The Portraits
Each of these columns features an edited transcription and English translation of the two portraits of Mary the Egyptian as they appear in each of the T manuscripts. Copy T-L is not included on this page due to lack of access to the original manuscript at the British Library. The fragmentary copy T-F1 only offers the first 10.5 verses of the first portrait, and fragment T-F2 does not offer any verses of either portrait, and so these two copies have also been excluded from this page.
To read these passages in translation, hover over each column with your cursor.
T-A
…..
157De se biauté de se figure
Si com ele est en escriture
Vueil -i- peu dire le samblant
Anchois que je trespas avant
Car a cel tans en icel regne
162Ne vit nus hom plus bele feme
Ne onc contesse ne roine
Nen ot el front plus bele crine
Reondes avoit les oreilles
Mais blanches erent a merveilles
167Les iex clers & sosrians
les sorchix noir & avenans
bouche petite par mesure
& le pié & le regardeure
Le face tenrre & coloree
172Com le rose qui sempre est nee
Ja el nés ne el menton
335vbN’aperceussiés mesfaichon
En som le col blanc com ermine
li undoit le bloie crine
177Les mameles de cele dame
N’estoient menrres d’une pome
Desous le goule en le poitrine
Ert blanche conme flor d’espine
blans bras avoit & blances mains
182Les dois reons grailles & plains
Gent cors avoit & bien mollé
Sous l’aissele lonc le costé
El n’iert trop grant ne trop petite
Ja se faichon n’en iert escrite
187Ja le biauté de ceste dame
Nen iert escrite par nul home
Tant iert cortoise de parler
Riens n’i avoit que amender
A plaindre fait tel criaature
192Quant del Creator n’avoit cure
El recevoit plusors presens
S’en acatoit bons vestemens
Bons dras avoit . & avenans
Por mix plaisir a ses amans
197Ele n’avoit soing de dras de lainne
Au pior jor de le semainne
Bon bliaut avoit d’ostorin
& affubloit mantel d’ermin
Soullers bien pains de cordovam
202Cauchoit a tous les jors de l’an
Li citoien de le cité
L’amoient tout por se biauté
Li anchien home & li saige
disoient tout Dex quel damage
207Com mar fu onc ceste dolante
Tant fait a plaindre se jovente
Tant mar fu onques le siue vie
Quant si est plainne de folie
Tout disoient par le cité
212Qu’ele estoit de haut parenté
Car a tos respondoit raison
336ra& tant iert bele de fachon
ke li fix d’un empereor
Le peust prendre a grant honor
…..
338vaTant ala par jor & par nuit
A faim & a soif & a dur lit
Que tant parfont fu el boscaige
Toute devint illuec salvaige
Mais ele ne s’oublioit mie
618De deprier sainte Marie
Sovent li menbroit de l’ymaige
Que ele avoit mis en ostaige
Si souller furent tout usé
& tout si drapel deschiré
623Li cors de li remaint tout nu
N’avoit drapel ne fust rompu
Li chars de li mua coulor
Qui ains iert blance conme flor
Que por yver que por esté
628Tout li noircirent li costé
Coulor mua se bloie crine
Blanche devint com une hermine
Le bouce li fu tenevie
& environ toute noirchie
633& avoit tant noir le menton
Conme s’il fust taint de carbon
Atenergé furent li oel
N’i avoit ore point d’orguel
Se vos veissiés les oreilles
638Molt par vos presist grans merveilles
Car noire estoit & decrevee
Le blanche char toute muee
Noire & muee ert le poitrine
A escorce samblant d’espine
643N’avoit plus char en ses traians
Ne mais com il a en uns gans
Les bras les mains & les lons dois
Avoit plus noirs que nule pois
Ongles avoit longes & grans
648Ele les retailloit a ses dens
Li ventres li estoit caoit
Petit de despensse i metoit
Li pié li erent decrevé
En plusors lius erent navré
338vbCar ele ne se gardoit d’espine
Quant ele aloit par le gastine
Che li ert vis sien esciant
Que ele n’i failloit nient
C’uns de ses pekiés li caoit
658Quant une espine le pongnoit
Por chou estoit ele molt lie
Quant ele souffroit le hasquie
N’est merveille se iert noirchie
Car molt demenoit aspee vie
663Plus de xl. ans ala nue
N’iert merveille se iert moussue
Povre despense avoit o li
Or ait Jhesus de li merchi
.ii. pains avoit ne gaires grans
668De chiaus vesqui par plusors ans
El premier an devinrrent dur
Com se fust pierre de mur
Cascun jor en usoit Marie
Mais che iert petite partie
673Quant ele ot tot son pain usé
Puis esrachoit l’erbe del pré
Quant autre beste le mengoit
de rien ne se confortoit
As mains buvoit l’iaue el ruissel
678Quant ele n’avoit autre vaissel
Ne font a plaindre li pechié
Dont li cors fu si castié
D’erbe vesqui & de rachines
Xvii. ans. par les gastines
683Puis fu .xxx. ans onc ne menga
Se angeles ne li aporta
Li Diables le an premier
Le soloit sovent essaier
Tout che li faisoit remembrer
688Qu’ele soloit tos jors amer
Les bons mengiers & les biax lieus
Ou ele soloit faire les geus
Or fu ichi boneuree
Qu’ele de tout fu obliee
339raOnques puis en toute se vie
Ne li souvint mais de folie
Ne ainc en trestot le boscaige
Ne li vint puis beste salvaige
Ne autre vive creature
698Par le gaut va toute seure
En plusors lius prist son ostel
Se vie ert tote esperitel
…..
157De se biauté de se figure
Si com ele est en escriture
Vueil -i- peu dire le samblant
Anchois que je trespas avant
Car a cel tans en icel regne
162Ne vit nus hom plus bele feme
Ne onc contesse ne roine
Nen ot el front plus bele crine
Reondes avoit les oreilles
Mais blanches erent a merveilles
167Les iex clers & sosrians
les sorchix noir & avenans
bouche petite par mesure
& le pié & le regardeure
Le face tenrre & coloree
172Com le rose qui sempre est nee
Ja el nés ne el menton
335vbN’aperceussiés mesfaichon
En som le col blanc com ermine
li undoit le bloie crine
177Les mameles de cele dame
N’estoient menrres d’une pome
Desous le goule en le poitrine
Ert blanche conme flor d’espine
blans bras avoit & blances mains
182Les dois reons grailles & plains
Gent cors avoit & bien mollé
Sous l’aissele lonc le costé
El n’iert trop grant ne trop petite
Ja se faichon n’en iert escrite
187Ja le biauté de ceste dame
Nen iert escrite par nul home
Tant iert cortoise de parler
Riens n’i avoit que amender
A plaindre fait tel criaature
192Quant del Creator n’avoit cure
El recevoit plusors presens
S’en acatoit bons vestemens
Bons dras avoit . & avenans
Por mix plaisir a ses amans
197Ele n’avoit soing de dras de lainne
Au pior jor de le semainne
Bon bliaut avoit d’ostorin
& affubloit mantel d’ermin
Soullers bien pains de cordovam
202Cauchoit a tous les jors de l’an
Li citoien de le cité
L’amoient tout por se biauté
Li anchien home & li saige
disoient tout Dex quel damage
207Com mar fu onc ceste dolante
Tant fait a plaindre se jovente
Tant mar fu onques le siue vie
Quant si est plainne de folie
Tout disoient par le cité
212Qu’ele estoit de haut parenté
Car a tos respondoit raison
336ra& tant iert bele de fachon
ke li fix d’un empereor
Le peust prendre a grant honor
…..
338vaTant ala par jor & par nuit
A faim & a soif & a dur lit
Que tant parfont fu el boscaige
Toute devint illuec salvaige
Mais ele ne s’oublioit mie
618De deprier sainte Marie
Sovent li menbroit de l’ymaige
Que ele avoit mis en ostaige
Si souller furent tout usé
& tout si drapel deschiré
623Li cors de li remaint tout nu
N’avoit drapel ne fust rompu
Li chars de li mua coulor
Qui ains iert blance conme flor
Que por yver que por esté
628Tout li noircirent li costé
Coulor mua se bloie crine
Blanche devint com une hermine
Le bouce li fu tenevie
& environ toute noirchie
633& avoit tant noir le menton
Conme s’il fust taint de carbon
Atenergé furent li oel
N’i avoit ore point d’orguel
Se vos veissiés les oreilles
638Molt par vos presist grans merveilles
Car noire estoit & decrevee
Le blanche char toute muee
Noire & muee ert le poitrine
A escorce samblant d’espine
643N’avoit plus char en ses traians
Ne mais com il a en uns gans
Les bras les mains & les lons dois
Avoit plus noirs que nule pois
Ongles avoit longes & grans
648Ele les retailloit a ses dens
Li ventres li estoit caoit
Petit de despensse i metoit
Li pié li erent decrevé
En plusors lius erent navré
338vbCar ele ne se gardoit d’espine
Quant ele aloit par le gastine
Che li ert vis sien esciant
Que ele n’i failloit nient
C’uns de ses pekiés li caoit
658Quant une espine le pongnoit
Por chou estoit ele molt lie
Quant ele souffroit le hasquie
N’est merveille se iert noirchie
Car molt demenoit aspee vie
663Plus de xl. ans ala nue
N’iert merveille se iert moussue
Povre despense avoit o li
Or ait Jhesus de li merchi
.ii. pains avoit ne gaires grans
668De chiaus vesqui par plusors ans
El premier an devinrrent dur
Com se fust pierre de mur
Cascun jor en usoit Marie
Mais che iert petite partie
673Quant ele ot tot son pain usé
Puis esrachoit l’erbe del pré
Quant autre beste le mengoit
de rien ne se confortoit
As mains buvoit l’iaue el ruissel
678Quant ele n’avoit autre vaissel
Ne font a plaindre li pechié
Dont li cors fu si castié
D’erbe vesqui & de rachines
Xvii. ans. par les gastines
683Puis fu .xxx. ans onc ne menga
Se angeles ne li aporta
Li Diables le an premier
Le soloit sovent essaier
Tout che li faisoit remembrer
688Qu’ele soloit tos jors amer
Les bons mengiers & les biax lieus
Ou ele soloit faire les geus
Or fu ichi boneuree
Qu’ele de tout fu obliee
339raOnques puis en toute se vie
Ne li souvint mais de folie
Ne ainc en trestot le boscaige
Ne li vint puis beste salvaige
Ne autre vive creature
698Par le gaut va toute seure
En plusors lius prist son ostel
Se vie ert tote esperitel
…..
…..
157Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
For at that time in that realm,
162no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
Never countess nor queen
had over her brow more beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,1
167her eyes bright and smiling,
her eyebrows black and becoming,
her small mouth well-proportioned,
and her foot and her expression,2
her face tender and blushing
172like the rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
335vbwould you notice any defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
177The breasts of this lady
were no smaller than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and white hands,
182her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be written down.
187The beauty of this lady
could never be written down by any man.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
192when she does not care about the Creator.
She received many presents
and bought herself good garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
197She did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She had a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather
202she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
would all say, “God, what a shame!
207Oh alas evermore for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Oh alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
212that she was of high parentage
for she answered all with reason
336raand had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with great honor.3
…..
338vaShe went so long by day and by night,
hungry and thirsty and on hard beds.
There she was so deep in the wood
that she became entirely wild,
but she never forgot
618to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her shoes were worn out,
and her clothes were all torn up.
623Her body was left totally naked.
She did not have clothing that was not in tatters.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
From winter as from summer,
628her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like an ermine.
Her mouth was thinned,
and all around it blackened,
633and her chin was as black
as if it were tainted with charcoal.
Thinned were her eyes.
There was not a shred of pride there now.
If you saw her ears,
638it would appear to you a great marvel
for they were black and cracked.4
Her white flesh changed entirely
Black and changed was her chest.
It seemed like thorny bark.
643There was no more flesh in her breasts,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
were blacker than any pitch.
She had long and large nails.
648She reshaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was sunken.
She put few provisions in there.
Her feet were split.
In many places, they were wounded
338vbfor she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
she was not wrong about this at all,
that one of her sins fell away
658when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was so pleased
as she suffered hardship.
It was no marvel that she was blackened
for she led such a severe life.
663For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
668On these, she lived for many years.
In the first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
673As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts she ate it.
She sought no other comfort.
With her hands, she drank the water from the stream
678as she had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented are the sins
that chastised the body so.
On grass she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
683Then for thirty years, she ate nothing
unless an angel brought it to her.
In the first year, the Devil
often used to tempt her,
making her remember all
688that she used to always love:
the good foods and the fine places
where she was used to playing games.
Now, she felt so blessed
that she had forgotten all.
339raNever more in all her life
did she think ever of folly.
Never in all the wood
did any wild beast come to her thereafter
nor any other living creature.
698Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she took shelter.
Her life was entirely spiritual.
…..
157Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
For at that time in that realm,
162no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
Never countess nor queen
had over her brow more beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,1
167her eyes bright and smiling,
her eyebrows black and becoming,
her small mouth well-proportioned,
and her foot and her expression,2
her face tender and blushing
172like the rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
335vbwould you notice any defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
177The breasts of this lady
were no smaller than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and white hands,
182her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be written down.
187The beauty of this lady
could never be written down by any man.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
192when she does not care about the Creator.
She received many presents
and bought herself good garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
197She did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She had a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather
202she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
would all say, “God, what a shame!
207Oh alas evermore for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Oh alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
212that she was of high parentage
for she answered all with reason
336raand had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with great honor.3
…..
338vaShe went so long by day and by night,
hungry and thirsty and on hard beds.
There she was so deep in the wood
that she became entirely wild,
but she never forgot
618to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her shoes were worn out,
and her clothes were all torn up.
623Her body was left totally naked.
She did not have clothing that was not in tatters.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
From winter as from summer,
628her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like an ermine.
Her mouth was thinned,
and all around it blackened,
633and her chin was as black
as if it were tainted with charcoal.
Thinned were her eyes.
There was not a shred of pride there now.
If you saw her ears,
638it would appear to you a great marvel
for they were black and cracked.4
Her white flesh changed entirely
Black and changed was her chest.
It seemed like thorny bark.
643There was no more flesh in her breasts,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
were blacker than any pitch.
She had long and large nails.
648She reshaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was sunken.
She put few provisions in there.
Her feet were split.
In many places, they were wounded
338vbfor she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
she was not wrong about this at all,
that one of her sins fell away
658when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was so pleased
as she suffered hardship.
It was no marvel that she was blackened
for she led such a severe life.
663For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
668On these, she lived for many years.
In the first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
673As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts she ate it.
She sought no other comfort.
With her hands, she drank the water from the stream
678as she had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented are the sins
that chastised the body so.
On grass she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
683Then for thirty years, she ate nothing
unless an angel brought it to her.
In the first year, the Devil
often used to tempt her,
making her remember all
688that she used to always love:
the good foods and the fine places
where she was used to playing games.
Now, she felt so blessed
that she had forgotten all.
339raNever more in all her life
did she think ever of folly.
Never in all the wood
did any wild beast come to her thereafter
nor any other living creature.
698Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she took shelter.
Her life was entirely spiritual.
…..
T-B
…..
149de sa biaté de sa figure.
si com ele est en l’escriture
Vos vuel dire de se senblant.
ançois que je trespas avant
Ans en cest mont ne en cest renne.
154Ne vit nuz hom plus bele femme
Onques duçoise ne roine.
nen ot el cief plus bele crine
Reondes avoit les orelhes.
Mais blanches erent a mervelhes
159Les sorciz noirs & avenanz.
& les olz clers & sorrianz
La face tenre en celee.ee.
Com la rose ki or est nee
Les dens ot blans & bien menuz.
164plus bele boce ne vit nuz
mut avoit piue regardure.
& cler le vis & le faiture
Je cui el neis ne el menton.
n’avoit un point de mesfaçon
169Soz la boce sor le poitrine.
ert plus blanche ke flors d’espine
& si avoit beles mameles.
mut bien seans petiz & beles
blans bras avoit & blanches mains.
174& les dois grailes lons & plains
110vGent cors avoit & bien moleit.
desoz l’aisselle & le costeit
tant ert cortoise de parler
n’i avoit rien ke amendeir
179N’ert pas trop grant ne trop petite.
Ja se façons n’en iert descrite
Ja le beaté de ceste toise.
N’iert descrite se n’i at proise
a plendre fait tel creature.
184cant de se Creator n’at cure
ele recivoit grans presenz.
s’en achatoit chier garnimenz
bon dras avoit & avenanz.
por miez plaissir a ses amanz
189& ne vestoit pas dras de laine.
Le peior jor de la samaine
Vestoit bon bliat d’osterlin.
& affiebloit mantel d’ermin
Solers biens poins de corduan.
194chaçoit par toz les jors de l’an
Li citain de la citeit.
L’amoient tuit por sa bialteit
& li viel home & li sage.
disoient tuit Deus kel damage
199tant mar fut iceste dolente.
mut fait a plendre sa jovente
mar fut onques la sue vie.
que tant est plane de folie
car a toz respondoit raison.
204tant ert de bele afaitison
Que li fiz d’un empereor.
la poist prendre par honor
…..
567tant errat par nuiz & par dis.
a fain a soit & a durs lis
Que tant i fut en le boscage.
qu’ele devint tote salvage
Senpres furent si drap useit.
572& soi soler tot depaneit
tant par l’iver tant par l’esteit.
tot li noicirent li costeit
Se tenre car muat color.
qui ans eret blance cum florr
577Color muat sa bele crine.
blance devint conme l’ermine
desoz la face eret brulee.
del soloilh & de la jalee
114rLa boche li ert atenevie.
582& environ la cars norcie
& tant avoit noir le menton.
com se fuist li chies d’un tison
atenevit erent li oilh.
or n’i avoit il point d’orgoilh
587se vos en veissiez l’orelhe
mut vos venist a grant mervelhe
car maigre ert mut & degregue.
& de blanc poilh tote mossue
Noire & polhue ert la poitrine.
592sembloit scorce de noire spine
Li ventres li ert toz caoiz.
nient ne manjoit & si ert droiz
Les ongles avoit ele granz.
ele les retalloit az danz
597Les piez maigres & decrevez.
& par plusors lius mut navrez
car ele nes gardoit d’espine.
cant el aloit par le gastine
Ans li ert vis son escient.
602& ele ni faloit nient
cant une spine li poindoit.
uns des pechiez jus li chaoit
Ne fat a plaindre li pechiez.
dont li cors est si castoiez
607N’ert mervelhe s’ele ert mossue.
karante ans alat tote nue
Dous pains avoit ne gaire granz.
de ces viscat par plusors anz
Le premier an devinrent dur.
612com ce fust piere de mur
cascun jor en usoit Marie.
mais ce astoit mut povre vie
cant ele ot toz ses pains useiz.
puis esragat herbes des prez
617com altre beste le manjoit.
de rien ne se desconfortoit
Adés bevoit ens el ruisel.
ele n’avoit altre vaissel
d’erbes vivoit & de racines.
622dis & uit ans par la gastines
Puis fut vint ans que ne manja.
sel angeles Deu ne li porta
Diables li vint devant premier.
qui mut le soloit anoier
627qui li faissoit ramembrer.
kanque soloit jadis ameir
Les biaz deliz & les biaz giuz.
u soloit faire ses deduiz
Mut fut bieneuree.
632ki de tot ce fut obliee
unques puis en la sue vie.
Ne li menbra jor de folie
Marie vat par le boscage.
Onques n’i vit beste salvage
637Ne nule vive creature.
par le forest vat bien segure
114ven plusors lius fut ses ostaz.
sa vie astoit spirituaz
…..
149de sa biaté de sa figure.
si com ele est en l’escriture
Vos vuel dire de se senblant.
ançois que je trespas avant
Ans en cest mont ne en cest renne.
154Ne vit nuz hom plus bele femme
Onques duçoise ne roine.
nen ot el cief plus bele crine
Reondes avoit les orelhes.
Mais blanches erent a mervelhes
159Les sorciz noirs & avenanz.
& les olz clers & sorrianz
La face tenre en celee.ee.
Com la rose ki or est nee
Les dens ot blans & bien menuz.
164plus bele boce ne vit nuz
mut avoit piue regardure.
& cler le vis & le faiture
Je cui el neis ne el menton.
n’avoit un point de mesfaçon
169Soz la boce sor le poitrine.
ert plus blanche ke flors d’espine
& si avoit beles mameles.
mut bien seans petiz & beles
blans bras avoit & blanches mains.
174& les dois grailes lons & plains
110vGent cors avoit & bien moleit.
desoz l’aisselle & le costeit
tant ert cortoise de parler
n’i avoit rien ke amendeir
179N’ert pas trop grant ne trop petite.
Ja se façons n’en iert descrite
Ja le beaté de ceste toise.
N’iert descrite se n’i at proise
a plendre fait tel creature.
184cant de se Creator n’at cure
ele recivoit grans presenz.
s’en achatoit chier garnimenz
bon dras avoit & avenanz.
por miez plaissir a ses amanz
189& ne vestoit pas dras de laine.
