Troubadour Song

  

Due to personal matters I've had to neglect this blog for the last few months. Apologies. I hope to be back, perhaps with good news, in the New Year.  In the meantime here's an unseasonal medieval song (though for some reason, medieval songs always feel Christmassy to me.)  The author is anonymous, the approximate translation is mine; the music is by the Follorum Ensemble. A happy Christmas or winter holiday to you all!

Voulez vous que je vous chante

Un son d’amours avenant?

Vilain nel fist mie,

Ainz le fist un chevalier

Sous l’ombre d’un olivier

Entre les bras s’amie.

Would you like me to sing you

A fine song of love?

By no peasant was it made:

But a gentle knight who lay

With his true love in his arms

In an olive tree’s shade.

 

Chemisete avoit de lin
Et blanc peliçon hermin
Et bliaut de soie
Chauces ot de jaglolai

Et solers de flours de mai

Estroitement chauçade

Her chemise was of linen

And her white pelisse of ermine

Of silk was her dress.

Her stockings were of iris leaves

And her slippers of mayflowers

Her feet to caress.

Ceinturete avoit de feuille

Que verdist quant li tens meuille,

D’or est boutonade

L’aumosniere estoit d’amour

Li pendant furent de flours

Par amours fu donade.

Her belt was of leaves

Which grow green when it rains,

Her buttons of gold so fine.

Her purse was a gift of love,

And it hung from flowery chains

As it were a lovers’ shrine.

Et chevauchoit une mule

D’argent ert la ferruere

La sele ert dorade;

Sus la croupe par derriers

Avoit plante trois rosiers

Pour faire li ombrage.

 And she rode on a mule

The saddle was of gold,

All silver were its shoes;

Behind her on the crupper

To provide her with shade

Three rose bushes grew.

Si s’en va aval la pree

Chevaliers l’ont encontree

Beau l’on saluade:

“Belle, dont estes vous nee?”

“De France sui la louee,

De plus haut parage.”

As she passed through the fields

She met gentle knights

Who begged courteously:

“Fair one, where were you born?”

“From France am I come,

And of high family.

“Li rossignol est mon pere

Qui chant sor la ramee

El plus haut boscage.

La seraine est mon mere

Qui chante en la mer sale

Li plus haut rivage.”

 “The nightingale is my father

Who sings from the branches

Of the forest’s highest tree.

The mermaid is my mother

Who sings her sweet chant

On the banks of the salt sea.”

“Belle, bon fussiez vous nee!

Bien estes emparentee

Et de haut parage.

Pleüst á Dieu nostre pere

Que vous ne fussiez donee

A femme esposade.”


“Fair one, well were you born!

Well fathered, well mothered,

And of high family.

If God would only grant

That you might be given

In marriage to me!”

Picture credits:

Lovers: The Maastricht Hours, http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/02/happy-valentines-day.html

Lady riding: Gerard Horenbout, 16th century, Wikipedia

May: Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry - Wikipedia

Maastricht Hours, Southern Netherlands (Liège), 1st quarter of the 14th century - See more at: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/02/happy-valentines-day.html#sthash.PzMbFZo8.dpuf

 

Maastricht Hours, Southern Netherlands (Liège), 1st quarter of the 14th century, Stowe 17, f. 273 - See more at: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/02/happy-valentines-day.html#sthash.PzMbFZo8.dpuf

Maastricht Hours, Southern Netherlands (Liège), 1st quarter of the 14th century, Stowe 17, f. 273 - See more at: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/02/happy-valentines-day.html#sthash.PzMbFZo8.dpuf

Maastricht Hours, Southern Netherlands (Liège), 1st quarter of the 14th century, Stowe 17, f. 273 - See more at: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/02/happy-valentines-day.html#sthash.PzMbFZo8.dpuf

Mermaid:  Besançon - BM - ms. 0069, detail of p. 458. Breviary, use of Besançon. Rouen, before 1498.