Altenglische legenden ...

B. De sanctis Berlam & Josaphat
aus Ms. Harl. 4196, fol. 199 b. (im nördlichen Dialekt)

Im Ms. beginnen die Verse gewöhnlich mit kleinen Anfangsbuchstaben.

A grete clerk, Damacene, gert writ How saint barlam, þe gude hermit, Techid Josaphat, a kynges sun, þe law of crist how he solde kun. & in his buke þus makes he mynde. Line 5 It bi fell when þe land of ynde With cristen folk was all fulfild, To serue god, als him seluyn willd: A kyng þar was þat did þam noy, [noy für anoy auch V.238.671.] And cristen folk fain walde he stroy, Line 10 þat to crist had deuociowne, And namely monkes of religiowne. He had a lady, meke and mylde, Bot long þai lifed with outen childe; þai murned for þai myght none gete. Line 15 And at þe last his wife wex grete, And was deliuerd of a sun. A fairer childe myght none be fun. þe kyng was fain, so was þe quene, For þai had ane ayre þam bi twene. Line 20 þai named him Josaphat in hy Efter þaire law of mawmetri. þan gert þe kyng sone efter send All þe clerkes in þat cuntre kend, Bi fore his mawmettes to make mirth Line 25 In honore of þat childes birth. þan cald he maysters of clergy, Of art and of Astronomy; He chesed of all fyfty & fyue, And bad þai solde luke by þaire liue, Line 30 And say þe suthe & in nothing hide, What of his ȝung sun sold by tyde. [In sun ist u aus o corrigirt.] þai went & soght omang þaire spels. And sum of þam to þe kyng tels: His son sulde be of grete powere Line 35 And lyf in lykyng mony a zere; Sum said he solde haue grete riches And be honorde of more and les. So was þare one þat mekill cowth, He said: syr, þis childe in his zowth Line 40 Sall cast him for to wit al wise þe law þat þou þi self despise, He sall noght dwell in þi kyngdom, Bot to ane gretter sall he cum, And he sall ger þat law encrese Line 45 þat þou has soght ay to ger sese. Of him self said he noght þus wele, Bot of þe haly gast sumdele, For, all yf he ware vnworthy, God lete him his counsail descry. Line 50 þan þe kyng had mekill care, And thoght how it sulde forþer fare. He ordand be his high counsaill How he myght ger þat purpose fail, By tyme þat þe childe come of eld Line 55 So þat he myght him seluin weld. Was ordand in þat same cete A palais, where his sun suld be

Nurist up with mete and drink, þe best þat men myght efter think; Line 60 And with him did he childer zing, þat wele couth harp sitoff and sing, [sitoff, sonst sitholl, afrz. citole, an instrument.] And zong men, his seruandes to be. And un to þam þus cumand he: þat noman sulde neuyn in þat stede Line 65 Nowþer of sekenes, elde, ne dede, Ne pouert, ne of ne desese, [ne vor disese st. no.] þat to his son myght oght displese, Bot þat þai solde both nyght & day Make him mery all þat þai may; Line 70 So þat he solde on ilk a side With myrth euermore be ocupide. For so sall his hert haue no tome To think on thinges þat er to come. Who so es seke, luke ze þam send Line 75 Out of þe court, or it be kend, So þat my sun no sekenes se, Wharthurg he myght abaisced be. Of crist þat noman to him neuyn, Ye tell him nowþer of hell ne heuyn; [ye. y u. þ sind im Ms. vollständig gleich; obwohl sonst anlaut. ȝ nur durch z ausgedrückt wird, gibt nur ye einen passenden Sinn, wenn es nicht etwa statt Ne verschrieben ist.] Line 80 Luke all swilk fare fro him be hid! And als he bad, right so þai did. Ful mekill myrth was þam o mell. And in þe mene tyme þus bi fell: A knyght in court with þe kyng dweld, Line 85 þat cristes law full hertly held; He luffed him lely als him list, Bot noman wolde he þar of wist. In court he was most principal, And mayster of þe knyghtes all. Line 90 So on a day fell þat þe kyng And þis ilk knyght went on huntyng In to a forest þam to play. And als þai went so by þe way, þe knyght fand a man ligand þore Line 95 þat with wilde bestes was wonden sore. Vnto þe knyght hertly he praid Him forto help, and þus he said: Sum day, sir, haply sall þou se þat my counsaile my comforth þe. [my st. may.] Line 100 þe kynght said: I will help gladly, [Ms. kynght st. knyght.] Bot of þi help no nede haue I. [Ms. if st. of.] þe man answerde and said o none: I am a leche of wurde allone; Who sum with wordes has any grege, [grege st. greue = grief.] Line 105 My medcyn may him sone releue. þe knyght no tent þerto gun take; [Bei þerto þerfore þeron ist im Ms. häufig das Zeichen der Abkürzung für er ausgelassen; so þto auch 663. 1119, þfore 175. 195. 308. 354. 383. 385. 528. 532. 713. 834. 1091. 1152, þon 338; umgekehrt findet sich fälschlich das Zeichen der Abkürzung für er bei þe 405, þat 244. 876, þan 1111.] Bot souerainly for goddes sake Vnto his hows he has him sent, And bad his seruandes to him tent Line 110 And ger him haue with more & les þat socoure myght be to his sekenes; Grete kyndnes unto him he kyd. And in þe mene tyme þus bytyd: His enmyes had grete tene þat he Line 115 With þe kyng was so preue; þarfore þai cumpast on all wise How þai myght make þam full enmyse. To þe kyng in priuete þai tolde þat þis kynght desayue him wolde, [Ms. kynght st. knyght.] Line 120 To get his kyngdom, yf he may, And þat he lifed on cristes lay, And þat mony ware of his assent ffor to fulfill his fals entent. And, sir, þai say, yf þou will wit Line 125 þat þis be suth, we say þe zit,

