Reading the Roman de la rose in Text and Image

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Excerpt 5 : Speech by the Jealous Husband¹

Folio 71va
N'encor n'avoit fet roi ne prince Meffez qui l'autrui tost et pince. Trestuit pareill estre soloient, 4 Ne rien propre avoir ne voloient. Bien savoient cele parole Qui n'est mencongiere ne fole, Qu'onques amor et seigneurie 8 Ne s'entrefirent compaignie Ne ne demorerent ensemble: Cil qui mestroie les dessemble.	No king or prince had yet committed any crime whereby he was robbing and seizing from another. All were accustomed to being equal, and no one wanted any possessions of his own. They knew this well, which is neither lying nor foolish, that love and lordship never kept each other company nor dwelt together. The one that dominates drives them apart.

Por ce voit l'en² des mariages 12 Dont li mariz cuide estre sages: Et chastie³ sa fame et bat Et la fet vivre en tel debat Qu'il li dit qu'el est nice et fole 16 Dont tant demore a la quarole Et dont el hante si sovent Des jolis vallez le covent, Que bone amour n'i peut durer, 20 Tant s'entrefont maus endurer Quant cil veut la mentrise avoir Du cors sa fame et de l'avoir:⁴	For this one sees in marriages where the husband considers himself wise and scolds his wife, beats her, and makes her live a life of strife when he tells her that she is stupid and foolish for staying out dancing and keeping company so often with handsome young men. Thus, good love cannot last, as they cause each other pain. When he wants to have control over his wife's body and possess her, he says:

'Trop cestes,'⁵ fet il, 'vilotiere, 24 Si ravez trop nice maniere.	'You go too far, whore, and your behavior is too stupid.
Folio 71vb
Quant suit en mon labor alez, Tantost espinguez et balez Et demenez tel resbaudie 28 Que ce semble grant⁶ ribaudie, Et chantez comme une sereine. Dex vous mete en male semeine! Et quant vois a Rome ou en Frise 32 Porter nostre marchaandise, Vous devenez tantost si cointe⁷ Car ie sai bien qui m'en acointe Que partout en vet la parole. 36 Et quant aucuns vous apparole Por quoi si cointe vos tenez En touz les leus ou vous venez Vous responez 'Hari! hari! 40 C'est pour l'amor de mon mari!' Pour moi! Las! dolereus chetis! Qui set se ie forge ou ie tis Ou se ie sui ou morz ou vis? 44 L'en me devroit flatir ou vis Une vesie de mouton! Certes ie ne vaill ·i· bouton Quant autrement ne vous chasti. 48 Moult m'avez or grant⁸ los basti Quant de tel chose vous vantez: Chascuns set bien que vous mantez! Pour moi! Las, doulereus! Pour moi! 52 Maus granz de mes mains enformoi Et cruieusement me deçui Quant onques vostre foi reçui	As soon as I go to my work, you go off dancing and hopping and lead such ribaldry that it seems very great, and you sing like a siren. May God bring you misfortune! And when I go off to Rome or Friesland with our merchandise, then immediately you become very coquettish - for word of your conduct goes around everywhere, and I know through one who tells me of it - and when anyone speaks about the reason that you conduct yourself so demurely in all the places you go, you reply, 'Alas! Alas! It is out of love for my husband.' For me, sorrowful wretch that I am? Who knows whether I forge or weave, whether I am dead or alive? I should have a sheep's bladder shoved in my face. Certainly I am not worth one button if I don't scold you. You have created a great reputation for me when you boast of such a thing. Everyone knows very well that you lie. For me, sorrowful wretch! For me! I formed evil gauntlets with my own hands and deceived myself cruelly when I obtained your faith on the day of our marriage.
Folio 72ra
Le ior de nostre mariage. 56 Pour moi menez tel rigolage? Pour moi menez vous tel bobant? Qui cuidez vous aler lobant? Ja n'ai ie pas lors le poair 60 De ces cointeries voair, Qui⁹ cil ribaut saffre et friant, Qui ces puteins vont espiant,¹⁰ Ontor vous remirent et voient, 64 Quant par ces rues vous convoient. A cui parez vous ces chastaignes? Qui me peut fere plus d'engaignes? Vous fetes de moi chape a pluie! 68 Quant orendroit lez vous m'apuie, Je voi que vous estes plus simple En cet sercot, en cele guimple, Que turterele ne coulons: 72 Ne vous¹¹ s'il est corz ou lons Quant sui touz seus lez vous plaisanz.¹² Qui me donroit ·iiij· besanz, Conbien que debonere saie, 76 Se pour honte ne le laissaie, Ne me tendroie de vous batre Pour vostre grant orguell abatre. Si sachiez qu'il ne me plest mie 80 Qu'il ait seur vous nule cointie Soit a quarole soit a dance, Fors seulement a ma presance. D'autre part, nou puis plus celer, 84 Entre vous et ce bacheler	For me you lead this riot! For me you lead this life of luxury! Who do you think you go around fooling? I never have the possibility of seeing these quaint little games, when these libertines, who go around spying out whores, greedy for pleasure and hot with desire, gaze and look upon you from top to bottom when they accompany you through the streets. For whom are you peeling these chestnuts? Who can trick me more than you? You make a rain-cape out of me! When now I accompany you by your side, I see that, in this coat and that wimple, you seem simpler than a turtledove or dove. It doesn't matter¹³ to you if it is short or long when I am all alone by your side entertaining you. No matter how good-tempered I am, I would not hold back, if someone gave me four bezants or if I did not refuse them out of shame, beating you in order to subdue your great pride. Understand that it does not please me that you adorn yourself with coquetry for a carol or dance, except in my presence only. Furthermore, I can hide it no longer: do you have any lands to divide up between you and this young squire,
Folio 72rb
Robichonet, au vert chapel, Qui si tost vient a vostre apel, Avez vous terres a partir? 88 Vous ne poez de lui partir: Touriorz ensemble flaiolez! Ne sai que vous entrevolez, Que vous poez vous entredire! 92 Tout vis m'esteut enragier dire¹⁴ Par vostre fol contenement. Par icelui dieu qui ne ment, Se vous iames parlez a li, 96 Vous en avrez le vis pali, Voire certes plus noir que meure, Car des cops, se dex me sequeure, Ainz que ne vous ost le¹⁵ musage, 100 Tant vous donre par ce visage¹⁶ Qui tant est as musarz plesanz, Que vous tendroiz coie et tesanz! Ne iames hors sanz moi n'irez, 104 Mes a l'ostel me servirez, An bons aneaus de fer rivée. Deable vous font si privée De cel ribauz pleins de losange 108 Dont vous deüssiez estre estrange. Ne vous pris ie pour moi¹⁷ servir? Cuidez vous m'amor deservir Pour acointier cel orz ribauz 112 Pour ce qu'il ont les queur si bauz Et qu'il vous vous¹⁸ retreuvent si baude? Vous estes mauvese ribaude!	Robichonnet with the green hat, who rushes to you when you call? You cannot leave him alone; you are always joking together. I don't know what you want of each other nor why you always talk to one another. Your silly conduct makes me mad with anger. By our God who doesn't lie, if you ever speak to him, your face will grow pale, in fact more livid than mulberry; for, God help me, before I take this life of dissipation away from you, I will give you blows to that face that is so pleasing to the libertines, and you will then stay meek and silent. You will never go out without me, but will serve me in the house, held in good iron rings. The devils make you very intimate with those ribalds, full of flatteries, toward whom you ought to be distant. Didn't I take you to serve me? Do you think that you deserve my love in order to consort with these dirty ribalds because they have such gay hearts and find you so gay in turn? You are a wicked ribald,
Folio 72va
Si ne me puis en vous fier; 116 Maufe me firent marier! Ha! se Theofrasteus creüsse, Ja fame espousee n'eüsse: Il ne tient pas moult¹⁹ home pour sage 120 Qui fame prent par²⁰ mariage, Soit bele ou lede,²¹ ou povre ou riche, Car il dit et pour voir la fiche²² En son noble livre Aureole 124 Qui bien fet a lire en escole, Qu'il y a vie trop grevaine, Pleine de travaill et de paine Et de contens et de riotes 128 Par les orgueuz des fames sotes, Et de dangiers et de reproches Qu'el font et dient par leur boches, Et de requestes et de plaintes 132 Qu'el treuvent par achesons maintes. Si ra grant paine en eus garder, Pour leur fous volairs retarder. Et qui veult povre fame prendre, 136 A nourir la l'esteut entendre Et a vestir et a chaucier. Et s'il tant se cuide essaucier Qu'il la preigne riche forment, 140 Au soffrir l'ara grant torment,²³ Tant la trouve orgueilleuse et fiere Et seurquidée et bobanciere. S'el rest²⁴ bele, tuit y aqueurent, 144 Tuit la porsuivent, tuit l'anneurent,	and I can have no confidence in you. Demons made me marry. Ah! If I had believed Theophrastus, I would never have married a wife. He does not consider many a man wise who takes a wife in marriage, whether she is beautiful or ugly, poor or rich, for he says, and affirms it as true in his noble book, Aureolus (a good one to study in school), that married life is very disagreeable, full of toil and trouble, of quarrels and fights that result from the pride of foolish women, full, too, of their opposition and the reproaches that they make and utter with their mouths, full of demands and complaints that they find on many occasions. One has great trouble keeping them in line and restraining their foolish desires. And he who wants to take a poor wife must undertake to feed and clothe her and put shoes on her feet. And if he thinks that he can improve his situation by taking a very rich wife, he will have great torment enduring her, that is how proud and haughty, and overweening and arrogant he will find her. If she is beautiful, everybody will run after her, pursue her.
Folio 72vb
Tant²⁵ i hurtent,²⁶ tuit i travaillent, Tuit i luitent,²⁷ tuit i bataillent Tuit a li servir s'estudient, 148 Tuit li vont entor,²⁸ tuit la prient, Tuit i musent, tuit la couvoitent; Si l'ont en la fin, tant esploitent, Car tour de toutes parz assise, 152 Enviz eschape d'estre prise. S'el rest²⁹ lede, el veult a touz plere; Et comment porroit nus ce fere Qu'il gart chose que tuit guerroient 156 Ou qui veult touz ceus qui la voient? S'il prent a tout le monde guerre, Il n'a poair de vivre en terre. Nus nes garderoit d'estre prises, 160 Pour tant qu'il fussent bien requises. Penelope neïs prendroit Qui bien a lui prendre entendroit; Si n'ot il meilleur fame en Grece. 164 Si feroit il,³⁰ par foi, Lucrece, Ja soit ce qu'el se soit occise Pour ce qu'afforce l'avoit prise Li filz au roi Tarquinius. 168 N'onc, ce dist Tytus Livius, Mariz ne peres ne paranz Ne li porent estre garanz Pour pene que nus i meïst, 172 Que devant eus ne s'oceïst. Du deul lessier moult la requistrent, Moult de beles resons li distrent.	They will beat each other, struggle, fight and battle and will exert themselves to serve her. All will surround her, beg her, linger, covet her, and carry on until in the end they take advantage of her, for a tower besieged on all sides can hardly escape being taken. If she is ugly, she wants to please everybody. And how could one possibly guard a creature that either everyone besieges or who wants all those who see her? If he takes up war against the whole world, he cannot live on earth. No one would keep them from being taken, as long as they were well-solicited. Even Penelope could be taken by a man who knew well how to do it; and there was no better woman in Greece. In faith, he would do the same with Lucretia, even though she killed herself because King Tarquin's son took her by force. According to Titus Livius, no husband or father or relative could prevent her, in spite of all the trouble that they undertook, from killing herself in front of them. They urged her strongly to let go of her sorrow; they gave her many beautiful reasons.
Folio 73ra
Et ses mariz meesmement 176 La confortoit piteusement Et de bon queur li pardonoit Tout le fet, et li sarmonoit Et s'estudioit a trouver 180 Vives resons a lui pruver Que ses cors n'avoit pas pechié Quant li queurs ne volt le pechié Car cors ne peut estre pechierres 184 Se li queurs n'en est consentierres; Mes ele qui son duel menoit, ·i· coustel en son sain tenoit Repoust, que nus ne le veïst 188 Quant pour soi ferir le preïst; Si leur respondi sanz vergoigne: Biau seigneur, qu'an³¹ me pardoingne, L'ort pechié don si fort me poise, 192 Ne comment que du pardon voise, Je ne m'en pardoing pas la peine; Lors fiert, de grant angoisse pleine, Son queur, et le fant si se porte³² 196 Devant eus a la terre, morte. Mes ainz pria qu'il travaillassent Tant pour lui, que sa mort venchassent. Cest example voust procurer 200 Pour les fames asseürer Que nus par force nes eüst³³ Qui de mort mort morir ne deüst;³⁴ Don li rois et ses filz en furent 204 Mis en essill et la morurent,	And her husband particularly comforted her with compassion and pardoned her with a good heart for the entire deed, and lectured her and exerted himself to find exemplary arguments to prove to her that her body had not sinned when her heart did not wish the sin, for the body cannot be a sinner if the heart does not consent to the act. But she, in her sorrow, held a knife hidden in her breast, so that no one might see it when she took it to strike herself. And she answered them without shame: 'Fair lords, that one may pardon me for the filthy sin that weighs on me so heavily, regardless of this pardon, I do not accept penance for it.' Then, full of great anguish, she struck her heart and fell to the ground dead, in front of them. But first she begged them to labor to avenge her death. She wanted to establish this example in order to assure women that any man who took them by force would have to die. As a result, the king and his son were sent into exile and died there.
Folio 73rb
N'onc puis roumain par³⁵ ce deroi Ne voudrent fere a Rome roi. Si n'est il mes nule Lucrece, 208 Ne Penelope nule en Grece Ne preude fame nule en terre,³⁶ Se l'en les savoit bien requerre.³⁷ N'onc fame ne se deffandi 212 Qui bien a lui prandre antandi: Ainsit le dient li paien N'onques nus n'i trova maien. Maintes neïs par eus se baillent. 216 Quant le requerreurs deffaillent.³⁸ Et cil qui font le mariage,³⁹ Si ront trop perilleus⁴⁰ usage Et coustume si despareille, 220 Quel⁴¹ me vient a grant merveille. Ne sai don vient ceste folie, Fors de rage et de desverie. Je voi que qui cheval achete 224 N'iert il⁴² ia si fols que riens i mete, Comment que l'en l'ait bien covert⁴³ Se⁴⁴ tout nou voit a descovert; Par tout le regarde et espreuve.⁴⁵ 228 Mes l'en prent fame sanz espreuve, Ne ia ni sera descoverte Ne pour gaaigne ne pour perte, Ne pour soulaz ne pour mesese, 232 Pour ce sanz plus qu'il desplese,⁴⁶ Devant qu'ele soit espousée. Et quant el voit la chose outrée,	Because of that disarray, the Romans never wanted to crown a king in Rome. And if one knows how to beseech women, there is no Lucretia, no Penelope in Greece, nor any worthy woman on earth. If a man knew how to take her, no woman ever defended herself. The stories of the pagans tell us so, and no one ever found an exception. Many women even give themselves away when they lack suitors. And those who marry have a very perilous custom, so ill-arranged that it appears to me as a great marvel. I don't know where this folly comes from, except from raging lunacy. I see that a man who buys a horse is never so foolish as to put up any money if he does not see the horse unclothed, no matter how well it may be covered. He looks the horse over everywhere and tries it out. But he takes a wife without trying her out, and she is never unclothed, not on account of gain or loss, solace or discomfort, but for no other reason than that she may not be displeasing before she is married. And when she sees things accomplished,
