| LE GRAND TESTAMENT - CXLV-CL | THE TESTAMENT - CXLV-CL |
| François Villon | tr. Peter Dean |
|
CXLV Regarde m'en deux, troys assises Sur le bas du ply de leurs robes En ces moustiers, en ces eglises; Tire t'en près et ne te hobes; Tu trouveras la que Macrobes Oncques ne fist telz jugemens. Entens, quelque chose en desrobes: Ce sont tous beaulx enseignemens. CXLVI Item, et au mont de Montmartre, Qui est ung lieu moult ancïen, Je lui donne et adjoincts le tertre Qu'on dit de mont Valerïen, Et oultre plus un quartier d'an Du pardon qu'apportay de Romme; Sy yra maint bon chrestïen En l'abbaye ou il n'entre homme. CXLVII Item, varletz et chamberieres De bons hostelz - riens ne me unyt! - Feront tartes, flans et goyeres Et grans ralïatz a mye nuyt - Riens n'y font sept pintes ne huit Tant que gisent seigneur et dame -, Puis aprés, sans mener grant bruyt, Je leur ramentoy le jeu d'asne. CXLVIII Item, et a filles de bien, Qui ont peres, meres et antes, Par m'ame, je ne donne rien, Car j'ay tout donné aux servantes. Sy feussent ilz de peu contentes ... Grant bien leur feissent mains loppins, Aux povres filles, ennementes, Qui se perdent aux Jacoppins, CXLIX Aux Celestins et aux Chartreux; Quoy que vie mainent estroicte, Sy ont ilz largement entre eulx Dont povres filles ont souffrecte; Tesmoing Jacqueline, et Perrecte, Et Ysabeau qui dit: "Enné!". Puis qu'ilz en ont telle disecte, A peine en seroit on dampné. CL Item, a la Grosse Margot, Tres doulce face et pourtraicture, - Foy que doy, brulare bigot, A si devocte creature, Je l'ayme de propre nature, Et elle moy, la doulce sade -, Qui la trouvera d'aventure, Qu'on lui lise ceste ballade. |
CXLV Look at them in their twos and threes on hoisted skirts all sitting squat, in churches, in their monasteries. Don’t be put off. Draw near. Fear not. There, what Macrobius never got a judgement on, you’ll find for free. Listen: distilled, a wisdom on the spot - lessons of great sincerity. CXLVI Item, to Mount Monmartre which is a monument of ancient grace, I give Mount Valerian’s riches, a small mound, to add to its base; and furthermore, to save its face, pardon, for three months, brought from Rome, if many more Christians will trace a path into the abbey few call home. CXLVII Item, potboys and chambermaids of good hostelries (I’m so pleased) will all make pies and flans for trades in midnight revels when all’s ceased above stairs: nothing but seven pints at least will do, while lord and lady snore: then after, silence crowns the feast, I’ll teach the game of Asses Score. CXLVIII Item, and well-heeled girls not short of fathers, mothers and the rest get nix from me. I always thought - as I’ve done - giving it servants best. If for this scant they show some zest they should raise titbits for the bands of needy poor young girls who, pressed and lost, fall into Jacobin hands. CXLIX Carthusians’, too, and Celestines’: whereby, the way of life being tight, they have amongst themselves the means to stop young girls from getting a bite. Step forward, Jacqui, take the light, Perri and Isabel, who said "Yup!" as proof they give that such a plight won’t damn you when your time is up. CL Item, to Margot, fat and fair, whose face is sweet and painted, she - by God! that quite devout and rare creature from time-to-time I see - I love in her own right: and me she loves, the sweet and gracious thing! Should you fall in her company read her this ballad - let it sing! |
Trans. Copyright © Peter Dean 2003