Robbins Library Digital Projects > TEAMS Middle English Texts > Poems > 31. Balade: «Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement»

31. Balade: «Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement»

GRANSON, 31. BALADE: «VOUS VUEIL SERVIR TRESAMOUREUSEMENT»: TEXTUAL NOTES


Abbreviations: A: Lausanne, Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire, MS 350; B: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 1727; C: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 1131; D: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 24440; E: Barcelona, Biblioteca de Catalunya, MS 8, Catalan, 1420–30; F: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, fr. 2201; G: London, Westminster Abbey Library, MS 21; H: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 833, c. 1500; J: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 1952; K: Lausanne, Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire, IS 4254; L: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Rothschild MS I.I.9; M: Carpentras, Bibliothèque Inguimbertine, MS fr. 390; N: Brussels, Bibliothèque royale Albert 1er, MS 10961–10970, c. 1465; O: Karlsruhe, Badische Landesbibliothek, MS 410, c. 1430; P: Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Van Pelt Library, MS Codex 902 (formerly Fr. MS 15), 1395–1400; Q: Berne, Burgerbibliothek da la Bourgeoisie, MS 473, 1400–40; R: Turin, Archivio di Stato, MS J. b. IX. 10; S: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, fr. 24404, 13th century (16th century addition); T: Besançon, Bibliothèque Municipale, MS 556, 1826; V: Carpentras, Bibliothèque Inguimbertine, MS 411; W: Brussels, Bibliothèque royale Albert 1er, MS IV 541, 1564–81; Y: Turin, Biblioteca Nazionale e Universitaria, MS L.II.12.

For each poem, we provide the following:

Other editions: The location of the poem in the editions of Grenier-Winther (GW) and Piaget.

Base MS: The manuscript from which our text is taken, using the sigla listed on this page.

Other copies: The other manuscripts in which the poem appears, with the line numbers for excerpts.

Selected variants: Most of the notes record the editors’ emendations. A small number (for instance, regarding the titles) record alternative readings when we did not emend the base text. We do not, however, provide a complete list of variants, for which one may consult Grenier-Winther’s edition. Each note consists of a line number, a lemma (the reading from our text), the manuscript source for the reading that we have chosen, selected readings from other manuscripts; and the reading from the base manuscript when it was rejected. If no manuscript source is listed following the lemma, the adopted reading is the editors’ conjecture.

Other comments on the text, as required.

GW67, Piaget p. 360.
Base MS A. No other copies.

 






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 		 31. Balade: «Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement»

D’amoureux mal suis doulcement apris
De vous, dame, que Dieu gart de dommaige.
Par vo regart m’avez doulcement pris.
A vous me rens, sy vous vueil faire hommaige.
D’umble vouloir me met en vo servaige.
Recevez moy, Belle, courtoysement,
Car, par ma foy, de vray et bon couraige
Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement.

D’amer servir dame de sy hault pris,
Com vous estez, bonne, plaisant et saige,
Je ne seroye de personne repris
Qui maintiengne de bien amer l’usaige,
Car en vous maint et prent son hostellage
Honneur, Valour, Humble Contenenment.
Pour ce, de cuer enterin non volage,
Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement.

Or vueille Amours, dont je suis entrepris,
Qui lez griefz maulx amoureux assouage,
Heur me donner d’estre sy bien apris
Que je fasse vo plaisir sans folage,
Et qu’envers moy vous ne soyez sauvage,
Sy que l’amour de vous begninement
Puisse acquerir, car le cours de mon aage
Vous vueil servir tresamoureusement.
 		 31. Ballade: “I wish to serve you very lovingly”

I am taught sweetly about the pains of love
By you, lady, whom God protect from harm.
By your look you have gently captured me.
I surrender to you, and I want to pay you homage.
With humble will I place myself in your service.
Accept me, beautiful lady, courteously,
For by my faith, with a true, good heart,
I wish to serve you very lovingly.

For loving to serve a lady of such great worth
As you are, good, charming, and wise,
I would not be blamed by anyone
Who upholds the custom of loving well,
For in you dwell and take their lodging
Honor, Worth, Humble Behavior.
Therefore, with my whole and constant heart,
I wish to serve you very lovingly.

Now may Love, by whom I am overtaken,
Who relieves the grievous pains of love,
Give me the good fortune to be so well taught
That I do your pleasure without folly,
And that you not be hostile towards me,
So that I might obtain your love
Benevolently, since for the rest of my life
I wish to serve you very lovingly.
 



























 


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