508 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1617.
Northern Germany and the Lowlands with the sacerdotal class. 1 Some of the codes condemn the worshipjoHmages. the doctrine of transubst^ntiation, indulgences, priestly unction and, in cases, they substituted the baptism of blood for water baptism. One of these, containing 50 articles, expressly declared that the body of Christ is not in the sacrament, and that "indulgences amount to nothing and together with priests are condemned of God." The 26th article said, "It is better to die with a skin tanned with dust and sweat than with one smeared with a whole pound of priestly ointment." ^
The German hymns as w^ell as the codes of the Flagellants urge the duty of prayer and the mortification of the flesh and the preparation for death, the abandonment of sin, the reconciliation of enemies and the restoration of goods unjustly acquired. These sentiments are further vouched for by the chroniclers.
To these religionists belongs the merit of having revived tlie use of popular religious song. Singing was a feature of the earliest Flagellant movement, 1259.^ Their hymns are in Latin, Italian, French, German and Dutch. In Italian they went by the name of laiide, and in German leisen. The Italian hymns, like the German, agree that sins have brought down the judgment of God and in ap[)ealing to the Virgin Mary, and call upon the " brethren " to castigate themselves, to confess their sins and to live in peace and brotherhood. They beseech the Virgin to prevail upon her son to stop " the hard death and pestilence " — Gesune tolga via V aspra morte e pistilentia.^ Most of these hymns ape filled with the thought of death and the woes of humanity, but the appeals to Mary are full of tenderness, and every conceivable allegory is applied to her from the dove to the gate of paradise, from the
1 Runge, pp. 130, 215.
2 Forstemann, p. 1(55 sqq.
8 Schneerganz speaks of the number of their hymns in manuscript in Italian libraries as " exceedingly large." He gives a list of such libraries and also a list of the published Inudf. See Hunge, pp. 50—54. It is not, however, to be supposed that more than a few were in popular use and sung.
■• See, for example, Runge, p. (58 sqq.
§ 58. HERETICAL AND UNCHURCHLY MOVEMENTS. 509
rose to a true medicine for every sickness. The songs of the Italian and the Northern Flagellants seem to have been independent of each other. ^
The cohorts in the North agreed in using the same penitential song at their drills, but they had a variety of scores and songs for their marches. ^ While the most of the words of their songs have been known, it is only recently that some of the music has been found to which the Flagellants sang their hymns. A manuscript of Hugo of Reutlingen, dating from 1349 and discovered at St. Petersburg, gives 8 such tunes, together with the words and an account of the movei^ent.^ The hearers, in describing the impression made upon them by the melodies, mention their sweetness, their orderly rhythm, — ordine miro hymiios cantabant, — and their pathos capable of " moving hearts of stone and bringing tears to the eyes of the most stolid. " ^
Altogether, the Flagellant movement during the Blafijj: Death, 1349, must be regarded as a genuinely popular raligious movemenj.
The next outbreak of Flagellant zeal, which occurred in 132^, was confined for the most part to Italy. The Flagellants, who were distinguished by mantles with a red cross, appeared in
1 Schneerganz, p. 85, emphatically denies all connection.
2 Fr. Chrysanderas quoted by Runge, p. 1. For specimen of the hymns and accounts of the singing, see Runge, Forstemann, p. 255 sqq., Frederioq, I. 197 ; II. 108, 123, 127-129, 137-139, 140; III. 23-27.
3 This most interesting document, edited by Runge, gives the original music. Here are two lines with a translation of the German words : —
fe
-7S>-
-^ • ^ gg
Now let us all lift up
our hands
m
-f^
--m
And pray to God this death to ♦ See Runge, pp. 27, 140, 157.
vert.