Frodebertus & Importunus: FRODEBERTUS AND IMPORTUNUS

Domne dulcissime
Et frater carissime
Inportune. Quod recepisti,
Tam dura estimasti,
Nos iam vicina morte de fame perire,
Quando talem annonam voluisti largire.
Nec ad pretium nec ad donum
Non cupimus tale anone.

Most sweet lord
And most dear brother,
Inportune. What you have received,
you have esteemed so harsh,
that we now, with death nearby, are perishing from hunger,
when you wished to lavish such a grain-supply.
Neither for a price nor as a gift
we do not desire such a grain-supply.

Fecimus inde comentum —
Si Dominus imbolat formentum! —
A foris turpis est crusta;
Ab intus miga nimis est fusca,
Aspera est in palato,
Amara et fetius adoratus.
Mixta vetus apud novella;
Faciunt inde oblata non bella.

We made then a concoction —
if the Lord immolates wheat! —
From the outside the crust is ugly;
inside the crumb is too dusky,
it is rough on the palate,
bitter and more fetid in smell.
Old is mixed in with new;
they make from it oblations not fair.

Semper habeas gratum,
Qui tam larga manu voluisti donatum,
Dum Deus servat tua potestate,
In qua cognovimus tam grande largitatis.
Vos vidistis in domo,
Quod de fame nobiscum morimur. Homo,
Satis te presumo salutare
Et rogo, ut pro nobis dignetis orare.

Always have [our] gratitude,
you who have willed it to be donated with so large a hand,
so long as God preserves your power,
in which we have come to know so great a largess.
You have seen in the house,
that, with us, one dies of famine. Man,
I presume enough to salute you,
and I ask that you deign to pray for us.

Transmisimus tibi de illo pane;
Probato, si inde potis manducare.
Quamdiu vivimus, plane
Liberat nos Deus de tale pane!
Congregatio puellare sancta
Refudat tale pasta.

We have sent to you of that bread;
Try it, if you are able to eat thereof.
As long as we live, plainly
May God liberate us from such bread!
The holy maidenly congregation
Refuses such a paste.

Nostra privata stultitia
Ad te in summa amiticia.
Obto, te semper valere
Et caritatis tue iuro tenere.

Our private folly
To you in highest amity.
I wish, that you always be well
And I swear to hold your charity.

2. ITEM ALIUM
Beatificando domno et fratre Frodeberto pape.

2. LIKEWISE ANOTHER
Blessing the lord and brother Frodebert, the pope.

Domne Frodeberto, audivimus,
Quod noster fromentus vobis non fuit acceptus.
De vestra gesta volumus intimare,
Ut de vestros pares numquam delectet iogo tale referrere.
Illud enim non fuit condignum,
Quod egisti in Segeberto regnum
De Grimaldo maiorem domus,
Quem ei sustulisti sua unica ove, sua uxore,
Unde postea in regno numquam habuit honore.

Lord Frodebert, we have heard,
that our wheat was not accepted by you.
Concerning your deeds we wish to intimate,
that it may never please your peers to recount such a thing in jest.
For that was not condign,
what you did in Sigebert’s kingdom
concerning Grimoald, the major-domo,
whom you took away from him, his only ewe, his wife,
whence afterward in the kingdom he never had honor.

Et cum gentes venientes in Toronica regione
Misisti ipsa in sancta congregatione,
[In] monasterio puellarum,
Qui est constructus in honor[e] ...
Non ibidem lectiones divinis legistis,
Sed ...nis inter vos habuistis.
Oportet satis obse...
................ conlocutione,
Quem nec est a Deo apta
..............................ta
Sic est ab hominibus vestra sapientia
....................[pru]dentiae

And when peoples coming into the Toronic region
you sent those very ones into the holy congregation,
[In] the monastery of maidens,
which is constructed in honor [of] ...
you did not there read the divine lections,
but ...nis you held among yourselves.
It is fitting enough to obse...
................ in colloquy,
which is not apt from God
..............................ta
thus your wisdom is from men
....................[pru]dence

Sed qualem faciebatis in ... monasterio puellarum pro pane ... [in] monasterio fuisti generatus domn... perdidisti. Indulge ista pauca verba ... Inportunus de Parisiaga terra.

But such as you used to do in ... the monastery of maidens for bread ... [in] the monastery you were begotten, lord..., you have lost. Indulge these few words ... An importunate man from the Parisian land.

3. PARABOLA
Domno meo Frodeberto, sine Deo,

3. PARABLE
To my lord Frodebert, without God,

Nec sancto nec episcopo
Nec saeculare clerico,
Ubi regnat antiquus
Hominum inimicus.
Qui mihi minime credit,
Facta tua vidit.
Illum tibi necesse desidero,
Quare non amas Deo nec credis Dei Filio.

Neither to a saint nor to a bishop
nor to a secular cleric,
where the ancient
enemy of men reigns.
He who does not believe me at all
has seen your deeds.
I desire him for you of necessity,
Why do you not love God nor believe the Son of God.

