A Digital Repository of Medieval Texts

André de Coutances. "Romance of the French (Alfred)." Global Medieval Sourcebook.

Transcription by Johannes Junge Ruhland .

Le Roman des Franceis (Arflet) | Romance of the French (Alfred)

Source Information

Le Roman des Franceis (Arflet) | Romance of the French (Alfred)

by André de Coutances

Text Source:

British Library MS Additional 10289, 129v-123v

Responsibility Statement:

Transcription by Johannes Junge Ruhland
Translation by Johannes Junge Ruhland
Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Danny Smith

Editorial Principles:

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

Texts are translated into modern American English with maximum fidelity to the original text, except where it would impair comprehension or good style. Archaisms are preserved where they do not conflict with the aesthetic of the original text. Scribal errors and creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.

Publication Details:

Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.

The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Transcription

Ici se comence le romanz des Franceis Here begins the romance of the French

Reis Arflet de Nohundrelande King Alfred of Northumberland

As boens beveors saluz mande, Sends greetings to the good drinkers,

Les autres a maufez commande, The others he commends to demons,

Quer il nes prise une alemande. Because he does not value them much.

Critical note:

Literally ‘he does not value them the price of an almond’.

Le viel Arflet fu son ancestre Old Alfred was his ancestor,

Qui des guides fu sire et mestre. He was the lord and master of banquets.

Cil si enbat destre et senestre The other one throws himself from one side to the other

Tant qu’il en set quanqu’en puet estre. So much that he knows all about it.

Mestre est des cerveises estales, He is the master of settled beer,

Bien les conoist bones et males; He knows it good and bad;

Bien est sire des escales

Critical note:

escoles

, He is the lord of drinking bowls,

Des gestinges et des ervales. Of banquets and of feasts.

De lui vos di en dreite fei I tell you truthfully

Que sevent a beü sanz sei, That he has often drank without thirst,

Et bien est veir que endreit sei And it is true that he does not want

Ne veut que dechie guersei. Wassail to fall into disuse.

Rimé ont de lui li Franceis The French have made some rhymes about him,

Lez le pot ou bollent VI peis; Next to a pot where six peas were boiling;

Par icestes meismes leis By the same token, the English

S’en volent vengier li Engleis. Want to take revenge.

Il ont dit que riens n’a valu, The English said that it has not worked out,

Et donc à Arflet n’a chalu And so Alfred did not care

Que boté fu par Capalu That king Arthur was thrown

Li reis Artur en la palu; Into the marsh by the cat Capalu;

Et que le chat l’ocist de guerre, And that the cat killed him at war,

Puis passa outre en Engleterre, And crossed the Channel into England,

Et ne fu pas lenz de conquerre; And was quick to make conquests,

Ainz porta corone en la terre, So that he even wore a crown in those lands,

Et fu sire de la contree. And became the lord of the region.

Ou ont itel fable trovee? Where did they find such a tale?

Mençonge est, Dex le set, provee: It’s a proven lie, God knows it:

Onc greignor ne fu encontree. Never has one found a bigger one.

Mes li chaitif, li espové, But the miserable, the overwhelmed,

Li mal peü, li tart cové, The malnourished, the misbred,

Li patarin, li endové, The naughty, the possessed,

Où ont-il d’autre contrové? Where have they found these imaginary things?

Trop ont dit d’Artur grant enfance, They told enough silly tales about Arthur,

Quer Artu fu de tel puissance Because Arthur was of such power

Que Franceis conquist o sa lance: That he conquered the French with his lance:

Mau eritage mist en France. He placed a wicked lineage in France.

Bien savon que Bien et Belin, We know well that Brenne and Belin,

Maximien et Costentin Maximien and Constantin

Furent a Franceis mal veisin, Were bad neighbours to the French,

Et France orent, ce est

Critical note:

c'est

la fin. And they had France in their power, that’s how it ends.

D’Engleterre furent tuit rei, They were all kings of England,

Chescun conquist France endroit sei, Each one of them conquered France,

Chescun en pleis a le bofei, Each one was full of pride when he pleaded,

Le gorgeïr et le desrei. Full of garrulousness and of reckless conduct.

