Altenglische legenden.

3) Sprüche des h. Beda. Aus Ms. Digby 86, fol. 127b.

Vgl. p. 211. Das folgende Gedicht des Ms. Digby 86 (in der Regierungszeit Edward's I, 1272—1307, geschrieben) ist ein jüngerer Text des aus Ms. Jesus Coll. Oxf. I, Arch. I, 29, fol. 248 (aus der Zeit Heinrich's III. c. 1250) in An Old English Mis|cellany ed. by Rich. Morris 1872 (für die E. E. T. S.) p. 72 unter d. T. Sinners Beware, abgedruckten Gedichtes. Wir verdanken dem Ms. Digby die Erhaltung des Titels, welcher in dem älteren Ms. fehlt; der Text selbst ist bereits sehr verderbt. Ein ähnliches Gedicht sind die Sprüche des h. Bernard (Ms. Digby 86, Laud 108 u. a.).

Her beginneþ þe sawe of Seint Bede prest.

Holi gost, þi miȝtte Ous wisse and rede and diȝte And helpe ous and teche To witen ous wiþ þe onwiȝtte, Þat bi day and bi niȝtte Line 5 Þencheþ ous bipeche,

Makeþ ous to don sunne, And abben to monkunne Swiþe muchel honde; He þencheþ ous biwinne Line 10 And wonien ous wiþinne And ouer ous habben honde.

Ac bidde we Crist ȝerne Nou þat he hem werne For his mildenesse; — Line 15 For hy þat to hem sulen turne, In helle hy shulen forberne In hewche þesternesse.

We houten oure suppinde Herien of alle þinge Line 20 And louien hine wel swiþe; For he ous wille werien Þat fendes ous ne derien, Þat folle beþ of niþe.

Ne be we nout here Line 25 Swiþe fele ȝere. Bote we, her we henne wende, Makien ous clene and skere, Þat we in heuene englene fere Ben ho wiþ-outen ende, Line 30

In heuene in þe blisse Þat muchel is, midiwisse, And lesteþ euere-more; Þer-inne is reste and lisse. Ne may þer no-mon misse Line 35 Þat louieþ godes ore.

Ac hit saiþ in þe gospelle: Ne may non tounge al telle Þe blisse þat þer is euere, Ne þe pine of helle — Line 40 Þerto we beþ wel swelle(!); Awey, hit ne hendeþ nevere.

Þer-inne is chele and hete, And hounger ounimete, And þurst alles to kene; Line 45 Pikede beþ þe shete, And wormes þer beþ kete, To don þe soule tene;

Þerinne is wop and woninge, And muchel bimeninge Line 50 Þat hoe I-boren were; Ac þer nis non hendinge Ne non aȝein-cherhinge Þat enes comeþ þere.

Wel we owen nimen gome — Line 55 He þat elles þider come — And serven heuene kinge, And bidden him I-lome Þat he ous at þe dome Of here pine bringe. Line 60

Oute we owre sunnen leten And munien Crist and beten Of alle oure misdede; To doinde hoe beþ swete: For-þy ous is helle ȝete, Line 65 Helle þat is ounlede.

Þe seuene heued-sunne, Þat we beþ ofte wiþinne, Þe soule wolleþ amerre; Hoe beþ of swikele kunne: Line 70 Þermide þe wiþerwinne Ous alle þencheþ to bicherre.

Modinesse and ouerfastnesse, Onde, wrathe, swikelnesse, Hordom and ȝevernesse: Line 75 Þis we houten alle ounderstonde Þat moni men in londe Bringeþ to sorinesse;

For þis beþ þe seuene Þat bringeþ out of heuene Line 80 Swiþe fele monne; Þe weyes beþ in hoere wene, Mid wepinde steuene In-to helle hoe shulen þenne.

HOe weneþ, monie of þise riche, Line 85 Þat he henglen ben I-liche For hoere proude cloþe; And þerfore hoe sulen scriken And in helle siken And corien hit foul wroþe. Line 90

So weneþ þis wreche Þat hoe ne weren riche, For-þi þat hoe haytte nabbeþ; Ac Satanas, þe wreche, Þe soule wille drecche, Line 95 Wen hoe ani got(!) habbeþ.

