Aleksander Brueckner, in his “Medieval Sermons” (Kazania średniowieczne) (in Rozprawy Akademii Umiejętności. Wydział Filologiczny, Serya II, Tom IX, 1895) provides these sermons which are later replicated – in part – in Karl Heinrich Meyer’s Fontes historiae religionis Slavicae. The sermons come from Latin Quarto number 244 found in the Saint Petersburg library (originally from the Polish Holy Cross Benedictine abbey library). I added some of the translation by Juan Antonio Álvarez-Pedrosa Núñez, Julia Mendoza Tuñón and Sandra Romano Martín from their “Sources of Slavic Pre-Christian Religion” from a version that was forwarded by one of the readers though I made some changes where the English needed a bit of polishing. As to the rest, you can translate it yourself if you want to as it’s rather long. Note that this version is longer than Meyer’s but Brueckner’s is longer still. Of course, for the full version you will have to go to the original. Polish glosses and words are in bold/italics. The folio designations are where the passages start. In some cases, however, they go on across a number of pages.

Folio 62 Latin

“[62] sui proditoris sdraczcze; …Multe sunt mulieres et virgines, que ad hoc se lavant et ornant, ut amabiliores fiant, que non solum in plateis et coreis, immo et in ecclesia corda virorum obnubilant et vulnerant, dum eis nunc colore [or] nunc rubeo nunc familiari colloquio nunc manum inieccione nunc vultus composicione nunc oculorum lasciva intuicione laqueum et occasionem ruine parant… sciendum tamen. quod talis ornatus, decens et competens statui et solitus bonis mulieribus interdici non debet, dum modo fiat decenti modo et recta intencione et quelibet maritata potest se licite ornare ad complacenciam viri sui non autem alicuius alterius.”

Folio 62 English

[English translation to come]

Folio 87 Latin

[87 b] Sermo feria secunda Pasce. O stulti et tardi corde ad credendum [Luc. 24. (88)].

“Quantum malum est incredulitas quod oculos apertos cecat. Quid itaque faciet incantatricibus et sortilegis et commercia cum demonibus habentibus, que et si nomine sunt fideles, re tamen intideles censentur quoniam honori Dei detrahunt et creaturam eis pro Deo constituunt. Qualiter Deus iniuriam suam ulciscetur in talibus actus paganicos facientes ex quo apud dilectos discipulos incredulitas resurreccionis tantum demerebatur, quod Christum non cognoscerent quamquam presentem. Sed nimirum, cum rex omnipotenter resurrexit, cur Christiani non credunt in Deum resurgentem sed credunt et parant sibi falsos deos, qui nec eum a periculo liberare nec de fortunio nec a morte possunt. Numquid enim falsum Deum sibi constituit, qui dimisso vero Deo salutem aut prosperitatem aliunde querit, sicut sunt nonnulli, qui per ignem consecratum infirmitates animalium videntur [!] vel aqua recepta in vigilia pasche multas supersticiones faciunt. Alii sunt sicut coloni, preter fimacionem et agri debiti [!] preparacionem, ut fruges seu annone fertiliter provenient et ne rubigine destruantur, ne zizania crescat, certo modo in die pasce cultello, quo prius quasdam carnes incidunt, aliquas frugum precidunt. Quidam cum cruce circuunt campos post matutinum in die pasce non ex devocione sed ex fidei errore. Etiam qui in diebus pentecostes ludos faciunt paganorum cum denominacionibus [b] demonum sive qui sub tecto dormire nolunt vel cum hominibus non loquntur aut nudis pedibus quasi aliter salvari non poterint ambulant.*”

[* note: This is from Stanisław ze Skarbimierza‘s Sermones super ,Gloria in excelsis.’ Bracha, following Zawadzki (Stanisław ze Skarbimierza, Sermones super, Gloria in excelsis.’) gives: “qui in diebus pentecostes ludos faciunt paganorum cum invocationibus daemonum; seu qui sub tectu dormire nolunt, vel cum hominibus non loquuntur, aut nudis pedibus, quasi aliter salvari non possint, ambulans.”]

