Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 89 (fols. 170v-183v)

In the Middle Dutch poem Van den Negen Besten (The Nine Worthies) the nine greatest rulers of the world are portrayed. Three of them are pagans, three are Jews and the other three are Christians. Three is the number of the divine trinity, the perfection. In this text we are shown three times three: the perfect perfection!

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 170v: Prologue to The Nine Worthies (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

This is a good example of numerology. Symbolic use of numbers has always had a major appeal to people, also in the Middle Ages. Many intricate examples of medieval numerology are known. A simple case as three times three, as we find here, is not a surprise in a codex. But is it really that simple?Three copies of Middle Dutch The Nine Worthies have survived the ages, one of them in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript. The Dutch scholar Hubert Slings has shown that this copy has some features the other copies do not have: each description of a ruler contains 40, 80 or 120 verses. The number 40 plays an important role in the structure of the text. The two other copies of the text have more irregular numbers of verses for each ruler.

According to Slings, this structure around the number 40 did not exist in the original source and is therefore presumably added by a later editor. The number of verses has been adapted to be precisely 40 or a multiple of 40 by adding or deleting a few verses where necessary. The editor also paid attention to the overall structure. Here, the number of divine perfection can be found again, for there are three parts of 40 verses, three parts of 80 and three parts of 120 verses (excluding the prologue and epilogue).

In the Geraardsbergen Manuscript the description of the ninth worthy, Godfried of Bouillon, ends abruptly after 72 lines. Since there are already three descriptions of 40 lines and three of 80 lines, this description would have been the third with 120 lines. This means that at least 48 lines are missing, but possibly 88, since an epilogue of 40 lines is to be expected. For these missing lines the scribe would have needed at least two extra leaves.

But why did the editor go to all this numeral trouble? Would readers have been able to detect the elaborate structure? At this stage we can only guess:

• Maybe the copy in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript was copied from a manuscript with 40 verses per page? Because of the different layout in the Geraardsbergen Manuscript the structure of the text was not visible anymore.
• The importance of numerlogy in the Middle Ages does not necesarilly imply that the average (wo)man could recognize the symbolic use of numbers (e.g. in architectural proportions)?
• Numerology did not have a esthetic function, but was applied to give praise to God, by paying extra attention to the form of the text and using meaningful numbers?

What do you think?

And how can this fit in in one of the five stories about the Geraardsbergen Manuscript?

Return to: The Nine (mutilated) Worthies

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, front cover (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Some facts and figures about the Geraardsbergen manuscript.

The binding:

The present-day binding contains a composite manuscript (?), (i.e. two manuscripts, or codicological units (?)). Both units in this binding have been copied by the same scribe (?): the first unit contains two chronicles, and the second unit is the actual Geraardsbergen manuscript. We do not know when the two units were brought together, but the codex probably existed as a single book by the late Middle Ages. (see Story 4)

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, side view (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

The measurements:

The paper leaves/folia of the Geraardsbergen manuscript measure 28.7 x 21.2 cm (almost present-day A4 size). The remaining 81 leaves (or 162 pages) are numbered from 103 to 183, and are divided over six gatherings (?) of four bifolia (or eight leaves) (?). The manuscript is incomplete, because between folia 110 and 111 three leaves are missing; for unknown reasons they have been cut out. It is possible that one (or more) gathering(s) are missing from the end of the codex, as the final text ends unfinished at the bottom of the last leaf.

The layout and the script:

The text is written in one column of 28 lines per page in a stylized cursive script (?) in brown ink. The decoration in the manuscript is scarce: red ink has only been used to enter a paragraph mark in the margins to indicate the beginning of a new (part of the) text, or to highlight the first letter of a line. Some simple red decorative lines have been used to fill the blank space at the end of a prose text. The rubrics (?) are not in red, but written in the same brown ink as the texts. The lack of colour in the pages gives the manuscript a sober appearance. It was not meant to impress some important patron, but may have been intended for personal use.

The Geraardsbergen Manuscript contains 89 texts.

1. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 103r-103v)
2. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 103v)
3. ‘Fol est qui fol boute’ (f. 104r)
4. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 104r)
5. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 104r-104v)
6. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 104v)
7. Gheraetsel – A riddle (f. 104v-105r)
8. Vele wijsheden – Many good things (f. 105r)
9. Vele daesheden – Many bad things (f. 105r-105v)
10. Virtuut van wine – The virtues of wine (f. 105v)
11. De duecht vanden wine – The virtue of wine (f. 105v-106r)
12. Van eener dosinen verkeertheden – About a dozen things you can do wrong (f. 106r)
13. De properheden vanden steden van vlaendren – The characteristics of the Flemish towns (f. 106r- 107v)
14. Van dinghen die selden gheschien – About things you do not see that often (107v-109r)
15. Vanden ABC vele abuse der weerelt – The ABC of strange matters in the world (f. 109r-109v)
16. Van den bonten houdevare – About the colourful stork (f. 109v-110r)
17. Proverbien – Proverbs (f. 110r-110v)
18. Regement rual – Regiment ??? (f. 110v)
19. De properheden vanden perden – The characteristics of horse (f. 111r-111v)
20. Pour plus sauoir willic my poghen – …. (f.111v)
21. Van v ghenouchten – Of five delights (f. 111v)
22. Den wech te roeme – The way to Rome (f. 111v-112v)
23. Te scriuene vp der stadt huus – To write on the town hall (f. 112v-113r)
24. Van goeden zeden  – Of good manners (f. 113r)
25. Om te scrivene in een cleen huus of cleen camere – To write in a little house or a little room (f. 113r – 113v)
26. In een stal te scrivene – To write in an stable (f. 113v)
27. Vers vanden vier winden – Verse text about the four winds (f. 113v)
28. Een vers jeghen gramscip – A verse text against wrath (f. 113v)
29. A mettre aux aisemens An de heimelicheden – On characteristics (?) (f. 113v)
30. An een drechoir te stellene – To place on a buffet (f. 113v)
31. Saint augustijn escript a sa table (f. 114r)
32. An eenen outhaer – On an altar  (f. 114r)
33. An onser vrouwen beelde – Beside the sculpture of Our Lady (f.114r)
34. An dlavoir – On the washbasin (f.114r)
35. An eenen spieghel scrijft – Write on a mirror (f. 114r)
36. An de IX beste – To the nine worthies(f.114r)
37. An de XII ghenoete van vranckerike – To the twelve companions of France (f. 114r-114v)
38. Neuen thelich sacrament vanden outhare – Next to the holy sacrament of the altar (f. 114v)
39. Item (f.114v)
40. Neuen sente cristofels beelde – Next to the sculpture of Saint Christopher (f.114v)
41. An de beelde van sente gillisse ende den coninc karel te scriuene alsoet te ghent staet te sente veerelden – To write beside the sculpture of Saint Gillis and King Charlemagne as can be found in Ghent at Saint Pharaildis (f.114v)
42. An dwiwater vat te stellene – To place near the holy-water font (f. 114v)
43. An tpalais taken staet met guldinen lettren gescreven – At the palace of Aix-la-Chapelle is written in golden characters (f. 114v)
44. Noch om neven sente cristofels beelde te scrivene –  Some more to write next to the statue of Saint Christopher (f. 115r)
45. Neven sente joris beelde te londres staet ghescreven in de kercke ten augustinen – Next to the statue of Saint George in the augustinian church in London is written (f. 115r)
46. Van sente annen gheslachte – Of the house of Saint Anne (f. 115r-116r)
47. Vander messen – About the mass (f. 116r-116v)
48.  Noch vander messen – Some more about the mass (f. 116v-117r)
49. Sente gregoris seit dat elc wijs mensche schuldich te merckene de vier dinghen hier naer volghende – Saint Gregory said that every wise man is obliged to pay attention to the four following things  (f.117r)
50. Vander messen – About the mass (f. 117v)
51. Hier naer volghen V uterlike dinghen ende teekene der rechter minnen – Next you’ll find five exterior things and signs of true love (f.117v)
52. “Och heere wat de ghene verliest” – O lord, what one loses (f. 117v)
53. Vanden IIII principalen duechden gheheeten cardinale – Of the four principal (or cardinal) virtues (f. 118r)
54. Van leenene – Of borrowing (f. 118r)
55. Vanden XII wercken van ontfaermicheden – About the seven Works of Mercy (f. 118v-120or)
56. Dit mach elc mensche segghen van hem selven –  What every man can say about himself (f. 120or)
57. Hier naer volcht een exempel om twee parsoene deen jeghen dander te lessenen Deen redene ende dander de broesche mensche – Here follows an example about two people, the one against the other, that is: the one reasonable and the other weak (f. 120v-123v)
