Jehan Bretel (c.1210–1272) was a trouvère. Of his known oeuvre of probably 97 songs, 96 have survived. Judging by his contacts with other trouvères he was famous and popular. Seven works by other trouvères (Jehan de Grieviler, Jehan Erart, Jaques le Vinier, Colart le Boutellier, and Mahieu de Gant) are dedicated to Bretel and he was for a time the "Prince" of the Puy d'Arras.
Bretel held the hereditary post of sergeant at the Abbey of Saint Vaast in Arras, in which capacity he oversaw the rights of the abbacy on the river Scarpe. He is referred to as sergens iretavles de la riviere Saint-Vaast in a document of 1256. His father, Jehan, had held this same post from 1241 (at the latest) until his death in 1244. His grandfather, Jacques, was described as sergent héréditaire around the turn of the century, when there were eight such officials associated with the abbey. The trouvère and his brother were modestly wealthy property owners near Arras, where Jehan died in 1272.
Bretel wrote eight known chansons courtoises, of which seven survive. Bretel dedicated the chanson Li miens chanters to the countess Beatrice, wife of William III of Dampierre and sister of Henry III, Duke of Brabant.
Bretel also participated in eighty-nine jeux partis, nearly half of all recorded jeux partis. Many of these are assigned on the basis of internal evidence (the poets are often named) since they lack rubrics. A few of these are addressed only to a Sire Jehan or just Sire and their ascription to Bretel, though likely, is not certain. About forty different poets from the region around Arras participated in these jeux partis, either as judges or correspondents. Generally these poems are grouped with others by Bretel in the chansonniers, even if he did not initiate them, though those he initiated with the famous trouvère Adam de la Halle are usually grouped with Adam's works.
Jamais nul jour de ma vieJe ne chant pas de grant jolivetéLi grans desirs de deservir amieLi miens chanters ne puet plaireMout liement me fait Amours chanterOnques nul jour ne chantaiPoissans Amours a mon cuer espiiéWith Adam de la HalleAdan, amis, je vous dis une foisAdan, amis, mout savés bien vo roiAdan, a moi respondésAdan, d'amours vous demantAdan, du quel cuidiés vous, no musicAdan, li qués doit mieus trouver merchiAdan, mout fu Aristotes sachansAdan, qui aroit ameeAdan, se vous amiés bien loiaumentAdan, s'il estoit ensiAdan, si soit que ma feme amés tantAdan, vauriés vous manoirAdan, vous devés savoirAvoir cuidai engané le marchiéCompains Jehan, un gieus vous vueil partirSire, assés sage vous voi, proposed by Adam, no musicSire Jehan, ainc ne fustes partis, proposed by AdamWith AudefroiJ'aim par amours et on moi ensement, proposed by AudefroiSire Audefroi, qui par traïson droiteWith Jehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasCuvelier, dites moi voir, no musicCuvelier, or i parraCuvelier, s'il est ainsi, two melodiesCuvelier, vous amerésJe vous demant, Cuvelier, espondés, no musicWith Gaidifer d'AvionGaidifer, d'un jeu partiGaidifer, par courtoisieWith Gerart de BoulogneSire Jehan, vous amerez, proposed by Gerart, no musicWith Jehan de GrievilerConseilliez moi, Jehan de GrievilerGrieviler, a ma requeste, no musicGrieviler, del quel doit estreGrieviler, deus dames sai d'une beautéGrieviler, deus dames sontGrieviler, dites moi voir, no musicGrieviler, feme avés priseGrieviler, ja en ma vie, no musicGrieviler, par maintes fiesGrieviler, par quel raison, no musicGrieviler, par vo baptemeGrieviler, se vous aviésGrieviler, se vous quidiésGrieviler, s'il avenoit, no musicGrieviler, un jugementGrieviler, vostre ensient, two melodiesGrieviler, vostre penseeJehan Bretel, une jolie dame, proposed by GrievilerJehan Bretel, vostre avis, proposed by GrievilerJehan de Grieviler, deus dames sai, no musicJehan de Grieviler, sageJehan de Grieviler, s'aveuc celi, no musicJehan de Grieviler, uneJehan de Grieviler, un jugement, no musicPrince del Pui, mout bien savés trouver, proposed by GrievilerRespondés a ma demande, two melodiesSire Bretel, je vous vueill demander, proposed by Grieviler, no musicSire Bretel, vous qui d'amours savez, proposed by Grieviler, no musicWith Jehan de MarliMaistre Jehan de Marli, respondésWith Jehan de RentiJehan Bretel, un chevalier, proposed by Jehan de Renti, no musicWith Jehan SimonJehan Simon, li quieus s'aquita mieus, two melodiesWith Jehan de VergelaiJehan de Vergelai, vostre ensïentWith Lambert Ferri:Amis Lambert Ferri, vous trouverésEntendés, Lambert FerriFerri, a vostre ensïentFerri, il sont doi amantFerri, il sont dui fin loial amant, no musicFerri, se ja Dieus vous voieFerri, se vous bien amiésJehan Bretel, par raison, proposed by Lambert, two melodiesLambert Ferri, drois est ke m'entremete, no musicLambert Ferri, je vous partLambert Ferri, li quieus doit mieus avoirLambert Ferri, s'une dame orgeilleuseLambert, il sont doi amantLambert, se vous amiés bien loiaumentLambert, une amie avésPrince del Pui, selonc vostre pensee, proposed by LambertSire Bretel, entendés, proposed by LambertSire Jehan Bretel, vous demant gié, proposed by Lambert, no musicWith Mahieu li TaillereA vous, Mahieu li TaillereWith Perrin d'AngicourtPerrin d'Angicourt, respondésPrince del Pui, vous avés, proposed by PerrinWith Perrot de NeeleAmis Pierot de NeeleJehan Bretel, respondés', proposed by PerrotPierrot de Neele, amis, no musicPierot, li ques vaut pis a fin amantWith Prieus de BoulogneSire Prieus de Boulogne, no musicWith Robert de CastelRobert du Chastel, biaus sireWith Robin de CompiegneSire Jehan Bretel, conseill vous prie, proposed by Robin, no musicWith Robert de la PiereRobert de la Piere, repondés moiWith more than twoBiaus sire tresorier d'Aire, proposed jointly by Bretel and Lambert Ferri to Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras and the Tresorier d'AireCuvelier et vous, Ferri, proposed by Bretel to Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras, Lambert Ferri, and Jehan de Grieviler