MERCILES BEAUTE: 
A TRIPLE ROUNDEL.

I Captivity.

Your yen (eyen) two wol slee 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 yen two wol slee me sodenly, 
      I may the beute of hem not susten

Upon my trouthe I sey yow faithfully, 
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 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 deeth thus han ye me purchaced; 
I sey yow sooth, me nedeth not to feyne; 

    So hath your beaute fro your herte chaced
    Pitee, that me ne availeth not to peyne

Allas! that nature hath in yow compassed
So greet 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 Dunger 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 free, I counte him not a bene. 

He may answere, and seye this of 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 free, I counte him not a bene. 

Explicit