HAYWAIN Mompere
HAYWAIN Nuremberg
HAYWAIN Horenbault
The Haywain (Frans Hogenberg?)
Etching (two sheets stuck together)
42,5 x 65,4 cm
Published by Bartholomeus de Mompere, Antwerp, 1559
Brussels, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Prentenkabinet, inv. nr. S II 135135
Not in Unverfehrt / Not in De Vrij
The Haywain (anonymous)
Copper engraving
57,5 x 76 cm
XVIB (exact date and place of publication unknown)
Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, inv. nr. HB 2032
Not in Unverfehrt / Not in De Vrij
The Haywain (Jacques Horenbault)
Etching and engraving
39,4 x 51,8 cm
Published by Jacques Horenbault, Ghent, 1608
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, Rijksprentenkabinet, inv. nr. RP-P-OB-48.961
In the lower left corner: Jacques horenbault fecit et excud: 1608. Gandaui.
In the lower right corner: vidit dom(inus) Adrianus Vares Vicari(s) Generalis.
Not in Unverfehrt / Not in De Vrij
LITERATURE
ICONOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS
The etching published by De Mompere (M from now on), the etching/engraving published by Horenbault (H from now on), and the copper engraving owned by the Nuremberg museum (N from now on) each show 26 similar scenes, which are explained by short rhyming texts. N has one additional scene (see M 9), and one scene in M and H is lacking in N (see M 16). The texts were published by Grauls and Vandenbroeck (in 1938 and 1984), with some minor errors and only in Middle Dutch, Middle Low German, and modern Dutch. Here, the original texts are published again and translated into English.
[M 3]
[Grauls 1938: 161-162] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 / 55]
In the upper left, four lines represent what could be called the ‘motto’ of the complete etching. They read:
Geestelyck weerlÿck het sÿ in wat staten
Vint men ghebreck tot allen stonden
Daer om doeghet goet en willet quaet laten
Want anders (Jlaes) eest al hoy beuonden
[In both sacred and profane estates / shortcomings are found all the time / Therefore, do what is good and abandon evil / Because otherwise (alas) it will all be deemed hay]
In H a similar motto can be found at the bottom of the print:
Dabuÿsen zijn groot, in alle staeten,
soomen bevint tot alle stonden,
Daer om, doeghet goet en willet quaet laten,
Want anders (Jlaes) eÿst al hoÿ bevonden.
[The abuses are numerous, in every estate, / as can be seen on many occasions, / Therefore, do what is good and abandon evil, / Because otherwise (alas) it will al be deemed hay.]
It is striking that the reference to the Catholic clergy (geestelyck) has been smuggled away in these lines.
In N the motto is a short poem that can be found within a tablet in de the upper right corner.
O Geistlich Weltlich was ghestalt, ruft zu den herrn beetert uch vonn sondenn
doet von uch das boss, das gute behalt, ihr wirt anders wie hew ghevondenn
dann den tag des herrnn furwar, derr wirts alles machen offenbar
warin derr minsch hat vertrawt, wer den der auff hew, stro, holtz hat gebawt
das muss alles nach Sancte Paulus verstant, mit denn fewr werden verbrant
dan das einig goltz durch das fewr gereinicht rein, wirt der herr behalten alleinn
hie in O minsch wilt uch schauwenn, und lass inden hernn allein seinn v betrawe(n)
dan alles wass Welt ist muss vergehen, dan Gottes wort allein bleibt ewig stehen.
[O clerical and secular people of whatever estate, call upon the lord mend your sins / dispense with the bad, keep the good, otherwise you will be deemed hay / for truly the day of the lord will reveal everything / in which man has trusted, who has built on hay, straw, and wood / according to St Paul’s words all of this has to be burned in the fire / for the lord will only save the unique gold pure and cleaned by the fire / take warning from this O man, and only trust upon the lord / for all that is World has to perish, for only God’s word will stand forever.]
[M 15 / M 19]
[Grauls 1938: 165 / 166] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 43-45 (n° 1)]
The central scene of the etching. Two horses draw a haywain. A large mass of people (among them a pope, a cardinal, a bishop, a king, and a monk) follow the haywain and try to get hold of the hay. On the haystack is written: ‘Al-hoÿ’ (All hay). Atop the haystack sits a satyr-like devil, another devil is riding one of the horses. The devil atop the haywain says:
Compt al om hoÿ met groote(n) hoopen
Ick sals v ghenoech gheuen ghij en dorft* gee(n) coopen
[Come all in large numbers to get the hay / I will give you enough you don’t need to buy any]
(*) Grauls 1938: 165, reads ‘doest’, which makes little sense. In my opinion, the word is ‘dorft’, from the verb ‘dorven’, which is translated by Kiliaan (1599) as ‘opus habere, indigere’ (to need) [Etymologicum ed. 1974: 94]. It is true that the letter ‘r’ in the word ‘dorft’ can easily be mistaken for an ‘e’.
