Ballade Proclaiming Jousts at Paris the Day After the Feast of the Magdalene

by Eustache Deschamps


To every foreign knight and squire
and every man that seeks renown
hark, hark to the honor and praise
and to the noble festival of arms
that was proclaimed by the knight
of the Golden Eagle, with thirty on destriers
in one livery, jousting together
to deliver all of their profession
the day after the feast of the Magdalene.

In the noble city, be it understood
called Paris as its proper name
there will be a queen dressed like an angel
with thirty ladies dressed like her
the Secret Isle will be proclaimed:
you will hear its name. On Sunday dance,
on Monday joust for a goodly prize
with as many lances as you wish to use
the day after the feast of the Magdalene.

He who jousts best of the comers without exchange
will have for his prize a chaplet gold
with a diamond, lozenge-set
which the queen will present and give.
And those that come from foreign lands
for fifteen days each to come and return
will get safe conduct safe and sure;
so will the Eagle of Gold proclaim
the day after the feast of the Magdalene.

On the next day the squires will come
for Tuesday's jousts have been arranged
with one and thirty squires arrayed
with each one dressed like his companion
formed up in order in their ranks.
And a demoiselle of body light and fine
with thirty more dressed like her,
who will view the jousts and give their counsel
the day after the feast of the Magdalene.

The best jouster without will not win wool
but a fine silver chaplet at his disposal
with a clasp within of the purest gold
from the demoiselle's hand, so they say.
The Golden Eagle will give a meal
to those who would feast on Monday night.
The noble King of France will hold full court
on Tuesday night: proclaim the feast
the day after the feast of the Magdalene.

Envoy

Princes who would profit from great deeds
come to the feast, I counsel you
Knights who now would make their mark
and do great things as a warrior
on these points be well advised
the day after the feast of the Magdalene


Here is the original French:

TUIT chevalier et escuier estrange,
Et tous autres qui tendez à renon,
Oez, oez loueur et la louenge,
Et des armes grantdisime prodon:
C'est de par le chevalier
A l'Aigle d'or, lui trentième à destrier,
D'uas paremens joustans en sa compaigne,
Et délivrons tous ceuls de leur mestier,
A lendemain du jour de Magdelaine.

A la noble cité, ainsis l'entenge,
Qui de Paris porte le propre nom;
Royne y aura parée comme un ange,
Trente dames d'uns habiz et façon.
D'isle celée, nuncier
Vous fait son nom; le dimanche dancier,
Et le lundi jouster à bonne estraine,
Tant de lances c'om vouldra emploier,
Au lendemain du jour de Magdelaine.

Le mieulx joustant dehors, sanz faire change,
Aura pour pris chapel d'or bel et bon,
Et de dedenz dyamant en losange,
Dont la Roinc fera présent et don.
Et si auront estrangier,
Quinzaine avant et quinze à repairier,
Bon sauf-conduit hors traïson villaine;
Ainsi le fait l'Aigle d'or publier
Au lendemain du jour de Magdelaine.

Après ce jour tuit escuier se range;
Car le mardi autres joustes r'aron
D'un escuier lui trentième en sa range;
D'uns paremens seront li compaignon,
Pour les rans faire et drecier,
Et damoiselle au gent corps et legier
Soy trentième d'uns habiz et demaine,
Pour les joustans veoir et adviser,
Au lendemain du jour de Magdelaine.

Le mieulx joustant dehors n'aura pas lange,
Mais d'argent fin chapel à son bandon,
Et de dedenz fermail d'or sanz meschange,
La damoiselle leur donrra, ce dit-on.
L'Aigle d'or donrra à mangier
Lundi au soir et vouldra festoier;
Le noble Roy de France aura court plaine
Mardi au soir; la feste a fait crier
Au lendemain de jour de Magdelaine.

Envoy

Princes, qui veult les grans fais esploitier,
A telz festes se doit lors conseillier
Aux chevaliers; lors est temps qu'on empraingne
Grosses choses qui a à guerrier:
Pour ce vueillez sur ces poins adviser
Au lendemain du jour de Magdelaine.


The knights squires and ladies in one livery and the prominent and flattering mention of the queen are a close match for the lavish jousts that followed Isabeau of Bavaria's entry into Paris in 1389. However, those happened in August according to the Buchon edition of Froissart and the records of the Paris Parlement, rather than July 23rd, the day after the feast of the Maddalene. However, both the Berners and Johnes translation of Froissart give a July date for those jousts. I wonder if they were originally planned for July and rescheduled, leaving poor Deschampes with a poem that no longer worked as an announcement.