La Trobe University - Library: Medieval Music Database - Annual cycle of feasts of liturgical chant, liturgical polyphony and secular music of the late middle ages.

Des que, buisson, me fu boutez d'enfance

ballade by Grimace

Sources

Chantilly: Bibliothèque du Musèe Condè 564, fol. 53 (4/1).

Editions

1. French Secular Compositions of the Fourteenth Century, music edited by Willi Apel, texts edited by Samuel N. Rosenberg, Rome: American Institute of Musicology, 1970. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae 53/I, p. 68.
2. French Secular Music. Manuscript Chantilly, Musèe Condè 564, Second Part, edited by Gordon K. Greene, Monaco: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1982. Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century XIX, p. 120.

Literature

1. HARRISON, Frank Ll. 'Ars nova in England: a new source', Musica Disciplina, XXI (1967), p. 70, 72.
2. BLACHLY, Alexander. The Motets of Philippe de Vitry, Columbia University (M.A. thesis), p. 38.
3. LEFFERTS, Peter M. The Motet in England in the Fourteenth Century, Ann Arbor: UMI Research Press, 1986, p. 293.

Text

Des que, buisson, me fu boutee d'enfance,
dedens mon cuer entra voloyr d'amer,
et des adont y mis je tel plaisance
c'on doit ben; quant je me voyoye clamer
"Amy", de douce volenté par cuer enté,
de grant douçour per Rayson accuellie,
se voel amer sans penser vilanie.

Se de vray cuer se fait, par acordance,
en bonne amour ne puet avoir amer.
Jonesse y prent maintieng et contenance,
sens et honnour, san li fayure blasmer.
[De] chescun quant sont dementé par leur plenté,
se n'est ce pas d'amour per bien norrie?
Si voel amer [sans penser vilanie.]TranslationSince I, a young bush, first put forth my buds,
in my heart entered the desire to love.
And since then I expended such pleasure in it,
as well one should; when I see myself being called
"Beloved" with sweet heart-felt desiring,
and spoken to in a gentle and welcoming way,
then I wish to love and think no evil thoughts.

If this happens in all sincerity, and we both desire it equally,
there can be no bitterness to mar perfect love.
Each person takes youthfulness and a fine upright bearing,
wisdom and honour from such a love, without bringing discredit to
[himself.
Everyone, when they are groaning in the measure that they are
[afflicted at their abundance,
unless this abundance is the result of a love nourished on well-
[being,
then I wish to love and think no evil thoughts.
Text revision and translation © Robyn Smith