The devil on the horse says:
Hoe trecktÿ soe het hoÿ wt watten cueren
Ick sals v toch ghenoch thuÿ(s) vueren
[why do you pull at the hay like this, with what whims / when I will bring enough of it to your home]
In H we see essentially the same, but the haystack does not have the phrase ‘Al-hoÿ’, and all Catholic clergy had disappeared from the mob, which still has a king and what seems to be a Jewish rabbi. Grauls claims that there are a few priests among the mob, but this is not correct. The devil atop the haywain (who now has female breasts) says:
Comt al om hooÿ, met grooten hoopen,
Ick sals u ghenoech gheuen ghÿ en hoeft gheen te koope(n)
[Come all, in large numbers, to get the hay / I will give you enough you don’t need to buy any]
The devil on horseback says:
Hoe trecktÿ soo het hooÿ wt watten kuere(n)
Ick sals u doch ghenouch thuÿs vueren
[why do you pull at the hay like this, with what whims / when I will bring enough of it to your home]
Again, in N we see essentially the same, but here there are two satyr-like devils atop the haywain, and the haywain is surrounded by a mass of people both at the back and at the front. At the front, we see a pope, a cardinal, a bishop, and a monk among the mass. No king, though. The left devil atop the haywain says:
All heuw, al hoÿ feinn,
Ess mach nit besser seinn.
[All hay, all fine hay, / It cannot be better.]
The right devil atop the haywain says:
Comt alle umb hew, mit hauffen wilt lauffenn
ich werde euch genoech geben, ihr bedoerft nit zu kauffenn.
[Come all, run in large numbers, to get the hay / I will give you enough, you don’t have to buy.]
The devil on horseback says:
Warumb treckt ihr so dass heuw auss was curen,
ich wils uch genugsam zu hauss furen.
[Why do you pull at the hay like this with what whims, / I will gladly bring it to your home.]
Furthermore, the people behind the haywain say:
Wir mogen woll plucken und da(e)r in verstive(n)
dan das guett ist der Werrelt und muss da blive(n)
[We can pluck cheerfully and never stop doing it / for the goods belong to the World and have to stay there]
Finally, the whole scene is explained by the motto beneath the haywain:
Ess pluckt nu all wass die Werrelt kann dragenn
So zu sehnn ist ann disen hew wagenn.
[All that the World can carry is plucking now / as is shown by this haywain.]
The moral of this scene is clear: those who indulge in sinful and foolish behaviour are victims of the devil.
[M 1]
[Grauls 1938: 162] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 (n° 22)]
Left upper corner. A well-dressed man holds a bundle of hay in his right hand. His lower legs are shackled. According to the caption, he says:
Ghÿ en sult geen twee heren diene(n) in wat staten
Want den enen suldÿ bemin(n)en en de(n) anderen haten
[You shall not serve two lords of whatever estate / For you will love the one and will hate the other]
In H (left upper corner) we also see a well-dressed man, but his legs are not shackled. Instead, he carries two swords, which cross behind his legs. The hilt of one of the swords can be seen, the hilt of the other sword is hidden underneath his mantle. He carries a bundle of hay in his left hand. He says:
Tis hooy, twee heeren groot, dienen, diversch van staten,
D’een werdt u liefghenoot, den anderen zult ghij haten
[It is hay to serve two important lords of different estate, / One will become your friend, you will hate the other]
In N (front centre) a well-dressed man holds a bundle of hay in his right hand. The caption reads:
Niemand can zweien herren dienen in wass massen,
er wirt den einen lieben den anderen hassenn
[No-one can serve two lords of whatever estate, / he will love the one and hate the other]
Compare Matthew 6, 24 and Luke 16, 13. It is foolish to promote conflicting interests. It is not clear whether this is a general (secular) warning, or a warning with a religious connotation (God and Mammon).
