With an O and an I / [ed. W. Heuser].

I.

In derselben strophenform wie unser cyclus ist ein gedicht überliefert, welches gegen die Minoriten gerichtet und vielleicht aus Lollardenkreisen hervorgegangen ist. Es scheint in Irland entstanden zu sein, wo die Franciscaner besonders mächtig waren. Str. 3 b heisst es: Armachan distroy ham. Richard Fitz Ralph, erzbischof von Armagh in Irland, gewöhnlich genannt Armachanus (gest. 1360), war der grosse gegner der irischen bettelmönche. Auch die formen der sprache (cf. die fürwörter þai, ham bei manchen südlichen zügen wie chirch, mochel) scheinen auf Irland zu weisen.

Es ist gedruckt von Wright, Rel. Ant. I 322 und zu∣sammen mit zwei anderen gedichten, die in der handschrift unmittelbar vorhergehen und dort wie unser gedicht wohl des inhalts halber durchgestrichen sind, Political Songs (1859) I 268; das erste mal mit der überschrift: A Poem against the Friars and their miracle-plays, das zweite mal unter: On the Minorite Friars; cf. auch Grundriss II 700.

Ich gebe das gedicht nach der handschrift.

Ms. Cott. Cleop. B II. fol. 64b.

1.

Of þes frer mynours me thenkes moch wonder, þat waxen are þus hauteyn, þat som tyme weren vnder; Among men of holy chirch þai maken mochel blonder; Nou he þat sytes vs aboue make ham sone to sonder. With an O and an I þai praysen not seynt Poule, þai lyen on seyn[t] Fraunceys, by my fader soule.

2.

First þai gabben on God, þat alle men may se, When þai hangen him on hegh on a grene tre With leues and with blossemes þat bright are of ble; þat was neuer Goddes son, by my leute. With an O and an I, men wenen þat þai wede, To carpe so of clergy, þai can not þair crede.

3.

þai haue done him on a croys fer vp in þe skye And festned on him wyenges, as he shuld flie. þis fals feyned byleue shal þai soure bye, On þat louelych lord so forto lye. With an O and an I, one sayd ful stylle: Armachan distroy ham, if it is Goddes wille.

4.

þer comes one out of þe skye in a grey goun, As it were an hoghyerd hyand to toun; þai haue mo goddes þen we, I say by Mahoun, Alle men vnder ham þat euer beres croun. With an O and an I, why shuld þai not be shent? þer wantes noght bot a fyre, þat þai nere alle brent.

5.

Went I forther on my way in þat same tyde; þer I sawe a frere blede in myddes of his syde, Boþe in hondes and in fete had he woundes wyde, To serue to þat same frer, þe pope mot abyde. With an O and an I, I wonder of þes dedes, To se a pope holde a dishe, whyl þe frer bledes.

6.

A cart was made al of fyre, as it shuld be; A gray frer I sawe þer inne, þat best lyked me.

Wele I wote, þai shal be brent, by my leaute; God graunt me þat grace, þat I may it se. With an O and an I, brent be þai alle, And alle þat helpes þerto faire mot byfalle.

7.

þai preche alle of pouert, bot þat loue þai noght; For gode mete to þair mouþe, þe toun is þurghsoght; Wyde are þair wonnynges and wonderfully wroght; Murdre and horedome ful dere has it boght. With an O and an I, for sixe pens, er þai fayle, Sle þi fadre, and iape þi modre, and þai wyl þe assoile.

Auf fol. 59 des Ms. beginnt ein langes lat. gedicht von 49 strophen, abgedruckt von Wright, Pol. Songs I 253 und ebenfalls mit den refrainartigen worten: With an O and an I im anfange des abgesangs jeder strophe. Ich begnüge mich hier mit einer probe:

Str. 1.

Heu! quanta desolatio Anglie prestatur, Cuius regnum quodlibet hinc inde minatur, Et huius nauigium pene conquassatur; Regnum nec consilio nec ope iuuatur. With an O and an I, pre dolore vent[r]is, Meum iam consilium iacet in vi mentis.

Str. 32.

Armacan, quem celo Dominus coronauit, Discordes tantomodo fratres adunauit, Sed magno miraculo Wyclif coruscauit, Cum fratres et monachos simul collocauit. With an O and an I, consortes effecti, Quouis aduersario dicunt sunt protecti.

Notes

• łł durch lle aufgelöst.