Folio 73va
Lors primes moutre sa malice, 236 Lors pert s'el a sus soi⁴⁷ nul vice, Lors fet au fol ses meurs sentir, Quant riens n'i vaut li repentir. Si saige⁴⁸ bien certenement, 240 Conbien qu'el se maint sagement, N'est nus qui mariez se sente, S'il n'est fols, qui ne s'en repente. Prendre fame,⁴⁹ par saint Denis! 244 Dont il est mains que de fenis, Si com Valerius tesmoingne, Ne peut nul amer qu'el nel poigne De granz paors et de granz cures 248 Et d'autres meschaances dures. Mains que de fenis? Par ma teste, Pour compareison plus honeste, Voire mains que de blans corbiaus, 252 Conbien qu'il aient les cors biaus! Et nepourquant, quoi que i'en die, Pour ce que ceus qui sont en vie Ne puissent dire que ie queure 256 A toutes⁵⁰ fames trop aseure,⁵¹ Qui preudefame veult connoistre, Soit seculiere ou soit de cloistre,⁵² Se travaill veult metre en lui querre, 260 C'est oiseaus cler semez en terre, Si legierement connoissable Qu'il est au cine noir senblable. Juvenaus neist le conferme⁵³ 264 Qui redist par santance ferme:	she shows her malice for the first time; then appears every vice that she has; and then, when it will do him no good to repent, she makes the fool aware of her ways. I know quite certainly that, no matter how prudently his wife acts, there is no man, unless he is a fool, who does not repent when he feels himself married. By Saint Denis! A worthy woman, as Valerius bears witness, is a rarer species than the phoenix and can love no man without piercing his heart with great fears and cares and other bitter misfortunes. Rarer than the phoenix? By my head, a more honest comparison would say fewer than white crows, although their bodies may be beautiful. Nevertheless, whatever I say, and in order that those who are alive may not say that I attack all women with too great impunity, a worthy woman, if one wants to recognize her, either in the world or in the cloister, and if he wants to put in some toil in seeking her, is a very rare bird on earth, so easily recognized that it is like the black swan. Even Juvenal confirms this when he reiterates it in a positive statement:
Folio 73vb
Se tu trueves chaste moillier, Va t'an au temple agenoiller Et Jupiter anclins aeure, 268 Et de sacrefier labeure A Iuno la dame honorée Une vache toute dorée, vQu'onc plus merveilleuse avanture 272 N'avint a nulle creature.⁵⁴ Et qui veult les males amer, Donc de ça mer et dela mer Si com Valerius raconte 276 Qui de voir dire n'a pas honte Sunt essain plus grant que de mouches Qui se requeillent anz⁵⁵ leur rouches A quel chief en cuide il venir? 280 Mal se fait a tel rain tenir, Et qui s'i tient, bien le recors, Il en perdra l'ame et le cors. Valerius qui se douloit 284 De⁵⁶ ce que Ruffin que Ruffin⁵⁷ se vouloit Marier, qui ses compainz iere, Li dist une parole fiere: 'Diex touz poissanz,' fet⁵⁸ il, 'amis! 288 Gart que tu ne soies ja mis Es laz de fame tout poissant, Toutes choses par art froissant!' Juvenaus meïsmes escrie⁵⁹ 292 A Posthumus qui se marie: 'Posthumus, veuz tu fame prandre? Ne peuz tu pas trouver a vandre Ou harz ou cordes ou chevestres, 296 Ou saillir hors par les fenestres Donc l'en peut haut et loign voair, Ou lessier toi dou pont choair?	'If you find a chaste wife, go kneel down in the temple, bow down to worship Jupiter, and put forth your effort to sacrifice a gilded cow to Juno, the honored lady, for nothing more wonderful ever happened to any creature.' And if a man wants to love evil women, of whom, according to Valerius, who is not ashamed to tell the truth, there are swarms, here and across the sea, greater than those of the bees that gather in their hives, what end does he expect to come to? He brings harm to himself by clinging to such a branch. He who clings to it, I repeat, will lose both soul and body. Valerius, who sorrowed because Rufinus, who was his companion, wanted to marry, gave him a stern speech: 'My friend,' he said, 'may the omnipotent God keep you from ever being put into the snare of an all-powerful woman who ruins everything through her cunning.' Juvenal himself writes to Postumus on his marriage: 'Do you want to take a wife, Postumus? Can't you find ropes, cords, or halters for sale? Can't you jump out of one of the high windows that we can see? Or can't you let yourself fall from the bridge?
Folio 74ra
Quel forsenerie te maine 300 A cest torment, a ceste paine?' Li rois Phoroneus meïsmes Qui, si comme nous apreïsmes, Ses lais au peuple grec dona, 304 Ou lit de sa mort sarmona Et dit a son frere Leonce: 'Frere,' fet⁶⁰ il, 'ie te denonce⁶¹ Que tres beneürez morusse 308 S'onq fame espousee n'eüsse.' Et Leonce tantost la cause Li demanda de ceste clause: 'Tuit li mari,' dist il, 'l'espreuvent 312 Et par expiremenz la⁶² treuvent, Et quant tu avras fame prise Tu le savras bien a devise.' Pierres Abailarz reconfesse 316 Que seur Heloÿs, abbeesse Du paraclit, qui fu s'amie, Acorder ne se voloit mie Pour riens qu'il la preïst a fame; 320 Ainz li fesoit la jeune dame Bien antendanz et bien letrée Et bien amanz et bien amée, Argumenz a lui chastier 324 Qu'il se gardast de marier, Et li prouvoit par escritures Et par resons, que trop sont dures Condicions de mariage, 328 Conbien que la fame soit sage	What delirium leads you to this torment and pain?' King Phoroneus himself, who, as we learned, gave the Greek people their laws, spoke from his deathbed and said to his brother Leonce: 'Brother, I reveal to you that I would have died happy if I had never married a wife.' And Leonce straightaway asked him the cause for that statement. 'All husbands,' he said, 'try it and find it by experiment; and when you have taken a wife, you will know it well in every detail.' Pierre Abelard, in turn, admits that Sister Heloise, abbess of the Paraclete and his former love, did not want to agree for anything that he take her as his wife. Instead, the young lady of good understanding, well educated, loving and well loved in return, brought up arguments to convince him not to marry. And she proved to him with texts and reasons that the conditions of marriage are very hard, no matter how wise the wife may be.
Folio 74rb
Car les livres avoit veüz Et estudiez et seüz, Et les meurs feminins savoit, 332 Car tretouz en soi les avoit. Et requerroit qui il l'amast Mes que nul droit n'i reclamast Fors que de grace et de franchise, 336 Sanz seigneurie et sanz mestrise Si qu'il peust estudier Touz siens, touz frans, sanz soi lier Et qu'el rentendist a l'estuide, 340 Qui⁶³ de science n'iert pas vuide. Et li redisoit toutesvoies Que plus plesanz ierent leur ioies⁶⁴ Et li solaz plus encroissaient, 344 Quant plus a tart s'entreveoient. Mes il, si comme escrit nous a, Qui tant⁶⁵ l'amoit que puis l'espousa Contre son amonestement. 348 Si l'en meschai malement, Car, puis qu'el fu, si comme semble,⁶⁶ Par l'acort d'ambedeus ensemble, D'Argentuell nonain revestue, 352 Fu la coille a Pierre tolue A Paris en son lit de nuiz, Dont mout ot travauz et enuiz. Et fu puis ceste meschaance 356 Moines de Saint Denis en France Puis abbes d'une autre abbaie Puis fonda ce dit, a sa vie,⁶⁷	For she had seen, studied, and known the books, and she knew the feminine ways, for she had them all in herself. She asked him to love her but not to claim any right of her except those of grace and freedom, without lordship or mastery, so that he might study, entirely his own man, quite free, without tying himself down, and that she, who was not devoid of knowledge, might also devote herself to study. She told him again that, in any case, their joys were more pleasing and their comfort grew greater when they saw each other more rarely. But he, as he has written for us, loved her so much that he married her in spite of her admonition which led to unhappiness. After she had taken the habit of a nun at Argenteuil - by agreement of both of them together, as it seems to me - Pierre's testicles were removed, in his bed in Paris, at night; on this account he endured great suffering and torment. After this misfortune, he was a monk of Saint Denis in France, then abbot of another abbey; then, it says in his Life,
Folio 74va
Une abbaie renommée 360 Quel a⁶⁸ du paraclit nomée, Dom Heloÿs fu abbeesse, Qui devant iert nonain professe. Ele meïsmes le raconte 364 En escrit et n'en a pas honte, A son ami que tant amoit Que pere et seigneur le clamoit, 368 Une merveilleuse parole, Que moult de genz tendront a fole, Qu'il est escrit en ses espitres, Qui bien cercheroit les chapistres, 372 Qu'el li manda par letre expresse, Puis qu'el fu neïs abbeesse: 'Se li empereres de Rome Souz cui doivent estre tuit home 376 Me daigneit voulair prendre a fame Et fere moi du monde dame, Si vodroi ie mieuz,' fet⁶⁹ ele 'Et dieu a tesmoign en apele, 380 Estre ta putain apelée Qu'empereriz coronée.' Mes ie ne croi mie, par m'ame, Conques puis fust nule⁷⁰ tel fame.⁷¹ 384 Si croi ie que la letreüre La mist a ce que sa nature, Que des meurs femenins avoit, Vaincre et donter mieuz en savoit. 388 Ceste, se pierres la creüst, Onc espousée ne l'eüst.	he founded a widely known abbey that he named the Abbey of the Paraclete, where Heloise, who was a professed nun before, was abbess. She herself, without shame, in a letter to her friend, whom she loved so much that she called him father and lord, tells a wondrous thing that many consider foolish. It is written in the letters, if you search the chapters well, that she sent to him by express, even after she was abbess: 'If the emperor of Rome, to whom all men should be subject, deigned to wish to take me as his wife and make me mistress of the world, I still would rather,' she said, 'and I call God to witness, be called your whore than be crowned empress.' But, by my soul, I do not believe that any such woman ever existed again. And I think that her learning put her in such a position that she knew better how to overcome and subdue her nature, with its feminine ways. If Pierre had believed her, he would never have married her.
Folio 74vb
Mariages est maus liens, Ainsit m'aïst sainz Juliens 392 Qui pelerins erranz herberge, Et sainz Lienarz qui desferge Les prisonniers bien repentanz Quant les voit a soi dementanz. 396 Mieuz me venist estre alez pendre Le ior que ie dui fame prendre, Quant si cointe fame acointai. Morz sui quant fame si cointe ai! 400 Mes par le filz seinte Marie, Que me vaut ceste cointerie, Cele robe couteuse et chiere Qui si vous fet haucier la chiere,⁷² 404 Qui tant me grieve et atahine, Tant est longue et tant vous traÿnne, Pour quoi tant d'orguell demenez Que i'en deviegn tout forsenez? 408 Que me fet ele de profit? Conbien qu'el aus autres profit, A moi ne fet ele for nuire, Car quant me veill a vous deduire, 412 Je la treuve si encombreuse, Si grevaigne⁷³ et si enuieuse Que ie n'en puis a chief venir: Ne vous i⁷⁴ puis a droit tenir, 416 Tant me fetes et torz et guanches, De bras, de trumeaus et de hanches Et tant vous alez detortant! Ne sai comment ce va, forz tant	Marriage is an evil bond, so help me Saint Julian, who harbors wandering pilgrims, and Saint Leonard, who unshackles prisoners who are truly repentant, when he sees them lamenting. It would have been better for me to go hang, the day I had to take a wife, when I became acquainted with so coquette a woman. With such a coquette I am dead. But for Saint Mary's son, what is that coquetry worth to me, that costly, expensive dress that makes you turn your nose up, that is so long and trails behind you, that irks and vexes me so much, that makes you act so overbearing that I become mad with rage? What do I have to gain from it? No matter how much it profits others, it does me only harm; for when I want to entertain myself with you, I find it so encumbering, so annoying and troublesome that I cannot achieve my aim. I cannot hold you there properly for all the many turns and parries that you make with your arms, legs, and hips, twisting so much. I don't know how this happens,
