John Ruskin - "Proserpina, Volume 1"

Jules Verne - "20000 Lieues sous les mers Part 2"

Nathaniel Bright Emerson - "Unwritten Literature of Hawaii"

Various - "Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 445"

Editorial
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 2

S >> Sebastian Brandt >> The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 2




Thoughe sharpe correccyon at the first the greue
Thou shalt the ende therof fynde profytable
It oft apereth, therfore I it byleue
That man also forsoth is fortunable
Whiche here in fere lyueth sure and stable
And in this lyfe is clene of his intent
Ferynge the sharpe payne of hellys punysshement

He may hym selfe right happy call also
Whiche is correct in his first tender age
And so lernyth in goodes law to go
And in his yocke, whiche doth all yll asswage
But these folys bydynge in theyr outrage
Whiche of correccyon in this lyfe hath dysdayne
May fere to be correct in hell with endles payne

THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

Ye obstynate folys that often fall in vyce
Howe longe shall ye kepe this frowarde ignoraunce
Submyt your myndes, and so from synne aryse
Let mekenes slake your mad mysgouernaunce
Remember that worldly payne it greuaunce
To be compared to hell whiche hath no pere
There is styll payne, this is a short penaunce
Wherfore correct thy selfe whyle thou art here.

* * * * *


Of folysshe Fesycyans and vnlerned that
onely folowe paractyke knowynge nought
of the speculacyon of theyr faculte.

[Illustration: Who that assayeth the craft of medycyne
Agaynst the seke and paynfull pacyent
And hath no insyght cunnynge nor doctryne
To gyue the seke, helth and amendement
Suche is a fole, and of a mad intent
To take on hym by Phesyke any cure
Nat knowynge of man, nor herbe the right nature]

Yet be mo folys vpon the grounde and londe
Whiche in our Shyp may clayme a rowme and place
Suche be Phesycians that no thynge vnderstonde
Wandrynge about in euery towne and place
Uysytynge the seke whiche lyue in heuy case
But nought they relefe of those paynes harde
But gape alway after some great rewarde

Suche that haue practyse and nought of speculatyfe
Whan they go vysyte some paynfull pacyent
Whan they hym note sure to forgo his lyfe
Without all hope of any amendement
Yet say they other than is in theyr intent
That his diseas is no thynge incurable
So that the pacyent to hym be agreable

Sayth the Phesycyan whan he hath his rewarde
Abyde a whyle tyll I my bokes ouer se
Wherby I may relyue thy paynes harde
Than from the pacyent homewarde departyth he
To se his bokes but if the pacyent dye
In that meane space the medycyne is to late
So may he lay it to his owne folysshe pate

The speculacion sholde he before haue sene
For that in Phesyke is chefe and pryncypall,
Yet many ar that vse the craft I wene
Whiche of the cunnynge knowe lytell or nought at all
A herbe or wede that groweth vpon a wall
Beryth in it these folys medycyne.
None other bokes haue they nor doctryne

Nor none they rede to haue the true scyence
Or perfyte knowlege and grounde of medycyne
They rede no volumes of the experyence
Of Podalirius nor Mesues doctryne
Suche folys disdayne theyr myndes to enclyne
Unto the doctryne of bokes of Auycen
Of ypocras and parfyte galyen

But all the substance of theyr blynde faculte
They take in bokes that speke of herbes only
Without respect had to theyr properte
Or operacion so often they them aply
To fals doctrynes, but first and specyally
These olde wyues therwith wyll haue to do
Thoughe they nought knowe that doth belonge therto

They dare be bolde to take on them the cure
Of them diseasyd howe be it that they nat can
Suche thynge descerne as longyth to nature
What is for woman good, and what for man
So oft they ende moche wors than they began
That the pore pacyent is so brought to his graue
Yet dyuers suters suche folysshe wytches haue

Suche wytches boldly dare afferme and say
That with one herbe they hele can euery sore
Under euery syne plenete, houre and day
Yet besyde this they boldly dare say more
That it that helyth a man aged and hore
Shall helpe also a woman or a childe
Thus many thousandes oft ar by them begyled