Au rei Artur le deraain, To Arthur, the last king,

De celui sommes nos certain, —of him we are assured—

Voudrent

Critical note:

voudreit

fere plet, mes en vain, They wanted to contest his power, but that was in vain,

Quer il les out bien sor

Critical note:

sor sor

sa main. Because he had them firmly in his command.

Quant de lor orguil s’averti, When he noticed their arrogance,

Maugré eus toz les converti, He turned them despite themselves,

Et le païs acuverti: And he subjected the land:

Dites se ce est veir parti? Tell me if that is a truthful distribution!

Jamés n’iert jor que il n’i pere; There was not a day that he would not be seen;

Douce esteit

Critical note:

este

France, or est amere; France used to be sweet, now it is bitter;

Mout ourent en Artur dur pere, They had a very harsh father in Arthur,

Sa sorvenue mout compere. His arrival made a notable difference.

Mout fu Artur proz et corteis; Arthur was very worthy and courtly;

Quant out conquis Chartres et Bleis, Once he conquered Chartres and Blois,

Et Orliens et tot Estampeis, And Orléans and all of Étampes,

A Paris vint o ses Engleis. He went to Paris with his Englishmen.

La vile asist, n’en dotez mie; He besieged the city, let there be no doubt about it;

Mout out bone chevalerie He had very good knights,

Et bien estruite et bien garnie, Well trained and well-armed,

Si l’a fierement asallie. So he bravely assailed it.

Engleis fierement asallirent, The English bravely assailed,

Franceis merdement defendirent: The French shittily defended:

Au premier assaut se rendirent, With the first assault they surrendered,

Et hontosement s’en partirent. And they went off full of shame.

A cel partir fu apelee From this departure came the name

Paris, ci n’a nul celee, Paris, there’s nothing to hide about it,

Qui primes fu Termes nommee, Which was initially called Termes,

Et mout ert de grant renommee. And which had a great renown.

Frolles ert apelé le reis, Frollo was the name of the king

Qu’Artur conquist o ses Engleis; Whom Arthur vanquished with his English;

Et de Frolles sont dit Franceis: And the French are named after Frollo:

Qui primes eurent non Bailleis. Initially, they were called Bailleis.

Critical note:

Probably ‘Galleis’, Gauls. Holden 1973, n. in v. 80

Frolles, qui de France fu sire, Frollo, who was the lord of France,

Ne sout que faire ne que dire; Did not know what to do or to say;

Grant mautalent out et grant ire: He was very angry and upset:

Franceis manda a un concire. He convocated the French to a council.

Li baron l’ont a ce amis The barons persuaded him

Qui ses messages a tramis To send a messenger

A Artur; si li a pramis To Arthur; and so he promised him

Qu’encor porroient estre amis, That they could still be in good terms,

Se de sa terre s’en issist If he emptied the lands

Que a mout grant tort saisseïst; Which he had been ill advised to seize;

Et s’il ne la guerpisseïst But if he did not vacate the premises,

De batalle le aasteïst He would provoke him to combat,

Par eus dous, que plus n’i eüst: One on one, and he wouldn’t add anything to it:

Eissi le voleit, ce seüst. He made it known to him that those were his terms.

Cous rendist qui cous receüst, A blow was worth a blow,

Et plus feïst qui plus peüst. And who could do more should do more.

Artur respondi: ‘Dex i valle; Arthur replied: ‘God help me;

Defendré mei, s’est qui m’asalle; I will defend myself, if there’s someone to attack me;

Seit a demein ceste batalle, Let the combat be scheduled for tomorrow,

100

A Paris, en l’Isle, sanz falle.’ In Paris, on the Île de la Cité, without fail.’

De ça et de la sunt certain On this and on that side, they are assured

De la batalle a l’endemain: That they will fight the next day:

Qui veintra tot, eit en sa main The winner would have possession

Les bois, les viles et le plain. Of the forests, the towns and the clear lands.

105

Frolles durement menaça, Frollo proffered strong menaces,

De jurer ne s’apereça, He did not tire of swearing,

Dex tot par menbres depeça, He completely dismembered the body of God,

Que Artur mal s’i aproça. Because Arthur came to do ill.

