SIRVENTÉS* GLORIOUS KING OF BRIGHTNESS AND
OF THE LIGHT ...
Bertrans de Borntrans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal)
D'un sirventés nom chal far lonhor ganda,
Tal talen ai quel diga e que l'espanda,
Quar n'ai razo tan novela e tan granda
Del jove rei, qu'a fenit sa demanda
Son frair Richart, pois sos pair l'o comanda,
Tant es forsatz!
Pois n'Aenrics terra no te ni manda,
Sia reis dels malvatz!

Que malvatz fai, quar aissi viu a randa
De liurazo a comte e a garanda.
Reis coronatz que d'autrui pren liuranda,
Mal sembla Arnaut, lo marqués de Bellanda,
Nil pro Guilhem que conqués Tor Mirmanda,
Tant fo prezatz!
Pois en Peitau lor ment e los truanda,
Noi er mais tant amatz.

Ja per dormir non aura Coberlanda
Reis dels Englés ni conquerra Irlanda
Ni tenra Angeus ni Monsaurel ni Canda
Ni de Peiteus non aura la miranda
Ni sera ducs de la terra Normanda
Ni coms palatz
Sai de Bordel ni dels Gascos part Landa
Senher, ni de Basatz.

Conselh volh dar, el so de n'Alamanda,
Lai a'n Richart, sitot no lom demanda:
Ja per son frair mais sos omes no blanda.
N'oncas fai el, anz assetja els a randa,
Tol lor chastels e derocha a abranda
Devés totz latz;
El reis torneja ab cels de Garlanda
E l'autre sos conhatz.

Lo coms Jaufrés, cui es Bresilianda,
Volgra fos premiers natz,
Quar es cortés, e fos en sa comanda
Regismes e duchatz.
 I'll write a sirventés without delaying
I have a need to say it and expand it -
On the Young King, for never cause was greater
Now that his brother Richard stops demanding
Because his father thus has been commanding
He has been forced!
Since Henry has no lands out for the giving,
Be king of leftovers!

It leads to ills, so that he lives entirely
From pension and account and guarantee
A crowned king, but he lives on an allowance
Unlike Arnaut, the marquis of Beaulande,
Or William, he who conquered Tour Milmande,
And was esteemed!
Since in Poitou he lies and he deserts them
He's not so loved there now.

Now, for his sleeping he won't have Cumberland,
As English king, nor will he conquer Ireland.
Nor yet Anjou nor Montsoreau nor Candé
Nor will he have the Poitou lookout-tower,
Nor will he be the duke of Norman land.
Nor Palatine,
Not of Bordeaux nor of the Gascon moors
Will he be lord, nor of Bazas.

This, to the tune of Lady Allemande:
A lay for Richard (not at his requesting)
Now, through his brother he won't lose any men,
But never does well, and besieges all round
Taking their castles and razing and burning
On every side:
While the king jousts with the men of Garlande
His heir with King Philip.

Count Godfrey's titular of Brocelande,
Would that he were firstborn:
He is courtly, and would have at his command
These kingdoms and duchies.
*sirventés = any lyric which is not romantic in nature
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003 







VB40 next


VB40 index


Other index