WITH AN O AND AN I.
§ 1.
Der hier zum ersten male abgedruckte cyclus von vier geistlichen liedern, deren jedes den namen eines der vier evangelisten trägt, ist entnommen aus der hs. Rawlinson Poetry 175 der Bodleiana, derselben hs., aus welcher Schleich den besten text des Gast of Gy abgedruckt hat. Die dem 14. jahr∣hundert angehörige pergamenthandschrift, sorgfältig und gut in einheitlicher nordenglischer mundart geschrieben, enthält unsere gedichte auf dem letzten blatte (fol. 132a und b) leider in stark verblasster und z. t. fast erloschener tinte, welche stellenweise erst durch anwendung chemischer mittel lesbar gemacht werden musste. Auch so blieben noch einige stellen übrig, deren entzifferung überhaupt nicht möglich oder bei denen der vermutung ein weiter spielraum gelassen war; der∣artige stellen sind durch eckige klammern bezeichnet.
Die vier gedichte bilden jedes ein abgerundetes ganzes, sie sind aber zu einer einheit verbunden—abgesehen von der art der überlieferung—durch die strenge übereinstimmung der sehr eigenartigen form, sowie durch den gleichartigen stoff, den sie den evangelien entnehmen und jedesmal einem der vier evangelisten in den mund legen. Die drei ersten gedichte führen einzelne episoden der Christusgeschichte in liedartig abgeschlossener darstellung der reihe nach vor: Lucas die sendung Gabriels an die jungfrau Maria, Matthäus die fahrt der drei könige aus dem osten an die geburtsstätte des heilands, Markus die aussendung der jünger zu ihrer mission durch den ihnen erscheinenden Christus. Das vierte gedicht, Johannes, hat die gleiche äussere form und bildet
den philosophischen abschluss des ganzen mit seinen abstrakten und nur lose zusammenhängenden ausführungen über den gott∣sohn, der im anfang war, das licht in der finsternis, den die welt nicht erkannte und nicht aufnehmen wollte, als er in sein "eigen" kam, trotzdem ihm Johannes der täufer als vor∣bote voraufgegangen war.
Der kleine liedercyclus von episch-lyrischem charakter steht in der eigenart seiner anlage wohl einzig in der me. litteratur da. Die altertümliche sechs-zeilige strophe in ihrer edlen einfachheit, der vier-hebige vers von volkstümlich ger∣manischem rhythmus, die konsequente anwendung der allite∣ration weisen den gedichten auch formell eine wichtige stellung an.
Durchgehender reim in sechs-zeiliger strophe, trotzdem dieselbe offenbar zwei-teilig ist, statt der üblichen reimstellung a a a a b b findet sich nur hier konsequent angewandt. Auch Laurence Minot, dessen lieder in gleichem dialekt geschrieben und in einer schwesterhandschrift bewahrt sind, kennt nur die gewöhnliche reimordnung in seinen sechs-zeilern, so sehr diese auch sonst an unsere gedichte erinnern. Der abgesang jeder strophe beginnt mit dem rätselhaften, auch aus anderen me. gedichten der späteren zeit bekannten refrain: With ane O and ane I. Alle diese charakteristischen eigentümlichkeiten der form, wie die anlage überhaupt, sind in allen vier ge∣dichten vollkommen gleichmässig durchgeführt.
Die schreibung unserer gedichte ist wie die des ganzen ms. rein nördlich, ohne sichtliche fremde beimischungen; auch der wortschatz und der allgemeine charakter der reime weisen auf den norden. Um so mehr muss scho Lucas 3, 5 im reime zu -ē auffallen, wo die änderung zu sche oder heo nahe liegt. Doch scheint hier die vereinzelte anwendung einer fremden form durch den reimzwang aufgedrängt zu sein, es war nicht immer leicht, die bei dem durchgehenden reime der langen strophen benötigten reimwörter zu finden.
Wie aus dem folgenden paragraphen hervorgeht, lehnen sich die gedichte direkt an die nordenglische Homiliensamm∣lung an; an ihrem nördlichen ursprunge ist daher trotz des vereinzelten auffallenden reimes nicht zu zweifeln.
I. Lucas.
1.
Luke in his lesson leres to me,
How Gabryel was graythed in gracyus degre;
Fro þe heuen upon hight hasted was he
To Mary, þat mayden, þat fair was & fre,
Wiþ ane O & ane I, vnto a cete
þat was named Nazareth in land of Galile.
2.
He marked maked im Ms. to þat mayden myghtful of mede
þat mowthed was Mary wiþouten mysdede,
þat wowed was wiþ Joseph worthly in wede,
And he of Dauid hows, if ye tak hede.
Wiþ ane O & and ane I, yhederly he yhede
Vnto þat berd bowsom his bodword to bede.
3.
Comly he knelt opon his o kne
And putt furth his fynger full fair to þat fre.
He said: hail, full of grace, god es wiþ þe,
Of all berdes þat bene blyssed mot þou be.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, asschamed was scho
And thoght: what euer menes þis message to me?
4.
Styll in a stody scho stode in hir stall,
þan said þe aungell: þou worthly in wall,
Be noght ferd in þis fare, if ferlyes befall,
Of god grace has þou geten gretest of all;
Wiþ ane O & ane I, sothly þou sall
Consayue a child ioyfull & Jesus him call.
5.
