<County: Hampshire>
<Code: L5480>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ashmole 750, Hand A>
<Text: Model of exhortation to the dying>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 11v><line 12><space for initial>mj dere frend thu hyest faste in to the wey to god
ward . where thu schalt see se alle thi forme faderes
. aposteles . martres confessores virgines . and alle men
and wymmen that buth saued . and therfore be of goud confort
in god . and þu most legge afton in wal of the cite of
heuene . with-oute eni eny noyse or strife . and ther-fore or
thu wend out of thys world . thu most mak thy stond redy
and than thu schalt nouth be let . ¶ This ston is thy soule
whuche ; þu most make clene . the nose noyse whuche þu
most make here ; is forthyinkynge of thy synne . whuche
þu moste telle to þi preyst . the stok is penaunce þat þu
schalt be sory for thy synne . and smyte þi self<?> vppon
þi brest And whanne þu haste made redy thus þi ston :
þanne maist þu go thi wey in god . & legge þi ston sicurly
wyth-oute eny noise in þe cite of heuene . & þerfore J conseile
the that þu schriue the clene & mak the redy ¶ This is
no3th no3t only to be told to sike . but also to hole . For euery
day a+man ne3eth his de dyth ner and ner and scripture
say seith . the may a man more a+man wexit ; the more he
<fol. 12r>vnwexith . and þerfor seyth þe gospel . awake . awake . for thu wost
neuere whanne our lord wil come . & þerfor lok and be
alwey redy Also deer dere frend þu schalt vnderstonde .
that god visiteth men dyuersly for synne . Some with prisonynge
some wiþ diuers siknes ; and if synne were awey . than is
syknes schold aslake as þe gospel beryth wytnes . wher god
say seid to ten meseles whan he hadde helid hem of here
lepre . goth he seide and synneth neuer ne more ; auauntere
3ow betyde wors . as ho seith ; for 3owr synne 3e hadde thys
syknes . ¶ And th þerfor~ it ordened be lawe that euery leche
schal 3yue no bodely medycyn to syk man ; tille he be helud
gostly . and that he haue tak gostly medicyn . þat is to say ;
schrift and housel . and if be wel schryue & veray repentant
: J drede no3t that the siknesse schal aslake whuche
he had for hys synne : or elles it schal turne hym to myche
blysse after his deth . and þerfor if sek syknes slak no3t ; confort
hym in this thus maner~ How þu schalt conforte a syk+man that he gruche no3t nowth
<place for initial>frend louest þu thy lord god : he wil sey . 3ey .
Thanne þus . if þu louest god thu louest that þt
he doth . and he <?> scorgeth the . & þerfore þu schalt gladly
suffr~ it . Her of speketh salomon & seyth . Sone groche
no3t a3eyns the chastyinge of þi fader . For he ˆ [he is] no sone ;
whan the fader chaystyth no3t . & it acordeth with comine
maner of speche . For if a+ma~ se a-noþer mannes chyld do
schrewidlyche in his fader presence . and þe fader chastith
hym no3t ; thanne wol the other ma~ sey þat it is no3t his
chyld . or elles he loueth hym noght . Fo if he were his
<fol. 12v>child . or if louede hym . he wolde chaste hym . & þerfore be
no3t euel payd of thy faderes chastynge of heuene . for
he seþ hym-sulf . whom J loue J chaste ¶ Also siknesse
of body ; macuþ soule hel . & hel is ony of god . þerfor dis
despise no3t godes scorge . but whanne god punischiþ the .
thanke hym & loue hym þat he amendeth the and vndirnemyth
the & blameþ the & punyschyth the no3t in
hys wrethte . ne in wodnesse ; but in his grete mercy .
