Oton de Granson: Poems

422 Pages·2015·3.425 MB·English

by  Peter Nicholson, Joan Grenier-Winther

Oton de Granson
Poems
Edited and Translated by
Peter Nicholson and
Joan Grenier-Winther
r
TEAMS
Middle English Texts Series
Oton de Granson
P
oems
p middle english TexTs series p
General editor
Russell A. Peck, University of Rochester
associate editor
Alan Lupack, University of Rochester
assistant editor
Pamela M. Yee, University of Rochester
advisory Board
Theresa Coletti Michael Livingston
University of Maryland The Citadel
Rita Copeland R. A. Shoaf
University of Pennsylvania University of Florida
Susanna Fein Lynn Staley
Kent State University Colgate University
Thomas G. Hahn Eve Salisbury
University of Rochester Western Michigan University
David A. Lawton Bonnie Wheeler
Washington University in St. Louis Southern Methodist University
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Oton de Granson
P
oems
Edited and Translated by
Peter Nicholson and Joan Grenier-Winther
TEAMS • Middle English Texts Series
MEDIEVAL INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo
Copyright © 2015 by the Board of Trustees of Western Michigan University
Manufactured in the United States of America
The Library of Congress has already cataloged the paperback as follows:
Granson, Oton de, -1397.
[Poems. English]
Oton de Granson : poems / edited and translated by Peter Nicholson and Joan Grenier-
Winther.
pages cm. -- (Middle English texts series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-58044-206-0 (paperbound : alk. paper)
I. Nicholson, Peter, 1948- editor. II. Grenier-Winther, Joan, editor. III. Title.
PQ1476.G4A3 2015
841'.1--dc23
2014046882
ISBN 978-1-58044-206-0
eISBN 978-1-58044-239-8
r
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
INTRODUCTION 1
LIST OF MANUSCRIPTS AND ABBREVIATIONS 40
POEMS 42
Rondels Rondeaux
1.Se Dieu eust oblié ‘non’ 1.If God had just forgotten ‘no’ 42
2.Avril, qui vest de verdure 2.April, which decks with greenery 42
3.Je ne voy riens qui me doie suffire 3. I don’t see anything that should 44
satisfy me
4.S’il ne vous plaist que j’aye mieulx 4. If it please you not that I have better 44
5.Bien appert, Belle, a vo bonté 5.Well does it seem, my beautiful lady 46
6.Comment seroit que je fusse 6.How could it be that I be joyful? 46
joieulx?
7.Belle, pour hair faulceté 7.Fair one, in order to hate falsehood 48
8.Ce premier jour que l’an se 8.This first day when the year begins 48
renouvelle anew
9.Adieu, Jeunesse, m’amie 9.Farewell Youth, my friend 50
Vyrelay Virelai
10.Je vous aime, je vous desir 10.I love you, I desire you 52
Balades Ballades
11.Se je m’en dueil, nul ne m’en 11.If I am grieving, no one ought to 54
doit blasmer blame me
12.J’ay tout perdu; le festu est 12.I have lost everything; the straw is 54
rompu broken
13.A ce plaisant premier jour de 13.On this pleasant first day of the year 54
l’annee
14.En grant desduit et en doulce 14.In great delight and in so sweet a 56
plaisance pleasure
15.Car j’ay perdu ma jeunesse, ma 15. For I have lost my youth and my joy 58
joye
16.Or vueille Dieux que brefment 16. Now would to God that I see him 58
le revoye again soon
17.Que nulle autre jamais ne 17.That never will I choose any other 60
choisiray
18.A Dalida, Jhezabel, et Thays 18.To Delilah, Jezebel, and Thaïs 60
19.Plus m’escondit, plus la vueil 19.The more she rejects me, the more 62
tenir chiere I hold her dear
20.Ainsi le fait cuer plain de 20.Thus does a heart that is full of 64
fausseté falsity
21.Pour miex garder de ma dame 21. Better to guard the fortress of my 64
le fort lady
22.S’a ma cause perdoit sa bonne 22.If because of me she lost her good 66
fame name
23.Vous n’en povez tousdiz que 23.From this you can only come to 66
miex valoir greater worth
24.Car je languis en trop dure 24.For I languish in too harsh a 68
tristour sadness
25.Car de presant, je veul tout le 25.For at present, I want exactly the 70
contraire opposite
26.Mais vous m’avez tousjours 26.But you have always answered me 70
respondu ‘non’ with ‘no’
27.Car vrayement ce martelé me 27.For honestly, this hammering’s 72
tue killing me
28.Car loin de vous vivre je ne 28.For far from you I wouldn’t be 74
pourroye able to live
29.En languissant defineront my 29.In languishing my days will come 74
jour to an end
30.Quant je pense a vo doulce 30.When I think upon your gentle 76
figure person
31.Vous vueil servir tres- 31.I wish to serve you very lovingly 78
amoureusement
32.Foy, loiaulté, sans faulcer, vous 32. I will offer you faith and loyalty, 78
tendray without falsehood
33.Don de mercy ainçois que on le 33. The gift of mercy before it is 80
deprie requested
34.Se je m’en plains, ce ne fait a 34.If I complain, I should not be 80
blasmer blamed
35.Prouchaine mort en lieu de 35.A quick death instead of any cure 82