He sall be gracyus & gud & of gret myght,
And son of þe heghest here sall he hyght;
In þe sege of Dauid his sete sall be dyght,
And in þe hows of Jacob won sall þat wight.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, his ryche regne be ryght
Sall neuer lessen ne leue, bot last ay in lyght.
6.
Mary answerd & asked: how so suld bigyn?
I knew neuer in þis kyth kynde of mankyn.
þan þe aungell hir warned warely wiþ wyn:
þe haly gast of þi god sall lyght þe wiþin,
Wiþ ane O & ane I, his might more & myn
Vmbeschadow þe sall wiþouten ony syn.
7.
Lo how Elizabeth þi cosyn [.... boght],
[Now] in hir eld sall [consaiue] a son [...] soght.
þe sext moneth es þis, think [þou] in thoght,
Scho es named baran, na barn furth [scho] broght.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, to neuen es þare noght
Vnmyghtfull to god þat þis world wroght.
8.
þan Mary full warly hir wordes gan wale:
Lo here, godes seruand, [so sen] him þou sale;
Als þou has said in þis tyme to me þis tale,
Be it done, as þou demes, be doun & bi dale.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, þus [hers yhe] all hale,
How scho harbard Ms. haba'r? wiþ þat barn þat broght vs of bale.
II. Matheus.
1.
Mathew his manhede [mowthed to me].
He said: Jesus was born in Bethleem Jude,
When sir Herod was kyng in þat contre,
And euen out of þe est come kynges thre,
Wiþ ane O & ane I, wiþ gyftes full fre,
So þat semely þai soght to þat cete.
2.
þan carpes þe kynges to haue knawyng:
Whare es he þat es born to be Jewes kyng?
We saw his stern in þe est spedily vpspryng,
And we er boune to þat barne our [bewtese] to bring.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, þai spyrd of þat yhing,
Bot kyng Herod had tene of þair tything.
3.
He sent efter princes & [prestes] of þe law
And other many ma[isters restand] on raw.
He enquerd, when þai [come, if þai] couth knaw,
Whare swilk a barne suld be born, [offryng to schaw].
Wiþ ane O & ane I, þai said in þair saw:
In bethleem to be born [euen ..........]
4.
On þis wise [þir] prophetes haue speken in þair spell:
þou Bethleem of Jude, þ[us mene þai þe mell?],
þe lest land ertow noght, trewly [to tell],
Out of þe bese [a d]uke dight here for [to dwell].
Wiþ ane O & ane I, thurgh [.....]
Sall he defend þe folk of all Israell.
5.
Sir Herod þan carpes to þe kynges thre:
Wendes sauely & sekes, þe soth till yhe se;
When yhe haue fonden þat barn þat [fares so] fre
And do[n]e [n] = Loch. him worschep wiþ will, [wend] & warn me.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, blyth will I be
For to worschip þat wight wiþ my m[aine].
6.
When þir kynges had hard, how þat he had hyght,
Ful forth on þair way rayked þai ryght;
Of þe stern þat þai soght sone had þai syght
[...] abouen Bethleem wiþ bemes full bright.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, þair leder was hyght,
þat myld wiþ his moder so musterd his might.
7.
Into þe hows er þai comen wiþouten any call,
þe barn fand þai bonden in a best stall,
Wiþ Mary his moder full wynly in wall,
And to knaw him for kyng on knes gan þai fall.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, say yhow I sall:
Gold, Myrr & encens offerd þai all.
8.
When þir dedes war done duly þat day,
þe kynges layd þam to slepe softly, I say.
And þus or þai wakend, warned war þai:
Metes wiþ sir Herod no more, if yhe may!
Wiþ ane O & ane I, be ane other way
Went ilk lord to his land, als þe strete lay.
III. Markus.
1.
Marke of his myghtes myldely gan neuen
Restand on a raw disciples elleuen;
To þam appered Jesus, god son of heuen,
þair mysbileue to amend wiþ a myld steuen.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, þai wald noght trow euen
To þam þat tald, how he rayse mo sythes þan seuen.
2.
He said: ouer al þe world I will þat yhe wende,
þe gospell sall yhe preche þat neuer sall haue ende
To euerilka creature, to fa & to frende:
Who trowes & es baptist, no syn sall him schend;
Wiþ ane O and ane I, he þat will lende
Vnbaptist, he bese feffed wiþ þe fende.
3.
All þat made er my men, my signe sall þai were,
In my name gett þai force fendes to fere,
Wiþ new tonges sall þai speke & my law lere,
And nedders & wormes oway sall þai were.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, now take þe no care, þe no care nachträglich auf verblasster stelle!
And euell venym to drynk sall do þam no dere.
4.
An An im Ms. seke men sall þai sett sadly þair hende
And thurgh myght of my merk sone sall þai mend.
When Crist to þat company þus kyndely had kend,
Vnto heuen in þair syght sone he [des]cend;
Wiþ ane O and ane I, þare lykes him to lend,
On his fader ryght hand [...] ?ges im Ms., der sinn erfordert aye. wiþouten end.
5.
þe apostels playnly passed þare pase
Prechand þe pople in euerilka place,
Crist was þair comforth in ilka kene case
And wele confermed þair wordes, als his wil wase.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, þus toke þai þair trace
Folewand þe ferlyes þat felles our fase.
IV. Joh'n.
1.
