Chansons à plaisir: music from the time of Adrian Le Roy

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Photograph editing: Dr Raymond Parks P 2008 Delphian Records Ltd © 2008 Delphian Records Ltd www.delphianrecords.co.uk

With thanks to Carolyn and Bill Kirton, Dr Emmanuelle Lacore-Martin, and The University of Edinburgh.

DCD34063

Recorded on 15 – 17 October, 2007 at Crichton Collegiate Church, Pathhead, Scotland Producer: Paul Baxter Engineers: Beth Mackay & David Strudwick 24-Bit digital editing: Adam Binks 24-Bit digital Mastering: Paul Baxter Design: Drew Padrutt Photography © Delphian Records Ltd

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Chansons a Plaisir Music from the time of Adrian Le Roy

Early Music on Delphian

Frances Cooper soprano and percussion; Marcus Claridge percussion Gordon Ferries lute, 4-course guitar and percussion; Jonathan Hugh-Jones baritone, recorders and lute

Marionas - The Guitar Music of Francisco Guerau (1649-1722) Gordon Ferries, baroque guitar (DCD34046)

Puis que vivre – Adrian le Roy (g) [2:22] Pimontoyse – Adrian le Roy (h) [2:50] 3. Laissez la verte couleur – Adrian le Roy (g) [4:32] 4. Padvane – Guillaume Morlaye (k) [2:25] 5. Une jeune fillette – anonymous French mid-16th century [4:29] 6. Au temps heureux – Jacques Arcadelt, arr. for guitar by G.Morlaye (k) [2:19] 7. Oyez tous amoureux – Adrian le Roy (g) [3:58] 8. Prelude & Fantasie – Adrian le Roy (h,f) [3:16] 9. J’atens secours – Claudin de Sermisy, text: Clemènt Marot (b) [4:00] 10. Pavane & Galliarde – Pierre Attaignant (c) [3:02] 11. L’ennuy que me tormente – Adrian le Roy (g) [3:17] 12. Branle & Galliard – Guillaume Morlaye (k) [3:36] 13. Cessez mes yeulx – Thomas Crequillon, text: Mellin de S.Gelais (d) [2:36] 14. Fortune, laisse moy la vie / Pavane: Sy je m’en vois – Adrian le Roy (after P.Attaignant) (i) [2:56] 15. Qui prestera la parole – Didier le Blanc, arr.G.Bataille, text: Joachim du Bellay (e) [3:30] 16. Branle simple – Adrian le Roy (f) [2:07] 17. Joyssance vous donneray – Claudin de Sermisy,, text: Clemènt Marot (b) [3:28] 18. Branle de Poitou – Adrian le Roy (i) [1:52] 19. Vivray je toujours – Claudin de Sermisy (b) [3:29] 20. O cômbien est heureuse – Adrian le Roy (g) [4:39] 21. Il me souffit – Claudin de Sermisy (b) [3:15] 22. Les Buffons – Guillaume Morlaye (j) [3:07] 23. Conte Clare – Guillaume Morlaye (j) [2:04] 24. Il bianco et dolce cigno – Jacques Arcadelt, text: Alfonso d’Avalos

(or ?Giovanni Guidiccioni) (a) [1:53] 25. J’ay le rebours – Pierre Certon, arr. Adrian le Roy (g) [3:40] Total playing time [78:40]

Baroque guitarist Gordon Ferries weaves his way through the seductive labyrinth of Francisco Guerau’s ‘harmonic poem’ with sensual ballads, sublime passacalles and the virtuosic dance music of baroque Spain’s fiery underbelly. Ferries’ playing brings this beguiling world to life with elegance and passionate vitality.

1.

2.

Sources (all published in Paris unless stated): Jacques Arcadelt: a. Madrigali A.Gardane, Venice 1539 Pierre Attaignant: b.Très brève et familière introduction 1529; c. Dixhuit basses dances 1530.

Thomas Crequillon: d. Horti musarum P.Phalèse, Louvain 1553

Didier le Blanc: e. Livre d’airs de different auteurs G.Bataille, 1613 Adrian le Roy: f. Premier livre de guiterre 1551; g. Second livre 1552/5, h.Tiers livre 1552; i. A brief and easye introduction 1567 (lost) and London 1568. Guillaume Morlaye: j. Premier livre de guiterne 1552; k. Second livre 1553.