Artur, qui n’out pas cuer de glace, Arthur, who did not have a cold heart,

110

Preisa mout petit sa menace; Cared very little about his threats;

Mieuz l’amast a tenir en place He would have preferred him to stay in place

Que voer Dieu en mi la face. Rather than seeing God face to face.

Artur, qui out grant desierrer, Arthur, who felt a great urge,

Se fist matin aparellier, Had himself prepared early morning,

115

Lui et Labagu son destrier, Himself and his horse Labagu,

Et se fist en l’Isle nagier. And he had himself transported to the Île.

Frolles jusqu’a tierce dormi, Frollo slept until way after daybreak,

Et lors quant il se desdormi And when he finished sleeping,

Endeseetes s’estormi He abruptly rose,

120

Com se l’eüssent point formi. As if ants had bitten him.

Franceis, qui moroient d’ennui, The French, who were bored to death,

Li distrent: ‘Leverez-vos hui?’ Asked him: ‘Will you get up today?’

Il dist ‘aol!’,

Critical note:

‘Aol’ stands for ‘oïl’ (pronounced well), meaning yes. ‘Aol’ also means garlic; these lines contain an untranslatable pun that alludes to the French’s penchant for garlic expressed below.

et de nullui He said ‘yeah’, and the French

N’ont Franceis aol fors de lui. Use garlic because of no one else than him.

125

Tot en gesant, sans sei drecier, Lying in bed, without getting up,

Se fist Frolles aparellier; Frollo had himself prepared;

D’ilonc sunt Franceis costumier, That is where the custom of the French comes from

Que en gesant se font chaucier. To get dressed lying.

Ainz que Frolles se fust armez Before Frollo even got armed,

130

S’est tierce fiee pasmez; He fainted three times;

Lors fu des Franceis mout blasmez,

Critical note:

blasmet

The French blamed him strongly,

Mes il lor dist: ‘Ne vos tamez; But he told them: ‘Don’t be afraid;

Ce me vient de grant hardement: This is due to my great courage:

Mort est Artu veraement.’ Arthur is a dead man, to be sure.’

135

Lors les prist toz par serement, He then took everyone’s oath

Qu’il tendront son commandement. That they would follow his lead.

‘Coment, dist-il, que il m’avienge, He said, ‘Whatever happens to me,

De mes bones mors vos sovienge; Remember my good mores;

Mar i aura cil qui Diu crienge Ills will befall whoever fears God

140

Se leauté a homme tienge. If he remains loyal to another man.

Cruel seiez à desmesure, Be excessively cruel,

Avel, fei mentie, perjure; Stingy lying perjurers;

El vostre garder metez cure, Dedicate yourselves to hoard your riches,

De l’autrui prenez a dreiture. And feel entitled to take the riches of others.

145

Artur vos voudra del suen tendre, Arthur will want to give you some of his wealth,

Prenez-le sanz guerredon rendre; Take it without returning the favor;

Ainz vos lessiez ardeir ou pendre Go let yourselves be burned or hanged

Que le vostre veiez despendre. Rather than seeing your riches being distributed.

De dez seiez boens joeors Be good at playing dice,

150

Et de Deu bons perjureors, And be good perjurers toward God,

En autrui cort richeeors, Be braggarts at other people’s courts,

Poi fesanz et boens vanteors. Do little and boast well.

Acreez, si ne rendez rien; Take up credit, don’t return anything;

Haez ceus qui vos ferunt bien; Hate those who act well towards you;

155

Plus ordement vivez que chien, Live more filthily than dogs,

Et seiez tuit armeneisien.’ And be a bunch of miscreants!’

Frolles en France mist ces leis; Frollo established these laws in France;

Bien le retindrent li Franceis, The French kept them well,

Et encor i out il sordeis; And there was even worse than that,

160

Mes je n’en diré or ampleis. But I won’t say more about it now.

Quant armé fu a quelque paine, Once he was armed, not without difficulty,

Son mestre chambellenc aceine: He called his chief servant and said:

‘Va tost, dist-il, et si te paine ‘Hurry up and do what you can

Que aie pullente aleine.’ To make me have a bad breath.’

165

Cil conut bien sa volenté, The servant fully understood what he wanted,

Que d’allie s’ert dementé, Because he was whining to get garlic,

Plain vessel l’en a presenté So he offered him a full plate of it,

Et il en menja a plenté. And the king ate plenty.

