Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Poem touching the association of the English Language with the French, Spanish or Italian


Poem touching the association of the English Language with the French, Spanish or Italian

France, Italy, and Spain, ye sisters three,
Whose toungs are branches of the Latian tree,
To perfect your odd number, be not shy
To take a fourth to your society.
That high Teutonick dialect which bold
Hengistus[Н.В.1]  with his Saxons brought of old
Among the Brittains, when by knife and sword
The first of England did create the word.
Nor ist a small advantage to admit,
To make a speech to mix with you and knitt[Н.В.2] ,
Who by her consonants and tougher strains
Will bring more arteries ‘mong your soft veins,
For of all toungs Dutch hath most nerves and bones,
Except the Pole, who hurles[Н.В.3]  his words like stones.
Lost Paradis by heavens provoked ire,
He in Italian tempted was, in French
Fell a begging pardon, but from thence
He was thrust out in the tough Teuton toung,
Whence English, though much polished, since is sprung[Н.В.7] .
This book is then an inlaid[Н.В.8]  peece of art,
English the knots which strengthen every part;
Four languages are here together fixed,
Our Lemsters[Н.В.9]  die with Naples silk is mixt.
The Loire, the Po, the Thames, and Tagus[Н.В.10]  glide
All in one bed, and kisse each others side;
The Alpes and Pyrenean mountains meet,
The rose[Н.В.11]  and flower-de-luce [Н.В.12] hang in one street.
May Spain and red-capt France a league here strike,
If ‘twixt their kings and crowns there were the like.
Poore Europe should not bleed so fast[Н.В.13] , and call
Turbands[Н.В.14]  at last unto her funerall.

(from Howel’s lexicon tetraglotton. Fol. 1660)


 [Н.В.1]Hengist or Hengest; & his brother Horsa biographical name 5th century Jute invaders of Britain
 [Н.В.2]2. a. to become compact b. to grow together c. to become drawn together
 [Н.В.3]to utter with vehemence
 [Н.В.4]to assert as if true ; pretend
 [Н.В.5]1) изначальный, первообразный; первоначальный Syn: prototypal , original , archetypal
 [Н.В.6]severe trial or ordeal
 [Н.В.7]to come into being ; arise
 [Н.В.8]мозаичный
 [Н.В.9]Leominster ['lemster], town (“parish”), unitary authority and historic county of Herefordshire, England, situated on the River Lugg, a tributary of the Wye. A religious house was founded on the site in 660, and the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul was the former priory church. The town was incorporated in 1554 and was a centre for the wool trade from the 13th to the 18th century. The contemporary economy is based on agricultural produce and livestock, and there are cattle and sheep markets. Agricultural implements are manufactured. Half-timbered houses include the reconstructed 17th-century town hall. Pop. (1991) 9,543.
 [Н.В.10]р. Тахо, Тежу (Испания, Португалия)
 [Н.В.11]б) ( изображение цветка, используемое как эмблема Англии )
 [Н.В.12]б) эмблема французского королевского дома ( во времена монархии ) в) французская королевская семья, французский флаг ( до 1789 г. ), французская нация
 [Н.В.13]часто; скоро
 [Н.В.14]тюрбан, чалма

No comments: