Four Plays of Gil Vicente Part 16

_Todas estas figuras se ordenaram em caracol & a vozes cantaram & representaram o que se segue, cantando todos:_

Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

560 _A._ Auante, auante! senh.o.r.es!

que na guerra com razam anda Deos de capitam.

_Ct._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_A._ Guerra, guerra, todo estado!

565 guerra, guerra muy cruel!

que o gran Rey Dom Manoel contra Mouros estaa viado.

Tem promettido & jurado dentro no seu coracam 570 que poucos lhescaparo.

_Ct._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_Anfalado._ Sua Alteza detremina por acrescentar a fee fazer da Mesquita See 575 em Fez por graca diuina.

Guerra, guerra muy contina he sua grande tencam.

_Ct._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_A._ Este Rey tam excelente, 580 muyto bem afortunado, tem o mundo rodeado doriente ao Ponente: Deos mui alto, omnipotente, o seu real coracam 585 tem posto na sua mo.

_Ct._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_E com esta soyca se sayram e fenece a susodita Tragicomedia._

NOTES:

0. _Era de M.D.xiiij_ A. 1513 C, D, E.

25. _leituairo_ C.

100. _Princepes_ A.

117. _estan_ A.

118. _pocas_ A.

119. _viboras_ C.

131. _Liso fe_ C.

148. _zobete_ C.

167. _Cardial_ C.

221. _tens-me a_ C.

238. _bellenissima_ C.

260. _tropel_ C.

346. _idoso_ C.

347. _muito socegado_ C.

375. _o Diabo qu'eu t'encommendo_ C.

515. _senh.o.r.es Portugueses_ A.

FOOTNOTES:

[154] This play was omitted in B.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

_Exhortation to War._

_Dramatis personae_: A necromancer, ZEBRON and DANOR, devils, POLYXENA, PENTHESILEA, ACHILLES, HANNIBAL, HECTOR, SCIPIO.

_The following tragicomedy is called Exhortation to War. It was played before the very high and n.o.ble King Dom Manuel I of Portugal in his city of Lisbon on the departure for Azamor of the ill.u.s.trious and very magnificent Lord Dom James, Duke of Braganza, Guimares, etc., in the year 1513._

-- _A necromancer priest first enters and says:_

Princes of most n.o.ble worth, To whom high renown is given, Who, victorious on earth, Are beloved of G.o.d in Heaven, 5 I a priest am and my home Is Portugal, From the Sibyl's cave I come Where fumes diabolical Are distilled and brought to birth.

10 In magic and necromancy I'm a skilled pract.i.tioner, A most accomplished sorcerer, Well versed in astrology.

In so many a devil's art 15 Would I have part That o'er the strongest I'll prevail And just seize him by the tail And hand him to prince Luis there.

Sorcerers of past time ne'er 20 Knew the enchantments that I know, Ways of making love to grow And of freeing from love's care.

For of hearts I will take one Harder than stone 25 And will it soft as syrup make, And so change others, to changes p.r.o.ne, That nothing shall their firmness shake.

Truly a great wizard I And great marvels can I work, 30 All the powers of h.e.l.l that lurk Favour me exceedingly, As deeds impossible shall attest Of awful shape, Miracles most manifest 35 Such that all shall see and gape, Visibly and invisibly.

For I'll make a lady coy, Though love's guerdon she defer, If her lover look on her, 40 The very breath of life enjoy; And two lovers, love's curse under Kept asunder, Will I leave to grieve apart, And achieve by this my art 45 Things at which you'll gaze in wonder.

For a lady most ungainly For a halfpenny at night Will I cause without a light To look nor ill nor well too plainly.

50 To another loveliest, As star in heaven Shall this destiny be given That of n.o.blest men and best None against her love protest.

55 And the better to display The perfection of my spell I'll cause you all to marry well, That is, I mean, as best you may; And I'll turn night into day 60 All by this good art of mine, If the sun should chance to s.h.i.+ne, And, too, light as air shall be Every foolish fantasy.

I will cause you all to sleep 65 While sleep has you in its keeping, And I'll cause you to awake Without therefore the earth quaking; And a lover by the thorn Of love forlorn 70 If most real be his love I will make his fancy prove Steadfast till it be forsworn.

I will make you wish to see Things which scarcely can be parried, 75 And when each of you is married Then truly shall his wedding be.

And I'll make this city stand Stone o'er stone on either hand, And that those who do not flourish 80 No prosperity shall nourish.

For my magic art's more proof I'll bring mighty rains whereat All the tiles shall lie down flat Above the houses, on the roof.

85 And the great Cathedral tower For all its size will I uproot And despite its special power Its battlements on high will put, Its foundation at its foot.

90 In my praise no more be said.

In St Cyprian's name most holy, Satan, I conjure thee.

(Gentlemen, be not afraid.)

Zeet zeberet zerregud zebet 95 oo filui soter rehe zezegot relinzet oo filui soter.