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The Book of the Duke of True Lovers

Chapter 15: ANOTHER BALLAD
By de Pisan Christine
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Romance

About This Book

A framed romance recounts a nobleman's long devotion to a lady, narrating courtly festivities, tournaments, letters, and intermittent meetings across years interrupted by campaigns. The prose combines vivid description of medieval pageantry and daily court life with short lyric exchanges presented as poetic interludes. Interwoven is a moralizing letter that examines feminine virtue, the dangers of illicit love, and the duties of wives. Overall the work balances pictorial attention to social ritual with reflective commentary on longing, fidelity, and the emotional cost of enforced separation.

ANOTHER BALLAD

In this sad world have pity, my lady dear,
Dear to me more than any other there:
Their pride you know not; let not gracious cheer
Cheer me at so great cost, oh white and fair!
Fare I thus ill, yet canst thou bid me see
Seasons of solace that may comfort me.
 
If for unfitness I be slighted here,
Here am I dead, and arrows of despair
Spare not to pierce my heart, and life grows drear,
Drear as my brooding on the doom I bear.
Bear witness, Love withholds in obduracy
Seasons of solace that might comfort me.
 
O loveliest one and sweetest, without peer,
Peerless in honour, of all bounties heir,
Ere I thy servant pine in sorry fear
Fear not a kind and gentle guise to wear.
[pg 71]
Where shall I find, 'mid this deep dolorous sea,
Seasons of solace that may comfort me?
 
Dear Lady, grant in gracious courtesy
Seasons of solace that may comfort me.

Thus as you have heard did I write to my lady, and by my letter I made known to her my trouble, for to gain her solace. And my cousin bare the letter. For awhile he remained on his guard, and carefully watched for the time when he could safely have speech of her. And then he told her of my letter, at the which she in nowise made complaint, but received it gladly. And, smiling, she read the letter and the ballads twice or thrice, and then the fair and gracious one said, “I will write in reply to your cousin, and more I will not say to you now, but I will set me about it. And whiles that I am so occupied, do you divert yourself with chess, and checkmate my kinswoman here.”

Then she withdrew to an inner chamber with her secretary, who well knew how to keep her counsel, and than whom she had none other more confidential, and she commenced to express her thoughts in writing, and composed the letter the which is here set forth.

[pg 72]