Friday, May 9, 2014

Syons Calamitye

The EEBO scan of this engraving is a bit unclear, so today I want to transcribe, as well I can, the small text on this sheet. I'll be organizing the text according to the letter to which image and text are indexed.

General notes:

  • All question marks in this engraving are vertically reflected. 
  • Most of the poetic text is italicized, except on select non-italicized words. I have reversed this and italicized select words.
  • The colophon underneath the poetic text reads, "Are to be ſold by Nathaniell Gilbye at the Eaglle & childe in Lumbard ſtreete"
  • The collector has marked the date as "May ". 12 . 1643" 
  • An unindexed image, above all and at the center of the top, is the eye of God. This is a left eye, surrounded by rays and casting down the ray seen in "L."

The image The image-based text The poetic text
A A woman under a net.
Her face is distressed and her hair is wild.
Her breast is exposed, but she has a line under her breast.
She wears a skirt from her waist to her ankles.
At her feet is a fallen sword.
To her immediate left and right are the figures from "F."
Above her is the image from "H."
[none] Alas Poore England! how art thou Diſtrest
With Warre? which for a longe time was soe blest
With Peace: that all thy Neighbouringe Nations
Admir'de thy Glorye when all their Stations
Were even fild with bloodye warres and ſtrife
Then did thy Children Live a Peacefull life
B Two symmetrical images of assembled men.
Both sides face inward, towards "D"
Each assembly has masses of men with pikes, banners, and rifles.
[Above Left:] "Triticum inter Gluma[~]"
[Above Right:] "Gluma inter Triticum"
What? Armies fightinge what doe theſe portend thee?
Or health or ſafetie? noe; this is the way to end thee
The Kinge againſt his People~ (What meanes this?)
And they 'gainſt Him, Deſtruction ſure it is
C Castle walls.
The walls are cross-hatched brick.
[Below, on either side]
"Flumina | Miſericordiae"
Ah, Loe, thy Caſtle is ſurprised
D A soldier on a turret.
The soldier wears a Roman helmet.
He carries a spear and a shield.
The turret is above a gate.
[none] Warre on thy Wall
E Two parties, holding the sun between them.
Both parties have one woman in classical dress, and six men in brimmed hats and robes.
The woman to the left holds a small sun between her left index and thumb.
The woman to the right holds a large palm in her left hand.
The woman to the right reaches with her right hand towards the left.
[Underneath both parties]
"Veritatem Sequi neceſse est."
And Peace, and Truth  excluded : but thy fall
F Two women under the net.
Both women wear simple robes and long hair.
The woman to the left crouches on her knees.
The woman to the left reaches both hands towards the figure in "A."
The woman to the right is blindfolded.
The woman to the right stands above a down-cast scale.
The woman the the right holds the arms and shoulders of the figure in "A."

