Altenglische legenden.

Horstmann, Carl, ed. b. 1851., Barbour, John, d. 1395.

I.
Die nordenglische Legendensammlung
des Ms. Harl. 4196 (und Ms. Cott. Tiber. E VII).

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Anhang: Sermo in festo apostolorum Petri et Pauli, aus Ms. Ashm. 42, fol. 281b.

Ein älterer, kürzerer, vielfach abweichender Text der Leg. von Peter und Paul findet sich in der Evangeliensammlung des Ms. Ashm. 42, fol. 281b, hinten angehängt.

Þir werldes princes hase seruise

Of þaire seruaundes on all wise,

And twa pryncis of hali kirk

Was als þis daie of pyne full yrk:

Þir twa Petir and Paule ware

Þat tholid als þis daie paines sare:

Bothe ware þai slayne for goddes sake.

Forþi of þaim feste burd vs make

And wirschipe þaim in worde & dede

And of þaire passioune singe and rede.

Þe feste of vs ask þai to daie,

Forthi es gode som thinge to saie

Off þaire life & þaire endinge,

And þareto ask þaim helpinge.

In boke of þaim writen we finde

Þat þai come of þe Jewes kynde,

Bot sainte Petir was þe elder

& was bot a pure fihssere.

Of him will i first schawe,

And sithen of Paule, his felawe. —

Sainte Petir had names thre:

For first Symon callid was he,

Þat bemenes "bousome" in ynglihffe:

For so bowsome was he iwisse

Þat he lefft schippe and his fihssinge

And folowid Criste wiþ a callinge

& fullfillid all Cristis biddingef

And was bowsome in all thinges —

Forthi he was Symon right callde,

For he did all þat Criste wallde.

His oþer name gaue him Jesus,

Als þe gospell telles vs:

Þat was Petir: þat es to saie

"Knawinge" on ynglihffe "of god verraie".

Oure gospell spekes of right knawinge

Þat Petir had of Criste, oure kinge:

Som men wend Criste had bene Elye,

And som þe prophete Jeremie,

And som men Jone þe baptiste;

Bot Petir knewe him wele for Criste:

"Criste, goddes sonne, he saide, ertowe"—

And als he saide we awe to trowe.

His thrid name was Bariona;

Þe resone whi þat he hight swa,

Es þis þat to vndirstandinge is

"A doufe sonne" in propir ynglihffe:

For doufe sonne was Petir iwisse,

For meke he was als þe doufe is;

Þe doufe mase dule in stede of sange:

And so did Petir, þat sorowid lange

To haue of Criste sight effter þe time

Þat he sawe Jesu stye fra hime;

For aie he grette when he herd neuene

Of Jesu passioune, þat es in heuene;

And when he herd neuene Jesu Criste,

He saide to men: if þat þai wiste

How sweteli Jesu to vs spak,

"Grete dole for him wald ȝe make.

"Oure allir, he saide, was Jesus,

And aie spake he so faire to vs,

Þat gretinge maie i noȝt forbere

When Jesu ringis in myne ere."—

Þis es againe prelates & maistirs

Þat þaire vndirmen so felli faistirs

Wiþ chidínge and wiþ schamefull sawe,

Þat þai er faine fra þaime to drawe;

Dar þai na worde speke þaim againe

Ne to þaire biddinge be vnbaine;

If ani againe þaire will oȝt schawe,

His resoune es noȝt worthe a hawe,

Wiþ threte es he made so faine

Þat he hase saide to call againe.

Hetheli glowminge & wordes grete,

Doute to tyne maistrie for threte,

Mase vndirmen to be full still

And saie noȝt againe þaire will —

For, wha so duse, als wele he maie

Take his staffe & wende his waie!

Swilk prelates leues Petir lare,

Þat saide to þaim wiþ swete sware:

"Beese noȝt lordes of lerid men,

Bot gude ensaumpil ȝe þaim ken

How þaim awe to folow ȝowe

In mekenes & in sawle prowe;

For gude ensaumpil gaue Jesus:

So mekeli spak he to vs". —

Now haue i twa resones talde

Whi sainte Petir "doufe sonne" es calde.

His first name es callid Symone,

Þe toþer Petir, wiþ resoune,

And "doufe sonne" was the thrid —

Þir thre names in kirk er kid. —

So mikil lufid sainte Petir Kriste,

Als Austine saise, þat, if he had wiste

Þat Judas suld haue done Criste tresoune,

He had slaine him als feloune; Page 78

Forthi wald Criste his name noȝt saie

Bot saide: "one of ȝow sall me betraie",

For, had he Judas name neuende,

Att þe mawnde had Criste bene heuende;*. [heuende = avenged.]

100

And herebi maie we all se

Þat mikil lufe to Criste had he.

