Guillaume de Machaut
May 19, 2008
French miniature, 14th century — “Nature offers Machaut three of her children - Sense, Rhetoric, and Music.”
Guillaume de Machaut was a famous French poet, and one of the greatest composers of the 14th Century too. He was greatly admired and imitated by other poets including the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer.
He studied theology and took holy orders. In the service of King John of Bohemia he traveled through Europe on chivalric expeditions.
The theme of Foy porter is of the irresistibility of love. Gemstones were believed to have healing properties. The idea that courtly love improved one’s character was a crucial part of the tradition at the time.
“I want to stay faithful, guard your honor,
Seek peace, obey
Fear, serve and honor you,
Until death,
Peerless Lady.”
~
| Refrain: | ||
| Foy porter, honneur garder | I want to stay faithful, guard your honor, | |
| Et pais querir, oubeir | Seek peace, obey | |
| Doubter, servir, et honnourer | Fear, serve and honor you, | |
| Vous vueil jusques au morir | Until death, | |
| Dame sans per. | Peerless Lady. | |
| I. | ||
| Car tant vous aim, sans mentir | For I love you so much, truly, | |
| Qu’on poroit avant tarir | that one could sooner dry up | |
| La haute mer | the deep sea | |
| Et ses ondes retenir | and hold back its waves | |
| Que me peusse alentir | than I could constrain myself | |
| de vous amer. | from loving you, | |
| Sans fausser; car mi penser, | without falsehood; for my thoughts | |
| Mi souvenir, mi plaisir | my memories, my pleasures | |
| Et mi desir sont sans finer | and my desires are perpetually | |
| En vous que ne puis guerpir n’entroublier | of you, whom I cannot leave or even briefly forget. | |
| II. | ||
| Il ne’est joie ne joir | There is no joy or pleasure | |
| N’autre bien qu’on puist sentir | or any other good that one could feel | |
| N’imaginer | or imagine which does not seem to me worthless, | |
| Qui ne me samble languir, | whenever your sweetness wants to sweeten my bitterness. | |
| Quant vo douceur adoucir vuet mon amer: | Therefore I want to praise | |
| Dont loer et aourer | and adore and fear you, | |
| Et vous cremier, tout souffrir, | suffer everything, | |
| Tout conjoir, Tout endurer | experience everything, endure everything | |
| Vueil plus que je ne desir Guerredonner. | more than I desire any reward. | |
| Foy porter . . . | I want to stay faithful . . . | |
| III. | ||
| Vous estes le vray saphir | You are the true sapphire | |
| Qui puet tous mes maus garir et terminer. | that can heal and end all my sufferings, | |
| Esmeraude a resjoir, | the emerald which brings rejoicing, | |
| Rubis pour cuers esclarcir et conforter. | the ruby to brighten and comfort the heart. | |
| Vo parler, vo regarder, | Your speech, your looks, | |
| Vo maintenir, font fuir et enhair et despiter | Your bearing, make one flee and hate and detest | |
| Tout vice et tout bien cherir et desirer | all vice and cherish and desire all that is good. | |
| Foy porter . . . | I want to stay faithful. . . |
~
Reference: Medieval Love Songs — Study Guide by Paul Brians
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