Prik of Conscience: Part Three: Of Death and of the Pain that With Him Goes

by: James H. Morey (Editor)

from: Prik of Conscience  2012

fol. 26v [1666] 5 10 fol. 27r 15 20 25 [1692] 30 35 [1702] 40 fol. 27v 45 50 [1719] 55 60 65 70 75 fol. 28r [1742] 80 [1750] 85 90 95 [1762 100 105 fol. 28v 110 115 [1783] [1784] 120 125 130 [1801] 135 fol.29r 140 145 150 155 [1828] 160 165 fol. 29v 170 175 [1848] 180 185 190 195 [1868] 200 fol. 30r 205 210 215 220 [1900] 225 230 fol. 30v 235 240 245 250 [1930] 255 260 [1948] fol. 31r 266 270 275 280 285 290 [1982] 295 fol. 31v [1990] 300 305 [2001] 310 [2008] 315 320 325 fol. 32r 330 335 [2038] 340 345 350 [2054] 355 360 fol. 32v 365 [2070] 370 375 380 [2088] 385 [2094] 390 fol. 33r 395 400 405 [2114] 410 415 420 fol. 33v 426 [2134] 430 435 440 [2150] 445 450 455 fol. 34r [2170] 460 465 [2182] 470 475 480 [2200] 485 fol. 34v 490 495 [2220] 500 505 510 [2235] 515 fol. 35r 521 525 [2248] 530 535 540 545 [2268] 550 fol. 35v 555 [2280] 560 565 570 [2298] 575 580 fol. 36r 585 [2314] 590 595 600 [2330] 605 610 fol. 36v 616 620 [2350] 625 630 635 640 [2368] 645 fol. 37r [2374] 650 655 660 665 670 [2404] 675 fol. 37v 680 685 690 [2424] 695 700 [2438] 705 fol. 38r 711 [2452] 715 720 725 [2468] 730 735 [2480] 740 fol. 38v 745 750 755 [2500] 760 765 770 fol. 39r 775 [2524] 780 [2528] 785 790 795 800 [2549] 805 fol. 39v 810 815 [2564] 820 [2570] 825 830 835 fol. 40r 840 845 [2599] 850 855 860 [2619] 865 [2623] fol. 40v 870 875 880 885 890 [2655] 895 900 fol. 41r 905 [2672] 910 915 [2868] 920 925 930 fol. 41v [2702]     935 940

