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.
Merciless Beauty
Song Cycle by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)
1. Your eyën two  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Geoffrey Chaucer (c1343 - 1400), "Captivity", appears in Merciles Beaute: A Triple Roundel, no. 1
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Vaughan Williams uses a version with more modernized spelling:Your eyën two will slay me suddenly: I may the beauty of them not sustene, So woundeth it throughout my hertë ken. And but your word will helen hastily My hertës woundë, while that it is green, Your eyën two will slay me suddenly: I may the beauty of them not sustene, Upon my troth I say to you faithfully, That ye be my life and death the queen, For with my death the truthë shall be seen: Your eyën two will slay me suddenly: I may the beauty of them not sustene, So woundeth it throughout my hertë kene.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ted Perry
2. So hath your beauty  [sung text checked 1 time]
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.
Authorship:
- by Geoffrey Chaucer (c1343 - 1400), "Rejection", appears in Merciles Beaute: A Triple Roundel, no. 2
See other settings of this text.
Note: Vaughan Williams uses a version with more modern spelling:
So hath your beauty from your hertë chased Pity, that me ne availeth not to plain: For Daunger halt your mercy n his chain. Guiltless my death thus have ye me purchased; I say you sooth, me needeth not to feign: So hath your beauty from your hertë chased Pity, that me ne availeth not to plain. Alas! That nature hath in you compassed So great beauty, that no man may attain To mercy, though he stervë for the pain! So hath your beauty from your hertë chased Pity, that me ne availeth not to plain: For Daunger halt your mercy n his chain.
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
3. Since I from love  [sung text checked 1 time]
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.
Authorship:
- by Geoffrey Chaucer (c1343 - 1400), "Escape", appears in Merciles Beaute: A Triple Roundel, no. 3
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Note: Vaughan Williams used a version with more modern spelling:
Since I from Love escapëd am so fat, I never think to ben in his prison lean; Since I am free, I count him not a bean. He may answer, and sayë this or that; I do not force, I speak right as I mean: Since I from Love escapëd am so fat, I never think to ben in his prison lean; Love hath my name y-strike out of his sciat, And he is stike out of my bookës clean For evermore; there is none other mean. Since I from Love escapëd am so fat, I never think to ben in his prison lean; Since I am free, I count him not a bean.
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry