In these days of treachery,
evil, envy, and treason,
wickedness, it has imprisoned
virtues goodly and courtly,
and the worst are we Barons;
we who all good things destroy,
and neglect our duties holy.
It is against all reason,
and so I compose this song.
In the realm of Syria
wailing crys they lead us on.
Pure of Soul, and full repentant
for God's purposes alone
would they have us journey on.
God, he loves the heart that's pure,
just and noble and secure.
Only those who have atoned
shall conquer and save his home.
Chanson, travel out to Lorent,
and tell him take care, and do not
join in folly, grand in size,
that would give him cause to lie.
Medieval songwriters produced two forms of Contrafacti, regular and irregular. A regular contrafacti placed a rhymed translation of the original words to the traditional melody, while an irregular contrafacti placed new lyrics with the tune.
This regular contrifacti of mine, originally in Old French, was composed by the great trouvere, Thibaut, Count of Champagne, and King of Naverre, who was the great-grandson of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who herself was the granddaughter of Duke Guilhelm, called the "first troubadour". This song urges the French nobility to forsake their wrongful ways before the renewed attempt to re-conquer the Holy Land.