The thrid part that is of deth And of peyn that with hym geth Deth is moste dred thing her In this worlde as bok con lere For here ny is no creature lyvyng That hit ne is of deth dredyng And fleeth deth while hit may Bot aftur hit is dethes pray. Beuté and strengthe he abates Chaungyng sone myghtes and states. Ageynes hym may no mon stonde Wherso he cometh in any londe. Ageynes hym non helpe may rede That is to sey the bodyly dede. Alle that have lyf shul hit fele This uche mon owe to leve wele. ¶By name of deth mon here allone May undurstonde mo dethes than one; As dyverse clerkes in bokes reden Thre dethes ther ben that men dreden: Oon bodyly that thorowe kynde es, An othur goostly, the thrid endelees. Bodyly deth that is kyndely Of soule partyng is fro the body The whiche is bothe bittur and harde As ye moun heren afturwarde. Of goostly deeth Gostly deth parteth with syn God and monnes soule atwyn. A soule is lyf of monnes body So lyf of soule is God almyghty And as the body withouten doute Is deed when the soule is oute The soule of mon is deed also When God departed is ther fro. Where syn is the devel is of hel And where he is God wole not dwel For dedely syn the devel and he Bothe in oon stude moun not be. When soule wounded is with syn God is oute the devel is inne; Anentes God that soule is deed While they dwellen in that stede And as the body may be slayn With wepen that mon con ordeyn So is the soule sleyn withinne Wherfore God mot fro hitte twyn. ¶Thenne goostly deth is dred more Thenne bodyly that spareth nowhore In also myche as the soule namely Is more worthi then the body. Though the soule with syn be deed Fro God almyghty that is hire heed Yitte may hit lyve and be pynede Bot the body is dedly by kynde. Of bodyly deth is no geyn turnyng, Of ertheley thing hit is endyng And ryght entre and way hit es To joy or pyne that is endelesse. ¶And yif the soule with syn be slayn Hit may be grace quicken ageyn And the goostly woundes of syn By penaunce may be hole within. For God is ryghtwise and myghtye Ful of godenes and of mercye, To turne to mon redier is hee Then any mon to hym wole bee For though bodyly deth that greveth Be ordeyned to mon that here leveth, Deth of soule wilneth not hee Of no mon though he synful bee. For lyf of soule more hym payeth Then doth deth as hymselfe sayeth: Nolo mortem peccatoris sed vt magis conuertatur et viuat. “I wole not deth of synful monne Bot that he turne hym and lyve thonne.” Then may synful that so is slayne Turned be and lyven ageynee. Of endelesse dethe et cetera Endeles deth is deth of helle That is moost bitour and felle. Helle is holden an hidus stede The whiche is ful of endeles dede And of peyn that never shul blyn, For noon may dyghe that is therin. Yif they myght dyghe as we here may Delyvered of alle peyn were thay, They shul fele mony dethes brayde And ever lyve as I eer sayde For deth of helle is ever dyghyng And eke a deth that is ever lyvyng. Helle deth is noon othur to say Bot pyne and sorow lastyng ay That soules felen withouten ende That to that grisly stud shal wende Of thes two may thou fynde and looke In the syxte parte of this booke Whiche speketh of peynes of hel Wherfore of that nowe nile I telle. Of bodily deth Of bodyly deth I wole speke more That entre is as I sayde oore To lyf or deth withouten ende As in this partye is contende. Bodyly deth mony here dreden For two skiles nomely we reden, Oon is for peyn that with hym geth When deth assayleth mon and sleeth; That othur is when the lyf shal ende He not whidur that he shal wende. In doute he is and uncerteyn Whether he shal to joye or peyn Bot howso he thereaftur fare The peyne of deth is harde in care. Alle that deeth han in her mynde Therfore dreden hitte by kynde, And so hit semeth as seith the boke When God in monhede that he toke Byfore that he dyghed on roode For drede of deth he swet blod; He wiste er he therto shuld pas What the peyne of deth then was. Therby moun men wete ryght wele That peyne of deth is harde to fele. Uche mon may on deth have wondur For alle thing hitte breketh onsondur As hit sheweth by dyverse wayes. Therfore the holy mon thus sayes, Mors soluit omnia. “The deth,” he seyth, “louseth alle thing,” Of monnes lyf hit maketh endyng. Deth is sotel and ryght pryvé Wheche openly no mon may se And for no mon may seen hitte Ther may no mon know ny witte Ny ymagine what hit es Of what shap ny what licknes, Bot what hit is sothely to say Whoso wole witen here he may. ¶Deth is twynnyng with greet strif Fro body the soule that is his lyf And as a mon may wyte ful wele Merkenes is nought kindely to fele, Bot over alle where no lyght esse Propurly is called merkenesse, Ryght so deth is nothing ellus Bot rape of lyf as clerkes tellus; Wheresoever that lyf fayleth There is deth that so assayleth. This deth that men moun dryghe in haste When lyf fayleth they mooste taaste. ¶Foure skilles fynde I in steede Whi men aught this deth to drede: On for peyn of deth so felle Is more then any tonge may tel That uche mon shal fele within Er body and soule parten atwyn; Anothur for that he shalle see Develes aboute hym that shul be. The thrid for counte that he shal yeelde Of alle his lyf in youthe and eelde; The ferthe for he is uncerteyne Whether he shal to joye or peyn. To thes foure whoso taketh hede Hym aught greetly deth to drede. Of two of thes byfore I spake, Now wole I to two othur take; Of two I spake fyrste generally Now othur two wole I specyfy. The fyrste dreed of deth Fyrst men aught deth to drede in herte For the peyne that is so smerte That is the laste stour atte the ende When the soule shal forthe wende. A deolful partyng hit is to telle For ay wole thay togedur dwelle And nouther wole othur forgoo So myche love is bytwene hem two; The more thaat two togedur loven As mon and wyf often prooven The more sorowe and mournyng Shal be atte here depaartyng. ¶Bot body and soule with the lyf Loven more then monne and wyf Whether they here lyve wele or ille That is for mony dyverse skille. Oon skil is as yee moun see Whi they wolden togedur be For wittenes God on holy writte Bothe hem togedur he knytte; Anothur for that oon ne may do Nought bot the othur helpe therto; The thrid for thay togedur shul come Byfore god on the day of doom; The ferthe when thay becom thidur They shul ay aftur dwell togidur. Therfore her peyn is in greet care When eyther shal from othur fare. This partyng may be calde the deth That flutteth abouten as hit geth In alle londes both fer and nere Of alle this worlde he hath powere. Where that he cometh noon shal lyve For preyer ny gifte that he may gyve For love ny awe is noon spared; Deth to no degré hath rewared. Ryche nor pore hyghe nor lowe Bot he the lyf wole fro hem drawe, Deth ne hath mercye of no wyght, As Seynt Bernard seith ful ryght: Non miseretur mors inopie, non reveretur di- uiciis, non sapiencie, non moribus, non etati. “Deth of poverté no pyté haas Nor to ryche no rewarde taas.” He doth no frensship ny favoure To knyght ny kyng nor emperour, To poop, bysshope, nor prelaate Ny to noon othur of greet astate, To religiouse nor to seculeer For over al he hath poweer. Thorow his hondes alle shal pas As Salamon sayde that wyse was, Communionem mortis scito propheta.1 “Wyteth,” he seyth, “that deth esse Comune to alle more and les.” Thus shal he viseten uch mon And yit noon discreven hym con There is noon undur heven ryche That con telle what deth is lyche. ¶Bot peyn of deth that alle shul fele A philisophur descreveth weele: He lyckeneth monnes lyf to a tree That grewed yif hit myght so bee Out of a monnes herte to spryng And wrapped were with herte stryng, The crop oute at his mouthe he bere And to uche fote a rote faste were And every veyn of his body Had a roote fastened ther by; Uche toe and fyngur on hand Had a roote ther inne growand And every lyme on uche a syde With dyverse rotes were occupyde, And yif that tree then were pulled oute At ones with alle the rotes aboute The rotus shuld then rise