Le peior jor de la samaine
Vestoit bon bliat d’osterlin.
& affiebloit mantel d’ermin
Solers biens poins de corduan.
194chaçoit par toz les jors de l’an
Li citain de la citeit.
L’amoient tuit por sa bialteit
& li viel home & li sage.
disoient tuit Deus kel damage
199tant mar fut iceste dolente.
mut fait a plendre sa jovente
mar fut onques la sue vie.
que tant est plane de folie
car a toz respondoit raison.
204tant ert de bele afaitison
Que li fiz d’un empereor.
la poist prendre par honor
…..
567tant errat par nuiz & par dis.
a fain a soit & a durs lis
Que tant i fut en le boscage.
qu’ele devint tote salvage
Senpres furent si drap useit.
572& soi soler tot depaneit
tant par l’iver tant par l’esteit.
tot li noicirent li costeit
Se tenre car muat color.
qui ans eret blance cum florr
577Color muat sa bele crine.
blance devint conme l’ermine
desoz la face eret brulee.
del soloilh & de la jalee
114rLa boche li ert atenevie.
582& environ la cars norcie
& tant avoit noir le menton.
com se fuist li chies d’un tison
atenevit erent li oilh.
or n’i avoit il point d’orgoilh
587se vos en veissiez l’orelhe
mut vos venist a grant mervelhe
car maigre ert mut & degregue.
& de blanc poilh tote mossue
Noire & polhue ert la poitrine.
592sembloit scorce de noire spine
Li ventres li ert toz caoiz.
nient ne manjoit & si ert droiz
Les ongles avoit ele granz.
ele les retalloit az danz
597Les piez maigres & decrevez.
& par plusors lius mut navrez
car ele nes gardoit d’espine.
cant el aloit par le gastine
Ans li ert vis son escient.
602& ele ni faloit nient
cant une spine li poindoit.
uns des pechiez jus li chaoit
Ne fat a plaindre li pechiez.
dont li cors est si castoiez
607N’ert mervelhe s’ele ert mossue.
karante ans alat tote nue
Dous pains avoit ne gaire granz.
de ces viscat par plusors anz
Le premier an devinrent dur.
612com ce fust piere de mur
cascun jor en usoit Marie.
mais ce astoit mut povre vie
cant ele ot toz ses pains useiz.
puis esragat herbes des prez
617com altre beste le manjoit.
de rien ne se desconfortoit
Adés bevoit ens el ruisel.
ele n’avoit altre vaissel
d’erbes vivoit & de racines.
622dis & uit ans par la gastines
Puis fut vint ans que ne manja.
sel angeles Deu ne li porta
Diables li vint devant premier.
qui mut le soloit anoier
627qui li faissoit ramembrer.
kanque soloit jadis ameir
Les biaz deliz & les biaz giuz.
u soloit faire ses deduiz
Mut fut bieneuree.
632ki de tot ce fut obliee
unques puis en la sue vie.
Ne li menbra jor de folie
Marie vat par le boscage.
Onques n’i vit beste salvage
637Ne nule vive creature.
par le forest vat bien segure
114ven plusors lius fut ses ostaz.
sa vie astoit spirituaz
…..
…..
149Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
and about her appearance, I want to tell you
before I go too far.
In this world or in this realm,
154no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
Never did a duchess or a queen
have on her head more beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,
159her eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes bright and smiling,
her face tender and covered
like the rose that has only just bloomed.
Her teeth were white and quite small.
164A more beautiful mouth no one ever saw.
She had such a pleasing expression,
and her look and her features bright.
I believe on her nose and on her chin
there was no defect at all.
169Below her mouth on her chest,
it was whiter than a hawthorn flower,
and of course she had beautiful breasts,
very well set, small, and beautiful.
She had white arms and white hands,
174and her fingers slender, long, and smooth.
110vShe had a fine body and was well molded
beneath her underarm and her side.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
179She was neither too big nor too small.
Her frame could never be described.
The beauty of these proportions5
could not be described without praise.
Such a creature makes one lament
184when she does not care about her Creator.
She received great presents
and bought herself expensive garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers,
189and she did not wear woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather
194she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty,
and the old men and the wise
would all say, “God, what a shame!
199Oh alas for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life,
which is so full of folly.”
As she answered all with reason
204and had such a beautiful frame,
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
567She roamed so long by night and by day,
hungry, thirsty, and on hard beds.
There she was in the wood so long
that she became entirely wild.
Soon, her clothes were worn out,
572and soon, her soles were torn up.
As much from winter as from summer,
her sides blackened entirely.
Her tender flesh changed color,
which before was white like a flower.
577The color of her beautiful hair changed.
It turned white like the ermine.
Under that, her face was burned
from the sun and from the frost.
114rHer mouth was thinned,
582and her flesh around it blackened,
and her chin was so black
as if it were the head of a firebrand.
Thinned were her eyes.
There was not a shred of pride there now.
587If you saw her ears,
it would occur to you a great marvel
for they were so skinny and deteriorated
and all woolly with white hairs.
Black and hairy was her chest.
592It seemed like black thorny bark.
Her stomach was all sunken.
She ate nothing and so that was right.
She had large nails.
She reshaped them with her teeth.
597Her feet were skinny and split,
and, in many places, were deeply wounded
for she did not protect them from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
So it seemed to her, in her mind,
602and she was not wrong about this at all,
as a thorn pricked her,
one of her sins fell down from her.
She does not bemoan her sins
as her body is so chastised.
607It was no marvel that she was woolly;
for forty years, she went totally nude.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these, she lived for many years.
The first year they became hard
612as though they were building stone.
Every day, Mary ate some,
but this was a very poor life.
As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she plucked the grasses of the fields6
617Like other beasts, she ate them.
None of this bothered her.
From then on, she drank from the stream.
She had no other vessel.
On grasses she lived and on roots
622for eighteen years in the wilderness.
Then for twenty years, she only ate
what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came before her first.
He used to annoy her so much,
627making her remember
whatever she once used to love:
the fine delights and the fine games
in which she used to take pleasure.
She felt so blessed
632when she had forgotten all of this.
Never more in her life
did she remember a day of folly.
Mary goes through the wood.
Never did she see a wild beast
637nor any living creature.
Through the forest, she goes in all security.
114vIn many places, she was sheltered.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
149Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
and about her appearance, I want to tell you
before I go too far.
In this world or in this realm,
154no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
Never did a duchess or a queen
have on her head more beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,
159her eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes bright and smiling,
her face tender and covered
like the rose that has only just bloomed.
Her teeth were white and quite small.
164A more beautiful mouth no one ever saw.
She had such a pleasing expression,
and her look and her features bright.
I believe on her nose and on her chin
there was no defect at all.
169Below her mouth on her chest,
it was whiter than a hawthorn flower,
and of course she had beautiful breasts,
very well set, small, and beautiful.
She had white arms and white hands,
174and her fingers slender, long, and smooth.
110vShe had a fine body and was well molded
beneath her underarm and her side.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
179She was neither too big nor too small.
Her frame could never be described.
The beauty of these proportions5
could not be described without praise.
Such a creature makes one lament
184when she does not care about her Creator.
She received great presents
and bought herself expensive garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers,
189and she did not wear woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather
194she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty,
and the old men and the wise
would all say, “God, what a shame!
199Oh alas for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life,
which is so full of folly.”
As she answered all with reason
204and had such a beautiful frame,
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
567She roamed so long by night and by day,
hungry, thirsty, and on hard beds.
There she was in the wood so long
that she became entirely wild.
Soon, her clothes were worn out,
572and soon, her soles were torn up.
As much from winter as from summer,
her sides blackened entirely.
Her tender flesh changed color,
which before was white like a flower.
577The color of her beautiful hair changed.
It turned white like the ermine.
Under that, her face was burned
from the sun and from the frost.
114rHer mouth was thinned,
582and her flesh around it blackened,
and her chin was so black
as if it were the head of a firebrand.
Thinned were her eyes.
There was not a shred of pride there now.
587If you saw her ears,
it would occur to you a great marvel
for they were so skinny and deteriorated
and all woolly with white hairs.
Black and hairy was her chest.
592It seemed like black thorny bark.
Her stomach was all sunken.
She ate nothing and so that was right.
She had large nails.
She reshaped them with her teeth.
597Her feet were skinny and split,
and, in many places, were deeply wounded
for she did not protect them from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
So it seemed to her, in her mind,
602and she was not wrong about this at all,
as a thorn pricked her,
one of her sins fell down from her.
She does not bemoan her sins
as her body is so chastised.
607It was no marvel that she was woolly;
for forty years, she went totally nude.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these, she lived for many years.
The first year they became hard
612as though they were building stone.
Every day, Mary ate some,
but this was a very poor life.
As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she plucked the grasses of the fields6
617Like other beasts, she ate them.
None of this bothered her.
From then on, she drank from the stream.
She had no other vessel.
On grasses she lived and on roots
622for eighteen years in the wilderness.
Then for twenty years, she only ate
what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came before her first.
He used to annoy her so much,
627making her remember
whatever she once used to love:
the fine delights and the fine games
in which she used to take pleasure.
She felt so blessed
632when she had forgotten all of this.
Never more in her life
did she remember a day of folly.
Mary goes through the wood.
Never did she see a wild beast
637nor any living creature.
Through the forest, she goes in all security.
114vIn many places, she was sheltered.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
T-C
…..
159De sa beauté de sa figure
Si cum il est en escripture .
Voil un poi dire le semblant
Ainz ço ke jo pas avant .
A iceu tens n’ert si bele femme
164kar ele estoit sur tutes gemme .
Onke cuntesse ne reine
N’ot el chief si bele crine .
Rondes avoit les oreilles
Tres blanches erent a merveilles .
38vLes surcius noirs e avenanz
e les oils clers e suz rianz .
La buche petite par mesure
e simple avoit la regardure .
La face tendre e coluree
174Cum rose qui sempres est nee .
Ne ja au nés n’au mentun
N’aparceussez meffaçon .
Par sum le col blanc com ermine
Lui undoit la bloie crine .
179Chascun des traianz la dame
N’iert pas maire d’une pome .
Suz la gule en la peitrine
ert blanche come fleur d’espine .
Lung braz avoit e blanche mains
184Les dois ronz.greilles e pleins .
Gent cors avoit e bien moullez
Desuz l’essele les long costez .
Ne feut trop grant ne trop petite
Sa façon n’iert ja descrite .
189Ne la beauté de ceste dame
N’iert ja descrite pur nul aume .
Tant ert cortoise de parler
Riens n’i avoit k’amender .
A pleindre fist teu creature
194Quant de sun Creatur n’ot cure .
