¶ here beginneth a little treatise schortely compiled and called ars moriendi / that is to say the craft for to deye for the health of mannes soul.  
when ony of lyklyhode shal deye / then is most necessary to haue a special friend / the which will heartily help and pray for him & therewith counsel the sick for the wele of his soul / & more over to see that alle other so do about him / or ellys quickly for to make hem depart. ¶ then is to be remembered the grete benefeytes of god done for him unto that time / and specially of the passion of our lord / and then is to be rede somme story of sayntes or the vij psalms with the letanye or our lady psalter in parte or hole with other And ever the image of the crucyfyxe is to be had in his sight with other. And holy water is oft-times to be cast vpon and about him for avoiding of evil spirytes the which thenne be full redy to take their advantage of the soul yf they may. ¶ And then and ever make him cry for mercy and grace & for the help of our blessed Lady & of other sayntes in whom afore he had a singular trust & love and thereupon to make his prayers yf he may. ¶ when death cometh or ony grievous pangys / or other grete sickness / then prayer or devotion assuageth / wherefore it is wisdom for one to pray afore ony sickness come / & also when one may in his sickness yf he will not be deceived. ¶ So he is happy & may be glad that such a time of most need hath a feytfull friend & that will say beside the prayers a fore rehearsed & cause other also to say devoutly in remembrance of the charity of Ihu christ & of his passion & for to haue the rader his mercy & help iij pr̄ nosters & iij auees with a credo And therewith to exhort him by a prest or for need by an other in the maner as it followeth.  
BRoder or sister remember well that god with by his prophet & evangelist. blessed be tho that deye & depart in our lord / that is to say from the world and his pleasurys and deye in the true faith of the church and repentance for hyr sins. ¶ sir ye haue grete cause to be glad for to depart from this wretched world and fall of alle misery / and think that ye needs must depart / and desire heartily to be with Ihesu christ your maker redeemer / & lord god / for he shal give to you now your inheritance that he dyde bye for you with his precious passion & blood / wherefore this time of your departing shall be better to you than the time of your birth / for now all sickness sorrow and trouble shall depart now from you for ever. Therfore be not agreuyd with your sickness and take it not with grutchyng but take it rather by all gladness ¶ See at all times that ye be stabse in your faith and believe and say your Credo yf that ye may or ellys desire a nother heartily to do it for you here afore us openly. And arm you ever with the sign of the cross ✚ as a christian man for your defence against your ghoostly enemies / in the which doing / god will be greatly pleased & the rather take you for one of his folk by protection and grace & as his child of salvation. ¶ Haue ever a good & true believe / & no thing may be impossible unto you And ever beware that ye fall not in dyspeyre for that greatly wolde displease god / & can not be remedied. And remember the sins done a fore time shall never hurt you as to damnation / yf they please you not now & that ye be sorry for hem. ¶ saint jerome with / yf one should take his sickness or his death with grutchyng / it is a token that he loveth not god sufficiently / alle is rightwise that we suffer. ¶ desire with saint austin of our lord here to be cut with generation & to be burned with sickness & sorrow / so the ye may be saved hereafter for ever. ¶ Now meek yourself & be sorry that ye haue ben so unkind to please & to keep his commandments & presume not as of yourself ony goodness / & say with all me kenesse thus. Good lord Ihesu christ I knowledge that I haue sinned grievously / & by thy grace I will gladly amend me yf I should live / have mercy now of me for thy bitter passion.  
¶ Than ask him these questions following afore his death.  
BE ye glad that ye shal deye in cristen believe: let him answer / ye / know ye that ye haue not so well lived as ye should / ye / haue ye will to amend yf that ye should live / ye / believe ye that Ihesu christ god sone of heaven was born of blessed marye / ye / believe ye also that Ihesu christ died vpon the cross to bye mannes soul on good friday / ye / Do ye thank god therfore / ye / believe ye that ye may not be saved but by his passion & death / ye / ¶ As long as the soul is in your body thank god for his death & haue a sure trust by it & his passion to be saved. And counsel him to say yf that he may thyes following words of grete virtue.  
YPut crystys passion betwyx me & mine evil werkys / & betwyx me & his wrath Now lord god be merciful to me a sinner. ¶ The prase of our lord ihu christ & the v{er}tue of his passion with the sign of the holy cross & the undefiled V{er}gynyte of blessed mary his moder & the blyssyng of all saynt{is} / & the {pro}teccyon of all holy angels with the help & {pre}yers of al saynt{is} be betwyxe me & all mine enemies now & in the hour of my death & departing Amen ¶ Also thyes verse following be of grete virtue in the time of death / & to be said of the sick yf he may or by an other for him.  
Dirupisti dnne vincula mea. tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis et nomen dm̄ inuocabo. Deus {pro}pici{us} esto michi pccōri Dnne ihū xp̄e Ego cognosco me graviter peccasse. et libenter volo me emendare {per} grāz tuam Miserere mei {pro}pt{er} amaram passionem tuam. Dnne ihū redemisti nos in sanguine tuo laus sit tibi {pro} amara passione tua. Largire clarum vesper. quo vita nus{quam} decidat. {sed} {pre}mium mort{is} sacre {per}ennis instet gloria. Also to our Lady Maria plena grē matter misericordie. tu nos ab host {pro}tege. et in hora mortis suscipe. And at last: In manus tuas dnne commendo spiritum meum. In noīe prins et filii & spūs sancti amen.   

