Sinne- en minnebeelden. Deel 3. Apparaat

[p. 268]

3 De Engelse vertalingen van de amoureuze gedichten, opgenomen achter Proteus (1627)

Als basistekst is gekozen voor de vertalingen die staan afgedrukt in het kb-exemplaar met het signatuur 758 b 1, p. 3-28, onder het opschrift ‘Emblemata D. Iacobi Catsii, In linguam Anglicam transfusa’ (De emblemen van de heer Jacob Cats, in het Engels vertaald). Omdat het aal-embleem niet werd vertaald (‘Primum Emblema in linguam Anglicam non est translatum’ staat vermeld op p. [2v]), en omdat het embleem over het brandhout - in de ed. 1627, nr ii - abusievelijk begint met iii (p. 3), komt de nummering uit op liii.

Dit betekent dat bij vergelijking van de vertaalde teksten met de Nederlandse uit Silenus van 1618 - die er namelijk aan ten grondslag hebben gelegen - alle embleem-nummers met twee verlaagd moeten worden. De vertalingen zijn, voordat zij in Proteus werden opgenomen, niet of nauwelijks gecorrigeerd, waardoor nogal wat slordigheden zijn blijven staan. Vgl. voor deze Engelse teksten de commentaar bij het drempeldicht van Josuah Sylvester (§8.5 van ‘De preliminaria’). Meteen hierachter, onder Bijlage 3.1, is de lijst van tekstcorrecties opgenomen.

De tekst

Emblemata D. Iacobi Catsii, In linguam Anglicam transfusa,

I

Primum Emblema in linguam Anglicam non est translatum.

II
III
Thake Good advise and then holde fast;
Or else you will repent at last.

Who dallies with fonde love, or with a burninge fierie brande:
Except hee looke wel to his holde, may chance to burne his hande;

Two endes each of these have, the one is colde the other burninge:

Who grypeth fast the one is well: but th'other turnes to mourninge.

A twofolde end fonde love procures, and bringes us in her powre,
Of wealth, and woe, of joy and payne, whose taste is sweete and sowre,

Yet all hereof dependes you see, in th'handlinge of this brande,

For th'one with this shee doth assist, but th'other burnes his hande.

[p. 269]

IV
This rule I teach, tis true in deede,
Who spares to speake shall spare to speede.

A sweet-harte you desire to have, you say you woulde fainne wedd,
But all occasions you neglect, and still goe colde to bedd:

What? thinketh our john holdemystaffe that of theire owne accorde

Faire maydens straight will fellow him, before hee speake one worde?

Fie no: But if you doe desire to heare dame Echoes noyse,
You must not silent stande, but must advance youre loftie voyce;

And shee will give you answere then, so English maydes tis true

Unsent for doe not come, nor yet unaskt will followe you.

V
In true love there is no lack,
All is the bryde nover so black.

What blynd-folde doltinge love is this, appearinge in our sigt?

How that the ape takes in her younge such wonderfull delight.

So wher' blinde Cupids golden darts, so cuningly are caste;

Hard-favourd persons by such meanes are beautifull at last.

If any vertue be in them, advance that to the Skye:

If imperfections doe appeare, they under foote must lye.

Who droncken is, wee meery call: who stout, wee say is free,

All vices by loves charmes at last, to vertues turned bee.

VI
Be not too rash, nor yet to eager bent
For hastie wedded folkes, by leasure doe repent.

When Pan first saw the faire which hee before did never knowe,
Och what a goodly thinge (quoth hee) is that, and straight did goe

And did imbrace the flame, as if his deare frend it had bin,

And so did scorch and burne his handes, his armes, his mouth and chin.

So where you shall perceave loves toyes extended like a flame,
Imbrace it not in haste, least with your flesh you feele the same;

But first advised be, before unto such love you turne;

Who sups his pottadge hastely, may chaunce his mouth to burne.

VII
That this is growne you plainely see
But how much daily none can tell mee.

A lover never rests, for I writt lately on a tree,

And on a pompeons rynde did carve her name thats deare to mee;

This waterish romp as ift had bin pertaker of my woe,

Out of his rynde few dropps like teares, perceavde I then to flo'e,

Within few dayes as I alone was walkinge in that grounde,

Those little letters of her name, in greater writt I founde

Both wyde and broad disperst. So that the least stroake of loves darte

Not onely woundes the finger smale, but pierceth to the harte.

[p. 270]

VIII
No tree falls at one blowe, wee say,
Nor citty was built in one day.

No sooner was dame Venus yoke about my neck but I
Did grapple with my love forthwith: what need I then to lye.

I thought, that at that instant shee for mee had bene preparde;

But ere I went from her, I gott this lesson to regarde,

The Spitt pickt at the Oaken tree, but saw it no whit mooved.
Yet neverthelesse shee stood and gaept and never once more prooved,

But thought sh'had pickt it through, no foole, I say doe not mistake

For one pick by a folish byrde in th'Oake no hole can make.

IX
In outwarde shew appeares no wounde,
But inwardly my grieffe is founde.

The thunders fiery force doth crack the brittle steely blade,

And hurtes not once the letherne sheath wich for the same is made.

Like force hath Cupids darte as hath the thunders fiery charme,

It woundes, you see no wounde, it burnes, and yet you see no harme.

Och woulde that I a Chirurgion fit, for such great griefs could fynde;

Though ignorant in potions, wich phisitians knowe by kynde

Or had no skill in curinge woundes; But would to swadge my fitts,

Her salve of virginis wax apply with th'plasters of her lipps.

X
This I accounte for no torment
Because my woundes give ornament.

Your needle is the pensill, and youre coloures are fine silke,
The ground-worke of your fragant fielde, more whyter is then milke;

You open, and you close againe, you cure that which you wounde,

You give more then you take, and still your worke is perfect founde.

The needle bores a hole, and with your silke the same is filde
Then come sweet-harte deale so with mee, and graunt all that I wilde;

You know my deadly wounde proceedes by vertue of youre face

Then give consent, come cure my grieffe, and helpe my woefull case.

XI
If that thyne eyes be conquered, sure,
Then loves torments thou must indure.

The lyon thats both stout and stronge, beinge but debard of sight,

As captive mayst thou gouverne him, and bringe him to thy might:

Even so the lovely ruddy cheeke, of comely maydens hew,

Once gazde upon, getts eyes consent, and doth thy hart subdue.

Then of a valiant man forthwith, thou must becomme her drudge,

Her tauntes, her checks, her frompes, her frownes, gainst them thou must not grudge.

In fine, thy lyons hart shee wil so worke upon with might,

That like a lambe, shee'le leade thee forth, and feare thee with her sight.

[p. 271]

XII
Greene fruit sticks fast, so doth noth all,
Beinge rype not pluckt, it selffe will fall.

To wedlocks sacred rytes if thou thy mynde meanst to prepare,
Then settle thyne affection not on maydes that too yonge are:

For after many a troubled thought, and many a journey longe

This answere shalt thou gett att last: My douchter is too yonge.

A mayde of rypere yeares with you, farre better wil agree:
If that your sweet-hartes sister bee of ryper yeares then shee.

For unrype fruite is sowre and greene, and will not from the tree;

But ryper fruite with lesse adoe is easy pluckt wee see.

XIII
It savoures but of little gaine,
When theeves of thefte doe first complaine.

I lately founde my love a sleepe, amongst the flowers greene,

And gazinge on her corall lips, her cheekes, and closed eyne:

To stealinge then was I inclynde, a pettie theeverie,

It was a kisse I stole from her, shee stole a harte from mee.

Like as the silly mouse, the bayte of bacon to obtaine,

And catchinge it is caught her selffe, and so is put to paine,

Even so my love by this strange thefte, shee sleepinge at her ease

Yet robbs the theeffe, so dubble gaine, shee makes of mee alwaies.

XIV
Venus dooth feede her broode with smoke,
When as the same even dogs would choke.

Wee see that Venus broode is forc'de themselves a trade to make,
Whose dealinge is with pypes, wherewith, Tobacco they doe take.

The substance of theire ware is smoke, smoke is theire whole desire

Who puffe it out at nose and mouth, like to th'infernall fire.

A vaporouse smoke is all theire wealth, theire giddie heades to feede,
Whose lovesick Dampes bereaves them of theire sences at theire neede.

They give us smoke for drinck, and smoke to eate they give also:

For why: theire whole societie about with smoke doe goe.

XV
A prison faire is better for mee,
Then if I were at libertie.

So long as I did range abroade, and had my libertie,

So longe was I in pensivenesse, voyde of all melodie:

But since that I to prison came, within these boundes confynde,

My lovely bondage loosde my tongue, and cheared hath my mynde.

For now all day for joy I singe, though I in prison lye,

For nought at all doe I take care, I knowe no miserye

This Bondage sweete I doe imbrace, it is to mee great gaine;

And lovers likewise doe reioyce, when others lye in paine.

[p. 272]

XVI
Where that I runne, goe, creepe or flye,
My burthen on my back doth lye.

If thou desire to be set free from Cupids cruell bandes,
Then seeke adventures I thee wish abroade in forraigne landes.

For this advise doth Ovid give, who Venus well did kno'e:

Let Venus fondlinges prate theire fill, I knowe it is not soe.

For I have trugde, gone, runne, and crept, by sea and eke by land
Yet feele I still upon my back, my burthen where I stand,

It sticks so fast to mee, that I with paine doe groane and faint,

For each one shall his owne pack beare: what bateth their complaint?

XVII
Or if upon the waves I turne,
Yea even in the sea I burne.

Put case that by thy travell farre thy olde love were forgott,

May not a fresh love in the way thy minde torment as hott

As did the first. The sea-lamprey even by the sunns hott beames,

Is scortcht and partcht, yea weltringh burnt in middest of the streames.

Remember that Dame Venus is herselffe sprung from the floods.

For loe the savadge beastes doe runne for shelter in the woods

Into the waters deepe; and there doe paire and paire agree

For water hath his burninge force, t'is Venus owne countrie.

