Merciles Beaute
A Triple Roundel
I. Captivity
Your yën two wol sle me sodenly,
I may the beaute 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,
Your yën two wol sle me sodenly;
may the beaute of hem not sustene.
Upon my trouthe I sey yow feithfully,
That ye ben of my lyf and deth the quene;
For with my deth the trouthe shal be sene.
Your yën two wol sle me sodenly,
I may the beaute of hem not sustene,
So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene.
II. Rejection.
So hath your beaute fro your herte chaced
Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;
For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.
Giltles my deth thus han ye me purchaced;
I sey yow soth, me nedeth not to feyne;
So hath your beaute fro your herle chaced
Pilee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne
Allas! that nature hath in yow compassed
So gret beaute, that no man may atteyne
To mercy, though he sterve for the peyne.
So hath your beaute fro your herte chaced
Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;
For daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.
III. Escape.
Sin I fro love escaped am so fat,
I never thenk to ben in his prison lene;
Sin I am fre, I counte him not a bene.
He may answere, and seye this or that;
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
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 fre, I counte him not a bene.
Explicit.
Translated by A. S. Kline
Merciless Beauty
Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;
I may the beauty of them not sustain
So wounds it, throughout my heart keen.
Unless your word will heal, all hastily,
My heart’s wound while it is yet green,
Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;
I may the beauty of them not sustain.
By my truth, I tell you faithfully
That you are of my life and death the queen,
For at my death the truth shall be seen:
Your eyes two whole slay me suddenly;
I may the beauty of them not sustain,
So wounds it throughout my heart keen.
So has your beauty from your heart chased
Pity, that it avails not to complain,
For Pride holds your mercy by a chain.
Though guiltless, my death you have purchased.
I tell you truly, needing not to feign,
So has your beauty from your heart chased
Pity, that it avails not to complain.
Alas, that Nature has in you placed
Such great beauty that no man may attain
To mercy though he die from the pain,
So has your beauty from your heart chased
Pity, that it avails not to complain,
For Pride holds your mercy by a chain.
Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,
I never plan to be in his prison lean;
Since I am free, I count it not a bean.
He may answer and say this and that;
I care not: I’ll speak just as I mean.
Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,
I never plan to be in his prison lean.
Love strikes my name from his slate flat,
And he is struck out of my books clean
For evermore; my sole course it has been.
Since I’m from Love escaped yet so fat,
I never plan to be in his prison lean;
Since I am free, I count it not a bean.