therwith Evere veyn, senewe, and lyth A more peyne couthe no mon cast Then hit were while that hit laste, And yit the peyn of deth is more And feller to feelen then hit wore. Therfore uche mon as I seyde Aught to drede the dethes breyde For good and evel shul hit taste Bot evel owe to drede hit maaste, For drede of deth is moost within A mon that here is ful of synne. Therfore the prophete in a steede Speketh thus unto the deede, O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini iniusto.2 “A thou grysly deth,” seyth hee, “Ful bittur is the mynde of thee Unto the synful mon noomly,” That for syn is peyne worthy. Ordeyne hym shuld mon ther ageyn For that tyme is uncerteyn And no mon may hit forloke As seith Bernard in his booke: Quid incercius hora mortis invenitur, quid autem in rebus humanis cercius est morte? He seyth, “what is more certeyn To monne then is the deth sodeyn, And what is more uncerten thing Then the tyme of dethes comyng?” Therfore mon shulde him redy make Byfore that deth com hym to take, Put hym byfore and deth byhynde That deth mon so redy fynde. Wherfore Austyn the holy mon Seyth thus as I nowe shew con: Nescis qua hora veniet mors, semper vigila, vt quod nescis quando veniat, paratum te inveniat cum veneris et ad hoc forte nes- cis quando veniat vt semper paratus scis. “Mon thow knowest not,” seyth he, “When the comyng of deth shal be, Wake ay as thou had no knowyng Of tyme of dethes sodeyn comyng, That thou be waken at his come Redy to God and ful buxome; For thou ne knowest thi deth day: Therfore moste thou be redy ay.” Then is good oure lyf so caste As every day were oure laste And ordeyne us to lyve als wele As we uch day the deth shuld fele And not abyde tyle deth us pyne; Therfore thus seyth seynt Austyne, Latet ultimus vt observentur omnes dies sero parantur remedia cum mortis iminent pericula. “Monnes laste day is hud,” he seys, “For he shulde kepe al othur days; Ful late men ordeyne remedy When perel of deth cometh sodenly.” For yif a mon that onredy es Be taken with deth in wykednes, Turne ageyn then may he nought To amende that he myswrought In that staat he was in thoo; So shal he have when he is go, For when the deth is at the gaat To amende then is ful laat. Deth fro mon his mynde reveth And no kynde witte hym leveth. Then shal he fele suche peyn and drede That he shal think on no mysdeede Bot on his peyne and nought elles, As the clerke Seynt Austyn telles: Totam animam timor mortis sibi vendicat vt nec de peccatis sibi libeat cogitare. “When drede of deth assayleth mon He chalangeth the soul so thonne That hym lusteth to have no thought Of his synnes that he hath wrought.” Therfore uche mon amend hym here Er deth com or his messangeer; For whoso wole thus be war Drede deth the lasse hym thar. His messager calle I sekenes That cometh byfore as ofte felte es, That sekenes then so monne pyneth That therfore his mynde he tyneth For he ne shal thinke on nought ellus Bot on the peyne that with hym dwellus. Bot when deth cometh afturwarde Then shal he feele more haarde In suche drede mon shal be set; Hymselfe and God he shal forget And that is skil for he wolde nought While he had hele have God in thought Therfore his mynde shal he tyne For ryght so seyth Seynt Austyne: Hic animadversione percutitur peccator, vt moriens obliviscatur sui, qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei. He seyth “the synful as is writen That with peyne of deth is smyten For the peyne that he may drye Forgeteth hymself when he shal dyghe, That while he lyved here bodylye Forgaat his loorde God almyghtye.” Mony synful han here no grace Of tyme of repentaunce ny space For while they lyve they ha no mynde On God bot forgeete hym as unkynde; Therfore hit is resoun and ryght That God hem reve mynde and myght. Thus shul they dye and heven tyne And be put to endles pyne That so to God are uncorteyse As Davyd in the sauter sayse: Vos autem sicut homines moriemini et sicut vnus de principibus cadetis.3 “As men,” he seyth, “yee shul dye al And as oon of the princes falle.” Ye shul dyghe on the same manere As dyen men in this worlde here As spiritus that fro heven felle And sithen he caste ryght into hel. Therfore to mon hit were wisdome Hym to repente er then deth come And thinke on God in this lyf here As seyth the prophete on this manere: Memento creatoris tui antequam veniat tempus visitacionis tue.4 “Thinke on God and have thin thought In hym that maad the fyrst of nought While thou lyvest er that tyme be That he with deth wole viset thee.” When that deth assayleth a mon He may not thinke on God thon. Deth his mynde fro hym breketh As Davyd thus to God speketh: Quoniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui.5 “Lorde,” he seyth, “that mon is nought That in his deth of thee hath thought.” But men may undurstonde therby Deth of soule for syn nomly He that hath God in his thought ay In deth of soule syn he ne may. He that of God is myndelees Hit semeth that he in soule ded es. God viseteth us in mony a steed There we may fele tokenes of deed; Therfore me thinke this lyf semeth More deth then lyf as clerkes demeth For as the boke beruth wittenesse Fyrst when a mon borne esse He bygynneth to deth to drawe And feleth mony dethes thrawe, As dyverse eveles when they falle That men moun dethes throwes calle And dyverse pereles and eveles nomly That comen to men ofte sodeynly. Oure byrthe here thenne is bygynnyng Of deth that is oure laste endyngge. Therfore the more we waxen oolde The more oure lyf may deth be toolde, For while we here be lyvyngge Uche day are we here dyghyngge. Thenne is this lyf no thyng ellus But a deth as clerkus teell us And to othur lyf wende we nought Til deth this lyf to eende ha brought. Bot when this lyf is brought to ende We wute not whidur we shul wend, Whethur we shul to wele or wo Bot to that oon nede most we go. Unto good men deth is way To blysse of heven that lasteth ay, And to ille men hit is entree To pyne of helle that ay shal be; Therfore Davyd that was holy Speketh thus to God almyghty: Qui exaltas me de portis mortis vt annunciem omnes laudaciones tuas in portis filie Syon.6 “Loord,” seyth David, “thou arte hee That fro the gates of deth lyft mee That I may shew over al thyng Sovereynly alle thi preysyng In the gaatus of the doughter Syon.” Whiche clerkes say that con theron Is holy writte that God fyrste chees By whiche men comen to syght of pees. By gatus of deth as men moun see The gatus of hel moun tokened be Fro whiche God lyfte us day and nyght To shewe his preysyng and his myght, To serve hym and his werkes wyrch In studefaste trouthe of holy chirch, So that we may aftur weende To syght of pees withouten eende. Bot alle that wolen into that steede Mot hethen passe by bodyly deed. That deth to tho men nis not ille That here lyven aftur Goddes wylle And studfastly in that lyf dwelles And therfore Seynt Austin telles, Mala mors putanda non est quam vita bona precessit, neque enim facit malam mortem quod sequitur ipsam mortem. “No mon shulde evel deth wene Where goode lyf byfore hath bene, Nought maketh evel deth to taste Bot that that deth foloweth maste.” And that is syn that men wol do As Seynt Austyn seyth yit therto, Non potest male mori qui bene vixit et vix bene moritur qui male vixit. He seyth, “he may not evel deth fele That in Goddes lawe hath lyved wel, And unnethe may men se by skil Hym dyghe wel that hath lyved il.” Bot he that hateth this lyf lykyng Thar not drede the dethes comyng For aftur deth no peyne hym deres As Catoun seyth in this veers: Non metuit mortem qui sit contempnere vitam. He that con wel this lyfe despyse Thar drede the deth on no wyse. As martires that the deth here sought By this lyf thay setten nought And othur holy yeerned to dyghe To be with God in heven hyghe, As hore bokus tellen to us For so dyde Poule that seyde thus: Cupio dissolui et esse cum Christo.7 “I wolde,” seyth he, “loused be away Fro this worlde and with Crist be ay.” Holy men thought this lyf bot