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Medieval Music Database

J'aim mieus languir en ma dure dolour
ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

London: Westminster Abbey 21, fol. 21v (text);
New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 299v (2/1);
Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA), fol. 457 (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 297v (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1586 (MachC), fol. 160v (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 154v (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22546 (MachG), fol. 136 (2/1).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 6.
2. The Works of Guillaume de Machaut, Second Part, edited by Leo Schrade, Monaco: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1956. Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century III, p. 78.
3. FULLER, Sarah. 'Line, "contrapunctus" and structure in a Machaut song', Music Analysis, VI/1-2 (1987): 37-58.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poésies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 542.

Literature

1. MACHABEY, Armand. Guillaume de Machault, 130?-1377: La vie et l'oeuvre musicale, 2 vols, Paris: Richard-Masse-Editeur, 1955. Bibliothèque d'études musicales, p. 23.
2. GÜNTHER, Ursula. Der musikalische Stilwandel der französischen Liedkunst in der zweiten Hälfte des 14. Jahrhunderts, dargestelt an Virelais, Balladen und Rondeax von Machaut., Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hamburg: 1957, Chapter 4.1.
3. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
4. HIRSHBERG, Jehoash. 'Hexachordal and modal structure in Machaut's polyphonic chansons', Studies in Musicology in Honor of Otto E. Albrecht, 1980.
5. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Contribution de la musicologie à la biographie et à la chronologie de Guillaume de Machaut', Guillaume de Machaut, poète et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 95-116.

Recordings

1. A Tapestry of Music for the Black Prince and His Knights, St. George's Canzona, directed by John Sothcott (1978): Enigma K53571 (GB).
2. Domna, Esther Lamandier (S, harp, organ) (1987): Alienor AL 1019.

Text

J'aim mieus languir en ma dure dolour
Et puis morir, s'Amour le prent en gre.
Qu'avoir mercy, se ce n'est a l'onnour
De vous, dame, que j'aim sans faussete;
N'onques en moy n'ot autre volente
Ne ja n'avra, pour peinne que j'endure.
Et me fussies cent mille fois plus dure.

Comment que j'aie en tristesse et en plour
Langui lonc temps par vostre cruaute
Et que plus loing soie de jour en jour
De la merci que j'ay tant desire.
Mais ne lairay pour ce qu'en loyaute
Ne vous aimme seur toute creature.
Et me fussies cent mille fois plus dure.

Pour ce vous pri, dame, qui estes flour
De tous les biens et de toute biaute
Et qui aves en grace et an valour
Et en plaisant maintieng tout sormonte.
Que vous daingnies avoir de moy pite.
Que ja vers vous ne penseray laidure.
Et me fussies cent mille fois plus dure.

Translation

I would rather languish in my severe pain
And then die, if it is Love's wish.
Than to receive mercy, if it is not to your honour.
Lady, whom I love without deceit.
Nor was there ever any other wish in me
Nor ever will be, whatever pain I bear.
Even if you were one hundred thousand times more harsh to me.

Although I have in sorrow and tears
Languished long through your cruelty
And am further day by day
From the mercy I have so much desired:
For all that I will not cease in loyalty
To love you above all creatures.
Even if you were one hundred thousand times more harsh to me.

Therefore I pray you, lady, who are the flower
Of all good things and of all beauty.
And who have surpassed all in grace and worth
And pleasing manner.
Deign to have pity on me.
For never will I think unkindly of you.
Even if you were one hundred thousand times more harsh to me.
Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham

Content Approved by: MMDB Director
Last updated: Wednesday, 19 March 2003

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