Ne se pout Frolles atenir Frollo could not restrain himself

170

Que des auz ne feïst venir, From letting go a wind caused by the garlic,

Tant por usage maintenir, In order as much to upkeep the tradition

Tant por Artur en sus tenir. As to keep Arthur at a distance.

Franceis qui devant lui esterent The French who were in front of him

D’aler en l’Isle se hasterent. Made him hasten to the Île.

175

A quelque paine l’i menerent; They brought him there not without effort;

Laissierent le, si retornerent. They left him and went back.

Frolles remest sor son destrier, Frollo remained on his horse,

Artur vit venir fort et fier; He saw Arthur coming up towards him, strong and imposing;

Lors n’out en lui que corrocier He felt nothing but anger

180

Quant vers lui le vit aprochier. When he saw him getting close.

Andui es estruis s’afichierent, They both settled firmly in their stirrup,

Si que, quant il s’entr’aprocherent, So much so that, when they reached one another,

Amedous lor lances bruiserent The two of them had their spears broken,

Et lor chevaus s’agenoillerent. And their horses were forced onto their knees.

185

Frolles acuit a menecier Frollo started proffering menaces

Et Artur trait le brant d’acier; And Arthur brandished his steel sword;

Quant Frolles vit le cop haucier, When Frollo saw the blow coming,

A terre se lessa cachier He let himself fall on the ground

Et dist: ‘Merci, Artur, beau sire; And said: ‘Please, Arthur, dear Sir;

190

Je suis recreant, ne m’ocire.’ I’m a coward, don’t kill me!’

Artur ne pout atremper s’ire, Arthur could not restrain his anger,

Frolles ocist, n’en puis el dire. And he killed Frollo, there’s nothing else to be said.

Franceis furent espoenté The French were frightened

Quant lor rei virent graventé. When they saw their king knocked down.

195

A Artur se sont presenté They turned themselves in to Arthur,

Que d’eus face sa volenté. So that he may do as he pleased with them.

Et il qui toz les voleit pendre, And when Arthur, who wanted to have them all hanged,

Quant si humblement les vit rendre, Saw them surrender so humbly,

Ne vout envers Deu tant mesprendre; Did not want to act reprehensibly towards God;

200

Par tote France fist defendre Across France, he forbad

Que nul ne n’i eüst pendu. That anyone should be hanged.

Vie et menbre lor a rendu. He returned life and limbs to them.

En autre sens lor a vendu And he dealt differently with them

Que vers lui se sont defendu. For having resisted him.

205

Quer il les mist toz en servage Indeed, he enslaved them all,

Ou encore est tot lor lignage; And their descendants are still there;

Iloc donna en eritage There, Arthur bequeathed the legacy

Artur, as Franceis, cuvertage. Of serfdom upon the French.

Franceis en l’Isle s’en passerent, The French went over to the Île,

210

Lor rei qui mort ert enporterent. And they carried their dead king away.

En un grant feu le cors boterent They threw him into a great fire

Que por lui ardre alumerent. That they had lit to burn him.

Deables furent en agait Devils were on the look-out,

Qui d’Enfer ourent le feu trait They brought fire from Hell

215

Dont il alumerent l’atrait To light the stake

Qui por Frolles ardeir fut fait. Which was made to burn Frollo.

Mout out cel feu male ensuiance, This fire had very bad consequences,

Que d’iloc avient sanz dotance Because there’s no doubt that it is the reason

Qu’encor en art en remenbrance Why, in remembrance, the inhabitants of France

220

Del feu d’Enfer la gent de France. Still burn in the fires of Hell.

De Franceis prist Artur homage, Arthur took homage from the French,

Et il establi par vitage And he established that

IIII deniers de cuvertage They should pay four deniers in annual dues

Por raaindre lor chevelage. As part of their condition of serfs.

225

Assez trovent qui lor reconte Numerous people remind them

Cest hontage, mes rien ne monte, Of that shameful subjection, but to no avail,

De ce ne tienent plé ne conte, They do not worry too much about it,

Car il ne sevent aveir honte. Because they are unable to feel shame.