thank thy god . & þenk þat his mercy passiþ alle his grete
wrece . he is þi iuge he wyl no3t dampne the . bute
he wile haue mercy of the . mercifully he chastyþ þe ; but
he wile no3t and þar þu haddest deseruyd for haue his
ans ueniance & suffriþ of his grete mercy . & punischiþ
the here but a while & þer-for despise no3t his 3erd of
mercy . ne gruche no3t þer a3ene . bute suffr~ hit gladly
for alle the domes of god buþ rygh ri3ful . ¶ No3
siþthe sikenesse of body is hele to soule . and wil þu
or wil þu no3t þu schalt haue it . if þu gruche a3ens
god ; wyþ thy gruchinge þu makyst thy soule more
feble . & so þu profitest no3t to thy soule self . gruchyng
a3ens thy fader . whuche is thy leche ; but greuest
thy self in diuers manere . on is ; þu greuest thy god
an oþer is . þu schalt no3t haue so muche gostly mede as
þu schuldest haue if þu suffre it pacientlych . ¶ And
þu schalt knowe þat almerciful god fader of heuen
punyschyth no3t o thyng twyies . and þerfor wt a glad
herte þu schalt suffre syknes þat god haþ send to þe
here . for it schal alegge the payne of purgatorie so þat
þu schalt þe soner come to þe kingdom of heuene
<fol. 13r>¶Thenk . þat if þe kyng to wom whom þu hast be
traytour hadde for3iue þe þi deþ . & punischiþ the bute a+wyle
in an esy prison . & þu wer muche by-holde to hym . muche
more þu ert by-holde to god . to whom þu hast be traytorir
and haþ for-3iue the . euerlestynge deþ ; and punischiþ þe
bute with a+lite sikenes . Of thu maist no3t for haste
of deth seie al this befor ; be gyn here

<space for initial, with d indicated>Ere frend if þu þo3test and weil wel seie þe
muscheues of thys world ; þu schuldest desire to
deie . & be wiþ god . holy wyyt writ fe seyþ . blessid be þo .
that deyeth in god . loke the begynnyge of þi lief ; care and
sorwe ; thi forþ liuinge . trauayl . tene . and desese & so þu ledest
þi lif lief ¶ Now whether is it hit betre to dye wel . or
liue in ele . sothly to die wel . thu mayst no3t liue fully wel
by no wey in þis world wrecid worlde . for seuen tymes
on the day ; falliþ þe ri3tful+man and caton seyth ; þat no
ma~ liueth wyth-oute defaute . and þer-fore seint powel
seith . J desire to be ded . and be wyith god . for the wiccudnisse
of þis world may no man telle . here is hungur &
thurst . chele & hete trauail & werinesse . enuye and wrathe
glotonie & licherye . pride and sleuthe .couetise and falnysse
mansla3ter & thefthe & many oþere . and þh ther is no ma~
wyth-out alle these . that he ˆ [ne] hath trespassid in some of þese
these . for euery man is sinful . and therfor the old filosofere<cropped>
made euere sorw whan her[e] children were bore ; and ioy<cropped>
whan they deide & passed out of this wo of this worlde .
Seynt austin whanne he scholde be ded ; he spak to deth
in thys maner~ . O thu deth ende of alle wikkednes and trar
trauayl ; biginnige of esse & of alle ioie . what man may be bithenk<cropped>
the profites & blisses that thu bringest with the . thu ert desirf<cropped>
<fol. 13v>to me . for a cristine man may no3t euel dþe deye .
but wel deye . Of he to dethe haste ; bigyn her &
say thus deuouthlych

<space for initial, with s indicated>Jre ert thu glad that thu schalt deie in cristene
fei3 . Ro . 3e . ¶ knawlechist that thu hast no3t
wel liued as thu scholdest . Ro . 3e . Art thu sori tharfore .
. Ro . 3e . ¶ Hast thu wil to amende thy lief . if thu haddest space
. Ro . 3e .¶ Liuest thu in god fader almi3ti maker of heuene
& of erthe . Ro . 3e . ¶ Liuest thu in the fader & sone & holy
gost thre persones & on god . Ro . 3e .¶ Liuest thu that oure
lord ihesuc crist godis sone of heuene was conceued of the
holy gost . & tok flesch & blod of oure ladi seint marie . &
was bore of hure hue being maide . Ro . 3e . ¶ liuest thu that liing
his body In graue . his soule wente to helle to feche out
tho that were there . and the thred day he rose in verrai
bodi and soule & aftir stei vp to heuene .Ro . 3e . ¶ Liuest
thu that he schal come a3en to deme alle men quike &
deyd. after her deseruing . Ro . 3e . ¶ Thankest thu thi god
for alle that hat do for the . Ro . 3e . ¶ liuest thu that
thu maist no3t be sauid bute be bi his deth . Ro . 3e .
