Ralph Vaughan Williams: Merciless Beauty (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


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.

Input by Ted Perry

2. So hath your beauty

Language: English

Authorship

Geoffrey Chaucer (c1343-1400)

Merciles Beaute: A Triple Roundel


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.

Input by Ted Perry

3. Since I from love

Language: English

Authorship

Geoffrey Chaucer (c1343-1400)

Merciles Beaute: A Triple Roundel


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.

Input by Ted Perry