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A Triple Roundel
I. Captivity.
YOUR yën two wol slee me sodenly, | |
| I may the beautè of hem not sustene, | |
| So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene. | |
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| And but your word wol helen hastily | |
| My hertes wounde, whyl that hit is grene, | 5 |
| Your yën two wol slee me sodenly, | |
| I may the beautè of hem not sustene. | |
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| 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 yën two wol slee me sodenly, | |
| I may the beautè of hem not sustene, | |
| So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene. | |
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II. Rejection.
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 |
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| 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. | |
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III. Escape.
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. | |
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| 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. | |
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| 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.
Explicit. | |
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