XLI - Pus s’enfulleysson li verjan

Summary

5 MSS: A (30^v-31^r) Marcabruns, C (171^v) Macabra (C Reg. Marc e bru), I (118^v–119^r) Marcabrus, K (104^v–105^r) Marcabrus, d (305^v), Marcabrus

Analysis of the manuscripts

The transmission of stanzas corresponds to the predictable division between, AIK and C; however, many lines contain eo variants, and this relative uniformity militates against presenting separate versions. C contains errors in 6,13,14, 16, 23, 24, lacks stanza VI, and is mutilated from 41 on because of the removal of a vignette; in stanza VIII it is not clear whether the beginnings of lines in the MS correspond to separate lines in the poem, but the capital at the beginning of 49 and the -an rhyme in 50 indicate that a new stanza starts at 49. There is also a line missing in stanza IX, either at 52 or 53, independently of the mutilation. C appears to innovate in 2. AIK are joined in error in 1 and lack stanzas VI–IX, with further errors in Ami, 12, 26 and36, IK at 2, 23 and 33, Jat 14 and 31. In addition^ is isolated at 1, 13, 18, 29, 30. There appears to be an archetype error in 20 (see the note).

Because of the number and nature of its errors Cis not the ideal choice of base, though it is needed for lines 37–54, whatever their damaged state. The main division between A and IK occurs in 23, with A alone having a meaningful reading. In addition its versions of 13, 18, 29 and 30 seem marginally preferable to those of IK. We therefore adopt A as base for stanzas I–VI, with C supplying the rest (and line 1).

Versification

Frank, Repértoire, 193.3: a8 a8 b8 a8 a8 b8, nine coblas unissonans.

Previous scholarship

Appel, ‘Zu Marcabru’, pp. 430-31; Errante, Marcabru, pp. 189,190; Falk, ‘Couvrechef’ p. 57; Goddard, ‘Marcabru’, p. 67; Harvey, Marcabru, pp. 35,45,75-76, 80- 82, 140, 151; Köhler, Trobadorfyrik, p. 46; Lewent, ‘Beiträge’, pp. 446-47; Mölk, Trobarclus, p. 42; Paterson, ‘Obscenite’, p. 474; Pellegrini, ‘Intorno’, p. 32; Spanke, Marcabrustudien, pp, 13, 80; Topsfield, Troubadours, pp. 74, 106–7.

This poem has mainly generated interest for Marcabru’s concept of the natural, and his view of his own teaching.

Previous edition

Dejeanne.