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420 Que bien voi que ma druerie Ne mes solaz ne vous plest mie. Neïs au sair quant ie me couche, Ainz que vous reçoive en ma couche 424 Si com preudons fet sa moillier, La vous couvient il⁷⁵ despoillier, N'avez seur chief, seur cors,⁷⁶ seur hanche, C'une coife de teile blanche 428 Et les treçons indes ou verz, Espoir, souz la coife couverz: Les robes et les pennes grises Sont lores a la perche mises, 432 Toute la nuit pendanz a l'air. Que me peut lors tout ce valair, Fors a vendre ou a engagier? Vif me vaez⁷⁷ vous enragier 436 Et morir de la⁷⁸ male rage Se ie ne vent tout et engage!⁷⁹ Car puis que par jor si me nuisent Et par nuit point ne me deduisent, 440 Quel profit i puis autre atendre Fors que d'engagier ou de vendre? Ne vous, se par le voir alez, De nule riens mieuz n'en valez 444 Ne de sens ne de leauté, Non, par dieu! neïs⁸⁰ de biauté. Et se nus hom pour moi confondre Voloit opposer ou respondre 448 Que les bontez des choses bones Vont bien es⁸¹ estranges persones	but I see very well that my lovemaking and my comforts do not please you. Even at night, when I lie down, before I welcome you in my bed, as any worthy man does his wife, you have to undress yourself. On your head, your body, or your hips you have only a cape of white cloth, with lace ribbons of blue or green perhaps, covered up underneath the cape. The dresses and the fur linings are then put on the pole to hang all night in the air. What can all that be worth to me then, except to sell or pawn? You will see me burn up and die with evil rage if I do not sell and pledge everything; for, since they give me such trouble by day and no diversion at night, what other profit can I expect of them except by selling or pawning them? And if you were to admit the truth, you are worth no more because of them, neither in intelligence, nor in loyalty, nor even, by God, in beauty. And if any man, to confound me, wanted to oppose me by replying that the qualities of good things are passed on to many different people
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Et que biau guernement font beles Les dames et les damoiseles, 452 Certes, quiconques ce diroit, Je diroie qu'il mentiroit, Car les biautez des beles choses, Saient violetes ou roses 456 Ou dras de saie ou fleur de lis, Si com escrit en livre lis, Sunt en eus et non pas es dames; Car savoir doivent toutes fames 460 Que ia fame, ior⁸² qu'ele vive, N'aura fors sa biauté naïve, Et tout autant di de bonté Com de biauté vous ai conté. 464 Si di, pour ma parole ouvrir, Qui voudroit ·i· fumier covrir De dras de saie et de floretes Bien colorées et bien netes, 468 Si seroit certes li fumiers, Qui de puir est coustumiers, Tex com avant estre soloit. Et se nus hom dire vouloit: 472 'Se li fumiers est lez par anz: Dehors en est plus biaus paranz, Tout ainsit⁸³ les dames se perent Pour ce que plus beles enperent 476 Ou pour leur laidures repondre,' Par foi, ci ne sai ie respondre Fors tant que tel deception Vient de la fole vision	and that beautiful apparel creates beauty in ladies and girls, then, no matter who said so, I would reply that he lied. For the beauties of fair things, violets or roses, silk cloths or fleurs de lys, as I find it written in a book, are in themselves and not in ladies. For all women should know that no woman will ever, as long as she may live, have anything except her natural beauty. And I say the same about goodness as I have told you about beauty. Thus, to begin my speech, I say that if one wanted to cover manure with silken cloths or little flowers, well-arranged and beautifully colored, it would certainly still be manure, which customarily stinks as it did before. Someone might want to say, 'If this manure is ugly within, it appears more lovely without; and in just the same way ladies adorn themselves in order to appear more beautiful or to hide their ugliness.' If someone were to say thus, I do not know, by my faith, how to reply, except to say that such deception comes from the foolish vision
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480 Des euz qui parées les voient, Par quoi li queur si s'en desvoient Par la plesant impression De leur ymagination, 484 Qu'il n'i sevent apercevoir Ne la mençonge ne le voir, Ne le saphime⁸⁴ deviser Par defaut de bien avisier. 488 Mes s'il eüssent euz de lins, Ja pour leur manteaus sebelins, Ne pour sercoz, ne pour coteles, Ne pour guides⁸⁵ ne pour toeles, 492 Ne pour cheinses ne pour pelices, Ne pour ioiaus ne pour devices, Ne pour leur moes desguisées, Qui bien lez avroit avisées, 496 Ne pour leur luisanz superfices Dom el resemblent ardefices, Ne pour chapiaus de fleus noveles, Ne leur semblassent estre beles. 500 Car li cors Alcipiades, Qui de beautez avoit adés Et de coleur et de feture, Tant l'avoit bien formé nature, 504 Qui dedenz veair le porroit, Pour trop let tenir le vorrait: Ainsic le raconte Boeces, Sages hom et plein⁸⁶ de proeces, 508 Et tret a tesmoign Aristote Qui la parole ainsi li note;	of eyes that see them in all their fine apparel. As a result, their hearts are led astray because of the pleasing impression of their fantasy, and they do not know how to recognize neither lie nor truth, or how, for lack of good observation, to explicate the sophism. But if they had the eyes of a lynx, they would never seem beautiful to them, not for any sable mantles, surcoats, or skirts, any head ornaments, kerchiefs, undergarments, or pelisses, for any jewels or objects of value, for any covert, smirking coquetries, if one considered them well, for any gleaming exteriors, which make them look artificial, and never for any chaplets of fresh flowers. However well Nature had formed Alcibiades, whose body was always beautiful in color and molding, anyone who could see within him would want to consider him very ugly. So Boethius tells us, a man wise and full of worth, and he draws upon the testimony of Aristotle, who observes
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510 Car linx a la regardeúre Si fort, si percent et si pure, Qu'il voit tout quanque l'en li moutre Et dehors et dedenz tout outre. 514 Si di qu'onques a nul aé Biauté n'ot pes a chastaé. Touriorz i a si grant tençon Quonc⁸⁷ en fable ne en chançon 518 Oire n'oï ne recorder⁸⁸ Que riens les poüst acorder; Qu'eus ont entr'eus si mortel guerre Que i a l'une plein pié de terre 522 A l'autre ne lera tenir, Pour qu'el puisse au desus venir. Mes la chose est si mal partie Que chastae, pour sa partie, 526 Quant assaut ou quant se revanche, Tant set poi de luite et de guanche Qu'il li convient ses armes randre, Qu'el ne sa poair de deffendre⁸⁹ 530 Contre biauté qui trop est fiere. Ledeur neïs, sa chamberiere Qui li doit honeur et servise, Ne l'aime pas tant ne ne prise, 534 Que de son hostel ne la chace Et li quert sus, au col la mace, Qui tant⁹⁰ est grosse et tant li poise Que merveilleusement li poise 538 Dom sa dame en vie demeure La montance d'une seule heure.	that the lynx has a gaze so strong, piercing, and clear that he sees all that one shows him, quite open both without and within. Thus I say that in no epoch were Beauty and Chastity ever at peace. There was always such great strife that I have never heard it said or recounted in fable or song that anything could reconcile them. So mortal is the war between them that the one will never let the other hold a full foot of ground so that she might gain superiority. But things are so badly divided, since, with what Chastity received as her share, she knows so little of combat and parry when she attacks or defends herself that she has to surrender her arms. She does not have the power to defend herself against Beauty, who is very proud. Even Ugliness, Chastity's chambermaid, who owes her honor and service, does not love or value her enough not to chase her from her mansion: she runs after her, hanging from her neck the mace that is so huge and weighs so much that it vexes her exceedingly as long as her mistress remains alive for the length of a single hour.
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C'est chastae trop mal baillie, Qu'el est de ·ii·⁹¹ parz assaillie,⁹² 542 Si n'a de nule part secours, Si l'en covient foir le cours, Car el se voit en l'estor seule: S'el l'avoit iuré sus sa gueule, 546 Seüst assez neïs de luite Quant chascune encontre lui luite, N'oseroit ele contretier, Si qu'el n'i peut riens conquestier. 550 Laideur ait ore mal dahé Quant si queurt sus a chastaé, Que deffendre et tencer deüst. Neis se mucier la peüst 554 Entre sa char et sa chemise, Si li deüst ele avoir mise! Moult refet certes a blamer Biaute, qui la deüst amer 558 Et procurer, s'il li pleüst, Que bonne pez entr'euls eüst. Son poair au mens en feïst, Ou qu'en sa merci se meïst, 562 Qu'el li deïst bien faire homage, S'el fust preuz et cortoise et sage, Non pas fere honte et vergoigne. Car la letre neïs tesmoigne, 566 Ou sisiesme livre Virgile, Par l' auctorité de sebile, Que nus qui vive chastement Ne peut venir a dampnement.	Chastity is very badly off since she is attacked from two sides without any help from anywhere. She has to flee the field, for she sees that she is alone in the combat. Even if she had sworn it by her throat, she would have her fill of struggle, and when everyone does battle against her, so that she cannot win, she would not dare to resist. Now cursed be Ugliness when she thus runs after Chastity, whom she should defend and protect. If she could even hide her between her skin and her shirt, she should put her there. Beauty, also, is certainly very much to blame. She should love Chastity and, if it pleased her, strive for peace between them. She should at least do all she could to put herself in Chastity's good graces, since, if she were worthy, courteous, and wise, she should indeed do homage to her, not bring shame and disgrace; for even the letter bears witness, in the sixth book of Virgil, by the authority of the Sibyl, that no man who lives a chaste life can come to damnation.
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570 Dom ie iur dieu, le roi celestre, Que fame qui bele veult estre Ou qui dou resembler se paine, Et⁹³ se remire et se demaine 574 Pour soi parer et cointoier, Qu'el veult chastaé guerroier, Qui mout a certes d'anemies. Par cloistres et par abbaies 578 Sunt toutes contre lui iurées: Ja si ne seront enmurées Que chastae si fort ne heent Que toutes a honir la beent. 582 Toutes font a Venus homage Sanz regarder preu ne domage, Et se cointoient et se fardent Pour ceus boler⁹⁴ qui les regardent; 586 Et vont traçant parmi les⁹⁵ rues, Pour voair, pour estre veües, Pour fere⁹⁶ aus compaignons desir De volair avec eus gesir. 590 Por ce portent eus les cointises Aus caroles et aus iglises, Car ia nule ce ne feïst S'el ne cuidast qu'on la veïst 594 Et que pour ce plus tost pleüst Ainceis⁹⁷ que decevoir peüst. Mes certes, qui le voir en conte, Moult font fames a dieu grant honte 598 Comme foles et desvaiées, Quant⁹⁸ ne se tienent a paiées	Therefore I swear by God, the celestial king, that a woman who wants to be beautiful, or who exerts herself to appear beautiful, looks at herself and takes great trouble to adorn herself and look gracious, that such a woman wants to wage war on Chastity, who certainly has many enemies. In cloisters and abbeys they are all sworn against her. They will never be walled in enough not to hate Chastity so strongly that they all aspire to shame her. They all do homage to Venus, with no consideration for worth or harm; they primp and paint in order to fool those who look at them, and they go searching along through the streets in order to see, to be seen, and to arouse desire in people, so that they will want to lie with them. Therefore, they wear their finery to carols and churches alike, for not one of them would ever do so if she did not think that she would be seen, and that she would thus more quickly appeal to those whom she could deceive. But certainly, if the truth be told, women give great shame to God. Misguided fools, they do not consider themselves rewarded
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600 De la biauté que dex leur done. Chascune a sus son chief corone De floretes, d'or, ou de saie, Et s'enorgueillist et cointaie 604 Quant se va moustrant par la vile; Pour quoi trop malement s'avile La maleüree, la lasse, Quant chose plus vile et plus basse 608 De soi, veult sus son chief atrere Pour sa biauté craistre ou parfere. Et vet ainsit dieu despisant, Qu'el le tient pour non soffisant 612 Et se pense en son fol corage Que moult li fist dex grant outrage Qu'el quant biauté li compassa;⁹⁹ Trop negligenment¹⁰⁰ s'en passa. 616 Si quiert biauté des creatures Que dex fet de plus vils figures, Com de metauz ou de floretes Ou d'autres estranges chosetes. 620 Sanz faille, ausic est il des homes : Se nous, pour plus biaus estre, fomes Les chapelez et les cointises Seur les biautez que dex a mises 624 En nous, vers lui moult¹⁰¹ mesprenons, Quant a paiés ne nous tenons Des biautez qu'il nous a donéées Seur toutes creatures nées. 628 Mes ie n'ai de tex trufles cure. Je veill soffisant vesteüre	with the beauty that God gives them. Each one has on her head a crown of flowers, of gold, or of silk. She preens herself and primps as she goes through the town showing herself off, and thus the unhappy wretch abases herself in a very evil way when, to increase or perfect her beauty, she wants to attract attention to her head with an object lower and more base than she herself. Thus she goes around despising God because she considers him inadequate, and in her foolish heart she thinks to herself that God did her a great outrage in that, when he proportioned the beauty in her, he acquitted himself too easily. Therefore she searches for beauty in creations that God made with a much worse appearance, things like metals or flowers or other strange things. As for men, it is the same, without fail. If, to be more beautiful, we make chaplets and adornments for the beauty that God has put in us, we misbehave greatly toward him when we do not consider ourselves rewarded by the beauty that he has given us above all creatures that are born. But I have no interest in such deceptions. I want only enough clothing
