RS 1575
Gautier de Dargies
I Se j’ai esté lonc tanz hors du païz u je laissai la rienz que pluz amoie, de maint ennui ai puis esté servis 4 et eschapez de perilleuse voie; si vueill dire chose dont on me croie: g’i ai esté dolans et esbahiz et tout ades et sanz gieu et sanz ris; 8 et, Dieu merci, et dont me venist joie, quant je ma douce amie n’i veoie?
II Tous jours li ai esté loiauz amis et serai maiz en quel leu que je soie, 12si ferai ce que je ai entrepris de ceste amour qui si fort me maistroie; or seroie folx, se je m’en partoie; touz jours li ai esté a son devis 16et serai maiz tant com je serai vis, et par raison, se je or li failloie, quant que j’ai fait por li perdre devroie.
III Ja nus services ne sera peris 20a fin amant qui en douz lieu l’emploie, maiz li miens est en aventure mis, quar tant redout cele qu’amer soloie, la grant, la gente, la belle, la bloie, 24mameletes dures en mi le pis, gorge blanche pluz que n’est nois ne lis, ce n’i faut pas ele est et simple et coie, maiz ele a cuer felon qui trop m’esfroie.
IV 28Je me plaig mout del debonere vis, du biau samblant que trouver i soloie, qu’ele me fist tant qu’ele m’ot bien pris; par trahison qui treble et multeploie 32m’a fait chose que dire n’oseraie; quant m’esguardoit, si me faisait un ris: lors me sambloit que fusse en paradiz; quant mieuz la serf, voir et pluz me desvoie 36du guerredon que avoir en devoie.
V Je sai de voir que g’i ai anemis, faus et felons – mout dout qu’el ne les croie –, qui par mentir se sunt si avant mis 40qu’il m’eslongent de ce qu’avoir voudroie: u je di voir u la lëaus foloie.
I If I have been away for a long time from the land where I left the creature I loved the most, I have been presented with many troubles and escaped from a perillous path; but I do want to say something that people may believe: I have been sad and fearful and constantly without pleasure or laughter; and, God have mercy, where might joy come to me when I cannot see my sweet love in it?
II I have always been a faithful lover to her and will be evermore so wherever I may be, and shall do what I have undertaken concerning this love which so strongly masters me; I should be mad if I abandoned it/her now; always I have been at her disposal and shall ever be so as long as I am alive, and rightfully, if I now failed her, I ought to lose [the benefit of] whatever I have done.
III No service will ever be wasted for a true lover who directs it to a sweet place, but mine is in the lap of fortune, for I am so afraid of the one I have been used to loving: tall, graceful, lovely, blond, her breasts high and firm, her throat whiter than snow or lily; she never fails to be affable and discreet, but she has a treacherous heart which fills me with trepidation.
IV I much lament when I think of the noble face, the fair expression I used to find in her, for she behaved towards me in such a way as to capture me entirely; [but] through triple and manifold treachery she did something of which I would not dare to speak: when she looked on me, she smiled, and then I seemed to be in heaven. The more I serve her, truly, the more I veer away from the reward I ought to have.
V I know in truth that I have enemies, false and treacherous – I greatly fear she believes them –, who by lying have so pressed themselves forward that they distance me from what I should like to have: either I am telling the truth or the faithful lady is committing folly.
Historical context and dating
Gautier was a contemporary of Gace Brulé, with whom he appears to have had strong ties of friendship, and whom he regarded as his poetic master and model (see Raugei, pp. 30-33). He lived between c. 1170-1175 and 1236.