Chapter 10

Princes of most noble worth, To whom high renown is given, Who, victorious on earth, Are beloved of God 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 practitioner, 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 prone, That nothing shall their firmness shake. Truly a great wizard I And great marvels can I work, 30 All the powers of Hell 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 noblest 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 shine, 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.

Keys of the depths, abysses rending, Open up Earth's every pore! 100 Prince of Darkness never-ending, Show thy great works evermore! Satan, wheresoe'er thou be, I conjure thee By the mighty dragons' breath 105 And the raging lions' roar And Jehoshaphat's vale of death. By the smoke that issueth Poisonous from out thy chair, By the fire that none may slake, 110 By the torments of thy lake, From my heart right earnestly Satan, I conjure thee, Zezegot seluece soter, Unto thee my prayer I make, 115 Lucifer, listen to my prayer! By the mists of liquid fire That thy regions drear distil, By the vipers, snakes that fill All its wells, abysses dire, 120 By the pangs relentlessly Given by thee To the prisoners of thy pit, By the shrieks of those in it That unceasing echo still, 125 Beelzebub, I thee invite By the blindness of the Jews Who the wrong in malice choose And thereby thy heart delight rezeegut Linteser 130 zamzorep tisal siroofee nafezeri.

_The devils Zebron and Danor come and Zebron says:_

_Z._ What's the matter, priest accursed?

_P._ Welcome, brothers, welcome first.

_D._ What now with us wouldst thou have?

135 _P._ That my bidding you should do.

_Z._ By Satan's altar, this thou'lt rue, Arrogant knave.

_D._ Come, I'll seize him by the hair And off with his ears at least, 140 For a robber is this priest.

_P._ Hurt me not, good brothers, cease, Comrades, cousins, friends, I pray.

_Z._ Not two figs for you we care.

_P._ How is Belial to-day? 145 And his court, is it at peace?

_D._ With a box o' the ear chastise him, Even so will we baptise him And we'll christen him a fool.

_P._ Come, let's speak more seriously: 150 Are you all quite well and cool?

_Z._ Villain, wineskin, Bacchus' tool, What has that to do with thee?

_P._ Nay, my powers I'll efface, Myself abase, 155 Only speak not thus to me.

_D._ Do you hold Landeira's see Or are you Cartaxo's vicar?

_Z._ He's priest of Lumear, I think, Mealhada's precentor he, 160 Archpriest of a pint of liquor Since he ceases not to drink.

_D._ And this chaplain of our town Is a good Englishman, for mark, This Ribatejo Patriarch 165 Will drink even a Frenchman down, And nothing think of it at all.

_Z._ Danor, say, is he Cardinal Of Arruda or Caparica?

_D._ He has nought left thin or thick 170 Save always his glass of liquor And a great Archbishopric, An honour given but to few Near the boundary stone, the same On which he sets his diadem, 175 This prelate, and his mitre too. Dost thou know Seixal, thou thief, Almada and thereabouts? Tojal packsaddler, of louts And of villain knaves the chief.

180 _P._ Devils, will you now in brief My bidding do Or must I take other ways with you?

_D._ Cursèd robber, only say What you'd have and we'll obey.

185 _P._ I command you instantly By the power of the sky And the might of God on high, In whose service priest I am, I conjure you in His name 190 That you my behests obey Now straightway, On the earth and in the air, Here and there and everywhere.

_Z._ How are the tithes, and--another matter-- 195 Is the fine elephant alive That went to Rome for the Pope to shrive?

_D._ Are your feelings hurt by this chatter?

_P._ Danor, now I conjure thee By Saint Pol and by Saint Paul 200 Hearken to me.

_Z._ Your intelligence is small.

_P._ Then shall you hark unwillingly. By the Mother of God most holy And her heavenly dignity, 205 Her humility on earth That had power to scale high Heaven, And her own imperial worth Whereby in the Virgin birth The incarnate Christ to earth was given.

210 _Z._ Say no more, accursed knave, We'll obey: what wouldst thou have?

