Triplum
Trop plus est belle que biauté
Et millour que ne soit bonté,
Pleine de toute ce, a dire voir,
Que bonne et belle doit avoir,
Ce m'est vis, celle que desir
Et aim sans nul vilein desir.
Dont se je l'aim, et je qu'en puis
Quant en sa fine bonté truis
De tous mes maulx la garison,
Leese, confort, guerredon
Et secours de tous les meschiés
Dont par desir sui entechiés,
Comment qu'elle ne saiche rien;
Car toute la joie et le bien
Que j'ay de sa grace me vient,
Sans plus, quant de li me souvient;
N'autre bonté de li n'en port.
Si pri Amours qu'en tel accort
Soit, pour ce que mieux l'aim que mi,
Qu'elle me teingne pour ami. Amen.
Triplum
She is more beautiful than beauty,
more good than goodness,
replete, in truth, with everything
which a good and beautiful lady should have,
to my mind, she whom I desire
and whom I love without any immodest thought.
So I cannot help it if I love her,
since in her great goodness I find
the cure for all my ills,
happiness, consolation, reward,
and succour from all the misfortunes
in which my desire embroils me,
though she knows nothing of this;
for all my joy and pleasure
come to me by her grace alone,
whenever I think of her;
and that is the sum of her kindness to me.
And so I beg of Love to arrange matters,
since I love her more than myself,
that she may accept me as her lover. Amen.
Motetus
Biauté parée de valour,
Desirs qui onques n'a sejour
D'acroistre, eins croist de jour en jour
En plaisance et en douce ardour,
Dous regars pris par grant savour
Tous pleins de promesse d'amour,
D'espoir, de joie, de tenrour
Et de pointure de douçour,
Font que j'aim des dames la flour.
Or me doint Dieus grace et vigour
Que au gre d'Amours et a s'onnour
La puisse servir sans folour. Amen.
Motetus
Beauty adorned with virtue
desire which never ceases to grow,
but grows from day to day,
in pleasure and sweet torment,
sweet look received with great delight,
full of the promise of love,
of hope, joy, tenderness,
and painful sweetness
make me love this flower of ladies.
May God give me the grace and strength
that in accordance with Love's will and her honour
I may serve her with discretion. Amen.
Tenor
Je ne suis mie certeins d'avoir amie,
mais je sui loyaus amis.
Hélas! se je suis amé, je ne sai mie.
Je ne suis mie certeins d'avoir amie,
Car cele que j'amerai toute ma vie
En effroy mon cuer a mis.
Je ne suis mie certeins d'avoir amie
Mai je sui loyaus amis.
Tenor
I am not at all certain to have a lover
But I am a loyal lover none the less.
Alas! I have no idea whether I am loved.
I am not at all certain to have a lover,
for she whom I have loved all my life
has alarmed my heart.
I am not at all certain to have a lover
But I am a loyal lover, none the less.