<lat>Tunc dicat sacerdos</lat> . wl whil thi soule is in thi bodi ;
put al thi trist in his passion & his deth . & thenk holi
þar on . & on non other thing . with his deth medle the
& wrape the ther Jnne . no3t thenkinge on thi wif . ne on
thi child . ne on thi riches but only on the passion of criste
And haue the crois to-fore the . & sey thus . J wot wel
thu art no3t my god . but thu art ymagened aftur hym &
makest me haue minde on tho reuful wondes whuche he
<fol. 14r>suffred for mi sake vp-on the crois as is here figured
¶ lord fader of heuene . the deth of oure lord ihesu criste
thi sone wyche is here ymagened . J set bi-twene the &
myne euele . dedes . and the deseruing of ihesu crist . & offre
for that J schulde haue deseruid & haue no3t . ¶ lord the
deth of oure lord ihesu crist thi sone whuche was bore of
seint marie modir & ma[i]de ; J sette bi-twene me & thi wrathe .
¶ Jn-to thi hond thine hondis lord J tak my soule ; for þu
god of truthe bou3test me Seint austin spak to god in thus manere
<space for initial, with a indicated> Mi lord god . my merci . mi refuit .
the J desire . to the J fle . J hi3e to come to the . lord
despise no3t me tho3 J be wrechud & sinful . bot be to me
myn helpere in these my grete nedes . for J may no3t h helpe
and my-self with mi workes . but thu lorde that bo3test
me ; bring me out of care . & haue mercy on me . J trest no3t on
my dedis ; bute despere of hem . but 3it merciful god J trest
more on thy merci ; than j despere of my wiccude dedes . thu
art my god . thu art my hope . thu art ful of merci . a-3ens the
j haue sinned thur my grete defaute . j come & knawleche
to the . j beschehe the of mercy . whyche demest to no man mercy .
J desire be ded & be wyth the . Jn to thyne hondis lord J take
my soule ; for thu bo3test me god of truþe <lat></lat>


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 15r><line 22><space for initial, with g indicated>Oude men & wymmen . hit is ordened by the
consail of al holy cherche . Furst of oure
holy fader the pope of Rome and his cardinales
and al his consail . sythe of alle archebysschopis
and bysschopis and alle the clerg[i]e ; that euerrich man of
holy cherche that hath soules to kepe . scholde schewe
among hem foure tymes by the 3er the articles þt be
wryte in [þe] general sentence . that is for to saey<?> ; the poyntes
that longeth to the grete cors . On is . the furste
Sonday of Aduent . that other is the furst sonday of
<fol. 15v>lente . the thredde is the nexte sonday after witsonday
and the furste sonday after the assumpcion
of oure ladi . Of to maner of cursynge holy churche
telleth <lat></lat>
Pia . That on is calle<add>i</add>d the lasse curs ; that other
is calle<add>i</add>d the more curs . And thys moste openlych
be taught to lewede men . that they may knowe
perfitlych te myschef ther-of . that no man scholde haue
mater to excuse hym by . wher-for 3e schul vnderstonde
at þe be<add>i</add>gynnynge . that this word cursinge ; is thus
myche to sey . as a+departinge fro god & fro alle goude
werkes . <lat></lat> That we
clepith the lasse curs ; is of this strengthe . that euery
man & womman that falleþ þer-jnne . hit departeth
hem fro alle the sacramentes þat buth don in holy
cherche . that they may non of hem receue ; til they
be asoilid . ¶ The mor curs is myche wors . and is
of thys strengthe . for it departith a+man fro god & holy
churche . & also fro the companie of alle cristene folk .
neuere to be sauid bi the passion of god . ne to be holpe
bi the sacramentes that be don in holy chirche . ne to
haue parte in praier wyth no cristene man . as witnesseth
wel seint austin <lat></lat> ¶Cleitus
seith that a Child ere hit be crisned ; hit hath a wicud
spirit dwelling in the soule . <lat></lat> The
whiche wiccude spirit is coniured & cast out thoruthe
praier of the prest bi-fore the churche dore whanne he
ssal be cristened . the whyche sacrament of bapteme is
ground & biginninge of alle manere sacramentes . as
<fol. 16r>was verilych bi-tokned in the passion of oure lord
ihesu crist bi water that ren out of his syde whanne
alle his blode was go . so that be sacrament that be
the sacrament of baptime ; he is made godis childe .
