Sammlung altenglischer legenden, grösstentheils zum ersten male hrsg. von C. Horstmann.

aus Ms. Harl. 5272.

O glorious virgyne and mertir Dorothe, [glorius. o st. and. martire.] Whos fader was called Dorotheus, Thy moder was named Theodore: Thow vowdest chastite vnto þi spouse Jhesus, [þou vowede castite to.] Lyke as thy stori schewith vnto vs, [leke os (= as) the storye.] Line 5 And comest of the noble blode of senatours [commyste. of vor sen. fehlt.] Of Rome. but then betyde hit thus [þane betydede þus.] That there were many persecutours, [þer. many fehlt.]

Tyrans cruelle that wolde not suffre [tirandes. suffire.] Cristis servantis in pees to be. Line 10 Wherefore thi fader as goddis lovere, [loffere.] Dispisynge alle here ydolatrie, [desirynge(!). her.] Lefte Rome for there iniquite And alle his londis and grete possessione [landes.] That he had there, and toke the se Line 15 For drede of there persecucione,

With his trewe wife Theodore, [true wiffe.] And dowghtris II, Cristem and Kalixtem, [Cristiane & Kalixtiane.] And come in to Capadocie, [came] A worthy kyngdom, a noble reaume. [reine.] Line 20 When they were passed thorow the streme, [ouer st. thorow.] They come to the cite of Cesare; [came in to. Cesarie.] There woned he like a pilgryme, And begate the, o blissed Dorothe! — [the fehlt.]

Of whos life and conuersacione Line 25 I purpos in Englissch for to write. [purpose. ynglishe.] Sche comme of the Romayne generacione, [come. romans.] And put in Jhesu alle hire delite, Sche lefte the customes and the ryȝt Of ydoles worschip and of here sacrifice: [þer st. here.] Line 30 Therefore sche was had in grete despite For kepynge of the cristen gyse. —

This virgyne, as sone as sche was bore, [os she. ybore.] Was baptiȝed fulle prevely [baptisyde.] And enformed in Cristis lore [of. st. in.] Line 35 Of the holy bischop Appol(i)nary, [worthi st. holy. appolionaer.] That gaue hire to namen one eythire partye, [gaf. name. of owþer.] Of fader and moder, by composicione: [of hire fadire & hire modire bi compassione(!).] So sche was named Dorothe [was she.] Thorow that holy mann is discrecion. [the st. that. mans.] Line 40

Line 40

Sche was replet with goddis grace, A vesselle chosen vertuous to holde, [chosyne vertuse.] Fayrest of beawte that in that kyngdom was: Therefore hire name fulle faire was tolde; [ferre st. faire.] Sche was a schepe of Cristis owne folde [fadirs enf.] Line 45 And folowid hire fader is informacione; [wurchupe.] Worldis worschip, tresowre and golde Sche had in grete abhominacione. [in grette domynacione(!).]

Sche lyved in devout chastite, [lyffede in fulle devoute.] In thowȝt and worde and dede also. [and vor worde fehlt.] Line 50 The fende envied at hir virginite, [In vyede. (Harl. hat hinter virginite noch: bothe two).] That cruelle enemy, that cursed foo: Many a sotillte caste he tho [sotille. thoo.] To haue withdrawen hire purpos trewe; [Tho.] But sche loved one trewely, and no moo, Line 55 That was hire lord and spouse Jhesu. [spose.]

This fendis malice myȝt not suffre [The fendes malys. suffire.] This blessid virgyne in pees to be: [blissede.] Anone he styred a carnalle luferre [fehlt.] Withe the flamynge darte of lecherie — [flaumynge.] Line 60 His name was Fabricius, and was bayly Of that londe —: whan thardoure of con|cupiscence [whome þe ardowre (Harl. whan = wham).] Had so ouercome that he sent for Dorothe, To haue hire to his obedience. [at st. to. obidience.]

He promysed to wed hir after the lawe Line 65 And to geve hire tresoure infenyte. [giffe.] Alle thes profers they were but rawe [there st. thes.] Nor nothynge plesynge to hire delite: By ryches and deynte this sche set but lite, [be. deyntes she sette bo lyte.] In heuen was hire conuersacion, Line 70 Therefor sche helde but in dispite [helde it.] The goodis of worldly dominacione. [goddis.]