[M 2]
[Grauls 1938: 162] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 45 (n° 6)]
Upper left: two groups of riders are attacking each other with lances. The left group are four noblemen, among them a king and an emperor. The right group are three high clergymen: a pope, a cardinal, and a bishop. The caption reads:
Ten ghaedt ter werelt niet wel
Alst de geestelÿch(eit) ten stryde wer beuonden
Twaer beter datse waren zeer snel
Om te lere(n) en te bekeren alle smenschen sonden
[It does not go well in the world / When the clergy is found at war / It would be better if they were very fast / To teach and to mend all man’s sins]
In H (upper left corner) also two groups of warriors (four and three), but they are all common soldiers. One of the soldiers in the right group seems to be a Turkish warrior. Two captions read:
Wee hem die oorlogh soeckt wa(n)t godt sal hem v(er)vloecke(n)
Met recht werdt hij vervloeckt, diet soeckt uÿt allen hoecken
Wee hem die den krijgh* dient, alleen om loon en gagie
Weer viandt ofte vriendt, sÿn siel stelt hij t’ostagie
[Woe him who is keen on war, for god will damn him / he who looks for it everywhere is rightly damned / Woe him who serves in battle only for loan and payment / Whether friend or enemy, he holds his soul to ransom]
(*) In Dutch the word ‘krijg(h)’ can have a double meaning. It can either mean ‘war, battle’ or it can refer to ‘krijg(h)en’ (to obtain, to get, to earn).
In N (upper right corner) five soldiers are battling against a pope, a cardinal, a bishop, and three monks. The caption reads:
Ten giet ter werrelt nit recht oder feinn,
als die Geistliche zu den streit wirt bevonden,
si behoren alle leerars zu sein
om die Minschen zu bekeren vonn sonden.
[It does not go right or nice in the world, / when the clergy is found in battle, / they should all be teachers / to keep the people away from sin.]
In M and N the clergy is accused of being belligerent. In H this has been censored: the clergy is diplomatically ignored, and mercenaries are taken to task, because they only fight for money.
[M 4]
[Grauls 1938: 162-163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 7)]
Upper left. Two clerics. One with hay in his hand, the other is holding a small church. The caption explains:
Men sal geen gestelÿcke benefitie(n) verhuere(n) oft vercopen
Op dat wa(n)neer sÿ den wolf sien comen niet en gaen lopen
[One shall not rent or sell sacred benefices / Lest they take to their heels when they see the wolf coming]
In H (upper left) we see two noblemen instead of two clerics, and a third smaller person has been added.
Die beneficien, en officien coopen,
Die, als den wolf compt, zÿn deerste die loopen
[Those who buy benefices and offices / are the first to run, when the wolf comes]
In N (upper right) a cleric hands over a purse to a colleague with a small church on his arm.
Man soll kein Geistliche benefitie verheuren oder verkauff(enn),
auff des der Mitling fur den Wolff nit gae lauffenn
[One should not rent or sell sacred benefices / lest the hireling runs from the wolf]
An indictment against simony. H was censored again: the clergy has disappeared, and the scene has become an indictment against the search for renumerative jobs. The ‘wolf’ refers to John 10, 11-13, where Jesus says that the shepherd who is a hireling that does not own the sheep, will abandon the sheep when he sees a wolf. People who have paid for a benefice or an office will show less engagement than others when trouble arises.
[M 5]
[Grauls 1938: 163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 45 (n° 5)]
Centre left. A man is attacking a fallen rival with a sword. Both men are holding a bundle of hay.
Soe wÿ Jmant doot steckt hÿ moet belÿen
Dat al hoy es ouer bey sÿen
[He who stabs someone to death has to admit / that it is all hay on both sides]
In H (upper left) both men are now holding a sword, but only the fallen man is holding a bundle of hay.
Met vechten, wille(n) sy selue(n) vreke(n)
Tis min dan hooÿ altÿdts ghebleke(n)
[By fighting they want to revenge themselves / It has always proven to be less than hay]
In N (upper right corner) a man is attacking a fallen rival with a sword. No bundles of hay this time.
Derr den andernn doet schlegt, oder beraubt zu eniger stonde(nn),
sein werck wirt alle hew ghevondenn.
[He who stabs the other to death or robs him on a certain occasion, / his deed will be considered all hay.]
To murder someone is foolish. N adds greed.
[M 6]
[Grauls 1938: 163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 45 (n° 4)]
Centre left. A lady is talking to two gentlemen.
Een dochter die houwen wilt hoe rÿck hoe moÿ
Diet twee alleuen schoon toe seÿt dat es al hoÿ
[A daughter who wants to marry however rich however pretty / Who makes nice promises to both that is all hay]
In H (upper centre) we see the same, but the right man is holding a bundle of hay.
Een minnende dochter jent, ende moy
Diet euen schoon toeseght, aen twee, is hoÿ
[A courting daughter gentle and pretty / Who makes nice promises to two is hay]
In N (upper right corner) a man is talking to two other men.
Wie lugen sprickt, ho versiert ho moÿ,
es wert alles bevonden werden hoy.
[He who tells lies, however clever however pretty, / it will all be deemed hay.]
This is about deceit and telling lies. Strange how in N the woman who is keeping two lovers dangling has been replaced by a man telling lies.
