Getting close to a source for f85r2

[MarcoP]

Of the Seven Ages is a short poem that appears in BL ms Add 37049, Northern England, possibly first half of the 15th century (VViews and Koen mentioned the ms in the past). The poem was You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (1969). The two pages spread (illustration from You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., Burrow, 1986) shows the seven  ages.

1. Naked new-born child at the top of the first page
2. Older child between angel and devil
3. Youth on the left
4. Man at the bottom
5. Older man with bag of money at the top of second page
6. "Cripple" as a bearded man with rosary (and maybe staff) and staff of the crutch type*
7. "Last old age" as a dying man in bed

* EDIT: see Koen's post #94

   

The passage involving the Cripple is:

The crepyl spekes to hym selfe: Now must I beddes byd thof my bones ake: I drede taht ded perserwes me fast.
Angel: goode prayers sla thi paynes slake, And sage thi saule so at the last.
The fende says: When thi syn has the forsake, Than for thi bale thou akse heuen blis; and than may thou amendes make For that thou has doen mysse.
Angel: At this tyme thou hast grace, If thou will for mercy crye; The fende fro the I sal do chasse, And bere thi saule to blis on hye.

Rendered in modern English by ChatGPT:

The cripple speaks to himself: "Now I must pray in bed with beads**, though my bones ache. I fear that death is pursuing me swiftly."
Angel: "Good prayers will ease your pain And save your soul at last."
The fiend (devil) says: "When your sins have left you behind, Then, for your suffering, you seek Heaven's bliss; And only then can you make amends For the wrongs you have done."
Angel: "At this time, you have grace, If you will cry out for mercy. I shall drive the fiend away from you And bear your soul to bliss on high."

** EDIT: see Koen's post #97

Here it seems clear that the rosary represents old people turning to prayer when they feel that death is near.

Bowers, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., 2003, writes:

The depiction of Age VI as a cripple telling his beads is unusual: Ratis Raving, I. I637, describes the typical man of this age as being stable, covatus, swere: that is "settled in character, greedy, and slow in physical movement."