Die Sprüche des h. Berhard und die Vision des h. Paulus nach Ms. Laud 108 [Archiv 52 (1874)]

Die Sprüche des h. Bernhard und die Vision des h. Paulus nach Ms. Laud 108.

Von Dr. Carl Horstmann.

I. Die Sprüche des h. Bernhard. [The Sayings of St. Bernard und The Visions of St. Paul betitelt F. Madden beide Gedichte; vgl. Havel. ed. W. Skeat, London 1868, Pref. p. XXXV.]

HErkniez me a luytel þrowe. Ȝe þat wollez ou self i knowe. Wise þei ȝe beo. Ichulle ou telle ase ich can. Ȝwat holie writ spekz of Man. Ȝif ȝe wullez i heore me.

Seint bernard seith in his bok. þat man is worm and wormes cok. For he schal wormes fede Ȝwan his lijf him is bi reued. In his rug and in his heued. Schullen grisliche wormes brede.

þi fleschs schal melte fram þe bon. þi senues sundriez euerech on. þi bodi schal al to sie. Ȝe þat wollez þe soþe i seo. Vndoz þe burieles þare hi beoz And lokiez ȝwat þare lie.

Man þu art a feble fom. Here nast þou no siker hom. I segge it þe wel stille. þi riȝhte hom is elles ȝwer. Ihūs us graunti to come þer. Ȝwan it is his wille.

þi flesch stant a ȝein þi gost. Ȝwanne þu schalt deiȝe þu it nost. Noþur day ne nyȝht. Nedescostes þou most deiȝe Ne may no raunchoun þe fur buye. Striue þe ȝwile þou miȝht.

Of feble wynd man is þi lijf. Ȝwanne dez drawez is scharpe knyf. þou do þe sone to schriue. For ȝif þat þou canst loken ariȝht. Ne hast þou here bote fiȝht. þe ȝwile þou ar aliue.

Nov þu art wrong nov þu art ryȝht. [Fol. 198. b.] Nou þou art heuy nou þu art lyȝht. þou lepest also a ro. Nov þu art sik nou þou art coueret. Nov þou art riche nou þu art pouere. Ne is þis muche wo.

þi flesch þe seith boþe niȝht and day. Ichulle habbe ayse þe ȝwile i may. þi soule seith a ȝein him nay. Ȝif ich am aȝein þe of muche meth. þou bringust me to helle to þe deth. And to wo þat lastez ay.

þus it farez bi twene heom to. þat on seith let. þat oþur seith do. Ne connen huy neuere blinne. Ake wel ȝe mouwen ov self i seo. þe soule ouȝhte maister to beo. þe maistrie for to winne.

A man ne beo nouȝht þi sulf vnkouth. Loke ȝwat comez out of þi mouth. And elles ȝware with oute. ȝif þou wolt nime wel guod kepe. þou ne findest bote a foul doung hepe. þei þou loke þe al a boute.

Man þu hast in þi foule hous. A deoreworþe þing and precious. And ful deore it was a bouȝht. Ich holde þe more þane wod. Ȝif letest (!) so muche guod. þe feond habbe al for nouȝht.

Man beo þou i war and eke wys. Ȝif þou doun fallest sone aris. Ne lie þou none stounde. With al þi miȝht ȝif þou dost þis. þi soule þe seyth and soth it is. þat blisse þou hast i founde.

Man þou hauest þreo wicke fon. Heore names i can nemme echon. Ȝif ich schal tellen hem alle. þin. owene flechs. þe world. þe feond. And he þat best scholde beo þi freond. Maketh þe raþest doun falle.

þou cloþest him with fair schroud. þou makest þi fo fat and proud. To fyȝhte þe a ȝein. þou dost þi sulf wel muche wronk þou makest þi fo fat and strong. Ȝif ich it dorste seyen.

Man do þu bi conseil and bi red. And with drauȝ þou him of is bred. And watur ȝif him to drinke. Ne lat him no þing Idel gon. Ake do him pines mani on. And ofte forto swynke.

To coueitise of mani þing. þe world þe drawez a misliking. A ȝeynes þe more and more. Fals he is and fayr he semez. Alre best ȝwane he þe quemez. He þe bindez sore.

