T The reference to the Vatican proves a new inaccuracy of this author: there is no work of king Richard. In page 71., of No. 3204., there is a poem by Richauts de Verbeil; and, page 108., another by Richauts de Terascon; with short accounts of each author prefixed to their sonnets, but without the least mention of any royalty belonging to them. In the Laurentine library is the king's sonnet mentioned above, which I have twice had transcribed with the greatest exactness; and as it has never been printed, so ancient and singular a curiosity will probably be acceptable to the reader. I do not pretend to give him my interpretation, as I am sensible it is very imperfect; and yet I think I understand the drift of every stanza but the last, which has proved totally unintelligible to every person that has hitherto seen it. 2 4 Biblioth. Laura. Plut. XLI. cod. 42. 3 [Mr. Douce, whose accurate observation enabled him to detect the mistake of Lord Orford in p. 3., has shewn me that king Richard's song was published by madame L'Heritier de Villanden, in "La Tour ténébreuse," 1705. The book is particularly curious as containing two pieces of poetry by Richard I. which had not before been printed. A specimen of one of these is inserted in bishop Percy's erudite Essay on the ancient Minstrels, prefixed to his Reliques of English Poetry, vol. i. p. xxxv.] + This note was sent from Florence with the sonnet.. membran. in folio, p. 184., ben conservato: fino alla pagina 72. sono poesie Provenzali." REIS RIZARD.5 Ja nus hom pris non dira sa raison 6 Or sachon ben mi hom, & mi baron, J'ansaien de ver, certanament, C'om mort, ne pris, n'a amie ne parent; [N. B. The z throughout this song has frequently the power of ch. G. Ellis.] 6 This is the stanza quoted by Crescimbeni. [Du Verdier prints it thus: Or sachan ben mos homs, e mos barons, Bibliotheque, ubi sup.] 7 [A more modernised copy of this song was printed in "Catalogus Codicum MSS. Bibliothecæ Bernensis, à J. R. Sinner," from a manuscript of the thirteenth century, in which this verse begins-"Or sai je bien"—and this reading, says Mr. Ellis, Quant il me laissent por or ni por argent! Nom morveill, s'en ai le cor dolent, Mi compagnon cui j'amoi, e cui j'am, Di lor, chanzon, (q'il non sont pas certain) S'il me guerroient, il feron qe vilain, would be very convenient; but it is still possible, that “j'ansaien" may be " j'enseigne," i. e. "I teach, I am an example of the truth and certainty of the following remark." Mr. Ellis farther observes, that lord Orford's text is in general confirmed by a manuscript fragment in Mr. Douce's possession, which is of great antiquity: both are obscured by the Provençal orthography, which, though perhaps not more licentious, is less familiar to us than that of the Norman scribes, but the language is evidently Norman romance, and not very barbarous; and if lord Orford had bestowed a little more attention in supplying the punctuation, which is always deficient in ancient manuscripts, and in reuniting two or three syllables which had been evidently disjoined by the stupidity of the transcriber, he need not have satisfied himself with " thinking that he understood the drift of the first six stanzas." The text and pointing are now given as Mr. Ellis (who perhaps, of all modern critics, is most competent to judge) thinks they ought to be printed.] 66 Or sachent ben Enjevin e Torain, Contessa, soit votre prez sobrain; Questa canzone e stata ricorretta e riconfrontata con l'originale, e ritrovata essere in 66 9 [Sinner's copy here reads, sont ores vent li plain," i. e. complaints are now no more than wind;" and this, Mr. Ellis thinks, is likely to be the true reading. If (he adds) the words in the text be admissible, we must suppose that voit in French was synonymous with vuoto in Italian, and void in English, and here used in the sense of unavailing.] 9 [These lines, says Mr. Ellis, are absolutely unintelligible, and probably from some error of the copyist. I am half inclined to suspect, that in the initial letter of the last word he has substituted an L for a j. In this case the last line would be simply "L'ame rejoys" (l'ame rejouit), and the meaning of the stanza would be, "Countess, may your value be considered as sovereign; may God save and guard you; that God on whom I call, and in whose cause I was thrown into prison. I do not speak it (ostentatiously); yet this certainly rejoices my soul." Mr. Ritson conceived that this last stanza was addressed to Joanna, the sister of Richard, married first to William II. king of Sicily, afterwards to the earl of Toulouse, whence she is here called Contessa; but it is very doubtful whether she had any claim to this title until Richard was released from his captivity.] tutto fedele, secondo il parere anco del canonico Bandini bibliotecario." [Of king Richard's celebrated song an imperfect French translation, in prose, appeared in "Histoire littéraire des Troubadours," 1774, compiled from the manuscripts of M. de St. Palaye; and an English version was attempted by the learned Dr. Burney, and printed in his History of Music, vol. ii. But a more faithful, and at the same time a more poetical, translation has been made at my particular request, by the accomplished editor of Mr. Way's Fabliaux and English Specimens, &c. which I have the pleasure of placing before the curious in poetic lore, who may soon look for more extended gratification from his analyses of early metrical romances. TRANSLATION OF KING RICHARD'S SONG. If captive wight attempt the tuneful strain, Friends have I store, and promises abound; Full well they know, my lords and nobles all, Ne'er did I slight my poorest vassal's call, But all, whom wealth could buy, from chains withdrew. Not in reproach I speak, nor idly vain, But I alone unpitied bear the chain. |