It Jabikspaad
Fryslân spilet in beskiedene rolle yn ‘e skiednis fan it Jabikspaad. Neffens de bekende leginde
yn ´e Codex Turpinus (1150) seach Karel de Grutte yn in dream in wei fan stjerren dy’t begûn
by de Fryske See (de Noardsee), oer hiele Jeropa hinne bôge en einige yn Galysje. Yn 1998
waard de âlde pylgertradysje nij libben ynblaasd, mei’t in nij Frysk Jabikspaad iepene waard
as it earst stik fan in wei dy’t troch Jeropa nei Santiago de Compostella laat. It Fryske
Jabikspaad begjint yn it doarp Sint Jabik. De neikommende links jouwe in wat neiere
ynljochtingen oer it Fryske Jabikspaad en oer oare spoaren fan in St. Jabik-kultus yn ‘e Fryske
lannnen.
The Way of Saint James
Frisia plays a modest role in the history of the Way of Saint James. According to the wellknown
legend in the Codex Turpinus (1150) Charlemagne saw in a dream a way of stars that
began at the ‘Frisian Sea’ (the North Sea), arched over the whole of Europe and ended in
Galicia. In 1998 the old pilgrim tradition was revived as a new Way of Saint James was
opened in West Frisia as the first stretch of a way that leads through Europe to Santiago de
Compostella. The West Frisian Way of Saint James (‚Jabikspaad’) starts in the village of Sint-
Jacobi-Parachie/Sint Jabik. The following links give some information on the West Frisian
Way of Saint James and on other traces of a Saint James cult in the Frisian countries:
www.jabikspaad.nl
www.santiago.nl
De earst mei namme bekende pylger út Fryslân wie Eazge fan Blije. Hy waard fan Feark fan
Hallum, de abt fan it kleaster Mariengaerde op in beafeart stjoerd om syn sûnden te boetsjen
(hy hie, ferearme troch skelen, falsk jild oan ´e earmen jûn). Eazge teach earst nei Jeruzalim,
mar besleat yn ´e weromreis oer Santiago de Compostella te reizgjen. Hy stoar lykwols
foartiid.
Huic ergo proficicenti, Gerthrudis predicta comitem se obtulit, laboris et itineris. Euntes
autem prospere, voto suo potiti sunt. Cumque in redeundo appropinquarent terre cismarine,
dixit ad eam Asego predictus: Si expense sificerent, vellem in isto reditu Sancti Jacobi limina
visitare. Ad haec illa respondit: Puto non sufficere. Descendentibus autem eis de navi, illa
continuo locum nacta oportunum, scrutari cepit quantum argenti superesset, et deprehendit se
plus debito abundare. Dixitque ad eum cum ammiracione multa: Letare vir fortis et
confortare, quia Dominus nom immemor nostri, in loculis nostris argentum misericorditer
ampliavit. Proficiscamur ergo, quia revera voluntatem suam nostre concordare, nobis in hoc
facto demonstravit. Euntibus autem eis post aloquot dies vir ile constans et strenuus correptus
est languore gravissimo, in quo tandem carne solutus Creatori suo spiritum reddidit, terre vero
quod ssum erat.
(Vita Abbatum Orti Sancte Marie. Vijf abtelevens van het klooster Mariengaarde in
Friesland. Hrsg. von H. Th. M. Lambooij & J.A. Mol. Hilversum/Leeuwarden 2001, s. 183-
187)
Oersetting:
Doe’er ôfreizgje soe, bea de niisneamde Gertrud har oan om him op syn swiere reis selskip te
dwaan. Hja hiene doe in goed reis en kamen har ûnthyt nei. En doe’t se yn ´e weromreis by it
lân diskant de (Middellânske) See (Portugal?) kamen, sei de niisneamde Eazge tsjin har: „At
it kin om ´e sinten soe ik yn ´e weromreis ek it grêf en de tsjerk fan Sint Jabik (fan
Compostella) besykje wolle’. Dêrop andere hja: „Ik tink dat dat wol kin.“ Nei’t se fan board
fan ´t skip gien wiene begûn se fuort, sa gau’t se in gaadlik plak fûn hiene, út te rekkenjen
hoefolle jild oft der noch oer wie en se seach dat der te wille genôch hie. En slim ferwûndere
sei se tsjin him: Wês bliid, krigele man, en haw moed, want de Heare hat ús net fergetten en
út begrutsjen it jild yn ús pongen oanwinne litten. Dat lit ús ôfreizgje, want wierlik, Hy hat ús
troch dit feit sjen litten, dat Syn wille mei uzes oerienkomt.“ Doe’t se no dat út giene waard
dy hechte en sterke man nei in deimannich fan in slimme sykte befallen. Dêtroch joech er op
´t lêst, fan it flêsk befrijd, Syn skepper de geast werom en de ierde wat sines wie.
