Altenglische legenden.

10. The Child of Bristowe, aus Ms. Harl. 2382, fol. 118b.

Dasselbe Ms. enthält im Anfang Lydgate's Marienleben, in 6 Büchern (das 5. de purificatione Mariae fol. 86b, und das 6. de assumptione Mariae fol. 74b—letzteres das bekannte, von Lumby in s. Ausg. des King Horn edirte Gedicht — sind willkühr|lich angehängt), dann The testament of Lydgate, Chaucer's Prioresses tale und Cae|cilia, darauf Erasmus (ed. in der "Sammlung altengl. Leg." Heilbronn 1878 p. 199, ein and. Ms. ist Cbr. Dd 1, 1), Testamentum Christi, und The Child of Bristowe fol. 118b. Diese Legende, in 12 zeil. Stropfen, scheint in der 2. Hälfte des 14. Jhdts., ursprünglich in einem nördlicheren Dialecte, verfasst. Sie ist bereits gedruckt in der Retrosp. Review, New Series, Part VI (v. Thom. Wright), und in Hazlitt's Remains of the early pop. poetry of Engl. I, p. 111—131.

He that made bothe helle & heuene, [Ms. heuene & helle st. helle & heuene, vgl. 555.] Man & womman, in dayes VII, And alle shal fede and fille, He graunte vs alle his blessyng, [["e nach g in blessynge V. 4 ... u.s.w. ist zu tilgen, da der Strich an g nicht der Abkürzungsstrick ist" --Corrigenda]] More & lasse, bothe olde & yong, Line 5 That herkeneth & hold hem stille. The beste song that euer was made Ys not worth a lekys blade, But men wol tende þer-tille. Therfor y pray yow in þis place, Line 10 Of your talkynge þat ye be pes, Yf it be youre wille.

I found it writen in olde hand That som-tyme dwellid in Englond A squyer mykel of myght; Line 15 He had castels, tounes & toures, Feyre forestis & feldes with floures, Beestis wilde and wight. To lawe he went a gret while, Pore men he lerned to begile Line 20 Alle agayns the right; Mykel good he gadred to-gedir Alle with treson & dedis lither; He drad not god almyght.

The good he gadred to-geder than, Line 25 He had it of many a pore man, The most partye with wrong. He had a sone; shuld be his heyre, Of shap he was semely & feyre, Of lymes large & long. Line 30 So moche his mynde was on þat childe: He rought not whom (he) begiled [he fehlt im Ms.] Worly good to fong, [worly = worldly.] And al to make his sone so riche That none other myght hym be liche— Line 35 So ment he euer among.

When the child was XII yere & more, His fader put hym vnto lore, To lerne to be a clerke. So longe he lernyd in clergie Line 40 Til he was wise and wittye, And drad al dedis derke. The fader seid to his sone dere: "To lawe thu shalt go a yere, And coste me XX marke; Line 45 For euer the better thu shalt be: Ther shal no-man begile the, Neyther in word ne werke"

The child answerd with a softe sawe: "They fare ful wel þat lerne no lawe, Line 50 And so y hope to do; That lyue wil y neuer lede To put my soule in so gret drede To make god my foo.

To sle my soule, it were routhe. Line 55 Any science that is trouthe Y shal amytte me ther-to; For to forsake my soule helthe, For any wynnyng of worldes welthe, [Ms. wordldes.] That wille y neuer do. Line 60

Hit hath euer be myn avise To lede my lyf by marchandise, To lerne to bye and selle; That good getyne by marchancye [Ms. marchantye.] It is trouthe, as thenketh me; Line 65 Ther-with wille y melle. Here at Bristow dwellith on, Is hold right a iuste, trew man, As y here now telle: His prentys wille y be VII yere, Line 70 His science truly for to lere, And with hym wille y dwelle."

The squyer vnto Bristow rode And with the marchand cownant made VII yere to haue his sone; Line 75 He gaf hym gold gret plente, The child his prentys shuld be His science for to conne. The child toke ful wel to lore; His loue was in god euer-more, Line 80 As it was his wone. He wax so curteise & bolde: Al merrchauntȝ loued hym, yong & olde, Þat in þat contre gan wone. —

Leue we now that child thore, Line 85 And of his fader speke we more, That was so stoute & bolde. He was avaunced so hye: Ther was no-man in þat contre Durst done but as he wolde. Line 90 And euer he vsid vsery, He wold not lene but he wyst why Avauntage dobelle tolde; Tethynges he liste neuer to pay; Yf parsones & vicares wold oght say, Line 95 He newid hem cares colde.

Alle thyng wol ende atte last. God on hym soche sekenes cast: He myght no lenger abide, But on his ded-bed he lay Line 100 And drow toward his endyng day, For al his power & pride. Then he sent for knyghtes & squyers, Whiche were his comperys, In that contre besyde. Line 105 He seid emonges hem euerychon: "Sires, my lyf is nere gone, Hit may not be denyede."

Ther was no-man in þat contre That his excutour wold be, Line 110 Nor for no good ne ille; [Der Reim ist verdorben.] They seid his good was geten so: They wold not haue þer-with to do, For drede of god in heuen. He prayed hem, & they seid nay. Line 115 Allas he seid and welaway, With a rufulle stevyne. After his sone son he sent Evyn to Bristow verrament — Was thens but myles VII. Line 120

The child to chamber toke his way There his fader on ded-bed lay, And asked hym of his chere. "Sone, he seid, wel-come to me! Y ly here now as þ^u may se, Line 125 My endyng day negheth nere. But, sone, thu most be myn heyre Of al my londes, good & faire, And my lordships fere & nere. Therfor, sone, now y pray the Line 130 Myn attourney that thu be, When y am broght to bere."

The child answerd with wordes mylde: "Ye se, fader, y am but a childe, Discrecion haue y none; Line 135 To take soche a charge on me, By my faith! that shal not be, Y can no skyle ther-on. Here ben knyghtes & squyers Whiche were your compers, Line 140 And many a worthy man; Yf y shuld soche on me take [nach soche fehlt charge.] That alle thes worthi men forsake, A fole then were y one!"

He seid: "y haue no sone but the, Line 145 And myn heire þ^u most nedis be — Ther may no-man sey nay. Moche good haue I gadred to-geder With extorcion & dedis lither — Alas and welaway! Line 150 Alle this, sone, y gadred for the: And thu so sone failest me At my nedeful day! Frendship, sone, is ylle to triste, Eche man be ware of "had y wiste", Line 155 God wote, so may y say.

Sone, he seid, thu scapest not so — That shalt þ^u weten, or thu go — Hethen charge y the: To-fore god thu mothe answere, Line 160 And as thu wilt my blessyng bere, Myn attourney that thu be." "A, fader, ye bynde me with a charge, And y shal bynde yow with as large As ye bynde now me: Line 165 The same day fortenyght þat ye passe Y charge yow appere in this place, Your spiret lat me se!

For ye haue bound me so sare, Now y most nedis, how-euer y fare, Line 170 Do youre commaundement. Therfor y charge yow þat ye appere, That y may se your soule here, Whethir it be saued or shent, — And that ye do no scathe to me, Line 175 Ne none that shal come with the!" "Sone, he seid, y assent. But allas that y was borne, Þat man is soule shuld be lorne For my golde or rent." Line 180

Al thyng most ende atte last. God soche sekenys on hym cast, That he most nedis go. The parishe prest vp was soght, The gloriose sacrament with hym he broght Line 185 That dyed for mannys woo; There he shrow hym with hert sore, And cryed god mercy euer-more, As it was tyme to do. When god wold, he went his way. Line 190 His sones song was welaway, Fo(r) hym his hert was wo.

His sone sought fro toune to toune For prestis & men of religione, The dirige for to say. Line 195 An C prestis he had & mo; Gret yeftys he gaf hem tho, Chargyng hem for his fader to pray. Yonge children had gret hole [had st. mad.] And pore wymmen had gret dole — Line 200 That holpe hym not a day. And sitthe broght hym in his pytt — As al men muste, thei may not flyt, Whethir thei be wel or nay.