¶ Here followeth a short and sweet remembrance of the sacrament of the altar or that it be received of the seek person or of ony other afore there comunyng.  
WElcome blessed Ihesu my lord god & saviour / to whom is apropryed all mercy & pity. remember good lord how freyll my nature and substance is / and haue mercy & pity on me grete sinner / after thy grete mercies and for thy bitter passion / for I knowse che & believe faithfully as a christian child of thyn / that thou here in form of breed / is the same my lord god the of thy goodness come down from heaven & was born & took my nature of blessed virgin Mary & dyed for me & rose the thyrde day & after ascended in to heaven and ther̄ reigneth with the father & the holy ghoost & all saynt{is} for ever immortal / the which for our grete health frailty & daily transgression & in remembrance of thy grete love & passion hast ordained this thy blessed body in this wise to be taken of me & of all other willing to be saved ¶ I know well that I am fer̄ unworthy to be called thy child or servant for the grete multitude of my sins / how be it thou mayst make me rightful & able that which only of synners hast made grete saynt{is} of heaven By that thy grete power & might grant me now to take that meekly in all fear & with wailing for my sins & with a spiritual gladness. Come now good lord in to my heart & cleanse it of al sin / entre in to my soul and make it hole / and therewith sanctyfye me within & without and be my defence for body & soul rebuking & putting a side all mine enemies far from the presence of thy power / that I then so defended by the may haue a free & sure passage to thy kingdom / where I shall not see the in this form by mystery / but I shall see the face to face where I shall never hungre ne evangelist / but ever be in joy with the & thine / there to glorify thee & to worship the to laud & to praise the world without end am̄. ¶ By thyes following aen̄ venyall sins taken away yf they be done devoutly.  
In taking holy water holy breed / also by saying of the Pater nr̄ / & spirytually for this clause & petition. dimit nobis debita nrā sicut & nos dimittim{us} debitorib{us} nrīs. ¶ And also by knocking of the breast for onis sins & also for saying of De{us} {pro}pici{us} esto in pccōri / & by saying of the comyne Confiteor at mass or at other time. Also by receiving of ony of the sacmmente of the church / & specially of the body of our lord. Also by hearing of mass / & by the sight of the sacmment of the altar there or ellys where By the blissyng of a bishop or of a prest at his mass. By ony of the deeds of mercy. by pardones / by martyrdom / & penance / by forgiveness to a trespasour / by good ensample giving / or for converting of other to good life. by patience thanking in trouble / and by contrition for sins with displeasure of hem. And for every good dede dooeng with good intent and devotion Amen.   

¶ The famose doctor johan gerson chancellor of parys taking his ground of holy scripture and according with holy doctors with thus.  
OVre most merciful father lord god / knowing our frailty & readiness to all sin / is ever redy during this wretched & mortal life by many & diverse ways to forgive us eu{er} our trespass & to grant & give us his grace / yf so be that truly we do ordain unto him thyes iij virtues following / so that they be said & done with all the heart devoutly. The first is that thou shalt say Blessed lord I knowledge that I haue sinned grievously against thy goodness thus and thus rehersyng thy sins / & I am displeased therewith by reason of the which I do penance & will do / for I know well that I haue grieved the merciful lord & broken thy commandments in the which thou onely ought to be worshipped. The second / say this. Good lord I haue a good purpose and desire with thy help / to be right ware hereafter that I fall not in to sin / & I intend to flee the occasions after the possibility of my power. The iij. is this. gracious lord I haue good will to make an hole confession of all my sins / when place and time convenient may be had according to thy commandments and all holy church. Thyes iij verytees or trewthys who soever saith with his heart vnfeynyngly in what place that ever he be / he may be sure that he is in the state of grace and salvation and that he shall haue everlasting life though all he had done all the sins of the world. And yf he decessyd without ony other confession for lack of a priest as sleeping or sudden death / he should be save suffering a fore hard pain in purgatory. wherefore it is good counsel that every christian man ones or twice on the day early or late or ellys at lest on holy dayes examen his conscience / and remember yf that he may with al his heart vnfeynyngly this say iij trowthis / & yf he can so do / he may be sure that he is in the state of grace / and yf he may not / but is in will to sin again / and to have his delectation with dede / and will not flee the occasions of mortal sins / & so drowned in sin will not arise / such one may be certain that the Pope may not assoil him. not for thy good it is that such one use much prayer and give almesse and to do other good deeds after their power / that god the rather may lighten their hearts and the sooner torn to goodness Amen.   