The first pilgrim from Frisia known by name is Eazge of Blije. He was sent on a pilgrimage
by Freark of Hallum, abbot of the monastery of Mariengaerde, in order to atone for his sins
(impoverished by feuds, he had given false money to the poor). Eazge first travelled to
Jerusalem, but on his way back he decided to visit Santiago de Compostella. He died
beforehand.
Huic ergo proficicenti, Gerthrudis predicta comitem se obtulit, laboris et itineris. Euntes
autem prospere, voto suo potiti sunt. Cumque in redeundo appropinquarent terre cismarine,
dixit ad eam Asego predictus: Si expense sificerent, vellem in isto reditu Sancti Jacobi limina
visitare. Ad haec illa respondit: Puto non sufficere. Descendentibus autem eis de navi, illa
continuo locum nacta oportunum, scrutari cepit quantum argenti superesset, et deprehendit se
plus debito abundare. Dixitque ad eum cum ammiracione multa: Letare vir fortis et
confortare, quia Dominus nom immemor nostri, in loculis nostris argentum misericorditer
ampliavit. Proficiscamur ergo, quia revera voluntatem suam nostre concordare, nobis in hoc
facto demonstravit. Euntibus autem eis post aloquot dies vir ile constans et strenuus correptus
est languore gravissimo, in quo tandem carne solutus Creatori suo spiritum reddidit, terre vero
quod ssum erat.
Translation:
As he wanted to depart, the aforementioned Gertrud offered to accompany him on his hard
journey. They had a succesful journey and accomplished their vow. And as on their way back
they approached the land on this side of the (Mediterranen) Sea (Portugal?), the
aforementioned Asego said to her. “If our finances allow, I would like to visit the grave and
the church of St. Jacob (of Compostella).” Thereupon she answered: “I think they are
sufficient.” After they had disembarked and as soon as they had found a convenient place, she
immediately began to calculate how much money was left, and she found that there was more
than enough. And highly surprised she said to him: “Rejoice, bold man, and take courage,
because the Lord has not forgotten us and out of compassion increased the money in our
purses. So let us depart, for truly, He has shown us by this fact that His will coincides with
ours.” As they went, the sturdy and strong man was hit by a serious illness, due to which in
the end he returned his soul, freed from the flesh, to his Creator, and to the earth that, what
belonged to the earth.
● Charter of Frjentsjer (OFO II, 69)
An Old Frisian charter in which the town and municipalities of Westergoa grant safeconduct
to pilgrims who want to travel to the city of Frjentsjer(Dutch: Franeker) to the Saint-Martin-
Church on the eve and the day of Saint James to buy the indulgence granted by Pope Sixtus
IV.
Riocht ende reed der landen steden ende delen van Westergo nv eendrachtelike ende
gemeenlick vergaderet toe Snitze, dwaet kuud ende oppenbeer alle dae jenne, deer dit brieff
syaet jeff heret lessen ende certificerie inder wirde, hoe dat wij jouwen habbet gunnet ende
jaet alle menschen in haet staete hija sint jeff mogen wesa wt haet landen steden jeff dorpen,
datze kommet om hiara ofleten ende gracie toe hellien ieff toe vercrigen, welke gracie ende
oefleten ws heiliga vader paus Sixtus die Viaerde ende syn cardinalen in sinte Mertens tzerka
inder guede stede tho Fraencker, jouwen habbet om zillicheed der zelen, welcke oefleten ende
gracie ingheet ende ingaen schel alle jeren ewelyck duryende op sinte Jacobs jond apostel
Godis ter aerste vespertyt, duriende ende vuytgaende op sinte Jacobs deij ont dae vesperen
aldeer deen sint Ende op alle oer fyfteijndeghen ney hlude ende wtwisingha der cardinalen
brieuen, een frij fest siker onverbritzen gheleyde, in wse lande steden ende dorpen to kommen
truuch toe reysien, toe lydyen ende van henna toe scheeden fry oen ende oeff onbileth
onbiseth ende onbihinderet, oen lyff ende oen gued om eenige misdeden jeff schijlden
deerma hiarm oeff monije jeff op sidza meij, welcke geleyde ingheet ende inghaen scel op
datum des breefs duriende tritich jeeren langh deer neij, Dit geleyde wollet wij onverbritzen
haelden habba van alle menschen bi dae fioerteen beet ende fioerteen jelden, wae dit geleyde
inbrect den igghe ende dat riocht alsoe fulla deer dijo misdeda in deen wert sonder argelist
Des tot orconde bisigeleth mit Westergo landis sigel deer dij mena reed vors. wol oen noeghet
hijr bynya oen dit breeff hwinsen, ende om een marra festicheed dis gheleydis jeff brieff, soe
habbet wij burgermaesteren sceppenen ende reed der steden als Snitze Boelswert, Waerkum,
Staueren, Hindelopen, ende Hernse, elck wse stede secreet meij oen dit breeff hwinsen, Ende
wi delen der wse nammen in jeff buppa wsa sighelen screuwen staet habbet wse sighelen meij
oen dit bryeff hwinsen Int jeer ws Heren tusent fiouwer hondert ende tzawntich des
mannendeijs ney Letare Jherusalem.