Joh'n = John? of his heghnes tyll our hereyng
Says þat þe son was in þe bigynyng,
And þe son was þe god þat bote may vs bryng,
And on þis wise was it þan [... our] Ms. w̄ hī or? heuen king.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, both old & yhing
Es bi him & wiþ him, wiþouten him no thing.
2.
Thing þat in him was, made lyf was it ryght,
And þat lyfe, sall we leue, es of mens lyght;
þat lyght in þe myrknes schynes full bryght,
And myrknes may noght mer him of myght.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, to wiss ilka wight,
Fra god was a man sent & Joh'n þan he hight.
3.
And he come to þis world for to witnes
Lyght þat suld comforth þe corne & þe gress;
He ne was noght þe lyght graythly to gess,
Bot who was lyght lely, proued he express.
Wiþ ane O and ane I, verray lyght es
þat lyghtens men on þis mold more & less.
4.
In þis word witerly wondin he wase,
And als all þis mydlerth myldely he mase,
þe world had no knawyng of him in þat case;
Into his awen, when he come, none herberd him hase.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, who takes his trace,
To be made god sons gaf he þam grace,
5.
To þam þat his name leues loud & styll
And nowther born er of blode ne of flessch will,
Bot þat geten er of god wiþouten any ill;
And so þe son es made flessch folk to fulfill.
Wiþ ane O & ane I, we seke þis skyll,
His ioy fyld full of grace graythed vs tyll.
Amen.
§ 2.
Die grundlage, auf welcher unser cyclus beruht, findet sich in der noch ungedruckten nordenglischen Homiliensamm∣lung, wie sie in dem Ms. Harl. 4196 und dem durch Brand verstümmelten Ms. Cott. Tib. E. VII vorliegt; beide beschrieben von Horstmann, Altengl. Legenden N. F. LXXVIII. Von der älteren fassung, welche Small nach einem Edinburger Ms. veröffentlichte (cf. Small: Metrical Homilies), weichen die viel ausführlicheren jüngeren hss. wesentlich ab; nur in den letz∣teren lassen sich die predigten nachweisen, an welche sich unser cyclus in stoff, darstellung und zahlreichen wörtlichen anklängen eng anlehnt. Für das 'Marcus' überschriebene gedicht kann ich allerdings entsprechende stellen in dem Harl.-Ms. nicht nachweisen; ganz allgemeine berührungen zeigen sich zu den Homilien auf fol. 89, 93 und 95 des Ms., welche die erste zeit nach Christi tode behandeln, aber nach den überschriften auf Lucas und Johannes beruhen. Der um∣stand, dass die jüngere nordengl. Homiliensammlung wohl neben den Evangelien selber. unserm dichter den stoff bot, den er mit vielfachen wörtlichen ent∣lehnungen zu seinem liedercyclus verarbeitete, ist wesentlich für die frage nach dem dialekt, in welchem er schrieb, und entscheidend für die zeit, die danach nicht vor der mitte des 14. jahrhunderts angesetzt werden darf.
I.
Ms. Harl. 4196.
Fer. IV Quat. temp. secundum Lucam. Missus est angelus Gabriel a deo etc.
Fra god was sent ane angel bright—
Gabriel for soth he hight—
To Nazareth a riche cite,
Was in þe land of Galile,
In message til a clene virgin
þat comen was of Dauid kin.
Spowsed was þat mayden bright
Vnto a man þat Joseph hight;
þe maiden name was cald Mary,
Omang all wemen most worthy.
þe angel come to hir fra heuyn
And said to hir with milde steuyn:
Hail be þou Mari, maiden fre,
Ful of grace, god es with þe!
þou ert blisced in wemen all,
All folk to þe sal socoure call,
And fruit þat of þi wambe sal wende
Sal be blisced withowten ende.
When Mari herd, how þat he saide,
Within hir hert scho wex afraide.
Sho had meruaile, what thing it ment
þat þe angel so to hir was sent,
And in hir hert scho had grete thoght,
Thurgh his wordes what suld be wroght.
þan said þe angel milde of mode
To þe mayden þat so stodiand stode:
Mari, he said, ne drede þe noght,
Of þis bodworde I haue þe broght.
Grace hastow funden in al thing
Onence my lorde of heuyn king.
þou sal consaiue and bere a childe,
And flessheli saltou noght be filde;
A sun þou sal consaiue and bere,
þi maidenhed it sal noght dere;
Jesus sal þou þi sun call,
And sal be sauioure of all;
Heghest goddes sun he sal be cald,
And mighti god sun men sal him hald.
Oure lorde god of graces grete
Thurgh mightes sal him gif þe sete
Of his fader, þe king Dauid,
To gouern his regne in pese and grith
And regne he sal, moste king to neuyn,
Wirshipt of all angels of heuyn;
In mekil might ay sal he lend
In Jacob house withowten end;
Regne he sal in rest and pese,
His regne sothli sal neuer sese,
þan saide Mari with milde mode
Vnto þe angel, þare he stode:
How suld be done to me þis thing,
Sen I of man had neuer knawing?
When þe angel þir wordes herd,
Vnto þe maiden þus he answerd:
Mari, of me þou haue no drede,
þou sal noght mis þi maidenhede,
þe haligaste of god of might,
Lady, in þe sal he light;
þe vertu of god moste to fele
Sall vmbilap þe ilkadele.
