| prosody | miscellaneous |
Compagno, non puesc mudar qu'eo no m'effrei De novellas qu'ai auzidas et que vei: Qu'una domna s'es clamada de sos gardadors a mei. E diz que non volo prendre dreit ni lei, Ans la teno esserrada quada trei: Tant l'us no-ill larga l'estaca que l'altre plus no la-ill plei. Et aquill fan entre lor aital agrei: L'us es compains gens a foc mandacarrei, E meno trop major nausa que la mainada del rei. Et eu dic vos, gardador, e vos castei: e sera ben grans folia qui no-m crei: Greu verretz neguna garda que ad oras non sonei. Qu'eu anc non vi nulla domn'ab tan gran fei, Qui non vol prendre son plait o sa mercei, S'om l'aloigna de proessa, que ab malvestatz non plaidei. E si-l tenez a cartat lo bon conrei, Adoba-s d'aquel que troba viron sei: Si non pot aver caval, ela compra palafrei. Non i a negu de vos ia-m desautrei, S'om li vedava vi fort per malavei, Non begues enanz de l'aiga que-s laissez morir de sei. Chascus beuri'ans de l'aiga que-s laises morir dessei |
Comrades, I don't know where to turn without being upset about a case I am called to judge: because a woman complains to me about her wardens. And she says that they don't acknowledge either custom or law; instead, they keep her locked, all the three of them, so much that when one loosens her snares, the others tighten them more. And they behave in such a way (one is as courtly as a hangman's noose) and they make more noise than the King's gang. And I tell you, wards, and I admonish you, and it shall be a proper fool he who doesn't believe me: there hardly is a warden who doesn't sometimes doze. Since I never saw a woman so steadfast that she wouldn't want to take what she likes or deserves, and who, if kept from worth, wouldn't turn to depravity. And if you keep her from proper harness she'll do with what she finds around herself and if she can't have a steed, she'll buy a palfrey. None of you would contradict me if I said that, if one were forbidden to drink strong wine because of an illness, he would rather drink water than let himself die of thirst. Everyone would rather drink water than die of thirst! |