“Pour oublier melencolie,
Et pour faire chiere plus lie,
Ung doulx matin aux champs issy,
Au premier jour qu’amours ralie
Les cueurs en la saison jolie….”[1]
All this is conventional and without any special grace of rhythm or of accent. Then follows the description of a spring morning:
“Tout autour oiseaulx voletoient,
Et si très-doulcement chantoient
Qu’il n’est cueur qui n’en fust joyeulx.
Et en chantant en l’air montoient,
Et puis l’un l’autre surmontoient
A l’estrivée à qui mieulx mieulx.
Le temps n’estoit mie nueux,
De bleu estoient vestuz les cieux,
Et le beau soleil cler luisoit.”[2]
The mention of these delights would not have lacked charm if the author had known where to stop. But he was not so discreet; having gone through all the singing birds, he continues his enumeration at a jog-trot:
“Les arbres regarday flourir,
Et lièvres et connins courir.
Du printemps tout s’esjouyssoit.
Là sembloit amour seignourir.
Nul n’y peult vieillir ne mourir,
Ce me semble, tant qu’il y soit.
Des erbes ung flair doulx issoit,
Que l’air sery adoulcissoit,
Et en bruiant par la valee
Ung petit ruisselet passoit,
Qui les pays amoitissoit,
Dont l’eaue n’estoit pas salee.
Là buvoient les oysillons,
Après ce que des grisillons,
- ↑ To forget melancholy, And to cheer myself, One sweet morning I went out into the fields On the first day on which love joins Hearts in the beautiful season.
- ↑ All around birds were flying, And they sang so very sweetly That there is no heart that would not be gladdened by it. And while singing they rose up in the air, And then passed and repassed each other, Vying with each other as to which should rise highest. The weather was not cloudy at all. The heavens were clad in blue. And the beautiful sun was shining brightly.
