Plaindre m'estuet

Plaindre m’estuet de ma damme jolye

Vers tous amans, qui par sa courtoisie

Tout m’a failly sa foy qu’avoit promis;

Aultre de moy, taut que seroye vis,

Jamais changier ne devoit en sa vie.

Ne scay comment elle a fait departie

De moy; certes, ne le cuidesse mye

En tel deffault trouver, ce m’estoit vis.

Plaindre m’estuet …

Mais je scay bien que la merancolie

En moy n’ara pour yceste folye;

Renouveler voldray malgre son vis

D’aultre damme dont mon cuer est souspris,

Et renuncer de tout sa campaignye.

Plaindre m’estuet …

Translation:

I must complain of my fair lady

to all lovers, for she has had the courtesy

to break completely the promise which she made me;

all her life, while I am still alive,

she ought never to change me for another.

I do not know how she came to leave me;

I certainly never expected

to see her so transgress, or so I thought.

I must complain …

But I am sure this folly of hers

will never make me melancholy;

I will begin again, in spite of her,

with another lady of whom I am enamoured,

and renounce her company altogether.

I must complain …