garison
36.Par vo douceur, tresbelle et 36.Because of your gentleness, lady 84
bonne nee born fair and good
37.Car chascun a joye de li loer 37.For everyone takes joy in praising 84
her
38.Car trop par est son cuer plain 38. Because her heart is much too full 86
de reffus of scorn
39.Priez pour moy, tous les loyaulx 39. Pray for me, all you loyal lovers 88
amans
40.Tout a rebours de ce qu’on vuelt 40. Exactly the opposite of what one 88
trouver wants
41.De li servir ne seray jamais las 41.I will never grow tired of serving her 90
42.Desloiaulté en l’amoureuse vie 42.Disloyalty in the life of love 92
43.Fors que d’amours et de ma 43.Anything but love and my beautiful 92
belle dame lady
44.Ainsi puet il don d’amours 44.That’s how he can earn the gifts 94
desservir of love
45.Que mon cuer voit tousdiz, ou 45.Which my heart sees constantly, 96
que je soye wherever I am
46.Ma belle dame et ma loyal amie 46. My beautiful lady and my loyal love 98
47.Car je languis par deffault de 47.For I am languishing from a lack of 98
raison justice
48.C’est mon talant, belle dame 48.That is my wish, fair lady without 100
sans per peer
49.Je n’ay riens fait qu’Amours ne 49. I have done nothing that Love 102
m’ait fait faire didn’t make me do
50.Je n’ay riens fait qu’Amours ne 50. I have done nothing that Love 104
me fait faire doesn’t make me do
51.Dame, de moy plus que nulle 51.My lady, loved by me more than 104
autre amee any other woman
52.Il m’est advis que vostre beauté 52. It seems to me that I see your 106
voye beauty
53.Puis qu’il lui plaist, il me souffist 53. Since it pleases my heart, that’s 108
enough for me
54.Un seul confort de ma tresbelle 54. A single comfort from my most 110
dame beautiful lady
55.De mieulx en mieulx serviray 55.Better and better will I serve my 110
ma maistresse mistress
56.Car le couroux n’y vault pas 56.For anger just isn’t worth a stitch 112
une maille
57.Le Desert (Fors que la mort 57.The Destitute One (Except for 114
prouchainement) death, immediately)
58.D’un tel amer que faire tous 58.To love in such a way rather than 116
honnis causing shame
59.Qui fondre peust et lui 59.That was able to melt and then be 118
renouveller made again
60.Pardonnés moy, besoing le me 60.Please pardon me; need makes me 120
fait faire (1) do it (1)
61.Pardonnez moy, besoing le me 61. Please pardon me; need makes me 122
fait faire (2) do it (2)
62.Trop plus de biens que penser 62.Far more good than I could ever 124
ne sauroye imagine
63.Ma seule dame, plus que nulle 63.My only lady, beloved more than 124
autre amee any other
64.Faitez de moy tout ce qu’il vous 64. Do with me anything you please 126
plaira
65.Je n’en congnoiz nulle si belle 65.I don’t know any woman as beautiful 128
66.Car quanque voy ne me fait 66.For whatever I see only displeases 130
que desplaire me
67.Ma seule amour, en quelque lieu 67. My only love, in whatever place I be 132
que je soye
Other Works
68. Le Dit de Loiauté 68. The Poem about Loyalty 134
69. L’Estraine du jour de l’an 69. The New Year’s Gift 136
70. La Complainte de l’an nouvel 70. The New Year’s Complaint 138
71. Le Souhait de Saint Valentin 71. The Saint Valentine’s Wish 142
72. Complainte de Saint Valentin 72. Saint Valentine’s Complaint 144
73. La Pastourelle Granson 73. Granson’s Pastourelle 150
74. Complainte de Gransson 74. Granson’s Complaint 160
75. Le Lay de desir en complainte 75. The Lai of Desire in Complaint 168
76. Complainte de Saint Vallentin 76. Granson’s Saint Valentine’s Complaint 178
Garenson
77. Le Songe Saint Valentin 77. The Saint Valentine’s Dream 192
78. Le Livre Messire Ode 78. The Book of Messire Ode 212
EXPLANATORY NOTES 329
TEXTUAL NOTES 369
CONCORDANCE TO GRENIER-WINTHER’S EDITION 389
LE LIVRE MESSIRE ODE: CONCORDANCE TO PIAGET’S EDITION 393
INDEX OF FIRST LINES
FRENCH 395
ENGLISH 397
INDEX OF TITLES
FRENCH 399
ENGLISH 401
BIBLIOGRAPHY 403
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Our greatest debt is to Russell A. Peck, who first proposed this edition, whose vision
gave it its present form, and who patiently oversaw its execution. We also wish to thank all
those who worked on its production: at METS, Assistant Editor Martha M. Johnson-Olin
and Staff Editors Jenny Boyar, Laura Whitebell, Alison Harper, and Pamela M. Yee; and at
Medieval Institute Publications, Patricia Hollahan, Tom Krol, and their staff. We are also
grateful to the National Endowment of the Humanities for its support of the series in which
this volume appears; and the Bibliothèque cantonale et universitaire in Lausanne, the
Bibliothèque nationale in Paris, and the Van Pelt Library at the University of Pennsylvania,
and others (see p. 40) for the privilege of consulting their manuscripts.
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