Ja Franceis celui n’amera A Frenchman will not hold dear

230

Qui bien et ennor li fera; Someone who acts to their benefit;

Mes com il plus honi sera But the more he is shamed,

Et il tanz gorgeiera. The more he will pride himself.

Quer savez que liu

Critical note:

lui

u esrez, Because you know that, in time and place,

Ja mar Franceis de rien crerrez: It will amount to no good to trust a Frenchman;

235

Sel querez, ja nel troverez; Seek him, you won’t find him;

Sel trovez, ja prou n’i aurez. Find him, you will run into trouble.

Quant li Franceis veut cort tenir, When the Frenchman wants to gather his court

Et il se veut bel

Critical note:

bieli

contenir, And wants to make a nice impression,

Deu pain de segle fet venir He orders two loaves of rye bread

Critical note:

Alternatively: He orders some rye bread

240

Por sei richement contenir. To give himself a worthy countenance.

Et chescun en est par partie Everyone individually gets

Sa dreite livreison partie. His rightfully due amount.

La croste seivrent de la mie, They remove the crust from the soft part,

Puis font entre els une aramie, And they solemnly gather all together

245

De sopes faire en la paele; In order to make a soup in a pot;

Qu’il n’i covent

Critical note:

corent

autre escuele. There’s no better dish for it.

A trere les y a berele, A big turmoil arouses when they try to retrieve the bread,

Tel ore est qui n’est mie bele. It sometimes becomes very ugly.

Mes il font une autre veisdie, But they also do another kind of trick,

250

Ne m’est or lai que nel vos die: I don’t recoil from telling it to you:

Qu’a traire les n’i ait boisdie,

Critical note:

bo…die

So that they can retrieve the bread without there being mischief,

Chescun d’un fil sa sope lie. Everyone attaches his share of soup to a string.

Un fil tient chescun en sa main Everyone holds a string in his hand

Tant que il a trempé son pain; So as to dip his piece of bread;

255

Si est de sa sope certain And he is guaranteed to get soup

Tant commë il veit son fil sain. As long as the string is intact.

Mes quant il ront ou il desnoe,

Critical note:

desnooe

But when it snaps or gets untied,

Que la soupe deu fil descroe, So that the soup falls off the string,

Donc va a chose à male voe, Things get tense,

260

Quer chescun dit que ele est soe. Because everyone claims it is his.

Dont orriez Dex desmembrer, You would hear God being dismembered,

Ventre, langue, gorge, amenbrer; His belly, tongue, and throat would all be mentioned;

Dieu ne porreit longues durer, God couldn’t last very long

S’il en perout por son jurer. If he were to endure all that swearing.

265

Sovent i a meinte aatie There often is a lot of rivalry

Et mainte colee partie; And of blows handed out;

Mes il font une autre establie But they have a different ordinance

Qui fet remaindre la folie: That maintains the level of craziness.

Et il jugent que cil qui a And they decide that

270

Icel fil greignor dreit i a; Whoever has the string has the greater right;

Sor sainz jure qui enlia Whoever tied the soup

Cele sope qui deslia. Claims he rightfully owns it.

L’estrif remaint et la meslee The dispute and the commotion do not settle

Quant il l’a a soe provee; Once he has proven it is his;

275

Mes mout est sovent esgardee But rather his piece of bread is glared at,

Et enviree et golosee. Desired and coveted.

Et quant il metent pot a feu, And when they put the pot on the hearth,

Lez le pot asieent un queu; They sit down a cook next to it;

Lors n’i aureit ne ris ne geu He would not have a good time

280

Se il se parteit de cel leu. If he were to leave from there.

Trop i porroit mesavenir, Great ills could befall him,

Sagement l’estuet contenir, And he must behave and sit still,

Que por le bollon retenir Because he must hold the spoon

Li estuet la cullier tenir. To keep the broth from boiling over.

285

Se li bollon n’alout a droit, If the broth was not cooking right,

A la char qui cuit mescharroit, It would be bad for the meat,

Quer tost fors del pot s’en saudroit Because it would fall outside the pot

Des que li bollon l’asaudroit. As soon as the broth would assail it.

