François Villon, Ballade de Mercy, 1461 A Chartreux et a Celestins,
A Mendïans et a Devoctes,
A musars et clacque patins,
A servans et filles mignoctes
Portans seurcoz et justes coctes,
A cuidereaux d'amour transsiz
Chauçans sans mehain fauves boctes,
Je crye a toutes gens mercys. Je crye a toutes gens mercys.
A fillectes monstrans tetins
Pour avoir plus largement hostes,
A ribleurs, menneurs de hutins,
A batelleurs, trayans mermoctes,
A folz, folles, a sotz, a soctes,
Qui s'en vont cyfflant six a six,
A vecyes et marïotes,
Je crye a toutes gens mercys. Je crye a toutes gens mercys.
Synon aux traitres chiens matins
Qui m'ont fait ronger dures crostes,
Macher mains soirs et mains matins,
Que ores je ne crains trois croctes.
Je feisse pour eulx petz et roctes;
Je ne puis, car je suis assiz.
Auffort, pour esviter rïoctes,
Je crye a toutes gens mercys.
Je crye a toutes gens mercys. C'on leur froisse les quinze costes
De groz mailletz, fors et massiz,
De plombees et telz peloctes!
Je crye a toutes gens mercys. Je crye a toutes gens mercys. François Villon, The Ballad of Pardon, 1461 (Translation, Peter Dean) To Carthusians and Celestines;
to wandering friars and devotees;
to dawdlers and fops whose pins
drum in the streets; to tarts like these
whose skirts and topcoats show their knees;
to fancy lovers, taking a bow
in boots of tan leather which strangely please:
I must of all ask pardon now. I must of all ask pardon now.
To whores who let their tits hang out
to boost their clients’ interest;
to bouncers, roisterers who shout;
to jugglers showing their chits the best
of tricks; the mad, the soaks, the rest
who, six-strong, stroll about - and how!
to monkeys, dolls, dressed or undressed -
I must of all ask pardon now. I must of all ask pardon now.
But not the thuggish treacherous dogs
who gave me but the odd stale scrap
of rock-hard bread on which to dine,
so that not three turds could I crap.
A fart or belch would fill the gap
but, seated, I can’t anyhow!
OK - a riot I won’t tap.
I must of all ask pardon now. I must of all ask pardon now.
I hope they get their ribs well-bruised
with hefty mallet, heads to bow,
with lead shot knocked about and used.
I must of all ask pardon now. I must of all ask pardon now.
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