An important set of eleven late 16th century painted roundels (12)

An important set of eleven late 16th century painted roundels Each centred by a written verse or 'poesie' within a painted and gilded floral frame, plus one contemporary example, cased within a turned sycamore box possibly of later date bearing the label of Evan Thomas, 13cm diameter. (12) Footnotes: Eleven of this set of twelve roundels are illustrated in Owen Evan-Thomas' classic book Domestic Utensils of Wood first published in 1932, however one of the original set is now missing but has been replaced with a contemporary example. See pages 64 and 65. The following 'poesies' are inscribed on them: 1. Iff thou bee younge, then marie not yette Iff thou bee old thou heyste more gette For younge mens wives will not bee taught And old mens wives be good for naught. 2. And hee that readers this verse even now May hap to have a lowering fow Whose lookes are nothing liked soo badd As is her tounge to make hym madd 3.This woman maie have husbands fyve But never whilft she is a live Yet doth shee hope soo well fore to wedd Give upp they hope ytt fhall not nedd 4. Take upp they fortune withe good hap With riches thou doft fyll thy lap Yett leefe were better for thy ftore Why quietnesfe should bee the more 5. Thou are the hapieft man a lyve For every thing doth make the thrive Yet maie thy wife thy maister bee Therefore take thrift and all for mee 6. Receave thy hap as fortune fendeth But God ytt ys that fortune lendeth Wherefore yh yu a ..haste gott Thine wfly they selfe ytt ys thy lott 7.Beshrewe his heart that married mee My wife and I can never agree A knavish queane by this I fweare The god mans breechs fhee thinke to weare 8. Iff that a bachelor thou be Keepe the fo still be ruled by mee Leafte that repentaunce all to late Reward the with a broken plate 9.Afke thou tthy wufe yf fhe can tell Together thou un marriage hafte spedd well And lett her fpeake as fhee doth knowe For depound fhee will faie noo 10.Thou hafte a fhrowe to they good man Perhaps an withrist to what than Keepe hym as longe as hee can lyve And att his end his pafeport give 11. A wife that marrieth hufbandes three Was never wifhed thereto by mee Would my wife syould rather die Than for my death to weep and crye 12.Thou mayst be poore and what for that Now yt yu hadft neither cap nor hat Thy mynd may yet foo quet bee That yu may swym as muche as three Roundels or fruit trenchers date from the 16th and 17th centuries. The were typically made of beech or sycamore and painted on one side around a short rhyme or poesy. The roundels where used face down during the meal but afterwards turned over and the poesies read or sung by the guests -usually accompanied by a lute. Usually made in sets of 8 or 12 (and occasionally 24) roundels can be traced back to late 16th and early 17th century inventories. In Puttenham's The Art of English Poesie from 1589 he writes We call them Poesies and do paint them mow a dayes upon the backe sides of our fruite trenchers of wood. A similar example sold Sotheby's 30th November to 1st December 1983The W.J Shepherd Collection of Treen Lot 770. For further reading see E.H Pinto, Treen and other Wooden Bygones 1979, Bell & Hyman, London, p79-80, pl.77. The lot comes with a letter from A.H Isher & Son, 2nd Oct 1945. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing