I prithee grant this day, ere it be night, That I once more your merry voice may hear, Or see your colour like the sunshine bright, Whereof the yellowness had never peer! You are my life, and you my heart shall steer; Queen of all comfort and good company, Be heavy again, or else I needs must die! Now, purse, who are to me my life, my light, And chief deliverer in this world here, Out of this city help me, by your might, If you no more will be my treasure dear, For I am shaved as close as any frere. But I beseech you of your courtesy, Be heavy again, or else I needs must die! Two Rondeaux. Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly, slay I may the beauté of them not sustene, sustain So wendeth it thorow-out my herte kene. goeth And but your wordes will helen hastely My hertis wound, while that it is grene, Youre two eyn will sle me sodenly, &c. Upon my trouth I say yow feithfully tell That ye ben of my liffe and deth the quene, are For with my deth the trouth shal be i-sene Youre two eyn, &c. Your fair two eyes will slay me suddenly, I know not how to bear their beauty’s sheen, It pierceth all my heart athrough so keen. And if your words heal not full speedily My heart’s deep wound, while still the wound is green, Your fair two eyes will slay me suddenly, I know not how to bear their beauty’s sheen, It pierceth all my heart athrough so keen. Upon my faith I tell you faithfully Both of my life and death you are the queen, For in my dying shall the truth be seen. Your fair two eyes will slay me suddenly, I know not how to bear their beauty’s sheen It pierceth all my heart athrough so keen. Syn I, fro Love escaped, am so fat, I nere thinke to ben in his prison lene:[198] taken Syn I am fre, I counte him not a bene. since, free He may answere and seye this and that: I do no fors, I speak ryght as I mene: I care not Syn I fro Love escaped am so fat. Love hath my name i-strike out of his sclat, struck, slate And he is strike out of my bokes clene books For evermo, there is none other mene. means Syn I fro Love, &c. Since I escaped from love, I am so fat, No more I shall his captive be so lean: Since I am free, I count him not a bean! He may reply, and answer this and that: I care not, for I speak but as I mean: Since I from love escaped, I am so fat! My name--out of his slate Love striketh that. And he is struck out of my books as clean For evermore, there is no way between! Since I escaped, etc. Virelai.