XVIII
The sight of fire revives againe
The smokinge weike untoucht, certaine.

Late was I freede from th'fierie flame, which woulde mee haest have ended,
I felt a coolinge at my harte, my strength againe amended:

A sparke that I yet smoakinge had, was all that did remaine

For joy of such deliverance, my harte was glad and faine.

It hapned soe that in short tyme, a fire I did come reare,
I thought, so longe I toucht it not, I had no cause to feare,

I onely but lookt on, alas, her flame to mee-wardes tended

Wich kyndled streight my flame againe, and so my joy soone ended.

XIX
Who seekes his love to take and winne
Must taken be if hee enter in.

What now Iack Sauce, why come you here, in this dishonest sorte,

Thinke you myne honestie t'abuse, and then with mee to sporte?

You mee affect, I knowe it well, but not as I require,

In vaine a back-doore you doe seeke, in vaine is youre desire.

The rat for bacon though hee longes, for-beares thereof to eate:

Unlesse before as captive hee, be taken by a cheate.

Who other wayes attemps, may misse, for as I said before,

In honest sorte who seeks to speede, must knock at the right dore.

[p. 273]

XX
What helpes a little Ioy? certaine,
When after pleasure, followeth paine.

When as you see this stall-fed oxe, thus deckt with flowers greene:
Then thinke you see the joy of those, that in theire wreake and teene

Doe tryumph in lasciviouse lust: who for a moments pleasure

In dauncinge, musicque, wyne and myrth, doe make thereof a treasure:

But soone this pleasinge pastyme endes, which many bringes to thrall;
Such sweete beginninges often are powdred with bitter gall.

Let this oxe your example bee, least that you prove like rodd

His body soone was butchered, his flesh was roast and sodd.

XXI
I drawe my love, her standinge still,
Drawes mee to her, against my will.

Sweet-hart you drawe mee not, yet I with force am drawne you see,

With all my might I drawe, yet you doe not aproach to mee.

Though I drawe harde, yet you stand still, youre standinge doth mee move,

Not you to mee, but I to you, am drawne with cordes of love.

Loe, what a strange effect this workes, the more I drawe, you stand

The faster, and your firmnesse drawes mee sooner to your hand.

Och, now I see civilitie, with gesture, coole and sage.

Doth not extinguish flames of love, but doth them more inrage.

XXII
Men loose, then seeke, ofte maydenes brave,
By seekinge, loose even that they have.

Where that her mayden-head did lye, faire Joane did aske her nourse,
Who thought, if that I tell her not, the matter might proove worsse;

Least shee to Richard should repaire which sorrowe might have bred.

I pray you take this box quoth shee, this keepes your mayden-hed.

(Whithin that box there was a byrde) the nourse scarse looke astray,
But Joane the box had opened, and the byrde was flowne away.

Of what light-stuffe are mayden-heds then? quoth Ioane, this gere goes rounde

Which if you seeke, they flie away, and lost, when as th'are founde.

XXIII
In th'handlinge hereof lies the skill
To the wise, tis good, to the foolish, ill.

The quaviver is dainty fish, for those that knowe his trickes;

And knowe to grype it cunningly, to shune his dangerous prickes;

This fish you prudently must grype, beware of handlinge badd;

For by wronge handlinge of the same, some foolish are, some madd.

Therefore some folkes this fish doe praise, and much desire the same,

And others doe the same detest, and loathe the very name:

So for one and the selffesame thinge, some laugh, and others crie;

Then love is right this quaviver, in th'handling all doth lie.

[p. 274]

XXIV
Though clamorouse tongues both curse and blame,
A constant harte is stil the same.

You sit as chiefest counseller, in Venus goulden hall;
And are saluted solemnely, with wordes, and eke with all

The courtesie, that lovers can invent, for to youre grace,

Whee kneele, and soule and body both wee offer up apace.

Yet for all this, you still are coole, which sheweth unto mee,
That through the salt sea ofte are founde, fresh currants for to bee,

Which keepe themselves stil fresh and pure, not mingled as wee see,

My love through flames can passe, and yet no harme receaveth shee.

XXV
If any witt there were, then hee,
From such like bondes, were soone set free.

Fie Floris plaies the beast, and Iack, at him doth scoffe and floute,

I cannot drawe my mynde from that faire mayden, (quoth the loute)

For such a spirit I perceave to be in her so pure,

That to my love I am lockt fast, with chaines of Iron sure.

Why dotinge foole, (for such thou art) didst never heare of one,

That onely with one strawe was bounde, and there hee stood alone,

As if with fetters hee had bene, fast chayned to a post

Thou art (although thou know'st it not) of all such fooles the most.

XXVI
Who thinkes to catch, is often caught
As by this Embleme, wee are taught.

The hungry Sea-mew seekinge foode, her appetite to stay,
Did range the coaste, so founde where that an oyster open lay;

Shee picked at that daintie meate, shee thought to eate her fill,

But th'Oyster shut her shell, and caught the mew fast by the bill.