39rele recevrit mut presenz
S’en achatot beau vestemenz .
Bons dras avoit e avenanz
Pur menz pleire a ses amanz .
199ele n’avoit soign de dras de leine
Par nul des jurs de la sumeine .
Ainz vesteit bliauz de osterin
e affublout mantel d’ermin .
Sollers bien peinz de cordewan
204Chaucot trestuz les jurs del an .
Trestuz cous de la cité
L’amoient pur la beauté .
Li ancien hom e li sage
Disoient. hai. queu damage .
209Tant mar fu nee la dolente
Tant fet a pleindre sa juvente .
Mar feut onke la sue vie
Quant si est pleine de folie .
Tuz diseient par la citez
214k’ele estoit de grant parentez .
kar a tuz respont par reison
e tant ert bele de fasçon .
ke li fiz d’un empereur
La peust prendre a gran honur .
…..
623Tant alad ke jurs ke nuiz
Od feims od seifs & od dur liz .
ke tant parfond feut en boscage
Tote devint illoec salvage .
mes ele ne s’obliat mie
628De deprier saincte Marie .
sovent li membre de l’ymage
k’ele avoit mis en hostage .
si drapel furent tost usez
e si souler tut deramez .
633kant li drapel erent rumpu
Le cors de lui remist tut nu .
La char de lui mua colur
k’einz ert blanche come flur .
47vke de l’yver ke de l’esté
638Tut li nercirent li costé .
Colur muat la bloie crine
Blanche devint com ermine .
La face lui estoit bruillee
Del grant soleil e de gelee .
643La buche li ert entenvie
e d’environ tote ennercie .
e tant avoit neir le menton
come ço feust chief d’un tison .
Teint e nerci erent li oil
648Rien n’i ot ore d’orgoil .
se vos regardisez s’oreille
mut vos serroit grant merveille .
car megres estoit e descrue
e de blanc peil tote mossue
653Noire e mossue ert la peitrine
L’escorce semblout d’espine .
N’avoit plus char en sa triant
Ne mes ke n’ad en un gant .
Les braz les mains e les lung dois
658Avoit plus noirs ke nule poiz .
Les ungles avoit ele mut grenz
Si les retaillot de ses denz .
Li ventre tut lui ert caeiz
Guere ne mangot. ço ert droiz .
48rLes piez lui erent escrevez
en plusur lius furent nafrez .
k’ele ne se gardoit d’espine
kant ele alot par la guastine .
Ço lui ert vis son escient
668Pur voir de ço ne failli nient .
k’un de ses pechiez chaeit
kant une espine la puigneit .
Pur ço feut ele mut lee
kant ele suffri teu haschee .
673N’ert merveille se feust nercie
ke mut demenot aspre vie .
plus de quarante anz ala nue
Ne fu merveille s’ert mossue .
Povre despense avoit od lui
678Ore ait de lui Jhesu merci .
Dous pains avoit ne guere granz
De ces se garit plusurs anz .
Tut al premor devindrent dur
Cum s’il feusent fet de mur .
683Chescun jor en usout Marie
mes ço ert petite partie .
kant ele out son pain usé
Doncs arracot l’erbe du pré .
Com autre beste la mangot
688De rien ne se desconfortout .
48vAdenz leveit un rosel
Dont beut n’ot autre vessel .
Ne fet a pleindre le pechié
Dont le cors fu si chastié .
693D’erbe vesquit e de racine
Dis e ut. anz en la guastine .
pus fu trente anz onc ne manga
si l’angle Deu ne lui porta .
Diables la veneient esprimer
698Sovent la soleient assaer .
Tut ço lui firent remembrer
k’ele soleit ja dis amer .
Les bons mangers e les beau lius
Ou ele soleit fere ses gius .
703Lors feut ele si bonureie
ke de rien n’ert attameie .
unk en tote soue vie
Ne lui sovint puis de folie .
Ne puis en trestut le boscage
708Ne vit guere beste sauvage .
N’autre vive creature
Par la forest vait tute sure .
en plusur lius prent son hostal
Sa vie est tute espirital .
…..
159De sa beauté de sa figure
Si cum il est en escripture .
Voil un poi dire le semblant
Ainz ço ke jo pas avant .
A iceu tens n’ert si bele femme
164kar ele estoit sur tutes gemme .
Onke cuntesse ne reine
N’ot el chief si bele crine .
Rondes avoit les oreilles
Tres blanches erent a merveilles .
38vLes surcius noirs e avenanz
e les oils clers e suz rianz .
La buche petite par mesure
e simple avoit la regardure .
La face tendre e coluree
174Cum rose qui sempres est nee .
Ne ja au nés n’au mentun
N’aparceussez meffaçon .
Par sum le col blanc com ermine
Lui undoit la bloie crine .
179Chascun des traianz la dame
N’iert pas maire d’une pome .
Suz la gule en la peitrine
ert blanche come fleur d’espine .
Lung braz avoit e blanche mains
184Les dois ronz.greilles e pleins .
Gent cors avoit e bien moullez
Desuz l’essele les long costez .
Ne feut trop grant ne trop petite
Sa façon n’iert ja descrite .
189Ne la beauté de ceste dame
N’iert ja descrite pur nul aume .
Tant ert cortoise de parler
Riens n’i avoit k’amender .
A pleindre fist teu creature
194Quant de sun Creatur n’ot cure .
39rele recevrit mut presenz
S’en achatot beau vestemenz .
Bons dras avoit e avenanz
Pur menz pleire a ses amanz .
199ele n’avoit soign de dras de leine
Par nul des jurs de la sumeine .
Ainz vesteit bliauz de osterin
e affublout mantel d’ermin .
Sollers bien peinz de cordewan
204Chaucot trestuz les jurs del an .
Trestuz cous de la cité
L’amoient pur la beauté .
Li ancien hom e li sage
Disoient. hai. queu damage .
209Tant mar fu nee la dolente
Tant fet a pleindre sa juvente .
Mar feut onke la sue vie
Quant si est pleine de folie .
Tuz diseient par la citez
214k’ele estoit de grant parentez .
kar a tuz respont par reison
e tant ert bele de fasçon .
ke li fiz d’un empereur
La peust prendre a gran honur .
…..
623Tant alad ke jurs ke nuiz
Od feims od seifs & od dur liz .
ke tant parfond feut en boscage
Tote devint illoec salvage .
mes ele ne s’obliat mie
628De deprier saincte Marie .
sovent li membre de l’ymage
k’ele avoit mis en hostage .
si drapel furent tost usez
e si souler tut deramez .
633kant li drapel erent rumpu
Le cors de lui remist tut nu .
La char de lui mua colur
k’einz ert blanche come flur .
47vke de l’yver ke de l’esté
638Tut li nercirent li costé .
Colur muat la bloie crine
Blanche devint com ermine .
La face lui estoit bruillee
Del grant soleil e de gelee .
643La buche li ert entenvie
e d’environ tote ennercie .
e tant avoit neir le menton
come ço feust chief d’un tison .
Teint e nerci erent li oil
648Rien n’i ot ore d’orgoil .
se vos regardisez s’oreille
mut vos serroit grant merveille .
car megres estoit e descrue
e de blanc peil tote mossue
653Noire e mossue ert la peitrine
L’escorce semblout d’espine .
N’avoit plus char en sa triant
Ne mes ke n’ad en un gant .
Les braz les mains e les lung dois
658Avoit plus noirs ke nule poiz .
Les ungles avoit ele mut grenz
Si les retaillot de ses denz .
Li ventre tut lui ert caeiz
Guere ne mangot. ço ert droiz .
48rLes piez lui erent escrevez
en plusur lius furent nafrez .
k’ele ne se gardoit d’espine
kant ele alot par la guastine .
Ço lui ert vis son escient
668Pur voir de ço ne failli nient .
k’un de ses pechiez chaeit
kant une espine la puigneit .
Pur ço feut ele mut lee
kant ele suffri teu haschee .
673N’ert merveille se feust nercie
ke mut demenot aspre vie .
plus de quarante anz ala nue
Ne fu merveille s’ert mossue .
Povre despense avoit od lui
678Ore ait de lui Jhesu merci .
Dous pains avoit ne guere granz
De ces se garit plusurs anz .
Tut al premor devindrent dur
Cum s’il feusent fet de mur .
683Chescun jor en usout Marie
mes ço ert petite partie .
kant ele out son pain usé
Doncs arracot l’erbe du pré .
Com autre beste la mangot
688De rien ne se desconfortout .
48vAdenz leveit un rosel
Dont beut n’ot autre vessel .
Ne fet a pleindre le pechié
Dont le cors fu si chastié .
693D’erbe vesquit e de racine
Dis e ut. anz en la guastine .
pus fu trente anz onc ne manga
si l’angle Deu ne lui porta .
Diables la veneient esprimer
698Sovent la soleient assaer .
Tut ço lui firent remembrer
k’ele soleit ja dis amer .
Les bons mangers e les beau lius
Ou ele soleit fere ses gius .
703Lors feut ele si bonureie
ke de rien n’ert attameie .
unk en tote soue vie
Ne lui sovint puis de folie .
Ne puis en trestut le boscage
708Ne vit guere beste sauvage .
N’autre vive creature
Par la forest vait tute sure .
en plusur lius prent son hostal
Sa vie est tute espirital .
…..
…..
159Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go on.
At that time, there was no woman so beautiful
164for she was a gem above them all.
Never countess nor queen
had on her head such beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
They were very marvelously white,
38vher eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes bright and overjoyed,
her small mouth well-proportioned,
and she had a simple expression,
her face tender and blushing
174like a rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
would you notice any defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
179Each of the breasts of the lady
was no bigger than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had long arms and white hands,
184her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be described.
189Nor could the beauty of this lady
ever be described by any soul.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
194when she does not care about her Creator.
39rShe received many presents
and bought herself beautiful garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
199She did not care for woollen cloth
on any of the days of the week.
She wore, instead, a bliaut of fine purple silk
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
204she wore all the days of the year.
Every man of the city
loved her for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
would say, “Ah! What a shame!
209Oh alas was born the sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
214that she was of great parentage
for she answered all with reason
and had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with great honor.
…..
623She went so long in the day as in the night,
hungry, thirsty, and on hard beds
that she was so deep in the wood
that she became entirely wild,
but she never forgot
628to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her clothes were worn out,
and her soles were stripped.
633As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
47vFrom the winter and from the summer
638her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like ermine.
Her face was burned
by the blazing sun and by the frost.
643Her mouth was thinned
and all around it blackened,
and her chin was so black
it was like the head of a firebrand.
Tinted and blackened were her eyes.
648There was not any pride there now.
