This edition is intended for students just beginning to read Chaucer and does not reflect any single manuscript reading (it combines readings from the Benson and Fisher editions). Glossed words are in bold. The letter ë indicates that an unstressed e should be pronounced. The letter é indicates that e should be pronounced with French stress.
Merciles Beauté
A Triple Roundel
I
Your yën two wol slee me sodenly; eyes
I may the beautée of hem not sustenë, them
So woundeth hit throughout my hertë kenë.
And but your word wol helen hastily unless will heal
My hertës woundë, while that hit is grenë,
Your yën two wol slee me sodenly;
I may the beautée of hem not sustenë.
Upon my trouthe I sey you feithfully faith
That ye ben of my lyf and deeth the quenë; are
For with my deeth the trouthë shal be senë.
Your yën two wol slee me sodenly;
I may the beautée of hem not sustenë,
So woundeth it throughout my hertë kenë.
II
So hath your beautée fro your hertë chacëd chased
Pitée, that me ne availeth not to pleynë; not complain
For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheynë. scorn holds
Giltles my deeth thus han ye me purchacëd; have
I sey you sooth, me nedeth not to feynë; truth [it] needs
So hath your beautée fro your hertë chacëd
Pitée, that me ne availeth not to pleynë.
Allas, that Nature hath in you compassëd
So greet beautée, that no man may atteynë
To mercy, though he stervë for the peynë. die
So hath your beautée fro your hertë chacëd
Pitée, that me ne availeth not to pleynë.
For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheynë.
III
Sin I fro Love escaped am so fat, since
I never thenk to ben in his prison lenë; be
Sin I am free, I counte him not a benë.
He may answere, and seyë this and that;
I do no fors, I spekë right as I menë.
Sin I fro Love escapëd am so fat
I never thenk to ben in his prison lenë.
Love hath my name ystrike out of his sclat, struck slate
And he is strike out of my bokës clenë struck completely
For evermo; ther is non other menë. course
Sin I fro Love escapëd am so fat
I never thenk to ben in his prison lenë.
Sin I am free, I counte him not a benë.
Explicit Latin: “it ends”
To Rosemounde
Madame, ye ben of allë beauté shrynë are
As fer as cercled is the mapamoundë;1 world map
For as the cristal glorious ye shynë,
And lykë ruby ben your chekës roundë.
Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocoundë jocund
That at a revel whan that I see you dauncë,
It is an oynement unto my woundë,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliauncë.
For thogh I wepe of terës ful a tynë, tub
Yet may that wo myn hertë nat confoundë;
Your semy voys that ye so small out twynë small twist
Maketh my thoght in ioy and blys haboundë. joy abound
So curtaysly I go, wyth lovë boundë,
That to my self I sey, in my penauncë,
“Suffyseth me to lovë you, Rosëmoundë,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliauncë.”
Nas never pyk walwed in galauntynë2 was not pike
As I in lovë am walwed and ywoundë;
For whych ful ofte I of my self devynë
That I am trewë Tristam3 the secoundë. faithful
My lovë may not refreydë nor affoundë; chill founder
I brenne ay in an amorousë plesauncë. burn always
Do what you lyst, I wyl your thral be foundë, wish
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliauncë.
TREGENTIL CHAUCER French: “very gentle”
1 From Latin mappa mundi.
2. “There was never a pike [large fish] wallowed in galantine [wine] sauce”.
3. Refers to the famous lover of Iseult in courtly literature.
Gentilesse
The firstë stok, fader of gentilessë–
What man that claymeth gentil for to be
Must folowe his trace, and all his wittës dressë direct
Vertu to sewe, and vicës for to fle. follow
For unto vertu longeth dignitée, belongs
And nought the revers, savëly dar I demë, safely
Al were he mytrë, coroune, or diademë. although wear mitre
This firstë stok was full of rightwisnessë, righteousness
Trewe of his word, sobrë, pitous, and free, compassionate
Clene of his gost, and lovëd besinessë, pure spirit
Ayeinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestée;
And but his heir love vertu as did he, unless
He is noght gentil, thogh he richë semë,
Al were he mytrë, coroune, or diademë.
Vycë may well be heir to old richessë,
But ther may no man, as men may well see,
Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblessë
(That is appropred unto no degrée appropriated
But to the firstë fader in magestée,
That maketh his heyres hem that him quemë), them please
Al were he mytrë, coroune, or diademë.
Explicit
Chaucer’s words unto Adam, his owene scriveyn
Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee bifallë scribe
Boëce1 or Troylus2 for to wryten newë, Boethius anew
Under thy long lokkës thow most have the scallë3 scale
But after my makyng thow wrytë morë trewë! unless poetry faithfully
So ofte a daye I mot thy werk renewë must
It to correcte and ekë to rubbe and scrapë; also rub out
And al is thorugh thy negligence and rapë! haste
1. Chaucer’s translation of Boethius’ De consolation philosophiae.
2. Chaucer’s poem Troilus and Criseyde.
3. A skin disease.
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