wast For thi they yeerned to God ful fast And wylned eende of her lyf dayes, Forthi the holy mon thus sayes: Melius est dies mortis quam dies nativitatis.8 “Bettur,” he seith, “is day of deed Then day of byrthe may stond in steed.” When good men dyen they goo to rest There here lyf shal be the beest When the soule fro the body swippes As Joon seyth in the apocalyppes: Beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur.9 “Blessed be thay that bodylye Here dyghen in God Almyghtye.” Tho be alle that here moun ende In good lyf for they shul wende To joyful blysse in heven on hyghe Ful weel is hem that so may dyghe, Bot though holy men dyghe wele Dethes peyne most they feele Therewith here to be pynede Hem ow to drede it then by kynd For so did God in his monhed Forthi aught uche mon hit to dred. The secound drede of deth The secounde skil as I ere red Whi deth is so greetly dred Is for the grysly syght of fendes That man shal see when his lyf endes, For when the lyf endeth of mon Fendes shul gedre aboute hym thon To reve fro hym his soule away To pyne of helle that lasteth ay, As wode lyouns shul thay faare And on hym grysly raumpe and star And bitturly upon hym bleere And hidously do alle hym to feere. They wole stande at his last endyng Alle in wanhope hym for to bryng With the skiles that they wole make And with ferdenesse that he shal take. Hydouse syghtes they wole shewe hym To make his chere grysly and grym; This shal we se with goostly yghe In peyne of deth that he shal dryghe. Therfore the prophete Jeremye Speketh thus in his prophecye: Omnes inimici eius apprehenderunt eam inter angustias.10 “Lo,” he seyth, “among his greet anguyse Shulen hym take hys enemyse.” No wondur though the fende come thon In tyme of deeth to synful mon Hym to tempte and for to pyne When he come to Seynt Martyne In tyme of deth at his last daye Hym to tempte and to affraye. ¶And als we reed of Seynt Bernarde That when he drowe to deth warde The feend that is grysly and grym To hym come and tempted hym, And askud hym by what ryght That he wolde chalange heven bryght. Bernarde answered thus mekelye, “I know that I am unworthye By my deserte to haven hitte When I oute of this worlde shal flit. Bot my loorde Ihesu ful of myght That oweth hit by double ryght Oon by his fadur heritage An othur for our avauntage Thorowe ryght of his passyoun That he tholed for oure raunsom. That oo ryght frely graunted he me That othur to hymselfe helde he Of this ryght chalange I heven by skil As the lawe of his mercye wole.” When the fende herde hym thus say Alle discoumfete he wente away. The holy mon when this was doon Turned ageyn to hymselfe soon And gaf the goste to God dyende And sone the soule to heven wende. And yitte is more wondur to tel That God suffered the fende of hel Apered to hymselfe of myghtes most Tho he wolde dyghe and yelde the gost, As doctours tellen of holy writ In bokes where men may fynde hit. Then semeth hit wele that God wol thus Suffre the fend to appere to us In tyme of deth at oure laste ende When soule fro the body shal wende, Sithe holy men that lyved here ryght Moost not dyghen withoute that syght. Ny his modur that he loved more Fro that syght was not forbore, Bot Cryst grauntid at hire askyng That in tyme of hire passyng The syght of hem shuld hire not dere Ny her foulnesse shuld hire fere. ¶Thus be we certeyn and oute of were That fendus shal at oure ende appere. A ful greet peyne to us shal be The syght of hem when we hem se, They are so blaake seyth the boke And so lodly upon to looke That alle the men of myddelerde Of that syght shul ben aferde. For alle that lyven in this lyve Couthe not so lothely thing descrive Ny by witte ymagine ne deme As they in tyme of deth shul sene. So sly peyntoure never non was Though he alle othur in sleyght couth passe That couthe ymagyne hore uglynesse Or peynt a poynte of hore lykenesse, For in this lyf ther may no monne Hem see in fourme as they be thonne. ¶For yif they had suche powere In that fourme to shewe hem here Oute of witte they wolde men fray So orrible and so foule aren thay. So hardy mon certes is noon Ny never was in blood ny boon That sye a fende in his shap ryght Bot he for fere of thatte syght Shulde dyghe or ellus lese his witte Als sone as he had seen hytte. Bot in suche fourme I undurstand Apere they to no mon lyvande Unto the tyme that deeth bee neere So God restreyneth her powere, Ny they may not tempte ny greve Forthermore then thay have leeve. Bot when deth assayleth monne In foulest wyse appere thei thonne, Uche mon therfore dredyng be Ageyn the tyme he shal hem se. ¶Nowe wole I shewen apertelye Wherfore that they ben so oglye: When they weren aungelles bryght As tho that dwellen in heven lyght Fro that place for synne they felle And foul develes bycomen in helle. So foule were they maad with synne That thay shulde ever be hardened inne. Ne had thay synned they shuld ha bene Aungelles as thay were fyrste sene; Nowe are thay foul and ful ogly By fylyng of her synne namely. Thus is syn more wlatsoome Then any devel fro helle may come For thing is fouler that may fyle Then thing fyled and more vyle. Whi clerkes sey that ben conyng That synne is mooste orrible thing, For yif a mon myght se his synne In kynde lykenesse that he is inne For fere he shulde sonner hit fle Then any devel that he myght se. Here may men se and undurstand Howe foule is syn and how fyland; Bot for men knowe not what hit es Therfore thay drede hit wel the lesse, Bot and the synful seyghe withoute Howe foule syn is to bere aboute Shulde he never be in lykynge Tyl he delyvered hym of that thyng. Sythe the fende hath his foulnesse Of fylthe of syn that fylyng esse Then aught the soule of mon withinne Be foul that soyled is with synne. Therfore owe mon whereso he wendes More drede syn then syght of fendes; When they appere at his last day His syn shal be fouler then thay Of whiche mon ne wole hym shryve Ny repente hym in his lyve. The thrid drede of dethe The thrid skil to oure knowyng Why men dreden dethes comyng Is for acounte streyte and harde Of alle oure lyf that is frowarde That we shul yeelde in Goddes syght Als wele of wronge as of ryght, Of alle tymes passed away Fro oure bygynnyng to oure last day. Alle shale then be shewed and sene Good dede and evel foule and clene, Bytwene fendus and bryght aungelles And be rehersed the boke so telles. They shul dysputen alle oure lyf With greet discorde and myche stryf: The aungelles shul reherce the good The fende the evel with egre mood Alle the werkes that we here wrought Bytwene hem too shul oute be sought And uche a thought and uche a wylle As wel the good as the ylle, And uche worde that spoke ha we Good or evel whetherso hit be, Alle shal be toolde as I seyd are Evel ny good shal thay non spare Bot only synne that clensed is here And good dede doon on good manere. Therfore God seyde in the gospelle Ryght on this wyse as I shal telle: Nichil opertum quod non reueletur nec occultum quod non sciatur.11 Nought here is so pryvely hyd That openly then ne shal be kyd No pryveté is that toucheth to mon That hit ne shal be wyste thonne. Then mot we byde, we shul not fle Tylle alle oure lyf examined be And alle oure dedus good and ille Discussed ben at Goddes wylle. Then shul we se oure syn onely And what we are therfore worthy, Then shul we knowe and se in syght Whethur we have doon wrong or ryght And whiche we deden parfytely here And whiche were doon on evel manere. ¶Seynt Ancelme the boke tellus us Speketh to the soule and seyth thus: “Wreched soule what may thou say When thou fro the body passest away, Thenne thee behoveth acountes yelde Of alle thi lyf in youthe and eelde. Yee ‘waylaway’ shal ben thi song For thi tyme spendud wrong Both in werke in woorde and wille Tho thou myght helpe thou helde thee stil, Thou haddeste doon many a synful dede To greve God haddest thou no drede And when thou seest alle thi trespas Then shal thou sey ‘allas allas.’ When thi lyf is alle thorow sought To the leest thing that ever thou wrought And alle that thou didest in thi lyve Of whiche thou coudest thee never shryve. Then shale be shewed unto thee Foul and ogly onne to see Of whiche thou shalt ha more drede. Then of tho thou coudest here reede And som thing that thee thought don wele Foul synne then thou shal hit feele. Thenne most thou receyve soone Aftur dedus that thou haste doone That is outhur joye or elles peyne May no mon be there ageyne. Thus shal uche mon at his endyng Be put to an harde rekenyngge There shal no synne unrekened be Though hit be never soo pryvee; Alle the good dedus that thu haste don Anentes thi synnes be bot foon.” ¶And als I fynde thre skiles whi That no mon may tryste sykurly In his good dedus that he doth here These thre skilles are good to bere. ¶Oon is for alle good thyngus That here be good on God sprynges, Alle good dedus then that are wrought Been Goddes dedus and oures nought Bot alle synnes that we may knowen Comen of us and are oure owen. Withouten God we synne soon Withouten hym is no good dede doon. ¶Anothur skil is als forthy For we are often here more redy An hundreth sythes for to synne Thenne o good dede to bygynne; Therfore we moun reken and reede A thousand synnes to oo gode dede. ¶The thrid skil is to telle amonge For oure dedus ben ofte don wrong, Not in manere as they shulde be That is for lacke of charytee And alle oure synnes aren certeyn And by resoun worthye peyne For bot oure good dedus certeynly We wote not what we are worthy; Therfore shulde we hem not preyse For Seynt Austyn thereof thus seyse: Mala nostra sunt pura mala set bona nostra non sunt pura bona. “Oure ille dedus ful ille are wrought Bot oure good dedus ful good are nought.” Herto Ysydore accordeth thus A noble clerke and seyth to us, Omnes iusticie nostre sunt quasi pannus menstruate.12 “Alle oure ryghtwysnesse are seen As fouled clothe of thing unclene.” Certeynly therfore wote noon Howe he shal fare when he is goon Bot we shul trow withouten were; He shal fare wel that wel doth here. Bot sykur be we not in thes dayes Forthi the holy mon thus sayes: Nescit homo vtrum sit dignus odio vel amore. “Certeyn,” he seyth, “yit wot mon nought Though he have myche good here wrought Whethur he be worthy aftur his dede Love to have or Goddes haterede.” In his boke Ysydree sheweth us Acordyng thertoo and seyth thus: Seruus dei dum bonum agit utrum sit ei ad bonum incertus est. “He that ay is Goddes servande When he doth good with tong or hande Uncerteyn he is yit in that thought Whether hit to hym be good or nought.” Therfore oure lyvyng here is harde As seyth the holy mon Bernarde: Quis, sine trepidacione et timore hanc vitam ducere potest? “Who,” he seyth, “may this lyf lede Withouten trembelyng or drede?” For though a mon aforce hym ay To doo the good that he may Yit moun his dedus be so wrought That in hap God alloweth hem nought. Therfore seynt Bernarde pleyneth hym here On his owen lyf on this manere: Terret me tota vita mea, qua diligenter discussa apparet aut peccatum aut rilitas, et si quid in ea fructus videtur, est aut similacrum aut imperfectum aut alio modo corruptum, vt possit aut non placere deo aut displicere. Seynt Bernarde here to us sayeth: “Alle my lyf here me affrayeth Yif that hit fully discussed bee, Hit semeth nought ellus unto me Bot outher syn that the soule dereth Or bareyne thing that no fruyt bereth, And yif therin any fruyt seme Hit may by skil be thus to deme Outher feyned thing to shewe in syght Or thing that is not demed aryght, Or hit is elles corupte with synne That is to say fyled withinne So that outher may hitte nought Plese God that so is wrought Or in happe hit hym myspayeth,” As the holy mon Bernard sayeth. What may synful mon say thon When he that was so holy a mon Couthe no fruyt in his lyf see? Thenne aught synful dredyng be Of his lyf that is uncleene In whiche no fruyt may be sene. The ferthe drede of deeth The ferthe skil and the last to tel Whi men dreden deth so felle Is for noon wote whidur to wend To joye or peyne at his last end. Therfore aught both yong and oolde For thes skilles drede that I toolde, Bot when the fende and aungelles Oure lyf have pleted as the boke telles And discussed as hit shalle be Thenne we sothely here and se Oure certeyn dome that we shul have Whethur we shul be dampned or save And outher wende to joy or pyne As seyth the doctour seynt Austyne: Bene unusquisque de die nouissimo formidare debet quia unum quemque in quo inuenerit suus dies cum de hoc seculo egreditur in die nouissimo indicatur. “Uche mon shal passen away Shulde ha drede of his laste day For in suche staat as he is thon As at his endyng deth fyndeth mon So shal he be demed at his ende When he shal oute of this world wend.” Therfore oure laste day that shal fal Oure day of dome we may hit cal, Bot on the general day of dome With oure bodyes we shul come Byfore Jhesu that myghtful kyng That shal thenne jugge alle thyng. Then shal he deme alle nacioun And make a fynal declaracioun Of alle domes byfore shewed In tyme of deth to lerud and lewed. The body shal wende to that stede That soule is demed to afture dede And thenne outher ha joy togedur Or ful sorowe when thei com thedur, And evermore aftur togedur dwel Whethur they go to heven or helle Bot in erthe shul be the bodyes alle Tyl the day of doom shul falle. ¶Bot als sone as the soule namly Thorowe deth is past fro the body Hit shal be demed aftur the werkes To joye or peyn as seyn thes clerkes. The synful shal goo to helle Withouten ende in peyne to dwelle And clene soules shul go up evene Withouten lettyng into hevene. Bot mony soules that are save Or they come thene mot peyne have In purgatory and dwelle therinne Tyl they be clensed of here synne; That be shryven and not clensed here There shul they be purged cleere For in heven may no soule be sene Tyl hitte of synne be clensud clene With penaunce here as clerkus wote Or in purgatory wyth fyre hote. And soules that are clensed here With almesdede and penaunce sere Aungelles shul wysse hem the way To heven blys that lastuth ay. Therfore uche mon clense hym wel Er he the deth comyng feele With shryfte of mouthe and repentaunce With almesdede and with penaunce, So that deth fynde hym clene of syn When the body and soule shul twyn And kepe hym here from alle folyse As seyth Salomon in this wyse: In omnibus operibus tuis memorare nouis- sima tua et in eternum non peccabis.13 That is on Englysshe thus to say, “Thenke upon thine endyng day When thou shal any werke bygyn And never,” he seyth, “shalt thou syn.” Thenke thou shal dygh and nost when Ny in what staate thou shal be then Ny thou wotest never in what stede Thou shal dyghe ny on what deede. Therfore at morowe when thou seest lyght Thenke that thowe shal dyghe er nyght And als at even yif thou be wyse As thou shuldest not with lyf aryse. For seynt Austyn seyth in a boke Lete ever thyn herte on thi laste day lok. Whoso wole thynke on this manere And also make hym redy heere Of alle synnes clense hym wele Er he the deth comyngge feele. Then may he passe awaye lyghtlye From bittur peynes of purgatorye And come to blysse of heven bryght There evere is day and never nyght. ¶The thridde parte of this booke is sped That speketh of deth as I have redde; The ferthe parte nowe to specyfye Speketh of the peynes of purgatorye Where soules suffren peynes harde Aas men may heren aftur warde. Mony speke ofte and in booke reede Of purgatorye bot fewe hit dreede, For mony wote not what hit es Therfore they dreden hit wel the les. Bot and they knewen what hit wore I trowe they wolden drede hit sore And for mony ha no knowyngge Of purgatory ny undurstondyng Therfore wole I speke a partye In this lyf of purgatorye, Fyrste to shewe yowe what it es And in what stude as bokes witnes And what peynes are thereinne And whech soules gon thidur and for what syn, And what thing is moste certeyne That hem may helpe and slake of peyn Of thes syxe poyntes now wol I rede And this ferthe part hereof speede.