Yn de Snitser Resesboeken fynt men de neikommende post (nr. 3235 fan 24 maart 1508) yn it
Midnederlânsk oer in beafeart nei Santiago de Compostella:
heer claes scipper prester om sirick doeyinga bedefaert
Opden xxiiijen dei Jn marcius Js voer ons Andela hennazoen scepen lolka wigglazoen
raetsman ende Jourick feikazoen secretarius Jn sneeck gecomen sirick doyinga ende heefft
ons aldaer te kennen gegeuen dat hij gewonnen heefft den waerdigen here claes scippers
priester Jn sneeck van sirickx wegen een bedefaert toe sint Jacop toe compostella te doen voer
salige doythia agga doyinga sins ziel Ende heer claes hefft den bedefaert aen ghenomen voer
wns vors. ende seide hij wolde die bedefaert doen ende hadde anders gheen boetscap dan
disse bedefaert toe doen soe als hy sirick dat ontheten hefft
Oersetting:
Hear Claes Scipper, preester, fanwegen Sirick Doeyinga syn beafeart
Op ‘e 24ste dei yn maart is foar ús Andela Hennasoan, skepen, Lolke Wigglasoan, riedsman,
en Jourick Feikasoan, skriuwer, ferskynd Sirick Doyinga en hat ús te witten dien dat er de
earwearde hear Claes Scippers, preester te Snits, ynhierd hat om fanwegen him (Sirick) in
beafeart te dwaan nei St Jabik te Compostella foar de siele fan ´e sillige Doythia Agga
Doyinga. En hear Claes hat de beafeart oannommen foar ús niisneamd en sei dat er de
beafeart dwaan soe en oars gjin boadskip hie as dy beafeart te dwaan, lykas er Sirick ûnthiten
hat.
In the Book of Settlements of the city of Sneek the following entry (nr. 3235 of March 24,
1508), written in Middle Dutch, is found concerning a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella:
heer claes scipper prester om sirick doeyinga bedefaert
Opden xxiiijen dei Jn marcius Js voer ons Andela hennazoen scepen lolka wigglazoen
raetsman ende Jourick feikazoen secretarius Jn sneeck gecomen sirick doyinga ende heefft
ons aldaer te kennen gegeuen dat hij gewonnen heefft den waerdigen here claes scippers
priester Jn sneeck van sirickx wegen een bedefaert toe sint Jacop toe compostella te doen voer
salige doythia agga doyinga sins ziel Ende heer claes hefft den bedefaert aen ghenomen voer
wns vors. ende seide hij wolde die bedefaert doen ende hadde anders gheen boetscap dan
disse bedefaert toe doen soe als hy sirick dat ontheten hefft
Translation:
The venerable Claes Scippers, priest, concerning Sirick Doeyingas pilgrimage
On the 24th day of March appeared before us Andela Hennazoen, deputy, Lolka Wigglazoen,
councillor, and Jourick Feikazoen, secretary, Sirick Doyinga and has given us notice that he
has engaged the venerable Claes Scippers, priest in Sneek, to go on a pilgrimage to St. Jabob
in Compostella on his (Siricks) behalf for the soul of the late Doythia Agga Doyinga. And the
venerable Claes has accepted the pilgrimage before us aforementioned and said he would go
on the pilgrimage and had no other errand than to go on this pilgrimage, as he promised
Sirick.