Als minister þus sent am I
Vnto þe fra god almighty,
þe same þat of þe sal be borne
þus has me sent to þe biforne.
etc. (26 zeilen sind hier weggelassen)
And lo, bihald, mi ladi clere,
Elizabeth, þi cosyn dere,
Scho has consaiued now in hir elde
And hir bodi now fruit sal ȝelde,
To bere a child now scho bigins
þat goddes sun so bifore rins.
And now þis es þe sext moneth
þat þis woman Elizabeth
Was named barayn in ilka place,
Now gase scho grete thurgh goddes grace.
Now men sese hir with childe gang,
þat barayn bifore was named lang.
How so god wil here ordayne,
It may no thing be þaire ogayne;
All thinges þat er bus buwe bi skill
Paisibilly vnto goddes will.
Mari full meke goddes wil to do,
þus scho said þe angell vnto;
Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi etc.
Lo here goddes handmaiden puruaid,
To me be done als þou has said,
þe will allane of my lorde dere
Be done to me on al manere!
And when þe aungel þus had done,
To heuyn ogayne he went ful sone,
And blisced Mari þe maiden chaste
Dwelt fulfild of þe hali gaste.
Folgt: Expositio eiusdem.
II.
In die Epiphanie secundum Matheum Math’m Cum natus esset Jesus in Bethleem.
When oure lord Jesu so fre
Was born in Bedleem of Jude
In Herodes daies to vnderstand
þat lord was þan of al þat land,
Ouer Bedlem stode a stern ful bright,
Ouer ilkaland lasted þe light.
Cristes birth it puplist playn Inogh,
þe folk fro fer landes þeder drogh,
And kinges out of sere cuntre
Soght þat solempne sight to se,
For to fulfil þe wordes algate
þat Dauid in his psalmes wrate.
etc.
Vbi est qui natus est rex Judeorum? vidimus enim stellam eius etc.
Whare es he þat born es ȝing,
þat of al þe Jewri sal be king?
We saw a taken out of þe est,
He sall be lord of man and best,
For whi þat stern witht bemes brigh so im Ms.
Proues þat he es god of might,
þat es þe cause, whi we þus cum,
For he es born in þis kingdom;
Oure giftes als to him we bring
To honore him als for oure king;
We sal him gif of oure tresoure
Als till oure god and sauioure.
þus þai spird in þat cete,
In what stede god sun born sul so im Ms. be,
etc.
Conuocacio magorum
Hastily þan gert he (= Herod) call
þe bisshoppes, princes and prestes all,
And all þe scribes þat knew þe law,
And Jewes þat war wisist of saw,
And all þat prophecies kowth luke,
Vnto his counsail he þam toke
And praied þam ilkone on þaire wise
To seke omang þaire prophecies
And tell him sone for any thing,
Out what cuntre Crist suld spring,
And þat þai lett noght euyn ne morn,
Till þai wit whare he sal be born.
þai went and luked þe bukes on raw,
Till þai þe soth might clerely knaw.
þan tald þe to þe king bidene,
Als þai in prophecies had sene;
þai said þat Crist here born suld be,
In Bedleem þe Cete of Jude.
þai said it suld be so algate
Micheas of his birth þus wrate
And said þat men may vnderstand:
þou Bedleem of Juda land,
þou es noght leste loued to be
Omang þe princes of Jude!
Out of þe a duke sall rise
To lede my folk in domes rightwise,
Als duke in þis werld sal he dwell
To saue my folk of Israell.
etc.
Tunc Herodes clam uocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stelle.
When Herod by þaire wordes wist
þat þis thing was þus puplist,
His hert rase ful felunsly so im Ms.!
Ogayns þe childe with grete enuy,
And in his hert ful fast he thoght,
How þis childe might to ded be broght,
And preuely Ms. p'uely. how it might be
þat nane sold wit bot his menȝe.
Thurght hid malice þus wirk he wald,
þar fore þe kinges ful faire he cald,
Of þam he soght and spied ful ȝerne
þe tyme and þe state of þe sterne,
And preuely Ms. p'uely. of þam he lered,
How þe sterne to þam appered.
And al þe soth when he it knew,
Thurgh karping of þir kinges trew,
Vnto Bedleem sone he þam sent
And said to þam þus, or þai went:
Wendes, he said, sirs, I ȝow pray
And enqueres bisily, if ȝe may,
Al þe condicyouns preuely Ms. p'uely.
Of þe childe þat es so worthi.
For maisters vnto me has talde
þat he sall haue grete welth in walde;
þar fore, when ȝe haue fun þat fre,
Cumes heder ogayn and telles me,
In what stede þat ȝe him find,
þe childe þat so sal lese and bind,
For vnto him þan wend will I
And honore him, als es worthi;
Sen swilk a lord lendes in my land,
Vnto him will I bring offerand.
Bot falshede euer in his hert he thoght,
To sla þe childe, if þat he moght.
þus when þe kinges his wordes herd,
þai toke þaire leue and furth þai ferd.
þaire signe ful sone rase þam biforn,
þe sterne with light þat Ms. þai þai had lorn;
For fra þai vnto Herod thoght,
In þat sesoun þai saw it noght,
And seþin it rase ogain ful faire
And went byfor þam in þe aire.
With þat light þus war þai led,
Vntill þai come to þe same stede,
Whare childe was, and þan it stode
Obouen þat stede and no fer ȝode.
þe kinges þan war ferly faine,
For þaire light was cumen ogaine,
And mekill mirth in hert þai made,
When þai saw, whare þe stern abade.