And forthi gaue Jesu him might

To binde & louse man of plight.

He was so hali, þat he ȝede

105

Apon þe se, als we rede.

He tornid on þe wittesondaie

Thre þousand men to cristen laie.

He baptisid sir Cornelie,

Þat hethen was & man miȝtie.

110

He raisid fra dede to life Tabite,

And men of sekenes made hale & qwite—

For þe schadowe of his bodie

Gaue þe seke þaire hele in hye.

Herode helde him in his presoune,

115

Foule ffettrid als feloune;

Bot Criste sent him his aungel briȝt

And lowsid him apon a night,

Oute of presoune Petir he lete

And ledde into þe hye strete.

120

In pouerte all his life he ledde,

In mantil & kirtill was he cledde.—

In þat tyme þus it befell:

A fals man began to spell

In Rome & in þe contre bie

125

And gert men fall in heresie:

Symon Magus was he callde;

He saide he might do what he walde,

For goddes sonne, he saide, he wase

And fra dede to lyue he rase;

130

Wiþ whicchecrafft men he betraiste

& gert men wene þat he was Criste,

And ferlies did he full fele

& mani men gert of him mele.

Petir prechid him againe

135

& sayde: fro him men suld þaime sayne,

For so full he was of þe fende

Þat mani saules made he to schende;

Petir bad men þai suld him noȝt trowe,

F(or i)t was noȝt þaire saules prowe;

140

He praied god he suld þaim schelde

& hald þaim fro þe deuels belde.

"Trowes noȝt, he saide, on his fals sawe:

It es againe all cristen lawe;

He will to hell ȝou all drawe,

145

Als i ȝou mai wiþ resoune schawe".

Þus prechid Petir againe his lare

And forbade all his fals fare,

And gert men se wiþ resoune hende

Þat he was fullfillid of þe fende.

150

Symon was wrathe, als þe boke saise,

And rusid him þan þat he might raise

Dede men to lyue, to gange & speke.

Þan died a man þat had bene seke:

And þe corse was broȝt in plase swithe

155

To ger Petir or Symon kythe

Þair crafft, & whilk of þaim þan

Might raise to life þat dede man;

And who so failid of þat dede,

He suld be slaine for his mede.

160

Þis conand grauntid all þat ware

wiþ Petir and wiþ Symounde þare.

And to þat corse come firste Symoune

& made fast his coniurisoune:

and wiþ crafft of þe euile gaste

165

Þe dede mannes heued sterid in haste.

Þan wald þe folk haue slaine Peter swithe.

And Petir bad þaim listen & lithe

& saide: "late Symon hethen wende,

& þan sall ȝe se þat þe fende

170

Stires þe heuede of ȝone dede mane;

For life in him forsothe es nane."

Þan gert þai Symone gange awaie:

And still als stane þe bodi laie —

Þan thoȝt Symon mikil schame.

175

And Petir spake in Cristes name

& saide: "dede man, i comaunde þe

In Cristis name þat died on tre

Þat þou rise vppe hale and sounde

And tell vs what man es Symounde!"

180

Þe dede man rase & talde bedene*. [Ms. calde.]

What he of heuene & hell had sene,

And saide: "forsothe, i ȝow tell

Þat Symounde tillis ȝou all to hell.

Trowes him noȝt, for full es he

185

Of Sathanas, in whase pouste

He duse þir ferlies þat ȝe se —

For god his dede hase schewid me."

Þan wald þe folk haue Symounde slaine.

Bot Petir fast was þare agayne

190

And saide: "if we do Cristis will,

we sall do gude agaynes ylle:

For so bad Criste him-self vs do

When he prechid vs vnto.

Forthi do we Symounde na skathe,

195

Bot late him ga wiþ-outen lathe!

For sorowe & schame he hase ynoghe:

Forthi i praie he haue na woghe."

Bot here-wiþ-all lefft noȝt Symoune

To do againe Petir tresoune,

200

Bot ȝode & tyed a band-dogge strange

Þare Petire was wonte to come & gange,

And saide: "now sall we all se

If Petir dare come to louse þe."

When Petir herd saie what he had done,

205

To þat band-dogge he come full sone

And lousid him: & on Symounde

So frek was þat vncely hounde, Page 79

Þat he him filchid felli þare,

And him had wiried, if Petir ne ware.

210

Petir bad þe hounde þat he suld leeue:

And he lefft and his taile gon weue.

Þan fled Symounde of Rome for doute

And þat twelfemonethe was he oute—

For so mikil schame him thoȝt

215

Þat come in Rome miȝt he noȝt.