[M 7]
[Grauls 1938: 163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 (n° 24)]
Centre left. A cleric is talking to a nobleman, who stuffs up his ears with his fingers. He is holding a bundle of hay in his left hand.
Alsmen hem de waerheÿt seÿt dan stopt hÿ sÿn oren
Tes al goet alsme(n) hen seÿt datse geerre(n) horen
[When you tell him the truth he stuffs his ears / It is all well when you tell them what they like to hear]
In H (centre) the same, but the bundle of hay is missing.
Secht som hun salicheÿt, dan stoppe(n) sÿ hun ooren,
Maer spreeckt dat hun greÿt dan willen sÿt wel hooren
[Rebuke some and they will stuff their ears, / But tell them what they like and they will be glad to listen]
In N (right of centre) a cleric is talking to two noblemen, who are stuffing their ears.
Wen man ihr die warheit sagt so stopfen si die orhen,
es ist all gut dassmen hem sagt das sie gernn horenn.
[When you tell them the truth they stuff their ears, / it is all well when you tell them what they like to hear.]
People who are partial to flattery.
[M 8]
[Grauls 1938: 163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 (n° 23)]
Centre. Two men are playing dice.
Die sÿn goet verspelt nacht en dach
Als hÿ dan thuÿs coempt dan stegetter al in de(n) wach
[He who gambles away his goods night and day / When he comes home it is all misery]
In H (upper centre) the same, but the left man holds a bundle of hay in his left hand.
Tis hooÿ te meÿnen met tuÿssche(n) winnen
Ghÿ verliest u gheldt en(de) oock u sinnen
[It is hay to think you can win by playing dice / You lose your money and your senses too]
In N (left of centre) the same as in M.
Derr sein gut verspilt ubell er doet
dann Weib und kinnt darumb leiden moet.
[He who gambles away his goods does evil / for Wife and child are the victims of this.]
Gambling and wasting of money.
[M 9]
[Grauls 1938: 163] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 (n° 27) / 51 (n° 16)]
Centre left. A man is kneeling in front of an idol.
Tes ons verbooden
Te aen bidden vremde goeden
[We are forbidden / to worship alien gods]
In H (centre left) the same, but the idol is holding a shield with the names ‘Luther’, ‘Caluin’, and ‘Menno’ written on it. On its chest is written ‘MAERS’ (Mars).
Wat ghy versiert, tis u verboden
Aldus t’aenbidden vremde goden
[Whatever you do, you are forbidden / To worship alien gods like this]
In N (centre right) a man and a woman are kneeling in front of an idol.
Es ist verbotten,
ann zu bedenn vremde gotter.
[It is forbidden, / to worship alien gods.]
Idolatry. H confirms its Catholic character by referring to Protestant leaders. In N (upper left corner) we also see a couple of pilgrims (man and woman) arriving at a village, where a procession is in progress.
Euwer Pilgeruart wilt rech bauwenn,
hebt in kein vrembder gotter vertrauwenn.
[Hold your pilgrimage in the right way, / do not trust alien gods.]
This scene is lacking in M and H.
[M 10]
[Grauls 1938: 163-164] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 8)]
Left of centre. A man is sitting on a small haystack next to an open money-box. In his right hand he is holding a bundle of hay, in his left hand a purse.
Hÿ es wel sot en onvroet
Die sÿn betrouwen set op sÿn goet
[He is foolish and unwise / Who puts his trust in his goods]
The same in H (centre), but this time the man is holding several purses.
Js het niet oprecht hooÿ
op t’goedt soo te betrauwen
Wien volght alsulcken tooÿ
Het sal hem eens berauwen
[Is it no truly hay / to put your trust in goods like this / He who behaves in such manner / Will be sorry in due time]
In N (upper right) a man next to an open money-box is holding a purse and a bundle of hay.
Es ist ein Narr, und gar unfroet,
derr sein vertrauwen seht auff zeitlich goet.
[He is a fool, and very unwise, / who puts his trust in temporary goods.]
An obvious indictment against greed (avaritia).
[M 11]
[Grauls 1938: 164] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 12)]
Centre front. A man is vomiting.
Een drunckart doet zijn leeue(n) groot hindere(n)
En sÿn goet compter zeer me te minderen
[A drunkard troubles his life a lot / And as a result his goods are dwindling]
In H (lower right) a man with a bundle of hay in his right hand is leaving a brothel and vomiting.
Een dronckaert doet zijn leue(n) hÿnder
En(de) sÿn goet compter zeer mede te miinder
[A drunkard troubles his life / And as a result his goods are dwindling]
In N (upper left) a man is vomiting.
