A Pair of Macaronic Poems in the style of “De Amico ad Amicam” and “Responcio” (ca. 1430)
The Devil carrying a woman off to Hell. From Olaus Magnus’ Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus, Rome, 1555.
Sadly, she did NOT know the answers…
Aenigmata Diaboli
‘Riddles of the Devil’
| Belle de beaulte aornee Thy peere a womman may nat bee In mundum Si tu vouloies dauoir sagesse Thou mayst become my own princesse Profundum Et si tu sers ma chere maistresse And choose to me thy faire addresse Vergere Mes secretz ie te donneray And bountee shew bothe nyght and day Libere Peulx tu me dire en verite What is hyer than is the tree Florendo Ma damoiselle honoree, What is depper than is the see Fluendo Et apprends tu quant tu souffris To knowe a thing as sharp as is Hic spina Ma fille si ieune et si discrete What is there louder than the grete Bucina Mais saches tu de mot plus vray What is lenger than is the way Flectendo Ta ioue fait honte la rose de may, But what is redder than the day Surgendo Tu as beaucoup de champs de bled But what is bettre than the breed Partitus La fosse appelle sans remede But what is strenger than the deed Positus Tu voyes ta ville et ta custode But what is grener than the wood Incultus Mes oreilles ta voix mignote But what is sweeter than a note Si multus Dis moy vn peu en monde mortel More yelow than is the candel Cereus Et en ta robe simple de laine What knowe thou soft as clooth so fyne Linteus Presenteras de quelque choses Ful swifter than the wind that blowes Certando Qui peult en assez haulte noblesse Ouermacche the king in richesse Regnando Tu viura toymesmes en place Were it that thee be graunted grace Supernus Ou bien ton ame ie fait ma mie And so ful soothe my lemman be Aeternus |
Fair one by beauty adorned There is not a woman your equal On Earth If you want to acquire wisdom You may become my own princess In the depths And if you will be my dear mistress And choose to me your fair attention To turn My secrets I will give to you And bounty show both night and day Freely Can you tell me in truth What is higher than the tree Growing My dear honored maiden What is deeper than the sea Flowing And do you learn when you suffer To know a thing as sharp as is This thorn My girl so young and so discreet What is there louder than the great Horn/trumpet But do you know in truer word What is longer than is the way Winding Your cheek shames the rose of May But what is redder than the day Rising You have many fields of wheat But what is better than the bread Shared The grave calls without remedy But what is stronger than the dead Buried You see your town and your nursemaid But what is greener than the wood Untilled My ears your voice pampers But what is sweeter than a note If many Tell me a small thing in the mortal world More yellow than is the candle Of wax And in your coarse gown of wool What do you know soft as fine cloth Of linen (flax) Show something Full swifter than the wind that blows Racing Who can with enough high nobility Overmatch in riches the king Reigning You will dwell yourself in this place If you are granted grace From above Or else your soul I make my morsel And you truly my lover Forever |
Responcio
| O iesucrist, par charite Heere the orisons I make me Orare Donnez beniuolence et grace That from this feend I turne my face Vitare Leuangille parle du bon ciel Hyer than trees, springeth the welle Paternus Meilleur vous sachez en ycelle Depper than is the see is helle Infernus En yuer ces en pourete Hunger sharper than the thorn see Pungeat Et la pluie rend le monde morne With thonder louder than a horn Caneat Quant ton amans sert loins diray Looking is lenger than the way Praeire On tache son ame destres pecheur Than is the day synne is redder Inire La parolle de dieu me sauue And bettre serueth than the loue Alere La mort finist bien le douleur Peyne worse than the deed is strenger Laedere En auant que ce mort, helas! Grener than the wood is the gras Dicturus Plus que la note lamour est doulz You rekene not how muche it is Thesaurus Pour faire le mieulx vn plat de riz Saffroun muche bettre than wex is Flauentis Les fins linges sont vray treschere But softer fer is silk so deere Nitentis Vn mot est lente, vn fait le plus But thought is swifter than the loos Ventus Vn roy a beaucoup de fin or But richer is our confessour Iesus Sathan! I giue the name to you Et ie vous commanday par dieu Silere Ie ne seray point vostre proie So heuene help my soule with ioye Petere |
O Jesus Christ in your charity Hear the prayers I make me To pray Give benevolence and grace That from this fiend I turn my face To shun The gospel speaks of good Heaven Higher than trees, springs the well Of the Father Better you know besides Deeper than is the sea is Hell Below In winter those in poverty Hunger sharper than the thorn see Pricking And rain makes the world gloomy With thunder louder than a horn Sounding When your lover is far away I say Looking is longer than the way To go ahead One stains his soul to be a sinner Than is the day sin is redder To enter The word of God saves me And better serves than the loaf To nourish Death happily ends pain Pain worse than death is stronger To injure Before it dies, alas! Greener than the wood is grass It has been said More than the note love is sweet You reckon not how much it is A treasure-house To make the best dish of rice Saffron is much better than wax is At turning it yellow Fine linens are a true treasure But softer far is silk so dear As it shines A word is slow, a deed more so But thought is swifter than the loose Wind A king has a lot of fine gold But richer is our confessor Jesus Satan! I give the name to you And I command you by God To be silent I will not be your prey So heaven help my soul with joy To strive |