Let this a warninge bee to those, that wantons are by kynde,
Who used have to prick and prie, where they ought open fynde.

For many an open shell perchance, lies gapinge for a praye,

Which lustfully doth lurcke, to catch, the hunter in his haye.

XXVII
I would not have this rule fargott,
For this gives, that it selfe hath not.

You whet and grynde us gentle Joane, and makes of us loves darts;

The whetstone is your spirit, your eies the fyles, thy grates our harts.

Your hart doth not approach theretoe, where you our hartes doe send,

Your spirit no whit augments in that you teach us, as a frend.

That comely grace which you us shew, t'our bondage it doth turne.

Though you be colde as yce, yet makes us hot as fire to burne.

What wonders can my love effect. Shee takes away each spot.

And makes me more then shee's her selff, and gives that shee hath not.

[p. 275]

XXVIII
Although before, I seeme a foe,
Yet after am I nothinge soe.

If that you'le knowe the rigorous doome, that comes from Venus bench,
A broken shinne the forfaite is, for loosinge of your wench.

Is this that goblin from whose face, wee flie as beinge dreadfull?

Then turne the visard th'other waye, it is not halfe so fearefull.

That which with sorrow you complaine, to misse your hartes delight,
Is ease and libertie at will, if you could judge aright.

Tush, tush I say, no golde but hath his drose. (Bethinke you well,)

For shee that did your hope repulse, did feare away expell.

XXIX
If naked you doe mee desire,
Your trickling teares I then require.

If any goe about to pill, the Onion of his shell,

His cheekes with teares it will bedeawe, for I doe know it well.

But they that will with Onions play, and handle with good skill;

Must let the coate still cover it, and so may play his fill.

You may well with your love converse, and that in modest fashion,

But come not too neare to the bare, to touch without discretion.

For still it fares as it was wante, Acteons fore head budds,

So soone as hee Diana spyde uncloathed in the woods.

XXX
In all assaies both good, or ill,
I must conforme mee to her will.

How dominiers blynde Cupid thus, with us poore creatures still?
And makes us trudge, and turne, and trott, even as our mistres will.

Wee crie, when as shee weepes, although our bodies be at ease,

And when shee's merry, wee must laugh, although it us displease.

In brieffe, the least blaste of her mouth, doth nimbly turne our head,
And both with Soule and body are by her direction ledd.

Her looke, to us, a lawe is sure in myrth or mourninge ever,

Theres none, but that a womans breath will make to quake and shiver.

XXXI
I hunt, and toyle, I chase alway,
And ever others catch the prey.

No favoure at my Sweet-hartes hande, I coulde obtayne, god wott.

Untill a rusticke clowne beganne to woe my love as hott

As I had done: Whom shee disdaynde, and could him not abyde,

But from him fled, to hyde her head, when ever shee him spyde.

Then was the tyme for mee to learne, my businesse how to guyde,

That deare that others chased, then came and downe sate by my syde.

When clownes assay to woe thy love, then never feare the same,

A clowne the ferrit is which huntes, when others gett the game.

[p. 276]

XXXII
That same which taketh life from thee,
Reviveth life againe in mee.

How strangely Cupid dallieth with mens fancies, in his ire?
Our wills they goe another course contraryinge our desire;

For loe, where Kate runns for a frogg, which in her hand shee keepes:

And castes him of, for whose sake hee, on knees to her still creepes.

Wherefore I pray thee tell mee frogg, Why may not I obtaine
That which to thee is losse of life? and myne revyves againe.

Why are wee crost thus in our wills, which each so faine would have?

Th'foule poole to thee, th'faire mayde to mee, which both our lyves might save.

XXXIII
Be warie when in dish you dip,
For ofte thinges chance twixt cup and lip.

Sweet duck, how longe have I assayde thee to my wil to gayne?

When shall this swimminge end, & when shall I be freed from payne?

My wish I see at hand, and ofte am present at her syde;

My breath sometymes upon her blowes; shee by my mouth doth glyde

At one plunge more shee's myne, (I thought) I pant, I blowe, I snatch,

I gape, I happ, and ofte it seems, I have her at each catch.

But woe is mee, shee ducks and dyves, how comes this so to passe.

For when I thought I had her fast, I farthest from her was.

XXXIV
Fayre maydens say that a with'red face,
In woeinge hath but little grace.

Thy youthfull dayes in love bestowe. Such damages is disgrace
When Sorrows shall thy Soule possesse, & rimples plough thy face.

The fresh blowne Rose is most desy'rde: if whythered once it bee,

No Bee thereon will take delight, nor it aproach wee see.

The blowinge Budds of thy younge age, thy cheekes like corall red,
Thy language full of eloquence: in tyme is gone and fled.

Tyme all consumes. Faire mayde consent, and be no more abused,

Youre chieffest good doth weare away, although it be not used.

XXXV
What frendshipp shall I with him fynde
That to him selffe is so unkynde.

With corage wooe, wherefore should wee torment us more then needes

With too much love? By treadinge much the partridge with love feedes.

A little wren I read that breedes about the Ryver Nyle.

Who beinge full, yet gives her selffe, to serve the crocadyle.

Fie of that shamefull deede which one, whose lust did rage so sore,

For love did goe and hangde him selfe, before his Sweet-hartes dore.

Strew rather flowers at her dore, and seeke to winne consent;

Keepe lyffe, and Soule, and memorie, how ere your love is bent.

[p. 277]

XXXVI
If quoiff or caule, on head you weare,
Play but all secret holes for beare.

The Urchin makes himselffe a ball, the mouse for to deceave,
And makes his mouth, like to a hole wyde gapinge to receave

The dancinge mouse. Thus play you may, but of all holes beware,

Who creepe in corners let them looke, even as this mouse to fare.

Use honest sportes; away with trickes, least you the smarte doe feele,
Pack Ruffians hence, goe craftie knaves and wenches shorte of heele,

Faire Maydes, when merry you will bee, playe then in honest sorte,

Beware of holes and corners, then abroad you may well sporte.

XXXVII
If Burninge lustfull love you'le cure,
It will repine thereat be sure.

When as the smith colde water casts upon the iron hott,

Intendinge for to pacifie that heate which late it gott:

It sizzes, smoakes, it grynes, and makes a wondrouse noyse to heare,

As discontent it chydes, or braules, and angry doth appeare.

Of burninge love doe some complayne, and yet refuse wee see.

Out of such burninge to be brought, least cured they should bee.

Yea though such doctors might be founde, that loves tourment could free,

They rather would in paynes abyde, then eased for to bee.

XXXVIII
Who unto Idlenesse doth yeilde,
Is as a but in Venus feilde.

The spyder will not once come neare the serpent him t'offende,
When shee perceaves hee busie is, or watchfully doth tend:

But when to sluggishnesse hee's bent, and carelesse of his good,

Upon him streight the spyder falls, and poysoneth his blood.

Who soe therefore will love beholde, and would be free from smarte,
They must eschew all Idlenesse, and thereof take no parte:

Or else this poysoned Cupids shafte will stryke them to the harte,

For everie Idle persone is a whetstone for his darte.

XXXIX
Let none for feare lay weapons downe,
For first the crosse, and then the crowne.

Late with my love I did discourse, where as shee soweinge sate,

My grieffes I did complaine, (but marke) shee paide mee with her prate.

Regard, quoth shee, what here I doe, unto it grue good heede;

With needle first a hoole I make, then stopp it with the threede.

Hee that a smale wounde getts, then streight his Armes doth cast away

And calls for plaisters, hee's unfit for Venus fielde, I say.

For love and War therein agree, each hath a prosperouse howre.

No sweetnesse can be counted sweete, but first it hath bene sowre.

[p. 278]

XL
A thirstie Grounde is bad to lave:
Though much it hath, yet more would have.

You first desirde to see youre love, next, wish't you might come neare
And thirdly 'twas to speake to her, the fourth, to touch youre deare.

Th'next was to give a kisse. What then? both standinge in the dore;

To get a kisse againe of her and yet you would have more.

A lover by his mistris, and a hunter in his chase,
A marchant by his wares, the Soldier bolde and of good grace,

Goeth forward on from stepp to stepp, not shrinckinge for a sore,

And though the dogg hath gott one peece, yet still he lookes for more.

XLI
If at loves game you cannot play,
Leave off in tyme, or keepe away.

This webb that's fra'mde here as you see, is Venus tanglinge nett;

Though many creatures fall therein, yet out againe they gett,

Except some few, that powerlesse bee, and fondly downe are cast:

For such are onely they that are, in Venus webb made fast.

Who any courage hath, with ease may breake this geare asunder;

For loftie myndes looke not so lowe, and scorne to creepe there under.

Ne'er suffer you like muggs to bee ta'en up as Venus swayne:

But manfully breake through the nett; or else turne back againe.

XLII
When dead I was, and spake no worde
Your favoure mee to life restorde.

A hens egge in your handes you broode, so hatch a chickin younge;
Tis wonder, say you, 'twas late dead, now stirrs both head & tounge.

Thinke you that this a wonder is? Sweet-harte shew mee like love,

And at an instant you shall see, a greater matter move.

Remember that of late you onely grac'de mee with a smyle,
Which quickned such a liffe in mee, my Veines so welde a whyle

And beate, Though I as voyde of sence here sitt; sweet mistris An.

But grace mee with your favour, and I'le prove a Iolly man.

XLIII
Bee't good or badd', yea well or ill:
It's love that conqueres all thinges still.

A lover went to church, as't see'mde, to render thankes to God

Because hee was delivered from Cupids scourginge rod.

There met him in the way a mayde, of beautifull complection,

Which did revive his former grieffe, and fired his Affection:

For shee once smylinge, hee so deepe, the same did apprehend:

That there his zeale, devotion, and his prayers had an end.

The Ape in dauncinge soone forgetts, true measure for to keepe,

As soone as hee perceave the nutts came trinlinge to his feete.