can teach there is no advise physical death experience ought to believe well second spiritual natural may hear apart (see note) place Before must from it separate is [to be] dreaded nowhere; (see note) To the degree that the soul punished nature is no turning away entrance torment by; live grieves lives pleases (see note) in hell cruel held [to be]; place death cease torment before in hell pain place; go I will not speak entrance; before For two reasons namely we read with him goes slays knows not sorrow have nature manhood that he took died on the cross sweat; (see note) knew before he thereto should pass may men know asunder (see note) looses subtle and very secret nor understand likeness Whoever wishes to know hear he may division know full well Darkness seizure suffer reasons; place cruel in two A second [reason] the account ought battle doleful reasons may (see note) (t-note) ever trouble flutters gift fear [a] reward creature (see note); (t-note) takes pope Know describe experience; (see note) (t-note) covered; (see note) joint fiercer (more cruel) torment ought to dread it [the] most place memory prepare foresee (t-note) (see note) [To] put himself first [So] that death find the man ready (see note) obedient arrange wait; destroys (see note) hidden too late gate leaves him no kind of intelligence nothing else (see note) The less need he has to fear death (see note); (see note) torments loses sharply for this reason health lose (see note) suffer memory reave from them discourteous (see note) afterwards (see note) for sin namely; (see note) sin place death throes know must needs we go (t-note) entrance (see note) who know such things chose may be signified lifts work’s work desire [to go] to that place (see note) know (see note) scarcely the pleasures of this life Needs not dread; (see note) (see note) Need dread death in no wise holy [ones] yearned to die their loosed ever waste (t-note) stand in stead where their glides may end tormented they ought to dread (see note) reason; earlier suggested (advised) gather tear mad; behave romp and stare mock cause; fear (t-note) despair charges (reasons) fearfulness face horrible and grim eye suffer in his great distress torment (persecute) (see note) harass also drew toward death (t-note) lay claim [to]; (see note) desserts pass owns it (heaven) endured; ransom went To appear (see note) depart since spared harm frighten doubt: (t-note) loathly afraid deem seem craft could surpass their frighten certainly bone [could] see; true until (see note) openly those should have been defiling disgusting Than defile Therefore; cunning natural sooner defiling As for the men [who] But if the sinful saw from outside Since defiling is ought a man shrive reason disobedient with bitter before Nothing; privily known secret be known then must we bide (see note) Then it behooves you to yield accounts When through searched confess to look on know about According to the deeds either go back over [them] again; (see note) each hidden Compared to thy sins [will be] but few also; reasons trust securely bear [in mind] from The second; is also therefore times than one take into account among [other things] For except for our (see note); (t-note) no one knows trust; doubt sure (see note) (t-note) (see note) (see note); (t-note) force himself always by chance complains (see note) either; harms (t-note) by reason; deem false defiled displeases Could; (see note) reason cruel none know these reasons dread what pleaded truly hear pain (see note) Each man [who]; (see note) judged judgment learned and ignorant place either (see note) resistance in that place must suffer Those who; shriven know (see note) make known to them confession of mouth; (t-note) separate (t-note) die; [you] know not when Nor place nor in what deed Where accomplished But if in part place tell set forth