‘the melodic line enchants, the percussive strumming seduces’ - Classic FM Magazine, February 2008

La Preciosa – The Guitar Music of Gaspar Sanz (c.1640-c.1710) Gordon Ferries, baroque guitar (DCD34036) Baroque guitarist Gordon Ferries visits the music of seventeenth century Spain’s streets – a time when the five-course guitar produced abject horror in the morally inclined, through its association with popular ballads, taverns, criminality, sensuality and in particular dancing. Ferries assumes the role with panache and breath-takingly virtuosic flair.

‘Ferries exploits the instrument’s capacity for timbre and expression with inspired and impeccable technique.’

– Goldberg, February 2006

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Notes on the Music 24 IL BIANCO E DOLCE CIGNO

Il bianco e dolce cigno cantando more Ed io piangendo giunge al fin del viver mio.

Stran’e diversa sorte!

Ch’ei more sconsolato ed io moro beato.

Morte che nel morire, M’empie di gioia tutto e di desire.

Se nel morir altro dolor non sento Di mille mort’ il di sarei contento.

The white and gentle swan dies singing while I weeping end my life.

How strangely different our fates.

He dies unconsolable, and I die blessed.

Yet even as I die I am filled with joy and desire.

If this is the only pain I feel in dying, I would die a thousand such deaths a day.

25 J’AY LE REBOURS

J’ay le rebours de ce que je souhaite, J’ai converti en joie contrefaite tout le plaisir que perdre [je] craignais tant.

J’ai du mal tant, tant que le coeur me fend de voir l’amour défaite.

I have the reverse of my desire.

I have turned to a counterfeit joy all the pleasure I so feared to lose.

I feel such pain that my heart breaks to see love so defeated.

Fi des beaux chants et des vers de poète.

J’aime trop mieux Jérémie le prophète.

Avec lui [je] vais mourir en languissant.

J’ai du mal...

Enough of lovely songs and poems.

I prefer the prophet Jeremiah.

With him I shall languish and die.

I feel such pain…

Adrian le Roy dominated French musical life in only ended in 1598 when the new Protestant the second half of the sixteenth century, as a king, Henry IV, decided that ‘Paris is worth virtuoso musician, teacher, composer, arranger, a mass’ and converted to Rome, but also and music publisher. Le Roy collaborated with decreed tolerance for Calvinists. Meanwhile, the older generation of composers – Sermisy, France had lost perhaps 4 million people, with Arcadelt and others – with new talents such as plague and famine adding to the misery. How Le Jeune, and with incomers, notably Lassus, did music fare? The flood of publications who he made a star. The firm of Le Roy & begun in 1529 by Pierre Attaignant – Le Roy’s Ballard led the field, issuing chansons, sacred predecessor as Royal Printer – continued works, dance music and instruction books. Le unchecked by conflict. Some 4,000 chansons Roy became Royal Printer in 1553, a position were published in sixteenth-century France, he held until his death in 1598 and in which he besides numerous sacred and instrumental served three kings. This extraordinary career collections. Stylistically, the ‘Parisian chanson’ came at the height of French Renaissance seems so calm and relaxed – quite unlike the classicism, during which the Pléiade poets – expressionist contortions of Italian madrigals Ronsard and friends – claimed for French verse – that few commentators make much of the a standing alongside Latin and Greek. Ronsard, historical context. But musicians were not keen that his poetry be sung, supplied musical immune to danger. The Protestant composer scores with his first book of Petrarchan sonnets, Claude Goudimel died at Lyons in the St the 1552 Amours. French high culture might Bartholomew killings, while the Catholic Antoine have achieved remarkable unity, had it not been de Bertrand was murdered by Huguenots for thirty years of civil war. at Toulouse. Others temporized; Paschal de L’Estocart set poems by the Catholic zealot Guy Religious persecution grew in the 1530s. de Pibrac, author of a verse justification for St Fighting commenced in 1562 at the village Bartholomew’s Day. But De L’Estocart’s chef of Vassy, where a Huguenot (Calvinist) d’oeuvre was his Octonaires de la Vanité du congregation worshipping in a barn were Monde, an essay in Calvinist musical moralising. massacred. Huguenots were slaughtered again on St Bartholomew’s Day 1572, and conflict

