Description
Instrumetal arrangement of a song by Claudin de Sermisy
This is part of my series “ABC of the Renaissance”
The original words of this song (with my translations) are:
Tant que vivray en aage florissant
As long as I am in the prime of life
Je serviray d’amour le dieu puissant,
I shall serve the powerful god of love
En faictz, en ditz, en chansons et accordz;
In all I do and say and in my songs and harmony
Par plusieurs jours m’a tenu languissant,
For many days he made me languish
Et puis apres ma fait resjoyssant,
But afterwards he made me rejoice,
Car j’ay l’amour de la belle au gent corps;
Because I have the love of the fair lady
Son alliance, c’est ma fiance,
Her betrothal is pledged to me
Son coeur est mien, le mien est sien,
Her heart is mine, my heart is hers
Fy de tristesse, vive liesse,
Away with sadness, welcome gladness
Puisqu’en amours j’ay tant de biens.
Because I have such riches in love
Quand je la veulx servir et honorer,
When I wish to serve and honour her
Quand par escriptz veulx son nom decorer,
When I wish to praise her name in my writings
Quand je la veoy et visite souvent,
When I see her and visit her often
Ses envieux n’en font que murmurer;
Envious folk just murmur
Mais nostre amour n’en scauroit moins durer;
But our love will endure nonetheless;
Autant ou plus en emporte le vent,
The wind may blow all else away,
Maulgre envie, toute ma vie,
Despite those envious souls, all my life
Je l’aymeray et chanteray;
I shall love her and sing
C’est la premiere, c’est la derniere
She is the first and last
Que j’ay servie et serviray.
Whom I have served and will serve