The music dates from about 1400 in the Rheims (France) and written by a fellow named Baude Fresnel who used the nom de plume "Cordier" (of the heart - Cor). Of course the manuscript decorated a perfume bottle (Chantilly) and someone may be impressed that the music was bound into the collection of French songs called "The Chantilly Codex" this one added last to the volume.
I had a manuscript course for my doctorate taught by Craig Wright now retired from Yale and there was a book all musicology students eventual make of transcriptions of some 40 or so of these manuscripts into modern notation. This one was really hard until you figured it out and got over the curved top part. You can see the three parts - the main one at the top in the heart curve, the other two underneath - look for the flourished script "B". It was up to the performer to put the text in exactly (it is in the form of a "rondeau(x)" - not a round but a poetic form - usually 8 lines - more than you want to know) and knowing that helps you figure things out.
The translation sits somewhere in my box of memorabilia and you'll be sad to know that I searched for an online translation of the piece for an hour and am convinced that there isn't one so that will prompt me to find mine and put it up but not today. Today is Valentines Day and if you just find the object of your affection and show him/her the picture of the manuscript and say "Beautiful Good Wise" (belle bonne sage)...you might score a point or two...otherwise go to the perfume store.
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