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Music was known to enflame passions; in 1580 absolutely impelled to fight someone’. When Le the Parisian authorities forbade musicians to Jeune switched mode, he became tranquil. Only excite people ‘par cris et dictz de chansons’. two years after the founding of the Academy, Music could also, however, heal division and French cities witnessed the greatest atrocity of mollify anger – as in the classical story of the wars, on St Bartholomew’s Day. Yet hope King Alexander and Timotheus, whose lyre so was resilient, that the arts might bring an end to excited the king that he grabbed for his sword, strife. At the Entry of King Charles IX into Paris whereupon Timotheus switched to a different in 1571, and at the Joyeuse Magnificences of mode, calming him. The story was a favourite.

1581, Ronsard and his Catholic friends provided After the Treaty of Sainte-Germain in 1570, amid neo-classical verse for which the Huguenot Le fragile hopes for peace, Jean-Antoine de Baïf Jeune wrote festive settings. The message was established in Paris his Academy of Poetry and clear: a wise French monarch would restore a Music, with the aim of emulating those calming Golden Age of harmony. Reality proved different; Antique skills. The metres of classical verse kings, cardinals and poor folk were murdered, would be applied to French poetry, in musical while war, disease and starvation tormented settings following that metrical pattern. Baïf was the people. This does not render the aspiration a Catholic, his Academy under royal (Catholic) naive, just terribly poignant. patronage, but he deliberately brought Catholic and Protestant musicians together; his leading This recording straddles generations and the composer was Claude le Jeune, a lifelong onset of war. It illustrates how the music Huguenot. Baïf’s Academy foreshadows today’s published by Adrian le Roy and his rivals reflects orchestra established by Daniel Barenboim and their troubled world in a curiously oblique others, in which young Israeli and Palestinian way, responding with neo-classical civilisation. musicians play side by side.

Classical mythology appears in Le Roy’s own Laissez la verte couleur, depicting the The Timotheus tale was updated in a story about discovery of the dead Adonis by Venus, who fills Claude le Jeune. At an Academy concert, a the valley with her grief; the blood stains upon gentleman was so impassioned by Le Jeune’s the ground remain to teach a terrible lesson. The playing that he ‘swore loudly that he felt piece suggests a tableau vivant; the links

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Hélas, qu’il fût possible Que [tu] puisses être moi, Pour voir s’il m’est pénible Le mal que j’ai pour toi: Tu prendrais grande pitié De ma ferme amitié.

Alas, were it only possible that you could be me, to see how terrible is the pain I bear for you.

Then you would take pity on my devotion.

De vous seul je confesse Que mon coeur est transi: Si j’étais grande princesse, Je dirais tout ainsi: Si le vôtre ainsi fait, Montrez-le par effet.

You alone, I declare, have pierced my heart.

Were I a great princess, I would put it like this: If you feel as I do, show it by your deeds.

21 IL ME SOUFFIT

Il me souffit de tous mes maulx, Puis-qu’ils m’ont livré a mort.

J’ay enduré peine et travaulx, Tant de douleur et desconfort.

Que faut il que je face, pour estre en vostre grace?

De douleur mon coeur si est mort, S’il ne voit vostre face.

I’ve had enough of my griefs for they’ve passed me over to death.

I’ve endured pain and travail, and such grief and misery.

What must I do to stand in your good graces?

My heart dies with grief if it cannot gaze upon your face.

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20 O CÔMBIEN EST HEUREUSE

Ô cômbien est heureuse La peine de celer Une flamme amoureuse, Qui deux coeurs fait brûler, Quand chacun d’eux s’attend D’être bientôt content.

O how blissful the pain of concealing an amorous flame that sets two hearts ablaze, when both soon expect to be happy.

Si femme en ma présence Autre vous entretient, Amour veut que je pense Que cela m’appartient; Car lui et longue foi Vous doivent tout à moi.

If any woman, in my presence, approaches you, Love wills me to believe that it belongs to me, for love and long fidelity have made you all mine.

Que me sert que je soie Avec princes, ou Roi, Et qu’ailleurs je vous voie Sans approcher de moi?

La peur du changement Me cause grand tourment.

What use is it to me, to be among princes, or with the King, and see you far off, not drawing near to me?

