Introduction

Amours is preserved in only one manuscript: S. The last line of the lay contains the name Girart (‘Girarz dira des lais avant’), but it is not entirely clear whether this is a reference to the author of the lay or to the clerk who is instrumental in recording the love affair recounted in the narrative. The author and the clerk could also be one and the same person.

An unnamed nobleman (‘haut home’, v. 10, etc.) visits a foreign country on business and meets there a lady of equal nobility. They fall in love at first sight. With little opportunity to be together they suffer the torments of love, to which they give vent in the form of monologues. The nobleman considers it unseemly to speak to the lady of his love, but, for her part, she tells him clearly of her feelings for him. Overjoyed, he declares his love for her, but no sooner have they got together than the nobleman is summoned to return home on urgent business. They pledge their hearts and love to each other, and after departing he devotes a lengthy monologue to the bond that unites them. The lady has told him that their two hearts are one and in learned fashion he examines the logic of this, explaining it as the equivalent of two streams that run together in such a way that they are inseparable. He decides to send the lady a love letter (salut) expressing his love, suffering and thoughts about their two hearts. His clerk is summoned to write the letter and a messenger takes it to the lady. When the messenger returns, we are provided with a detailed account of her reply, which leads to two more lengthy monologues by the nobleman, in the second of which he laments his delay in going to see her. So he sends her a further letter stating his intention to visit her. The lay ends with the nobleman waiting for a reply and Girart waiting to continue his tale when it arrives.

There is very little action in this lay. Beginning with the common ‘boy meets girl’ theme, the tale revolves principally around a series of conversations, personal thoughts and letters.