According to Godefroy, the term cointe appears in old French in the twelfth century.226 it initially meant “clever, wise, prudent,” connoting intelligent bearing. it seems have evolved from latin cognitum, originally signifying something along the lines of “knowing.” In the Roman de Troie (c. 1160-65), for instance, Paris is described as clever with a series of positive terms: “saives et artos, / Veisiez, cointe, et scientos” (wise and cunning, bright, cointe, and knowledgable, lines 4347-8).227 Agamemnon is similarly presented, “Saives iert, cointes et maqeinz (he was wise, cointe, and clever, line 5150),” in addition to being noble and glorious, but covetous. In both cases, their intelligence in matters of politics and tactics distinguishes them as heroic men, while their tendency towards ruse in the use of their intelligence is suggested as a negative shading of character. In Guillaume de Dole (c. 1209-28), in order to be allowed into the Parlement and palace, the heroine’s valet speaks cleverly and wisely, cointement, and succeeds in insinuating himself into the graces of those in power.228
In the Lai de Narcisse (c. 1155-70), the princess of Thebes, Dane, apostrophizes Love, complaining that it terrifies counts and kings, the most cointe members of society: “Les plus cointes met en esfroi.”229 In this context, the word seems to connote those in power with notable social training and experience. Similarly, in Amadas et Ydoine (c. 1190-1220), when the eponymous heroine, daughter of the duke of Burgundy, faints, all ladies run to her aid, and even the most cointe among them lose their self-possession from fear for her.230 In Aliscans (c. 1187-89), the term seems to connote social prestige when Aymeri swears that if any of his men touch his challenger Rainouart, “N’i a si cointe,” (no matter how brave or worthy he might be), he will put his eyes out, (line 3188).
In the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, cointe often had a more generic sense of goodness, attractiveness or amiability. it was often paired with another adjective connoting attractiveness and pleasing manner. For example, in Aucassin et Nicolette (c. 1175-1250), the heroine is “cointe et gaie.”231 In La Chatelaine de Vergy (late thirteenth century), the knight who loved the chatelaine was “biaus et cointes.”232
A similar lexeme occurs in Old Occitan texts, appearing at about the same time or somewhat earlier. Initially, as in Old French, it had an unspecific positive connotation. One of the songs attributed to the “earliest troubadour,” Guillem IX, speaks of a “dompna conja.”233 In conja it is not difficult to see the derivation of the word from Latin cognita. The term would connote a lady desirable for her wisdom or knowledge. In his last known poem, the term is more closely linked to dress as the narrator looks back on his life and regrets the days when “mout ai estat cuendes e gais” (I was very cuende and gay), when he wore “vair e gris e sembeli” (vair, miniver, and sable furs).234 This usage with “gay,” as seen in Aucassin et Nicolette, is found many other poems and novas. For example, in a poem of the early thirteenth-century trobairitz the Comtessa de Dia, because the speaker’s beloved is “the most gay,” she is “coindet’e gaia.”235 In the mid - to later twelfth century, Bernart de Ventadorn described his ideal lady as “Bell’e coind’ab cors covenen” (beautiful and coinda with a pleasing body).236 The last example approaches a closer association with appearance, although Bernart’s usage is still more vague in meaning than those of the god of Love of Guillaume de Lorris. It becomes apparent, in any case, that coinde, cuende, and coindeta in Old Occitan refer to charming, attractive qualities, often related to appearance and the body.
World History