“Alii in die nativitatis Domini vel nocte ignem adinvicem non communicant, certas personas primarie domos ipsorum, quos fortunatos estimant, ut fortunati reddantur, ingredi petunt. Quidam lupos quasi ad prandium, ut oves sic a lupinis morsibus salventur. Quidam derelicta sive micas in vigilia Nativitatis Domini superseminant, ut inde petrosilinum habeant et quam plura fidei contraria facere non verentur. Tales derelicta Dei sapiencia sequntur stulticiam sine rege regum et domino dominancium, qui dives est in omnes qui invocant illum; requirunt divicias sine illo, qui nisi custoderit civitatem, frustra vigilant, qui custodiunt eam. Volunt animalia per verba levitate et ridiculo plena, illibata servari. Queso dilectissimi, an lupus devorabit oves tibi, si bene clauseris aut custoditas habueris? Aliqui sunt, qui ponunt faustum vel infaustum in ingressu vel egressu hominum a spectu avium vel garritum vel qui per caracteres aut incantaciones, quid venturum sit hominibus quasi dii annunciant vel qui phitonissas ad domos proprias inducunt vel eorum figmentis intendunt. Sive qui attendunt somnia scripta, falso nomine sancti Danielis intitulata, vel qui portant evangelium In principio erat verbum vel passionem s. Georgii in iopulis vel tunicis contra infaustum. Sive qui languentibus hominibus vel animalibus caracteres ignotos alligant vel vanis vetularum benediccionibus subiciunt aut quibusdam formis suspectis diversas infirmitates hominum, ut ipsi asserunt, medentur. Sive qui per sacramentales res formam verborum querunt aut qui observatis horis et temporibus et cetera diversa et excogitata faciunt, ut amentur vel honorentur aut contra dolorem dencium quosdam tractus linearum depingunt vel contra dolorem capitis lingua, adiunctis quibusdam verbis, frontes lingunt: leczyą oth vrzeku. Sive ceram fundendo ex figura ipsius mortem vel vitam predicant aut plumbum contra timorem puerorum fundunt et fusum puero circumligant. Sive secundum ritum paganorum [89] quandam ymaginem quam vocant mortem de finibus villarum cum cantu educunt. Sive qui ad viam euntes si in pede vel in alio membro leduntur, vel qui iucti! ambulant et lapis vel obstaculum eos dividat, malum nunciare credunt. Aut detnonibus sacrificia oflferunt que dicuntur vboschye, remanentes seu derelinquentes eis residuitates ciborum quinta feria post cenam et cetera. Aut qui in arboribus vel plantis aliquid nutriminis ponunt aut sanari vel prosperari ab alio quam a Deo petunt. Interrogo vos ubi talia didicistis, ubi scriptum reperistis, a quo catholico audivistis, quis professorum orthodoxe fidei vos docuit nisi pater mendacii et magister erroris sc. Dyabolus…. Vnde tales si accedunt ad corpus Christi et perdurant in malicia, malediccionem eternam incurrunt et debent excommunicari nec in eius cimiterio sepeliri cum illis qui isto festo sunt dissoluti in ludis exquisifis more paganorum: dingusszy.” 

[On the side there is the following addition by a different hand: Et tamen magister in racionali permittit, quia non est sine misterio videlicet dingusszi].