[none] To this, is thus; Conſcience and Juſtice late
The Props and Pillers of thy Glorious State
Have been Intangled in a Subtile Snare
G Five men in courtiers' robes.
They huddle and raise a finger to the figure in "A."
The foremost man holds the rope of the net.
[A banderole reaches from "N" to "G"] "Cavete Malum Conſultori peſimum" By Evill Counſels; Soe that now they are
Scarce able to Releive thee: though the Care
H A woman with a sword.
Above her head is a small sun.
In her right hand she holds a sword.
In her left hand she holds the net.
Her breast is exposed, but robes drape over her left shoulder.
[To the right] Astrea And Providence of Aſtrea doth not Spare
To breake this stronge Compacted Nett aſunder
To give them power to cheare thee, Whilst others wonder,
And Grieve at the Diſcoverie thinkinge th'Event,
Could never have been diſcern'de by Parliament.
But blest be God, that Gave her Eyes to ſee
And Heart to heale thy bleeding Miſerie
I A King kneeling in prayer.
The king wears his full robes and crown.
The king has the pointed beard of Charles.
The king looks upwards to God's eye, top and center.
The king's hands are chained to "L."
[A banderole reaches from "N" to "I"]
"Sivis Omnia |
Subjicere Subice to Rationi"
[Words reach from "I" towards God's eye]
"O Lord behold"
Behold thy Kinge, now touch'd with Senſe of this
Bewailes thy Miſerie and Prayes that Peace
May once more kiſse thee; whilſt the 
K A woman kneeling in prayer.
The woman wears long, full robes, and a Breton headdress.
The woman looks upwards to God's eye, top and center.
The woman's hands are chained to "L."
[Words reach from "L" towards God's eye]
"Juſjurandum ſerva"
Lawe,
His Mate Inſeperable; bids him Awe
His God, and keepe his Oath, and God will send
Warre out, Peace in, and Plentie to his Land.
L A crown and scepter.
"L" is suspended on a chain between "I" and "K," and inside a beam from God's eye.
[Inside God's beam] "Credite et Vivite" The Chaine Supportinge Scepter, and the Crowne
Denotes that these diſiointed? all fals Downe.
M Two parties of people praying.
Both parties, left and right, are men and women in contemporary dress.
The ground has small shrubs.
Their hands are folded in prayer, and their gaze is pointed upwards to a gate.
[Above both parties] "Ate Domine Speramus Salutem"
[Between both parties] "Pro Rege Eccleſia et Patria"
Alas the Com[~]ons now belowe Lament
To see the Kinge State, Church, and Lawe diſsent
And Warre breake in, and Peace and Truth excluded.
And they themſelves from hopes of Peace Secluded.
N An old man in scholars' robes.
The man is balding with a white beard.
He holds two banderoles.
In his right hand, he holds the banderole leading to "G."
In his left hand, he holds the banderole leading to "I."
[Underneath] "Philoſophus" Phylosophers Grave to th'Kinge this Counſell give.
To yeeld to Reaſon is the way to Live.
And Raigne with Glorie, to the eville Crewe
Of wicked Counſellors declare, theire dew.
O A church with a tower and flying arches.
Over the door, the church has a large round window.
On either side of the roof, a cross with a crescent moon on top.
[Underneath] "Eccleſia Languens." The Catholicke Church being rent with Schiſme Laments
P Four men with books.
The men wear dark robes and varied hats.
The rightmost man looks and points towards "S."
[Above] "Infrate Scholam Christi"
[Below] "S. Theologi Sinceri"
The Reverend Clergie, which were woont to vent
Pure Doctrine, were oppoſde,
Q Two men in robes with high tri-fold hats.
The man on the left points towards "S" with his left hand.
[Above] "Nolin
mus colem tangere"
[Below] "Suſurrores"
by Polititians, baſe
R Two men in robes with wide tri-fold hats and crooked staffs.
Both men point towards "S" with their right hands.
[Below] ""Adulatores" Flatterers and
S A man whipping another man.
Both men face to the right.
The left man wears a brimmed hat and a tunic.
The left man holds a whip.
The right man wears robes, no hat, and no shoes.
The right man has a rosary hanging from his belt.
[Above both] "Nihil Refert ad nos"
[Right, by right man's mouth] "Voe mihi"
Dunces Learnt to gaine the Place
T Two parties, upper-left and lower-right.
The upper-left party is three men in cavalier clothing with swords drawn.
The lower-right party is young men in plain clothes with books on the ground.
[Above upper-left party] "Martenec Mercutio?"
[Above lower-right party] "Victa jacet pictas"
Younge Students grewe diſheartened to See
The Church thus Suffer; whilst Simple
V Eight images, from top to bottom
  1. A young man in plain clothes, holding his hat.
  2. A woman with a hat, holding her left hand forward.
  3. Four young men.
  4. A smoking man in buccaneer's clothes.
  5. A bald man with a sheet.
  6. A man and a woman with fake crowns.
  7. A man gathering his cloak.
  8. A man and a priest grasping.
    The man has a strange device.
    The priest has a book.
  1. [Above] "Ther's nothing to oppoſe us"
  2. [To the right] "Stand further of &c."
    [On either side] "Iſay: 65|v.5"
  3. [Above] we are wiſer then our Teachers
  4. [To the left] "All's our owne."
  5. [Above] "I am the Profett sone"
    [below] "a Vomere ad Roſtra"
  6. [Above] "I ſhall be Kinge of Jeruſalem | and I Queene"
    [On either side] "Phantasie Triumphans"
  7. [Above] "I speake all extempore nonſense naturally."
  8. [Left] "Hinc Illoe"
