Ja Nus Hons Pris or Ja Nuls Om Pres THE STORY DOCUMENTATION

Ja Nus Hons Pris

or

Ja Nuls Om Pres

Song by: Richard Lionheart

Performed by: Juliana Laverick

In honor of: Owain Phyfe

Ja Nus Hon Pris

APPENDIX A: Original Old French (langue d’oil)

I
Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison
Adroitement, se dolantement non;
Mais par effort puet il faire chançon.
Mout ai amis, mais povre sont li don;
Honte i avront se por ma reançon
—
Sui ça deus yvers pris.

II
Ce sevent bien mi home et mi baron–
Ynglois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon–
Que je n’ai nul si povre compaignon
Que je lessaisse por avoir en prison;
Je nou di mie por nule retraçon,
—
Mais encor sui [je] pris.

III
Or sai je bien de voir certeinnement
Que morz ne pris n’a ami ne parent,
Quant on me faut por or ne por argent.
Mout m’est de moi, mes plus m’est de ma gent,
Qu’aprés ma mort avront reprochement
—
Se longuement sui pris.

IV
N’est pas mervoille se j’ai le cuer dolant,
Quant mes sires met ma terre en torment.
S’il li membrast de nostre soirement
Quo nos feïsmes andui communement,
Je sai de voir que ja trop longuement
—
Ne seroie ça pris.

V

Ce sevent bien Angevin et Torain–
Cil bacheler qui or sont riche et sain–
Qu’encombrez sui loing d’aus en autre main.
Forment m’amoient, mais or ne m’ainment grain.
De beles armes sont ore vuit li plain,
—
Por ce que je sui pris

VI
Mes compaignons que j’amoie et que j’ain–
Ces de Cahen et ces de Percherain–
Di lor, chançon, qu’il ne sunt pas certain,
C’onques vers aus ne oi faus cuer ne vain;
S’il me guerroient, il feront que vilain
—
Tant con je serai pris.

VII

Contesse suer, vostre pris soverain
Vos saut et gart cil a cui je m’en clain
—
Et por cui je sui pris.

VIII
Je ne di mie a cele de Chartain,
—
La mere Loës.

APPENDIX B: Translation by Henry Adams

 

 

I
No prisoner can tell his honest thought
Unless he speaks as one who suffers wrong;
But for his comfort as he may make a song.
My friends are many, but their gifts are naught.
Shame will be theirs, if, for my ransom, here
—
I lie another year.

II

They know this well, my barons and my men,
Normandy, England, Gascony, Poitou,
That I had never follower so low
Whom I would leave in prison to my gain.
I say it not for a reproach to them,
—
But prisoner I am!

III

The ancient proverb now I know for sure;
Death and a prison know nor kind nor tie,
Since for mere lack of gold they let me lie.
Much for myself I grieve; for them still more.
After my death they will have grievous wrong
—
If I am a prisoner long.

IV

What marvel that my heart is sad and sore
When my own lord torments my helpless lands!
Well do I know that, if he held his hands,
Remembering the common oath we swore,
I should not here imprisoned with my song,
—
Remain a prisoner long.

V

They know this well who now are rich and strong
Young gentlemen of Anjou and Touraine,
That far from them, on hostile bonds I strain.
They loved me much, but have not loved me long.
Their plans will see no more fair lists arrayed
—
While I lie here betrayed.

VI 


Companions whom I love, and still do love,
Geoffroi du Perche and Ansel de Caieux,
Tell them, my song, that they are friends untrue.
Never to them did I false-hearted prove;
But they do villainy if they war on me,
—
While I lie here, unfree.

VII

Countess sister! Your sovereign fame
May he preserve whose help I claim,
—
Victim for whom am I!

VIII

I say not this of Chartres’ dame,
—
Mother of Louis!

 

 

 

STORYTIME

Once upon a time, Richard the Lion-Heart, LONG LIVE THE KING, duke of Normandy, Aquitaine, and Gascony, and rightful King of England, went on Crusade to fight against the Vizier Saladin, AH AH SHEL MULT. (Professor Jaroslav Folda, 2005)

Now, as everyone knows, King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, travelled to the Crusade in April of 1191, but shortly after he left Messina, a great and terrible storm rolled over his fleet of ships. Before the storm, so thunderour and lightning filled that the heavens themselves washed the ships aside, a few of his fleet were cast off course. (Abbott, 1877)