Folio 87 English

“What evil there is in the lack of faith, how blind with open eyes! What will be done, then, with the witches and sorcerers and those who do deals with the devil, who, while believers in name, must nevertheless be considered as infidels in deed, for they degrade the honor of God and invent their own Creation instead of God! Oh how God will punish from amongst such people those who perform pagan acts that offend Him – He who from his beloved disciples earned only a lack of faith with his resurrection for they recognized not the Christ though they had Him before them! And yet, though the King be resurrected with all hispower, why do Christians not believe in the resurrection of God, but rather believe and invent false gods, who cannot save them from danger nor misfortune nor even from death? For, why has a false god been created by he who, rejecting the true God, seeks salvation and prosperity in other places as some do, who see the diseases of animals in the consecrated fire, or who make many superstitions in the water that is collected on the eve of Easter? There are others like those farmers who, making the excuse of wanting to cleanse and properly prepare the earth so that the crops and the harvest prove fertile and will not shrivel up or so weeds will not grow, cut some plants in a special way on Easter day with a knife that was previously used to cut some pieces of meat. Some on Easter day after matins, walk around the fields carrying a cross, but not out of devotion, but rather out of a misplaced faith. There are also those who during the Pentecost celebrate festivals with names of pagan demons, or those who do not want to sleep under a roof, or who do not speak to anyone, or walk barefoot as if they could not be saved any other way. Others, on Christmas day, or at night, do not share the fire with one another, and ask certain important people who they believe are lucky to enter their houses so that they will be come lucky themselves too. Others almost invite wolves to eat, so that in this way their sheep will be spared attacks from these wolves. Others, on Christmas Eve, spread the remains of food or crumbs so as to obtain parsley from them, and to not be afraid to do the greatest number of things possible against the faith… There are some who believe people’s arrival or departure is a good or bad omen depending on the appearance or the chirping of birds or who, through signs or spells, foretell what will happen to people, as if they were gods, or those who bring fortune-tellers into their own houses or who listen to their trickery. Or those who believe the stories of some dreams, called by the false name “of Saint Daniel,” or who carry the Gospel “In the beginning was the Word,” or the Passion of Saint George in their iopulas or tunics, to keep away bad luck. Or those ho tie unknown signs to sick people or animals, or who give themselves to the futile blessings of old women or, as they themselves say, who heal different illnesses in people with certain suspicious means. Or those who search for the form of words through sacramental means or who make up different inventions respecting the time or seasons so that they will be loved or respected; or who paint certain outlines and lines against tooth pain or lick foreheads with their tongue against headaches, adding some words: leczyą oth vrzeku. Or foretell their death or their life using a figurine of themselves made of wax or melt lead against children’s fears and circle the child with a spindle. Or, following the rite of the pagans, take an image which they call death on procession to the outskirts of town. Or those who believe that it is a bad omen if, when the they go out on the street, they hurt their foot or any other limb, or if they are walking together and a stone or an obstacle forces them to separate.  Or they offere sacrifices to demons who they call vboschye, with what they save or what is left from dinner on Thursday and other things. Or those who place some food on trees or plants and ask to be cured or to prosper from any who is not God. I ask you where you have learned such things, where you have found them written, from which Catholic you have heard them, which of the teachers of the orthodox faith taught them to you other than the father of lies and the master of error, that is the Devil… Therefore, if such people have access to the body of Christ and they reaffirm evil, they fall into eternal damnation and they must be excommunicated, and they must not be buried in the Lord’s cemetery, but rather with those who have separated from that celebration by performing rites gleaned from the pagan custom: dingusszy.”

[On the side there is the following addition by a different hand: Et tamen magister in racionali permittit, quia non est sine misterio videlicet dingusszi].

Folio 142 Latin

[142] De s. Trinitate. Credo in unum Deum etc. [b] [on top, a slightly different, later hand wrote: Curando nogecz scribunt nomen Luce s. et imponunt in os pecoris]…

“Quam ob rem Christianus si contendit profiteri recte unum deum, non declinet ad phitones; ad ariolos doszenykow, qui somnia predicunt; ad aruspices czyassoguszlnyczy, qui dies et horas observant; ad incantatores lekownyczy albo zaclinayączy; ad divinatores badaczye, qui futura ac eventus fortuitos et preterita occulta et presencia suis supersticionibus prenosticant; ad sortilegos wroschnyczi; ad augures ptakoprawnyczi, qui dicunt futura ex garritu avium; ad caragos nawązinyczi, qui alligant caracteres. Omnes enim hi et ipsoruiu sequaces velut infideles et apostate condemnantur. Audiant ergo illi, qui nocte Nativitatis Christi vel die ignem adinvicem non coinmunicant, certas personas primarie domos ipsorum quos fortunatos [143] estimant, ut fortunati reddantur, ingredi petunt. Quidam lupos quasi ad prandium, ut oves eorum a lupis salventur, invitant: ista sunt ridiculo plena; queso an lupus devorabit oves si tantum clauseris illas aut custodieris? an homo te fortunatum potest reddere: si sic, tunc unus homo posset totam civitatem fortunatam reddere et sic nullus pauper esset in ea. An herba te felicem reddit, qua melior tu es et que non est aliud nisi fenum? Audiant itaque qui aures habent, ne dicant: nescimus, non fuit qui annunciaret nobis, quod sit error. Audiant thabernatores, qui multa supersticiosa faciunt, ut potus ab eis cicius ebibatur aut quod plures ad eos quam ad alios ad bibenduin convenirent, et ab erroribus suis resipiscant. Audiant coloni, qui preter fimacionem et agri debitam preparacionem. ut fruges fertiliter provenient et ne rubigine [above there is written the word sznyecz] destruantur, ne zizania crescat, certo modo in die pasche cultello, quo prius quasdam carnes incidunt, aliquas frugum precidunt. Quidam cum cruce circuunt campos post matutinum in die pasce non ex devocione sed ex fidei errore. Audiant ortulani qui supersticiones faciunt recipiendo cineres sacratos in capite ieiunii, aspergendo vel miscendo quibusdam, ne vermes caules comederent quod errant. Audiant omnes communiter qui servant ticiones de igne consecrato in vigilia pasce pro equis vel aliis animalibus certo modo curandis. Audiant agricole qui tempore vernali volentes incipere arare multas faciunt supersticiones: quidam enim ipsorum cornibus boum quedam appendunt, humulo circumsipant; alii fundunt se invicem, quando lac vacce comedunt que noviter fetum produxit: szyara. Aliqui etiam agricole immiscent quedam ex proposito seminibus cum seminant pro remedio locustarum aut rubiginis [on top is written: sznyeczi] aut alio defectu. Audiant senes et iuvenes, qui sal minutum per noctem ad diem cinerum ponunt ad experiendum illo anno de familia morituros, quod deo detrahunt, ad quem solum spectat de noticia futurorum. Audiant virgines, adolescentes et viri, qui contra dolorem oculorum per noctem totam ad diem nativitatis s. Johannis Baptiste vigilant et capita cum artomasia cireumdant contra dolorem capitis illo anno. Et quidam in vigilia quedam alia pro variis supersticionibus faciunt quod errant. Vigilandum [143, b] fateor nobis est in vigiliis sanctorum, ut resurgamus a peccatis. Audiant virgines et mulieres que in vigiliis et diebus sabbatis tota nocte vigilant, plaudunt et ludunt, cantant, saltant, quem modum exercent pagani Proserpinam colentes vel Venerem.*”