Drunckenschaff wolt gar verachten,
Sunst verzurnstu godt, verzerest dein gelt, und krenckest deine krachtenn.
[Totally despise drunkenness, / Otherwise you anger god, you waste your money, and you weaken your forces.]
Drunkenness.
[M 12 / M 13]
[Grauls 1938: 164] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 53 (n° 25 / 26)]
Lower left corner. Two clerics (right), a monk, and a priest (left) are sleeping on the ground. Each couple is leaning on a full sack (of hay?). Between them a devil is sowing hay. The caption for the monk and the priest (M 12) reads:
Siet het slaepter al het esser zeer stille
Jck saeÿ nu al dat ick wille
[See they all sleep it is very quiet / Now I sow all that I want]
The caption for the two clerics (M 13) says:
Waeckt altÿt en wacht u van slapen
Want die duevel es wt om v te betrapen
[Always be on the alert and avoid sleeping / For the devil is out to catch you]
In H (lower left corner) a similar scene, but the four persons are all laymen. To the left, a sailor (see the oar) and a man dressed as an intellectual (a professor?). To the right, a judge (see the thorny branch he is holding) and a farmer (see the shovel). All four of them are holding hay in one of their hands, and again we see two full sacks (of hay?). The caption for the sowing devil:
Siet hier, het slaepter al
En t’isser al seer stille
Nu saei ick naer t’gheval
Hooÿ, crocke (*), en al dat ic wille
[Look here, they all sleep / And it is very quiet / Now I sow at random / Hay, vetch, and all that I want]
(*) Crocke is a plant (vetch, Latin: vicia) that parasitizes on corn.
Beneath the sailor and the pharmacist we read:
Waeckt altydt, en wacht u van slapen
Want den duÿvel is uÿt, om u te betraepe(n)
[Always be on the alert, and avoid sleeping / For the devil is out to catch you]
The caption beneath the judge and the farmer:
Als de menschen slaepen, die te waken behooren
Den viandt saeit onkruÿt, in ’t midden van t’kooren
[When people who should be on the alert sleep / The enemy sows weeds amidst the corn]
In N (lower right corner) a cleric, a priest, and a monk are sleeping on the ground, each of them leaning on a full sack. A devil is standing in their midst and sowing weeds. Underneath the devil we read:
Ess slefft hie all, und ist gar still
ich Seij nu all das ich will.
[They all sleep here, and it is very quiet / now I sow all that I want.]
Underneath the cleric the caption says:
Wacht und bedet, iw schlaf wilt vermiedenn
dan der Duvel kumt umb u(ch) zu bestiedenn.
[Wake and pray, avoid your sleep / for the Devil comes to challenge you.]
A warning of acedia (spiritual sloth, the neglect of religious duties). The metaphorical reference of ‘sleep’ to a situation of sinfulness was topical in the sixteenth century (and earlier).
[M 14]
[Grauls 1938: 164-165] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 45 (n° 2)]
Upper right. A naked winged man with a bundle of hay in one of his hands is falling down with a burning sun nearby.
Die te hooghe wilt vlieghen
Die sal sÿ seluen bedrieghen
[He who wants to fly too high / Will fool himself]
In H (upper left) the same.
Ghemeÿnlick die te hooghe vlieghe(n)
Haer self opt leste zeere bedrieghen
[Generally, those who fly too high / Awfully fool themselves in the end]
In N (upper right) a naked man is falling down, but he has no wings, does not hold a bundle of hay, and there is no sun.
Welch uber sein verstant zu hoge will vliegenn,
derr wirt hem selbs bedriegenn.
[He who wants to fly too high above his wit, / will fool himself.]
This scene warns of Pride (Superbia). The Icarus theme.
[M 16]
[Grauls 1938: 164-165]
Upper right. A man is cutting the purse of a woman.
Die hem begheeft tot diefuereÿen
Al wort hÿ ghehanghen hÿ salt moeten lÿen
[He who commits theft / Although he is hanged he will have to undergo it]
A similar scene in H (upper left).
Js stelen niet hooÿ, en(de) een handt vol sonne
Want wien heeft ooÿt met stelen ghewonnen
[Is stealing not hay, and a hand full of sun / For who has ever won by stealing]
In N this scene has no parallel. Obviously, a condemnation of theft.
[M 17]
[Grauls 1938: 165] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 15)]
Upper right. A monk, a priest, and two clerics are sitting around a table with four women. They are eating, drinking, and flirting. Each of the men holds a bundle of hay in one of their hands.
Als de geestelycheyt met vroukens vele doemineren
Dan hadden sÿ lieuer te slapen dan te stuederen
[When the clergymen have too much to do with women / Then they would rather sleep than study]
In H (upper right) three laymen are sitting round a table with three women, eating, drinking and flirting. One of the men plays the flute, one of the women plays the lute. No bundles of hay this time.