If you saw her ears,
it would be a great marvel to you
for they were skinny and shrunken
and all woolly with white hairs.
653Black and woolly was her chest.
It seemed like thorny bark.
She had no more flesh in her breast,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
658were blacker than any pitch.
She had such large nails,
so she reshaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was all sunken.
She hardly ate, so that was right.
48rHer feet were split.
In many places, they were wounded
for she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
668for truly, about this, she was not wrong at all,
that one of her sins fell away
when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was so pleased.
As she suffered such hardship,
673it was no marvel that she was blackened
for she led such a severe life.
For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
678Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these she sustained herself for many years.
They all became hard in the first year
as though they were made from a wall.
683Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
As soon as she had eaten up her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts she ate it.
688None of this bothered her.
48vProne, she drew from a stream.
Like so, she drank. She had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
693On grass she lived and on roots
for eighteen years in the wilderness.
Then for thirty years, she never ate
but what the angel of God brought to her.
Devils came to approach her.
698Often, they used to tempt her,
making her remember all
that she once used to love:
the good foods and the fine places
where she was used to playing her games.
703Now, she felt so blessed
that nothing hurt her.
Never, in all her life,
did she think, then, of folly.
Nor, then, in all the wood,
708did she see wild beasts at all.
nor any other living creature.
Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she takes shelter.
Her life is entirely spiritual.
…..
159Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go on.
At that time, there was no woman so beautiful
164for she was a gem above them all.
Never countess nor queen
had on her head such beautiful hair.
She had round ears.
They were very marvelously white,
38vher eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes bright and overjoyed,
her small mouth well-proportioned,
and she had a simple expression,
her face tender and blushing
174like a rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
would you notice any defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
179Each of the breasts of the lady
was no bigger than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had long arms and white hands,
184her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be described.
189Nor could the beauty of this lady
ever be described by any soul.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
194when she does not care about her Creator.
39rShe received many presents
and bought herself beautiful garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
199She did not care for woollen cloth
on any of the days of the week.
She wore, instead, a bliaut of fine purple silk
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
204she wore all the days of the year.
Every man of the city
loved her for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
would say, “Ah! What a shame!
209Oh alas was born the sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
214that she was of great parentage
for she answered all with reason
and had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with great honor.
…..
623She went so long in the day as in the night,
hungry, thirsty, and on hard beds
that she was so deep in the wood
that she became entirely wild,
but she never forgot
628to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her clothes were worn out,
and her soles were stripped.
633As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
47vFrom the winter and from the summer
638her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like ermine.
Her face was burned
by the blazing sun and by the frost.
643Her mouth was thinned
and all around it blackened,
and her chin was so black
it was like the head of a firebrand.
Tinted and blackened were her eyes.
648There was not any pride there now.
If you saw her ears,
it would be a great marvel to you
for they were skinny and shrunken
and all woolly with white hairs.
653Black and woolly was her chest.
It seemed like thorny bark.
She had no more flesh in her breast,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
658were blacker than any pitch.
She had such large nails,
so she reshaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was all sunken.
She hardly ate, so that was right.
48rHer feet were split.
In many places, they were wounded
for she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
668for truly, about this, she was not wrong at all,
that one of her sins fell away
when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was so pleased.
As she suffered such hardship,
673it was no marvel that she was blackened
for she led such a severe life.
For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
678Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these she sustained herself for many years.
They all became hard in the first year
as though they were made from a wall.
683Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
As soon as she had eaten up her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts she ate it.
688None of this bothered her.
48vProne, she drew from a stream.
Like so, she drank. She had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
693On grass she lived and on roots
for eighteen years in the wilderness.
Then for thirty years, she never ate
but what the angel of God brought to her.
Devils came to approach her.
698Often, they used to tempt her,
making her remember all
that she once used to love:
the good foods and the fine places
where she was used to playing her games.
703Now, she felt so blessed
that nothing hurt her.
Never, in all her life,
did she think, then, of folly.
Nor, then, in all the wood,
708did she see wild beasts at all.
nor any other living creature.
Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she takes shelter.
Her life is entirely spiritual.
…..
T-D
…..
155De sa bealté & de sa figure
Si cum est en l’escripture
voil un poi dire le semblant
einz que jeo trespas avant
en cel tens ne en cel regne
160Ne vit unc home plus bele femme
16vaNe cuntesse ne raine.
N’out onkes tele meschine
roundes aveit les oreilles
Mais blanches erent a merveilles
165les sorciz clers & avenanz
les oilz neirs & sorianz
la bouche brieve & par mesure
& pie la regardeure
la face tendre & coloree
170cumme rose qui senpres est nee
ja el nés ne el mentun
N’i veist l’un mesfaçun
par sun le col blanc cum ermine
li undout la bloie crine
175chascun des traianz a la dune
N’ert mie greignor d’une pume
Soz la gorge en la poitrine
ere blanche cumme flor d’espine
blans bras aveit & beles mains
180& les deis luncs gresles & pleins
N’ert trop grande ne trop petite
ja sa façun n’iert deserite
ja la bealté de ceste dune
N’iert escrite por nul home
185tant ert corteise de parler
rien n’i aveit que amender
a plaindre fait tel creature
Quant del Creator n’aveit cure
ele recevoit or & argent
190Si achatout bons garnemenz
bons dras aveit & avenanz
por miex plesir a ses amanz
16vbele n’out cure de dras de leine
al peor jor de la semeine
195Vesteit bons bliaus d’osturin
& afubla mantel hermin
Soulers bien pains de cordoven
chaucout a toz les jors de l’an
li citeen de la cité
200l’amouent tuit por sa bealté
li anciem home & li sage
disoient tuit Deus quel damage
Mar fu unques la dolente
tant fait a plaindre sa jovente
205Mar fu unques la soue vie
Quant si est pleine de folie
tuit disoient par la cité
Que ele ert de mult halt parenté
car a toz rosponeit raisun
210& tant ert bele de façun
ke le fiz d’un enpereor
la peust prendre par honor
…..
615tant erra par jor. & par nuit
o faim. & o sei. & o dur lit
& tant fu en cel boscage
tote devint iloc salvage
mais ele ne s’oublia mie
620de deprier sainte Marie
sovent lui membre de l’ymage
Que ele aveit mis en ostage
Ses soulers furent tuit usés
& si drapel tuit descirés
625Quant si drapel furent rumpu
le cors de lui remist tot nu
la char de lui mua color
Qui ainz ert blanche cumme flor
Que o l’ivern. ke o l’esté
630tuit li nercirent li costé
color mua sa bloie crigne
blanche devint cumme ermigne
la face out desus bruslee
del soleil. & de la gelee
635la bouche li fu atenvie
& envirun la char nercie
tant par esteit neir sun mentun.
cum ceo fust le chief d’un tisun
& nerci erent si oil
640N’i aveit ore point d’orguil
20rbSe vous veissés sa oreille
mult vous semblast grant merveille
car mesgre esteit. & decrevee
& de blanc peil avirunee
645N’aveit plus char en sun traiant
Ne mais cum il a en un gant
les bras. les mains. & les deiz
aveit plus neirs que nule peiz
les umgles aveit ele grenz
650ele les taillout o les denz
le ventre lui ert tot dechaet
car povre despense i meteit
les piez li erent decrevez
en plusors lieus erent nafrez
655car ele ne se gardout de espine
Quant ele alout par la gastine
mais ceo li ert vis son encient
& ele n’i failli de nient
ke un peché de lui chaeit
660Quant une espine la poingneit
por ceo esteit ele lee
Quant ele soffri une haschee
N’ert pas merveille s’ele ert nercie
car ele demenout aspre vie
665plus de quarante ans ala nue
N’ert merveille s’ele ert mossue
povre despense aveit o lui
ore ait Jesus de lui merci
deus pains aveit ne gueres granz
670de cels vesqui plusors anz
el premier en devindrent dur
cumme ceo fussent pieres de mur
20vachascun jor en usout Marie
mais ceo ert petite partie
675& quant ele out son pain usé
Si esracout l’erbe del pré
cumme altre beste la manjout
& de rien ne se desconfortout
a denz beveit del ruissel
680ele n’aveit altre vaissel
Ne fait a plaindre le pechié
dunt le cors fu si chastié
d’erbes viveit. & de racines
dis. & set anz. en la gastine
685puis fu trente anz unc ne manja
Se li angres Deu ne lui porta
Deable lui vint de premier
Sovent la soloit essaier
tot ceo lui faisoit remembrer
690Que ele soloit jadis amer
les bons mangiers. & les lieus
ou ele sout faire ses gieus
ore fu issi beneuree
Que de tot ceo fu obliee
695& en tote la soue vie
Ne lui sovint puis de la folie
& unc puis en tot le boscage
Ne vit beste salvage
Ne altre vive creature
700par la forest vait tote seure
en plusors lieus prent son ostal
Sa vie esteit esperital
…..
155De sa bealté & de sa figure
Si cum est en l’escripture
voil un poi dire le semblant
einz que jeo trespas avant
en cel tens ne en cel regne
160Ne vit unc home plus bele femme
16vaNe cuntesse ne raine.
N’out onkes tele meschine
roundes aveit les oreilles
Mais blanches erent a merveilles
165les sorciz clers & avenanz
les oilz neirs & sorianz
la bouche brieve & par mesure
& pie la regardeure
la face tendre & coloree
170cumme rose qui senpres est nee
ja el nés ne el mentun
N’i veist l’un mesfaçun
par sun le col blanc cum ermine
li undout la bloie crine
175chascun des traianz a la dune
N’ert mie greignor d’une pume
Soz la gorge en la poitrine
ere blanche cumme flor d’espine
blans bras aveit & beles mains
180& les deis luncs gresles & pleins
N’ert trop grande ne trop petite
ja sa façun n’iert deserite
ja la bealté de ceste dune
N’iert escrite por nul home
185tant ert corteise de parler
rien n’i aveit que amender
a plaindre fait tel creature
Quant del Creator n’aveit cure
ele recevoit or & argent
190Si achatout bons garnemenz
bons dras aveit & avenanz
por miex plesir a ses amanz
16vbele n’out cure de dras de leine
al peor jor de la semeine
195Vesteit bons bliaus d’osturin
& afubla mantel hermin
Soulers bien pains de cordoven
chaucout a toz les jors de l’an
li citeen de la cité
200l’amouent tuit por sa bealté
li anciem home & li sage
disoient tuit Deus quel damage
Mar fu unques la dolente
tant fait a plaindre sa jovente
205Mar fu unques la soue vie
Quant si est pleine de folie
tuit disoient par la cité
Que ele ert de mult halt parenté
car a toz rosponeit raisun
210& tant ert bele de façun
ke le fiz d’un enpereor
la peust prendre par honor
…..
