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55. Balade: «De mieulx en mieulx serviray ma maistresse» Amours, Amours, puisque c’est vo plaisance Du tout en tout moy ainsy deserter Et forbanir de toute esperance, A tousjours maiz, sanz mercy recouvrer, Dont la griefté me convient endurer, De par moy je vous faiz assavoir, Se jamais bien je n’en devoye avoir, Que, se mourir devoye de tristesse, De cuer, de corps, a mon loyal pouoir, De mieulx en mieulx serviray ma maistresse. Amours, de vous un jour ay alegence, Autresfoiz je suiz a commancier. Quant de vous cuide avoir l’acointance Lors m’y faites devenir estrangier. A grant paine me dangniez regarder. Quant je me mis du tout en vo pouoir, Pas ne cuidoye si dur guerredon avoir. Maiz puis qu’ainsy vo vouloir s’adresse, Tresloyaument, tousdiz en bon espoir, De mieulx en mieulx serviray ma maistresse. Amours, je croy vous feistes ordonnance, Quant je me volz en vostre court bouter, Que avoir devoye a ma gouvernance Trestouz les maulx que vous povez donner. Mieulx m’eust valu avoir esté bergier Et demourer es champs en un manoir, Boire de l’eaue et mengier du pain noir, Que de souffrir la douleur qui me blesse. Mais nonpourquant, sanz changier mon vouloir, De mieulx en mieulx serviray ma maistresse.

55. Ballade: “Better and better will I serve my mistress”    Love, Love, since it is your pleasure Completely to desert me in this way And to banish me from every hope Forever more, without obtaining mercy, For which I am forced to endure the grief, For my part, I wish to have you know, If I am never to have any reward, That, if I am obliged to die of sadness, In heart, in body, with all my loyal power, Better and better will I serve my mistress. Love, one day from you I have relief, And then I am back again where I began. When I think that I have your friendship, Then you make me become a stranger again. Hardly do you deign to look at me. When I put myself fully in your power, I didn’t expect to have so harsh a reward. But since that is where your will is directed, Most loyally, and always in good hope, Better and better will I serve my mistress. Love, I believe that you gave the order, When I wished to place myself in your court, That I was always to have at my disposition All the pains that you are able to give. It would have been better for me to be a shepherd And to live in a dwelling in the fields, Drinking water and eating black bread, Than to endure the sorrow that afflicts me. But nonetheless, without changing my wish, Better and better will I serve my mistress.

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