When thei had broght hym in his graue, Line 205 His sone, þat thoght his soule to saue Yf god wold gef hym leue, Al the catel his fader hade He sold it vp & money made, And labored morow & eve: Line 210 He sought aboute in þat contre tho Where any almes myght be do, And largely he dud hem yeue, Wayes & brugges for to make, And pore men for goddis sake Line 215 He yeaf them gret releve.

Who-so axed oght, he made here pay, And XXX^ti trental of masses he let say For his fadres sake. He let neuer til he had bewared Line 220 Alle the tresour his fader spared, Aseth to god forto make. By þat day fortenyghtis ende was come, His gold was gone, alle & some — Many one of hym spake; Line 225 And al thynges that were meuable He gaf aboute with-outen fable To pore men that wold take.

By than þe fourtenyght was broght to ende, The child to the chamber gan wende Line 230 Where his fader dyed.

Adoune he knelid half a day, Al the good prayers þat he couthe say (!) His fader forto abide. Betwene mydday and vnder Line 235 Þer cam a blast of lightnynge & dunder Thurgh the walles wide, As al þe place on fire had be. The child seid benedicite And fast on god he cryde. Line 240

And as he sate on his prayere, Sone before hym gan appere Foule tydynges betwene: His faders soule brennynge as glede, The deuel bi þe nekke gan hym lede Line 245 In a brennynge cheyne. This child seid: "y coniure the, What-so-euer þ^u be, speke to me!" That other answerd ageyne: "Y am thi fader that þe begate. Line 250 Now thu may se of myn astate: Lo, how y dwelle in peyne."

The child seid: "ful woo is me In this plite that (y) yow se; [y fehlt.] Hit persheth myn hert sore." Line 255 "Sone, he seid, thus am y led, For be-cause of my falshed That y vsed euer-more, Mi good was getyn wrongfully. But it myght restored be Line 260 And aseth be made ther-fore, An C yere thus shal y do. Gef me my trouthe y were ago! For til than my soule is lore."

"Nay, fader, that shal not be, Line 265 In better plite y wol yow se, Yf god wol gef me grace. But ye shal me your trouthe plighte: This same day fourtenyght Ye shal appere in this place. Line 270 And y shal laboure, yf y may, To bryng your soule in better way, Yf y haue lyf and space." He graunted hym in gret hast. With that ther cam a donder-blast, Line 275 And bothe ther way gan passe.

The child had neuer so gret sorwe. He rose vp apone the morwe, To Bristow gan he wende. To his mayster he gan say: Line 280 "Y haue serued yow many a day: For goddis loue be my frend! My fader out of this world is past. Y am come to yow in hast, Y haue euer founde yow kynde: Line 285 Me nedith a litel somme of gold: Myn heritage shal be sold, Croppe, rote and rynde."

His maister seid: "what nede were the To selle thi thrift so hastely? Line 290 It were not for thy prow. Yf thu any bargeyn haue boght, For gold ne siluer care þ^u noght: Y shal lene the right ynow. An C mark yf thu wilt haue, Line 295 This VII yere I wil none craue. Wherfor avise the now! For yf thu selle thyn heritage That shuld þe helpe in thi yonge age, An vnwise man art thow." Line 300

"Gramercy, he seid, maister hende, This was a proffer of a frende. But truly, it shal be sold. Better chepe ye shal it haue Then any man, so god me saue! Line 305 For nedys y must haue gold." He seid: "what is it worth by yere?" "An C marke of money clere: [Ms. and st. an.] The stuward this me tolde". "Then shal y gef the III C pound, Line 310 Euery peny hole and round". The yonge seid: "y holde.

Dere mayster, y yow pray, Haue here dedis, fech me my pay! [sech st. fech,] For y most home agayne. [[home ist zweifelhaft, Ms. eher hone oder hene --Corrigenda]] Line 315 Y haue to do in soundre place, Y pray yow of fourtenyght space,

Y shal yow quytte, certayne". His mayster loued hym so welle: He fette hym gold euery delle. Line 320 Than was þe child ful fayne, He toke his good & gan to go — & for his fader his hert was woo That bode in so mykel payne.