615tant erra par jor. & par nuit
o faim. & o sei. & o dur lit
& tant fu en cel boscage
tote devint iloc salvage
mais ele ne s’oublia mie
620de deprier sainte Marie
sovent lui membre de l’ymage
Que ele aveit mis en ostage
Ses soulers furent tuit usés
& si drapel tuit descirés
625Quant si drapel furent rumpu
le cors de lui remist tot nu
la char de lui mua color
Qui ainz ert blanche cumme flor
Que o l’ivern. ke o l’esté
630tuit li nercirent li costé
color mua sa bloie crigne
blanche devint cumme ermigne
la face out desus bruslee
del soleil. & de la gelee
635la bouche li fu atenvie
& envirun la char nercie
tant par esteit neir sun mentun.
cum ceo fust le chief d’un tisun
& nerci erent si oil
640N’i aveit ore point d’orguil
20rbSe vous veissés sa oreille
mult vous semblast grant merveille
car mesgre esteit. & decrevee
& de blanc peil avirunee
645N’aveit plus char en sun traiant
Ne mais cum il a en un gant
les bras. les mains. & les deiz
aveit plus neirs que nule peiz
les umgles aveit ele grenz
650ele les taillout o les denz
le ventre lui ert tot dechaet
car povre despense i meteit
les piez li erent decrevez
en plusors lieus erent nafrez
655car ele ne se gardout de espine
Quant ele alout par la gastine
mais ceo li ert vis son encient
& ele n’i failli de nient
ke un peché de lui chaeit
660Quant une espine la poingneit
por ceo esteit ele lee
Quant ele soffri une haschee
N’ert pas merveille s’ele ert nercie
car ele demenout aspre vie
665plus de quarante ans ala nue
N’ert merveille s’ele ert mossue
povre despense aveit o lui
ore ait Jesus de lui merci
deus pains aveit ne gueres granz
670de cels vesqui plusors anz
el premier en devindrent dur
cumme ceo fussent pieres de mur
20vachascun jor en usout Marie
mais ceo ert petite partie
675& quant ele out son pain usé
Si esracout l’erbe del pré
cumme altre beste la manjout
& de rien ne se desconfortout
a denz beveit del ruissel
680ele n’aveit altre vaissel
Ne fait a plaindre le pechié
dunt le cors fu si chastié
d’erbes viveit. & de racines
dis. & set anz. en la gastine
685puis fu trente anz unc ne manja
Se li angres Deu ne lui porta
Deable lui vint de premier
Sovent la soloit essaier
tot ceo lui faisoit remembrer
690Que ele soloit jadis amer
les bons mangiers. & les lieus
ou ele sout faire ses gieus
ore fu issi beneuree
Que de tot ceo fu obliee
695& en tote la soue vie
Ne lui sovint puis de la folie
& unc puis en tot le boscage
Ne vit beste salvage
Ne altre vive creature
700par la forest vait tote seure
en plusors lieus prent son ostal
Sa vie esteit esperital
…..
…..
155Of her beauty and of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
At that time and in that realm,
160no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
16vaNo countess or queen
ever had such a daughter.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,
165her eyebrows bright and becoming,
her eyes black and smiling,
her mouth small and well-proportioned,
and pleasing her expression,
her face tender and blushing
170like a rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
was seen a defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
175Each of the breasts of the lady
was not a bit bigger than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and beautiful hands,
180and long, slender, and smooth fingers.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be described.
The beauty of this lady
could never be written down by any man.
185She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
when she does not care about the Creator.
She received gold and silver
190and bought good garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
16vbShe did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
195She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
200loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
all would say, “God, what a shame!
Alas evermore for the sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
205Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
that she was of very high parentage
for she answered all with reason
210and had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
615She roamed so long by day and by night,
hungry and thirsty and on hard beds,
and she was in this wood so long
that she became entirely wild there,
but she never forgot
620to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembers the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her soles were all worn out,
and her clothes were torn up.
625As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
From the winter and from the summer
630her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like ermine.
Her face was burned up
from the sun and from the frost.
635Her mouth was thinned,
and her flesh around it blackened.
Her chin was so black all over.
It was like the head of a firebrand,
and black were her eyes.
640There was not a shred of pride there now.
20rbIf you saw her ears,
it would seem to you a great marvel
for they were skinny and cracked
and with white hair all around.
645She had no more flesh in her breast,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her fingers
were blacker than any pitch.
She had large nails.
650She shaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was all sunken
for she put poor provisions in there.
Her feet were split
and, in many places, were wounded
655for she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
But it seemed to her, in her mind,
and she was not wrong about this at all,
that a sin fell away from her
660when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was pleased.
As she suffered hardship,
it was no marvel she was blackened
for she led a severe life.
665For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
670On these, she lived for many years.
In the first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
20vaEach day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
675And as soon as she had eaten up her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts, she ate it.
And none of this bothered her.
Prone, she drank from the stream.
680She had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
On grasses she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
685Then, for thirty years, she never ate
but what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came to her at first.
Often, he used to tempt her,
making her remember all
690that she once used to love:
the good foods and the places
where she was used to playing her games.
Now, she felt so blessed
as she had forgotten all of this.
695And in all her life,
she never thought then of folly.
And never then in all the wood
did she see any wild beast
nor any other living creature
700Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she takes shelter.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
155Of her beauty and of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
At that time and in that realm,
160no man ever saw a more beautiful woman.
16vaNo countess or queen
ever had such a daughter.
She had round ears.
What’s more, they were marvelously white,
165her eyebrows bright and becoming,
her eyes black and smiling,
her mouth small and well-proportioned,
and pleasing her expression,
her face tender and blushing
170like a rose that has just bloomed.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
was seen a defect.
Above the neck that was as white as ermine,
there flowed her blonde hair.
175Each of the breasts of the lady
was not a bit bigger than an apple.
Below her throat on her chest,
it was white like a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and beautiful hands,
180and long, slender, and smooth fingers.
She was neither too big nor too small.
Her form could never be described.
The beauty of this lady
could never be written down by any man.
185She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
when she does not care about the Creator.
She received gold and silver
190and bought good garments.
She had good and fitting clothes
to better please her lovers.
16vbShe did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
195She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
Well-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
200loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
all would say, “God, what a shame!
Alas evermore for the sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
205Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
that she was of very high parentage
for she answered all with reason
210and had such a beautiful form
that the son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
615She roamed so long by day and by night,
hungry and thirsty and on hard beds,
and she was in this wood so long
that she became entirely wild there,
but she never forgot
620to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembers the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her soles were all worn out,
and her clothes were torn up.
625As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color,
that which before was white like a flower.
From the winter and from the summer
630her sides blackened entirely.
The color of her blonde hair changed.
It turned white like ermine.
Her face was burned up
from the sun and from the frost.
635Her mouth was thinned,
and her flesh around it blackened.
Her chin was so black all over.
It was like the head of a firebrand,
and black were her eyes.
640There was not a shred of pride there now.
20rbIf you saw her ears,
it would seem to you a great marvel
for they were skinny and cracked
and with white hair all around.
645She had no more flesh in her breast,
no more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her fingers
were blacker than any pitch.
She had large nails.
650She shaped them with her teeth.
Her stomach was all sunken
for she put poor provisions in there.
Her feet were split
and, in many places, were wounded
655for she did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
But it seemed to her, in her mind,
and she was not wrong about this at all,
that a sin fell away from her
660when a thorn pricked her.
For this, she was pleased.
As she suffered hardship,
it was no marvel she was blackened
for she led a severe life.
665For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
Now may Jesus have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
670On these, she lived for many years.
In the first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
20vaEach day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
675And as soon as she had eaten up her bread,
then she plucked the grass of the field.
Like other beasts, she ate it.
And none of this bothered her.
Prone, she drank from the stream.
680She had no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
On grasses she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
685Then, for thirty years, she never ate
but what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came to her at first.
Often, he used to tempt her,
making her remember all
690that she once used to love:
the good foods and the places
where she was used to playing her games.
Now, she felt so blessed
as she had forgotten all of this.
695And in all her life,
she never thought then of folly.
And never then in all the wood
did she see any wild beast
nor any other living creature
700Through the forest, she goes totally assured.
In many places, she takes shelter.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
T-E
…..
157de sa bieuté de sa figure
Si com il est en escripture
Voil -i- poi dire le samblant
ançois que jo trespas avant
En icel tans ne en cel regne
162N’en ot onques plus bele feme
onques comtesse ne roine
N’en ot el chief plus bele crigne
roondes avoit les oreilles
& blances erent a merveilles
167les sorcils noirs & avenans
& les ioex vairs & molt rians
La bouche bele & par mesure
& pieue la regardeure
la face tenre & coloree
172comme rose novele nee
Ne ja el nés ne el menton
Ne parceusciés mesfaçon
Le col avoit blanc com ermine
Loiet estoit sa blonde crine
177N’iert mie graindres d’une pome
L’un des traians de cele domme
desus la boce en la poitrine
Ert si blance com flor d’espine
blans bras avoit & blances mains
182les dois reons grailles & plains
Gent cors avoit & bien mollé
Sus l’asoele lanc le costé
Ne trop grande ne trop petite
Ja sa façon n’en ert descrite
187la grans biautés de ceste dame
N’iert toute escrite par nul homme
Tant ert cortoise de parler
Rien n’i avoit que amender
a plaindre fait tel creature
192Quant de son Creator n’a cure
Ele recevoit grans presens
S’en achatoit biaus garnemens
biaus dras avoit & avenans
por bien plaisir a ses amans
197N’avoit pas soing de dras de laine
Al pior jor de la semaine
vestoit bon bliaut ostorin
Si afubloit mantel ermin
114rdSollers bien pains de cordoan
202chaucoit a tus les jors de l’an
li citeain de la cité
l’amoient tot por sa biauté
li ancien home & li sage
disoient tot que c’ert damage
207tant par mar fu ceste dolente
molt fait a plaindre sa jovente
mar fu onques la soie vie
Quant si est plaine de folie
tot disoient par la cité
212Qu’ele ert de haut parenté
Car a tos respondoit raison
& molt ert de bele façon
li fiex a -i- empereor
Le peust prendre par honor
…..