_P._ 'Tis my will and my desire That unto those ladies there This very hour you should have care 215 Polyxena of Troy to bring: Come she, for beauty's heightening, In rich attire, Fair as she was fair of yore.

_D._ With what a thrashing shouldst thou rue it 220 Could I but do it. But thou hast taken my strength away.

_P._ Let her come by land or sea Straightway and most peacefully.

_Z._ And as to subscriptions for the war 225 Hast thou any tithe to pay?

_P._ Without delay Polyxena bring And joyfully Before her shall you dance and sing.

_Z._ They'll send another elephant yet 230 And you'll have to pay the tax for it.

_Polyxena comes and says:_

_Pol._ Wherefore hither am I come? O how great my affliction is Since against my will you bring Me to further suffering. 235 For he who lives in misery's stress Can but borrow From seen pleasures a new sorrow. But what a fairy court is this In which beauty has its home! 240 The palace of Troy was not your peer Nor rival in magnificence, I see a greater Priam here Cesar of sovran excellence, A Hecuba of nobler mien, 245 A flawless queen In power humanely gentle: hence Apollo's and Diana's reign Heaven confirmeth in the twain. And you, Prince most excellent, 250 Give me liberal reward: From your promise is none debarred, It fills all men with content, And the planets of Heaven's abode Had word of God 255 That to you be greatness sent And fortune's favour even more Than to those who reigned before. And for you, most lovely flower, Princess Dona Isabel, 260 The Lord of Heaven in His power Marshalled in host innumerable The sky and all its company, And Jove as judge did then ordain That as empress you should reign 265 O'er Castille and Germany. You, O Prince Dom Ferdinand, Since prudence is your special share And with favourable wand Mercury holds you in his arms, 270 Wealth and prosperity shall bless In quietness Without toil or any care, Turmoil or loud war's alarms: This for you the gods have planned. 275 For you, Princess Beatrice, Your sure destiny it is To be married happily Unto France's fleur-de-lys. And the world has more in store 280 For you, yea more Than you imagine shall be given. Princes, leave all cares of yore Since you have the ear of Heaven.

_P._ What say you to the roses there 285 And this vale of loveliness?

_Pol._ Would that fortune were no less Fair to me than they are fair! How gleams the Court in radiancy, What an array 290 Of beauty is there here to see! O that it were given me Ever in this life to stay!

_D._ In _this_ life! Thine another school.

_Pol._ Who brought me to this destiny?

295 _D._ That excommunicated fool, Thou camest here at his suggestion. Ask him what he wants of thee, Just to see.

_Pol._ Why then have you brought me here?

300 _P._ What, no sooner you appear Than you would begin to question! Tell these lordlings instantly, Since you suffered from love's wound, What in this life here you found 305 The greatest of all woes to be, Tell them if the pains of Hell Be as deep as those of love, Or if torments there excel Those that here from love's thoughts well, 310 Griefs that every lover prove.

_Pol._ Awful in intensity Are Hell's tortures unto me, Grievously I suffer, yet Ne'er could I love's wound forget.

315 _P._ What the arts and qualities That should a true lover grace?

_Pol._ Constancy has the first place And resolution; and, with these, Noble must he be, discreet, 320 Silent, patient of disdain With heart e'er open to love's strain In passion's service to compete, But not to change and change again. And he must be liberal, 325 Generous exceedingly, Since there is no quality That for lovers is so meet. For to a lover avarice Is as uncongenial 330 As would be a fire in ice Or if a picture were to be Itself and its original For his food he must but take A mouthful barely, and with sighs, 335 And when he asleeping lies He must still be half awake. Very gentle-mannered he, Humane and courteous, must be And serve his lady without hope, 340 For he who loveth grudgingly Proves himself of little scope.

_P._ What his qualities among Should most bring him love for love?