Call him bi twene zow two allone And say him þou has new purpose tone, How þis life es bot vanite And sodainly sall endid be, Line 130 And þat þou will leue þi kyndom, And cristen man þo will be cum, [þo st. þou.] And þat þou will take monkes wede And make amendes in worde & dede Vnto all þos þou has repreued Line 135 For þat ilk saw þat þow has loued; And of counsail þou sall him pray, þan sall þou se what he will say. þe kyng did all efter þaire rede. He toke þe knyght in a preue stede Line 140 And tolde to him fro top and taile Als þai had gyffen him in counsaile. þe knyght, þat of no tresoun kend, When he had herd þir tales till end, He gert fro ioy, so was he paid. [gert st. gret.] Line 145 And to þe kyng all þus he said: Loued be þe lord, þat þe has lent His grace to take so trew entent! And yf þou be in so gude will, I rede þat þou it sune fulfill, Line 150 For þan þou sall haue mekil mede; And in lang bidyng ligges drede. þus when þe kyng his counsail knew, þan trowed he wele þaire tales war trew: þai tolde þe knyght wolde do him skathe. Line 155 And be his sembland semyd he wrathe; Bot no þe lese zut said he noght. & þan þe knyght sone him bi thoght þat þe kyng was noght wele paid Of þo wordes þat he had said, Line 160 And wele he wend for to haue blame. þan thoght he how he had at hame A man þat cowth gyf medcyn gude For wordes þat moued a mans mode. He went and tolde to þe seke man Line 165 þis tale als clerely als he can, With þe kyng all how it ferd, And on what manere he answerde. þe man said: sir, þis I þe say: þe kyng trowes þow wyll him bitray; Line 170 Bot sen I am of wordes leche, Take tent and do als I þe teche! þi counsail bus þe nedes mayntene, þat no deceayt be in þe sene, And þerfore do als I þe tell, Line 175 & furth in dainte sall þow dwell: Ger cut þai hare and shaue þi crown, [þai st. þi.] Like unto men of religione, And do oway þi clething faire And cleth þe in sek or in hayre, Line 180 And cum so arely to morn In þe palays þe kyng biforn; [bi forn. der Strich über n, sonst n bezeichnend, findet sich bei biforn noch V. 882. 1079. 1144, bei unicorn 589.] Sun will he spir of þine array; & unto him þan sall þou say: Lo, lord, I am redy bowne Line 185 With þe to fare in felde & town, All yf þe way þat þou will wende Be un esy to fo or frende, Yt sall be esy unto me, Als lang als I may wende with þe; Line 190 Sen þou in welthes vouched saue Felawship of me to haue, I sall be redy forto take All erthly sorows for þi seke; [seke für sake, wie V. 672 scheme für schame.] þerfore graith þe & lat us gang, Line 195 Wharto solde we tary lang? &, sir, yf þou will dwell at hame I am redy to do þe same, For alway will I redy be In welle and wo to wende w^t þe. Line 200 þan bi þir wordes þe kyng wele knew þat his knyght to him was trew.

And of þam þat had him acused All þaire counsaile he refused, And said: omys þai gun þam mell Line 205 Of his trew knyght swilk tales to tell. þan was þe knyght in daynte more & ner frende þan he was bi fore. Of þis knyght now lat we be, & to þe kyng son will we se, Line 210 þat in likyng his life gun lede, Vnto he was past his barnhede. þan in his hert wunder him thoght Whi his fader so with him wroght, & whi he toke swilk apurpose Line 215 To halde him þore so lang in close. To his menze he made his mone, & said: he liffed so lang allone & had none ayre of erth ne flode, þat mete ne drink did him no gude, Line 220 He had no talent to his mete, For he no kyndely ayre myght gete. & sone when þai þir wordes herd, þai tolde his fader all how it ferd, & how he had ferly wharfore Line 225 þat his fader so held him þore, So þat he myght noght be at þe large. þis was to him a heuy charge. When his fader þir tales herd, He said he suld no more be sperd. Line 230 Horses and hernays ordand he, þe semeliest þat men myght se, þat his sun myght on playing ride; & mynstralsy on ilk a syde; & men he had solde go bifore, [had st. bad auch V. 1145.] Line 235 To serche þe way & seke aywhore, So þat his sun no syght solde se þat unto him myght noyand be. þus raide he furth bi diuers days, & had sere solace by sere ways. Line 240 And on a day so als he rade And his menze grete myrthes made, Two men bi fore him gun he find, þat one was leper, þe toþer blind. He had meruayl what it myght mene, Line 245 For sekenes had he neuer sene. He askid his men whi þai ware so. & sone one of þam tolde him to: Sir, þai haue sekenes, wele we ken, þat cumes oft tymes to erthly men. Line 250 He askid yf all men so sulde be. And þai said nay. and þan said he: Whareby may ze knaw þe man [Ms. wharely.] þat sall be þus? say, yf ze can; And wheþer þis sekenes sal be mend, Line 255 Or it sall last with outen end? þai say: sir, nowþer olde ne zing Wote what sall be in tyme cumyng. When Josaphat þis understode, þis meteyng meruaild all his mode Line 260 & put mekill of his myrth owai. & als he went a noþer way, He met a man, was wonder old, Croked and cumberd, koghand for cold, Lame he was in lith and lim, Line 265 With nese dropand & eghen dym; His handes tremblid, his teth roted, He spak so dym men demyd he doted. When Josaphat þis sight had sene, He had meruail what it myght mene, Line 270 & said to þam þat war bi side: What gers zon man swilk tenes bi|tyde? þai said: syr, he es of grete elde, And mony zeres makes him vnwelde. In how fele zeres, þan askes he, Line 275 Sall a man cum to swilk degre? þai say: in foure score zere, we kest, Or els in fyue score at þe ferest. He askis þan: what sall forþerfall? þai said: syr, ded es end of all. Line 280 And zit he askis þam in þ^t stede: How may ze knaw who ssal be dede? þai say: sir, ded, right wele we ken, Es comun to all erthly men; To riches takes he no reward, [reward = regard auch V. 474.] Line 285 Ne for pouert sall none be spard.

