5 10 15 20

26. Balade: «Mais vous m’avez tousjours respondu ‘non’» Mon treshault bien, ma chierté souveraine, Mon seul desir, ma joieuse pensee, Ma vraie amour, de tous biens la fontainne, Belle par qui la joie m’est donnee, Qui me sera cent mille fois doublee, Quant vous plaira qu’aye le guerdon Dont je vous ay par pluseurs fois priee. Mais vous m’avez tousjours respondu «non». En bonne foy, ce m’a esté grant pene Et touteffois je l’ay en gré pourtee, Car je vous tien de si grant doulceur plainne Que vostre amour me sera octroyee, Quant vous aurez bien adroit esprouvee Ma loiaulté, et m’en ferez le don. Par maintez fois la vous ay demendee, Mais vous m’avés tousjours repondu «non». Pour ce plaise vous, plus belle que Helene, Qu’a ceste fois ne me soit reffusee Si en croistra vo louange mondainne, Car riens ne sçay, dame de moy amee, Dont vous peussez de nul estre blasmee Fors de reffus. Pour Dieu, laissez le, don! Beaucop de fois vous en ay advisee, Mais vous m’avez tousjours respondu «non».

26. Ballade: “But you have always answered me with ‘no’” My supreme good, my sovereign treasure, My sole desire, and my joyous thought, My true love, the fountain of all good, The beauty by whom I have been given joy, Which will be multiplied one hundred thousand times When it pleases you that I have the favor For which I have beseeched you many times. But you have always answered me with “no.” In good faith, this has caused me great pain, And nonetheless I have borne it willingly, For I consider you full of such great gentleness That your love will be granted to me When you have fully put to the test My loyalty, and you will give me that gift. Many times I have asked you for it, But you have always answered me with “no.” Therefore may it please you, lady fairer than Helen, That this time I not be refused. Thus will increase your praise in this world, For I know nothing, my beloved lady, For which you can be blamed by anyone Except rejection. For God’s sake, give it up. I have advised you plenty of times to do so, But you have always answered me with “no.”

(t-note)