La prison amoureuse = The prison of love 0815303297, 9780815303299

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GARLAND

LIBRARY OF MEDIEVAL LITERATURE

VoL. 96, SERIES A

JEAN FROISSART LA

PRISON

AMOUREUSE

(THE PRISON

OF LOVE)

The Garland Library of Medieval Literature General Editors James J. Wilhelm, Rutgers University Lowry Nelson, Jr., Yale University

Literary Advisors Ingeborg Glier, Yale University Frede Jensen, University of Colorado

Sidney M. Johnson, Indiana University William W. Kibler, University of Texas Norris J. Lacy, Washington University Fred C. Robinson,

Yale University

Aldo Scaglione, New York University

Art Advisor Elizabeth Parker McLachlan, Rutgers University

Music Advisor Hendrik

van der Werf, Eastman

School

of Music

JEAN FROISSART LA PRISON AMOUREUSE (THE PRISON OF LOVE)

edited and translated by Laurence

GARLAND

New

de Looze

PUBLISHING,

York & London / 1994

Inc.

Copyright © 1994 by Laurence de Looze All rights reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Froissart, Jean, 1338?-1410?

[Prison amoureuse. English] La prison amoureuse = The prison of love / Jean Froissart ; edited and translated by Laurence de Looze p. cm. — (Garland library of medieval literature

; vol. 96A)

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8153-0329-7 1. Love poetry, French—Translations into English. 2. Courtly love—Poetry. I. de Looze, Laurence. [ts Title: III. Title: Prison of love. IV. Series: Garland library of medieval literature ; v. 96. PQ1461.F8P713 1994 841'.1—dc20

94-7819

CITE

Printed on acid-free, 250-year-life paper Manufactured in the United States of America

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For

.. cele qui tant a de pris et tant est digne d'estre amee qu'el doit estre Rose clamee

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i. .

Preface of the General Editors The Garland Library of Medieval Literature was established to make available to the general reader modern translations of texts in editions that conform to the highest academic standards. All of the translations are originals, and were created especially for this series. The translations usually attempt to render the foreign works in a natural idiom that remains faithful to the originals, although in certain cases we have published more poetic versions. The Library is divided into two sections: Series A, texts and translations; and Series B, translations alone. Those volumes

containing texts have been prepared after consultation of the major previous editions and manuscripts. The aim in the edition has been to offer a reliable text with a minimum of editorial intervention. Significant variants accompany the original, and important problems are discussed in the Textual Notes. Volumes without texts contain translations based on the most scholarly texts available, which have been updated in terms of recent scholarship. Most volumes contain Introductions with the following features: (1) a biography of the author or a discussion of the problem of authorship, with any pertinent historical or legendary information; (2) an objective discussion of the literary style of the original, emphasizing any individual features; (3) a consideration of sources for the work and its influence; and (4) a statement of

the editorial policy for each edition and translation. There is also a Select Bibliography, which emphasizes recent criticism on the works. Critical writings are often accompanied by brief descriptions of their importance. Selective glossaries, indices, and footnotes are included where appropriate. The Library covers a broad range of linguistic areas, including all of the major European languages. All of the important literary forms and genres are considered, sometimes in anthologies or selections.

vili

Preface of the General Editors

The General Editors hope that these volumes will bring the general reader a closer awareness of a richly diversified area that has for too long been closed to everyone except those with precise academic training, an area that is well worth study and reflection. James J. Wilhelm

Rutgers University Lowry Nelson, Jr. Yale University

Contents

FEL LOCUCLIONM te em ere visa ne Piliers she Xi DOC CET MOP Ta DN Vee Mein me nec, xxvii HIST) DU OR ere 1 RONCUA AQU PAS LA LONNDEE Rss... 248 ide morNamesminelranslationverw ss... 259

ix

Hie resennne penfe ae

Wes rEnTEnNt tés. ler

MEV elbal

Introduction

Life of the Author Jean of

(or Jehan)

Froissart,

fourteenth-century

province year

of Hainaut

the Hundred

Froissart's

events,

(part

Years

familial

the

was

indefatigable

born

of modern-day

War

began.

Belgium)

Virtually

background.

Most

chronicler

in Valenciennes nothing

likely

in

the

in 1337,

from

the

is known

of

a bourgeois

family, Froissart received a clerical education, part of which he describes in L'Espinette amoureuse (lines 1-338), and took minor orders. In contrast to the extraordinary paucity of information about most medieval authors' lives, in the case of Froissart we have a considerable amount of material, although precise dates are sometimes lacking. Moreover, a great deal of this data comes from Froissart himself. Froissart alludes to his youth in several of his literary works, and during the course of the Chronicles, for which he is most celebrated, Froissart comes to describe his own life more and more as he crisscrosses Western Europe,

interviewing

century. The evaluate life.

In

people

difficulties what the

memorable Narrator Froissart professors.

he

tells

Espinette

about

the

for

the

us,

particularly

modern

amoureuse,

for

great

reader as

events

of

lie

how

regards

instance,

in his there

the

to

early is

a

scene in which--if we make the assumption that the is exactly equivalent with Froissart himself-complains of having been beaten by his Latin This

was

a

standard

part

of

the

educative

process

in the Middle Ages, and there seems little reason to doubt the account. Harder to classify neatly as biographical fact or literary commonplace is Froissart's description, in the opening verses of L'Espinette amoureuse, of how he entered into love's service at the age of twelve. It is not impossible that Froissart is merely recounting what actually happened; but it is also not impossible that his courtly story needed him first to fall in love at that age. French in culture and language but English in political sympathies, Hainaut already had a history of involvement in the affairs of the British Isles in the early fourteenth century. Given the close ties between the two regions it was natural xi

for sail should at the age of 24, Froissart that in 1361, recent that chronicled carrying with him a volume England, (who was Philippa to Queen and which he dedicated events herself from Froissart's home town of Valenciennes). In England Froissart found employment as the Queen's personal secretary, and during the next five years traveled extensively in England and Scotland, collecting material for subsequent chronicles. In 1366

Froissart

sailed

back

to France.

On April

15,

1366,

he was

remunerated in Brussels by his future patron Wenceslas, Duke of splendid knight-king of the Luxembourg and son of the most century, John of Bohemia (who had himself been patron to the greatest poet of the century, Guillaume de Machaut). We next find Froissart in Bordeaux with Edward the Black Prince of Wales whence Froissart was sent back to England for unknown reasons. In 1368 Froissart went to Milan, Italy, for the marriage of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, to the daughter of the Duke of Milan. After Queen Philippa died on August 15, 1369, Froissart had to cast about for a new patron. It appears that soon thereafter he entered Wenceslas’ service at his court in Brussels. Froissart now launched into two decades of almost constant literary activity and professional success. Though Froissart had perhaps already composed a verse version, now lost, of the first part of his Chronicles by 1369, his literary

production bifurcates at this point: prose is used henceforth for historical chronicle and poetry for the dits amoureux, romances, allegories, occasional pieces and lyric works. Around this time Froissart begins work on a first version of his prose chronicles, treating the years 1325-69, which he finishes for Robert of Namur in 1373. At the same time, he produces his greatest dits: L'Espinette amoureuse, probably in 1369, La Prison amoureuse in 1372, and Le Joli Buisson de Jonece in 1372-73. In 1373 Froissart receives the benefice at Les Estinnes in Hainaut and withdraws from Wenceslas’ glittering court at Brussels. It is this ecclesiastical appointment that may explain what the critic Michelle Freeman (1978) has called the "farewell to love" with which the Joli Buisson ends; the praise of the Virgin Mary that closes the work may be viewed as part of a "career move" that makes abandonment of love poetry as fitting a stance henceforth for Froissart the priest as the pose of the forlorn lover was formerly for Froissart the court poet. In any event, Froissart, financially secure now due to this new appointment, can devote himself almost entirely to his writing projects. In 1373 Jean Froissart was 35 and at the traditional midpoint of life. He was already quite successful. He had come to move among the highest aristocratic circles internationally, xii

though

as

a

poet,

counselor,

and

emissary

he

would

always

remain on the periphery of the aristocracy. This was a familiar path of social elevation for a bright, non-aristocratic intellectual of the period: clerical training, followed by a career as poet and personal secretary to the rich and powerful. the

Indeed,

career

pattern

of

the

fourteenth-century

greatest

cleric-poet, Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1367), had been very similar. That Froissart consciously modeled himself after Machaut is evident in his literary works. It was Machaut who established the dit amoureux as the pre-eminent literary form for

the

century,

and

Machaut

as

well

who

used

his

series

of

dits to flatter cleverly the patrons who supported him while nevertheless organizing the works around his own supposed life experiences.

In

form

and

substance,

though

not

necessarily

tone, Froissart's dits are highly derivative of Prison amoureuse in particular, written for Duke Brabant,

is very

Dit:

epistolary

the

closely

modeled

structure,

on Machaut's

the

Le

attribution

in

Machaut. The Wenceslas of Livre

of

dou

Voir

letters

and

poems to a patron-interlocutor, and the self-conscious awareness that the poems and letters are also being transformed into a book are all features taken over wholesale from Machaut

(for

more,

see

"Artistic

Achievement,"

below).

Machaut

even

turned to writing chronicles at the end of his life, his last work being La Prise d'Alexandrie about the taking of Alexandria by the crusading forces. But whereas Machaut's chronicle was in verse,

Froissart

turns

to

prose

after

1369

for

the

writing

of

chronicles. Furthermore, Froissart's chronicles come to interweave the author's own travels--that is, the tale of how he learned of events--with accounts of the events themselves

(see Ainsworth, 1990; and Medeiros, 1979). It is in these prose accounts with their conscious awareness of "fieldwork" that Froissart proves himself most original. One of the questions that literary biographers have been most anxious to answer is that of Froissart's contact, or lack thereof, with other writers of his age, principally Geoffrey Chaucer in England and Petrarch in Italy. Though the suspicion is that he probably met both of these writers, there is no conclusive proof. Irksome is the fact that Froissart mentions no such meeting. But since both Chaucer and Froissart frequented the same English court in the 1360s, it is hard to believe they never crossed paths. Similarly, it is known that both Froissart and Petrarch were present at the festivities in Milan after the marriage of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, in 1368. Would Froissart have passed up the opportunity to know a writer famous throughout Western Europe? But if Froissart did know these fellow poets, why is he silent on the matter? Might the

xiii

failure to mention them be indicative of a mentality that did not accord the same value to an author's literary friendships as to his relations with great political figures? The 1370s and 1380s saw Froissart hard at work on his A second version of Book I added the years Chronicles. vast Amiens the in only (preserved account the to 1370-77 1385: to events intervening the covered II Book manuscript).

III,

Book

perhaps

the

"literary"

most

portion

the

of

Chronicles, and certainly the most personal, covers events that took place in Spain and Portugal. To research the third book, Froissart traveled to Béarn in 1388 and stayed with the Count Gaston of Foix at Orthez. What is remarkable about Book III is the way the encounters between Froissart and his interlocutors are interwoven with the remarkable series of tales his informants tell. Notable also in light of the Prison amoureuse, in which Froissart amalgamates a number of Ovidian tales, is Froissart's exchange in Book III of a tale by Ovid for an episode narrated to him by Espan de Lyon. Book III also contains a memorable description of how Froissart entertained Count Gaston nightly by reading his Meliador in installments. The Meliador is a curious work in its own right, in part for the simple reason that it is the last of the Arthurian romances produced in medieval France. Conceived on a vast scale--it runs to some 30,000 verses--it is in some respects an interminable roll call of tournaments. It also allegedly contains in it all the poetry ever written by Wenceslas of Luxembourg,

the

patron

for

whom

the

Prison

amoureuse

was

written. The Meliador stands as a testament to the attitudes of Froissart and the circles in which he moved. There is a certain touching anachronism in his writing of a tale of Arthurian chivalry in the late 1300s, when the glory of mounted knights had already been obliterated by the lowly longbow. If the Hundred Years War, with its devastating battles, economic ruin, and marauding bands, seems to have little to do

with chivalry as represented in French romances, it must be said that for Froissart and his contemporaries the ethic of chivalry had a significant enough hold on the imagination that Arthurian romance was the implicit point of reference for many of their observations. The inability of the French to adapt to practical though unaristocratic methods of war--in particular to the

forsaking

of the knights'

mounted

charge--caused

them

to

repeat their defeat at Crécy (1346) even more disastrously ten years later at Poitiers (1356). The Order of the Garter in England was inspired by the Arthurian order of the Round Table, and the French Order of the Star was instituted in imitation of the

Order of the Froissart,

Garter. in both his Meliador Xiv

and

his

Chronicles,

is an

eager partisan of this almost nostalgic ethos. He undertakes, he says, to write his Chronicles precisely so as to record the

great the

feats

wars

of arms

between

("faits d'armes") and

English

the

that

have

French.

the

taken place

in

that

events

The

strike him as especially noble, such as the Battle of the Thirty in which thirty knights fought in lieu of whole armies, such as the Jacquerie ignoble, or especially rebellion in France in the 1350s or the English peasant uprising of 1381, reveal a mindset in sympathy with the knightly class, despite position churchman. nominal have Historians as Froissart's often

remarked

Froissart

that

does

not

seem

pro-

especially

The English or pro-French, but rather merely pro-aristocrat. moral distinction noble/ignoble really comes down to a class

noble/non-noble.

distinction: It

probable that Froissart owed priest at Les Estinnes to Wenceslas of Wenceslas died in 1382, however, Froissart association with Count Guy of Blois, and by both a canon at Chimay and Guy's private

take

is

too

literally

Froissart's

it is worthwhile to Froissart not only

1388), florin

1373

remember that composed the

but also the (1389), the

his position as a Luxembourg. When came into closer 1386 Froissart was chaplain. Lest one

"farewell"

bid

to poetry,

it is during the 1380's that Meliador (between 1383 and

Paradis d'amour (1384) latter often taken as

and the Dit du a lighthearted

autobiographical account of Froissart's having been robbed in Avignon during his return from visiting Count Gaston of Foix. In the 1390s Froissart's travels continued. He is known to have been in Paris in 1392, the year King Charles VI went mad, then in Abbeville in 1393. Documentary evidence reports that on June 13, 1393, Froissart was given 20 francs by Louis, Duke

of

Orléans,

returned Calais

to

to

for

England

Dover

on

a

Dit

for the

royal,

a last 12th

now

visit,

of

July.

lost.

In

making In

1395

the

England

Froissart

crossing

from

Froissart

met

King Richard II, son of Edward the Black Prince, and presented him with a manuscript of his complete poetic oeuvre (possibly manuscript B.N. 831, our manuscript A). When the king asked Froissart what subject the works in the book treated, Froissart

is said

to have

with

a

goblet

was

enough

to

replied filled make

simply,

with him

"Love.''

100

nobles

rich.

In

The

king

which, other

rewarded

Froissart

respects,

him

notes, however,

Froissart's trip Was a disappointment. Though he revisited many familiar places, the familiar faces, he says, were all gone. Three months later Froissart crossed back over to the continent. He now composed the fourth and final book of his Chronicles, covering the years 1390-96. Little is known of these last years of Froissart's life. He was still alive in 1404, but how much longer he lived is unclear. Before his death XV

Froissart began to rewrite his Chronicles from the beginning, thus providing us with a third version of Book I. After 1404 we lose all trace of Jean Froissart.

Artistic Achievement Only two decades ago, the standard view of fourteenthcentury French courtly literature was that it was fatuous fluff that endlessly recycled outworn fin'amors conventions. It was attacked as artificial, superficial, and crushingly boring. Today the critical view has come around almost 180 degrees. The modification is due in part to the changed interests of literary criticism (structuralism and post-structuralism) and of recent literature’ itself (the nouveau roman, metafiction, magic realism, post-modernism) which have put an emphasis on

form,

language,

wordplay,

and the

"surface"

of literature.

But

the renaissance of critical interest has also been due to the determined efforts of a few medievalists, above all Daniel Poirion and William Calin, whose groundbreaking studies reopened, literally and metaphorically, fourteenth-century works. Though most study has focused until now on the works of Guillaume de Machaut, Jean Froissart's Prison amoureuse is probably the finest achievement wrought by Machaut's poetic disciples and is worthy of study in its own right. Not that one should expect extraordinary originality in this work. Medieval writers prided themselves on cleverly refining existing literary types, not on smashing received molds. In the fourteenth century, poetic craft was part of a

semi-professional service a good writer and patron. Daniel Poirion summed up succinctly when he observed that Froissart in the middle of winter if his patron himself begins the Prison amoureuse with Chils ne scet mie qu'il dessert Qui loyaument son signeur sert, Car par bien servir son signeur Acquert on pourfit et honneur.

S'est

commandemens

De Dieu

qui

De tout ton Ton signeur (He who will

coer, aimme

loyally

never

et parolle

a Moysi

know

parolle: de t'ame toute et se le doubte.

serves how

his

valuable

Xvi

lord he

is.

provided to his lord Froissart's attitude would sing of summer willed it. Froissart this maxim:

For

in serving

one

gains

one's

advancement

lord well, and

honor.

This is the order and the very terms God uses when he speaks to Moses: with all your heart and with all your soul love and fear your lord.) (5-12) On the battlefield such loyal service consisted of arms and fighting to the death. Froissart launches

feats of into the

tale of how his patron Wenceslas' father, John of Bohemia, was not deserted by his men at the Battle of Crécy. When the lord is the God of Love, as in the Prison amoureuse, loyal service

turns

out to consist of loving and advising on love. The basic structure of a correspondence in which the letters and poems exchanged regarding a love affair are inserted into a narrative which also self-consciously describes its own confection as a book is taken straight from Guillaume de Machaut's Voir Dit. Froissart's own innovation comes in the increased abstraction of the love affair. In Machaut the correspondence took place directly between the lover and his lady, and it was very much a discussion of the course of their

relationship. In Froissart the letters pass between patron and counselor, each of whom is supposedly in love with a woman, thereby making for a more abstract, academic discussion of love. Love is treated not as an experience but as a topic for discourse; in this and’ in other dits amoureux, Froissart

redefines

the

"lover-poet"

he has

inherited

from the

fin'amors

tradition, all but eliminating the poet's erotic experience. This is in keeping with Froissart's other dits amoureux: in the Espinette amoureuse the narrator-protagonist is a complete failure as a lover and in the Joli Buisson he rejects erotic love entirely. In the Prison amoureuse the most erotically evocative scene is a textual rape: a group of courtiers wrestle the

protagonist

to

the

ground

and

abscond

with

the

poems

and

letters he carries in the sack at his waist. The scene ends with a metaphorical castration as the poet's beloved cuts a poem off the end of a letter with her diamond ring. This overt substitution of love literature for the love experience is part of a modification in the practice of poetic craft, or at least in the rhetoric surrounding that craft. Prior to Froissart the rhetoric of courtly-love poetry maintained that the poetry derived from the love experience itself. Already in Machaut it was occasionally hard to believe that the erotic basis had not simply been fabricated--as, for example, in the Voir Dit, which would have it that a young maiden

fell

sixties.

in

love

with

Nevertheless,

a Machaut-namesake

the pose

as

xvii

lover

poet

remained

who was

in his

the necessary

prerequisite

a

being

to

love

poet.

contrast,

by

Froissart,

abandons the claim that "real" events authorize the literary work. Love poetry is simply a product one produces for one's lord as a service. This modification leads to a new view of the process of inevitably its acknowledges that one as creation literary intertextual nature. All writing is, for Froissart, a reworking and and refashioning of already existing literary materials,

every literary work is a gloss ("glose" being a key term in the Prison amoureuse) on previous works. New literature therefore

derives

from more than old books new experiences. from Furthermore, the line between what we would now call "creative"

and “critical” writing never in a central of episode Pynoteiis and Neptisphelé.

quite gets drawn.

the Prison Called upon

may be seen

This

amoureuse: the tale of by his patron to provide

the poet-protagonist finds a "new story" a tale of love, ("novelle matere") in "old tales" ("anchiienes hystores") when he turns to a "glose” in which the tales of Ovid are recorded. of many Ovidian Thisbe, Orpheus, Phaeton, Pygmalion and others. At the request of the patron, this tale by providing an the narrator subsequently glosses allegorical interpretation of it; then, later, he glosses his

What he comes out with is narratives, including those

an of

amalgamation Pyramus and

own gloss. Meanwhile his epistolary correspondent has a dream, inspired by the Ovidian tale, which the narrator also glosses complex series This allegorically. of glossings charts

“creative”

and "critical" writing as merely different

points

in

in a spectrum of endless rewriting. If this theory of literary creation self-proclaimedly creates new literature out of old literature (and not necessarily out of life) it is surely interesting that among literary critics the most controversial aspect of the Prison amoureuse has been whether it is in fact rooted in a real life experience of Froissart. The protagonist and his correspondent are

never

named

directly.

Rather,

the

correspondent

announces

in his first letter that out of discretion he has taken the pseudonym "Rose." The protagonist, after much agonizing, finally decides to call himself "Flos," that is, "Flower" in Latin. Questions of (auto)biography aside, the names are Significant for their reference to literary and cultural matters.

Rose,

who

also

announces

that

he is

being

held

captive

in a prison of love," has been given a pseudonym that refers back to the Rose-prisoner of the thirteenth-century Romance of the the

Rose, perhaps the singly most celebrated literary work French Middle Ages. There are interesting questions

gender

here.

Just

as

"Rose"

has xviii

taken

the

role

over

from

of of

the

female

correspondent

in

Machaut's

Voir

Dit,

he

here

takes

up

what was the female role in the Romance of the Rose, taking as his name a word that is grammatically feminine: la rose. Once again this is an appropriation and redirection of an element that was ostensibly rooted in erotic experience in previous courtly literature. The protagonist, by contrast, in choosing

the

Latin

generic

representative

of

of

term

clerical

puts

culture,

erudition

expertise.

intellectual

himself

"flos," as

Just

"flower"

and

is

forward a wide

as

range

generic

and

is the Latin so localized contrasts the more rose, with international language of medieval learning. Let me now return to the question of the identities behind the names. It has repeatedly been argued that not only was but

the Prison that the

attributed

to

amoureuse written for Duke Wenceslas duke actually penned the letters

"Rose"

in

the

work.

This

argument

of Brabant, and poems

derives

from

two factors. First is that Wenceslas is known to have written poetry; indeed, Froissart even claims in the Meliador and the Dit dou florin that the entirety of Wenceslas' poetic corpus has been intercalated into the Meliador. Might Froissart not therefore

Prison

have

inserted

amoureuse

as

his

well?

patron's

The

poems

second

and

part

letters

of

the

into

the

argument

centers on the "prison" itself. Reference is made to Flos' correspondent falling silent "De le fin d'aoust jusqu'en julle" ("from the end of August until the following July"). Rose subsequently announces that he was in an "amorous prison" during that time. Now, it is known that Wenceslas was captured at the battle of Baesweiler, then imprisoned from late August 1371 until July of the following summer. With some stretching, the time of this imprisonment can be seen as fitting the period during which Rose loses contact with Flos. The problem with a biographical reading of this sort is thatsthe fit is always a little off. First is) that) af. as Froissart says, all of Wenceslas' poems are in the Meliador, then we should not ascribe to Wenceslas those poems which are ascribed to Rose in the Prison amoureuse but do not figure in the Meliador. This immediately reduces Wenceslas’ poems in the

Prison amoureuse to zero. Second is that many of Rose's poems in the Prison amoureuse are attributed to Froissart in the two extant complete-works manuscripts, including the tome he presented to Richard II in the 1390s. The more likely hypothesis is therefore that Froissart was paying clever homage to his lord by attributing to him authorship of some poems in the Prison amoureuse. And just as Guillaume de Machaut did in the Voir Dit--about which a similar dispute regarding authenticity and authorship took place a generation ago--Froissart in the Prison amoureuse more likely xix

penned all the poems and letters, Flos, Rose and Rose's lady. To my Rose's silence as one more example poetic craft as service to one “s restages that In a work between relationship Froissart counselor (Flos), Froissart works

Wenceslas’

captivity.

including those ostensibly by mind it seems better to view of Froissart's conception of lord. Wenceslasthe fictionally writerand (Rose) patron in a touching reference to

preoccupation

Flos'

with

his

correspondent's silence is part of a deferential and flattering service on Froissart's part, certainly, but it no more means that

the

correspondence

is

a

real

one

confinement was an “amorous” prison from uttering what "really" happens,

than

that

Wenceslas’

in the way Rose's is. Far these veiled allusions to

Wenceslas are evidence once again of Froissart's ability to sing of summer in the winter if this is what suits the patron best. Froissart does not hesitate to alter his love story for for him every story--is not his patron since his story--and rooted in the inalterable events of the real world but in an ever-pliable fund of story material just waiting to be glossed and reglossed.

Sources and Influences If, as I have argued in the preceding section, Froissart's poetic is one of self-conscious reutilization and rewriting of previous literary works, the question of his sources

and

influences

can

be

certain

we

elements

from

takes

that

previous

on heightened

Froissart

works,

but

knew he

was

importance.

he

was

probably

Not

only

recombining counting

on

the fact that many in his audience would recognize this reexploitation. The single greatest influence on the Prison amoureuse is Guillaume de Machaut's Le Livre dou Voir Dit, written about ten years prior to Froissart's Prison. The Voir Dit is a more ambitious work: longer and more complex, it is the crowning achievement of Machaut's long career, the last and greatest of his dits. In it are, as I have already mentioned above, many of

the elements one finds in the Prison amoureuse: the tale of a correspondence initiated with the poet-protagonist; the bringing together of prose letters, narrative verse and lyric poetry to create a multi-generic literary work; a depiction of the poet's position in the social world and his relations with his patron; an extreme, even "metafictional," selfXX

consciousness in which the story is in large part about the creation of the story; finally a problematic relationship to referential reality which leaves the reader wondering just how

“true”

or

the

"historical"

is.

story

Froissart knew that his work was not of the same scale as Machaut's. He also knew that his contemporary audience would almost surely already know, or at least know of, the Voir Dit. It is best to see the palimpsestic Voir Dit as part of the pleasure the Prison amoureuse was intended to bring to an audience that would delight in both the similarities to and departures

many a

from

Machaut's

For indeed there similarities. The

fraternal

exchange

work.

are many differences, switch from a lover's

of

letters--what

just as there are correspondence to

Anthime

Fourrier

in his

edition called somewhat prejudicially a movement from "a banal love story" to "a literary friendship" (1974, 16)--allows Froissart

to

make

the

work

more

overtly

about

a nearly

endless

series of "glosses" or interpretations. Douglas Kelly has quite rightly heard an echo as well of “the fine interlocking of adventure,

vision,

del

graal"

saint

Queste,

and

exposition

(1978,

the process

of

155);

[that

exists]

I would

explication

add

is very

in

that,

much

the

Queste

as

in

the quid

the

of the

tale. There

are

numerous

winks

back

to

other

works

by Machaut

as well. The title La Prison amoureuse recalls Machaut's own La Fonteinne amoureuse, a work which depicted the deep friendship between the Machaut poet and his poet-patron, the Duke of Berry. Significantly, Machaut's Fonteinne amoureuse ended with Berry sailing off to be held captive far from his lady--much like Rose in Froissart's dit. There are echoes as well of Machaut's Confort d'ami in which Machaut becomes the consoler and

counselor

to

his

lord--Charles

the

time--who is in prison. Finally, in its a whole range of lyric forms, including the Prison amoureuse Le Remede de fortune

recalls the by Machaut.

Bad

of

Navarre,

this

conscious inclusion of a fully developed lay,

self-consciously

anthological

The second major influence on the Prison amoureuse is that of the thirteenth-century Romance of the Rose, by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. Through the Rose--as well as independently of the work--Froissart inherits the tradition of both allegorical love poetry and troubadouresque lyrical

composition.

Once

again,

in

naming

his

lover

figure

"Rose,"

Froissart is knowingly both redeploying and purposely twisting his source. Here it is the masculine figure that is the captive

"Rose," the

not

Rose. It is

the

hunted

worth

feminine

recalling

that

XX1

flower, the

as whole

in

the

Romance

tradition

of

of the

fourteenth-century dits amoureux is deeply indebted to the Rose tradition and often stages allegorical situations similar to those that are only dreamt of in Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. Already in the Romance of the Rose the question of glossing and interpretation is important. Guillaume de Lorris place in the Dreamer's that everything that takes declares in the book about the dream corresponds both to an incident vision and to events that have taken place in his waking life in the five years between the dream and his act of writing it down. The narrative is therefore an allegorical gloss on putatively real events. Jean de Meun, in his continuation of Guillaume de Lorris' work, constantly sifts, debates, analyzes and interprets issues from the stance of the erudite cleric. Both strategies are to be found in Froissart's work. There is a dream vision, it is written as a book, and then it is subsequently interpreted in a great show of erudition. The third major influence on the Prison amoureuse is one that comes in part through the Romance of the Rose. This third source is Ovid, and in particular his Metamorphoses. I say it comes through the Romance of the Rose because the Pygmalion story, which is the single most nutrient Ovidian text for Froissart's tale of Pynoteiis, also plays a prominent role in the Rose and is recounted just before the final assault on the imprisoned flower. Though

Froissart

never

directly

mentions

the

Romance

of

the Rose or Guillaume de Machaut, he does make specific reference to Ovid. In fact, in the episode where his influence appears to be greatest--the Pynoteüs and Neptisphelé story-Flos/Froissart seems to attribute the tale almost verbatim to the Roman poet. The difficulty here lies in what Froissart intends by the glose in which he says Ovid has recorded the deeds of Pynoteiis (1295-98). As in the case of his debt to Machaut

or

to

the

Romance

of

the

Rose

authors,

Froissart

seems

to be assuming the audience will recognize the nature of that indebtedness. Most educated medieval readers would have read enough Ovid to know, or at least suspect, that Ovid never actually

composed

a tale

of Pynoteiis

and Neptisphelé.

But

what,

then, is this glose/"gloss"? In a work that does not distinguish between interpretative and "creative" rewritings it is

difficult

author

has

to

determine

"said."

In

any

where

event,

to

the

draw

the

Pynoteiis

line

tale

on

what

draws

an

from

many Ovidian stories, most prominently from those of Pygmalion, Pyramus and Thisbe, and Orpheus. Sylvia Huot (1987, 312-14) has noted that there are also echoes of of Ovid's tales of Apollo and Coronis, Galatea, Daphne, Leucothoe, and Apollo's Aesculapius. Moreover, into the Pynoteüs events is inserted tale of Phaeton's chariot, narrated by Pynoteiis himself.

xxii

son the We

therefore have a verifiably Ovidian tale told by a character in a pseudo-Ovidian one. Given all this, in the Prison amoureuse the study of sources is tantamount to the study of Froissart's artistic achievement. In a work which presents the literary process as one of constant rewriting, the intertextual play between the work at be half

hand and the works our work had at hand is presumed to the fun for the reader. These three sources--Machaut,

the Rose prominent

tradition and founts. They

narrative

of "adventures,"

Latin

poetic

tradition.

the can

Ovidian tradition--are be redefined as the

the courtly

Most

the most fin'amors

lyric tradition,

of the other

occasional

and the

references

and brief such as,

glances back to earlier sources in Froissart's for example, the references to Tristan, or

Chatelain currents.

de

Coucy

story--derive

from

one

of

these

poem-to the three main

Rditorial Policy for This Text and Translation The Prison amoureuse exists in two excellent manuscript copies. It has been edited twice before, though as far as I know it has never been translated out of Middle French. My editorial policy has been guided by a desire 1) to enable the reader to form a clear picture of both manuscript versions, 2) to improve on the infelicities of the previous editions (mainly in the critical apparatus), and 3) to make the work of this major French poet and probable acquaintance of Chaucer available through translation to non-specialists of Middle French poetry. The two manuscripts containing Froissart's La Prison

amoureuse are: Bibliothèque

Nationale,

Paris,

f.fr.

830 ("B"):

f

76a to

Nationale,

Paris,

f.fr.

831

£

62b to

114c,

and

Bibliothèque

("A"):

101b.

Both

are

"complete

works"

manuscripts

of

Froissart's

poetry,

and both were made during the author's lifetime--very likely with some supervision by Froissart himself and almost assuredly in been described They have of scribes. by the same group of L'Espinette in his edition Fourrier by Anthime detail xxiii

9-14). The two previous editions, first by amoureuse (1972, and then by Anthime Fourrier (1974), and (1870) Auguste Scheler of their manuscript in terms very similar all are my own readings. This is due to the small number of manuscripts and the consistent choice of manuscript B.N. f.fr. 831 as the base Manuscript. amoureuse Anthime L'Espinette In his edition of the Fourrier outlined the reasons for preferring manuscript B.N. f.fr. 831, which he designated as manuscript A, to manuscript B.N. f.fr. 830, which he called B. Those reasons are entirely sound. Scheler may have had similar justifications for his own choice of A, though he never articulated them. I follow these two former manuscript.

editors

in

this

decision

to

take

A

as

my

base

Of the two manuscripts, both of which are excellent and which are probably derived from a common exemplar, perhaps an apograph manuscript, A indeed has several advantages. Though begun in 1362, A was finished after B was, in 1394 (on May 12) as opposed to 1393. A therefore assumably preserves as close to a final version of the author's will as we can have. Also, its language may be closer to Froissart's own; manuscript B has a tendency to use a somewhat more French orthography, A veering more toward the Picard forms that were presumably Froissart's own. Third, on folio 1 verso, manuscript A contains a miniature of a cleric, presumably Froissart himself, reading to a courtly audience of one man and two women, which may be evidence of

slightly more lavish care expended on the codex. The history of manuscript A can be traced exactitude. A rubric was begun in 1362,

on folio 1 verso, column and another rubric on

with

some

a, states that it folio 200 verso,

column a, declares that it was finished "en l'an de/ grasce Nostre Signeur mil.CCC./ iiij™ & .xiiij., le .xij*. jour dou/ mois de may," that is, on May 12, 1394. It subsequently passed into England. Daniel Poirion is of the opinion that manuscript A is the very manuscript Froissart presented to Richard II in 1395 (1971, 199), and this may well be the case. An inscription at the beginning of the book places it in the possession of Richard de Beauchamp, Count of Warwick (1382-1439), whose godfather was Richard II. From England the manuscript returned to France, perhaps in 1514 when Mary of England married Louis XII (de Lettenhove, vol.1, pt. 1, 387). In any event it turned up in the French Bibliothéque Royale in 1544, whence it passed into the Bibliothéque Nationale collection. The present edition is a conservative editing of the A text.

B. B,

When

In very usually

A appears

demonstrably

wrong,

I have

had

recourse

to

rare cases I have edited the reading of both A and very slightly, and generally only if there is a xxiv

grammatical

fact

problem

following

regards

the

in

both;

the decision lyric

in

most

of one

poems

in

La

of

these

cases

or both

previous

Prison

amoureuse

am

in

editors.

I

As

they

are

repeated in the anthologies of lyric pieces contained in other sections of the same manuscripts, A and B. The result is that the lyric poems all exist in four versions, two in each manuscript. Fourrier designated these additional versions A' and B'. I follow his designations and use them occasionally as

guides.

The variant

readings

from A, B, A',

and B' are

noted

at

the bottom of the page. Since there are only two manuscripts of the Prison amoureuse, and even in the case of the lyric poems only four possibilities, I have grouped the variant readings by Manuscript at the bottom of each page. I have tried to maintain far more consistency in the listing of the variant readings than previous editors. The most recent editor before me,

Anthime Fourrier, made very few outright mistakes (his mislistings of variants for the verses 499 and 3733, for example, are rare lapses). Fourrier was, however, erratic in his use of diacritical marks, his rendering of i's and u's as j's and v's before appropriate vowels, and in both his capitalization and abbreviations in the variants. For my part, I have rigorously followed the suggestions of Alfred Foulet and Mary Blakely Speer (1979) regarding punctuation, diacritics, and the rationalization of letters in the critical apparatus. Asterisks only placed in the Middle French text refer to textual problems, whereas those in‘the English translation refer either to points of translation or to matters that need clarification for

the

modern

reader.

Both

Translation

Notes

poetry letters letter.

references are letter number,

the by

that

are

follow

keyed

the

by verse then by

to

edition

the

Textual

proper.

For

and

the

number. For the prose line number within the

In my translation I attempt to render Froissart's text into smooth and coherent modern English. My English rendering of the verse sections makes no pretense to being modern poetry. Rather, I have tried to capture the sense of the original and, as much as possible, to retain the order of the syntax, especially when a number of verses. much as possible,

see the have not of to

single sentence is stretched out over a fair I have wanted for the reader to be able, as to look straight across from the French and corresponding English passage, and for this reason I

presented

the

poetical

prose. Naturally there rearrange the sentence

sections

of

the

work as

blocks

have been instances when I have had order considerably in the interests

of

clarity: Let me also mention two points of style. Froissart, like seemingly randomly between alternates many medieval writers, XXV

present

and past

tenses

in his narration.

I have

often

tried

to

retain these switches in the English translation as well, except when the technique becomes 50 awkward that comprehension seems threatened. Froissart also often uses doublet forms,

another trait he Occasionally, for collapse

the

two

shares reasons

into

with many other medieval writers. of space or fluidity, I have had to

one.

In general,

however,

I have

Froissart, even when the result might seem a bit modern readers of English. My assumption has been

two

characteristics

are

part

of

the

followed

strange to that these

"medievalness"

of

the

Prison amoureuse, and that the resultant strangeness might therefore help remind the twentieth-century reader of the cultural and historical distance of the original work. I am grateful to those who encouraged me to translate this work and who aided me along the

edit way.

particular,

who

I am

indebted

to

my

fellow

medievalists

and In

read

part or all of my drafts, offered me invaluable comments, and saved me from some very crimson blushes: G. Ross Arthur, H. S. Frank Collins, and Robert Levine. I wish also to thank James J.

Wilhelm for the benefit of his careful reading and for his help in putting the whole volume together. Two people in particular were extraordinarily generous with their time as they read the

complete

work

over

(and over),

scribbling

marginal

notes

to me

on everything from typos to problems in the translation: Professor William W. Kibler and my indefatigable assistant, Katherine Karcewska. Finally I would like to thank the students in my Comparative Literature 114 and French 112 courses at Harvard University who inspired me to undertake this project and prodded me at many points along the way by looking up from

their

books

Naturally, and

and though

translation

remaining

errors

asking, "What exactly what felicities there are

are

often

mine

due

alone.

XXV1

to

does this line mean?" may be in this edition

these

many

people,

the

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y

Jean Froissart La Prison Amoureuse

(The Prison of Love)

Chi apriés se

s'ensieut

nomme

La

.I.

Prison

traitiers

qui

amoureuse

philozophes* nous aprent capitle ou il reprent auctorité un notable* toutes gens moult pourfitable: Chils ne scet mie qu'il dessert Qui loyaument son signeur sert, Car par bien servir son signeur Acquert on pourfit et honneur. S'est commandemens et parolle De Dieu qui a Moysy parolle: De tout ton coer, de t'ame toute Ton signeur aimme et se le doubte. Ensi l'entens selonc la glose*: L'amour pour le service glose, Car qui bien aimme, il sert et crient Et toute obeïssance tient. Dont qui sus cel estat s'ordonne, En deus lieus sa grasce on li donne: Li mondes sa glore li fet Et Diex la sienne li parfet. Et pour ce que tant vault services, Que tenus je ne soie a nices, Je voel servir de franc voloir Celi qui tant me poet valoir, À cui j'ai fait de liet corage Seüreté, foi et hommage:

[62b]

Amours,

[62c]

Li En un D'une Pour

mon

signeur

et mon

mestre,

Qui me fet tels que je sui estre, Une heure en pais et l'autre en doubte. C'est bien drois que je le redoubte: Se si presumptueus estoie Que sa poissance

5

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ne doubtoie,

Bien m'en deveroit mesceir. Diex ne me lait ja enceir

A 3. moult n. B (Rubric) Ci cammence un trettié amoureus qui s'appelle la prison amoureuse 1. Le phylozophe 4. proufitable 5. Cils 6. seignour 7. seignour 8. Acquiert on proufit et honnour 10. Moisi 12. seignour aime et si 13. l'entenc 15. aime 23. voeil 25. qui j. f. de lié 27. seignour 32. 34. laist ja encheir 33. mescheir puissance

Hereafter

follows a treatise which The Prison of Love

is called

In a chapter in which he repeats what an authority said, the philosopher* teaches us the following maxim which is very useful for all people: he who loyally serves his lord will never know how valuable he is. For in serving one's lord well, one gains advancement and honor. This is the order and the very terms God uses when he speaks to Moses: with all your heart and with all your soul love and fear your lord. I interpret* this statement as follows: love stands for service, because he who loves well also serves and fears and is completely obedient. Thus he who conducts himself in this fashion receives grace in two realms: the world grants him terrestrial glory and God grants him His. And since service is so worthy, and so that people won't think me a fool, I wish to serve with all my heart the one who has such sway over me and to whom with happy heart I've pledged service, faith, and allegiance to Love, my lord and master, who makes me feel the way I do, in peace one moment and in doubt the next. I fear him with good reason. For if I were so presumptuous as to dread not his power, he could make things go badly for me. God keeps me from ever making the mistake

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aS

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En nulle volenté contraire, Pour cose qu'on m'en puist retraire. Li vaillant homme de jadis Qu'on tint a preus et a hardis, Des quels nous avons biaus memores Par les anciiennes hystores, Servoient bien et loyaument, Et tout chil especiaument Qui ja veurent leur sanc espandre En servant le roy Alixandre: Tant l'amoient, tant l'onneroient, Que pour leur droit dieu le tenoient, Et tant fisent parmi* leurs mains Que dedens .XII. ans,* voire en mains, Tout le monde de chief en cor, Se plus euist campris encor, Alixandres l'euïst conquis, Car il estoit des bons requis Pour sa valour, pour sa noblece. Certes, c'est une bonne tece Que uns grans sires puet avoir D'estre larges de son avoir, Car par dons acquert on amis Et conquert on ses ennemis. Pluiseur signeur l'ont esprouvé Et je l'aroie tost prouvé Par Karle,* le roi de Behagne, Qui faire a tous largece ensagne Selonc leur pooir et leur mise; La glose n'est ailleurs camise. Li bons rois que je name chi, C'est chils qui remest a Crechi, Qui tant fu larges et courtois Que, de Prusse jusqu'en Artois, Non, jusques en Constantinnoble, N'i eut plus large ne plus noble. Et sa largece li vali. Ja fu uns tamps qu'on l'assali

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55

[62d] 60

65

70

A 38 as p. et as h. B 36. chose qu'on me puist 37. Les vaillans hommes 39. beaus memoires 40. hystoires 41. loyalment 42. cil especialment 43. vodrent 45. l'onnouroient 53. Par s. v. pour 54. teche 55. un grant seignour poet 57. acquiert 58. conquerron 59. Pluisour seignour 61. Charle 62. larghece ensengne 63. ou 1. m. 64. aillours 65. Le bon roi dde n. Cl 66, cils q. r. a Creci 70, ot (71. larghece 72.

un temps

of pitting my will against his, no matter what anyone tells me. Those admirable men of old who were considered valiant and daring and about whom worthy stories have given us fond memories,

served faithfully and loyally, especially those who saw their blood spilled in the service of Alexander the Great. They loved and honored him so much that they considered him their own god, and with their hands* they accomplished so much that in twelve years,* or even less, Alexander conquered the whole world and would have conquered more if he'd known about it, for he was very sought after by worthy men for his valor and nobility. To be sure, it's a fine quality in a great lord to be generous with his goods, for through gifts one gains friends and triumphs over enemies. Many lords have demonstrated this, and I can prove this rule by citing the example of King John* of Bohemia, who teaches all people to be generous each according to his means and state. Nowhere is this better illustrated. The good king I'm talking about is the one who died at the battle of Crécy. He was so generous and courteous that from Prussia to Artois and even as far away as Constantinople, none was more generous or noble. And his generosity stood him well. It happened more than once

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Pour guerriier a tous costés, Mais il se trouva acostés Au besoing de ses bons amis, A cui donné, non pas proumis Il avoit et fet les biaus dons. Meris l'en fu li guerredons, Car la obtint a haute honnour Contre ses ennemis le jour Dont il dist en plain concitore A son consel: "Aiés memore Quant mes largeces me blamiés Et pour trop large me clamiés! Tous li avoirs qui est en Bruges Repus en coffres et en huges Ne m'euist valu une pame, Se n'euissent esté chil hame Qui m'ont a mon besoing servi. Jamais ne l'arai desservi." Pour sa largece fu li rois Amés, et certes c'estoit drois, Car onques ne fu soélés De donner le sien a tous les. Diex li face vraie merci! Vaillamment remest a Creci, Car, ens ou plus fort del estour, L'espee ou poing, les siens autour, Ala ses ennemis combatre Et li ens es plus drus embatre. La li monstrerent grant service Li sien, dont ne furent pas nice, Car, a fin qu'il ne le perdissent Et qu'avoec lui il se tenissent, Il s'aliierent tout a li Et l'un a l'autre. En cel ali Furent trouvé en bon arroi Mort et navré dalés le roi. Et ensi doient li bon faire, Qui voelent leur grace parfaire. On est tenu par droite honneur D'amer et servir son signeur,

v2

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85

[63a]

95

100

105

110

À 92. Armés B73. guerroiier 76. qui d. n. p. promis idee fais ses beaus 81. concitoire conseil a. memoire 83. largheces 84. larghe 85. Tout l'avoir qui est dedens 88. cil 90. l'aurai 91. larghece 92. ce fud. 93. saoulés 102. Les siens 109. les bons 110. veulent 111. honnour 112. seignour

that he was attacked by knights on all sides, but when he was in need he had at his side loyal friends to whom he had given fine gifts and not simply promises. He received a worthy recompense for that because he won great honor fighting against his enemies on a day about which he spoke as follows to his assembled men: "Remember when you criticized my generosity and said I was too free in my gifts. All the riches in the coffers and chests of the city of Bruges wouldn't have been worth an apple to me if these men hadn't been there who came to my aid in time of need. Never will I be able to repay that." The king was loved for his generosity as was only right, because he never tired of sharing his riches with all. May God grant him grace! He valiantly perished at Crécy when, sword in hand, and with his men all around him, he entered into the thickest part of the battle to fight his enemies and wage war in the campany of his closest campanions. His men did him a great service there without the least hesitation when, to keep from losing sight of him, and so that they would be sure to stay close to him, they attached themselves to him and to one another. They were found still tied together wounded and dead beside their king.* This is how worthy men should act if they wish to win grace. True honor properly requires that one love and serve his lord,

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Ne on ne se puet

escuser

Qu'on li doie riens refuser, Corps et biens, avoir et chavance. Dont, a celle fin que m'avance, Amours, qui est mon souverain, Ne devant li n'ai premerain, Voel servir en tout et par tout. Ja n'ara le coer si estout Qu'en le fin ne me guerredonne Le service que je li donne. Ensi le croi, ensi l'espoir; Tous tamps ai eli cel espoir. Et se tant li plaist mes services Qu'il daigne en moi punir les visces Et gouvrener men ignorance, I] me venra a grant plaisance, Car sans li et sans son confort, Je prise petit mon effort. Or li suppli qu'il me regarde Et qu'il mette en sa sauve garde Et qu'il m'avance en aucun kas Sus le fourme que je pourkas, A celle fin que resjois Soie, qui ai toutdis ois Refus et escondis sans nambre. Car d'abondance je me nambre Li ums de ses petis servans, Qui ai esté et sui servans A lui, ne pas je ne m'escuse Que painne ne peril refuse Qu'en son service puisse avoir, Ains voel faire si men devoir se je muir en celle cause, Je soie escrips en une clause Avoec l'amoureus Tubulus,* Car, tout ensi m'ayt sains Lus,

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[63b] 125

130

135

140

Que,

145

Mieuls me plaist la fin qu'il prist prendre Qu'on me puist dire ne reprendre D'estre recreans ne fallis.

150

Comment que je soie assallis Nuit et jour de pluiseurs assaus,

A130. sone. B 115. chevance 118. d. lui 119. Voeil 120. n'avra 121. en la fin 127. moni. 128. vendra 132. m'ait en sa salve g. 134. la f. 144. voeil f. si mon d. 147. Avec 153. pluisours l'amourous

and there is no excuse for refusing him anything, neither physical service, nor goods, nor wealth, nor objects. The God of Love, who is my lord, whom I wish to serve and before whom I have no other, pushes me in this direction. He will never be so hardhearted as to fail to reward me in the end for the service I do him. I believe and hope this, and I in fact always have. And if my service pleases him enough that he might see fit to punish my vices and rule my ignorance, this will be a great delight for me, for without him and his help, I value little my own efforts. I therefore beg him to remember me and take me into his safekeeping and to advance me in each affair in the manner I seek so that I will end up happy, I, who have received innumerable rebuffs and rejections. For without question I consider myself to be one of his lesser servants, I, who have been and currently am in his service, nor do I avoid the dangers or refuse the perils that one runs in his service. I would rather do such a good job that, if I die while serving my lord, they'll write about me what was written about that lover Tibulus,* for--may Saint Luke help me!-I'd rather end the way he did than

have anyone criticize me I was lacking or cowardly. Although I am assailed and attacked both night and day,

or

say

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1e

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150

Mais je me deffench com vassaus Contre toutes temptations, Qui voelent mes ententions Muer ne tourbler ne cangier.

Je n'ai

cure de leur dangier,

Car je seroie trop honteus S'on me comptoit avoec les deus Qui onques d'amer ne dagnierent Ne nulles dames n'adagnierent: Narcissus et Bellorophus.* Onques les filles de Phebus* Ne peurent Bellorophus prendre Qu'il vosist a elles entendre; Se s'en mist Circe* en moult de painnes. Nes la deesse des fontainnes Ne l'en peut onques decevoir Que chils le vosist recevoir A dame ne daignast amer. Mes ses freres, li diex de mer Nepturnus, trop bien l'en venga, Car la balainne le menga, Qui onques n'avoit mengiet d'omme. Et Narcisus que je vous nomme, Qui moult petit eut adagnié Equo, n'i a gaires gagnié, Car il enamoura son ambre. Pour ce est il camptés ou nambre Des musars et des coers fallis, Car la fontainne est ses drois lis: La s'endormi, la se repose. J'en ai pour tant fet ume glose: A toute heure qu'il m'en souvient, Tres

grans

corages

me

Que je soie enterins A Amours, tous tamps

Que Fortune Qui souvent

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165

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175

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185

revient

et fermes et tous termes,

Ne que je ne me mue ou tourble Pour aventure ne pour tourble

[63d] 190

me puist tramettre, se voet entremettre

D'assir en joie et en confort Toute painne et tout desconfort. Est dont Fortune si poissans B 154. deffenc Narcisus 165.

dagnast

[63c]

172.

195

156. veulent m. intentions 157. changier 163. porent 167. Si 169. pot 171; son frere le dieu 175. mengié 195. puissans

10

I nevertheless fight like a vassal against all the temptations which would alter, trouble, or change my intentions.

I don't

care how threatening

155

they may be

for I would be very ashamed were I to be grouped together with those two who scorned loving and wouldn't deign to accept any woman-namely, Narcissus and Bellerophon.* The daughters of Phoebus* never succeeded in getting Bellerophon to pay attention to them, although Circe* made quite an effort. Not even the goddess of fountains could deceive him into taking her as his lady or deigning to love her. But her brother Neptune, god of the sea, certainly took revenge, for a whale which never before had eaten of men ate Bellerophon. And Narcissus, whom I just mentioned, had a very low opinion of Echo, but he hardly ended up a winner for he fell in love with his own shadow. That's why he is counted among the fools who have no heart. The fountain becomes the bed in which he lounges and sleeps. I've learned this lesson from Narcissus: every time I think of him my will is reaffirmed to be sincere and dedicated toward Love at all times and in all ways, and to neither alter nor falter because of the events and trials that Lady Fortune might send my way, even though she often wants to put all pain and suffering in the place of joy and delight. Is Lady Fortune thus so powerful

ah

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ibys:

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Qu'as humles coers obeissans Elle poet envoiier discorde? Oil voir. Quant je me recorde Des vrais amans qui jadis furent Comment trop largement chil burent A son hanap de son buvrage,

Je ressongne moult son ouvrage. Pour ce traytre le clamoient Chils et chelles qui lors amoient, Car, par envie et sans raison, Ou milleur temps de leur saison Et qu'il cuidoient mieuls joir De plaisance et yauls resjoir, Elle reveloit leurs secrés, Et non pas as gens si discrés Qu'il mesissent en non caloir Che qui peu leur pooit valoir, Mais a chiauls qui de leur anoi Se truffoient par esbanoi, De quoi a moult de cest afaire Couvint a leurs amours fin faire. Qu'en avint Tristran et Yseus, Qui furent si vrai amoureus? Le castellainne de Vregi Et le castellain de Couchi, Qui oultre mer morut de doel Tout pour la dame de Faioel? Apriés le mort dou baceler (On ne le poet ne doit celer) Pour ce qu'on se voloit vengier Des vrais amans, on fist mengier La dame le coer son ami: Et celle, qui d'anoi fremi, Si tost qu'on li eut fait acroire, Requist qu'on li donnast a boire: Quant elle eut but, si dist en haut: “Jamais plus boire ne me faut, Car sus morsel si precieus, Si douls et si delicieus,

Nul boire ne poroie prendre."

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[64a] 220

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235

B 196. Qu'aux humbles 200. il burent 203. trahitte 204. Ceuls et celles 206. millour 208. et euls 210. aux gens 212. Ce q. p. lor 213. Mes a ceulz 215. par cest a. 219. La chastelainne 220. chastelain de Couci 221. moru 223. Aprés la 229. ot fait 231. ot but 233. precious 234. doulc et si delicious 12

that she can create discord even in humble, obedient hearts? Yes, indeed. When I recall how in olden times true lovers drank a great deal of the drink she had in her goblet, I dread what she could do. That's why men and women who fell in love back then called her a traitor, for out of jealousy and without rational motive-just when things were going fine and they seemed to be enjoying themselves most and taking delight in things-she would reveal their love affairs, and not to people who were circumspect enough not to get worked up about it-those, that is, for whom it was no big issue-but to people who mocked their anguish with delight. For many people the result was often that they had to end their love affair. What happened to Tristan and Isolde, who were such true lovers? And to the chatelaine of Vergy, and the lord of Coucy, who died overseas all of grief for the Lady of Fayel? After that knight's death (nor should this be kept secret) the lord of Fayel, to take vengeance on the true lovers, fed Coucy's heart to the Lady of Fayel. And she, as soon as they told her what she had eaten, shuddered with horror and asked for something to drink. When she had drunk, she announced: "Nevermore will I have to drink, for after this dish which was so refined and sweet and delicious, I could never eat or drink again."*

13

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On ne li peut puis faire entendre Qu'elle vosist mengier ne boire. Ceste matere est toute voire. Et quant je le voi si diverse, Le trayteuse et le perverse, Qu'elle est plus tost apparillie D'un grant mal faire et consillie Que d'un bien donner ne pourvir, Je le voel doubter et fuir, Car qui ressongne et fuit les visces, Il n'est ne ignorans ne nices. Et Amours, qui tout scet et voit Et qui souvent les siens pourvoit De consel et de congnissance, Quant il usent d'obeissance, Me pourvera, je l'en requier, De tout ce qui me fet mestier, De sens et de discretion, À fin qu'en recreation Entre les amoureuses gens Soit chils dittiers tenus a gens, Fes et dittés par tel langage Que la belle, plaisans et sage, Ma dame, que tant ains et pris, Pour quele amour je l'ai empris, En bon gré recevoir le voelle; Car s'en plaisance le recoelle, I] me venra moult bien apoint, Car pour s'amour ai maint dur point Senti au coer sous la mamelle, De quoi

la congnissance

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250 [64b]

255

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265

a elle

Ne vint onques, j'en sui certains. Vrais Diex, si sui je si atains Pour s'amour que priés sus l'outrer, Ensi que je le voel moustrer,* Mais que j'aie tamps et loisir, Je ne convoite el ne desir. Amours, qui onques ne se part De moi, mes moult souvent me part Des biens qu'a ses servans envoie, A 270 monstrer 275. qu'as ses trahitouse 241. appareillie 242. conseillie

270

275 244.