[p. 279]

XLIV
This wonder lately I outsought,
That lovers alike, have alike thought.

With Rosamond I lately went abroad to walke i'th' fielde,
Wee tooke two lutes for our delighte, which might us solace yeelde:

I tunde the one iuste to the other, and layde a strawe o'th'one:

So soone as both these tunes agreed the strawe lept thence anone.

Looke Rosamonde, so you, (quoth I) doe move mee without touch,
And without handes can drawe: for loves conditions are such

That whosoever Venus bringes, within her power, to lye,

Shee makes them feele and see what they before coulde not descrye.

XLV
By this you see, and knowe certaine:
That lovers marre, and make againe.

In auncient Authers wee doe reade, that there a fontaine was,
Whose water quencht the burninge Torche, when so it came to passe,

That in the same it dipped were: And then againe would burne,

If in the same that Torch were di'pt, his flame did then returne.

These are your Trickes sweete Rosamond, at these you still have ayemed,
My fire you soone extinguish can, when as I am inflamed,

And can my burninge heate revyve, when as I seeme key-colde

Thus lovers make and breake, and so them occupied doe holde.

XLVI
In wedlock moste this worke can doe,
Of two makes one, of one makes two.

Graunte mee your tender Braunch, (good sir) to match whith mee I praye,
And be content, for better farre, it is by mee to staye:

Then on youre withered stock, for loe, it bendeth towards my hed;

It needeth not your pappe nor sapp, since it with mee I led.

What? willingly consent, I pray, noe danger neede you feare,
Although your braunch, seeme tender, in short space it fruite will bear.

Then be it so, my love and I in all thinges doe agree:

For to bee two againe, it is, that Ioyned one are wee.

XLVII
True love increaseth day by day,
And knowes no boundes whereat to stay.

True love may well compared bee, to th' crocadyle by kynde,

Who alwaeis growes, and never is full growne as wee doe fynde

From day to day it doth increase, it growes in all assaies,

Untill that death gives fatall blowe, to end his groweinge daies.

Now, longe since I thought with my selffe, my love cannot be more

Then this already, yet loves weight, is greater then before

It was, for yet I feele it groweth, which makes mee to desire,

Although at highest pointe I was, yet higher I aspire.

[p. 280]

XLVIII
An oldeman in a younge womans arme
The sooner dead, the lesser harme.

A wanton Gyrle once marryed was unto a lame olde man;
Who little hadd to give content. Which made mee question than,

How't came that shee so wedded was? who mee this answere gave,

That of dead Asses bones are made, the best pypes that wee have

When they in th'earth a while have layne. As likewise have I reade
That so longe as the Scorpion lives, for nought is good: But deade

A Soveraigne med'cyne is, thus I, therewith beinge well a paide,

My Answere had. Adieu quoth I, and so I left that mayde.

XLIX
Conditions that farre disagree,
May not together well pared bee.

The od-conceited Ape that is full of delight and sporte,

Flyeth from the Torteise (no mans Ioy) amazed in this sorte.

The Reason why the Ape cannot the Torteise well indure,

It is because they differ much in disposition sure.

Your Ioviall disposition, Sweet-hart, let ne'ere be bent,

Unto that Rusticque clowne which late, your frendes desyrde consent.

If I Sweet-hart obtayne you not, attend a while for one,

Whose nature differs lesse from youres, then myne; or else take none.

L
Where love and lykinge once is sett
No Seperation can them lett.

Though landes and Seas, woods, hills, & dales, 'twixt us somtymes doe stand,
That makes no seperation, nor doth frustrate true loves band;

Your harte (Sweet-hart) dwells in mee, and my spirit doth on you tend.

The lodestone, and True love are'like, for towards theire loves they bend.

What though the lodestone from the steele, remooved were certaine,
Or that some interposed stuffe were set to parte those twaine:

Yet still this stone his force retaines to drawe the steele. And soe

Where ever Rosamonde soiornes, my harte doth with her goe.

LI
Love is not lod'ge, I knowe full well:
Where woe and misery doth dwell.

When as the house, decayde, wil fall, thence swiftly runne the Myce:

And when mens bodies give the ghoste from then creepe fleas & lyce,

The Spyder lykewise soone perceaves when as the Rooffe doth sack,

Then speedily to save her selfe, shee thence in poste doth pack.

A Body ful of woe, and grieffe of payne, and miserie:

By Cupids darts, nor Venus baytes, entangled once shall bee:

Her Torche burnes best where th'most wax is: By delicates and wyne

Is Venus lust provoked, and there loves flames brightest shyne.

[p. 281]

LII
Some say 't aloude, and some doe whisper,
That, its not all Golde that doth glister.

How that my love is faire (good Sir) your praises are not scantinge,
Slender, and tale, I knowe it well: But within her is wantinge,

For, to be faire indeede, requires more then a shewe externall;

I onely aime at Godly life, and Virtues hid internal.

Unto this piramede, youre love, I fitly may compare,
Which shewes well to the eye, but, of discretion is bare.

