| JA NUS HONS PRIS ... | NO MAN WHO'S JAILED ... |
| King Richard I (Lionheart) | trans. James H.Donalson |
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Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa reson Adroitement, s'ensi com dolans non; Mes par confort puet il fere chançon. Moult ai d'amis, mes povre sont li don; Honte en avront, se por ma reançon Sui ces deus yvers pris. Ce sevent bien mi honme et mi baron, Englois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon, Que je n'avoie si povre conpaignon, Cui je laissasse por avoir en prixon. Je nel di pas por nule retraçon Mes encor sui ge pris. Or sai je bien de voir certainement Que mors ne pris n'a ami ne parent, Quant hon me lait por or ne por argent. Moult m'est de moi, mes plus m'est de ma gent, Qu'apres ma mort avront reprochier grant, Se longuement sui pris. N'est pas mervei1le, se j'ai le cuer dolent, Quant mes sires tient ma terre en torment. S'or li menbroit de nostre serement, Que nos feïsmes andui communaument, Bien sai de voir que ceans longuement Ne seroie pas pris. Ce sevent bien Angevin et Torain, Cil bacheler qui or sont riche et sain, Qu'enconbrez sui loing d'aus en autrui main. Forment m'amoient, mes or ne m'aimment grain De beles armes sont ores vuit li plain, Por tant que je sui pris. Mes conpaignons, cui j'amoie et cui j'ain, Ceus de Cahen et ceus dou Percherain, Me di, chançon, qu'il ne sont pas certain; Qu'onques vers aus nen oi cuer faus ne vain. S'il me guerroient, il font moult que vilain, Tant con je serai pris. El Contesse suer, vostre pris souverain Vos saut et gart cil a cui je me clain Et par cui je sui pris. E2 Je ne di pas de celi de Chartain, La mere Looÿs. |
No man who's jailed can tell his purpose well adroitly, as if he could feel no pain; but to console him, he can write a song. I've many friends, but all their gifts are poor; they'd be ashamed to know for ransom now two winters I've been jailed. My men-at-arms and barons know full well; the English, Normans, Gascons, Poitevins, I've no companion, poor though he may be, whom I'd abandon, leaving him in jail and I don't say this merely to reproach but still, I have been jailed. Now I know well, and see with certainty, that death holds neither friends nor relatives when I'm released for silver or for gold it's much for me and even more for mine, for when I'm dead they'll greatly be reproached if I for long am jailed. It's no surprise if my heart's hurting me because my father's torturing my land. If he would but recall the oath we swore, the one the two of us in common made I know full well that in this place I'd not so long be jailed. While Angevin and Tourangeau are good, these men-at-arms who now are well and rich, but I am far from them, in other hands. They loved me much, now love me not at all, and now the plain is empty of their arms and therefore I am jailed. The company I loved añd still I love all those of Caen and those of Percheraine, tell me, O song, that they cannot be sure: my heart is never false or vain to them. If they make war on me, no villain would, so long as I am jailed. El O countess, sister, your high price protects and saves for you the one I claim against, and by whom I am jailed. E2 Of her of Chartres, I say not a word, the mother of Louis. |