Withe stable purpos and trewe entent Sche seide: "I haue vowed my virginite, [saide.] And I schalle trewly pay my rent Line 75 To the seconde persone in trinite: [trenite.] He is my spouse, and euermore schalle be, That for me schedde his precious blode; [shede. precius.] There is no loue so trewe as he [law st. loue.] That deyde for me vpone the rode". [for me dyede one.] Line 80

When Fabricius this wordes herde, [whane. thies wordis harde.] That sche was stedefaste in Cristis byleve, Lyke a wode mane than he ferde. [thene. farde.] He thowȝt that mayden for to greve [þe st. that.] And from hire purpos hire to meve: [fro.] Line 85 He ordeyned of boylynge oyle a tonne, [ordeynde. oyle fehlt.] The virgines constaunce for to preve: [constans.] Thorowȝ drede he wend hire loue haue wonne. [thoroughte. went. lofe for (to) haue.]

But sche abode stedefastly, [bot. fulle stedfastely.] And thowȝt hit a fulle esy payne: [it. easi. 91 und 92 fehlen.] Line 90 Thorow Cristes helpe that was nye Sche felt grete ioy in stede of payne, Anoynted in bawme as sche had leyne; [baine. loyne.] Sche made suche contenaunce (& suche chere) [& suche chere (fehlt in Harl.).] That for the myracle that there was seyne [mirakylle. seene.] Line 95 Many there turned, goddis law to lere.

Fabricius seide that thorow enchauntment. And wichecraft that sche had wrouȝt [have wrouthe.] The feruor of the oyle was schent. Sche scholde not scape so sone, he thowȝt: [shuld noȝt sckape.] Line 100 He put here in prison in a voghte; [But her in a prisoune he then brought (dieser Vers ist später am Rande u. in den Text eingetragen).] IX dayes and nyȝtis there sche was stille, Of mete ne drynke sche had ryȝt nouȝt: [& st. ne.] He thowȝt that virgine forto spille.

But with angels mete fed sche was [bote. fede.] Line 105 And swetly norysschynge alle that sesone: [Ms. norysschynge with þe fode of grace.] [And swetely norysshede. this st. that.] Sche was fulfilled with the fode of grace, That, whan sche come oute of prisone, Hit semed a verry gostly visione [Ite semyde. very gostely.] To beholde hire face fulle of beaute: Line 110 Sche was moche fairere to loke vppone [myche.] Than euer sche was wonte to be. [thene.]

The peple mervayled sche was so faire And was so longe without fode [withoutyne.] And closid in prisone from the eyre. [fro.] Line 115 But then Fabricius with egre mode [þane. egure.] Bade the virgine, there as sche stode, [Behelde þe.] Worschip his goddis, or sche schulde deye. [Ande bade hire worchippe. die.] But with parfite herte and reson gode [hert.] Alle his ydols sche did defye. [dide.] Line 120

"I schalle worschip" seide Dorothe, "God that made alle thynge of nouȝt; For alle thi goddis deuelis be, [alle fehlt. devyls.] Enemys to hym þat alle thynge wrouȝt. [enmys. thingis.] Jhesu Crist, that with thy precious blode me bouȝt, [Crist fehlt. has boughte, me fehlt.] Line 125 Knelynge on grounde y prey to the: [one þi grounde. pray.] Turne this ydole in to ryȝt nouȝt [thies ydolls vneto.] Thorow power of thy mageste! [thorowe.]

Schew that there is no god but one!" Then Fabricius lifte vp on hie [Ms. liften.] Line 130 A pilere of a mawment there vpone, [a peloure & a.] So schewid forthe his ydolatrie. [schewede he.] But angels of heuen were there fulle nye [heuyne þer were.] And cast (hit) downe in wondire wise. [caste theme.] Amonge the partees of þe pilere þei found hit lye; [par|tis. pilours. fonde it.] Line 135 Hit had no power to aryse. [agayne to ryse.]

