The lyf of saint Katherin of Senis.* Nach dem Drucke W. Caxtons (c. 1493) mitgeteilt von C. Horstmann. here begynneth the lyf of saint Katherin of Senis, the blessid virgin. Audi filia et vide: Here, doughter, and see fructuous example of vertuous liuinge to edyfyeacion of thy sowle and to comforte and encrese of thy gostly labour in all werkis of pyte: ffor, as I truste, by the gracious yeftes of oure lorde * Dieser Druck, nach dem Schlufszeichen W. C. von William Caxton herrührend, sonst ohne Titelblatt und ohne Bezeichnung des Orts und Jahres, aber von Blades „Life and Typogr. of W. C." c. 1493 angesetzt, ist eine häufig kürzende und zusammenfassende, sonst wörtliche Übertragung der c. 1390 verfassten Vita S. Catharina Senensis († 1380) von Raimund v. Capua, Ord. Prædic. mag. gen., dem Beichtvater der Heiligen (ed. Col. 1553 von Th. Loher, und, mit Kollation eines Lütticher Ms., in den Act. SS. Boll. April 30, Bd. III, p. 853 ff.). Die Einleitung hat der Übersetzer hinzugefügt, dagegen die zwei Prologe des lat. Textes ausgelassen, wie auch solche „poyntes of diuynyte", die er der Fassungskraft der geistl. Schwester und ihrer Genossinnen, für die er diese Übersetzung anfertigt, für zu hoch hält. Zufolge dieser Bestimmung für ein Schwesterkloster hat er auch die Anrede „lector" in maydens" verwandelt. Mss. sind nicht bekannt. Die Übersetzung mag um die Mitte des 15. Jahrh., der Blütezeit der Übersetzungslitteratur, entstanden sein; der ursprüngliche Dialekt ist durch Caxtons Umschreibung in seine Sprache leider verwischt und wird sich nur noch schwer bestimmen lassen. Caxtons Druck beruht auf einer bereits vielfach verderbten Hs. und ist durch viele schreiende Druckfehler noch mehr entstellt. Überhaupt darf man sich diese alten Drucke keineswegs als Muster der Korrektheit vorstellen, das Amt eines Korrektors scheint noch unbekannt gewesen zu sein. Die Interpunktionszeichen (/ und :) sind noch höchst unvollkommen, die Anwendung der Kapitalen ist oft auch auf den Anfang von Nebensätzen ausgedehnt, dagegen in Hauptsätzen oft unterlassen, so daís die Sätze und Satzteile nicht hinreichend geschieden sind. Ich habe hier gründlich Remedur eintreten lassen, auch einfachere Fehler nach Möglichkeit zu bessern gesucht. Doch ist es unmöglich, den Text von den vielen Weiterungen und Doppelungen des Ausdrucks und anderen groben Entstellungen zu befreien. Noch sei bemerkt, dafs in diesem Drucke von den alten Abbreviationszeichen die Schleife an n (77) regelmäfsig, öfter auch die an I, h beibehalten ist (nicht aber die an d, wie in anderen Drucken Caxtons). Ich habe hier einfach n, 11, h gesetzt, wie auch & durch and ersetzt. Noch erübrigt mir, dem (leider soeben verstorbenen) Bibliothekar der Universitätsbibliothek, Mr. Henry Bradshaw, für die freundliche Bereitwilligkeit meinen Dank auszusprechen, mit der er das dort befindliche Exemplar dieser höchst seltenen Ausgabe zu meiner Benutzung hierher gesandt hat. Archiv f. n. Sprachen. LXXVI. 3 5 Ihesu thy wyll is sette to plese hym and to do hym seruyce in all holy excercise by the vertue of obedyence vnder counseyll and techinge of thy gostely gouernours. And for as moche as I fele by longe experyens the inward affeccions inclynyng wyth pyte to comforte of all that haue nede, 5 bothe lyuyng and dede, therfore to strengthe and comforte of thy wil and of al other of thi gostely susteren, whiche our lord hath graciously chose to serue hym nyght and day in prayer and meditacion and to laboure bodely in tyme of nede to socour and helpe of the seke and the poure, here I purpos by our lordis mercy only in his worshyppe wyth 10 truste of his grace and leue by helpe of your prayers to translate in englyffhe tongue the legende and the blessid lyf of an holy mayde and virgyn, whiche was and is callyd Katheryn of fene. 20 This legende compyled a worshypfull clerke, fryer Reymond, of the ordre of saynt domyník, doctor of deuynyte and confessour of this holy 15 virgyn. But in this translacion I leue of the two prologues whiche in the begynnyng the same clerke made in latyn the whiche passeth your vnderstondyng, and touche (1) alle maters only that longeth only to your lernyng (2), by-cause that moche maner of her vertuous lyuyng shall be rehersyd in especial in (3) chapytres of this boke whiche in generall wordes he toucheth