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Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score. Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. An whole tone above published pitch.
Firstpublished:1570 in Musique de Guillaume Costeley, no. 61 Description: Chanson in the genre of Janequin's "Bataille de Marignan" written to commemorate the capture of Calais from the English, 1558. See also Costeley's similar La Prise du Havre
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Original text and translations
French text
Hardis Françoys et furieux Normantz,
Picardz, Bretons, Gascons, et Rochelloys,
C’est à ce coup sans plus estre dormantz,
Que de Calais faut chasser les Angloys.
Tabours, clairons, bruyez faictes effroys.
Tonnez canons, renversez les rempars !
Marchons soldatz, les rempars sont espars:
Entrons dans l’eau, et passons les fossez.
Ren toy, Calais, cache tes estandars.
A mort, canaille, à mort, à mort, passez.
France par terre et par la mer aussi,
Dedens, dedens, victoire avons Françoyse.
Las je me rendz! et plus ne suis Angloise.
Nobles Françoys, ayez de moy mercy,
Sans nul bon droit l’Angloys me print icy,
Me captivant en orgueilleux lien.
Bien venu soys, car à toy j’appartien,
Roi des Françoys justement m’as conquise,
Fuy donc de moy, Angloys et ta fierté
Car c’est en vain qu’on garde la Cité,
Si le grand Roy n’en a la garde prise.
English translation
Come my brave Frenchmen,
Angry Normans, Picards, Bretons, Gascons, Rochellaises.
Now's the chance, with no more dozing,
To chase out the English.
Sound the trumpets, beat the drums.
Fire the cannons, storm the ramparts.
The ramparts are breached:
Let us broach the water and cross the ditches.
Strike your colours, Calais.
Die, rascals!
France, provide we French with victory,
by both land and sea.
I surrender, and am no longer English.
Noble Frenchmen, treat me gently.
With no legality, the English took me,
subjecting me to the yoke.
Welcome, King of the French;
I belong to you and am rightly repossessed.
Flee me, Englishmen with your pride
For it is useless to defend a city
which God does not defend.