Et pour ce je m'embeliz
En s'amour dont suis esprise;
Si ne doy estre reprize
Se ay choisy pour tous deliz
Le plus bel des fleurs de liz.
THE choicest of the fleurs de lis,
In praise of whom all tongues agree,—
He is the one, in every way,
My heart and ev'ry heart to sway.
He is the youngest, noblest, fairest,
Most courteous, mild, the best, the dearest,
The choicest of the fleurs de lis.
Therefore it is my spirit's pride
To love him, loved by all beside :
And can I coldly be reproved,
Thus choosing one so warmly loved,
The choicest of the fleurs de lis?
Orsus! orsus! pensez de bien amer,
Vrays amoureux, et joye maintenir,
Ce mois de May, et vuidez tout amer
De voz doulx cuers, ne lui veulles tenir ;
Soies joyeux et liez, sans retenir
Nul fel penser; car rejouir se doit
Tout vray amant par plaisant souvenir,
Amours le veult, et la saison le doit.
Or vous veuilles es doulx biens affermer,
Qui a tous bons doivent appartenir ;
Rire, jouer, chanter, nul ne blamer,
Et tristece toute de vous banir;
Vestir de vert pour joye parfournir,
A feste aler se dame le mandoit,
Vous tenir liez quoy quel doye avenir;
Amours le veult, et la saison le doit.
ARISE, ye true lovers, arise! Of your love
Think only, and let the glad spirits be gay:
This bright month of May, from your bosoms remove
Ev'ry care-bringing thought, nor permit it to stay.
Be joyful, be faithful; never allowing
One bitter remembrance the joys to outweigh
Of those sweet recollections the season's bestowing;
'Tis the mandate of love, and the claim of the May.
Then look to yourselves, those glad pleasures enjoying
In the hearts of the good that may blamelessly stay;
To smile, and to sport, and to sing, none denying,
While grief takes his flight from your spirits today;
Array'd in the green festive robe of the season,
At the feast quick and ready the fair to obey,
Each true to his vows, never dreaming of treason;
'Tis the mandate of love, and the call of the May.
CHARLES was taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt in 1415. His poetry appears to have been principally written during his stay in England, and is contained in a large and splendid folio MS. in the British Museum [King's MSS. 16. F. II.]. The illuminations are curious, particularly one which contains a view of the Tower of London. It represents the reception and dismission of a messenger by the duke, and immediately precedes a short poem, in which he writes to his correspondent ("mon frère et mon compagnon "), that he was promised liberty to go to France if he could find security for his return; and desires an application to be made to the duke of Burgundy. A few of the songs are in English; and though they show considerable proficiency in a foreign language, they are no very favourable specimens of the author's capacity of employing it for poetic composition.
N'est elle de tous biens garnie,
Celle que j'ayme loyaument?
Il m'est avis, par mon serment,
Que sa pareille n'a en vie ;
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