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Qui de froit et de chaut me gart. Avant¹⁰² bien se dex me regart, 632 Me garentist et cors et teste, Par vent, par pluie et par tampeste, Forre d'agneaus cist miens bureaus, Comme pars forre d'escureaus. 636 Mes deniers, ce me semble, pers, Quant ie pour vous robe de pers, De camelot ou de brunete, De vert ou d'escallate achete 640 Et de ver et de gris les forre. Ce vous fet en folie corre Et fere les tourz et les moes Par les poudres et par les boes: 644 Ne dieu ne moi riens ne prisiez. Neïs la nuit, quant vous gisiez En mon lit, lez moi, toute nue, N'i¹⁰³ poez vous estre tenue: 648 Car quant ie vous veill embracier Pour vous besier et soulacier, Et sui plus forment eschaufez, Vous rechiniez comme maufez 652 Ne vers moi pour riens que ie face, Ne volez torner vostre face; Mes si malade vous faingniez, Tant souspirez, tant vous plaigniez 656 Et fetes si le dangereus, Que i'en deviegn si poereus Que ie ne vous ros assaillir, Tant ai grant paour de faillir	to protect myself from cold and heat. This homespun of mine, lined with lamb, protects my body and head against wind, rain, and storm - may God protect me - as well as would fine sky-blue cloth lined with squirrel. It seems to me that I loose my money when I buy you a dress of blue, of camel skin, of brown or scarlet material and line it with squirrel or costly gray fur. To do so makes you run wild, simpering and posturing as you go through dust and mud, while you value neither God nor me. Even at night when you lie completely naked beside me in my bed, you can't be held, for when I want to embrace you to kiss you and comfort you, and when I am thoroughly warmed up, you sulk like a devil and do not want to turn your face toward me for anything that I may do. You pretend to be so sick, you sigh and complain so much and put up so much resistance that I become so fearful that I don't dare assuage you again, when I wake up after I have slept, so great is my fear of failing.
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660 Quant aprés dormir me resveille. Mes trop me vient a grant merveille Comment cil ribaut i avienent Qui par ior vestue vous tienent, 664 Se vous ainsi vous detortez Quant avec eus vous deportez, Et se tant leur fetes d'enuiz Comme a moi¹⁰⁴ de iorz et de nuiz. 668 Mes n'en avez, ce cuit, talent, Ainz alez chantant et balant Par ces iardins, par ces preaus, Avec ces ribauz desleaus 672 Qui traÿnent ceste espousée Par l'erbe vert a la rousée Et me vont ileuc despisant, Et par despit entr'eus disant: 676 'C'est maugré l'ort vilain jalous!' La¹⁰⁵ char soit or livrée a lous Et les os as chiens enragiez, Par qui sui si ahontagiez! 680 C'est par vous, dame pautoniere Et par vostre fole maniere, Ribaude, orde, vils, pute, lisse! Ja vostre cors de cest an n'isse, 684 Quant a tex matins le livrez!¹⁰⁶ Par vous sui a honte livrez, Par vous, par vostre lecherie, Sui ie mis en la confrarie 688 Saint Hernoul le seigneur des cous Dom nul ne peut estre rescous,	It strikes me as a very great wonder how those ribalds attain anything when, by day, they hold you with your clothes on, if you twist about in the same way when you play with them, and if you give them as much trouble as you do to me, both day and night. But I believe that you have no desire, that instead you go along singing and dancing through the gardens and meadows with these unlawful rogues. They drag this married woman through the green grass with the dew on it, and there they go along despising me and saying to each other, 'It's in spite of that dirty, jealous villain!' May the flesh and bones that have brought me such shame be given over to wolves and mad dogs now! It is through you, ignominious woman, and your foolish behavior, that I am given over to shame, you ribald, filthy, vile, stinking slut. May your body never see the end of this year when you give in to such disgrace! Through you and your lechery I am placed in the confraternity of Saint Hernoul, the patron of cuckolds,
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Qui fame ait, au mien esciant, Tant l'aut gardant ne espiant, 692 Bien ait neïs d'euz ·i· millier. Toutes se font hurtebillier, Qu'il n'est garde qui riens i vaille; Et s'il avient que li fez faille, 696 Ja la volentez ne faudra, Par quoi, s'el peut, au fet saudra, Car le volair toriorz enporte. Mes forment, vous¹⁰⁷ en reconforte 700 Juvenaus, qui dit du metier Que l'en apele rafetier, Que c'est li mandres des pechiez Dont queur de fame est entechiez; 704 Car leur nature leur commande Que chascune a pis fere entande. Ne voit l'en¹⁰⁸ comment les marrastres Cuisent venis a leur fillastres 708 Et font charmes et sorceries Et tant d'autres granz deablies, Que nus nes porroit recenser, Tant i seüst forment penser? 712 Toutes estes, serez, et¹⁰⁹ fustes De fet ou de volente, pustes! Car, qui que puist le fet estaindre, Volente ne peut nus contraindre. 716 Tel avantage ont toutes fames, Qu'el sont de leur volentez dames. L'en ne vous peut les queurs changier, Pour batre ne pour ledangier.	from whom no man with a wife, to my knowledge, can be safe, no matter how much he may guard and spy on her, even with a thousand eyes. All women get themselves pushed over. There is no guard who could prevent it. If it happens that she fails in the act, the will is always there, and if she can, she will jump to the act, for desire will always win. But Juvenal gives one great comfort for this situation when he says, of the need that is called amorous caressing, that this is the least of the sins by which the heart of a woman is stained, for their nature commands each of them to give her attention to doing worse. Do we not see how the mothers-in-law cook up poisons for their sons-in-law, how they work charms and sorceries and so many other diabolical things that they can't be counted, no matter how stout his powers of thought? All you women are, will be, and have been whores, in fact or in desire, for, whoever could eliminate the deed, no man can constrain desire. All women have the advantage of being mistresses of their desires. For no amount of beating or upbraiding can change your hearts,
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720 Mes qui changier les vous peüst, Des cors la seigneurie eüst. Or lessons ce qui ne peut estre! Mes biaus douz dex, biaus rois celestre, 724 Des ribauz que porre ie fere, Qui si¹¹⁰ me font honte et contraire? S'il avient que ie les menace, Que priseront il ma menace? 728 Se ie me vois a eus combatre, Tost me porront tuer et battre,¹¹¹ Qu'il sont felon et outrageus, De touz maus fere corageus, 732 Juenne, jolif, fol, et testu: Ne me priseront ·i· festu, Car juennece si les enflambe, Qui de feu les emple et de flambe, 736 Et¹¹² touz leur fet par estovoir Les queurs a folie esmovoir, Et si legiers et si volanz Que chascuns cuide estre Rolanz, 740 Voire Ercules, voire Sanson! Si rorent cil ·ii·, ce panson, Qu'il est escrit et jeu recors, Resemblables forces de cors. 744 Cist Hercules avoit, selonc L'aucteur Soli, ·vij· piez de lonc N'onc ne pot a quantité graindre Nus homz, si com il dist, attaindre. 748 Cist Hercules ot moult d'encontres: Il vainqui ·xij· Horribles montres	but the man who could change them would have lordship over your bodies. Now let us leave what cannot be. But fair sweet God, fair celestial king, what can I do with the rascals who thus shame me and oppose me? If I happen to threaten them, how seriously will they take my threat? If I go to fighting with them, they can kill me or beat me straightway, so cruel and unprincipled, so eager to do all sorts of wickedness, so young and handsome, wild and headstrong are they. They will think me not worth a straw, for youth so enflames them, filling their hearts with fire and flame and inciting them, by necessity, to foolish, light, and giddy deeds, that each one thinks himself Roland, indeed Hercules or Samson. These latter two, as men think - it is written and I recall it - had strong bodily resemblances. According to the author Solinus, this Hercules was seven feet tall, and no man, as he said, could ever attain a greater height. Hercules had many struggles: he conquered twelve horrible monsters,
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Et quant ot vaincu le dozieme, Onc ne pot chevir dou trezieme; 752 Ce fu de Deianira S'amie, qui li descira Sa char de veni toute esprise Par la venimeuse chemise. 756 Si ravoit il pour Yolé Son queur ia d'amors affole: Ainsic fu par fame dontez Hercules, qui tant ot bontez. 760 Ausic Sanson qui pas ·x· homes Ne redoutast ne quel ·x· pomes S'il eüst ses cheveuz eüz, Fu par Dallida deceüz. 764 Si faz ie que fos de ce dire Car ie sai bien que tire a tire Mes paroles toutes direz, Quant de moi departirez,¹¹³ 768 Aus ribaus vous irez clamer Et me porroiz¹¹⁴ fere entamer La teste, ou les cuisses briser, Ou les espaules encisier, 772 Se ia poez a eus aler. Mes se i'en puis oïr paler, Ainz que ce me soit avenu Et li braz ne me sunt tenu 776 Ou li pestauz ne m'est ostez, Je vous briseré les costez! Amis ne voisin¹¹⁵ ne parant Ne vous i seront ia garant	and when he had overcome the twelfth he could never finish with the thirteenth, his sweetheart Deïaneira, who, with her poisonous shirt, lacerated his flesh, all enflamed by the poison. His heart had already been made mad with love for Iole. Thus Hercules, who had so many virtues, was subued by woman. In the same way Samson, who, if he had had his hair, would have feared ten men no more than ten apples, was deceived by Dalila. I commit nothing but folly in saying these things, for I know very well that when you leave me you will recount, one after the other, all the things that I say. You will go crying to those wretches, and, if you ever can go to them, you can have my head laid open, my thighs smashed, or my shoulders gashed. But if I can hear word of it before it happens and if my arms are not held or my pestle removed, I will break your ribs. Neither friends, neighbors, nor relatives will ever be protection for you,
Folio 78ra
780 Ne vostre lecheur meïsmes. Las! Pour quoi nous entremeïsmes?¹¹⁶ Las! De quele hore fui ie nez Quant en tel vilté me tenez 784 Que cil ribaut mastin puant Qui flatant vous vont et chuant, Sunt si seigneur de vous et mestre, Don seus deüsse sires estre, 788 Par cui de¹¹⁷ vous estes soutenue, Vestue, chauciee et peüe, Et vous m'en fetes parçoniers Ces orz ribauz, ces pautoniers 792 Qui ne vous font se honte non! Tolu vous ont vostre renon, De¹¹⁸ quoi pas garde ne vous¹¹⁹ prenez Quant entre vos braz les tenez. 796 Par devant dient qu'il vous aiment Et par deriers putain vous claiment Et dient ce que pis leur semble Quant il resunt entreuls ensemble, 800 Comment que chascuns d'eus vous serve, Car bien connois toute leur verve. Sanz faille, bien est veritez, Quant a leur bandon vous gitez, 804 Il vous sevent bien metre a point, Car de dangier en vous n'a point Quant entrée estes en la foule Ou chascuns vous herce¹²⁰ et defoule. 808 Il me prent, par foi, grant envie De leur solaz et de leur vie!	nor your lechers themselves. Alas! Why did we ever see each other? Alas! in what an hour was I born, when you consider me so vile that these wretched stinking curs, who go around flattering and caressing you, are thus your lords and masters! I should have been their lord, since I support you, buy your shoes and clothes, and feed you, while you make me share with these dirty scoundrels, these rascals who bring you nothing but shame. They have robbed you of your reputation, of which you take no care when you hold them in your arms. In front of you they say that they love you, but behind your back they call you a whore. When they are together again, they tell what seems worse to them, how each of them serves you. I know their tales very well, and, without fail, it is true that when you lie in their power they indeed know how to put you to it, for there is no resistance whatever in you when you are entered into the crowd where each one stabs you repeatedly and tramples on you. My faith, I am overcome with envy of their comfortable life.
Folio 78rb
Mes sachiez, et bien le recors, Que ce n'est pas pour vostre cors 812 Ne pour vostre donaiement: Ainz est pour ce tant seulement Qu'il ont le deduit des ioiaus, Des fermauz d'or et des noiaus 816 Et des robes et des pelices Que ie vous les com fos et nices. Car quant vous alez as quaroles Ou a voz assamblées foles 820 Et ie remaign com fos et yvres, Vous i portez qui vaut ·c· livres D'or, et d'argent seur vostre teste Et commandez que l'en vous veste 824 De Kamelot, de ver, de gris, Si que trestouz en amesgris De mautalent et de soussi, Tant m'en esmoi, tant m'en soussi.	But know, and remember well, that all this is not on account of your body or the pleasure they get from you; instead, they do so only to have the delight of the jewels, the golden buckles and buttons, the robes and pelisses that I, like a foolish simpleton, allow you. For when you go off to the carols or to your silly gatherings, and I remain like a drunken fool, you carry a hundred pounds worth of gold and silver on your head; and you order people to dress you in camelot, squirrel, and gray fur so that I quite pine away with anger and anxiety, so chagrined and tormented am I.