They say also in this our charge or cure
What nedes it note the synes or fyrmament
The cause of thynges, or the strength of nature
Whether that the seke be stronge or impotent
They gyue one medesyn to euery pacyent
And if it fortune it be to colde or warme
The faythles wytche in hande goth with hir scharme

Say folysshe Surgyan by what experyence
Or whose Doctryne discyplyne or lore
Takest thou on the, nought knowynge of scyence
With one Salue or plaster, to heale euery sore
Yet so thou thynkest, I the compare therfore
Unto a lawyer that of his craft nought can
And yet presumeth to counsell euery man

A lawer and a Phesician ar both lyke
Of theyr condicion and both insue one trayne
The one begylyth the pacyent and seke
Takynge his god for to encreas his payne
The other labours and cauteles oft doth fayne
To clawe the coyne by craft from his clyent
Castynge hym of whan all his good is spent

Thus thryues the lawer by anothers good
Iniustly gotten, disceyuynge his clyent
Also some other ar callyd Phesicians good
Whiche vtterly disceyue the pacyent
If he haue money than hath he his intent
And if the seke haue store ynough to pay
Than shall the cure be dryuen from day to day

So if the lawer may any auauntage wyn
He shall the cause from terme to terme defarre
The playntyf for a player is holde in.
With the defendaunt kepynge open warre
So laweyers and Phesicians thousandes do marre
And whan they no more can of theyr suers haue
The playntyf beggyth, the seke is borne to graue

But of these lawyers bycause I spoke before
Of folysshe Phesicians here onely I intende.
Somwhat to say: And of lawers no more
On you Phesicians shall I conclude and ende
I say no man may hym so well defende
That he for murder may auoyde punysshement
Yet may Phesicians, sleynge the pacient

Thus thou that of Phesycian hast the name
If thou nought knowe of perfyte medycyne
It is forsoth to thy rebuke and shame
To boste the scyence: nat hauynge the doctryne
Therfore I counsell that thou thy mynde inclyne
To haue the cunnynge, els certaynly thou shall
Haue thy blynde craft and lyue a fole with all.

THE ENUOY OF THE TRASLATOUR.

Thou blynde Phesician that of thy craft nought can
Leue of thy lewdnes and bolde audacyte
To take on the: the cure of chylde or man
For by thy foly the wors myght they be
And ye that suerly perceyue your faculte
Be true therin, and auaryce from you cast
Shame is to brynge a man to pouertye
And than in paynes to leue hym at the last

* * * * *


Of the ende of worldly honour and power
and of Folys that trust therein.

[Illustration: On erth was neuer degre so excellent
Nor man so myghty: in ryches nor scyence
But at the ende all hath ben gone and spent
Agaynst the same no man can make defence
Deth all thynge drawyth, ferefull is his presence,
It is last ende of euery thynge mundayne
Thus mannys fortune of cours is vncertayne]

O creatures of myndes mad and blynde
I wonder of your hertis proude and eleuate
Whiche on vayne power set so sore your mynde
And trust so moche to your vnsure estate
As of your lyfe were neyther yere nor date
To worldly worshyp ye stedfastly intende
As if your lyfe sholde neuer more come to ende

Alway ye labour to come to dignyte
And oft by falshode your power to augment
Alas fewe ar content with theyr degre
But by extorcion spoyle the pore innocent
On worldly treasour so set is theyr intent
And styll to honour as besely to ascende
As if theyr lyfe sholde neuer more come to ende

Take thou example by Julius cesar
That of the worlde durynge a whyle was sure
And many kynges subduyd by myght of warre
And of the Empyre had lordshyp charge cure
But this his myght great space dyd nat endure
And whyle he trustyd yet hyer to ascende
By cruell deth he soon came to his ende

Right in lyke wyse the myghty Darius
Was kynge of Persy a realme moche excellent
Yet was his mynde so greatly couetus
That with the same helde he hym nat content
But warred on other Royalmes adiacent
So whan his myght coude nat therto extende
His owne Royalme he loste and so came to his ende

