Je chevauchai l’autrier la matinee;
Delez un bois, assez pres de l’entree,
Gentil pastore truis.
Mes ne vi onques puis
Si plaine de deduis
Ne qui si bien m’agree.
Ma tres doucete suer,
Vos avez tout mon cuer,
Ne vous leroie a nul fuer;
M’amor vous ai donee.

Vers li me tres, si descendi a terre
Pour li vöer et por s’amor requerre.
Tout maintenant li dis:
«Mon cuer ai en vos mis,
Si m’a vostre amor sorpris,
Plus vous aim que riens nee».
Ma tres doucete suer,
Vos avez tout mon cuer,
Ne vous leroie a nul fuer;
M’amor vous ai donee.

Ele me dist: «Sire, alez vostre voie!
Vez ci venir Robin qui j’atendoie,
Qui est et bel et genz.
S’il venoit, sanz contens
N’en iriez pas, ce pens,
Tost avrïez mellee».
Ma tres doucete suer,
Vos avez tout mon cuer,
Ne vous leroie a nul fuer;
M’amor vous ai donee.

«Il ne vendra, bele suer, oncor mie,
Il est dela le bois ou il chevrie.»
Dejoste li m’assis,
Mes braz au col li mis;
Ele m’a geté un ris
Et dit qu’ele ert tuee.
Ma tres doucete suer,
Vos avez tout mon cuer,
Ne vous leroie a nul fuer;
M’amor vous ai donee.

Quant j’oi tout fet de li quanq’il m’agree,
Je la besai, a Dieu l’ai conmandee.
Puis dist, qu’en l’ot mult haut,
Robin qui l’en assaut:
«Dehez ait qui en chaut!
Ç’a fet ta demoree».
Ma tres doucete suer,
Vos avez tout mon cuer,
Ne vous leroie a nul fuer;
M’amor vous ai donee.

Richart de Semilli (fl1200-1200)

I rode out the other morning;
by a wood, quite near to the entrance,
I found a delightful shepherdess.
I have never seen since
either one so full of pleasure
or one who pleased me so well.
My very sweet sister,
you have my whole heart,
I will not leave you at any price;
I have given you my love.

I drew towards her, and so dismounted to the ground
to beg her and ask her for her love.
I said to her straightaway:
‘I have set my heart upon you,
love of you has smitten me so,
I love you more than any creature born’.
My very sweet sister,
you have my whole heart,
I will not leave you at any price;
I have given you my love.

She said to me: ‘Sir, go your way!
See here how Robin comes for whom I was waiting,
who is fair and pleasing.
If he comes you will not
get away, I think;
you will quickly have a brawl’.
My very sweet sister,
you have my whole heart,
I will not leave you at any price;
I have given you my love.

‘He will not come yet, fair sister,
for he is beyond the wood playing his bagpipe.’
I sat next to her,
put my arm around her neck;
she smiled
and said that she was done for.
My very sweet sister,
you have my whole heart,
I will not leave you at any price;
I have given you my love.

When I had done all that I wished with her,
I kissed her and bid her farewell.
Then she said, aloud for all to hear,
when Robin reproached her for it:
‘Damn anyone who cares!
Your delay was to blame’.
My very sweet sister,
you have my whole heart,
I will not leave you at any price;
I have given you my love.