Mille regretz is a four-voice chanson from the 16th century whose attribution to Josquin des Prez is almost certainly erroneous. The song draws some of its melodic material from Josquin's securely attributed five-voice Du mien amant.
The plangent simplicity of Mille regretz made it a popular basis for reworkings (such as the mass setting by Cristóbal de Morales a 6vv-chanson (SATTBB) by Nicolas Gombert), the variations for vihuela known as "La Canción del Emperador" by Luis de Narváez, and more recent sets of variations and threnody. Translations differ in their interpretation of the words 'fache/face amoureuse' in line 2 (variously "amorous anger" or "loving face").
Text:
Mille regretz de vous abandonner
Et d'eslonger vostre fache amoureuse,
Jay si grand dueil et paine douloureuse,
Quon me verra brief mes jours definer.
In Modern French:
Mille regrets de vous abandonner
et de m'éloigner de votre visage amoureux.
J’ai si grand deuil et peine douloureuse
qu’on verra vite mes jours prendre fin.
English Translation:
A thousand regrets at deserting you
and leaving behind your loving face,
I feel so much sadness and such painful distress,
that it seems to me my days will soon dwindle away.
The chanson was said to be a favorite of King Charles I of Spain.
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