The fendis that in that ydole were [þe ydolls.] Withe lowde noyse cryed "o Dorothe" In diuerse partyes of the eyre, [fehlt.] "Whate have we displesid the? [tres|passede to the.] Line 140 In paynys and turmentis wastethe we be [wastede.] Thorow thi prayere that persithe hevene". [pershyde.] There were conuertid opynlye [conuertede were oppenly.] Many one that hird that stevene; [harde.]

And alle they suffred martirdom [suffirde.] Line 145 That folowid the lore of Dorothe. And in a gybbet sche was nome, [gebet. wonne st. nome.] Hire feet hangynge toward the skye, [fete hangyde.] And alle to-raced was hire body [fehlt.] Withe hokys of yren, and with roddis bete, [of hyrne. bette.] Line 150 Withe fleylis brusched fulle cruelly: [flailis brysyde.] This to here lawes they did hire threte. [þus to theire. trete.]

Ȝit wolde they schewe more tyranny: [yitte. schew hire. tyrantrie.] Brennynge fagottis ordeyned were, [brynnynge.] Vnto hire pappes they did ham tye — [pappis. heme.] Line 155 This to this virgyn they did there. [Thus þis, to fehlt. dere st. there.] After this tormentrie and this fere Sche was put in prison, halfe dede and more, [Thei pute hire.] Vnto the morow that sche schulde appere [morne. apere.] Openly this tyrans tofore. [Openly vneto þe tyrandis as sche dide before.] Line 160

When that sche come in here presence, [came. þer st. here.] Sche was alle hole, without infirmyte: [withoutyne.] Alle that were comen to that audience [come into.]

Merveyled how that hit myȝt be. [that fehlt. myghte so be.] Then seide the president: "O fayre may|den Dorothe, [maide.] Line 165 Turne to oure lawes and do honoure [vneto.] Vnto oure goddis that myȝti be, And ȝe schalle haue the more favoure. [ȝe st. þou.] [ande þou schalte.]

Thow art chastisede ynow for thyne offence [þi.] And that thow hast oure goddis defyed". [In þat.] Line 170 Sche bowid not for alle his eloquence — [noȝt. alle fehlt.] Hire hert in Criste was trewly tyed. [god st. Criste.] And oþer crafte then he aspied: [Anoþer.] And send Cristem and Kalixtem, hire sustres bothe, [sent for. sisturs.] That for fere of dethe hadden denyed [hade.] Line 175 Goddis lawe, thowȝ they were lothe: [thow.]

For that they schulde revoke the spirite [that fehlt. speryte.] Of god that was hire sustere withynne. But sche was stedefaste and wolde not flytte [178-9: of gode þat was stedfaste & wolde not flitte.] In no wise, to consent to synne. Line 180 But mekely then sche did begynne To stable hire sustris in goddis lawe [sistire.] And put awey the errour that they were ynne: [and to pute awaie.] And they consented vnto hire sawe. [consentynge to.]

When Fabricius herd of there conuer|sacione, [whane, þer.] Line 185 He comaunded the sustres bothe two [sistirs. too=two.] Bake to bake forto be boundene [boundene st. boundon.] And than in fyre forto be doo. [than fehlt. fier.] They were b(r)ennyd and martird soo, The sustres II, Cristenn and Kalixtem, [thies sisters too.] Line 190 And passid oute of this exile and this woo [exille.] Evene streyȝt to the blisse of heuene. [Euyne forthe to.]

Then seide Fabricius to Dorothe: [vneto.] "How longe schalle we suffre this dery|sione [dirisione.] Withe thi wichecraft and thy sorcery? [socerie.] Line 195 Hit is to vs a grete abhusione. [abusione.] Do sacrifice to oure goddis anone, Or ellis fulle sone thow schalt be dede; For ordeyned is thi confusione: [confucione.] Do sacrifice or lees thyne hed". [or elles lose þi hede.] Line 200

Dorothe answerd with glad chere: "Brynge forthe alle thi turmentrie, And thow schalt fynde me redy here [shalle.] To suffre alle thi tiranny For Jhesu, my spous, whom worschip y: Line 205 For in his gardyn of delycis [delice.] Aples and roses that smelle swetely, [appuls. swetly.] I schalle plante, with oþer spicis:

There schalle y be mery for euermore, In his blisse, eternally, Line 210 For trew kepyng of his lore". At hire wordis Fabricius had envie, In his wodenesse he seide (sche) schulde abye. Withe staves hire visage they al to-rent, Tille they that bete hire were wery. [to = till.] Line 215 This virgyn suffred alle here turment. [hire.]

