Note 440 — Chapter VI · RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE (Continued)
George Herbert Ely translation
Dueil, jalousie, Puis frénésie, Puis souspessons, Mélancolie, Tours de follie, Regretz, tensons, Pleurs et chansons, Sont les façons D’amoureuse chevalerie. Mieulx vauldroit servir les massons Que d’avoir au cœur telz glassons.
[Jealous care, Rage, despair, Then suspicions, Melancholy, Freaks of folly, Regrets, quarrels, Tears and carols, These conditions Do our love-lorn knighthood bear. Better to fill a hodman’s part Than have such icicles chilling the heart.]
That is how the good prior of Liré, Guillaume Alexis, expresses himself as he rides with a nobleman along the road from Rome to Verneuil. (Le grant Blason des faulces amours.) He continues in the same vigorous and cutting style. What, replies his companion, disagreeably surprised, you ask them only to work
Et de nul plaisir n’avez cure! Tous pageaulx Sont-ils égaulx?... ... Quant on est jeune, Force est qu’on tienne Le train des autres jouvenceaulx.
[And never to have a pleasure in life! Varlets in hall, Are they equal all? When one is young One needs must along With other younkers rolling the ball.]
Nature speaks; Gawain, Arthur, Lancelot
Qui ne craignoyent ne froit ne chault ... Toujours estoyent amoureux. Nous aymerons Et chanterons En noz jouvences: Quant vieulx serons, Nous penserons Des consciences, Menues offenses, Et négligences. Quelque jour récompenseront Force pardons, prou indulgences.
[Who feared nor heat nor cold a whit, Were ever in love. Blithe and gay With love and lay Youth we will speed: When old and gray ’Twill be time to pray, Conscience to heed, Follies to shun, To rue good undone. And some day indulgences, pardons galore, Will help pay the piper and settle the score.]
The monk replies with a long discourse, flagellating the vices of women and resulting disasters.