Go To Part 4 Of Purgatory where Souls are cleansed of their Folly

Footnotes

PART THREE: FOOTNOTES

1 Know it to be a communication with death. Ecclesiasticus 9:20

2 O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions! Ecclesiasticus 41:1, not exact

3 Lines 355–56: But you like men shall die: and shall fall like one of the princes. Psalm 81:7

4 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come. Ecclesiastes 12:1 (which reads “adflictionis” for “visitacionis”)

5 For there is no one in death, that is mindful of thee. Psalm 6:6

6 Lines 417–18: Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion. Psalm 9:15

7 Having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Philippians 1:23

8 The day of death [is better] than the day of one’s birth. Ecclesiastes 7:2

9 Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. Apocalypse 14:13

10 All her persecutors have taken her in the midst of straits. Lamentations 1:3 (with “persecutores” for “inimici”)

11 Lines 676–77: For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed: nor hidden, that shall not be known. Luke 12:2, with “absconditum” for “occultum”

12 All our justices [are] as the rag of a menstrous woman. Isaias 64:6. The verse is widely quoted in commentaries, but is not traced in Isidore.

13Lines 894–95: In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin. Ecclesiasticus 7:40

PART THREE: EXPLANATORY NOTES

Abbreviations: CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; MED: Middle English Dictionary; OED: Oxford English Dictionary; PL: Patrologia Latina, ed. Migne.

27–28 See the prose treatise “Life of Soul,” trans. Schaffner.

46 Thenne bodyly that spareth nowhore. Cotton Galba E.ix makes better sense: “Þan bodily ded þat nane will spare” (ed. Morris, line 1711).

71 Compare Ezechiel 18:32: "For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live" and 33:11: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live."

115 An apocryphal detail that appears in Middle English lyrics and Passion narratives such as The Passion of Our Lord when describing Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39–44): “As vre louerd hine ybed, he bi-gon to swete / That blod com adun of hym, dropes swythe grete” (lines 161–62 in Morris’ Old English Miscellany, p. 42).

124 Compare Walther, Proverbia Sententiaeque 15195a: “Mors rapit omnia . . .”

184 See Genesis 2:24.

205–06 St. Bernard, Tractate on Morals (PL 182:843B–C).

224–45 Compare Jeremiah 17:8, and the commentary of Abraham ibn Ezra on Deuter­onomy 20:19: “When you besiege a city a long time, in making war to capture it, you must not destroy her trees by thrusting an axe against them. You may eat of them, but do not cut them down, for man is a tree of the field, to come before you in the siege” (trans. Schachter, pp. 92–93). Trees growing from bodies can be found in the Quest of Seth for the oil of mercy when Seth plants seeds in Adam’s mouth that grow into the tree that eventually becomes the cross (see Quinn, Quest), and in various images of the Tree of Jesse that represent Christ’s lineage (Isaias 11:1–3). None of these sources correspond exactly to this passage.

237 occupyde. See MED occupien (6.c).

263–64 St. Bernard, Tractate on Morals (PL 182:843B).

275–78 Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos (PL 37:1606).

293–94 Augustine, Sermon 39 (PL 38:241).

313–14 Not traced.

322 Drede deth the lasse hym thar. hym is dative of agency functioning as a subject. Thar here, in line 456, and in 4:222 is from the Old English verb thurfan, “to need.”