240. La voeil 249.

conseil et de cognissance 256. ce dittier voeille 262. recoeille 263. vendra 266. cognissance N'en vint 269. pres 270. voeil monstrer 272. couvoite qu'a ses

14

261. 267. 275.

Nor could they in fact get her to acknowledge any desire to eat or drink again. This story is completely true. And when I see Lady Fortune, that false and traitorous woman, so fickle that she is more apt to do or suggest something evil than to give or provide anything good, I want to avoid her and flee, for he who fears and flees vice is neither ignorant nor foolish. And Love, who knows and sees all and who often provides his faithful with counsel and understanding, if they are obedient, will also give me everything I need (this is my request of him) in the way of understanding and discernment, so that this essay here will be read with delight by people who are in love, made and composed as it is in such language that my beautiful, delightful and wise lady, whom I love and cherish so much, and for whose love I have undertaken this work, will receive it: willingly. For if she receives it with pleasure this will be most agreeable to me, since for love of her I have suffered many pangs in my heart, although I am certain she was never aware of it. True God, I am so struck with love for her that I am near to dying. Thus I wish to show her--if only I might be granted the time and occasion-that I have no other wants or desires. The God of Love, who never leaves me, though he often denies me things

he gives to his other servants,

IES)

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275

Me mist, n'a pas long tamps, en voie D'un virelay faire et chanter. Mais je ne m'en ose vanter. (Non pour quant en celle cointise N'i a outrage ne vantise). Car bien doivent chil avoir soing, Qui d'iauls conforter ont besoing, D'estre joli et envoisié, Quant il en sont dou faire aisié, Mieuls alosé en toutes cours. D'un liet homme, c'est grans secours Entre chiauls qui en ont mestier Et qui usent dou gai mestier Qui tous coers amoureus esgaie. Et pour le souvenance gaie Que je reçoi en mon martire, Puis que parfaite amours m'i tire, Je voel dire en nom de revel Le virelay fait de nouvel:

280

[64c] 285

290

Virelay

295

Petitement remeri,* Fors en durté, Sont li mal que j'ai porté Jusques a chi, Quant ma dame n'a merci De ma grieté.

300

Or ne sçai que doie faire, Car je le voi debonnaire Enviers toutes gens, Fors a moi, qui painne et haire Pour s'amour me couvient traire: C'est li paiemens! S'ai je tous jours obei Et siens esté A faire sa volenté. Or est ensi Que de moi n'a, qui li pri, Nulle pité. Petitement etc.

305

310

A‘ 299 merchi B 276. lonc temps 279. Nompourquant 281. ceuls 282. d'euls 287. ceuls 289. amourous 290. las. 293 . voeil 297. les mauls 298. ci 301. doi B" 297. les mauls.

16

moved me not long ago to compose and sing a virelai. Not that I dare boast of it (although there is nevertheless nothing offensive or ostentatious about the poem), for those who have need of consolation must certainly take care to be cheerful and good-natured; the more capable they are at doing this, the more renowned they are in all courts. It's a great relief to have a cheerful fellow come to the rescue of those who need cheering and who are bent on pursuing that course that gladdens all amorous hearts. And on account of the glad memory with which my martyrdom endows me, and because a perfect love urges me to it, I wish in the name of joy to recount the lai by reciting it anew:

280

285

290

Virelai

295

Poorly paid, except by cruelty, are all the pains I have borne up until now since my lady does not pity my suffering.

300

Now I don't know what to do for I see her so friendly toward all people except me. I bear only pain and grief in return for my love. That's my payment! for having always obeyed her and having been hers, ever ready to do her will. Thus it is that she has no pity, though I beg it of her. Poorly paid, etc.

un?

305

310

[64d] 315

Briefment je li voel retraire Le dolour et le contraire Que pour s'amour sens; Et s'a che le puis atraire Que ma priiere puist plaire, Je serai contens De l'anoi et dou soussi Et del obscurté Dont on ne m'a conforté Gaires puissedi Qu'a ma dame me rendi A faire son gré. Petitement etc.

320

325

"S'il est qui fait, il est qui dist.” Nouveleté gaires ne gist Ne ne sejourne ne repose: Elle est tele que par tout ose Hardiement mettre ou embatre Pour gens couroucier ou esbatre, Car elle a tant de signourie, --En ce point l'avons nous nourie-Que joie ou courous renouvelle Quant elle vient as gens nouvelle. A ma dame vint li recors Dou virelay que je recors. Bien li pleut, si le volt avoir, Che dist, pour aprendre et savoir. Elle l'aprist et le chanta. Tout ce forment me contenta. Assés briefment depuis avint Que nous estions bien nous vint En deduit et en esbanoi, (Non pas en bos ne en aunoi) Mais en une cambre pavee. Il sambloit qu'on l'euïst gravee, Tant estoit clere et deduisans Et li pavemens reluisans Et tailliés pour bien gouvrener Une danse et au droit mener: On ne deuist souhedier el.

330

335

340

[65a]

350

A 328. Nouvelette B 315. Lad. 321. de l'o. 328. Nouvelletés 330. s'ose 331. m. et e. 333. seignourie 336. aux gens 339. plot 340. Ce dist 346. bois ne en amnoi 347. chambre B' 315. Lad. 318. proiiere 321. de l'o. 323. puiscedi

18

I wish briefly to tell her of the suffering and unhappiness that loving her causes me. And if I can bring it about that my prayer might please her, I will be satisfied with the pain and anguish and the uncertainty that have given me such meager consolation since the day I gave myself over to my lady to do her will. Poorly paid, etc.

“Saying is doing," as the proverb has it. New things don't just lie still, nor do they hang around, passive and inactive. On the contrary, they have a tendency to be everywhere at once, intruding in order to bother or delight people, since they have such power --I have seen this proven many times-that they can stir up joy or anger each time they come in contact with new people. My lady heard about the virelai I have just recorded. She liked it and said she wanted a copy in order to learn it and memorize it. She then learned it and sang it and all this pleased me a great deal. Soon afterward it came about that some twenty of us gathered for our enjoyment and amusement, not in the woods or wilds but in a room with a paved floor. It was clear that someone had polished that floor, it was so shiny and bright and lustrous, perfectly made for having a ball, and a grand one at that. One would not have wanted it any other way.

19

315

320

S25

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335

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345

350 555

La estoient li menestrel, Qui s'aquitoient bien et bel À piper, et tout de nouvel, Houes danses* teles qu'il sceurent. Et si trestost que cessé eurent Les estampies* qu'il batoient, Chil et chelles qui s'esbatoient Au danser, sans gaires atendre, Commenchierent leurs mains a tendre Pour caroler. La me souvint D'un tamps passé: ja il avint En Savoie, en le court dou conte De qui on doit bien faire compte, Car il est nobles et vaillans, D'onneur faire aigres et taillans; Celle grasce li portent tuit. L'an mil .CCC. sissante et uit Fu que passa parmi sa terre Li uns des enfans d'Engleterre, Lions, fils Edouwart le roi, En tres noble et poissant arroi.* Et li contes que j'ai namé, Qu'on claimme, ou qu'on clamoit, Amé,* Honnourablement le rechut. La fu bien qui l'estat conchut Et l'ordenance et le maniere De la court, qui fu moult pleniere: Les disners, les belles assises, Les tables ostees et mises, Les vins, les viandes, les mes. Trois jours* dura la feste. Mes Il y eut danses et carolles Pour quoi j'ai empris les parolles, Car bien .VI‘'. jones et belles, Toutes dames et damoiselles, Filles de chevaliers ou fames, Dou pays les plus frices dames, Moult ricement et bel arrees, Tres noblement et bien parees En draps de canjans* et de soie, (Plus rices deviser n'osoie), B

357.

sorent

358.

orent

360.

555

360

365

370

375

[65b] 380

385

390

Cil

et

Cammencierent 365. la court 367. Car il fu 370. L'an .M.CCC. soissante wit 374. puissant 377. 391.

reçut 378. conçut 379. richement 393. changans

lam. 385. 394. riches

20

y ot

celles

368. 375. 390.

362.

D'onnour le conte friches

Musicians were there who knew how to pipe very well and who knew all the latest pieces and dances.* And as soon as they stopped beating the dance rhythms,* the men and women who had been amusing themselves by dancing almost immediately began to hold hands and dance in a circle. That reminded me of something that once happened in Savoy at the court of a count who is well worth mentioning because he is so noble and virtuous and eager and ready to act honorably. Everybody sees him this way. In thirteen-hundred sixty-eight it happened that Prince Lionel, one of the sons of King Edward III of England, was passing through the count's realm with great pamp.* And the count I've just named, who is called--or rather was called--Amédée, * received Lionel with great honor. Whoever organized the household, as well as the array and mode of the court, which was in full splendor, did a good job arranging the dinners, the settings, the tables brought out and set up, the wines, the meats and the courses. The festivities lasted three days.* There were also dances and circle jigs for which I composed lyrics for one could see at least 120 ladies and maidens, all young and beautiful, ; daughters of knights and ladies, the most gracious ladies of the land, very lavishly and beautifully dressed, and very nobly and richly adorned in silken robes of various kinds* (I cannot imagine any more luxurious!);

PAL

355

360

365

370

SwAS

380

385

390

Drut perlees et orfrisies, Dont le mieuls estoient prisies, Y peuist on adont veoir. Cure n'avoient de seoir, Mes de danser a l'estrivee. Toute joie y ert arivee. Et quant li menestrel cessoient, Les dames pas ne se lassoient, Ains caroloient main a main Tout le soir jusqu'a l'endemain. Et quant chanté li une avoit Un virelay, on ne savoit Encores s'il avoit fin pris, Quant uns aultres estoit repris Ou de dame ou de damoiselle. Mainte canchon bonne et nouvelle On y chanta et respondi. A celle fin je le vous di: A la feste ossi ou j'estoie, Quant avoec celles m'esbatoie Et chiauls de qui la compagnie Estoit moult bien acompagnie, L'une apriés l'autre sans detri Chantoient sicom par estri; La

fu mon

virelay

ens

ou coer

400

405

[65c]

415

cantés

Et moult volentiers escoutés. Mes a painnes peut il fin prendre, Quant ma dame en volt un reprendre Qu'onques mes je n'avoie oi. Mes noient ne me resjoi, Ains me fist merancoliier; Pour ce ne le puis oubliier; Bien le retins, mieuls le notai, Encor

395

le note

420

425

ai:

Virelay Je ne sui onques si lie* Ne de coer si envoisie Que quant je voi fort penser Celi qui d'amer me prie,

430

A‘ 432. Cheli B 395. offrisies 401. les menestrelz 410. changon 415. ceuls 417. L'une apré 419. chantés 421. pot 432. Celui 428. lan. 427. retinc

22

the finest were decorated with rare pearls and embroidered with gold. These ladies had no interest in sitting down, but rather desired only to dance. Every delight was found there. And when the musicians stopped for the night, the ladies did not leave off, but kept dancing in a circle, hand in hand, all night until the next morning. And whenever one of them sang a virelai, even before you knew she had finished, a different lady or maiden would take up another song. Many good and new songs were sung and recited that night. In fact I'm telling you this precisely because while I was at the festivities I've mentioned, amusing myself with the ladies and others whose company was very welcome, and where the people kept singing songs at will one after the other, they sang my virelai and listened to it very eagerly. But hardly had it come to an end when my lady wished to take up another song that I had never heard. I could take no joy in it, however, and it in fact depressed me, and for that reason I cannot forget it. I remembered it so well that I recorded it perfectly and still retain it deep in my heart:

395

400

405

410

415

420

425

Virelai I am never so happy nor so joyous of heart as when I see him who begs me my love deep in thought

430 for

23

Car toute merancolie Li affiert bien a porter.* As aucuns grieve si fort Que c'est droite amere mort, Mes vraiement Chils y prent joie et deport, Tout deduit et tout confort. Vechi coument: A seul* et a campagnie Voelt toutdis, quoi qu'on li die, Par droit usage muser, Et pour ce ne lait il mie A mener joieuse vie, Dont, au voir considerer, Je ne sui etc.

Et quant penser le remort, Par plaisance il s'i endort Si longement Qu'on li feroit painne et tort, Qui li torroit le ressort

435

440

[65d]

445

450

De pensement.

Car en pensant il s'oublie Et deduit et esbanie. Et se ne sont si penser Aresté sus nulle envie, Mes en toute reverie, Qui me fait dire et chanter: Je ne sui etc.

455

460

Tout chil et chelles qui oirent Che virelay s'en resjoirent, Et fu moult grandement prisiés. Mes je voel que vous escripsiés: Onques ne me peut resjoir. Si fis je samblant de l'oiïr Volentiers, et c'estoit raisons, Car la n'estoit tamps ne saisons De merancolie moustrer.

465

A 443. juner 469. monstrer A" 440. comment B 433. melancolie 435. Aux 437. Me v. 440. Veci camment 445. joiouse 461. cil et celles 462. Ce 464. voeil 465. pot 469. melancolie monstrer B" 433 melancolie 435. Aux 440. Veci comment 445. joiouse

24

because he must every sadness.

endure

For some it is so cruel that it leads to bitter death, though in truth he takes joy and amusement in it, as well as much delight and consolation. Here's how: alone or in a group he always wishes, regardless of what one says to him, to stand apart and sigh, and for this reason he hardly stops to lead a joyous life. Thus, considering matters truly, I am never so happy, etc. And when thought torments him he falls asleep in delight for so long that one would do him wrong and even injury who deprived him of recourse to his meditation. For while deep in thought he forgets himself and has delight and enjoys himself. And then thoughts are not . locked on some obsession, but in pure daydreaming that makes me say and sing: I am never so happy, etc.

All the men and women who heard this virelai took great delight in it, and it was highly prized. But I want you to note this: I could never enjoy it, though I pretended to hear it willingly, and this was the right thing to do since that wasn't the proper time or place to show sadness.

25

435

440

445

450

455

460

465

La feste se prist a outrer Quant on eut assés esbatu, Et je qui le coer euch batu De grans pensers fors et divers

(Car je m'estoie a che ahers Qui me tourmentoit grandement), Me parti d'iluec erranment. Mes au partir jettai mes ieux Deviers ma dame, ensi com chieux Qui fui en grant merancolie De la canchon que j'euch oie. Au plus quoiement que je peus M'en vinch en un requoi tous seus, Car n'est pas bon que cascuns sace Les grans anois qu'a soi on sace Quant le mains on s'en donne garde. A l'environ de moi regarde; Vis me fu que je n'i vi ame, Homme, damoiselle ne fare, Dont pour euwireus me clamai. En une cambre m'enfremai, Puis m'en ving a une fenestre Ou moult gratieus faisoit estre, Car grans jardins et biaus vignobles Servent au lieu, qui est moult nobles. La m'apoiai, en augmentant Mon soussi et en lamentant: "Ha, Amours," di je, "ai je mesfet Le mal que ma dame me fet, Que tous jours ai servi a painne? Et elle, ce m'est vis, ne painne Que de moi envoiier pensees Qui ne me sont pas tost passees. Et par especial orains, Comment que je le serve et ains, Li oi par tres grant revel Chanter un virelay nouvel.

470

[66a] 475

480

485

490

495

500

[66b]

Bien le glosai, mieuls l'entendi: Elle paia seck et rendi A celi qui pour l'amour d'elle A 471. ont eut 479. Qui ce 476. illeuc erramment Qui fui eng. melancolie

fu B 471. on ot 472. 474. a 478. Devers ma d. e. c. cieuls 479. 480. chançon q. j'oc 482. vinc en un r. t. seuls 487. ne vi 489. eüreus 490. chambre 491. vinc 492. gracious 493. gardins et beaus 409. apainne 500. Et

celle

26

The festivities began to draw to a close Since everyone had had enough of them, and I who had a heart battered by intense and fluctuating thoughts (for I had committed myself to painful tribulation), I left that place at once. But as I left I cast my eyes toward my lady like one who was filled with grief because of the song I had heard. As discretely as I could I withdrew to a secluded spot all alone, for it is not good for everyone to know about the great afflictions which plague a person when he least expects it. I looked around the place; it seemed to me that I didn't see a soul-neither man, maiden, nor woman-for which I considered myself lucky. I closed myself in a chamber, then went to a window where it was very pleasant to be since a large garden and lovely vineyard are part of those noble grounds. I leaned against the window frame there and aired my cares, lamenting:

"Ah,

Love,"

I said,

“have

475

480

485

490

495

I deserved

the ill my lady does me, I who have always served her in pain? And it seems to me the only effort she makes is to cause me concern

which won't

470

500

leave me afterward.

For example, just a few minutes ago, despite the fact that I love and serve her, I heard her sing with great gusto a new virelai. I interpreted it well and understood it even better: she did this to remmerate and in recompense for a poem another man had camposed

2a)

505

Fu fes et q'une damoiselle Eut chanté. Trop fort me reprens, Quant pour s'amour ensi m'esprens. Lors est elle, ce dist, moult lie Quant je sui en merancolie, Et qu'elle me feroit grant tort Se j'avoie grasce ou confort. Ce sont parolles pour morir! Comment les puet uns coers oir, Qui est atains de tele ardure Com je sui, si aspre et si dure? En grant solas fust ajournee Pour moi la feste et la journee, S'elle n'euïst tout ce canté Qui m'a si fort destalenté. Je ne m'outrecuide ne vante, Mes je jur, se jamés je cante Ou je fai virelay nouvel, Soit par courous ou par revel, J'en ferai et chanterai un Si entendable et si commm Qu'elle pora bien percevoir Se c'est a faute ou s'est a voir Que merancolie me touce." Adont cloy un peu le bouce. Je n'osai parler plus avant, Car aultres sens me vint devant, Qui me fist taire et arester. Diex li mire,* il me vint oster De la grande merancolie Qui m'estoit ens ou coer liie, Car, en avisant, me repris Et di: "Ne sai qui m'a espris, Mes grans folours me fait debatre. Se ma dame se voelt esbatre, Quant tamps et lieus est, au chanter, M'en doi je pour ce tourmenter? Par foi, nennil. Ains me doit plaire Tout ce qu'elle voelt dire et faire. Et se j'estoie ailleurs ahers,* Je feroie tout au revers,

510

S15

520

525

530

535 [66c]

540

545

550

B 511. Ot ch. 512. l'amour d'elle m'esprens 514. melancolie 518. poet un coer 519. tel 523. chanté 526. chante 533. melancolie me touche 534. la b. 539. melancolie 543. grant folour 549. aillours

28

for love of her and which a young maiden had sung. I take this very personally since I burn this way with love for her. She says, after all, that she is very happy when I am sad and that she would do me a great disservice if she ceded to me or consoled me. These are words that can kill! How can a heart like mine, which is struck with such ardor, hear such harsh and cruel words? Both the day and the soirée would have ended very nicely for me had she not sung all those words which discouraged me so. I don't mean to be presumptuous or boast, but I swear that if I ever sing or make a new virelai, either out of anger or happiness, I will compose and then perform one which is so plain and easy to understand that she will be able to perceive clearly whether it is true or false that sadness afflicts me." Then I closed my mouth for a while. I dared not say anything more because a different feeling came over me which made me fall silent and stop. God be praised,* it came to succor me from the great sadness that was there in my happy heart, and, thinking about it, I blamed myself and said: "I don't know what took hold of me. My great foolishness makes me rail. If my lady wants to amuse herself singing when she has the time and occasion, should I torment myself on that account? Certainly not! On the contrary, everything she wants to say and do should delight me. And if I were devoted to another* I would do just the opposite,

219

510

SES

520

525

530

255

540

545

550

Car coers qui aimme loyaument Doit servir especiaument Sa dame, doubter et cremir. Et ossi, quant tout bien remir, L'estat, le fet et le parolle Dont je me demente et parolle, Puet estre que li virelés Qui fu chantés a plains eslés Ne fu pour moi ne fes ne dis. La en y avoit plus de dis Qui estoient ossi propisce A Amours,

sans

fraude

et

sans

seis

560

visce,

Com je sui, et trop plus cent fois. Pour ce me voel taire tous quois Et souffrir, car, au dire voir, Ma dame scet bien percevoir Que li pensers me plest souvent, Soie en enclostre* ou en couvent, Trop plus que ne fait li esbatre; Ne li voel noiier ne debatre." Tout ensi com je devisoie, En devisant je m'avisoie Que je prenderoie un avis Bon et seür, ce m'estoit vis, Car je me vorroie introduire Au solacier et au deduire Et metteroie en non caloir Tout ce qui riens ne puet valoir-Merancolies et soussis. La m'arestai .V. mois ou sis Et fui jolis et esbatans, Liés, envoisiés et embatans En tous deduis, en tous depors, En toutes places, ens et hors, Ou je pooie avoir raison D'estre et d'aler pour le saison. Especiaument, je queroie Cause et compagnie aqueroie De moi embatre et repairier Ou je me pooie apairier Avoec ma dame et avoec celles, Fuissent ou dames ou pucelles,

565

[66d] 570

575

580

585

590

B 551. coer q. aime 555. la p. 557. virelais 558. Qu'elle chanta a p. eslais 564. voeil 567. le penser 568. encloistre 569. q. ne me fait l'esbatre 570. segur 575. vodroie 579. Melancolies 586. las.

30

for a heart that loves loyally should above all serve, revere and fear its lady. And also, when I consider everything carefully-the situation, what happened and what was said in the episode I've been lamenting and speaking of--I see that it could be that the virelai which was sung aloud was not camposed or rehearsed with me in mind. There were more than ten people there who were just as likely candidates for Love as I am, and that's no exaggeration; a hundred times more likely, in fact. For that reason I wish to keep calm and quiet and suffer, because to tell the truth my lady is adept at noticing that meditative thought often delights me, whether in solitude or in the campany of others,* much more than courtly amusements-I won't deny or argue with that." While speaking in this way, my thoughts led me to decide that I would accept what I considered to be wise and sure advice because I would like to join in the courtly amusements ‘and games and not give any attention to matters that have no real importance-namely sadness and suffering. I stayed like that for five or six months and I was merry and amusing, happy, delighted and cheerful. I partook of all amusements and pastimes indoors, outdoors and everywhere, wherever I could reasonably go given the time of year. ‘In particular I sought pretexts and looked for companions that might introduce me into situations where I might encounter my lady with her friends, whether married ladies or maidens,

sal

555

560

565

570

sifhs

580

585

590

De quoy l'avancement euisse. Et s'une feste je seuisse,

Lonch ou priés,

fust tournois

ou jouste,

595

N'i ressongnoie frait ne couste, Ains m'i trouvoie des premiers. Car bien doit estre coustumiers Homs qui aimme ou qui voelt amer

Que son nom face reclamer En lieus et en pays divers. Aultrement

Car De Non De

il use

au

600 [67a]

revers,

riens n'est deseure le nom loenge et de bon renom. que par voie je le di vantise, ains m'en escondi.

605

Je ne le di fors par exemple, Ensi qu'offrande est mise au temple. A toutes et a tous demant Se vous cuidiés que li amant Aient pour noient che qu'il ont, Et de la joie dont il sont Resjoi--non pas si souvent Qu'il vorroient, ch'ai je en couvent-Leur viengne des chieux comme maune? Nennil! Il n'en ont poch a aune* Qu'il ne l'achatent bien et chier, Trop plus qu'au fer et al achier, Car il en ont des grans anuis, Des durs jours et des povres nuis, Des perils, des souspirs, des plaintes, Des merancolies tamaintes De pensees, de grans assaus, Tant qu'il n'est lettres ne consaus Ne avis ne science d'anme Qui valoir y puist une pomme, Fors seulement li aventure. Tout ensi comme on s'aventure

610

615

620

625

En le mer ou on puet nagier, Ou on se met en grant dangier, Car entre le vie et le mort N'i a q'ume asselle de bort, Ensi en amours. Vechi prueve:

630

[67b]

B 595. Lonc ou pres 599. aime 609. demans 610. les amans 611. ce 614. vodroient c'ai je 615. Lor viegne des ciels c. manne 616. poc a anne 617. il nel 618. al acier 624. Tant

qu'i

n'est

633.

Veci

lettre

628.

e.

cam

SP?

629.

lam.

632.

aisselle

by which I might advance my cause. And if I heard of a party, whether nearby or far away, whether a tournament or a joust, not only did I spare neither money nor costs, but I was in fact among the first to go. This is precisely what a man who is in love or who wants to love should in fact do: make his name known in various places and different lands. Otherwise he's doing things backwards, for nothing is more important than a name which is praised and well-known. Not that I say this to boast, far from it. I say this only as an example, like a person bringing an offering to temple. I ask all men and women whether you believe that lovers have what they have for nothing; and do you think that the rapture they enjoy--not as often as they would like, I'll grant-comes to them like manna from heaven? Hardly! Every inch or yard* of progress must be bought dearly, and at a price higher than that of iron or steel. For from love they have great agony, rough days and wretched nights, dangers, sighs, laments and much suffering both mental and physical, and so true it is that mankind has no teachings or counsel, no advice or field of study which has any effect in this matter, except experience alone. Just as one takes one's chances _on the sea where one sets sail and is put in great danger (because between life and death there is but the plank of the ship's side), so is it also in love. Here is proof:

a3

595

600

605

610

615

620

625

630

Chierement l'achate qui rueve. Moult de pensees et d'avis Prent uns amans qui est ravis En amer bien et loyaument. Je le sçai especiaument Par moi. N'ai cure qu'on me die De quel pris est la maladie: S'elle est grevable, je m'en tes, Et s'elle est bonne, c'est grans pes. Or congnoi je assés son afaire, Car j'en ai eli moult a faire; Je m'en lo. Non que je le blame (Diex me deffende de tel blame) Ne que je soie ja trouvés Si rudes ne si fols prouvés Que je recorde ne recite Contre celi nul opposite, Qui

est mon

signeur

et mon

635

640

645

650

pestre,

Mon dieu mondain et mon chier mestre, Dont toute ma joie me vient. Encores trop bien me souvient Que quant je sui partis d'icelle Pour qui sens l'ardant estincelle, Merancolieus et pensieus, Contre terre clinans mes ieus, Je n'euïsse ja si tost pris Confort qui vaille ne de pris,

655

660

S'Amours euist dit: "Je t'oubli." Mais il m'envoia un oubli* Ou puis me sui moult deportés Et solaciés, car il fu tels Que grandement me deporta. Unes lettres on m'aporta En ceste meisme saison Que je me tenoie en maison. Droit a l'eure d'un matinet Que j'entroie en un gardinet

[67c]

670

A 667. Ens c. B 636. un amant 643. cognoi 646. blasme 650. celui seignour Co Clo Ths EU je 656. senc lardans Melancolieus 660. de vaille

34

658. 657.

he who asks for love buys it at a high price. A lover who has been carried off by noble and loyal love pensive thoughts and cares. I know this above all through my own experience. I have no wish to hear how worthy this sickness is: if it is painful I keep quiet, and if it is pleasurable it gives great satisfaction. Now, I know its nature pretty well, because I've had much to do with it. I'm proud of this. Not that I blame Love (God shield me from such a charge!). Nor do I want people to think me so backward and foolish that I record or recite anything in opposition to him who is my lord and my shepherd, my worldly god and beloved teacher and the source of all my joy. Yet I remember all too well that when I left the lady for whom I feel this burning spark, sad and pensive as I was and with my head bowed toward the earth, I would not have had any speedy or effective consolation if Love had told me: "I've forgotten you." Instead he sent me the means to forget* whereby I was able to be cheered and comforted, for it happened that I had a grand time. A letter was brought to me during that same period when I was at home. Right at daybreak when I was entering a little garden

635

has many

Sy

640

645

650

655

660

665

670

Pour moi un petit deporter, Les lettres me vint aporter Chils qui me dist: "Sire, or lisiés Et as presentes rescripsiés, Car on vous en prie et requiert." Ne li demandai s'el il quiert, A qui il fu, ne dont issi. Les lettres pris et les lisi Tout quoiement de cief en quor. Moult y pensai et pense encor Qui le mes pooit envoiier. Je ne m'i savoie avoiier, Car chils qui escripsi le lettre Oublia, ou ne l'i volt mettre, Le nom, fors tant je vi en prose: "Le tout vostre grant ami Rose." Adont dou signet m'avisai; En regardant moult y visai, Car je n'i vi, c'est vraie cose, Empriente q'une seule rose. Lors dis ensi: quant je m'avise, Une rose pour se devise Porte chils, et, pour l'amour d'elle, Presentement Rose il s'appelle. Se Diex m'aÿt, le nom se nomme De tres gai et d'amoureus homme.

675

680

[67d] 685

690

695

Pour ce vorrai m'entente mettre De lire et rescrire a la lettre. Mes anchois que riens je rescripse,

Voel (1)

5

qu'on voie

la sienne

et lise:

700

Tres chiers et grans amis, voelliés savoir que ja de lons tamps m'est venu a congnissance par personnes dignes et vaillables de croire et qui assés congnoissent les meurs et conditions de vous, li quel sont bel et bon et agreable et moult me plaisent, car il s'acordent assés as miens. Pour ce vous escrips fiablement, cam chils qui moult desire a acquerre l'amour et campagnie de vous et

B 673. Cils 674. aux p. 679. chief en cor 683. cils q. e. 689. chose 692. sad. 693. cils 697. vodrai 699. ançois point je 700. Voeil (Letter 1) A 5. car ils Bl. voeilliés s. q. ja de lonc temps m. v. a cognissance 3. cognoissent les mours quels s. b. et bons 5. agreables et m. me p. c. il s. 6. miens. P. ce. v. e. f. com cils 7. desire moult

36

4. a.

la q.

2. les aux

to dally a little, a fellow brought me a letter and said to me: "Sir, read this and respond in writing, as is my master's request." I didn't ask him if he wanted anything else, whom he served or whence he came. I took the letter and read it very carefully from beginning to end. I wondered then and it still surprises me now who might have sent it to me. Nor could I get an idea who it was for he who had written the letter forgot or didn't wish to put his name, except for what I saw in prose: "from your very devoted friend Rose." Then I glanced at the seal, and I stared at it, examining it closely, because all I saw--this is the truth-was the image of a solitary rose. I said to myself: I see very well this fellow carries a rose as his sign, and, for love of that sign, he thereby calls himself Rose. So help me God, this is the name of a merry man in love. For this reason I would like to set my will to reading and responding to the letter. But before I write anything I would like his letter to be seen and read: (i)

5

675

680

685

690

695

700

My very dear and great friend, please be advised that for some time now I have heard reports of you from people who are noble and trustworthy and who are quite familiar with your situation which is a nice and fitting one and perfectly suited to me because it somewhat resembles my own. For this reason I am writing you confidentially, since I very much would like to know you and have both

SH,

25

consel d'une tres grief maladie que ma tres souverainne dame et Amours me font a present souffrir et porter; car en la discretion de vous et de vostre avis sont pluiseurs ymaginations propisces pour ent respondre et consellier, fet. Et pour ce que le mieuls consilliés se mestier soie de ce que je sens, je vous entamer en voel la matere. pri que vous Si vous y voelliés entendre. Chiers amis, il me samble, et voirs est, que j'ai ceste maladie concheiite par penser sougneusement a ma dame, ossi par sa regarder et volentiers douce liement phizonamie et la belle et plaisans maniere de li, dont tout le prisent. Or sui je en dur parti, car je regarde que pluiseur ossi propisce et digne d'encheïr en la plaisance de li, com je sui, y tirent; de quoi la doubte de li perdre [68 r°] me met en grant esmai. Se ne li ose je dire comment, pour s'amour, je sui destrains et menés, car je doubte tant a estre escondis et refusés que, s'il avenoit que je le fuisse, lors seroi je par ocis. Dont,

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pour avoir et vous pri le porteur maintenir, consaus me

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le consel de vous, je vous escrips fiablement chierement que vous me voelliés rescrire, par des presentes, camment je me doie en cel estat fiance que vostres j'ai moult car grant vaurra. Et, se Diex m'aÿt, en tels afaires et

en moult d'autres je sui rudes et ignorans et tous a aprendre: se n'i euisse que faire de penser; mais li grans biens qui est en ma dame m'i fait entendre. Car tout ensi com la rose est souverainne sur toutes flours, elle est tant qu'a moi souverainne sur toutes, et pour s'amour je porte une rose pour ma devise, camment que je n'aie mie bien matere dou faire. Mais mon coer, qui se delite en pensant a li, le m'a fait aherdre. Et me samble proprement que je soie uns secons Alixandres, dignes et tailliés de conquerre tout le monde par men emprise. Chiers amis, a fin que vostre affection soit plus encline a ma plaisance, en avant je ne vous voel riens celer, mais tous mes secrés amoureus segnefiier et escrire par lettres seelees desous ce signet. Et se mon

A 8. griefs B 8. conseil 10. pluisours 11. imaginations p. p. e. r. et conseillier 12. conseilliés 13. je senc je v. en voeil 14. voeilliés 16. conceiite p. p. songneusement 18. plaisant 20. pluisour ossi 21. t. pour coi 24. se il 25. par occis 26. conseil 27. voeilliés 28. comment en cel estat

je me doie 29. vostre 30. conseil me vaudra 31. sui moult rudes 32. p. mes le 33. grant bien 34. sus toutes 35. elle est reversed t. q. m. s. sus 37. mies b. 42. voeil

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your friendship and advice regarding a very serious problem that the lady I love and the God of Love are making me suffer and bear at present; for your insight and your acumen may be able to provide same innovative ways of responding to the situation, as the case may be. In order to be advised as well as possible about what I am feeling, I want to take up this matter with you. I beg you to give me a hearing. My dear friend, it seems to me, and it is the case, that I have fallen sick from dwelling on my lady a great deal in my thoughts, as well as from looking happily and willingly at her dainty form and because of her delightful and pleasing manner for which everyone thinks highly of her. Now I am ina difficult Situation for I see that a number of others equally fitting and worthy of becoming infatuated with her, just as I have, also tend in that direction, for which the fear of losing her has put me in disarray. I dare not tell her the trials and tribulations I suffer for her love because I fear so much refusal or rejection; if that happened, then I would be dead. Thus I am writing you confidentially for your advice, and I beg you dearly to please write back to me by means of the carrier of this present letter, and tell me how I should conduct myself in this matter, because I have great confidence that your advice will help. And, God help me, in such matters and in many others I am very boorish and untutored and still have everything to learn. If only I just had to think about that. But the great good which is in my lady pushes me to action. For just as the rose is sovereign among flowers, so, to my mind, she is superior to all wamen, and for love of her I carry a rose as my emblem, although I hardly have the right to. But my heart, which is full of joy when I think of her, has bound me to her. Indeed I sometimes think I am a second Alexander, ready and worthy to conquer everyone and everything through sheer energy. My dear friend, in the hopes of convincing you to do this for me, I henceforth don't want to hide anything

from you, but rather will conmunicate and write all my secrets regarding love in letters sealed with this sign. Therefore, if my identity is hidden and sent in the

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et sus fourme de envoiiés nom vous est couvertement devise, je vous pri, chiers amis, qu'il vous souffisse. Car je l'ai fait a present et ferai en avant pour eschiever le peril et l'aventure des lettres, espoir, que je vous envoierai par pluiseurs messagiers. Car se celles estoient perdues et mon nom avoec ma devise ens cogneüs, il me tourroit a grant contraire. Si vous pri que, pour l'amour de moi, vous voelliés prendre une devise, par la quele je vous recongnoisse, et liement rescrire par deviers moi lettres et epitles com a vostre desciple apparilliet a che que vous vorriés. Che scet li Sains Esperis qui vous ait en garde.* Escript etc.

Je n'i voel riens oster ne mettre; Plus n'avoit escript en la lettre, Fors desous, en sus de le prose: "Le tout vostre grant ami Rose," Et une balade petite, Qui assés bien estoit escripte. Je le lisi sans plus d'atente Et grandement y mis m'entente Pour ce qu'elle assés s'arestoit Sus la matere qui m'estoit, Selonch mon fet,* vive et propisce, Sans empecement et sans visce.

705

710

Balade

Je n'ai ne trieuwes ne respit,* Ne venir je ne puis a pes, Ains me tiennent en grant despit Chil a cui je m'estoie tres Pour mes regrés Dire et monstrer. Or m'est li tors D'iaus donnés, mes je sueffre et tes, Car mieuls vault bataille que mors.

119

[68c]

B 48. esquiever 49. pluisours 50. devise dedens c. §26 voeilliés 54. devers m. 1. et epistles com a v. disciple 55. appareillé a ce q. v. vodriés Ce s. le Saint 56. Esperit 701. voeil 703. dessous ensus de la 706. Q. estoit assés bien 711. Selonc escrite A‘ 716. C. vers qui 719. soeffre B713. triewes 716. Cila qui 719. D'euls d. m. je soeffre B' 713. triewes 716. Cil vers qui 719. D'euls d. m. je soeffre

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form of an emblem, I pray you let that suffice. For I have done this at present and I will do it in the future in order to diminish, I hope, the peril and risk involved in writing the letters which I will be sending by several messengers. For if the letters were to get lost, and my name with my emblem become known, it could cause me serious problems. I therefore pray you that for love of me, you agree to take up a pseudonym by which I will know you and to write me back willingly whatever letters and missives you wish as you would to a willing and eager student of yours. May the Holy Spirit watch over you.* Written, etc.

I don't want to remove or add anything: he had written nothing more in this letter except what he had put just beneath the block

"From your very devoted friend Rose," and a little ballade which was rather well written. I read it without delay and gave it my undivided attention because it pertained in large part to a subject which was, in my opinion,* lively and timely, and neither forced nor flawed.

of prose:

705

710

Ballade I have neither truce nor relief, can I make peace, and they thus hold me in great disdain, those to whom, to my regret, I was drawn to speak and reveal my feelings. Now I bear their ill, but I suffer and keep quiet, for battle is better than death.

nor

41

thls

720

Dangier,* Refus et Escondit, Honte et Paour par mos exprés Me sont contraire et ennemit En dis, en oevres et en fes. Las! si grans fes, Comment le portera li corps? Et non pour quant je m'i voi pres, Car mieuls vault bataille que mors.

725

Ançois qu'il m'aient desconfit, Ma dame, a cui me rens soubjés, Et Bonne Amour, qui tout confit, Aront pité de mes mesfés, Et se jamés

730

[68d]

Ne m'estoit envoiiés confors, Si voel je estre jolis et ges, Car mieuls vault bataille que mors.

Plus

735

La balade, et la lettre ossi, de trois fois je le lisi

Et quant j'en fui bien enfourmés, Je n'i ai gaires mis ne mes, Je pris

dou papier

Et tous Jusques

quois m'arestai al ancre, a tant que j'ai escript

Ensi

com vous

ves

et del

740

encre

en escript:

(2)

Chiers et grans amis, j'ai recheü de par vous unes lettres qui moult me donnent a penser pour tant que vous me tenés a vostre compagnon et appellés a vostre consel et adjoustés avoec vos joieuses et amoureuses aventures; et me nommés sage et discré et digne de ce valoir et faire; c'est moult pour moi. Non, vostre honneur salve et chiauls qui de moi tant de biens dient et recordent, que je le vaille, car je sui tous a parfaire et a aprendre, fors tant q'uns ignorans poet alefois dire tel parole

10

qui est entendue en milleur maniere qu'il ne le vaille; ce ne fait mie li biens de li, mais des escoutans. Dont, se j'ai dit ne mis hors par aucun langage diversement prononciet aucuns parlers qui soient entendu sus bonne

A' 727. g'i sui tous pres 729. Anchois 730. B' 727. g'i sui tous pres Car mieuls etc. A 741. delencre 742. alancre (Letter 2) B 1. receü 3. conseil 4. ceuls q. 9. a la fois 10. millour pronuncié

42

me rench

B 728.

joiouses 6. honnour 11. f. pas le bien

7. 13.

Haughtiness,* Refusal, and Rejection, also Shame and Fear in particular are against me and antagonistic in words, in deeds and in acts. Alas! How will the body bear such a heavy load? Nonetheless I see myself ready to do that, for battle is better than death. Before they have done me in, my lady to whom I am subject and Good Love who arranges everything will have pity on my wretched condition,

25

730

and if I am never

still for

more

sent

I wish

battle

consolation,

to be merry

is better

than

I read the ballade, than three times,

and glad,

and

also

and when I was familiar with them I didn't delay at all but took paper and ink, and like a ship at anchor I stayed put until I had written just what you see in writing here:

(2)

10

HAS

death. the

letter,

740

My dear and devoted friend, I received from you a letter which certainly gives me pause especially since you consider me a close friend of yours and ask me to counsel you, even telling me of your erotic and amorous intrigues; and you call me wise and prudent and worthy of carrying this out. This is a lot to ask of me. Despite the good things you and others say and write about me, I am hardly up to the task since I have as yet scarcely learned to do anything, and am capable only of saying things any ignorant fellow might say and which are then perceived as being of greater import than they in fact are. Such a result, however, is due to the merit not of the speaker but of the listeners. If I have thus spoken

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fourme, Diex en soit loés, car la grasce vient de li, non Et se vostre plaisance s'encline a present a moi de moi. tenir tel que Diex doinst que je deviegne, ce ne vous puis je brisier ne tollir, ne volenté n'ai dou faire, mettre et mais et sentement tout entendement mon emploiier en vostre service; non que je sace qui vous soiiés ne nulle enqueste n'en ai fet ne ne voel faire, car mie n'apertient a moi. Ains sui moult liés quant sus condition secrete vous me segnefiiés et segnefierés d'or en avant de vostre estat et par especial celi dont je desir a oir et non de nul aultre; si seroie moult rudes et a reprendre se le mien vous celoie. Et puis que le vostre vous m'avés entamé et de celi me requerés consel a avoir, je vous consellerai a mon pooir. Chiers et grans amis, li mal d'amours sont de pluiseurs conditions et [69 r°] li estat de diverses manieres en et souvent scevent le plus li mains apris, car d'euls meismes il se consellent. J'entens ensi selonc la teneur de vostres lettres que vous estes atains et enamourés de vostre dame par le sougneusement et volentiers regarder. Je le croi bien, car com plus est on priés dou feu, mieuls se caufe qui sont bel et et si maintien, on. Ossi si regart plaisant et bien enmanieret, vous y enclinent et c'est raisons, car ces virtus font moult a recommender en dame. Si vous conselle que vous soiiés secrés, discrés et gais, jolis et renvoisiés pour l'amour de li et acquerés de tous et de toutes loenge et bon renom, et especiaument de chiaus et de celles qui entours vostre dame repairent, et et selonc estavoir larges et courtois soiiés vostre alefois un petit hardis d'embatre et de parler. Car entre atemprance et discretion couvient bien avoir hardement et est de necessité qu'on l'ait. Or m'avés vous escript et ensi segnefiiet par vos lettres que vous n'osés parler a li et veriés volentiers que elle conchuist de li meismes vostre afaire; ce ne doit ne puet estre et est uns grans perils en vostre besongne, car toutes dames de leur nature sont enclines a signourie et sont moult lies quant

A 16. tels 47. ¢. de lui m: B 14. vi de lui 20. voeil £. 21. c. mies 26. conseil 27. conseillerai am. p. C. sires et grans 28. les maulz d. s. de pluisours 29. les estas 31. conseillent J'entenc e. s. la. t. de vos 32. atains lacking 33. songneusement 34. pres dou fu m. se chauffe 35. Aussi ses regards et ses maintiens q. s. beaus 36. plaisans et b. emmanierés 37. vertus 38. conseille q. v. s. s. discrés et g. 39. envoisiés 41. ceuls et celles q. entour 43. a la fois 47. conguist de li 48. un grant 49. peril 50. seignourie 44

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or in the process of speaking said same things which have been taken well, I thank God for it, for the grace comes from him, not fromme. And if you are currently inclined to consider me such as God permits me to be, I can neither dissuade nor prevent you from this, nor would I wish to do so, but will instead put and employ all my effort and feeling into serving you; not that I know who you are nor have I made any inquiries along that line, nor do I wish to because it is hardly my business. I am thus very delighted that you have made and henceforth will make known to me in a covert manner what your Situation is, especially regarding the subject about which I wish to hear above all. I would certainly be remiss and gauche if I hid my own situation fram you. And since you have brought up the subject of your predicament and asked me for advice about it, I will advise you as best I can. My dear, devoted friend, the maladies of love are of several types and the situation can be of several kinds, and often the least schooled people know the most about it, for their advice is bom of their own experience. I understand from the tone of your letter that you are smitten and are in love with your lady on account of having thoughtfully and willingly looked upon her. I certainly believe this, because the nearer you are to the fire, the warmer you get. Also, her glances and her conduct which are noble and honorable in character lead you to love her, which is just as it should be because these virtues are to be highly recommended ina lady. Thus I advise you to be discrete, prudent, and cheerful; be merry and good-humored for love of her and strive to earn praise and a good reputation among all men and women, and above all among the men and women who frequent your lady; and be generous and courteous and at times even a bit forward when necessary both in speaking and in actions. For along with moderation and prudence it is good and even necessary to have audacity. Now you have written me and made clear in your letter that you do not dare speak to her and you prefer to see if she notices your plight all on her own. That course of action should, and indeed must, be avoided as extremely detrimental to you since all women by their nature like to have power and are delighted when men beg. Also, many though not all women when they see a man is in

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on les prie. Et les pluiseurs et non pas toutes, quant elles voient .I. homme enamouret d'elles, ja soit ce que elles celi, se monsteront s'encline viers leur coers volentiers tout le contraire. Je ne di mie que la vostre dame ne la mienne soient de tele condition, car s'elles l'estoient, trop vous donroient et moi a souffrir. Mes pour vous oster de doubte et avancier santé, vostre faites que vostre dame sace briefment comment il vous est

de l'amour de li. Et se vous n'avés bien le hardement de li dire, si acquerés aucun moiien en qui, et de voir, vous aiiés grant fiance et chils ou celle li die vostre besongne, ou vous li envoiiés lettres bien amoureuses et faites ou entente, bien piteuses comprendans vostre alefois ou faites faire aucun virelay, rondel ou balade, si li donnés ou envoiiés, et moult vous avanceront. Chiers amis, tant qu'a ores je ne sçai bonnement plus qu'escrire. Je me recommande a vous com li tous vostres et vous pri que toutdis fiablement vous me voelliés escrire et segnefiier de vos besongnes et je y entenderai volentiers et liement, car che m'est grans deduis et Je vous escuse de ce que vostre recreation a y penser. nom vous ne mettés mie clerement et il me plest bien et campagnon chier ami et com a Rose mon je ensi, rescrirai fiablement. Si vous pri que vous m'aiiés pour je n'ai pris a vostre priiere une escusé de ce que devise, car je n'en sui mie pourvelis ne avisés; mes as secondes lettres je le serai. Et par cause d'amour et de compagnie, je vous envoie [69 ÿ] une balade que j'ai nouvel lement fet cam chils qui est apparilliés a che que vous vorriés. Che scet li Sains Esperis qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

Tout ensi com je vous devise, Sans mettre terme ne devise, Rescripsi je moult liement, Par bon et droit aliement,

745

À 65. si le 76. mes a B 51. pluisours 52. enamouré 53. coers soit vers 54. di pas 61. cils 62. amourouses 63. pitouses 64. a la fois ou f. f. a. v. rondiel 67. le tout vostre 68. pri fiablement que toutdis v. m. voeilliés 70. ce m. grant deduit 72. mies 76. sui pas p. ne a. mes aux 79. cils q. e. appareilliés a ce 80. vodriés Ce s. le Saint Esperit A 747. Rescripsise B 747. Rescrisi je 748. alliement

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US

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love with them, even if their heart already leans toward him, will gladly give just the opposite impression. I am not saying that either your lady or mine are of this bent, because if they were, they would make us suffer greatly. But to relieve your insecurity and promote your health, do samething so that your lady knows you are in love with her. And if you do not have the courage to tell her, then find someone in whom you have great confidence and have him or her tell your lady of your condition, or you can send her a love letter designed to gain her sympathy and in which you lay out your aspirations; or perhaps you should compose or have someone compose a virelai, rondeau, or ballade and then give or send it to her, and the poems will greatly advance your cause. My dear friend, as for now I really do not know what more to write. Let me assure you that I am entirely devoted to you, and I pray that you will write me with complete confidence and that you will canmunicate your needs to me, and I will eagerly and happily give attention to them because it is very pleasurable and entertaining to give thought to your situation. I pardon you for signing your name covertly and I rather like it that way and I will write back in complete confidence to you, my companion and dear friend Rose. I beg you to forgive me for not having taken an emblem as you requested, but I find myself at a loss and without inspiration; however, I will do it in my second letter. And out of friendship and campanionship, and as one who is ready to do your will, I am sending you a ballade that I recently composed. May the Holy Ghost watch over you. Written, etc.

Just as I have recounted it for you, adding neither name nor emblem I very gladly wrote back out of true and sincere comraderie

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745

Que d'or en avant voel tenir A Rose, qui voelt devenir Mon compagnon et mon secré. Certes je l'en sçai moult grant gré, Car il me donne grant confort. Je soloie penser plus fort Que je ne fai, car par sa vie, Ou ma plaisance est moult ravie, Sui de la mienne solaciés Et de tous anois hors saciés. Lors point de nom ne me donnai, Mais une balade ordonnai Selonc m matere et je di (Il le tesmongna puissedi) Que ceste balade servoit A tout ce qu'amours li pourvoit.

750

755

760

Balade

Se merancolie pooit* Reconforter un coer d'amant, Elle me reconforteroit, Car nuit et jour j'en porte tant Que,

en

seant

et

en

765

estant,

Je ne me truis onques lassés Pour merancoliier assés.

770

Et tant le fai qu'on s'en percoit Et qu'on m'en tient a ignorant, Mais je m’escuse, qui vorroit,* Car, voir, en merancoliant Je preng esbatement si grant Que pluiseurs fois me sui emblés Pour merancoliier assés. C'est sus ma dame qui bien voit Com je languis en li servant Et nul remede n'i pourvoit Ne je n'en voi nul apparant.

[69d] whaks:

780

A768. j'emporte 771. Dem. A' 771. Dem. 772. perchoit 777. Q. souvent me s. asseulés 780. en lui B 758. sachiés 765. melancolie 774. vodroit 775. melancoliant 777. pluisours 778. melancoliier 780. en lui B' 765. melancolie 774. vodroit 775. melancoliant 777. Q. souvent me s. asseulés 780. en li 778. melancoliier

48

that henceforth I wish to show Rose, who wants to become an intimate and close friend. I am certainly thankful to him for it, for he gives me great consolation. I was accustomed to think more gloomily than I do, because by his life in which I find such delight I am comforted in my own and my own troubles are assuaged. At the time I did not yet adopt a name but instead set out a ballade drawn

from my

own

experience,

(and he subsequently

and

I would

750

195

760 say

discovered) useful

that this ballade was quite for matters of his heart. Ballade

If melancholy could comfort a lover's heart, it would comfort me, because night and day I suffer so much that, whether seated or standing, I never find myself worn out from having lamented my situation very much. And I do it so much that it gets attention and people take me for foolish, but I will pardon myself, if you will,* because, to tell the truth, in my sadness I have such great enjoyment that often I feel a kind of ecstasy from having lamented my situation very much. I do so because of my lady who well sees how I languish as I serve her with no remedy at hand, nor do I think one is likely to appear.

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765

770

415

780

Ains si maintien et si samblant Me donnent a faire a tous les Pour merancoliier assés.

La lettre, et la balade ossi, Tout en un volume escripsi, Puis le ploiai et saielai Et au messagier le baillai, Qui se parti, Diex le convoie! Je ne sçai ou il prist sa voie, Mes je sçai bien ou je remés: Dedens mon hostel enfremés. Non que g'i soie trop enclos, Mes pour l'amour dou joli clos, Des roses et des arbrissiaus, Dou deduit des chans des oisiaus, De quoy il y a par raison Ens ou droit tamps de leur saison, Volentiers je m'i esbatoie Et plus qu'ailleurs laiens estoie. Or portoi je adont par maniere Une moult petite aloiiere Que d'espriveteur on appelle, De blanc samis: moult estoit belle. La lettre y mis, que m'eut tramis Rose qui s'escript mes amis; Et pour tel ossi le rechoi, Car en li matere aperchoi Qui a la mienne s'acampagne. Et fust or contes de Campagne, Dux de Braibant ou d'Osterice, Puis qu'il a le coer gai et frice, Amoureus, et je l'ai otel, Nous sommes auques tout yevel. En moi grandement se confie, Quant il m'a la premiere fie Sus son signet especial Nommé son compagnon loyal.

Tels le serai en verité, D'un acord et d'une unité. Ne sçai qui c'est, mes toutes

785

790

795

800

[70a] 805

810

815

820 gens

A 804. d'esprineteur B 785. melancoliier 788. seelai 793. enfermés 796. arbrisseaus 797. oiseaus 801. aillours 803. aloiere 804. d'espriveter 806. que mot 808. recoi 809. aperçoi 811. Champagne 812. Duc 813. friche 814. Amourous 815. yewel 50

On the contrary her condition and her mien provoke me so that I am kept occupied constantly having lamented my situation very much. I wrote out the letter and the ballade on a sheet of parchment, then folded and sealed it, and gave it to the messenger who left, God speed him! I don't know exactly where he went but I know very well where I remained: shut inside my dwelling. Not that I was locked up in there, but for love of the camely courtyard of roses and bushes, and the delight of birds' songs which generally characterize certain times of the year, I gladly took amusement there more than in any other place. Now, aS a matter of custom I carried by my belt a little hunting sack of white silk known as a falconer's sack and which was very beautiful. Inside I put the letter Rose had sent me, the one in which he had declared himself my and I accepted him as such, for I clearly saw that his circumstances were analogous to my own. And even if he were the count of Champagne, or the duke of Brabant or Austria, since he has a merry and active heart and is in love just as I am, we are therefore more or less equals. He confides greatly in me since he first confided in me under his own special seal and named me his loyal companion. And loyal I will be indeed, of one will and union. I don't know what it is, but I like

OL

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1195

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805 friend;

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820

Qui ont coers amoureus et gens, Je les ains et honneure et prise Plus que les ors villains de Frise, Es quels n'a point de gentillece, D'onneur, de bien ne de noblece, Et vivent ensi comme bestes, Tant ont lourdes et sotes testes.

