A letter from Elias de Barjols (1225-30)

Translated letter:

I. Love, it pleases me and seems good to me that because of your base deeds, lying and low, all worthy people blame you; because of your failure everyone flees you and forgets you, and for your foolish and ugly behavior.

II. Love, I have seen a time when you were flower and grain! now I see the most eminent all have a bad opinion of you; for it has done you harm that to those who have obeyed you you are a liar and unfaithful and you serve those who do not serve.

III. Love, I do not know a lord even a young child who would give two coins [Asti currency] or serve you without reward; because they have abandoned you who served you a long time, because there is less enjoyment the more loyally one serves you.

IV. Love, I tell you no, for I am not in your hands, . . . (1) who puts himself in your prison; and God keep me from such a life, let it not be my destiny to be obedient to you or return to your torments.

V. To the valiant king of Leon, who is lord of Castile, to whom I am a reliable friend I send, if it please him, my song; and if it is welcome to him, it will be better sung and heard, for he is beyond the most valiant, generous, and charming, and pleasing.

VI. . . . give life, for . . .

VII. Let her merit never forget me the gracious countess, Beatrice, nor her good sense nor her lovely manner.

Original letter:

I. Amors, be'm platz e'm sap bo quar per vostres faitz vilas mensongiers e soteiras vos mesprendon tug li pro; tot per la vostra faillida vos fui cascus e'us oblida e pe'ls fols captenemens que faitz tan dezavinens.

II. Amors, ieu vi la sazo que vos eratz flors e gras! ar vei dels plus sobeiras qe’n tenon tug mal resso; c’aissi’us es enmalezida q’a cels qi’us an obezida es mensongeir’ e volvens e sirvetz los dessirvens.

III. Amors, ieu no sai baro tant sia ioves efas que mezes dos astezas ni’us servis ses guizardo; per que cil vos aun gequida qi’us an longuamen servida, car meins n’a de iauzimens qui plus vos ser lialmens.

IV. Amors, aissi’us dic de no, qu’ieu no soi en vostras mas . . . qui’s met en vostra preizo; e gart me Dieus d’aital vida, que ia no’m si’escarida qu’ieu vos si’obediens ni’m torn e’ls vostres turmens.

V. Al valen rei de Leo qu’es senher dels Castellas cui eu soi amicx sertas tramet, si’ll platz, ma chanso; e si er per lui grazida meils n’er cantad’ et auzida qu’el es sobre’ls plus valens lars e adrei[z] e plazens.

VI. . . . don vida car au . . . . . . . . .

VII. Ies sa valor(s) no’m oblida de la comtessa grazida, Biatris, ni sos bos senz ni sos bels captenemenz.

Historical context:

Elias was at the court of Provence in the time of Raymond Berengar's father, Alfonso, and wrote poems for Raymond's mother countess Garsenda (#5-8), herself a poet, as well as for Beatrice (#10-13) and for Beatrice's mother, Margeurite (9). The king of Leon from 1188 to 1230 was Alfonso IX, while his son Ferdinand was king of Castile, and would unite Leon with Castile when his father died in 1230.

Scholarly notes:

(1)One manuscript gives "esparvier es de vilas," "you are a town-bred sparrow-hawk," that is, not much use, but Stronski rejects the line because of the rhyme, fn.27, p.101.

Printed source:

Le Troubadour Elias de Barjols, ed. Stanislas Stronski (Toulouse: Edouard Privat, 1906), 32-34, #13.

Date:

1225-30