Постаралась перевести с английского еще одно большое историческое стихотворение.
Джон Лидгейт (ок. 1370 - ок.1451), плодовитый английский поэт и последователь Чосера (на этот раз точно он), написал стихи о возлюбленной по поводу знаменитого праздника, Валентинова дня. Будучи бенедиктинским монахом, стихи он создал такие, что они вполне согласуются с этим его образом. Стихи прославляют даму сердца автора, но при этом обращены к другой даме - к королеве Кейт... то есть к Екатерине де Валуа, дочери короля Франции Карла VI, а ко времени написания этих стихов Лидгейта - королеве-матери в Англии, то есть - вдове Генриха V и матери Генриха VI Ланкастеров. По-видимому - еще не жене Оуэна Тюдора, или же об их любви еще не стало известно. То, что стихи написаны для Екатерины, и обратило на них мое внимание. Я пока не видела их других переводов.
Источник оригинала:The Minor Poems of John Lydgate. Edited from all available mss., with an attempt to establish the Lydgate Canon by Henry Noble MacCracken, Ph. D. Assistant Professor of English in Yale University London: Published for the Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Tr"ubner & Co., Ltd, and by Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1911. - V. 1 - P.304-310.
Оригинал:
John Lydgate
A Valentine to Her that excelleth all
Lo here beginnethe a balade made at pe reurence of our lady by daun Johan Lidegate the Munke of Bury in wyse of chesing loues at Saint Valentynes day.
Saynt Valentyne, of castume yeere by yeere,
Men have an vsance in this Regyoun
To looke and serche Cupydes Kalendere,
And cheese theyre choys by great affeccion; -
Such as beon pricked by Cupydes mocion,
Taking theeyre choyse, as theyre soort dothe falle
But I loue oon whiche excellithe all.
Some cheese for fayrnesse and for hey beaute,
Some for estate, and some for rychesse,
Some for fredame, and some for bountee,
Some for theyre poorte and theyr gentylees,
Some for theyre plesaunce and some for theyre goodnesse,
Lyche as the chaunce of theyre soorte doth falle,
But I love one which excellece alle.
I chase thate floure sithen goon ful yoore,
And euery yeere may choyse I shall reneuwe,
Vpon this day conferme it euermore,
Sheo is in love so stedfast and so truwe;
Who louethe hir best, hit shal him neuer ruwe,
Yif such a grace vn-to his soort may falle,
Whame I have chose for she excellese alle.
Men speke of Lucresse that was of Roome towne,
ffor wyvely trouth founded on clennesse,
Some wryte als of Marcea Catoun
With laude and prys for hir stedfastnesse;
And some of Dydo for hir kyndnesse,
(ffortune such happe leet upon hem falle)
But I love oone pat excelles alle.
Rachel was feyre, Lia was eke feconde,
And ryche also was the qweene Candace,
So in hir tyme Right fayre was Roosamounde,
And Bersabee hade a goodely face,
Of Kyng Dauid she stoode so in the grace,
ffirst whane his look he leet vpon hir falle,
But I loue oone whiche excellese alle.
Be noble kyng, the mighty Assuere,
Cherisshed Hester for hir gret meeknesse,
ffor wommanhed and for hir humble chere,
Made hir a qweene, and a gret Pryncesse;
To the Juwes lawe she was defenseresse,
In sodein mescheef that did vpon hem falle,
But I loue oon which excellese alle.
Saba came fer for kyng Salamon
To seen his richchesse and his sapience,
His staately housholde, and his hye Renoun,
Gaf him presence of gret excellence,
Herde his proverbes and his gret prudence,
Where as he seet in his royal stalle,
But I loue oone, that excellese alle.
What shal I seyne of qweene Penelope?
Or in Greece of the qweene Alceste?
Of Polixeeene other of Medee?
Or of qweene Heleyne holden the fayrest?
Lat hem farewell! and let her name rest!
My ladyes name theyre renoun doothe appalle,
Whome I have chose for she excellse alle.
Tesbe the mayde borne in Babyloun
that loue so weel the yonge Pyramus,
And Cl[e]opatre of wlful mocyoun
List for to dye with hir Antonyus.
Sette al on syde oone is so vertuous
Whiche that I do my souerein lady calle,
Whame I loue best for she excellepe alle.
Gresylde whylome hade great pacyence,
As hit was prened fer vp in Itayle,
Pallas Mynerua haden eloquence,
And Pantasilia faught in plate and mayle,
And Senobya lyouns wolde assayle,
To make hem taame as Oxe is in a stalle,
But I love oone, that excellese alle,
And if I shall hir name specyfye,
that folk may wit whiche shee should be,
this goodley fresshe called is Marye,
A braunche of kynges, that sprange of Iesee,
that made the lord thorughe hir humylyte
To let his golddewe in-to hir
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