Als mans met andere vrouwen boeleren
Dan sietmen den fluer der stede(n) v(er)neren
[When men flirt with other women / the flower of the cities is seen to demean itself]
In N (upper left) two clerics and two monks are sitting at a table, eating, drinking, and flirting with women.
Wenn die geistliche wollen mit Junfrawenn dominerenn,
dann solden sei lieber bijslaffenn dan studerenn.
[When the clergymen want to hang around young women, / then they would rather go to bed with them than study.]
A condemnation of the clergy’s licentiousness. In H the reference to the clergy has been censored away, and adultery is frowned upon.
[M 18]
[Grauls 1938: 165-166] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 9)]
Upper right corner. A man is throwing hay unto a fire.
Bekeert v van sonden wÿ dat ghÿ sÿt
Op dat ghÿ niet als hoÿ den viere ghedÿt
[Repent your sins whoever you are / Lest you feed the fire like hay]
In H (upper right) the same.
Wat maeckt ghy, o sondaer, onbeureest quant
Ghÿ draeght u ter hellen als hooÿ ten brandt
[What are you doing, oh sinner, inconsiderate fellow / You are heading for hell like hay for fire]
In N (upper left) the same.
Bekeert uch zu den herr, und bessert euwer leben,
Das ihr nit den fewr wert gegebenn.
[Turn to the lord, and mend your ways, / Lest you are handed over to the fire.]
A general warning of sinful behaviour. The sinner is compared to hay.
[M 20]
[Grauls 1938: 166] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 13)]
Upper right. A man with a beam in his eye and holding a bundle of hay is talking to another man.
Die splinter in sÿn broeders ooghe hy wel siet
En den grooten black [sic: read ‘balck’] in sÿn eÿghen ooghe niet
[He sees the mote in his brother’s eye / And he does not see the large Beam in his own eye]
In H (centre left) a similar scene, but now both men are holding a bundle of hay and the second man clearly has a mote in his eye.
Jn eens anders ooghe een splinter siet
Ende in sÿn eyghen den Balcke niet
[(He) sees the mote in another’s eye / And does not see the beam in his own (eye)]
In N (upper left) a similar scene, but the men do not hold a bundle of hay. The second man clearly has a mote in his eye.
Den Splitter in seins Bruders auge er woll siet,
Dan den Balck in sein selbs auge niet.
[He sees the mote in his Brother’s eye, / But does not see the beam in his own eye.]
Compare Matthew 7, 3. Hypocrisy and lack of self-knowledge.
[M 21]
[Grauls 1938: 166] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 10)]
Upper right corner. A man is busy reaping with a scythe.
Ick moet al af maÿen
Het tgoedt metten quaÿen
[I have to reap it all / good and bad]
In H (upper right) a similar scene.
Die tusschen de doornen hun saedt saeien
Moeten het goedt met tquaet af maeien
[Those who sow their seed among the thorns / Have to reap the good with the bad]
In N (upper left) a similar scene.
Ich muss alles abmeen oder schlann,
lassen gut oder boss sthann. (*)
[I have to reap or strike it all, / let good or bad stand.]
(*) These lines are not very clear. Apparently, the man is saying that he has a choice: either he will reap everything (good and bad), or he will leave everything as it is (and lose everything, good and bad).
A general disapproval of sinful, unwise behaviour.
[M 22]
[Grauls 1938: 166-167] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 14)]
Centre right. A monk is hanging his habit on a hedge.
Jck wil mÿn cap op den tuÿn hanghen
En gaen voerts mÿn v (*) ghanghen
[I want to hang my cowl on the hedge / And go my own way from now on]
(*) The meaning of this letter ‘v’ = ‘u’ is unclear and does not seem to make any sense. The Dutch expression ‘de kap op de tuin hangen’ (to hang the cowl on the hedge) means: to abandon your life as a monk, or in a more general sense: to stop doing something.
In H (centre right) a woman holding a bundle of hay in her right hand is hanging a dress on a hedge.
Jck hanghe mÿn kleedt opde(n) tuÿn te drooghen
Werdet mÿ ghestolen ick moets ghedooghen
[I am hanging my dress on the hedge so it can dry / If it is stolen I have to accept it]
In N (centre left) a similar scene as in M.
Ich will die Cap auff den thuÿn hangenn,
vnd gaen vorts mein gangenn.
[I want to hang the cowl on the hedge, / and go my own way from now on.]
A criticism of monks who abandon their religious life. H has been censored: the monk is now a woman who shows foolish behaviour, but the scene has lost a lot of its original spirit.