shortely in his prologue; I leue of also poyntes of diuynyte whiche passeth your vnderstondyng, and touche only maters pat longeth to your lernyng. Now than, as I sayde in the begynning, here, doughter, and see what thou herest or redest of this holy mayde and vyrgyn. And that thou yeue full credence to that I shal wryte; the veryte may be preuyd wythout ony feynyng bi scryptures of her confessours and verefyeng of creatures whiche late lyued in erthe. Also the vytnes I purpose to put in at the ende of eche chapytre, as that worshypfull clerke dide whiche compyled this boke in latyn. Therfore, that all our werke begynne and (be) perfourmed in the name of the holy trynyte, this boke shall be deuyded 30 in thre partyes, and eche parte of the boke shal be departed in to diuerse chapyters; whiche chapyters been compyled to-gyder in the begynnyng, in manere of a kalendre, that ye mowe redely fynde what matere in the boke ye desyre to here or rede. 25 The fyrst parte of the boke shal be the byrth and the holy werkis 35 of that mayde from her chyldhode and tendre age In to the time that she was spoused merueylously and gracyously to our lord. 40 45 The seconde parte conteyneth the maner of her conuersacion from the tyme of her desponsacion to our lord and what our lord wrought in her in to the tyme bat she passyd out of this world. The thyrde parte shall shewe the passyng out of this world of the same mayde, with myracles whiche our lord wrought for her in her lyf and after: And thus bi the mercy and graunt of our lord almyghty this werke shall be termynyd to the lawde of that holy Trynyte, to whom be honour and glorye euer wythout ende Amen (I) Cap. j. The fyrste chapytre of the fyrste parte of this forsayde blessyd mayde and virgyn Katheryn treteth of her progenyte and of other maters whiche byfyll touchyng her, or she wente out openly abrode: And of her fader and moder and of the condycions of her (1). Cap. ij. Of her byrthe and of merueylous werkynge whiche our lord 50 wrought and shewed in the chylhode of this holy mayde and vyrgyn. Cap. iij. Item of the vowe made of her vyrgynyte, and of other vertuous lyuynge and myracles whiche befyll tyl she came to the age of abylyte to be wedded to man but wedded was she not and neuer wolde. Cap. iiij. Item how her feruour of deuocyon was wythdrawe, whiche -- (1) Caxt. to touche. (2) tilge the whiche lernyng? (3) tilge in. (4) 1. hem. our lord suffred for encrece of more grace folowyng; and of her stronge pacience, wyth whiche pacience she suffred in her faders hous many Iniuryes. Cap. v. Item of the victorie whiche she hadde of theym that desesed her: and that was by a culuer the whiche her fader sawe, (and) by 5 a vysyon of saint domynyk. Cap vj. Item of the hardenesse of her bodely penaunce, and of afflyccion and what persecucion she suffred therfore of her moder. Cap. vij. Item of the laste vyctorye that she hadde in a bathe; and how she toke the habyte of saint dominyk whiche she had longe desyred 10 to-fore. Cap viij. Item of the begynnyge and fondament of the relygyous state of the susteren of the penaunce of saynt domynyke, and wherfore (1) come the maner of liuynge of the susteren. Cap. ix. Item of her wonderfull encrece and how she profyted in 15 vertu and holy lyuyng; and that she fhold be leuyd in all thynges whiche she rehersed to her confessour of graces doo to her (of our) lord. Cap. x. Item of a noble doctryne and notable whiche our lord gaue to her in the begynnyng; and of other doctrynes in the whiche (s)he founded her maner of lyuynge. Cap xj. Item of merueyllus victorye of temptacions by another maner of doctryne yeue to her of our lorde; and of a famylyaryte or homlyhed whiche she hadde with our lord, whiche hath not be herde to fore. Čap xij. Item of her merueylous desponsacion wyth the whiche she was wedded in faythe of our lorde and to oure lorde wyth a rynge. (II) Cap. i. HEre begynneth the second parte, in the whiche is shewed the conuersacion of this holy mayde and vyrgyn wyth men, and how the yeftes the whiche she had receyued of our lorde pryuely enclosed wythin her-self, were openly shewed to the worlde: And firste how our lord bad her that she sholde be conuersaunt amonge men. Cap ij. Item of merueylous dedes whiche she hadde in excercise, and of myracles whiche befyll in the begynnyng of her conuersacion amonge men. Cap. iij. Item of wonders whiche she dyde in helpe and in comfort to the necessyte of them that were poure and nedy. Cap. iiij. Item merueylous dedes whiche she dyde in lowly and besy seruyce to theym that were seke. Cap. v. Item of the synguler maner of lyuinge; and how they were desceyued that grutched wyth her merueylous fastynge. 