The fear of change torments me.

Quand par bonne fortune [vous] Serez mien à tout point, Lors parlez à chacune, Je ne m’en plaindrai point.

Bien [je] vous prie cependant N’être ailleurs prétendant.

When, by good fortune, you are all mine, then you may speak to any woman, without my complaining.

But I beg you meanwhile not to look elsewhere.

between music and theatre – street and court – were drawing closer. Fortune, laisse moy la vie likewise invokes a classical god, Cupid. Le Roy recycled material as he saw demand for new formats. This tune appears as Sy je m’en vois in his Premier Livre de Tabulature de Luth (1551), printed as dance music without text. Le Roy then eyes the educational market; the version recorded here appears in his Premier Livre d’Instruction (1567) as an exercise in diminution – variations by subdivision – but still without the words, which are now lost; we have borrowed anonymous lyrics from another setting.

Le Roy reused material from the earlier generation published by Pierre Attaignant.

Songs such as Sermisy’s Joyssance, printed

by Attaignant in 1529, had many reincarnations.

Attaignant had published numerous dances such as the Pavane & Galliarde, played here as a lute duet. Le Roy followed Attaignant’s lead, favouring strongly rhythmic regional folk dances such as the Branle de Poitou and the Pimontoyse (from Piedmont).

J’ay le rebours, with its catchy refrain, shows how composers could make the popular sophisticated. Le Roy had a gift for spotting material and predicting trends, and his books

include the first original songs with guitar accompaniment published anywhere. The voixde-ville were urban songs doubling as dance tunes; Le Roy issued a collection in 1555, while Jean Chardavoine gathered 200 voix-de-ville with texts, described as ‘commonly danced and sung in the cities’. Une jeune fillette, with its strong narrative element, appears frequently.

The storyline is found back in fifteenth-century Siena; the tune conquered Europe as ‘Monica’ (the little nun), and even resurfaced as a Bach chorale (Cantata 107).

Le Roy, looking ahead, saw a market for more refined vocal solos, developed from the voixde-ville. In 1571, he used the term ‘air’ for the first time in print. Many early airs de cour were available as 4-voice chansons, but were now issued as accompanied solo songs ‘miz sur le luth par Adrian le Roy’. The form evolved slowly: the air de cour edition of Qui prestera recorded here dates from 1613, but derives from Le Blanc’s 1579 four-part setting of du Bellay’s 1550s poem. Thomas Crequillon died c.1557 but, although published in both solo and 4-part formats, his Cessez mes yeulx is already a soprano ‘air’ at heart, its languorous melody set over lower lines in which, again and again, the grief literally rises up.

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French music did not develop in isolation.

Sixteenth century ‘battle’ pieces (famously, La Crequillon probably never worked in France, Bataille by Janequin) usually concern victories nor was French his first language. He was a over the Italians or English. The suffering in Fleming, his music printed in Louvain. But his most chansons is private and lasting, as in Qui songs are all settings of French verse, and prestera la parole: ‘Who will lend words for reflect the power of the Parisian music industry. my grief?’ Where there is joy, as in Joyssance Arcadelt – also possibly Flemish by birth – spent vous donneray, still Death hovers nearby. his early career in Italy. He moved to Paris c.1551 (to be published by Le Roy), bringing There are delightfully upbeat pieces here, and Italian stylistic features and celebrated pieces the dances are spirited. But the chansons such as Il bianco e dolce cigno. This would be suggest an effort at self-control. They are recast decades later by Orlando Gibbons as ‘The restrained in structure, and usually syllabic; Silver Swan’. Whereas the English madrigal uses the melody moves with the text, syllable by the dying swan to bemoan a decline in civic syllable, with one musical phrase to each line wisdom, the Franco-Italian original is about sex. of verse; Il me souffit is a good early example, Qui prestera typical of later work, a touch Sixteenth century French lyrics on love’s pains more florid. Chromaticism is muted, with little can seem formulaic, and some modern editors tortured word painting. How, then, can such treat them disparagingly. But in a context of songs be so beautiful while yet so simple? Not, wars and plague, Fortune, laisse moy la surely, because their emotional life is formulaic; vie – ‘Fortune, leave me my life and love, for rather, because they are the product of a you have taken everything else’ – seems society striving to preserve its civilisation. vividly immediate. Why must the lovers in O cômbien est heureuse conceal their feelings © 2008 Jonathan Hugh-Jones at court? Is she a young Catholic, and he a Huguenot? The danger was real; the factions were assassinating each other. Le Roy’s song publications seldom refer to civil strife, although instrumental evocations of warfare are legion.