In choosinge of my love (forsoth) I'le sett al that aparte,

For Shee that's onely faire without, shall never gett my harte.

LIII
Love, causeth mirth, Ioy, and delight
And love revives the spiritlesse wight.

Like dead in grave I lay, of liffe berefte, O Venus bright,

Untill your Sonne, and Sunne revyvde, & made mee stand upright.

My winges your Sonne did give, your Sunne restord'e my liffe forlorne,

And so of a dead stock was I a lively Creature borne.

I who was but a drowsie droane, now trickt and trymd'e am I,

I who in darkenesse late was lod'gde, abroad i'th' light now flie,

I, that of late crept like a worme, now lifted to the skye:

Loe, al these wonders doe proceede from one glance of her eye.

finis

[p. 282]

3.1 Lijst van tekstcorrecties, toegepast op de Engelse gedichten

Evenals in het tekstdeel zijn, naast enkele tekstingrepen in de basistekst (zie hieronder), de volgende algemene veranderingen aangebracht:

j en J als I dus: j come als I come; Jn als In

v als u (in geval met klinkerwaarde van u) dus: vncloathed als uncloathed; vs als us

u als v (in geval met medeklinkerwaarde van v) dus: giue als give; loue als love

vv als w dus: vvhen als when

Verder is er pas dan ingegrepen in de tekst als er sprake is van een evidente zetfout of als een woord of een zin onlogisch is. Zie voor de algemene stelregels wanneer stilzwijgend is ingegrepen de verantwoording (in het tweede deel van deze studie-uitgave, hoofdstuk iii).

Een probleem blijft de interpunctie. Het is niet altijd duidelijk wanneer in de oorspronkelijke tekst (doorgaans aan het einde van een regel) een punt, komma of puntkomma is weggelaten; ook deze ingrepen zijn - ze blijven beperkt - aangegeven. Mogelijke dialectische varianten (zoals Whe voor Who) zijn aangepast en in de lijst aangetekend.

Soms is het moeilijk uit te maken of twee woorden wel of niet aaneengedrukt staan. Een enkele keer werden ten onrechte aaneengeschreven woorden losgemaakt en ten onrechte losgekoppelde woorden aaneengeschreven. Vgl. onder meer xliii, r. 8 As soone ] Assoone en xiii, r. 1: lately ] late ly. Omdat men zo nu en dan van mening kan verschillen over de juistheid van een dergelijke beslissing, zijn ook deze aanpassingen aangetekend in de lijst van ingrepen. De embleemnummers xxxx, xxxxi etc. werden weergegeven als xl, xli etc.; iiii als iv. In het origineel staan de motto's in romein en de gedichten in cursief; conform de oplossing in het tekstdeel van de Sinne- en minnebeelden zijn deze lettervormen hier omgewisseld.

Van de Engelse tekst bestaat een andere uitgave (S.l. s.a.; University Library Glasgow; zie Bibliografie nr. b.11), die nog slordiger gezet is dan de onderhavige. In dit unieke exemplaar, een goedkope uitgave waarin alleen de gedichten uit de eerste afdeling, in het Nederlands (de 1618-versie), het Frans en het Engels voorkomen, vallen zo nu en dan de laatste woorden of delen van een woord weg, of ze verdwijnen in de rug van het boekje. Vier bijschriften zijn er verkeerd in terecht gekomen, namelijk die van de ui (nr. xxix) bij de fret (xxxi); en die van de torenhaan (xxx) bij de kikker (xxxii), en omgekeerd. Er zijn vijf afwijkingen op woordniveau tussen de tekst achter Proteus en die zonder plaats en jaar van uitgave, namelijk:

vi, r. 5	toyes ] rayes
vi, r. 6	same ] paine
vii, r. 7	darte ] dark
viii, r. 5	Spitt ] Specht
x, r. 8	case ] fate

[p. 283]

Noch de zetter van de Engelse tekst in Proteus, noch die van de bijschriften in het exemplaar te Glasgow, is echt vertrouwd geweest met de Engelse taal. Een groot aantal fouten is overduidelijk te wijten aan het verkeerd lezen van een handschrift dat als kopij heeft gediend.

Enkele algemene opmerkingen: nover, in combinatie met so, is een spellingsvariant van never (v, motto) weike is een spellingsvariant van wick (xviii, motto); wooe van woe (xxxv, r. 1); pottadge voor soep (vi, r. 8) is mogelijk ingegeven onder invloed van het woord bouillon in het Franse gedichtje; gaept en haest (viii, r. 6 en xviii, r. 1) en theretoe (xxvii, r. 3) lijken te duiden op overleg met of invloed van een Nederlander; typisch is de spelling (de omkering van e en d) in trugde (xvi, r. 5 én xxx, r. 2) evenals hangde (xxxv, r. 6); ook de plaatsing van de apostrof bij elisie is anders dan wij zouden doen: bijvoorbeeld fra'mde voor fram'de, see'mde voor seem'de, en di'pt voor dip't (xxxi, r. 1, xliii, r. 1 en xlv, r. 4).