Si l’avreient

Critical note:

l’aveient

perdue enfin, They would really have lost the meat in the end

290

Quer le chat entrereit a fin, Because the cat would come in,

Ou la sori ou

Critical note:

et ou

le poucin Or because either the mouse or the chick

Enportereit tot le bocin. Would take the whole piece.

A traire la deu pot s’esmaient; They try hard to pull it out of the pot;

Et quant ce est qu’il s’i essaient, And when they actually do give it a try,

295

Ce ne puet estre que il l’aient It’s impossible for them to get it

Se tote l’eue anceis ne traient. Unless they remove all the liquid first.

Et quant l’eue en est puree, And when the liquid is removed,

Chescun aguete, chescun bee, Everyone watches with their mouth agape,

Chescun feit oreison privee Everyone prays individually

300

Que Deux dont qu’ele seit trouvee. That God may please help that the meat be found.

Et quant il trovent cel merel, And when they find the little piece,

Lors sachiez que mout lor est bel; Be sure that they are really glad;

Gragnor joie en a eu hamel A whole hamlet has felt greater joy for it

Que outre mer deu feut novel. Than if they witnessed the fire light up again overseas.

Critical note:

Allusion to the fire known to light up every Holy Saturday at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

305

Donc est aporte li coteaus, They bring forth a knife,

Si est detrenchié par morseaus And the meat is cut into small pieces,

Petit, mes de tel granz seviaus Of a size similar

Com cels dont

Critical note:

donc

l’en guie as meriaus. To what one uses for playing hopscotch.

S’il avient que non per i ait, If it so happens that the number of pieces is not right,

310

Iloc n’a mie grant dehait, Dismay is limited,

Quer donc sont li dé avant tret: Because they take out the dice:

Qui Dieu donra plus poinz, si l’ait. He to whom God grants the highest number will get it.

Lor dobliers volent nez tenir, They don’t even want to hold their napkins,

Et c’est legier a avenir, And that’s easily explainable,

315

Quer qui lor mengier veit fenir Because whoever intends to eat up his meal

De lasté li puet sovenir. Can be overcome by fatigue.

Arflet tesmoignë en son brief Alfred says in his letter

Qu’il menjuent tot lor relief; That they eat everything that’s left over;

Ce est as povres grant meschief, That’s a great pity for the poor,

320

Et si apelent de cest grief. And they call out this injustice.

Li chien se plaignent d’autre part On another side, the dogs complain

Que quant l’os de la table part, That when the bone leaves the table,

Tant lor vient megre et tant a tart It reaches them so thin and so belatedly

Que de tot le trovent bastart; That they deem it a fraud in any respect;

325

Ou li Franceis l’a tot mengié, Either the Frenchman has eaten it entirely,

Ou il l’aura si pres rungié Or he will have chewed it so closely

Que quant il li done congié That when he gets rid of it,

De neent a le chien paié. He will have given the dog nothing for its wait.

D’iluec vient, nient d’autre nature, From there and for no other reason comes

330

Quë il ont blanche endenteüre, That they have white teeth,

Quer le rore de l’os lor cure

Critical note:

330 and 331 inverted, with marginal reordering.

Because chewing bones makes their teeth

Les denz et blanchist et escure. Healthy, and whitens them and cleans them.

Quant li Franceis se fet seignier, When the Frenchman undergoes bloodletting,

Si fet atorner mengier He has a meal prepared

335

Dont

Critical note:

donc

nus hom ne doit ja pleidier: That no one should mention:

Ne s’en sareit fors els aidier, Except for Frenchmen, no one would know how to go about it,

S’il ne la vet de lor doutrine. Unless he is one of their sort.

Vinee en gorge de geline, Chicken throat stuffed with sorrel,

Si n’est pas deu tot orfeline, And it doesn’t come alone,

340

Quer sel i metent et ferine, Because they add salt and flour,

Et porreiz et oignons et alz, And leach and onion and garlic,

Et de lorer fere granz salz, And they make a thick laurel sauce,

Et de l’escost estorcer chauz And [???]

____________________ ____________________

Critical note:

The missing line is signalled by a tilde.