[* note: This is from Stanislaw ze Skarbimierza‘s Sermones sapientiales. Bracha, following Chmielowska (Sermones sapientales, cz. 2, Sermo XLVII) gives: “Audiant mulieres et virgines, quae in vigillis et diebus sabbatis tota nocte vigilant, plaudunt et ludunt, cantat et saltant, quo modum exercent paganorum Proserpinam quaerentium vel Venerem colentium.”]

“Audiant patres et matres, que de sua familia, maxime de sexu femineo, ad talia dirigunt vel transire scienter permittunt, quod deo racionem districtam de familie mało regimino reddent; multa enim ibi flagicia, multa nefandissima comittuntur. Audiant qui in die Purificacionis s. Marie domos aut vaccas cum candelis benedictis circuunt, crines ad modum crucis vacce adurunt, adimunt et exuruut. Ceram stillare in manum vel ad manicam faciunt et si stillaverit vel non, aut si multum vel modicum, seu si extinguntur, priusquam domum apportantur, bonum vel malum annunciant quod errant. Audiant illi, qui herbis consecratis in die Assumpcionis ad usum animalium et repulsam demoniorum querunt faustum, quod eis abutuntur et peccant. Similiter errant qui germen frondium supersticione degluciunt et qui contra dolorem oculorum scribunt in Quadragesima: Lutum fecit Domins ex sputo infra lectionem evangelicam. Similiter illi qui portant scriptum evangelium In principio erat verbum in tunicis iopulis contra infaustum vel eciam passionem s. Georgii scriptam, similiter tales errant. Audiant viri et femine, qui ponunt cineres cum quodam instrumento (naczinym) sub limine quando debent intrare domum a sepultura alicuius venientes, quod non habent plenam fidem. Intelligant illi qui se comniittunt morituris, agonizantibus, ut ipsos de successu suo informarent, quod qui moriuntur aut sunt damnati et hi alligati redire non possunt, nisi Deus permittat, aut sunt sancti et hi semper defixi nihil anuunciabunt nisi a Deo dirigantur, aut sunt purgandi et hi alligati innotescere sine Dei nutu hominibus non possunt.  Audiant simplices qui ad novilunium genua flectunt et orant, quod in errorem aut incidunt aut de facili incidere possunt, illum qui suasit adorare miliciam celi, non enim adorari debet luna, sol aut celum, cum sint creature sed Deus et creator solus adorandus est. Audiant et illi qui nolunt bibere tenendo [144] lumen in manu ne in infirmitatem incurabilem ob hoc incurrerent, quod sunt vani et ventose fidei. Audiant agricole et ceteri qui in diebus Nativitatis Domini prohibent lupos, non tamen Diabolum nominare, ut supra fuit. Alii fortunium ludendo querunt, quo cicius infernum lucrabuntur. Audiant venatores et piscatores, qui venatum euntes pro feris capiendis vel piscibus prandendis recia fumigant cum quibusdam rebus et interdum sacratis, quod sunt małe fidei ac sacrilegi, si rebus sacratis sic utuntur. Similiter sacrilegi sunt qui cereum pascale dentibus mordent et cera rasa perfide utuntur: tanto ergo gravius peccant, quanto magis rebus sacratis abutuntur. Aliqui colligunt aquam stillantem de cereo quando consecratur fons in vigilia pasce non ad expellendum ad quod ordinatur consecracio eadem, sed ad introducendum. Aliqui propter levitatem animi et in fide non fixi, si viderint in via ex adverso aut a dextris seu a sinistris lupum vel leporem, successum prosperum vel contrarium annunciant, modice aut nullius fidei. Quid enim lepus habet infausti aut quid prosperitatis lupus secum portat? Non est enim prosperitas sine creatore, non est adversitas nisi Deo permittente. Audiant viri et femine nupcias celebrantes, quod preter turpiloquia circa sponsum et sponsam supersticiosa multa inibi fiunt, de quibus si facta sunt, peniteant, si fienda, non committant. Nonnulli sunt qui locum mutare volentes aut edificare incipientes multa cum peccato grandi faciunt, quibus experiri nituntur, qualiter succedere ipsis debeat in futuro novo edificio vel post loci mutacionem si prospere vel non. Insensati futura cognoscere querunt qui se ipsos non cognoscunt et hi sciant quod qualitercunque hec cognoscere preter revelacionem Dei querunt, małe querunt, unde Apostolus quibusdam dicebat: Timeo ne sine causa laboraverim in verbis quia observatis annos et menses, omnes quippe dies creavit altissimus de quo in Gen. dicitur Vidit Deus omnia que fecerat et erant valde bona. Et hinc est quod illi qui die lunę iter nolunt [143, b] arripere propter infaustum non sunt solide fidei, nam isto die iter nolunt arripere, diem autem festum non curant, sed quadrigant, emunt, vendunt, fora faciunt in eodem. Insipientes quod ad quietem provisum, istud ad laborem, quod ad laborem institutum esse dinoscitur, istud retorquent ad quietem. Nonnulli sunt qui non lavant scultellas post cenam feria quinta magna et