Jehan Bretel
Encyclopedia
Jehan Bretel was a trouvère
. Of his known oeuvre of probably 97 songs, 96 have survived. Judging by his contacts with other trouvères he was famous and popular. Seven works by other trouvères (Jehan de Grieviler
, Jehan Erart
, Jaques le Vinier
, Colart le Boutellier
, and Mahieu de Gant
) are dedicated to Bretel and he was for a time the "Prince" of the Puy d'Arras
.
Bretel held the hereditary post of sergeant
at the Abbey of Saint Vaast in Arras
, in which capacity he oversaw the rights of the abbacy on the river Scarpe. He is referred to as sergens iretavles de la riviere Saint-Vaast in a document of 1256. His father, Jehan, had held this same post from 1241 (at the latest) until his death in 1244. His grandfather, Jacques, was described as sergent héréditaire around the turn of the century, when there were eight such officials associated with the abbey. The trouvère and his brother were modestly wealthy property owners near Arras, where Jehan died in 1272.
Bretel wrote eight known chansons courtoises, of which seven survive. Bretel dedicated the chanson Li miens chanters to the countess Beatrice, wife of William III of Dampierre
and sister of Henry III
, Duke of Brabant
.
Bretel also participated in eighty-nine jeux partis, nearly half of all recorded jeux partis. Many of these are assigned on the basis of internal evidence (the poets are often named) since they lack rubric
s. A few of these are addressed only to a Sire Jehan or just Sire and their ascription to Bretel, though likely, is not certain. About forty different poets from the region around Arras participated in these jeux partis, either as judges or correspondents. Generally these poems are grouped with others by Bretel in the chansonnier
s, even if he did not initiate them, though those he initiated with the famous trouvère Adam de la Halle
are usually grouped with Adam's works.
Trouvère
Trouvère , sometimes spelled trouveur , is the Northern French form of the word trobador . It refers to poet-composers who were roughly contemporary with and influenced by the troubadours but who composed their works in the northern dialects of France...
. Of his known oeuvre of probably 97 songs, 96 have survived. Judging by his contacts with other trouvères he was famous and popular. Seven works by other trouvères (Jehan de Grieviler
Jehan de Grieviler
Jehan de Grieviler was an Artesian cleric and trouvère.Jehan was probably born at Grévillers near Arras. A certain "Grieviler" is mentioned in the necrology of the Confrérie des jongleurs et des bourgeois d'Arras under 1254–5, but since Jehan was a known member of the Puy d'Arras, he cannot...
, Jehan Erart
Jehan Erart
Jehan Erart was a trouvère from Arras, particularly noted for his favouring the pastourelle genre. He has left behind eleven pastourelles, ten grand chants, and one serventois....
, Jaques le Vinier
Jaques le Vinier
Jaques le Vinier was a trouvère probably from the region around Arras and associated with the trouvères of that city. He was a member of the Puy d'Arras and wrote a jeu parti with Andrieu Contredit. His floruit dates are reconstructed on the basis of his reference to Jehan Bretel in his chanson...
, Colart le Boutellier
Colart le Boutellier
Colart le Boutellier was a well-connected trouvère from Arras. There are no references to him independent of his own and others' songs, found in the chansonniers. One of these depicts the known coat-of-arms used by the Boutillier family, one of the petty noble clans of Arras, and assigns it to...
, and Mahieu de Gant
Mahieu de Gant
Mahieu de Gant was a Flemish trouvère from Ghent associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He has been conflated with Mahieu le Juif, but the same manuscript that contains both their works clearly distinguishes them...
) are dedicated to Bretel and he was for a time the "Prince" of the Puy d'Arras
Puy d'Arras
The Puy d'Arras, called in its own day the Puy Notre-Dame, was a medieval poetical society formed in Arras for holding contests between trouvères and pour maintenir amour et joie . The term puy is Old French for "place of eminence", from Latin podium...
.
Bretel held the hereditary post of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
at the Abbey of Saint Vaast in Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
, in which capacity he oversaw the rights of the abbacy on the river Scarpe. He is referred to as sergens iretavles de la riviere Saint-Vaast in a document of 1256. His father, Jehan, had held this same post from 1241 (at the latest) until his death in 1244. His grandfather, Jacques, was described as sergent héréditaire around the turn of the century, when there were eight such officials associated with the abbey. The trouvère and his brother were modestly wealthy property owners near Arras, where Jehan died in 1272.
Bretel wrote eight known chansons courtoises, of which seven survive. Bretel dedicated the chanson Li miens chanters to the countess Beatrice, wife of William III of Dampierre
William III of Dampierre
William III was the lord of Dampierre from 1231 and count of Flanders from 1247 until his death. He was the son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders....
and sister of Henry III
Henry III, Duke of Brabant
Henry III of Brabant was Duke of Brabant between 1248 and his death. He was the son of Henry II of Brabant and Marie of Hohenstaufen....
, Duke of Brabant
Duke of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
.
Bretel also participated in eighty-nine jeux partis, nearly half of all recorded jeux partis. Many of these are assigned on the basis of internal evidence (the poets are often named) since they lack rubric
Rubric
A rubric is a word or section of text which is traditionally written or printed in red ink to highlight it. The word derives from the , meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th century or earlier...
s. A few of these are addressed only to a Sire Jehan or just Sire and their ascription to Bretel, though likely, is not certain. About forty different poets from the region around Arras participated in these jeux partis, either as judges or correspondents. Generally these poems are grouped with others by Bretel in the chansonnier
Chansonnier
A chansonnier is a manuscript or printed book which contains a collection of chansons, or polyphonic and monophonic settings of songs, hence literally "song-books," although some manuscripts are so called even though they preserve the text but not the music A chansonnier is a manuscript or...
s, even if he did not initiate them, though those he initiated with the famous trouvère Adam de la Halle
Adam de la Halle
Adam de la Halle, also known as Adam le Bossu was a French-born trouvère, poet and musician, whose literary and musical works include chansons and jeux-partis in the style of the trouveres, polyphonic rondel and motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony, and a musical play, "The Play of...
are usually grouped with Adam's works.
Chansons courtoises
- Jamais nul jour de ma vie
- Je ne chant pas de grant joliveté
- Li grans desirs de deservir amie
- Li miens chanters ne puet plaire
- Mout liement me fait Amours chanter
- Onques nul jour ne chantai
- Poissans Amours a mon cuer espiié
Jeux partis
- With Adam de la HalleAdam de la HalleAdam de la Halle, also known as Adam le Bossu was a French-born trouvère, poet and musician, whose literary and musical works include chansons and jeux-partis in the style of the trouveres, polyphonic rondel and motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony, and a musical play, "The Play of...
- Adan, amis, je vous dis une fois
- Adan, amis, mout savés bien vo roi
- Adan, a moi respondés
- Adan, d'amours vous demant
- Adan, du quel cuidiés vous, no music
- Adan, li qués doit mieus trouver merchi
- Adan, mout fu Aristotes sachans
- Adan, qui aroit amee
- Adan, se vous amiés bien loiaument
- Adan, s'il estoit ensi
- Adan, si soit que ma feme amés tant
- Adan, vauriés vous manoir
- Adan, vous devés savoir
- Avoir cuidai engané le marchié
- Compains Jehan, un gieus vous vueil partir
- Sire, assés sage vous voi, proposed by Adam, no music
- Sire Jehan, ainc ne fustes partis, proposed by Adam
- With Audefroi
- J'aim par amours et on moi ensement, proposed by Audefroi
- Sire Audefroi, qui par traïson droite
- With Jehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'Arras was a trouvère associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from Bapaume, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine jeux partis and judge of six; he also composed six...
- Cuvelier, dites moi voir, no music
- Cuvelier, or i parra
- Cuvelier, s'il est ainsi, two melodies
- Cuvelier, vous amerés
- Je vous demant, Cuvelier, espondés, no music
- With Gaidifer d'AvionGaidifer d'AvionGaidifer d'Avion was an Artesian trouvère from Avion. He entered the Church and was associated with the poets of the so-called "School of Arras".Gaidifer was well-connected to contemporary poets...
- Gaidifer, d'un jeu parti
- Gaidifer, par courtoisie
- With Gerart de Boulogne
- Sire Jehan, vous amerez, proposed by Gerart, no music
- With Jehan de GrievilerJehan de GrievilerJehan de Grieviler was an Artesian cleric and trouvère.Jehan was probably born at Grévillers near Arras. A certain "Grieviler" is mentioned in the necrology of the Confrérie des jongleurs et des bourgeois d'Arras under 1254–5, but since Jehan was a known member of the Puy d'Arras, he cannot...
