Elias de Barjols.

Elias de Barjols.

I.

Belhs Guazans, s' a vos plazia
Ben fora sazos
Qu' el vostre cors belhs e bos,
Humils, de doussa paria,
Fos d' amor tan cobeitos,
Pus negus non es tan pros
Que us o digua, ni que ja sapcha tan
Que vos o aus dir, ni que vos o man.

Qu' ieu sai qu' a vos tanheria
Amics cabalos,
Tals don res a dir non fos,
Aitals cum ieu chauziria;
Farai n' un tot nou qu' er bos,
E penrai de las faissos
De quadaun de las melhors qu' auran,
Tro vos aiatz cavalier benestan.

N Aymars me don sa coyndia,
En Trencaleos
Sa gensozia, En Randos
Donar qu' es la senhoria,
El Dalfis sos belhs respos,
En Peyr cuy es Monleos
Do m son guabar, e volrai d' En Brian
Cavallairia, e 'l sen vuelh d' En Bertran.

Bels Castellas, cortezia
Vuel aver de vos,
E volrai que m do En Neblos
Covit que plus non penria,
En Miravalh sas chansos;
En Pos de Capduelh do nos
Sa guayesa, En Bertran la Tor man
Sa drecheza mi do, e no m soan.

Aital l' auretz ses fadia
Guai et amoros,
Belha, ben fait e joyos,
E ple de cavallairia;
Et es ben dreytz e razos
Que vos l' ametz et elh vos,
Qu' assatz seretz ambeduy d' un semblan;
Sol non crezatz fals lauzengier truan.

II.

Amors be m' avetz tengut
En vostre poder lonjamen,
Qu' anc no i puec trobar chauzimen,
Ni merces no m' a valgut
Ab vos, per que fatz fallensa,
Quar a lieys no mostre mos mals
Cui sui hom litges naturals,
Qu' ieu non l' en aus far parvensa.

Et auriatz m' ereubut,
Amors, e fag ric e manen,
Si m donavatz tan d' ardimen
Que mon fin cor esperdut
Per sobrar de benvolensa
Li mostres una vetz sivals;
Ja pueis no us quezera ren als,
Si m fessetz tanta valensa.

Qu' ieu fatz semblansa de mut
Quan vey son guai cors covinen
De la belha en cui m' enten;
Si 'l tenc mon cor escondut
Qu' ieu non l' aus dir per temensa
Cum li sui francs, fis e lials
Amicx en totz luecx, e cabals,
Que d' als non ai sovinensa.

Ges no m' es dessovengut,
Domna, vostre plazer plazen
Que m fezetz al comensamen
Don m' avetz viu deceubut;
Car comprey ma conoyssensa
E vostra beutat qu' es aitals
Cum belha rosa e belhs cristals,
Pus ab vos non truep guirensa.

Dona, si dieus vos ajut,
Pus conoissetz so que us es gen,
Conoscatz quo us am finamen,
Ni cum mi tenetz vencut,
Ni cum trac greu penedensa,
Ni cum sui vostr' amicx corals,
Ni cum anc ves vos no fui fals,
Ni cum vostr' amors m' agensa.

El senhoriu de Proensa
Es vengutz senhers naturals
A cui no platz enjans ni mals,
Ni cobeytatz non l' agensa.

En Blacatz, vostra valensa
Es de totas valors eguals,
E sapchatz s' ades etz aitals
Non trobaretz qui la us vensa.

III.

Car comprei vostras beutatz
E vostras plazens faissos,
Dona, e 'l semblan amoros
E 'l vostr' avinen solatz,
Quar no us aus mos talans dire,
Ni de vos no m puesc partir,
Ni d' als no son mey cossir,
Ni nulh joy tan non dezire.

Ben tart serai deziratz,
Avinens dompna, per vos,
Tant etz aut' et ieu suy jos,
Si no us vens humilitatz
Vostre cors per cui sospire,
Don ai fag maint greu sospir;
E sai que non puesc guerir,
S' umilitatz n' es a dire.