þe hows entred þa kinges thre,
Whare simpill hostell was to se.
þai fand þe childe godsun almighty
With his moder milde Mari,
And sune þir kinges of fer cuntrese
Bifor þis childe kneled on þair knese,
With wirchip and deuocion,
þai honord him als goddes sun.
þai opind þaire tresore in þat stede,
And riche giftes to him þai bed,
In þaire offring þare þai did
Gold and ensens and mir þe thrid.
etc. (14 zeilen weggelassen).
And when þai had þir dedes done;
þaire waies ogainward went þai sone;
And als þai slepid on þe first night,
To þam aperd ane angell bright.
And warned þam with wordes hende
þat þai suld noght by Herod wende,
Bot hamward tak anoþer strete
And with þat man namore to mete.
þus warned in þaire dreme
þat þai suld wend fro Bedleem,
And efter þir wordes when þai woke,
Anoþer way hamward þai toke.
So in þaire kingdoms er þai sett,
With Herod þe king namore þai mett.
III.
Incipit hic secunda particula euangelii.
Ostensio diuinitatis in Christo. In die natali domini euangelium secundum Johannem. In principio erat uerbum etc.
In þe bigining was þe sun,
Euyn with his fader alway to won.
þe sun was at þe bigining
With þe fader to wirk althing,
And mighty god alway was he
Wonand with his fader fre.
þe sun was at þe bigining,
God with þe fader ane in althing,
Thurgh him al thinges in werld er wroght,
And withouten him made es noght.
þe fader þat al may weld and right
With þe sun al ane in might
Made al maner of creatures,
Man and bestes, fowles and flowres;
Al creatures war made of him,
And of his making was no tyme,
And al þat war made with his might
Was in þe werld als verray right.
Al thinges war life thurght his wisdome
þat war ordand efter to com,
Thurght him þai war quik albidene,
Als þai suld efterward be sene.
Criste es life fulfild of might
And to lifand men uerray light;
Als light to þis werld born he es
þat schines ful bright omang mirknes.
Al erthly men mirknes er cald
þat in vnclennes þam wil had, lies hald
Als werldly men of werkes ill
þat lifes ay efter þaire awin will.
Omang slike men god sun decend,
Bot his might moght þai noght comprehend,
For men, þat here in lustes lifes
And to werkes of mirknes þam gifes,
In þam here may þai noght haue
Goddes sun þat cumes man saul to saue.
Fuit homo missus a deo:
A man to erth fra god was sent,
Bifor god in his waies he went,
He had vnto name John Baptist,
God sun thurght him to be puplist.
Sent he was þe folk to teche
And Cristes cuming plainly to preche,
To waste in erth þe waies of sin,
Man saul thurgh grace to blis at wyn.
He come bifore forto witnes
þe come of Criste to more and les
And to al men with main and might
To bere witnes of werray light,
So þat all folk thurgh him warnist
Suld trewly trow in Jesu Criste.
John was noght þat light to taste
þat mirknes in þis werld might waste,
Bot he was sent to bere witnes
Of light þat al þis werld suld dress
And þat lightnes of mirknes makes
And lightnes of none oþer takes.
Verray light for suth he es,
þat lightes al men both more and les.
Al men he lightes thurght mightes sere
Born of mankind omang men here,
Noght by engenderure for to taste,
Bot anly of þe haly gaste.
Al thinges cumes of Criste god sun,
Withowten him es noght bigun,
In þis werld for soth was he
Done in mans sight forto se.
Al þis werld thurgh him was wroght
And fully fowrmid first of noght,
And þe werld þan knew him no thing,
For Jews had of him no knawing.
To his awin proper per places he soght;
þai þat was his resayued him noght.
For fless and blude toke Criste mighty
Of þe Jewes progeniy,
Manhede he toke of þaire linage,
þam to bring out of seruage.
He welk and preched omang þe Jews
And schewed omang þam sere uertuse,
And þai wald noght ȝit in him trow
Ne knaw his cumyng for þaire prow.
Quot quot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri.
Als many als in þis werld ware,
þat herd his wordes and trowed his lare
And resayued him and knew him euyn
Als god sun sent fro þe fader of heuyn,
Vnto þam gaf he playn powste,
Goddes suns of heuyn þat þai suld be.
þe suns of god so he þam mase
Noght thurgh þaire kind, bot thurght his grace;
Vnto all þa þat in him trowes
And baynly to his bidinges bowes.
Vnto þat grace may no man win
For þe corrupcioun of þaire sin,
Thurgh fless ne blude by day ne night,
Ne thurgh none erthly mans might,
Als men er born here to endure
Of fader and moder engenderure.
þai may noght win it bi slike will
Ne by no werldly werkes ill,
Bot born þai er thurgh cristendom
To mighty god gastly at come,
þat birth es of þe haligaste
Thurgh grace of god of mightes maste.
In fless and blude made es god sun
Omang vs here in werld to won,
Of him in manhede sight had we
þat in godhede we might noght se,
His ioy we saw ful verrayly
Als anly of god sun almighty,
We se him plainly in ilk place
Fulfild of gudenes and of grace.
§ 3.
