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Medieval Music Database

Se ma dame m'a guerpy

virelai by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 324 (1/1);
Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA), fol. 483v (1/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 322 (1/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1586 (MachC), fol. 150v (1/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 159v (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22546 (MachG), fol. 155v (1/1).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 72.
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. 169.
3. Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377), p. 4.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poésies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 586.

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. 179.
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 4.3.
3. 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.
4. BENT, Margaret. 'The Machaut manuscripts Vg, B and E', Musica Disciplina, XXXVII (1983), p. 79.

Text

Se ma dame m'a guerpy
Et a un autre que mi
S'Amour ha donnee.
Puis qu'il li plaist, forment m'agree.

Je ne pensasse nullement.
Vraiement.
Que muer peust einssi
Son cuer et que departement
Si briefment
Feist de moy et de li.
Mais elle l'en a parti.
Et pour li mettre en oubli
Li veoir me vee.
Puis qu'il li plaist, forment m'agree.

Se ma dame m'a guerpy...


Se ma dame m'a guerpy...

Je l'ay servie longuement
Loyautement
N'onques je ne li failli;
Or me tient dolereusement
En tourment.
Quant son cuer mort et trahi
M'a, par samblance d'ami.
Et en ottriant merci
Ma mort m'a juree.
Puis qu'il li plaist, forment m'agree.

Se ma dame m'a guerpy...


Se ma dame m'a guerpy...

Ainsi, sans nul aligement.
Humblement
D'amours en morant langui.
Et li Desirs plus asprement
Qui m'esprent.
M'assaut que s'onques joy
N'eusse, car souvent di
Pour ma douce dame "ay mi"
A vois esplouree.
Puis qu'il li plaist, forment m'agree.

Se ma dame m'a guerpy...

Translation

If my lady has left me
And to another than me
Has given her love.
Since it pleases her, it is most agreeable to me.

I should never have thought.
Indeed.
That she could so change
Her heart, and that a parting
So quickly
Should be made between her and me.
But she has taken it from me.
And so that I will forget her
She denies me the sight of her.
Since it pleases her, it is most agreeable to me.

If my lady has left me...


If my lady has left me...

I have served her long
And loyally.
Nor have I ever failed her;
Now she keeps me painfully
In torment
Since her heart has slain and betrayed
Me by a semblance of friendship.
And in granting mercy
Has sworn my death.
Since it pleases her, it is most agreeable to me.

If my lady has left me...


If my lady has left me...

Thus, without any relief.
Humbly
I languish dying of love.
And more harshly does Desire.
Which seizes me.
Assail me than if I never had joy.
For I often say
For my sweet lady "Ah me!"
With a voice of weeping.
Since it pleases her, it is most agreeable to me.

If my lady has left me...

Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham



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


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