58. Vanden hopper hoeys – Of the haystack (f. 123v-124v)
59. Gheestelike operatien ende vertroeste vulmaect confort  – Spiritual operations and comforting accomplishes strengthening (f.124v-125r)
60. “Ware wolf ratte mus duvel doet”  – ?? (f. 125r)
61. “Sunt tria que vere factiunt me sepe dolore” – ?? (f. 125r)
62. Lantloepers scrivers machmen gheloeven –  Tramps and writers can be trusted (f. 125r)
63. “Die al wilt handen dat hem valt te hande” – He, who wants to rule all that he can lay his hands on (f.125v)
64. Heden te levene ende morghen doot – Alive today, dead tomorrow (f. 125v)
65. By drien jaien duert den thuun – ?? (f.125v)
66. Vanden vergiere van zuverheden – About the orchard of purity (f.126r-128v)
67. Hier naer volcht depistele die sente bernaerd sandt eenen rudder up dbeleet van eenen huuse – Here follows the letter sent by Saint Bernard to a knight about how to manage a house (f. 128v-131v)
68. Hier naer volcht een exemple ghesonden bi eenen eerweerdeghen joncheere gheheeten jan van hulst an herpercheualen vanden noquerstocque priestre te gheeroudsberghe – Here follows an example sent by an honorable young man, called Jan van Hulst to lord Perceval vanden Noquerstocque, priest in Geraardsbergen (f.131v-132)
69. Vanden pardoene dat taken es XV daghen lanc beghinnende up der VII ghebroederen dach Xste dach in hoymaent alle VII jaren – Of the absolution you can get in Aix-la-Chapelle for fifteen days, starting on the seven brothers day, tenth day in July, every seven years.(f. 133r-134r)
70. Van scipioene affricanus – About Scipio Affricanus(f. 134v)
71. De philosophe platoen – The philosopher Plato (f. 134v)
72. “Item de coninc cirus seide tot sinen kindren dat naer dat”  – King Cyrus told his children that after (f.134v)
73. Hier naer volcht een verclaers van eener biechten uten walsche in dietsche ghetranslateert de welke biecht meester jan jarcoen compileerde ende dede in elke prochie een copie hanghen te parijs – Here follows an announcement of a French confession translated in Dutch, that was compiled by master Jan Jarcoen and nailed up in every parish in Paris (f. 134v-139v)
74. Hier volghen eenighe notablen verclaerse om te bat te verstaene hoe de biechte es schuldich ghedaen te sine – Here follow some remarkable announcements to understand better how the confession should be done (f. 139v-141v)
75. Forma absolutionis sufficiens et requisite pro peccatis (f. 142r)
76. Vermaninghen ende ghebode die de priesters inden predic stoel te parijs pleghen te kennen te ghevene up den paeschdach – Exhortation and commands that are announced by priests on the pulpit in Paris at Easter Sunday (f. 142r-144v)
77. Regement oorboorlic ter doot ghecomposeert ende ghemaect int jaer XIIIIc ende XII om wel ende salechlic te stervene bi meester janne jaersoen canseillier tonser vrouwen kercke te paris ghetranslateert in dietsche int jaer XIIIIc ende XXXI – “Instructions on how to die correctly” written and made in the year 1412, to die in a correct and blessed way, by master John Gerson, chancelor of Our Lady’s Church in Paris, translated into Dutch in 1431 (f.144v-148v)
78. Sente ancelmus anonciert de vraghen ende andwoorden hier na volghende om de ghene die der doot nakende sijn – Saint Anselm proclaims the questions and answers following for the near dead(f.148v-149r)
79. Van gherechter minnen ende de properheit daer of – Of true love and the appeal of it (f.149v-153r)
80. Van V lettren dat wijf bediet– About the meaning of the 5 characters in woman (f. 155v-157v)
81. Bedinghe van onser vrouwen – Prayer of Our Lady (f. 155v-157v)
82. Stabat mater dolorosa etcetera (f. 157v-158v)
83. Hier naer volghen de properheden vanden viere complexien ghedicht bi pieteren den brant int jaer XIIIIc ende XXXIII – Here follow the chracteristics of the four temperaments, written in verses by Pieteren den Brant in 1433 (f.159r-160v)
84. Die verboden daghe vanden jare – The impermissable days of the year (f. 160v-161r)
85. Vercoren goede daghe dat alle dinghen begonnen commen te goeden affecte – Beloved good days that all things had good effects (f. 161r)
86. Vanden andren diverschen daghen vintmen gescreven – What one can find written about the other days (f.161v-162r)
87. Dits deerste dach vanden jare – This is the first day of the year (f.162v-168r)
88. Pratique om den kalendier up de hant te wetene – A way to operate the calendar (f. 168v-168r)
89. Hier volghet een goet dicht vanden IX besten ,– Here follows a good verse text about the nine worthies (f. 170v-183v)

