Conon de Béthune: "Bien me deüsse targier..."

Bien me deüsse targier
De chançon faire et de moz et de chanz,
Quant je me dai esloignier
De la moillor de toutes les vaillanz.
Et si en puis faire voire ventance
Que je fais plus par Deu que nuls amanz ;
Si en sui maur endroit l'arme joianz,
Mais j'ai dou cors et pitié et pesance.

Ne ja pour nul desirrier
Ne remaindrai avecques ces tiranz
Qui sont croisié a loier
Par dismer clers et borjois et serjanz;
Plus en croisa covoitié que creance.

Et, quant la croiz n'en puet estre garanz,
A telx croisiéz sera Dex mout soffranz,
Se ne s'en venge a pou de demorance.

On se doit bien esforcier
De Deu servir, ja n'i soit li talanz,
En la char veincre et plaissier
Qui de pechier est adès desirranz ;
Adonc voit Dex la double penitence.
Ha las ! se nus se doit sauver dolanz,
Donc doit estre li merites mout granz,
Car si dolanz nus ne se part de France.

Dahait li bers qui est de tel semblance
Con li oiseax qui conchie son ni.
Pou en i a n'ait son regne honi,
Por tant qu'il ait sor ses homes poissance.

Or ai je dit des barons ma semblance.
Se lor en poise de ce que je le di,
Si s'en preingnent a mon maistre d'Oisi
Qui m'a apris a chanter dès enfance.

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I should indeed delay
composing a song with words and melody,
since I have to go far away
from the best of all worthy ladies,
and from this I derive true exultation,
which I do more for God than any lover;
I am most joyous in the soul,
but as for the body, I feel pity and worry.

Never because of any desire
shall I remain with these tyrants,
who are crusaders for money,
and collect tithes from clerks and burghers and soldiers;
more have become crusaders out of covetousness than belief.
For that reason the cross will not be protected,
and God will be most indulgent to such crusaders,
if he does not take revenge on them forthwith.

One must indeed make an effort
to serve God, even if the desire is not there,
by conquering and mortifying the flesh,
which is ever desirous of sinning;
then God sees the double penance.
Alas! if anyone is to save himself through suffering,
then their merit must be great indeed,
for anyone so unhappy does not leave France!

Accursed be the baron who is, in character,
like the bird which fouls its nest.
There are few whose kingdoms are not shamed
if they have the slightest power over their men.

Now I have given my opinion of the barons.
If it upsets them that I say it,
let them blame the master of Oisy,
who taught me to sing from my childhood

Alla Francesca: Emmanuel Bonnardot (voice, fiddle, rebec, cittern), Raphaël Boulay (voice), Pierre Hamon (flute, three-holed pipe, bagpipes, double pipe, recorder, bamboo flute, six-holed pipe, drum), Brigitte Lesne (voice, harp, hurdy-gurdy, frame drum, small cymbals, tambourine.