Early French triolets

Early French triolets

THE 13TH CENTURY

What follows is,  if my 18th century French source is correct, a translation of the earliest remaining triolet of all. It is from Li Roumans dou Chastelain de Couci et de la Dame de Fayel , where it is referred to as simply a song (chanson) and was written possibly as early as 1228. Actually, dating is tricky. It could date to as early as the end of the 12th century or as late as the first half of the 14th.

 

1. 
I love loyally,

Have a lovely friend

Who does hear from me

I love loyally.

That will always be.

Faith to him I'll lend.

I love loyally,

Have a lovely friend.

J'aim bien loiaument,

Et s'ay bel amy

Pour qui di souvent,

J'aim bien loiaument;

Cest miens liegement

Je le say de fy:

J'aim bien loiaument,

Et s'ay bel amy.

Adenet le Roi was courtier from Brabant who was in the service of the French king in the fourth quarter of the 13th century. The following translation is one of seven triolets to be found in his long poem Cléomadès and are also called chanson. The translation had as its aim the preservation of prosodic features rather than the conveying the meaning of each medieval French word. Even so, the meaning, hopefully, will not overly distant from the original.

2.
Do return, do return;

Sweetest friends, me never spurn,

Stay, so you for me will yearn.

Do return, do return;

Goodly Love will fastly burn,

Pray to him, so he will learn.

Do return, do return;

Sweetest friends, me never spurn.

Revenez, revenez;

Dous amis, trop demorez,

Trop longuement m'oubliez.

Revenez, revenez.

Fine amour, car le hastez,

Priez li ou commendez.

Revenez, revenez.

Dous amis, trop demorez.

 

THE 14TH CENTURY

The following is a translation of an early 14th century Old French triolet by Jean Lescurel whose called it a rondel. It, too, was meant to be sung.

3.
 A gracious lady's love to hold,

Me never leaving, going off,

All good will come from that, I'm told.

A gracious lady's love to hold

Brings with it all and makes me bold.

For that's my joy, it I'll not scoff,

A gracious lady's love to hold,

Me never leaving, going off.

De gracieuse dame amer

Ne me quier jamès departir.

Touzbienz en viennent, sanz douter,

De gracieuse dame amer,

Et touz deduiz. N'en veil cesser:

Car c'est ma joie, sans mentir;

De gracieuse dame amer

Ne me quier jamès departir.

 

Another 14^th century musical composer of song lyrics which are also triolets is Guillaume Machaut (c. 1300 to 1377). The following triolet was, according to the terminology of the time, called a rondel.

4.
THE LOVER.

RONDEL. TO BE SUNG.

If my heart's art and yours stop short,

Then I shall never joy achieve, my lady,

Because desire does put me at death's port.

If my heart's art and yours stop short,

Disturb my soul, and all with sharp retort.

Alone I find my place in life too shady.

If my heart's art and yours stop short,

Then I shall never joy achieve, my lady,

L'AMANT.

RONDEL. ET Y A CHANT.

Se mes cuers art, & li vostres estaint,

Dame, jamais ne puis à joie ataindre,

Car li desir qui à mort m'a ataint,

Se mes cuers art, & li vostres estaint,

Bruyst mon cuer, & mon viaire taint,

Si que sans vous m'ardeur ne puet estaindre.

Se mes cuers art, & li vostres estaint,

Dame jamais ne puis à joie ataindre.

Jean Froissart (c. 1337 to c. 1410) wrote many rondels which can be considered as seven-line triolets. He was also a prolific poet and is said to have been an influence on his contemporary, Geoffrey Chaucer. The following rondel (or, seven-line triolet) of Froissart, his most famous, was checked against a pdf of the original manuscript (French manuscript 830, dated as 1393 and entitled Poésies de JEHAN FROISSART) of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. In the original manuscript it appears in more or less the following form.

5.
 Mon coer sesbat en oudourāt la rose

Et sesioist en regardant ma dame

Trop mieulz me vault lune q lautre chose

Mon coer sesbat.&c'.

Loudour mest bō, mes dou regart ie nose

Iuer trop fort ie le vo' iur p' mame

Mon coer sesbat.&c'.

