Ars moriendi, ¶  
Here beginneth a little treatise shortly compiled, and called Ars moriendi/ that is to say the craft to die, For the health of man's soul.   


When any of likelihood shall die/ than is most necessary to have a special friend: the which will heartily help and pray for him/ and there council the sick/ for the weal of his soul/ and moreoucr to see that all other so do about him/ or else quyckefy for to make him depart. Than is to be remembered the great benefits of god done for him unto the time/ & specially of the passion of our Lord/ and than is to be red some story of saints/ or the vii Psalms with the litany/ or our Lady psalter in part or hole with other. And ever the image of the crucifix is to be had in his sight with other. And holy water is oft times to be cast upon and about him for a voiding of evil spirits/ the which than be full ready to take their advantage of the foul if they may. And than and ever make him cry for mercy & grace and for the help of our blessed lady and of other saints in whom afore he had a singular trust and love/ and there upon to make his prayers if he may.  
¶ When dcthe cometh or any grievous pains or other great sickness/ than prayer or devotion assuageth/ wherefore it is wisdom for one to pray afore any sickness come/ and also when one may in his sickness if he will not be deceived.  
¶ So he is happy and may be glad/ that in such a time of most need hath a faithful friend and that will say beside the/ prayer's afore rehearsed and cause other to say devoutly in remembrance of the charity of jesus christ and of his passion/ and for to have the rather his mercy and help three Pater nosters and three Aves with a credo: and therewith to exhort him by a priest/ or for need by another in the manner as it followeth.  
BRother or sister remember well that god saith by his Prophet & evangelist. Glyssed be though that die & depart in our lord/ that is to say/ from the world and his pleasures and die in the true faith of the church & repentance for his sins. Sir ye have great cause to be glad for to depart from this wretched world and vale of all misery/ & think that ye needs must depart/ and desire heartily to be with jesus christ our maker/ redeemer/ lord god for he shall give to you now your inheritance that he did buy 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 & trouble shall depart now from you for ever. Therefore be not aggrieved with your sickness/ & take it not with grudging but take it rather with all gladness.  
¶ See at all times that ye be stable in your faith & believe and say your Credo if that ye may/ or else desire another hertefy to do it for you/ here afore us openly. And arm you with the sign of the Cross ✚ as a crysten man for your defence against your ghostly enemies/ in the which doing god will be greatly pleased/ and the rather take you for one of his folk by protection and grace and ay his child of salvation. Have ever a good & true believe/ and no thing may be impossible unto you. And ever be ware that ye fall not in despair/ for that greatly will displease god/ & can not be remedied. And remember the sins that was done a fore time/ shall never hurt you as to damnation/ if they please you not now and that ye be sorry for them. ¶ Saint Jerome saith/ if one should take his sickness/ or his death with grudging it is a token that he loveth not god sufficiently/ all is rightwise that we suffer. Desire with saint Austyn of our Lord here to be cut with trybulact on/ and to be burned with sickness and sorrow/ so they may be saved here after for ever. Now meek yourself and be sorry that ye have been so unkind to please/ & to keep his commandments and presume not as of yourself any goodness/ and say with all meekness thus. Good lord Ihesu christ I knowledge that I have sinned grievously & by thy grace/ I will gladly amend me if I should live have mercy now of me for thy bitter passion. Than ask him these qusty one following afore his death.  
BE ye glad that ye shall die in cryste● believe. Let him answer/ ye know if ye have not so well lived as ye should/ ye have will to amend if that ye should live/ ye/ believe ye that jesus christ gods son of heaven was borne of the blessed virgin mary/ ye/ believe ye also that jesus christ died upon the cross to buy man's soul on good friday/ ye/ do ye thank god therefore/ ye.  
believe ye that ye may not be saved but by his passion & death/ ye/ as long as the soul in is your body/ thank god of this death & have a sure trust by it and his passion to be saved/ & council him to say if that he may these words following of great virtue.  
I Put Christ's passion betwixt me & mine evil works/ and betwixt me and his wrath. Now lord god be merciful to me a sinner. The peace of our lord jesus christ and the virtue of his passion with the sign of the holy ✚ cross & the undefoyled virginity of the blessed Mary his mother/ and the blessing of all saints and the protection of all holy angels with the help & prayer of all saints be betwixt me and all mine enemies now and in the hour of my death & departing.  
¶ Also these verses following be of great virtue in the time of death/ and to be said of the sick if he may or of another for him  

Dirupisti domine vincula mea/ tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis: et nomen dni invocabo. Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori. 
 Domine Jesus christ ego cognosco me graviter peccasse et libenter volo me emendare per gratiam tuam. 
 Misercre met deus propter amaram passionem tuam. 
 Domine Jesus redemisti nos in sanguine tuo: laus sit tibi pro amara passione tua. 
 Largire clarum vespere quo vito nusꝙ de cidat sed premium morti sacre perennis instet gloria.   

