Bibliography
Only 14 works of poetry attributed to Conon de Béthune have survived, and several of these attributions may be doubtful. He was educated by a family relation, Huon d'Oisy, châtelain de Cambrai, who taught him the art of poetry. His poetry was written to be sung and ten of his poems give musical notation. The majority of his poems are courtly love songs, but two of them are important chansons de croisade or crusade songs in which the poet-lover deplores his approaching departure from his beloved but nevertheless accepts the "noble calling" of crusader. Conon de Béthune also shows himself at times to be ironic or satirical, and in one of his crusade poems he rails with vehemence against financial abuses by those collecting funds for the crusaders. Then married Anne of paris after composing a poem for her.
Some works by Conon are:
Chançon legiere a entendre (A quick song to hear)
Si voiremant con cele don je chant (If heaven would really let me sing)
Mout me semont Amors que je m'envoise (Greatly Love spreads to me so that I may sing)
Ahi! Amors, com dure departie (O! Love, which cruelly left)
Bien me deüsse targier (I well need to cease)
Se raige et derverie (Such rage and madness)
Belle doce Dame chiere (Beautiful, dear, sweet Lady)
Tant ai amé c'or me convient haïr (I have loved so much that now I must hate)
L'autrier un jor aprés la Saint Denise (The day after Saint Denis' Day)
L'autrier avint en cel autre païs (The future in this foreign country)