[M 23]
[Grauls 1938: 167] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 47 (n° 11)]
Centre right. A man with a bundle of hay in his left hand is standing next to full sacks of grain.
Tes een ghemeÿn segwoort my macht wel weeten
Dat de coorenbÿters (*) dermen al leeuen [sic] op eeten
[It is a common proverb you should know this well / That the grain weevil eats the poor alive]
(*) The coorenbÿter (in modern Dutch: korenbijter, In English: grain weevil) is an insect that eats away into corn in the corn lofts, but here it refers metaphorically to corn merchants who store away corn and then wait for bad times to sell it at famine prices.
In H (centre left) a similar scene, but the man holds a bundle of hay in his right hand.
Het is een spreeckwoort, men macht wel wete(n)
De koorenbyters de armen leuende op eten
[It is a proverb, you should know this well / The grain weevils eat the poor alive]
In N (upper left) a similar scene. The man holds a bundle of hay in his left hand.
Es ist ein gemain sprichwort, das solt ihr wissenn,
das die Kornfressers der armen lebent auf essenn
[It is a common proverb, you should know this, / that the grain weevils eat the poor alive]
The greed of corn merchants is taken to task.
[M 24]
[Grauls 1938: 167] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 21)]
Centre right. A man in an exotic outfit (a Jew?) with a bundle of hay in his left hand makes another (‘normally’ dressed man) carry some heavy beams.
Sÿ legghen op de menschen schouweren swaer lasten
En met haere(n) vinghere en willen sÿse niet aen tasten
[They lay heavy burdens on people’s shoulders / And they do not want to touch them with their finger]
In H (upper left) a similar scene, but the man in the exotic outfit holds a bundle of hay in his right hand.
Som legghen op dandere swaere lasten
Die sy metten vÿngher niet en willen aentasten
[Some lay heavy burdens on others’ shoulders / which they do not want to touch with their finger]
In N (lower left) a similar scene, but here there are two men in an exotic dress and they do not have a bundle of hay.
Sij beladend die menschen mit untraglichen lastenn,
Vnnd mit einem finger sÿ daer nit anntastenn.
[They load unbearable burdens on people, / And they do not touch it with one finger.]
Social extortion (people who exploit others). Why the ‘exploiters’ are dressed in an exotic way (like Jews?) remains unclear.
[M 25]
[Grauls 1938: 167-168] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 19)]
Lower right. A lady in a fashionable dress is holding a bundle of hay in her right hand.
Waer om sÿdÿ soe hoeuerdich tot allen tyen
Wan ghÿ moet toch tot jerde ghedÿen
[Why are you always so vain / Whereas you have to become earth]
In H (lower centre) a similar scene, but now the lady is also holding a mirror in her left hand.
Waerom sydÿ soo fier, in al u wulpsch berommen
Dÿnckt op dat helsche vier, twelcke u sal come(n)
[Why are you so vain, with all your voluptuous prancing / Think of the fire of hell, which is waiting for you]
In N (lower left) a similar scene, but the lady is holding a bundle of hay in her left hand.
Warumb bistu so hogverdich Ohr clain von werdenn,
du mutes doch inder erdenn.
[Why are you so vain You being of little worth, / whereas you have to end up in the earth.]
The vanity of women (Superbia).
[M 26]
[Grauls 1938: 168] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 17)]
Lower right. A half-naked man on bare feet holding a bundle of hay in his right hand is chased out of a brothel by two prostitutes. The signboard of the brothel shows an upside-down globe (referring to the expression this is the world upside-down, meaning: here things are not as they should be). According to the caption the man says:
Wacht v dat ghÿ niet en ghaedt in de bordeelen
Want alle mijn juweelen
Heb icker ghelaeten
Nu jaeghense mÿ nockt achter straeten
[See to it that you do not go to brothels / For all my jewels / I have left there / Now they chase me naked into the street]
In H (lower right) a similar scene, but now there are three prostitutes instead of two.
Wat haelense in t’bordeel
Die soo van lusten krielen
Ramp en rooÿ voor hun deel
Ende tverlies van hun sielen
[What do they get in the brothel / Those who brim over with lust / Disaster and poverty is their part / And the loss of their souls]
In N (lower left) a similar scene as in M.
Wacht uch das ihr nit geht in de bordelen,
dan all my(n) Juwelen
hab ick da gelassen,
und iagen mich achter strassen.
[See to it that you do not go to brothels, / for all my jewels / I have left there, / and (now they) chase me into the street.]
To visit brothels is foolish, it leads to poverty (and according to H to the loss of your soul).
