Part II: Anglo-Norman Literary Period, part of the Middle Ages Literary Period
Part II: Anglo-Norman Literary Period, part of the Middle Ages Literary Period
26
The Lay of Chaitivel (or The Unfortunate One): The lady of Nantes
NOW I’ve a longing to unfold,
For you, a lay I once heard told.
All the adventure and the name
Of the fair city where that same
Was born and its title I will tell.
The lay is known as Chaitivel.
Many the folk though who claim
‘The Four Sorrows’ as its name.
At Nantes there once dwelt a lady,
Famed throughout all Brittany
For her beauty and learning too,
And every other kind of virtue.
In all the region, never a knight
Of any worth but, at first sight,
He lost his heart to her entire,
And her affection did desire.
She saw no way to satisfy them,
Yet was reluctant to deny them.
More joy’s in seeking love from any
Lady in a given country,
Than taking money from a fool,
For he’ll resent you, as a rule;
A lady welcomes close attention
More readily than I dare mention;
Though she may long for them to cease,
She ought not to scorn your pleas,
But honour them and hold them dear,
And give you thanks and good cheer.
Now she of whom I wish to speak
Received so many there to seek
Out her worth and beauty bright,
She was pestered day and night.
There were four barons in Brittany,
Whose names are all unknown to me,
But they were of a pleasing age,
All still at the handsome stage,
And all four brave and valorous
Free and open, and courteous;
Men of great worth you understand,
Among the nobles of that land.
All four barons came to woo,
Gave of their best efforts too;
Each for her sake, and her love,
Sought heaven and earth to move;
Each one asked for her affection,
Each gave her his full attention,
And not one of them but thought
That he was the best who sought.
The Lay of Chaitivel (or The Unfortunate One): Her suitors compete
THE lady, full of common sense,
Sought to know, in her defence,
Who might prove the better lover,
Yet between one and another,
Found each as worthy as the rest;
How then was she to choose the best?
She liked not to lose all for one;
She welcomed fairly every one,
Granted each of them her favours,
Sent them love-notes for their labours;
And no man thought of any other,
For none could forsake her ever;
By deeds, and pleading on his knees,
Each man tried his best to please.
At every gathering of the knights
Each one sought, in the fights,
To win the tourney if he could.
To please her, be it understood,
Each knight claimed her as his love,
Each bore her token so to prove;
With ring, sleeve, or banner came
Each man, calling out her name.
The Lay of Chaitivel (or The Unfortunate One): The tourney at Nantes
SHE loved all four, and held them dear,
Till after Easter-time that year,
Came the news of a grand tourney,
At Nantes twas held, before the city.
Keen to joust with her four lovers,
Many came there from some other
Region, Frenchmen, and Normans,
And the Flemish and the Brabants,
The Boulognais, the Angevins,
And closer neighbours; for their sins,
Brave knights gladly made the journey.
Long they’d