His sone lete crie alaboute Line 325 In churches & markettis with-oute doute Wher his fader dud wone, Where his fader dud destritione To man or womman in any toune, They shuld come to his sone, Line 330 "And he shal make aseth þer-fore And his good ayen restore, Eche man his porcione". Euer as they come, he made here pay, And charged hem for his fader pray Line 335 In blisse that he myght wone.

By that the fourtenyght was come, His gold was gon, al & some, Then had he no more. In-to the chamber he went þat tide, Line 340 The same that his fader in dyde, And knelid as he dud ore. And as he sate in his prayere, The spiret before hym gan appere, Right as he dud before, Line 345 Saue þe cheyn away was caught; Blak he was, but he brent noght; But yet he was in care.

"Welcome, fader! seid the childe, Y pray yow with wordes mylde, Line 350 Tel me of youre astate!" "Sone, he seid, the better for the. Y-blessid mote the tyme be That euer y the begate! Thou hast releuyd me of moche wo, Line 355 My bitter chayne is fal me fro And the fire so hote. But yet dwel y stille in peyn, And euer must, in certeyne, Tyl y haue fulfilled my day". [Der Reim ist verdorben, st. day l. date.] Line 360

"Fader, he seid, y charge yow tel me: What is moste ayens the And doth yow most disese?" "Tethynges & offrynges, sone, he sayd, For y them neuer truly payd. Line 365 Wherfor my peynes may not cesse But it be restored agayne To as many churches, in certayne, And also mykel encresse. Alle that for me thu dos pray, Line 370 Helpeth me not to the vttermost day The valure of a pese.

Therfor, sone, y pray the, Gef me my trouthe y left wit h the, And let me wynde my way!" Line 375 "Nay, fader, he seid, ye gete it noght. Another craft ther shal be soght, Yet efte y wille assay. But your trouthe ye shal me plight: This same day a fourtenyght Line 380 Ye shal come ageyn to your day, Ye shalle appere here in this place; And y shal loke with goddis grace To amende yow, yf y may".

The spiret went forth in his way. Line 385 The childe rose vp that other day, For no-thynge wold he lette, Even to Bristow gan he wynde. There he mette with his maister hynde, Wel goodly he hym grette. Line 390 "When y haue nede, y come to yow. Mayster, but ye help me now, In sorwe my herte is sette; Me nedith a litel summe of gold, Another bargeyn make y wold" Line 395 And with that word he wepte. [l. grette st. wepte?]

Hys maister seid: "þ^u art a fole, Thu has bene at som bad scole; By my feith! y hold the mad. For thu has played atte dice Line 400 Or at som other games nyce And loft vp sone þat thu had. Thu hast right noght þat þ^u may selle:

Alle is gone, as y here telle. Thi gouernaunce, sone, is bad". Line 405 Then he seid vntil his maister fre: "Myn owne body y wil selle to the, For euer to be thy lad.

Bonde to the y wille me bynde, Me & alle myne to þe worldis ende, Line 410 To helpe me in this nede". He seid: "how mykel woldest þ^u haue?" "XL mark, and ye wold foche-saue, For that shuld do my dede. I hope that shal my cares kele". Line 415 The burges louyd þe child so wele, That to his chamber he yede; XL pound he gan hym brynge: "Sone, here is more than thyn askynge. Almyghti god the spede!" Line 420

"Gramercy, sire! gan he say, God yow quiytte, that best may! And trewe ye shal me fynde. Y haue to do a thynge or two, A fourtenyght gef me lef to go! Line 425 Y haue euer founde yow kynde". He gaf hym leue. he went his way, But on his fader he thoght ay — He goth not out of mynde. He sought alle þe churches in þat contre Line 430 Where his fader had dwellid by, He left not one behynde.

He made aseth with hem echon. By þat tyme his gold was gone, They couthe aske hym no mare. Line 435 Saue as he went by þe strete, With a pore man gan he mete, Almost naked and bare. "Your fader oweth me for a ȝeme of corn" — Doun he knelid hym beforne — Line 440 "And y hym drad ful sare. For your fader soules sake, Som amendes to me ye make, For hym that Marie bare!"

