Читать книгу The Political Songs of England: From the Reign of John to That of Edward II - Various - Страница 7

[Raynouard, Choix, tom. iv. p. 201.]

Quant vei lo temps renovellar,

E pareis la fueill’ e la flors,

Mi dona ardimen amors

E cor e saber de chantar;

E doncs, pois res no m’ en sofraing,

Farai un Sirvent escozen,

Que trametrai lai par presen

Al rei Joan que s n’a vergoing.

E deuria s’ be’n vergoignar,

Si l’ membres de sos ancessors,

Com laissa sai Peitieus e Tors

Al rei Felip ses demandar;

Per que tota Guiana plaing

Lo rei Richard, qu’ en deffenden

En mes mant aur e mant argen;

Mas acest no m’ par ’n aia soing.

Mais ama l’ bordir e l’ cassar,

E bracs e lebriers et austors,

E sojorn; per que il faill honors,

E s’ laissa vius deseretar;

Mal sembla d’ardimen Galvaing,

Que sai lo viram plus soven;

E pois autre cosseil non pren,

Lais sa terra al seignor del Groign.

Miels saup Lozoics desliurar

Guillelme, e l’ fes ric secors

Ad Aurenga, quan l’Almassors

A Tibaut l’ac fait asetjar:

Pretz et honor ’n ac ab gazaing;

Jeu o dic per chastiamen

Al rei Joan que pert sa gen,

Que non lor secor pres ni loing.

Baron, sai vir mon chastiar

A vos, cui blasme las follors

Que us vei far, e pren m’en dolors,

Car m’ aven de vos a parlar,

Que pretz avetz tombat e’ l’ faing,

Et avetz apres un fol sen,

Que non doptas chastiamen,

Mas qui us ditz mal, aquel vos oing.

Domna, cui dezir e tenc car

E dopt e blan part las meillors,

Tant es vera vostra lauzors

Qu’ieu non la sai dir ni comtar;

C’aissi com aurs val mais d’estaing,

Valetz mais part las meillors cen,

Et ez plus leials vas joven

Non son a Dieu cill de Cadoing.

Savarics, reis cui cors sofraing

Greu fara bon envasimen,

E pois a flac cor recrezen,

Jamais nuls hom en el non poing.

Translation.—When I see the fair weather return,—and leaf and flower appear,—love gives me hardiesse—and heart and skill to sing;—then, since I do not want matter,—I will make a stinging sirvente,—which I will send yonder for a present,—to King John, to make him ashamed.

And well he ought to be ashamed,—if he remember his ancestors,—how he has left here Poitou and Touraine—to King Philip, without asking for them.—Wherefore all Guienne laments—King Richard, who in its defence—would have laid out much gold and much silver;—but this man does not appear to me to care much for it.

He loves better fishing and hunting,—pointers, greyhounds, and hawks,—and repose, wherefore he loses his property,—and his fief escapes out of his hands;—Galvaing seems ill-furnished with courage,—so that we beat him here most frequently;—and since he takes no other counsel,—let him leave his land to the lord of the Groing.

Louis knew better how to deliver—William, and gives him rich succour—at Orange, when the Almassor—had caused Tiebald to besiege him;—glory and honour he had with profit;—I say it for a lesson—to King John who loses his people,—because he succours them not near or far off.

Barons, on this side my lesson of correction aims—at you, whose delinquencies it blames—that I have seen you do, and I am grieved thereat,—for it falls to me to speak of you,—who have let your credit fall into the mud,—and afterwards have a foolish sentiment,—that you do not fear correction,—but he who told you ill, it is he who disgraces you.

Lady, whom I desire and hold dear,—and fear and flatter above the best,—so true is your praise,—that I know not how to say it or to relate it;—that, as gold is more worth than tin,—you are worth more than the best hundred,—and you are better worth to a young man,—than are they (the monks) of Caen to God.

Savary, a king without a heart,—will hardly make a successful invasion,—and since he has a heart soft and cowardly,—let no man put his trust in him.

The dishonours which John suffered abroad, were, however, soon forgotten in the troubles which broke out at home. The following virulent libel on the three bishops of Norwich, Bath, and Winchester, who adhered to the King in his quarrel with the Pope about the presentation to the see of Canterbury, was no doubt the work of one of his ecclesiastical opponents.