þou wost þis world schal gon to nouȝht. Ne hast þou no þing hidere i brouȝht. Ne nouȝht ne schalt bere with þe. þou schalt al one gon þi wey. With outen stede and palefrey. With oute gold and feo.

þi þridde fo is þe foule wiȝht. þat fondeth boþe day and nyȝht. With his guyles alle. Wel þou wost he ne louez þe nouȝht He fondez ay to chaungen þi þouȝht. And makez þe forto falle.

þou wost wel he nele þe no guod. He wolde hauen þin herte blod. Beo iwar of his hok. Ake do ase ich þe habbe i seid. And þine þreo fon worþez a leyd. With heore owene Crok.

Ȝif þu seist þis spel is hard Ine may nouȝht holde þis foreward Holde ne wel it driȝe. A luytel þing ich axi þe. þou seie it me par charite. þat þou me nouȝht ne lye.

Ȝware beoth nou þei þat bi fore us weren. þat houndes ladden and hauekes beren. And hadden field and wode. þis riche leuedies in heore bour. þet wereden gold on heore tressour. With heore briȝhte rode.

Huy eten and dronken and maden hem glad. [Fol. 199. a.] Here lyf was al in Ioye a lad. Men knevleden hem bi fore. Huy beren heom here so swiþe heyȝe. þat þoruȝ twinklingues of heore eyȝen. Heore soules beon alle for lore.

Ȝware beoz þulke þat couþen so wel With vnriȝhte and wrongliche echdel Winne rentes and londes. And nolden nouȝht here beon aknowe. þat it was unriȝhtfulliche heore owe. For þe worldes schonde.

þulke þat deiden on vrþe here And wonnen ouȝht in swuch manere. Londes oþur rente For soþe i segge it eou to wisse Huy ne comiez neuere in heuene bisse [Ms. bisse statt blisse.] Ake in helle huy schullen stunte.

þei huy ligge sike longue And in heore dez bedde þienchez mid wronge To þulke þing we come. Fain huy wolden hadden huy space. Ake manie nabbez þer to no grace To ȝelden a ȝein eft sone.

þare seith þe bok a pliȝht. þat eorl ne baroun cler [cler st. clerk.] ne knyȝht. Bacheler ne sweyn. Noþing ne mouwe huy with onriȝht. In þis manere habbe no wiȝht. Bote huy it ȝelden aȝein.

Ȝware is þis hoppingue and þis song. þis ridingue and þis proute ȝong. þis hauekes and þis houndes. Al þat weole is went awey. þat Joyȝe is come to weilawey. And to mani harde stoundes.

þole þou man ȝif þat þou miȝht. A luyte pine þat man þe bit. With drauȝh þine ayses ofte. þei þine pines þe þinchen on lede. [on lede st. onrede?] þou þench opon þe muchele mede. Hit schal þe liken softe.

Ȝif þe feond þat foule þing With wicke roun oþur vuel egging. Hauez þe ene a kast Op stond and beo guod Chaum∣piun And ne fal þou non more a doun For a luytel blast.

þou tak þe rode to þi staf. And þenk on him þat þaron ȝaf. His lif þat was so leof. He ȝaf it for þe þou ȝeld it him. A ȝein is fo a staf þu nim. And awrek him on þat þeof.

Marie moder houene quen. þou canst and miȝht and owest to ben. Ore help aȝein þe feonde. Help us sunnes forto fleon. þat we moten þi sone i seon. In Joye with outen ende.

Amen.

II. Die Vision des h: Paulus.

SEue dawes aren þat men callez. [Fol. 199. a.] þe sonenday is best of alle. þanne aungles habbuz heore pley. Alle þe sunfole soules wicke. þat beoz in helle pines þicke. Huy restez hem þat ilke day.

þe storie is ase ich eou radde. Hou seint Miȝhel powel ladde. To þe peynes of helle. He saiȝh at helle ȝates stonde. Galutres al fuyrie to fonde. Sunfole soules to quelle.

Some bi þe fiet weren an hongue. And some bi heore tresses longue. Heore peynes forto lienge. Some bi hondene and bi armes. And some bi heore erene and bi þe þarmes. And some bi heore toungues hienge.