The great King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, found them washed against the Isle of Cypress. What gay and fortune, for not only was one of the ships his own treasury, but there were the ships that carried his Sister Joan, and his Fiancé Berengaria, SWEET PRINCESS. However, King Richard’s, LONG LIVE THE KING, joy was soon set aside, for he learned that his wealth and all the survivors were taken captive by the Evil and Vile Sebastokrator Isaac Komnenos, BOOOOOOO. When Komnenos, BOOOOOOO refused to relinquish his gold and prisoners, the Valiant King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, landed in his port of Lemesos. With the support of some Princes who happened to land at the same time, King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, conquered Cypress and threw the Evil Komnenos, BOOOOOOO into his very own DUNGEON. Because King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, is such a wise man, he confined the Komnenos, BOOOOOOO in Silver Chains  (Flori, 1999).  Guy of Lusignan, FIGHT! a great and good Prince who helped lead the adventure, joined King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING. 

Now that the Island of Cypress was conquered, there was only one thing to do! Of course, they threw a great party. King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, married the beautiful Princess Berengaria, SWEET PRINCESS, and there were not one, not two, not three, but four great feasts. In actuality, I have no idea how many feasts there were, but four seems like a good number don’t you think? (McLynn, 2007)

In June, King Richard, LOVE LIVE THE KING, sailed with his new wife and found ships for Acre. King Richard, LOVE LIVE THE KING, supported his vassal Guy of Lusignan, FIGHT! in battling for kingship of Jerusalem. As he had married into the Queen of Jerusalem, Isabella’s, family, he felt he had a good claim. King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, and Guy, FIGHT, soon found themselves facing an opponent of great might: Conrad of Montferrat, UGH. Conrad, UGH, was supported by Prince Phillip of France, THE PANSY and Duke Leopold of Austria, THE CAD. (Professor Jaroslav Folda, 2005)

There was bad blood with Duke Leopold, THE CAD, for he was cousin to Komnenos, BOOOOOOO. (Flori, 1999)

When Duke Leopold, THE CAD, showed off by placing his personal banner beside the flags of France and England during their time in Acre, King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, and his men tore down the banner and threw it into the moat. Being such sore losers, Duke Leopold, THE CAD, and Prince Phillip, THE PANSY, abandoned the great King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, to fight for Jerusalem alone. (Flori, 1999)

This is when King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, made a terrible terrible choice. You see, he had kept 2,700 Muslim prisoners as hostages under the terms of surrender of Acre. But Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, knew that he could not let them live. Especially since he would have to leave them under the control of Conrad, UGH. Thus, he put all of them to death! (Lewis, 2014) {Please note that this is a true story and I do not condone the murder of anyone by their heritage}.

After such an act, he proceeded south, crushing the forces of Vizier Saladin, AH AH SHEL MULT. In the great battles they fought, only the Hospitallers broke rank. Because they charged the right wing of the oncoming Army, it let King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, counterattack – finally winning them the battle. Bloody warfare tore through the countryside. Finally, in November 1191, the king had pushed through and was on his way to Jerusalem. (Professor Jaroslav Folda, 2005)

While the morale of the Muslims was low, and their fighting spirit was crushed, it was time to take Jerusalem! However, not 10 miles from Jerusalem, the heavens themselves opened up to join the fight. Great clouds covered the skies, torrential rain split the earth, and hailstorms ruled the air. The battle itself was no match for the heavens might, and both armies retreated. (Flori, 1999)

King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, used Ascalon as his base, while Vizier Saladin, AH AH SHEL MULT, left him be in his fortified city.  

Eventually, an election was held to determine the new King of Jerusalem… and Conrad of Montferrat, UGH, won the vote. Luckily he was stabbed to death only days later, by a bunch of Hashshashin – or as I like to call them ASSASSINS.  (Wilson, 1897)

Wouldn’t you know it, the nephew of King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, by name of Henry II of Champagne, THE HANDSOME DEVIL, was married to pregnant Isabella and crowned King. I’m not saying who I think arranged the stabbing, but I’m sure we can all guess.

While they fought on for some time against Vizier Saladin, AH AH SHEL MULT, by September it became clear that not all things back in England were safe. King Richard, LONG LIVE THE KING, and Vizier Saladin, AH AH SHEL MULT, sat down September 2, 1192, to sign a settlement of trade and truce. And finally, our king was on his way home. (Professor Jaroslav Folda, 2005)

…

King Richard, LOVE LIVE THE KING, made his way by land and sea to return to England, but enemies were hiding everywhere! While passing through Vienna, a most terrible and unjust event would take place! Duke Leopold, THE CAD, captured our beloved king, and threw him in the dungeon. He obviously was just sore over having his standard cast into the moat, what a poor sport! (Heiser, 2000)

While Duke Leopold, THE CAD, might wish to lock away our gracious king, to do so was actually against the laws of heaven and the church! For, you see, it was against the law to imprison a knight of the crusade to and from rescuing gods lands. Why! Pope Celestine III had to excommunicate the Duke – as he so rightly deserved, him being a cad and all. (James Reston, 2001)

While in this lonely Austian dungeon, our fearless and good king wrote songs to his people and family. One such song, Ja Nuls om Pres, or Ja Nus on Pris (“No Man who is Imprisoned”) was written to his sister Marie de Champagne and sent in both languages. 

