Album Joannis Rotarii (Johan Radermacher)

[fol. 190r]

[132. Translacion in Englishe off the verses made in frenche by Lucas de here peintre off Gante uppon the prose off Sir Thomas Gresham knight FORTUNAMY.]

One daye I [-stood befo] was in contemplacion off that magnifi[-q]ke walking place, Wuche is dedicated to the marchaintts, and the common weale, by you ryght worshipsful Sir, that are an ornement unto your nacion, even as this fabrike Doethe beauitifie this Citie abondante off all things: Yea more then in the olde tyme didde the miracles off the [-worde] worlde, (note here that the autor meaneth that 7 peces off worke that ware so called the miracles off the worlde) Wuche coulde not resiste againste the rude and wrongfull tyme, Whereas this your worke is like to endure [-alwayes] for ever. And as I dedde [-beholde]^Lreevewe^L the membres and parties thereoff, w.th the whole ordre, proporcion, and symmetrie Therin aswel observed, that neither [-a] Vitruve ², nor ^Lanie^Lother leke to hem Where able to reprove anie thing in this immortal worke: I stayed w.th meselve beholding upon your elegant prose, W.ch is, FORTUN A MY, (wherupon every one is studyng, And seekinge in their esprites) whether yt be not possible To clere them^Lselve^L [-selfes] off the trewe and notable meaning thereoff.

And there came manye an diverse thinges in my head, Even as the worldes understanding is [-different] ^Ldiverse^L and manifolde: But off all things that I had ymagined, nothing coulde I leke so wel, as^Lthis^L [-*.*]exposition w.ch [-*..*] was figured to me by a dreame.

That was, that my thought I saa appeare A woman verye feare, and aisie to be knowen, Off a verie bolde countenance, and often tymes laffinge w.th wings on her bake, torning at all wyndes; In light apparel, facion off the antike robe [-*....*] Bearing in her hande a letle boule

w.th a roder: and for to make yt short this woman was

Off suche qualitie and behavior, that in all things she was leke To that olde, inconstante, and importune idole,

That commonly is called the Goddesse Fortune: Faste on she [-came] wente, and came before you w.th a frendly chere, and verye suete ^Lin^L talke Thus speaking unto you. I am that greate Goddesse Off the universall worlde the Soverain mestresse, Conveyng all things, even as the roder doethe A shippe, and am in generall She that doethe graunte to som men benifices, And to somme, scepters, estates, honours and offices, Wheither thei be wordie therof or not. And at thother side yff I be moved to hate

Anie man that is in hygh degree, yea though he be a Prince

I caste hem to the grounde and w.th hem his province:

Briefe[-s] I doo off all thinges, and dispose therof, According to myne oune will, [-that] wiche doethe reigne.

2 Vitruvius: Romeins architect in de Keizertijd.

[fol. 190v]

But amoung all them that I doo love and favore moste of all, Thee o Gresham I doo love, w.th everlasting love,

And promise thee to make in this worlde happie [-moste] more, More riche and more myghtie then anie of thyne anncesters, And I make redie for the yet a seate and hygher place, Among the moste great Godds, [-trough] w.th helpe and trough the grace Of a greath Goddesse, to the wiche thow art a subiecte, Therfore wel reason yt is, conforme to thy subiecte That thow doeste geve me suche honour and godly prayse, As to her that doethe favore thee, and is the onely springe Of thy prosperitie, and sayeste, FORTUN A MY: Wherby thow showeste thee to be Fortunes frende, That she is whole thine owne, and also her owne art thow, As according[-ly is that] thy feare prose doethe ryght wel expresse

When she hadde ended her talke, by and by ther came

A [-grave] personage verie grave, and off chere wel constante, Off gracious behaviour, bounteouse, wyse, and modeste, In aparell as a Philosopher and accordingly in the reste. This same looke at fortune and sayde, W.th suche gravetie as to her became: Heare me speake, upon thy vayne talke That thowe fortune [-haest] ^Lhaiste^Lsayde: for in shorte wordes, I wil cleerly showe, that thow lyest and doeste wronge To the greate and allmyghtie God, who by his strengte, And with his carefull hande, being th'eternal father, Wysely doethe rule and governe all thinges Off men here upon earth: he that geveth honours, Richesses, goods, estates, and favours, And sendethe at thother syde losses and miserie, Showinge hemselve to th'one bounteouse, and to th'other more harde, According to his hygh Judgemente w.che noman knowethe, Nothwhitstanding yt is holye, juste and ryghte.

So that, o Gresham, yt is he alone that haithe showen to thee his face More bounteouse then to manie: And off his mere grace, Haith enriched thee with so greate and singular giftes: Therefore yt is he alone, to whom suche honour and prayse Oughte to be geven, and not to this idole Named Fortune, w.ch doeth the worlde abuse, Beyng nothinge ells but a pur dreame: and therefore haithe not Anie power that is to be [-estimed] cared fore, Accordingly as thy prose doethe well showe and exhorte:

Wiche muste be readen thus, FORTUNA, MY. w.ch doethe signifie: (Beyng the one woorde Latine, and the other Greke,) Shute thine eyes Fortune: and is proverbially as muche to saye As, for shame, and kepe thy peace [-fortune and leave thy] bragginge fortune,

[fol. 188r]

³

For no man haithe thee in anie estimacion[-e], But to the contrarie, the eternal God is adored in stede off thee, According to his holie lawe, being he the autor off all goods,

This reasone and meaning, [-Sir] as the feareste and notableste, Dedde you Sir like off beste off all: By reasone wherof, as I dedde gladly awake, I was moved to make therof some plaisante collectione And to sende yt to you. Wiche although yt be not suche [-as I woolde] As I woolde, yet notwhithstanding, the reverence w.che I beare you, Haithe forced me to make you an humble offre thereof in suche qualitie as yt is, And I am sure that yt is wel ynough, [-yf] Sir, yf you.r wurshippe doo wel like off yt.

3 Deze pagina is in het Album verkeerd ingebonden.