Rondel of Merciless Beauty

Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;

Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;

Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Only your word will heal the

To my hurt heart, while yet the wound is clean -Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;

Their beauty shakes me who was once serene.

Upon my word,

I tell you

Through life and after death you are my queen;

For with my death the whole truth shall be seen.

Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;

Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;

Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Original language version:

Merciles Beaute:

A Triple

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene,

So woundeth hit throughout my herte kene.

And but your word wol helen

My hertes wounde, while that hit is grene,

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene.

Upon my trouthe I sey you

That ye ben of my lyf and deeth the quene;

For with my deeth the trouthe shal be sene.

Your yen two wol slee me sodenly;

I may the beautee of hem not sustene,

So woundeth it throughout my herte kene.

So hath your beautee fro your herte

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;

For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.

Giltles my deeth thus han ye me purchaced;

I sey you sooth, me nedeth not to feyne;

So hath your beautee fro your herte

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne.

Allas! that Nature hath in you

So greet beautee, that no man may

To mercy, though he sterve for the peyne.

So hath your beautee fro your herte

Pitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;

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 and that;

I do no fors,

I speke right as I mene.

Sin I fro Love escaped am so fatI never thenk to ben in his prison lene.

Love hath my name ystrike out of his sclat,

And he is strike out of my bokes

For evermo; [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.