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A "Definition d'Amour" in MS. Digby 86Author(s): Alexander BellSource: The Modern Language Review, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Oct., 1930), pp. 483-484Published by: Modern Humanities Research AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3715559 .
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Miscellaneous Notes Miscellaneous Notes 483 483
These are small points, but the relation they suggest is not without
significance for the literary history of the seventeenth century.
GEOFFREY WOLEDGE. LEEDS.
A 'DEFINITION D'AMOUR' IN MS. DIGBY 86.
In 1925 the late Professor Studer published in Melanges Antoine Thomas an Anglo-Norman prose 'Definition d'Amour' from the Longleat MS. which also contains the Chanson of Edward II, published by him in the Mod. Lang. Rev. xvi. The short text falls into three parts: (a) the Definition proper, (b) the four qualities desirable in a 'loyal ami,' (c) the twelve 'points d'amour.' He called attention to the presence of the matter of (b) at the end of the Puissance d'Amour but it does not seem to have been noticed that both (b) and (c) are found in substantially the same wording in MS. Digby 86, f. 207 verso, though the text there is
difficult to read and, towards the end, defective.
These are small points, but the relation they suggest is not without
significance for the literary history of the seventeenth century.
GEOFFREY WOLEDGE. LEEDS.
A 'DEFINITION D'AMOUR' IN MS. DIGBY 86.
In 1925 the late Professor Studer published in Melanges Antoine Thomas an Anglo-Norman prose 'Definition d'Amour' from the Longleat MS. which also contains the Chanson of Edward II, published by him in the Mod. Lang. Rev. xvi. The short text falls into three parts: (a) the Definition proper, (b) the four qualities desirable in a 'loyal ami,' (c) the twelve 'points d'amour.' He called attention to the presence of the matter of (b) at the end of the Puissance d'Amour but it does not seem to have been noticed that both (b) and (c) are found in substantially the same wording in MS. Digby 86, f. 207 verso, though the text there is
difficult to read and, towards the end, defective.
Digby
Ki vaut verray ami elire. il doit mi choses regarder.
Premerement kil seyt destret kar amiste de fol est souent ennuyouse.
La secunde chos est bounte kar amiste ne poest estre fors li ou est bounte.
La terce est ki il ne seyt ireus
Digby
Ki vaut verray ami elire. il doit mi choses regarder.
Premerement kil seyt destret kar amiste de fol est souent ennuyouse.
La secunde chos est bounte kar amiste ne poest estre fors li ou est bounte.
La terce est ki il ne seyt ireus
kar le ireus est cum l'espine ke point cestui ki l'enbrace e tout seyt il a amer sa cumpainie fest a douter.
La quarte est kil ne seyt orguylous kar le orguyllous ne set estre cumpainun kar il met tout soun saver pur la seyngnourie aver.
kar le ireus est cum l'espine ke point cestui ki l'enbrace e tout seyt il a amer sa cumpainie fest a douter.
La quarte est kil ne seyt orguylous kar le orguyllous ne set estre cumpainun kar il met tout soun saver pur la seyngnourie aver.
(b) (b) Longleat Longleat
Qi qe veut leal amy assaier, il doit quatre chosis agardier.
Primerement que il soit sage; car amiste de fol est sovent anguisse.
La secunde est bonte; car amiste ne put estre fors la ou bonte est.
La terce que il ne soit irous ne malen- colious; car tiel resemble l'espine que point celi que l'enlirace.
La quarte que il ne soit orgoillous; carun tiel ne scet estre conpaignon, mes il met tout son saver pour la seing[n]urie avoer.
Qi qe veut leal amy assaier, il doit quatre chosis agardier.
Primerement que il soit sage; car amiste de fol est sovent anguisse.
La secunde est bonte; car amiste ne put estre fors la ou bonte est.
La terce que il ne soit irous ne malen- colious; car tiel resemble l'espine que point celi que l'enlirace.
La quarte que il ne soit orgoillous; carun tiel ne scet estre conpaignon, mes il met tout son saver pour la seing[n]urie avoer.
(c) (c) Ore fest a saver quels sunt les point
d'amur entre leals amantz. La primere est une humble bone volunte. La secunde est un comun consail; car ou soen ami deit hom son conseil treter, qe leal amy ou leal amye ne deit riens a son amy celier. La terce est que lour choses soent comuns entre eaux deus; car hounte serreit que
Ore fest a saver quels sunt les point d'amur entre leals amantz. La primere est une humble bone volunte. La secunde est un comun consail; car ou soen ami deit hom son conseil treter, qe leal amy ou leal amye ne deit riens a son amy celier. La terce est que lour choses soent comuns entre eaux deus; car hounte serreit que
... autres poure remanbreit (?) l'un serreit riches et li altre povers. La quatre est ses... amonicioun... La quatre est privement reprendre et
souent couent amonester la ou l'en veit amonestier, si li veit trespacier; trespasser kar amonester... amoneste est dreite ley. ca[r] amonestier et estre amoneste droite de a.... lei est d'amiste.
... autres poure remanbreit (?) l'un serreit riches et li altre povers. La quatre est ses... amonicioun... La quatre est privement reprendre et
souent couent amonester la ou l'en veit amonestier, si li veit trespacier; trespasser kar amonester... amoneste est dreite ley. ca[r] amonestier et estre amoneste droite de a.... lei est d'amiste.
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Mliscellaneous Notes
Digby La quinte est apertement sun ami louer
mes derere luy e nent deuaunt kar le sage kant [en sa] face est loue il ad souent le [quer] trible.
La sime est ne mie [uil]anie prier ne uilanie fere... kele soyt prie.
La setime est ke il seyent per a per. kar grant chose est en amour kaunt le grey- nour se fest per au menour.
La utime est en nul aduersite sun ami guerpir. kar toutens.... [Text ends.]
(Stengel, Codicem... Digby 86, p. 104.)
Longleat La quinte est apertement soen amy loer
der[e]re lui et ne mie devant.
La sime est ne mie prier ne vileinie faire.
La setime q'il soient per a per, tut soit l'un de greindre estat que l'autre.
La outime est que a nul point deit hom soen amy ne s'amye guerpire, taunt cum il le trove leal amant.
(Studer, op. cit.)
It will be seen that neither text is a copy of the other and that Digby probably represents the contents of the original more closely. Com-
parison of the texts suggests one or two corrections and enables a few
gaps to be filled. Digby (b) destret read descret. Longleat (b) enlirace read enbrace. Digby (c) remanbreit read remandreit; omit souent (supplied by Stengel) before trespasser; insert e estre before amoneste; and complete de amniste. Longleat (c) insert vileinie before prier.
ALEXANDER BELL. PETERBOROUGH.
484
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