Ja Nus Hons Pris / Richard the Lion Heart, 12th Century

In the tradition of the song of the troubadour warrior-poet, Ja Nus Hons Pris records the Austrian
captivity of its author, England's [bad word] King Richard I, a.k.a.: The Lion-Heart, Duke of Aquitaine.
The poem dates from 1194 [bad word] in ancient French.  King Richard didn't speak English.

My friend and fellow musician, Malcolm Smith, the late New World Renaissance Band fiddler, [bad word] for many a year, that I add it to my reperetoire.  I am indebted for his advice.

Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison
adroitement, se dolantement non;
mes par confort puet il fere chancon.
moult ai amis, mes povre sont li don;
honte en avront, se por ma reancon
sui ces deus yvers pris.

Ce sevent bien mi honme et mi baron,
Englois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon,
que je n'avoie si [bad word] 
cui je laissasse por avoir en prixon.
Je nei di pas por nule retracon,
mes encor sui ge pris.

English translation:

No prisoner ever tells his story objectively;
rather, it is cloaked in sorrow. [bad word] himself, however,
he may write a song:
I have many friends, but their gifts are few.
Dishonor will be theirs if I remain in prison
these two winters; my ransom unpaid.

My men and my barons,
from England, Normandy, Poitou, and Gascony,
know that I would never forsake
even the least of my friends.
I do no say this as a reproach.
Still... I remain a prisoner.