Der rätselhafte refrain: With ane O and ane I, der sich in späteren me. gedichten mehrfach findet, hat eine er∣klärung noch nicht gefunden und bietet eine verzweifelte schwierigkeit. Sollte hier vielleicht eine entstellung der zu∣weilen verbundenen doppelformen ay and o = immer und ewig (an. ei, ae. â) vorliegen? Lautgesetzlich ist natürlich i aus ei, ai nicht möglich, wie leicht aber können refrain∣worte, bei denen man kaum noch an die ursprüngliche be∣deutung denkt, entstellt werden, zumal wenn wie hier die auffassung als geheimnisvolle buchstabenverbindung oder die anlehnung an bekannte verbindungen wie a and o so nahe lag. Bezeichnend ist auch, dass die verbindung i and o erst in der späteren me. zeit auftaucht, während die ältere periode sie nicht kennt. Wohl aber zeigt sich ay and o in einem gedichte des Ms. Harl. 2253, cf. Böddeker s. 230, das sich auch in dem etwas älteren Ms. Digby 86 vorfindet, cf. EETS. 117, s. 762. Die stelle lautet:
Long is ay and long is (h)o,
Long is wy and long is wo.
Man vergleiche ferner die letzten zeilen des sehr altertüm∣lichen Song of a Prisoner, Rel. Ant. I 275:
That we moten ey and o
Habben the eche blisce.
Als refrain findet sich euer and oo in zwei gedichten des Ms. Harl. 2253, cf. Böddeker s. 179 und 132. Auch euer and ay erscheint zuweilen, cf. Yorkshire Writers I 366, v. 41 und 53.
Bemerkenswert ist, dass der refrain With ane O and ane I, wie er in unserem cyclus und genau ebenso in den von Fur∣nivall und Wright abgedruckten gedichten vorliegt, auch in
anderer, aber offenbar entstellter form auftaucht. Mit den bedeutungslos gewordenen buchstaben, die ja wahrscheinlich selbst schon nicht mehr das ursprüngliche darstellen, glaubte man sich eben änderungen erlauben zu dürfen. An dem be∣kannten von Horstmann nach zwei hss. abgedruckten gedichte: Whan Adam dalf and Eue span (York. Wr. I 73 und 367) können wir verfolgen, wie der refrain je nach den bedürf∣nissen des binnenreimes seine gestalt wechselt, wie damit neue variationen: With I and E, With E and I, With E and O auftauchen.
§ 4.
Hierunter drucke ich die wenigen englischen gedichte mit dem hier behandelten refrain ab, welche uns z. t. allerdings nur verstümmelt, erhalten sind. Es erscheint wünschenswert, sie zusammen zu haben; sie bilden eine merkwürdige erschei∣nung in der englischen litteratur und sind an mehreren orten zerstreut und zum teil in völlig entstellter strophenform ab∣gedruckt. Nur ein teil von ihnen hat denn auch im Grundriss für Germanische Philologie beachtung gefunden.
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. łł durch lle aufgelöst.
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.
II.
In offenbar entstellter strophenform ist das gedicht, wel∣ches Furnivall EETS. 46 (1871) s. 150 ff. genau nach der hs. abgedruckt hat. Die hs. schliesst (!) die einzelnen strophen mit: With an O and an I und behält dann zum schlusse drei verse übrig. Die richtige strophenform ist offenbar die hier gegebene.
Ms. Douce 126, fol. 90b.
1.
Godys sone þat was so fre,
into þis world he cam
And let hym naylyn vpon a tre,
al for þe loue of man.
His fayre blod þat was so fre,
out of his body it ran,
A dwelful syȝte it was to se,
his body heng blak and wan.
Wiþ an O and an I,
his coroune was mad of þorn
And prikkede into his panne
boþe byhynde and aforn.
2.
To a piler ybowndyn
Jesu Fur. ihesu was swiþe sore
And suffrede many a wownde
þat scharp and betere wore.
He hadde vs euere in mynde
in al his harde þrowe,
And we ben so vnkynde,
we nelyn hym nat yknowe.
Wiþ an O and an I,
but ȝif we loue hym trewe,
Houre peynys ben in helle
ȝarkyd euere newe.
3.
Who so wele loue trewe,
byhold Jesu Fur. ihesu on þe croys,
How he heng pale of hewe
and cryde wiþ mylde voys.
"Me þristiþ", he gan to kalle,
þe Jewis herdyn þys;
Eysel meynt wiþ galle
þey bedyn hym ywys.
With an O and an I,
his þrist was to seyȝe;
For loue of manys soule
hym longede forto deyȝe.
4.
Who so be proud in herte,
þynk on god almyȝt
And on his wowndys smerte,
how rewly he was adyȝt;
Godys sone in trone
þat heyȝest is of myȝt
Tok batayle alone
for oure loue to fyȝt.
With an O and an I,
þe batayle was so stronge,
At many a betyr wownde
þe ryche blod out spronge.
5.
Trewe turtyl corounyd on hylle
þat heyȝest art of kynde,
þy loue chaungyþ my wille,
whan þou comyst in my mynde.
þe fend I forsake anon
for on lady so hende;
To seruyn þe lady þan wil I gon,
for ȝhe is of my kende.
With an O and an I,
icham on of þo
þat þy sone bouȝte dere;
he schal me nat forgo!
Amen.
III.
Ebenfalls von Furnivall EETS. 46, und zwar auf s. 153, ist das folgende gedicht abgedruckt. Auch hier ist es wohl zweifellos, dass ursprünglich sechszeilige strophen mit der reimstellung a a a a b b vorlagen. Das gedicht ist offenbar ver∣stümmelt überliefert; im anfang müssen vier verse = zwei langzeilen ausgefallen sein. Das eintreten von verschlungenem reim scheint hier wie im vorigen gedichte zu falscher auf∣fassung der strophe geführt zu haben; dadurch ist vielleicht auch die verstümmelung im anfange verursacht.