_Pol._ That he should be brave and strong, 345 That will his best vantage prove. For a man advanced in years, Ill-favoured though be and weak, If name famed in war he bears Even in the fairest lady's ears 350 Should for him his actions speak. On, on ye lords, to war, to war! And ladies not as heretofore Embroider wimples for your wear But banners for the knights to bear. 355 For thus amid the wars of Troy I and my sisters did employ Our time and all our artifice: Standards, with many a fair device Embroidered, did we weave for them; 360 And on them lavished many a gem And gaily with glad songs of joy Our necklaces we freely gave, Tiara and diadem. Then leave your points and hem-stitch leave, 365 Your millinery and your lace, And utterly from off earth's face These renegade dogs destroy. O to see Penthesilea again With forty thousand warriors, 370 Armed maidens gleaming like the stars On the Palomean plain.

_P._ Come bring her here this very hour.

_Z._ Cannot you leave us one instant alone?

_P._ What are you doing? Come on, come on.

375 _D._ To the devil would I see you gone And whoso gives you this power.

_Penthesilea enters and says:_

_Pen._ What would you of this hapless queen Penthesilea woe-begone, Who in tears and sorrow thus appear 380 Ill-favoured in this court's fair sheen? Why should you wish to see me here Before your high imperial throne, Great king of marvels, who alone With your small armies scatter still 385 Your victories abroad at will? Were I now, Sir, at liberty, From Hell's grim dominion free And mistress of my destiny I would serve you willingly. 390 All my days would I spend then With your armies to my gain, My golden arrow then with zest Would serve you in a service blest And not in useless wars and vain. 395 O renownèd Portugal, Learn to know thy noble worth Since thy power imperial Reaches to the ends of Earth. Forward, forward, lord and knight 400 Since Heaven's favours on you crowd, Forward, forward in your might That doth the King of Fez affright, And Morocco cries aloud. O cease ye eagerly to build 405 So many a richly furnished chamber, And to paint them and to gild. Money so spent will nothing yield. With halberds only now remember And with rifles to excel. 410 Not for Genoese fashions strive But as Portuguese to live And in houses plain to dwell. As fierce warriors win renown, Not for wealth most perilous, 415 Give your country a golden crown Of deeds, not words that mock at us. Forward, Lisbon! All descry Thy good fortune far and nigh, And the fame thou dost inherit, 420 Since fortune raises thee on high, Win it sturdily by merit. Achilles when he went away From near this city went, Call him: you'll hear truth evident 425 If you doubt what I have said.

_P._ Let him come up, come up, I say.

_Z._ This priest has gone quite off his head. I don't know what I am about That I don't give the Jew a clout: 430 Would you empty Hell of its dead?

_Achilles comes and says:_

_A._ When Jupiter in all his might Was seated on his throne And in his strength ordered aright By his right hand alone 435 The courses of the day and night; And warrior Mars to Earth had lent His bolts of victory And parted with his armament; When Saturn still slept peacefully 440 With all his firmament; When the Sun shone with clearer light And an intenser ray And the Moon's beams illumed the night, More brightly than noonday, 445 And Venus sang her loveliest lay; When wisdom, that he now doth keep, Was given by Mercury, And mirth flashed o'er the heaven's steep And the winds were gently hushed asleep 450 And a calm lay on the sea; When joy and fame together checked The hands of destiny And glory's flags the poles bedecked And the heavens, by no clouds beflecked, 455 Gleamed in their radiancy; When every heart with unfeigned cheer Was merry upon Earth, In that day and month and year, When all these portents did appear, 460 Your Highnesses had birth. Now I, Achilles, in my youth Lived here for many days And happy am I in good sooth To see the kingdom's splendid growth 465 Honoured in countless ways. Its noble sons these honours reap, But let no careless strain Prevent you what you win to keep; Ye prelates, 'tis no time for sleep! 470 Ye priests, do not complain! When mighty Rome was in full sail Conquering all the Earth The girls and matrons without fail, That so the soldiers should prevail, 475 Gave all their jewels' worth. Then O ye shepherds of the Church Down, down with Mahomet's creed! Leave not the fighters in the lurch! For if to scourge yourselves you speed 480 Then Rome may spare the birch. You should sell your chalices, Yes and pawn your breviaries, Turn your gourds into flasks, and e'er Of bread and parsnips make your fare, 485 To vanquish thus your enemies.

