1695 Art of Dying Black Death Plague de Bien Mourir

1695 Art of Dying Black Death Plague SOISSONS, Basil of The Science of Dying Well

 

Basile de Soisson’s ‘La Science de Bien Mourir’, or ‘Art of Dying’, is a religious treatise written for those surviving the Great Plague in the 17th-century on how to deal with death. It is a collection of prayers and advice on how to prepare for a good death.

The original "long version", called Tractatus (or Speculum) artis bene moriendi, was composed in 1415 by an anonymous Dominican friar, probably at the request of the Council of Cunstance (1414–1418, Germany).

This was widely read and translated into most West European languages, and was very popular in England, where a tradition of consolatory death literature survived until the 17th century.

Works in the English tradition include The Way of Dying Well and The Sick Mannes Salve. In 1650, Holy Living and Holy Dying became the "artistic climax" of the tradition that had begun with Ars Moriendi.

Ars Moriendi was also among the first books printed with movable type and was widely circulated in nearly 100 editions before 1500, in Germany.

The long version survives in about 300 manuscript versions, only one illustrated.

Ars Moriendi consists of six chapters:

The first chapter explains that dying has a good side and serves to console the dying man that death is not something to be afraid of.

The second chapter outlines the five temptations that beset a dying man, and how to avoid them. These are lack of faith, despair, impatience, spiritual pride and avarice.

The third chapter lists the seven questions to ask a dying man, along with consolation available to him through the redemptive powers of Christ's love.

The fourth chapter expresses the need to imitate Christ's life.

The fifth chapter addresses the friends and family, outlining the general rules of behavior at the deathbed.

The sixth chapter includes appropriate prayers to be said for a dying man.

*****A Must Have if You Collect Books about Religious History and Christianity*****

These books are extremely scarce and will soon be lost from the journals of time!