337–38 Augustine, Sermon 220 (PL 39:2153). See also Sermon 257 (PL 39:2221).

361–62 The story of the Heavenly Rebellion and the Fall of the Angels was constructed around a network of biblical verses: Isaias 14:12–13, Matthew 25:41, Luke 10:18, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6, Apocalypse 12:7–12. In the preceding psalm verse “princes” (line 368) refers to one of the orders of the angels (see above 2.43 ff.). This idea figures largely in the English cycle plays.

377–78 “There is no man who in his death thinks of thee.” Cotton Galba E.ix reads more positively: “‘Lord’ he says, ‘þat man es noght / In dede þat of þe here has thoght’” (ed. Morris, lines 2082–83). The negative reading is more in keeping with the context of Psalm 6.

380 Deth of soule. Compare “lyf of soule” above (3.28).

423–26 The gates of the daughters of Zion are a “poetic way of referring to the people of Jerusalem” (Ladouceur, Latin Psalter, p. 72), though here the daughters are glossed as Scripture. The “sight of peace” is a corruption of the Hebrew meaning of “Jerusalem,” the “possession of peace.”

441–42 Augustine, City of God, chapter 11 (PL 41:25).

449–50 Augustine, Sermon on Christian Discipline (PL 40:676), though without the reciprocal verse on good dying by bad living.

456 Thar. See above, note to line 322.

459 Cato, Distichs 4.22.2 (Walther, Proverbia Sententiaeque 18027).

493–94 N.b., Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–39).

523 Seynt Martyne. Probably St. Martin of Tours (d. 397), whose life was written by his contemporary Sulpitius Severus. Chapters 6, 21, and 24 describe several encoun­ters between St. Martin and the Devil. The next example concerns Bernard of Clairvaux, founder of the Cistercian order.

531 chalange. See MED chalengen (4.a), citing this line.

557 The appearance of the Devil at the Crucifixion and the following request by Mary to be spared such a visitation are apocryphal, but the Devil’s role during the Passion is suggested by Luke 22:3–4 (when Satan enters Judas Iscariot), Luke 22:53 (when Jesus refers to “the power of darkness” as he is arrested) and Hebrews 2:14–15 (when Paul speaks of how Christ was incarnated and crucified to destroy “Death, that is, the Devil”). See Kelly, Satan, pp. 100–03, 126–27. See also the N-Town “Assumption of Mary” for a lively dramatization of such a fiendish moment.

603 The Devil works only through God’s permission. See Job, chapter 1, and compare The Pardoner’s Tale, CT VI(C)848.

692 Saint Anselm (d. 1109), archbishop of Canterbury and prominent theologian, is best known for his ontological arguments to prove the existence of God in the Proslogium and the Monologium.

719 May no mon be there ageyne. That is, no one may go back to remedy previous sins.

754–55 Not Augustine of Hippo but Augustine of Canterbury; the phrase appears in a letter from Gregory I to the latter, as quoted in Peter Chanter’s >i (PL 205:219d). The lines are closely paralleled in Gregory’s Moralia in Job (PL 76:780c). An erroneous “non” is canceled before “sunt” in line 754.

769 Ecclesiastes 9:1, quoted in Gregory’s commentary on Kings (PL 79:390A), Innocent III’s Sermon 32 (PL 217:591D), and elsewhere.

776–77 Isidore, Sententiarum libri tres, 3.19 (PL 83:694B; not exact).

784–85 Compare Philippians 2:12, the basis of Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling.

794–99 Bernard, Tractatus de interiori domo (PL 184:525A).

818 Compare Chaucer’s description of the Parson in the General Prologue: “If gold rust, what shall iron do? / For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, / No wonder is a lewed man to ruste” (CT I[A]500–02). See Whiting, Proverbs G304.

836–39 Augustine, Sermon 97 (PL 38:589; not exact).

840–45 The “state” refers to the spiritual, not physical, condition of the individual. The form to be taken by the heavenly body was often debated, one position being that the heavenly body should be that of a thirty-three-year-old (construing the age of thirty-three as the fully formed prime of life, the age of Christ at his death, and close to the halfway point of the seventy-year lifespan promised by Psalm 90:10). In the classical afterlife, one assumes the body one has at the exact point of death (e.g., the condition of Deiphobus in Aeneid 6.651–57).

863 A further debate (revolving partially around the fate of the rich man in Luke 16:19–31 and the fate of the penitent thief in Luke 23:43) extended to the status of the body after one’s particular judgment at the point of death as opposed to the general judgment at the end of time, when body and soul shall be reunited. The reassembly of body parts in the valley of dry bones was taken as a prefigu­ration of this reunification (Ezechiel 37; but see also 1 Corinthians 15:35–55 and Prik 4.293–304).

881 For the origin and significance of purgatory in medieval thought, see Le Goff, Birth of Purgatory.

PART THREE: TEXTUAL NOTES

Abbreviations: see Explanatory Notes

186 othur. There is a slanted mark (pen slip?) over the “o.”

205 reveretur. The manuscript reads reuerteur.

231 fote. The word is very faint and appears to have been erased.

262 Bernard. The manuscript reads Bernad.

411–12 Lines 411 and 412 are reversed in the manuscript but make better sense in this order.

476 seith is. The scribe has written around a sewn-up hole.

507 at his. The scribe has written around a sewn-up hole.

529–30 These lines are written around a damaged part of the manuscript, as is also the case with lines 570–71 on the verso.

570–71 See note to lines 529–30, above.

754 nostra sunt. “non” is subpuncted for deletion between these two words.

770 mon. The manuscript reads mo.

784 Quis. The word is very faded.

805 A large section of the bottom margin of folio 39 is torn and missing, affecting lines 805 and 836 and the first word in line 832.

888 mouthe. The “o” is written above the line.

894–95 nouis-/sima. The scribe adds an extra “s” at the line break (nouis-/ssima).