and he receueth there part of the passion of crist . & part
of alle sacramentes . & alle praieres ; that buth do in holy
churche . and also he receueth part of alle goude dedis
that be don among alle cristene folk . and if he holde
to god couenant that he macuth her there ; for to haue
a dwellyng-place for euere in the blisse of heuene . Bute
what tyme he trespasseth a3ens the lawe of god . that
he [is] worthy to be acursid of al holy churche ; thanne he is
departed fro god and fro alle goude werkes <lat></lat>
And he thanne deliuered to the fend of helle . to putte him
for his synne in to peyne with-oute ende <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> And ther-for[e] is no thing in alle this
worlde that a cristene man ou3te so gretli drede ; as for [to] falle
in eny wei in to the sentence of cursinge . the whiche departeth
hym fro god . that is [his] fader . and fro holy cherche that is
<mrg>his</mrg> moder <lat></lat> Also cursinge is clepid the
swerd of holy churche <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> For ri3t as a+swerd we se that the
strok of þe werd hit sleth and departeth the lif fro
the body ; ri3t so the strok of this gostly swerd it departeth
& doth awey god fro man or womma~ whiche is acursid
. for ri3t as the soule is þe lif of mannes body . so is god
the lif of mannes soule . so J sey . that they & alle her werkes
be euere more dede after . but if they haue speciel grace
of god for to amende hem here . For as clercus preueþ . that
at the day of dome . wolde oure lady seynt marie . & Jon the
baptist and alle that buth [in] heuene knele adoun at ones ;
<fol. 16v>bi-fore the face of god ; they scholde no3t mowe in that tymme
thuru praier of hem alle . deliuer~ the soule of o man or of womman
that dey[e]th in eny dedly synne <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> For it wer euen a3ens the holy gospel wher
crist seith him-self that he schal truelich 3eue eche man
there ; ri3t as [he] hath deseruid her and if the day of dome schal
be so hard with alle tho that deieth in eny dedly synne ;
what schal that time by-tide of hem . in that same tyme
that buth founde openliche acursid of god and of holy cherche
Jn this grete parles [of] dampnacion of soule . beth alle tho men
& wymmen ; that J scal spek of ¶ So that furst and formest
we denunce acursid alle tho that holy cherche falslyche
depriueþ of eny rich or profit . that hit ˆ [it] langeth to
haue eiþer by lawe write ; or by goud custom whych that
hath be holden . & vsid of old time . And in thys point fallyþ
thre maner of folk . First alle tho ; that steleth holy cherche
goudes in what place that they be do to kepe . or ellis that
stelith thinges that buth nout halwed out of places that
buth halwed . or ellis thinges that buth halwed out of
places that be no3t halwed . And alle tho that wytinglych
brecuth & destruyeth eny point poynt of fredom that
longeth to holy cherche . and this is no3t al only vnderstonde
of the fredomes that longeth to holy cherche generally
; but also of other special fredomes that sum cherche
hath more and some of temperal & of spiritual whether
it be . The thride poynt is . Al tho be acursed ; that purchaceth
writes or letteres of eny lewed curt for to lette
the prosces of the lawe of holy churce of causes þat longeth
skylfully to cristene court ; the whiche schulde
nout be demed bi non other lawe . And alle tho þat
letteth archebisschop or bisschop . archedekne . or official
or eny other that hath Juridiccion & power of the lawe
<fol. 17r>of holy cherche . that they mow nout visite here suggetes
or dur nout vse here lawe . for to amende the soules of hem
that they haue to kepe . And alle tho that falslych fleth
a-wey fro o place to an other that holy cherche may no3t
chaisti hem . ne reul rule hem as it scholde [do]
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Also
god and holy churche acurseth alle tho that leith hond
in violence on prest or clerk or on eny man or womman of
religion ; but if it be <exp>his</exp> that thei mow nout saue hemself
. or elles þat it be in certain poyntes . that [þe] lawe 3euith
lyue . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> And alle that mentayn~
suche doeres bi conseil or bi strenghte <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
Also we denunce alle tho acursed that malicioslych stele
or destruye goudes that longeth to maneres or to granges
of eny men or wymmen of religion . or of eny other places
of mennes of holy cherche wyth-oute special leue of
hem that hauith tho goudes to kepe <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Also al þo that falslych aresteth or
bi eny wey taketh or enprison . or destresse men of holy cherche
. wher-thurw they for-saketh her benefices for mischef .
or whanne they haue apelid to the court of Rome . or elles
to sum other court alle tho be acursed that letteth hem
to pursewe her ry3t . and alle that þer-to 3iueth help or
eny manere consayl <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
¶ Also alle tho be acursed be they neuere so grete þat
<fol. 17v>procureth . or commaundeth eny other to sle or mayme .
or to bete . or bi eny other wey to greue eny ordinarie or
Juge of the lawe of holy churche in body or in catel . for as