Hire face was swellid and alle to-blowe, [alle to-blowe st. also blo.] [and also blo.] Alle to-raced and alle torne. [rasyde. to-torne.] To prison sche was comaunded soo, There to abyde vnto the morne. Line 220 But he that was of a wirgyne borne, [But fehlt. God st. he.] Hire lorde and spous, Criste Jhesu, Made hire fresche as rose on thorne, [as freche os.] Bryȝt of colowre and fayre of hewe. [hew.]

Vppone the morow sche was forthe browȝt. [morne.] Line 225 Then seide Fabricius with egre con|tenaunce: [egire.] "Thow schalt haue now that thow haste sowȝt, Oure goddis on the schalle take ven|geaunce, [shalle take on the.] Thow schalt do hem no more grevaunce. [theme.] This day thow schalt lese thyne hed: [daie. shalle lose thie hede.] Line 230 This is thy jugement and thi penaunce: For blasphem of oure goddis thow schalt be dede". [blasphemynge. shalle. ded.]

As sche was lad vnto hire martirdom [led to.] Witheout the wallis of the cite, Seide to hire in skorne and illusione [said.] Line 235 Theophilus, the prothonotarye [Ms. prothonatorye.] [þane sais the prothanarie(!).] Of that reame: "O thow virgyne Dorothe, [reine.] Of the roses and aples þat in þi spouses gardyn growe [and of þi appels. spouse. grow.] I prey the sende some vnto me". [pray. send. to st. vnto.] Sche seide: "I schalle sende the inowe". [send. ynow.] Line 240

Ȝit this was in the wyntire is sesone [wynter, is fehlt.] Contrarye to nature and to kynde, [vneto.] Nothyng acordynge vnto resone, [frute of floures.] Frute and floure that tyme to fynde. But on hire spous was alle hire mynde, Line 245 To whom sche felle on kneys to pray: [knes.] "My lorde, that alle may lose and bynde, Take hede whate thi seruaunt wolle seye! [wol saie.]

I prey for alle that with devocione [pray. that fehlt.] Vnto the prey with trewe entent, [y pray.] Line 250 That mynde haue one thi seruantis pas|sione, [of st. on.] In hirynge or redynge, that take talent [herynge. that fehlt.] But to my name: that thow assent [but to st. vnto?] [Vnto.] To delyuere hem from here disese, [theme. fro þer disease.] From angre and from combrement, [fro. comprement.] Line 255 And that they mow the trewly please, [may.]

From false name and schamefulle pouerte, And afore there ende trew contricion, From myschefe that they delyuered be, And graunte hem of here synnes remys|sione; [theme. þer.] Line 260 And they that bene in oure ladyes prysone, [Also theme. be. lady presone.] That with childe-byrthe bene grevid, [childis byrth. agreuyd.] Graunt hem sone ease of here burdone, [sone fehlt. byrdene.] Thorow my preyere to be releuyd!

And where the story is of my passione, [my fehlt.] Line 265 In howse or eny dwellynge place, [any.] Neyther fyre ne leven hit ouercome!" [noþer fier nor leuyne. one comme.] And whan hire preyere ended was, A voyce was hirde thorow goddis grace, [And was(!) herd.] That seide: "o virgyne Dorothe, Line 270 Alle thi preyere purchased thow haste. [haste st. has.] [has st. haste.] Come, swete trewe-loue and spous, to me!" [trulofe.]

Then the virgyne leyde downe hire hede, [layde.] Redy vnto the turmentowre. And sodenly in hire siȝt apperid [appered.] Line 275 A childe, that clothed was in purpure, Barfote, white loxe crispe and pure, [Ms. white st. withe.] [with lokes bothe crispe.] Fulle of goldyn sterrys was his garment; [gold ster|res.] A baskot he helde of swete odowre [basket.] Withe roses and aples, hire to present. [appuls.] Line 280

Then seide that virgyne vnto the childe: [þe st. that. þat childe.] "Myne owne gode lorde, now I þe pray [my nowne.] In the lowlyeste wise with wordis mylde: [& with.] Bere this to Theophle the scrybe, and seye [to þe phile þe scribe(!). saye.]