"Welaway, seid þe yonge man, Line 445 For my gold & siluer is gan; Y haue not for to pay". Of his clothes he gan take And put hem on þe poreman is bake, Chargynge for his fader to pray; Line 450 Hosen & shon he gaue hym tho, In sherte and breche he gan go, He had no clothes gay. In-to the chamber he went þat tide, The same þat his fader on dyde, Line 455 And knelid half a day.

When he had knelid & prayed longe, Hym thoght he herd þe myriest songe Þat any erthely man myght here. After the song he saw a light, Line 460 As thow a thousant torches bright: It shone so faire and clere. In that light so faire lemand A naked child in angelis hand Before hym dud appere Line 465 And seid: "sone, blessid thu be, And alle þat euer shalle come of the, That euer thu goten were!"

"Fader, he seid, ful wel is me, In that plite that y yow se! Line 470 Y houe that ye be saue". [Ms. houe = howe oder st. hope.] "Sone, he seid, y go to blisse. God almyghti quyte the this Thi good ageyn to haue. Thu has made the ful bare, Line 475 To aqueynche me of mykel care. My trouthe, good sone, y craue". "Haue your trouthe, he seid, fre, And of thi blessynge y pray the, Yf that ye wold foche-saue". Line 480

"In that blessynge mote þ^u wone That oure lady gaf here sone, And myn on the y lay". Now that soule is gon to blisse, With moche ioye and angelis, Line 485 More then y can say. This child thanked god almyght

And his moder, Marye bright, When he sey that aray. Even to Bristow gan he gon, Line 490 In his sherte & breche allone — Had he no clothes gay.

When þis burges þe child gan se, He seid then "benedicite! Sone, what araye is this?" Line 495 "Truly, maister, seid þe childe, Y am come me to yelde As youre bonde-man". [Die Reime sind verdorben.] The burges seid anone right: Me mervayleth mykel of þis sight. Line 500 Tel me now, how it ys?" [499—501 sind umzustellen.] "What-som-euer ye put me to, After my power it shal be do, While my lyf wil laste". [502—4 sind umzustellen.] [Die Reime sind verdorben.]

"For þe loue be-twene vs hath be, Line 505 Telle me, sone, how it stant with the, Why thu gos in this aray?" "Sir, al my good y haue sold, ywys, To gete my fader to heuene blys, For-sothe, as y yow say. Line 510 For ther was no-man but y That wold be his attourny At his endynge day". Tho he told hym furthere How ofte he dud his fader appere Line 515 And eke in what aray.

"And now his soule into blisse Y sey hym led with angelis. Al-myghti god the yelde! For thurf youre good he is saue. Line 520 And his dere blessyng y haue, And al my cares be kelde". "Sone, he seid, blessid mote þ^u be That so pore woldest make the, Thi faders soule to saue! [Ms. saue st. belde?] Line 525 To speke þe honour may almankynde: Thu art a tristy, siker frende — Soche fynde y but sildene. [sildene st. selde.]

But fewe sones ben of tho That wol serue here fader so, Line 530 When he is hens gone. Sectours fynd y many on, But none soche as þ^u art on, By my feith! y leve not on". [Nach 534 fehlt eine halbe Stropfe.]

Hys maister seid: "y shal þe telle: Line 535 Thu canst bothe bye & selle: Here now make y the Myn owne felow in al wise Of worldly good & marchandise, For thy trouthe so fre. Line 540 Al-so, sone, y haue no childe, Myn heritage for to wilde, Goten of my body: Here y make the now myn heyre Of alle my landes, good & faire — Line 545 And myn attorney that þ^u be"!

His maister dud hym weddid be To a worthy man is doghter of þat contre, With ioye and grete solace. And when his mayster was ded, Line 550 In-to alle his good he entred, Londes, catelle and place. Thus hath þis yonge man keuered care, First was riche & sitthen bare, And sitthen riccher then euer he was. Line 555 Now he þat made bothe helle & heuene And alle the worlde in dayes seuene, Graunte vs alle his grace! Amen.

Explicit the Tale of the Childe of Bristow.