SIRVEME DE RICHARD COEUR DE LION SUR SA CAPTIVITL
Ja nuls hom près non dira sa razon Adrechament, si com hom dolens non; Mas per conort deu hom faire canson ; Pro n'ay d'amis, mas paure son li don, Ancta lur es, si per ma rezenson Soi sai dos yvers près.
Or sapchon ben miey hom e miey baron, Angles, Norman, Peytavin e Gascon, Qu'ieu non ay ja si paure compagnon Qu'ieu laissasse, per aver, en preison, Non ho die raia per nulla retraison, Mas anquar soi ie près.
Car sai eu ben per ver, certanament, Qu'hom mort ni près n'a amie ni parent. Et si m laissan per aur ni per argent. Mal m'es per mi, mas pieg m'es per ma gent, Qu'après ma mort n'auran reprocbament.
Si sai mi laisson près.
J. Raynouard, Choix des poésies îles troubadours, K IV, p. 183. IV. 19
No m meravilh s'ieu ay lo cor dolent, Que mos shener met ma terra en turment; No li membra del nostre sagrament Que nos feimes el Sans cominalment; Ben sai de ver que gaire longament Non serai en sai près.
Suer comtessa, vostre pretz sobeiran Sai dieus, e gard la beila qu'ieu am tan. Ni per cui soi ja près.
No
BALLADE POPULAIRE SUR UNE RENCONTRE SUPPOSEE DU ROI RICHARD ET DE ROBIN HOOD *
King Richard hearing of the pranks
Of Robin Hood and bis men, He much admir'd and more desir'd
To see both bim and them.
Then with a dozen of bis Lords
To Nottingbam be rode :
Wben be came tbere, be raadegood chcer
And took up bis abode.
He baving staid tbere some tivne,
But bad no bopes to speed, He and bis lords, with one accord,
AU put on monks weeds.
From Fountain-abbey tbey did ride,
Down to Barnsdale.
Where Robin Hood prepared stood
Ail Company to assail.
i. Eiaii's old Ballads hislorkal and narratke, vol. 1, p. 218-225.
The king was higher than the rest;
And Robin thought he had An abbot been whom he had seen ;
To rob him he was glad.
He took the king's horse by the head ;
— « Abbot;, says he, abide ; I am bonnd to rue such knaves as you^
That live in pomp and pride. »
— « But we are messengers from the king, The king himselft did say :
Near to this place, bis royal grâce To speak with thee does stay. »
— « Gode save the king, said Robin Hood, And ail that wish him well^
He that does deny bis sovereignty, x,
I wish he was in hell. »;
— « Thyself thou cursest, said the king. For thou a traitor art :
Nay, but that you are his messenger^ I swear you lie in heart. »
« For 1 never yet hurt any man
That honest is and true :
But those who give their minds to live
Upon other men's due. »
« For I never hurt ihe husbandman
That use to till the ground ; Nor spill their blood, that range the wood^
To follow hawk or hound. »
« My chiefest spite to clergy is,
Who in thèse days bear sway; With fryars and monks, with their fine sprunks
I make my chiefest prey. »
« But 1 am very glad, said Robin Hood,
That I hâve met you hère; Corne, before we end, you shall, my friend,
Taste of our green wood cheer. »
The king he then did marvel much
And so did ail his men, They thought with fear, what kind of checr.
Robin would provide for them.
Robin took the king's horse by the head.
And led him to the tent :
— « Thou would not be so us'd, quoth he.
But that my king thee sent. »
« Nay more than that, » quod Robin Hood, « For good king Richard's sake,
It you had as much gold as ever I told, 1 would not one penny take. »
Then Robin set his horn to his mouth.
And a loud blast he did blow, Till an hundred and ten of Robin Hood's men
Game marching ail of a row.
And when they came bold Robin before,
Each man did bend his knee ; 0, « thought the king, 'tis a galant thing^
And seem y sight to see. »
Within himself the king did say :
— « Thèse men of Robin Hood's
More humble be than mine to me ; So the court may learn of the woods. »
So then they ail to dinner went
Upon a carpet green; Black, yellow, red fmely mingled,
Most curious to be seen.
Venison and fowls were plenty there,
With fish out of the river :
Eing Richard swore, on sea or shore,
He never was feasted better.
Tlien Robin takes a cann of aie :
— « Come let us now begin ; And every man shall hâve a cann ;
Here's a health unto the king. »
The king himself drank at the king
So round about it.went :
Two barrels of aie, both stout and staie,
To pledge that health was spent.
And after that a bowl of wine In his and took Robin Hood :
— « Until I die, l'il drink wine, said he, While I live in the green wood. »
— « Bend ail your bows, said Robin Hood, And with the grey goose wing
Such sport now show, as you would do In the présence of the king. »
They shewed such brave archery
By cleaving stick and wands, That the king did say : « such men as they,
Live not in many lands. »
— « Well, Robin Hood, then say s the king, « If I could thy pardon get,
To serve the king in every thing, Would'st thou thy mind firm set? »
— « Yes, with ail my heart » bold Robin said : So they flung off their hoods;
To serve ihe king in every thing,
They swore they would spend their blood.
— « For a clergyman was first my bane Which makes me hâte them ail;
But if you 'Il be so kind to me Love them again I shall. »
— « I am the king, thy sovereign king, That appears before you ail. »^
When Robin saw that it was he, Strait then he down did fall.
— « Stand up again, then said the king, l'il thee thy pardon give;
Stand hup, my friend, who cân contend, When I give leave to live? »
So they are ail gone to Nottingham
AU shouting as they came ; But when the people them did see,
They thought the king was slain.
And for that cause the outlaws were corne
To rule ail as they list ; And for to shun, which way to run,
The people did not wist.
The plowman left the plow in the fields, The smith ran from bis shop ;
Old folks also, that scarce could go, Over their stick did hop.
The kingsoon did let them understand He had been in the green wood.
And from that day for evermore He'd forgiven Robin Hood.
Then the people they did hear.
And the truth was known ; They ail did sing, God save the king,
Hang care, the town's our own.
— « Whats that Robin Hood ? then said the sheriff, That varlet I do hâte;
Botli me and mine he caused to dine, And serv'd ail with one plate. »
— « Ho ho, said Robin Hood, 1 know what you mean ; Come take your gold again :
Be friends with me, and I with thee, And so with every man. »
« Now master sheriff, you are hard ;
And since you are beginner, As well as you, give me my due. For you ne'er paid for that dinner. »
« But if that it should please the king,
So much your house to grâce, To sup with you , for to speak true,
Know you ne'er was base. »
The sheriff could not gainsay,
For a trick was put upon him; A supper was drest, the king was a gnest.
But he thought 'twould hâve undone him.
They are ail gone to London court,
Robin Hood with ail his train ; He once was there a noble peer.
And now he's there again.
DAI.LADE POPULAIRE, DANS LE DIALECTE DU NOKD, SUR LA NAISSANCE DE ROBIN HOOD ^
0 Willie's large o' limb and lith.
And come o' high degree ;