Anc no us dis ben acordatz,
Dona, tan sui temeros,
Co us am e 'n sui enveios,
Car no sui de vos privatz;
Pero be m pens e m' albire
Que vos sabetz mon albir;
Veus so que m fai esbaudir,
Qu' ieu d' al re no soi jauzire.

Ben sui jauzens et iratz,
Dona, quan sui denan vos;
Iratz sui, quar a rescos
No us aus dir mas voluntatz,
E sui jauzens quan remire
Vos qu' es la genser que s mir,
Mas mey huelh me fan falhir,
S' al dezir me fan aucire.

Ben es mortz qui a pensatz
Viu ni dezaventuros
D' aisso don es cobeitos,
Don nulhs joys non l' es donatz;
D' aital mort suy ieu sufrire
Per vos don no m tuelh ni m vir;
E, si m metetz en azir,
Tem que totz lo mons m' azire.

Bona dompna, s' a vos platz,
Merce us quier, que quan cossire
De vos qui etz ni m' albir,
Si merces no m vol venir,
Mortz sui senes contradire.

Comtessa, nulh mal cossire
Non es qu' om de vos cossir,
E tenetz cort de servir
E de solatz e de rire.

D' En Blacatz no m tuelh ni m vire,
Ni de son pretz enantir,
Que tan non puesc de ben dir
Qu' ades mais no y truep a dire.

//

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_de_Barjols

Elias de Barjols (fl. 1191–1230) was a bourgeois Aquitainian troubadour who established himself in Provence and retired a monk. Eleven of his lyrics survive, but none of his music.

According to his vida Elias was the son of a merchant and came from Agenais. The name of his birthplace is peiols in the manuscripts, but such a name can not be found in Agenais nor elsewhere: the most recent edition suggests that peiols is a scribal error for Poiols, ancient name of Pujols, (Podiolo, little Podium, Pujol, Pujolet, like the well known catalan dwarf) castle placed in Agenais, about 25 km from Agen. The identification of peiols as Pérols-sur-Vézère, as Stronski proposed in 1906, is untenable, because this place was not a castle and was not in Agenais, but in Limousin. According to his vida he was the greatest singer of his age (but such a statement is very frequent in the vidas') and he travelled widely from court to court as a jongleur with a fellow jongleur named Oliver. They eventually found favour with Alfonso II of Provence: a document dated to 1208 seems to confirm this. Alfonso gave them wives and land in Barjols, where Elias is witness in a document of Ramon Berenguer IV, count of Provence (Alfonso's son) in 1222.

According to his vida Elias fell in love with (i. e. celebrated) Garsenda of Sabran, the widow of Alfonso II (died 1209), and composed songs for her "as long as she lived", but none of his songs names her explicitly, whereas three of them are dedicated to Beatrice of Savoy, wife of Ramon Berenguer IV, count of Provence. The vida is therefore inaccurate in this case.

He later entered a hospital of the Fratres Pontifices founded by Beneic in Avignon, where he died.

Elias was a practitioner of the trobar leu style. Among his works are a descort, a partimen, and nine cansos; a sirventes, two cansos and another descort have a questionable attribution. Probably around 1200 Elias (but attribution is uncertain) wrote a poem describing the cavalier soissebut (or cavalher benestan: ideal, or model, knight) with his characteristics taken from his contemporaries, in imitation of a work by Bertran de Born in which the domna soissebuda (or dompna soiseubuda) is described by features of the exemplary noblewomen of Bertran's time. Elias constructs this knight for his lady from the "elegance" of Aimar, the "affability" of Giraut IV Trencaleon d'Armagnac, the "generosity" of Randon (a lord of this name died before 1219, when he is mentioned in the testament of his son-in-law; he was the nephew of the troubadour Garin lo Brun), the "good responses" of Dalfi d'Alvernha, the "wits" of Peir cui es Monleos (maybe the troubadour Peire de Gavaret), the "chivalry" of Brian, the "wisdom" of Bertran, the "courtesy" of a Bels Castellas (beautiful castellan), the "conviviality" of a certain Neblos, the "songs" (chansos) of Raimon de Miraval, the "gaiety" (guaieza) of Pons de Capdoill, and the "probity" of Bertran II de la Tor.