828 Que me revalent ces gallantes, Ces coifes a dorées bandes Et ces diorez treçoers, Et ces yvorins miroers, 832 Ces cercles d'or bien entailliez Precieusement esmailliez, Et ces corones de fin or Dont enragier ne me fin or, 836 Tant sunt beles et bien polies, Ou tant a beles perreries, Safirs, rubiz, et esmeraudes, Qui si vous font les chieres baudes?	What are they worth to me, these head ornaments, these coifs with golden bands, these decorated headlaces, the ivory mirrors, these well-formed circlets of gold with precious enameling, and these crowns of fine gold, all these things that give you such a bawdy appearance? These crowns are so fine, so well-polished, with so many beautiful gems, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, that I cannot cease raging.
Folio 78va
840 Ces fermanz d'or a pierres fines, A voz cous et a voz poitrines; Et ces tessuz et ces ceintures Dont tant coutent les ferreüres 844 Que l'or, que les pelles menues? Que me valent tex fanfelues? Et tant estrait vous rechauciez Que la robe sovent¹²¹ hauciez 848 Pour moutrer voz piez aus ribauz! Ainsic me confort¹²² saint Tibauz, Com tout dedenz tierz ior vendra Et vil et souz piez vous tendré! 852 N'aurez de moi, par le cors dé, Fors cote et sercot de corde Et une toele de chanvre; Mes el ne sera mie tenvre, 856 Ainz sera grosse et mal tessue Et descirée et recousue, Qui qu'en face ne deul ne pleinte. Et par mon chief, bien seroiz ceinte, 860 Mes dirai vous¹²³ de quel ceinture: D'un cuir tout blanc sanz ferreüre! Et de mes houseaus anciens Raurez granz¹²⁴ solers a liens, 864 Larges a metre granz panufles. Toutes vous ostere ces trufles Qui vous donent occasion De fere fornicacion! 868 Si ne vous irez plus moutrer Pour vous fere aus ribauz voutrer.	These golden buckles with fine stones, at your sides and on your bosom, these precious materials, and these belts whose mountings are so expensive, as much for gold as for seed pearls - what are such baubles worth to me? Besides, you wear your shoes so tight that you often raise your dress to show your feet to those knaves. So may Saint Thibaut comfort me, I shall sell everything within three days, and I shall consider you dirt beneath my feet. By God's body, no matter who moans and complains, you shall have nothing from me but a coat and surcoat and a hempen kerchief, not fine but coarse and badly woven, torn and mended. And by my head, you will be well belted, but I will tell you with what kind of belt: one of plain leather without a buckle. You will also have big shoes made out of my old boots, wide enough to stuff with large rags. You will take off those baubles that give you the occasion for committing fornication, and you will no longer go out to display yourself in order to get yourself thrown to the ground underneath those rascals.
Folio 78vb
Mes or me dites sanz contrueve: Cele autre riche robe nueve 872 Dont l'autre ior si vous parastes, Quant aus quaroles en alastes, Car bien connois, et reson ai, C'onques cele ne vous donai, 876 Par amors, ou l'avez vous prise? Vous m'avez juré saint Denise Et saint Philebert et saint Pere Qu'el vous vint de par vostre mere 880 Qui le drap vous en envoia, Car si grant amor en moi a, Si com vous me fetes entendre, Qu'el veult bien ses deniers despendre 884 Pour moi fere les miens garder. Vive la face l'en larder, L'orde vieille putain prestresse, Maqueraus et charroierresse, 888 Et vous avec, par voz merites, S'il n'est ainsic com vous le¹²⁵ dites! Certes, ie li demanderoie, Mes en vain me travailleroie; 892 Tout ne me vaudroit une bille: Tele la mere, tele la fille! Bien sai, parlé avez ensemble; Andois avez et bien le semble, 896 Les queurs d'une verge tochiez. Bien sai de quel pie vous clochiez! L'orde vielle putain fardée S'est a vostre acort acordée.	But now tell me without making up any lies. Where, for the sake of love, did you get that other rich new dress in which you fixed yourself up here the other day when you went to the carols, for I know very well that I am right to think that I never gave it to you. You swore to me by Saint Denis, Saint Philibert, and Saint Peter that it came to you through your mother, who sent you the cloth for it because, as you gave me to understand, her love for me is so great that she wants to spend her money in order to make me keep mine. May she be spitted alive, that dirty old whore, the priest's concubine, that mackerel, that pimping whore, and may you, for your merits, fry along with her, if the case is not exactly as you say! I would certainly ask her, but I would exert myself in vain; the whole thing would not be worth a ball to me: like mother, like daughter. I know that you have talked together, and it is obvious that you both have hearts touched by the same wand. I know with which foot you limp, and that dirty painted old whore agrees with your attitude;
Folio 79ra
900 Autre foiz a ceste hart torse; De mainz mastins a esté morse, Tant a duis¹²⁶ chemins traciez; Mes tant est ses vis effaciez 904 Qu'el ne peut fere riens de sai, Si vous vent ore, bien le sai. Qu'el vient ceanz et vous enmaine ·iij· foiz ou ·iiij· en la semeine 908 Et faint noucaus¹²⁷ pelerinages Selonc les ancians usages, Car i'en sai trestout le convine; Et de vous promener ne fine 912 Si com l'en fet destrier a vendre, Et prent et vous ensaingne a prendre. Cuidez que bien ne vous connoisse? Qui me tient que ie ne vous froisse 916 Les os comme a¹²⁸ poucin en paste, A cest pesteill ou a ce haste?'	she used to act in the same way. She has followed so many roads that she has been bitten by many curs. But now, I know, her looks are so bad that she can make nothing by herself, and so now she sells you. Three or four times a week she comes in here and leads you out on the pretext of new pilgrimages according to her old customs - for I know the whole plan - and then she doesn't stop parading you, as one does with a horse for sale, while she grabs and teaches you to grab. Do you think that I don't know you well? Somebody hold me so that I don't break your bones with this pestle or this spit until you are like a paté of baby chicks.'

