Album Joannis Rotarii (Johan Radermacher)

[fol. 101r]

[58. Theodorus Beza, Gedicht over de Armada met Engelse vertaling, 1588.]

Ad serenissimam Elizabetham Angliae Reginam

Theodorus Beza

Straverat innumeris Hispanus navibus aequor,

Regnis iuncturus, sceptra Britanna suis.
Tanti huius rogitas, quae motus causa? superbos

Impulit Ambitio, vexit Avaritia.

Quàm [benè] te ambitio mersit vanissima, ventus:

Et tumidos tumidae, vos superastis aquae!

Quàm benè totius raptores orbis avaros,

Hausit inexhausti iusta vorago maris!

At tu, cui venti, cui totum militat aequor,

Regina, ô mundi totius una, decus.

Sic regnare Deo perge, ambitione remota,

Prodiga sic opibus perge iuvare pios.

Ut te Angli longum, longum Anglis ipsa fruaris,

Quam dilecta bonis, tam metuenda malis.

The Spanish fleete did flote in narow Seas,
And bend her Ships against the English shore,
With so great rage as nothing could appease,
And with such strength as never seene before.

And all to ioyne the kingdom of that land,

Unto the kingdoms that he had in hand.

Now if you aske what set this king on fire,
To practise warre when he of peace did treat,
It was his Pride, and never quencht desire,
To spoile that Islands wealth, by Peace made great:

His Pride which farre above the heavens did swell,

And his desire as unsufficed as hell,

But well have winds his proud blasts overblowen
And swelling waves alaid his swelling heart,
Well hath the Sea with greedie gulfs unknowen,
Denounced the devourer to his smart:

And made his Ships a praie unto the sand

That meant to praie upon an others land.

And now O Queene above al others blest,
For whom both windes and waves are prest to fight,
So rule your owne, so succour friends opprest,
(As farre from pride, as ready to do right)

That England you, you England long enjoy,

No lesse your friends delight, then foes annoy.

[fol. 101v]

Carmina Th. Bezae De classe Hispana Dei Manu, Maris et Ventorum Ministerio, in nihilum redacta A.o 1588. ¹

1 Ook te vinden - met enige verschillen, o.a. de opdracht aan Elisabeth ontbreekt - in Theodori Bezae Vezelii Poemata varia omnia ab ipso auctore in unum nunc corpus collecta et recognita, Jacobus Stoer, Geneve 1599.