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19 VIVRAY JE TOUJOURS

Vivray je toujours en soucy Pour vous ma tres loyalle amye?

Si vous n’avez de moy mercy, Je languiray toute ma vie.

Vostre beaulté m’arresté pour son servant.

De tres bon coeur son serviteur me vois nommant.

Shall I always be anxious for you, my loyal friend?

If you do not have mercy on me, I shall languish all my days.

Your beauty enslaves me, I willingly see myself its servant.

Je l’ay aymée at l’aymeray Pour le grant bien qui est en elle, Et jamais ne l’obliray Par quelque chose que ce soit, Car son maintien et entretien, est si plaisant, Que langoreulx seroit joyeulx, incontinent.

I have loved and will love her for the great goodness in her, and I shall never forget her, not by any means.

Her bearing and company delight, curing my langour instantly.

Ung jour luy dis tout doulcement S’elle vouloit estre m’amye: Elle m’a dit tout en riant: Il vous vauldra je vous assie, Mais discret, saige et secret, soyez tousjours, Vous parviendrez, et joyrez, de voz amours.

One day I asked her gently if she would be my love.

Laughing, she said: ‘You deserve my goodwill; only be discreet, wise & secret, and you’ll enjoy your love.

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The guitar in Renaissance France 17 JOYSSANCE VOUS DONNERAY

Joyssance vous donneray Mon amy, et vous meneray La ou pretend vostre esperance.

Vivante ne vous laisseray, Encore quant morte seray, L’esprit en aura souvenance

I will give you joy my love, and will lead you to the place of your hopes.

While I live I shall not leave you; even in death my spirit will remember.

Si pour moy avez de soucy, Pour vous n’en ay pas moins aussi.

Amour le vous doit faire entendre.

Mais s’il vous greve d’estre ainsi, Appaisez vostre cueur transy; Tout vient a point qui peult attendre.

If for me you feel concern, mine for you is no less troubling.

Love itself should tell you so.

But if it pains you to be thus, calm your wounded heart; all things come to those who wait.

[Response] De vostre mort mary seray, Usant ma vie en desplaisanche; Souvent je vous regreteray, Gros duel pour vous je porteray; Autre que vous je n’aimeray, Aiant de vous la souvenanche.

I will be stricken by your death, living my life out in misery.

Often will I miss you, deeply will I mourn you and, filled with your memory, I will love no-one but you.

The Renaissance four-course guitar first capable of cutting through lower pitched appeared in Spain, but its most significant and instruments and voices. When accompanying a idiomatic music is French. The earliest printed singer, it sounds higher than the voice. source for the Spanish guitarra is Alonso Mudarra’s tres libros de musica en cifras para Morlaye’s dance music highlights the vihuela (1546). Like his contemporary Miguel ‘variations on a ground’ ubiquitous in de Fuenllana, Mudarra printed guitar and seventeenth-century sources. The Buffons is vihuela1 music together, treating them in a based on the passamezzo moderno (here with similar contrapuntal style. French publishers an opening improvisation). Conte clare uses soon caught on, spying the potential for their the Spanish ground Conde Claros favoured domestic market. The partnership of Granjon and by the vihuelists. The Padvane employs the Fezandat, under a privilege granted by Henri II, passamezzo antico but is through-composed. published the first collection entirely devoted to The Branle and Galliard demonstrate the the guitar. This was the two Livres en tablulature strumming potential of the guitar,4 while my de guiterne by Guillaume Morlaye (1550 foot taps reflect the contagious rhythms! Au -51), which survive in later editions (1551-53) temps heureux is one of many intabulations alongside a book by Simon Gorlier and a third by of chansons, this one by Arcadelt. Morlaye Morlaye.2 Morlaye is first recorded as a merchant captures the essence of the four-part original profiting from the African slave trade, then as a on the limited tessitura of the guitar. lutenist with ties to the art world.This recording presents a cross section of his work, illustrating The remaining pieces are by Adrian le Roy the guitar’s unique voice, identity and lineage, whose business acumen matched his abilities quite distinct from the lute and its relations. as composer, arranger and performer. All come from his Livres de guiterre (1551-55).5 The Renaissance guitar is smaller than the The improvisatory Prelude foreshadows the baroque or classical instrument. Its four open unmeasured preludes of the Baroque, which courses3 correspond to the top four strings of became the essence of French music. It is the modern guitar stopped at the fifth fret. The paired here with a Fantasie showing Le Roy’s high pitch of the instrument gives it a sound contrapuntal skill, effortlessly finding full