    [Upper right] "Tu ſans Ratione Philautos"
    [Lower right] "Lachrimoe"
    [Below] "2. Tim. 3. | 2. Tim. 4."
Phantaſie,
Her unſounde franticke humours would advance,
Above the Churches Glorie, Laid in a Trance.
The Lawes you See! how they have been abuſed
W Six figures, from top to bottom:
  1. A well with people in both baskets.
    The left is higher; the right is lower.
  2. Two men.
    The left man is dressed normally.
    The left man points to the left.
    The right man wears a ship on his head and drags a large seal with his right.
  3. A row of six Bishops.
    The left two wear laurels on their hats.
    The right four wear ships on their hats.
  4. A man pleading before four men.
    The men wear high tri-fold hats.
  5. A fool pulls down a pillar.
  6. A fool kicks a woman and threatens her with a staff.
  1. [Above] "Hodic | mihi cras tibi"
    "Tem-pora mutantur"
  2. [Upper left] "Ne timeas"
    [Lower left] "Hinc petitio et Perditio hujus."
    [Right] "Heu quanta de ſpe decidam"
  3. [Left] "Memoria Juſti vivet in AEternum"
    [Above] Obliti ſumus Parliamenti"
  4. [Above, interspersed] "Our Canon | So shall he know | Choake him wth an &c. | The knaves wittie"
    [Below panel] "Nemo tenetur |&c."
  5. [To the right] "Te flectere faciam"
    [On the pillar] "Cuntis cadem"
  6. [Upper right] "Flocci pendo"
    [Lower right] "Eſt ne Deus?"
    [Below] "Conſcientia Spreta"
By Knaves and Fooles; whilſt Conſcience is refused,
Deſpis'de and Kickt' Flatterye imprac'd, the Lawe.
Puld downe Iniuſtice Raiſ'd the Poore to awe.
Were Lawes made by Lawes? then what? shall I say
By whom? by Knaves. what then? they ranne away
x Two parties chained to a post.
To the left, a woman in a scholars' cap with a long wand;
a waiting boy holds her robes.
To the right , a man holds a hanging lamp.
The left waiting girl holds a garland; the right waiting girl holds an anchor.
[Above the post] "Nulla | Ulla ſallus belle?"
[Lower left] "Judgement"
[Lower right] "Reaſon"
Reaſon and Judgment chainde 
Y A gorgon pursued by a knight.
To the left, the gorgon runs left after her own torch.
To the right, a knight runs left after Medusa.
The knight has his sword and dagger drawn.
[Above gorgon] "Fire"
[Above knight] "Kill"
[Below] "Ratio Relicta"
Paſſion and Furie free?
z A man with a sheet.
The man's back is turned to the viewer, but he points towards the Eye of God.
The sheet has a large stamp, to indicate the warrant of the king.
[Above] "No Monopolies I beſeech you" Monopolies and Pattents forced; Lett that not be;
O God and Kinge!
a Two burdened mules and a man.
The mules are walking left.
The man is crouching below the mules.
[Mules' burden] "HONORES" Aſses downe Laden? what?
with Honours! who Supports them? Com[~]ons? how comes that?
They cannot Live without theire helpe, though forc'de to doe'it,
They now growe wearie! Vpſtarts looke you to'it.
b Athena holds the reigns to two mules, walking left.
The mules pull a carriage.
Athena has her sword raised.
[none] Doe Aſses drawe in Warre? who rides in State?
c A woman sits in the window of a carriage led by "b." [Above carriage] "Dulce bellum inexpertis" Miſerie, who runnes by? 
d A man runs alongside the carriage from "b" and "c"  [Below] "Hic labor hoc opus eſt." Famine! who followes? 
e [un-marked in poem] A skeleton running after "b-d."
In its right hand, it holds an hourglass.
In its left hand, an harrow.
[none] Fate.
f Seven figures:
  1. A man pulling a woman by the hair.
  2. A burning city.
  3. A woman clutching heavy robes
  4. A pair of scaffolds
  5. A pair of canon
  6. Two warring parties
  7. A dead infant
  1. [none]
  2. [none]
  3. [Above] "Hibernia Patiens."
  4. [none]
  5. [Above] "Lament: 1.V 16.20-21"
  6. "Lament:5 v. 1 2-3."
  7. [none]
Poore Ireland feeles it;
g A rustic scene.
In the foreground, a house with a gate.
A man and woman leaving the gate.
The woman by the gate holds a pan.
A woman gathers coins in the yard.
A man enters the yard with two bags.
[Above all] "Scotia Triticum Ventilans"
[Above the man with bags] I have gott ſomethings.
[Above the coins] "Oh you ſhall have dainety twopences"
[Above the pan] "The wheat for me & the chaffe for thee"
[Banderole, by the gate] "I ſee and ſmile"
Scotland gaines the Gold.
h A gentleman with sword drawn.
The sword is in the left hand.
The sword's point touches the ground.
[To the right] "ista mihi"
[Below, on either side] "The ſmooth | Tongu'd French man ſayes Oh! that's for me"
Whilſt France and
i A gentleman, pointing left [Above] "The hungie Spaniard wiſheth it's good Beefe"
[To the left] "Valde Eſurio"
Spain doe Laugh thus to behald
Our General Diſtractions; nay 
k A gentleman, pointing left [Left] "Non aude ſed time"
[Below] "The Dutchman bids hands of, that shall not be."
the Schoole of Warres
l A gentleman with sword drawn [Above, on either side] "The Lord Dane cries if theſe hold I'le be cheefe Redditum expecto[m? (obscure)]" And Denmarke too, rejoyce to ſee our Iarres.
As hopeinge they themſelves may hereby Gaine
Our Kingedomes Glorie; wee, the Loſse and Staine,
But Lord in Mercye looke upon this Nation
And be to it the Helmett of Salvation.
Expell Unnaturall Warre, and grant us Peace
And Unitie 'mongst Brethren, if thou Pleaſe;
That all may Live to give thy Name the Praiſe.
Reſtore thy Peace to us in these our Dayes. Amen.

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