DESCRIPTION:
Poissance d'amours - Mystiques, moines et ménestrels en Brabant au 13e siècle. Ensemble Graindelavoix - Björn Schmelzer dir.

CD info: http://www.glossamusic.com/glossa/reference.aspx?id=117
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/gls32103.htm

Je ne cuidai mes chanter,
tant m'en estoie tenuz;
or m'i font Amors penser,
a qui je me sui renduz.
Car g'en sui tenuz
tres donc que li fis honmage,
si ai plus bel avantage
a mes chanz trouver
que se fusse sanz amer.

D'amours ne mi soi garder;
autres! ne feroit nus.
Si tost qu'en moi vout ouvrer
et moustrer de ses vertuz,
fui lués convaincuz
et pris a un sien passage,
ou guetoient si mesage
mon euer pour enbler.
Pris fui par eus esgarder.

Amours ne s'i vout celer,
dont abaudiz sui et muz;
merci me cou vint crïer.
Povrement fui responduz
de ma dame, et plus
quant li gehis mon corage;
merciz mi fu si sauvage
a moi conforter
c'oncor mi fet souspirer.

Dame, ensi vous doi nonmer,
ou nature a mis son us
pour toute biauté löer;
se par vous sui secoruz,
g'iere revestuz
de joie. Fetes m'en sage
par un senblant de visnage,
si potrai errer
et mes chanz renouveler.

Amors, ne doi refuser
vo conmant; pas nel refus.
Ma dame vueil presenter
mon chant, dont sui pourveüz.
S'en gré est reçuz,
de chanter ravrai l'usage
et, si le vueil, d'eritage
de li relever
d'un chant par an et fin cuer.

Nos vaillant dux
de 8rebant di sanz outrage:
"Pieç'a ne poi an rivage
d'eur ariver ;
aidiez mi a gouverner !"
--------------------

I was thinking of not singing any more
as long as I was being held in this way;
at present Love is causing me to dream,
about the one to whom I have given myself up.
Far I belong to her
since I rendered homage to her
and there is more advantage for me in
in composing my chansons
than if I was never in love.

I could not prevent myself from loving
- nobody could.
Once he wanted to take me over
and prove his power,
straight away I was vanquished
and made prisoner to one of his advances,
where his emissaries were waiting for
in order to carry off my heart.
I became prisoner when they appeared.

Love cannot dissemble,
how well he makes me both perplexed and silent;
I must beg for mercy.
My lady replied to me
gently, and then less
when I revealed my feelings to her
pity was so reluctant
in giving me solace
that that made me sigh yet more.

Lady - for thus I must address you -
in that Nature is employed
in exalting all beauty;
if you bring me aid,
I will be full of
happiness. Tell me
as I approach you
and I will be able to set out on my journey
and rediscover my repertoire.

Love: one must not refuse
what you order and I do not refuse it.
To my lady I wish to present
the song which I have prepared.
If it is willingly accepted,
the way of singing will return to me
as well as, I am hoping, the custom
of paying homage to her
by once a year singing of a noble heart.

To our valiant Duke of Brabant
I say without arrogance:
"There has never been a bad time when I have not been able
to approach the shore of happiness:
help me to maintain control."

Patrizia Hardt, Silvie Moors, Yves Van Handenhove, Lieven Gouwy, Paul De Troyer, Thomas Vanelde, Bart Meynckens, Björn Schmelzer (voices); Jan Van Outryve (guiterne, lute), Thomas Baeté (fiddles), Floris De Rycker (lute, guiterne)