No More Learning

His friendship with her caused a rift between Bertran and Madonna Maent (Maeut de Montaignac, the wife of Talairan, brother of Count Elias V of Perigord 1166-1205. The name was later spelt Talleyrand! )

Giraut de Bornelh (c. 1138 - 1215)

Giraut or Guiraut, also Borneil or Borneyll, was born to a lower class family in the Limousin, probably in Bourney, near Excideuil. Connected with the castle of the Viscount of Limoges, his skill earned him the nickname of Master of the Troubadours. He may have accompanied Richard I and Aimar V ofLimoges on the Third Crusade. He certainly made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but perhaps before the Crusade. His most famous poem is this alba, Reis glorios.

Reis glorios, verais lums e clartatz,

Glorious king, true light and clarity,

Almighty God, Lord, in your charity,

Be a true help now to my friend!

For I've not seen him since day's end,

And soon it will be dawn.

Sweet friend, do you wake or are you sleeping?

Sleep no more, now, you must be waking!

For in the east I see a star rise

Day-bringer, star familiar to my eyes,

And soon it will be dawn.

Sweet friend, I sing now and I call to you!

Sleep no more: I hear the bird sing too

That goes to seek day in the greenery,

I fear you may be harmed by jealousy,

And soon it will be dawn.
Sweet friend, for me now go to the window

And gaze on the stars from earth below

And see how I am your true messenger!

If you will not, it is you will suffer,

And soon it will be dawn.

Fair friend, since I parted from you,

I've not slept, nor ceased praying too,

I pray to God, who's the son of Mary,

To give you to me in sweet loyalty,

And soon it will be dawn.

Fair friend, you begged me not to sleep

There at the threshold, but a true watch keep

On all through the night till it is day.

Now my song and presence you dismay,

Yet soon it will be dawn.

Fair friend, I am in so rich a way

I wish no more for the dawn of day,

For the noblest ever born of mother

I hold and embrace, so they're no matter

Not jealous fool or dawn.

Peire Raimon de Toulouse (fl. 1180-1220)

Peire Raimon de Tolosa or Toloza was from the merchant class of Toulouse. He became a jongleur and spent time at the courts of Alfonso II of Aragon, William VIII of Montpellier, and probably, Raymond VI of Toulouse. He also lived in Italy (Lombardy and Piedmont), at the courts of Thomas I of Savoy, Guglielmo Malaspina, and Azzo VI of Este. Azzo's daughter Beatriz was the addressee of one of his poems. This poem of fin'amor, perfect or true love, is one of the more comprehensive statements of the troubadour ideal.

De fin'amor son tot mei pensamen

On true love are all my thoughts bent

And my desires and my sweetest days,

With true and faithful heart I'll serve always,

To live close to Amor I do consent,

And in simplicity I'll serve him still

Though my service bring me only ill,

Since they are painful and dangerous

The torments Love grants his followers.

Yet to me Love has such honour sent

Since my heart's firmer truer in its ways

Than any other man; and if it seldom says

Who it loves that's for fear of ill intent;

Should her sweet smile, face, eyes fail to tell,

And her fine and noble manners as well,

Her gaiety, and fair speech, miraculous,

Who she is to those who are connoisseurs!

And since your actions are so nobly meant

Humble, in trembling, my love I phrase,

For there is no lover as faithful always

As I to you, Lady, through this world's extent.

Through audacity, through pride I know full well

I sin, in loving you: often my eyes must fill,

With tears, for to direct my heart is ruinous

Towards one who is so high among the first.