Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Charles Brockden Brown (1771–1810). Edgar Huntley; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker. 1857.

The Minor Poems

XI. Merciles Beautè

YOUR yën two wol slee me sodenly,I may the beautè of hem not sustene,So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene.And but your word wol helen hastilyMy hertes wounde, whyl that hit is grene,Your yën two wol slee me sodenly,I may the beautè of hem not sustene.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.Your yën two wol slee me sodenly,I may the beautè of hem not sustene,So woundeth hit through-out my herte kene.
So hath your beautè fro your herte chacedPitee, 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 beautè fro your herte chacedPitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne.Allas! that nature hath in yow compassedSo greet beautè, that no man may atteyneTo mercy, though he sterve for the peyne.So hath your beautè fro your herte chacedPitee, that me ne availeth not to pleyne;For Daunger halt your mercy in his cheyne.
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 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 cleneFor 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.