þan of þis thing so thoght þis childe, þat he refusid all werkes wilde, & hertly couayt he to here Swilk lessons, whore he myght þam here. Line 290 All yf men made him myrth & play, He thoght euer how it solde oway With elde & euyll & sorows sere; þat merrid him oft of mery chere. Bot euermore in his fader sight Line 295 Shewed he myrth with all his myght, þat it solde noght be knawen ne kid What will with in his hert was hid. In þat same tyme bi fell it so: In a forest, noght fer þar fro, Line 300 Wond a monk, þat Berlam hight, þat honord god both day & nyght. Of þis ilk kyng oft of herd he tell, And of his sun how it bi fell. Thurgh þe haly gast he had warnyng Line 305 Of þe childes purpose in all thing, How he wolde luf þe werld nomore. And sone he ordand him þerfore How he myght with sum suttil gin Entre þat childe palays with in, Line 310 With þe childe to speke sumdele; For so he hopid all solde be wele. He ordand him a marchand wede, And to þat same Cete he zede, And to þat palays gun he pas Line 315 Whare Josaphat in wunand was. One of his men sone he mett, [semyng st. semyd verschrieben?] And on þis manere he him grett. He said: sir, I am a marchand, þat has traueld in diuers land; Line 320 A precius stone I haue to sell, And þe uertuis I sall þe tell: [Ms. uertius; dafür uertus V. 342. 478.] To blind men will it gyf þe sight, And make dom men to speke ful right, [dom st. domb.] Defe men will it make to here, Line 325 And gyf unwisemen wit ful clere; To þe kynges son I will it gyf To make him more in likyng lyf; [lyf aus luf corr.] þarfore lede me to him þis tyde! þe toþer said: sir, nay, habide! [habide mit unorgan. h, wie V. 639 holde st. olde.] Line 330 Yf þou to him will haue entre, þi precius stone þou lat me se, Yf it be trew I here þe tell, For of swilk maters I me mell. Berlam said: þat will I wele, Line 335 Bot first I say þe for þi sele Swilk a condicion has my stone: What man or childe so lokes þeron, Bot yf his eghen be gude & clere Wit outen euyll on þis manere, Line 340 And bot him self be clene & chaste, Els all his uertus will it waste; þarfore, yf þow defaud oght fele [defaud st. defaut; 733 defautes.] In þine eghen, þat þou se noght wele, Or els unchaste yf þat þou be, Line 345 Couait noght my stone to se! And to me semyng it bi þi chere Als þine eghen war noght ful clere; & yf þou be chaste of body, þat wote þi self better þan I; Line 350 þe kynges son es bot a childe, With filth of sin es he noght filde, His eghen er clere & nothing dym; þerfore my stone es gude for him. þe seruande said: yf it so be, Line 355 I pray þe shew it noght to me; Of my mayster þou may haue mede. þan in to hall he gun him lede. & sune when Josaphat gun him se, He hopid þat a haly man was he; Line 360 He welkumd him full wirshiply. & Berlam said to him in hy: For þou with wirship welkums me, Ensample, sir, I sall tell þe And a tale for þi welkumyng, Line 365 How it fell ones with a kyng.

A reall kyng in riche wede To pouer men did swilk a dede: Bi fell a day furth gun he fare, Rideand in a reall chare. Line 370 þare come o gains him in þe way [Ms. o ganis.] Pouer men, ragged in euyll aray, Sore, and unsemely to syght. & sone þe kyng him self doun light; He kneled þore bi fore þaire fete Line 375 & kissed þam with sembland swete, Of his gude he gaf þam þare; & went ogaine þan to his chare. þan oþer princes þ^t with him zede Had grete dedeyne of þis ilk dede, Line 380 & said: for þat he light so doun, He did dishonure un to þe crown. Full euyll apaid þerfore ware þai; Bot to him durst þai nothing say. þerfore to his broþer þai went Line 385 & tolde to him all þaire entent, How þat þe kyng did in þe gate þat was gretely o gains his state, & prays him þat he wald him blame, þat he nomore sold do þat same. Line 390 His broþer þan went to þe kyng & tolde unto him of þis thing, & said: sir, for þine awin bi houe So to þi self no siche reproue.(!) [So st. Do?] þe kyng graunted als he wold bid, Line 395 And in his hert all still he hid; He walde noht blame for his saw, [fehlt him.] Bot wele he thoght to ger him knaw þat pouerte was more to prais þan werldly riches bi sere wais. Line 400 Acustum used þai in þat stede: When any man was demyd to ded, A beme solde blaw his dur bi forn, When he solde be ded on þe morn. þe kyng ordand at euyn late Line 405 & gert blaw þat beme in þe gate Euyn bi fore his broþer dure. & when his broþer herd how it fure, Allas, he said, þat I was born! þis menes I mun be ded to morn; Line 410 þe kyng, my broþer, es with me wrath, For þat I warned him of his skath. His wife was wo & will of rede þat hir lorde sulde be done to ded. His testament þan gun he make, Line 415 & all þat nyght with wo þai wake. In þe morn þai cled þam all in blak, His wyfe & childer & all þe pak, þai went un to þe kynges zate & stode þore greteand in þe gate. Line 420 & when þe kyng wist he was þore, He bad bring him furth him biforn. He kneled and cried mercy him to. þe kyng said: fole, whi fares þou so? sen þou so dredes þi broþer warnyng, Line 425 To wham þou has trispast nothing, Whi blames þou me þan, if I drede Or to þe warnyng walde take hede [Ms. orto.] Of my lord, þat last sall ay, To wham I trispas ilk a day? Line 430 þat blawes to me with diuers blast & warnes me of dome þat sal be last, Whore ilk a man a count sal zelde Of all his dedes in zowth and elde. þan gert þe kyng in þat same nyght Line 435 Ordaine a kyst of siluer bright; þai gylt it nobilly for þe nones, & fild it full of ded men bones þat now ware taken out of þe molde, & lokkid with a kay of golde. Line 440 A noþer kyst þan gert he make, & all with out was pik ful blak, With in it was faire for þe nones & fild with gold and precius stones. þan for þe men he efter sent Line 445 þat first unto his broþer went, Wharfore þat he him blamed so. When þai ware cumen, he said þam to: þir kistes þat er wroght on þis wise, Gose prays þam to þe uerray prise! Line 450