feriali ad pascendum animas vel alias que dicuntur vbosshe, stulti eredentes, spiritus corporalibus indigere cum scriptum est Spiritus carnem et ossa non habet. Aliqui remittunt remanencias ex industria in scutellis post cenam quasi ad nutriendum animas vel quoddam demonium quod vocatur: vbosche, sed hoc ridiculo plenum est, quia putant sepe stulti et vani, hoc ipsum quod remanserunt [written above that: dimiserunt] a dcto vbesche comedi quod fovent propter fortunium, sed tum frequenter veniens catulus ipsis nescientibus illas reliquias devorat. Et aliqui credentes esse peccatum lavare caput feria quinta, post cenam non lavant, trepidant timore ubi non est timor, ubi vero merito esset formidandum, non formidant. Quidam sunt qui more Judeorum magis celebrant sabbatum quam diem dominicam, cum iuxta decretum magis tunc laboribus insistendum sit, ne iudaisare videantur. Alii non comedunt de capite animalis, credentes per hoc s. Johanni irreverenciam irrogare, cum tamen scriptum sit Omnia munda mundis actis. Quidam non balneantur quintis feriis ob reverenciam captivitatis Christi, sed fornicantur, adulterantur, fatui offerunt holocausta que non placent Deo. Quidam fundunt plumbum ad aquam et ex illo prenosticatur et ad eollum pueri (et) infirmi contra terrores ligant. Insensati credunt sathanam posse plumbo expelli, non gracia aut invocacione Dei. Alii sunt qui ceram super aquam fundunt et ex figuracione de vivis aut morituris mira annunciant vane fidei, non attento quod ex diversitate materie et forme qualitatibus et accidentibus surgit figura diversa, quam aut ars aut natura format aut naturalia aparantur. Nonnulli sunt qui curant dolorem dencium quedam verba et [145] caracteres inscribendo cum crida vel alio modo aut clavum ligno infigendo credunt sanare ubi infirmant, se credunt medelam posse conferre, ubi animas mortificant. Nonnulli sunt qui contra dolorem quedam! capitis qui dicitur vrzeczyene adiunctis quibusdam verbis lingua frontem pacientis infirmitatem lingunt. Diversi sunt qui varie febres curare videntur, alii inub’o, [?, or “in verbo”?] alii quibusdam verbis vel factis, cum primo audiunt eas pati. Alii scribunt quedam in pomo vel in oblatis et dant pacienti, alii in papiro, alii non sinunt coram se nominare febres, sed alia multa mala et sordida permittunt; horum omnium fides est vana, querunt enim medicinam ab apostata, non a sapiencia Dei. Nonnulli sunt, qui non dant loturas digitorum animalibus bibere, propter passionem, que dicitur vulgariter nogecz; sed et istud facere procedit a demone. Alii ponunt et adurunt palos ad ignem, qui consecratur in vigilia pasche, et cum eis quasdam fossuras faciunt contra vermes. Alii cum sambuco quedam faciunt, credendo ipsis obesse incantaciones, sed hi sciant, quod nulla incantacio potest nocere habentibus fidem rectam. Quidam ritus eciam viget reprehensibilis, quod die circumcisionis, qui novus annus appellatur, ambulat pastor per domos distribuendo ramos, qui non recipiuntur manu nuda, et illis ramis expelluntur pecudes et pecora ad gregem: quis hoc docuit homines nisi pater mendacii et erroris. Quidam sunt, qui quandam infirmitatem vocant myara quam curare cum filo mensurando hominem aut caput eius, quam infirmitatem aut aliam sibi similem dicunt evenire, quando per quedam calcant, que ipsi norunt: ridiculo plenus error bic, non enim infirmitas corporalis filo, sed rebus certis et remediis propellitur. Alii equos ementes non recipiunt frena manu nuda, quod ex imperfeccione fidei procedit. Similiter alii facientes aliquos contractus in stipulacione manum non faciunt nudis manibus sed fimbriis vestimentorum. Quidam non dant ignem de domo feriis sextis; alii prohibent sedere in limine hostii; alii, si duo vadunt et dividuntur, malum evenire credunt. Alii lacticinia post occasum solis timent vendere propter infaustum etcetera. Alii intirmitates [145, b] dictas nogecz aut vrasz verbis vanis et ludibrio plenis curare volunt asserentes quod dedisset deus virtutem verbis, sed miseri nesciunt quibus, quis enim sanctorum docuit istud nisi mille artifex et magister doli? Fateor, quod potest oracio dominica aut salutacio virginis et simbolum legi, dum medicina alicui imponitur et porrigitur; id tamen caute agendum est, ne supersticioni detur occasio aliqualis. Alii tempore processionum in rogacionibus, ubi in campo fit stacio, herbas tollunt ad supersticiones faciendas. Alii in grandinariis impressionibus quedam dicunt, alii cruces altas contra easdem impressiones erigunt, quod non est faciendum; pulsare tamen campanas non est supersticiosum et ignem facere in domibus, nam racio naturalis reddi potest, quod aer spissus per hoc rarefit et non est fortis ad ledendum.”