Geraardsbergen manuscript, Text 1 (fols. 103r-103v)

Brussels – KBR – 837-845, fol. 103r: A riddle (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

The first text in the Geraardsbergen manuscript is a riddle with an interesting lay out. An unknown word, represented by the roman numeral XVII, has to be repeated at the beginning of every sentence, and therefore it has been connected with a line to each one of them. The scribe of this codex seems to like texts (often: lists) with lines connecting words or parts of sentences, because they occur regularly (see also Text 3).

The question in this riddle is: With which word should this roman numeral be replaced?

Would you like to try to solve a medieval riddle? Try this one!

See also: the complete table of contents.

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 103v: End of the riddle (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 68 (fols. 131v-132v)

‘Here follows an exemplum sent by one honourable esquire, named Jan van Hulst, to Mr. Percheval vanden Noquerstocque, priest in Geraardsbergen.’

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 131v: Heading of the verse letter (by courtesy of the KBR Brussels)

This letter (see image) may give some clues about the origins of the manuscript. It tells us two names, Jan van Hulst and Perceval vanden Nocquerstocque. The latter one being from Geraardsbergen, the same town as mentioned in Text 69.

See also: the complete table of contents.

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 35 (fol. 114r)

Brussel – KBR – 837-45, fol. 114r: A text to write next to a mirror (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Medieval man was not that different from us as we sometimes would like to believe. They had mirrors, mirrors with captions and self knowledge, just like we do. This very short text reads: ‘To write next to a mirror: know yourself!’

A modern miror with wise advise!

A famous image of a medieval mirror can be seen in this painting by Van Eyck.

See also:

• the complete table of contents.
• captions

Go back to: Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Story 3

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 45  (fol. 115r)

‘Next to Saint George’s statue in the church of the Austin friars in London is written: Pestifer afflatu crux dente celeque volatu urbis vicina fuerat draco causa ruine deficiente gregis . scauro quam filia regis debuit exponi fors contulit esta draconi sanctus ac absque mora sua sena georgis ora sic vi compressit quam salua puella recessit sic ut saluemer . a peste nec hoste grauemur martir sancte dei fer opem nos dans requiei’.

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 115r: A text found next to Saint George’s statue in London (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

Apart from a number of Dutch captions the manuscript contains several Latin captions. This one from London may indicate that the scribe/compiler of the manuscript has been there, but is it also possible he copied it from someone else. The Latin captions show us that the scribe/compiler new Latin, and must have been an educated man (woman?).

See also:

• the complete table of contents
• captions

Brussels – KB – 837-45, fol. 134v: Heading and beginning of the confession aid (by courtesy of the KBR Brussels)

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 73 (fols. 134v-139v)

Before you can enter heaven your soul should be freed of all your sins. Some time in purgatory might help, but is not recommended. The simplest way to free yourself from sins is by confessing them (repenting them and do penance for them). Text 73, a confession aid, guides you through the seven deadly sins and gives suggestions for sins to confess. Wrath? You should confess when you enjoyed somebody else’s misfortune. Gluttony? You should confess when your children are living in poverty because you have been eating and drinking too much. Sloth? You should confess when you have wasted your time by staying in bed too long. Lust? The list for lusty sins is quite a long one, but you should definitely confess when you have done ‘something against nature, which should better be discussed in the confessional than be written down here’!

Text on a church wall (image published in Queeste (1999), see Further reading: Reynaert)

The heading (?) of the text attributes this confession aid to the famous Parisian theologian John Gerson. Apparently this text was to be posted on the church wall. When we look on medieval miniatures (?), like this image below, we notice that there were texts posted on church walls indeed! The putting up of lists in the church may be an indication of a more general literacy in the fifteenth century.

See also: the complete table of contents.

Geraardsbergen Manuscript, Text 23 (fols. 112v-113r)

Brussels – KBR – 837-45, fol. 112v: Heading and beginning of Text 23 (by courtesy of KBR Brussels)

In this twenty line verse text some general guidelines for good government are listed. Most of these suggestions are still valid today (on national level): a town should be governed harmoniously; the public welfare should be taken into account; justice should be equal for the rich and poor; one should be friends with the neighbouring towns; its freedom should not be violated; and those who misbehave should be ‘thrown out’. The text ends with a warning: ‘(Pay attention to this, because) it is an old lesson. If these guidelines are not followed, the town will be in fear! And (then) everyone should take a good look at himself, because he will die one day (and should better have confessed his sins by then).’

Wedding room of the City Hall in Brussels (image published in Hogenelst and Van Oostrom 2002, see: Further reading)

This reminder for governours to do an honest and a good job is a kind of short verse text that could be found posted on a town hall wall. Several examples of this and similar texts can still be seen in the Low Countries, painted on the beams supporting ceilings of large rooms:

• Brussels, City Hall (wedding room), post-medieval – Contact: Hôtel de Ville
• Deventer, Municipal Archives, medieval cut paper letters – Contact: Stadsarchief en Atheneumbibliotheek

See also: the complete table of contents.