Þe riche midiwisse Miȝtte comen to blisse, If he hit wolde hernye. And þe wreche may wel misse, Line 100 Bote he his pouernesse In mildenesse þolie.

Þis monekes weneþ soumme, Þat gedereþ garisoumme, Þat hoe hit shulen brouke; Line 105 Ac wene þe deþ shal comen, Hit shal hem ben binomen; Bitaut hoe beþ þe pouke.

Þe prest þat singeþ masse Þoru godes herienesse Line 110 And wot of tethinge, And þerof nul don almesse, In euche sorinesse His soule he may bringe.

Þes kniȝttes beþ wel bolde, Line 115 For hy abbeþ aquolde Here ani cristine were; For-þi satanas, þe holde, Þe soule wille atholde And makien hire ounifere. Line 120

Þes plaidours beþ wel kene, Þat werieþ red and grene, And al þis ounriȝt demeþ; Hy shulen wiþ-houten wene To helle, þat is so kene, Line 125 Þer þe fendes remeþ.

Þis chapmen monie bi strete Hy beþ swikele ounimete, Hy ne reccheþ þau hy swerien, For to abben here biȝete; Line 130 For-þi satanas, þe kete, Here soule wille derien.

Of alle men on londe Mest swinkeþ þe bonde And mest biȝet mit riȝte; Line 135 If he couþe ounderstonde And teþege riȝt ounder his honde, To Crist he comen miȝtte;

Ac for alle his biswinke, If he may comen to sottes drinke Line 140 And stelen Cristes teuþinge, sstrong deþ hit wile him þenke; Depe in helle winke His soule he may bringe.

Þes proude leuedies, Line 145 Þat louen driweries And breken here spousinge And doþ to gabbie, Þat loveden simonie Of eni gode þinge; Line 150

Hy draweþ here wede Mid selkene þrede I-frenget and I-bounde: Swart and swiþe ounlede Remen hy shulen and grede Line 155 Depe in helle grounde.

Monekes and eremites and nonnen Þat hem witen ne cunnen Wiþ swecche lecherie, Hy shulen to þere ounwinne; Line 160 Alle here cloþes dounne Ne shulen hem warauntie.

Soþliche, al betere hem were Þat hy I-boren nere, Þat þider shule wende! Line 165 Warni ich ou here; For ȝe þat enes comeþ þere, Þer ȝe beþ ho, bouten hende.

Ac hy weneþ libbie And longe sunegie, Line 170 And þene at þen ende Here sunnen al anendie And birewsie, And seþþen to heuene wende.

Ne ben ȝe nout so ownriste Line 175 Nou to Jhesu Criste, Þer-to ich ou lere; For þer nes non þat weste, Wiþ-houten Jhesu Criste, Wen his honday were. Line 180

For ous ne beþ nout so eþe To-ȝeines houre deþe, Þatwe ous moowen so wel hede Ne speken bote ounþewe, For ous beþ stronge and wreþe Line 185 To beten oure misdede.

Nout wiþ Criste scolde Leten ous þenne on londe To habben houre riȝtte; Wen we him seruen nolde, Line 190 Ne laufoul ben ne holde Her, we nou forþer ne miȝtte.

Soþliche, wen we beþ dede, Euerich sal fongen mede After his herihinge; Line 195 Bote we ous þe bet bihede, Þe soule hit shal I-frede Þat fareþ to pininge.

Þe bali me bindeþ, In here me him þringeþ Line 200 And bringeþ him hounder erþe; Wormes him I-findeþ, To axnen hoe him grindeþ — Þarto hy shulen worþe.

He liþ and roteþ lowe, Line 205 He ne haueþ þat be his owe Of aytte ne of londe, Ne nowþer mey ne mowe Þat þer doren a þrowe Bi hem sitten ne stonde. Line 210

Ac wer beþ þenne his haytte Þat he here raytte And in þis lif wonne? Soþliche hy beþ bi-payȝtte; Swecche oþere hoe beþ bitaiȝtte Line 215 Þat him no þonk ne cunne.

Ac wer beþ þenne his ringes And his proude þinges And his golt-peinte gloue! Wor al his proude þinges Line 220 Ne vailleþ him noþinges Þenne to his bihoue.