And also Xerxes in ryches abundant
Was longe in peas and great tranquyllyte
And in his Royalme was hye and tryumphant
As longe as he was content with his degre
Than had he pleasour and great felycyte.
To assay by warre his kyngdome to amende
But all he lost and so came to his ende

Whyle Nabugodonosor kynge of Babylone
In vnsure fortune set to great confydence
Commaundynge honour vnto hym to be done
As vnto god: with all humble reuerence,
God by his power and hye magnyfycence
Made hym a beste, for that he dyd offende
And so in proces of tyme came to his ende

Alexander the great and myghty conquerour
To whome all the worlde scantly myght suffyse
Of Grece was the origynall lorde and Emperour
And all the worlde subdued as I surmyse
Yet hath he done as is the comon gyse
Left all behynde, for nought coude hym defende
But as a symple man at the last came to his ende

The myghty Cresus with his kyngdomes and store
Of golde and ryches hym selfe coude nat content
But whyle he trustyd and laboured for more
Fortune hym fayled: So lost he his intent.
What shall I wryte of Cyrus excellent
Drynkynge his blode by deth whiche fortune sende
To here of states the comon deth and ende

All kyngdomes dekay and all estate mundayne
Example of Rome Cartago and Mycene
Of Solyme Tyre grace and Troy moste souerayne
None of these places ar nowe as they haue ben
Nor none other ouer the worlde as I wene
Thus shortly to speke and all to comprehende
All worldly thynges at last shall haue an ende.

THE ENOUY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

O man that hast thy trust and confydence
Fyxed on these frayle fantasyes mundayne
Remember at the ende there is no difference
Bytwene that man that lyued hath in payne
And hym that hath in welth and ioy souerayne
They both must dye their payne is of one sort
Both ryche and pore, no man can deth refrayne
For dethes dart expellyth all confort

Say where is Adam the fyrst progenytour
Of all mankynde is he nat dede and gone
And where is Abell of innocence the flour
With adamys other sonnes euerychone
A: dredfull deth of them hath left nat one
Where is Mathusalem, and Tuball that was playne
The first that played on Harpe or on Orgone
_Ilz sont tous mortz ce monde est choce vayne_

Where is iust Noy and his ofsprynge become
Where is Abraham and all his progeny
As Isaac and Jacob, no strength nor wysdome
Coude them ensure to lyue contynually
Where is kynge Dauyd whome god dyd magnyfy
And Salomon his son of wysdome souerayne
Where ar his sonnes of wysdome and beauty
_Ilz sont toutz mortz ce monde est choce vayne._

Where ar the prynces and kynges of Babylon
And also of Jude and kynges of Israell
Where is the myghty and valiant Sampson
He had no place in this lyfe ay to dwell
Where ar the Prynces myghty and cruell
That rayned before Christ delyuered vs from payne
And from the Dongeons of darke and ferefull hell
_Ilz sont toutz mortz ce monde est choce vayne._

Of worldly worsyp no man can hym assure
In this our age whiche is the last of all
No creature can here alway endure
Yonge nor olde, pore man nor kynge royall
Unstable fortune tourneth as doth a ball
And they that ones pas can nat retourne agayne
Wherfore I boldly dare speke in generall
We all shall dye: _ce monde est choce vayne_.

Ryches nor wysdome can none therfro defende
Ne in his strength no man can hym assure
Say where is Tully is he nat come to ende
Seneke the sage with Cato and Arture
The hye Arystotyll of godly wyt and pure
The glorious Godfray, and myghty Charlemayne
Thoughe of theyr lyfe they thought that they were sure
Yet ar they all dede: _ce monde est choce vayne_.

Where ar the Phylosophers and Poetis lawreat
The great Grammaryens and pleasant oratours.
Ar they nat dede after the same fourme and rate
As ar all these other myghty conquerours
Where ar theyr Royalmes theyr ryches and treasours
Left to theyr heyres: and they be gone certayne
And here haue left theyr riches and honours
So haue they proued that this worlde is but vayne.