Another poem, Ben deu hom son bon senhor, written probably around 1225, has two tornadas referring to Beatrice of Savoy, husband (wife) of Ramon Berenguer IV of Provence, and the lord Blacatz respectively. The stanza preceding them is full of praise for the Emperor Frederick II, suzerain of Provence, who had good relations with both Raymond Berengar and Blacatz at the time.

Comtessa Beatris, gran be

aug de vos dir e retraire,

quar del mon etz la belaire,

de las autras dompnas qu'om ve.

Countess Beatrice, great good

I hear said and related of you,

for you are the most beautiful

of the ladies seen in the world.

Besides Beatrice and Blacatz, Elias wrote poems to Jaufre Reforzat de Trets and Ferdinand III of Castile-León.

http://www.rialto.unina.it/ElBarj/132.4(Barachini).htm

Egan, Margarita, ed. and trans. The Vidas of the Troubadours. New York: Garland, 1984. ISBN 0-8240-9437-9.

Gaunt, Simon, and Kay, Sarah (edd.) The Troubadours: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-521-57473-0.

Harvey, Ruth. "Courtly culture in medieval Occitania" (pp. 8–27). The Troubadours: An Introduction. Simon Gaunt and Sarah Kay, edd. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-521-57473-0.

Stronski, Stanislaw, ed. Le Troubadour Elias de Barjols. Toulouse: Edouard Privat, 1906.

Topsfield, L. T. "Raimon de Miraval and the Art of Courtly Love." The Modern Language Review, 51:1 (January 1956), pp. 33–41. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3718257

http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/letter/497.html  

"One should with one's good lord" at Epistolæ: Medieval Women's Latin Letters.

Perdigon. Perdigo.

Perdigon.

I.

Ben aio 'l mal e l' afan e 'l cossir
Qu' ieu ai sufert longamen per amor,
Quar mil aitans m' en an mais de sabor
Li ben qu' amors mi fai aras sentir,
Quar tan mi fai lo mals lo ben plazer
Que semblans m' es que, si lo mals no fos,
Ja negus bes no fora saboros;
Doncx es lo mals melhuramen del be
Per q' usquecx fai a grazir quan s' ave.

A fin' amor grazisc lo dous dezir
Que m fai estar en tan fina dousor,
Que non es mals de que m sentis dolor,
Si totz lo mons mi jutjava a murir;
Et aia m grat merces que m fetz voler
A la belha de cui fatz mas chansos,
Qu' ieu li m donei, et anc tan no m plac dos;
Quar qui m dones tot lo mon per jasse
No m plagra tant com quan li donei me.

En amador pogra miels avenir,
Tant a de pretz, de sen e de valor,
Qu' ilh s' en dera ab mout mais de ricor;
Mas als auctors ai ancse auzit dir
Qu' en ben amar em quascus d' un poder;
Et hom paubres hi fai meillurazos,
Quant es de sen, contra 'l ric cabalos,
Qu' aitan com a meyns de rictat en se,
Tan grazis mais qui l' honra ni 'l mante.

E fin' amors no manda ges chauzir
Comte ni rey, duc ni emperador,
Mas fin amic e ses cor trichador,
Franc e leyal, e que s gart de falhir;
E qui non sap aquestz ayps mantener
Paratge aunis, e si mezeis met jos,
Per qu' en amar non es valens ni bos;
Qu' en paratge non conosc ieu mais re,
Mas que mais n' a selh que mielhs se capte.

Fis Jois Honratz, pus tan vos faitz grazir,
Per amor dieu, aissi doblatz l' onor
Que m retenguatz per leyal preyador,
E no vulhatz escoutar ni auzir
Fals lauzengiers qu' en amor dechazer
Ponhon totz temps, tant son contrarios;
E vos faitz los morir totz enoios:
Si col pechat estenh hom ab merce,
Estenhetz elhs, quar per elhs no m recre.