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Fires of Love Frances Cooper soprano and percussion expression within the instrument’s compass.

Marcus Claridge percussion The Branle simple demonstrates French Gordon Ferries lute, 4-course guitar ornamentation and improvisation in Le Roy’s and percussion use of the diminuée (decoration by subdivision), Jonathan Hugh-Jones baritone, recorders and lute and Le Roy gives guidance on right hand fingering and the use of thumb and index Fires of Love was formed in 1998 with the aim alternation, a link with lute technique. of performing renaissance and early baroque chamber music in a fresh, innovative and The introduction of the guitar in France accessible style, bringing lesser-known gems corresponds with the reign of Henri II, while royal patronage reached its apogee under Louis of early music to a wider audience. Their first XIV. From these early aristocratic days until the performance as a quartet at Rosslyn chapel was present, the guitar has had sexual connotations, described in The Scotsman as ‘A rich mosaic of music; all human life and emotion is here’. a tool of seduction for some, a threat to morality for others. As Ronsard says: Based in Edinburgh, the group performs at venues My guitar I sing to thee; and festivals across the British Isles delighting ‘Tis with thee that I decoy audiences with spirited and intimate renditions of And ensnare enchantingly music from sixteenth and seventeenth century The ladies I enjoy.

Europe. The group’s repertoire centres on accompanied song and instrumental music played © 2008 Gordon J S Ferries on lutes, guitars and woodwind, with the addition [1] The vihuela was a guitar shaped instrument closely related to of improvised percussion to bring out the spirited the lute, which flourished in Spain during the second half of the dance rhythms of the time. sixteenth-century.

[2] Facsimile published by Editions Chanterelle.

[3] Courses were double strings tuned in unison or in octaves.

The top course was often a single string.

[4] This incipient style was to become a well documented source of annoyance to certain serious minded observers who mourned the learned style of the vihuela.

[5] See note 2 above.

The group’s second CD with Delphian – featuring many world premiere recordings – marks Fires of Love’s tenth anniversary. www.firesoflove.co.uk

15 QUI PRESTERA LA PAROLE

Qui prestera la parole A la douleur qui m’assole?

Qui donnera les accens A la plainte qui me guide Et qui laschera la bride A la fureur que je sens?

Who will lend me words for the grief that assails me?

Who can express the despair that leads me on?

And who will give rein to the madness that I feel?

Qui baillera double force A mon ame qui s’efforce De soupirer ses douleurs?

Et qui fera sur ma face D’une larmoyante trace Couler deux ruisseaux de pleurs?

Who will supply the strength to my soul that it may sigh for these griefs?

And who, on my face, will enable the traces of my misery to flow as two streams of tears?

Vous, a qui ces dus allarmes Arracheront quelques larmes, Soyés joyeux en tout temps, Ayés le ciel favourable, Et plus que moy, miserable, Vivés heureux, & contents.

You, from whom these alarms will pluck tears, be always joyful.

May Heaven favour you, and, more than unhappy me, live happy and content.

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Texts and translations 1 PUIS QUE VIVRE

Et bien qu’il fût durable Qu’en sera le propos Plus ou moins agréable Á ma cendre et mes os?

Et m’en sera rendue Ma céleste moitié, Nenni trop tard venue Sera cette pitié.

Even if it should last, what would be the benefit, pleasing or otherwise, to my ashes and bones?

Would my celestial part be returned to me?

No! Too late would that pity be.

13 CESSEZ MES YEULX

Cessez mes yeulx de tant vous tormenter Puisqu’en vos pleurs n’y a point d’allegeance, Et vous mon cuer cesses de souspirer Et desormais prenez en pacience.

Ce mal est tel que je n’y sçay science Fors seullement qu’il ne peult enpirer.

