5. Ick wil een Liedeken brenghen ter banen / Martijntje
[Wijze:] Voicy tantost la froidure bannié
Ick wil een Liedeken brenghen ter banen
Van d'ongheluckighe Courtisanen,
In deser stede my wel bekent:
Die Venus speeltjen wel zijn ghewent,
Met Duytschen, Francen, en Italianen,
Daer met sy hebben haer jeught gheschent.
Martijntje die heeft haer vryer verlooren,
Daerom is sy ontsteecken met tooren:
Sy gheeft de schuldt aen Antonet,
En seydt dat sy haer vreuchde belet,
Daerom heeft sy haer de dood geswooren
Soo haest sy komt uyt het Kinder-bedt.
Om datter Moy Aeltjen heeft onder gelegen
Daerom soo gaet sy soo wijd ontreghen
Sy plach te gaen soo engh en soo smal:
Sy was met Floris eens in de Stal,
Daer heeftse een Aposteuny (*1) ghekreghen,
Die haer neghen maenden sweeren sal.
Margrietje wil haer stellen ter eeren,
Daerom draeghtse soo prachtighe kleeren,
A la modo op de nieuwe voet,
En daer toe een ghepluymde Hoet:
Maer dat haer droefheydt doet vermeeren
Is 't datse daer me niet op en doet.
Francijntje wil hangen haer huys te huren,
Om datse benijdt wort van haer gheburen:
Sy segghen sy houdt soo olijck ravot.
Maer nae mijn dunckt soo zijn sy bot,
Dewijl haer huys heeft hooge muren:
Sy segghen, 't is maer een Vaerckens-kot.
Anneken is daer soo bijster belaeyen,
Want sy en kan noch spinnen noch naeyen,
Haer jonge Jaertjes die zijn verby,
Sy is niet bequaem tot slaverny:
Daerom wend sy haer aen 't kopp'len draeyen,
En mede tot drooghe Gastery.
Princesse Susanne derft haer wel roemen
Dat sy'er wel vijf-en-veertigh kan noemen,
Die haer ghestadigh loopen nae,
En haer begheeren, wou sy segghen jae.
Ick segh, sy isser een bloeme der bloemen,
Maer s'is ghequelt met Sciatica (*2).
(*1): gezwel
(*2): heupjicht
Uit: ' Amsteldams Minne-beeckje' III (1638). | 5. [Tune:] Voicy tantost la froidure bannié (See how coldness has just been bannished)
I want to perform a song
About the unlucky courtesans
I know well in this city:
Who are used to being Venus' plaything
With Dutch, French, and Italians,
They've spent their youth on them.
Martie has lost her lover,
That's why she's incensed with rage:
She blames Antonet
And says she ruined her joy
So she's sworn death to her-
Just as soon as she finishes giving birth.
Because Pretty Ally once lay down underside
She now goes around with her clothes let out so wide;
She used to be slim and petite:
She was in the stable once with Floris;
She caught a swelling there
That will fester for nine months' time.
Maggie wants to improve her station
And so she wears the prettiest clothes,
All in the very latest à la mode fashion,
And a feathered hat to top it all off;
But what adds to her misery
Is that she still can't catch anyone.
Francie wants to rent out her house
Because her neighbours gossip about her;
They say she carries on with such an shameless revel;
But to my thinking they're so dense:
Because her house has fine high walls,
They say it's just a pigpen.
Annie is burdened so
Because she cannot spin or sew;
Her youthful years have passed her by,
But servanthood doesn't suit her;
And so she has become a Madam
Along with running a restaurant.
Princess Susanna may well boast
Of naming five-and-forty men
Who steadily pursue her
And desire her, would she only say yes;
I say, she's the flower of flowers,
Too bad she's plagued with sciatica.
Translation: Ruth van Baak Griffioen
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