Ms. Douce 128, fol. 258.
1.
As þou for holy churche riȝt
bare þe blody face,
To þe y praye, boþe day and nyȝt,
of ioye sende me a space,
Wiþ an O and Fur. and for an I,
a space forto abyde;
Thu bere myn arnde to þat lord,
þat bare þe blody syde!
2.
Jesu Fur. ihesu kyng in trone,
lord in mageste,
To þe y make my mone
wiþ herte good and fre!
Frendes haue y none
that wolde me knowe ne se,
My wonynge ys allone—
lord, wel wo ys me!
Wiþ an O and an I,
my wonynge is wel wykke,
Frendes haue y fewe,
my fomen walkeþ þykke.
IV.
In dem gedichte: When Adam dalfe etc. ist der bekannte refrain dem innerhalb der langzeilen eingetretenen binnen∣reime zu liebe bald in der einen, bald in der anderen weise abgeändert. Die sechszeilige strophe mit der reimstellung a a a a b b tritt auch hier auf. Das gedicht ist nach dem Thornton Ms. abgedruckt von Perry EETS. 26 (1867) s. 79 und von Horstmann: Yorkshire Writers I 363; nach dem Ms. Cambr. D d V 64 von Horstmann: Yorksh. Wr. I 73; vgl. auch Grundr. II 667.
Ich gebe hierunter die version des Thornton Ms. mit den sachlichen varianten der Cambridger Hs. im wesentlichen nach Horstmann's abdrucken. Erwähnenswert ist, dass Perry in den verbindungen I and E etc. stets oe statt E hat. Für ihesu habe ich Jesu eingesetzt.
1.
When Adam dalfe and Eue span,
go spire, if þou may spede: 2 go fehlt
Whare was þane þe pride of mane,
þat nowe merres his mede?
Of erthe and lame, as was Adam 5 W: slame (lies lame = ae. lâm, erde, schmutz)
makede to noye and nede, 6 Perry nakede
We er als he maked to be, 7 ar we Perry naked
Whills we þis lyfe sall lede.
With I and E borne er we,
as Salomone vs highte
To trauell here, whills we er fere,
as fewle vnto þe flyghte. 12 fouls
2.
In werlde we ware castene for care, 13 kast for to kare
to we ware worthi to wende
To wele or wa, ane of þase twa 15 til
to welde withowttene ende. 16 to won
Forthi, whills þou may helpe þe nowe,
amend þe and hafe mynde,
When þou sall ga, he bese thi ffaa,
þat here was are thi ffrende. 20 are was here
With E and I, I rede forthi,
vmthynke þe ay of thre: 22 þou thynk apon þies thre
What we er, and whate we warre,
and whate þat we sall be. 24 þat fehlt
3.
Ware þou als wysse praysede in pryce
als was Salomone,
Wel fairere fude of bane and blude 27 wel fehlt
þa[n] was Absolone 28 Perry þat
Strenghely and strange to wreke þi wrange 29 strengthy
as euer was Sampsone,
þou ne myghte a day, na mare þan þay,
þe dede withstand allone 32 þe fehlt
With I and E, þe dede to þe 33 þe fehlt
sall come, als I þe kene,
Bot þou ne wate in whate kyn state, 35 bot fehlt, kyn fehlt
ne how ne whare ne whenne. 36 ne fehlt
4.
When bemes sall blawe rewly one rawe, 37 Diese strophe fehlt in D d
to rekkenynge buse vs ryse,
When he sall come vnto þat dome,
Jesu to sitt Justyse,
þat are was leue, þane mone be greue, 41 = gref adj. traurig (lat. gravis)
whene all gastis sall ryse
I say þat þane to synfull mane
sary bese þat assise.
With I and E, he sall noghte flee,
if all he his giltes fele;
He ne may hym hide, bot þare habyde
ne fra þat dome appelle.
5.
Of all thyne aughte, þat þe was raughte, 49 Of erth aght
sall þou noghte hafe, I hete, 50 þou sal not haue
Bot seuene fote þare in to rote
and a wyndynge schete. 52 þi w.
Forþi þou gyffe, whils þou may lyfe, 53 þou fehlt
or all gase þat þou may gete: 54 may fehlt
Thi gaste fra godde, þi gudes clodde, 55 clod (cf. ne. clod of clay) Perry; Horstmann liest in beiden hss. olod, -de (be∣deutung?)
thi flesche foldes vndir fete. 56 fowled
With I and E full sekire þou be 57 full fehlt
þat thyne executurs 58 þi secutowrs
Of þe ne will rekke, bot skikk and skekke 59 skelk and skek (= sculk lauern?, skeck plündern)
full baldely in thi boures.
6.
To dome we drawe, þe sothe to schawe 61 Diese strophe fehlt in D d.
in lyfe þat vs was lente,
No latyne ne lawe may helpe and hawe,
bot rathely vs repente,
The croice, þe crowne, þe spere bese bowne
þat Jesu ruggede and rente,
The nayles ruyde sall þe conclude
with thyne awene argument.
With E and O, take kepe þare to,
als Criste hym selfe vs kende,
We comme and goo to wele or wo
þat dredfull dome sall ende.
7.