Line 450 þe kyst of golde, þai understode, Might wele be prayessed to mekyl golde; & sethin þai say: þe kyst of blak Es noght to prayse, bot more to lak. So when þe kyng þaire willes wist, Line 455 He gert opin þe fairer kyst: & of it come so ful a smell þat no man myght nereand it dwell, So stynkyd þe bones þarin war done. & þan þe kyng said unto þam sone: Line 460 Lo, sirs, he said, þis kist es lyke Unto zoure self, for ze er slike: With outen faire with cloth & skyn, With in ful ful with filth of syn. þat oþer kist þan cumand he, Line 465 þat simple semyd, sulde opin be: & þerof come a full swete are, [aré st. aire, wie v. 554 þare st. þaire.] & tresore was þarein full fayre. þan said þe kyng: sirs, swilk er þai þat I did wirship in þe wai: Line 470 All yf þai foul with outen seme, With in þai er full faire to deme; Wharfore ilk man þat witty es Sulde take reward to þaire worthines. And, syr, þis es fulfild in þe, Line 475 When þou with wirschip welcumd me þat semes to þe a simple knaue, For uertus þat þou hopes I haue. þe childe was of þir wordes wele paid. þan berlam more un to him sayd: Line 480 He tolde him how þis werld bigan, & so furst of þe syn of man, How crist was born here of oure kyn So for to saue man saul of syn, How he on rode was ded with payn, Line 485 & sethyn how right he rase o gain; & sethin he carpid what was to com, Of ded and of þe day of dome, And who ilk man solde haue mede, [who st. whore auch V. 814.] Be saued or dampned efter his dede, Line 490 & sethin, how it es grete foly To trow or trist in maumettry, Or to þaire tales for to take hede, Or couait of þam any mede: For to a man es foly grete Line 495 To couayt þat he may noght gete, Or for to trow all þat he heres, Namely of þam þat lesynges leres. And, sir, he said, þat shew I sale By any ensample of a tale: Line 500 Unto a foster so it be tyd: [foster st. forster.] O mang his gamin he toke a brid. & als he walde þe brid haue slone, þe brid spak and said onone: Yt helpes þe noght to haue me ded, Line 505 & my lyfe may stand þe in stede; I am noght worth þi wombe to fill, & wit can I lere þe, yf þou will. þe forster said: þat walde I fayne. & þan þe brid answerde ogaine: Line 510 Gyf me leue to lyght on zon tre, & I sall þe thece wisdomes thre. [thece ist übergeschrieben; mit h auch V. 1059 thechid.] þe forster said þan: er tow sleghe! On þat forwarde he lete him fleghe. On þe tre þan sat þe nyght gale, Line 515 To þe forster he tolde þis tale, þat es contened here in two vers, And seþin in ynglys to rehers: Non pro amissis doleas nec omne quod andis Credas nec cupias id quod h(ab)ere nequis: Man, murn þou noght on euyn ne morn For thing þou wate þ^t þou haues lorn; Line 520 Ne trow noght all þat þou heres say; Ne zern noght þat þou noght get may. And yf þou think wele on þir thre, Oft tymes þe may þe better be. þe foster held him full wele payd. [foster st. forster.] Line 525 Bot þan þe brid more to him said:

Man, and þou wist what þou has lorn, þou walde nothing be fain þer forn þat þou walde lat me go so tyte: In my wombe es a margarite, Line 530 A precius stone, and it es more þan es a gripe egg; and þerfore A grete los has þou lost þis day. þan þe forster to him self gan say: Walde god I had þe here o gaine! Line 535 And to take it he did his paine, And said: walde þou cum me untill, þou solde wende at þine awin will, I sall do all what þou will bid. & on þis wise answerde þe brid: Line 540 þou ert a fole, þat se I wele: My wisdomes prophetes þe no dele: [prophetes st. profites.] þou zernes me þat þou may noght gete, & trows I haue a stone so grete, When all my body es noght to se Line 545 So grete als half an egg solde be; þou murnes for I am went þe fro; All my thre wisdoms loses þou so, & in þi wit þou ert bygilde. þan said berlam unto þe childe: Line 550 Sir, þai do right swilk foly þat trowes in tales of mawmettry, þat wirships and giffes þare ofrandes To þat þat þai wirk w^t þaire handes, Or say þat þaire mawmettes þam saues, Line 555 Of wham þam self þe kepeyng haues. þan tolde he of þe uanite & wrechidnes þat in werld may be, Of þam þat foloes þaire flessh & will & suffers þe sawl perish & spill, Line 560 & takes more tent to uanite þan to þe blis þat euer sall be, & will noght knaw what es to cum, Of ded, ne of þe day of dome. He said: syr, þai þat will do so Line 565 May wele be like a man un to, þat in a forest here biforn Was pursued with ane unicorn. & als he feld & he toke no kepe, [feld st. fled.] He fell in to a dyke full depe; Line 570 Obut he wayted with mekil wogh, & gat hald bi a litell bogh; [Ms. boght.] His fete he fest in þe dyke side. & be þat bogh als he gun bide, He saw a blak mows & a white Line 575 Obout þat bogh so fast gun bite þat almost had þai ettyn it sunder; Bi neth he saw a noþer wonder: Doun in þat pit a dragon grete, Gapeand wide him for to gete; Line 580 & in þe bank his fete obout Foure serpent heuedes he saw cum out; & a bogh obouen his hand: [Ms. haud.] A hony camb þare saw he stand, þat couaited he in hand to hent, Line 585 To oþer perils he toke no tent. By sum men here so es it sene, For þus þis tale es for to mene: þe unicorn þat call I dede, þat pursues us in ilk a stede; Line 590 þe dike whore we fall, when we fle, Unto þis werld may likkend be, þat full of angers euer es talde; Bot bi a bogh þan take we halde: þat es oure life, whorein we traist; Line 595 Bot two mise bud make us a bayst, þe blak and white, þ^t on it knaws: [knaws st. gnaws.] þat es þe nyght & day þat daws, Whilk two will neuer more stand in stede, Bot flit us furth, till we be dede; Line 600 þe hill, whore he saw foure serpentes, Es mans body of foure Elementes, Thurgh whilk, yf it be gouerned ill, þe body in litell space may spill; þe dragon may be like þe fende, Line 605

Line 605 þat euer es faine us for to shende & for to wyn us in to his wombe; þan may men mene þe hony combe Un to welth of þis werldes riches, þat so swete to sum men es, Line 610 þare to take þai so mekill hede þat of no perils haue þai drede, Nowþer of god, ne of þe day of dome, Ne of perils þat er to come. & who so with þe werld so lendes, Line 615 Or tristes in luf of lifand frendes, He may be likkend un to a man, Of wham ensaumple tell I can: A kyng sum tyme of grete powere Had a sun, was to him dere, Line 620 To wham he gaf riches plente, Als þi fader has done to þe; He bad him wax and multipli. Bot þan þis childe fell to foly, & wrong his fader gude he spend. Line 625 And fell ogains þe zeres end: þat kyng warned his sun to cum Un to his court, to here his dome & graith a count þore for to zelde Of godes þat he had in his welde. Line 630 þan had þe kynges sun mekil care, For all his gudes so wasted ware. He thoght þat he had frendes thre, & in his nede proue þam will he; To þam he had gyfen grete riches, Line 635 þarfore his trist more in þam es. þe first he had gyfen mekill pelf & lufed him wele more þan him self, þe secund lufed he holde & zing Euyn als him self in alkyn thing, Line 640 þe third frende lufed he noght so wele, Bot les þan him self bi sum dele. Un to þe first frende first he went, & tolde un to him his entent, And prayd him for to be his belde Line 645 Un to þe court a count to zelde, & help him in his sorows strang, Sen he had shewed him luf so lang. He answerde & said: sertes, nay, With my frendes make I fest þis day, Line 650 þerfore I may noght pas þis stede, & I wote wele þou mun be dede; Haue here a cloth to couer þe, þat þou þine awin syte sal noght se, & oþer help hete I þe none. Line 655 þan went he furth full wil of wone. Sone come he to his secund frende, & tolde un to him þis tale til ende How he was cald a count to zelde, And prayd him for to be his belde, Line 660 Als he to him bifore was bayn. þat oþer said: I walde ful fain, Bot now I may noght tent þerto For charge and thing I haue to do; I will wende with þe all þe gate Line 665 Till þou cum to kynges zate, Bot home ogaine þan bus me turne. þe kynges sun þan sore gan murne. Un to þe third frende went he sone For wham he had ful litell done, Line 670 His noy he tolde to him by name, & said: sir, I may noght for scheme Hertly helping of þe craue, For littell on þe I uouched saue, & þai þat l gafe gude plente Line 675 Full fantly now has failed me; [fantly st. faintly. v. 999.] I may noght ask of þe bi skill, Bot it þou wolde of þi gude will, [Ms. it st. if.] Wende with me a litell space & help to get my fader grace. Line 680 He answerd þan with meri chere, & said: þi dedes er to me dere, I know þe for my faithfull frende, And gladly will I with þe wende And pray for þe þi fader un to, Line 685 And els what þou will bid me do. Berlam said: sir, þis was a frende! Bot þus þis tale may be remende: God es þis kyng, sir, wele we ken, And his suns er all cristen men, Line 690

