Gaubertz de Poicebot and his patron, Savaric de Mauleon

One of the noblest figures of the time, if we are to believe the chronicle, was Savaric de Mauleon, the rich baron of Peiteu, mentioned above, son of Sir Reios de Malleon; "lord was he of Malleon and of Talarmon and of Fontenai, and of castle Ailion and of Boetand of Benaon and of St Miquel en Letz and of the isles of Ners and of the isle of Mues and of Nestrine and of Engollius and of many other good places." As one may read in the continuation of this notice and verify from the razos of the other troubadours, "he was of the most open-handed men in the world." He seems to have left little verse save the tenzon with Faidit. (LE 99)

 ***

The monk, Gaubertz de Poicebot, “was a man of birth; he was of the bishopric of Limozin, son of the castellan of Poicebot. And he was made monk when he was a child in a monastery, which is called Saint Leonart. And he knew well letters, and well to sing and well trobar. And for desire of woman he went forth from the monastery. And he came thence to the man to whom came all who for courtesy wished honour and good deeds - to Sir Savaric de Mauleon - and this man gave him the harness of a joglar and a horse and clothing; and then he went through the courts and composed and made good canzos. And he set his heart upon a donzella gentle and fair and made his songs of her, and she did not wish to love him unless he should get himself made a knight and take her to wife. And he told En Savaric how the girl had refused him, wherefore En Savaric made him a knight and gave him land and the income from it. And he married the girl and held her in great honour. And it happened that he went into Spain, leaving her behind him. And a knight out of England set his mind upon her and did so much and said so much that he led her with him and he kept her long time his mistress and then let her go to the dogs (malamen anar). And En Gaubertz returned form Spain, and lodged himself one night in the city where she was. And he went out for desire of woman, and he entered the alberc of a poor woman; for they told him there was a fine woman within. And he found his wife. And when he saw her, and she him, great was the grief between them and great shame. And he stopped the night with her, and on the morrow he went forth with her to a nunnery where he had her enter. And for his grief he ceased to sing and to compose.” If you are minded, as Browning was in his One Word More, you may search out the song that En Gaubertz made, riding down the second time from Malleon, flushed with the unexpected knighthood.

            Per amor del belh temps suau  
            E quar fin amore men somo.

“For love of the sweet time and soft” he beseeches this “lady in whom joy and worth have shut themselves and all good in its completeness” to give him grace and the kisses due to him a year since. And he ends in envoi to Savaric.

Senher savaric larc e bo 
            Vor troba hom tota fazo  
            Quelk vostre ric fag son prezan
            El dig cortes e benestan

La Tour has given us seed of drama in the passage above rendered.

Pound's note: Millord Savaric, generous/ to thy last bond, men find thee thus,/That thy rich acts are food for praise/ And courtly are thy words and days (LE 96).

Note: Pound’s source is a manuscript by Miquel de la Tour in the Bibliothéque nationale in Paris. He follows de Poicebot's vida with the one of Peire de Maensac. RP

REFERENCES

Pound, Ezra. [Savaric de Mauleon.] In “Troubadours: Their Sorts and Conditions,” WTSF 88-89; P&P I: 166-168; WTSF 92; P&P I: 171; LE 99.

Pound, Ezra. [Gaubertz de Poicebot.] In “Troubadours: Their Sorts and Conditions,” WTSF 88-89; P&P I: 166-168; LE 95-96.