Semper fecisti malum.
Contra adversarium
Consilio satis te putas sapiente,
Sed credimus, quod mentis
Vere non times Christo, nec tibi consentit.
Cui amas, per omnia
Eius facis opera.

You have always done evil.
Against the adversary
With counsel you suppose yourself wise enough,
But we believe that in mind
Truly you do not fear Christ, nor does He consent to you.
Whom you love, in all things
You do his works.

Nec genetoris tui diligebant Christum,
Quando in monasterio fecerunt temetipsum.
Tuos pater cum domno
Non fecit sancta opera.
Propter domnus digido
Relaxavit te vivo,
Docuit et nutri[vit],
Unde se postea penetivit.

Nor did your progenitors love Christ,
when in the monastery they made your very self.
Your father with the lord
did not do holy works.
On account of the lord’s judgment
he released you alive,
he taught and nourished [you],
for which he afterwards repented himself.

Non sequis scriptura
Nec rendis [nisi in]iqua.
Memores, Grimaldo
Qualem fecisti damnum.
..................um et Deo non oblituit
De bona, que tibi fecit.

You do not follow Scripture
nor do you render [except in]iquitous things.
Remember, Grimald,
what damage you have done.
..................um and by God it has not been forgotten
of the good that he did to you.

..............................................
Cur te presumis tantum
Dampnare suum thesaurum?
Quod, ut alibi, ubi eum rogas.
Per tua malafacta,
Quod non sunt apta.

..............................................
Why do you presume yourself so much
to condemn his treasure?
Because, as elsewhere, when you ask him.
Through your malefactions,
which are not apt.

Amas puella bella
De qualibet terra
Pro nulla bonitate
Nec sancta caritate.
Bonus numquam eris,
Dum tale via tenes

You love a beautiful girl
from whatever land,
for no goodness,
nor for holy charity.
Good you will never be,
while you hold to such a way

Per tua cauta longa — satis est, vel non est? Per omnia iube te castrare, ut non pereas per talis, quia fornicatoris Deus iudicabit
De culpas tuas alias te posso contristare,
Sed tu iubis mihi exinde aliquid remandare.
Ut in quale nobis retenit in tua caritate,
Exeant istas exemplarias
Per multas patrias.
Ipso Domino hoc reliquo,

By your long cautions — is it enough, or is it not? In all things command yourself to be castrated, so that you may not perish through such things, for God will judge the fornicator
Of your other faults I can sadden you,
But you bid me thereafter to remand something back.
That, in whatever way, it retains us in your charity,
Let these copies go forth
Through many countries.
To the Lord himself I leave this,

Se vidis amico, qui te hoc nuntiat et donet consilium verum. Sed te placit, lege et pliga, in pectore repone; sin autem non vis, in butte include.

If you see a friend, who announces this to you and grants true counsel. But if it pleases you, read and fold, repose it in your breast; but if, however, you do not wish, enclose it in a cask.

4. ITEM ALIA
Incipiunt verba per similitudinem iuncta de fide vacua, dolo pleno falsatore.

4. LIKEWISE ANOTHER
Words joined by similitude begin about empty faith, with the falsifier full of guile.

Agino Salomon per sapientia
Bene scripsit hanc sententia,
Ut, ne similis fiat stulto,
Numquam respondes ei in multo.
Et retractavi tam in multum,
Sic respondere iussi stulto,
Ut confundantur stultum grado.
Numquam presumat gloriare.

By wisdom Solomon
well wrote this sentence,
that, lest he become similar to the fool,
you should never answer him at length.
And I have reconsidered likewise at length,
thus I have ordered to answer the fool,
so that the fool may be confounded in his degree.
Never let him presume to glory.

Respondi, dixi de falsatore,
Nec ei parcas in sermone,
Qui se plantatum ex robore;
Qui non pepercit suo ore,
Vaneloquio susorrone,
Verborum vulnera murone;
Qui sui obl[itus] adiutoris
Inmemor est nutritoris,
Calcavit iur[e] et [pudoris],
Qui fei date et prioris
Alodis sui reparatoris
Sordidas vomit pudoris.
Incredulas dicit loquellas et improbas;
Quoinquinat et conscientias
Bonum merito conquesitas.
Mundas, sanctas et antiquas,
Pulchras, firmissimas et pulitas
Meas rumpit amititias.

I answered, I spoke about the falsifier,
nor spare him in speech,
who sets himself as planted from oak;
who did not spare with his own mouth,
with vain loquacity, a whisperer,
wounds—by the blade-point of words;
who, forgetful of his helper,
is unmindful of his nourisher,
has trampled the law and [modesty],
who of given faith and of the former,
upon the allods of his restorer,
vomits sordid things of shame.
He speaks unbelieving and wicked little-talks;
and he befouls even consciences,
good things deservedly acquired.
Pure, holy, and ancient,
beautiful, most firm, and polished,
he breaks my friendships.

