A letter from Aimeric de Belenoi (1219-37)

Translated letter:

I. No man fails in anything so quickly as where he holds himself most secure; For which it seems to me great folly not to fear what might happen: For I thought, when Love did not hold me, that [she] could not force me against my will; but now [she] has completely overpowered me. II. She is of such loving form, the beauty who holds me, that no one can hear or see her and not fall in love. So, if I am compelled, don't think it a great marvel: for her beauty, where it is unleashed, conquers all other beauty, as the sun conquers all other light. III. From rubies with crystal it seems to me God made her, and with his sweet breath inspired her; know this: that with enamored words full of sweetness, with pride without folly, she speaks and laughs, with such sweet grace, that the desire to love grows in lovers, and makes those love who have not loved. IV. And since I am not as worthy as befits her merit, I love her, and it troubles me that I take pleasure in it. For one is never so prized that his worth and his rich merit are equal. But if Love chooses for her among lovers the loyalest and the most in love, I need not fear her worth nor her wealth. V. I suffer great distress when I have to go away; but it also does me great good: because the further I am from her, [the more] her great beauty is with me just as I saw her, in my heart, night and day, and the noble talk and gracious company with which I have courted her many times, secretly, so that others think I have other thoughts. VI. Of the countess Beatrice, one could not say so much good that it would not be surpassed in her; for in her God has brought together so much good that he has only divided among others. VII. Lord Aymon, if Love did not hold me back, I could not keep myself any longer from seeing you; but Love has so strongly overpowered me, that I can do nothing but her will.

Original letter:

I. Nulhs om en re no falh Tan tost, ni mesave, Com en luec on se te Per pus asseguratz; Per que 'm par grans foudatz Qui no tem so qu'avenir li poiria: Qu'ieu cujava, quan Amors no'm tenia, Que no'm pogues forsar oltra mon grat; Mas eras m'a de'l tot apoderat. II. Tant es d'amoros talh La belha que'm rete, Qu'om non l'au ni la ve No'n si'enamoratz. E donc s'ieu suy forsatz, Non cugetz ges grans meravelha sia: Que sa beutatz, lai on ilh se deslia, Vens enaissi trastot' autra beutat, Quom lo solelhs venz tot'autra clardat. III. De robis ab cristalh, Me par que Dieus la fe, E de'l sieu dous ale L'espiret, so sapchatz: Qu'ab digz enamoratz, Ples de doussor, ab erguelh ses folhia Parla e ri, ab tan doussa cunhdia, Qu'a'ls amadors creys d'amar voluntat, E fai amar selhs que non an amat. IV. E quar hieu tan no valh Cum a'l sieu pretz cove, Am lieys, et azir me Quar m'en suy azautatz. Qu'om non es tan prezatz Que sa valors a'l sieu ric pretz pars sia. Pero, s'Amors entre'ls amans li tria Lo plus leyal ni'l mielhs enamorat, No'm cal temer son pretz ni sa rictat. V. Molt suefri greu trebalh Quan lunhar m'en ave; Mas aisso'm fai gran be: Qu'on plus m'en suy lunhatz, M'estay sa grans beutatz Tals com la vi, en mon cor, nueyt e dia, E'l gens parlars, e l'avinens paria Ab qu'ieu domney mantas vetz, a celat, Qu'om se cuyda qu'ieu aia d'als pessat. VI. De la comtessa Beatris non poiria Tan de ben dir, que mais en lieis no'sia: Qu'en lieis ha Dieus tan de ben ajustat, Com per part n'a a las autras donat. VII. Senher N'Imo, s'Amors no'm retenia, De vos vezer mais tener no'm poiria; Mas Amors m'a tan fort apoderat, Qu'ieu non puesc far mas quan sa volontat.

Historical context:

Dumitrescu identifies the countess in two of Aimeric's poems 15 and 19, as Beatrice of Savoy, countess of Provence. Aimeric also mentions two cousins of the countess, another Beatrice and Agnes of Saluzzo, in 15.29-32. Since 15 speaks of a number of women and does not address the countess, I cite only the relevant lines here (15.27-32): "Venjes las en la pros comtessa fina/De Proensa, on a tota valor." "Let her avenge them on him, the worthy and noble countess/ of Provence, where all merit lies." #19 is a canso that is addressed to Beatrice (see ll.46-49) and to an Aymon who is probably her brother and one of Aimeric's patrons (Dumitrescu, 13-14). The poem appears in 15 MSS, of which 3 attribute it to Aimeric; those are the three indicated here.

Manuscript source:

Paris, Bibl. Nat., fr. 856; Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana, XLI, 42; Oxford, Bodleian, Douce, 269.

Printed source:

Poésies du Troubadour Aimeric de Belenoi, ed. Maria Dumitrescu (Paris: SATF, 1935), 144-47.

Date:

1219-37