Line 690 To wham he gifes all erthly thing; Bot sethin he calles us to rekenyg, [rekenyg st. rekenyng.] þat es with ded when þis life endes; þan nedes us for to seke oure frendes; þe first frende es þis werldely gude, Line 695 þat ebbes & flowes here als þe flode, Whore in we trist, & folows fast, Bot, when þe ded cum es at þe last, We get no help of him þat tyde, Bot of a cloth, oure cors to hide. Line 700 þe secund frende þ^t we trist in Er wyfe and childer and oþer kyn: þai help us noght when we nede haue, Bot with us wende þai to oure graue, And þeþ(i)n oway þai wende ful swyft [Ms. þeþn st. þeþin.] Line 705 Home ogaine, oure gude to skyft. þe third frende þat es charite, And with us alway wendes he: þat es prayers and almusdedes, þai may us help in all oure nedes Line 710 And hertly hope þat we sall haue In god, þat he oure sawles will saue. þerfore oure mys we solde amend & almus fast bifore us send, To serue us whore we soiorn sale. Line 715 So may men lere by a tale: In a cete nobill for þe nones þis custum used þai ilk zere ones: A kyng to make, noght of þaire awin, Bot of a strange man & unknawin; Line 720 To pouert solde þai take no hede Bot cleth him sone in kynges wede, And gif him and plain powere(!) [Vor and fehlt ein Sbst. (aught?).] To do what him list all þat zere; At his dome solde be all bi dene. Line 725 Bot sethin, when þat he lest sold wene, With þe Cytezayns he solde be tone & fro þat Cete led allone, He solde be nakynd in þat wile And put in to ane un cuth yle, Line 730 Whore he solde dy for faut of fode. And at þe last ane under stode þat he solde swilk defautes fele; þarfore he did wisely and wele: Sere gudes he sent oft sithes bifore, Line 735 þat he myght haue, when come þore. Sethin when his pople had him repreued, With his awin gudes he was releued. Sir, so solde ilk man him awise And in þis werld wirk als þe wise, Line 740 To send bi fore sum almus dede, þat may him help when he has nede. When berlam þus w^t wordes bolde [740-743 sind enger zusammengeschrieben, wie auch v. 887-890.] To þe kynges sun þir tales had tolde, þe childe said he walde w^t him wende Line 745 & nowþer let for fo ne frende, þe kyng his fader he wolde forsake & berlam furth his fader make. þan said berlam: yf þou will so, Ensaumple sall I tell þe un to, Line 750 How it bi fell with swilk a childe þat gaf him fro all werkes wilde. A prince son of a gude cete, þat with riche ayres myght maried be, Als he went on a day playand, Line 755 A pouer mans dogter saw he stand, Wirkand hir werk with eger mode And loueand god euer als sho stode. þe zong childe stode and bihelde What thankyng scho to god gun zelde. Line 760 In his hert he was wele paid. & all þus un to hir he said: Woman, what menes þou in þi mode þat loues god with hert so gude? þou thankes him in þi myscheue, Line 765 Als he had gifen þe grete releue; Say me þe suth whi þou dose so. þe mayden answerde þus þar to:

A litell salue, sir, suth it es, May medcyn a full grete sekenes: Line 770 So pouer prayers and pouer dede Of god may get us ful grete mede; Here of oure self we haue bot syn, Oure gudenes of god bus bigyn; To me grete giftes gyfen has he, Line 775 For to his liknes made he me & gaf me wit & resoun right, & heuyn blis he has me hight; To him me aw wirshpid to do [wirshpid st. wirship.] þat swilk grete giftes has gifen me to. Line 780 Hir stabill faith þus when he felde, His hert gun haly to hir helde. Vn to hir fader he went bilyue And said he walde wed hir to wiue. Hir fader was þarof full faine; Line 785 Bot þus he answerde him ogaine: To wed hir, sir, will noght a cord, For þou es sun to a grete lord And we er pouer in simple state; þow will nogh(t) wed hir, wele I wate. [Ms. nogh st. noght.] Line 790 þe childe said how his hert was set, & hir to haue none solde him let. þe pure man saw þan purpose, And his werk was him lath to lose. He said: sir, all yf þou hir wed, Line 795 So may noght be furth with þe led: Oþer help bot of hir haue I none, [so = scho.] Scho may noght leue me here allone. þe childe said: sir, with gud chere I sall dwell here with zow in fere, Line 800 & confourme me to zoure astate, & do zoure will arely and late. In pouer wede sone he him cled, And þe pouer woman so he wed. þai lifed and died in goddes law. Line 805 And, sir, I se wele by þi saw þat to þis same þou profers þe, þat sais þ^t þou will wend w^t me To wildernes, and wote noght whare, & leue þi welth and þi wele fare. Line 810 þan Josaphat un to him said: þis tale may wele to me be laid: All likyng will I leue here stil And wende with þe who so þ^u will. Bot, fader, tell me, and none els, Line 815 How olde þou ert, and whore þou duels? Berlam answerde on þis manere: I am olde fourety and fyue zere, In wildernes I dwell sertaine. þan Josaphat answerde ogaine: Line 820 Fader, þine elde yf þou wolde ken, þou semes of sexty zeres and ten. þan berlam sais: yf all ware tolde Sen I was born, I am so olde; Bot ferrer zeres none tell I can Line 825 Bot sen tyme I was cristes man; þat oþer tyme I tell for dede, For to me standes it in no stede. þan Josaphat fast made him boun With berlam for to wende of toun Line 830 To wildernes, whore he wolde go. He said: sun, it may noght be so, We myght noght so escape fro skath; þerfore es better for us bath þat þou at home here hald þe still Line 835 And cum to me sethin at þi will. He baptist him þore with his hend And trouth of crist clerely him kend; He kissed him þan als custum es, And went ogain to wildernes. Line 840 And Josaphat þare dwellid still, And loued god euer loud and still. Till at þe last his fader herd Of his dere sun how þat it ferd, And berlam þore had him baptist Line 845 And turned him to þe laws of crist. So mekill sorow in hert he had þat nonekyns myrth myght mak him glad. His mane un to a frende he mase And askes his counsaill in þat case, Line 850 In þis bale what ware best to do. And þus he answerde him un to:

