BALLADE DES SEIGNEURS DU BALADE: LORDS OF FORMER TIMES
TEMPS JADIS
François Villontr. Peter Dean
Qui plus, ou est ly tiers Calixte,
Derrenier decedé de ce nom,
Quy quatre ans tint le papalixte?
Alfonce le roy d'Arragon,
Le gracïeux duc de Bourbon,
Et Artus le duc de Bretaigne,
Et Charles septiesme le bon?
Mais ou est le preux Charlemaigne?

Semblablement, le roy scotiste
Qui demy face ot, ce dit on,
Vermaille comme une emastiste
Depuis le front jusqu'au menton,
Le roy de Chippre de renom,
Helas! et le bon roy d'Espaigne
Duquel je ne sçay pas le nom?
Mais ou est le preux Charlemaigne?

D'en plus parler je me desiste,
Le monde n'est qu'abusïon;
Il n'est qui contre mort resiste
Ne qui treuve provisïon.
Encore faiz une questïon :
Lancellot, le roy de Behaygne,
Ou est il? Ou est son tayon?
Mais ou est le preux Charlemaigne?

Ou est Clacquin le bon Breton,
Ou est le conte daulphin d'Auvergne,
Et le bon feu duc d'Alençon?
Mais ou est le preux Charlemaigne?
Who else? Where’s Calixtes the Third,
the last descended of that name,
Pope for four years? And who has heard
lately of Aragon’s king Alphonse? The same
of Bourbon’s gracious Duke? What’s understood
of Brittany’s Duke Arthur? What the fate
of Charles the Seventh, known as Good?
And where is Charlemagne the Great?

And what of Scots king, James the Second,
the one half of whose face from brow
right down to chin, so it is reckoned,
was amethyst-red from birth? What now
of Cyprus’ famous king and lord?
And woe! Spain’s king whose name and date
I can’t recall - there’s the reward?!
And where is Charlemagne the Great?

Of such matters I speak no more.
The world’s abuses take us in.
No-one is proof against Death’s door
nor finds effective medicine.
However (I’ll make this the last!),
what was Bohemia’s Lancelot’s fate -
his life, just like his grandad’s passed:
And where is Charlemagne the Great?

Clacquin, brave Breton knight is - where?
Count Dauphin of the Auvergne’s in what state?
And Alencon, both brave and fair?
And where is Charlemagne the Great?
Trans. Copyright © Peter Dean 2003 







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