“Diversi quoque errores superseminati sunt et tot, quod non unus doctor sed nec omnes de mundo possent eos describere novique quotidie generantur. Ideo b. Augustinus contra tales dicit… in sermone qui incipit Bene nostis etc. Ideo carissimi credite plus doctoribus quam vetulis spiritum phitonum habentibus nec credatis, quod ita sit, si nobis! iuxta vota succedit, permittit enim Deus nos! probare utrum ambuletis in via sua an non… resistite diabolo et fugiet a vobis dabitque vobis Deus… pro amore suo regnum eternum ad quod nos perducat etc.”

Folio 142 English

[142] On the Holy Trinitiy. I believe in one God etc. [b] [on top, a slightly different, later hand wrote: Curando nogecz scribunt nomen Luce s. et imponunt in os pecoris]…

“For this reason, if a Christian makes an effort to properly profess his faith in one sole God, he should not pay attention to fortune tellers, to the doszenykow seers, who interpret dreams; to the haruspices czyassoguszlnyczy, who observe the day and hours; to the sorcerers lekownyczy albo zaclinayączy; to the clairvoyants badaczye, who foretell the future, events of chance and hidden things of the past and present with thier superstitions; to the wroschnyczi wizards; to the augurs ptakoprawnyczi, who explain the future through birdsong; to the warlocks nawązinyczi, who tie symbols. All of these then and their followers are condemned as infidels apostates… (143) Some make the people invite wolves in to eat so that their sheep will be spared from the wolves: these things are completely ridiculous… Take heed innkeepers who do many superstitious things so that their drinks are drunk faster or so that more people go to their establishments to drink than to others; take heed and repent for your sins. Take heed farmers who, making the excuse of wanting to cleanse and properly prepare the earth so that the crops and the harvest prove fertile and will not shrivel up or so weeds will not grow, cut some plants in a special way on Easter day with a knife that was previously used to cut some pieces of meat. Some, on Easter day after matins walk around the fields carrying a cross but not out of devotion but rather out of a misplaced faith. Take heed gardeners who perform superstitions by receiving consecrated ashes on their heads while fasting, scattering them or mixing them with certain things so that worms would not eat their cabbage; take heed because you err. Take heed all those who keep embers from the consecrated fire on the eve of Easter to cure in some way horses or other animals. Take heed farmers who perform many superstitions in the spring, when they want to begin to plow: for some of them hang certain things on the oxen’s horns and they spread them around on the ground; others splash one another when they drink milk from a cow that has recently given birth: szyara. Some farmers also purposefully mix certain things with seeds when they plant as a remedy against locust, withering or other problems. Take heed young and old who put fine salt at night until the day of ashes to know who in the family is going to die that year, knowledge which they steal from God – the only one who should have news of future things. Take heed young people, adolescents and men who, to prevent eye pain, spend the night before the birthday of Saint John the Baptist awake and who surround their heads with bread dough to free themselves all year of headaches. And some during the night do other things that are varied superstitions and they err… Take heed virgins and women who, on the eves of Saturdays, and also during the day, spend the entire night aware, who applaud and play, sing and dance and who behave in the manner of pagans who worship Proserpina or Venus.”

