The Ship of Fools, Volume 1-2 by Sebastian Brant (novels in english TXT) 📕
"The 'Ship of Fools' is written in the dialect of Swabia, and consists of vigorous, resonant, and rhyming iambic quadrameters. It is divided into 113 sections, each of which, with the exception of a short introduction and two concluding pieces, treats independently of a certain class of fools or vicious persons; and we are only occasionally reminded of the fundamental idea by an allusion to the ship. No folly of the century is left uncensured. The poet attacks with noble zeal the failings and extravagances of his age, and applies his lash unsparingly even to the dreaded Hydra of popery and monasticism, to combat which the Hercules of Wittenberg had not yet kindled his firebrands. But the poet's object was not merely to reprove and to animadvert; he instructs also, and shows the fools the way to the land of w
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But yet suche caytyfs boldly in dare pres
For their lewde lyfe without all maner drede
This almes takynge from them that haue most nede
The abbot, the Pryour, and also theyr couent
Ar so blyndyd with vnhappy couetyse
That with theyr owne can they nat be content
But to haue more, they alway mean deuyse
Ye: in so moche that some haue founde a gyse
To fayne theyr bretherne tan in captyuyte
That they may begge so by auctoryte
They fayne myracles where none were euer done
And all for lucre: some other range about
To gather and begge with some fayned pardon
And at the alehows at nyght all drynkyth out
So ren these beggers in company rowt
By stretis tauernes townes and vyllagys
No place can well be fre of theyr outragys
Some begge for byldynges, some for relyques newe
Of holy sayntis of countreys farre and strange
And with theyr wordes faynyd and vntrewe
For cause of Lucre, about they ren and range
But in a sympyll vyllage, ferme or grange
Where as these beggers moste sympyll men may fynde
With theyr fals bonys as relykes they them blynde
Other beynge stronge and full of lustynes
And yonge ynoughe to labour for theyr fode
Gyuyth theyr bodyes fully to slewthfulnes
The beggers craft thynkynge to them moost good
Some ray theyr legges and armys ouer with blood
With leuys and plasters though they be hole and sounde
Some halt as crypyls, theyr legge falsely vp bounde
Some other beggers falsly for the nonys
Disfygure theyr children god wot vnhappely
Manglynge theyr facys, and brekynge theyr bonys
To stere the people to pety that passe by
There stande they beggynge with tedyous shout and cry
There owne bodyes tournynge to a strange fassion
To moue suche as passe to pyte and compassyon
Suche yonge laddys as lusty ar of age
Myghty and stronge, and wymen in lyke wyse
Wanton and yonge and lusty of cowrage
Gyueth them selfe vtterly to this gyse
The cause is that they labour do despyse
For theyr mynde is in ydylnes to be styll
Or els in vyce to wander at theyr wyll
They paciently theyr prouertye abyde
Nat for deuocion of herte or of mynde
But to the intent that at euery tyde
Other mennys godes sholde them fede and fynde.
But if they a whyle haue ron in the wynde
And in theyr hande the staf some hete hath caught
They neuer after shall leue the beggers craft
Amonge these beggers also is comonly
Braulynge debate hatered and chydynge
Great othes, mockes falshode and enuy
And one with other euer more fyghtynge
As for theyr dronkennes and vnsure abydynge
Theyr rebaudry both in dede and communycacion
These ar chefe poyntis of theyr occupation
If the begger haue his staf and his hode
One bagge behynde and another before
Than thynkes he hym in the myddes of his goode
Thoughe that his clothes be raggyd and to tore
His body nere bare he hath no thought therfore
And if some man cloth them well to day
To morowe it shall agayne be solde away
And if these caytyfes fortune to begge or cry
For mete or money, on woman or on man
If one to them that, that they aske deny
And so depart: anone these beggers than
Whan he is gone, doth wary curse and ban
And if another gyue them ought of pyte
At the next alestake dronken shall it be
But if that I sholde gather in my barge
All folysshe beggers, and labour or intende
To note all theyr vyces, to sore sholde be the charge
And as I suppose I neuer sholde make an ende.
Wherfore I counsell them shortly to amende
Or els theyr lewdnes, synne, and enormyte
Shall cause men withdrawe theyr almes of charyte
THENUOY OF BARCLAY THE TRANSLATOUR.
O people vnthrifty gyuen to ydlenes
Spendynge your youth this wyse in vanyte
What ioy haue ye to lyue in wretchydnes
Where ye myght come to better rowme and degre
By worke, and labour: and so auaunsyd be
Yet begge ye styll hauynge your ioy therin
Amende your foly, and lerne ye this of me
That goddes good sholde nat be spent in syn
Corrections made to printed original.
“He shalbe made parson of Honington or Clist.” - ‘mde’ in original.
“a mistake as to identity” - ‘indentity’ in original.
“the executours of this my last Will” - ‘th executours’ in original.
“written [p=] me” - ‘written[p=]nce’ in original.
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