Please note that the apostrophes do not exist in the Froissart's manuscript but are meant to represent abbreviations for which there are currently no unicode characters available. In the above, the apostrophes are used merely to indicate that the text is different from what one might expect just by looking at the above transcription. Indeed, as the original is in medieval Gothic script, every single aspect of the above transcription is in some way or other different from the original. That, unfortunately, cannot be helped. In translation, though, it may be translated with a fair amount of prosodic accuracy as:  

My heart enjoys the smelling of the roses

It takes its joy in watching of my lady:

I value one the more for it imposes.

My heart enjoys the smelling of the roses.

I find good smells, which time to me discloses.

I've played too hard, now seek a place that shady.

My heart enjoys the smelling of the roses.

The 15TH CENTURY

In the first half of the century, Christine de Pisan (1364 – c. 1430) wrote much poetry, of which, as we see with Froissart, a certain number, perhaps no more than ten, might be termed seven-line triolets. A disproportionate number of these relative to other writers are translated here, as she is the first woman writer known to have supported herself off of her writing and because her poetry anticipates later prosodic innovations, with rhythmic patterns that are not consistently iambic. The first poem chosen for inclusion here is:

6.
A month ago, that's the day,

The day my friend did depart.

My heart still knows gloom's delay.

A month ago, that's the day.

"God's love", he says, "I'll there stay."

Let's not of that speak my heart.

A month ago, that's the day.

Il a au jour d'ui un mois

Que mon ami s'en ala.

Mon cuer remaint morne et cois,

Il a au jour d'ui un mois.

"A Dieu, me dit, je m'en vois";

Ne puis a moy ne parla,

Il a au jour d'ui un mois.

The next example of her poetry also illustrates metrical complexity in the alternation of ordinary ten-syllable trochaic lines (first, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh) with seven-syllable trochaic lines (second and sixth) that end without the final weak syllable one would expect in a trochaic line.

7.
No, I can not wait for Monday's coming

My beloved then I shall see,

Finally, him within my arms be strumming,

No, I can not wait for Monday's coming.

If my grasping him means hearts are drumming

And again with him to be,

No, I can not wait for Monday's coming.

Il me tarde que lundi viengne

Car mon ami doy veoir lors.

A fin qu'entre mes bras le tiengne

Il me tarde que lundi viengne.

Si lui pri qu'il lui en souviengne;

Car pour veoir son gentil corps

Il me tarde que lundi viengne.

Christine de Pisan used prosody to convey better her psychological state of mind, as may be seen in the following poem where the meter presents a perfect marriage of regularity with disruptiveness.

7.

Life's a bitch, moving on with things,

Crying heart, with the songs so haunting,

Seeking help in what mourning brings.

Life's a bitch, moving on with things.

Meeting needs, working hard, moody swings,

Honor's mine, though the gossip's daunting.

Life's a bitch, moving on with things,

Dure chose est a soustenir

Quant cuer pleure et la bouche chante;

Et de faire dueil se tenir

Dure chose est a soustenir.

Faire le fault qui soustenir.

Veult honneur qui mesdisans hante,

Dure chose est a soustenir.

Christine de Pisan's poetry was experimental in other ways, too. Though, syllabically, roughly the same size as a Japanese tanka, the rhythmic repetitiveness of the short four-syllable lines works like a well-aimed bullet with deadly results.

8.
Desiring eye

Sweet warrior, near.

You, yearning, sigh,

desiring eye.

With you to lie,

I'm much too dear,

Desiring eye.

Amoureux oeil,

Plaisant archier.

De toy me dueil,

Amoureux œil.

Car ton accueil

Me vens trop chier,

Amoureux œil.

Another example of this form taken to an even greater extreme, produces a poem as powerful as it is short. In this case, no attempt is made to reproduce the prosodic feature of rhyme, because the shortness of the lines prohibits doing both this as well as reproducing the meter and still providing a translation even remotely similar to the original in spirit.

9.
Ma dame

Secours.

Par m'ame,

Ma dame.

J'enflame.

D'amours,

Ma dame.

My lady,

Assist.

Soul swears it,

My lady!

I'm burning.

With love,

My lady.

If one wished, however, the above seven-line triolet could be treated as a haiku.

10.
My lady, assist.
Soul swears it, my lady! I'm burning.
With love, my lady.

Ma dame secours.
Par m'ame, ma dame! J'enflame. 
D'amours, ma dame.
 
A last example shows worldly-wise knowingness with the simplest of phrasing. Again, due to the shortness of the lines, the only prosodic feature to be reproduced is the meter.