[* note: This is from Stanislaw ze Skarbimierza‘s Sermones sapientiales. Bracha, following Chmielowska (Sermones sapientales, cz. 2, Sermo XLVII) gives: “Audiant mulieres et virgines, quae in vigillis et diebus sabbatis tota nocte vigilant, plaudunt et ludunt, cantat et saltant, quo modum exercent paganorum Proserpinam quaerentium vel Venerem colentium.”]

“Take heed fathers and mothers who induce the people in their family to do such things especially those of the female sex or who knowingly allow them to do it; for you will earn severe judgment from God for having poorly managed you family: for there many scandals and many crimes are committed. Take heed those who on the day of the Purification of Saint Mary go in circles around their house or their cows with blessed candles and scorch, pull out and burn the cows’ hairs in the shape of a cross. They make the wax fall in their hand or on their sleeve and they predict good or bad omens if the wax spills or not or if it spills a lot or a little or if the candle goes out before they bring back home; and in that they err. Take heed those who seek a good omen in the herbs consecrated on the day of the Assumption which are used for animals or to reject demons because they act wrongly with them and they sin. Just as those who eat the wheat seedlings as a superstition err and those who at Lent scribe down (against eye pain: ‘When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay out of the spittle.’ And just as those who carry the who carry with them in their tunics a note from the Gospel: ‘In the beginning was the Word’ to ward off bad luck or who also carry written the passion of Saint George, such people also err. Take heed men and women who place ashes with a certain instrument (naczyim) in the threshold when they want to enter their houses if they come from someone’s burial, because they do not have a complete faith… Take heed the naive who on the night of the full moon kneel down and pray, because they fall or could easily fall into error that advised people to worship the hosts of heaven, for the moon, the sun or the sky must not be worshipped for they are created and only their God – the Creator – should be worshipped. Take heed also those who do not want to drink if they have (144) a lamp in their hand so as not to suffer from an incurable disease because of it, because that is typical of a hollow, unreal faith. Take heed farmers and others who the days of Christmas prohibit wolves from being named, and not, on the contrary, the Devil, as it was in another time. Others attempt to outwit fate, with which they will earn hell more quickly. Take heed hunters and fishermen who, when they go to hunt or to capture beasts and fish, smoke their lines with certain things, sometimes consecrated, which is indicative of a wicked faith and it is a sacrilege that they use sacred things in thhis way. Just as those who chew the Paschal candle and use the wax they pull off in a perverse way are sacrilegious: for the more they abuse sacred things, the graver their sin. Some collect water that splashes from the candle when a fountain is consecrated on the eve of Easter, not to expel that for which the consecration itself is ordered, but rather to attract it. Some, because of the inconsistency of spirit and because they are not secure in their faith, should they cross paths with a wolf or with a hare that cuts them off from the right or from the left, they predict from that a favorable or unfavorable event to come – a belief indicative of little or no faith… Take heed men and women who celebrate their weddings, because as the result of obscene conversations about husband and wife, many superstitions take place at them, for which they should repent if they have already done them and which should not be committed if they have the intention to do them. There are some who, when they want to change where they live or to begin to build a house, they do many things – sinning gravely – with which rituals they attempt to confirm what is going to happen to them in the future in this new hose or after changing where they live, if such new place or house will be prosperous or not… And there are those who do not want to begin a journey on Monday to avoid misfortune, and they do not have solid faith, as that day they do not want to begin their journey, though they are not concerned with traveling on holy days, getting on their cart, buying, selling and doing business on those days. Those who do not know what time is set aside for rest and they dedicate that time to work and the time that is established for work, they instead use for rest. There are those who do not wash dishes after dinner on Great Thursday and holy day [Maundy Thursday] so as to feed the souls that they call vbosshe and others, believing foolishly that spirits need corporeal things even though it is written that the Spirit does not have flesh and bones. Some purposefully leave dinner remains on their plates to thus feed the souls or a certain demon that they call vbosshe, but that is completely ridiculous, because they often think – foolish and naive that they are – that what they have left is food for the aforementioned vbesshe since they want it to bring them good luck. but very often it is a dog that comes without them realizing it and devours such remains. And some believing it is a sin to wash their heads on Thursday, do not wash after dinner, they tremble, terrified where there is no reason for fear and when they should be rightfully scared, they are instead not afraid. There are some who, according to the custom of the Jews, celebrate Saturday more than Sunday, when, by decree, they should insist more that day on showing that they are working so as not to seem that they are Jews. Others do not eat any part of the head of animals, thinking that if they do it they will show a lack of respect for Saint John, when, nevertheless, it is written that ‘To the pure, all things are pure.’ Some do not bathe on Thursdays out of reverence for the arrest of Christ but they fornicate, are adulterous and, in their vanity, they offer burnt offerings that do not please God.  Some melt lead and they mix it with water, to tell the future with it and they tie it to the neck of children and sick people to chase away terrors. Foolish, they believe that Satan can be thwarted with lead, not with the grace of or invocation to God. Others melt wax with water and by the resulting shape, with hollow belief, they foretell astonishing things of the living or of those who must die, without realizing that because of the difference in the qualities and unevenness in the material and the form, different figures arise, which are given shape by art or nature and these are natural things. Some heal tooth pain by writing certain words and (145) symbols with clay or in other ways; or some who, by nailing a nail into a stick believe that they thus heal when, in fact, they are making people sick and believe that they can offer a medicine while, in fact, they are plaguing souls. Some, to heal certain headaches that are called vrzeczyene, lick with their tongue the forehead of he who suffers from the illness, adding some words. There are many who seem to heal different fevers, some inub’o [?], and others with different words and acts, whenever they hear someone is suffering from them. Some write certain things on a piece of fruit or on wafers and give it to the sick person, others on a piece of paper, others do not allow fevers to be named in their presence, but allow many other evil and sordid things.; the faith of all these individuals is hollow [shallow?], for they seek medicine that comes from an apostate [?], not from the wisdom of God. There are some who do not let animals drink finger baths [!?], because of the suffering that is commonly called nogecz; but doing this also comes from the devil. Others throw and burn sticks into the fire that consecrates the eve of Easter, and others make holes in the ground agains worms. Others do certain things with a harp, believing that with those things, spells will do harm, but they should know that no spell can harm those who have true faith A certain reprehensible rite is also still practiced, whereby on the day of circumcision, which is called the new year, a shepherd goes around the houses giving out branches, which cannot be received by bare hands, so that with those branches they make the sheep and livestock go towards the herd: who could have taught men this, if not the father of trickery and error? There are some who say that they cure a disease that they call myara by measuring a manor his head with a thread, and they say that it happens with this disease and others that resemble it, when however they disregard other things that they do not know: this error is completely ridiculous, as the body’s illness is not expelled with a thread, but rather with true things and remedies. Others, when buying a horse, do not take the bit with their bare hands, which comes from the imperfect nature of their faith. Likewise, others, when they agree to a contract, when they shake hands they do not do so with bare hands, but rather with the trim of their garments. Some do not share their house’s fire on Fridays; others prohibit anyone from sitting in the threshold of their door; others, if two are walking together and something separates them, believe that something bad is gong to happen. Others are afraid of selling things made with milk after sunset, to avoid bad luck and all the rest. Others attempt to cure the diseases nogecz or vrasz [uraz ?] with hollow words that are full of trickery, sating that God had given them this virtue of words, but these wreched individuals do not know to whom, as, what saint has taught them this, if not the maker and master of the thousand tricks? I recognize that the Sunday prayer or the Annunciation of the Virgin can be said as a symbol, whenever providing and giving medicine to someone; however, this should be done with care, so that there is no occasion for superstition. Others, during the time of rogational processions [Dni błagalne, ancient Robigalia], when it is the season of the fields, they cut grass and engage in superstitious behavior. Some utter certain things during hailstorms, others erect tall crosses during the same storms, all things which should not be done; however, it is not superstitious to ring bells and light fires in homes, so as to reestablish the natural order, since the dense air becomes lighter with these things, and it is not so strong as to cause damage.”

[English translation of the remainder to come]