WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
The Book of the Duke of True Lovers cover

The Book of the Duke of True Lovers

Chapter 22: BALLAD
By de Pisan Christine
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

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.

BALLAD

Ever blessed be the day,
Be the place and be the dwelling,
That hath ended my delay,
Shown the truth I shrank from telling.
Dear friend, behold
My love is yours, a costlier gift than gold:
To Love be praise, that first the bond hath knit,
For I am filled with perfect joy from it.
 
Since I yielded to thy sway
When thy heart with grief was swelling,
Swiftly speeding as he may
Joy is come, my care dispelling:
[pg 99]
Now am I bold
To give thee love, that guerdons manifold
May heal thee from thy sorrow every whit,
For I am filled with perfect joy from it.
 
So my soul, with God for stay,
The new blissful years foretelling,
Finds in thee, for whom I pray,
Grace and gladness all excelling.
I that of old
Gave thee but sorry cheer and comfort cold,
Am straightway turned to serve thee, as is fit,
For I am filled with perfect joy from it.
 
When I had told
My love, my heart was yours to have and hold:
To grief I yield not, nor to blame submit,
For I am filled with perfect joy from it.

In suchwise was happiness granted to me, even as you hear, and I pursued it with joy and gladness. But fortune, who is ready, whensoe'er she can, to do harm to lovers, straightway thought to do me very grievous hurt, as I will relate in a few words.

It chanced, in a short while, that the lady who knew of our love, and who concealed our doings, had business at home, from the which loss would happen to her inheritance if she did not go there forthwith, wherefore, sad and sorrowful, she departed from the [pg 100] Court. And as for me, this caused me great grief, for I well knew that my lady would essay naught without her. And on this account I was much distressed, for, certes, I could in nowise rest without seeing her. And my lady knew this well, and I am persuaded that it was not otherwise with her. So she then bethought her of a lady who had likewise been in her service all her life, and who was prudent and discreet, and good, loyal, and reserved, although no longer did she live at Court. So she resolved to inquire of her if she was willing to return. Therefore without delay she wrote this letter to her, and received an answer from her.