[M 27]
[Grauls 1938: 168] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 18)]
Lower right. A well-dressed man is holding a bundle of hay in his right hand and an hourglass, from which the sand is running, in his left hand.
Die alle sÿn sinnen set naer tsweerrelts jolÿt
Die verliest hier alle sÿnen tÿt
[He who is bent on the joys of the world / Wastes all his time here]
In H (centre front) a well-dressed man is playing a lute while holding an hourglass, from which the sand is running.
Syn sinnen tot lust des weerels stellen
Js tydverlies, en een eeuwich quellen
[To be bent on the joys of the world / Is a waste of time, and an eternal torture]
In N (lower left) the same as in M, but the hay is in the man’s right hand and the hourglass in his left hand.
Der sein Sinnen stelt nach der werrelt lust,
der verluert hie alle seinen tÿdt und rust.
[He who is bent on the joys of the world, / Loses all his time and rest here.]
To pay too much attention to the earthly vanities is foolish.
[M 28]
[Grauls 1938: 168] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 45 (n° 3)]
Lower right. A man is beaten by a woman, who has a bundle of hay tied to her back.
Al sus smit sÿ myn wÿf en ick en ders niemant claghen
Dei [sic] een quaet wyf heeft die heeft quaÿ plaeghen
[This is how my wife beats me and I can complain to nobody / He who has a bad wife has terrible hardships]
In H (lower left) the same, but the man holds a bundle of hay in his right hand.
Die eenquaet [sic] wÿf heeft, tis een quae plaeghe
Alst iuyst niet wel en gaet, werde ick gheslaghen
[He who has a bad wife, it is a terrible hardship / When things go a little bit wrong, I am beaten]
In N (upper right) the same, but no bundles of hay.
Mein wieb slegt mich, ich doerffs niemant clagenn,
umb das ich kein hew bringe vonn den wagenn.
[My wife beats me, I can complain to no-one, / because I do not bring hay from the haywain.]
Criticism on marriages with a hen-pecked husband and a bossy wife.
[M 29]
[Grauls 1938: 168-169] [Vandenbroeck 1984: 51 (n° 20)]
Lower right corner. Two blind men are holding each other’s hand, each holding a bundle of hay in the other hand, and fall from a small bridge into a ditch.
Als den enen blinden den anderen wilt leyen
Dan vallense inde gracht alle beyen
[If one blind person wants to lead the other / Then both fall into the ditch]
In H (lower right corner) a similar scene, but the artist has clearly been inspired by the Blind leading the blind engraving published by Hieronymus Cock and possibly based on a design by Hieronymus Bosch.
Den blenden leedt den blenden
En(de) beede inden gracht belende(n)
[The blind leads the blind / And both end up in the ditch]
In N (lower left corner) the same as in M.
Wenn der einer Blinder der ander will furen oder leÿen,
dan fallen sie inde grubenn alle beÿenn.
[When one blind wants to guide or lead the other, / then both fall into the ditch.]
Compare Matthew 15, 14. A fool in command can lead to no good.
-oOo-
It is clear that the hay in these prints not only symbolizes sinful behaviour, but also refers to a variety of vices, blameworthy characteristics, foolish actions, and antisocial conduct, thus making it impossible to link each scene to a particular Deadly Sin. In some cases, the hay refers to the sinful / foolish / blameworthy / antisocial person himself. However, although some of the scenes seem to have a merely profane character, the combination of all the scenes is placed in a devotional, religious context by the accompanying ‘motto’ and by the principal scene around the haywain, the message being that all who commit sins and show foolish behaviour will become victims of the devil. Moreover, the reference to ‘the day of the Lord’ in N places the whole in an eschatological perspective.
AFFINITY WITH BOSCH
At the current state of research, we cannot be sure of whether a symbolic haywain from which people are trying to grab hay was an original Bosch inventio. However, it seems highly probable that Bosch introduced this motif into the visual arts, although he may have borrowed the idea from a contemporary procession in his hometown or elsewhere. For now, we have no evidence of symbolic haywains in processions (or in literary texts) around or before 1500. The earliest example of a symbolic haywain in a procession dates from 1563 (Antwerp).
If the motif of a symbolic haywain referring to all kinds of sinful and foolish behaviour was indeed thought up by Bosch, the three prints analyzed above were obviously inspired by this motif. Yet, it is also clear that the prints have visualized the motif in their own particular way. Except for a haywain driven by devils and attracting people of all ranks and estates, the only scene which the prints have in common with Bosch’s Haywain triptych is murder caused by greed (see M 5). But the people around the haywain, the part played by devils, the connotations of the hay, and the religious message in the prints all lead to a better understanding of Bosch’s triptych.
[explicit 28 December 2020 – Eric De Bruyn]
