my lorde god & sauyour to whom is apropryed all mercy & pyte . Remembre good lorde how freyll my nature and substaunce is / and haue mercy & pyte on me grete synner / after thy grete mercyes & for thy bytter passyon for I knowleche and byleue faythfully as a crysten childe of thyn / that thou here in fourme of brede / is the same my lorde god that of thy goodnesse come downe from heuen & was born and toke my nature of the blessyd virgyne Mary / & deyed for me and rose the thyrde daye & after ascended in to heuen / and there reygneth with the fader & the holy ghost & all sayntes for euer Immortall / the whiche for our grete helthe freylte & dayly transgressyon & in remembraunce of thy grete loue & passyon haste ordeyned this thy blessyd body in this wyse to be taken of me and of all other wyllynge to be saued . I knowe well that I am ferre vnworthy to be called thy childe or seruaunt for the grete multytude of my synnes / how be it thou mayste make me ryghtfull & able the whiche oonly of synners hast made grete sayntes of heuen . By the thy grete power and myght graunte me now to take the mekely in all fere & in waylynge for my synnes & with spyrytuall gladnes . Come now good lorde in to my herte and clense it of all synne / entre in to my soule & make it hole / & therwith sanctyfye me within & without / and be my defence for body & soule rebukynge and puttynge a syde all myn enmyes ferre from the presence of thy power / that I thenne so defended by the may haue a free and sure passage to thy kyngdom where I shall not se thee in this fourme by mystery but I shall se the face to face where I shall neuer hungre ne thurste / but euer be in Ioye with thee and thyne / there to glorefye thee & to worshyp the to laude & to praye the worlde withouten ende Amen .

By thyse folowynge aren venyall synnes taken awaye yf they be done deuoutly .

IN takyng holy water holy brede / also by sayenge of the Pat{er} nr̄ / and spyrytually for this clause & petycyon . Dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittim{us} debitori{bus} nostris . And also by knockynge of the brest for ones synnes and also for sayenge of De{us} {pro}pici{us} esto michi pccōri / and by sayenge the comyn Confyteor at masse or at other tyme . Also by receyuynge of ony of the sacrament{is} of the chirche / & specyally of the body of our lorde . Also by herynge of masse / & by the syght of the sacrament of the awter there or elles where . By the blessynge of a bysshop or of a preeste at his masse . By ony of the dedes of mercy / by pardons / by martyrdom / & penaunce / by forgeuenes to a trespasour / by good ensample geuynge / or for conuertynge of other to good lyf / by pacyence thankynge in trouble / & by contrycyon of synnes with dyspleasure of hem . And for euery good dede doynge with good entent & deuocyon Amen .

The famous doctour John Gerson Chaunseler of Parys takynge his grounde of holy scrypture & accordynge with holy doctours sayth thus .

Ovre moost mercyfull fader lorde god / knowynge our freylte & redynesse to al synne / is euer redy durynge this wretchyd & mortall lyfe by many & dyuerse wayes to forgeue vs euer our trespace & to graunt and geue vs his grace / yf so be that truly we do ordeyne vnto hym thyse .iij. vertues so lowynge / soo that they be sayd & done with all the herte deuoutly . The fyrste is that thou shalt saye . Blessyd lorde I knowleche that I haue synned greuously ayenst thy goodnesse thus & thus rehersynge thy synnes / & I am dyspleased therwith by reason of the whiche I do penaunce & wyll do / for I knowe well that I haue greued the mercyfull lorde & broken thy commaundementes in the whiche thou oonly ought to be worshypped . The seconde / saye this . Good lorde I haue a good purpose & desyre with thy helpe / to be ryght ware hereafter that I falle not in to synne / & I entende to flee the occasyons after the possybylyte of my power . The thyrde is this . Gracyous lorde I haue good wyll to make an hole confessyon of all my synnes / whan place & tyme conuenyent may be had accordynge to thy commaudnement{is} & al holy chirche . Thyse .iij. verytees or trew thes who so euer sayth with his herte vnfaynyngly in what place that euer he be / he may be sure that he is in the state of grace & saluacyon & that he shall haue euer lastynge lyf though all he had done all the synnes of the worlde . And yf he decessed without ony other confessyon for lack of a preest as slepynge or sodeyne deth / he sholde be saue suffryng afore harde payne in purgatory / wherfore it is good counseyl that euery crysten man ones or twyes on the daye erly or late or elles at lest on holy dayes examen his conscyence / & remembre yf that he may with al his hert vnfaynyngly this sayd .iij. trewthes / & yf he can so do / he may be sure that he is in the state of grace / & yf he may not / but is in wyl to synne agayn / & to haue his delectacyon with dede / & wyll not flee the occasyons of mortal lynnes / & so drowned in synne wyll not aryse / suche one may be certeyne that the Pope may not assoyle hȳ not for thy good it is that suche one vse moche prayer & geue almesse & do other good dedes after theyr power / that god the rather may lyghten theyr hertes & the sooner torne to goodnesse Amen .

Here foloweth a synguler prayer to be sayd in the fest of the dedycacyon of ony chirche or at ony other tyme .