Met dank aan B. Westerweel te Leiden voor zijn vriendelijke en deskundige hulp bij het beoordelen van het vroeg-zeventiende-eeuwse Engels en het afwegen van onderstaande tekstingrepen.

Tekstingrepen

iii, r. 4	Who ] Wo
iv, motto	Who ] Whe [wel als dialectische variant]
iv, r. 3	What ] Wat
iv, r. 4	fellow ] sellow
v, r. 4	at last ] ar last
v, r. 6	If ] Il
vi, r. 4	chin. ] chin
vi, r. 8	to ] ty
vii, r. 1	rests ] rest's
vii, r. 2 en 4	rynde ] rijnde
vii, r. 3	pertaker ] per taker
vii, r. 4	perceavde ] percaevde
vii, r. 5	Within ] With in
vii, r. 6	writt ] wirtt
viii, motto	say, ] say.
viii, r. 2	forthwith ] forth with
viii, r. 4	her, ] her.
viii, r. 6	neverthelesse ] never thelesse
ix, r. 5	I a ] ja
	fit ] sit
ix, r. 6	Though ] Thong [ook de spelling Thogh zou kunnen, maar deze vorm komt elders in de gedichten nergens voor]
ix, r. 8	of her ] af her
x, r. 4	founde. ] founde
x, r. 6	wilde; ] wilde
xi, r. 6	gainst ] gaist
xi, r. 7	so ] se
xii, motto	fruit ] fruits
	Beinge ] Breinge

[p. 284]

xii, r. 2	on ] en
xii, r. 3	troubled ] troubred
xii, r. 4	thou ] tou [het woord bestaat wel als dialectische variant]
xiii, motto	When ] Whem
xiii, r. 1	lately ] late ly
xiii, r. 4	kisse ] kisse.
xiv, r. 3	theire whole ] therte whole
xiv, r. 5	A vaporouse ] Avaporouse
xvi, r. 7	It ] Ir
xvii, r. 3	hott ] hett
xvii, r. 4	weltringh ] welringh
xviii, motto	untoucht ] un toucht
xviii, r. 1	ended, ] ended
xviii, r. 3	that ] thas
xix, r. 3	require, ] require
xx, r. 4	musicque ] mussicque
xx, r. 6	gall. ] gall
xxi, r. 4	love. ] love
xxi, r. 5	stand ] stand,
xxi, r. 8	inrage ] in rage
xxii, r. 2	thought ] tought
	tell ] teil
xxii, r. 3	bred. ] bred
xxii, r. 6	Joane ] jone
xxiv, motto	Though ] Tough
	blame, ] blame.
xxiv, r. 8	through ] trough
xxvi, r. 7	lies ] liés
xxvi, r. 8	to ] tho
xxvii, r. 2	your eies the fyles, ] your eies, the fyles
	thy ] ty
xxvii, r. 3	send, ] send
xxvii, r. 8	schee's ] scheés
xxx, r. 1	poore ] poote
xxx, r. 4	laugh ] lange
xxxi, motto	alway, ] alway.
xxxii, r. 8	Th'foule ] tH'foule
	our lyves ] ous lyves
xxxiii, motto	dip, ] dip.
	ofte ] of te
xxxiii, r. 5	shee's ] sheés
xxxvi, r. 3	of all ] fo all
xxxvi, r. 6	craftie ] crastie
xxxvi, r. 7	you ] yow [dit woord komt als spellingsvariant voor]
xxxvii, motto	lustfull ] lust full
	you'le ] youle
	thereat ] there at
xxxvii, r. 1	the iron ] thei fron

[p. 285]

xxxvii, r. 7	free, ] free
xxxviii, motto	yeilde, ] yeilde.
xxxviii, r. 8	a whetstone ] a, whetstone
xxxix, r. 6	unfit ] un fit
xl, r. 2	thirdly 'twas ] thirdly' twas
xl, r. 7	to stepp ] te stepp
xli, r. 5	asunder ] a sunder
xlii, r. 8	mee ] moe
xliii, r. 8	As soone ] Assoone
xliv, r. 7	lye, ] lye.
xliv, r. 8	what ] wath
xlvi, r. 6	bear. ] bear
xlvii, r. 7	which ] whieh
xlviii, r. 2	Who ] who
xlviii, r. 3	gave ] gane
xlviii, r. 8	left ] lest
xlix, r. 2	Torteise ] Torteife
xlix, r. 3	cannot ] connot
	Torteise ] Torteife
	indure, ] indure.
xlix, r. 6	consent. ] consent
l, r. 4	bend. ] bend
li, r. 4	speedily ] speerily
lii, motto	whisper, ] whisper.
	its ] is
lii, r. 1	are ] ate
lii, r. 2	within ] with in
lii, r. 6	shewes ] shewec
lii, r. 7	I'le ] Ile
liii, motto	love ] lov [komt wel voor als spellingsvariant]
	spiritlesse ] spirit lesse
liii, r. 2	revyvde ] revynde
liii, r. 6	i'th' ] i'th
liii, r. 8	glance ] glace