I - A la fontana del vergier

Summary

1 MS: C (173^v) marcabru (C Reg. marc e bru)

Analysis of the manuscript

The only surviving copy of this song contains a repeated rhyme-word (17 and 20), several apparent Sectional irregularities (18, 25 and 41), obvious errors in lines 2 and 23, plus a syntactical difficulty in 12–13 which is possibly the result of scribal error, and it presents problems of rhyme forms in stanza VI which have been attributed to scribal practice (see the notes to lines 36–42). Given the abrupt and inconclusive ending, it is not impossible that only a truncated version of the song has been preserved.

Versification

Frank, Repértoire, 54.1: a8 a8 a8 b8 a8 a8 c8; six cohlas singulars; ‘b’ (-ors) and V (-atz) are constant; unkum. In our view, the -ey rhyme-words of stanza VI are forms confected for the sake of the rhyme (see the notes to lines 36–42).

Previous scholarship

Appel, ‘Zu Marcabru’, pp. 412, 437; Boissonnade, ‘Personnages’, pp. 222–23; Caluwé, ‘Pour une relecture’; Chambers, Introduction, p. 57; Cholakian, Troubadour Lyric, pp. 57–64; Errante, Marcabru, pp. 238–39; Hamlin, Hathaway and Ricketts, Introduction, pp. 69–70; Harvey, ‘Lavador’, pp. 134–37; Hatcher, ‘A la fontana’; Hölzle, Kreuzzüge, II, pp. 690–91; Köhler, ‘Remarques’, p. 124; Lawoer, ‘Marcabrun’, p. 500; Lewent, ‘Kreuzlied’, pp. 324, 398; Lewent, ‘Les adverbes provençaux’, p, 295; Limentani, ‘A la fontana’; Limentani, L’eaezione, pp. 29-44; Olson, ‘Immutable Love’, pp. 194-97; Padeo, Medieval Pastourelk, I, pp. 42–43, II, p. 540; Pagani, ‘Per un’interpretazione’; Pirot, CA la fontana’; Roncaglia, ‘Schedario’, pp. 280–83; Saiz, Personae, pp. 80-85; Spanke, Marcabrustudien, p. 13; Thiolier-Méjean, ‘Croisade’, p, 299; Vossler, ‘Marcabru’, pp. 54-58.

Previous scholarship has concentrated on the generic classification of this song, on its references to crusading and Marcabru’s attitude towards this, and on the interpretation of the donzelha’s and the suitor’s attitudes to love in the light of Marcabru’s other songs. Pirot’s edition was to have been followed by a ‘commentaire historique’: this has never appeared.

Dating

The reference to King Louis (VII), the preaching and the call to arms (lines 26–27) indicate that this song alludes to the Second Crusade. If ‘lo mans’ has a precise referent, it would most likely be to the mustering of French troops at Metz in June 1147, Compare Boissonnade, ‘Personnages’, p. 223 note 2, who proposes a date of composition ‘entre mai 1146 et juin 1147’.