825

J'ai le corage d'autre ploi, Car tous au bien amer m'emploi. Ossi fet chils qui s'escript Rose, Qui ne se voelt

nommer

830

ou n'ose.

De tout ce qu'il fet je l'escuse; Il n'a garde que je l'acuse. Comment le saroi je acuser? Je puis assés sur li muser:

835 [70b]

Ançois qu'a son nam avenisse, On iroit le pas a Venisse Et revenroit on en Savoie. Et s'adeviné je l'avoie, Qui le me poroit tesmongnier? Je puis assés mon frain rongnier, Mes ores noient n'en sarai. Et toutes fois pour li arai Et pour s'amour, soit gaing ou perte, A toute heure l'orelle ouverte Pour entendre et pour orillier, Soit hors lit ou sus orillier, Que de li nouvelle me viegne Par quoi rescrire me couviegne. Or faut, car je li ai proumis Et par mon saielet tramis, Qu'a toute le premiere enqueste

840

845

850

Qu'il escrira, (c'est sa requeste) Je li rescripse et li devise

855

Mon

nom par certainne devise. Or ai je bien mestier d'aprendre Car quel devise ne sçai prendre. A prendre le nom d'un oisel, D'une beste ou d'un arbrissel, Ce n'est point cose qui se taille. Je me truis or en grant bataille

A 831. 836.

saurai 854.

m'en ploi

sauroi

845. la p.

B 824.

je accuser

aurai 862.

847.

honnoure 837.

sus

l'oreille

chose

52

860

827. lui

D'onnour 840.

852.

832.

revendroit

pramis

853.

cils 9844.

seelé

and admire and value all people who have amorous and noble hearts more than I do the filthy peasants of Frisia in whom there is no refinement, honor, good or nobility, living as they do like beasts, their heads so heavy and stupid. I have a special talent for which everyone seeks me out regarding their love affairs. That is what someone calling himself Rose who either doesn't want or dare to give his real name has done. I pardon him for everything he does; nor need he worry that I will accuse him. How could I accuse him? I can think about him quite a bit: one would be more likely to walk all the way to Venice and return to Savoy than to come up with his name. Moreover, if I had guessed it who could verify it for me? I can chafe at the bit but I still won't know anything about it. Nevertheless I will keep my ears open for any news about him or his love, whether good or bad, whether I'm in bed or not, in order to find out or overhear any news that might come my way and about which I should write back to him. Now I must--since I pramised him and sent him a sealed letter to the effect-at the first request he sends me (such is his request) write him back and inform him of an emblem to serve as my name. Now I really need to come up with something because I don't know what to take as my sign, whether to take the name of a bird or a beast or a bush. But none of these things really fits. I find myself now in great conflict,

53

825

830

835

840

845

850

855

860

Pour une devise aviser; Je n'en sçai quele deviser. J'en aroie une volentiers D'une flour, car c'est grans

Prenderai Je ne

sçai,

je dont elle

865

dentiers.*

violette? est moult

[70c] doucette.

"Se ceste ne te plest, si prens Le consaude. "Lors me reprens Et di: "Non ferai: trop est nice." "Or prent dont le lis: elle est rice." "Non ferai." "Quoi dont?" "Je ne sçai." "Encor te voel je faire assai De l'auquelie* et dou pione, De le soussie et dou betone; Tu en trouveras plus de mille Au bois, as camps et a le ville. Ne t'en venra or nulle apoint?" "Nennil, de leurs noms ne voel point Par maniere de desparel, Quoi qu'a yauls ne me fai parel." Et toutes fois, quant je m'avise, J'ai ymaginé ma devise. Quant il voelt, ses lettres m'envoie: Tost sera ma devise en voie. Je me nomme et nonmerai Flos, Ceste devise en mon coer clos: "Flos" en latin, "Fleur" en françois. On penseroit assés, ançois C'on adevinast pour le quele J'ai ores mis ce nom a pele*: Il n'est mie tamps dou savoir. Or me faut un signet avoir; J'en voel errant faire un forgier. Quel cose porai je ens logier? J'ai visé une fleur petite Que nous appellons margherite.* En un aniel d'or tout massis Fu mon signet mis et assis Et l'entailla moult volentiers Uns tres bons mestres argentiers.

870

875

880

885

890

895

[70d] 900

A893. apele B 866. auroie 867. flour c'est un grant 871. La c. 873. riche 875. voeil 877. De las. 879. aux champs et alav. 880. vendra orn. a point 881. voeil 882. despareil 883. euls ne me f. pareil 890. flour en f. 892. la q. 894. mies 896. voeil ores f. 897. chose 898. flour 900. anel

54

trying to think of an emblem; I don't know what sign to use. I would gladly choose that of a flower, for that is an exquisite thing.* Should I choose a violet? I don't know, it is certainly sweet. "If you don't like that, then take the comfrey." Then I answer my own self saying: "I won't do that; it's a worthless flower." "Then take the lily, that's a noble one." BNO, ei.won-trdomt.., Sowhy:” "I don't know." "Then I want you to consider the columbine and the peony, the marigold and the betony; you will find more than a thousand flowers in the woods, the fields and in town. Does not any of them seem right to you?" "No, I want none of those names to serve as my pseudonym, because I don't feel that I'm at all comparable to them." Nevertheless, when I gave it careful thought, I came up with an emblem. He can send me a letter when he wants for my symbol will be ready soon. I shall call myself "Flos," I carry this emblem in my heart: "Flos" in Latin, "Flower" in French. One would have to think a lot before

865

870

875

880

885

890

coming up with why I have advanced this name, nor is this the right time to explain. Right now I need a seal for the name and I want to have one made. What sort of design can I put in it? I have decided on the little flower known as the daisy.* In a ring made of heavy gold my sign was cast and shaped, and an excellent master silversmith carved it with great care.

55

895

900

Quant Rose voelt, a moi Je sui pourveüs de devise

Et de signet

escrise:

905

qui bien s'ordonne

A ce que ma devise donne. Depuis ne demora plenté A ma meisme volenté: Ensi q'un jour soupé avoie, Unes lettres Rose m'envoie Auques dou grant et dou volume Les premieres. Tantost alume La candelle, car ja fu tart, Et puis si me tournai a part. Des lettres le signet rompi Et tout bellement les ouvri. Un virelay i vi sans note; Tout souef le lis et le note, Pour ce que nouviaus me sambla; Mon coer premierement l'embla, Et puis lisi de cief en quor. A ce qu'il m'est avis encor, Rose m'escript, la merci soie, Plus avant que penser n'osoie. Mes je vous dirai sans atente, Selonc les lettres, sen entente: (3)

5

10

LS

910

915

920

925

Tres chiers et especiaus amis, je vous remerci grandement des lettres si amiables et si confortans a ce qui me touce que vous m'avés envoiies, et de la [71 r] balade ossi, car elle est bien selonc ma maniere, et de ce que vous me retenés a compagnon. Si me poés escrire et mander comme a vostre disciple, car tout ce que d'ore en avant je pourfiterai, je le tenrai de vous. Chiers maistres et grans amis, depuis que vous m'escripsistes, me sont pluiseurs aventures avenues, les queles je ne vous voel pas celer, mes toutes segnefiier, a fin que j'en soie le mieuls consilliés. Car, ensi que je vous escripsi que j'estoie en grant desir de parler a ma souverainne et si n'en avoie pas le hardement, je m'avisai que je li escriroie unes lettres ou ma grignour entente seroit contenue; se li escripsi tout ensi cam chi s'ensieut:

A 911. Une 1. B 914. chandele 920. nouvel 922. chief en cor 927. ses 1. son (Letter 3) B 3. touche 5. pouvés 7. tendrai 8. de puis 9. pluisours a. a. 1. q. je ne v. voeil 11. conseilliés 13. q. 15. ci li (je lacking)

56

When Rose wants he can write to me. I have my emblem ready and my seal which has been crafted to produce the emblem. Afterwards not very much time passed before I got what I wanted. One day when I had supped, Rose wrote me a letter almost as long and voluminous as the first one. Straightaway I lit the candle, since it was already late, and then gave my attention to the letter. I broke the seal and opened it carefully. I saw there the text of a virelai which had no musical setting. I read it and looked it over leisurely because it seemed new to me; my heart took it up right away and then I read it carefully from start to finish. I still am of the opinion that Rose, God bless him, wrote me more than I ever dared hope he would. But I will tell you without delay how he expressed his will in his letter:

(3)

10

15

905

910

915

920

925

My dear and close friend, I thank you greatly for the very kind and comforting letter and I am touched that you sent it to me, as well as the ballade, because the ballade very aptly describes my situation and because you have made me a close friend of yours. You may therefore write and send me things as you would to a student of yours, for henceforth everything I learn will have came from you. My dear teacher and close friend, since you wrote me, several things have happened to me which I don't want to hide from you but rather prefer to reveal entirely so that I might be better advised. While I wrote you that I desired greatly to speak to my sovereign lady, but didn't have the courage, I decided I would write a letter in which my deepest feelings would be described, and so I wrote her exactly as follows:

Sie

Tres honnouree et excellente dame, a cui tout mi .V. sens naturel sont enclin d'obeir et d'entendre, je vous ai ja amé si ardanment par long tamps que je ne m'en sçai comment consillier; se ne le vous sçai je ne ose dire ne monstrer che soit par faintise de coer,

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

de bouce; non que mes par faute de

hardement. Or congnoi je assés que chils estas a poursieuir ne m'est mie pourfitables, car vous ne poés bonnement adeviner ne savoir quel cose il me faut, se je ne le vous di. Dont, ma tres souverainne, je vous pri, en nom de pité, que vous voelliés un petit d'imagination et de plaisance arestee avoir sur mi et sentir comment tres loyaument je vous ains; et s'il avient que je vous troeve en lieu ou en place ou je puisse avoir tamps et loisir, vostre pais et honneur salve, de parler a vous, si ne m'en soiiés pas si dure ne si estragne que bien poriés, car il me tourroit a grant contraire. Et che que il vous en plaira a faire, voelliés m'ent, se tant m'adagniés, rescrire et renvoiier par le porteur de ceste lettre, car il est moult secrés et bien y poés avoir fiance. Ensi, chiers mestres, escripsi je a m tres souverainne et demora puis le terme de .XV. jours que je n'en euch response nesune. Avint au .XV." jour que nous estions en une place la ou il avoit grant fuison de signeurs et de dames et de damoiselles, car c'estoit a une journee nommee de feste pleniere; se s'i pooient bien tous et toutes par honneur embatre. Je qui sougneusement avoie l'oel sur li et elle sur mi, si com bien m'en percevoie, arestai tant que je le vi aseulee et apoians contre unes courtines de tapisserie. Si l'aproçai au plus bellement et sagement que faire sceus ne peus. Si l'enclinai et saluai, et elle ossi moi. Je cuidoie moult bien parler et remonstrer ma besongne, car pour ce estoi je la trais, mais soudainnement je fui si souspris que je perdi et oubliai tout mon pourpos. Et elle, qui bien perchut ma

B 16. t. mes 17. naturels 18. lonc temps 19. conseillier 20. bouche 21. ce,s.+22. cognoi je a. q. cel. estat 23: pourfitable 24. povés b. a. ne s. q. chose 26. de lacking 27. voeilliés 28. sus moi 31. paix et honnour 34. ce 35.

voeilliés m'ent se t. m'adaigniés 39. n. oc 41. foison de seignours 44. honnour e. Je q. songneusement 45. l'oeil sus li et e. sus moi sicom 47. gourdines de 48. f. soc et poc 52.

perçut

58

20

25

30

SS

40

45

50

Very honored and excellent lady wham all of my five natural senses respond to and obey, I have already burned with love for you for such a long time that I don't know what to do. If I don't know how or simply don't dare to tell you or say it with my mouth this is not for lack of feeling but of audacity. Now, I know very well that it is not good for me that this state continue, because you can hardly guess or know what I need if I don't tell it to you. Therefore, I pray you, my very sovereign lady, in the name of pity to please tum your thoughts and consideration a little in my direction and discover how very loyally I love you; and should it happen that I come upon you in some public place or square where I might have the time and leisure to talk with you without disturbing either your honor or your tranquility, don't be as hard and distant with me as you could be, for this will hold me back greatly. And whatever it pleases you to do, would you please, if you deign, write back to me regarding this matter and send your response by means of the bearer of this very letter, because he is a very close friend of mine and you surely can have confidence in him. So, dear teacher, this is how I wrote to my most sovereign lady and I-waited a full fifteen days without having any response from her. On the fifteenth day it happened that we were in a place where there was a large crowd of lords, ladies and maidens since it was a major feast day. Men and wamen were thus pleasantly amusing themselves in a courtly manner. I had been keeping a careful eye on my lady and she on me, as I could tell, and I waited until I saw her alone, leaning against a tapestry hung on the wall. Then I approached in as debonair and sophisticated a manner as I could or knew how to, I bowed to her and greeted her, and she me. I thought I would be able to explain my situation (which was the reason I had been drawn there), but I was suddenly so astonished that I completely forgot myself

519

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

contenance et comment j'estoie esbahis, pour moi oster de cel esmai et mettre en parolle me dist par sa courtoisie: "Vous m'avés envoiiet unes lettres?" "Dame, di je, c'est verités." Lors s'escusa elle moult bellement [71 w] de che que elle n'avoit point rescript et que elle s'estoit arestee sus celle journee a present, car elle avoit SUPPOSÉ que nous nos y trouverions, ensi qu'il est; et je l'en tins bien pour excusee. Et ensi en parlant a li, sentemens et avis me revinrent et li priai mout humlement servant, son qui pour vosist me retenir que elle enterinement et loyaument le voloit servir. Et elle, tout qu'elle respondi ne seroit en riant, me bien pas consillie s'elle refusoit le service de preudamme ou elle n'avoit encores veü que toute courtoisie. Chiers amis, sachiés que je hapai ceste parolle a grant joie; et elle lettre que elle adont se parti de moi et me rendi m Je pris la m'avoit toute pourveüe, sans plus riens dire. lettre liement et cuidai de premiers que ce fust une lettre que elle euist rescripte; si le boutai en mon sain en grant desir de savoir quel cose il y avoit dedens escript. Si me parti de le place au plus briefment que je peus et, en moi issans dou lieu, le pris et ens regardai. Et quant je vi que c'estoit la lettre que je li avoie envoiie, si fui forment pensieus; non pour quant je le reploiai et boutai en mon sain et m'en revins en la place ou la feste estoit ja commencie. Si fui pris de deus damoiselles moult honnourees et d'elles requis que je vosisse chanter; si chantai a leur requeste un virelay nouvellement fait, le quel vous poés veoir ichi desous escript. Chiers amis, depuis ceste aventure ai je petit parlé a li, car je n'en ai mies eu le loisir ne le lieu: si m'en sui souffers et soeffre au plus bellement que je puis, attendans sa bonne volenté et le grasce qu'Amours me puet envoiier. Ensi, chiers maistres et amis, m'est avenu, pour quoi je vous pri que vous en voelliés avoir avis et moi rescrire par le porteur de ces presentes sus vostre ymagination qu'il vous en samble. Et se vous avés riens fait de nouvel, balade ou virelay, si le voelliés ens enclore, je vous en pri, et moi fiablement escripre

À 78. fuis B55. envoiié 57. ce 60. tinc b. p. escusee 61. revindrent et li p. m. humblement 63-65. Et elle me respondi que elle seroit mal conseillie 65. prodamme 71. rescrite et le b. 72. chose 73. de la p. 74. poc et en m. issant 77. revinc 81. povés v. yci dessous 83. pas eü 87. voeilliés 91. dedens enclore 90. voeilliés

60

59

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

and forgot my reason for being there. But she, who saw that I was agape and realized how confused I was, asked me out of courtesy in order to rescue me from my disarray and help me get my speech back: ‘You sent me a letter?" "Lady," I said, "that's true." Then she apologized very graciously for not having written back and said that she had been waiting since then for the day of this feast, for she had figured we would both be here, as was in fact the case. I accepted her apology entirely. And while I was speaking with her, my feelings and thoughts came back to me, and I asked her humbly to take me as her servant because I wanted to serve her loyally and campletely. And she answered me, laughing, that she would not be very smart if she rejected the service of a noble man in whom she had never seen anything but complete courtesy. Dear friend, I want you to know that I seized these words with great joy, and she departed then, giving me back my letter (which she had readied for me) but without saying anything else. I took the letter happily and thought at first that it was a response which she had written. I slipped it into my shirt, very anxious to know what was written inside. Then I left that place as quickly as I could and, once I had left, I took the letter and looked inside. And when I saw that it was the very letter I had sent her, I was quite downcast. Nevertheless, I refolded the letter and pressed it inside my shirt and returned to the place where the party had already started. Then I was stopped by two young ladies of noble bearing and asked by them if I would be willing to sing, so I sang at their request a virelai I had just completed and which you can see written here below. Dear friend, since that day I have spoken little to her because I have neither the time nor place to do so, for which I am distressed and suffering as keenly as I possibly could, and I now await her good will and whatever grace the God of Love might send me. There you have it, my dear friend and master, everything that has happened to me, for which I beg of you please to canmunicate your thoughts and write back with your suggestions by means of the carrier of the present letter. And if you have composed anything new--a ballade or virelai--please enclose it, I beg of you, and - write me and send me news as well regarding how you are

61

estat, vostre de et mander apparilliet. Che scet li Sains garde. Escript etc.

Volentiers les lettres lisi Et a celles je rescripsi. Mes ains que face mention Nulle de ma rescription, Je vous dirai son virelai Quels il fu, car droit chi mis

trouverés me vous et Esperis, qui vous ait en

[71c] 930

l'ai.

Virelay Depuis

ce

jour en avant,*

Quanque j'ai, sans remanant, Jusques a l'ame, Vous present, ma chiere dame, A faire vostre commant.

[71d]

Et certes moult bien l'emploi, Car mieuls qu'i* n'afiert a moi Estes vous digne. Mes Bonne Amour, par ma foi, À cui bien obeïr doi, Et li douls signe De vo gratieus samblant M'ont conquis. Or ne sçai quant De ceste flame Garirai, car moult m'enflame Vostre amour en desirant. Depuis

ce

940

[72a] 945

etc.

950

Tant d'onneur en vous conchoi, Bonté, biauté, maintien coi, Sens et doctrine, Que le grant bien que j'i voi Et que recorder en oi, A vous m'encline.

955

B 93. appareillié Ce s. le Saint Esperit A" 933. ci 935. Ce que j'ai 940. n'affiert

945.

grascieus

B 940. qu'il n'affiert 945. gracious 951. d'onnour en v. conçoi 952. beauté B" 935. Ce que j'ai 940. qu'il n'affiert 945. gracieus 951. T. de biens en v. conçoi 952. beauté

62

doing, for you the meantime, Written, etc.

will may

find me eager to hear fram you. In the Holy Spirit watch over you.

I read the letter eagerly and responded to it in writing. But before I make mention of what I wrote back, I will present you with his virelai just as it was, for I have put it right

930

here.

Virelai

From this

day forward,

whatever I have, without even my very soul,

I offer you, my dear to do your bidding.

exception,

935

lady

And certainly I do well for you are worthy of much better than I. But Good Love whom I must obey, by my faith, and the sweet sign of your comely aspect have conquered me. Now I do not when I can be healed of this flame, for your love inflames me greatly with desire. From this, etc. I see in you such nobility-goodness, beauty, noble bearing, intelligence and learning-that for the great goodness I see and that I hear recounted I am moved toward you.

63

940

945 know

950

in you

955

Et je pense a faire tant Que de mon petit le grant, Sans avoir blame; Ou tost serai sous la lane, Ou sont mis li vrai amant. Depuis ce etc.

Et

960

Forment me pleut li virelais le cantai a plains eslais

Sans viser mesure

ne note.

965

Je meismes a fait le note* Apriés un chant qui de jadis Fu chantés: "Je sui moult hardis." Sus celle fourme se commence Li virelais, n'est drois qu'on mence.

Et ossi assés m'i assens Au chanter pour reprendre sens Et pour un peu mieuls oubliier Le fet de merancoliier, Car coers qui se merancolie A moult bien mestier qu'il s'oublie; Et li virelais de par Rose, Que trouvai en la lettre close, Me sambla jolis et nouviaus, Car toute joie et tous reviaus, Tout deduit, tout esbatement Et tout amoureus sentement Doient en coer d'amant manoir. Or vous dirai sans remanoir Le maniere com j'ai escript Et saielé sus mon escript Dou signet a le fleur petite Ou en regardant me delite, Car li regars et la veüe De toute joie est pourveiie;

Pluiseurs Je, qui Ains que Pour ce Escripsi

fois

je m'i sui

970

[72b]

975

980

985

990

ravis.

avoie adont avis, vosisse aler couchier, qu'il me pooit touchier, a mon chier ami

995

A’ 961. li vrai servant B' 961. li vrai servant A977. depar B 963. plot 964. chantai 966. afet 967. Aprés 970. Le virelay 974. melancoliier 975. melancolie 982. amourous 985. La m. 986. seelé 987. la f. 989. le regard 991. Pluisours

64

And I intend to do such that my smallness waxes in an honorable way or else I will soon be under the blade beneath which true lovers are put, From this, etc. The virelai pleased me greatly and I sang it at the top of my voice, paying attention to neither measure nor note. I myself have taken the whole thing down using as a melody the song people used to sing called "I am very daring." The virelai begins that way

and it isn't right to alter it. I am also of the opinion that singing helps recover one's and helps one forget one's own

reside

in a lover's

senses

975

980

heart.

Now I will tell you without delay what I wrote and sealed under the imprint of my stamp with the little flower I love to look at, because seeing and looking at it fills one completely with joy. I delighted in it repeatedly.

. Then I before I would Rose so

965

970

misery a little more easily, for a heart which is sad has great need to forget itself. And the virelai from Rose that I found enclosed in the letter seemed pretty and original to me, for every joy and distraction, every delight, every pleasure and every amorous sentiment

should

960

decided that going to bed, write to my dear friend that he could contact me

65

985

990

995

Rose, qui se loe de mi, Et je de li moult m contente De coer, de pensee et d'entente:

(4)

5

Tres chiers campains et grans amis, j'ai recheü de par vous unes lettres es queles je ajouste grant foi, car de vos secretes et amoureuses besongnes vous me segnefiiés et escripsiés moult avant et plus que je ne soie tailliés ne sages dou consillier; non pour quant la ou mon petit

consel

10

15

20

vous

pora

aidier

et

[72

w]

valoir,

je

sui

apparilliés dou faire. J'ai diliganment regardé et viseté vostres lettres et celles que vous escripsistes a vostre dame et la response que de li euistes. Se Diex me vaille, elle me plaist grandement et n'i perchoi que tout bien pour vous. Si vous di par maniere d'avis que vous voelliés perseverer selonc le cammencement que vous avés, qui est grans et biaus, et vous en serés confortés sans faute. A vostre priiere, qui me doit bien estre cammandemens, je vous envoie un virelay, le quel j'ai nouvellement fait; ossi j'ai pris une devise, si me poés nommer Flos et mon signet congnoistre a une petite margherite que je y ai fait entaillier. Chiers amis, avoec toutes aultres coses se riens vous plest a mander, vous me trouverés apparilliet. Che scet* li Sains Esperis qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

Un bien petit desous le clos Y avoit: "le tout vostre Flos," Et puis, un bien petit arriere, Ordonnai en bonne maniere Le virelay et escripsi. Quant je l'eus fait, je le lisi Pour amender et corrigier, Par quoi d'Adam ne de Rogier,* Ne de tous chiaus qui d'aviser Se mellent et de deviser, Je n'en peuisse estre repris. Or regardés se j'ai mespris:

[72c] 1000

1005

1010

(Letter 4) À 20. sace B 1. receü 5. conseillier nampourquant 6. conseil 7. appareilliés que d. f. 8. vos 1. 10. perçoi 12. voeilliés 13. beaus 14. proiiere 16. povés 172 cognoistre 19. choses 20. appareillié Ce scet le Saint Esperit B 1004. l'oc f. je je lisi 1007. ceuls

66

since he values my advice so much, just as I am thrilled with his heart, his thought and his will:

(4)

10

15

20

My very dear confidant and close friend, I received a letter from you in which I place great store, because you communicated and wrote me earlier about your secret needs in this love affair and in fact told me more than I feel competent or wise enough to advise you about. Nevertheless, I am prepared to help you in whatever way my meager advice may be able to aid you. I have carefully looked over and reviewed your letter and the one you wrote to your lady as well as the response she gave you. God help me, her response seems excellent to me and I see in it only good for you. I therefore advise that you persevere in the direction you have already begun, which is far-reaching and effective, and you will without a doubt be rewarded. At your request, which for me is tantamount to a command, I am sending you a virelai which I recently composed. Also, I have chosen an emblem, so henceforth you can call me "Flos" and you will recognize my seal by the little daisy I have had carved. My dear friend, with respect to all other matters you will find me ready for whatever you might wish to send. May the Holy Ghost watch over you. Written, etc.

A little beneath the closing TeputyeV Ours; sh OS and then a little after that I set out and wrote the virelai in good order. When I had finished, I read it over so as to improve and correct it. That way neither Adam nor Roger* nor any of those who have a tendency to give advice or make suggestions could find fault with me. Now, take a look and see if I made errors:

67

1000

1005

1010

Virelay Heure

de bonne

heure

nee*

M'aheura le jour Quant premiers vous vi, m'amour, Car, celle journee, Heure

me

fu ajournee

1015

De bien et d'onnour. Ne je ne puis trop loer Ne prisier ne honnourer La bonne fortune, Qui avant me fist passer Pour l'aventure trouver Qui n'est pas commune. Car mainte painne enduree En ont li pluisour; Onques n'en eurent douçour Ne lie pensee. Or l'ai a me droite agree, S'en di sans sejour: Heure de etc.

[72d]

1025

Et che me fait savourer Toute douçour sans amer, Dont je me des june; Ne je n'ose desirer Plus haute riens ne penser Qu'a la clere brune, Ma droite dame honnouree, Que j'ains sans faus tour: C'est ma joie et mon retour Et ma destinee

1030

De

1040

toute

grasce

Dont, pour Heure de etc.

1035

aournee,

le millour, [73a]

Sitos que la lettre cloi, Le virelai ens encloi; Puis arestai sus mon signet Et, droit au point dou matinet, Je le baillai au messagier,

1045

A‘ 1020. Q. me fist avant passer 1025. Qu'onques n. orent douchour 1031. douchour 1038. C. mon bien B 1025. orent B' 1020. Q. me fist avant passer 1025. Qu'onques n. orent 1037. j'aim

1938.

C.

mon

bien

68

Virelai The hour of happiness was born when the day came that I first saw you, my love, for on that day I was presented with happiness and honor.

1015

I cannot overly praise or value or honor the good fortune which made it happen that I came upon this adventure which is so rare. For many people have suffered many ills without ever having sweet relief or happy thoughts. Yet I have happiness, and therefore say without delay, The hour, etc.

I don’t dare desire and I can think of nothing superior to that shining brunette, my very own honored lady whom I love with all loyalty. She is my joy and my refuge and my destiny, graced with every charm for which it is all the better that hour,

1025

1030

And this makes me savor sweetness with no bitterness, and I feast on it;

The

1020

1035

1040

etc.

Just as I closed up the letter, I enclosed the virelai inside; Then I affixed my seal and, right at the break of day, I gave it to the messenger

69

1045

Qu'il n'euist cause d'atargier. Il se parti et je remés,

Bien pourveüs et bien armés

1050

D'amoureus et de biaus escrips, Tant par moi que d'autrui escrips, Ou je m'esbatoie alefois. Or avint proprement ou mois

Qu'on vole et cache as remanans, Je qui sui en pays manans Ou il y a bon recouvrier Pour le deduit del esprivier,* Tout deduisant et esbatant Par un jour je cevaugai tant Qu'il me couvint brief remanoir Assés priés dou joli manoir Ou ma droite dame sejourne; Et quant bonne aventure ajourne A un amant, il le doit prendre. Tout coiement je peus aprendre Que ma droite dame estoit hors Pour un peu deduire son corps Avoec moult d'autres damoiselles. Rices me furent ces nouvelles, Car ens ou lieu la ou c'estoit Et ou ma dame s'arestoit, Moult bien on s'i pooit embatre. Ne vi qui le vosist debatre, Mes fui li bien venus entre elles, Et des plus frices et plus belles Fui en riant pris et saisis Et en milieu d'elles assis. La commenchames a bourder Et elles moy a alourder; Je vous dirai pour quele cose. Les lettres que m'eut tramis Rose, Toutes deus, foi que doi saint Piere, Avoie encor en la loiiere Que je portoie a ma çainture. Et elles, qui mettent grant cure A savoir de quoi elle est plainne, Se c'estoit de soie ou de lainne,

1055

1060

1065

1070

[73b] 1075

1080

1085

B 1051. beaus 1053. a la fois 1055. chace aux 1060. 1070. Riches je poc 1066. quoiement 1062. pres chevaugai 1076. friches 1078. mi lieu 1079. commençames 1081. chose 1082. m'ot 1084. Avoit e. en la laloiere 1085. chainture 1087. elle ert

70

so that he would have no reason to tarry. He left and I remained stocked up and armed with clever and amorous writings, some written by me, some by others, which I read for my amusement from time to time. Now it happened right during the month when people go hunting with hounds or birds that I, who had stayed where there was plenty to keep a hawk busy hunting,* while out amusing myself I rode one day so far that I ended up quite near the comely manor where my lady love was staying. Now, when good luck comes to a man who is in love, he must make the most of it. Very discretely I managed to find out that my lady was out and about to get some fresh air with a group of other maidens. This was welcome news for me because right there where my lady had stopped was a perfect spot for sporting. There was no one to deny me entrance, and I was welcomed gladly into the ladies' company, and the most animated and beautiful maidens laughingly caught hold of me and sat me down among them. Then we began to joke around, and they started to tease me. I'll tell you why: I had the letters that Rose had sent me-both of them, by the faith I owe Saint Peter--in the pouch that hung from my waist. Meanwhile these maidens, who were determined to know what the sack was full of and whether it was of silk or wool

dal

1050

1055

1060

1065

1070

1075

1080

1085

Ou d'un frion ou d'une aloé, Consellent si bas que ne 1'oé: "Entroes que nous l'ensounions Et que nous jeuons et rions, Sachons qu'en la loiiere il a." Et chelle a cui on consilla, Si bellement le descouvri Qu'en tastant la loiiere ouvri Et tout ce que mis y avoie Eut elle; et noient n'en savoie Ne ja percheüs ne m'en fuisse, Non, tant que la esté euisse; Mes je les dechuc par leur rire. Ossi oy en basset dire: "Or ci, ci, ci! Bien je les garde." Adont je taste, et si regarde, Et voi men aloiiere ouverte. "Haro!" di je, "vechi grant perte! Me volés vous dont desrober?" Et elles a moi a lober: "Que vous faut il?" "Quoi?" di je, "assés! Il faut que vous vos confessés Et que vous remettés arriere Ce qu‘avés pris en la loiiere." Lors s'escusent et trop fort jurent, Et bien sçai qu'elles se parjurent. "Certes," di je, "il faut que les raie." "Et les ai je?" che dist la gaie Qui les eut mises en son sain. "Je ne scai," di je, "mes ma main Laiéle un petit couvenir, Et vous les verés revenir." Et quant elle m'oy ce dire, Si s'en fui et prist a rire, Car elle les cuida jus mettre Et ens es mains d'autrui remettre. Mais je le sievoie de pres, Et toutes les autres aprés. La commenchames un estour Sans mautalent et sans irour, Car la damoiselle aherdi, B 1090. Conseillent 1091. l'ensonnions 1092. juons Sagons q. l'aloiere 1094. celle a qui on conseilla l'aloiere 1098. Ot 1099. perceiis 1101. decus 1102. 1105. mon aloiere 1106. veci 1112. l'aloiere 1116. 1117. 1. ot 1127. commençames

T2

1090

1095

1100

1105 [73c]

1110

1195

1120

1125

1093. 1096. Et si ced.

or of linnet or lark feathers, conspired together so quietly that I could not hear

them:

1090

"While we keep him occupied with our laughter and our games, let's find out what is in his pouch." And one of the maidens who was designated for job so cleverly got at the little sack that upon touching it she got it open and made off with everything I had in there. Meanwhile I didn't realize a thing

and hadn't caught on at all, the whole time I was there. What tipped me off was their also

I heard

“Over here!

them saying

I want

1100

to see!"

"And do I have

them?"

said the witty young

maiden

tucked

them

who had

1095

laughing; under their breath,

Then I suddenly reach for my pouch, and look down, and I see that it's hanging open. "Hey!" I say, "what thievery! Are you trying to rob me?" They try to flatter me: "What do you want?" "What?" I said, "plenty! You're going to have to confess and put back what you took from my pouch." Then they swore up and down that they were innocent, though I knew very well they were lying. "Indeed," I said, "I have to have them back."

"I don't know,"

the

I said,

1105

1110

dis

into her bodice.

"but

if you let

my hand explore a little you'll soon see them again." And when she heard me say that, she ran off and started laughing for she thought she would get rid of them by slipping them into the hands of another. But I was following her closely and all the other maidens thereafter. Then we got into a real fracas with no ill will or anger, because I seized the young girl

73

1120

1125

1130

Onques la vue* n'en perdi; Et elles ossi m'aherdirent, Qui onques, voir, ne me perdirent. La fui je boutés et saciés Et detirés et embraciés Par jambes, par corps et par bras, Sans noient espargnier mes draps. Mes pour luitier ne pour tirer, Sans moi ne elles airer, Onques ne veus celle laiier Qui moult bien me peuist paiier De mes lettres, s'elle vosist. La en jurai je Jhesucrist Que ce n'estoit mies mes gres Qu'on veist ensi mes secrés. Et quant ma dame souverainne, Qui au luitier mettoit grant painne, Oi de ces secrés parler, En riant dist: "Laissonle aler. On voit bien que nostre est la force. Je conselle, ançois qu'on l'efforce, Que nous le mettons a renchon De la plus nouvelle canchon

1135

[73d] 1140

1145

1150

Qu'il ait fait ou "Je le voel", di Et met avant, fin Les deus lettres,

que d'autrui sace." je. Adont on sace de bataille, puis on les baille A ma dame, qui les rechut. Un peu les ouvri; lors perchut Le balade et le virelay Tel que de Rose rechupt l'ai, Et adont dist elle en riant: "Sans cause nous l'alons priant! Il fet ores moult le malade. Vechi virelay et balade! Pour ces deus nous le quitterons Ne plus a lui ne luiterons." "C'est voirs!", ce dient d'une vois, "Le volés vous?" Et je, tous quois, Et quant je me fui avisés, Leur di: "Oil. Or devisés Qui en sera la parçonniere. La quele en scet mieulz la maniere

L155

1160

1165

[74a]

A 1130. we B 1133. sachiés 1139. ne volc 1150. conseille rençon 1152. chançon 1154. voeil di je A. on sache 1157. 1158.

perçut

1159.

Lab.

1160:

74

recut

1164.

Veci

1170

1151. reçut Lor

and wouldn't let her out of my sight. Then the others also grabbed me and would not let me go. I got pushed and shaken and pulled and grabbed by arms and legs and bodies with no mercy shown for my clothing. Despite all the scuffling and fighting, which irked neither them nor me, I didn't want to release that maiden. Anyway, she knew she could buy release from me with my letters, if she wished. I swore by Jesus Christ that I hardly could sanction letting other people see private papers just like that. And when my sovereign lady, who was busy struggling, heard me speak of private letters, she said with a laugh: "Let's let him go. Anyone can see that we have the greater strength. I propose, now that we've subdued him, that we ransom him in return for the most beautiful song he has ever made or has learned from someone else." "I'll go along with that,"’ I said. Then we agree that the battle is over and the two letters* are brought forth. They are given to my lady, who receives them. She opened them a little and saw the ballade and the virelai just as I had received them from Rose, and she said with a laugh: "What are we begging him for? He acts like he's been hurt. Here are a virelai and a ballade! For these two poems we will let him go and will fight with him no more." "That's true!" they all say with a single voice, "Now, is that what you want?" And when I had thought about it I said very quietly, "Yes. Now designate who will separate them. Which of you knows the most about how

145

1130

1135

1140

1145

150

1155

1160

1165

1170

De prendre sans grever la lettre? Je n'en voel nulle aultre entremettre." "Je," dist ma dame, "s'on m'en carge." On dist oil. Lors ne se targe Ma dame noient, ains s'en vint Et d'un grant tablier li souvint Ou on avoit jeué as tables. Elle, qui eut les mains moult ables, En fu la droite parçonniere. Je vous dirai par quel maniere:

En un aniel

1475

1180

d'or tous massis

Avoit un diamant assis, Bon et bel, moult rice et moult cointe, De quoi, en tirant de le pointe, Elle osta de cascune lettre, Sans nul autre trençant sus mettre, Les cançons; et puis dist a mi, Quant parties les eut parmi: "Tenés vo part, vechi le nostre." Je respondi: "Au plaisir vostre!" J'eus les lettres, et les cançons Cheirent en leurs pareçons. La furent monstrees et dittes Et copiies et escriptes En grant joie et en grant revel, Car tout plaist quanqui est nouvel. Ensi fumes nous en deduit Tout le jour, jusques a le nuit Qu'elles se partirent, et je, Esleeciés en coer de ce Que j'avoie a tres bon loisir Ceste, qui est tout mon plaisir, Veli et avoec li esté Et joliement aresté En solas et en esbanoi, Onques depuis si bon tamps n'oi; Et ou nom de ma dame chiere, Quant je fui revenus arriere, En recordant le tamps joli Que j'avoie eii dalés li, Un virelay dittai et fis, D'espoir plains, de merci peu fis.

1185

1190

1795

1200

[74b]

1205

1210

A1214. m. pensis B 1174. voeil 1179. jue aux t. 1180. lem. 1185. riche 1186. lap. 1189. chancons 1190. ot p.. 1191. veci 1193. J'oc 1. 1. et 1. chançons 1200. lan. 1205. avec lui

76

to cut away the poems without harming I want no one else to undertake it."

the

letter?

"I'll do it," my lady said, "if you all want me to." We said yes. My lady didn't tarry at all. She came and made use of a large gaming table where they had been playing backgammon. She was good at separating things because of her skillful hands. I'll tell you how she proceeded: she had a ring of pure gold with a fine, large diamond set in it, which was impressive and elegant. Using the point of the diamond she cut the songs away from each letter without making any other cutting mark underneath. When she had cut them away she said to me: "Take your share; these are ours." I answered: "At your pleasure!" I had the letters, and the songs fell to the ladies. Then they were handed around and read aloud and copied and written out with great joy and merrymaking because whatever is new always pleases. We passed the whole day amusing ourselves like that until nighttime when they left. As for me, I was happy in my heart because I had spent a very nice day with the lady who is my complete joy. I had seen her and been with her and had passed a pleasant time in happiness and delight. In fact, I have never had such a nice time since that When I had returned home from there and was thinking about the lovely time I had had with my lady I camposed and wrote out a virelai in her honor, full of hope but hardly sure of mercy.

Wil

1175

1180

1185

1190

1195

1200

1205

day. 1210

Virelay

Moult ont mi oel bien cuesi* Quant vos regars ont saisi, Dame d'onnour; S'en grasci l'eure et le jour Que premierement les vi.

1225

Car de tous biens habondance, Joie et plainne souffissance Conchoi par yauls regarder; Et tant me fet de plaisance Vostre lie contenance Que trop ne m'en puis loer. Car tout mi mal sont gari, Conforté et resjoi De leur dolour, Quant par un peu de dougour Vous jettés vos yeux sur m. Moult ont etc.

1220

1225

1230

En tele perseverance, Sans avoir mains d'aligance,

[74c]

Vorroi

je mon tamps user, Car qui vit en esperance, Il ne doit autre ordenance Convoitier ne desirer. Or soit que j'aie falli Au don de vostre merci, S'ai je en retour Le desir de vostre amour, Qui me tient gai et joli. Moult ont etc.

1235

1240

Le virelay mis a un les, A fin qu'il ne me fust emblés: Car tels prent tel cose alefois, Qui lairoit bons viés gros tourmois.* Je le mis en ume laiette

1245

A1216. vo regart A' 1229. douchour 1232. En ceste p. 1234. Vorroie 1237. Par droit souhet desirer 1239. merchi B 1215. Moult on mi oeil 1222. Congoi par euls 1230. yex sus 1237. Couvoitier B' 1215. mi oeil 1222. Conçoi par euls 1230. yex sus 1232. En ceste p. 1234. Vodroie 1237. Par droit souhet desirer 1240. en lacking B 1246. chose a la fois 78

Virelai

My eyes looked well when they caught your glance, noble lady; I therefore thank the hour and day that I first saw it.

1215

For of all good things, abundance, joy and complete satisfaction I receive from gazing into your eyes. And your comely face gives me such delight that I cannot praise it enough. All my ills are cured, assuaged and released from their pain each time you, in your sweetness,

1220

cast your eyes My eyes etc.

1230

on me.

In such determination, without respite, I would like to spend my For he who lives in hope

time.

1235

should neither aspire nor ‘wish to do things in any other manner. So unless I have failed to earn the gift of your mercy, I have in retum desire for your love which keeps me cheerful and merry. My eyes

1225

1240

etc.

I put the virelai to one side so that it would not get stolen for sometimes a person who would never touch a pile of money* will take such a thing. I put it in a little coffer

LE)

1245

Que j'avoie proprement fete De danemarce bien ounie, (Car moult volentiers m'ensounie A passer le tamps sur tel cose), Et di que, pour l'amour de Rose,

1250

[74d]

En son nom je le garderai, Car temprement de li arai

1255

Nouvelles, si cam je l'espoir. Pas ne falli a mon espoir, Car en gardant ce que vous di, Droitement sus un merquedi Me sont nouvelles revenues De Rose, qui ne sont pas nues,

1260

Mes grandes et especiaus, Car il, cam mes amis loyaus, Me saluoit plus de cent fois. Les lettres pris et fui tous quois, Apoians a une fenestre, Tant que je sceus que ce volt estre Et que bien les euch pourveües, Ymaginees* et vebes, Car pieça ne m'avoit escript Matere de si grant escript:

(5)

Flos,

vous

10

15

chiers mestres

escrire

un grant

et grans

tamps,

1265

1270

amis,

je me

non par

sui souffers

faute d'amour,

de

mes

pour veoir a quele fin mes besongnes poroient traire. Je sui ensi que li gentis oisiaus qui sieut toutdis la proie qu'il a empris, et bien le doi et voel faire, car je sui adreciés a ceste qui est toute dame et souverainne de moi et qui m'a conquis par trop de manieres. Vous m'avés escript qu'amours het toute gent nouveliere et avance les coers loyaus. Se Diex me vaille, tel l'ai je ne ja ne le cangerai jusqu'au morir, car je prens grant solas d'estre

enterins enviers li et moult m'i delite. Et c'est raisons que je le soie, car elle de sa courtoisie le m'a enjoint et me dist ensi auques la darrainne fois que je parlai a li: "De tant que je trouverai loyauté en vous, je ne vous cangerai pour nul aultre." Et me bailla ceste parolle de si bonne maniere, che me fu vis, que elle m'a depuis moult valu et de jour en jour me croist et monteplie en regar [75 v’] dant et ymaginant sa douce phizonamie, et

B 1250. onnie 1251. mensonnie 1252. sus t. chose 1255. aurai 1267. je soc 1268. les oc (Letter 5) A8. nouvelerie B 4. le gentil oizel 5. voeil 10. changerai j. m. c. je prenc 11. envers 15. changerai 16. ce

80

that I had made, well constructed of Danish wood (I can gladly pass my time doing such work). I told myself that for love of Rose I will keep it in his name, for I will soon have news of him, or at least I hope so. My hopes were not in vain, because while I was keeping the things I've mentioned, straightaway one Wednesday I got more news from Rose, news which was not negligible but rather great and important. Rose, my loyal friend, greeted me more than a hundred times. I took his letter and quietly went to lean at a window until I knew what it might be and had glanced at it, pictured what it might say,* and read it over carefully. After all, it had been a while since he had written me about such important matters:

(5)

10

15

20

1250

1255

1260

1265

1270

Flos, my dear teacher and close friend, I have kept from writing you for some time, not for lack of friendship, but in order to see what would become of my difficulties. I am like the noble bird who persistently follows the prey it has picked out (and in fact I both must and want to do this) since I am devoted to her who is entirely my lady and mistress and who captured my heart in so many ways. You wrote me that love hates people who are fickle and promotes loyal hearts instead. With God's aid, I have just such a heart and it will never alter until the day I die, because I take great pleasure and find much delight in being loyal to her. Moreover, it's right that I be that way, for she out of courtliness urged me to be like that the last time I talked with her: "As long as I find that you are true, I won't leave you for another." And she made that statement in such good cheer (or so it seemed to me) that ever since that time she has held me in high esteem. Every day my devotion waxes and increases when I look at or picture her sweet face. I believe, and it is true, that to love with true love is to lead a very

81

20

25

et voirs est, que c'est tres joieuse vie me samble, d'amer par amours. Non pour quant j'ai et sens alefois les queles je ne sçai des pointures moult mervilleuses, mie porter si bellement ne si doucement que je vorroie, car elles me truevent chaut et hastieu, de quoi je me contente de moi meismes assés mal apriés les aventures Si aroie bien mestier de vostre consel pour avenues. se je pooie, et resister al encontre elles eschiever, d'elles. Si me voelliés rescrire, et je vous en pri, je m'i comment puisse et mettre gouvrener a ce

30

atemprance. Car il poet avoir environ .I. mois que terme de .III. jours je fui moult merancolieus pour

35

depuis repris

le un anelet d'or que ma dame donna present moi, le quel j'avoie moult convoitié a avoir; si en fui en tres grant

jalousie,

m'est

40

45

50

et tout

sans

cause.

Car

ma

dame

s'en

escusa

et trop me si apoint que bien m'en contentai de ma folie. Si vorroie bien avoir consel (et il

de necessité)

comment,

quant

tels

merancolies

me

sourvienent, je les poroie brisier; si m'en rescrisiés, s'il vous plaist, et je vous en pri. Avoec toutes ces chiers maistres, dont coses, je vous carge, je vous suppli chierement et fiablement que, se vous avés riens fet de nouvel, que vous le me voelliés envoiier, et par especial, se de tant je vous osoie cargier que d'un petit qui se traitast sus aucune nouvelle dittié amoureus, matere qu'on n'aroit onques veii ne oÿ mise en rime, tele com, par figure, fu jadis de Piramus et de Tysbé, ou de Eneas et de Dido, ou de Tristran et de Yseus, car j'en ai fois en lieu ou bien me esté requis par pluiseurs fuissent venu en point, se j'en euisse esté pourveüs, et feront encor, se je les ai. Et la ou je verai vostre je vous en sarai gré et m'en tenrai bonne diligensce, moult tenus a vous, ensi com je m'i tieng. Che scet li Sains Esperis, qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

Les lettres pris et les ploiai, D'un fil de soie les loiai, Et puis ai dit au messagier: "Pensés de vostre corps aisier

[75a]

1275

A 27. empri. 45. Priamus B 20. senc a la fois 22. vodroie 24. aprés 25. averoie b.m. de v. conseil 26. esquiewer 26. a l'encontre 30. melancolious 32. couvoitié 35. vodroie b. a. conseil 36. melancolies 38. Avecques t. 39. choses 41. voeilliés 42. je lacking 44. c'on n'averoit 45. Priamus 46. Heneas 47. pluisours 50. savrai g. et m. tendrai 51. tienc Ce s. le 52. Saint Esperit

82

25

30

35

40

45

50

happy life. Nevertheless sometimes I experience and feel these extraordinary pricks of love which I am not able to suffer as nobly or as easily as I would like. Rather when they come upon me I am hotheaded and impatient, which is why I am disappointed with myself after they've passed. I could really use your advice in order to avoid them, if possible, and keep away from these crises. So please write back to me, I beg of you, and tell me how I might get hold of myself and put an end to this. For instance, about a month ago I was terribly upset for three days because of a golden ring my lady gave away in my presence and which I had wanted very much to have. As a result I was extremely jealous, though campletely without cause. Afterwards my lady explained her reasons so thoroughly that I was completely satisfied and felt very sorry for having been so foolish. As a result I would really like your advice (in fact I must have it) on how I can break these moody spells when they came over me. I therefore beg of you, if you please, to write back to me. In addition to all the things I've demanded of you, dear teacher, I also beg you dearly and faithfully that if you have composed anything new you will send it to me--and in particular if you've done anything on what I dared to propose, namely an amorous treatise which would find a new way of treating some story people had never read or heard in rhyming French verse. For instance, you might treat the ancient love between Pyramus and Thisbe, or Aeneas and Dido, or even Tristan and Isolde. Indeed, I have been asked several times if I had any such works in my possession; it would have come in very handy at those moments if I did and will also be useful in the future if I can provide some. For your diligence in this I will be very thankful and obliged to you, as I in fact already am. May the Holy Spirit watch over you. Written etc. I took

the

letter,

folded

it

and bound it with a silk thread. Then I said to the messenger: "Look to refreshing yourself

83

1975

Et de vostre cheval ossi, Car vos mestres n'a nul soussi

De vous,

selonc

Je ne puis pas

ce qu'il me mande; a sa demande

Respondre demain ne aprés. Toutdis vous tenrés de moi pres Et au plus brief que je porai, Saciés, je vous deliverai; Longe ne sera li atente." Li messagiers bien se contente De ce que je li donne jour De rescrire et d'avoir sejour; Car il n'estoit mie a ses fres, S'en porte plus aise le fes.

Et Qui Mes Je

j'entrai dedens mon estude, n'est ne villainne ne rude,

1280 [75b]

1285

[75c]

belle pour estudiier. n'ai cure d'anulliier

Le matere et le pourpos Rose. Adont tournai sus une glose* Qui nous approeve et nous acorde, Si com Ovides le recorde,* Les oevres de Pynoteüs, Qui par grant art et non par us Fist l'ymage parlans et vive, D'aige et de terre. Et quant j'arive En cel endroit, je m'i repose Et di, entroes que g'i fai pose, Se j'avoie tous mes escrips, Nouvellement et viés escrips, Quis et cerchiet de cief en cor, Et plus que je n'en ai encor,

1295

1300

1305

Se ne peuisse je trouver Nulle matere pour ouvrer

Si amoureuse ne si belle, Si jolie ne si nouvelle, Comme ceste est. Mieuls ne demans. Je le recommande as amans, Qu'on le lise entre iaus et qu'on l'oë.

1310

Et s'elle

1315

le vault,

qu'on le loé.

Pynotelis, uns damoisiaus, Ama les chiens et les oisiaus,

A 1316. un d. B 1281. T. messagier 1294. La 1306. 1313. recommende aux 1314. oiseaus

demoi vous tendrés pres 1285. Le chercié de chief 1310. amourouse entre eulz 1316. damoiseaus 1317.

84

as well as your horse. According to what your master tells me he has no pressing need of you; I cannot respond to his request for a few days. Nevertheless you should stay nearby, for as soon as I can do your lord's bidding you can be sure I'll deliver it to you.

I won't

keep you waiting

1280

long."

The messenger is quite happy for me to give him a day or so to respond and thus to relax.

1285

Since he wasn't footing the bill he accepted all this with great ease. I entered my study (which is neither base nor low class but rather quite charming) to work. I had no intention of neglecting the request and the subject sent by Rose. Straightaway I turned to a passage* which sets out and verifies the accomplishments of Pynoteüs* just as Ovid records them, namely how Pynoteüs, through his great artistic skill and not in some ordinary fashion, made from water and earth a statue that spoke and came to life. And when I get to that part I take a break, I relax a bit, and say, while taking a pause, that

1290

1295

1300

if I had hunted and searched through all my written material, both new and old, fram top to bottom, and even more than I did, I could not have found any material more delightful or fitting for love, more novel or more charming to work with, than the story of Pynoteüs. I ask nothing better. I recommend it to lovers, for them to read and listen to among themselves. If the material is good enough, let people Pynoteüs, a young lad, was fond of hunting with dogs and birds,

85

1305

1310

praise

it.

1315

Bois et rivieres et deduis, Et de lettre fu moult bien duis,

Car tel l'edefia Nature Qu'il congneut plus de l'escripture Que nuls poétes a son tamps, Car il fu les .VII. ars sentans, Bien lettrés et bien pourveus.

Or avint que Pynoteiis

1320 [75d]

1325

Une serour a Cybelé Qu'on appella Neptisphelé Enamoura, et ossi celle Qui fu gratieuse pucelle

S'enamoura

dou baceler.