My counsaill I tell þis tyde: I knau ane hermyt here bi syde Lyke un to berlam les ne more, Line 855 Bot his right name es nachor, He es like to berlam bot þe name: þi son sall wene he be þe same þat bifore un to him aperd; And þat Ermyt þus sall be lerd: Line 860 To þi sun sall be first declare [be st. he.] þe law þat berlam lered him are, Sethin sall he oþer cases controue And say þat law es to reproue, & þat his techeing was in uaine; Line 865 So (s)all þi son be getyn ogaine. [Ms. so all st. so sall.] Here to assent þai les and more. & þis frende ordand fast þerfore: He tolde þe childe how þe kyng had wroght þat berlam solde to court be broght; Line 870 He gederd him grete company Efter berlam to spir and spi. þai broght þis Ermyt nachor hame, & tolde þat þai had broght berlam. When Josaphat herd tithinges tell Line 875 þat his mayster was þam omell, Full mekill sorow in hert he had. Bot or þe morn he was more glad: þe haly gaste in preuete Warned him þat Jt was noght he. Line 880 þan come þe kyng sone on þe morn, & cald his son furth him biforn. Dere sun, he sais, efter men tels In grete erroure and drede þou dwels, And, tite bot þou turn þi thoght, Line 885 In mykell bale þou has me broght: Oure goddes, þai say, þou has forsaken And to fals law turned and taken, þow leues þe law þat turnes to lyght, And merres me of mayn a myght; Line 890 þou makes myne eghen both myrk & dym. þan Josaphat said þus to him: Fader, I haue forsaken myrknes & taken to lyght þat lastand es, Of erroure haue I left þe law, Line 895 & sothfastnes full wele I knaw; Trauell no more with wordes in uaine, Fro criste þou gettes me neuer ogaine; þi hand to þe heuyn better myght þ^u heue þan make me cristes law to leue, Line 900 To þe it war a les maystry þe mekyll se for to make dri þan fro criste for to turn my mode. þan þe kyng for wo was wode. Allas, he said, who may it be Line 905 þat þis myschefe has made to me? To þe more kyndnes haue I kyd þan euer fader to his sun dyd, And þou has with þi wikked rede Made me dole un to þe dede; Line 910 Full suthly was it said bi forn With clerkes wise, when þ^u was born, þai said þou solde wirk in þis wise: Ogaine þi kyn unright to rise & to þi helpers take no hede; Line 915 Now find I it fulfild in dede; & tite bot if þou turn þi thoght, With bitter bale it sall be boght: All as I bi fore haue bene þi frende, So sall I now schap þe to shende, Line 920 & moste felly þou sall be flayd. þan Josaphat full softly said: Sir kyng, whi makes þou mykell care & es so wroth for I wele fare? Unfaythful fader he es to fele Line 925 þat es wo for his sun es wele; [Ms. sun es st. sunes.] Yf þou will so ogains me hald, My fader þou sall no more be tald, Bot fro þi drede I will draw me Als I wald fro a nedder fle. Line 930 þe kyng þan had so mekyll wo

þat wordes myght he spede na mo. [Ms. spede st. speke.] Bot home he hied un to his toure, & tolde un to his counseloure All hou he with his sun had spoken, Line 935 And þat he wolde on him be wroken. He answerde þan & said: sir, nay, All softly sall þou first assay, For childer er ether for to teche With wordes fayre þan w^t full speche. Line 940 Sone on þe morn when it was day, þe kyng to his sun toke þe way; He halsed him & kyssed oft, & sethin he said with wordes soft: Dere sun, he said, þou solde take kepe Line 945 þi fader to honure & to wirshipe, & namely me, a man of elde; Who bot my barn solde be my belde? Sun, wolde þou wit what mede it were þi fader & moder to wirship here, Line 950 & how ill it es þam to despite, þan walde þou noght wirk on his wise [Ms. his st. þis.] To make me haue swilk bitter braid. þan answerde Josaphat and said: Tyme es of luff in ilk a stede Line 955 & tyme es als so of hatrede, Tyme es of pes & tyme of were, & all euyll tyme es for to forbere, Bot in no tyme aw us to bow To þam þat in god will noght trow, Line 960 Bot titter sall we fro þam fle, Fader or moder, whoþer euer it be. þan said þe kyng: sen it es so þow will noght meke þe me un to, þou sall nowþer haue þi will, ne I, Line 965 Bot bothe acord us to clergy; I haue berlam in my presoun, Take zoure counsaile & mak zow bown! & my counsaile I sall do call, & lat þam luke omang þam all Line 970 Wheþer I haue þe wrang, or þow; & als þai tell so sall we trow: Yf berlam tales be funden trew, þan sall I lere þat law o new; & yf his fare be funden fals, Line 975 þou sall trow my law, & he als. Josaphat said: sir, I assent. & þan þe kyng fast home he went. His counsaill un to him he cald; & all assent þai for to hald Line 980 þat coueand, þat was made bifore, [Ms. coneand.] How þat þe fals Ermyt nachore Solde first comend fast cristes name, & sethin he solde reproue þe same & graunt him conuicte in þ^t case, Line 985 & turn þe child so to his trace. On þe morn was all þis graid. & Josaphat to nachore said, Als he his mayster had noght myst, For all þaire purpose wele he wist: Line 990 My mayster berlam, luke þou be Trew to þat law þou lered me, & luke fully þou it defend & mayntene it als þou me kend, &, yf þe will þe gyf þar to, Line 995 I sall it luf ay whis I lyf, [whis st. whils.] & I sall styfly with þe stand & may(n)tene þe with hert & hand; [Ms. maytene st. mayntene.] & yf þou faintly it for sake, On þe wightly I sal take wrake: Line 1000 þi tong w^t my hend I sal out draw & gyf þi hert to hundes at gnaw, þat oþer men may ensaumple take þaire awin sawes for to forsake, Or any kyng sun to bigyle, Line 1005 Als þou has done to me þis while. þan nachore understode wele þare þat he was takin in his awin snare, & fallen he was in his owin pit; þarfore he kest in his awin wit Line 1010 To þe kynges son war him better assent

þan þore for to be shamely shent. þe kyng wist how þai had puruayd; þerfore on heght to him he said: Let noght oure law for to defend, Line 1015 Gain call þat þou my sun has kend. One of þe maysters stode up þan, & said: es þou noght þ^t same man, Berlam, þ^t has þis wunder wroght & þe kyng son in erroure broght? Line 1020 Sen kyng & duke & clerk & knyght Honurs oure goddes, moste of myght, How durst þou take opon þe so To exite þe kyng son þarfro, & so in erroure him to draw? Line 1025 Nachore answerde un to þat saw: Sirs, he said, I am þat same, Bot wrangwisely here ze me blame: None erroure to þis childe I kend, Bot fro erroure I him defend, Line 1030 I haue him lered ay lastand law; For all zoure custums wele I knaw: To rightwise god ze take no kepe, To diuers thinges ze do wirshipe, þat ze make w^t zoure awin hend, Line 1035 & trowes þo mawmettes may zow mend; þe caldeis, þai will leue and lout [caldeis Chaldaei.] To Elementes þat gose obout; þe grekes has loueyng more & les In lustes & likynges of þaire flessh, Line 1040 Als for þaire god þaire hertes þai fest In thing þat þaire flessh likes beste; & folk of Egyp, þai enclyne Un to bestes, als to shepe or swyne, And to calues make þai sacrifies: Line 1045 þus diuers folk on diuers wise To diuers goddes þai do wirshipe; Bot to a god þai solde take kepe; All cristen men honurs anely Jhu crist, god sun all mygty, Line 1050 þat for þaire sake fro heuyn descend & in a maiden liked to lend, & sethin of hir he walde be born, To saue þam þat ware fallen biforn, Als adam & all his ofspring, Line 1055 & so to blis þam for to bring, Whilk blis sall w^t outen end; [Nach sall fehlt be oder laste.] þe kyng son þus haue I kend, þus haue I thechid him for to trow, & þis trowth will I euer auow. Line 1060 þan was Josaphat full faine & loued god w^t all his mayne þat shewed his law so opinly Thurgh him þat was þarto enmy, For he þat crist had first reproued Line 1065 Ogains mawmettes swilk maters moued, þat all þo maisters ware so mased þat dom þai stode als þai ware dased: [dom st. domb.] So on þis meruaile all þai mused. And þe kyng was so confused: Line 1070 He ne wist in werld what he myght say. Bot zit he made a new delay. Home he bad all men solde wend, & on þe morn þai solde make end & ordaine fully for þis thing. Line 1075 þan Josaphat said to þe kyng: Sir, he said, þan es it right þat berlam be with me all nyght, þat we may be a wised bi forn Of oure answer ogaine to morn; Line 1080 & cal un to þe þi counsaille To luke what may þe moste auale, Or what þam think es best to do; &, sir, yf þat þou will noght so, Leue þi counsaile here with me Line 1085 & lat berlam wend home w^t þe; & bot þir, sir, yf þou refuyces, [bot st. bothe?] þan malice & no right þou vses. þe kyng þan thinkes in þa wile þat nachor solde him zut bigyle, Line 1090 & þerfore berlam grauntes he

All þat nyght with his son solde be. þe kyng & his counsaile went home; & with þe childe þe Ermet come, & þerfore was þe childe wele paid. Line 1095 & als sone un to him he said: Trowes þou noght I wote full wele Of þi deszaite euer ilk a dele? To me was warned fulwele bifore: þou was noght berlam, bot nachore; Line 1100 I wate my maister berlam es Wunand all in wildernes; Luf cristes law now, rede I þe, Als my maister has techid me. He enfouremed him goddes law to fele. Line 1105 & nachore grauntes euerilkadele; He toke baptym w^t gude entent, & so to wildernes he went; He honord god on alkyns wise, & lifed & enddid in his seruyse. Line 1110 þan in þat cuntre wunand was A terrand þat hight theodeas. When he herd tell of all þis thing, He hied him fast un to þe kyng, & said: sir kyng, I undertake Line 1115 þat I sall ger þi son for sake þe maters þat he w^t þe has meld, & hald þe law þ^t oure faders held; & þerto will I do my paine. þis tithing made þe kyng ful faine. Line 1120 Maister, he said, yf þat þou may Turn my sun to trow oure lay, I sall do make in þis same cete Ane ymage of golde in mynde of þe; I sall make sacrifice þar to Line 1125 And cumand all men to do so. þis lurdan þan þe kyng þus leres: Sir, do down all his officers & all men þ^t now with him dwelles, & ger him haue gay damaysels Line 1130 & ladys, lufliest in land, Vn to him for to be seruand, At burd & bed with him to be, Arely & late, in all degre; & I sall ger a spirit gang Line 1135 Als a chefe mayden þam omang, & exite him un to lichery; So sall he fall sone to foly: Nothing so sone dessayue him sale. þat sal I proue þe by a tale: Line 1140 A king sumtyme in cuntre was, & had a sun als þou now has. & sone when þis ilk sun was born, þe kyng cald his clerkes him bi forn, He had þam luke & tell him all Line 1145 What thing solde of his sun bi fall. & þan þai said on þis manere: þis childe bi houes be tendid ten zere þat he nouther se son ne mone, For, yf he do, he sall als sone Line 1150 Lose his syght for euermore. & þus þe kyng ordand þerfore To kepe him in ahows of stone, To ten winters war fully gone. [To st. Forto.] þore was he kepid w^t candels lyght, Line 1155 þat he of sun had neuer syght; Of werldly syght þore saw he none. & when ten zeres ware fully gone, þe kyng gert set his sun þarout, & bad bring sere bestes him obut, Line 1160 & fissh & fewles, wilde & tame, & gert men neuyn þam alle bi name. Siluer & golde he gert furth bring, Pelure, perre & riche clething. . . . . .

Hiermit bricht das Gedicht leider unvollendet ab; das folgende Blatt fehlt im Ms.