History of Spanish and Portuguese Literature (Vol 1 of 2)

by Friedrich Bouterwek

Glosa de Don Jorge Manrique.

Yo soy quien libre me vi,
yo quien pudiera olvidaros,
yo so el que por amaros
estoy desque os conoci
sin Dios y sin vos y mi.
Sin Dios, porque en vos adoro
sin vos, pues no me quereys,
pues sin mi ya esto decoro,
que vos soys quien me teneys.
Assi que triste naci,
pues que pudiera olvidaros,
yo soy el que por amaros
esto desque os conoci
sin Dios y sin vos y mi.

[121] An accurate idea of all the romances of this class may be derived from the Historia de los Vandos de los Zegris y Abencerrages, Caballeros Moros de Granada, a work well known to those who are acquainted with Spanish literature. It has been several times printed. The edition which I have now before me (Lisboa 1616,) seems to be one of the latest. On the title page the author styles himself, Ginez Perez de Hita, and on that page also appear the words, Aora nuevamente sacado de un libro Arabigo. The German critic Blankenburgh, is of opinion, that there is no more reason for supposing this work to be a translation from the Arabic, than that Don Quixote was derived from a similar source. But the word sacado on the title page, by no means indicates that it is a translation. The author has evidently derived much of his information, such for instance, as the genealogical register of the families, from Moorish sources. He has probably availed himself of an Arabic work to write a half true and half fabulous history of Granada, and to intersperse it with favourite romances. There is a counterfeit edition of this work, entitled, Historia de las guerras civiles de Granada, Paris, 1660. From the French words on the margin, it is obvious that the book must have been used in Paris in the seventeenth century, for learning the Spanish language.

[122] It will be sufficient to transcribe here one of these pastoral romances, which presents a fair specimen of the better part of the rest.

Olvidada del sucesso,
del engañado Narciso,
mirando està en una fuente
Filis su rostro divino,
el negro cabello suelto,
al ayre vano esparzido,
ceñida la blanca frente
con un liston amarillo.
Mira los hermosos ojos,
y el labio en sangre teñido
de los cristalinos dientes
adornado y ofendido:
no se mira el bello rostro,
por presuncion que ha tenido,
mas porque le mueve a ello
el desprecio de su amigo.
Hala dexado el cruel,
sin averlo merecido,
por quien vale menos que ella,
y es della menos querido.
Pareciole que enturbiava
con las perlas que ha vertido
las corrientes amorosas,
y solloçando, les dixo:
Turbias van las aguas madre,
turbias van,
mas ellas se aclararàn.
Si el agua de mi alegria
enturbia la de mis ojos,
y le ofrecen mis despojos
al alma en mi fantasia,
sospechas son, que algun dia
tiempo y amor desharan.
Turbias van las aguas madre,
turbias van,
mas ellas se aclararàn.
Si fatiga el pensamiento,
y se enturbia la memoria,
juntar la passada gloria
con el presente tormento,
si esparzidos por el viento
mis tristes suspiros van.
Turbias van las aguas madre
turbias van,
mas ellas se aclararàn.

[123] The following is written in a style which was, at a later period, much admired in France, and frequently imitated in Germany while Hagedorn and Gleim flourished:—

Que se case un don Pelote
con una dama sin dote,
Bien puede ser.
Mas que no de algunos dias
por un pan sus damerias,
No puede ser.
Que pida a un galan Minguilla
cinco puntos de servilla.
Bien puede ser.
Mas que calçando diez Menga,
quiera que justo la venga,
No puede ser.
Que la biuda en el sermon
de mil suspiros sin son,
Bien puede ser.
Mas que no los de a mi cuenta,
porque sepan do se assienta,
No puede ser.
Que ande la bella casada
bien vestida, y mal zelada,
Bien puede ser.
Mas que el bueno del marido
no sepa quien da el vestido,
No puede ser. &c.

[124] See the notices of Nicolas Antonio, Sarmiento, Velasquez, and others.

[125] It is entitled Romancero general, en que se contienen todos los romances, que andan impresos, aora nuevamente añadido y enmendado, Madrid, 1604, a quarto volume, containing about seventy sheets. The preface is subscribed by the bookseller, who seems to have compiled this work himself. The todos on the title page must not be literally understood. Not one of the romances contained in the old Cancionero de Romances, (see note page 53) appear in this Romancero general, which is, in other respects, extremely copious. But the Spanish booksellers began at an early period to give boasting titles to their publications.

[126] More copious information, together with bibliographic notices respecting the pastoral dialogue of Mingo Rebulgo, are given by Velasquez and Dieze, page 162.