613tant ala par jor & par nuis
par bos par plains & par larris
& tant par font vint el boscage
Que tot devint iluec salvage
mais ele ne s’oblioit mie
618de proier a sainte Marie
Sovent li menbroit del ymage
Que ele avoit mis en ostage
Si drapel furent tost usé
& si sollers tost desramé
623Quant si drapel furent ronpu
li cors de li remest tot nu
la sieue char mua color
devant ert blance comme flor
Quant .i. iver i ot esté
628tot li noircirent li costé
molt li mua la blonde crine
blance devint com .i. ermine
del soleil & de la gelee
li fu la face molt bruslee
633Sa bouche fu atenevie
& environ sa char noircie
itant avoit noir le menton
comme ce fust chies d’un tison
tot li erent noir ci li oil
638N’avoit ore .i. point d’orgoil
Se vos en veisciés l’oreille
molt vos venist a grant merveille
Qui maigre estoit & decreue
& de blanc poil tote molsue
643Noire & molsue ert sa poitrine
bien resambloit escorce d’espine
N’avoit de char en ses traians
Nient plus qu’il est en .i. gans
les bras les mains & les lons dois
648Avoit plus noirs que n’en est pois
molt par avoit les ongles grans
as dens les ront qu’ele ot trençans
115vali ventres li ert agaris
car n’avoit nul de ses delis
653li pié li erent decrevé
& environ tot denavré
Ele ne se gardoit d’espine
Quant ele aloit par la gastine
Ce li ert vis son escient
658del bien faisoit petit u nient
Quant une espine le poignoit
En un de ses piés li chaoit
de ço estoit ele molt lie
Quant ele avoit la grant hascie
663N’estoit merveille si ert noircie
car molt demenoit aspre vie
plus de .xl. ans ala nue
N’iert par merveille si ert molsue
povre despens avoit od li
668Damedex ait de li merci
.ii. pains avoit ne gaires grans
de ces vesqui par pluisors ans
le premer an devindrent dur
com ce fuissent pieres de mur
673chascun jor en usoit Marie
mais ço ert petite partie
Quant ele ot tot son pain usé
donques aquelt l’erbe del pré
com autre beste le mangoit
678de rien ne se recomfortoit
as dens bevoit dou ruissel
Car n’i avoit autre vaiscel
Ne fait a plaindre li pechiet
dont li cors est si castiet
683d’erbe vesqui & de racine
dis & set anz en la gastine
puis fu .xxx. anz que ne manga
Se l’angles Deu ne l’aporta
Dyable vint a li de premier
688Sovent le soloit assaier
tot ce li faisoit ramenbrer
Qu’ele jadis soloit amer
les biaus delis & les bels lieus
ou ele seut faire ses gieus
693ore fu ele boneuree
Quant de tot ce fu obliee
Ainc gaires puis en tote sa vie
Ne li sovint puis de folie
Ne ainc en trestot le boscage
698Ne vit gaires beste salvage
Ne autre vive creature
par la forest vait tote nue
115vbEn pluisors lieus prist son ostal
Sa vie estoit esperital
…..
157de sa bieuté de sa figure
Si com il est en escripture
Voil -i- poi dire le samblant
ançois que jo trespas avant
En icel tans ne en cel regne
162N’en ot onques plus bele feme
onques comtesse ne roine
N’en ot el chief plus bele crigne
roondes avoit les oreilles
& blances erent a merveilles
167les sorcils noirs & avenans
& les ioex vairs & molt rians
La bouche bele & par mesure
& pieue la regardeure
la face tenre & coloree
172comme rose novele nee
Ne ja el nés ne el menton
Ne parceusciés mesfaçon
Le col avoit blanc com ermine
Loiet estoit sa blonde crine
177N’iert mie graindres d’une pome
L’un des traians de cele domme
desus la boce en la poitrine
Ert si blance com flor d’espine
blans bras avoit & blances mains
182les dois reons grailles & plains
Gent cors avoit & bien mollé
Sus l’asoele lanc le costé
Ne trop grande ne trop petite
Ja sa façon n’en ert descrite
187la grans biautés de ceste dame
N’iert toute escrite par nul homme
Tant ert cortoise de parler
Rien n’i avoit que amender
a plaindre fait tel creature
192Quant de son Creator n’a cure
Ele recevoit grans presens
S’en achatoit biaus garnemens
biaus dras avoit & avenans
por bien plaisir a ses amans
197N’avoit pas soing de dras de laine
Al pior jor de la semaine
vestoit bon bliaut ostorin
Si afubloit mantel ermin
114rdSollers bien pains de cordoan
202chaucoit a tus les jors de l’an
li citeain de la cité
l’amoient tot por sa biauté
li ancien home & li sage
disoient tot que c’ert damage
207tant par mar fu ceste dolente
molt fait a plaindre sa jovente
mar fu onques la soie vie
Quant si est plaine de folie
tot disoient par la cité
212Qu’ele ert de haut parenté
Car a tos respondoit raison
& molt ert de bele façon
li fiex a -i- empereor
Le peust prendre par honor
…..
613tant ala par jor & par nuis
par bos par plains & par larris
& tant par font vint el boscage
Que tot devint iluec salvage
mais ele ne s’oblioit mie
618de proier a sainte Marie
Sovent li menbroit del ymage
Que ele avoit mis en ostage
Si drapel furent tost usé
& si sollers tost desramé
623Quant si drapel furent ronpu
li cors de li remest tot nu
la sieue char mua color
devant ert blance comme flor
Quant .i. iver i ot esté
628tot li noircirent li costé
molt li mua la blonde crine
blance devint com .i. ermine
del soleil & de la gelee
li fu la face molt bruslee
633Sa bouche fu atenevie
& environ sa char noircie
itant avoit noir le menton
comme ce fust chies d’un tison
tot li erent noir ci li oil
638N’avoit ore .i. point d’orgoil
Se vos en veisciés l’oreille
molt vos venist a grant merveille
Qui maigre estoit & decreue
& de blanc poil tote molsue
643Noire & molsue ert sa poitrine
bien resambloit escorce d’espine
N’avoit de char en ses traians
Nient plus qu’il est en .i. gans
les bras les mains & les lons dois
648Avoit plus noirs que n’en est pois
molt par avoit les ongles grans
as dens les ront qu’ele ot trençans
115vali ventres li ert agaris
car n’avoit nul de ses delis
653li pié li erent decrevé
& environ tot denavré
Ele ne se gardoit d’espine
Quant ele aloit par la gastine
Ce li ert vis son escient
658del bien faisoit petit u nient
Quant une espine le poignoit
En un de ses piés li chaoit
de ço estoit ele molt lie
Quant ele avoit la grant hascie
663N’estoit merveille si ert noircie
car molt demenoit aspre vie
plus de .xl. ans ala nue
N’iert par merveille si ert molsue
povre despens avoit od li
668Damedex ait de li merci
.ii. pains avoit ne gaires grans
de ces vesqui par pluisors ans
le premer an devindrent dur
com ce fuissent pieres de mur
673chascun jor en usoit Marie
mais ço ert petite partie
Quant ele ot tot son pain usé
donques aquelt l’erbe del pré
com autre beste le mangoit
678de rien ne se recomfortoit
as dens bevoit dou ruissel
Car n’i avoit autre vaiscel
Ne fait a plaindre li pechiet
dont li cors est si castiet
683d’erbe vesqui & de racine
dis & set anz en la gastine
puis fu .xxx. anz que ne manga
Se l’angles Deu ne l’aporta
Dyable vint a li de premier
688Sovent le soloit assaier
tot ce li faisoit ramenbrer
Qu’ele jadis soloit amer
les biaus delis & les bels lieus
ou ele seut faire ses gieus
693ore fu ele boneuree
Quant de tot ce fu obliee
Ainc gaires puis en tote sa vie
Ne li sovint puis de folie
Ne ainc en trestot le boscage
698Ne vit gaires beste salvage
Ne autre vive creature
par la forest vait tote nue
115vbEn pluisors lieus prist son ostal
Sa vie estoit esperital
…..
…..
157Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
At that time and in that realm,
162there was never a more beautiful woman.
Never countess nor queen
had on her head more beautiful hair.
She had round ears,
and they were marvelously white,
167her eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes sparkling and joyful,
her mouth beautiful and well-proportioned,
and pleasing her expression,
her face tender and blushing
172like a freshly-bloomed rose.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
might you perceive any defect.
Her neck was white like ermine.
Long was her blonde hair.7
177Not a bit bigger than an apple was
either of the breasts of this lady.
Below her mouth on her chest,8
it was as white as a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and white hands,
182her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
Neither too big nor too small,
her frame could never be described.
187The great beauty of this lady
could not be written down fully by any man.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
192when she does not care about her Creator.
She received great presents,
and bought herself beautiful garments.
She had beautiful and fitting clothes
to please her lovers well.
197She did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
114rdWell-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
202she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
all would say that it was a shame.
207“Oh alas for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
212that she was of high parentage
for she answered all with reason
and had such a beautiful frame.
The son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
613She went so long by day and by night,
through woods, through plains, and through hills,
and so deeply she went into the wood
that she became entirely wild there,
but she never forgot
618to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her clothes were worn out,
and her soles were stripped.
623As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color.
Before, it was white like a flower.
When she had been there for one winter,
628her sides blackened entirely.
Her blonde hair changed greatly.
It turned white like an ermine
from the sun and from the frost.
Her face was very burned.
633Her mouth was thinned,
and her flesh around it blackened.
Her chin was so black
it was like the head of a firebrand.
All black were her eyes now.
638She had, now, not a shred of pride.
If you saw her ears,
it would occur to you a great marvel
for they were skinny and shrunken
and all woolly with white hairs.
643Black and woolly was her chest.
It so resembled thorny bark.
She did not have flesh in her breasts,
nothing more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
648were blacker than pitch.
She had such large nails
she ripped them with her sharp teeth.
115vaHer stomach was emaciated9
for she had none of her delights.
653Her feet were split
and wounded all over.
She did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
658that it would do little or no good
for as a thorn pricked her
in one of her feet, it would fall away.
For this, she was very pleased.
As she bore great hardship,
663it was no marvel she was blackened
for she led a very severe life.
For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
668May God have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these she lived for many years.
The first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
673Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she gathered the grass of the field.
Like other beasts, she ate it.
678She sought no other relief.
Prone, she drank from the stream
for there was no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
683On grass she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
Then, for thirty years, she ate only
what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came to her first.
688Often, he used to tempt her,
making her remember all
that she once used to love:
the fine delights and the fine places
where she was used to playing her games.
693Now, she felt blessed
as she had forgotten all of this.
Hardly ever again, for all her life,
did she think then of folly.
Never in all the wood
698did she see any wild beasts at all
nor any other living creature.
Through the forest, she goes utterly naked.
115vbIn many places, she took shelter.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
157Of her beauty, of her figure
(as it is in the written source)
I want to say a little — how they appeared —
before I go too far.
At that time and in that realm,
162there was never a more beautiful woman.
Never countess nor queen
had on her head more beautiful hair.
She had round ears,
and they were marvelously white,
167her eyebrows black and becoming,
and her eyes sparkling and joyful,
her mouth beautiful and well-proportioned,
and pleasing her expression,
her face tender and blushing
172like a freshly-bloomed rose.
Indeed neither on her nose nor on her chin
might you perceive any defect.
Her neck was white like ermine.
Long was her blonde hair.7
177Not a bit bigger than an apple was
either of the breasts of this lady.
Below her mouth on her chest,8
it was as white as a hawthorn flower.
She had white arms and white hands,
182her fingers shapely, slender, and smooth.
She had a fine body and was well molded
from her underarm along her side.
Neither too big nor too small,
her frame could never be described.
187The great beauty of this lady
could not be written down fully by any man.
She was so courteous of speech;
there was nothing to improve.
Such a creature makes one lament
192when she does not care about her Creator.
She received great presents,
and bought herself beautiful garments.
She had beautiful and fitting clothes
to please her lovers well.
197She did not care for woollen cloth
on the worst day of the week.
She wore a fine purple silk bliaut
and adorned herself with an ermine mantle.
114rdWell-painted shoes of Cordovan leather,
202she wore all the days of the year.
The citizens of the city
loved her entirely for her beauty.
The aged men and the wise
all would say that it was a shame.
207“Oh alas for this sufferer!
There is much to bemoan of her youth.
Alas evermore for her life
as it is so full of folly.”
Everyone in the city would say
212that she was of high parentage
for she answered all with reason
and had such a beautiful frame.
The son of an emperor
could have taken her with honor.
…..
613She went so long by day and by night,
through woods, through plains, and through hills,
and so deeply she went into the wood
that she became entirely wild there,
but she never forgot
618to pray to saint Mary.
Often, she remembered the image,
which she had taken as a guarantor.
Her clothes were worn out,
and her soles were stripped.
623As her clothes were in tatters,
her body was left totally naked.
Her own flesh changed color.
Before, it was white like a flower.
When she had been there for one winter,
628her sides blackened entirely.
Her blonde hair changed greatly.
It turned white like an ermine
from the sun and from the frost.
Her face was very burned.
633Her mouth was thinned,
and her flesh around it blackened.
Her chin was so black
it was like the head of a firebrand.
All black were her eyes now.
638She had, now, not a shred of pride.
If you saw her ears,
it would occur to you a great marvel
for they were skinny and shrunken
and all woolly with white hairs.
643Black and woolly was her chest.
It so resembled thorny bark.
She did not have flesh in her breasts,
nothing more than there is in a glove.
Her arms, her hands, and her long fingers
648were blacker than pitch.
She had such large nails
she ripped them with her sharp teeth.
115vaHer stomach was emaciated9
for she had none of her delights.
653Her feet were split
and wounded all over.
She did not protect herself from thorns
as she went through the wilderness.
It seemed to her, in her mind,
658that it would do little or no good
for as a thorn pricked her
in one of her feet, it would fall away.
For this, she was very pleased.
As she bore great hardship,
663it was no marvel she was blackened
for she led a very severe life.
For more than forty years, she went about nude:
it was no marvel she was woolly.
She had poor provisions with her.
668May God have mercy on her.
She had two loaves of no great size.
On these she lived for many years.
The first year, they became hard
as though they were building stones.
673Each day, Mary ate some,
but this was a small portion.
As soon as she had eaten up all her bread,
then she gathered the grass of the field.
Like other beasts, she ate it.
678She sought no other relief.
Prone, she drank from the stream
for there was no other vessel.
Not to be lamented is the sin
that chastised the body so.
683On grass she lived and on roots
for seventeen years in the wilderness.
Then, for thirty years, she ate only
what the angel of God brought to her.
The Devil came to her first.
688Often, he used to tempt her,
making her remember all
that she once used to love:
the fine delights and the fine places
where she was used to playing her games.
693Now, she felt blessed
as she had forgotten all of this.
Hardly ever again, for all her life,
did she think then of folly.
Never in all the wood
698did she see any wild beasts at all
nor any other living creature.
Through the forest, she goes utterly naked.
115vbIn many places, she took shelter.
Her life was spiritual.
…..
Some might translate “Mais” at the start of this verse — which appears in copies T-A (v.166), T-B (v.158), and T-D (v.164) — with the conjunction ‘but’ to indicate that the roundness of Mary’s ears is a fault compensated for by the fact that they were marvelously white — as in ‘She had round ears, / but they were marvelously white.’ However, this would violate the general rule of thumb for twelfth-century portraits that all of the characteristics of a beautiful person should be positive. Alice Colby writes that ears seldom receive much attention in the portraits of beautiful people and that ears are a feature commonly described in the portraits of ‘ugly creatures’ (96-97), but Mary the Egyptian complicates neat categorization between beauty and ugliness. It is, at least, likely that Mary’s ears are mentioned in Portrait 1 to create a more stark comparison between their initial beauty and their later condition in the desert. Therefore, I have translated mais in such a way that conveys the full initial beauty of her ears.↩︎
Copies T-B (v.165), T-D (v.168), and T-E (v.170) each use a form of the adjective piu (pious; compassionate, merciful, benevolent, kind) to describe Mary the Egyptian’s regardure (glance, gaze; expression, outward appearance). Although it is a possible translation, ‘pious’ does not seem to be the best choice here as this verse portrays Mary during her most sinful period when she is explicitly indifferent toward God (v.192). Similarly, it seems inappropriate to suggest that Mary would have a ‘compassionate’ look when just before Portrait 1 (vv.126-148), the T-poet recounts Mary’s apparent pleasure at the sight of her many lovers stabbing each other to death at her feet. It may be that this verse foreshadows Mary’s renewed piety and benevolence in the second portrait, but in this moment, Mary’s body and way of being are otherwise only outwardly pleasing, so I have translated the phrase to convey her ‘pleasing expression.’ T-C (v.172) also offers a challenging verse to interpret, uniquely describing her expression as simple, suggesting a plain look of humility, modesty, or innocence, but luckily the Modern English ‘simple’ satisfies these connotations. T-A (v.170) is the only copy to list Mary’s foot among her positive qualities, suggesting in this verse that she is outwardly pleasing from head to toe.↩︎
The translation of this verse in each of the copies — T-A (v.216), T-B (v.206), T-C (v.218), T-D (v.212), and T-E (v.216) — intentionally leaves room for some ambiguity. While the verb prendre in this context may imply ‘to take in marriage,’ the verb also has the undeniable sexual connotation of ‘to take, have sexual intercourse with.’ Whether the poet means that the son of an emperor might have married Mary or only taken her in as his concubine, either way it is clear that the arrangement would be appropriate and honorable. Mary the Egyptian is not your average escort.↩︎
While copies T-A and T-D end each of these verses — vv.639 & 651 in T-A and vv.643 & 653 in T-D — with the past participle of decrever (to smash, break; to crack, split), copies T-C and T-E initially use the past participle of decrestre (to decrease; to degrade; to shrink) — v.651 in T-C and v.641 in T-E — in order to meet the demands of the rhyme scheme, which pairs the past participle of decrestre with the adjective mossu (mossy; woolly; fuzzy). Then — like T-A and T-D — T-E (v.653) uses the part participle of decrever, and T-C (v.663) uses the past participle of escrever — a near synonym of decrever. T-B follows the same pattern found in copies T-C and T-E but initially uses “degregue” (v.589 in T-B), which seems to be a misspelling of degrader (to degrade; to deteriorate), followed by “decrevez” in v.597.↩︎
A toise is a unit of measurement of approximately six feet derived from an arm span. The scribe of T-B may be inviting the reader not just to think of Mary the Egyptian’s size but more specifically to consider the proportions of her upper body, which would be accentuated by her bliaut. With the end rhyme of “proise” — proiser (to value; to prize) in the following verse (v.182 in T-B), it is possible that the scribe is also implying that Mary’s body may be both ‘praised’ for its quality and ‘appraised’ for its worth.↩︎
Readers might interpret the verb of this verse (v.616 in T-B) as esrager (‘to go mad, wild, or rabid’) — as in ‘then she went wild for the grasses of the fields’ — but that interpretation disrupts the otherwise peaceful existence Mary is experiencing in the desert. Instead esracher (to uproot; to tear out; to pull away) has been applied here in alignment with the same verse as it appears in copies T-A (v.674), T-C (v.686), and T-D (v.676). Uniquely, T-E (v.676) uses the verb acqueller (to gather; to seize).↩︎
It is not totally clear what word the scribe intended to write at the start of this verse (v.176 in T-E) — Dembowski puts a question mark next to the word in the variance notes of his edition (75n176) — but the manuscript clearly reads “Loiet.” It is possible the scribe miscopied an abbreviated form of the verb ondoier (to flow; to abound) from an exemplar, which would align well with the same verse as it appears in all other copies — apart from T-B which omits this verse. It could be that the scribe is using the verb loer (or loier) to say that her hair was ‘praised’ or ‘acclaimed.’ It is also possible — though less likely — that the scribe is using an unusual spelling of lier, which uncommonly may be spelled loier, meaning ‘bound’ or ‘tied.’ I have translated the word as ‘long’ to keep this verse in alignment with the meaning of the same verse in the other copies while also subtly signaling the uniqueness of this copy. Though “Loiet” is not at all an acceptable spelling of ‘long,’ it seems to me that ‘long’ may be the safest translation as it conveys what would be an expected trait for a beautiful woman’s hair in the context of a twelfth-century portrait: length.↩︎
All other copies exclusively offer the spelling bouche for ‘mouth’ apart from T-B which uses the spelling boce twice (vv.164 & 169 of T-B). T-E is somewhat inconsistent, using the spelling bouche twice (vv.169 & 633) and boce once (v.179). That inconsistency paired with another meaning of boce (lump; hump; bump) and the relative ambiguity of desus, which could mean either ‘above’ or ‘below,’ allows for an alternative translation that uses Mary’s bust as a point of reference here as opposed to her mouth. The verse could, therefore, read something like ‘Above the bump on her chest’ (v.179 in T-E). Either way in every copy, this couplet refers to the whiteness of Mary’s décolletage, the space below her mouth and above her bustline.↩︎
It is difficult to determine the precise meaning of the final word of this verse — “agaris” (v.651 in T-E). All other copies use various spellings of either the verb chair or dechair, meaning ‘to fall,’ ‘to decline,’ ‘to collapse,’ ‘to decay.’ It is possible that the scribe intended “agaris” to function as an antonym of garir (to heal; to protect; to feed), or the scribe might have meant to write an abbreviated variant spelling of amegrir (to make thin, lean). I have chosen the translation ‘emaciated’ to capture both the concepts of withering and starving.↩︎