Karl Heinrich Meyer notes in the appendix to his compendium on Suavic religion (Fontes historiae religionis Slavicae) certain passages from the Merseburg Penitential (Poenitentiale Merseburgense) which may or may not refer to Suavic customs. Nevertheless, given that some of these may in fact have a Suavic origin we include them here. The ones included are only the ones mentioned by Meyer and represent his choice of those that appeared to him to be most likely connected with Suavs.
For the complete penitential (which contains a total of 169 different punishable offenses (some quite, including those shown here, gross) see F.W.H. Wasserschleben’s Beitraege zur Geschichte der vorgratianischen Kirchenrechtsquellen (Leipzig, 1839, page 88) and also Die Bussordnungen der abendlaendischen Kirche (Halle, 1851, page 387) by the same author (which also includes other versions of similar penitentials).
The manuscript itself is Merseburger Dombibliothek nr. 103 (from the 9th century).
Cap. 22: Si quis sacrilegium fecerit, id est quod aruspici vocant, qui auguria colunt, sive per aves aut quocunque malo ingenio augeraverit, III ann. cum pane e.a. poen.
Cap. 23: Si quis per ariolos, quos divinos vocant, aliquas divinationes fecerit, quia hoc daemonum [or daemonicum] est, V ann. poenit., III ex his in pane et aqua.
Cap. 26: Si quis sortes sanctorum, quas contra rationem vocant [or Si quis sortes, quas sanctorum contra rationem vocant], vel alias sortes habuerit, vel qualecunque alium malum ingenium sortitus fuerit vel veneraberit, III ann. poen.
Cap. 27: Si quis ad arbores vel ad fontes, vel ad cancellos, vel ubicunque, exceptum in ecclesia, votum voverit aut solverit, III annn. cum pane et aqua poeniteat, quia et hoc sacrilegium vel daemonium est; et qui ibidem ederit aut biberit, annum integrum cum pane et aqua poeniteat.
Cap. 32: Si quis, quod in Kalend. Januar. multi faciunt, quod adhuc de paganis residit, in cervolum [o cervolo], quod dicitur, aut in vecola [or vetula] vadit, III ann. poen., quia hoc daemonum [or daemonicum] est.
Cap. 34: Si quis mathematicus fuerit, i.e., per invocationem daemonum mentes hominum tulerit aut debacante [or debacchantes] fecerit, V ann. poen., III ex his i.p.e.a.
Cap. 36: Si quis ligaturam fecerit in herbas vel quolibet ingenio malo incantaverit et super Christianum ligaverit, scias eum fidem Dei amisisse, III ann. poen., I ex his i.p.e.a.
Cap. 48: Si qui simul edunt festivitates in locis abuminandis more gentium, III ann. poen. i.p.e.a.
Cap. 50: Si quis secundo et tertio idolis immolaverit per vim, III annn. poen., II sine oblatione communicet.
Cap. 74: Si quis sanguinem animalium manducaberit nesciens, aut morticinum aut idolis immolatum, IV menses poen., i.p.e.a., si autem scit, II ann. sine vino et carne.
Cap. 103: Si qua mulier semen viri sui in cibum miscens, aut inlicitas causas fecerit, ut inde plus ejus amore suscipiat, III ann. poen.
Cap. 108: Si quis [or aliquis] infans per ignorantiam gustaberit idolis immolatum aut morticinum, aut aliquid abhuminabile, III ebdom. poen.
Cap. 167: Si quis emissor tempestatum fuerit, VII ann. poen., III ex his i.p.e.a.
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