Ja Nus Hons Pris ~ Crusader Chant of Richard the Lionhearted ~ Old French Lyrics

"Ja Nus Hons Pris" is a song lamenting the return of the crusader king Richard I the Lionhearted and his later imprisonment by Duke Leopold V of Austria and the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI.

It is speculated whether or not this song was truly written by Richard the Lionhearted. Some sources claim he did, while other attribute it to a minstrel known as Blondel de Nesle. Blondel was indeed a contemporary trouvère of Richard, perhaps better known for his chanson L’amours dont sui espris. It is possible that Blondel and Richard knew each other well and wrote multiple songs together, but it is also possible that the two never met.

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Lyrics:

Original Old French (langue d’oil)

I
Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison
Adroitement, se dolantement non;
Mais par effort puet il faire chançon.
Mout ai amis, mais povre sont li don;
Honte i avront se por ma reançon—
Sui ça deus yvers pris.

II
Ce sevent bien mi home et mi baron–
Ynglois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon–
Que je n’ai nul si povre compaignon
Que je lessaisse por avoir en prison;
Je nou di mie por nule retraçon,—
Mais encor sui [je] pris.

III
Or sai je bien de voir certeinnement
Que morz ne pris n’a ami ne parent,
Quant on me faut por or ne por argent.
Mout m’est de moi, mes plus m’est de ma gent,
Qu’aprés ma mort avront reprochement—
Se longuement sui pris.

IV
N’est pas mervoille se j’ai le cuer dolant,
Quant mes sires met ma terre en torment.
S’il li membrast de nostre soirement
Quo nos feïsmes andui communement,
Je sai de voir que ja trop longuement—
Ne seroie ça pris.

V
Ce sevent bien Angevin et Torain–
Cil bacheler qui or sont riche et sain–
Qu’encombrez sui loing d’aus en autre main.
Forment m’amoient, mais or ne m’ainment grain.
De beles armes sont ore vuit li plain,—
Por ce que je sui pris

English:

I
No prisoner can tell his honest thought
Unless he speaks as one who suffers wrong;
But for his comfort as he may make a song.
My friends are many, but their gifts are naught.
Shame will be theirs, if, for my ransom, here—
I lie another year.

II
They know this well, my barons and my men,
Normandy, England, Gascony, Poitou,
That I had never follower so low
Whom I would leave in prison to my gain.
I say it not for a reproach to them,—
But prisoner I am!

III
The ancient proverb now I know for sure;
Death and a prison know nor kind nor tie,
Since for mere lack of gold they let me lie.
Much for myself I grieve; for them still more.
After my death they will have grievous wrong—
If I am a prisoner long.

IV
What marvel that my heart is sad and sore
When my own lord torments my helpless lands!
Well do I know that, if he held his hands,
Remembering the common oath we swore,
I should not here imprisoned with my song,—
Remain a prisoner long.

V
They know this well who now are rich and strong
Young gentlemen of Anjou and Touraine,
That far from them, on hostile bonds I strain.
They loved me much, but have not loved me long.
Their plans will see no more fair lists arrayed—
While I lie here betrayed.

[ResearcherGhost]

You know the thing I like about Richard? Normally Kings send orders and let their armies battle Richard on the other hand was seen riding his horse at the first line his soldiers where behind him, in fact he was told by his allies that he should be more cautious but he never was born a king he was born a soldier and he fought like the bravest of them his soldiers weren't nameless objects, they were his family and equals Richard was known also for ordering his soldiers to write down the names of their fallen comrades. I know he had a bad reputation as a king but as a Knight one can only admire him

[haggismacphreedom]

I am a direct descendant of Sir Richard DeFowler, closest aide de campe and advisor to Lionheart. During the siege of Acre in 1190 he led a counter attack that blocked an attempt by the infidel to attack the Christian camp by surprise at night. It was this"brilliant" stroke that brought about his knighthood and baronet. I am also an Orthodox Hospitaller.

[davidstanton]

I really found my faith again in this period, love all the tracks ⚜️

[markovucic]

Beautiful performance. I keep on crying and crying.

[janusg]

Fantastic performance and a great song. Thank you :)

[h.p]

England, Oh England. Land of warriors and heroes. In Christendom you were forged, your infancy shone brightly....Now you have become old and feeble; Your sons have sold Christendom for less than thirty pieces. Your rich lands, filled with beauty and history are yours no more. the demons of the crescent have defeated you without a fight. Only shame and misery falls upon your daughters, whose men have deserted their hearts and have become the shame of manhood. In old, foreign races would sing praises of English valor and beauty. England, Oh England, weep for your children....

[cavok]

Domine Iesu Christe fili Dei, miserere mei peccator
Κυρι ελεϋσον

[ZIT]

Deus Vult! Brothers let's help our Armenian Brothers and Sisters!

[freewillsacrifice]

We are living in the final crusade right now. Lets fight for the glory of God and our people once more.

[antoinengt]

Le Christ est Roy, car c'est la Volonté de Dieu !

[road]

리처드 1세: <트루베레 노래 - “옥에 갇힌 사람은 누구라도”> 00:45

[blackbarnz]

A prisoner has no opinions of his own. It's very true. We see it today with big tech/ social media censorship, & via the main stream media's omissions.

[VFella]

That's NOT a crusade chante.
It was a song composed by Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, AFTER the crusades lamenting his imprisonment by Leopold of Austria.
I seriously doubt that any crusader would want to use a lyrics like this as a chant. Not to mention that it is not "chantable", imagine a large number of men in armour singing La Traviatta.
The song is wonderful, but neither "crusader" not chant.

[catholicracialist]

That is NOT a crusader song. It is a complaint about how boring life is in prison

[ThomasRenneis]

Not a Crusader song, it´s a lament. He wrote it while imprissoned in the HRE.

[SweetBrazyN]

Is it possible to put English captions on this

[gottod]

I am muslim and I like this song, though I know french I can only understand 20%.
Edit: Not muslim anymore I am an atheist.

[tractornation]

Excellent video👑🕊


*Make the west Christian again* ✝️⛪️✝️

[gabrielazavacka]

maybe blondel could be nickname richard lion heart? who knows

[crusaderboiytreal]

for de gacies oand the minght ouf ourks lord