So I conclude bycause of breuyte
That if one sought the worlde large and wyde
Therin sholde be founde no maner of dere
That can alway in one case suerly byde
Strength, honour, riches cunnynge and beautye
All these decay, dayly: thoughe we complayne
_Omnia fert etas_, both helth and iolyte
We all shall dye: _ce monde est choce vayne_.

* * * * *


Of predestynacion.

[Illustration: That man that lokyth for to haue a rewarde
Whiche he hath nat deseruyd to obtayne
And lenyth his body vpon a rede forwarde
Whiche for waykenes may hym nat well sustayne
Forsoth this fole may longe so loke in vayne
And on the Crauys he styll shall bacwarde ryde
Cryenge with the doue, whose flyght shall hym ay gyde]

It is vnlawfull, man to be dilygent
Or serchynge goddes workes to set his thought
Howe he hath made the heuen and fyrmament
The erth the see and euery thynge of nought
Yet of some Folys the cause hereof is sought,
Whiche labour also with curyosyte
To knowe the begynnynge of his dyuynyte

These folys forgettynge their owne fragilyte
Wolde loke to knowe the ende of euery thynge
Boldly disputynge in goddys pryuete
And what rewarde is ordeynyd for men lyuynge
Of many folys this is the moste musynge
Whiche labour dayly with besy cure and payne.
To knowe what god doth discerne and or ordayne

Therfore in this part I shall dispyse and blame
Unchrafty folys whiche scantly haue ouer sene
Ought of scripture, if they knowe the bokes name
Or els a whyle hath at the Scoles bene
Than bende they the browys and stedfastly they wene
In theyr conceyt that they ar passynge wyse
For all scripture newe commentis to deuyse

They frowardly the sentence do transpose
And that whiche is wryten, both playne and holely
By theyr corruptynge and vnlawfull glose
Oft tyme they brynge to damnable heresy
Falsly expoundynge after theyr fantasy
They labour to transpose and turne the right sence
Thoughe the wordes stryue and make great resystence

Here what these folys with theyr audacyte
Dare besely say by theyr fals errour blynde
Presumynge on goddes secrete and pryuete
Here what lewde wordes they cast out in the wynde
They say what man can chaunge or turne his mynde
To lyue after any other fourme and rate
But lyke as he is therto predestynate

They say: if god that rayneth ouerall
Hath any ordeyned that in this worlde is
To come to the place and rowme celestyall
For to be partyner of euerlastynge blys
Ordeyned for suche as here doth nat amys
No man can chaunge, not other thynge mundayne
That thynge whiche god by his myght doth ordayne

But if that god prefyxed hath before
Any creature vnto infernall payne
In derknes to be damnyd for euer more
No erthly thynge may that sentence call agayne
Nor hym delyuer: o fole thou mayst complayne
For this thy foly and also it repent
Thynkest thou nat god alway omnypotent

Is god nat rightwyse and grounde of all iustyce
Rewardynge man after his gouernaunce
He that hath here nat lyen in synne and vyce
Hauynge in goddys seruyce his pleasaunce
Shall of his lorde be had in remembraunce
And of rewarde worthely be sure
Where it is worthy that synners payne endure

Trust well who seruyth his maker stedfastly
With pure herte kepynge sure his commaundement
And lawes shall be rewardyd fynally
With heuenly ioy and scape all punysshement
Therfore thou fole leue of this lewde intent
Lyue vertuously and trust in goddes grace
Than yll desteny in the shall haue no place

Vnto great ioy god hath vs all create
And to vs all ordeyned his kyngdome
And none hath vnto Hell predestynate
But often whan we folowe nat wysdome
By ouer owne foly we fall, and so become
Vnto our maker vnkind: and hym deny
Whiche them rewardyth that here lyue vertuously

Therfore thou Fole desyst thy wordes vayne
And let thy tunge no more suche wordes say
For god hath vs made all of one stuf certayne
As one potter makyth of one clay
Vessels dyuers, but whan he must them lay
Vpon the kyll with fyre them there to dry
They come nat all to good, moste comonly

Doth this erthyn pot his maker dispyse
Whether it be made of fassyon good or yll
Saynge why dost thou make me in this wyse
Wherfore mad man I reade the to be styll
Blame nat thy maker, for thy vnhappy wyll
For god hath neuer man nor childe create
But all he hath to heuen predestynate

And whyle we lyue here on this wretchyd grounde
We haue our reason and wyttes vs to gyde
With our fre wyll and if no faute be founde
In our demenour, in heuen we shall abyde
But if we goddes lawes set asyde
Howe may we hope of hym rewarde to wyn
So our owne foly is moste cause of our syn.

