GARLAMBEY THE TUNE THAT MOST ...
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras trans. James H. Donalson
(from Provençal)
El so que pus m'agensa
de Mon Rabey,
vos diray com comensa
un ric torney,
que fo fag en Proensa.
Qui mielhs o fey
vos diray ses bistensa,
c'om mens de may
non cobri ni non jensa
malvat domney.
Perdutz fo, qui que·l vensa,
et garlainbey
mans destrier de valensa,
mas ieu no vey
qui planha la falhensa.

Gen fe la comensansa
lo don del Baus;
e, qui·l ver en romansa,
ac sos chivaus
gran gol' e grossa pansa
e semblet braus,
si que·l jorn en balansa
juys lo vassaus,
qu'en Raimon ab sa lansa
lo mes et raus,
Rainoart, ses doptansa,
que·l caval claus;
e·n Guilhem per semblansa
no se·n fes maus,
ans quer alhor enguansa.

En la cocha feria
vi tot premier
Dragonet, que sezia
sus en destrier
pauc, mas poder avia
gran e sobrier;
mas un pauc de feunia
l'a son corssier,
que l'a tolt gualhardia
et alegrier;
per so·n cazec lo dia
lai et gravier;
mas non planh la falhia
del cavayer
qu'es de sa companhia.

Lo coms cuy fon Belcaire
venc al sembel
desus un destrier vaire,
c'om ten per bel;
e·n Pos fo sos justaire,
qui que·n gragel,
de Monlaur, o que·n laire,
quel gastinel
li saup jen de jotz traire
fresqu' e novel;
e·l coms no·i dona gaire,
car pus isnel
n'a conquis de bon aire,
que cre s'ensel
trop mielhs per justa faire.

Barral, sel de Marcelha,
vi gent armat
sul destrier c'a la selha
negr' e·l pel plat,
e val be mil tans celha
sel d'en Lobat.
Sel de Vila·l redelha,
que l'ai trobat
lai desotz una trelha
tot enpachat,
c'a pauc no·l desparelha
del saur pomat;
e·n Barraus s'escabelha
coma neyat,
pueis rete·l per l'aurelha.

Si vi en la telena
en Pons justar
de Mondrago, c'a pena
o aus comtar,
qu'ieu lo vi en l'arena
jos trabucar,
que, tota s'asta plena,
lo fes tombar
us escudiers, que·n mena
lo ros liar
magre, cui par la vena
gross' al colar;
e·n Pos no s'esfelena
de recobrar,
ans quer alhors estrena.

Jen venc en la batalha
lo dons garnitz
de Meolho, ses falha,
qui·l ver en ditz;
e fo pus gras que calha
cos arabitz;
ab Nicolau s'engalha,
que·l fon aizitz,
... -alha
... -itz
que·l mes jotz la ventalha
lo cal que nitz,
si c'anc no·n restet malha;
e·l cons en ritz,
pueis ditz que no li·n calha.

Jen vi en la mesclanha
mon Avengut
sus en caval d'Espanha,
c'a trop tengut;
no sap qui·l se guazanha,
qu'el l'a perdut
... -anha
... -ut
que lai part Alamanha
son esperdut
li trei d'una companha;
mas non aug brut
ni home que·ls en planha,
car so vencut
lai en la terr' estranha.
The tune that most delights me
is Mont Rabey:
I'll use it in relating
a tournament
that took place once in Provence.
Without delay
I'll speak of best performance
no less than I
would cover or embellish
poor chivalry,
and there were lost, whoever
won victory,
too many noble horses,
but I see none
regretting all the losses.

The fight was well begun by
the Lord of Baux,
but to relate all, truly,
about his horse -
big maw and bigger belly,
ill-tempered, too;
so he was then in peril,
this warrior.
Sir Raymond Renouard doubtless
took up his lance
and then he overthrew him
and stopped his horse.
Sir William, it's apparent,
got up unharmed
but then went off.

And in the fighting forefront
the first of all
comes Dragonet, who's seated
on a small steed,
but it was very powerful,
and spirited,
and it was somewhat angry,
this courser, too;
it robbed his of his courage
and took his joy,
so that, on this occasion,
he fell in lists,
but no one in the company
of the good knight
bewailed his sorry falling.

The count who holds Beaucaire
came to the fray
atop a dappled charger
that's much admired;
Sir Pons was his opponent,
Lord of Montlaur,
whoever may complain
or growl at this:
with skill he took from under
him, his fresh colt.
The count paid no attention
because he won
a faster one, and better:
too good, he thinks
to ride on in a jousting.

Barral, who's from Marseille
I saw, well-armed,
upon a sleek, young charger,
black-saddled too,
a thousand times more precious
than Sir Lobat's.
The man of Vila nets him,
I find him then
beneath a flowery trellis,
entangled there.
He's nearly separated
from sorrel steed:
Barral then gestures wildly
like drowning men,
then grabs its ear to hold it.

Sir Pons of Mondragon, I
saw jousting there,
but I am hesitating
to speak of this:
for, when in the arena
he tripped and fell,
and then a squire came at him
and dropped him flat
by giving him a lance-blow,
then took his horse,
and it was this and reddish
with pulsing vein,
and Pons just didn't bother
to get it back
but tried his luck out elsewhere.

Then came up for the battle
the well-armed lord
of Mevouillon, unfailing.
It's truly said
his Arab steed was fatter
yet than a quail;
and Nicholas he faces
who was prepared,
...
...
beneath ventail he puts it
destroying it
so not a link's remaining:
the count then laughs
and says it doesn't matter.

And then I saw in conflict
my Avengut
upon a Spanish charger
he held too checked.
He doesn't know who won it
but it was lost.
...
...
towards Germany up yonder,
three of the group
have fallen in misfortune:
there's no report
nor do I hear bewailing;
they're overcome
off in the foreign country.

... lacunae in MS

Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003


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