1330

Leur vie ne doi pas celer, Car elle fu courtoise et gente. Tous les jours par certainne rente Que la pucelle avoit loisir Dehors l'ostel son pere issir, Fust de soir ou fust de matin, Elle venoit en un gardin Qui estoit assés priés dou clos, Ou la dedens avoit enclos, De moult lonc tamps mis et enté, De tous arbres a grant plenté; Moult y faisoit gai et plaisant. Et quant chil dont je sui lisant, Li doi amant, la se trouvoient, De nulle riens el il n'ouvroient Fors que par joie et par revel: Fust de viés ou fust de nouvel, Recordoient leurs amourettes, Et souvent coelloient flourettes, Dont il faisoient houpelés Ou alefois des capelés Que sus leurs cevelés mettoient. De tels esbas s'entremettoient Comme gratieus et humain, Ou se tenoient main a main En venant a une fontainne Qui pas ne leur estoit lontainne, Car dedens le vregier sourdoit, Belle et clere; riens ne l'ordoit, Ains couroit moult rade et moult vive,

1335

1340

1345

1350

[76a] 1355

1360

A 1340. lons 1360. courroit B 1321. cognut 1329. graciouse 1338. pres 1340. temps 1343. cil 1349. coeilloient 1351. a la fois d. chapelés 1352. chevelés 1354. gracious 1357. ne lor

86

woods and rivers and various amusements, and he was well instructed in letters. Nature shaped him such that he knew more about writing than any other poet of his time. He had studied the seven liberal arts and was well educated and edified. Now it happened that Pynoteiis fell in love with a sister of Cybele whose name was Neptisphelé, and she also, being a comely maiden, fell in love with the young man. I will not conceal what their life was like, for it was courtly and noble. Every day with regularity the young maiden had leave to go out from her father's house, whether it was morning or night. She came into a garden that was quite near an orchard in which had been enclosed since ancient times every kind of tree in abundance. It was very charming and delightful there. And when those about whom I have been reading-that is, the two lovers--got together there, they wouldn't open the garden for any reason other than for joy and revelry. They recalled their love infatuations, both recent and more distant in time, and they often gathered flowers from which they fashioned little bouquets or sometimes little crowns which they then put on their heads. They engaged in such courtly and kindly games as these, or took each other by the hand and went to a spring that was located nearby, bubbling up in the orchard, clear and fresh and free of contamination. It ran forth, fast and free,

87

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S35

1340

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1350

1955

1360

Sans buse ne tuiel ne tive. La se seoient li amant, Qui s'amoient, tres loyaumant ,* Et recordoient sans nul visce Tout ce qui leur estoit propisce. Et quant leur souvenoit de fain, Pourveli estoient de pain, Dont en l'aige faisoient soupes; N'avoient ne hanaps ne coupes, De tout ce ne faisoient force, Mais d'un cerisier une escorce Maçouné et fet il avoient Un hanap, a quoi il buvoient. Ensi maintinrent cele vie, Sans jalousie et sans envie, Sans visce et sans iniquité, D'une amour et d'une unité Sans mestrie et sans signourie Il nouris et elle nourie, Une moult lontainne saison, Tant qu'issue de sa maison Estoit un jour la pucelette, Et s'en venoit toute seulette les deviers le gardinet; Il estoit assés matinet. Encores n'estoit point venus Ens ou vregier Pynoteüs, Dont trop mal en vint a la belle, Car s'il euist la esté, elle N'euïst pas rechupt l'encombrier Qui li sourvint; car en l'erbier Estoit quatis et arestés Uns grans lyons, fiers et cretés, Qui soudainnement l'assali. Nulle deffense n'i vali, Car il le prist et emporta; Au devorer se deporta: On ne le vit onques depuis. Si l'ont moult demandé et quis Son pere, si frere et sa mere, À cui la cose est moult amere, Et sa serour, qui a toute heure,

1365

1370

1375

1380

Au

1385 [76b]

1390

1395

1400

B 1363. loyalmant 1365. q. lor 1368. l'aigue 1371. Maçonne 1374. maintindrent celle 1378. S. envie. 1384. devers 1388. en prist 1390. reçut 1393. Un grant lyon fier 1396. 1401. À qui la chose et l'emporta

88

without pipes or conduits. These lovers, who loved each other very loyally, were accustomed to sit beside it and talk without baseness about whatever seemed appropriate.

1365

When they got hungry they ate same of their bread, which they dipped in the water as sops. They had neither bowls nor cups. They didn't have need for all that. But they had shaped a piece of bark from a cherry tree into a container from which they could drink. They lived their life like this, without jealousy or envy, without baseness or wickedness, in love and equality, neither one playing the master or the lord. He grew up and she grew up for quite a long time, until one day the young maiden came out of her house and went all alone in the direction of the garden. It was morning, but Pynoteüs had still not come to the garden, which turned out disastrously for the beautiful young maiden, because if he had been there the terrible thing that was to befall her would not have taken place. An enormous and fierce lion with bristling fur who was lying in wait there in the grass suddenly leapt on her. No defense was possible before the lion had taken hold of her and carried her off. The lion delighted in devouring her and the maiden was never seen again. Her father, brothers and mother, for whom these events were grievous, sought her and asked after her at great length. Her sister, Cybele, who constantly

89

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S15

1380

1385

1390

1595

1400

Cybelé, le plaint et le pleure Et le plorra, ce dist, tous jours. Pynoteüs, qui ses amours Cuida trouver tout en apert, À l'huis dou gardinet ouvert, Sus le fresce herbe se repose: Apar lui devise et oppose* Dou matin et de le journee Qui si belle estoit ajournee; Tout dou long se couce et estent, Ensi qu'il soloit faire, atent La pucelle et, quant il voit l'eure Qui se passe et que plus demeure Qu'elle n'avoit fait aultre fois, Trop longement ne se tint quois, Ançois apertement se lieve, Car li gesirs, ce dist, le grieve. Par tout le quiert et haut et bas, En tous lieus et en tous esbas Ou il prendoient leur retour. Tamainte voie et tamaint tour Fist Pynoteüs ce matin En cerchant s'amie ou gardin. Et quant il voit que par cerchier N'en poet nouvelles encerchier, L'uis dou gardinet oevre, et vuide: Il ne scet qu'il pense ne cuide. S'il l‘a dedens quise a effors, Encores le quiert mieuls defors: N'i lait espine ne buisson, Dont il y a moult grant fuison, Ne le cerce sans remanoir. Entre le clos et le manoir A trouvé par grant aventure De Neptisphelé le cainture Que li lyons laiie avoit. Et quant Pynotetis le voit Et l'erbe ensanglentee autour, Si dist, espris de grant tristour: "Ha! Neptisphelé, douce amie, Vo gainture ai, ne vous voi mie, Et l'erbe que je voi vermelle B 1408. la f. 1409. expose gesir 1425. chergant 1426. cherce 1437. la chainture 1444. vermeille

1405

1410

1415 [76c] 1420

1425

1430

1435

1440

1412. lonc se couche 1419. le chercier 1427. enchercier 1434. 1438. le lyon 1443. chainture

90

grieves and wails for Neptisphelé, says she will weep forever. Pynoteus, who expected to find his beloved waiting for him right there at the door of the open garden, stretches out in the fresh grass. To himself he imagines and thinks about what the morning and the day which have begun so beautifully will be like. He relaxes and stretches this whole time, waiting, as he usually does, for the maiden. But when he sees that the time for her to arrive has passed and she is tarrying more than she has ever done, he can no longer remain still. Lying there and waiting bother him now, and so he stands up. He searches up and down for her in every corner and place they would normally frequent. Pynoteüs followed many a path and route that morning, searching through the garden for his lover. When he sees that he will never get news of her in his search, he opens the garden gate and goes out. He doesn't know what he's thinking or doing. If he looked for her a great deal inside the garden, he looks even more outside it. He leaves no hawthorn bush or shrub unchecked, even though there are a great number of them. Between the orchard and the manor Pynoteüs chanced to find Neptisphelé's belt that the lion had left there. When Pynotetis sees it and the bloody grass all around, in his great misery he says, "Oh! Neptisphelé, my sweet love, I have your belt but I do not see you at all, and I see the grass all reddened.

ea

1405

1410

1415

1420

1425

1430

1435

1440

1445

Nouvelles me boute en l'orelle Qui grandement me desconfortent: La sauvegine vous emportent, Perdu vous ai par mon outrage. Las! vous n'estiés mie d'outre age, Jone de .XV. ans et demi! Retournés, belle, a vostre ami, Qui pour vostre amour plaint et pleure. Je maudi et le jour et l'eure Quant si seule hors vous mettiés As bestes qui n'entendent tiés, Francois ne ebrieu ne latin. J'ai povre estrine a ce matin, D'anoi tous li corps me tressue, Quant je voi que verde herbe sue Sanc vermel qui issi de vous. Que ferai je, las, fins coers dous? Comment vous poroi je oubliier Ne nulle aultre a moy aliier? Neptisphelé! Neptisphelé! J'ai moult venu, j'ai moult alé, Mes de vous, qui je voi ravie, Ne vi la parelle en m vie. Nature avoit en vous enté, De sa benigne volenté, Bonté, biauté, sens et valour. Quant je pense a vostre coulour Fresce et vermelle comme rose, Je ne sçai comment plus vivre ose, Quant je ne m'ocis d'autre part.* Ha! dou lyon ou dou lupart, Dou griffon ou de l'olifant! Comment poeent un tel enfant Devorer? Car, quant me recors, Neptisphelé, de vo gent corps, Long et droit et bien compassé, J'ai trop le coer d'anoi lassé. Comment aviés belle boucete, Fresce et souef, tendre et doucete, Belles mains, biaus piés et biaus bras, Drois et lons, trop gros ne trop gras! Comment vous seoit, sus un kainse,

A 1453.

maudis

B 1445.

l'oreille

1450.

[76d]

1455

1460

1465

1470

1475

1480

[77a]

1485

quinse

1455.

Aux b.

1458. tout le corps 1460. vermeil 1467. le pareil 1470. beauté 1472. Fresche et vermeille 1475. lyon ha d. 1480. Lonc 1482. bouchete 1483. Fresche 1484. beaus p. et beaus b.

92

News reaches my ears that alarms me greatly: ferocious beasts have carried you off and because of my negligence I have lost you. Alas! You were hardly more than fifteen and a half years old! My beauty, come back to your lover, who weeps and laments for your love. I curse the day and hour when all alone you stepped out among beasts who don't understand Flemish, French, Hebrew or Latin. This morning has begun very badly, and now my whole body shakes with anguish, seeing that the green grass seeps red blood that came from you. Alas, what will I do, my fair sweetheart? How will I be able to forget you and take another woman? Neptisphelé ! Neptisphelé ! I've experienced many comings and goings, but I have never in my life seen the equal of you who has now been taken away. Nature in her benign will had established in you goodness, beauty, good sense and bravery. When I think of your coloring that was fresh and flushed like a rose, I don't know how I dare keep living without killing myself in turn.* Oh, how can lions and leopards and griffins and elephants devour a child like that? Neptisphelé, when I think of your noble body, which was tall and straight and well proportioned, my heart is filled with pain. You had such a beautiful mouth, so fresh and sweet, so tender and soft! And such beautiful hands and feet and arms: so straight and long, neither too hefty nor too fat! So often you would

93

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1460

1465

1470

1475

1480

1485

D'un demi tour estre bien çainse D'un kamoukas ou d'un cadis! Comment se tailloit uns abis Apriés vos costes et vo corps! Vairs yeux, cler front, cevelés sors, Belle vois et langage humain! Quant me souvient que main a main Nous alions a la fontainne, Chantant a clere vois hautainne, Et la faisions nos devis, Et je pers ce! Mors me devis Ne je ne doi el souhedier. Belle, je ne vous puis aidier, Car je sui chi venus trop tart; Mes tout mi sort et tout mi art Pour vostre amour y ouveront. Les males bestes trouveront Com je vous aimme et ai armé. N'i ara bois si fort ramé, Roce,

montagne

ne

1490

1495

1500

1505

citerne

Ne lieu qui conforte ou gouverne Beste taillie d'avoir fet Cel horrible et cruel mesfet. Qui ne viegne tost et afuie Savoir que j'ai qui si m'anuie, Et celle ou toutes camparront, Quant par devant moi apparront, Par sentensce que je dirai, Le jugment tel que ferai. N'i ara ja riens respité, Ne pour amour ne pour pité." Pynoteüs ses sors abille; Empris a que la beste essille Qui li fet faire cris et plains. Venus s'en est en uns biaus plains Ou il n'avoit buisson ne haie: Nuls n'i maint ne chiens n'i abaie. La fet ses carnins et ses sors Et ses commandemens si fors Que lyon, griffon et lupart, Ours et singe de l'autre part L'entendent, car tout obeissent.

1510

[77b] 1515

1520

1525

À 1491. fronc 1496. fasions B 1487. chainse 1490. Aprés 1491. yex c. f. chevelés 1497. perc aime 1505. aura 1516. aura 1519. exille 1521. beaus 1527. singes

94

stylishly wrap silk or linen around your tunic in such a way that a little space would open up between your shift and your body! You had clear eyes, a smooth forehead, blond hair, a lovely voice, and you spoke well! When I think that we used to go hand in hand to the fountain, Singing with our loud, clear voices, and we did whatever we wanted-to think that I've lost all that! Death desires me and I should hope for nothing else. My dear, I can't help you because I came here too late. I will place all my skill and my destiny into the service of your love. The evil animals will discover how much I love and loved you. There is no forest so thick, nor

rock,

nor

mountain,

nor

1490

1495

1500

1505

pit,

nor place which will give refuge to or protect the animal that committed this horrible and cruel crime. Unless someone comes rumning right away to let me know who has caused me this grief that animal and all others will pay when they come before me according to the sentence I will pronounce and the judgment I deliver. None will be spared, neither for love nor pity." Pynotelis prepares an enchantment. He plans to make the beast who brought about his weeping and grief come forward. He arrived in a pleasant plain where there were neither hedges nor shrubbery. Nothing lives there and no dog barks. He pronounces his incantations and enchantments. His exhortations are so powerful that lions, griffins and leopards, as well as the bears and the monkeys all hear him and obey.

95

1510

1515

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1525

Des

roces

et des

Des montagnes

foriés

issent,

et des valees,

1530

Des citernes grandes et lees; Toutes les bestes conversans Ou pays, hors mis les bersans, Mes les sauvages, qui se vivent

De devorer,

illuec arivent

1535

Et viennent au commandement Pour oyr le condampnement Que Pynoteiis leur fera, Car cascune sentensce ara. Et quant Pynoteüs les voit, Encontre elles bien se pourvoit. N'i a si forte ne si fiere Qui contre li hurte ne fiere, Ains s'umelient et se coucent, De .xl. piés ne l'atoucent, Cremeteusement se presentent, Car moult bien congnoissent et sentent Qu'il les poet toutes mestriier. Pynotelis sans detriier Fait en la place un feu ardant, Si fort, si fier et si mordant, Et si haut s'embat la fumiere Que jusqu'au ciel va la lumiere. Et puis leur dist oant en haut: "Escondire riens ne vous vaut! Je voel et vous cammande, bestes, Que vous levés amont les testes, Et viengne avant qui devora Neptisphelé; et chi ora Le sentensce que je li donne; Ou je vous juge et vous ordonne Que toutes en ce feu entrés, Ou celle ou cheli me monstrés Qui m'a ma joie et mon bien mort." Quant elles oent che remort, 11 n'i eut beste si hardie Que ne soit toute acouardie, Car d'entrer en un ardant fu Ne voient ne revel ne ju.

1540

1545 {77e]

1550

1555

1560

1565

B 15295) fores 515337) Dub 1654 M. le 15328 Jor 15209: aura 1544. s'umilient et se couchent 1545. l'atouchent 1546. Cremetousement 1547. cognoissent 1550. un fu 1554. lor d. 1556. voeil 1558. viegne 1559. ci 1562. ce fu 1563. celi 1566. n'i at 1565ce Fr. 1567. 0. n'en 96

The animals come forth from the rocks and forests, from mountains and valleys, from great and wide pits: all the animals who live in the region, except those that people hunt. But the savage beasts who stay alive by devouring other animals come forth at Pynoteüs' commandment in order to hear the judgment that he will pass on them, for he intends to judge each and every one. When Pynoteüs sees them, he ranges himself against them. Even the strongest and fiercest beasts do not try to harm or attack him, but humble themselves instead and lie down, staying some forty feet away and waiting apprehensively. They know very well and can feel that he can rule them all. Without delay Pynotets builds a roaring fire right in that spot: a fire so fierce, so powerful and so threatening and with smoke coiling up so high that the flames lick the sky. Then he shouts to them at the top of his voice: "It's futile to try and escape! Animals, I want and command you to raise up your heads and deliver up the one who devoured Neptisphelé; then he will hear the judgment I pronounce upon him. Either you will all be condemned by me and ordered to jump in this fire or else you must show me which animal it is who killed my joy and my happiness." When the beasts hear this warning, .none of them is so brave as not to tremble in fear; they see no recreation or enjoyment in jumping in the raging fire.

yi

1530

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Toutes tramblent pour le sentensce Que Pynoteüs leur recense Et ululent a haute vois Pour le paour, mes toutes fois Li lyons, qui devoré ot Neptisphelé, paia l'escot, Car li autre le recongneurent; Nulle pité de li il n'eurent, Ains le fisent venir avant, Vosist ou non, et droit devant Pynoteüs le devorerent, Car son mesfait pas n'avoérent, Et depuis sa confusion, Sans faire plus d'abusion, Pynoteüs congiet leur livre; Cascuns se part quitte et delivre Et retournerent en leurs metes. Tout ensi ouvra li poétes, De s'amie prist la vengance, Et non pour quant li aligance De sa dolour n'est pas venue Pour la mort de la beste mue: Encor y a un trop grant membre, Car a toute heure li ramembre De la belle, pour quoi il dist Ne onques de ce pourpos n'ist: "Neptisphelé, de biens comblee, Vous m'estes bien au monde emblee: Plus ne vous sench, plus ne vous voi, Plus ne vous oi, che poise moi. Nous solions nos amourettes Recorder, et nos canchonnettes, Coellier flours et capelés faire. Las! com vous estiés blonde et vaire! Ne comment vous oublieroie Ne aultre a moi alieroie? Tant fust belle, courtoise et sage Et issue de haut parage, De duc, de conte ou de marcis. Li coers m'est tristes et noircis, Je sens ma force assés cangier,

1570

1575

[77d] 1580

1585

1590

1595

1600

1605

[78a]

B1570. p. la 1573. lap. 1574. Le lyon 1576. les aultres le recogneurent 1577. lui 1580. Pinotei 1584. congié lor 1589. nompourquant 1598. senc 1599. ce p. 1601. chançonnetes 1602. Coeillier f. et chapelés 1609. Le coer 1610. senc ma f. a. changier

98

The animals all quake at the judgment Pynoteüs pronounces and they all howl loudly in fear. In any event the lion who had devoured Neptisphelé paid the price because the other animals pointed him out. They had no pity on him; rather they made him come forth whether he wanted to or not, and right in front of Pynoteiis they devoured him. Since they didn't condone the lion's crime Pynotetis allowed the animals to leave without any trickery after the destruction of the lion.

Free and acquitted, each animal leaves and they go back to their haunts. This is what the poet did, taking vengeance for what was done to his lover, despite the fact that the death of the beast did not lighten Pynoteüs' suffering. His grief is still very great for at every moment he remembers his lovely Neptisphelé, for which he says the following, which is his constant thought: "Neptisphelé, pinnacle of all good, you have been taken from me and from the world. I can no longer touch you, no longer see you, and no longer hear you. This weighs heavily upon me. We used to talk about our love and rehearse our songs. We would gather flowers and make crowns with them. Alas! You were so blond and fair in complexion! How will I be able to forget you or take another lover? You were so courtly, so wise and so beautiful, . and descended from such noble people-from dukes and counts and marquis! My heart feels sad and dark, I am losing my strength,

99

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1585

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iE}hs.

1600

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1610

Je piers le boire et le mangier, Le reposer et le dormir, Je me troeve, quant me remir, De ma santé moult negligens. Je soloie estre diligens De moi solacier et deduire, Et ce que je voi me poet nuire. Je ne desir qu'a estre seus Et, quant le sui, je sui uiseus, Plains de dolour et de soussi, Je croi qu'onques homs ne fu si. On me soloit recommander Et en pluiseurs pays mander Pour mon consel et men aÿde, Et maintenant point ne m'aÿde, Ne je ne me sçai mais aidier, Quoi desirer ne souhaidier. Je voi la terre tenebreuse Toute obscurcir, laide et ombreuse; Ou je m'en fui sans nul repos, Engloutir me voet Atropos; Cerberus a ouvert son ventre, Pluto commande que g'i entre: La trouverai je Tantalus, Pyas,*

Yxion,

Ticius,*

1615

1620

1625

1630

1635

Cridus et ossi Proserpine, Qui des dens d'un cierens se pine.* Chil me seront maistre et ministre A servir de vent et d'esclistre, De froit, de chaut et de gellee, De puasine desgellee, De quoi il m'oinderont le barbe, Et m'esleveront sus un arbe, Si me monsteront leurs poissances,* Qui ne sont que doels et nuisances, Tourmens pis oudourans que souffre. Irai je dont, las, en ce gouffre? Oil, puis qu'apar moi m'ocis. Or voel requerre a Lathesis Qu'encor un petit ses dois moulle,

1640

[78b]

1645

1650

A 1630. fuis 1638. C. m'en B 1611. perc le b. et le mengier 1622. recommender 1623. pluisours 1624. conseil 1627. sohedier 1628. tenebrouse 1629. ambrouse 1635. Pias Ixition 1637. chierenc 1638. Cil me 1641. punaisie 1642. la b. 1644. puissances 1649. voeil r. a Lacesis

100

I can't eat or drink, I can't rest or sleep. When I look at myself in a mirror, I can see that my health is failing. I used to be very regular about having fun and finding amusements. Now what I see only causes me pain. I just want to be alone, but when I am I'm listless and full of pain and care. I believe that no man ever suffered like this. People used to seek me out and send me to various countries in order to have my advice and help. But now nothing helps me and I don't know how to help any more. I don't even know what I wish or desire. I see the dark underworld, all dark and hideous and covered with clouds toward which I have taken incessant flight: Atropos wants to devour me, Cerberus has opened his belly, Pluto orders me to enter. Inside I will came across Tantalus Pyas*, Ixion, Tityus,* Cridus, and Persephone who combs her hair with a siren's teeth.* These will be my masters and ministers to serve when it's windy or when there's lightning, in the cold, the heat, and the frost. They will grease my beard with a melting stench. They will raise me up in a tree and use their powers on me-powers which are painful and dolorous-contriving tortures that stink more than sulfur. Will I go then into that void? . Yes, because I myself want to die. Nevertheless I would like to ask Lachesis to dampen her fingers a little

101

1615

1620

1625

1630

1635

1640

1645

1650

Se tirra mieuls Que Cloto porte

Car s‘Atropos Le viaire

a le kenoulle a sa gainture; de sa tainture

me mascuroit,

En trop de places on diroit Et en tamainte

1655

garnison,

Par maniere d'escarnison: "Chils poétes, qui tant fu sages Et qui cognissoit les usages Des herbes et des medecines, Des bois, des pieres, des racines, Et qui savoit, sans lui marir, Autrui consellier et garir, Ne s'est sceüs garir lui mismes, Ains baise les bors des abismes."

1660

1665

Tout ensi seroi je escarnis. Dont, quant je sui de sens garnis

Et que Nature m'a tel fet, Si avenciet et si parfet, Que je sçai, et sans moi grever, Le bien et le mal dessevrer, C'est raisons que je me conselle. Or ne puis je estouper l'orelle Que la belle mette en oubli, Qui ja tant m'ama et jou li. Voirs est, je ne le puis ravoir Ne pour argent ne pour avoir, Ne pour parolles ne pour sors, Ne pour mettre y travel de corps. Ne sçai dont comment me cevisse, Fors tant que d'eskiever ce visse

De desespoir, qui si m'anuie; C'est bon que je l'eslonge et fuie. Comment le porai je eskiever, Ne nulle aultre a moi ayever? J'ai bien chi mestier de consel; Mais apar moi je me consel, De moult de coses m'entremés: Neptisphelé ne rarai mes,

Mes

j'en ferai bien une tele.

1670

[78c] 1675

1680

1685

1690

B 1651. la quenoulle 1658. Cils 1663. conseillier 1664. sceut g. li mimes 1665. abimes 1669. avancié 1672. conseille 1673. l'oreille 1675. et je li 1679. y lacking traveil 1680. m'en cevisse 1681. esquiewer ce visce 1684. esquiewer 1685. ayewer 1686. ci m. de conseil 1687. conseil 1688. choses 1689. raurai

102

and draw out a bit the rod that Clotho carries at her waist.* For if Atropos would blacken my face with her ink, so that I could not see, then people would say all over the place, in fort after fort, in mockery of me: “This poet who was so brilliant and who knew all about herbs and medicines, about woods and stones and roots, and who infallibly knew what to advise

or how

to cure

everyone

1660

else

didn't know how to solve his own problems and now kisses the very threshold of perdition." That is how I will be ridiculed. Therefore, since I have been endowed with reason, and Nature made me so skilled and so perfect that without even thinking I know right from wrong, it is only right that I decide on a course of action. I can't simply stop up my ears and forget my lady who loved me so and whom I loved too. It is true that I will never see her again, not for all the money or wealth in the world, nor for any pleading nor even for any spells, not even if I throw my body into it. I don't know how to resolve this and avoid the vice of despair that indeed threatens me. Surely I could flee this place and go far away, but how could I really escape or keep others from associating with me? I certainly have need of advice here but I have to advise myself in this and I must take account of many things: I will never have Neptisphelé again, but I will make another just like her.

103

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1670

1675

1680

1685

1690

Ne sera de bois ne de tele Ne d'or ne d'argent ne de piere, Tant soit precieuse ne chiere, Ains sera d'autre mixtion Et fete par tele action Que de le fourme et de le taille (Je n'ai ja doubte que g'i faille) Neptisphelé, ne plus ne mains: D'otels piés et d'oteles mains, D'otels jambes et d'otel corps, D'otels membres et ens et hors, De nes, d'orelles et de bouce, Et tous tels yeux camme ot la douce, Tel front, tel chief, tel cevelure, Sans avoir aultre coumellure. Avoec ce, se Phebus m'aÿe, Elle ara mouvement et vie, A moi parra et jou a elle. Ensi, en restorant la belle Que tant amai et tant prisai, Vis m'est q'un bon pourpos pris ai Et je m'i vorrai assaiier Apertement, sans delaiier." Pynoteüs sus son avis Ne mist nul terme, ce m'est vis, Ançois, a mances rebracies, Oevre une ymage a grans bracies: D'aige et de terre muiste et mle Ordonne et taille et fet le mole, Dou long, dou large et del estroit, Dou clos, del ouvert, dou destroit, Tele que fu jadis au monde Neptisphelé qui tant fu monde: Yeux, bouce, orelles, nes en face,

1695

1700

1705 [78d]

1710

1715

1720

Riens n'i oublie qu'il n'i face:

1725

Chief, chevelure, front joli, Sourçoels, entroel, menton poli, Bras, mains, poitrine, mamelettes, Col, jambes, piés sans samelettes, Boudine, rains plainnes et droites,

1730

A 1704. fronc 1716. asm. 1717. as. g. b. 1726. fronc 1730. 1700. 1696. la f. et de la t. B 1693. preciouse Boudines gambes et d'otels 1702. d'oreilles et de bouche 1704. chevelure 1705. commellure 1707. aura 1712. vodrai 1716. a

m. 1717. a g. b. 1718. 1727. entroeil oreille

D'aigue

104

1720.

lonc

1724.

yex bouche

This creature won't be of wood or of cloth, nor of gold, nor silver, nor stone no matter how precious or valuable they might be; rather she will be fashioned from a different mixture and made in such a way that she has precisely the shape and size of Neptisphelé (I will undoubtedly succeed in this undertaking). She will have the same feet and hands, the same legs and body, the same body parts both inside and out, the same nose, the same ears, the same mouth, the same eyes that my sweet Neptisphelé had, the same forehead, the same head, the same hair, with nothing else mixed in. After that, if Phoebus helps me, she will have movement and came to life and we will be able to speak to each other. I would say that it is certainly a good idea to recreate the lovely lady I loved so much and so esteemed, and therefore I will undertake to do this right away with no delay." Pynoteiis knew what he wanted to do and

therefore went to it right away, I believe. Then he rolls up his sleeves and with his own hands forms a statue by mixing together soft, moist earth and water. He shapes and sculpts until he has made a mold just as long and straight and wide, as closed, as open, and as narrow as Neptisphelé herself was when she was still in this world. Pynoteiis forgets nothing in his work: eyes, mouth, ears, nose, head, hair, comely forehead, eyebrows, well-spaced eyes, smooth chin, arms, hands, chest, breasts, neck, legs, bare feet, private parts, well-shaped thighs

105

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1730

Ne trop

larges

ne

trop

estroites.

Il n'i faut el que vie y mettre; De ce ne se scet entremettre: Souverain a a cui en tient.* Mes de li tant de biens retient Qu'il scet le voie et le maniere Comment doit faire sa priiere,

Sican il l'euïst en escript: Une foelle de lorier prit Et ou rai dou solel le serre Et puis, des nus genous a terre, A commenciet une orison Qui s'ordonne par tel raison:

L'orison

[79a] 1740

de Pynoteüs

O Phebus, qui le monde esclaires Et qui la terre et les chieux flaires, Onques ta poissance ne cesse. Cerés, qui est des bles deesse, Bien te congnoist; pour ce t'onneure Et comme souverain t'aeure Des elemens et des planettes. Ossi meismes les flourettes, Qui de terre naissent et issent, De ta poissance se nourissent

Et s'enclinent

1735

encontre

1745

1750

toi,

Com par doctrine et par castoi. Tout quanque Nature a creé Et de sa volenté greé, Soit a present ou soit venue,* Se resjoist de ta venue. Tu fes vert tenir le lorier, Vermel fesis le blanc mourier, Tu muas en encens le cote De ta belle amie Lencote.* A tes oevres nuls ne s'apent. Tu ocis Phiton le serpent, Qui englouti eut Phlimené. Tu engenras en Climené*

1755

1760

1765

A 1743. rubric lacking B 1734. a qui 1735. lui 1736. lav. et lam. 1740. 1737. proiiere 1739. foeille de l. prist soleil 1742. cammencié 1745. cielz 1746. puissance 1747. bleds 1748. cognoist p. ce t'onnoure 1749. t'aoure 1751. meimes 1753. puissance 1755. chastoi 1761. Vermeil 1762. la 1766. ot 1767. engendras c.

106

that are He gives

neither too wide nor too narrow. her everything but the one thing he doesn't know how to create--life itself. That can only be done by God.* But Pynoteüs is so full of good qualities that he knows the means and manner by which to formulate a prayer, just as though he had written it down; he took a leaf from the laurel tree and holds it up to the sun's rays. Then he knelt down on the earth and began his prayer, which goes as follows: Pynoteüs'

1755

1740

prayer

Oh, Phoebus, you give the world light and separate earth from heaven. Your power is everlasting. Ceres, goddess of wheat, knows you well and for that reason venerates and honors you as lord of the elements and the planets. Even the flowers that are born of the earth and come forth are nourished by your power and therefore turn themselves toward you as though taught to do so. Everything Nature has made and willingly acquiesced in, whether now or in the past, rejoices at your arrival. You make the laurel tree green, you made white mulberry red, you changed the rib of your camely lover Leucothoe* into smoke. No one can rival your deeds. You killed the serpent Python that had swallowed Phlimene. You brought forth in Clymene's* body

107

1745

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1755

1760

1765

Pheton, qui tant Qui, sans solers

fu gens et sans

Emprist a gouvrener

tousiaus, housiaus,

ton kar

1770

Et les chevaus a mener, kar Esprouver volt se c'ert tes fis; Ne s'en tenoit seürs ne fis, Car Mercurius li dist lors: "Cuides tu q'uns si nobles corps Que Phebus soit, t'engenrast onques?" Et Pheton airés adonques Fist tant qu'il entra en ta court. Encontre li cascuns acourt: Mulciber li ouvri le porte, Lucifer devant toi l'aporte. La volt savoir se l'engenras, Et tu sierement l'en juras, (Ce fu par le palu d'infer*): "Oil," en tesmoing Lucifer. "Et puisque sui tes fils, biaus peres, A gouvrener ton kar me peres." "Non ferai, fils, car li ceval, Quant

il vont

amont

sans

1775

1780

1785

et aval,

Sont orguilleus et trop despis: Ne te congnoissent, c'est dou pis." "Peres, ne poet de ce caloir! Jones sui et de grant voloir: Mes que je soie sus montés, Tost les arai a moi dontés!" Tant te pria qu'il eut l'otroi. La vinrent li ceval tout troi:* Phlegron, qui resplent de calour, Pirrous, qui rouge a le coulour, Et Ethon. Si les atela Au limonnier qui estoit la, Eoûs, qui fu blans cam neje. Tu li desis: "Biaus fils, or ai je Atelé mon kar bien et bel.

Or le gouvernes

[79b]

cembel

1790

1795

1800 [79c]

1805

A 1783. jura B 1768. touseaus 1769. houseaus 1770. char 1772. ton f. 1773. segur 1775. q'un si noble 1776. Q. P. est t'engendrast 1779. lui 1780. la p. 1783. serement 1784. d'enfer 1786. ton f. beau pere 1787. char me pere 1788. li cheval 1790. orguellous 1792. Pere ne p. de ce chaloir 1795. aurai 1796. ot 1797. vindrent li cheval 1798. chalour 1799. ot la c. 1800. athela 1802. blanc c. nege 1803. beaus 1804. Athelé m. char 1805. gouverne

108

the noble young Phaeton who, shoeless and barefoot, tried to guide your chariot and control its steeds, hoping to prove he was your son. He was skeptical and unsure of his lineage because Mercury had once said to him: “Do you think that one as noble as Phoebus would ever have engendered you?" Then Phaeton, furious, went straight to your court. People rim to receive him. Mulciber opens the door for him, Lucifer brings him before you. He wishes to know if you are his father and you solemly swear by the river Styx* that this is so. "Yes," Lucifer testifies as well. “Then, noble father, since I am your son let me command your chariot." “Absolutely not, my son, for when the horses swoop up and down they have a mind of their own and are hard to handle. What is more, they don't know you." “Father, that hardly matters! I am young and strong-willed. Once I am in the chariot I will quickly have them under my control." He begged you so much that you finally relented. Then the three horses were brought Phlegron, hot and shining; Pyrois who is all red; and Aethon. They were harnessed to another horse, Eous, who was as white as snow. You said to him: "Dear son, I have now hitched up my chariot very carefully. _ Now command it without shouting

109

1770

775

1780

1785

1790

1795 forth*--

1800

1805

Et si tires tous jours sus frain." Dist Pheton: "Ne vous doubtés grain: Bien

conduirai

le kar par

tout,

Et fuissent encor plus estout." Pheton monta, qui petit prise Des chevaus le fet et l'emprise, Li kars se part, les cevaus touce. Il n'eut ne mantelet ne houce, Mais d'un abit de kamoukas, Qui le vestoit jusques bien bas, Estoit parés li jonenchiaus. Moult estoit frices et isniaus; Sus ses estrivieres s'estent* Et au cachier avant entent Et, com plus les fiert et les cace, Son plus grant damage il pourcace, Car, quant ce vient environ tierce, Ne couvient pas que trop les fierce, Ançois vont plus fort qu'il ne voelle. Trop plus s'escaufe qu'il ne soelle, Car li cheval contre frain tirent, Qui moult le jonenciel airent. Or les cuide il esmestriier Par batre et par escorjier, Mais il ne'en poet a cief venir, Yauls affrener ne retenir, Ançois l'emportent contremont, N'espargnent valee ne mont Ne voie, tant soit haute ou basse. Pheton trop grandement se lasse. Car, quoi qu'il ait tel oevre empris, Il ne l'avoit noient apris. De painne et de travel tous sue, Sa gounelle moult bien tissue Jette, en alant, jus pour le chaut. Mes as chevaus noient ne chaut: Toutdis ceminent sans sejour Et quant ce vint sus le mi jour, Plus que devant travel li croissent;

1810

1815

1820

1825

1830 [794] 1835

1840

B 1806. tire 1812. Le char se p. les chevaus touche 1813. n'ot ne m. ne houche 1816. jonencheaus 1817. friches et isneaus 1819. chacier 1820. chace 1821. pourchace 1823. que on les f. 1824. voeille 1825. s'eschauffe q. ne soeille 1826. les chevaus 1830. chief 1831. Eulz 1836. tele 1838. traveil tressue 1839. gonnele 1841. M. aux c. n. n'enchault 1842.

cheminent

1844.

traveil

110

and rein the horses in at all times." Phaeton said: "Don't worry about a thing. Even if it were more difficult to control than I could drive this chariot anywhere." Scorning the nature and power of the horses, Phaeton climbs up. The horses snort as the chariot takes off. Phaeton was wearing only a silk tunic that came down quite far, but he had neither coat nor footwear. That's how the young lad was dressed. Phaeton was alert and attentive. He stretches forth in his stirrups* and is intent on driving the horses forward. And as he whips the horses and urges them on, he seals his own doom for around mid-morning he shouldn't whip them so much or else they'll go further than he would like. But he gets more carried away than he should. The horses strain against the bit, which only infuriates young Phaeton. He thinks he'll bring them under control by using the whip and beating them.

it is

But he can't gain control, can't get them to slow down or hold back. As a result they carry him ever higher, flying over valley, mountain and road, regardless of how high or low they are. Phaeton wears himself out because, despite having undertaken this task, he hasn't really learned it. Covered with sweat from his work and effort, Phaeton casts his tunic aside in order to cool off. But the horses take no notice. They continue without so much as a pause, and when they get to midday Phaeton is more tired than ever.

111

1810

1815

1820

1825

1830

1835

1840

Tout

le debrisent

De tirer

et defroissent

et d'aler

Phlegron, qui estoit tout devant, Feu et flame environ li lance. Moult est Pheton en grant balance: "Haro," dist il, "et qu'ai je empris? Trop sont de grant orgoel espris Chil cheval, qui ensi m'en portent. En cevauçant

peu me

1845

avant.

1850

deportent!

Moult sont del esploitier ardant! Noient ne se vont retardant, Ne pour souffrete ne pour fain: Ne voelent avainne ne fain. Ne sçai viser voie ne tour Camment je les aie au retour: Cescuns de fort errer se pere. Je vorroie estre chiés mon pere: Plus le crienment que moi assés. Je sui travilliés et lassés, Et or primes sont en leur force." Pheton pour abstenir s'efforce, Mais riens ne vault, car si fort tirent Contre li que leurs trais deskirent. Li axis ront, li kars reverse, Pheton cheï la teste enverse. En Ethyope reversa, Mes malement y conversa, Car tel calour rendi li kars Que li pays y fu tous ars; Et li cheval, qui s'espardirent Par vainnes, moult dou monde ardirent:* Nuls ne painne pour yaus ravoir. Jupiter, qui tout doit savoir, Pour le feu de Pheton confondre Envoia çajus un effondre

Et commande que riens n'escape:

1855

1860

[80a]

1870

1875

1880

Nothus si affubla sa cape, Qui est plus noire qu'airemens. Acomplis fu li seremens De Jupiter, par tel maniere

A 1879. Envoia gascuns B1848. Fu et f. e. lui 1851. orgoeil 1852. Ces chevaus q. e. m'emportent 1853. cheminant 1856. frain 1860. Cascuns 1861. vodroie 1862. criement 1867. C. lui 1868. le char 1872. chalour r. li chars 1873. le p. 1874. les chevaus 1876. p. euls 1878. le fu 1880. q. nuls 1883. sairemens 1881. Notus

132

The horses, straining ever forward and pulling on the reins, have done him in and destroyed him. Phlegon, who was in the lead, spews fire and flame all around. Phaeton is in terrible danger now. "My God!" he says, "what have I done? These horses that are carrying me off are swollen with pride. I don't like the way they gallop! They burn to do things they have not done before!

They don't

slow down,

1845

1850

1855

neither for strain nor for hunger. They want neither hay nor oats. I know no trick or means that might make them turn around. Each horse just wants to run wild. I wish I were back in my father's house. These horses fear him a lot more than me. I am spent and exhausted and they are just hitting their stride." Phaeton tries to hold them back but it is no use because they pull so hard that they snap their reins. The axles break, the chariot flips over, and Phaeton falls headlong. He fell into Ethiopia, but he didn't have a good stay there, for the chariot gave off so much heat that the whole country was scorched. And the horses that dispersed into canyons left a trail of fire across the earth.* No one makes an effort to recover them. Aware of all things, Jupiter sent a lightning bolt to beat back Phaeton's fire, and he cammands that nothing escape. Notus puts on his cape that is blacker than ink. Jupiter's word was carried out, and as a result

TLS

1860

1865

1870

1875

1880

Que li mondes fu sans lumiere Un tamps, car tu, Phebus, dous sires, Monstras tes courous et tes ires Sus Jupiter et sus ses oevres. Mes, las, la Terre en quoi tu oevres Et escrips lettres et signaus Generaus et especiaus, Te requist que pité euïsses De lui et que tu represisses Tes chevaus, qui le desreoient Et qui si mal le conreoient. A sa priiere seulement Ne vosis falir nullement; Tu t'apaisas et descendis Et tes chevaus fiers et hardis Represis et menas arriere Et rentras dedens ta barriere Et ratelas ton kar errant. Depuis, parmi le monde, errant Sont ti cheval sans variier, Car tu sces trop mieuls kariier Que ne fesist Pheton tes fis: De ce sui je seiirs et fis. Tes merveilles innumerables Sont si grandes et si notables Que bouce ne le poroit dire Ne mains volumer ne escrire. Et, quant si grans ies et si dignes En fais, en oevres et en signes, Je te pri que ta vertu voelle Descendre en ceste verde foelle Et qu'elle l'alume et esprende, À fin que ceste ymage y prende À present mouvement et vie." Lors fu sen orison oïe, Car lumiere en la foelle vint, Et li poétes, qui le tint Toute ardant, le mist a le bouce Del ymage et, lors qu'elle y touce, Elle sali sus, toute otele Comme une aultre femme mortele.

1885

1890

1895

[80b] 1900

1905

1910

1915

1920

1925

B 1896. proiiere 1902. char 1904. tes chevaus 1905. chariier 1906. ton fils 1907. segur 1910. bouche 1912. g. es 1914. voeille 1915. foeille 1920. foeille 1921. le poëte 1922: ardans le m. a la bouche 1923. De l'image et 1. q. y touche 1925.

fame

114

the world was deprived of light for a while because you, Phoebus our dear Lord, showed your anger and rage about Jupiter and what he had wrought. But, alas, the Earth which you govern and in which you write letters and signs of both a general and particular nature begged you to take pity on it and asked you to call back your horses that were running wild and bringing disaster. Since you didn't want to refuse Earth's prayer, you calmed your rage and came down to take hold of your fierce and ferocious horses and lead them back. You brought them back within their bounds and unhitched your errant chariot. Since that day your horses have followed the same unvarying course through the world because you know much better how to govern your chariot than your son Phaeton, I'm sure of that. Your innumerable deeds are so great and remarkable that no mouth could ever describe them, nor any hand manage to write them down or put.them into a book. And since you are so great and worthy in deeds, works and portents, I beg of you that you deign to descend to this green leaf so that it kindles and begins to burn in such a way that this statue will move and came to life." Phoebus heard his prayer and a light shone onto the leaf. And the poet who held the flaming leaf put it to the lips of the statue; and when the two touched the sculpture leapt forth, and just like any mortal woman she covered her

215

1885

1890

1895

1900

1905

1910

shen:

1920

1925

De ses nues mains fist courdine. L'une mist desous sa boudine Et l'autre encontre sa poitrine. Pynoteiis le vit estrine, Si l'afubla de son mantel; Et celle qui le corps ot bel Et eage de pucelette De .XV. ans environ, jonette, Vaire, simplete et atraiant, Dist doucement et en riant: "Haro! et que j'ai tout dormi! Que poeent penser mi ami Ne que puis estre devenue? Il me cuident avoir perdue; Remenés moi ciés ma serour, Qui pour moi pleure nuit et jour." Et quant Pynoteüs 1'oi Et le vit, moult s'en resjoi. I] meismes dist, tant en sa je, Comment qu'il euist nam de saje: “Neptisphelé, estes vous ce?" "Oil, dous amis, ce sui je, Qui grandement sui travillie. Pour vostre amour sui esvillie; Aler m'en voel, sans remanoir, Veoir les gens de no manoir; Trop ai fait demeure lontainne. Puis en irons a le fontainne, Ensi qu'avons fait aultre fois, Et chanterons a clere vois." Pynotetis tout li acorde. En alant, a par soi recorde Et dist ensi: 'Mervelles voi! Ceste pucelle bien congnoi: C'est m'amie ne plus ne mains. Et ne l'ai je ouvré a mes mains Et, telle qu'elle est, donné fourme? Et elle maintenant m'enfourme Que c'est Neptisphelé m'amie, Qui droit chi s'estoit endormie! Se je puis parler par congié, Ne sçai ossi se j'ai songié. Mes soit songes ou aultre cose,

[80c] 1930

1935

1940

1945

1950

#955

1960 [80d]

1965

B 1927. dessous 1928. l'autre dessus 1931 "qutotile corps 1940. chiés 1944. sac je 1945. sage 1950. voeil 1953. ala 1957. apar 1958. merveilles 1965. ci 1968. chose

116

nakedness with her hands. She used one to cover her breasts and the other for her private parts. When Pynoteiis saw her embarrassment he covered her with his cloak. And the girl, who had a beautiful body and was the perfect age for a maiden-that is, about fifteen--and therefore youthful, fair, uncomplicated and attractive, softly spoke with a little laugh and said:

"Ah!

1930

935

I slept so much!

My friends must be worried about where I have been. They probably think I'm gone forever. Please take me back to my sister,

who cries

1940

for me day and night."

And when Pynotetis heard her and saw her, he was overjoyed. I understand that, despite his wisdom, he even asked:

reputation

for 1945

"Is it really you, Neptisphelé?" "Yes, my dear, I who underwent such torment am now back. It was your love that awakened me fram death. Now I would like to go see my friends and acquaintances after having made them wait so long. Then we will go to the fountain just as we used to, and we will sing songs." Pynoteüs agrees to all this. As they go along, he says the following: "This is a miracle! I know this young maiden: she's my lover, plain and simple. But, didn't I make her and shape her the way she now is with my very own hands? And now she informs me that she's my lover Neptisphelé who had fallen asleep right here! And to speak candidly, I'm not sure but that I may have been dreaming also. But whether a dream or samething else

7

1950

1955

1960

1965

Dire ne voel, ossi Que je ne raie mes

Moult m'a Phebus Et

reconforté

je n'ose, amours.

1970

fait grant secours

au besoing,

Car delivré m'a de grant soing; Dont li et son consel ossi A jointes mains j'en regrasci Et tous jours l'en gracierai En quelconque part que g'irai." Pynoteüs ensi ouvra. Sa droite dame recouvra: Toute tele fu restoree Que li lyons l'eut devoree Et toute tele le rendi À son pere, qui l'entendi Au parler et le recongneut. Ne onques mervelles n'en eut Qu'il ne le tenist pour sa fille (Et a pere ossi le tint cille)

1975

1980

1985

Et si amic et sa serour. Chi n'a mençongne ne errour, Car pour otel je le vous livre

1990

Qu'Ovides le met en son livre, Qui fu sages et grans assés, Et croi qu'il n'euist ja passés

[8la]

Tels recors ne mis en mmvore, Se vraie ne tenist l'ystore; Et pour ce que ceste matere Me sambla de tres grant mystere Et moult tres amoureuse ossi, En le maniere l'escripsi Que devant moi le vi en lettre, Ensi que me sceus entremettre Dou ditter et del ordonner. Ains que le vosisse donner Au messagier qui l'atendoit Et qui apriés les mains tendoit, Pour mieuls garantir de le plueve

Je l'encloï en toille noeve, Bien ciree et bien aournee. Encore escripsi la journee Unes lettres fetes en prose

1995

2000

[81b] 2005

2010

A 1971. grans s. B 1969. voeil 1974. conseil 1981. le lyon l'ot 1984. recogneut 1985. merveilles 1988. ses amis 1989. Ci 1999. lam. 2001. m'en soc 2002. de l'ordonner 2005. aprés 2006. de la

118

I will not say, nor would I presume to, so as not to jeopardize this love. Phoebus certainly did me a great service and comforted me when I was in need by relieving me of a very heavy care. I therefore join my hands together in thanks for what he did and for his advice, and no matter where I am I will always be thankful. This is what Pynoteüs wrought. He got his lady back that the lion had devoured, just as she was before. He then presented her to her father who, hearing her voice, recognized her. It's no miracle that he took her for his own daughter as well as for a friend and sister (and she considered him like a father). This report is without error, for I am giving it to you just as Ovid, wise and great as he was, put it in his book. And I do not believe that he would have passed along a report and kept it in living memory if the story were not true. And because this material seemed to me full of mystery, as well as concerned with love, I wrote it out just as I saw it before me in letters. That's how I knew how to campose this story and organize it. Before giving it to the messenger who was waiting for it and even extending his hands for it, I wrapped it in some new cloth which had been waxed and prepared to protect it from the rain. I also wrote a letter in prose that day to my good and

Wy

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

OS

2000

2005

2010

A mon grant et chier ami Rose; Comment je fis ne sur quel fourre, Le contreteneur vous enfourme:

(6)

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Rose, tres chiers compains et grans amis, vous m'avés escript que aucun dittié nouvellement fet et ordonné je vous vosisse envoiier. Sachiés que au jour que vostres lettres me vinrent, je n'en estoie point pourvels; et cheli que je vous envoie a present, voelliés le prendre en gré, car je l'ai fet a mon pooir de la plus nouvelle matere que j'aie trouvé entre les anchiiennes hystores dont je soie tant qu'a ores aisiés del avoir. Et se vostre messagier a trop demoré, che n'a point esté sa coupe, mes la mienne, car j'ai esté cause de son sejour. Chiers amis, ossi m'avés escript del estat de vostre dame et de vous, et me priiés que, sus aucunes aventures qui vous sont avenues, je vous voelle consillier. Et certainnement, la ou je le porai et sarai faire, je le ferai liement. J'ai viseté, regardé et a mon pooir examiné vostres lettres et ymaginé en moi meismes les parolles et les responses de vostre dame, les queles, se Diex me vaille, moult me plaisent. Elle vous requiert que vous soiiés loiiaus; c'est ume belle vertu en coer d'amant et qui moult y fet a recommender, et non pas seulement en cel estat, mes en tous aultres. Or sui je certains que de ce vous estes tous avisés. Chiers amis, je vous escuse assés des assaus de jalousie, dont vous avés pluiseurs et de diverses manieres, et que bellement ne patianment vous ne les savés porter, ensi que besoins vous seroit. Se Diex m'ait, je le croi bien, car, com plus loyaument et ardanment est on enamouré, de tant et le plus legierement on y descent; et la grignour remede qui estre y poet et qu'a present je percoi en vostre afaire, c'est que vous prendés en gré tout ce que vostre dame dist et fet. S'elle jue, si voelliés juer; s'elle chante, si voelliés chanter: tout ensi qu'elle se maintient, si vous maintenés au plus sievant que vous poés. Et s'elle s'esbat avoec aucune personne, espoir,

qui vous mette en jalousie, si faites [81 vw] samblant que

B 2012.

fis

et sus

2013.

La c.

(Letter 6) B 3. Saciés 4. lettres vindrent 5. celi q. je v. e. ap. voeilliés 7. anciiennes 9. ce 11. vous m'avés aussi escrit de l'estat 13. voeille 14. saurai 15. visité 22. vous estes reversed 24. pluisours et des diverses Sis voeilliés 32. voeilliés 33. sievant 34. poés lacking

120

dear friend Rose. The copy reproduced here will provide the form and content of what I wrote:

(6)

10

15

20

25

30

Rose, my very dear companion and close friend, you wrote asking me to send you same poem I might have recently composed. Let me tell you that the day I received your letter I had nothing ready. I hope you are delighted to receive what I am sending you presently, for I put it together myself from the newest material I could find among the old stories to which I currently have access. If your messenger has been slow in returning to you, it is my fault, not his, since I was the cause of his delay. My dear friend, you also wrote me about the state of things between your lady and you, and you asked me to advise you on the events that have befallen you. To be sure, whatever I can or know how to do I will gladly carry out. I have reviewed and examined your letter to the best of my ability, and I have tried to picture how your lady would respond and what she might say, and the responses are, God willing, very positive, I think. She asks you to be loyal, which is an excellent virtue in a lover's heart and has much to recommend it--and not just for lovers but for all others as well. Now, I am sure that you are well aware of this. My dear friend, I pardon you your occasional fits of jealousy which manifest themselves in various ways and which you have not yet learned to bear gracefully and patiently, as you should. So help me God, I believe that the more one burns ardently and loyally with love, the more easily one succumbs to jealousy; and the greatest remedy for that, and which I think appropriate in your case, is for you simply to accept willingly whatever your lady does or says. If she plays, then you should want to play. If she sings, you should like singing. Whatever she does, you do also as often as you can. And if by chance she amuses herself with someone else, making you jealous, act as

though 35

you with

it

doesn't

greatly appreciate

matter it.

to

you

at

all

and

she

will

And if you wish to make her a bit

Lei

riens ne vous

40

45

50

55

en soit,

et elle vous

en sara grant

gré. Et

se vous le volés un petit mettre en jalousie de vous, pour esprouver comment vous en estes amés, si faites que vous soiiés conjois et liement recoelliés d'aucune dame lie et gaie et amoureuse. Et li samblans amoureus, que ceste vous fera par samblance, li brisera et ostera ses pensees et ]'enflamera de l'amour de vous. Et mieuls vous vaurra ce a faire secretement en l'absensce de li qu'en le presensce, mes que seulement elle 1'6e dire, car bonne amour est trop encline a jalousie: et une fois l'oÿ recorder une dame de haut afaire: "Je sui moult lie," dist elle, "quant je puis mon ami mettre en jalousie, car adont congnoi je et voi camment je sui amee de li." Pour voelliés ceste parolle et tant, chiers amis, gloser sentir que ce n'est mie pais de jalousie, mes grans foursenerie. Si le fuiiés et eslongiés au plus que vous poés, car il vault mieuls qu'on le soit de vous que vous d'autrui. Non que je le vous die par voie ne maniere de consel, car vous estes sages assés pour vous consillier et d'eslire le milleur estat et celi prendre; je ne le fai fors que par campagnie et recreation. Dou surplus, se vous me volés riens mander, si ne m'espargniés noient: vous me trouverés apparilliet. Che scet qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

Et desous, en nom de parclos, Y avoit: "le tout vostre Flos." Et si tost qu'elle fu ploiié Et saielee et bien loiié, Je le delivrai a celi Qui le mist errant deviers li Et qui se remet au retour. Depuis passerent mois et jour Que je n'oï nulle nouvelle, Quele que fust, laide ne belle, mon compagnon grant; Si avoi je le coer engrant Que nouvelle m'en revenist

li Sains

Esperis,

[81c] 2015

2020

De Rose

2025

Et qu'escrire me couvenist. B 36. saura gré 37. mettre un petit 39. recoeilliés 40. amourouse Et le samblant amourous 44. la presence 48. lui 49. voeilliés 50. n'est pas paix de j. m. grant 54. conseil C. V. e. S. a. p. v. conseillier 55. millour estat 57. me 58. appareillié Ce scet le Saint Esperit lacking B 2016. tos 2017. seelee et b. liié 2019. devers 2021. moi

122

40

45

50

D)

jealous in order to test how fond she is of you, arrange to have yourself accampanied and warmly received by same lady who is known to be lighthearted, fun and attractive. And the loving glances this other girl will give you will alter your lady and clear her mind and make her burn with love for you. Also, it's better for you to do this secretly and in her absence rather than in her presence so that she only knows of it through hearsay, for courtly love tends strongly toward jealousy. Indeed, once I heard a very noble lady announce as much, saying, "I am very happy when I can make my lover jealous because then I know and see how much he loves me." My dear friend, fran this you can understand and see that jealousy doesn't bring peace but rather it can drive you out of your mind. So flee jealousy and avoid it as much as you can, because it's better for sameone to be jealous because of you than for you to be jealous because of sameone else. Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do, because you are wise enough to make up your own mind and to choose the best course and follow it. I am only doing this out of friendship and for my own amusement. Besides, if you would like to send me anything, please don't hesitate in the least, for you will find me ready and willing. May the Holy Spirit watch over you. Written, etc. And underneath,

as

a signature,

I put "your very devoted Flos." And as soon as it was folded and sealed and wrapped, I gave it to a fellow who took it right away

2015

and started on his return journey. A month and a day passed during which I had no news of any sort, good or bad, from my good friend Rose. By then I was greatly hoping for some news of him or that he would write me.