Verba dicit,
Que numquam vidit,
Ea scribit,
Que animus fecit.
Parcat, qui eum credit!
Et si loquestem
Non stringit furorem,
Latro fraudolentus
Homicidum est reus certus,
Adulter, raptor est manifestus,
Innumerus fecit excessus.

He says words,
which he never saw,
he writes those things,
which his spirit contrived.
Let him who believes him spare him!
And if the talker’s
fury is not constrained,
the fraudulent robber
is surely guilty of homicide,
an adulterer, a ravisher is manifest,
he has committed innumerable excesses.

Errando vadit quasi caecus,
Fuscare temptat meum decus.
A Deo dispectus et desertus,
Ab inimico est perventus
Et per lingua et per pectus.
Nolite, domne, nolite, fortis,
Nolite credere tantas sortes!

Erring he goes as if blind,
He attempts to obfuscate my honor.
By God despised and deserted,
He is overtaken by the enemy
both in tongue and in breast.
Do not, lord, do not, O brave one,
Do not believe such great lots!

Per Deum iuro et sacras fontis,
Per Sion et Sinai montis:
Falsator est ille factus,
Excogitator est defamatus.
Deformato vultu est deformatus;
Qualis est animus, talis est status.
Non est homo hic miser talis.

By God I swear and by the sacred font,
By Zion and by Mount Sinai:
That one has been made a falsifier,
The inventor is defamed.
With a deformed visage he is deformed;
As the mind is, such is the status.
This wretched man is not of such a kind.

Latrat [vulpis], sed [non] ut canis.
Psallat de trapa, ut linguaris dilator
Maior nullis talis falsator.
Grunnit post talone,
Buccas inflat in rotore,
Crebat et currit in sudore,
Fleummas iactat in pudore;
Nullum vero facit pavore,
Qui non habet adiutorem
Super secundum meum tutorem.

Barks [the fox], but [not] like a dog.
Let him psalm on the trapa, as a dilator of the tongue
Greater than none is such a falsifier.
He grunts behind the heel,
He inflates his cheeks at the rotor,
He swells and runs in sweat,
He hurls phlegms in shame;
Yet he causes fear in no one,
Who does not have a helper
Over my second tutor.

Non movit bracco tale baronem,
Non ... bracco contra insontem,
Non cessare bracco
Ab exaperto sacco
...... [b]racco
Et salte decrascianto
Non timere falco.
Non perdas illo loco,
Non vales uno coco,
Non similas tuo patre
Vere nec tua matre.
Non gaudeas de dentes!

The hound did not move such a baron,
Not ... the hound against the innocent,
Do not cease, hound,
from the opened sack
...... [b]hound
And at least let them decrease,
Let the falcon not fear.
Do not be lost in that place,
You are not worth one cook,
You do not resemble your father
Truly, nor your mother.
Do not rejoice about teeth!

Deformas tuos parentes!
Ad tua falsatura
Talis decet corona.

You deform your parents!
For your falsification
Such a crown befits.

5. INDICULUM

5. INDEX

Nolite, domnae, nolite, sanctae,
Nolite credere fabulas falsas,
Quia multum habetis falsatores,
Qui vobis proferunt falsos sermones,
Furi atque muronis
Similis aetiam et susuronis,
Et vobis, domne, non erunt protectoris.
Latrat vulpis, sed non ut canis.
Faltus mit semper inanis;
Cauta proferit, iam non fronte;
Cito decadet ante cano forte.

Do not, ladies, do not, holy women,
do not believe false fables,
because you have many falsifiers,
who bring forth to you false discourses,
like a thief and a muronis,
similar also to a susurroner (whisperer),
and for you, lord, there will not be a protector.
The fox barks, but not like a dog.
The false man always sends empty things;
he cautiously brings it forth, no longer openly;
quickly he will fall, perhaps even before I sing.

Volat upua, et non arundo,
Isterco commedit in so frundo,
Humile facit capta dura,
Sicut dilatus in falsatura
Falsator. Vadit
Tamquam latro ad aura psallit,
Ut Escotus mentit, semper vadit
Toritus et oc dicit,
Que numquam vidit.
Nolite, domne, atque prudentis
Vestras non confrangat mentis,
Et non derelinquere serventes.

The hoopoe flies, and not the reed,
In dung it devours on its own ground,
He makes the hard-captured humble,
Just like one delayed in falsification
A falsifier. He goes
Like a robber he psalms to the airs,
As a Scot lies, he always goes
Twisted and says oc,
Which he never saw.
Do not, lord, and you prudent ones,
Let him not shatter your minds,
And do not abandon the servants.

Tempus quidem iam transactum
Et hoc feci, quod vobis fuit adaptum,
Iam modo per verba fallacia
Sexum deiactus de vestra gratia.

Time indeed has already passed
and this I did, which was adapted for you,
now just now through fallacious words
the sex has been cast down from your grace.