20 25 30 35 Cap. vi. Item of the wonderfull rauylhynge and excesses of her 40 mynde from hyr bodely wyttes, and grete reuelacions shewed to hyr of our lord. Cap. vij. Item of somme myracles graciously wrought by this holy mayde and virgin aboute the helthe of sowles. Cap. viij. Item of somme myracles doo in hyr lyf by hyr aboute 45 the lyf and helpe (2) of mennys bodyes. Cap. ix. Item of myracles vrought by thys holy mayde and vyrgyn aboute the delyueraunce of them whiche were acombred and vexed wyth fendes. Cap x. Item of the yefte of prophecye, and how by that yefte she 50 delyuerd many men and wymmen fro perylles bothe of body and of sowle. Cap. xi. Item of myracles whiche oure lorde wrought by this holy mayde and vyrgyn in herbes, bred and wyne and other thinges that hadde none lyf. (1) L wherof. (2) 1. helthe. Cap. xij. Item of the ofte refceyuynge of the holy sacrament of the aulter; and of myracles the whiche oure lorde dyde to hyr touching that holy sacrament and other holy relyques of saintes (III) Cap. i. HEre begynneth the thyrde parte wherin is rehersyd the 5 deyeng of this holy mayde and vyrgyn, and myracles that were I-shewed after her deth: And fyrst of the wytnesses whiche were present at hyr passyng and enfourmed the auctur of this boke, whiche and what they were. Cap. ij. Item of the merueylous thynges whiche befyll a yere and half to-fore the deth of this holy mayde and vyrgyn; and of the martyr10 dome that she suffred bodely of the wycked fendes, wherof at þe laste she hadde her bodely dethe. Cap. iij. Item how this holy mayde and vyrgyn desyred to be vnbounde from the body and be wyth cryst, and that is preuyd by a deuoute prayer whiche she made and is (1) put in the ende of another (2) boke 15 whiche she made; and what is in that boke generally and shortely it is wryten in this boke wyth the same oryson. Cap. iiij. Item of the time that she passed and whan she passed out of this worlde, and of the sermon whiche she made to her gostely dyscyples and susteren to-fore her passyng and how she informed them in generall 20 and in speciall how they shold gouerne theym whan she were goo; and of a vysyon whiche was shewed to a matrone in the houre of her passyng. Cap. v. Item of tokens and myracles whiche oure lorde wrought after hyr dethe of this holy mayde and vyrgyn bothe tofore her beryeng and after, that is to saye of myracles whiche were knowe, for (3) many 25 (were do) that were not knowe. Cap. vj. Item of the myghty and stronge paciens whiche this mayde and vyrgyn shewed openly from her fyrst age and yonge in to her deth: by the whiche vertu clerly it (4) preuyd that ryghtfull she is worthy to haue the name of holynesse in goddes chirche in erthe, whan she is made so 30 fayre and gloryous in goddes chirche in heuen. And in this chapytre is a recapitulacion of all that is sayd to-fore, ffor worthynes and also (5) for werynes of reders, and also for, yf eche man may not haue al thys legende, they may haue the substaunce of this matyr (6), tofore her compendyously rehersyd, in the last chapytre. 35 (I.) The fyrst chapytre of this fyrst parte is of the progenye of this holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saint Katheryn of fene and of other maters whiche befyll touchyng her, or she went out openly abrode: And of her fader and moder and of the condycions of theym. Cap. primum. IN the cite of Seene in Italye and of the prouynce of Tuskane ther 40 was a man, his name was James or Jacob, and his fader was callyd in the comyn speche of be contree Benencasa. This James was symple vertuous, wythout fraude or deceyte to ony man, dredynge god and fleyng alle euyll. After the deth of his fader and moder he toke a wyf of the same Cyte, her name was Lapa: she was a woman wythout euche malyce 45 that is vsed amonge men that ben now in our tyme, all-be-it that she was full besy aboute that longeth to houshold and about meynye and seruauntes, as it was knowen openly