¶ Here followeth a singular prayer to be said in the fest of the dedycacyon of ony church or at ony other time.  
O Myghtyfull and most pyteuous lord god Ihesu christ which of thy grete goodness hath ordained alle things that ben in heaven and in earth for the use and wele of man / to the intent and end that they shall serve him / and he the alone. And how be it that in each place thou ought to be served and worshipped / yet it pleaseth the much more such service & prayer in a place or church that is dedyfyed / enueyled & hallowed by a bishop and his ministers with hymns / psalms & letanyes / & other suffragyes with their mysterial obseruaunt{is} ordained therfore / and for by cause thy precious body and blood is ther̄ daily offered up unto thy father in heaven in knowledge of thy grete love & passion that thou hadst for man. ¶ And yf it pleased thee in the old testament with thyn angels night & day to be assistant and to here the prayers of thy servants in the temple / where was but the flesh and blood of vnresonable beestys offered in sacrefyce / much more we trust that thou will visit & be assistant to us night & day with thine angels in this thy new temple and church / where thine own body and very blood daily is offered up unto thy father in heaven / and therwith received according to thy desire and will of us thy servants though synners for our saluacyon & thereto here the prayers of us & other that intend to love worship & thank the in the best maner we can or may ¶ Now thenne blessed lord full of all mercy & pity / that will that we call vpon thee & hath promised to here the prayers of the servants grant now and at all times to us & to all other of thy superhabundant mercy and grace / that who soever come unto this church or to ony other with devotion & pray in what case that ever they be / prosperity / salvation / trouble / or adversity / that their petition behouefull and necessary prayer may be herde / and that the pardon granted to them may in her souls and bodies with all other things apperteynyng unto them may take effect in every parte graciously. ¶ And over this grant us of thy pity / pease and accord in the church & realm / and to our founders / faders and moders / friends / benefactors / & to all christian souls / forgiveness of their sins with release of their pains & joy {per}petuel. And finally we desire of thy bounteuous goodness seasonable weather with fruyt{is} & to exclude from us pestilence hungre moreyne & sickness & all enemies ghoostly & bodily & therewith grant us of thy grace good life & endless bliss. Amen   

¶ Here ben the xii degrees of humility:  
Cast thy sight dounward / & show meekness both in thy heart and body.  
Beware of high speech & clamorous / & see the thy words be few / well set / & reasonable.  
Be not light for to laugh / but use eu{er} sadness  
Be still & keep silence / to need require that answer must be had.  
keep well the common rule as the holy place hath used.  
think the most vilest of al other & so pronounce thyself.  
knowledge the unworthy & not {pro}fitable to ony thing / & so believe in dede.  
Make oft confession of thy sins / & that with grace contrition.  
keep patience in thyn obedience / at all thy pains & trouble:  
To al people be thou sudyett for thy maisters sake  
Thyn one will forsake it / & love it in no wise And eu{er}  
keep the from sin for fear of him above   

¶ The vii degrees of obedience.  
The first is to do that is commanded of thy sovereign without grutchyng.  
The second is to make none excepconn / nether of the time nether of the dede that is to be done.  
The iij is to be glad & cheerful in thy heart to do such deeds commanded without ony compulsion setting a side all beastly conditions.  
The iiij is to be quick in such dede dooeng leaving all other occupations for that time or ony maner of excuse.  
The fift is to do such things with all thy might & power / thinking that thy reward shall be grete.  
The vj is to do hem also with all meekness both in spirit & gesture.  
The vij is to continue such obedience to the end of thy life ever following thy master Ihesu christ that was made obedient for thy sin unto death.   

¶ The xii degrees of patience.  
The xij degrees of patience thou mayst behold her  
To evil don to the or adu{er}syte make no resistance  
Do not evil for evil ne give an evil answer̄  
love thyn enemy & do good for evil to him in recompense.  
grudge not against adversity but take it as sweet encence.  
Accounpt it for best medicine / & be glad in thy pain.  
thank god therfore / & look for more with all benevolence.  
And when thou hast no grutchyng in these then mayst thou be fain.   

The xv degrees of charity.  
these make {per}fyt charity / aft{er} poules epistyll  
Be pacyente contynuell for ony adversity  
liberal to the needy / and good do for evil.  
Of other mennys welfare envy not ne by heavy  
let not by thy crokydnesse good works to multiply.  
Swell not inward by malice yf thy neighbour prosper.  
love to be in low degree & loath to be high.  
To labour for other as thi self do thi vtt{er} deuoir  
Be not moved for ony cause to vengeance or to ire.  
think none evil to an other for ony provocation.  
Ioy thou not in wickedness but sorwe thou rader.  
Be glad in truth & ryghtwysnesse & hate sy mulacyon.  
For such right bear ad{er}site or oni tribulaconn  
To that the church teacheth the put full credulyte.  
That god hath {pro}mysed trust it well without defallacyon.  
In hope abiding his reward and eu{er}lastyng glory.  
Amen Explicit.