Powel lokede him bi side And saiȝh a flod in helle glide þare inne weren bestes felle. Some ase fisches in þe se. And some ase wormes fierden heo. Sunfole soules to quelle.

A ful heiȝh brugge and vnguod. Was maked ouer þat foule flod. To habbe redie passage. To laten þe guode soules pase.

To seon ore swete louerdes grace. With oute ani out rage.

He saiȝh peynes fale and wicke [Fol. 199. b.] And sunfole gostus þaron þicke. For soþe ich eov segge. þat bindez þe wrechche soules faste. And inte helle pine hem castez. Heore sunnes forto abugge.

Nis no toungue þat al may telle. Of þe strongue peynes of helle. Ne þe peynes þat some haue. Lechours bi heom sulue wonen. And wūmen þat of hore dom conne. God amendi heore fare.

Powel opon þe brugge stod. And lokede into þat foule flod. He saiȝh heore diuerse peynes. Some to heore kneos woden. And some to hore naueles stoden. And some to heore eyȝen.

Some to heore brouwes stoden þer in. And some to þe mouþes also swyn. And some to heore chynne. þe sunfole weren al wode. So weren þei dreinte in þat flode. For heore dedlich sunne.

Powel gradde and seide alas. þat swuch soruwe imaked was. Al þus powel seide. þulke þat to here naueles stondez Lechours huy weren in heore londe. And in helle heore (!) is a leyd.

þulke þat stondez to þe chinne. In churche nolden huy neuere a blinne To Jaungli ne to chide. Ne miȝte no prechour so heom lere. Of godes wordes for to heore. þare fore in helle þei moten a bide.

þulke þat stondez to heore browes. Adronken ase it were souwes. In þat foule flod Heore Joye was more to seon and heore. Of þeire neyȝhebores teone. þane of heore oþur guod.

Powel saiȝh an old man al one. In one huyrne sitte and grone. And make reulich chere. Feondes in is necke he bar. For he nolde nouȝht beo war. þe ȝwile he was here.

þanne seide powel þo. Ȝwat is þat man þat is so wo. And in so gret trauaile. þe Aungel Answere him a ȝein Powel for soþe ichulle þe seien With outen ani fayle.

He was an hokerere in is liue. In word in weork he dude Gyle. In þouȝt and eke dede. Trichour he was euere embe ȝwile Foul nig and hard in al is liue. þare fore he hath þere is mede.

Powel gradde and seide alas. þat þulke soule imaked was. To pini so in wowe. He lokede him bi side þo. A put he saiȝh was ful of wo. Hit was þe feondes owe.

Sunfole soules for heore gult. Weren in þat þustur put ipult. Heore tongues forto hete. þulke weren bacbitares in heore liue. þat no merci nadden siþe. Powel bi gan to weope.

Powel weop for soruwe þat he hadde. þe Aungel him a boute ladde And bad him late al beo. Wel mo peynes þane þou seiȝe. [Ms. sewe mit überschriebenem iȝe.] I schal þe ȝuyt in helle schewe. Powel þat þou schalt i seo.

He let him seon a put bi cas. þat with seouen seles a seled was. þat gan foule stinke. He brac þe seles euerech on. Foulere stunch nas neuere non. þane cam out of þane brinke.

Also þo dominical it tellez. Hit is þe meste pine of helle. Powel bereth witnesse.

þe soules þat comez in þat prisoun. Of heom nis no mencion. Noþer more ne lesse.

Also deop is þat funde∣ment. [Fol. 200. a.] Ase it is to þe firmament. Heore gredingue farth ase þonder Euerech feond on oþur sat. Much feorlich him þouȝhte þat. Powel hadde gret wunder.

In þat stinkinde put þei wone. þulke þat ihū Marie sone. Nolden on bi leue. Hey hadden cristindom to ȝift. And ȝif huy wolden boþe hosel and schrift. And sethþe wolden mis bi leue.

Powel saiȝh a fuyr glowe grimme. Of seue colours was þat leiȝe þar inne. At seuen holes hit out wende. Sunfole soules weren þar inne. For huy deiden in dedlich sunne. Heore sunnes forte amende.

þat o leyȝe was puy [puy st. puyr.] snouȝh ȝwyȝht. þat oþur ase hayl þat lyȝt in dyȝt. [Oder dyȝh?] þat þridde ase fuyr him brennez. þat feorþe was hewene ich wene. þat fiȝfte ase naddres on to seone. þare was luyte wunne.

þe sixte leyȝe ful cold was. þe seouenþe stonke foule alas. þe soules weren þare inne. For heore sunnes no penaunce. Huy nolden don no cheuisaunce. Ne neuere wicke hede a blinne.

Powel lokede bi side heom. þare he saiȝh blake wūmen And blake weren heore cloþus. þe cloþus þat huy hadden on. Welden in pich and in brumston. With dragones and fuyr boþe.

Dragones weren a boute heore hals. And seouen feondes þat weren fals. þat day þat huy weren take. þe feondes harden [st. hadden.] hornes grete. Huy pulten heom for heore misdede. Muche wo þare huy maden.

Some brenden in þat fuyr þere. And some maden reulich bere. And seiden in heore mone. Some songuen in heore songue. Allas þat we liuen þus longue. In helle fuyre to grone.

þulke weren wummen in heore liue þat bi fore heore wedlok and eke siþen. Heore children a slowe. Ne sethþe huy nolden atþe laste. For heore sunnes o day faste. Ne to Ihū crist a bouwe.

Powel lokede up an heiȝh. And saiȝh ane soule þare heo fleiȝh. Among feondes seouene. þat bodi was ded þat ilke day. þe soule þouȝhte to scapen a wey. And a scapede almest to heouene.

þo cam an Aungle him aȝein. And bad him laten is fleoingue beon. And bi leue with is make. Of alle his sunnes a chartre huy radde. þe feondes out heore armes spradden. þat soule huy gonne take.

þat wrechche soule huy bounden faste. A feond in his necke hire caste. And bar hire into helle. He ste (!) hire into þe put. Also deope ase any feond sit. His pruyde huy maden doun falle.

In one stude þare powel stod. He saiȝh a soule þat was guod. To ward heouene bringue. A þousend Aungles in a play. Bi fore þat soule huy comen þat day. And murie huy gonne singue.

To þat soule þanne seiden heo. Sweting iblessed mote þou beo. Euere with outen ende. Nime we huy seiden þis soule briȝht. And beren to ihū oure driȝht. To ore louerd þat is so hende.

þe soules þat weren in pining stude. To seint Miȝhel huy maden heore bede.

And to powel boþe. þat huy scholden heore erinde craue Some remedie for to haue. þei it were heom loth.

þat heorde powel and seint Miȝhel. [Fol. 200. b.] On kneos huy fullen to grounde echdel. And Ihū crist bi souȝhten A þousend Aungles fullen heom with Alle huy mauden heom pays and grith To Jesu þat hem bouȝhte.

He ȝaf heom remedie with oute soruwe. Fram saturday non to þe monen moruwe. For to beon on bounde. He þat vscher was in helle. Of muche soruwe he miȝhte telle In þat schorte stounde.

Huy heuen heore hondene heom aboue. And þonkeden Ihm̄ Marie sone. þat heom ȝaf swuch reste. Ake ȝwane it comez to þe mone mo∣ruwe þanne awakez heore soruwe. And þat is al þat wurste.

Powel gan Miȝhel forto frayne. þat he scholde don him to seine. Ȝif he euere wuste. & þat he him scholde sone telle. Hou fale peynes weren in helle. þat he þar of ne miste.

þo seide Miȝhel to him ful sone I ne ne [Ms. doppelt ne.] may nouȝt do þi bone. þe soþe forto seiȝe. Pines þare beth swiþe strongue. Lasse and more þat lastez longue. To heo [Ms. heo statt heom.] þat þare beoz neyȝe.

Ake þei a þousend tounguen were echdel. I maked of Ire and of stiel. And couþe speken and spelle. And hadden i sete in studijngue. Fram þe worldes bi guynnigue. þe peynes ne miȝhten huy telle.

Ake Ihū crist þat alle þing wost. Fader and sone and holi gost. þou ȝif us miȝhte and space. A domes day þane þe dom schal be. þat we moten þine face i seo. Louerd þoruȝh þine holie grace.