Nous sommes de l'ordre de Saint Babouin
Loyset Compère
The time of Charles VI of France was poor, due to war, and only a few folk knew rich food and jollity. Some were at the court of the King (of course) and others, allegedly were in the Order of St Babouyn - carousing, drunken monks. This is the first verse of Loyset Compère`s satirical song on these monks.
The public domain score can be found here
Nous sommes de l`ordre de St Babouyn
L`ordre ne dit mye de lever matin
Dormir jusqu`a prime
Et boire bon vin
Et din din din . . .
Et dire matines sur un pot de vin
A nostre diner le beau chapon gras
La soupe au jounet comme au mardi gras
La pièce de boeuf et le gras mouton
Et don don don . . . .
Et voila la vie que nous demandons
Translation:
We are of the Order of drunken fools
The Order does not command us to get up early
Sleep on till primes
and drink good wine
and tra la la
and say mattins over a jug of wine
for dinner a nice fat capon
soup laced with egg yolk as on Shrove Tuesday
a chunk of beef and fat mutton
and bom bom bom
and that`s the life we ask for