C’est desconfort, c’est ma desesperance Qui me fera longuement martirer.

Eyes, cease to torment yourselves for your tears betray you.

And, my heart, cease sighing; rather, learn patience.

This evil is beyond my comprehending except to see that it can’t get worse..

It is misery, and it is the loss of all hope that make for my prolonged martyrdom.

14 FORTUNE, LAISSE MOY

Fortune, laisse moy la vie, Puis que tu m’as osté les biens.

Mets doncques fin à ton envie; Je te desclaire qu’ils sont tiens.

Helas, je croy, tu as envie Sur m’amye, et aussi sur moy.

Helas, Cupido, prens esmoy Et nous secours, je t’en prie.

Fortune, leave me my life, now that you have taken my wealth.

Now, cease your envy; I declare, everything is yours.

Alas, I think you are envious of my love and me.

Have pity, Cupid, and help us, I beg you.

Puisque vivre en servitude Je devais triste et dolent, Bien heureux je me répute D’être en lieu si excellent Mon mal est bien violent Mais amour l’ordonne ainsi.

Veuillez en avoir merci.

Since once I lived in slavery growing sad and resentful, I think myself most fortunate to be in so fine a spot.

My pain is terrible but love wills it so.

Have mercy, please!

Autre bien [je] ne veux prétende Pours mes plaintes et clameurs Sinon que [vous] veuillez entendre Que c’est pour vous que je meurs: Dans mes yeux n’a plus des pleurs Et mon coeur est jà transi.

Veuillez…

I expect no other reward for my laments and cries, than to have you know it is for you that I die.

In my eyes are no more tears and my heart is run through.

Ce vous est peu de conquête D’aller ma fin poursuivant, Bien vous serait plus honnête Sauver le votre servant Un qui pourrait, en vivant Votre nom rendre éclairci.

Veuillez…

For you it would be a small conquest to bring about my end.

It would be more honorable to spare your servant.

One who, in living, could bring glory to your name.

CTP Template: CD_DPS1 Compact Disc Booklet:

COLOURS CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Customer : Tintoy Catalogue No. : DCD34063 Job Title : Fires Of Love

Pages (10, 15)

3 LAISSEZ LA VERTE

11 L’ENNUY QUE ME TORMENTE

Laissez la verte couleur Ô Princesse Cythérée, Et de nouvelle douleur Votre beauté soit parée.

Leave off your green shade, O Citherean princess, and with another shadow let your beauty be arrayed.

Pleurez le fils de Myrrha Et sa dure destinée.

Votre oeil plus ne verra Car sa vie est terminé.

Grieve for Myrrha’s son and his hard fate.

You will never see him more for his life is ended.

L’ennuy que me tormente Est tel que sans secours Espoir n’ai ni attente De prolonger mes jours, Et si je n’ai confiance D’avoir aucun confort Toute mon ésperance Gît en la seule morte.

The grief which torments me is such that, without help, I can neither hope nor expect to prolong my days.

And if I cannot count on any solace, all my hope must lie in death.

Vénus à la nouvelle Remplit toute la vallée D’une complainte mortelle, Et au lieu s’en est allée,

Venus at the news filled all the valley with a grievous cry and hurried to the place

Où le gentil Adonis Étendu sur la rosée, Avait ses beaux yeux ternis, Et de sang l’herbe arosée.

where the gentle Adonis stretched out on the dew, his lovely eyes fading and the grass bloodied.

Mort, des autres fuie, Attendue de moi, Venez rendre finie[s] Ma peine et mon émoi: Plus propre à la vengeance d’une grande cruauté Vous serais recompense De foi et loyauté.

Death, by others shunned, awaited by me, come, put an end to my pain and my distress: more fitting to vengeance for some great cruelty, you will be the reward of faith and loyalty.

Dessous une verte branche Auprès de lui [elle] se couchée, Et de sa belle main blanche Sa plaie lui a touchée.

Beneath a green branch, beside him she lay, and with her fair white hand touched his hurt.

Ô nouvelle cruauté De voir en pleurs si baignée La déesse de beauté d‘ami mort accompagnée!

O, new cruelty, to see bathed in tears the goddess of beauty with her dead lover,

Alors par aventure Émus de mes malheurs, Dessus ma sépulture [Ils] Répandront quelques pleurs, Et ma fosse arrosée De leurs larmes sera, Mais plus tôt que rosée Ce deuil se passera.

Then, perhaps, moved by my griefs, over my tomb they will weep, and my grave shall be bathed in their tears.

But sooner than the dew, this grief shall pass.

CTP Template: CD_DPS1 Compact Disc Booklet:

COLOURS CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Customer : Tintoy Catalogue No. : DCD34063 Job Title : Fires Of Love

Pages (14, 11)

9 J’ATENS SECOURS

J’atens secours de ma seule pensée, J’atens le jour que l’on m’escondira, Ou que du tout la belle m’y dira: “Amy, t’amour sera recompensé.”

I await relief from my one thought, I await the day that I shall be taken to where that beauty will say to me: ‘Friend, your love shall be rewarded.’

Mais l’un sa plaie ne sent, personne y’a trépasée Et l’autre a le mal recent De sa douleur amassée.

but while one felt no wound, having passed away, the other with the pain of new grief was overwhelmed.

Mon alliance est fort bien commencée, Mais je sçay comment il en ira, Car s’elle veult, ma vie perira, Quoy qu’en amour s’attend d’estre avancée.

My attachment has begun well But I know how it will go.

For, should she wish, my life will end, though it looks to advance in love.

Et ne fût le sang qui sort, De la partie entamée, Elle penserait qu’il dort, Á sa grâce tant aimée.

And were it not for the blood gushing from his wound, She’d have thought he was asleep in his beloved gracefulness.

Si j’ay refuz, vienne Mort insensée; A son plaisir de mon cueur jouyra; Si j’ay mercy, adonc s’esjouyra Celui qui point n’a sa Dame offensée.

If I’m rejected, come, Death unfeeling.

My heart shall rejoice in her pleasure.

If I’m spared, then shall rejoice one who has given his lady no offence.

Autant de sang qu’il épand Dessus l’herbe colorée, Autant de larmes répand La pauvre amante éplorée.

Just as the blood spread a stain across the grass, just so spread the tears of the grief stricken lover.

Le sang rougit mainte fleur Qui blanche était autour née, Et mainte est de large pleur, En couleur blanche tournée.

The blood reddened many white flowers nearby while others were again whitened by the weeping.

Ce teint leur demeurera, Pour enseigne de durée, Tant que le monde sera De leur grande peine endurée.

These tints shall remain as a lasting lesson, as long as the world endures, of their great suffering.

CTP Template: CD_DPS1 Compact Disc Booklet: Customer : Tintoy Catalogue No. : DCD34063 Job Title : Fires Of Love

COLOURS CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Pages (12, 13)

5 UNE JEUNE FILLETTE

Une jeune fillette de noble coeur, Plaisante et joliette de grand valeur, Outre son gré on l’a rendu nonette, Cela point ne luy haicte dont vit en grand douleur.

A young girl of noble heart agreeable, pretty and worthy, against her will was made a nun, and thus it was that she lived in sadness

Un soir apres complie seulette estoit, One evening after compline En grand melancolie se tourmentoit, very lonely and melancholy Disant ainsi: douce vierge Marie, she began: Sweet Virgin Mary, Abregez moy la vie, puis que mourir je doy. cut short my life, for I must die.

Mon pauvre coeur souspire incessement, My poor heart sighs incessantly Aussi ma mort desire journellement. and I daily desire death.

Qu’a mes parens ne puis mander d’escrire, I cannot write to my parents, Ma beauté fort empire, je viz en grand tourment. my beauty fades; I live in torment.

A Dieu vous dy les filles de mon pays, Puis qu’en c’est Abbaye me faut mourir, En attendant de mon Dieu la sentence, Je vy en esperance d’avoir reconfort.

Farewell, girls of my country, for in this abbey I must die.

Awaiting my sentence from God, I have some hope of comfort.

7 OYEZ TOUS AMOUREUX

Oyez tous amoureux Par amour je vous prie, La peine et la douleur qu’on a pour une amie.

Au sort, au sort Je ne suis pas tout seul qui vit en peine et en langeur.

All you lovers, hear (in the name of Love, I beg you) of the pain and grief that one bears for a lover.

O fate, I am not the only one living in such pain and dejection.