O Myghtyfull & moost pyteuous lorde god Ihesu Cryst whiche of thy grete goodnesse hath ordeyned all thynges that ben in heuen and in erthe for the vse and wee le of man / to the entente & ende that they shall serue hym / and he the allone . And how be it that in eche place thou ought to be serued and worshypped / yet it pleaseth the moche more suche seruyce and prayer in a place or chirche that is dedyfyed / enueyled and halowed by a bysshop and his mynystres with ympnes / psalmes / and letanyes / and other suffragyes with theyr mysteryall obseruantes ordeyned therfore / and for by cause thy precyous body and blood is there dayly offred vp vnto thy fader in heuen in knowleche of thy grete loue & passyon that thou haddest for man . And yf it pleased thee in the olde testament with thyn angels nyght & daye to be assystent & to here the prayers of thy seruantes in the temple / where was but flesshe & blood of vnresonable beestes offred in sacrefyce / moche more we truste that thou wylt vysyte & be assystent to vs nyght & daye with thyn angels in this thy newe temple and chirche / where thyn owne body & very blood dayly is offred vp vnto thy fader of heuen / & therwith receyued accordynge to thy desyre & wyll of vs thy seruauntes though synners for our saluacyon & therto here the prayers of vs & other that entende to loue worshyp & thanke thee in the best maner we can or may . Now thenne blessyd lorde full of all mercy & pyte / that wyll that we calle vpon thee & hath promysed to here the prayers of thy seruauntes graunte now & at all tymes to vs and to all other of thy superhabundant mercy & grace / that who so euer come vnto this chirche or to ony other with deuoconn & praye in what caas that euer they be / prosperyte temptacyon / trouble / or aduersyte / that theyr petycyon behouefull & necessary prayer may be herde / & that the pardone graunted to them may in her soules & bodyes with all other thynges apperteynynge vnto them may take effect in euery parte gracyously . And ouer this graunte vs of thy pyte / pease & accorde in thy chirche & realme / and to our founders faders & moders / frendes / benefactours / and to all crysten soules / forgeuenes of theyr synnes with relesse of theyr paynes & Joye perpetual . And fynally we desyre of thy bounteuous goodnesse seasonable weder with fruytes & to exclude from vs pestylence hungre moreyne & sekenesse and all enemyes ghostly & bodely and therwith graunte vs of thy grace good lyf & endelesse blysse . Amen .

Here folowen the .xij. degrees of humylyte . Caste thy syght donewarde / & shewe mekenesse bothe in thy herte & body . Beware of hyghe speche & clamorous / & se that thy wordes be fewe / well sette / & reasonable . Be not lyght for to laughe / but vse euer sadnesse Be stylle & kepe sylence / to nede requyre that answere muste be hadde . Kepe well the comyn rule as the holy place hath vsed . Thynke the moost vylest of all other & soo pronounce thy selfe . Knowleche the vnworthy & not prouffytable to ony thynge / & so byleue in dede . Make ofte confessyon of thy synnes / & that with grete contrycyon . Kepe pacyence in thyn obedyence / at all thy paynes & trouble . To all people be thou subget for thy maysters sake Thyn owne wyl forsake it / & loue it in no wyse And euer kepe thee from synne for fere of hym aboue . The .vij. degrees of obedyence . The fyrste is to do that is commaunded of thy souerayne without grutchynge . The seconde is to make none excepconn / neyther of the tyme neyther of the dede that is to be done . The thyrde is to be glad & cherefull in thy herte to do suche dedes commaunded without ony compulsyon settynge a syde all beestly condycyons . The .iiij. is to be quycke in suche dede doynge leuynge all other occupacyons for that tyme or ony maner of excuse . The .v. is to do suche thynges with all thy myght & power / thynkynge that thy rewarde shal be grete . The .vi. is to doo hem also with all mekenesse both in spyryte & gesture . The .vij. is to contynue suche obedyence to thende of thy lyf euer folowynge thy mayster Ihu cryst that was made obedyent for thy synne vnto deth . The .xij. degrees of pacyence . The .xij. degrees of pacyence thou mayst beholde here . To euyll done to the or aduersyte make noo resystence . Do not euyll for euyll ne geue an euyll answere Loue thyn enemye & do good for euyll to hym in recompence . Grutche not agaynst aduersyte / but take it as swete encence . Accompte it for best medycyne / and be gladde in thy payne . Thanke god therfore / and loke for more with all benyuolence . And whan thou hast no grutchynge in thyse thenne mayst thou be fayne . The .xv. degrees of charyte . Thyse make perfyte charyte after Pouls epystle Be pacyence contynuell for ony aduersyte . Lyberall to the nedy / and good do for euyll . Of other mennes welfare enuye not ne by heuy Lete not by thy crokednesse good werkes to multyplye . Swelle not Inwarde by malyce yf thy neyghbour prospere . Loue to be in lowe degree & lothe to be hyghe . To labour for other as thy self do thy vtter deuoyre . Be not moeuyd for ony cause to vengeaunce or to Ire . Thynke none euyll to an other for ony prouocacyon . Ioye thou not in wyckednesse but sorowe thou rather . Be gladde in trouthe & ryghtwysnesse and hate symulacyon . For suche ryght bere aduersyte or ony trybulaconn To that the chirche techeth the put full credulyte . That god hath promysed truste it well without defallacyon . In hope abydynge his rewarde and euerlastynge glorye . Amen .

Here endeth a lytell treatyse called ars moriendi Enprynted at Westmynstre by Wynken de worde .

printer's or publisher's device