Lors la prent, espoir, de venue, Cil qui de mau talant tressue, 920 Par les treces, et sache et tire, Ront li les cheveus et descire Li ialous, et seur li s'aourse, Pour noiant fust lions seur ourse, 924 Et par tout l'ostel la traine Par corrouz et par ataine, Et la ledange malement; Ne ne veult pour nul serement 928 Recevoir excusacion, Tant est de male entencion;	Then the jealous husband, sweating with anger, may seize her straightway by the hair and pull and tug her, break and tear her hair and grow mad with rage over her. A lion's rage at a bear would be nothing in comparison. In anger and rage, he drags her through the whole house and vilifies her foully. His intent is so evil that he doesn't want to hear excuses on any oath.
Folio 79rb
Ainz fiert, et frape, et roille, et maille Cele qui bret, et crie, et baille 932 Et fet sa voiz voler au venz Par fenestres et par auvenz; Et tout quanqu'el fet li reprouche Si com il li vient a la bouche, 936 Devant les voisins qui la vienent, Qui pour fous ambedeus les tienent Et la li tolent a grant paine Tant qu'il est a la grosse alaine. 940 Et quant la dame sent et note Ce torment et ceste riote, Et ceste deduisant viele Dont cist iuglierres li viele, 944 Pensez vous qu'el l'en¹²⁹ aint ia miauz? El vodroit ia qu'il fust a Miauz Voire certes en Romenie! Plus diroi, que ie ne croi mie 948 Qu'ele le veille amer james: Semblant, espoir, en fera, mes S'il poait voler iusque nues¹³⁰ Ou si haut lever ses veues 952 Qu'il peust d'ileuc sanz choair Touz les fez des homes voair Et s'apensast tout par loisir, Si faudroit il bien a choisir 956 En quel perill il est cheüz S'il n'a touz les baraz veüz Pour soi garantir et tenser Dont fame se fet¹³¹ appenser.	Instead he hits her, beats her, thumps her, and knocks her about while she gives out howls and cries and sends her voice flying on the winds past windows and roofs. She reproaches him in every way she knows how, just as it comes into her mouth, in front of the neighbors who come there. The neighbors think them both crazy; with great difficulty they take her away from him while he is out of breath. When the lady feels this torment and takes account of this riot and this diverting viol on which our jongleur plays to her, do you think that she will ever love him more? She would want him to be at Meaux, indeed in Romagna! I will say more; I don't think that she might ever want to love him. She might pretend, but if he could fly up to the clouds or raise his view so high that from there, without falling, he could see all the deeds of men, and if he reflected upon all at leisure, he still would have to choose into which peril he fell, and he has not seen all the frauds that a woman knows how to meditate in order to protect and defend herself.
Folio 79va
960 S'il dort puis en sa compaignie, Trop met en grant perill sa vie: Voire en vaillant et en dormant Se doit il douter trop formant 964 Qu'el nou face pour soi vanchier Enpoisoner ou detranchier Ou mener vie enlangorée Par cautele desespérée, 968 Ou qu'el ne pent de s'enfoir S'el n'en peut autrement joir. Fame ne prise honor ne honte Quant riens en la teste li monte, 972 Qu'il est veritez sanz doutance: Fame n'a point de sciance.¹³² Vers quan qu'el het ou quan qu'el aime, Valerius neïs la claime 976 Hardie et artificieuse Et trop a nuire estudieuse. Conpainz, cist fos¹³³ vilains jalous, Dont la char soit livrée a lous, 980 Qui si de jalousie s'ample Com ci vous ai mis en example, Et se fet seigneur de sa fame, — Qui ne redoit pas estre dame 984 Mes sa pareille et sa compaingne, Si com la loi les acompaingne, Et il redoit ses compainz estre Sanz soi fere seigneur ne mestre 988 Quant tex tormenz li appareille Et ne la tient comme¹³⁴ pareille,	Afterward, if he sleeps in her company, he puts his life in very great peril. Indeed, sleeping and waking, he must fear most strongly that, in order to avenge herself, she may have him poisoned or hacked into pieces, or make him languish in a life of desperate ruses. Or he must fear that, if she cannot play any other way, she may take it into her head to flee. A woman values neither honor nor shame when anything rises up in her head; this is the truth without doubt. A woman has no reason whatever. Valerius even claims that, toward whatever she hates and whatever she loves, a woman is bold, cunning, and studious of bringing injury to others. My friend, consider this mad jealous boor - may his flesh be fed to the wolves - so filled with his jealousy, as I have described him for you here in this story. He makes himself lord over his wife, who, in turn, should not be his lady but his equal and his companion, as the law joins them together; and, for his part, he should be her companion without making himself her lord or master.
Folio 79vb
Ainz la fet vivre en tel mesese, Cuidez que il ne li desplese 992 Et que l'amor entreus ne faille, Quoi qu'ele die? Oil, sanz faille: Ja de sa fame n'iert amez Qui sires veult estre clamez, 996 Car il couvient amors morir Quant amanz veulent seigneurir. Amor ne peut durer ne vivre S'el n'est en queur franc et delivre. 1000 Pour ce revoit l'en¹³⁵ ensement, De touz ceus qui premierement Par amors amer s'entreseulent, Quant pues espouser s'entreveulent, 1004 Enviz peut entreus avenir Que la si Que la si¹³⁶ puisse amors tenir, uant par amours amoit, Seriant a cele se clamoit 1008 Qui sa mestresse soloit estre; Or se clame seigneur et mestre Seur li, que sa dame ot clamée Quant ele iert par amours amée. 1012 'Amée?' – 'Voire, en quel maniere?' 'En tele, que se sanz priere Li commandast: Amis, sailliez! Ou, ceste chose me bailliez, 1016 Tantost li baillast sanz faillir Ou saillist s'el mandast saillir. Voire neïs, quoi qu'ele deist, Saillet il pour qu'elle veist,	Do you think that, when he arranges such torments for her and does not consider her his equal but rather makes her live in such distress, he will not be displeasing to her and that the love between them will not fail? Yes indeed, without fail, whatever she says, he will not be loved by his wife if he wants to be called 'lord,' for love must die when lovers want lordship. Love cannot endure or live if it is not free and active in the heart. For this same reason we see that those who at first are accustomed to love each other out of love may, after they want to marry each other, find that love can hardly ever hold them together; for the man loved out of love would proclaim himself his sweetheart's sergeant, and she grew used to being his mistress. Now he calls himself lord and master over her whom he called his lady when she was loved out of love. 'Loved?' 'Truly.' 'In what way?' 'In such a way that if, without entreaty, she were to command him, 'Jump, lover,' or 'Give me that thing,' he would immediately give it and jump when she ordered him to. In fact, whatever she might say, he would jump so that she might see him,
Folio 80ra
1020 Car tout avoit mis son desir En fere li tout son plesir. Mes quant sunt puis entrespousé, Si com ci raconté vous é, 1024 Lors est tornée la roële, Si que cil qui seut servir cele Commande que cele le serve Ausinc com s'ele fust sa serve 1028 Et la tient courte et li commande¹³⁷ Que de ses fez conte li rande, Et sa dame ainçeis l'apela! Anviz muert qui apris ne l'a. 1032 Lors se tient cele a malbaillie Quant se voit ainsi assaillie Du meilleur, du plus esprouvé Qu'el ait en cest monde trouvé, 1036 Qui si la veult contrarier. Ne se set mes en cui fier, Quant sus son col son mestre esgarde, Don onques mes ne se prist garde. 1040 Malement est changié li vers; Or li vient li geus si divers, Si felons et¹³⁸ si estrangiez, Quant cil li a les dez changiez, 1044 Qu’el ne peut ne n’ose joer. Conment s’en peut ele loer? S’el n’obeïst, cil se corrouce Et la ledange, et cele grouce : 1048 Eztes les vos en ire mis Et tantost par l’ire anemis.	for he had placed his whole desire in doing all her pleasure. But then after they have married each other, as I have told you, the wheel is turned, so that he who was in the habit of serving her now commands her to serve him, just as if she were his slave, and he holds her with a short rein and orders her to give an account of her doings. And he used to call her his lady! He who has not learned this truth is dying. Then she considers herself ill-used when she sees herself thus attacked by the best, most trusted man that she found in the world, the man who thus wants to oppose her. When she sees her master on her neck, the man against whom she never took any precaution, she does not know whom to trust. The verse is changed for the worse. Now that he has changed the dice on her, the throws are so different, so cruel and strange, that she cannot and dare not play. How can she be happy? If she does not obey, he gets angry and berates her, and she grumbles. There they are, fallen into anger and straightway through anger become enemies.
Folio 80rb
Por ce, comaignz, li ancien, Sanz servitute et sanz lien, 1052 Pesiblement, sanz vilanie, S’entreportoient compaignie, N’il ne donassent pas franchise por l’or d’Arrabe ne de Frise; 1056 car qui tout l’or en voudroit prendre, ne la porroit il pas bien vendre. N’estoit lors nul pelerinage, N’issoit nus hors de son rivage 1060 Por cerchier¹³⁹ estrange contree; N’onques n’avoit la mer passee Jason, qui primes la passa, Quant les navies compassa 1064 Por la toison d’or aler querre. Bien cuida estre pris de guerre Neptunus, quant les vit nagier; Triton redut vis enragier, 1068 Et Dorys et toutes ses filles. Por les merveilleuses semilles Cuidierent tuit estre trahi, Tant furent forment esbaï 1072 Des nés qui par la mer voloient Si con li marinier vouloient. Mes li prumier, don je vos conte, Ne savoient que nagier monte. 1076 Trestout trovoient en leur terre Quan que leur sembloit bon a querre; Riche estoient tuit egaument Et s’entramoient loiaument.	It was for this reason, my friend, that the ancients maintained their friendship for each other without bonds of servitude, peaceably, and without boorishness, and they did not give away their freedom for the gold of Araby or Friesland, for he who wanted to take all gold for it could not very well sell it. At that time there was no pilgrimage: no man went out from his own shores to search for a foreign country. Jason had not yet passed over the sea, and he was the first to do so when he organized the ships for the journey to seek the Golden Fleece. When Neptune saw the ships sailing along, he thought for certain that he was captured in war. Triton, too, had to puff his cheeks with rage; and Doris and all her daughters, because of the marvellous tricks, thought that they were all betrayed, so greatly were they dumbfounded by the ships that flew over the sea just as the sailors wished them to. But the first of which I tell you did not know the value of navigation. In their own country they found everything that seemed good to seek. All were equally rich, and they loved each other lawfully.
Folio 80va
1080 Ausinc pesiblement vivoient, Car naturelment s’entramoient, Les simples genz de bone vie. Lors iert amor sanz symonie, 1084 L’un ne demandoit riens à l’autre, Quant Baraz vint lance sus fautre Et Pechiez et Male Aventure, Qui n’ont de Soffisance cure. 1088 Orgueill, qui desdaigne pareill, Vint avec o grant apareill, Et Covoitise et Avarice, Envie et tuit li autre vice, 1092 Si firent saillir Povreté D’enfer, ou tant avoit esté Que nus de li riens ne savoit N’onques en terre esté n’avoit.	Thus they lived peacefully together, for these simple people of good life loved each other naturally. At that time there was no simony in love; one did not demand something from another. Then Fraud came, with his lance at rest, and Sin and Misfortune, who take no heed of Sufficiency, and along with them came Pride, equally disdainful in her grand array, Covetousness, Avarice, Envy, and all the other vices. Then they all made Poverty spring up from hell, where she had been so long that no man knew anything of her, for she had never been on earth.