2020

123

2025

Je vous dirai pour quel En ceste meisme saison Jusques a trois balades

raison: 2030

fis,

[81d]

Selonc le matere et l'avis Que j'avoie lors pour le tamps Et dou quel je sui bien sentans. Se celles vous volés savoir, Le copie en poés avoir:

2035

Balade

Je vorroie qu'il fust de droit usage* Qu'on fust paiiet selonc ce qu'on dessert Et qu'on peuist congnoistre le corage Tout clerement, qui bien et qui mal sert: Par quoi li bon en apert De leur bien fet euïssent lie chiere,

2040

Li recreant fuissent bouté arriere. Mes quant on met bons et mauvais ensamble, On paie mal, selonc ce qu'il me sanble.

Ce doient chil savoir qui, leur eage, Pour bien amer, loyaument ont offert Corps, coer et sens, cavance et hiretage Et maint peril enduré et souffert; Et puis, d'aventure, il ert Q'uns emparlés par hardie priiere Sera ois et chils remis arriere Qui pora bien dire, se gens assamble: On paie mal etc.

Ne je n'i voi ores nul avantage Au bien amer; fols est qui s'i ahert. Li don d'amours ne vont que par outrage, Dames en ont le jugement ouvert. Et se le tamps on y pert, Li vie en est si plaisans et si chiere

2045

[82a]

2050

2055

B 2028. d. par q. 2031. lam. 2035. Lac. en povés A 2045. Se doient 2058. E se A' 2042. b. derriere 2047. chavance 2048. enduret 2055. A bien amer 2056. d'amour 2059. La v. B 2037. paiié 2038. cognoistre 2039. Tout bellement 2040. les bons 2045. cil 2047. chevance 2050. proiiere 2051. cils 2056. Les dons 2059. La v. B' 2036. vodroie 2037. paiié 2038. cognoistre 2045. cil 2047. chevance 2048. enduret 2050. proiiere 2051. cils 2055. A bien amer 2056. Les dons 2059. La v.

124

T'll

tell

you why:

during that same period I composed three ballades on the same subject and giving the same opinion that I had then and for which I have some feeling. If you want to see these poems you can have these copies:

2030

2035

Ballade I wish the world were such that people got exactly what they deserved and that you could clearly see the workings of a person's heart, who is true and who is false. That way it would be clear who the good people were and they would be happy on account of the good they did. Evil-doers would be pushed back. But to mix the good and the bad together doesn't work out, at least that's what I think.

2040

This must all those know who 2045 in turn have put forth body, heart, mind, wealth and inheritance in the cause of true love and have undergone and suffered many trials. Sometimes it will came to pass that a smooth talker will come along and-‘his lover's suit will be well 2050 received and the lady will send another away. Then when people get together they'll have every right to say it doesn't work out, etc. I see no reason to love truly. A person is a fool to fall for that. Love's rewards are given in outrageous fashion because ladies have the power to decide freely. And if one wastes his time loving, the experience is so delightful

125

2055

Qu'otretant bien, en plus grosse maniere, L'omme hardi et le couart qui tramble On paie mal etc.

2060

Balade Cremeteus fet amer en soupeçon* Comment qu'aucun prisent plus le dangier Fn bonne amour qu'il ne facent le don. Mais, tant qu'a moi, j'aroie assés plus chier, S'il aloit par souhedier, Brief estre ois que longement languir; Car en langeur couvient .I. coer souffrir Par pluiseurs kas trop de griés aventures, Aspres et grans, fortes, fieres et dures. Que ce soit voirs, g'i voi assés raison, Car li amant, qui usent de priier, Ne scevent se ja aront grasce* ou non; Et toutes fois, il les couvient songnier, Sans le painne ressongnier, Et leurs dames honnourer et servir,* Estre esbahi, simple, et souvent fremir: Par tels assaus s'enflament les ardures Aspres

et grans

etc.

2065

2070

2075

[82b] 2080

Dont li pluiseur, et par ceste oquison, En font souvent leurs vies abregier.

Or regardés

s'en sifaite

prison

Il fait plaisant ne joli herbergier. Oil voir! Mentir n'en quier, Pour cheuls qui ont volenté d'ensieuir D'armes les fes: chil ont soing et desir Que leurs coers soit entamés des pointures Aspres et grans etc.

2085

A 2074. merci oun. A’ 2077. honnerer et cremir 2079. P. ces a. 2081. sans nulle autre oquison 2086. chiaus 8B 2069. langour 2070. pluisours cas 2073. les amans q. u. de proiier 2074. auront merci 2081. les pluisours 2086. ceuls 2087. cil

2088. leur coers B‘ 2069. langour les amans q. u. de proiier 2074. cremir 2079. P. ces a. 2081. occoison 2086. ceuls 2087. cil

2070. pluisours cas 2073. auront 2077. honnourer et les pluisours sans nulle autre

126

and so merry that both the dashing man and the trembling coward find it doesn't work out, etc.

2060

Ballade

To love suspiciously makes a person fearful. Nevertheless some people like refusal in love better than they do surrender. But as for me, I would much prefer, if wishes were deeds, to be accepted right away rather than languish a long tine. For in waiting a heart inevitably suffers many kinds of experiences that are painful, bitter and weighty, difficult, fierce, and hard. I can see clearly enough that this is true, for would-be lovers who spend their time pleading never know whether they will reap the rewards of love or not. They need to keep hoping the whole time, with no regard for their own pain, serving their ladies and doing them honor. They are dumbstruck at times, and made foolish, and they often shiver or bum with the flames of love's assaults bitter and weighty, etc.

For this reason many people often shorten their lives. Now consider whether it would be pleasant or amusing to stay in such a prison. Indeed! I don't want to lie to people who would prefer to pursue feats of arms. The love-struck desire and seek to have their hearts wounded with darts that are bitter and weighty, etc.

127

2065

2070

2075

2080

2085

Balade

Je puis moult bien comparer mon desir* Au Tantalus et ma vie a sa painne, Qui boire voelt et n'i poet avenir; S'est il entrés en la douce fontainne, Qui li sourt tout environ Et qui l'atouce au nes et au menton, Mais, quant il voelt boire, l'aige le fuit: En ce parti ne voi point de deduit. Ensi amours me fait moult a souffrir, Car ardanment .I. tel desir m'amainne, Dont je ne puis ne partir ne joir Ne resjoir, pour cose que g'i painne; Si voi je assés la façon De ma dame, mes ne sçai qu'en face on, Car si attrait sont tout de dangiers duit. En ce parti etc.

2090

2095

2100

2105

Ce m'est moult dur. Quant je le voel servir, Elle me fuit, et se m'est si prochainne Que si regart me donnent a sentir Toute douçour, mes elle m'est lontainne, Car quant je li donne en don Mon coer, m'amour, n'en ai pour guerredon Fors escondis et refus jour et nuit. En ce parti etc.

J'avoie

[82c] 2110

adont de cuir bouli

Un coffinet bel et poli, Qui estoit longés et estrois, Ou les balades toutes trois Mis, car ensi user soloie, A fin que, quant je les voloie Envoiier, donner ou proumettre, Tost peuisse sus le main mettre. Encores entrepris a faire Un lay, quoi que fust dou parfaire, A‘ 2094.

2115

2120

li ceurt 2102. le f. 2106. Sem. 2109. douchour B 2095. l'atouche 2096. l'aigue 2101. chose 2104. ses attrés s. tous 2106. voeil 2107. progainne 2108. Quant ses regars B' 2094. li court 2095. l'atouche 2096. l'aigue 2101. chose 2106. voeil 2107. progainne 2108. ses regars B 2120. promettre 2121. lam

128

Ballade

I can easily compare my desire to Tantalus' and my life to his suffering when he wants to drink and can't. He wades into the sweet fountain that gushes all around him and comes right up to his nose and chin. But when he wants to drink, the water recedes. I see no pleasure in that situation. Love makes me suffer in much the same way for my burning desire draws me ever forward such that I can neither depart from nor enjoy, nor the pleasure of my love, no matter what I endure. I see my lady's ways perfectly clearly but I don't know what to do about it, for her features are all steeped in rejection. I see no pleasure, etc. This wounds me greatly. She flees me when I try to serve her, and yet if she is so near that her glances make me begin to feel a softening, she is still distant, for when I give her my heart and my love, I have no reward except refusal after refusal, night and day. I see no pleasure, etc.

I had at that time a little box that long and narrow, and made of treated leather that was fine and polished, in which I put all three ballades, as was my wont. That way if I wanted to send them or give them or offer them ’ I could put my hands on them right I also started to compose a lai having to do with what I was

129

2090

2095

have

2100

2105

2110

was

21S

2120 away.

Selonc le matere et le tamps Le quel j'estoie adont sentans; Car je fui sus mon lieu tous quois Bien par le terme de .IX. mois,* De le fin d'aoust jusqu'en julle,* Qu'onques je ne vi lettre nulle, Quele que fust, ouverte ou close, De par mon tres grant ami Rose; Se les soloit il envoiier De mois en mois, sans delaiier. Dont j'estoie tous amatis Et forment ymaginatis Qu'i li pooit estre avenu, Ne li messagier devenu. Je ne sçai s'il estoit malades; Mes tantost apriés les balades Commenchai a faire le lay, Et che que j'en fis, escript l'ai:

2125

2130

2135

2140 [82d]

Lay ike

Ou sont li vrai amoureus?* Aumains que j'en aie deus Tels que desir! Non pour quant dou requerir Sui outrageus. Mes mon desirier est teus Que, se je pooie entre eus Estre a loisir Pour regarder et oir Les diseteus Plains de souspirs dolereus Et de regrés languereus Ce me

2145

2150

Lonch de joir, feroit resjoir;

2155

Car uns homs seus Est trop merancolieus: Compagnie li est preus.

B 2124. lam. 2127. de noefm. Qu'il 2137. lem. 2139. tantos ce A’ 2153. langereus 2154. Long

2128. aprés

la f. d. j. jule 2140. Commencai

B 2142. le vrés 2147. 2148. euls 2154. Lone 2155. Che 2156. seuls melancolieus B" 2142. les vrés 2147. teuls 2148. euls 2156. seuls Long 2157. melancolieus

130

2136. 2141. teuls 2157: 2154.

feeling at the time, though without much likelihood of bringing it to an end. Nothing more happened there where I was. For a space of nine months* at least-that is, from the end of August until the following July*--I received no letter of any kind, whether sealed or unsealed, from my close friend Rose. He usually sent me letters each month without fail. Therefore I was very disappointed and greatly concerned about what might have happened to him and what had become of his messenger.

I didn't

know if he was

2125

2130

2135

sick or not.

In any event, shortly after having composed the ballades I started a lai. Here below I have written what I accomplished:

2140

Lai dhe

Where are true lovers? What I would give just to find two! Not that I am frantically trying to find sone, but my desire is such that if I could pass my time among them listening to them and observing them as they suffered, full of painful sighs and plaintive regrets in their misery, I would be overjoyed. For a man who is alone becomes ill-tempered. It's good for him to have campany.

131

2145

2150

liste

La voel venir, Et ossi de moi garir Sui convoiteus.

2.

Car

2160

la dolour

Que je port M'a priés mort Sans nul retour;

2165

Dont tels m'atour Que n'ai port De deport, Fors doel et plour; N'en ma langour N'a confort

Qui m'aport

[83a]

Nulle dougour. Or pri Amour, Se j'ai tort, Foible ou fort,

L'aie oF

en brief

2175

jour.

C'est priiere sans pecié Et, se mon coer sench blecié, J'en ai acquis le marcié, Au dire voir; Car j'ai pluiseurs fois priié Et requis et suppliié Qu'Amours m'euist herbergié En son pooir. Or ai si avant marcié Que je voi mon coer lacié, Affremé et atacié En son voloir; Mes c'est en lieu sans pitié, Sans confort, sans amistié Et sans regart affetié De nul espoir.

A 2184. herbegié A' 2173. douchour 2185. A son voloir s. pooir 2192. adrecié B 2159. voeil 2161. couvoiteus pres 2178. proiiere s. pechié 2179. senc blechié marchié 2182. pluisours f. proiié 2184. Qu'amour marchié 2187. lachié 2188. atachié B" 2159. voeil couvoiteus 2164. pres 2178. proiere s. pechié 2179. blechié 2180. marchié 2182. pluisours f. proiié 2185. voloir 2186. marchié 2188. atachié 2189. s. pooir adrecié

132

2170

2180

2185

2190

2189. 2164. 2180. 2186. 2161. senc A son 2192.

some

I hope that comes my way and heals me again.

2160

For the pain that I feel has nearly killed me and there's no going back. But then I'm not attired for fun but only for weeping and suffering. In my torment no consolation brings me any solace.

So I pray to the that if I have then, weak or I have only been

2170

God of Love been wrong strong, wrong briefly.

This is a prayer without sin, and if I feel my heart wounded I have earned that by speaking the truth, for I have often pleaded and implored and entreated the God of Love to take me into his power.

Now I've gone so far that my heart is bound, fastened and secured in the direction it has chosen. But it receives no sympathy, no compassion, no caring, and not a glance that might give it hope.

133

2165

2175

2180

2185

2190

Ensi que j'ai ja dit devant, Dou lai je ne fis plus avant Et, quant li autre ver venront Qui a ces trois s'acorderont, Lors sera acomplis et fes. D'un lay faire c'est .I. grans fes, Car qui l'ordonne et rieule et taille Selonc ce que requiert la taille, Il y faut, ce dient li mestre, Demi an ou environ mettre. Or me vint soins especiaus, Car Rose, mes amis loyaus, M'envoia, par la merci soie, En dementrues que g'i pensoie, Assés a lire et a penser, Si com vous orés recenser, Tout premierement un coffin De cuir bouli, poli et fin, Avoec lettres belles et sages Me mist en le main li messages Et me dist, ou a le value: "Sire, nos mestres vous salue." Je pris les lettres et le coffre, Ne le baille a nullui ne offre, Ançois dedens ma cambre entrai Et dou coffret errant hors trai Ce que g'i trouvai, a delivre: Ce fu un bel et plaisant livre Envolepé de kamoukas. Point ne l'ouvri et pour le kas A savoir s'il venoit a mi. Rose, qui je tieng pour ami, Me saluoit plus de cent fois, Et la lettre escripte en francois Lisi, tout en sievant le glose. Se disoit ceste lettre close: (7)

2195

2200 [83b]

2205

2210

2215

2220

2225

Flos, chiers amis, comme ensi soit, et bien le voi, que toute bonne diligensce est apparillié en vous pour faire ce qui a plaisance me puet et doit venir, ne point n'i ai veu le contraire, pour quoi je me sens grandement tenus

A 2228. ensievant Endementroes 2213. en sievant la g.

B 2196. mes mains

(Letter 7) B 2. appareillié

vendront 2199. wns g. 2214. la v. 2218. chambre

3. i lacking

senc

134

4. grandement

2207. 2228.

je me

As I said before, I got nothing more done on the lai. When the other stanzas that should go with these three are written, then the whole thing will be finished. It is a difficult task to campose a lai for whoever puts one together or shapes or fashions one as the rules require

2195

2200

will put in a good half-year's work or so at least--this is what the experts say. Then I received an unusual task when my faithful friend Rose, gracious as he is, sent me, right when I was thinking about him, some things to read and ponder over which I will describe for you here. First of all, a messenger placed in my hands a box made of fine treated leather with a wise and elegant letter inside, and he said

to me

in so many

2205

2210

words,

"Sire, our master sends you greetings." I took the letter and the container,

2215

and, without offering or giving it to anyone, I entered my room and immediately took out — what I found inside, namely a lovely, charming book wrapped in silk.

I didn't open it at all to see if it was really for me. There was a letter written in French from my dear friend Rose in which he began by greeting me more than I read, attentively following the text. This is what the letter said: (7)

5

2220

2225 a hundred

times.

My dear friend Flos, I can very well see that it is true that you are ready and willing to do for me at my pleasure whatever I need or want. Nor have I ever seen evidence to the contrary, for which reason I am very obliged to you and ready to do for you whatever I can. Thank you very much for the letters you sent me,

135

5

10

15

20

25

a vous

[83 Vv] et a desservir

35

je porai.

Je vous

je vous pri que vous m'aiiés pour escusé, car j'ai eu soing et cause especiaus; non, Dieu merci, que entre ma dame souverainne et moy ait eii nul discort ne variement, car nostre coer sont ferme et estable en une unité, et moult me vault vostres consaus dessus dis. Et ce qui m'a ensonniiet ce terme, ch'a esté une yragination que j'ai pris sus un songe qui m'avint assés tost apriés les lettres que darrainnement m'envoiastes; de la quele ymagination je n'en sçai qui encouper fors vostre livret de Pynoteiis et de Neptisphelé. Et croi ensi que la plaisance que j'ai eli, et par pluiseurs fois, au lire, m'a aresté ou songe et ou pourpos que j'ai eù, sus le

quel avis

30

quant

et envoiies m'avés vous que lettres des regrasci especiaument des darrainnes, car je y ai pris et prens, grant recreation et toutes les fois que g'i regarde, moult me plest li trettiés amoureus de Pynoteiis et de Neptisphelé, car la matere en est bien nouvelle ne devant ces heures je n'en avoie onques oy parler, dont de tant m'est elle plus agreable. Et se je me sui souffers d'escrire ce terme par deviers vous et che tamps passé,

j'ai ditté

et ordonné

un petit

dittié,

et celi

mis en volume de livret et couvert de kamoukas en nom de jolieté. Et pour ce que je ne vous doi ne voel riens celer de cose qui m'aviegne, je le vous envoie: si le lirés et regarderés a vostre bon loisir, et le corrigerés la ou il besongne, et je vous en pri. Et me rescriprés par le porteur des presentes che que vous en samblera; et tout ce qu'il vous plest a mander, faire le poés fiablement com au tout vostre. Et vous me verés apparilliet. Che scet li Sains Esperis qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

kas

[83c]

De desploiier le kamoukas. Ossi fis je sans plus d'atente, Car toute ma grignour entente Fu que de savoir sur quel cose Li livrés que m'envoioit Rose

Ceste

lettre me donnoit

2235

A5. adesservir B7. prenc 9. la trettié 13. devers v. et ce temps 16. n. descort 18. vostre conseil dessus dit 19. ensonnié ce t. ç'a 20. aprés 22. sçai bonnement queer joliveté Et p. ce q. je ne v. d. ne voeil 29. chose 32. ce qe bon v. en s. 33. povés 35. appareillié Ce scet le Saint 36. et cetera Esperit B 2234. sus q. chose 2235. Le livret

136

10

19

20

25

especially the last one. Every time I look at them they have been and continue to be a wonderful diversion for me. Also I very much liked the tale about the love between Pynoteüs and Neptisphelé, for the story is quite original and until now I have never heard of it, which only makes it more delightful. If I have gone without writing you for quite same time, please forgive me, but I have had an extraordinary number of cares and worries. Not that there has been any discord or change between my lady and myself, thank God, for our hearts are firm and planted in union (for which, incidentally, the advice you gave me was very helpful). But what has especially preoccupied me during this period has been an image that has been in my head and which comes from a dream I had soon after you last wrote me. The only thing I think this image could possibly have come fram is your little book about Pynoteüs and Neptisphelé. I think the pleasure that reading and rereading it gave me came back to me in my dream or thoughts. Because of this I have composed and created a little tale and bound it as a little book, covering it with decorated silk. And because I neither would nor should want to hide from you anything that happens to me, I am sending it to you. I ask you therefore to look it over and read it at your leisure and to make whatever corrections you think warranted. Write

me back by means 35

of the courier

who has

brought

you the

present letter and tell me what you think. Finally, anything you might like to send me you can do so with the kind of confidence you would place in one of your own messengers. You will find me ready and waiting. May the Holy Spirit watch over you. Written, etc.

After reading this letter I was to unwrap the silk, which I did without delay, because I was dying to know about what subject Rose had written and put together the

157

eager

2230

2235

Estoit compillés et escrips. Et lors qu'au lire je me pris, Je me solachai en lisant, Car li ver furent moult plaisant, Bien ordonné et bien assis. Des foelles lisi jusqu'a sis Et puis recammenchai mon tour A la premiere page, pour Mieuls concevoir et cler entendre A quoi la matere poet tendre, Qui me sambla belle et jolie, Hors de toute merancolie. Tele qu'elle est je le vous moustre. Savoir le poés par lire oultre. Or le lisiés ou escoutés, Car li langages est tous tes:

L'an mil .CCC.XI. et sissante, Ou tamps que li rossegnols chante Et que le terre s'esjoist Assés plus que dont qu'elle oist Sons d'instrumens melodieus, Car li yviers maladieus, Qui diversement le desrobe, Li avoit tollue sa robe; Or le recoevre belle et noeve. N'a plus le froit vent ne le ploeve, Le gresil, le nege et le glace, Ançois se deduit et solace A rechevoir, soit tart ou tempre, Le rousee, qui li atempre Ses rieules et ses instrumens A ouvrer de ses elemens Foelles, flours et despoulle tele Qu'i n'est creature mortele Qui sceuist faire la parelle; Car si cointement s'aparelle Et de garnemens si nouviaus Que toute joie et tous reviaus Sont en coer, qui bien y prent garde;

2240

[83d]

2245

2250

[84a] 2255

2260

2265

2270

B 2238. solagai 2239. les vers 2241. foeilles 2242. recommençai 2248. monstre 2249. povés 2251. tels 2252. soissante 2253. le rosegnol 2254. la t. 2257. li yvers 2261. la plueve 2262. lan. et lag. 2264. recevoir 2265. La tr. 2268. Foeilles 2269. Qu'il 2270. pareille 227i s'appareille 2272. nouveaus 2273. reveaus

138

book he had sent me. When I began reading it I found it very engaging. The verses were very pleasing, well written and nicely phrased. I read about six pages and then returned to the first page to begin again in order to get a better view and understand more clearly what the gist was of this work that seemed to me charming and cheerful, quite devoid of gloom. I will give it to you just as I read it. If you want to see it and read it in its entirety, just read on or listen, because word for word it went like this: In 1371, at the time of the year when the nightingale sings and the earth renews itself almost as though revived by the melodies of musical instruments, and after a dreadful winter had robbed the earth of its raiment, virtually stripping it, it covers itself in new and camely apparel. Gone are the cold wind and rain, the hail, the snow and the ice. Then the earth takes cheer and pleasure in the dew that, sooner or later, tempers Earth's rules and instruments in order to make leaves and flowers and such crops that no mortal creature could ever do anything remotely similar. For the earth is arrayed so merrily with such new garments that hearts are full of joy and mirth, as anyone can see.

139

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2250

2255

2260

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2270

Car il samble,

qui le regarde

Vestire, parer Qu'elle voelle

et aroiier, au ciel guerroiier;

2275

Car il n'est ne flours ne foellette Qui ne se cointoie

En li eslevant

et oellette

contremont;

2280

Et Nature a ce dont semont Ces oiselés gais et jolis A prendre solas et delis En fontenis et en ruissiaus, Sus buissons et sus arbrissiaus, En bois, en gardins et en chans Et en melodiier leurs chans: En autre soing ne sont ravi; En celi tamps, un jour ja vi Q'un soir je m'estoie couciés Dou dart d'Amours trais et touciés, (Encor en sens je ou coer le pointe), En ume cambre belle et cointe, Vestie de biaus paremens Et de moult rices garnemens, Et avoie, pour mieuls joir De l'air et les oisiaus oir, Sus les gardins une huisserie Ouverte, et pour le lecerie Seulement que de l'air haper Qui se venoit illuec fraper Parmi une delie tente De vermel cendal, belle et gente. En cel estat, sans moi mouvoir Fui un grant tamps le nuit, pour voir, Tenant le cief sus l'orillier Pour mieuls entendre et orillier Les douls oiselés que j'ooie, Car endormir ne me pooie. Tant estoie plains de leur glore Que mi oel ne pooient clore. Ravis en ce plaisant sejour Fui bien priés jusqu'au point dou jour, Que Nature adont se repose.

2285 [84b]

2290

2295

2300

2305

2310

B 2276. arroiier 2277. voeille 2278. foeillette 2279. oeillette 2284. ruisseaus 2285. arbrisseaus 2286. champs 2291. touchiés 2292. senc je ou c. la 2293. chambre 2294. beaus 2295. riches 2297. oizeaus 2299. p. la l. 2301. illoec 2305. temps la 2306. Tenans le chief 2311. mes yeus ne

povoient

2313.

pres

140

Looking at how the earth is adorned and arrayed you would think that it was trying to contend with the sky. Every flower and leaf shines and glistens with pride as it rises toward the sky. Then Nature invites the light-hearted and merry birds to come enjoy and amuse themselves in fountains and streams, in bushes and shrubs, in the woods and gardens, and by singing and warbling their melodies. They have no other cares whatsoever. It happened that at that time I had gone to bed one night wounded by an arrow the God of Love had shot (and whose tip I can still feel in my heart). The room I was in was splendid and elegant, draped with rich textiles and many magnificent decorations. A door giving onto the gardens had been opened so that I could enjoy the fresh air and the birds. And to my delight the air from the open door blew in and toyed with the red silk panels of the luxurious tent around my bed. In this manner, without budging, I in fact passed a great portion of the night, resting my head on the pillow, the better to hear and lend my ears to the sweet birds" song since I couldn't get to sleep. I was so dazzled by their splendor that my eyes wouldn't close. I was swept away by this enchanting experience until the break of day when even Nature must rest and I

141

2275

2280

2285

2290

2295

2300

2305

2310

Lors m'endormi,

c'est

vraie

cose,

Et entrai dedens un penser Le quel je vorrai recenser. Tele estoit la vision mie Que, sus le lit ou je dormoie, Se seoient trois jones dames En souspirs, en plours et en larmes; De quoi, par le son de leurs vois Et l'estordeïs de leurs dois, Vis me fu que je m'esvilloie Et grandement m'esmervilloie Quant je les vi en ma presense. Moult les regarde et plus y pense, Mes noient ne les congnissoie; Non pour quant forment m'angoussoie Des souspirs et des plours entieus Que les jones dames gentieus Faisoient, de quoi je leur di: “Ahi! dames, pour Dieu merci, Cascune de vous s'esvertue Au plorer, mes chils plours me tue. Voelliés le cesser un petit, Et tout bellement sus ce lit Dittes moi quel cose il vous faut, Et g'i aiderai sans defaut, Se g'i puis ne sçai consel mettre Ou se je m'en ose entremettre." Et celles, qui pas ne cesserent À plorer, anchois y presserent, Me respondirent tout ensi: "Ha! chiers sires, pour Dieu merci, Se tristrece et dolour avons, Moult bien ou prendre le savons Et puis que le volés savoir, Cognissance en devés avoir. Nous fumes jadis honnourees Et des signeurs enamourees. Dont chil qui amer nous soloient Et qui, pour nous aidier, voloient Emprendre le camp et le guerre, Nous tollent hiretage et terre. Or ne savons mes ou fuir.

2315 [84c] 2320

2325

2330

2335

2340

2345

[84d]

2355

A 2347. prendre est le s. B 2315. chose 2317. vodrai 2328. cognissoie 2335. ce plour 2336. Voeilliés 2338. chose 2340. conseil 2343. ançois 2349. Cognissance seignours 2352. cil 2354. champ et lag.

142

finally fell asleep--this is the truth-at which time I fell into a dream that I'd like to recount here. I dreamed that three young maidens were sitting on the bed where I slept, and they were weeping and crying and sighing. The sound of their voices and the way they were wringing their hands made me feel as though I were awake, and I was very amazed to find them there before me. I stared at them and racked my brain but I couldn't remember ever having met them. Nevertheless I was quite concerned by the way these young maidens kept weeping and shedding mournful tears. So I said to them: "Dear Ladies, for the love of God you undoubtedly find solace in crying, but it is killing me. Please refrain a bit and while you're sitting here on my bed, tell me how I can help you. I'll certainly do whatever I can, either by giving advice if I can or by helping if I dare." The ladies, who never ceased weeping, started crying even more and they said to me: "Alas, dear lord, for God's mercy, if we are sorrowful and dejected we know whence our misery comes. And since you want to find out about it, you should know. Once we were very highly esteemed and many lords were in love with us. But those very same ones who were enamored of us and were ready and willing to take up battle or fight wars for us have now robbed us of our inheritance and our lands. Now we don't know where to take refuge.

143

2315

2320

2525

2330

25539

2340

2345

2350

23599

Se vous ne nous volés oir, Nous n'avons retour ne ayeüe Vers personne qui nous ayele. "Dame," di je, "ne place a Dieu Qu'on me voie ne troeve en lieu Que je refuse ja as dames Mon corps, mon cheval et mes armes. Mes

volentiers

Vos noms, Et celles

savoir

vorroie

ossi qui vous guerroie." si me respondirent,

Tout en souspirant, et me dirent: "Ja fu li tamps qu'on nous clamoit, Ens es lieus ou on nous amoit, Justice, Pité et Raison. Or sommes nous hors de saison, Especiaument je, Justice, Qui le mal punis et justice. On ne me crient mes ne ne prise; S'en sui si de courous esprise Qu'a painnes puis je mot sonner. On n'use que de rançonner, De desrober et de pillier Et li fors le foible essillier. Maint sont fourmé sus celle entente, De quoi je m'en tieng mal contente. Encor je qui pleur et larmoie, N'a pas long tamps que je dormoie Dedens ma cambre tout a pes, Car je cuidoie avoir le fes Ecclesiaste et seculer Mis en bonnes mains, pour rieuler Mes signouries et ma terre; Dont pour le peril qui y serre Esvillié m'ont ces pucelles, Pité et Raison, et sont celles Qui m'ont dit en plours et en larmes Que je prende cheval et armes Et deviers mes amis envoie,

Car contre moi s'est mis en voie

2360

2365

2370

2375

2380

[85a]

2385

2390

2395

Uns visces qui me voelt confondre. "Dame,"" di je, "voelliés le espondre, A 2380. Mains 2390. Esvilliés B 2358. ayewe 2359. ayewe 2362. aux d. 2364. vodroie 2368. le temps 2377. raençonner 2381. tienc 2382. plour 2383. lonc 2384. chambre 2386. Ecclesiastre 2388. seignouries 2394. devers 2396. Un visce 2397. voeilliés

144

If you don't

hear our plea

we have no one else to turn to for help and refuge." I replied: "Dear Ladies, may God never see me refuse to bring my arms, my horse and my own life to the aid of ladies. But please, I would like to know your names and who is attacking you." With great sighs they answered me, Saying: "Once upon a time when people respected us, they called us Justice, Pity and Reason. Now, however, we are out of fashion, and above all I, Justice, who am in charge of judging and punishing evil. People neither fear nor respect me, and I'm so distraught as a result of this that I can scarcely speak a word. Everywhere people kidnap other people for ransom, they rob and pillage, and the strong oppress the weak. Many are bent on doing this, for which reason I am very distressed. Though I weep and lament now, it was only a short time ago that I was sleeping peacefully in my chamber in the belief that I had put both religious and worldly matters in good hands so that my holdings and my lands would be ruled well. When they became aware of the imminent danger, these young maidens, Pity and Reason, awakened me, and they are the ones who, weeping and grieving, insisted that I get on horseback and take up amms to fight against my former friends now that a terrible vice has started to spread which risks unseating me."

"My lady,"

I said,

"could

you name

145

for me

2360

2365

2370

2375

2380

2385

2390

2395

Ce visce?" Et elle le me dist: "C'est Orgieus, qu'onques Diex ne fist, Ains le het et escumenie Toute sa gent et sa mesnie. Et toutes fois par sa poissance, Qui de jour en jour prent croissance, A ja atret a sa partie Des signeurs une grant partie. Et chil avoecques yauls gens ont Qui contraire a nos vertus sont, Car ce que nous amons, il heent, Et ce que nous volons, il veent. Ensi nous tiennent en despit, N'avons ne trieuwes ne respit, Mes tout prest en le main le guerre. Or nous faut contre yauls confort querre: I vorrés vous remediier? Ou vous nous lairés mendiier Et querre qui aidier nous voelle? "Dame,"' di je, "je vous recoelle, Car che visce let et hai, Je l'ai de long tamps enhai; Et il fait bien a debouter Et vous, dames, a escouter, Car vous ne volés que droiture, Ce m'est vis, et il n'en ont cure." Ensi furent reconfortees Les trois dames desconfortees, Et je leur ting bien leur proumesse,

2400

2405

2410

[85b] 2415

2420

2425

Car si tost que j'ai oi messe, Je mis de mon consel ensamble, Et moult liement les assamble, Les plus sages et mieuls discrés Et chiauls que je tieng plus secrés: Tout premiers Honneur et Proéce, Hardement, Desir et Jonece, Loyauté, Avis et Emprise, (Ce sont ceuls qu'entours moi mieuls Et puis leur remonstre des dames Les camplaintes et les esclames,

A 2419. cressance triewes voeille lor tinc ceulz q.

2430

prise).

lons B 2402. toute fois p. sa puissance 2405. seignours 2406. cil avecques euls 2412. lam. lag. 2413. c. euls 2414. vodrés 2417. recoeille 2418. ce v. 2419. lanc temps b. 1. prommesse 2427. sitos 2428. conseil je tienc 2432. Honnour

146

2435

2403. 2411. 2416. 2426. 2431.

this vice?" She answered, "It's Pride, who certainly did not come for he hates and oppresses all his retainers and minions.

fram God,

Nevertheless, because of his power, which increases every day, he has already attracted a great number of lords to his side. In their company they have men who are opposed to our virtuous ways. Whatever we love, they hate. Whatever we want, they go against. As a result they scorn us and we have had neither respite nor truce but rather have been in the thick of battle. We must now go in search of help against them. Do you want to come to our aid? Or would you make us beg and go in search of someone else to help us?" "Dear lady," I said, "I have received you here because I have hated this ugly and insidious vice for a long time. It is a good idea to go against them and to take your advice, ladies, for what you want is rightful, and they could not care less for what is right, that's my opinion." The three despondent ladies were comforted by that. Moreover, I kept my promise and as soon as I heard mass I gladly assembled my counselors, the very wisest and most prudent, and the ones in whom I had the greatest confidence, and I had them meet with me. First came Honor and Prowess, Audacity, Desire and Youth, Loyalty, Prudence and Initiative (these are the ones in my entourage of whom I think highest). Then I told them of the ladies' complaints and

147

2400

2405

2410

2415

2420

2425

2430

2435

Camment Orgoels les contrarie Et les empece et les herie Et leur tolt hiretage et terre:

"Or sont elles, pour confort Chi venues par deviers mi;

2440

querre,

Dont vous, qui estes mi ami, Respondés ent que j'en ferai Et se les dames aiderai. J'ai tres bon voloir que le face, Mes que la vostre entente sace." Adont respondi tout premiers Honneurs, car il fu coustumiers D'avoir la premiere response: "Sire, sire, a tele semonse Com de Justice et de Raison Devés emploiier vo saison Et bien devés l'orelle tendre A elles oir et entendre. Car, se Justice n'est gardee Et Pités ossi regardee, Dire poront, alant les rues En plorant, les mal secourues, Et toute li vois dou pays, De qui vous serés moult haÿs: "Justice faut, ne plus ne resgne! “Orgieus li a tollu son resgne!" Ensi serés ahers d'esclame Ou tost receverés grant blame. Mieuls vault souffrete et bons renons Que signourie et povres nons." Respont Desirs: "Vous dites voir. Tout premiers me vorrai mouvoir Et les deffiances porter, Pour les dames reconforter." Tous s'acordent a celle vois, Fors seul Avis; mes il tous quois Se tient, nes .I. seul mot ne sonne. De quoi Hardemens l'araisonne Et li dist: "Et vous, sire Avis, Voelliés ent dire vostre avis?" Respont Avis: "Et je qu'en sai je? Vous estes tout vaillant et sage.

2445 [85c]

2450

2455

2460

2465

2470

2475

[85d]

B 2438. Orgieuls 2442. Ci v. p. devers 2449. Honnours 2454. l'oreille 2460. la v. 2462. regne 2463. Orgieuls liat. s. regne 2465. blasme 2467. seignourie 2469. vodrai 2472. a celles vois 2477. Voeilliés 2478. scai

148

accusations, namely how Pride had molested them, harrying and tormenting them, and how he had seized their inheritance and their land. "They have come before me on this account to seek satisfaction. Therefore, you who are my friends, tell me what I should do and whether I should help these ladies. I would certainly like to do so but I need to know your opinion." The first to answer was Honor, as was in fact customary. "My lord, it is only right and just that you should use your power to respond to such a call for help. You should certainly give them a hearing and listen and try to understand. Because if Justice is not upheld and Pity observed, these ladies, having received no help, will go crying through the streets of your realm, and they and everyone else in the land will say, ‘Justice has fallen from power and

reigns no more!

2445

2450

2455

2460

Pride has stolen the throne!’

And everyone will hate you as a result. Then all will accuse and blame you. It is better to be poor off and have a good reputation than to be a great lord and be thought of poorly." Desire answers, "You speak the truth. Let me bear the declaration of war. I'd like to be the first to risk my life to make things right for these ladies." Everyone agreed with what Desire said, except for Prudence, who nevertheless kept quiet and didn't say a word. Audacity calls him then and says, "Prudence, noble lord!

Why don't

2440

you tell

us what

you think?"

Prudence answers: "What do I know You are all courageous and wise.

149

about

all

this?

2465

2470

2475

Deviser sur vous ne vorroie, Mes, tant qu'a moi, je loeroie Qu'on mandast ma mere Atemprance: Il n'a si sage en toute France. Se nous l'avons, mieulz en vaurrons; Aumains, la soie entente orons." À painnes peut estre escoutés Avis, quant il fu reboutés De Desir et de Hardement, Qui li dirent moult asprement: “Avis, Avis, ne place a Dieu

2480

2485

2490

Qu'Atemprance soit ja en lieu Ou l'onneur monsigneur couviegne Mettre en lui! Quoi qu'il en aviegne, Tout

y ariens

honte

et diffame,

Se par le consel d'une fame Nous couvenoit user, qui sommes Tant de nobles et vaillans homes, Et nos consaus ne fust ois. Vous nous avés peu resjois De jetter ceste vois en place. Ne veons homme a cui il place." ‘Vous dites voir," respont Emprise.

"Ja ne sera bonne oevre emprise De quoi Atemprance soit chiés. Ce seroit ore ums grans meschiés Se, dou fait qui demande guerre, Par moiiens couvenoit pais querre!" “"Signeur," ce respondi Jonece, "J'ai mainte belle forterece, Maint castiel et mainte maison, Mes ains que Justice et Raison Et Pité, qui sont esbahies, Ne soient plainnement aidies, Toutes les y voel emploiier; De tant m'i voel je bien loiier." Cascuns a ceste vois s'aplike; Et Avis encores replike Et dist ensi: "Signour, signour, Ma parolle a peu de vigour; Mes Atemprance et je ossi,

2495

2500

2505

[86a]

2515

2520

B 2480. sus v. ne vodroie 2484. vaudrons 2485. Au mains 2486. pot 2492. l'onnour monseignour 2494. auriens 2495. conseil 2501. a qui 2508. Seignour 2510. chastiel 2514. voeil 2516. s'applique 2517. replique 2518. Seignour seignour

150

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do. Nevertheless, as for me, I would advise that we send for my mother, Moderation. In all of France there is none so wise. If we have her with us, we will be stronger for it. At the very least, we should hear what she thinks." Prudence had hardly spoken when he was rebuffed by Desire and Audacity, who spoke to him harshly: “Prudence, may it please God that my lord never be in such a critical situation that he need place his honor in Moderation! Were we to let ourselves act according to the advice of a woman we would end up in shame and disrepute no matter what. This would happen if the advice put forward by such noble and worthy men as ourselves were not followed. You have hardly charmed us with your suggestions here. I don't see a single man who agrees with you." "You speak the truth," adds Initiative. “Nothing good will ever be accomplished

if Moderation

2480

2485

2490

2495

2500

is at the head.

It would be a great mistake if she managed to convince us to sue for peace when what is required is war." "Lord," says Youth, "I have many impressive citadels, many a castle and many a manor, and before we are done helping Justice and Reason and Pity, who are so distraught, I would like to make use of all my holdings. I am committed to doing that much." Now everyone starts to speak, but Prudence fights back, saying, "My Lord, My Lord, my voice doesn't seem to count much. But both Moderation and I,

Ba

2505

2510

2515

2520

Qu'on blame et qu'on refuse si, Otretant bien nous vorrions, Fust as cops ou as horions,

Aquiter; n'en faites ja doubte Que tels nous prise peu ne doubte, Et puis qu'on voelt qu'ensi demeure, Che soit de Dieu la saintime heure!" Moult resjois et tres contens Sui de mes hommes, quant j'entens Que cascuns Si tost que

2525

2530

est pres de mouvoir leur lairai savoir

Et grandement j'en reconforte, Pour les nouvelles que je porte, Justice, Raison et Pité. Depuis n'ai gaires respité: Par le discretion des sages Envoie lettres et messages Pour confremer Et pour furnir

2535

mes afiances les deffiances

2540

A nos ennemis tels qu'il sont Et qui ossi grant entente ont, A ce qu'on me donne a entendre, Que de moi et les miens atendre. Remanoir

Qu'il

ne puet

par

nul

n'i ait temprement

[86b]

tour

2545

estour,

Car vistement nous aproimons Par plagnes, par vauls et par mons. Desirs, li nostres marescaus,*

A plus de .XII‘. chevaus Prent les camps et illuec se loge. Mainte foellie et mainte loge

2550

Font chil qui chevaucent premiers. Emprise, qui est coustumiers Que des ennemis assallir, Ne me voelt nullement fallir: Venus m'est atout .V’. lances, Toutes d'unes recongnissances. Hardement, Jonece et Renon,

2555

Qui n'ont ne barbe ne grenon, .VI‘. lances, qui bien les nombre, Ont avoec iauls par certain nombre.

2560

B 2521.

blasme

2522.

Autretant

b.

n.

vorions

2523.

aux h. 2527. Ce 2529. Fui dem. h. q. j'entens 2531. sitos q. lor 2536. P. la 2538. confermer 2548. Desir 2549. douse cens 2550. champs et foeillie

2555.

volt

2560.

.VI.

WS?

cens

2561.

avec

aux

c.

ou

2530. cescuns nos affiances illoec 2551 euls

who are slighted and offended, will conduct ourselves in a very different manner if it comes to battle and blows. You can be sure that those who attack us think little of us. And because they want it to stay this way may this be God's supreme moment!" I feel very pleased and quite impressed with my men, hearing that they are all ready to move out as soon as I give the order. Moreover, now I am able to console Justice, Reason and Pity with the news I bring. After that I don't hesitate at all. Following the advice of my counselors I send messengers with letters in order to shore up my alliances as well as to deliver ultimatums to all our enemies. Meanwhile they are equally determined, as I understand from what they convey to me, to come after me and my comrades. There is no way of preventing a battle between us, and soon, as we approach one another rapidly across plains, mountains and valleys. Our captain,* Desire, with more than 1200 horses at his disposal, sets up camp and quarters. Those who ride on ahead build huts and set up lodgings. Initiative, who is accustamed to attacking his enemies, is determined to serve me well: he came to me with five hundred lances all bearing the same banner. Audacity, Youth and Renown, still too young to have mustaches or beards, bring lances--six hundred of them, to be exact, if I were to count.

123

2525

2530

2535

2540

2545

2550

2555

2560

Avis,

qui voet

Avoec

moi,

qu'Atemprance

bellement

aie

me paie:

De .1II‘. lances d'une sorte Mes hommes et mon corps conforte. Proéce et Honneur en arroi Sont venu comm fil de roi. A .V’. lances tout de pris Ont les camps environ moi pris. Quant mes hommes voi amassés, Bien m'est vis que j'en aie assés Pour Orgoel et les siens cambatre Et leurs grans posnees abatre. Je ne sçai qu'il en avenra, Mes esprouver nous couvenra, Car nous sommes l'un devant l'autre, Bachinés mis, lances sus fautre, Et nos batailles establies Par certainnes connestablies. Hardemens, qui est grans lumiere Des preus, gouverne la premiere; Emprise, Proéce et Jonece-Frere sont, et enfant Noblece-La seconde bataille tiennent Et moult fricement se maintiennent. Desirs se tient sus ele, a fin Que, se li autre vont a fin Et qu'il perdent alainne et force, Par derriere il les reconforce; Ceste bataille on li estofe De .V’. lances d'une estofe. Retenu avoie a mon frain Honneur, qui ne me faurroit grain, Et Loyauté a l'autre les, De qui je sui bien escolés, Car mes hommes ordonne et taille. Avis etoit de ma bataille, Mes je ne sçai qui li falli, Car, sus le point qu'on assalli,

A moi s'en vint disant en haut: "Sire, sire, partir me faut

2565

2570

[86c] 2575

2580

2585

2590

2595

2600

Ne je ne puis en ceste armee Pour vous avoir la teste armee,

B 2564. trois cens 2566. Honnour 2568. .V. cens 2569. champs 2571. q. j. ai 2572. orgoeil 2577. Bacines 2583. enfant Jonece 2585. frichement 2588. pierdent 2593. Honnour q. ne 2598. qu'il me faudroit 154

Prudence, who is determined to have Moderation with me, makes a good contribution of three hundred lances in order to reinforce my troops. Prowess and Honor arrived looking like kings" sons. The encampments right around me are provided with five hundred excellent lances. When I see all my men gathered together it seems to me I have sufficient troops to take on Pride and his men and to lay low their wild boasts. I don't know what the outcame will be but it is time to put things to the test. We are already arrayed, one facing the other, our helmets are on, our lances are set and our men have been organized into battalions, each under a commander. Audacity, that beacon to the courageous, commands the first squadron. The brothers Initiative, Prowess and Youth-all three born of the same mother, Nobility-are the overseers of the second and keep it ready to act on a moment's notice. Desire is among the battalion's ranks, ready so that in case his comrades are exhausted and out of breath later on he can come from behind and renew them. This battalion has been provided with five hundred well-chosen lances. Under my own conmand were Honor on the one hand, who would never let me down, and Loyalty on the other who was a great help in ordering and arranging my men. Prudence was assigned to my battalion. Now, I don't know what happened but just at the very moment that we were to attack, he came to me and said, "My lord, I must excuse myself. I cannot go armed into battle with this army because

152

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2515

2580

2585

2590

2595

2600

Car Atemprance est d'autre part, Qui n'a mie sens de poupart.

Elle est ma mere,

si me mande

Et sus men honneur me commande Que de chi parte et que le serve. Elle n'est villainne ne serve, Mes dame de tres grant afaire; Vous en euissiés bien a faire. Pas ne l'arés, ce poise mi, Anchois l'aront vostre ennemi, Qui l'ont retenu bien a tans Avoecques tous ses combatans. Il l'ont ja bouté en leur route: Elle les ordonne et aroute Et met en tres bonne maniere. Je m'adrece vers sa baniere. Je ne tieng de vous nul hommage. Diex vous deffende de damage!" Avis se part et la gent soie Et je, qui bien atendre osoie L'aventure, quoi qu'il escrie, Car Honneurs le m'enjoint et prie, Me tieng en estat ferme et fort Avoecques chiaus de mon confort, Et si m'apoie sus me hace. N'i voi personne qui me hace Dalés moi, quant bien me regarde, Anchois en bon arroi regarde Escuiiers, chevaliers, barons. “Hui pour nous la journee arons," Dist Honneurs, "ne vous doubtés, sire! Laiiés Avis aler et dire Che qu'il voet. S'il vous faut d'aide, Encor avés qui vous aide: Hardement, Desir et Jonece, Loyauté, Emprise et Proéce, Leurs routes et leurs campagnies, Qui sont moult bien acompagnies Pour porter un fes grant et fort Contre Orgoel et tout son effort."

2605

[86d]

2610

2615

2620

2625

2630

2635

[87a] 2640

A 2611. afaire B 2607. mon honnour 2608. ci 2612. l'aurés 2625. Honnour 2613. Ançois l'auront 2620. tienc 2626. tienc 2627. Avecques ceuls 2628. ma h. 2629. Ne v. 2631. Ancois 2643. Orgoeil 2636. Ce 2634. Honnours 2632. Escuiers

156

Moderation is on the opposing side and she is hardly childish. She is my mother, and she orders and insists that on my honor I leave this place and go serve her. She is an extraordinary woman, not the least base or menial, and you would have done well to have had her with you. I am sorry that you won't have her, but rather your enemies will, who enlisted her help among their number early on. She has already taken on an active role, organizing and arraying the troops and generally getting them set. I am heading for her banner, I owe you no homage. May God keep you from harm!" Prudence leaves, and his men and I are left waiting to see what will happen, whatever it might be. Honor meanwhile encourages and exhorts me to hold strong and firm with the men of my squadron. So I lean on my axe. I don't see anyone in my ranks who hates me, when I look carefully, but only knights and squires and barons carefully arrayed. “The day will be ours, my lord!" shouts Honor, "you can be sure of that! Let Prudence go and say what he wants. If you need help there are many here to help you, such as Audacity, Desire, Youth, Loyalty, Initiative and Prowess, as well as their troops and their companies who are well poised to deliver a strong, powerful blow to Pride and his whole retinue."

17

2605

2610

2615

2620

2625

2630

2635

2640

Honneurs

ensi m'amonestoit

Et moult apparilliés

estoit

2645

De remonstrer a tous mes hommes En disant: "Biau signeur, chi sommes Assamblé, au voir regarder, Pour Justice et Raison garder. Ce sont dames de noble afaire; Pour elles ne poons trop faire Et si devons de droit hommage, Soit a gaaing ou a damage, Estre enclins a servir les dames. Che nous seroit virgongne et blames, Quant elles, qui confort demandent Et qui leur droit nous recommandent Et qu'Orgoels a si essilliés, N'estoient de nous consilliés. Voirs est que li nostre ennemi Sont plus de nous tant et dem. Quoi de ce? Ne pensés as sammes, Car il sont gens si cam nous sommes, Qui ne sont non plus asseür Ne conforté de leur eur Que nous, mes tant y a sans doubte: Fols est qui son parel ne doubte. Or est pour nous la cause belle, Car sus bonne et juste querelle

Porons

hui l'aventure

2650

2655

2660

2665

atendre.

[87b]

Or voelliés au bien faire entendre Et vous fourmés sus celle entente, Tant que messires s'en contente Et les trois dames autressi." Et cascuns li respont ensi:

2675

"Nous ferons l'entention vostre En gardant lor droit et le nostre." Les batailles adont aprocent. Es vous doi chevalier qui brocent En signe que pour descouvrir;* Mes nuls ne vient sus yauls couvrir, Anchois se tiennent en bataille;* Cascuns endroit de li retaille Sa lance, sicom au demi;

A 2662. Que appareilliés

de

ce Ne p. a sommes 2647. Beau seignour

2680

B 2644. Honnour ci 2655 Ce

2645. 2659.

conseilliés 2664. a segur 2667. pareil 2671. voeilliés 2677. leur d. 2679. Evous .II. chevaliers 2681. Ne n. ne vient s. euls ouvrir 2682. Ançois 2683. Cescuns en droit

158

Honor exhorted me in those terms and he was quite ready to urge on all my men also, saying: "Good sirs, the truth is that we have assembled in order to preserve Justice and Reason. These are women of the noblest bearing. Nothing we might do would be too much for them and therefore we owe it to them to be ready to serve then, whether we win or lose. It would be shameful and abominable if, when they asked for justice and begged us to defend their rights that Pride has violated, we did not give them help. True, the opposing army is one and a half the size of ours. But so what? Do not think mathematically. For they are people like ourselves who are no more sure of themselves nor more confident of their fate than we are, regardless of how numerous they are. A person is foolish not to fear his equal. Besides we have a just cause and because of our true and just role in this conflict we shall test our fate today. Now try to do your best and devote yourselves to that goal so that both your lord and the three ladies will be happy with what you accomplish." Then they all respond, "We will do your bidding and uphold their cause and ours." The opposing army approaches. Two knights spur their horses on ahead to scout out* the enemy. But no one comes forth to take them on. They maintain their ranks* instead. Each man shortens* his lance by half

519

2645

2650

2655

2660

2665

2670

2675

2680

Ensi font li nostre ennemi. Tout sont a piet pour plus durer Et pour mieuls la painne endurer; On leur tient les chevaus sus destre. Moult faisoit la deduisant estre Pour veoir de toutes manieres Ensengnes, pignons et banieres, Armoierie noble et rice Et maint chevalier cointe et frice. Hardemens se glorefioit Et Joneche li affioit Que tout che qu'il enconteroient Sans nul defaut il outeroient. Emprise fretelloit d'air De ce qu'on ne va envair Hasteement

a sen agree. Li detris pas ne li agree; Voelle on ou non, devant se lance Assés plus dou tret d'une lance Et commence cam fiers lupars La bataille de toutes pars. Hardement contre Hardement

S'encontrerent

2685

2690

2695

2700 [87c] 2705

premierement

Et Jonece dessus Jonece. Emprise, Renam et Proéce Cascuns son campagnon encontre. La eut en ce premier encontre Des lances un fort bouteïs Et de sanc un grant gouteis, Car les lances courtes et droites, As pointes dures et estroites, Mettent en char; li sans en saut. Moult s'esproeve bien al assaut

Hardement, qui voet qu'on le prise. Ossi font Proéce et Emprise. Quant il se troevent tout ensamble, Cascuns moult fierement assamble Et, si tost que les lances falent, D'autres armeüres assalent, De quoi il se navrent et batent Et se mehagnent et abatent. Et je qui estoie acostés

2710

2715

2720

2725

B 2686. apié 2688. On lor t. leurs 2692. riche 2693. friche 2695. Jonece 2696. ce 2698. fretilloit 2701. Le detri 2702. Voeilles e271. Laot = 2715.78 “p. 2717: aa lassaut 2718. Hardemens 2722. si tos

160

and our enemies do likewise. In order to conserve their strength and not get worn out too fast the knights are all on foot, their horses at the ready. It was a wonderful sight then to see all manner of banners and flags and pennants, as well as such an array of powerful armaments and such a gathering of handsame knights ready for combat. Audacity boasted, and Youth swore to him that without fail they would vanquish all those that they encountered in battle. Initiative trembled with anger, because, to his mind, they were not quick enough to attack. Waiting doesn't become him, and so whether the others are ready or not he bounds forward the distance of a thrown lance at least, and like an enraged leopard he engages

battle

on

all

sides.