- Conseilliez moi, Jehan de Grieviler
- Grieviler, a ma requeste, no music
- Grieviler, del quel doit estre
- Grieviler, deus dames sai d'une beauté
- Grieviler, deus dames sont
- Grieviler, dites moi voir, no music
- Grieviler, feme avés prise
- Grieviler, ja en ma vie, no music
- Grieviler, par maintes fies
- Grieviler, par quel raison, no music
- Grieviler, par vo bapteme
- Grieviler, se vous aviés
- Grieviler, se vous quidiés
- Grieviler, s'il avenoit, no music
- Grieviler, un jugement
- Grieviler, vostre ensient, two melodies
- Grieviler, vostre pensee
- Jehan Bretel, une jolie dame, proposed by Grieviler
- Jehan Bretel, vostre avis, proposed by Grieviler
- Jehan de Grieviler, deus dames sai, no music
- Jehan de Grieviler, sage
- Jehan de Grieviler, s'aveuc celi, no music
- Jehan de Grieviler, une
- Jehan de Grieviler, un jugement, no music
- Prince del Pui, mout bien savés trouver, proposed by Grieviler
- Respondés a ma demande, two melodies
- Sire Bretel, je vous vueill demander, proposed by Grieviler, no music
- Sire Bretel, vous qui d'amours savez, proposed by Grieviler, no music
- With Jehan de Marli
- Maistre Jehan de Marli, respondés
- With Jehan de Renti
- Jehan Bretel, un chevalier, proposed by Jehan de Renti, no music
- With Jehan Simon
- Jehan Simon, li quieus s'aquita mieus, two melodies
- With Jehan de Vergelai
- Jehan de Vergelai, vostre ensïent
- With Lambert FerriLambert FerriLambert Ferri was a trouvère and cleric at the Benedictine monastery at Saint-Léonard, Pas-de-Calais. By 1268 he was a canon and a deacon of the monastery; he is last associated with the monastery in 1282....
:- Amis Lambert Ferri, vous trouverés
- Entendés, Lambert Ferri
- Ferri, a vostre ensïent
- Ferri, il sont doi amant
- Ferri, il sont dui fin loial amant, no music
- Ferri, se ja Dieus vous voie
- Ferri, se vous bien amiés
- Jehan Bretel, par raison, proposed by Lambert, two melodies
- Lambert Ferri, drois est ke m'entremete, no music
- Lambert Ferri, je vous part
- Lambert Ferri, li quieus doit mieus avoir
- Lambert Ferri, s'une dame orgeilleuse
- Lambert, il sont doi amant
- Lambert, se vous amiés bien loiaument
- Lambert, une amie avés
- Prince del Pui, selonc vostre pensee, proposed by Lambert
- Sire Bretel, entendés, proposed by Lambert
- Sire Jehan Bretel, vous demant gié, proposed by Lambert, no music
- With Mahieu li Taillere
- A vous, Mahieu li Taillere
- With Perrin d'Angicourt
- Perrin d'Angicourt, respondés
- Prince del Pui, vous avés, proposed by Perrin
- With Perrot de NeelePerrot de NeelePerrot de Neele was an Artesian trouvère and littérateur. He composed four jeux partis in collaboration with Jehan Bretel : "Amis Peron de Neele"; "Jehan Bretel, respondés"; "Pierrot de Neele, amis"; and "Pierrot, li ques vaut pis a fin amant"...
- Amis Pierot de Neele
- Jehan Bretel, respondés', proposed by Perrot
- Pierrot de Neele, amis, no music
- Pierot, li ques vaut pis a fin amant
- With Prieus de Boulogne
- Sire Prieus de Boulogne, no music
- With Robert de CastelRobert de CastelRobert de Castel was a trouvère active in and around Arras in the late thirteenth century. He is mentioned in the Congés of Baude Fastoul, written in 1272, which place him Arras at that date...
- Robert du Chastel, biaus sire
- With Robin de Compiegne
- Sire Jehan Bretel, conseill vous prie, proposed by Robin, no music
- With Robert de la PiereRobert de la PiereRobert de la Piere was a trouvère of the so-called "school" of Arras. In his time Robert's bourgeois family was prominent in Arras, though the earliest known member is only recorded in 1212. Robert served as a magistrate in 1255, as attested by one surviving document in the municipal archives...
- Robert de la Piere, repondés moi
- With more than two
- Biaus sire tresorier d'Aire, proposed jointly by Bretel and Lambert FerriLambert FerriLambert Ferri was a trouvère and cleric at the Benedictine monastery at Saint-Léonard, Pas-de-Calais. By 1268 he was a canon and a deacon of the monastery; he is last associated with the monastery in 1282....
to Jehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'Arras was a trouvère associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from Bapaume, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine jeux partis and judge of six; he also composed six...
and the Tresorier d'Aire - Cuvelier et vous, Ferri, proposed by Bretel to Jehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'Arras was a trouvère associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from Bapaume, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine jeux partis and judge of six; he also composed six...
, Lambert FerriLambert FerriLambert Ferri was a trouvère and cleric at the Benedictine monastery at Saint-Léonard, Pas-de-Calais. By 1268 he was a canon and a deacon of the monastery; he is last associated with the monastery in 1282....
, and Jehan de GrievilerJehan de GrievilerJehan de Grieviler was an Artesian cleric and trouvère.Jehan was probably born at Grévillers near Arras. A certain "Grieviler" is mentioned in the necrology of the Confrérie des jongleurs et des bourgeois d'Arras under 1254–5, but since Jehan was a known member of the Puy d'Arras, he cannot...
- Biaus sire tresorier d'Aire, proposed jointly by Bretel and Lambert Ferri
Sources
- Karp, Theodore. "Bretel, Jehan." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Accessed 12 November 2008.