Of will and witt þat vesettis it, 73 Of welth a. w., þis sal be hitt
in worde and þat we wroghte, 74 in world þat þou here wroght
Rekkene we mone and ȝelde resone 75 þou mon
full rathely of oure thoghte; 76 of thyng þat þou here thoght
Sall no fallace cufere our case, 77 May no fals help in þis case
ne consaile gette we noghte, 78 getes þou
No gyfte ne grace noþer þare gase, 79 No fehlt nane
bot brwke, as we hafe broghte. 80 þou hase boght
With E and I, I rede forthi:
be warre nowe with thi werkes,
For terymes of ȝere hase þou nane here, 83 Terme of þe ȝere
thi medes sall be thi merkes. 84 þi mede bese þer
8.
What so it be þat we here see: 85 What may þis be þat I
þe fairehede of thi face,
Thi ble so bryghte, thi mayne, thi myghte,
þi mouthe þat myrthis mase—88 miri
All mone als was to powdir passe, 89 ebenfalls was (= ae. wâse schlamm, schmutz)
to graue when þat þou gase; 90 to dede þat fehlt
A grysely geste, þan bese þou preste 91 bese þan þi breste
in armes forto brace. 92 til enbrase
With I and E, for leue þou me, 93 syker þou be
bese nane, as I þe hete, 94 þare es nane, I
Of all þi kyth, dare slepe þe with 95 wald
a nyghte vndire þi schete. 96 þi fehlt
Die beiden strophen, welche in dem Cambr. Ms. fenlen, werden wohl spätere zusätze sein. Horstmann erklärt str. 4 für verdächtig, weil das jüngste gericht nicht in den ursprüng∣lichen plan des gedichts hineingehöre, dessen gedanken nach ihm aus St. Edmund's Speculum entnommen sind. Dazu kommt noch ein unreimer reim fẹ̄le: appẹ̄l(l)e. Zu der anderen strophe bemerke ich, dass sie auffallenderweise die einzige ist, welche die variation: With E and O enthält, in sämtlichen übrigen strophen heisst es: With I and E oder With E and I.
Da das gedicht in nördlichem dialekte nicht bloss über∣liefert, sondern auch abgefasst zu sein scheint, muss es auf∣fallend erscheinen, dass beide hss. den reim mynde: ende 23 (cf. auch allone: one 34) aufweisen.
Wenn wir zum schluss die behandelten gedichte im zu∣sammenhange betrachten, so ergiebt sich, dass sie zwar im inhalte wesentlich von einander abweichen, aber ausser dem eigenartigen refrain auch eine entschiedene gleichartigkeit der metrischen anlage gemein haben. Sie zeigen sämtlich lang∣zeilen, meist von septenarischem oder alexandrinischem cha∣rakter, in dem hier zum ersten male abgedruckten lieder∣cyclus von germanischem vierhebigem rhythmus. Die zwei∣teilige strophe ist sechszeilig mit der reimstellung a a a a b b, wobei wiederum der cyclus mit seinen durchgehenden reimen eine ausnahme bildet; mehrfach ist verschlungener reim ein∣geflochten, einmal binnenreim. Das charakteristische With an O and an I endlich findet sich stets in der ersten hälfte des fünften verses, also als beginn des abgesanges. Es liegt nahe anzunehmen, dass ein einzelnes bestimmtes geistliches gedicht diese form beliebt und bekannt gemacht hat, dass es die an∣regung gab, die verschiedensten religiösen stoffe in derselben eigenartigen, vielleicht alt überlieferten form zu behandeln. Neben den schwungvollen Jesushymnen der Douce-manuskripte
findet sich ein cyclus, der aus dem inhalt der evangelien vier einzelbilder herausgreift, das uralte predigtthema von der ver∣gänglichkeit des irdischen mit dem volkstümlichsten engl. motto des 14. jahrhunderts wird in derselben form behandelt, und selbst die bittere satire gegen die bettelmönche kleidet sich in das alte gewand. Ob eins von den hier behandelten ge∣dichten direkt die älteste und ursprüngliche form darstellt, können wir nicht wissen; welche von ihnen dieser form am nächsten standen, können wir mit ziemlicher sicherheit er∣schliessen. Ausgeschlossen ist von vornherein der cyclus der vier gedichte, für welche die sachliche grundlage in der jün∣geren nordenglischen Homiliensammlung nachgewiesen ist und die den offenbar nicht ursprünglichen durchgehenden reim auf∣weisen. Ausgeschlossen ist auch schon durch den inhalt die satire gegen die bettelmönche; ausgeschlossen endlich durch den geänderten refrain das formvollendete gedicht: Als Adam grub und Eva spann. Mir scheinen die gedichte der beiden Douce-Mss. der ursprünglichen fassung am nächsten zu stehen, die selber allerdings wohl verloren gegangen ist. Sie sind beide in südlicher überlieferung vorhanden, das erstere gehört wie die ganze hs. offenbar dem südöstlichen mittellande an (cf. ȝhe, kende). Auch die heimat des ursprünglichen gedichtes, welches den übrigen die eigenartige form geliefert hat, möchte ich etwa in dieser gegend, jedenfalls weit vom norden ent∣fernt, suchen. So würden auch die fremdkörper in den nord∣engl. gedichten, zumal sho i. R.: -ē Lucas 35 und mynde: -ende When Ad. dalf 73, ungezwungen ihre erklärung finden.