Bot þan effter sone he come

Till sir Nero, emperoure of Rome,

And saide þat he had tane grete scathe

Off Petir & of Paule bathe:

220

"Of þaim, he saide, þou venge me,

Als þou will þat i saue þe!

And if þou trow noȝt mi miȝt,

I sall it schew in all mennes sight."

Als he þus before him stode,

225

In sere liknes he chaungid his mode:

Now semid him ȝonge, & now alde,

And schewid liknes manifalde;

He þaim begilid als a Juggeloure,

And saide þan to þe emperoure:

230

"Sir Emperoure, i pray the,

Þou ger smyte of þe heued of me:

And i sall rise qwik þe thrid daie.

Wha maie þan agaynes me saie

Þat i ne am god all-mightie,

235

To do in erde what euer will i?"

Þan bad Nero it suld be done.

And he toke a wedir sone

And made it him-seluene like

Be þe deueles crafft þat him gon swike—

240

Þis he did be enchauntemente,

Þat made his saule to be schente.

Þan Nero gert his heuede of strike:

For þe wedir schepe was him like,

Þis Symounde gaue þe qwellare mede

245

And gert him do in mirk his dede.

For, when þe heuede was smiten awaie,

A tope-heued on þe erde laie.

And Symon twa daies him hidde

And come to Nero on þe thridde.

250

& Nero wende he qwikkind ware,

And þerfore held him mikil in are

& saide þat he was all-mighti

God of heuene witirlie.

Bot Petir & Paule saide þat he was

255

Þe foule fende Sathanase.

Þan Symon on Petir & Paule lied

And to Nero þaim falsli wried

And saide: þai ware aboute to stroie

Þe kingrike, & þe kinge to noye.

260

And Nero gert þaim bothe somounde,

To defende againe Symounde.

Þan come þai all before Nero,

To dispuite to and fro.

Petir proued be gude resoune

265

Þat Symounde was full of tresoune.

For "Symounde", he saide, "if þou can rede

What i think to do in dede,

Þan mai all men bathe here & se

If þou god of heuene be.

270

For god knawes all men thoȝt

And fro god maie be hidde noȝt;

And if þou goddes sonne be,

late it be sene & saie þou me

What i think! & þan may all

275

On þe trowe & on þe call.

And if þou may noȝt mi thoȝt schewe,

Þan all mai se þou ert a schrewe

Þat takes on þe Cristis name;

Þan duse þou god mikil schame,

280

For þou ert aboute all men to schende

And ger þaire saules ga to þe fende."

When Petir had saide þis & mare,

Symoun answerd & saide þare:

"I ask dome, sir emperoure,

285

Þat þou me wreke of þis traytoure!

Siþen þou wate wele þat i vprase

Fra dede to liue, als mi will wase,

Me think grete ferli now of þe

Þat þou lates him speke againes me."

290

Nero answerd & saide: "Symon,

Me think þat Petir saise resone.

If þou be goddes sonne, latte se,

And what he thinkes tell þou me!"

Symon saide: "late se, haue done!

295

What euer he thinkis, i sall saie sone."

And Petir said Nero what he thoȝt,

All priueli, þat he herd noȝt,

& saide: "Emperoure, ȝe ger me haue

All priuelie a barli laue!"

300

Þis brede was broȝt all priuelie,

And Petir halowid it in hye.

Þan Petir bad Symon saie sone

What þat he had saide & done:

Symond answerde, & was full wa,

305

And saide: "myne aungelles, here ȝe ga

& venge me tite apon mi fa!

I comaunde ȝou þat ȝe him sla."

And sone come þare forthe dogges blak

& on Petir gon þai snak.

310

And Petir þe hali brede þaim bedde:

And fra Petir fast þai fledde.

Þan saide Petir to þe emperoure:

"Þou sees, Symon es bot a traytoure:

Of honde kynde er his aungelles;

315

Þus wiþ falshede his tales he tellis."

Þan was Symounde at Petir tene

And saide: "Nero, nou sall be sene

What i am, when þou sees me flie

In-till heuene als god mightie;

320

& sithen þe & oþir ma

To heuene þan sall i ger ȝow ga,

Þarein to dwell euermore wiþ me — Page 80

For i will here na langer be.

And if þow will þis maistrie se,

325

Þou ger do make a toure of tre,

Þat i maie stand in all men sight,

Þare all mai se me take mi flight".

A hye toure was þare made swithe.

And Symond gon his maistrie kythe:

330

Wiþ fendes crafft vppe he flawe

Into þe lifft, þat all men sawe.

And Nero saide to Petir þan:

"Now maie þou se, þou fals man,

Þat goddes sonne of heuene es Symounde,

335

Þat flyande maie to heuene founde".

Þan saide Petir: "late him flie!"