Audacity on one side does battle with Audacity on the other, and likewise Youth meets with Youth, and Initiative, Renown, and Prowess from one camp encountered their opposing ‘counterparts. There was a great fracas of lances in this first clash, and the blood began to run as hard and sharpened points of shortened spears tear into flesh. Blood leaps forth. Audacity, determined to win praise, conducts himself with valor, as do also Prowess and Initiative. When they come together in battle, . everyone fights hard, and when the lances shatter, they start in with other weapons, striking and wounding each other, causing great injury and knocking one another down. With my men all around me

161

2685

2690

2695

2700

2705

2710

2715

2720

2725

De mes honmes a tous costés, De Loyauté qui ne se part De moi, et d'Onneur d'autre part, M'en vieng mes ennemis requerre. Lors peuimes sur yauls conquerre Terre et gens, et fu moult deroute De saut ceste premiere route. Par ensi en moult de manieres S'entrelacierent les banieres; Dont li un dedens l'autre entrerent, Qui moult fierement s'encontrerent De lances et d'espees nues. La eut de premieres venues Bataille felenesse et dure. Tamains homs grant painne y endure, Car d'estre armés de piet en cap, Ce n'est me a porter de drap Un garnement fet par revel. Mais ce qu'il sont fresc et nouvel Leur fet mieuls endurer le painne. Et la jusqu'a le grosse alainne Furent nostre ennemi mené, Bien batu et moult fourmené. Briefment ceste premiere route Euist esté rompue et route, Quant uns secours nouviaus et fres Leur vint, mes ce fu a nos fres, il nous porta grant contraire. Entre le lancier et le traire Avient souvent moult de mesciés: Dou tret fu li uns des grans chiés Qu'il euïssent navrés a mort. Et que fisent? Bien me remort: Outrages estoit chils nommés, Des siens prisiés et renammés, Et moult avoit en li fiance Orgoels, et en sen aliance. Quant Avis en vit le maniere, Qui estoit desous sa baniere, À fin que nous ne le voions Ne que resjoi n'en soions,

2730

[87d] 2735

2740

2745

2750

Car

2755

2760

2765 [88a]

A 2731. peuismes 2734. Car 2753. as n. B 2729. donnour 2730. vienc 2731. sus euls 2732. desroute 2734. Par ensi 2738. nuees 2739. La ot 2742. de pié 2746. la p. 2747. la g. 2752. nouveaus 2753. Lor 2756. meschiés 2760. cils 2762. en lui 2763. son a. 2764. lam. 2765. dessous

162

at my side--Loyalty stays close to me on one side, and Honor accompanies me on the other-I take up the attack also. Soon we were on the verge of defeating them and taking their lands, so great was their confusion from this sudden rout. The opposing forces fought together in every possible way. They slanmed together and struck each other rude blows with their lances and their drawn swords. The fighting was hard and savage from the very first. Many a man suffers greatly that day. For being armed from head to foot is nothing like wearing robes made for festivities. Though if your arms are new and fresh you will hold up better in the press of battle. That day we assailed and maligned our enemies to such an extent that they were exhausted and gasping for breath. But hardly had they been crushed and routed in this first encounter than they got help fram some fresh troops who showed up. This was to our great detriment for the new troops caused us great harm. Between the lances they threw and the arrows they shot they did much damage to us. One of the most important leaders they had was mortally wounded by an arrow. What did they do? I remember very well. He was called Temerity, a man highly respected and esteemed by his comrades. Pride had enormous confidence in him and trusted him completely. When Prudence, who was fighting under Pride's banner, saw how things were going, he wanted to be sure we didn't see him nor that we should be pleased,

163

2730

21535

2740

2745

2750

2755

2760

2765

Au partir ent errant l'ordonne Et puis as siens le consel donne Que banieres et gens recoelle, Et puis fierement nous acoelle De tous les et de toutes pars. Trop grande nous fu ceste pars, Car il estoient plus assés Et nous

Que nous.

trouvan

lassés,

Plains* de suour et de caleur; Et toutes fois des nos li leur Furent recoelliet as espees Et as haces envolepees D'achier es poins jusqu'en le pointe. Et adonques en ceste empointe

2770

2715

2780

Les nostres reculer couvint, Car trop grans effors leur sourvint.

“Ou est Desirs," di je, "au besoing? Pour quoi n'a il entente et soing De nous aidier qui lassé sommes, Quant il tient quois et fres ses hommes? S'il venoit ores en apert À l'endroit ou no gent plus pert, Nos ennemis jus porteroit Et forment nous susporteroit, Car, par ensi que je le taille,* Fu desconfite la bataille De monsigneur Carlon de Blois Ja des Bretons et des Englois, En Bretagne devant Auroi, Par le sens et le bon arroi

De monsigneur Jehan Camdos, Qui mist une bataille au dos A l'encontre de le meslee. Che fu Hue de Cavrelee, Qui reconfortoit chiaus qui fuissent Perdu, se son confort n'euissent. Ossi, par ordenance tele, Se Desirs, qui se tient sus ele Et qui est nostre marescaus, A plus de .XII‘. chevaus Venoit,

il

osteroit

2785

2790

2795

[88b] 2800

2805

le perte,

A 2776. Plain 2796. au roi B 2769. aux s. le conseil 2770. recoeille 2771. accoeille 2776. Plain 2778. recoeillié aux e. 2779. aux h. 2780. D'acier es p. j. la p. 2794. monseignour Charlon 2798. monseignour Jehan Chandos 2800. la m. 2801. Ce fu Huge 2802. ceuls 2806. nostres m. 2807. douse cens 2808. la p.

164

and to that end he orders him to leave immediately and has him take counsel with his men after gathering together his various troops, the better to attack us with all their force coming at us from every side. The troops were too much for us, and far outnumbered our own. Moreover we were tired and hot and drenched with sweat. For they had been herded together by our swords and surrounded by our axes with steel tips, but now that we had them in that situation we had to withdraw on account of the forces that came to their aid. "Where is Desire when we need him?" I asked. "Why doesn't he make an effort or take the care to help us, since we are exhausted and his men are rested and fresh? If he showed up now right where our men are suffering the greatest losses, he would bring down our enemies and help us greatly. For in just such a manner, I say,* the company of men led by Charles of Blois was routed at Auray in Brittany by the arrival of the English, and all due to the intelligence and smart planning of Sir John Chandos who kept one company to the rear when the battle began. That way Hugh de Calveley and his men were able to come and rescue troops that would lose without their aid. If our field marshall Desire who has more than 1200 horses at his disposal were to make use of the same plan and come to our aid, he would save us from

165

2770

2775

2780

2785

2790

2795

2800

2805

Qui est pour nous

Bien est voirs,

grosse

il nous

et aperte.

est ensus.

2810

On le puet escuser la sus: Riens ne scet de nostre aventure. Il est bien de tele nature, S'il le savoit, que tout le cours I] nous venroit faire secours. Point ne le sara, che me samble. Or nous recoellons tout ensamble," Di je a Honneur qui m'acostoit. Et chils, qui mie ne s'ostoit Des horions, dist: ‘Volentiers." La vi mes bons amis entiers, Comment cascuns y fist tant d'armes Que puis en furent moult de larmes Esplorees et espandues Et moult de dames esperdues Pour leurs signeurs et leurs maris; Car je qui ce jour fui maris Par Fortune, qui tost reverse, Rechui journee moult adverse. Avis, qu'adont croire ne veus, Et Atemprance,

cam puis

2815

2820

2825

[88c]

seus,

Nos ennemis si renforcierent Que briefment il nous efforcierent Et rompirent de toutes pars. La vi tous mes hommes espars, (ele SNA chige Vill Coast bk Chigais Et en yaus deffendant toutdis; Car tant qu'alainne, force et membre Leur durerent, bien me ramembre, 11 s'aquiterent a mon gré. Mes souvent force pest le pré: Ce jour perdi et chils obtint, Qui contre nous Orgoel soustint, Et les dames, qui bien ont cause

De plorer une moult

2835

2840

grant pause,

2845

Justice, Pité et Raison. Je fui mis en une maison Et puis en une grosse tour, Ou grant force marcist autour: A

2847.

ens

u.

B

2815.

vendroit

2816.

saura

ce

2817.

recoeillons 2818. Honnour 2819. cils q. mies 2826. seignours 2829. Reçuc 2830. volc 2831. c. p. soc 2836. Ci .V. ci .VII. ci noef ci 2837. eulz desfendant 2839. Lor 2842. cils 2843. Orgoeil

166

a defeat which is grave and imminent. Alas, the truth is that he is far away, but it should not be held against him, since he doesn't know about our predicament. Desire is the kind of person that, if he knew about it, he would came right away to succor us. However it seems to me he will not learn about it, so we must pull ourselves together." That is what I said to Honor, who was at my side, and he, who hadn't left the battle, said, "Agreed." Then I saw how each of my good friends performed such feats of arms that there were sure to be many tears shed on all sides and many ladies grieving for lords and husbands killed. That day I was cursed by Fortune, who reverses all things, and I had a disastrous day. Prudence, whom I didn't want to believe at first, and--as I later learmed--Moderation managed to reinforce our enemies so much that they soon had the upper hand and broke our ranks on all sides. I saw my men scatter here and there into groups of five or seven or nine or ten, still trying to defend themselves. I remember well that as long as they had strength and were not completely out of breath they conducted themselves exactly as I hoped. Still, you need strength to cut the grass, as they say. So I lost that day, and he won, who supported Pride against us and against those ladies, Justice, Pity, and Reason who then had good cause to weep a long while. I was locked up in the great tower of a manor where troops patrolled all around.

167

2810

2815

2820

2825

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2835

2840

2845

Et moult sougneusement me garde Une tres especiaus garde: C'est dame Atemprance la sage, Qui me vient veoir par usage, Souvent le jour et plus le nuit. Mes je n'i prens point de deduit, Car je n'avoie mie apris D'estre ensi enfremés et pris. J'avoie apris jeus et reviaus, Garnemens rices et nouviaus, Behours, joustes, danses plenieres, Chiens, oisiaus, et bois, et rivieres, Et deduis tels que puet un corps Recevoir.

Or n'ai

que

j'ai ensi

2855

2860

[88d]

recors

De duel et de merancolie. Ou est ma frice gent jolie, Qui l'autre ier estoit assamblee? Vis m'est qu'elle me soit emblee. Ou sont Loyauté et Honneur Et Hardement, mi gouvreneur, Emprise, Desir et Proéce, Jonece, Renom et Noblece, Qui donnoient a toutes pars? On m'a bien mes hommes espars. Fortune, bien te doi haÿr, Quant tu m'as fet che envaÿr

Dont

2850

perdu mes

2865

2870

2875

hames.

Respont a moi et si me nammes Les trois dames: que feront celles? Plorés, filles, plorés, pucelles: En prison gist vos saudoiiers!

2880

Petitement m'est li leuiers De mon service remeris. Avis,

Avis,

tous

chils

peris

Et chils damages m'est par toi! Et non pour quant, se ton castoi

2885

Euisse creu tout apoint, De ce destourbier ne fust point; Car bien desis en plain consel, Oans tous: "Signeur, je consel,

Ains

qu'au guerriier

on s'avance,

B 2850. songneusement 2854. lan. 2861. oizeaus 2862. uns c. 2864. gens 2866. l'autrier 2875. ce soldoiiers 2883. cils perils 2884. se t. chastoi 2888. conseil 2889.

168

2890 2855. prenc 2858. jus et melancolie 2865. friche e. 2876. perdus 2880. cils 2885. nampourquant Seignour je conseil

In fact, a special brigade is in charge of guarding me with care there: none other than the wise Lady Moderation, who makes a habit of visiting me often by day but even more frequently by night. Her visits hardly cheer me, however, since I am not the least bit used to being locked up and held prisoner. I had been accustomed to games and festivities and to an array of lavish and different clothing; to tournaments and jousts and opulent balls, to hunting with dogs and birds in the woods and along rivers-in short to every sort of delight a body could experience. Now I have recourse only to grief and sadness. Where are the handsome and energetic men who were with me only days before? It is as though they had been kidnapped. Where are Loyalty and Honor? Where is my commander, Audacity? Where are Initiative, Desire, and Prowess, Youth, Renown and Nobility, who were always so generous? My men have been completely scattered. I should surely hate you, Lady Fortune, for having attacked me and making me lose my men as a result. What will Justice, Pity and Reason do now? Answer me, Lady Fortune, and answer for them! Cry, you maidens! Weep, young damsels! Your troops languish in prison. My service has been rewarded with paltry payment. Prudence! Prudence, you are the cause of the danger and hardship I endure! Nevertheless, if only I had listened to your advice, I wouldn't be in this plight. For in the hearing of everyone you spoke your opinion, saying, "Lord, I advise that before we go to war

169

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2870

2875

2880

2885

2890

On mande ma mere Atemprance." Mes mi hamme te rebouterent, Qui nos ennemis peu doubterent. Or le troevent et je ossi. C'est li kas pour quoi je soussi Et me soussierai tous jours, Tant que chi sera mes sejours. Apriés ches lamentations, Me dirent leurs intentions Trois dames et doi baceler, Les queles ne voel pas celer, Car moult grant amour me monstrerent Quant par dedens ma cambre entrerent. Dist li une, qui sambloit bien Dame d'excellence et de bien, En souriant moult doucement: "Sire, sire, trop longement Vous tenés en merancolie. Je voel qu'on le vous amolie, Car elle vous grieve et fourmainne; Et en ce nam je vous amainne Deus de mes filles et .II. fils; Venir vous en poet grans pourfis: C'est Avis, que bien congnissiés; Je vous pri que jamais n'issiés De son consel: moult vous vaurra. Et Souvenirs ne vous faurra Que ne l'aiiés prest a le main A toute heure, au soir et au main, Pour ou que ce soit envoiier Pour vos besongnes ravoiier Et pour resvillier vos amis. Et se Fortune vous a mis En une adversité contraire,

N'i devés

arester

ne traire,

Mes a mes filles regardés, De qui vous serés bien gardés: C'est Congnissance la premiere, Qui de tous biens est coustumiere. Aiiés ent memore en ce monde:

2905

2910

2915

2920

2925 [89b]

2930

A 2927. bien regardés B 2892. M. mes h. 2895. lek. 2897. ci 2898. Aprés ces 2899. ententions 2901. voeil 2903. chambre 2906. sousriant 2908. melancolie 2909. voeil 2912. et deus f. 2913. proufis 2914. cognissiés 2916. conseil m. v. vaudra 2917. Souvenir ne v. faudra 2918. lam. 2928. Cognoissance

170

we send

for my mother,

Moderation."

But my men refused to listen to you, scorning the strength of our enemies. Now both they and I have found out how strong they were. That is why I suffer and will continue to suffer as long as I remain in prison here." After I finished my complaint, three ladies and two young men (I won't be secretive about them, for what they did was testament to their enormous regard

for me) came into my room and told me about a plan of theirs. One of them, a lady who seemed to be of great bearing and worthiness, smiled very sweetly and said to me, "My lord, you have been sad for such a long time. I would like to alleviate the suffering that plagues you and wears you down so. To that end I am bringing you two of my daughters and two of my sons, who may be able to help you quite a bit. One of them is Prudence, whom you already know. I beg you never to depart from what he advises because it is always valuable. Likewise Memory will never fail you if you have him near at hand at all times of the day and night and send him wherever he is needed to look after your interests and stir your friends to your cause. And if Lady Fortune has placed you in a difficult situation, don't just give up and bear with it. Turn to my daughters instead and they will take care of you. First is Knowledge, who is a campanion to all good things. Don't forget her as you go through this world

i yal

2895

2900

2905

2910

2915

2920

2925

2930

Moult vous vaurra. Et la seconde Est Esperance, qui ne poet Fallir a homme qui le voet Oir et son consel entendre. Elle vous fera toutdis tendre A veoir vostre delivrance. Et je sui leur mere Atemprance, Qui souvent vous viseterai, Nuit et jour, et qui metterai En bon estat et en bon point

Vos besongnes,

n'en doubtés

2935

2940

point."

Atemprance, la merci soie, Ordonne que confortés soie Et je l'en doi bon gré savoir, Quant elle voelt le cure avoir De moi, qui sui en son dangier; Mes, soit au boire ou au mangier, Je ne me truis onques senoec Que je n'aie toutdis avoec

2945

2950

Moi

Esperance et Congnissance, Ce sont dames de grant poissance, Ossi Souvenir et Avis, Qui ne me servent pas envis. Ains m'aministrent tout a fet Trestout ce qui mestier me fet, Cascune et cascuns a son tour. Enclos ensi en celle tour, Sans ce que personne m'en oste, Me poet on renommer pour l'oste Atemprance, qui me gouverne. La fet bel entroes qu'il yverne, Car, a fin que mains il m'anoie, Avoecques moi on s'esbanoie As des, as escés et as tables Et a tous biaus jeus delitables Qu'on poet aviser pour mon corps. Et assés bien je m'i acors, Par l'ordenance et le consel D'Atemprance, a cui m'en consel, De Congnissance et d'Esperance, Qui me proumettent delivrance; A 2952.

2945. 2954. 2968. 2971.

Souvenirs

B 2931.

vaudra

2955

[89c] 2960

2965

2970

2933.

voelt

2934.

conseil

la c. 2947. mengier 2950. Cognissance 2951. puissance afet 2964. Aux des aux eskas et aux t. 2965. beaus jus conseil 2969. a qui m. conseil 2970. Cognoissance promettent

172

for she is very helpful. Now, the second daughter is Hope, who can never fail anyone who desires to hear her and listen to her advice. She will always guide you in the direction of your liberation. Finally I, Moderation, am their mother and I will come see you often, both night and day, and I will see that your each and every need will be looked to. You can be sure of that." Moderation, bless her soul, then commands that I be taken care of, and I am thankful to her that she takes over caring for me while I am under her authority. After that I am never alone when it is time to eat or drink but rather I always have with me those ladies of extraordinary grandeur, Hope and Knowledge, as well as Memory and Prudence who willingly attend to me. In that manner they care for me admirably, rotating so that one of them always sees to my each and every ‘need. Though I am closed up in a tower with no possibility of succor, nevertheless one could almost call me the guest of Moderation who welcames and cares for me. This goes on the whole winter during which people come play chess and backgammon and at dice as well as every other amusing game they can come up with for me so that the time passes more quickly. I am more than agreeable to this, following the advice and the recommendations of Moderation, who counsels me, and of Knowledge and Hope, who promise me freedom.

eS

2935

2940

2945

2950

2955

2960

2965

2970

Car il n'est perte qui n'aviegne Ne doels qu'oubliier ne couviegne. J'estoie ja tains et roussis Des grans anois et des soussis Que je soustenoie, par m'ame, En pensant a ma droite dame; Et plus me grevoit chils assaus Que ma prison (c'est chi consaus) Car tout adiés fine haus hons, Ou par proumesses ou par dons, Ou par acroire ou par paiier: Haus homs ne se doit esmaiier; Mes, ensi que ja dit vous ai, De ma dame, que je ne sgai Comment li est ne elle ossi Ne scet de moi, ce me nuist si Que je ne le saroie a dire. Pour ce vorrai vers li escrire. Et qui sera mes messagiers? Souvenirs, qui est usagiers De bien faire, se je li carge; Adont li di, que plus n'atarge: "© Souvenirs, faitis tousiaus, Aprester te faut tes housiaus Et faire ton cheval ferrer, Car temprement te faut errer Chemins et voies et sentiers." Il respont: "Sire, volentiers." Entroes que Souvenirs s'ordonne, À l'escrire dou tout m'adonne: Des lettres escripsi plus d'une: De mon temps et de ma fortune, De ma prison, de mon sejour, De mon desir qui tire au jour Que ma dame temprement voie.

2975

2980

2985

[89d]

2995

3000

3005

Avoec les lettres que j'envoie Un nouvel plaint ordonne et taille, Ensi cam chi s'ensieut la taille: B 2975. anuis 2978. cils 2979. ci consauls 2981. prammesses 2988. sauroie 2989. vodrai 2990. mon messagier 2991 Souvenir q. e. usagier 2994. Souvenir fetis touseaus 2995. 3000. Souvenir houseaus 3009. ci

174

For regardless of what loss or pain one suffers it is always worthwhile to put it out of mind. I was already pale and wasting away from the misery and torment I in fact underwent each time I thought of my lady. That longing assailed me more than my captivity (this is a secret). But a man of true nobility always achieves his desired ends either through promises or gifts, or else by paying outright or by borrowing: a nobleman need never worry. as I told you, the fact that I know nothing of what is happening with my lady and she knows nothing about my fate causes me ineffable suffering. For just that reason I want to write her, but who will serve as my messenger? It occurs to me to ask Memory, who is accustomed to such tasks. So I speak to Memory and urge him not to tarry, "Oh, Memory, elegant lad, you must get dressed and have your horse shod because soon you are going to need to travel along various roads and paths." He answers, "Fine, my lord." Then while Memory gets ready, I sit down to write to my lady about my situation in detail, writing several letters in fact. I tell her about my condition and my ill luck, about my prison and where I am staying, about my desire that is nearing its peak and which she should see soon. Along with the letters I send I also include a new complaint recently composed and crafted just as it follows here:

2910

2980

But,

igh

2985

2990

fipsho}s)

3000

3005

Complainte

de moralité*

Tant grate chievre que maugist, Et tant caufe on fer qu'il rougist, Et li lyons si s'asagist: De sa nature Ne congnissoit, quant on le mist En le prison ou il gemist, Le grant force qui de li ist; Dont il murmure, Ulule et plaint et ne fet cure De fresce char ne de pasture Qu'on li aport, ains crete et hure Et fort maudist L'eure, le jour et l'aventure Qui li fu si aspre et si dure; Car il mua sa noureture, Quant on le prist. Ha! che poet dire li lyons? Toute soubtieuté a li hons. Or n'est aloé ne frions Qui n'ait otant De force en ses petis pignons Que moi, qui ne sui pas pigons, Mes grans et fors et drois et lons En mon estant. Ou sont sengler viste et courant? Ou sont lupart aigre et taillant? Ou est li aigle haut volant, De qui li noms Parmi le monde si s'espant? Que ne volle elle maintenant Et jette feu et flame ardant À grans brandons? Oés, bestes, qui sui vos rois! Pour deffendre et garder les trois Vertus, ensi qu'ensengne drois, M'a mis Fortune Arriere de moult d'esbanois. Si ai je eù par pluiseurs fois

3010

3015

3020

[90a]

3025

3030

3035

3040

3045

A 3041. As g. b. B (Rubric) Complainte 3011. chaufon 3012. le 3015. la p. 3016. La g. 3014. cognissoit lyon si s'assagist 3019. fresche 3020. aporte a. crette 3026. ce 3040. jette fu 3047. pluisours

176

Allegorical

Complaint*

The goat scrapes so much that he is uncomfortable, iron is heated until it turns red, and the lion gradually grows wise: given his nature he didn't know, when he was thrown into the prison where he languishes, what great strength he had in him. He starts to yelp and bellow and howl and he could not care less about the fresh meat or feed that is brought him; instead he becomes defensive and bristles, and he curses the day and the hour and the events that have treated him so bitterly and cruelly. All his eating habits were altered when he was taken captive. Alas, what can the lion say? Man has extraordinary finesse. Every lark and cocklinnet has as much strength in his smallest feathers as I, and I am not a bird but rather tall and-straight and strong in stature. Where are the wild boars that run so rapidly? Where are the quick and vigilant leopards? Where is the eagle that flies on high and whose name is famous throughout the world? Why doesn't it fly now spitting fire and burning flames in great streams? Beasts, listen to me, your ruler! To defend and preserve the three virtues, as is only right, Lady Fortune has often kept me from more amusing pursuits. As a result I have often felt

a

3010

3015

3020

3025

3030

3035

3040

3045

Campassion de vos anois; Mes li enfrune Voelt faire la forest canmme Et ne sera beste nesune, Quele qu'elle soit, grise ou brune Ne de long bois, Qui garde ne sabat ne june. Ains

Avoir

4.

Be

vorra

cascuns

et

cascune

3050

[90b] 3055

la guerre et le rancune A tous esplois.

Herminetes, lievre et counin Et bestelettes d'un couvin, En pais soliés en vo jardin Paistre et brouster. Or sont sengler, leu et mastin Issu as camps, a celle fin Qu'il vous venront soir et matin Prendre et haper; Ne vous n'i porés resister, Ne ne lor porés escaper. Mes je vous voel tant enfourmer De mon latin:* Il n'est si bonne qui n'ait per; Voelliés ent une couronner, Qui vous puist deffendre et garder De che venin.

Ha! se vous n'i remediiés Et contre elles n'estudiiés, Tenés vous pour tous deffiiés Des bestes fieres: Il* ont fuirés apparilliés Des quels vous serés travilliés Et fourmenés et esvilliés Sus vos litieres. En moult de diverses manieres Tenderont las, rois et fillieres Entre haies, buissons et pieres. C'est ums grans griés,

Car en dru bois et en bruieres

3060

3065

3070

3075

3080

3085 [90c]

A 3067. lacking 3070. q. n'a B 3048. Campation 3053. lonc 3054. sabbat 3055. vodra 3056. la r. 3058. connin 3060. gardin 3062. leu et mastin lacking 3063. Issus aux champs 3064. vendront 3067. Ne ne lor porés escaper 3068. voeil 3071. Voeilliés 3073. ce 3074. Car se 3078. appareilliés

178

compassion for your troubles. But that cruel one would now like to open the forest to everyone so that there will be no animals left of any sort, either grey or brown (nor even any tall trees) that keep the sabbath and the days of fast. At that rate each and every one will be filled with hatred and the greatest desire for war. Ermine, hare and bunny and other little creatures of like nature, you used to graze and feed in peace in your garden. But now boars, wolves and wild dogs have come into the fields in hopes of capturing you and carrying you off morning and night. You can hardly resist

3050

3055

3060

3065

nor

can you manage to escape them. Let me tell you in my own words what I think.* No animal is so extraordinary as to have no equal. Therefore you should want to find one to crown as your defender to.protect you from this threat.

3070

Alas, if you don't do samething and find a way to combat these arrogant beasts, you can consider

3075

yourselves conquered. They have ferrets ready and waiting to mistreat and persecute you, to torment and harass you as you lay in your nests. They will set many kinds of traps and snares and nets among the bushes, shrubs and rocks. This is a real shame, since in the thickets and the deep woods

MS,

3080

3085

Trouveront il bien vos duieres; Et pour tant, besteletes chieres, Qu'or en sougniés. Car il fet bon brief consel prendre Et de pluiseurs estas aprendre Dont, se vous me volés entendre, J'ai bien espoir Qu'il aront de vous force mendre, Car uns visces entre yaus s'engendre, Qui grandement fait a reprendre Par estavoir. Faites tost m prise asavoir Au roi des oisiaus. Chils, pour voir, À bien le force et le pooir De vous deffendre Et que de chiaus donner voloir De moi rendre sans remanoir, Ou de tout ce qu'il ont ardoir Et mettre en cendre.

3090

3095

3100

3105

Dites li: "Li lyons est pris En gardant trois vertus de pris, Dont

nuls

ne puet

estre

repris

Qui bien les garde." Toutes fois j'ai depuis campris Le maniere, dont mieuls me pris, Par quel voie je fui souspris: Quant g'i regarde, Che fu par ume arriere garde, Ou furnie avoit mainte darde. Dites a l'aigle, le gaillarde, À cui j'escrips, Qu'il viegne tost et ne se tarde Et que tous ses oisiaus esparde Et que cascuns devant li arde Tout le pays.

Tout

roi doient

l'un l'autre

3145

[90d] 3120

aidier

Par royauté. Dont li requier Qu'il me delivre dou dangier Ou je me voi.

B 3089. C'or en sangniés 3090. conseil 3091. pluisours auront 3095. entre euls 3099. oiseaus cils 3106. Le lyon 3110. de puis 3111. La m. SIH4 Cerf arrieregarde 3116. lag. 3117. À lui 3119. oizeaus 180

3110

3125 3094. ceuls pau

they will find your dens. Therefore, dear little animals, now is the time to reflect

on this.

You need to take counsel and learn from those who came from different walks Now, please give me your attention, for I hope they will have less strength than you as the result of a vice which is rampant among them and which is very reprehensible. Make my imprisonment known quickly to the king of birds. He above all has the strength and power to protect you and to pressure them to release me right away or to reduce to ashes and burn whatever they have.

3090 of life.

3095

3100

3105

Tell him, "The lion was captured while protecting the three most worthy virtues whom no one should be blamed for protecting." In any event I have since come to understand, for which I esteem myself the more, how they took me by surprise. I see now that it was through the use of a reserve company equipped with a great supply of arrows. Tell that old rascal, the eagle, to whom I am writing this missive, to come right away with no delay and that he should deploy all his birds and have all of them burn everything in their path. Kings should always help each other are royalty. So I am asking him to deliver me from the captivity in which I find myself.

181

because

3110

spats:

S120

both

B25

Bien le puet faire et de legier, Car tout oisel qu'on doit prisier, Soient loiriet ou a loirier, Sont desous soi. Face dont mandement de roi, Viegne s'ent o tout son arroi Et chil, que me tiennent sur foi Pour prisonnier, Aront de li si grant effroi Qu'il me deliveront, je croi. Moult bien segnefiier li doi Mon destourbier. 9.

On dist que jadis par mystere Li roi si s'appelloient frere, Ja ne fuissent net d'une mere; Dont sur ce point Je m'areste et si considere Qu'en bon estat je persevere, Quant je tieng ce qu'ont fet no pere Bien et a point. Dites dont a ce roi enoint, L'aigle, qu'il ne me faille point. Tout oisel sont a li conjoint; Car j'ai matere Qui si priés me touce et me joint Que pour ce di qu'elle me point Que nous sommes plus priés qu'en goint,* C'est cose clere.

Che petit plaint et grant assés, Anchois que je fuisse lassés, Assis dedens mon vestiaire, Figuré sus le bestiaire,* Ordonnai et mis en tel fourme Que presentement vous enfourme.

Quant je l'eus fait, je le cloi Et o les lettres l'encloï Et si les mis dedens un coffre Et puis a Souvenir je l'offre Et li di: "Frans compains gentieus,

3130

3135

3140

3145

[9la]

3155

3160

A 3144. qu'on 3154. plain B 3129. dessous 3132. cil q. met. sus 3134. Auront 3139. Les roix 3140. nes 3141. sus 3144. tienc 3145. apoint 3148. Tous oiseaus s. a lui 3152. pres q. 3164. dis 3160. je l'oc quint 3155. Ançois

182

He is capable of doing so quite easily, because every bird of any standing is beneath him, even the falcon and the oriole. Have him use his royal power and come with all the force he can muster. Then those that are holding me prisoner will have such fear of him that they will release me, I believe. I must commmicate my plight to him fully. 9.

It is said that strangely enough in olden times kings called one another 'brother,' even though they weren't born of the same mother. As I pause on this I notice I persist in a hallowed tradition I continue to act exactly as our forefathers did. Therefore, tell that anointed king, the eagle, that he must not let me down. He has all the birds in his power. For I have a reason that touches me and associates me with him such that, because of this, I say it stirs me up-namely that we are in fact related by blood,* as is obvious.

3130

2155

3140

a moment,

that when

Before I was done with this complainte, which was both little and rather "great" and was cast allegorically in terms of beast I sat down in my little roam and I wrote it out and set it down exactly as I have done here. Then when I had done that, I closed it up and wrapped it with the letter I had written and put them in a small chest. Then I give it to Memory and say to him, "Dear noble campanion,

183

3145

3150

3155 lore,*

3160

Or ne soies quois ne lentieus, Mes va et fai tant toutes voies Que briefment reviegnes ces voies. Souvenirs part, si cam me samble, Sus son palefroi qui bien amble. Riens nee ne mist en oubli, Anchois son voiage acampli Et s'en est repairiés arriere Et me trouva a le barriere De le porte, ou je m'apoioie. Mes apainnes je ne pooie Croire que che fust mes messages, Quant il comme discrés et sages En parlant a moi a le porte Vraies ensengnes me raporte: Un anelet d'or tous massis, Ou un

rubis

Et lettres

avoit

que bien

recongnui.

3175

3180

[91b]

3185

l'entention;

Et celles m font mention De pluiseurs coses, bien sachiés; Mes ja enqueste n'en fachiés, Car vous y perderiés vo painne. Encor ma droite souverainne,

Avoec

3170

assis,

Ensi passai je mon anui: Les lettres lisi en grant quoite, Car a savoir forment convoite

De ma dame

3165

3190

che de quoi parler n'ose,

M'envoie elle especiaus cose: Ce sont doi virelai joli, Les quels voel, pour l'amour de Recorder, car elle m'en roeve,

Tel qu'il

sont.

En vechi

li,

3195

le proeve:

A 3165. q. et 1. 3166. fet 3167. reviegne B 3167. reviegne 3168. Souvenir p. sicam 3170. Riensnee 3171. Ançois 3173. la b. 3174. la p. 3176. ce f. mon message 3177. discret et sage 3178. la p. 3180. tout m. 3182. recognui 3186. l'intention 3188. pluisours choses b. saciés 3189. faciés 3192. Avec ce 3193. especial chose 3195. voeil 3197. veci la

184

Don't take your time or procrastinate about but make every effort to return quickly whence you came." Memory departs on his horse that gallops swiftly (or so it seems to me). He forgot nothing of what I told hin, and once he had accomplished his mission he came straight back and found me there in the doorway leaning on the railing. I could hardly believe

this,

it was my own messenger at first when he, as is proper and fitting, while speaking with me at the doorway showed me the identifying tokens he had brought, namely a ring of pure gold with a ruby set in it and a letter whose handwriting I recognized immediately. Then I recovered from my sorrow: I read the letter without delay, eager to know what my lady had to say. You can rest assured that her letter covers a number of issues. But for you to bother about what is in them would be a waste of time. My sovereign lady sends me, along with things I dare not discuss here, something very special, namely two charming virelais which I would like to set forth here just as she wrote them. I do this out of love for her and because she has requested it of me. Here they are:

185

3165

3170

Si75

3180

3185

3190

3195

Virelay

Quant le fortune remire* De mon douls ami,

Qui m'aimme

tant

3200

et je li,

Je ne sçai que dire. Vis m'est que mon coer pour l'ire Se parte parmi. Car point apris je n'avoie Ne devant ce ne savoie Que tristours valoit. Or l'aprenc, dont il m'anoie, Ne a riens ne m'esbanoie, Et certes j'ai droit, Quant chils ou mon coer se tire Est ensus de mi Et ne sçai sus quel parti; Dont j'ai bien matire De dolour et de martire Et de tout soussi, Quant le etc.

3205

3210 [91c]

3215

Assés me conforteroie, Se temprement le veoie. Diex doinst qu'ensi soit Et qu'en otel point le voie Reconforté de la joie Que porter soloit. C'est tout ce que je desire, Ne el je ne di Ne ne souhede ne pri, Sans jeu et sans rire, Car parfondement souspire, Onques ne fis si, Quant le etc.

3220

3225

Virelay Ensus de grant souffissance,* Ou chemin de desplaisance

A 3207.

la prenc

B 3198.

la f.

A" 3198.

la f.

3230

la preng 3221. le j. 3206. tristour 3210. cilz 3216. Q. la fortune 3226. S. ju 3229. 9. la B’ 3198. la f. 3199. doulc 3210. cils 3216. Q. la fortune 3226. Sans UMS. Co 07 #1à 3199.

doulc

3203.

3207. par mi

Virelai

When I consider the lot of my dear love who loves me so and wham I love so I don't know what to say. I feel as though my heart were being in two on account of my sorrow. Prior to this I had no idea and had never learned the meaning of sadness. Now I learn and suffer as a result, and nothing delights me any more. I have every right to be sad when he to whom my heart is drawn is so far from me and I don't even know his whereabouts. Thus I have every reason for sadness and suffering and distress when I consider the lot, etc. If I could see him soon it would console me greatly. May God grant that this happen and that I find him then : restored to the state of joy that used to characterize him. That is all I ask. I do not ask, nor do I hope for, nor speak of, anything without joking or laughing, for I am filled with deep sighs as I never have been before when I consider the lot, etc.

3200 torn

3205

3210

3215

3220

else

3225

Virelai

Far from felicity I find myself night

3230

and day

187

Me voi souvent nuit et jour, Douls amis, et pour t'amour, Ne je n'ai a riens plaisance. Car mon bien et mon deport, Ma joie et mon reconfort, Mon jeu et mon esbanoi Me sont eslongiet et mort, Ne je n'ai a riens remort, Compains, quant je ne te voi. Je soloie avoir fiance Qu'en bonne perseverance, Sans soussi et sans dolour Ariens le tamps. Or savour A present aultre ordenance. Ensus

3235

3240

[91d] 3245

etc.

Et se nuit et jour me mort Merancolie oultre bort, Amis, pour l'amour de toi, Je sçai bien qu'elle ossi fort Te fait sentir son effort Par souvent penser a moi. Te puis je faire aligance Ne hastieve delivrance? Penses y pour le millour Et me rescrips sans sejour, Car j'ai dolour qui me lance. Ensus

S255

etc.

De Souvenir moult me contente, Car il a fait a bonne entente Si quoitousement mon message. Je le tieng a vaillant et sage, Quant il scet si briefment aler Et si courtoisement parler; Car il me ramentoit souvent, Quant issir me voit dou couvent Que j'ai a mes gardes proumis: "Sire, sire, chi fui camis De par

3250

ma mere

et mes

3260

3265

serours

Que je vous brise les errours De trestoutes merancolies:

3270

A 3253. Ne te p. f. a. A" 3240. Amis q. je B 3237. ju 3238. eslongié 3253. Te pui B' 3237. ju 3238. eslongié 3240. Amis 3254. hastiewe q. je 3244. Auriens B 3259. Ce S. 3262. tienc 3267. prammis 3271. melancolies

188

æœ a grievous path, my love, and because I love you so nothing holds any pleasure for me. My happiness and my pleasure, my joy and my solace, my delight and my enjoyment are null and void and nothing has meaning for me, my dear, when I cannot see you. I used to have faith that if we persevered without worry and without anxiety time would be on our side. Now I sense that things are arranged differently. Far from felicity, etc. And if unbounded sadness eats at me day and night because of my love for you, my dear, I know that it affects you just as powerfully the many times you think of me. Is there any way I can relieve your suffering and release you soon? Think about that and, if nothing else, write me back without delay for these pangs stab me. Far from felicity, etc.

I am very pleased with Memory, who has made a great effort to transmit my message quickly. I consider him brave and wise for knowing how to make the trip so quickly and to discourse with such courtliness. For he often reminded me when he saw that I was about to betray the agreement I had made with my keepers.

"My lord,

I was

3235

3240

3245

3250

3255

3260

3265

put here

by my mother and my sisters so that I would correct the errors occasioned by your misery:

189

3270

D'arester

y, che sont

folies.

Mes pensés a vo delivrance Et a ma serour Esperance,

Qui de vous servir s'entremet; Seiirement le vous proumet: Elle n'en dagneroit mentir.

3275 [92a]

Et si voelliés ossi sentir Que vous estes grans et poissans Et tous affaires congnissans Plus que ne soient petit homme. Foi que doi saint Piere de Ram Et messires sains Bietremieus, Vous en vaurrés encor le mieus De vo prison et de vo prise. Ja tous li mondes vous en prise, S'en devés mains estre anoieus, Car vous estes en lieu joieus: Ja est ceste cambre appellee “Amoureuse li bien celee." Ensi le baptiza jadis Uns chevaliers preus et hardis, Quant par chi rapassa de Prusse, Droit en l'an que li rois de Russe Fu desconfis des crestiiens. Avoec nous qui chi estiiens Descendi cheens a hostel Et lors li donna le nam tel En solas et par grant revel: Che fu li sires de Revel, Qui en maint lieu fu congneüs.* Or soiiés, sire, pourveis D'entention ferme et estable, Et si retenés che notable: Li apris et chil a aprendre* Ne sont repris ne a reprendre." Souvenirs

Grant Moult

ensi

me

3280

3285

3290

3295

3300

3305

presente

confort et m represente de notables biaus et gens,

Qui ne sont pas a toutes gens Trop commm, mes il le mes glose;

[92b] 3310

B 3272. ce 3276. Segurement le v. prammet 3277. dengneroit 3278. voeilliés 3279. puissans 3280. cognoissans 3283. Berthemieus 3284. vaudrés 3287. anoious 3288. joious 3289. chambre 3290. la b. 3293. ci 3294. le roi 3296. ci 3297. ceens 3300. Ce fu le sire 3304. ce 3305. Les apris et cil 3309. beaus

190

to dwell on it is folly. Think instead of your eventual release and of my sister Hope, who has committed herself to serving you. She promises that you will one day be released, and she would never lie. Also, don't forget how mighty and powerful you are and how knowledgeable regarding a multitude of subjects, far surpassing lesser men. By Saint Peter of Rome and Saint Bartholomew, I tell you that you will be considered even greater because of your stay in prison and your captivity. Everyone already respects you. Moreover you should be less bothered by your prison since you are in fact in a joyous place: your room is often referred to as

"the hidden chamber of love.' That's what a courageous and bold knight baptized it some years ago when he passed by here on his way back the same year the king of Russia was defeated by the Christians. He stopped in to stay

3275

3280

3285

3290

from Prussia

us who dwelt here, , and it was then that he named it with much mirth and merrymaking. The knight in question was the lord of Ravel and was renowned far and wide.* So, my lord, keep your will strong and steady, and remember this saying: "The learned person and the one who will learn* are not criticized, nor should they be." In this manner Memory gives me great comfort and explains many wondrous and marvelous things to me, things which are not common knowledge but which he explains to me.

5295

with

alErit

3300

3305

3310

Si tost qu'il m'en a dit le glose, Et je les preng en esbanoi, Car il me brisent mon anoi.

Ensi passe je le saison.

3315

En mendre place bien s'aise on Que je n'estoie herbegiés, Car de cambres et de vregiés, D'esbatemens et de delis,

Tant de viandes

com de lis,

3320

Estoie assés affuisonnés. Mes, quant me sench emprisonnés Et ensus de ma douce amour, Et si ne sçai com long demour Je ferai la ou je sejourne, Grant merancolie m'ajourne. Et toutes fois a bonne entente De mes gardes moult me contente, Car sougneusement me confortent Et me remonstrent et enortent Comment je me doi consillier Pour les pensees essillier, Qui nuit et jour me contrarient Et me debrisent et varient. Leur consel entens et retieng. Ensi en cel estat me tieng Atendans que confors me viegne. Or n'est fortune qui n'aviegne Ne lontains confors qui le cours Ne face alefois grant secours, Et quant on y pense le mains, C'est adont qu'il chiet ens es mains De cheli qui ne s'en prent garde. Un jour, par devant moi regarde Les dames qui me gouvrenoient. Je ne sçai dont elles venoient, Mes tout bellement et atret M'ont de nouvel dit et retret: "Sire, sire, ne vous poons Tenir, ensi que dire oons; Et encores de vostre prise

3325

3330

3335

[92c]

3345

3350

B 3312. la g. 3313. prenc 3316. saiseon 3317. ne soie herbergiés 3318. chambres et de vergiés 3322. senc 3324. lonc 3326. melancolie 3329. songneusement 3331. conseillier 3332. exillier 3335. conseil entenc et retienc 3336. tienc 3339. lontain confort 3340. a la fois 3343. celi 3347. a tret

192

No sooner does he explicate something than I enjoy it, for it does much to ease my sorrow. I pass all my time that way. Where I am lodged there's far more than one needs to feel comfortable. There are many rooms and gardens, all kinds of pastimes and entertainments, and as many kinds of meat as there were lilies growing. Still when I remember that I am imprisoned and distant from my sweet lady, and it cames back to me that I have no idea how long I will have to stay in this place, then I become very dejected. Nevertheless the kindness of my guards soothes me greatly, for they do their best to console me and cheer me and they make suggestions as to what I might do to rid myself of the depression that plagues me night and day, wearing me down and distressing me. I listen to their advice and heed it. In this manner I have managed to remain expectant that solace will. came to me. Relief that seems a long way off and a change in luck have a way of appearing and improving things when one least expects it, falling straight into the lap of the person who isn't looking for it. One day I look up and see the mistresses in charge of my welfare standing before me. I don't even know where they've come fram. But then they slowly and carefully gave me the following news. "Lord, according to what we hear, we cannot hold you here any longer. People in these parts are concerned and

is

s315

3320

3325

3330

3355

3340

3345

3350

Chil pays se doelt et desprise, Car uns escandles lamenteus, Et pour toutes gens cremeteus Qui habitent en che pays, S'i est de nouvel envays: On y dist, et vechi le doubte, Q'uns aigles, que cascuns redoubte, Jettans feu et flamme a tous les Est ja priés de chi avolés, De tous oisiaus a grant fuison, De quoi cascuns porte un tison De feu, dont la terre on manace. Ensi, sire, pour la manace Serés delivrés temprement:

3355

3360

3365

On y met grant atemprement. Mes apriés vostre delivrance,

Voelliés avoir en ramembrance Vos meschines et vos servans, Qui vous ont esté chi servans Et encores vous serviront

Et la ou vous

3370

irés iront,

[92d]

Mes que leur services vous plaise. Sire, sire, c'est moult grant aise Que d'avoir et de mettre en pris Gens dalés li qu'on a apris, Et chil, en servant soir et main, Vous seront tout prest a le main. Or vous pri que les recoelliés Et que dire ossi me voelliés Se je, qui ai long tamps esté Ja un yvier et un esté Vostre garde, sans mesprison, En ceste amoureuse prison, Me recheverés; car sans doubte La venue forment redoubte De l'aigle qui est feu jetans. Diex ne me lait veoir le tamps Que je, mes filles ne mi fil Nous trouvons ja en tel peril! Si vorroie moult bien savoir

3375

3380

3385

3390

A 3373: leurs. 3379. ta, ler. B’3352e Cils) 3355 ce M2 veci la 3359. fu et flame 3360. pres de ci 3361. oiseaus a g. foison 3363. De fu d. la t. on menace 3364. menace 3367. aprés 3368. Voeilliés 3370. ci 3376. lui 3377. cil 3378. la m 3379. recoeilliés 3380. voeilliés 3382. yver 3385. receverés 3387. fu jettans 3388. laist 3391. vodroie

194

dismayed

about

your

captivity.

Now, however, something has happened that has really struck fear and caused an uproar among the inhabitants of this country. People are saying, and thus they fear, that a fearsome eagle has com, spitting fire and flames on all sides, and that it has been sighted flying near here with a flock of all kinds of birds, each of them bearing a flaming torch and threatening to set fire to the earth. To rid us of this menace, my lord, you are to be set free soon, as soon as the details can be taken care of. But after your release, we beg you to remember us, your handmaidens and servants, who have taken care of you here, who will continue to serve you, and who will go wherever you go as long as our service pleases you. Lord, it is certainly very nice to have and to appreciate the people whom one has trained and who will always be right at hand to serve you day and night. I therefore beg you to take your servants with you and to say that you will take me too since I have already taken care of you very well for a long time-in fact for the whole of one winter and the following summer--in this “prison of love." For there is no doubt but that I greatly dread this eagle that is spewing fire. May God spare that I ever see a time when I or my sons and daughters find ourselves in such danger! Therefore I would very much like to know

195

3355

3360

3365

3370

SE

3380

3385

3390

S'avoec vous nous vorrés avoir." Et je qui en pensant regarde Atemprance, ma bonne garde, De che qu'elle dist m'esmervelle Grandement; dont, pour la mervelle, En mon dormant je tressali. Ensi a mon songe fali; Et quant je fui bien esvilliés, Se j'euch esté esmervilliés En dormant,

encor

Et n'ai je songiet tout ensi Que j'ai esté en grant soussi, En prison, en guerre et en armes, Oi de dames plours et larmes? N'en voi nulles mes. Ou sont elles? Moult m'ont samblé frices et belles, de maintien

3400

en veillant

Me voi je plus esmerveillant Et pense et di et m'esmervelle Dont poet venir ceste mervelle Que j'ai en mon dormant ewe. La m'areste et di: "Diex aïeue!

Gentes

3395

[93a] 3405

3410

et de corps;

Grans biens m'en fera Ensi en merancoliant

li recors." 3415

Et a mon songe coliant, L'escrisi quant je fui levés En le fourme que vous le ves, Chiers mestres et especiaus, Flos, et tres grans amis loyaus.

Et quant j'oi leii ume espasse Le livret, que riens n'i trespasse, Moult me samblerent en lisant Li parler nouvel et plaisant Et si volentiers les ooie Que partir je ne m'en pooie, Ja n'en vosisse avoir le fin. Encores trouvai je ou cofin Unes lettres faites en prose, Sus les queles le signet Rose Avisai: bien le reconnui.

3420

[93b]

3430

A 3420. Rose et B 3392. S'avec v. nos vodrés 3395. ce q. d. m'esmerveille 3396. merveille 3400. j'oc 3402. vois je p. esmervillant 3403. m'esmerveille 3404. merveille 3406. aïuwe 3407. songié 3412. friches 3415. melancoliant 3418. la f. 3421. 0e 13422; net 3497. laf.

196

if you would let us go with you." As I think about it I look at my good guardian, Moderation, with astonishment at what she has just said. So great was my astonishment that it pulled me from my slumber and my whole dream fell away. However astonished I was in my dream, I go around even more amazed when, after having finally awakened completely, in my waking state I think and talk about this marvelous occurrence that came to me while I was sleeping and I wonder what its origin was. Then I stop and say, "God help me!

3395

3400

3405

Didn't I dream that I was languishing in prison and a war was raging when I heard ladies crying and weeping? I don't see them anywhere. What has become of them? They seemed so beautiful and animated, and so noble in their bearing. Remembering them will certainly stand me in good stead." When I got up I was still thinking about my dream and missing the ladies, so I wrote it all down, Flos, my dear and beloved master, in the form in which you have it before you. When I had read a good bit of Rose's volume, skipping nothing, I realized that the work was both fascinating and original. I was so eager to hear the whole story that I couldn't pull myself away, wanting it never to end. In the same container I also found a letter written in prose and which was sealed with Rose's ring, whose image I knew well.

197

3410

S45

3420

3425

3430

Lors les ouvri je sans anui Et les desploiai a mes dois, Car elles furent en fors plois Et de lettre moult bien escripte. Le tamps de noient ne respite, Car a savoir forment desire Tout ce dont il me poet escrire, Tant pour la matere nouvelle Que pour ce qu'il me renouvelle Pluiseurs ymaginations Que j'ai sur tels intentions; Et disoient sus ceste entente Les lettres dont je m contente:

(8)

5

10

IS}

20

25

3435

3440

Flos, chiers campains et grans amis, en le maniere cam vous avés oi et que contenu est en ce livret, m'avint a ceste heure. Et quant je fui tous esvilliés, je me tins environ demi heure sus mon lit, pensans et ymaginans sus mon songe et considerans pluiseurs coses, ne dont ceste vision pooit venir; mais, tout consideret et ymaginet, je n'en savoie qui encouper, fors la matere de vostre livret de Pynoteiis et de Neptisphelé; et sur ce et pour le plus seür et milleur avis je m'arestai; et ai depuis, par cause de nouveleté et de plaisance qui encliner m'i ont fait, dittet et ordonnet ce petit livre, et l'ai monstré ama souverainne a cui il plaist moult bien, ce dist elle, car en tels coses veoir et oir elle prent grant esbatement. Si vous pri, chiers amis, anchois qu'il soit noient veüs ne esandelisiés, que vous le voelliés lire de cief en cor, et parfaitement viseter et examiner, et ce [93v°] qui necessaire n'i est oster, et ce qui y besongne mettre et adjouster, et ma rudece escuser, car je ne sui pas mestres pour ordonner si mestrieusement que pour estre nommés ne recanmendés entre les ouvriers de cel art. Et pour ce que vostres sens est grans et ymaginatis et abuvrés en tels oevres, je vous pri que vous voelliés sus mon songe mettre aucune exposition nouvelle, ensi que la matere le requiert; par quoi, se je y erre par nulle maniere, j'aie vostre consel que dou laiier. Ossi je vous avoie escript que volentiers aroie un nouvel lay;

B 3441. Pluisours 3442. sus t. (Letter 8) B 1. la m. 3. tinc 5. pluisours choses 6. consideré et imaginé 8. et de Pinoteüs et de N. et sus 9. segur et millour 11. ditté et ordonné 12. a qui 13. choses 14. angois 15. voeilliés 16. chief 18. excuser 21. vostre 25. conseil 22. voeilliés

198

I broke the seal and pulled open the letter that was all folded up and written in a nicely formed script.

I don't

wait

3435

a second

because I am so anxious to know everything he may have written me, in part because he may tell of samething but just as much in the hope that he stirs my imagination, which had already been provoked. And regarding those matters his letter, which delighted me, had this

(8)

5

10

1

20

25

new

3440

to say:

Flos, my dear friend and close confidant, you have learned from the contents of my little book what happened to me not long ago. Now, when I woke up, I stayed in bed for about half an hour, thinking about and remembering my dream and trying to determine where this vision might have come from. But after thinking long and hard, the only thing that I could think of that might be responsible was the story in your little book about Pynoteus and Neptisphelé. Moreover I still think that it is the most likely source. In the meantime, I have written out this little book, creating it for the pleasure and novelty of doing so. I have already shown it to my lady, who says she likes it very much, for she delights in reading or listening to such stories. I'm asking you now, my dear friend, please to read it over from beginning to end and to examine it in all its details before anyone else sees it or its existence becomes known. I would also like you to take out anything you find superfluous as well as to insert or add things if need be. Please excuse any gaucheness on my part, for I am not expert enough at putting things in writing to be called or recommended to join the ranks of the masters of that art. Since you are knowledgeable and creative and very expert in literary matters, might I please ask you to add to my book whatever explication it might need. That way, if I've made any mistakes, I will have your advice as to whether to make changes. Furthermore, I had written you that I would be happy to have a new lai from you, so I am asking you to send me

199

30

si vous pri que, se vous en estes aisiés, que vous le que vous le m'envoiiés par le porteur de ces presentes. Avoec faire le toutes coses, se riens vous plaist a mander, poés fiablement, et vous me trouverés apparilliet. Che scet li Sains Esperis qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

[93c]

Dou rescrire pas ne m'escuse, Mes, avant, un petit je mse A savoir comment je feroie Et se le lay poursieveroie Que j'avoie ja entrepris. "Oil," di je, "il est bons repris, Anchois que le mette en oubli. Mes ains que je l'aie accompli, Trop poroie le messagier, Qui chi se sejourne, atargier; S'est bon que son chemin avance Et ja ai je de pourveance Trois balades de sentement: Cestes vorrai presentement Envoiier; et puis en avant Le lay, dont j'ai parlé devant, Parferai; j'en ai grant desir, Mes que j'aie tamps et loisir." Je m'arestai sus ceste entente Et escripsi sans plus d'atente Les balades trestoutes trois, Et puis en petis plois estrois Les ploiai et a celle fin Que mieuls entraissent ou cofin Et avoec unes lettres closes, Dont ensi disoient les gloses:

(9)

3450

3455

[93d] 3460

3465

3470

Tres chiers compains et grans amis, j'ai recheü de par vous deus paires* de lettres et un livret; si me samble, et voirs est, que cesti vous avés ditté et ordonné sus un songe qui nouvellement vous est avenus en vision et me priiés que cesti je voelle lire et corrigier, se mestier fet. Chiers amis, sachiés que le livret j'ai lei, vei, viseté et a mon pooir examiné, mes je n'i scai mettre, oster ne adjouster cose nulle qui mieulz y soit seans que

B 28. Avec 29. choses 31. le Saint Esperit B 3445. Au r. 3451.

