Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Geoffrey Chaucer. 1340?140012. Merciles BeauteA TRIPLE ROUNDEL
YOUR eyen two wol slee me sodenly, | |
I may the beautè of hem not sustene, | |
So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene. | |
And but your word wol helen hastily | |
My hertes wounde, whyl that hit is grene, | 5 |
Your eyen two wol slee me sodenly, | |
I may the beautè of hem not sustene. | |
Upon my trouthe I sey yow feithfully, | |
That ye ben of my lyf and deeth the quene; | |
For with my deeth the trouthe shal be sene. | 10 |
Your eyen two wol slee me sodenly, | |
I may the beautè of hem not sustene, | |
So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene. | |
So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced | |
Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne; | 15 |
For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne. | |
Giltles my deeth thus han ye me purchaced; | |
I sey yow sooth, me nedeth not to feyne; | |
So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced | |
Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne. | 20 |
Allas! that nature hath in yow compassed | |
So greet beautè, that no man may atteyne | |
To mercy, though he sterve for the peyne. | |
So hath your beautè fro your herte chaced | |
Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne; | 25 |
For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne. | |
Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, | |
I never thenk to ben in his prison lene; | |
Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene. | |
He may answere, and seye this or that; | 30 |
I do no fors, I speke right as I mene. | |
Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, | |
I never thenk to ben in his prison lene. | |
Love hath my name y-strike out of his sclat, | |
And he is strike out of my bokes clene | 35 |
For ever-mo; ther is non other mene. | |
Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, | |
I never thenk to ben in his prison lene; | |
Sin I am free, I counte him not a bene. |
GLOSS: halt] holdeth. sclat] slate. |