Soþliche, naked and bare, Wiþ wop and wiþ kare Þou come to þisse liue: Line 225 And so ȝe sulen eft-sones fare, I saye þe soþ wiþ-oute sware. Greyþeþ ou biliue!

Þe salt (!) þe world forleten and lewe, Þer-of ȝe shulden þenken eue Line 230 And oure sunne aquenche, Mid beden and mid almesse, Wiþ-outen idelnesse, If ȝe miȝtten atblenche From þe sori Satanasse Line 235 And from his swikelnesse And from his heuele wrenche.

If þou fallest in sunne, Ne liþou nout þer-inne, Hieþe, þe oup to arisen, Line 240 And shend þe wiþer-wine, Satanas, mid his pine, And do þe also þe wise!

For mon nohute nout to abbe some, Wen his wrecche licome Line 245 In sunnen be I-falle, Ac abbeyes houte dome (!) And ounwren his sunnen I-lome, And Crist in fuir pineþ alle.

Þe mon him let wel sriven Line 250 And þene fend out driven, Ne þarf him nout shomie; For ne beþ in þisse live Wepmenne, wimmen fiue Þat ofte ne svnegieþ Line 255

Ac þes modie gome And leuedies and þe ounrome Douteþ hem also þe ounwise; And þes ȝounlinges somme, Þey þat hoe to srifte come, Line 260 Hoe beþ sottes and shomefaste.

Hy nulleþ soþ tellen, Þau me shulde hem quellen, Hy ounweren here misdede. For-þi hoe shulen in helle Line 265 Euere gronen and swelle And euere-mo ben þer-inne.

Wenne eni gromeþ sore, Þe grome þuncheþ more Þen al hore oþer pine. Line 270 To þe(!) bi prestes lore Nolden herien godes hore, Þenne hoe hit shulen biwine.

At þe mounte of Olifete Þer we ous shulen alle I-mete, Line 275 Þe gode and þe ounwreste. Þe day worþ milde and sete, And bitter unimete To hem þat forlete To don godes heste. Line 280

Þer comeþ god on his rode, And his side his ablode, And seweþ ou he ous boute. Afered beþ þenne þe gode, And wo is þenne þe ouermode Line 285 Þat þer-of ne route.

"Lokeþ, seyþ god nouþe, Wat ich for ou ouþe, Wat ich for ou gon þolie. Luitel þonk ȝe me couþe, Line 290 Ne mid werke ne mid mouþe Nolden ȝe me þonkie."

Ac he seyþ þenne to þe gode And to his milde moder(!): "Ȝe duden gode dede, Line 295 Ȝe me fedden and srudden And wel me bihedden, Þo ich among ou hede, And leide me a softe bedde. Þarfore ich ou wole aredde, Line 300 For nou ȝe habbeþ nede."

Þe gode segeþ þenne: "Louerd, were and wenne Duden we þe gode deden?" "Ȝuse, he seiþ, þe poure monne, Line 305 Þo hoe help neden nen, Bote as hoe for me beden.

Ac ȝe, mine gode, midiwisse, To heueriche blisse To-day ȝe shulen wende. Line 310 And þe acoursede to sorinesse And to euche þesternesse, And þer ben euere bouten ende."

He seiþ þenne to þe wrecche: "Ȝe nolden nout hof me recche; Line 315 For hounger ich aswal þroute, Ȝe nolden me in fecche: Ou-self ȝe weren so frecche, So modi and so proude."

Hoe gredeþ þenne on heye, Line 320 Þe wrecches and þe ounweye Þat loueden þe ounredes, And siggeþ: "louerd, wiþ oure eye We þe neuere ne seye, Þer þou nede heuedest." Line 325

God seyþ: "ȝuse, mine Povere, ounhole hine Þat to oure dore come— For chele hoe heueden pine, Wor hounger hoe gonnen chine, Line 330 Þerof ne nome ȝe gome,

Þer-of ȝe nolden hede Ne ȝeuen hem of oure brede Ne of drinke ne of cloþe. To-day ȝe sulen frede Line 335 And ounder-fongen mede, For me ȝe beþ wel loþe."

