Jacme Scrivà
Encyclopedia
Jacme Scrivà was a Catalan
knight
(mossèn) and poet
of the late fourteenth century. In contemporary documents Jacme's name is spelled Jacme Scriva, without the accent. In modern Catalan orthography it is spelled Jaume Escrivà. His surname means "scribe
".
He is named as the composer of a French
ballade
, Hoiés ores, mon Cuer, ce que vueil dire, listed among the ballades of Oton de Granson in the Cançoner Vega-Aguiló
. That same chansonnier attributes an Occitan canso
that is actually by Uc de Saint Circ
, Tres enemics e dos mals seignors ai. It is not unlikely, therefore, that the ascription in the same chansonnier of a song among Oton's may also be false. If the ascription is correct, it is probably to be connected with certain poetic contests being held in Paris
late in the fourteenth century, which were known in Catalonia according to certain letters regarding the foundation of the Consistori de Barcelona
. Either way, the ascription shows Jacme Scrivà to have been famous enough in the years 1420–30, when the Vega-Aguiló was copied, to be credied with original compositions in more than one non-native tongue.
The only two pieces of Jacme's poetry in the Catalan language
are preserved in the Cançoner de Saragossa. En be fort punt suy entrat en la setla is a cobla esparsa about the poet's insomnia
due to love. Pus que demendat m'avets is a lesson on the technical aspects of writing, addressed to a lady. In fact it is all erotic double entendre
. A single cobla
from a lost poem of Jacme's is preserved in Lo conhort by Francesc Ferrer; it begins Amor, Amor, quisvulla us don lausor.
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
(mossèn) and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
of the late fourteenth century. In contemporary documents Jacme's name is spelled Jacme Scriva, without the accent. In modern Catalan orthography it is spelled Jaume Escrivà. His surname means "scribe
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
".
He is named as the composer of a French
Middle French
Middle French is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from 1340 to 1611. It is a period of transition during which:...
ballade
Ballade
The ballade is a form of French poetry. It was one of the three formes fixes and one of the verse forms in France most commonly set to music between the late 13th and the 15th centuries....
, Hoiés ores, mon Cuer, ce que vueil dire, listed among the ballades of Oton de Granson in the Cançoner Vega-Aguiló
Cançoner Vega-Aguiló
The Cançoner Vega-Aguiló is a chansonnier predominantly carrying Catalan and Occitan pieces, but also some Castilian and Middle French verse.-Bibliography:*Anna Alberni Jordà , PhD thesis, University of Barcelona....
. That same chansonnier attributes an Occitan canso
Canso (song)
The canso is a song style used by the troubadours. It consists of three parts. The first stanza is the exordium, where the composer explains his purpose. The main body of the song occurs in the following stanzas, and usually draw out a variety of relationships with the exordium. The canso can end...
that is actually by Uc de Saint Circ
Uc de Saint Circ
Uc de Saint Circ or Hugues de Saint Circq was a troubadour from Quercy. Uc is perhaps most significant to modern historians as the probable author of several vidas and razos of other troubadours, though only one of Bernart de Ventadorn exists under his name...
, Tres enemics e dos mals seignors ai. It is not unlikely, therefore, that the ascription in the same chansonnier of a song among Oton's may also be false. If the ascription is correct, it is probably to be connected with certain poetic contests being held in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
late in the fourteenth century, which were known in Catalonia according to certain letters regarding the foundation of the Consistori de Barcelona
Consistori de Barcelona
The Consistori de Barcelona was a literary academy founded in Barcelona by John the Hunter, King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona, in 1393 in imitation of the Consistori del Gay Saber founded at Toulouse seventy years earlier . The poetry produced by and for the Consistori was heavily influenced...
. Either way, the ascription shows Jacme Scrivà to have been famous enough in the years 1420–30, when the Vega-Aguiló was copied, to be credied with original compositions in more than one non-native tongue.
The only two pieces of Jacme's poetry in the Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
are preserved in the Cançoner de Saragossa. En be fort punt suy entrat en la setla is a cobla esparsa about the poet's insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
due to love. Pus que demendat m'avets is a lesson on the technical aspects of writing, addressed to a lady. In fact it is all erotic double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
. A single cobla
Cobla (Occitan literary term)
A cobla is a stanza in Occitan lyric poetry, the art form of the troubadours. Though not usually standalone work in itself, in many instances a cobla or two is all that survives of what was once a complete poem. Each cobla of a song was usually played to the same melody, but a few songs were...
from a lost poem of Jacme's is preserved in Lo conhort by Francesc Ferrer; it begins Amor, Amor, quisvulla us don lausor.
External links
- Incipitario di Jaume Escrivà, with links to edited original-language texts of his complete works