to all that knewe her whyle she liued here in erthe. Whan they bothe were ioyned to-gyder in matrymonye and lyuyd vertuously in symplycite, suffycient habondaunce they 50 hadde of temperall godes, and they (were) bothe of gentyll (7) and commendable byrthe. Our reuerende lorde blessyd lapa graciously and fulfylled hyr plentuously wyth the birthe of chyldren as an habondaunt vyne in (1) tilge is. (2) 1. a. (3) C. And for. (4) 1. is. (5) tilge ffor also. (6) C. martyr. (7) lat.: quamvis plebeii de satis laudabili popularium genere orti erant. the hous of Jacob, whiche was her husbond: ffor eche yere almost she conceyued and bare a sone or a doughter, and ofte-sythes ij sones or two doughters. After tyme this Jacob was passeth out of this worlde, Lapa, his wyf, as for a synguler laude and commendacion rehersyd and saide to mayster Reymonde, the confessour of this holy mayde and vyrgyn and 5 glorious martyr Katheryn, that he (1) was euer of soo lyke dysposycion and soo moderate in worde, that what occasion euer came of (2) trouble or trybulacion, he exceded neuer in speche by hasty ne angrye worde, but whan he saw ony of his meyny greued or herd hem speke angerly or bytter wordes, anon he comforted eche of theym wyth a glad chere and 10 sayde in be maner of that contree: „A, brother, good day be to the, be not troubled, speke not suche wordes which falleth ne semeth not vs to speke. And in special lapa, his wyf, reherseth that whan on a tyme one of his neybours dysesyd hym and wrongfully asked hym a grete somme of monye whiche he owed not by none reason, and soo moche he 15 vexed hym, that symple man, wyth the might of other frendes and supplanted hym wyth grete wronges, that he brought hym to the losse of alle his godes: and (3) in alle this tyme this good man myght neuer suffre in his presence a man to curse hym wronge ne to speke of hym harme in noo wyse; In soo moche that he blamed his wyf Lapa wyth softe wordes 20 and sayd: suffre, dere wyf, þat good day be to the; for our lord shall shewe hym therrour, and he shall be oure defendour". Whiche wordes were founde southe afterward: for the veryte was shewed openly as lyke to a myracle; and he for payne that he hadde in his conscyence delyuerd (4) agayne how moche he hadde errid in his wrongfull persecucion to the 25 good man Jacob. - Thyse wordes sayde Lapa to mayster Reymonde; to whos wordes he yaue full truste, for, as it was knowe to all that knewe her, she was of soo moche symplenesse at her age of xxiiij (5) yere, that, though she wold haue lyed, she cowde not haue feyned suche a lesyng. And soo was the commyn testymonye of alle tho that knewe her husbonde 30 Jacob, that he was (6) a man ful symple by Innocencye and ryghtfull, alwaye fleyng from euyll. Also this good mannys softenes in speche was Soo vertuous, that alle his meyny, namely wymmen damesels, taught in his scole myght not speke ne here noo worde that were not semely or dyshoneste. In so moche that (whan) one of his doughter, whiche was 35 callyd Bonauentura, was wedded to a yonge man, whiche was callyd Nycolas, of the same Cyte, wyth whome were conuersaunt many other yong men of hys age by-cause he hadde nother fader ne moder, and thyse men and he wythout ony refreynynge of tongue spake eche to other and he wyth other and they wyth hym foule wordes of dyshoneste mater: this 40 Bonauentura att the laste toke therof soo grete an heuynes, that she fyll in to suche sykenes that fro day to daye more and more she waxed lene and vanyhed almost awaye (7) and ryght feble. Her husbonde sawe this and asked hyr the cause of her heuynesse and sekenesse; and she answerd and sayde: I was noryl'hed in myn faders hous and there was I 45 neuer wonte to here suche wordes as I here now euery daye, and so was I neuer taught of my fader and moder. Wherfor knowe it for sothe: but this dishoneste of speche bee avoyded fro this hous, wythin a shorte tyme ye shall see me deed." Whan her husbond herde this, bothe he avoyded that vngoodly langage and the felawshyppe, and therwyth (8) he 50 was edefved moche more than euer he was before as well of the vertues lyuinge of the fader and moder as of her doughter that was his wyf: and anone he forbode his felawes neuer more to speke suche maner wordes in her presens; and nomore they dede. And soo the softenes and |