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[13] Prins Cardinael van Spangjen
Tekst van Cornelis Strib?e

Stemme: Coridon was moe van Jagen

Prins Cardinael van Spaengjen
Is nu uwen moet ghedaen?
Dat ghy den Prins d'Oraengjen
Niet en soeckt om op te slaen,
Of heeft hy te stercken haven
Doen graven, doen graven
Dat ghy 't niet en vint geraen.

Lest quaemt ghy tot Rijs-bergen
Sloegh u Leger daer ter neer,
Geen aen-val en dorst ghy vergen,
Want wy pasten op Geweer
By Nacht en by dagh in 't Wapen,
In 't Wapen. En 't slapen
Lieten wy voor 's Princen eer.

Dus komt nu selfs eens kijcken
Na de brave stadt Breda.
Die nu gansch wil bezwijcken,
Want wy komen haer te na,
En hoort hoe de schaly-daken
Door 't kraken, door 't kraken
Tuygen over groote scha.

Het Hoeren-werck zijn gronden
Is gemest met Spangjaers bloedt,
Hebt ghy doen niet bevonden
d' Edel Prins sijn kloecken moet?
Doen vreeslijck de Mijnen sprongen
Hoe songen, en sprongen
Doen u Wals en Spaensch gebroedt.

Dus wil ick u wat raden
Prince Cardinael Infant,
Treckt uyt u Krijghs-gewaden,
Reyst weer na u Spaensche Landt,
En draeght daer de Geestelijckheden
Haer kleden, met vreeden,
Die u beter staen ter handt.
[13] Prins Cardinael van Spangjen (Prince Cardinal of Spain, 1637)
Text by Cornelis Strib?e

The Brabant city of Breda, not too far from Antwerp, was in Spanish hands when Ferdinand became governor, but in 1637 the city was besieged by the Dutch stadtholder, Frederick Henry, who was a brilliant commander. Prince Ferdinand came from Antwerp with an army of 20.000 men to break the siege, but was defeated near the village of Rijsbergen. Thus Breda was doomed to fall into Dutch hands. A sarcastic song by the Beggars, addressed to Ferdinand during the siege.

Tune: Corydon was tired from hunting

Prince Cardinal of Spain,
What's left of your courage?
Now that you're not pursuing
The Prince of Orange in attack.
Or are his harbor defenses
Dug too strong, dug too strong
That you find it inadvisable?

You came to Rijsbergen
And camped your army there,
You didn't dare attack
Because we'd overseen our defenses well
And by night and day we were armed,
We were armed, and did without sleep
In honor of our Prince.

So, come now and see for yourself
Look at the brave city of Breda,
Which is ready to collapse completely,
Because we're getting too close,
And listen how the slate roofs
Are creaking, are creaking,
Showing how great the damage is.

The ground of this whorish work (*1)
Is manured with Spaniards' blood.
Didn't you notice then
How brave the noble prince was?
When the awful mines exploded
How they sang and sprang,
Your Wallonian and Spanish rabble!

So I want to give you advice,
Prince Cardinal Infante,
Slip off your war-harness,
Go back to your Spanish lands,
And there put on your clerical robes,
Your robes, with peace,
They suit you better.

(*1): referring to the Whore of Babylon, i.e. the Pope.

Text from Cornelis Strib?e, Chaos ofte Verwerden Clomp (Dordrecht, 1643), p. 140. Reprinted in Nieu Bossche Geusen lied-boeck (Amsterdam, 1663), p. 70. Melody (Tircis au bord de la Seine) from the Song Manuscript of Duchess Sophie Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Wolfenb?ttel (c. 1633): Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenb?ttel, MS Cod. Guelf. 52 Noviss 8o, no. 4.


Camerata Trajectina (artiest), The Imperial Trumpets (artiest), Music for the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria
2013
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