The Vidas of The Troubadours

Margarita Egan

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780429581199
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

Published in 1984: These texts which have been little studied for their literary qualities represent a vital link between the didactic tradition of the Middle Ages and the fictional short stories of the Renaissance, such as the thirteenth-century collection of tales known as the Novellino, and later, Boccaccio's Decameron.

The Vidas of the Troubadours

1. Ademar Lo Negre

Lord Aimar lo Negre¹ was from Château-Vieux of Albi.² He was a courtly man and eloquent. And he was well honored among high society, by King Pedro of Aragon³ and by Count Raimon de Toulouse, the one who was dispossessed,⁴ who gave him houses and land in Toulouse. And he composed songs as well as he knew how. And here are written some of his songs.

2. Aimeric De Belenoi

Lord Aimeric de Belenoi¹ was from Bordelais² from a castle named Lesparre,³ the nephew of Master Peire de Corbiac.⁴ He was a cleric and became a minstrel and invented good songs, which were beautiful and charming, about a lady from Gascony named Gentil de Rieux.⁵ And for her he stayed in that region for a long time; later he went to Catalonia and was there until he died. And here are written some of his songs.

3. Aimeric De Peguilhan

Lord Aimeric de Peguilhan¹ was from Toulouse, the son of a burgher who was a merchant and had cloth to sell. He learned songs and sirventes, but he sang very badly. And he fell in love with a burgher, his neighbor. And this love taught him how to invent poetry. And he composed many good songs about her. And the husband of the lady quarreled with him and dishonored him. And Lord Aimeric took revenge and struck him on the head with a sword. For this reason it was necessary for him to leave Toulouse and go into exile.

And he went to Catalonia. And Lord Guillem de Berguedan² welcomed him, and he exalted him in his invention of poetry, in the first song he composed. And Guillem made him a minstrel and gave him his palfrey and his clothing. And he introduced him to King Anfos de Castilla³ who increased his equipment and his honor. And he was in those regions for a long time.

Later he went to Lombardy, where all the notable men granted him great honor. And he ended his days in Lombardy.

B. AIMERIC DE PEGUILHAN (Continuation from manuscript R)

And it so happened that the husband of the lady recovered from his wound and he went to San Jacme.¹ Lord Aimeric learned this and desired to go into Toulouse. And he came to the king and told him that, if it pleased him, he would like to see the Marquis of Montferrat.² And the king gave him permission to go, and furnished him well with equipment of all kinds. Lord Aimeric told the king that he wished to pass through Toulouse, but he was concerned about what the king knew; for the king was aware of all the facts and could see that the lady’s love attracted Aimeric. And the king gave him an escort up to Montpellier. And he Aimeric made known to his companions all the facts, and asked them to help him, for he wished to see his lady while pretending to be sick. And they assured him that they would do everything that he commanded.

And when they were in Toulouse, the companions asked where the burgher’s house was, and it was shown to them. And they found the lady and told her that a relative of the King of Castile was sick, that he was going on a pilgrimage,, and that he would like to be allowed into her house. She answered that he would be served and honored there. Lord Aimeric came at night, and his companions lay him on a beautiful bed. And the following day Lord Aimeric sent for the lady. And the lady came to the room and recognized Lord Aimeric, and was very astonished, and asked him how he had managed to enter Toulouse. And he told her that [he had done it] because of his love. And he told her everything. And the lady pretended to cover him with the cloth and kissed him. From here on, I do not know what happened, except that Lord Aimeric stayed there for ten days under the pretext of his illness. And when he left there, he went to the marquis, where he was well greeted. And here you will find some of his works.

4. Aimeric De Sarlat

Lord Aimeric de Sarlat was from Perigord, from a rich town called Sarlat.¹ And he became a minstrel, and he was very clever at reciting and at creating, and he became an inventor of poetry. But he composed only one song.

5. Albertet Cailla

Albertet Cailla was a minstrel from the Albigeois.¹ He was a man of slight worth, but he was loved by his neighbors and by the ladies of the Albigeois. And he composed a good song and he composed sirventes. But he never left his own region.

6. Albertet De Sestaro

Albertet was from Gapençais,¹ son of a minstrel called Lord Asar² who was an inventor of poetry and composed good little songs. And Albertet also composed plenty of songs which had good melodies and words of slight worth. He was well esteemed near and far because of the good melodies he composed, and he was a very good minstrel in the court and a pleasing conversationalist among the people. And he spent a long time in Orange and became rich. And later he went to Sisteron³ to stay, and there he ended his days.

7. Albert Marques

Marquis Albert¹ was from [the family of] the Marquis of Malaspina. He was a valiant man, generous, courtly, and learned. And he knew well how to compose couplets and sirventes and songs.

8. Almuc De Castelnou And Iseut De Capieu

(Razo of P.-C. 20.2 and 253.1.)

Lady Iseut de Chapieu¹ begged my lady Almodis de Châteauneuf² that she pardon Lord Gigo de Tournon,³ who was herknight, and who had committed a great fault against her. And he did not repent of it or ask to be forgiven:

Lady Almodis, if it would please you,

I would like to ask you this:

That instead of anger and unwillingness

You have mercy on him

Who sighs and laments

And dies languishing and complains

And humbly seeks forgiveness,

For I make an oath for him:

That he will refrain from wrongdoing

If you will end all strife with him.⁴

And my lady Almodis, who loved Lord Gigo de Tornon, was also very sorrowful because he did not ask forgiveness. And she answered my lady Lady Iseut in the way this couplet says:

Lady Is...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Preface of the General Editors
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Acknowledgments
• Select Bibliography
• The Vidas of the Troubadours
• An Album of Troubadour Illuminations from Manuscripts
• Brief Glossary of Poetic Terms
• Chronological List of Troubadours
• Index