‘Wedding Night’ by Christine de Pisan, Translated by Margaret Coats

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Wedding Night

by Christine de Pisan (1364–c. 1430)
translated by Margaret Coats

A sweet supremacy marks marriage;
I prove it from experience.
I have a husband good and sage,
Bestowed through God’s great providence;
Praised be His saving diligence!
This holy state serves to excel
All treasures of benevolence,
For sure, my sweet one loves me well.

That night, the very first of marriage,
I could have given evidence:
He did me no ignoble outrage,
Nor caused me anguish or offense,
But at the morning’s imminence
A hundred kisses gave to tell
His pleasure in my ravishments,
For sure, my sweet one loves me well.

What’s more, he said, in such sweet language,
“God placed you in my power, whence,
Sweet friend, as you are mine for usage,
I have a cheerful confidence
That He my worthiness augments.”
All night I never ceased to dwell
In sweet dreams of his excellence,
For sure, my sweet one loves me well.

Princes, love swayed my every sense
When he said, “I am yours, my belle.”
Sweetness it was with vehemence,
For sure, my sweet one loves me well.

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Princes: It is conventional to address the optional envoi of a ballade to a “prince.” The word courteously addresses the highest-ranking person or persons present when a poem is read aloud. Christine de Pisan, a court poet, had both royal and noble patrons.

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French Original

Doulce chose est que marriage;
Je le puis bien par moy prouver,
Voire a qui mary bon et sage
A, comme Dieu m’ai fait trouver.
Louez en soit il qui sauver
Le me veuille, car son grant bien
De fait je puis bien esprouver,
Et certes le doulz m’aime bien.

La premiere nuit du marriage
Très lors poz je bien esprouver
Son grant bien, car oncques oultrage
Ne me fist, dont me deust grever,
Mais ains qu’il fust temps de lever,
Cent fois baisa, si com je tien,
Sanz villenie autre rouver,
Et certes le doulz m’aime bien.

Et disoit, par si doulz langage,
“Dieux m’a fait a vous arriver,
Doulce amie, et pour vostre usage
Je croy qu’il me fist eslever.”
Ainsi ne fina de resver
Toute nuit en si fait maintien,
Sanz autrement soy desriver,
Et certes le doulz m’aime bien.

Princes, d’amour me fait desver
Quant il me dit qu’il et tout mien;
De doulçour me fera crever,
Et certes le doulz m’aime bien.

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Margaret Coats lives in California.  She holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University.  She has retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.