¹This excerpt corresponds to lines 8459 to 9542 in Armand Strubel's edition and Vol. II, lines 8414 to 9508 in Félix Lecoy's edition.

²on

³Il chastoie

⁴et del avoir

⁵estes

⁶estre

⁷Puis vous devenez tantost si cointe

⁸bon

⁹Que

¹⁰Qui vont ces pustains espiant

¹¹Ne vous chaut

¹²lez vous gesanz

¹³'Chaut' is missing here, however, the sentence does not make any sense without it

¹⁴Tout vis m'estuet enragier d'ire

¹⁵cest

¹⁶Vous donrai tant par cel visage

¹⁷movi

¹⁸Second 'vous' missing

¹⁹moult is missing

²⁰en mariage

²¹Soit laide ou bele

²²Car il dist pour voir et affiche

²³A souffrir l'a a grant torment

²⁴est

²⁵tuit

²⁶luitent

²⁷hurtent

²⁸Tuit vont entour li

²⁹est

³⁰on

³¹qui que

³²si le fant et se porte

³³Que par force nus nes eüst

³⁴Second 'mort' missing

³⁵pour

³⁶Ne nulle preude fame en terre

³⁷Se on la vouloit bien requerre

³⁸Quant requerreours leur deffailent

³⁹les mariages

⁴⁰merveilleus

⁴¹Que ce

⁴²'il' is missing

⁴³Conbien que l'en li ait couvert

⁴⁴Que

⁴⁵descuevre

⁴⁶Mais pour ce qu'el ne li desplaise

⁴⁷en li

⁴⁸sai je

⁴⁹Manuscript BN f.fr. 387 reads “Preudefame”.

⁵⁰trestoutes

⁵¹seure

⁵²Soit seculiere ou soit en cloistre

⁵³Juvenaus le dist et conferme

⁵⁴A Iuno la dame honorée / Une vache toute dorée, / Qu'onc plus merveilleuse avanture / N'avint a nulle creature. Is added at the bottom of the folio.

⁵⁵en

⁵⁶Pour

⁵⁷Second 'que Ruffin' is missing.

⁵⁸dist

⁵⁹s'escrie

⁶⁰dist

⁶¹defiance

⁶²le

⁶³Car

⁶⁴voies

⁶⁵'qui'is missing.

⁶⁶com moi samble

⁶⁷Puis aprés fonda, a sa vie

⁶⁸Qui est

⁶⁹dist

⁷⁰une

⁷¹dame

⁷²Qui si haucier vous fait la chiere

⁷³tres grevaine

⁷⁴i is missing.

⁷⁵il is missing.

⁷⁶N'avez seur cors, sor chief

⁷⁷volez

⁷⁸de tres

²Se je ne les vent ou engage

⁸⁰mie

⁸¹aus

⁸²pour

⁸³ausi

⁸⁴soffime

⁸⁵guimples

⁸⁶hons et plains

⁸⁷Que

⁸⁸N'oÿ dire ne recorder

⁸⁹Qu'el n'a pooir de soi deffendre

⁹⁰si

⁹¹Qui de tous

⁹²par est assaillie

⁹³Qui

⁹⁴bouler ceuls

⁹⁵ces

⁹⁶Et font

⁹⁷A ceuls

⁹⁸Qui

⁹⁹Quant il sa biauté compassa

¹⁰⁰legierement

¹⁰¹trop

¹⁰²Ausi

¹⁰³Ne

¹⁰⁴K'avoec moi

¹⁰⁵Sa

¹⁰⁶vous livrez

¹⁰⁷nous

¹⁰⁸on

¹⁰⁹ou

¹¹⁰tant

¹¹¹ou batre

¹¹²Que

¹¹³'vous' is missing.

¹¹⁴povez

¹¹⁵cousin

¹¹⁶entreveïsmes

¹¹⁷'de' is missing.

¹¹⁸A

¹¹⁹'vous' is missing.

¹²⁰boute

¹²¹forment

¹²²conseult

¹²³Et vous dirai

¹²⁴Vous ferai

¹²⁵me

¹²⁶divers

¹²⁷nouviaus

¹²⁸'a' is missing.

¹²⁹qu'ele en

¹³⁰jusqu'aus nues

¹³¹puet

¹³²conscience

¹³³cil fol

¹³⁴'sa' is missing.

¹³⁵on

¹³⁶se

¹³⁷demende

¹³⁸‘et’ is missing.

¹³⁹tracier

Excerpt 5 : Speech by the Jealous Husband1

Excerpt 5 : Speech by the Jealous Husband¹