Don't know what to make of it.

François Villon (1431-63) wrote in Middle French (roughly 1350 to 1600). It is different from Modern French. Compare the following (in Middle English) from a near contemporary of Villon, William Caxton:

There is a booke, Jacob de Cessoles,
Of the ordre of Prechours, made, a worthy man,

That the Chesse moralisede clepede is,
In whiche I purpose eke to labour ywis
And here and there, as that my litelle witte
Afforthe may, I thynke translate it.

And al be it that in that place square
Of the lystes, I meane the eschekere,
A man may learn to be wise and ware;
I that have avanturede many a yere,
My witte therein is but litelle the nere,
Save that somewhat I know a Kynges draught,
Of other draughts lernede have I naught.

It would be even harder to understand if you heard it rather than read it.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.