This, my dear listeners, is the song I would share with you all today! 

Ja Nuls Om Pres

Pronounced by the Emsemble Perceval, directed
by Pietro Lignola, a researcher of Old Occitan

Ja nuls om pres non dira sa razon 
Adrechament si com om dolens non 
Mas per conort deu om faire canson 
Pro n'ai d'amis mas paure son li don 
Anta lur es si per ma rezenson 
So çai dos ivers pres 

Or sapchon ben miei om et miei baron 
Angles norman peitavin et gascon 
Qu'ieu non ai ja si paure companhon 
Qu'ieu laissasse per aver en preison 
Non o dic mia per nula retraison 
Mas anquar soi ie pres 

Car sai eu ben per ver certanament 
Qu'om mort ni pres n'a amic ni parent 
E si'm laissan per aur ni per argent 
Mal m'es per mi mas pieg m'es per ma gent 
Qu'apres ma mort n'auran reprochament 
Si çai me laisson pres 

No'm meravihl s'ieu ai lo cor dolent 
Que mos senher met ma terra en turment 
No li membra del nostre sagrament 
Que nos feimes els sans cominalment 
Ben sai de ver que gaire longament 
Non serai en çai pres 

Suer comtessa vostre pretz sobeiran 
Sal Dieus e gart la bela qu'ieu am tan 
Ni per cui soi ja pres

Ja nools oms press, noon dee rah sah rah zon

Ah dretch a ment see com om doh lens non

Mas per coonorlt deh-oolum fah-ee-reh ka-unson

Pro nai dah mees mas pahreh son li don

Ahn tah looeereh see perrr mah reh zen son

Sohee(soy) say dos-eevrehrs press

Or sap choon ben mee-eh-om eh mee-eh baron
Angles norman pay-tah-vin eh gas-con
Kee-eyoh non ay jah si pahreh compahnyon
Kee-eyoh lah-ee sahss per ahver en prrreeson
Non o Deech meeah per noolah rahtraeeson
Mas ahnkar soy eh prrehssss

Karrseh eeyoh bien per ver certahnahment

Cohm mohrtnee press nah ameek nee parent

Ehseem laysahn per rahoh ne per argent
Mahl mes per mee mas pee-ehch mes per ma gent

Kahprres mah mort nohrahn reproh chament

See sai meh laheeson prresss

Nom mehravee’l seeh ouai loh cor dohlent

Keh mos sehnear met mah terra entoorrment
Nohlee membrah del nostreh sahgra ahment 

Keh nos feh ee mehls sahsn cohmeenalment

Ben sai dehver keh gah reh longah ment

Non sehrai en sai press

Sooar cohmtessa vostrah pretz sobreh ran

Sal Dee ous eh gart lah belah keeo am tan

Nee per kee soee jah press

(Lignola, 2010)

Who: King Richard the Lion-Heart (also Blondel the Minstrel)

What: Both in Occitan and French, a song.

When: 1192-3

Where: Durnstein Castle, Austria

Why: I think it is pretty, and I love the story of how it came to be.

Thank you, 

Juliana Laverick

Bibliography

Flori, J. (1999). Richard Coeur de Lion: le roi-chevalier. Paris: Biographie Payot.

Heiser, R. V. (2000). The Reign of Richard Lionheart. London and New York: Pearson Education Limited.

James Reston, J. (2001). Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade. New York: Random House.

Lewis, S. (2014). William Longbeard - Popular Agitator of Dangerous Demagogue. The Wild Peak.

Lignola, P. (2010). Minnesanger Troubadours Trouveres [Recorded by E. Perceval]. Italy.

McLynn, F. (2007). Lionheart & Lackland. London: Random House.

Professor Jaroslav Folda. (2005). Crusader Art in the Holy Land, From the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre. Cambridge University Press.

Songfacts. (2018). Songfacts. Retrieved from Ja Nus Hons Pris: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=38867

Wilson, C. (1897). Saladin or What Befell Sultan Yusuf. London: Palestine Pilgrim Texts.