Aitan sapchatz, s' ieu ja ren cug valer,
Mo senher Nuc del Baus, qu' es enveios
De tot quan tanh a fin pretz cabalos,
Mi fai cuiar qu' ab tal gaug mi rete,
Cum s' er' ieu pretz qu' elh ama mais que re.

De Monpeslier vai ben a Mon Plazer,
Qu' el senher es francs et humils e bos,
Et en sos faitz es d' aital guizerdos
Qu' el honra dieu, et tot bon pretz mante,
Per qu' el lo creis e l' enanssa e 'l soste.

II.

Aissi cum selh que tem qu' amors l' aucia,
E re non sap on s' esconda ni s guanda,
Met mi meteys en guarda et en comanda
De vos qu' ieu am ses gienh e ses bauzia,
Quar mielher etz del mon e la belaire;
E si amors mi fai vas vos atraire,
Si be m folhey, no cug faire folhia.

Qu' aissi m' aven, dona 'l genser que sia,
Q' us deziriers, qu' ins en mon cor s' abranda,
Mi conselha, e m ditz que us serva e us blanda,
E vol que m lais de sercar autra via
Per vos ab cui tug bon ayp an repaire;
E pus amors no vol que m vir ni m vayre,
Si m' aucizetz, no cug que be us estia.
Essenhamens e pretz e cortezia
Trobon ab vos lur ops e lur vianda,
E non devetz, s' amors no us es truanda,
Merce lunhar de vostra companhia,
Qu' ie us clam merce tot jorn cum fis amaire;
E si merces ab vos non a que faire,
Ma vida m val trop meyns que si moria.

Pero vers es que per ma leujaria
Vuelh mais puiar que drechura no manda,
Qu' ieu tenc lo pueg, e lays la plana landa,
E cas lo joy qu' a mi non tanheria,
Qu' amors me ditz, quant ieu m' en vuelh estraire,
Que manthas vetz puei' om de bas afaire,
E conquier mais que dregz no 'l cossentria.

Juli Cezar conquis la senhoria
De tot lo mon tan cum ten ni garanda,
Non ges qu' el fos senher ni reys d' Irlanda
Ni coms d' Angieus ni ducx de Normandia,
Ans fon hom bas, segon qu' auzem retraire;
Mas quar fon pros e francx e de bon aire,
Puget son pretz tan quan puiar podia.

Per que m conort enquer, s' ieu tan vivia,
Qu' aia de vos so que mon cors demanda,
Pus us sols hom ses tor e ses miranda
Conquis lo mon, e l' ac en sa baylia,
Aissi ben dey, segon lo mieu veiaire,
De vostr' amor de dreg estr' emperaire,
Cum el del mon ses dreg que no y avia.

Domna valentz, corteza e de bon aire,
No us pes, s' ieu sui ses gienh e ses cor vaire,
Quar esser deu so qu' amors vol que sia.

III.

Tot l' an mi ten amors de tal faisso
Cum esta selh qu' a 'l mal don s' adormis,
E morria dormen, tant es conquis,
En breu d' ora entro qu' hom lo rissida,
Atressi m' es tal dolor demezida
Que m don amors, que sol no sai ni sen,
E cug morir ab aquest marrimen
Tro que m' esfors de far una chanso
Que m rissida d' aquelh turmen on so.

Be m fetz amors l' usatge del lairo,
Quant encontra selhui d' estranh pahis,
E 'l fai creire qu' alhors es sos camis,
Tro que li dis: “Belhs amicx, tu me guida.”
Et en aissi es manta gens trahida
Qu' el mena lai on pueis lo lia e 'l pren;
Et ieu puesc dir atressi veramen
Qu' ieu segui tant amor com li saup bo,
Tan mi menet tro m' ac en sa preizo.