11.
I see,

I'll play.

The woods,

I see.

For nuts

To find,

I see.

Je vois

Jouer.

Au bois

Je vois.

Pour nois

Trouver

Je vois.

This poem, too, if one wished to do so, the above could be rephrased as a haiku.

I see, I'll play.
The woods, I see, for nuts...
To find, I see.

Je vois jouer.
Au bois, je vois, pour nois...

Trouver, je vois.

Another triolet related work,The Bayeux Manuscript, is an anonymous collection of one hundred 15th century songs from Normandy and its surrounding regions in the north of France. It deserves discussion with regard to one of its songs which may be dated to the end of the fifteenth century or the very beginning of the sixteenth. The song in question is no. 81 and is entitled Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may. It consists of six stanzas of nine lines each. In form, each stanza is a triolet, as currently defined with a short eighth line repeated. Furthermore, in addition to its appearance in the Bayeux Manuscript, it was published with its music score in 1530. This, fortunately, allows one to verify the syllabic structure and meter of the lyrics with absolute certainty, something which has been preserved in the following translation:

12.
Here now comes May, the lovely month of May,

Which us approaches.

In the garden, Dad made way;

Here now comes May, the lovely month of May.

Three bright blooms, he found that day;

And beauty's sight, the coaches.

Here now comes May, the lovely month of May.

Which us approaches.

Which us approaches.

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may

Qui nous demeine.

Au jardin mon pere entrai,

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may,

Trois fleurs d’amour y trouvai

En la bonne estraine,

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may

Qui nous demeine.

Qui nous demeine.

Each of the six stanzas is, furthermore, inter-connected in that all lines are the same, except for the seven-syllable third and fifth lines. From the second stanza on, the fifth line of a preceding stanza becomes the third line of its successor, leaving only the fifth line of each stanza to provide something new for the next stanza to utilize. To see how this works, please refer to the syllabically-based translation of the second staza below.

13.
Here now comes May, the lovely month of May

Which us approaches

Three bright blooms he found that day

Here now comes May, the lovely month of May

Made of them a garland gay

And beauty's sight, the coaches.

Here now comes May, the lovely month of May

Which us approaches

Which us approaches

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may

Qui nous demeine.

Troys fleurs d’amour y trouvay

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may,

Un chapelet en feray

En la bonne estraine

Vecy le may, le jolly moys de may

Qui nous demeine.

Qui nous demeine.

For the third, fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas, the new lines are, respectively: A m’amye l’envoyerai; S’i le prent, bon gré luy sçay; Ou sinon, renvoye le may; and Une aultre amye en feray.

An early surviving example of a triolet as it is now understood to be would appear to date to 1454. The triolet, written perhaps by Olivier de la Marche, was part of a show performed at The Feast of the Pheasant, an extremely expensive feast organized by the Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, who, for the occasion was said to have worn jewels worth more than a million crowns.

14.
I, giant, wish to stop your walk,

I see the noble ones I seek

To which I have a need to talk.

I, giant, wish to stop your walk

I wish to speak, you must not balk,

I'll speak it out, will not be meek.

I, giant, wish to stop you walk,

I see the noble ones I seek.

Geant, je veuil cy arrester:

Car je voy noble compaignie

A laquelle me faut parler.

Geant, je veuil cy arrester;

Dire leur veuil et remonstrer

Chose qui doit bien estre ouye

Geant, je veuil cy arrester:

Car je voy noble compaignie.

Although the feast, ostensibly to promote a new crusade to liberate Constantinople from the Turks, was an obscene waste of money, it does show that the triolet was, at least until the end of the 15th century, still associated by the French with performance, even though in this particular case, it may or may not have been sung.

The 16TH CENTURY

Octavien de Saint-Gelais (1468-1502) was the first person likely to have left behind published poetry designated as triolets. At the age of 26, he was made Bishop of Angoulème by Charles VIII. He popularized the term triolet through the publication of a posthumous 1509 edition of certain of his poetry called La chasse et le départ d'amours. In this work, 12 eight-line triolets are clearly designated by that term and not as rondels, rondelets, or rondeaux. Of these, two have been chosen for translation.

15.
Love moves fast, I am conceiving,

Like a rope that starts its burning.

Sense and memory are deceiving.

Love moves fast, I am conceiving,

Never lasting, I'm believing .

Then off runs so unconcerning.

Love moves fast, I am conceiving,

Like a rope that starts its burning.

Ie vois que amour est transitoire

comme le feu mis en lestoupe

Elle decoit sens et memoire

Ie vois que amour est transitoire

ce temps pendant lon est en gloire

Mais bientost renuerse la croupe

Ie vois que amour est transitoire

comme le feu mis en lestouppe

16.
When the trees outside with leaves are greening,

This, I do not see much pleasure gives.

He who gathers first knows not the gleaning,

When the trees outside with leaves are greening.

Men who want to love, they know the meaning.

With the people their fond welcome lives,

When the trees outside with leaves are greening.

This, I do not see much pleasure gives.

Quant les abres ont uerte fueille

Le ni uois quils en sont plue plaisans

Il nest pas celluy qui nen cueille

Quant les abres ont uerte fueille

Aussi ung homme qui aymer uueille

Est bien uenu entre les gens

Quant les abres ont uerte fueille

Le ni uois quils en sont plue plaisans

Two triolets, which André de la Vigne, a colleague of Octavien de Saint-Gelais, are given below. Their author, however, unlike Saint-Gelais, designates these as rondelets.

17.
The lady of your house about,

You ought to honor, cherish her.

But also for this reason doubt

The lady of your house about,

She's meat that hungry others scout.

And, of her work, do rescue her.

The lady of your house about

You ought to honor, cherish her.

La dame de vostre maison

Doit on honnourer & cherir

Ausi doubter car cest raison

La dame de vostre maison

Et selle appete venoison

Du bas mestier la secourir

La dame de vostre maison

doit on honnourer et cherir

The second poem is as follows. Like the first of André de la Vigne's poems, this one, too, consists entirely of iambic tetrameter masculine lines, thus indicating a possible stylistic difference between the two poets. Also, please note the interesting title.

18.
Rondelet with rhyme without reason

Now that the people me defame

I want things worse, worse than before,

My always swooning, tasting shame,

Now that the people me defame.

No reputation now to claim,

To all I'll lend my face yet more.

Now that the people me defame,

I want things worse, worse than before.

Rondelet a ryme sans raison

Quoy que ie soye diffamee

Ie veulx faire pis que deuant

Tousiours cherray comme pasmee

Quoy que ie soye diffamee

Et pour perdre ma ronommee

A tous presteray mon deuant

Quoy que ie soye diffamee

Ie veulx faire pis que deuant

In Jean Régnier's Les Fortunes et Adversitez de Feu of 1526 one finds the following triolet which its author calls a rondel.

19.
Rondel

Since through this step I would have passed,

The passage ought well there to guide me

And help me make my way at last.

Since through this step I would have passed,

If I jump in or else am cast,

This heat of all it will have dried me.

Since through this step I would have passed,

The passage ought well there to guide me.

Rondel

Puis que ie vueil passer ce pas

Bien adviser doy le passaige

Et y entrer par bon compas

Puis que ie vueil passer ce pas

Se ie saulx ie ne doubte pas

Quon dira que ne suis pas saige

Puis que ie vueil passer ce pas

Bien aduiser doy le passaige.

After the first quarter of the 16^th century, it does not seem to be until 1543 in Paris that another poem labelled as a triolet appears in print, written by the important French poet Clément Marot. This poem, actually is a hybrid, consisting of the triolet itself, which comprises the main body of the poem, followed by two extra quatrains of which, the second is termed a response.

20.
A Promising without Effect

Triolet.

What benefits to me your swearing,

If taking me desire you not?

I am but just a pain you're bearing.

What benefits to me your swearing?

You took away my fortune tearing.

Yet I see no return I've got.

What benefits me your swearing,

If taking me desire you not?

The quatrains.

Before your beauty dies, old age it gaining,

Give me my due while youth you still have got,

Do not go on when seems you should ought not.

In fear of giving good that is remaining.

Response.

If greatest beauty dies, old age it gaining,

Then dies desire that you still have got,

Or, if it lasts, alas, you should ought not.

Evaluate as best what is remaining.

Quatrain.

 

A vn prometteur sans effect

Triolet.

Que me proffite ta promesse,

Si tu ne me la veulx tenir:

Ie suis ainsi qu'vn chien en lesse,

Que me proffite ta promesse:

Tu me faitz de grandz biens sans cess,

Pourtant ie n'en veoys rien venir,

Que me proffite ta promesse,

Si tu ne me la veulx tenir:

Les quatrains.