30.

povés f.

Ançois

3454.

et v.

met.

appareillié

ci

3458.

vodrai

entrassent

(Letter

9) B 1.

receü

5. voeille

200

7. visité

8. chose

Ce

3468.

30

one, if you might, by means of the messenger who has brought this letter. Also if you think of anything else to send, you can do it in the certitude I will be ready and willing to read it. May the Holy Spirit watch over you. Written, etc.

I don't put off writing back to Rose, but before doing so I start to mull over how I would proceed if I wanted to finish the lai I had already started earlier. "Yes," I tell myself, "it would be good to take it up again while it is still somewhat fresh. But to try to finish it now would be to make this messenger who has come here wait too long. He needs to continue his journey, and I happen to have here in reserve three ballades derived from my own experiences. I will send them now and then later finish the lai I mentioned earlier. I would like very much to do so but I need sufficient time." After coming to that decision I wrote out the three ballades with no more ado and folded them until they were quite small so that they would fit better into the coffer in which I also enclosed a letter that ran as follows:

(9)

3445

3450

3455

3460

3465

3470

My dear friend and close confidant, recently I received a couple* of letters and a little book from you which, if I am not mistaken, you composed by writing down a dream which came to you recently while you were sleeping. You also asked whether I might read over and correct your work wherever necessary. My dear friend, I looked it over, leafing through and reading your little book, examining it carefully, but frankly there's nothing that

201

10

che qui y est. Et pour vostre plaisance assouffir et la matere dou dit songe acroistre et moi acquiter envers et si avant que ma poissance coses vous en toutes entendemens poeent durer et estendre, je sui apparilliés que dou faire. Chiers amis, apriés la teneur de vostres

lettres,

5

20

25

je vous envoie une exposition

faite et [94 r°]

arestee sus cesti songe parmi l'aÿde de Dieu et d'une ymagination que j'ai eii. Et premiers, j'entens par le lit et la cambre aournee de toute honneur ou vous dormiés, quant les trois dames par samblance vous esvillierent, la gaie et amoureuse, douce pensee, qui est dedens vous encorporee, et, pour esvillier ceste pensee, j'entens par les trois dames, Justice, Pité et Raison, trois vertus principaus que sont en vostre souverainne: bonté, biauté et maniere bien arree. Ches trois vertus principaument vous ont esvilliet et esmeü a acquerre la grasce et l'amour de li et a fuir tous visces. Et pour ce que vous

n'osés mie si grant cose emprendre sans consel, j'entens par chiaus qui vous consillierent le grant desir que vous avés a li servir, amer, cremir et obeir; de quoy Avis, 30

35

40

45

meus et enfourmés d'Atemprance, vous avisa, et monstra tous les perils ou vous poiés encheir, et vous voloit estre bons moiiens en toutes vostres besongnes et pour assaus de pourveir les perilleus remede contre de jalousie. Mes le tres grans habondance de corage que vous avés et le desir d'estre amoureus vous ont si ataint et le coer enflamé que bien souvent vous en perdés maniere et contenance. Dont, par figure et selonc le vision de vostre songe, j'entens par Avis qui se parti de vostre compagnie et se mist ou confort de vostres ennemis, le sentement de parler que vous perdés quant vous estes en le presence de vostre dame, et elle le conquert par la bonne atemprance de li, et s'avise en tous estas, et se tient ferme et seüre de respondre contre vous aviseement, se il besongne. entroes que vous estes Dont, en che parti, li grans desirs qui est en vous de remonstrer et dire vostre entente, ne se voelt pas astenir pour le doubte ne l'aventure d'estre escondis, anchois recoevre

B 9. ce 11. choses si 13. aprés la t. de vos honnour

20.

je entenc

a.

q. ma puissance 16. j'entenc 17.

22. beauté

23.

24. esvillié 26. mies si g. fait e. s. ceuls q. v. conseillierent 31. vos b. t. 37. j'entenc p. A. q. se 40. la presense 42. segure abstenir p. la 46. ancois

Cest.

12. appareilliés chambre a. de t. v.

principalment

conseil j'entenc 27. 32. perillous 33. la

p. soudainnement de 43. ce 44. le grant

202

38. vos e. desir 45.

10

15

20

25

30

So

40

45

I might insert or remove that would improve on what you already have. Certainly I am ready and willing to do your pleasure and expand the reach of your dream, and in general todo for you whatever my skill and understanding might be capable of. My dear friend, as you have requested in your letter, I am sending you an interpretation of your dream which I have arrived at with the help of God and my own imagination. First of all, the bed as well as the elaborate and noble room where you were sleeping when the three ladies seemed to wake you I take to mean the pleasant and tender sweet thoughts that are within you. Three ladies, Justice, Pity and Reason, awaken these thoughts, by which I understand the three main virtues of your beloved lady, namely her goodness, beauty amd bearing. These three virtues are what were mainly responsible for waking you and encouraging you to seek the grace and love of your lady and to shin all vice. Furthermore, since you would never presume to undertake such an enormous task without seeking advice, I understand your counselors to be your great desire to serve, love, honor and obey your lady. For this reason Prudence, informed and prodded by Moderation, gave you advice and pointed out the pitfalls before you, hoping to provide you with the proper means of conduct in all your affairs and with something to withstand the onslaughts of jealousy. But your extraordinary abundance of feeling and the passion you show in love have so inflamed your heart and affected you that you often lose your camposure and poise. Now, from both his bearing and your own dream vision I take Prudence, who left your company and sought to aid your enemies, to stand for the ability to speak that you lose when you are in your lady's presence, whereas she succeeds because of Prudence's moderating influence, and thinks carefully in all situations, and is steady and sure if and when she needs to give you an astute answer. Now, while you are in such a predicament your great desire to tell and explain everything you feel does not want to be held back by fear or by the possibility of being rejected, and therefore it recovers

205

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65

70

75

80

A 82.

entendement et congnissance par l'effort de jonece, qui emprise et honneur, et ossi loyauté, resgne en vous, font vous et esmoevent et atisent l'en hardement Par la quele guerre et bataille emprendre la guerre. j'entens la vie amoureuse de vous et de vostre dare, les priieres, les responses, les refus et les escondis; et la desconfiture de vous et des vostres j'entens par la biauté et la douce phizonamie de son regart, qui vous prent et lace toutes fois et toutes heures que vous le veés, ne les vertus qui sont en vous n'ont nul pooir contre les siennes. Dont souvent par ceste voie vous estes pris et emprisonnés et mis en son dangier et ne vous en poés partir ne deffendre. Chiers amis, par la prison ou vous estes mis et emprisonnés j'entens le langeur ou vous sejournés, quant vous estes escondis et refusés de vostre dame, ou que vous en avés responses ou samblans qui ne vous sont pas bien agreable, ou que vous estes batus des

verges et des assaus de jalousie, qui [94 v’] sont moult dur et felenés a sentir et a congnoistre, et ne poés estre adont sans grans lamentations et camplaintes, ensi qu'il appert par le teneur de vostre songe. Et entroes que vous demorés et sejournés en la prison d'Atemprance, Espoir, Souvenir, Avis et Congnissance vous visettent et confortent et vous remettent toutes bonnes conditions devant, car autrement vous ne durer, et poriés pourcachent vostre aligance. Apriés, j'enteng par l'aigle volant et tous ses oisiaus qui portent brandons de feu, dont il esbahissent chiaus qui vous tiennent, Francise, Misericorde et qui amainne li Humilité, Pité, avoec est rois Debonnaireté. Car tout ensi que li aigles souverains sur tous aultres oisiaus, est Francise une souverainne vertus tres en coer de dame douce et et qui le delivre de toute debonnaire l'amant pour langeur. Ensi, par le vertu de Francise qui est descendue en vostre dame, s'espoéntent toutes manieres d'opinions contraires a vous, car Francise a avoec li Pité, Humilité qui sont poissant de et Misericorde et Debonnaireté, confondre tous vos nuisans et essillier vos ennemis et de contraire

j'entenc

53.

B 47.

j'entenc

cognissance

p.

la beauté

48.

honnour

et

e.

51.

55.

laco t.

f. et

toute

58. povés 60. j'entenc la langour 65. povés 69. Cognoissance 72. pourchacent v. a. Aprés j'entenc 73. oiseaus q. p. b. de fu 74. ceuls q. v. t. Franchise 76. e. came l'aigle e. roy 77. souverain sus t. oizeaus e. franchise 80. langour E. p. la v. de franchise 82-83. humilité misericorde et d. ques puissant

204

50

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65

70

VS

80

85

its composure and clarity of purpose through the force of youth that rules over you, while in addition loyalty, honor, initiative and audacity incite you and push you to take up battle. By battle and war I understand your activities as a lover, including your pleas, her responses, the refusals and the rejections. I interpret the defeat of you and your troops as the beauty and sweet countenance of her gaze that catches and hooks you every time you happen to see her to such an extent that the virtues that are within you have no power whatsoever against her own. In this way you are often captured and imprisoned and put in her power, with the result that you can neither leave nor defend yourself. Dear friend, I take the prison where you are held and imprisoned to mean the miserable state you are in when your lady rejects or refuses you or gives you answers that displease you or treats you in a way you don't like, or when you suffer the assaults and whips of jealousy whose blows are hard and cruel for those that experience them. Then you cry out greatly and complain bitterly as is clear fram the nature of your dream. While you languish in Moderation's prison, Hope, Memory, Prudence and Knowledge visit and console you, trying to help you in every way and get you to do what they advise, for otherwise you would never survive. Next, I interpret the eagle and his birds that fly and carry fiery torches, frightening those that hold you prisoner, to be Liberality, who brings Humility, Pity, Campassion and Good Character with her. For just as the eagle is the king of all birds, liberality is a sovereign virtue in the heart of a woman who is sweet and well disposed to her lover and ready to relieve him of his suffering. Thus, because of the liberality of your lady, all those who spread rumors that might cause you harm are paralyzed with fear, for Liberality has Pity, Humility, Compassion and Good Character, who rout all those who wish to harm you and send your enemies into exile, and who return you to your lady's presence, which helps you forget part of your ills. And while your release is being negotiated and you enjoy the company of

205

85

95

100

105

110

115

120

vous remettre en la presence de vostre dame souverainne, par quoi vous oubliiés partie de vos mauls. Et entroes et que vous veés Atemprance, que vous oés ces tretiés qui se representent de vous Esperance et Souvenir Avis, consillier et conforter, vous estes si ravis en parfaite joie, en pensant et ymaginant la bonté et biauté de vostre dame souverainne, que che vous fet delaiier toutes merancolies et langeurs ou vous avés esté endormis, et vous esvilliés en joie et en solas et en leeche, qui vous sont prest et apparilliet mieuls qu'onques mes. Chiers et grans amis, ceste est li exposition que je puis sentir ne ymaginer de mon rude et ignorant entendement sus vostre songe, fors tant qu'il m'avint depuis ceste exposition fete, jettee et arrestee ensi cam vous le poés veoir, que je regardai encores les lettres que darrainnement m'avés envoiiés, pour savoir se je les avoie bien justement entendues. Si les lisi encor de rechief et y vi, che me samble, aultre matere que ceste ne soit que je vous ai exposee, car, selonc le teneur de vostres lettres, vous dites ensi que vous ne savés qui bonnement cargier ne encouper qui vous mist en ce songe, fors le livret de pour Neptisphelé, et seulement de la et Pynoteüs plaisance que vous avés eu et pris au lire; et bien vous en croi, car les pensees et ymaginations que on a as coses enclinent les corages en diverses mervelles; dont, en lisant ces lettres, je me repris et jettai ailleurs avis et ymagination sus mon fourme aultre et bien propisce a ceste matere et selonc le teneur des lettres que dou tamps passé m'avés envoiiés et par les queles je m'avisai que ceste [95 r°] aultre exposition j'escriroie et le vous envoieroie, ensi que j'ai fait, a fin que vous et le plus aiiés avis sus l'un et l'autre pourpos, agreable retenés pour vous ou tous deus. Chiers amis, j'entens secondement par Pynoteiis et Neptisphelé desir et plaisance qui sont encorporet en vous: desir, qui vous fait enterinnement nuit et jour penser a vostre dane, plaisance, qui vous y atret. Et sont ces deus vertus en vous si tres bien d'un acord que riens ne les empeche ne varie, car che que li uns voelt, li aultres otrie, tout ensi comme li doi amant dessus dit vivoient en pais et en

B 87. ves Attemprance 89. conseillier 90. beauté 91. ce 92. melancolies ou v. 93. liece 94. appareilliet 95% l'exposition gq. je p. s. et imaginer 98. povés 101. ce 103. late de vos 1. 108. qu'on a aux 109. choses e. 1. c. end. merveilles 110. aillours 112. la t: 118 j'entenc 122: 123. ce empece 124. les deus amans d. dis 206

90

95

100

105

110

115

120

125

Moderation, Prudence, Memory and Hope, who are always there to advise and console you, the thought of the goodness and beauty of your sovereign lady carries you off in such perfect happiness that you lose track of all the sadness and suffering in which you have been slumbering, and you awake in joy and happiness and good cheer, which are waiting and ready to accampany you forever more. My dear, close friend, this is the best explication I can conceive of or came up with, given my poor and limited understanding of your dream. However, after having finished this interpretation, casting it in the form you see here, I went back and looked over the last letter you had sent me to see if I had understood everything correctly. So I read it again from the very beginning and as a matter of fact I noticed that there was a way Of interpreting that was different from the one I set forth. You will remember that in your letter you say that you don't know wham to blame for having made you dream what you did except perhaps my little book about Pynoteüs and Neptisphelé, and even then only because you enjoyed reading it so much. Well, I certainly believe you, for the way we think about things or imagine them can make us feel many different ways toward them. So, upon reading your letter I thought about it again and took a different direction, one more fitting for the subject, especially given what you say in the last letter you sent. On that basis, then, I decided to send you in writing this second interpretation I came up with so that you will have both of them and you will be able to accept either the one you like best or both of them, if you prefer. Now, my dear friend, according to this second way of interpreting, I take Pynoteüs and Neptisphelé to stand for the desire and delight that dwell within you--the desire that makes you think about your lady all the tine, day and night, and the delight that draws you to her. These two virtues dwell within you in such camplete harmony that nothing can hold them back or alter them, for whatever the one seeks the other is willing to grant-just like the two lovers already mentioned who lived in peace and in harmony until the lion came and devoured the

207

125

ume unité jusques a tant que li lyons vint, si cam dist la figure, qui devora la pucelle. Par che lyon j'entens Envie qui s'est boutee, espoir, entre vous et vostre dame pour tolir et estaindre

130

135

140

145

150

155

160

vostre

joie,

car on dist,

et bien

je m'i acors, qu'il n'est au jour d'ui estas la ou on ait si grant envie que sus amoureuse gent. Ensi, par envie confortee de haÿne et de jalousie, poés vous moult bien estre eslongiés un tamps de le grasce de vostre dame, et tout par mesdisans qui tirent a vous destruire. Mais la grant entente et affection que vous avés tous jours de servir

loyaument

vostre

dame,

ne se mue

ne

se cange

pour

adversité qu'il ait, ains s'en vient au dieu d'Amours, que je compere et entens par Phebus, le dieu dou Solel, ensi cam li poétes Pynoteiis vint, a cui il fist sen orison et pour recouvrer sa dame qu'il avoit perdu. Tout ensi Desirs, meüs et encoragiés de toutes bonnes vertus, fet sa priiere au dieu d'Amours si tres belle et si enclins a pité, li affectueuse que li diex d'Amours, ressuscite sa joie, qui morte li estoit par les rapors des jalous envieus, et met sa dame en tele grasce et volenté qu'il soit oÿs et reconfortés et ait joie a durer. Chiers amis, ceste grasce et courtoisie que li diex d'Amours vous fait, ou poet faire de legier s'elle vous besongne, j'entens pour vous; si vous voelliés tenir liement et envoisiement et servir vostre dame loyaument, par quoi li diex d'Amours s'en contente. Et ne vous effreés ne doubtés de songes, de visions ne de mervelles qui en dormant vous aviennent, car che ne sont que toutes coses vainnes et nulles, et escrisiés tous jours a moi fiablement: vous me verés apparilliet en toutes coses. Je vous envoie trois balades faites assés nouvellement, en l'absence d'un lay, car je n'en sui pas pourveiis tant qu'en present, mais j'en ai un commenchiet et, lors qu'il sera parfés et que vostre messagier retourra, je le vous envoierai. Diex vous ait en sa sainte grasce, qui vous gart en corps et en ame. Escript...

Ensi que j'ai ja dit devant, Un peu apriés solel levant

B125. le lyon v. sicom 126. cel. j'entenc 129. la ou ait 130. grande 131. povés 135. change 137. entenc le d. d. Soleil 138. a qui 141. proiiere 142. le dieu 146. q. ele

147. dieu d'A. v. f. ou p. f. de 1. se il 148. j'entenc p. v. si v. voeilliés 150. le dieu 151. merveilles 152. ce 153. choses 154. appareillié 157. commencié 160. Escript etc. B 3472. aprés soleil 208

130

155

140

145

150

d'55

160

girl as the story tells. I take the lion to stand for Envy that forced its way, I believe, between you and your lady, hoping to steal away and destroy your happiness. For they say, and I agree, that these days no one is more envied than people in love. Envy attended by hatred and jealousy can distance you from the grace of your lady for a while, and all because of liars who try to bring you down. Nevertheless your great desire and determination to serve your lady faithfully does not change or alter, regardless of what happens. This brings me, as it did the poet Pynoteüs, to Phoebus, God of the Sun, to wham Pynoteüs prayed in order to get back the lady he loved. I take Phoebus as standing for the God of Love. Just like you, Desire, when moved to it and encouraged by all good virtues, prays to the God of Love so beautifully and so passionately that the God of Love, taking pity on him, rekindles Desire's joy (which is practically extinct because of the rumors his jealous enemies have spread) and causes his lady to be willing and ready to listen to him, thereby restoring him enough that he has the will to go on. My dear friend, I take this grace and this courtliness that the God of Love provides for you, or can easily provide if you need it, as pertaining to you. It should be your wish to maintain yourself in joy and happiness and to serve your lady faithfully, for these things please the God of Love. And do not fear or dread dreams or visions or the incredible things that seem to happen to you while you're sleeping for they are empty experiences, and utterly without meaning. Also, always write to me faithfully, for you will find me ever ready to help. I am sending you three ballades I recently composed since I don't yet have a lai ready at present. Nevertheless, I have already begun one and as soon as it is finished and your messenger has returned here, I will send it to you. May God give you grace and keep you safe both in body and in soul. Written...

As I said above, Rose's messenger, being a courtly and discrete

209

Se parti De Rose,

Au partir

de moi li messages com courtois et sages.

li dis doucement:

[95c]

"Ne demorés trop longement, Car plaisance en desir m'amainne Que, se je puis, l'autre semainne Tout

ce que

vos

mestres

requiert

Arai. "Et chils, qui pas n'enquiert Que c'estoit, me respont: "Ensi Li dirai." Adont il issi De mon hostel et je remés. Depuis ai je les vers rimés Dou lai, ou grant plaisance avoie, Et si bien y trouvai la voie Que, Dieu merci, dedens brief jour (Tant eus je loisir et sejour, Avoec un peu d'avancement Que j'avoie en commencement), Parfis le lay a me plaisance. Dou dire ne voel escusance: A Rose, qui est mes amis, Sera assés briefment tramis; Et a fin que pourveüs soie, Loiiés d'un filleçon de soie Fu escrips en bel parcemin. Or me voel remettre au chemin Que je vous die quels il est: Tout premierement, on se test Des trois vers que je fis jadis.* Un en trouverés mains de dis: Avoec les trois, qui bien le taille, C'est d'un lay la certainne taille. Et ossi li vers darreniers, Qui dou congnoistre est coustumiers, Vous porra monstrer et aprendre Ou le premier ver porés prendre, Car d'otel taille et d'otel fourme Est li darrains, qui bien l'enfourme, D'otel matere* et d'otel vois, Sans nul reditté toutes fois, Comme est dou lay li vers premiers: C'est uns rieules tous coustumiers.

A 3480. n'en quiert B 3480. Aurai Et cils 3488. T. 3491. ma p. 3492. voeil 3496. fileçon 3497. parchemin voeil 3505. le ver darrainnier 3510. Que li

210

3480

3485

3490

3495

3500

3505 [95 d]

3510

oc je 3498.

fellow, took his leave of me a little after sunrise. When he left I told him gently, "Don't stay away too long because the pleasure of desire carries me along in such a fashion that, if possible, I will have finished everything your master requests by next week." And he, without trying to find out exactly what this was about, answered, "I will tell him." Then he left my home, and I stayed behind. After that, I started to work on rhyming the verses of my lai, which I loved to do, and it came to me so easily that--thanks to God--in a very short time (I had so much free time as well as the head start from having already begun) I finished the lai and was satisfied with it. I won't hesitate to recite it. It will be sent straightaway to my good friend Rose. So that he would have a copy I had it copied onto fine parchment, then tied up with silk ribbon. Now I want to get right back to it by telling you how it came out. To start with I won't repeat the first three strophes I had already camposed.* That leaves one less than ten to camplete the lai. With the original three added in you have the normal amount for a lai. Also, anyone who is familiar with a lai's form can show you and teach you how the final strophe is modeled on that of the first. . For the last strophe, if it is made properly, has the same length and the same form; it has the same shape* and the same rhyme scheme, though without repeating it word for word, as the first strophe of the lai. These are the customary rules of camposition.

PALA

3475

3480

3485

3490

3495

3500

3505

3510

4.

Las,

3515

ou me trairai?* Que dirai? Que ferai? Ne de qui arai

Consel

des mauls

que

j'endure?

Qui compagnerai? Je ne sçai; Si m'esmai Ou trouver porai Confort, ne qui m'asseüre De mon grant esmai. Je vorrai Sans delai En criant: hahai! Compter par quel aventure La dolour que trai Et trairai* G'i morrai, Et acquise l'ai, Si n'est qui m'en face cure.

Se

Aumains, s'un petit euisse De samblant, ou je peuisse Nul

reconfort

3520

3525

3530

3535

esperer,

Plus liement m'en tenisse. Mes riens n'ai qui m'esjoisse, Ne regart ne douls parler.

[96a]

Ne sçai comment m'en cevisse, Car je voel en ce servisse Mon tamps et ma vie user;

Dont

s'un campagnon

A cui mon estat Moult me peuist

6.

veisse

deisse, conforter.

Car li doi OQumlaw trois D'un otroi Et d'une foi,

3545

3550

A 3532 lacking 3533 Acquise l'ai 3534. Et si n'est q.m. A’ 3533. Acquise l'ai 3534. Et si n'est q. m. 3540. Ne regars 3546. Trop me B 3518. aurai 3532. Acquise l'ai 3533. G'i morrai 3534. Et si n'est q. m. 3540. doulc 3541. chevisse 3542. voeil 3545. A qui B' 3518. aurai 3533. Acquise l'ai 3534. Et si n'ai q. m. 3540. Ne regard ne doulc 3541. chevisse 3542. voeil 3545. A qui

2072

Where

will I go, exhausted as I am? What will I say? What will I do? And who will help me through pain I endure? Whom will I go with? I surely don't know. I am troubled not to know where I might find solace someone to help ease my great anxiety. Without any delay I would like in crying, ‘Aieee!" recount how the pain I suffer and will continue to suffer will kill me. I have absorbed it completely, no one can cure me.

3515

If I had even the slightest glinmer that I might be able to hope for same consolation samewhere I would be much more cheerful.

3939

the

or

to

so

But there's

nothing

would

relieve Two

3525

3530

that gladdens me,

neither loving glances nor courtly speech. I don't know how I manage to escape, for I want to pass my time and my life in love's service. If I but had a friend I could tell about my condition, that

3520

me

3540

3545

greatly.

or

three people are far more acquainted with

215

3550

Ont

trop plus grant congnissance, (Bien le voi Et perchoi Apar moi, Dont mieuls le croi,) Que n'ait uns seuls, sans doubtance. Pour ce doi Je qui boi Maint anoi En mon requoi, Avoir desir et plaisance Que li ploi

3555

3560

Ou m'enploi*

D'espoir

les

Et q'un bon compagnon aie, Sentans l'amoureuse plaie Qui me point et navre et plaie. A celi fiablement Dirai par parolle vraie Comment Bonne Amour m'adaie Pour ma douce dame gaie; Et chils, de son sentement, C'est raisons qu'il me retraie Se tels assaus il assaie Ne s'il se crient ou esmie Ou s'il a aliegement. Par ensi faire on s'esgaie Et n'est mauls qu'on ne delaie, Car Par

8.

Soient quoi, Garni d'arroi, et de souffissance

3565

3570

[96b]

3575

3580

le tamps on passe et paie tamaint esbatement.

Li pluiseur si sont Tel qu'il n'ont Ne n'aront Ja nul espoir dont

3585

A' 3555. Assés le c. 3577. Ne si se c. 3583. pluisour B 3551. cognissance 3553. perçoi 3556. un seul 3563. m'emploi 3565. Garnis 3570. celui 3574. cils 3583. Les pluisours 3584. Tels 3585. n'auront B' 3551. cognoissance 3553. perçoi 3555. Assés le croi 3556. un seul 3563. m'emploi 3574. cils 3578. aligement 3583. Les pluisours 3584. Tels 3585. n'auront

214

the favors

than

must

and the pact of love (I see this quite clearly all around me, hence I believe this all the more) one person all alone, I'm sure. That is why I, who drink many a bitter brew all alone in privacy, have desire and pleasure so that the crises in which I am caught

order,

settle down, fortified by hope and fulfillment

and so that I might have a good friend who likewise feels love's wound that injures and pricks and lacerates me. I will tell him faithfully and truly how Good Love torments me on account of my sweet, joyful lady. And he, for his part, should tell me sincerely whether he also suffers love's assaults, whether he lives in fright and dread or whether he has comfort. That's the way to lift your spirits, and the time spent in that sort of delightful exchange is sufficient to assuage even the worst ills.

3555

3560

3565

3570

SDS

3580

Most people don't have and never will have any hope by which

As

3585

I] puissent estre conforté, Ne riens ne veront Ne oront Ne feront, Qui leur soit adont Plaisance a leur adversité, Anchois trambleront, Fremiront, Souspirront Et si desirront Trop plus le mort que leur santé. Ensi se confont Coers qui font De parfont Et chil qui ne font Pas le tamps a leur volenté. CG):

3590

3595

3600

Dont pour moi esbaniier Et ma dolour oubliier,

Un compagnon voel Qui bien me puist

cerchier consillier De ma besongne; Et, se tel l'ai que requier: Amoureus, vrai et entier, Je li dirai de legier Le maniere dou Dangier Que je ressongne; Car je le troeve si fier Que je ne le puis brisier Pour parler ne pour priier, Anchois me reboute arrier Et fet le frongne. Or me faut taire et muchier Pour le traytour mourdrier,

[96c]

3610

3615

A 3600. lacking 3603. esbanoiier A" 3592. P. en l. 3613. Le quel je truis toutdis fier 3614. Ne je ne le 3618. Tant le crieng mentir n'en quier 3619. Le traÿtour le mourdrier B 3591. Qui lor 3592. aversité 3593. Ançois 3601. cil 3602. volent 3603. esbanoiier 3605. voeil 3606. conseillier 3611. La m.

3616.

Ançois

3617.

la f.

3618.

mucier

3619.

trahitour

murdrier B' 3591. Qui lor 3592. P. en 1. 3593. Ançois 3601. cil 3603. esbanoiier 3605. voeil 3606. conseillier 3611. La m. 3613. Le quel je truis toutdis fier 3614. Ne je ne le 3616. Ançois 3618. Tant le crienc mentir n'en quier 3619. Le trahitour le murdrier

216

they might be comforted, nor will they see or hear or find someone who can make them happy even when things go badly. Instead they will tremble and quake and sigh and desire their death more than their good health. In this fashion languish hearts that disintegrate deep within and those who can't shape time to their will. So,

to cheer

account

of

3595

3600

myself

and forget my suffering I intend to seek a friend who will give me advice in my need. And if I find the sort I'm looking for-in love, true and loyal-T'll tell him right away how Resistance whom-I fear operates. For Resistance is so proud that I cannot break his strength either by discussion or by pleading. Instead he rebuffs me and glowers. I had better disappear and say no more on

3590

that

murderous

Pol

traitor,

3605

3610

3615

Le villain, le pautonnier, Que je crieng, mentir n'en quier, Plus que le rongne. 10.

3620

Dont compagnie desire; Et le raison qui m'i tire, Tempre

et

3625

tart,

C'est pour monstrer par quel Je sui sus le desconfire Et pour mon coer assouffire, Qui a toute heure souspire, Frit et art, Ne onques il ne se part De jalousie, au voir dire, Car je voi jeuer et rire

art

Chelle qui pas ne consire Mon regart, Com humlement le regart En grant cremeur et sans ire. S'elle sentoit mon martire, Je croi que, quant elle espire, Si espart

3630

3635

[964]

3640

N'iroient ja celle part Ou il vont pour moi ocire, ie

Ains les retrairoit. Las, si me feroit Grans secours, Car nuls ne creroit

3645

Q'uns amans rechoit De dolours, Quant sa dame Jetter ou que Ses

voit soit

3650

amours,

Fors a li, qui doit Sentir, s'on voloit, Les douchours

A’ 3620. Que je ne l'ose approchier 3621. Ains me faut taire et muchier 3622. D'el je besongne 3623. Car compagnie 3624. la x: 3630. Frist B 3621. crienc 3622. la Fr. 3624. Tam. 3633. juer 3642. occire 3643. A. le 3647. reçoit 3652. lui 3654. douçours B' 3620. Que je ne l'ose approcier 3621. Ains me fault taire et mucier 3622. D'el je besongne 3623. Car compagnie 3624. la r. 3633. juer 3642. occire 3643. À. le 3647. Q'un amant reçoit 3652. lui 3654. douçours 218

that crook, that thief, because, to tell the truth, I fear him more than my thoughts.

107

le

I thus wish I had someone with me. And the reason for wanting that sooner or later is to show just how I have been completely crushed and to assuage my heart that flames and flares and sighs at every moment and cannot keep from feeling jealous, to tell the truth. In fear, though without a trace of anger, I watch my beloved (who does not take even the slightest notice of me when I meekly look at her) go laughing and playing. I think that if she realized how I suffer, when she flirts her glances would not be directed toward that quarter where they want to do away with re. She would hold them back instead which indeed would do me a great service. For no one can imagine the pain a man suffers when he sees his lady spread her love around with everyone except the man who should receive, by rights, the sweetness,

229

3620

3625

3630

3635

3640

3645

3650

12:

Q'uns

douls

regars

3653

savereus,

Donnés

par atrais joieus, Vault au Desir, Qui souvent se voit ferir D'assaus nuiseus. Che sont cop trop perilleus, Quant d'uns douls yeux gratieus On voit issir Samblans pour autrui servir, Et li piteus, Plains de souspirs lamenteus, En tous ses fais cremeteus, Sti voit) fallin: Las, que poet il devenir? Il pert tous jeus Et s'en fuit mas et uiseus, Tristes, pensieus, anoieus, Sans souvenir, Ne il n'ose revenir, Tant est honteus.

3660

3665

[97a] 3670

3675

Si tost que j'ai le lay parfet, Je regardai quel et confet En lisant je le trouveroie Et s'un aultre j'en ouveroie. Mais quant je l'ai bien avisé, Je meismes ai devisé, Avoec ce que nouviaus se moustre, Qu'on le pooit bien porter oultre, Toutes fois mais qu'a ciaus il plaise Qui l'oront, et ce soit leur aise. Je m'arestai sus mon devis Et le lay que je vous devis Ploiai, et puis d'un fil de soie Le loiai, car assés pensoie Que nouvelles dedens brief jour Me revenroient sans sejour. Tout ensi com je le suppose M'en avint il, car de par Rose, A heure de tierce un mardi, A' 3660. gracieus

Ce B 3655. Sun doulc regard 3670. s'enfuit 3671. pensis

Suns douls regars 3660. Ce s'enfuit 3671. pensis anuieus B 3675.

Sitos

m'arrestai

sus

3681. sus

nouveaus

3661. se

m.

220

3680

3685

3690 [97b]

3660. Ce 3661. yeus 3673. Mes il “B* 3655: yeus

monstre

gracieus

3670.

3685.

22

nor what the sweet bloom of a glance given in glad company can accomplish for Desire, who is often assaulted with brutal onslaughts. These are very cruel blows when from sweet gracious eyes aman sees his beloved cast glances on another. Then the pitiful fellow is filled with heavy sighs and goes around in fear and sees himself wasting away. Alas, what will happen to him? He loses completely and flees feeling lost and defeated, sad, mournful and melancholy, almost without consciousness, and so ashamed he dares not return.

As soon as I campleted the lai I looked it over and reread it to see how it seemed and to decide whether to compose a different But when I had checked it ‘over I decided that, given the lai's innovative features, one could get more out of this, as long as it pleases and delights those who would hear it. I added my insignia and then I folded the lai I've just shown you and tied it up with same silk ribbon, quite sure that before much time was up I would have a response. It happened just as I thought, for a messenger from Rose stopped at my door

221

3655

3660

3665

3670

3675

one. 3680

3685

3690

Droit a me porte descendi Un messagiers, qui sans proumettre Me va une lettre ou poing mettre.

3695

On mist son cheval en l'estable Puis lava, si s'assist a table. En dementroes qu'il a disné On euist mal de moi finé, Car les lettres que li messages Aportoit, c'estoit mes usages De regarder avant toute oevre. Le signet rompi, puis les oevre Et les lisi de cief en cor: A ce que puis veoir encor,

Rose m'escript com amis chiers Nouvelles que j'oi volentiers Et qui pas ne font a celer. Pour moi un peu renouveler En matere

Vous

(10)

10

aS

et

en

3700

3705

3710

sentement,

les orés presentement: Tres chiers et grans amis, avoec toutes recanmendations donnees et envoiies dou tamps passé, je me recammande a present a vous cam li tous vostres et vous regrasci grandement de trois balades que vous m'avés envoiies et des lettres ou li exposition de mon songe est en deus parties contenue, et moult me plaisent a veoir et au lire, et est cose tres materieusement fete et bien nouvelle. Et ossi ma tres souverainne y prent grant esbatement et, quant elle s'est mise au lire, elle ne s'en poet partir. Et encor par l'information et requeste de li, je vous pri chierement que toutes lettres, trettiés, balades, virelais que nous avons envoiiet l'un l'autre, vous voelliés rassambler et mettre en .I. volume par maniere de livret et cheli donner nom par quoy on le congnoisse. Et la ou vous ensi le ferés, je le tenrai a grant [97 v’] amour. Je vous envoie tout ce de devant et que deviers moi en ai par parties et enfremé dedens ce coffre; et encores poés vous veoir ychi desous une balade nouvellement fete et la quele ma dame souverainne a fet.

B 3694. ma p. 3695. Un messagier q. s. prommettre 3705. chief (Letter 10) A 16. de lacking B 3. camme le tout vostre 7. chose 10. partir ne oster Et 12. envoiié 13. voeilliés r. et m. en unv. 14. celui 15. cognoisse 17. devers 18. povés v. v. yci dessous

222

near mid-morning one Tuesday and without making me wait put a letter in my hand. Once his horse was stabled he washed and then sat down to eat. But while he was dining you would have had a hard time finding me, for customarily I went over whatever letters a messenger brought before the meal. I broke the seal, opened the letter and then read it in its entirety. I can still see the news my dear friend Rose sent me. I was delighted to receive it and will not hide what he said. To remind myself what the letter was about and how it characterized his emotional state I will put it before you here:

(10)

10

15

3695

3700

3705

3710

My dear and close friend, as I have done so often in the past, let me at present again put myself forward as entirely devoted to you and thank you profusely for the three ballades you sent me as well as the letter which contained the two-part explication of my dream and which delighted me greatly to have before me and to read, for it is very skillfully fashioned and quite original. In addition, my lady has been very entertained by it and once she starts reading it, she cannot tear herself away. Nevertheless at her request and for her information, I would like to ask you if you would pull together and place in a single volume all the letters, essays, ballades and virelais that we have written one another so that it forms a book and give it a name by which it will henceforth be known. When you do this, I will holdit in the highest regard. I am sending you all the pieces of our correspondence both fram me and to me, closed in this coffer. Also, you will find here below a ballade which my

21253

20

25

car Dou bien faire ne vous voelliés mie esmervillier, elle est bien propisce de faire ce et plus grant cose. Ossi, chiers amis, se vous avés riens fet de nouvel, si le voelliés ou dit livret ens enclore, s'en croistera de tant; et se vous saviés can j'ai grant desir que je le voie fet et revenu par deviers mi, vous y seriés tres enclins dou haster. Toutes fois, je vous donne jour que dou faire .VI. mois apriés le datte de ches lettres. Li Sains Esperis vous ait en sa sainte garde en corps et en ame. Escript etc.

La balade Regardai Moult me

en la lettre

[97c]

sans sejour y mettre. sambla bonne et nouvelle.

escripte

3715

Toute joie me renouvelle, Quant de bouche de dame issi Parolles qui dient ensi: Balade

Secré, discré et joli* Plain de toute courtoisie Et de maintien agensi, Digne d'avoir belle amie, A tel amer ne fail mie Et mon coer me juge, voir, Que j'en doi pité avoir. Je ne voi

ne

Cose pour

quoi

Car quant il De m'amour si Et de maniere Que je di par Que j'en etc.

troeve

en

3720

3725

li

je l'oublie,

vient deviers bel me prie si lie, estavoir

Non pour quant jusques Li ai fait petite aïe:

mi, 3730

a chi

A 23. s'encroistera 25. renu B 20. voeilliés mies 21. chose 22. Aussi 23. voeilliés 25. devers 26. que lacking 27. aprés la dattes de ces 1. Le 28. Saint Esperit 29. et cetera A’ 3721. De sens et d'onneur garni 3731. A verité conchevoir B 3727. Chose 3728. devers 3733. Nompourquant j. a ci B' 3721. De sens et d'onnour garni 3727. Chose 3728. devers 3731. A verité concevoir 3733. Nampourquant j. a ci

224

20

25

revered lady wrote. You shouldn't be surprised that she writes so well since she is very good at doing this and even at things that are more demanding. Also, my dear friend, if you have written anything new would you please include it in the proposed book which will therefore be that much fuller. If you knew how great my desire is to see it done and sent to me, you would be very determined to get it done soon. In any event, I will give you six months from the date of this letter to finish it. May the Holy Spirit watch over your body and soul. Written, etc.

I briefly looked over the ballade that came with the letter. It seemed to me both good and original. I was greatly cheered

3715

when from a lady's mouth tumbled out words

that

went

as

follows: Ballade

Discreet, circumspect and handsame, filled with every courtesy and noble in his bearing, and worthy of a fair lady-I could not fail to love such a man and my heart-indeed decrees that I must take pity on him. I neither see nor find in him any reason why I should ignore him, for when he cames toward me begging me sweetly for my love and in such glad fashion I tell him as needs be that I must, etc.

Until this point, nevertheless, I have given him little encouragement.

225

3720

2725

3730

Il toutdis crians merchi, L'ai refusé alefie. Et, pour che qu'il ne varie, Briefment li lairai savoir Que j'en etc. La balade qu'eut fet la dame, En lisant le coer moult m'entame Et le point en la droite vainne Qui me

fet

a ma

[97d]

3740

souverainne

Penser. Mes entroes que g'i pense Et que coiement je recense Le tamps passé dont me souvient, Evous le messagier qui vient, Qui ja avoit disné sans faille. Chils d'ivore un coffret me baille. Je le pris et alai jus mettre Et repris encores la lettre, La quele Rose tramis m'ot, Et puis le lisi mot a mot; S'en respondi au messagier: "Vous n'avés cause d'atargier Pour cose qu'en vos lettres voie, Car chils qui vers moi vous envoie, Nous voelt a present deporter Dou rescrire et riens reporter." Il respondi: "Diex y ait part!" Apriés le vin pris, il se part Et je en ma cambre remés, Et le coffre qui fu fremés Pris erranment, et si l'ouvri. Tout che que g'i trouvai et vi Lisi depuis a grant loisir. Or m'en faut par honneur issir, Car Rose m'escript, che me samble, Que je remette tout ensamble Par ordenance belle et noeve Les escriptures que g'i troeve. Or en y a de pluiseurs tires, Et de rompues* et d'entires,

3745

3750

3755

[98a]

3760

3765

3770

A’ 3735. merci 3737. ce B 3735. merci 3736. a le fie 3737. 3737. ce B" 3735. criant merci ce 3736. a la fie B 3740. qu'ot fait 3741. m'endame 3749. Cils d'ivoire wm coffre 3756. chose 3757. cils 3761. Aprés 3762. chambre 3763. coffret 3764. erramment 3765. ce 3766. de puis 3767. 3772. pluisours 3768. ce honnour

226

Even though he cried mercy constantly I always refused him. But because he has never wavered it is time I let him know that I must, etc.

3735

The ballade that Rose's lady had written struck me right in the heart when I read it and pierced me right in the place that makes me think of my own beloved. But while I am thinking and peacefully recalling the past events that come to my memory, the messenger returns, having eaten his fill, and gives me a little coffer made of ivory. I took it and went to set it down, then picked up again the letter Rose had sent and read it again, each and every word. Then I informed the messenger, "There's no point in waiting for an immediate answer to the letter because he who sent you here doesn't expect me to write or send back anything immediately." He answered, "With God's Grace!" After a last glass of wine he leaves and I return to my room. I picked up the closed coffer right away and opened it.

3740

At my

3765

leisure I now reread everything that was therein. At present I think I need to accomplish in a worthy manner what Rose writes, asking me to do-namely, that I pull together in a coherent and comely fashion all of our writings that I find therein. Now, the writings are of several kind: some are complete, but others are missing parts,*

PLDT

3745

3750

cyfsls

3760

3770

Dont c'est grant painne au rajouster. Mes quoi qu'il me doie couster,

2715

S'Amours m'i aÿe et avance, J'en isterai bien sans grevance. Premierement, A ce ou je voel

pour mieulz avenir

Et que Rose clerement

venir

voie

3780

Que par les lettres qu'il m'envoie Je sui pres que son plaisir face, Je voel mettre en premiere face De l'ouvrage que j'ai empris, En nom de loenge et de pris, Le merite que chil desservent Qui loyaument leur signeur servent. Et puis, en poursievant, ossi Lettres et balades, ensi Que l'un l'autre avons envoiies, Tant saielees que ploiies. Encores couvient il sans faille Qu'a che livret un nom je baille Par quoi, quant il sera leüs, Il en soit le mieuls congneüs. La gist grant painne et grant avis, Car je veroie trop envis Qu'il euist un nom reprouvé. Anchois que je l'aie trouvé Tel que je voel, ert il aultre heure. Assés travelle qui labeure. Non pour quant, puis que j'ai l'aïeue D'Amours, qui ses servans aieue, Je ne me doi pas esmaiier Que je ne puisse bien paiier Rose de che qu'il voelt avoir: Temprement li lairai savoir, Mais que son messagier reviegne. Je l'escrirai, qu'il m'en souviegne, Comment, par recreation, J'ai une ymagination Que je ne voel pas hors jetter, Ains le voel prendre et arester, Que je ne le mette en oubli.

B 3779. voeil 3783. voeil seignour 3791. seelees 3793. 3800. voeil 3801. traveille 3813. voeil 3812. voeil

3785

[98b]

3795

3800

3805

3810

3786. cil 3787. loyalment 1. ce 3795. cogneus 3799. Ançois 3802. Nampourquant 3806. ce

228

which makes it hard to reconstruct them again. But whatever it costs me in the way of effort, I will do it willingly if the God of Love will help me and advance my cause. First of all, in order best to accomplish what I wish to carry out-and so that Rose will be able to see clearly that I am ready and willing to do his pleasure as described in his letter to me-I would like to begin this work I have undertaken by approving and commending the praiseworthiness of those who loyally serve their lords. Next in line I intend to include our letters and poems just as we have sent them to each other, both the sealed and the folded ones. I should also without fail give a name to this little book so that when people read it they will have a title by which to know it. I must think long and hard about that because I would be quite vexed to give it a name people might criticize afterwards. It will take me a fair amount of time to come up with a title that pleases me. But then working makes you tired, as they say.

Sig

3780

3785

3790

5295

3800

Nevertheless, since I have Love's help, for he always

helps his servants, I shouldn't be surprised to be able to deliver to Rose what he wants to have. I will let him know just as soon as his messenger returns. I will write him and remind him how when I went back over his dream I had an idea that I don't want to slip away and which I in fact would like to take and record so that I don't lose it.

225

3805

3810

down

3815

Che livre que j'ai acapli, Chil et chelles qui le liront, Apriés ma plaisance il diront, Qui n'a pas esté trop wiseuse, Que c'est La Prisons amoureuse. Je m'arestai sus ce pourpos Et le livret que je pourpos Fis escrire en bel parchemin. Evous revenu le chemin Le messagier Rose sans faille. Chils d'ivore un coffret me baille; Je le pris et ens regardai; Dou lire ne me retardai. Che que la lettre devisoit, Je croi qu'ensievant escript soit: (11)

5

10

15

20

3820 [98c]

3825 [98d]

[98 w] Flos, chiers maistres et grans amis, avoec toutes recommendations donnees et envoiies dou tamps passé, encor a present je me recammande a vous com li tous vostres desciples et voel demorer a tous jours et ensi vous m'aiiés pour recheü, car je congnois que mes sentemens est assés esclarcis par les bonnes doctrines que je retieng de vous. Et s'a present, apriés les lettres darrainnement envoiiés de par vous a moi, je vous pri chierement que vous m'aiiés pour excusé s'un petit plus je vous haste del escrire, espoir que vostre aise ne soit, mes che m'i moet et fait faire le grant desir que j'ai de veoir che livret rassamblé et volumé ensi qu'empris l'avons, vous et moi. Et encor tant qu'a celle fois ma dame souverainne en est cause, et voelliés oir comment. Il avint assés briefment apriés vos lettres envoiies et recheütes que ma dame le mes trouva lisant; Si me pria et bien acertes que elle les peuist veoir. Et je qui sui tenus de descendre a che qui agreable li est, li delivrai; si gardees un grant

les lisi depuis a son tamps; et l'autre jour

loisir et avint que,

les a quant

je les veus ravoir, elle le mes acorda dou rendre, mes que la copie l'en demorast; et je li respondi que elle en

A 3829. qu'en sievant B 3815. Ce 3816. Cil et celles 3817. Aprés 3819. Prison 3825. Cils d'ivoire .I. c. 3828. Ce (Letter 11) 3. le tout 4. vostre desciple et voeil 5. receii c. je cognois q. mon 6. sentement 7. retienc de v. Et s. p. aprés 8. darrainnement envoiiés reversed voeilliés 15. aprés 16. receütes q. ma 18. ce 21. les volc

230

11. ce 12. ce 14. d. lem. t. lisans

The men

and women

this book will call

who will

read

it, The Prison of Love. which is quite appropriate. I devoted myself to the task and had the book I proposed written out on fine parchment. Then the messenger from Rose returned as expected and handed me an ivory box. I took it, looked inside, and straightaway read the letter that I believe that what follows is the text of the letter:

(11)

10

10S)

20

3815

I've put together it as I have designated

3820

3825 I found

there.

Flos, my dear master and close friend, as I have done in the past let me again at present put myself forward as one of your most avid followers in the hopes that I always will be and that you will permit me this, for I am well aware that my thinking is made much sharper as a result of the worthy teaching you give me. At present I must beg you to forgive me if, after the last letter you sent me, I seem to be a bit hurried in this letter, though perhaps such haste is not to your liking, but what pushes me to it is the enormous desire I have to see the little book compiled and bound just as we have envisioned, you and I. This time, however, my sovereign lady is the cause of my interruption. Let me tell you how. Not long after you had sent, and I had received, your letter, my lady came across me reading it. She pleaded with me at same length to let her see it. Now, I, being bound to accede to whatever she finds pleasing, handed it over to her. She then read it at her leisure and held on to the letter for quite some time. Then the other day when I wanted to get it back, she said she would return it to me on the condition that she get to keep a copy for herself. I told her she should do as she

23

25

30

SS

40

45

li si les fist copiier et moult fesist a sa volenté; plaisent au lire et au regarder; et bien m'en perchoi, car elle les a examinees et sus ymaginé une nouvelle matere, qu'elle dist qui y faut, selonc l'ordenance dou livret de Pynoteüs et de Neptisphelé. Non, che dist elle, que le die maniere de correction et elle par d'amendement, car elle n'i saroit riens qu'amender fors que par voie de plaisance, qui l'esmoet a che dire; et est li ymaginations de li tele qu'il li samble que li exposition de mon songe ne fet nulle mention de Phebus, de Pheton, ne de la grant qui dedens poétrie est contenue. Si dist ensi que une camparison de vous fete et figuree sus ceste matere seroit bien seant, et est de necessité, che dist elle, que elle y soit. Pour quoy, chiers grans mestres et amis, je le vous segnefi et la ditte penser que vous fiablement y voelliés exposition, selonc l'ordenance de l'orison que Pynoteiis fist a Phebus, dieu dou Solel, ens enclore et enexer avoec toutes aultres coses; s'en sera de tant li livres creùs et la matere augmentee et ma dame assoufie de sen desir. Et encors, par cause de [99 r’] nouveleté et de plaisance qui esmeii m'a dou faire, je vous envoie d'un virelay che que j'en ai fait; si le lirés et regarderés, et se riens vous plaist a mander ne a ordonner que faire fiablement et vous me je puisse, vous m'en escrirés trouverés tout prest que dou faire. Che scet li Sains Esperis, qui vous ait en garde. Escript etc.

Je qui

ja me sui namés

Flos,

Le virelay, mis et enclos Par dedens ceste lettre escripte, Lisi; noient ne le respite. E lisant le trouvai joli, De quoi, pour l'amour de celi Qui presentement le m'envoie, Je sui en plaisance et en voie Qu'as volentiers oans le die. N'est drois que je m'en escondie,

[99a]

3835

À 26. m. qui dist B 24. perçoi 27. ce 29. savroit 30. p. maniere de p. q. 1. a ce 31. e. l'imagination de 31-32. q. l'exposition 36. ce 37. segnefie 38. voeilliés 39. selonch 40. Soleil 41. choses s. s. det. le livre 42. assouffie de son 45. ce 47. m. rescrirés f. 48. le Saint 49. Esperit Ts v. a. eng. Escrit et cetera B 3838. volentiers oans reversed

232

25

30

55

40

45

pleased, and then she had it copied and currently takes great delight in reading it and looking it over. I know this for a fact, for she has gone through it very carefully and noticed something lacking in the explication of the Pynoteiis and Neptisphelé story. Not, she insists, that she is saying this to correct or amend your work, because she wouldn't alter anything except out of sheer pleasure, which is what moved her to point this out. Her imagination was especially struck by the fact that the exposition of my dream makes no mention of Phoebus or Phaeton, nor of the symbolism contained in that part. She thus says that a gloss conceived and carried out by you of this material would be very nice and is, she says, in fact a necessary ingredient. This is why I am passing along to you, dear master and close friend, her request that you think things over and add to or include in your book an interpretation based on the arrangement of Pynoteüs' prayer to Phoebus, God of the Sun. The book will thereby be that much bigger, the content that much fuller, and my lady will have her wishes satisfied. Finally, I am sending you herewith a virelai I composed for the sheer novelty and enjoyment I experienced in making it. Please glance at it and read it over, and if you want me to compose anything I am capable of composing you have only to writeme with your order or request and I will be more than happy to do it right away. May the Holy Spirit watch over you. Written, etc.

I, who have already named myself Flos, then read the virelai which had been tucked into this letter. i (ekiciete, jte wae (oOpne Ele EvlNWhen I read it, I found it very pleasant and a delight to listen to which cheered me greatly since I care a great deal for the fellow who sent it to me. It is not proper for me to conceal

233

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Car je sui en tous tamps entiers Dou dire et l'oïr volentiers:*

3840

Virelay

Assis comme la piere en l'or* Ai je mon coer, et mieuls encor. Tous sui garis de ma dolour, Puis que ma dame par douchour Me dagne regarder des or.

3845

Je m'en tieng a bien euwireus, Quant de ses douls yeux amoureus Ai les regars, Car plus liés ne plus gratieus, Mieuls atraians ne si joieus Je ne

[99b] 3850

regars.

Enrichis sui d'un grant tresor, Car son gent corps, si chevel sor, Son sens, son bien et sa valour Me representent toute honnour. Et fuisse ossi vaillans qu'Ector, Assis comme la piere en l'or Ai je mon coer, etc.

3855

Si trestos que j'ai recordé Che virelay, j'ai acordé, De rescrire a Rose unes lettres, Qui est mes sires et mes maistres. S'est bien drois que je li rescrise.

3860

Mon pourpos ne pers ne ne brise. Ains unes lettres escripsi, Qui contenoient tout ensi:

3865

(12)

G

[99 r°] Rose, tres chiers campains et grans amis, je vous envoie par le porteur des presentes et vostre fiable messagier che livre, dou quel vous m'avés escript et cargiet que je le delivre et ossi au quel je ordonne nam. Sachiés que je feroie volentiers en tous estas cose qui a plaisance vous poroit venir et bien sui tenus que dou

A‘ 3845. douçour 3846. daigne B 3845. douçour 3847. tienc ab. eureus 3850. gracieus B" 3845. douçour 3846. daigne r. desor 3847. tienc a b. eureus 3850. gracieus 3856. honnor B 3860. tretost 3861. Le v. 3863. mestres 3865. ne perc (Letter 12) 3. ce 4. cargié 5. chose

234

this very

virelai, considering that willingly read and listen

I to it often:

3840

Virelai

My heart is like a stone set in gold, or even better. I am completely cured of my pain because my lady in her goodness deigns to look on me kindly from now

3845 on.

I consider myself a happy man when she looks at me with her sweet, loving eyes, which are the happiest and the most gracious, the most inviting and the most delightful I have ever seen. I am made rich by a great treasure, for her admirable body, her blond hair, her intelligence, her goodness and her bearing make her the epitome of distinction for me. Even if I am as valiant as Hector, my heart is like a stone set in gold, etc.