Hoe ȝerreþ þenne and gredeþ. Þe fendes hem forþ ledeþ, Boþe licome and soule, Line 340 Seþeþ hem and gredeþ, Stikeþ hem and bredeþ Wiþ pikes and wiþ howeles.

Þe soule seyþ to onsuare: "Licom, al þou forfare, Line 345 So wrechede and so ounlede! Wor þou ous hauest I-wrout þis fare And I-brout ous ewche kare Þat euere we shulen þolie."

Ac þe gode and þe clene, Line 350 Þan hoe I-seien ous þenne, Al þat cun þat we of come, Nulle hoe neuer ene Bi-rewen ne bimene Ne þarto nimen gome. Line 355

Hem-self hoe beþ so bliþe Þat hoe of wone liþe Moten ane day wonie, And þonkeþ god swiþe Ofte and monie siþe Line 360 Þat hy hit mosten herie.

Ac ȝif we ous wolden vel diȝtte And leden ous mid riȝtte, Þe wiles þat we her were, Ich ou sugge and pliȝtte: Line 365 At þe domes ȝe miȝtte Ben englene fere.

Ac bidde we oure driȝtte, Þat dayes sop and niȝtte, Þat do houre soule bote, Line 370 So þat we miȝtte I-seiene ben at siȝtte Among þe hengles briȝte. Amen, so hit be mote! Amen.

Notes

• habben mit nachträglich vorgeschr. h. honde = onde.
• hewche st. eche eternal.
• suppinde, J. C. suppen = scippend, Schöpfer.
• J. C. Forþi . . Makie we.
• ho = o = ay.
• Ms. swelle st. snelle? bolde and swelle Octav. 1557. Jes. Col. liest snelle.
• Hier hat Ms. Jes. Col. eine Strophe mehr.
• Morris corr. unrichtig pikede in wikede.
• woninge v. wânien ags. plorare.
• Ms. cher hinge; cherren, ags cerran verti.
• he st. þe relat.
• here aus þare þere (Dativ des Art.) verderbt.
• ȝete granted (ags. geaten to grant); J. C. eþgete easy to get.
• modinesse pride.
• ȝevernesse v. ags. ȝifre Geiz.
• J. C. þe weyes beoþ vneuene.
• Hierauf hat Ms. Jes. Col. eine Strophe mehr.
• J. C. þat he ne þurue recche.
• wrecche = frecche 318, fierce; vgl. 117 were st. fere.
• Ms. go mit klein angesetztem t; J. C. hwanne he agult habbeþ.
• Ms. techinge.
• l. þau oder þan? vgl. 263. 350.
• J. C. In helle he may adrinke, If he stele þ.
• 148—150) J. C. For hoere lecherye, Nulleþ here sermonye Of none gode þinge.
• Ms. toþere.
• dounne dun fuscus.
• Ms. Aat st. Ac.
• J. C. endye.
• ownriste st. Þryste J. C. verschr.
• honday st. henday, endeday.
• 181 ff.) Die nächsten 2 Strophen fehlen im Ms. Jes. Coll.
• 211 ff.) Die folg. 2 Strophen fehlen im Ms. Jes. Coll.
• he aus hy corr. 229, 233, 235 fehlen in Jes. Coll.
• J. C. doþ we.
• Diese Strophe fehlt Jes. Coll. Ms. noute mit übergeschr. h über o; l. nohute od. houte? some undeutlich im Ms. (scheinbar soule).
• And st. or?
• J. C. Heo dyhteþ heom vnwreste.
• J. C. Ne vnwreo.
• Hierauf hat Ms. Jes. Coll. eine Strophe mehr.
• Ms. sete st. swete.
• J. C. mid st. on.
• seweþ = scheweþ.
• ouþe praet. v. unnan to grant.
• J. C. And spek myd milde mode.
• Ms. nen, J. C. nenne.
• 308—313 folgen in J. C. erst nach 337.
• Þroute þeroute.
• J. C. vnsleye; ounweye = oun-feye.
• chine to split.
• Vor 343 fehlt eine Strophe, die Anklage des Leibes gegen die Seele.
• 355—360 fehlen in J. C.
• Ms. domes, l. domesday.
• Ms sop = schop, J. C. scop.