That I haue kept my promysse and my day". [promyse.] Line 285 And so sche toke hire martyrdom, This virgyne Dorothe, this blessid may, Deoclisian and Maximian þene emper|ouris of Rome, [þe st. þene. emperour.]

Of Fabricius here bayly in that contrey, [And st. of. þer. cuntre.] That put hire to hire passione Line 290 The VIII day from the Idus of Februarij; [fro Idus of februare.] The date from Cristis incarnacione IIC IIIIXX VIII yeris were gone [and VIII yers.] That sche suffred dethe for Crist Jhesu [Ms. Jhesus.] [deth. Criste.] And alle hire enemys so ouercome, [enmyse.] Line 295 This blessid Dorothe that was so trewe.

This childe come vnto Theophle, [childe fehlt. Theophile.] In the president palis as he stode, [presidente place. as fehlt.] And schewid hym the roses and the aples, [hym fehlt. þe appuls and roses.] And seide: "Dorothe, my suster good, Line 300 That promysed the, whan that sche yode [that nach whan fehlt. ȝoode.] To suffre dethe, after thi desyre, Aples and roses, there as thow stode: [she st. thow.] Now hast thow that thow dedest require: [diddyste.]

From the paradis of hire spous Jhesus [fro.] Line 305 Sche hathe sende the this present". [sent.] The childe vanyssched, when he had seide this. [thus.] Then Theophle loued god omnipotent That suche comfort to hym had sent, He seide there was no god but the god of Dorothe; [bot god, the fehlt.] Line 310 Alle his mysbeleue he did repent, And worschippid one god in trenite, [worchupe.]

"That in the monthe of Februarie, [mo|neth. februare.] When grete colde congeileth the grownde, Sendithe aples and flowris swete and savourie, [Ms. savioure.] [and flowris fehlt. saverie st. sauioure.] Line 315 There as he wolle his grace be founde. [wille. be vor founde fehlt.] He may lose alle that is bownde: Blessid be his holy name, That hathe browȝt me in this stownde [has me broughte into.] Out of the fendis cursed frame". [fame.] Line 320

Then thorow Theophle is predicacione [is fehlt.] Alle that cite conuerted was. [couerted.] When the tyran see alle theire conuer|sione, [tirande saw alle þis couersacione.] He cryed out and seide: "alas! This is a wondirfulle cas Line 325 That alle owre goddis bene this forsake". [alle fehlt. þus.] Withe mo peynes the scribe he did deface Then Dorothe suffred for Crist is sake;

At last, to schew his tyranny, [at þe laste. tirannye.] He leet hewe his body in pecis smale, [lete hew. smalle.] Line 330 And cast hit in dyuerse partie, That wilde bestis to hit schulde falle [shuld to it.] And oþer fowlis devowre hit alle. [oder foules devowred.] But afore that Theophilus [Theophelus.] [(Der Schluss fehlt, da ein Blatt im Ms. ausgerissen ist; derselbe lautet in Ms. Arund. 168:)]

With grete devocione did crie and calle Line 335 To Dorothe spouse, Criste Jhesus,

After cristene feith was baptiȝed, And receyued oure lord in fourme of brede: And went, with martirdome glorified, To þe prince of martris and þe hede, Line 340

Line 340 That rose vp aftir þat he was III daies dede. Þus endith þe storie of blessed Dorothe. Criste graunte vs with hire to fede In presence of þe holy Trinite.

Explicit vita sancte Dorothee.

Darauf folgt in lateinischen Versen:

In quacunque domon(ome)n fuit vel imago Virginis eximie Dorothee virginis alme, Nullus abortiuus infans nascetur in illa Nec domus nec ignis furtique pericula sentit. Nec quisquam inibi poterit mala morte perire, Celestique pane moriens qui moriatur (!).

Deuota oracio ad sanctam Dorotheam.

Sancta Dorothea virgo & martir, o casti|tate fallerata(!), humilitate coronata, pa|ciencia ornata, virtutum floribus fulcita, temperancia pollita, o preciosa margarita, sancta virgo Dorothea, cor mundum in nobis crea.