345

Qui o les Franceis mengera, Whoever eats with the French,

A quei que seit, escotera; No matter the circumstances, will chip in;

Quer ou as

Critical note:

noiz entenciera Because a Frenchman will be content with walnuts

Ou des escaloignes fera Or will have shallots

Franceis

Critical note:

Fanee

a tot le mains venir Brought to him

350

Por sei richement contenir; To give himself a real treat;

Quer icel ne puet avenir Because it can’t be the case

Que d’escot se sachent tenir That they refrain from splitting up the bill

Tant com en lor contrees seient; As long as they are at home;

Tant com en lor contrees seient; But when they are not, they go about humming,

355

Et a autrui table richeent And fill themselves up at other people’s tables,

Et blasment quanque il i veent. And blame them whenever they don’t let them.

Et quant il sont en lors ostex, And when they are in their homes,

Si conoisson Franceis a tex, The French are recognisable as such,

A tant merdes, à tant avex, As stingy pieces of shit,

360

Qu’en les devreit tuer o pex. So much so that one should kill them or do worse.

André sa chartre fine a tant, André finishes his charter at this point,

A Paris l’envoie batant; And he sends it to Paris in haste;

Qui la lira seit en estant, Whoever reads it should stand firmly on their feet,

Quer Franceis s’iront mout crestant;

Critical note:

cresçant (Holden)

Because the French will strut like proud cocks.

365

S’ele est sus Petit Pont retraite, And the charter was made in Petit Pont,

Ou de colee ou de retraite Where whoever reads it will get blows, stitches,

Ara celui la teste fraite And have their head smashed

Qui la lira, s’il ne se gaite. Unless they beware.

Mout sera isnel de prinsaut He will be quick and prompt

370

Se en Siene ne fet saut. If he doesn’t jump into the Seine.

André prent congié, Dex vos saut! André takes leave, God bless!

Mes savez qu’en sa chartre faut? But do you know what’s missing from his charter?

____________________ ____________________

Et qu’il a oblié a dire, And he forgot to say,

375

Por ce que il n’en veut mesdire Because he doesn’t want to speak ill

Ne Franceis del tot desconfire. Or completely defeat the French.

Tirenlire est pain enallié ‘Tirenlire’ is bread rubbed with garlic,

Et o la douse d’al freié; And with a fried garlic clove;

Ja Franceis ne sera hetié A Frenchman will not rejoice

380

Le jor qu’il n’en seit comencié. Unless he gets some for breakfast.

Ce est un legier companage It’s a light spread

Qui tot le cors lor asoage; That restores their whole body;

Mes ja o Dieu n’ert heritage But cursed by God be the one

Qui primes fist tel mariage! Who first invented this pairing!

385

Andreu a sa chartre finee; André has finished his charter;

Bien l’ont li Engleis graantee, The English have guaranteed

Que rien nule n’i ont trovee That they found nothing in it

Qui ne seit verité provee. That isn’t the proven truth.

Bien l’ont graanté li Flamenc, The Flemish have guaranteed it,

390

Et Borgueignon et Loherenc, The Burgundians, the Lotharingians,

Que prendrei ge tot à renc. Which I would all enlist.

Mes en verité vos aprenc But let me tell you in truth

Que Engleis, Breton, Angevin, That the English, the Bretons, the Angevins,

Mansel, Gascoign, et Peitevin, Those from the Mans, the Gascons, the Poitevins,

395

Tienent Andreu a bon devin, Believe André is a good fortune teller,

Quer partot dit veir. C’est la fin. Because he tells the truth all the time. This is the end.

Explicit Arflet. Here ends ‘Alfred.’

Hii sunt duodecim pares Francie. These are the twelve peers of France.

Dux Burgondie. The Duke of Burgundy.

400

Dux Normannie. The Duke of Normandy.

Dux Aquitanie. The Duke of Aquitaine.

Comes Flandrie. The Count of Flanders.

Comes Campanie. The Count of Champagne.

Comes Sancti Egidii. The Count of Saint Giles.

405

Archiepiscopus Remensis. The Archbishop of Reims.

Archiepiscopus Lingolnensis. The Archbishop of Langres.

Episcopus Beluacensis. The Bishop of Beauvais.

Archiepiscopus Lugdunensis. The Archbishop of Laon.

Episcopus Novioniensis. The Bishop of Noyon.

410

Episcopus Cathalaunensis. The Bishop of Châlons.

Translation