Si la beaulte se perist en peu d'heure,

Faites men part tandis que vous l'auez,

Ou celle dure semble que ne deuez

Craindre a donner vn bien qui vous demeure.

Response.

Si grand beaulte se perist en peu d'heure,

Aussi sera le desir qu'en auez,

Ou s'elle dure, helas vous ne deuez

L'estimer bien, si le mieulx ne demeure.

Quatrain.

For the rest of the 16th century, only one work of French literature, the anonymously written L'Amoureux passetemps, has triolets that are called triolets. Four triolets of these have been chosen to illustrate various points about late sixteenth-century developments in the triolet art form.

The first triolet of this group to be chosen because the origin of the triolet in popular song lyrics may be seen here with abundant clarity. It is, in spite of the ordinary nature of its metrical structure, not without merit and packs a punch, even for a twenty-first century reader.

21.
TRIOLET OF A LADY WITH HER FRIEND.

You're mine, my love, la, la, la, la.

Approaching you, and I'll be kissing.

Let's sing together fa, sol, la.

You're mine, my love, la, la, la, la.

And I am yours to ride, ha ha

First time was hard! -- It, I'm not missing.

You're mine, my love, la, la, la, la,

Approaching you, and I'll be kissing.

TRIOLET DUNE DAME AVEC SON AMY.

La, mon amy, la, la, la, la,

Approchés-vous, que je vous baise;

Chantons ensemble ut ré sol la,

La, mon amy, la, la, la, la.

Le jour qu'on me despucela.

Par ma foy! je ne fus tant aise,

La, mon amy, la, la, la, la.

Approchés-vous, que je vous baise.

The next triolet, though designated in the book as a triolet, is ten lines instead of the usual eight. 

22.
ANOTHER TRIOLET: A DIALOGUE.

"Oh, lady leave your door ajar."

"But Why? Discovery will it often mar,

Find you in bed without your pants on!"

"The sun or rain will not us bar.

Oh, lady leave your door ajar.”

"I'd rather on the green go far,

Go forth, for some adventure dance on."

"Oh, lady leave your door ajar."

"But Why? Discovery will it often mar

find you in bed without your pants on!"

AUTRE TRIOLET EN DIALOGUE.

Dame, laissez votre huis ouvert.

Pourquoy? A fin qu'à descouvert

Vous trouve au lict sans couverture

S'il pleut, nous serons à couvert,

Dame, laissez vostre huis ouvert.

J'aymeroie mieux quoy sur le vert

Cercher quelque bonne adventure.

Dame, laissez vostre huis ouvert.

Pourquoy? A fin qu'à descouvert

Vous trouve au lict sans couverture.

The third poem to be chosen derives its merit entirely from its content, which, though possessing a certain elegance, is rude, crude, is, in terms of the 21^st century, politically incorrect.

22.
TRIOLET TO AN OLDER WOMAN.

So, if you'll sleep with me to night,

Four tests of me you'll be demanding!

I think you boredom cannot fight.

So, if you'll sleep with me to night,

Demanding is not something light.

Six, as a fine, I'll send, commanding.

So, if you sleep with me to night,

Four tests of me you'll be demanding?

TRIOLET A UNE VIEILLE.

Pour avec toy coucher la nuit,

Quatre testons tu me demande;

Tant t'achepter ne veux ennuit

Pour avec toy coucher la nuit;

J'ayme mieux n'avoir tel déduit

Et t'en donner six pour l'amende,

Pour avec toy coucher la nuit,

Quatre testons tu me demande.

The last triolet chosen from the book's many triolets was selected both for its structure and for its content. Though not particularly interesting, it is nevertheless unique.

23.
LIARS ARE OFTEN LIED TO.

TRIOLET.

Who deception wants

Is at last deceived;

Punishment him taunts,

Who deception wants.

As is said, it haunts.

All who've seen, conceived

Who deception wants

Is at last deceived

TROMPEURS SONT SOUVENT TROMPEZ.

TRIOLET.

Qui veut decevoir

En fin est deceu;

Peine doit avoir

Qui veut decevoir,

A dire le voir.

Tout veu et cogneu,

Qui veut decevoir

Est enfin deceu.