And when Symoun was right hye,

Þan saide Petir: "I comaunde ȝowe,

Ȝe fendes, þat beres Symounde nowe,

340

Þat ȝe late him doune fall

In þis plase ymange vs all!"

Wiþ þat he fell & brast in-sondere,

And his saule went to hell wiþ thondir,

Þare to dwell for euermare

345

For his falshede þat he did þare.

And þan Nero was full wrathe

Wiþ Petir & wiþ Paule bathe

For his dede, & demede sone

Þat þai to dede bathe suld be done,

350

Petir to be on rode weuede

And Paule smitene of his heuede.

Bot when Petir come to þe rode

And sawe þat it vpwarde stode,

He saide: "i am noȝt worthi to be

355

Done on rode als Criste was for me;

Bot torne þe rode vppe so doune,

And to þe erde ȝe torne mi croune

And vpward mi fete ȝe feste!

For þus will i on rode reste,

360

Aye to mi saule mi lorde fange,

For whase lufe on rode i hange".

Till his biddinge was bernes boune:

& Petir heuede hangid þai doune

& vpward his fete þai fest,

365

And broȝt his saule to heuenes rest.

Þus died Petir on þe rude.

And Paule (for) Criste schedde his blude.

How it of Paule passioune fell,

If ȝe listen, i will ȝou tell.

370

Vnto Nero saide sainte Paule:

"Þou hase, sir, in bodi a saule,

And thi bodi sall rote in molde,

Be þou to it neuer so holde;

And on domisdaie sall tow rise

375

And come before þe hie iustise,

To ȝelde acounte (of) þat þou duse here,

Of ylle and gude þat þou hase done fere".

Þan was Nero wondir wrathe

& saide: "now sall i proue — if þe be lathe —

380

If þou maie rise effter þi dede".

And bad men lede him to þe stede

Þare he suld slaine be.

And to Nero þan saide he:

"Effter mi dede þou sall me se

385

Stande, als i do now, before the,

To ger þe witte þat i sall aie

Lyue wiþ Criste in ioye & plaie".

When þis was saide, to dede he wente.

And cristen men full mikil him mente.

390

& als he ȝode, a wife him mette

Þat him wele knewe & for him grette.

He bad hir lene him hir couerchefe,

Before his eyene forto wefe,

"And i, he saide, sall ȝelde it þe,

395

When mi heuede es smiten of me".

Hir couerchefe to him scho gafe.

And foles hir to hethinge drafe

And saide: "whi giues þou swilk a clathe?

It to tyne þe suld think lathe".

400

Scho made na forse of þaire sawes,

Bot grette sare for Paule hard thrawes.

When Paule come þare whare he suld dye,

He made his praiere wiþ tere of ye.

And when he had made his praiere,

405

Off smate his heuede þe manqwellere.

Þe heuede stert fra þe bodie

And saide "Jesue" apertelie,

Fyue hondrethe sithis, als saise þe boke,

He neuend Jesu, wha will it loke.

410

First come milk oute of his throte

And sithen blude a mikil gote.

Þan lemes light and swete smell

Was felid and sene, þare he doune fell.

And als þis qwellare hamward wente,

415

Þat ilk wife he mette þat Paule lente

Þat faire couerchefe of hir heuid,

& scho askid him whare he Paule leuede.

"He ligges, he saide, slaine inȝone plase,

And þi couerchefe on his face".

420

Þan forthe þe clothe blodi scho drewe

And schewid it him þat sainte Paule slewe,

Scho saide: "riȝt now was Paule here

And gaue me þis wiþ mylde chere;

And Petir wiþ him als sawe I,

425

In bright clethinge stode him bie".

Þe emperoure Nero sone herd þis

And of þat was vnglad iwisse;

He callid his frendes all him to

And asked what him ware best to do.

430

And als he þus in counsell sate,

Paule come him to in atte sperid ȝate,

And to Nero þus spak he

And saide: "emperoure, now maye þou se

Þat i sall liue wiþ-outene ende.

435

And þou to pyne to hell sall wende Page 81

For cristen men þat þou geres sla"

And oute of his sight he went full thra.

Þe emperoure Nero afraiede satte.

Þan oute of presoune he gert late

440

All cristen men þat he helde þare;

Bot he ne wald trowe on cristen lare —

He was so rotid in his synne

Þat hele of life wald he noȝt wynne:

Had he na grace to do penaunce.

445

Forthi on him fell foule mischaunce —

Þat oure-lange ware now to tell;

Bot schorteli, he es in hell.

Him-self was his awne bane;

Forthi he es wiþ foule Sathane.

450

And Petir & Paul, þat he sloghe,

Er bathe now in blisse ynoghe.

To þat ilk blisse he vs bringe

Þat for oure lufe on rode walde hinge!

W. amen. S.

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