As soon as I had copied down this virelai, I decided to write Rose a letter in return, for he is my lord and master. I certainly owe it to him to write Moreover my intention never wavers I therefore wrote him a letter which went as follows:

(12)

5

3850

3855

3860

him. or alters.

3865

My very dear companion and close friend, Rose, I am sending by the bearer of the present letter, your faithful messenger, the book which you wrote me about and which you directed me to send you as well as give a name to. I want you to know that I would gladly do whatever might bring you cheer and I am conmitted to doing so in

2535

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$10)

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faire et par pluiseurs manieres. Sus le quel livre star moult ymaginé a li donner nom agreable et raisonnable; toutes fois la darrainne ymagination que j'ai eu et la ou le plus me sui arestés est tele que je l'appelle La Prison amoureuse; et la proprieté de la signification que g'i regarde et pour quoy tel nam je [99 v’] li baille, je le cuide bien avoir examiné, salve tous jours le milleur avis, et il le vous plaise a entendre. Premierement, je considere sus nos deus afaires presens et passés en regardant et ymaginant lettres, epitles et escriptions, balades, traitiés amoureus, virelais, camplaintes et toutes manieres de devises, dont nous avons l'un l'autre ensonniiet par pluiseurs fois, ensi com il est contenu et Vous qui estes dedens che livre. ordonné rieuleement livre le et cause et matere che empris d'avoir commenchiet--car de moy meismes je n'euisse eli le premier se vous ne m'en sentement dou faire ne del emprendre, euissiés esmeü--di ensi que vous sejournés et demorés en prison, car coers jolis et amoureus, qui aimm en le fourme et maniere comme vous fetes, ne poet vivre ne resgner sans estre emprisonnés. Or vous est ceste prison merci, jolie et amoureuse, Dieu entre car, vostre souverainne et vous n'a nul discort ne soussi, ains sont vo doi coer assés en unité parfete, ensi qu'il appert par le teneur de vos lettres fiablement tramises a mi; de quoi tel vie doit estre appellee amoureuse et prisons ossi. Et se je l'i adjouste, elle y est moult bien seans, car voirement estes vous pris et emprisonnés ou service de vostre dame, non obstant toutes grasces; se ne vous poés vous escuser que vous ne soiiés son prisonnier et ossi je n'i ai point veü le contraire. Et se je, qui sui rudes et ignorans en tous afaires, pooie estre cause, com petite qu'elle fust, que, ou nom de moi et par le vostre discretion et compagnie, chils livres fust appellés La je le vorroie a mon pooir aidier a Prison amoureuse, soustenir; ja soit ce cose que en ceste prison je languis attendans le grasce de ma dame, se m'en est la vie et li si joieuse que je le doi bien esperance appeller amoureuse et prison, car je me rench a ma dame et me a tieng son prisonnier. Pour quoi il me samble que, donner a vostre livret nom de tel congnissance, en riens

B 7. pluisours m. S. le q. livret 13. le escriptions 19. ensonnié p. pluisours 20. cié 25. en la 27. regner 29. descord 30. 35. nonobstant 36. povés 38. i. et t. a cils 41. vodroie 42. chose 43. lag.

236

millour 16. epistles ce 21. ce 22. commenen une unité 31. a moi faire 39. p. la 40. 45. renc 46. tienc

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aS

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25

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és)

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many different respects. I have cast around quite a bit in order to give this book a fitting and pleasing name. Nevertheless, the last idea I have had and the one which has most appealed to me is to call it The Prison of Love. In what follows I have tried to go over the meaning of the symbolism I see in this story, explaining why unless someone comes along with a better name, I have entitled it as I have. I hope this explanation will please you. First, I have taken into account our various transactions both present and past, thinking and remembering in particular the letters, epistles, missives, essays on love, ballades, virelais, complaintes and other writings which have occupied each of us on many occasions, just as they are set forth and contained in proper fashion in this book. You who have been both the impetus and the source for having undertaken to write this book--for on my own I would never have had any idea how to carry out such a project, had you not pushedme to it-- you, I say, have been a prisoner and have lived in a prison, since a fair and loving heart that loves as you do, can only live or reign from within prison. Now this prison is one of delight and love because, thanks be to God, there is no discord or tension between you and your sovereign lady, but rather your two hearts are joined in perfect unity as is clear from the tone of your letters which have been faithfully sent to-me. Such a life should be called a life of love, and an imprisonment likewise. I might also add that the prison is very splendid since you are in fact condemed and sentenced to serving your lady, all grace notwithstanding. It would be different if you could claim that you are not her prisoner, but I have hardly seen this to be the case. Moreover if sameone wanted to view me, rustic and ignorant as I am in all matters, as being in some measure, however tiny, responsible for this book being called The Prison of Love in my name and allowing for your companionship, I would do my best to support the following thesis: there is the fact that I languish in this prison, awaiting my lady's grace, and

26)

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60

65

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Us)

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je ne me fourvoie, salve tous jours le milleur avis et consel: Car je ne voel mies mes parolles si justefiier que on n'i puist bien oster et mettre, s'il besongne. Ossi, chiers amis, vous m'avés escript que je vosisse entendre a parfaire l'exposition de vostre songe, et que vostre souverainne vous en a touchiet, sus le matere de Pheton qui emprist a gouvrener le kar dou Solel. Voirs est que la premiere exposition n'en fet nulle mention et point ne m'en donnai de garde, jusques atant que je l'eus fet; voirs est qu'elle y seroit moult bien seans. Et de che que je le passai si legierement, se m'en aiiés, et je vous en pri, pour escusé, car il ne me puet pas de toutes coses souvenir, quant ona le corage espars en pluiseurs pensees et a che jour j'avoie grant dolour ou chief, qui m'estoit prise [100 r°]de trop villier, de quoi, pour le travel, je m'en delaiai. Or sui a present, Dieu merci, fres et nouviaus pour y revenir et penser, puis qu'il vous plest; s'ai ymaginet et estudiiet un pourpos apriés vostre requeste, qui dist ensi et dont li exposition Chiers amis, j'entens par Climené, mere a s'ensieut. Pheton, l'imagination d'un amant, la quele engendre un Desir et dou quel Amours est peres; et tant croist chils Desirs amoureus et se nourist avoec sa mere Ymagination qu'il est tous espanis et tous fourmés; et pour issir voelt il qui d'ignorance, avoir le congnissance l'engenra. Car Douls Regars, que je compere a Mercurius, l'en esmoet. Or s'en vient Desirs a sa mere Ymagination qui savoir dou dessusdit et voelt par l'esmouvement l'engenra; et elle li dist: Amours. Dont, quant il se voit nommer fils a Amours, si s'en tient plus fiers et dist qu'il voelt ensievir les oevres de son pere; et s'en vient Desirs, par l'esmouvement de Douls Regart et le consel d'Ymagination, en la presence dou dieu d'Amours, que je compere a Phebus, dieu dou Solel, et li remonstre che qu'il li besongne, et il li acorde et jure qu'il est engenrés de li. Dont li requiert et prie Desirs qu'il puist ensievir ses oevres, c'est a entendre a gouvrener le kar dou Solel, que j'entens pour la vie amoureuse: et

B 48. millour 49. conseil C. je ne voeil 50. qu'on n'i 53. touchié s. la 54. Soleil 56. a tant q. je l'oc 57. fait 58. ce q. je le p. sil. si m'en 60. choses s. q. on a lec. e. en pluisours 6l1..ce 63, traveil jem. d. Or sui je a p.64. nouveaus 65. imaginé et estudiié un p. aprés 66. expositions 67. j'entenc 69. cils 72. la cognissance 73. l'engendra 76. l'engendra 79. Douc 80. conseil 81. Soleil 82. ce 83. 85. char d. Soleil q. j'entenc engendrés

238

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this life and hope are so pleasant that I would have to call it "love" and "prison" since I surrender to my lady and make myself her prisoner. I therefore think that in giving your book this name I have not erred, though there might always be better advice or suggestions.

50

Nevertheless,

55

60

65

70

75

80

I don't want

to

defend what I have written

with such fervor that people feel they cannot add to or subtract from it as necessary. You also wrote me, my dear friend, as your lady requested you do, to ask that I try to round out my exposition of your dream, and in particular the part about Phaeton trying to drive Phoebus' chariot. It is true that I took no note of it in my first interpretation--and I did not notice that fact until I had finished--and certainly to do so would be very nice. I therefore beg you to forgive me for having passed over it so lightly, but I sometimes forget things, especially when my mind is occupied with many different affairs. Also, I had a terrific headache that day as a result of having been up very late finishing something which I had put off for some time because I was so busy. At present I am well rested--thank God--and ready to return to the dream and consider it anew, since you would like me to. I have thought about it and outlined a gloss of the sort you asked for, which reads something like the following interpretation. My dear friend, I take Climene, Phaeton's mother, to be a lover's imagination who engenders a Desire of which Love is the father. This lover's Desire grows and is fed by its mother, Imagination, until it is fully formed and in full bloom. Then, eager to leave ignorance behind, Desire wants to know who engendered him, as Sweet Regard, betokened by the character Mercury, urges. So Desire goes to his mother Imagination all stirred up and wants to know who his father is, and she tells himit's Love. When he hears that he is Love's son, he is extremely proud and says that he wants to follow in his father's footsteps.

239

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li diex d'Amours, meiis en pité et qui crient a perdre che qu'il a engenré, l'en detrie et excuse che qu'il poet et li remonstre les painnes et les perils de jalousie. Nient mains Desirs, qui tire tous jours a se perfection et qui ne presume mie che qu'on li dist et ensagne, espoir pour sen pourfit, l'en requiert si aigrement et poursieut sa besongne si sougneusement que li diex d'Amours li acorde sa requeste et li aministre son kar, le quel je campere a Fole Plaisance, et y atoille .IIII. chevaus, dont le le premier je figure a Jonece, le secont a Lie Pensee, tierch a Wiseuse, le quart a Fole Emprise. Et chils est le quel il monte, aprestés li sus et limonniers encoragiés de conduire et de mener le kar par tout. C'est a entendre que li amans emprent a gouvrener et sievir la vie amoureuse a bellement et sagement. Or revenons Amours, pere a Desir, qui le conselle et enorte, ains

qu'il

105

110

115

120

se

parte,

et

li

dist

qu'il

mainne

les

chevaus

rieuleement et sagement, car noient ne le congnoissent ne il euls, si se poroient bien desreer par son outrage. Ches parolles, je les puis par Avis, entendre qui conselle l'amant de li sagement gouvrener et maintenir en amer, il a quant cammenche car amoureus, l'estat voirement ne scet il mie qu'il emprent; et encores li enjoint Amours qu'il tiengne le voie et le chemin de Raison et tire tous jours sus frain, c'est a dire que il s'avise. Et a fin que mieulz l'en souviegne, il li baille [100 v’] l'escorgie d'Atemprance, dont il doit cachier les chevaus, et li donne les tres de Congnissance, dont il les doit ratenir. Or est Desirs montés sus le cheval de Fole Emprise et emprent a conduire les chevaus qui sont et s'estent sus atelé au kar de Fole Plaisance les estriers d'Outrequidance et ne fait campte de sa mere Ymagination ne d'Amours qui l'a avisé, ains entent au cachier les chevaus fort et radement, ensi que li amans s'outrequide et convoite a venir a che qu'il desire. Dont

A 91. sep. 1. r. B86. le dieu d. m. en p. et q. c. a p. ce 87. engendré 1. d. et escuse ce 89. Desir q. t. t. j. a sa p. 90. ce q. li d. et ensengne 91. son proufit 92. si tres songneusement et de si tres grant volenté que le dieu 93. char

96. cils 97. le limonnier 98. char 99. l'amant conseille 105. Ces 106. conseille 107. commence 109. et 112. chacier 114. Desir 116. char 119. chacier 1. 1202)ce eter. e. qd. le amante)

240

101. la v. c. f.

85

95

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105

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Encouraged by Sweet Regard and advised by Imagination, Desire now seeks out Love, denoted by Phoebus, the Sun God, who gives him the answers he seeks and verifies and corroborates that Desire is his son. Then Desire asks and begs his father to let him follow in the latter's path, which is to say to drive the Sun God's chariot or, as I read it, to lead the life of a lover. Meanwhile Love, moved to pity and fearing to lose the son he fathered, tries to discourage and put off Desire as best he can and to explain to him the suffering and dangers of Jealousy. But Desire, not wanting to be held back, refuses to listen to anything anyone says or explains to him, even when it's for his own good, and instead demands so stridently and seeks what he wants so persistently that Love finally gives in and lends him the chariot, which I interpret as Wild Abandon, and attaches four horses, the first of which is Youth, the second Glad Thought and the third Futility. The fourth horse is Foolish Undertaking, and this is the one workhorse upon which he climbs, eager and avid to lead the chariot all around. This signifies that a lover learns to find his way, following the path of love in a wise and reasonable fashion. Now to come back to Love, Desire's father, who advises and instructs him before he leaves: Phoebus tells his son to guide the horses prudently and cautiously because they don't know him--nor he them--and could run out of control if he pushes them too much. I take these words to stand for Prudence who advises lovers to keep themselves under control when they are in love, because when they fall in love they never know what they're getting into. Love repeatedly urges Desire to hold to the straight and narrow that Reason dictates and to keep the brakes on, that is to act prudently. So that Desire keeps all this in mind, his father gives him a whip of Moderation for ruling the horses and the reins of Knowledge for holding them back. Then Desire mounts the horse Foolish Undertaking and starts to drive the horses that are

241

il avient qu'en cheminant li cheval, qui pas ne le congnoissent et les quels je puis entendre par Diviers Meurs, contraires a Bonnes Virtus, le sentent jone et ignorant et de legiere volenté, si l'emportent et

125

demainnent a leur agree et l'esprendent et enflamment si en cel estat qu'il pert la voie de Raison, ensi que li amans fort enamourés, espris et enflamés des brandons amoureus,

130

135

140

145

pert

souvent

maniere,

avis

et

contenance,

et

oublie au ferir et au cachier les chevaus de l'escorgie d'Atemprance, mes chemine tous jours avant, sans rieule et sans mesure, car li cheval le mestrient, mes il ne les puet mestriier, et rampent leurs tres et reversent le kar et s'espardent et enflament tout le pays ou il conversent et ochient le chareton. Chiers amis, par ceste ordenance j'entens la fole et ignorans gouvrenance d'un amant et le fortune qui li sourvient par mesdisans, envieus, qui li desrompent et descirent sa joie et genglent et espardent parolles par le monde. Dont toute sa bonne aventure est morte et perie, et en est eslongiés del amour et de la grasce de sa dame; dont dur li est a revenir, car secré revelé entre dame et amant portent trop grant contraire et font painnes a estaindre, se Pité et Francise came bon moiien ne s'en ensonnient. Ensi cam Jupiter, li diex des planettes, et Nothus, li diex de plueve, s'ensonniierent cou feu Pheton estaindre. Mes souvent, quant Pité et Francise voient l'amant en che parti et amorti de toute joie, il li pourcachent sa pais enviers sa dame et estaindent les gengles et les envies des mesdisans

et

li renluminent

sa joie;

et se ceste

grasce

B121. les chevaus 122. Divers 123. Vertus 126-127. l'amant 128. maniere avis reversed 129. o. a f. et au chacier les de 1. 131. les chevaus 132. char 134. occient 135. j'entenc la f. et i. g. d. a. et la 137. deschirent 139. de l'amour et. 142. f. apainnes a e. se P. et Franchise 143. bons moiiens ne s. e. E. c. Jupiter le dieu 144. Notus le dieu 145. d. fu 146.

Franchise

v.

1. en

ce

147.

242

pourchacent

sa p.

envers

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150

attached to the chariot of Wild Abandon; he stands up tall in the stirrups of Overconfidence and pays no attention to either his mother, Imagination, or Love who counselled him, but instead starts to drive the horses onwards as hard and as fast as he can, just like a lover who gets overconfident trying to obtain what he desires. Then, while he is driving the horses who don't know him and which I will call Unusual Habits, as opposed to Good Virtues, they sense that he is young and unskilled and not resolute, and carry him off and lead him where they want, and he gets set on fire and burns, losing track of Reason's path, just as a lover who is very much in love and, inflamed and kindled by love's torches, often loses his bearing, his prudence and his camposure. Desire forgets to whip and rule the horses with Moderation's strap, charging ever forward instead without directive or measure, for the horses now rule him instead of he them, and they break their reins and overturn the chariot, inflaming and setting fire to the countryside and killing the charioteer. My dear friend, I understand this to be a model of how a foolish and inexperienced lover acts and of the outcome that awaits him when jealous liars tear up and smash his happiness by gossiping and spreading rumors all around. Thus his whole enterprise is dead and demolished and the lover loses both love and his lady's grace, which cannot’ be won back easily for once the secrets between a lady and her lover have been revealed this causes much harm and pain, which cannot be quelled again unless Pity and Liberality swing into action, just as Jupiter, god of the planets, and Notus, god of rain, swung into action to put out Phaeton's fire. Often, however, when Pity and Liberality see a lover in a difficult situation and deprived of all happiness, they make peace between him and his lady, smothering the ploys and falsehoods of liars and rekindling the lover's joy. Then, having been shown this campassion, the lover should

243

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li revient, lors se poet il tenir pour euwireus et, de che jour en avant, lui aviser et atemprer par quoi il se gouverne plus sagement en la vie amoureuse qu'il n'ait fait. Chiers amis, ceste est l'exposition que de mon rude et ignorant entendement je puis entendre sus la matere et ordenance de Phebus et de Pheton et de la poétrie qui est contenue en vostre songe; si le lirés et regarderés a vostre bon loisir et le monsterés a vostre souverainne, et, tout che qu'il vous en samblera, vous m'en rescrirés

fiablement 160

coses,

et vous

me verés apparilliet. Che scet li Sains Esperis, ait en garde en ame et en corps. Escript etc.

qui vous

Ceste

[101 r’] avoec

toutes aultres

lettre de cief en cor,*

[101a]

Le virelay, et l'autre encor Que Rose m'avoit envoiie,

3870

Qui Fis Ou Et Le

3875

mie n'estoit copiie, escrire en lettre de fourme* livret dont je vous enfourme, puis l'ai ens ou coffret mis quel Rose m'avoit tramis.

Gaires ne remest puissedi Li messagiers, car je li di Que furnie estoit sa besongne; Et chils, qui dou partir bien songne,

Me respondi: "A le bonne heure!" Congiet prent ne plus ne demeure, De moi se part. Diex le convoie, Et le livre ossi que j'envoie Puist estre aportés a tel point Que de reprise n'i ait point Et que Rose en gré le rechoive, Si que temprement m'en perchoive. Car je seroie mal contens Que, se j'avoie mis mon temps, Mon coer, m'amour et ma saison Tant qu'en l'Amoureuse Prison Faire et ditter, soit rime ou prose, Ou nom de ma dame et de Rose,

3880

3885

3890

B 150. eüreus et de ce 152. en l'amoureuse vie 158. ce 159. 160. appareillié Ce s. le Saint Esperit choses A 3884. Puis B 3868. chief 3877. Le messagier 3879. cils 3880. a lab. 3881. Congié 3886. recoive 3887. percoive

244

152

160

165

consider himself lucky forevermore and examine and temper his tendencies so that he will henceforth conduct himself more wisely in his amorous affairs than he did hitherto. My dear friend, there you have the interpretation that I, simple and ignorant though I am, have came up with regarding the story and events about Phoebus and Phaeton and the poetic symbolism your dream contains. Please read it and look it over at your leisure, and show it to your lady also; then write me back to tell me frankly what you think of it or to discuss any other matter, for you will find me at your service. May the Holy Spirit watch over you, both body and soul. Written, etc.

I had this letter copied out* in careful script* in its entirety as well as the virelai and the last letter that Rose had sent me, of which no copy existed, and all this was entered into the book I've told you about, which was then put in the little box Rose had sent me. The messenger didn't tarry much longer then because I told him that his work was done. And he, who had been anxious to depart, answered me, "See you soon!" He asks for leave and sets out right away, while I stay behind. May God guide him so that the book I'm sending will arrive there safe and sound without drawing any reproach whatsoever and may Rose be happy to receive it, as I should soon find out. Indeed I would be most unhappy if, after having put my time, my heart, my love, and a whole period of my life into composing and writing The Prison of Love, both the prose and the poetry, in honor of my lady and Rose,

245

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Et ma painne ne fust veüe. Mes je tieng a si pourveie La discretion des sus dis Que, dou present et de jadis, Tout ira par paie euwireuse. Chi faut La Prison amoureuse. Explicit

le dittier

A 3894. ne

fu

3895

[101b]

de La Prison

B3895.

tienc

3898.

Prisons

(Rubric)

E.

le trettié

amoureuse.

d.

246

eureuse

3899.

Ci

fault

la

no one were ever to see the fruits of my labor. I consider the achievement of what I have written to be such that, in consideration of both my present and my past service, I shall be handsomely paid. Here then ends The Prison of Love. End

of the

treatise

called

The Prison

247

of Love.

3895

Textual

his

his

In

1.

Livre

de

Translation

opinion

In

Cambrai.

of

develops

Alard

moralité

de

et

the

of

was

Alard

was

in question

Philosophie

Notes

Fourrier

Anthime

edition

"philosopher"

the

that

and

this

line of thinking from the teachings of Aristotle ("Aristotes That Froissart remembered the nous fait savoir...," 4771). from Aristotle than Alard, idea rather whole as deriving however, is evident from the reference to the “philozophes," since references in medieval texts to simply “the philosopher” with no other Aristotle.

qualifying

name

refer

almost

without

exception

3. un notable: a word or saying worthy of attention. ung notable (Chroniques, ed. Siméon 14.40). 13.

glose:

14), glose(r) and

yet

one

especially meaning.

sense

here

is one which

as

has

since

a

noun

and

elswhere

of the key terms no

consistent

term

"gloss"

a

translation

(cf.

in

the

.XII.

ans:

"within

is probably

the

twelve

Roman

more

English,

47. parmi leurs mains: Scheler notes that parmi has of the Latin par medium here, hence "by means of."

source

much

verb

amoureuse, in

48. dedens

is

Cf.

narrow

immediate

our

as

of the Prison

to

years."

Froissart's

d'Alexandre.

61. Karle: students of Froissart have been have been somewhat perplexed by the fact that Froissart, and only Froissart, consistently calls the most famous lord of the

fourteenth third

century,

version

rebaptized

"Charles"

anecdote to cover enough, Bohemia's

rebaptized

King

of his

John

(3.420),

earlier son and

"Charles."

of

Chroniques

Bohemia,

Froissart

"Charles." claims

though whether

That

this

confusion

place

to

In

the

John

was

he fabricates

errors is unknown. Froissart's patron,

a work which gives prominent identities is notable.

that

this

Interestingly Wenceslas, was

should

pseudonyms

in arise and

in

occulted

108. John of Bohemia was considered by his contemporaries to be a paragon of the chivalric king and lavish in his generosity. He is highly praised by Froissart's literary mentor, Guillaume de Machaut, in the Judgment of the King of Bohemia (Jugement dou roi de Behaingne). Modern historians have been more harsh in their judgement of King John, however, concluding instead that he bankrupted his realm through lavish

248

gift-giving. The story of how his retainers lashed their to that of their blind king John, preferring to perish with him at the Battle of Crécy rather than to outlive their (3, leader, is also recounted by Froissart in his Chroniques horses

the

to

According

178-79).

still

horses

the

dead,

King

tale,

asked his retainers to attach into the middle of the fray.

to

lashed

old

John,

and

another.

one

147. Tibulus is a Latin poet (94-50 B.C.) figure drawn from Ovid's Amores (3, 9) and the Roman (10477-91).

(1120-30)

Froissart

and

163.

the

also mentions

Joli

Scheler

Buisson

was

of

him

in the

de Jonece

the

blind,

to his and lead him they were all found

their horses The next day

and lover de la Rose

Orloge

amoureus

(3242-51).

opinion

that

Bellorophus

had

nothing to do with Bellerophon. Fourrier passes over the name with no explanation. For my part, I think that Belorophus is indeed drawn from Bellerophon, and this re-exploitation is

perfectly in tune with Froissart's adaptation, with changes, of mythological personages. Certainly Bellerophon refused, among other things, to be a lover. Bellerophon was the son of Glaucus and Eurymede or Eurynome. Proteus' wife, Stheneboea (called Anteia by Homer) asked Bellerophon to meet her secretly, then claimed he had tried to seduce her when he refused. Proteus, in the hopes of killing Bellerophon, ordered

him

to

kill

the

Chimaera

that

was

ravaging

Bellerophon

mounted

the

winged

horse,

down

Chimaera

and

killed

it.

on

the

164. 167.

The

daughters

Circe

was

of

the

Pegasus,

Phoebus

are

daughter

of

the the

the

country.

then

swooped

Heliades. Sun,

or

Phoebus

Apollo.

refuses

235. to

270.

In Jakémes' Castelain de Couci the Dame de Fayel eat but no mention is made of drinking (8105-09).

The

MS

A

version

consistently has monstrer not it rhymes, and often,

469).

This

is

not

of

the

Prison

(also remonstrer as here, B does

always

true

of

the

amoureuse

etc.), whether or as well (cf. also

A'

and

B'

versions

conserved elsewhere in the same manuscripts. I have changed monstrer to moustrer only when it is in an end-rhyme position.

295ff.

collection

This

in

poem

MS A [145b]

is

also

(=A')

249

contained

and

in

the

in MS B [160d]

virelai

(=B').

Fourrier notes that houes is fran 357. Houes dances: houer, a verb normally used to describe the way a horse scrapes or stamps with its hoofs.

feet

359. Les estampies: again a dance where (estampie is cognate with "to stamp").

one tapped

one's

374. Lionel, duke of Clarence and Edward III's second son was married to Violante Visconti in Milan on the 5th of June, 1368. The wedding party, which included Froissart (See, "Life of the Author") stayed in Paris from the 16th to the 20th of April. Froissart recounts the wedding events in his Chroniques 7.64. 376. Amédée VI, Count of Savoie, was uncle to Violante Visconti through his sister who was Violante's mother. Born at Chambery in 1334, Amédée was called the "Green Count." He succeeded his father in 1343 and died in 1383. 384. According to Froissart's Chroniques, the festivities lasted two days, and he departed on the third, Amédée of Savoie accampanying him as far as Melans. 393. canjan: According to Fourrier, silk fram Valenciennes.

this is a kind of two

colored

429ff. This poem is also contained in the virelai collection in MS A [147a] (=A') and in MS B [162d] (=B"). 434. Fourrier lists the A and A" readings as aporter. But this is not really correct. Though the space between the a and porter is very small, they are nevertheless written as two words. When the A scribe includes an a as part of a word it actually attaches to the subsequent letter. Here there is clearly a space.

441. Fourrier reads both A and A" as Aseul, but this is amisreading. In both cases the a is part of a large initial, and thus the spacing between the initial and the body of the text is hardly uniform. Similarly, there is at times a rather large space between an initial and the subsequent text, even though the two parts are read as a single word (e.g. Se ie sui vestus de noir at the bottam of 147b, or even more strikingly

the initiated Rose at the beginning

of Letter

6 [81r/].

538. Diex li mire: I follow Scheler who remarked formula means nothing more than "thanks to God."

250

that the

549. Somewhat differently from Scheler and Fourrier, I take this "allegiance elsewhere" or "pledge in another place" (ailleurs ahers) to refer to allegiance to a different person, not to a different thing (Scheler's and Fourrier's chose). 568. Literally: “whether in a closed place (encloistre) or in a place of assembly (couvent, "conventian, agreement") with the possibility of a pum on "monastery" (encloistre) and "convent" (couvent). Cf. Gautier de Couci, "Et fors de cloistre(s) et en couvent" cited in Toblers-Lommatzsch 1359895 11=-12;

varied

616. aune: a measure of length, abolished in 1840, somewhat but was slightly longer than a meter.

662.

I follow Scheler

who interprets

un oubli

that

as a ‘moyen

d'oublier." Letter 1.56. Literally, the French here and at the end of subsequent letters reads: "The Holy Spirit who watches over you knows this." Since such signoffs are entirely conventional, I have chosen to sacrifice literal fidelity for idiamatic fluency and have therefore consistently rendered this as "May the Holy Spirit watch over you."

711. Selonch mon fet: I follow Fourrier's reading as "selon moi," hence in English, "as for me" or “in my opinion." 713ff.

collection

This

in

poem

is

MS A [140b]

also

(=A')

contained

in

the

and in MS B [156b]

721. Dangier: a difficult word to render does not mean "danger." I have translated “Haughtiness" but in 3611 as "Resistance."

ballade

(=B').

in English, it in 721

it as

765ff. This poem is also contained in the ballade collection in MS A [14ld] (=A") and in MS B [157c] (=B").

who."

the

774. qui vorroit: "qui" in the sense of "he who" or "one I have rendered the phrase in English as "if you will.”

867. tooth.

dentiers:

an

"exquisite

morsel,"

i.e.,

pleasing

to

876. As correctly noted by Fourrier, auquelie is a variant of ancolie, analogous to the alternation of u/n in moustrer/monstrer.

Zo

893. a pele: I have followed Fourrier and printed the B even if the sense is clear enough, The general reading. The alternative, hesitantly expression seems samewhat unusual. is to take apele as a rather unusual chosen by Scheler, adjective. 899. The margherite, meaning both Margaret and "daisy," seems to have had special meaning for Froissart. The Froissart-narrator in L'Espinette amoureuse is in love witha girl so named. 934ff. This poem is also contained in the virelai collection in MS A [145a] (=A') and in MS B [160c] (=B').

940. I follow Fourrier which B writes out in full. 1715. (> dhe

that qu'i (A) stands Cf. Chroniques 1.11,

for qu'il n. 1, and

966. Against Scheler's desire to read as though the verse were Je meismes a[i] fait le note, Fourrier has proposed that a fait is adverbial and note is the verb. Despite the reader's initial desire to construe the line as Scheler did, Fourrier seems correct, especially given that the B manuscript reads afet.

Letter 4, 20. scet is B's reading, which is preferable to A's sace on the grounds that all the letters use the indicative here, not the subjunctive. 1006. As Scheler suggested, not denote any living individuals. equivalents of "John Doe." 1011ff. This poem collection in MS A [146a]

desuit

is also contained in the virelai (=A') and in MS B [1l6lc] (=B').

1058. As Fourrier shows with copious del esprivier took place in July.

1130: a different

Letter

Adam and Roger probably do Rather, they are Froissart's

vue: the "double u" of MS A can graphical rendering of vu.

1155. The two letters are Letter 3, with its virelai. 1215.

collection

This

in

poem

is

MS A [145d]

also

(=A')

252

1, with

contained

references,

be seen

as simply

its ballade,

in

the

and in MS B [161b]

the

and

virelai

(=B").

1247. gros tournois: I have translated this loosely as "a pile of money." The gros tournois was a silver coin created by Saint Louis in 1266 and reinstated by Charles the Fifth in 1365 with a value of 15 deniers tournois or 12 deniers parisis (Manuel de numismatique francaise, 2.267, 269).

1269. Ymaginees: not exactly modern "imagined" because it refers more directly to an image making process (see Foulet, 1944-45: 257-72, and Kelly, 1978). I have tried to capture the sense by translating as "pictured" (1268). 1295. glose: see the note to line 13, above. It seems that glose here is a passage in a book which may be (supposedly) by Ovid or developed from Ovid. 1297. The tale of Pynoteüs appears to be an amalgamation of many Ovidian tales. See my remarks in the "Artistic Achievement" section of the Introduction. 1363.

the

"a"

loyaumant:

is actually

as

an

Fourrier

"e" which

notes,

has

in

been

the

-mant

corrected

in A,

by

the

scribe.

1409. Along with Scheler, I retain A's reading rather than printing B's expose, as Fourrier does, grounds that no emendation should be made if the sense perfectly clear. 1474. Scheler, followed d'autre part be taken to mean

by Fourrier, has "in my turn."

oppose, on the of A is

suggested

that

1635. Pyas: Fourrier has suggested that this character of the Underworld may be a confusion with Gyas, a giant who accompanied Aeneas to Italy. 1635.

Machaut's

Ticius:

Confort

see

d'ami

the

Roman

(Hoepffner

de

2),

la

Rose,

19276,

and

2629-30.

1637. Qui des dens d'un cierens se pine: cierens being a "siren," it would seem that Persephone is seen here as cambing her hair with a camb made froma siren's teeth (?). 1644. Along with Scheler I keep the A reading, the rhyme being perfectly acceptable according to Froissart's normal practises.

1734.

a cui

en

tient:

literally 255

"on whom that depends,"

as Scheler

pointed

out.

1758. venue: Scheler's explanation that the verse is "une to attempts to Fourrier's simple cheville" is preferable The problem is that venue explain present and venue as nouns. The explanation is, inexplicably, a feminine past participle. is probably to be found in the scribe's confusion as to which word it was to be associated with (Nature at 1756 and volenté at 1757 both being feminine), as well as to the proximity of feminine venue in 1759. 1763.

Lencote/Leucothoe:

See Ovid's

Metamorphoses

4.252-

555 1767. Clymené: see Ovid's Metamorphoses 1.756. Ovid also makes Phaeton Clymene's son with Phoebus (Metamorphoses. 2.36 ff.). According to other sources she was married to Iapetus and gave birth to Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus and Menoetius. 1784. par le palu d'infer: in the translation I have made the allusion to the river Styx explicit. Campare Ovid: "dis iuranda palus" (Metamorphoses 2.46). 1797ff.

For

the

four

horses,

see

Ovid,

Metamorphoses

2.153-54:

Interea volucres Pyrois et Eous Solis equi, quartusque Phlegon....

et Aethon,

1818. Fourrier has rightly contested Scheler's reading of estrivieres as reins, arguing that Phaeton is not standing in the chariot but riding Eous. Letter 12 confirms this: "and this is the workhorse upon which he climbs" (12, 96-97: Et chils est li limonniers sus le quel il monte). 1875. I agree in part with Fourrier regarding the meaning of par vainnes (translated here as "into canyons"), though, like Scheler, I take par vainnes with s'espardirent, referring to the crevasses rivers have formed in the earth and into which the horses disappeared. 2036ff.

collection

This

2063ff.

This ballade

and in MS B at 156b.

2074.

poem

in MS A [139d]

I follow

is

also

(=A')

contained

in

and in MS B [155d]

the

ballade

(=B').

is also found in MS A at 140b

Fourrier

who opts

254

for

the reading

(=A')

grasce

of A" and B' over the syllable to the verse.

offers

merci of A B which would add an extra Scheler resorts to needless emendation.

2077. As Fourrier notes, the A‘ B' a richer rhyme with fremir in 2078.

2090ff. collection in

2127. ten months,

reading

of

cremir

This poem is also contained in the ballade MS A [140b] (=A") and in MS B [156b] (=B').

As Scheler and Fourrier note, not counting August and July.

there

are

actually

2128. De le fin d'aoust jusqu'en julle: as noted in the Introduction (xix), this verse has given a boost to the theory of joint authorship of the Prison amoureuse. Froissart's patron, Wenceslas de Luxembourg, was captured at the battle of Baesweiler and held in captivity from August, 1371, until July, MSHA 2142-2193. This lay, broken off at verse 2193, will be picked up and completed in verses 3515-3674. It is also included in its entirety in MSS A B in their collectons of lays. The first three parts are located as follows: A [46c-d] (=A'°) and B [134a-b] (=B"). Fourrier, though he includes the variant readings from A‘B", never gives their locations in the manuscripts. 2548. li nostres marescaus: probably another allusion to Wenceslas, Duke of Brabant, and the battle of Baesweiler. The marshal in that battle was Robert of Namur (Chroniques 14.165). 2680. descouvrir: the term is used in the same manner by Froissart in his Chroniques (for ex., 5.15: avoient envoiiet descouvrir) and with specific reference to the battle of

Baesweiler at 14.163: et luy [to the duke of Brabant] par ses coureurs, qui avoient descouvert sus le pays, ennemis chevaulchoient. 2682. bataille: here, translated as "ranks."

‘lines

of

battle,"

which

fut dit que ses

I have

2683-88. This practise of descending and fighting on foot with shortened lances is described several times by Froissart In particular it was used effectively at in his Chroniques. See the Chroniques 3.169; 5.23-24; 6.68, Crécy and Poitiers. 1627

255

2776. Plain emended to Plains (agreement with lassés, 2775).

2792-2803.

Froissart

for grammatical

describes

in

consistency

detail

in

his

163-65) how Jean Chandos kept Hugh of Chroniques (6.155-57, Calveley and his men in reserve at the battle of Auray on for the of Blois September 29, 1364, which pitted Charles French against Hugh of Calveley. 3010 (rubric). Camplainte de moralité: moralité has no convenient translation in English. It refers here to a didacticism rendered by means of allegorical treatment. 3069. De mon latin: Fourrier interprets this as meaning "my thoughts" (de ma pensée). "My Latin" is a courtly tag that refers to one's own particular way of putting things and goes back to troubadour poetry. In one of William of Poitier's most famous poems the birds chanton, chascus en lor lati (lit., "sing, each in its own Latin"). In translating, I have tried to convey the idea of one's way of thinking as conveyed through one's particular idiom.

fieres elles.

3078. Il (3077),

refers though

in a general granmatical

way back rectitude

to the bestes would require

3152. en quoint: literally, “in the fifth degree." The reference is to the degrees of blood relationship as computed according to medieval genealogical tables. 3157. Figuré a popular genre. (figuré)--that is, 3198f£.

collection

This

sur le bestiaire: Here beast lore allegorically. poem

in MS A [146b]

3230ff. This poem collection in MS A [146c]

is

also

(=A')

medieval bestiaries were is treated figuratively

contained

in

the

and in MS B [161d]

virelai

(=B').

is also contained in the virelai (=A') and in MS B [162a] (=B').

3301. Ravel is in Auvergne. As for who this “well known" lord referred to might be, Scheler stated frankly that he did not know. In a long note, Fourrier describes the many little campagnes of the lords of Revel into Prussia and Lithuania, though without coming to any definitive conclusion. 3305-06.

Scheler

confessed

256

that

the

sense

of

this

maxim

eluded him. Fourrier includes it among the proverbs contained in the Prison amoureuse, but makes no attempt to explain it. I agree that it is unclear. I take reprendre in the sense of "to chide, to reprove."

pairs four.

Letter 9, 2. Scheler was baffled by the reference to two of letters, since there were clearly two in total, not Fourrier has accurately explained paires as meaning

"pieces," which

2193

adducing

de letres

Jean

.III.

Renart's

paire

refers

Guillaume

de Dole,

1926,

to three

letters,

not

3501. Flos refers here the lai he left and which he will resume at 3515.

suspended

in

six.

at verse

3511. matere: Following Scheler, I take the word to refer here not to the subject treated but to the number and layout of verses (the ''shape"'). 3515-3674.

in A [46d-48a]

These

(=A")

remaining

3531-34. As does Fourrier, versions of these verses:

A

Et trairai Acquise l'ai Btest nest.voc

A’

B

While

nine

and B [134b-135c]

Et trairai B' Acquise l'ai G'i morrai Etésiniest.... arguing (I think correctly)

I

sections

are

also

found

(=B').

will

set

out

the

four

the

best

Et trairai G'i morrai Acquise l'ai Etasian. est... Et trairai G'i morrai Acquise l'ai EtSSin ai cr that A'B' provide

readings here, Fourrier has also ingeniously explained the fact that, as the passages stand in the manuscripts, 3533 is one syllable too long, whereas 3534 is ome syllable too long. Fourrier's suggestion is that the Et was probably interlinear in the apograph copy and a scribe mistakenly associated it with 3534 instead of 3533. As a result Fourrier moves the word one line, and I follow him in this. 3563. Scheler and Fourrier have both pointed emploiier here has the sense of Latin implicare.

3719ff. This poem collection in MS A [141b]

out

that

is also contained in the ballade (=A') and in MS B [157b] (=B').

257

expect

3773.

Perhaps

3841.

Both

a de before

an allusion

Scheler

and

to the episode Fourrier

note

in 1170-94. that

one

would

l'oir.

3842ff. This poem is also contained in the virelais collection in MS A [145b] (=A") and in MS B [160d] (=B'). 3868-72. Scheler assumed l'autre in 3869 referred to an unopened virelai which had arrived with letter 1l. I agree with Fourrier, however, that it refers to the last letter, Letter 11, which has not yet been copied at the time Flos finishes Letter 12. 3872/3869. lettre de fourme: I have translated this as “careful script." It seems to refer to a standard calligraphic formata script, such as used for both MSS 830 and 831.

258

INDEX

AENEAS

Letter

AETHON

one

horses,

1800

OF NAMES

5.48

COUCY 220 CRECY 66, 96 CRIDUS character from Hell, 1636 CYBELE 1327, 1402

of Phoebus'

ALEXANDER THE GREAT 44, AMEDEE VI, called the green count (1343-1383), 376 ARTOIS

IN TRANSLATION

51

DESIRE 2433, 2468, 2488, 2548, 2586, 2638, 2784, 2804, 2813, 2870, Letter 925140, 9.143, 3657, Letter

68

ATROPOS one Fates, 1631,

of the 1653

three

Wa GOs are PEO ed Pk ate fo 12.82.0125 Base 1268955190915 17103049. 11410195195. 12 1 6st. 1645

AUDACITY 2433, 2475, 2488, 2558, 2580, 2638, 2694, PUN; PURO, 2717782869 AURAY a town in the department of Morbihan, 2795 AUSTRIA

DIDO

812

BOHEMIA 61 BELLEROPHON 163, 165 BARTHOLEMEW (saint), BLOIS 2794 BRABANT 812 BRITTANY 2795 BRUGES 86

3283

COMPASSION

of

one

2796

love

with

1870

(Lady

in

French

Old

of

of Phoebus'

FAYEL 225 FEAR

of)

character

romance,

222,

e227, 722

FLOS

narrator's

pseudonyn,

888, 890, Letter 4.17, OOO rertens 122015; Letter 7.1, 2418, Letter de Letter 111 3830

2801

FOOLISH

UNDERTAKING

Letter

12.98 FORTUNE

the

three

Letter

9.75,

goddess

of

chance,

191819522892 2828/ 28747 2878, 2923, 3045 FRANCE 2483 FRISIA 825 FUTILITY Letter, 12.98

9.82 CONSTANTINOPLE

373 (the),

ETHIOPIA

of Blois, 2794 (Sir Hugh)

one 1652

king

horses, 1801 ECHO nymph in Narcissus, 177

CERBERUS 1632 CERES 1747 CIRCE 167 CLYMENE 1767

CLOTHO Fates,

EDWARD III, England, 372

EOUS

lord of Saint-Sauveur-leVicomte (Normandy), 2798

English lord who led campaignes in France,

5.48

ENGLAND ENGLISH

CHAMPAGNE 811 CHANDOS (Sir John) a knight of the Garter, later

CHARLES CALVELEY

Letter

69

259

GLAD

THOUGHT

GOOD

CHARACTER

975

Letter

LOYALTY 2434, 2594, 2639, 2727, 2868 LUCIFER son of Jupiter and

12.97

Letter

293557

Aurora,

HAUGHTINESS HECTOR

LUKE

721

1781,

1785

(Saint)

148

3857

MEMORY 2917202952 32991" 2993, 2994, 3000, 3163, 3168, 3259, 3307, Letter 96979557

HONOR 2432, 2449, 2566, 2593/%2625,%2634,82647; 2729, 2818, 2868 HOPEU2932/22951,#29707 3274

Letter

9.095"

MERCURY

9 eo.

1774,

Letter

12.76

INETDIATIVEN

245455

2502.

MODERATION 2482, 2493, 28315, 2852-028917#2951% 2942, 2960, 2969, 3394 MOSES 10 MULCIBER euphemistic name

PANS), 2709,

PAHS) 2870

AG.

for

HUMILITY

Letter

IMAGINATION

Letter

1277681268 PRY 2719,

ISOLDE

9.74,

9.82

12.73,

1/12-4120

217,

Letter

Letter

1142 LOGO

18657

12.147

JUSTICE 2370, 2372, 2456, 2461-2512 2255826407 2845, 2877, Letter 9.20

KNOWLEDGE

2928,

2951,

2970

NOTUS

LACHESIS

1649 LEUCOTHOE

one

Letter

1231846

LIONEL son of

the

2

1881,

Letter

12.147

Fates, OVERCONFIDENCE Letter 126119 OVID 29724991

1763

LIBERALITY

Cent,

of

1780

NARCISSUS 163, 176, 184 NATURE 1320, 1468, 1668, Wels PRR Bh PNA NEPTISPHELE 1328, 1403, 1437, 14425 1479 3 14645 14/89 1559 en 575-01 5940 1596, 1689/1697 1702 1722, 1946, 1964, Letter 110707523708 909106 J'AI IT: 27 NEPTUNE 172 NOBILITY 2583, 2871

5.48

IXION punished by Zeus with eternal torments, 1635 JESUS (CHRIST) JUPITER LOE

Vulcan,

9.74,

WAS)

duke of Clarence, Edward III, 371, 377

PERSEPHONE

PETER

LOVE (God of) 17, 116, 188,247 203497 aole 645661 Letter 19/9731

1636

(Saint)

3282

(Good Love), Letter 3.89, 942 (Good Love), 2174,

PHAETON 1768, 1777, 1807, LOMPSLS IS MIBT7 Tee 1835, 1839, 1844, 1849, 1865, 1869, 1879, 1906, Letternwisss, 25512970:

2184, SL

PHLEGRON

3572 3803

2291, Letter 9.139, Eyal, Salah. ay.

(Good

Love),

12428

3776,

horses, PHLIMENE

260

2159

one 1798, 1766

of Phoebus' 1847

PHOEBUS 164, 1706, 1744, 1/76/21886/-1919/#1971 LeLLern9187/291591135; UA AO) NG, Pate 122202127159 PIRAMUS Letter 5.45 PI 2570/2259027257, PASSING. Psy). Paley, Des Letter29520/09775; 9:81, 12.146, 12.149 PLUTO

1633

PRIDE 2399, 2438, 2462, DAs PASS. Paes, PYG, 2764, 2843 PROWESS 2432, 2566, 2582, 2639, 2709, 2719, 2870

PRUDENCE

2434, 2473, 2476,

2478, 2486, 2567/2597 2765/2650 2952

PRUSSIA PYAS

2489, 2517, OASIS ALAS 228837220147

(see note) 1297,

12947520117

1635

RUSSIA

SAVOY SHAME SWEET 1201

1312,

eut, AVIS, ÉSS6 0),

1625, HO, AWASYS AAC), 1520/1529 2, ISL,

1724, 1735,

1405, al 15741 AlAs

(rubric) 1744,

1929,

1942,

1956,

1978,

365, 839 722 REGARD Letter

1634, 2760 Letter

UNUSUAL 12425

HABITS

117276

a11rF40

VENICE

839

PYROIS

one

of

horses,

1799

PYTHON

dragon

Phoebus-Apollo,

9.138,

3300

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by

WILD ABANDON TP

Letter

12.96,

1765

REASON 2370, 2390, 2512, ZO SSGELOS LOAD 28716 GetcersoaOnmelc ley alo REFUSAL 721 REJECTION 721 RENOWN 2558, 2709, 2871 RESISTANCE 3611 RAVEL

2091

father was Zeus, 1635 TRISTAN 217, Letter 5.48

/r10,27623;2879;

9.137,

12.75,

5.47

TIBULUS a Latin Cy UAT TITYUS a giant

Letter

910619 118,

Peaie S445, 3708, 3780; Letter 23886

3294

THISBE

1298,

Tetter6.1,

2024271515 GR LOSE BOALLG S451 3471, 3494, 3693, 9740/25752/25768, 3805, 3824, 3862, 121055710287 3893

TANTALUS TEMERITY

68, 3293

PYNOTEUS

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GARLAND D eae LIBRARY eae OF MR MEDIEVAL ee ev LITERATURE ER ALLURE JAMES J. WILHELM AND

LOWRY

NELSON, JR.

General Editors

Series A (Texts and Translations)

Series B (Translations Only) BRUNETTO LATINI

Il Tesoretto (The Little Treasure) Edited and translated by Julia Bolton Holloway Series A

THE POETRY OF WILLIAM VII, COUNT OF POITIERS, IX DUKE OF AQUITAINE Edited and translated by Gerald A. Bond;

music edited by Hendrik van der Werf Series A

BARTHAR SAGA Edited and translated by Jon Skaptason and Phillip Pulsiano Series A GUILLAUME DE MACHAUT

BEROUL

The Romance of Tristran Edited and translated by Norris J. Lacy Series A GRAELENT AND GUINGAMOR

Two Breton Lays Edited and translated by Russell Weingartner Series A

GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO

Life of Dante (Trattatello in Laude di Dante) Translated by Vincenzo Zin Bollettino Series B

Edited and translated by R. Barton Palmer Series A ‘

THE LYRICS OF THIBAUT DE CHAMPAGNE Edited and translated by Kathleen J. Brahney Series A

WALTHARIUS AND RUODLIEB Edited and translated by Dennis M. Kratz Series A

THE POETRY OF SORDELLO Edited and translated by James J. Wilhelm Series A

judgingnt ofthe kinkof Bohemia (Le Jugement

dou Roy de Behaingne)

THE RISE OF GAWAIN, NEPHEW OF ARTHUR (DE ORTU WALUUANII NEPOTIS ARTURI) Edited and translated by Mildred Leake Day Series A THE POETRY OF CINO DA PISTOIA Edited and translated by Christopher Kleinhenz Series A FIVE MIDDLE ENGLISH ARTHURIAN ROMANCES

Translated by Valerie Krishna Series B THE ONE HUNDRED NEW TALES (LES CENT NOUVELLES NOUVELLES) Translated by Judith Bruskin Diner Series B L'ART D'AMOURS (THE ART OF LOVE) Translated by Lawrence Blonquist Series B

GIOVANNI

BOCCACCIO

Il Filocolo Translated by Donald S. Cheney with the collaboration of Thomas G. Bergin Series B

GUILLAUME

DE MACHAUT

The Judgment of the Riis ohNaot (Le Jugement dou Roy de Navarre) Translated and edited by R. Barton Palmer Series A

THE STORY OF MERIADOC, KING OF CAMBRIA (HISTORIA MERIADOCI, REGIS CAMBRIAE) Edited and translated by Mildred Leake Day Series A

THE PLAYS OF HROTSVIT OF GANDERSHEIM Translated by Katharina Wilson Series B

GUILLAUME

DE MACHAUT

The Fountain of Love (La Fonteinne

Amoureuse), and Two Other Love Vision Poems: Edited and translated by R. Barton Palmer Series A

MECHTHILD VON MAGDEBURG

Flowing Light of the Divinity

Translated by Christiane Mesch Galvani; edited, with an introduction,

by Susan Clark Series B

ROBERT DE BORON

The Grail Trilogy DER STRICKER

Daniel of the Blossoming Valley Translated by Michael Resler Series B

Translated by George Diller Series B TILL EULENSPIEGEL

His Adventures

THE MARVELS OF RIGOMER Translated by Thomas E. Vesce Series B

Translated, with introduction and notes,

CHRETIEN DE TROYES

FRANCESCO PETRARCH Rime Disperse

del Graal), or Perceval Edited by Rupert T. Pickens and translated by William W. Kibler Series A

Edited and translated by Joseph Barber Series A

The Story

of the Grail (Li Contes

HELDRIS DE CORNUALLE The Story of Silence (Le Roman de Silence) Translated by Regina Psaki Series B

ROMANCES OF ALEXANDER Translated by Dennis M. Kratz Series B THE CAMBRIDGE SONGS (CARMINA CANTABRIGIENSA)

Edited and translated by Jan M. Ziolkowski Series A GUILLAUME

DE MACHAUT

Le Confort d’Ami (Comfort

for a Friend) Edited and translated by R. Barton Palmer

Series A

by Paul Oppenheimer Series B

GUILLAUME DE DEGUILEVILLE

The Pilgrimage of Human Life (Le Pélerinage de la vie humaine) Translated by Eugene Clasby Series B

RENAUT DE BAGE

Le Bel Inconnu (Li Biaus Descouneiis; The Fair Unknown) Edited by Karen Fresco; translated by Colleen P. Donagher; music edited by Margaret P. Hasselman Series A THOMAS OF BRITAIN

Tristran

Edited and translated by Stewart Gregory Series A KUDRUN

Translated by Marion E. Gibbs and Sidney M. Johnson Series B PENNINC

CHRISTINE DE PIZAN

Christine’s Vision Translated by Glenda K. McLeod Series B

MORIZ VON CRAUN Edited and translated by Stephanie Cain Van D’Elden Series A

THE ACTS OF ANDREW IN THE COUNTRY OF THE CANNIBALS Translated by Robert Boenig Series B

RAZOS AND TROUBADOUR SONGS Translated by William E. Burgwinkle Series B

AND

PIETER VOSTAERT

Roman van Walewein Edited and translated by David F. Johnson Series A

MEDIEVAL LITERATURE OF POLAND

An Anthology

Translated by Michael J. Miko Series B HELYAS OR LOHENGRIN

Late Medieval Transformations of the Swan Knight Legend Edited and translated by Salvatore Calomino Series A

KASSIA The Legend, the Woman,

and Her Work Edited and translated by Antonia Tripolitis Series A

THE SONG OF ALISCANS Translated by Michael A. Newth Series B

THE VOWS OF THE HERON (LES

VOEUX DU HERON)

A Middle French Vowing Poem Edited by John Grigsby and Norris J. Lacy; translated by Norris J. Lacy Series A

MEDIEVAL GALICIAN-PORTUGUESE POETRY

An Anthology

Edited and translated by Frede Jensen Series A

JAUFRE An Occitan Arthurian Romance Translated by Ross G. Arthur

THE PLEIER’S ARTHURIAN ROMANCES

Garel of the Blooming Valley, Tandareis and Flordibel, Meleranz Translated by J. W. Thomas Series B

JEAN RENART The Romance of the Rose or us Guillaume de Dole (Roman de la Rose ou de Guillaume Dole) Translated by Regina Psaki Series B

JEAN D’ARRAS

Roman de Melusine Translated by Sara Sturm-Maddox and Donald Maddox Series B

ADAM DE LA HALLE Le Jeu de Robin et Marion Translated by Shira Schwam-Baird Series A

AMADAS AND YDOINE Translated by Ross G. Arthur Series B

Series B

HILDEGARD

OF BINGEN

The Book of the Rewards of Life (Liber Vitae Meritorum)

Translated by Bruce W. Hozeski Series B BRUNETTO LATINI

The Book of the Treasure (Li Livres dou Tresor) Translated by Paul Barrette and Spurgeon Baldwin Series B

THE WRITINGS OF MEDIEVAL WOMEN

An Anthology Second Edition

Translated by Marcelle Thiébaux Series B JEAN FROISSART

La Prison Amoureuse

(The Prison of Love) Edited and translated by Laurence de Looze Series A

a