A medicine for the soule as well as for them that be sick, most necessary in the bytternes of death, and in their last moost daungerous seasons.

¶ Of the makyng of the last wyll, and of the con∣fession of synnes.

VVhen as yet a perfecte minde existeth in the bo∣dy, their testament ought to be ordayned, whiche

haue of their owne to bequeue and may lawfully make their wyll: lest that if they prolonge that busynes vnto the last mo∣ment of lyfe, they be preuented with death. Therfore lette him whiche hath lawfull heyres be counseled, that he betake to thē all the charge of his testament. And if he hath gotten any goo∣des wrongfully, or be in det to any person, let him declare that openly and see that his dettes be discharged. These beyng fy∣nished, let him put apart frō him all suche as are bent to trouble him with any worldly matters, wherein verye many do offende without measure, which to him that no we lyeth at the point of death, do cast doubtes of his te∣stament & of outwarde matters,

and sometyme do compell him to subscribe, yea and that with∣drawyng him selfe, vnwyllyng, & abhorryng their importunitie by whō he cā not be suffered qui¦etly to depart. Thē the whiche frendes, what can therebe more vnfrēdly? Afterward if the kin¦de of the disease doth suffre, let him endeuoure him selfe, before that he goeth in hād with his bo¦dye, to heale his soule by a short cōfessiō, but sincere & without falshode, and receyne of a priest the remedy of penaunce with a∣ful fayth and greatest reuerēce, from the botome of hys stomake let hym call vpon the mercy of god and purpose wyth him selfe to amende his lyfe if it fortune hym to be recouered of hys in∣fyrmitie. But if it chaunce that

a priest be not at hande, let him not forthwyth (as certayne su∣persticions folke are wont) trē∣ble and cast downe hys mynde, but to god hym selfe from hys harte let hym dysclose hys vn∣righteousenesse, who of his cle∣mencye wyll vouchsafe too ac∣cepte the intente of the mynde for the acte it selfe, and fulfyll of hys singuler grace, that that wanteth in the outward signes of the sacramētes, for bi him all the sacramētes take their effect, which after a sort are tokens of his godly beneficence towardes vs: but the same god wythoute sygnes when nede shall require hath a respecte to mannes safe∣guarde, onely that neglegence and contempte of the sacramēts be absent, and fayth with a prō∣pte good wil be presently redy