Monique,

De t'aver vist bèu chivalier
Me costara la vida

Doesn't that mean: "To have seen you, handsome knight, will cost me my life"? I have the feeling that this has been corrupted by some ignorant folk processor, the woman's life expectancy not being affected at all, as far as leprocy is concerned (homi-/suicide is a different subject). Either of the following would sound more logical to me:

• The girl warns the knight that it may cost his life (correctly or as a ruse), whereupon the knight keeps his distance


• The girl warns the knight that it may cost his life (correctly or as a ruse), whereupon the knight (believing it or not) declares his readiness to die for his love, since without the woman he would die of a broken heart anyway


• The knight realises in time that it would cost his life, and either keeps his distance or declares his readiness to die for his love


• The knight realises too late that it will cost his life, and either complains about it or heroically accepts his fate.

The web site tells us about other versions supporting the ruse theory, thus the pronouns should just be swapped. What do you know and think?