THE ENUOY OF BARCLAY.

O creature vnkynde vnto thy creatour
What carest thou to knowe or to inuestygate
The pryuetye, of god, leue this thy errour
To thynke the by hym to be predestynate
To endles wo and from his blysse pryuate
For syns thou hast thy reason and frewyll
Gyuyn the by god, thou art in suche estate
To take the eleccion outher of good or yll

* * * * *


Of folys that forget them selfe and do
another mannys besynes leuynge theyr
owne vndone.

[Illustration: Who that wyll suffer his owne hous to bren
Tyll nought of it saue the bare wallys stonde
And with his water hastely doth ren
To quenche the fyre of anothers hous or londe
He is a fole and haue shall in his hande
A folysshe Pype or horne therwith to blowe
For other folys that in my Shyp wyll rowe.]

Within my Shyp of rowme he shall be sure
Whiche for anothers auantage and profyte
Takyth great thought and doth moche payne endure
Vnto his owne charge takynge no respyte
But settyth it asyde and hath all his delyte
With all his stody hym to enforce and dres:
To care for euery mannys besynes.

Suche hertles folys to them self neglygent
In theyr owne charge slepe contynually
But with open iyen they ar full dylygent
The worke of other with all theyr myght to aply
And for others profyte prouyde they besely.
But whyle these Folys ar glad to take in hande
Anothers charge, theyr owne styll let they stande

Wherfore I am so bolde within my boke
Somwhat to touch these folys mad vsage
That if it fortune them on the same to loke
They may therby perceyue in theyr corage
That labour they ought for their owne auauntage
Most specyally. for that is the degre
And the true order of perfyte charite

For perfyte loue and also charite
Begynneth with hym selfe for to be charitable
And than to other after his degre
Thy owne auauntage is ay moost profytable
The great Phylosophers of maners ferme and stable
And also of wysdome godly and dyuyne
Hath left to vs suche techynge and doctryne

We haue by Therence the same commaundement
The same is wryten also as I fynde
In the holy lawe of the olde testament
And therfore he that oft wyll set his mynde
For others maters with care his thought to blynde
Let hym first se vnto his owne profyte
Lyst some mysfortune hym after sharply byte

Let hym turne his labour to his owne auauntage
And than do for other where as he seeth moste nede
For who that playeth for mony outher gage
And on his felawes cast takyth onely hede
And nat to his owne, suche one shall seldom spede
And is a Fole. So is he that doth ren
To quenche another hous, suffrynge his owne to bren

Suche one of his owne damage hath no fere
And worthy is his losse and hurte to byde
So is he that wyll anothers burthen bere
Or takyth anothers charge at any tyde
Despysynge his owne werke and settynge it asyde
If suche haue losse and after it forthynke
No man shall moche force whether he flete or synke

He is well worthy to haue a folys pype
That goth vnbyddyn to rype anothers corne
And suffreth his owne to stande though it be rype.
And generally all Folys ar worthy scorne
Of what maner byrth so euer they be borne
If they them self put, to losse or damage
Therby to do some other auauntage

Say curyous Fole: say what pleasour thou hast
In others maters thy self to intermyt
Or theyr great charges thus in thy mynde to cast
Thy selfe to socour set thou thy mynde and wyt
Let others maters therfore in quyete syt
On thy owne profyte of all firste set thy mynde
And than (if thou mayst) do somwhat for thy frende

For vtterly that man is moche vnwyse
That thus takyth thought for anothers charge
And doth his owne by neglygence despyse
For suche Folys I forgyd haue this barge
But of the same suche men I clene discharge
That first of his pryuate profyte can take hede
And than helpe a frende and felowe at a nede

THENUOY OF BARKLAY.