¶ Also to our lady.  
Maria plena gratie matter misericordie tunos ab hofte besiege & hora mortis suscipe.   

¶ And at last.  
In manus tuas domine commendo spititum meum. etc. 
 In nomine patris et filii & spiritus sancti. Amen.    

¶ Here followeth a short and sweet remembrance of the sacrament of the altar or that it be received of the sick person or any other afore their coming.  
WElcome blessed jesus my lord god and saviour to whom is appropried all mercy and pity. Remember good lord/ how frail my nature and substance is/ and have mercy & pity on me great sinner after thy great mercies/ and for thy bitter passion/ for I knowledge & believe faith fully as a christian child of thine/ that thou here in form of breed is the same my lord god that of thy goodness came down from heaven and was borne & took the nature of the blessed virgin Mary/ and died for me and tose the third day and after ascended in to heaven/ & there reigneth with the father and the holy ghost all saints for ever imor tall/ the which for our great health frailty and daily transgression hast ordained this thy blessed body in this wise to be taken of me & of other willing to be saved I know well that I am far unworthy to be called thy child or servant/ for the great multitude of my sins/ how be it thou mayst make me tight full & able/ the which only of sinners haste made great saints in heaven. By thy great power & might/ grant me now to take the meekly in all fere and in wailing for my sins and with spiritual gladness. Come now good lord in to my heart and cleanse it all of sin/ enter in to my soul & make it hole/ and therewith sanctify me within and without/ & be my defence for body and soul rebuking & putting aside all mine enemies far fro the presence of thy power/ that I than so defended by the/ may have a fire and sure passage to the kingdom where I shall not see the in I know well that I have grieved the merciful lord/ and broken thy commandments/ in the which thou only ought to be worshipped. ¶ The second say this. Good lord I have a good purpose & desire with thy help to be right ware hereafter/ that I fall not in to sin/ & I intend to flee the occasyone after the possibility of my power. ¶ The third is this. Gracious lord I have 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. These iii verities or truths who soever saith with heart unfeynyngly in what place that ever he be/ he may be sure that he is in the state of salvation/ & that he shall have everlafting life/ though he had done all the sins of the world. And if he deceased without any confession for lack of a preeft/ as sleeping or sudden death/ he should be saved suffering afore hard pains in purgatory/ wherefore it is good council/ that every cryften man once or twice on the day/ early orlate/ or else at least on holy days examine his conscience & remember if that he may with all his heart unfaynyngly these said iii truths/ and if he can so do/ he may be sure that he is in the state of grace/ and if he may not/ but is in will to sin again the occasions of mortal sin/ and so drowned in sin will not arise/ such one may be sure that the pope may not assoyse him/ not for thy good it is that such one use moche prayer and give alms and do good deeds after their power/ that god the rather may lighten their hearts/ and the sooner turn to goodness. Amen.  

¶ Here after followeth the xii degrees of humility.  
Cast thy sight downward and show meekness both in thy heart and body.  
¶ Beware of high speech & clamours & see that thy words be few well set and reasonable.  
¶ Be not light for to laugh/ but use ever sadness.  
¶ Be still and 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 all other and so pronounce thyself.  
¶ Knowledge the unworthy and not profitable to any thing and so believe in deed.  
¶ Make oft confession of thy sins and that with great contrition.  
¶ Keep paryence in thine obedience/ at thy pains and trouble.  
¶ To all people be thou not subgect for thy maysterssake.  
¶ Thine own will forsake it/ andlone it in no wise.  
¶ And ever keep the from sin/ for fere of him above.   

¶ The vii degrees of obedience.  
¶ The first/ is to do that is commanded of thy sovereign without grudging.  
¶ The second/ is to make none exception neither of the time neither of the deed that is to be done.  
¶ The third/ is to be glad and cheerful in thy heart to do such deeds commanded without any compulsion setting aside at beastly conditions.  
¶ The four to be quick in such deed doing leaving at other occupations for that time or any manner of excuse.  
¶ The .v. is to do such things with all thy might and power thinking that thy reward shall be great.  
¶ The vi is to do them also with all meekness both in spirit and gesture.  
¶ The vii is to continue such obedience to the end of thy life/ ever following thy master jesus chtyste that was made obedient for thy sin unto death.   

¶ The vii degrees of patience.  
¶ The vii degrees of patience thou mayst behold here.  
¶ To evil done to the or adversity make no resistance.  
¶ Do not evil for evil ne give no evil answer.  
¶ Love thine enemy and do good for evil or him in recompense.  
¶ grudge not against adversity/ but take it as sweet incense.  
¶ Account it for best medicine/ and but glad in thy pain.  
¶ Thank god therefore and look for more with all benevolence.  
¶ And when thou hast no grudging in these than mayst thou be fain.   

¶ The xu degrees of charity.  
¶ These make perfyke charity after Paul's epystole.  
¶ Be patient continual for any adversity.  
¶ Liberal to the needy/ & do good for evil.