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Noble gentleman
Noble gentleman,
grant me now a kiss,
if only for the harm
you have done to me.
The gentleman came,
he came from Seville,
in the nuns' orchard
he picked the lemons.
And so the prioress
asked for a promise:
if only for the harm
you have done to me.
English translation by Paul Archer of the text of Gentil caballero by Alonso Mudarra (1510-1580) from Tres Libros de Música en cifra para vihuela, Seville, 1546.
Gentil cavallero
Gentil cavallero,
dédesme ahora un beso,
siquiera por el daño
que me aveys hecho.
Venía el cavallero,
venía de Sevilla,
en huerta de monjas
limones cogía.
Y la prioresa
prenda le pedía,
siquiera por el daño
que me aveys hecho.
Recording. Montserrat Figueras (soprano) and Hopkinson Smith (vihuela).
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcGNp5c_LjQ
Copyright notice. The translation is provided as an aid to musicians and audiences. Publication of the translation in print or digital formats is expressly forbidden unless permission from the author has been first obtained and acknowledgement of authorship is duly made. Permission will usually be granted so please contact Paul Archer with details of how you wish to make use of the translation.
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