Ye that take charge, thought and besy cure
For others mysfortune, losse or aduersyte
First of your self I aduyse you to be sure
For this is the order of parfyte charyte
Eche to hym selfe moste louynge ay to be
And next to his frende, but who that doth dispyse.
His owne besynes whiche is in ieopardye
Seynge to anothers forsoth he is vnwyse

* * * * *


Of the vyce of vnkyndnes.

[Illustration: That Fole can neyther gode nor honeste
Whiche whan one doth to hym a frendly dede
It gladly takyth, thoughe it be two or thre
Lokynge for kyndnes, yet takyth he no hede
To shewe the same agayne in tyme of nede
Let suche Folys be no thing wroth therfore
Thoughe in this Shyp I set them to an ore.]

He is a Fole that crauynge is alway
Takynge the seruyce and rewardes of his frende
And nat remembryth the same agayne to pay
But as a churle it castyth out of his mynde
For who that wolde haue one to hym be kynde
And lyberall, he ought the same to be
For kyndnes meyntayneth bothe loue and charyte

He that wyll charge another with cures harde
And great labours greuous to sustayne
Ought for his labour hym worthely rewarde
That the rewarde may be confort to his payne
It is disworshyp and also shame certayne
To take the labour of any ryche or pore
And nat iustly hym to content therfore

Wherfore the workman ought also to intende
Vnto his labour to saue his honestye
And workemanly to brynge it the ende
If he therby wolde well rewardyd be
And if the owner therof beholde and se.
His worke so done, he is a chorle vnkynde
If he do nat content the workmannys mynde.

He that wolde gladly that men sholde hym commende
Must fully purpose and fyx within his mynde
Lyberall to be and nat euer to intende
To false Auaryce, whiche many one doth blynde
And if he purpose hye honours for to fynde
Or hym auaunce to any great degre
He must haue mekenes and lyberalyte

He must of maners also be commendable
And of his speche als pleasaunt as he can
For an olde prouerbe true and verytable
Sayth that good lyfe and maners makyth man
But euery lawe doth dam and also ban
The churlysshe vyce and lewde of vnkyndnes
Whiche dryeth vp the well of bounte and goodnes

For vnkynde folys if one labour dylygent
And so brynge theyr worke vnto good conclusyon
They fynde yet fautis and so ar nat content
Withdrawynge the rewarde by theyr collusyon
Wherfore let suche thynke it no abusyon
Nor haue disdayne ne yet in mynde complayne
If the pore laborer gyue vp his worke agayne

These frowarde Folys, doth wronge and iniury
To suche as to them do profyte and honour
For kyndnes, they render shame and vylany
Rebukes sclander extorcion and rygour
But whyle they hope to come to great valoure
And by such rygour to honours to aryse
Theyr hope vanyssheth as doth the snowe or yce

Wherfore who that puttyth one to besynes
To charge or labour of body or of mynde
Ought hym rewarde agayne for his kyndnes
If he do nat forsoth he is unkynde
But specyally as I oft wryten fynde
It is a thynge whiche doth for vengeaunce cry
A pore laborer to put to Iniury

What man can wryte the inconuenyence
Whiche groweth of this lewde and cursyd vyce
Vnkyndnes causeth great myschefe and offence
And is repugnynge to reason and iustyce
Wherfore let suche that wyll be namyd wyse
Leue it: and folowe lyberalyte
Whiche is noryssher of loue and amyte

In dyuers bokes examples we may fynde
Howe many Cytees hygh and excellent
Agaynst all lawe and reason were vnkynde
To suche as dyd theyr dignyte augment
O vnkynde rome thou was of this intent
Whiche hast Camyllus exyled in great payne
Thoughe he euer laboured thy honour to mentayne

O cruell Athenes by thy ingratytude
Hast thou nat banysshyd Solon also fro the
Though he enfourmyd hath thy maners rude
And gyuyn the lawes of right and equyte
For his great meryte, loue and benygnyte
Thou hast hym gyuen exyle and paynes harde
His labour was nat worthy that rewarde

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