_Z._ Aha, aha. A splendid rule! What do you think of that, Sir Fool?

_P._ What is't to me? what should I care? For he who has no revenues 490 Can by the tithes but little lose.

_A._ If hither came but Hannibal, Hector and Scipio You shall see what they will show Of the things of Portugal, 495 What reason and truth would have you know.

_P._ Come Danor, and Zebron, hither Bring all three of them together.

_D._ Rascal cleric, villain, cur, Thief, dog, that I for you should stir!

500 _Z._ May a curse your power wither!

_Hannibal, Hector and Scipio come, and Hannibal says:_

_Han._ Easily you might forego Poor Hannibal's presence here, For your Court's fame far and near The furthest of Earth's regions know.

505 _Hect._ Nor need Hector here appear.

_S._ Nor is there room for Scipio.

_Han._ Sirs, you should trust in God, that he All Africa presently Will reduce beneath your sway. 510 Africa was Christian land, Moors have ta'en your own away. To the work, Captains, set your hand, For so with clearer ray shall burn Your renown when you return. 515 And, O ladies of Portugal, Spend, spend jewel and precious stone, Duchesses, ladies, maidens, all Since such enterprises shall Properly be yours alone. 520 A religious war it is For the honour of your land, Against those vile enemies, Undertaken reasonably And with good discretion planned. 525 Of beads be every rosary, Each pearl replaced by bilberry, Brooches of the heads of leek; Such ornaments, my ladies, seek And those you have give every one. 530 For little honour now is there In dresses and adornments fair, Honour give noble deeds alone, Not costly robes inwrought with gold And pranked with trimmings manifold: 535 Give these now to help helmets make. And ye, good priors, I bid you take And divide all that you hold Among the soldiers of the guard And great shall be your reward. 540 For of the income you obtain By whatever means you may The churches have but little gain, And from alms you still abstain: How you spend it who shall say? 545 For the conquest of Africa Give a tithe of your possessions, Give it, if you can, with pleasure, For the less you have of treasure The less need you fear oppressions. 550 And O rulers and noblemen, Yea and every citizen, Listen, listen to the drums, Hark to them with Christian ears! And ye people, hold not back, 555 Forward, forward to the attack! Give your lives and your incomes, For in such a conflict holy None should harbour any fears.

_All these figures ordered themselves in winding circles and by turns sang and acted the following, all singing:_

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

560 _Hannibal._ On, on! go forward, lord and knight, Since in war waged for the right God as Captain leads the fight.

_They sing._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_H._ To war, to war, both rich and poor, 565 To war, to war, most ruthlessly Since the great King Manuel's wrath Is gone forth against the Moor. And he sworn and promised hath In his inmost heart that he 570 Will destroy them from his path.

_They sing._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_H._ And his Highness for a sign Of our Holy Faith's increase Wills that at Fez by grace divine 575 The mosque shall a cathedral be. War, war ever without cease Is his purpose mightily.

_They sing._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_H._ This our King most excellent 580 And with great good fortune blest Is lord of every continent From the East unto the West: And the high God omnipotent In his gracious keeping still 585 Guards his royal heart from ill.

_They sing._ Ta la la la lam, ta la la la lam.

_And with this chorus they went out and the above Tragicomedy ends._

FARSA DOS ALMOCREVES

_Farça dos Almocreves._

_Esta seguinte farsa foy feyta & representada ao muyto poderoso & excelente Rey dom Ioam o terceyro em Portugal deste nome na sua cidade de Coimbra na era do S̃ehor de MDXXVI. Seu fundamento he que hum fidalgo de muyto pouca renda vsaua muyto estado, tinha capelam seu & ouriuez seu, & outros officiaes, aos quaes nunca pagaua. E vendose o seu capelam esfarrapado & sem nada de seu entra dizendo:_