E te m lai pres on no truep rezemso
Mas de ma mort, qu' aissi lor abelhis
Entre mi dons et amor cui sui fis;
Lor platz ma mortz e lor es abellida,
Mas ieu sui selh qui merce no lor crida,
Aissi cum selh qu' es jutgatz a turmen,
Que sap que pois no ill valria nien
Clamar merce, aia tort o razo,
Per qu' ieu m' en lais que mot non lor en so.

Pero no sai qual me fass' o qual no,
Pus per mon dan m' enguana e m trahis
Amors, vas cui estau totz temps aclis
Al sieu plazer, qu' aitals fo m' escarida;
E tengr' o tot a paraula grazida,
Si no m mostres tan brau captenemen;
Mas se aunis pel mieu dechazemen,
Be fai semblan que m' aia 'l cor fello,
Que per mon dan no m tem far mespreizo.

E fas esfortz, s' ab ira joy mi do,
Quar en aisso m conort e m' afortis
Contra 'l dezir en qu' amors m' a assis,
Aissi cum selh qu' a batalha remida,
Que sap de plan sa razos es delida,
Quant es en cort on hom dreg no 'l cossen,
Et ab tot so se combat eyssamen,
Me combat ieu en cort e no m ten pro,
Que amors m' a forsjugjat no sai quo.

Ai! Bel Esper, pros dompna issernida,
Tan gran dreiz er, si d' amor mal m' en pren,
Quar anc de vos mi parti las! dolen,
Per tal una que ja no m tenra pro,
Ans m' aucira en sa dolza preiso.

//

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perdigon

Perdigon or Perdigo (fl. 1190–1220) was a troubadour from Lespéron in the Gévaudan. Fourteen of his works survive, including three cansos with melodies. He was respected and admired by contemporaries, judging by the widespread inclusion of his work in chansonniers and in citations by other troubadours.

Though his biography is made confounding by contradicting statements in his vida and allusions in his and others' poems, Perdigon's status as a jongleur from youth and an accomplished fiddler is well-attested in contemporary works (by him and others) and manuscript illustrations depicting him with his fiddle. Perdigon travelled widely and was patronised by Dalfi d'Alvernha, the House of Baux, Peter II of Aragon, and Barral of Marseille. His service to the latter provides an early definite date for his career, as Barral died in 1192 and Perdigon composed a canso—which survives with music—for him.

According to his vida, Perdigon was the son of a poor fisherman who excelled through his "wit and inventiveness" to honour and fame, was clothed and eventually armed, knighted, and granted land and rent by Dalfi d'Alvernha. After this period of his life, which is said to have lasted a long time, the manuscripts of his vida diverge. According to one version, death deprived him of his friends, male and female, and so he lost his position and entered a Cistercian monastery, where he died. That he entered a Cistercian monastery has never been proven, but has received some support from two of his works.

According to another version of his vida, he became a strong opponent of Catharism—a sect suppressed by the Catholic Church as heretical—and supported the Albigensian Crusade against them. He is said to have accompanied Guillem des Baux, Folquet de Marselha, and the Abbot of Cîteaux to Rome to oppose Raymond VI of Toulouse after the latter's excommunication in 1208. The author of the vida blames Perdigon for "[bringing] about and [arranging] all these deeds." The biographer further claims that Perdigon sang to the populace to encourage the Crusade and even boasted of humiliating Peter II of Aragon who opposed the Crusades and died at the Battle of Muret fighting against the Crusaders. For this reason he became despised by those in favor of Catharism, and due to the war lost all his friends who fought in it: Simon de Montfort, Guillem des Baux, and many others. In the end, the son of Dalfi d'Alvernha, abandoned him, confiscated his land, and sent him away. The biographer claims that he went to Lambert de Monteil and begged to be entered into the Cistercian monastery of "Silvabela", but the author incorrectly believes Lambert to be the son-in-law of Guillem des Baux, and the monastery Silvabela ("beautiful forest") never existed. His vidas are questionable.

Among Perdigon's surviving songs is a torneyamen with Raimbaut de Vaqueiras and Ademar de Peiteus. Unusually for the period, Perdigon, along with Aimeric de Peguilhan, through-composed his melodies.