Translation:Balade to Rosemounde

For other versions of this work, see Balade to Rosemounde.

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Balade to Rosemounde (14th century)
by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated from Middle English by Wikisource

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This edition was translated from the original text by the Wikisource community in 2007 and released into the public domain.

"odgod ol olord" ("oh God, oh, oh Lord") is written along the right margin of the original manuscript.

Geoffrey Chaucer131507Balade to Rosemounde14th centuryWikisource

enm:en:Balade to Rosemounde (1477)

Original Text	Modern English	Original Manuscript
Ma dame ye ben of al beaute shryne As fer as cercled is the mapamonde For as the Cristall glorious ye shyne And lyke Ruby ben your chekys rounde Therwyth ye ben so mery and so iocunde That at a Reuell whan that I se you dance It is an oynement vnto my wounde Thoght ye to me ne do no daliance. For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde Your semy voys That ye so small out twyne Makyth my thoght in ioy and blys habounde So curtaysly I go wyth loue bounde That to my self I sey in my penaunce Suffyseth me to loue you Rosemounde Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce. Nas neuer Pyk walwed in galauntyne As I in loue am walwed and I wounde For whych ful ofte I of my self deuyne That I am trew tristam the secunde My loue may not refreyde nor affounde I Brenne ay in an amorouse plesaunce Do what you lyst I wyl your thral be founde Thogh ye to me ne do no daliance. tregentil^[1]————//————chaucer	Madame, you are shrine of all beauty, As far as the world map extends: For you shine as the glorious crystal And your round cheeks are like ruby. Therewith, you are so merry and so jocund That at a revel, when that I see you dance, It is an ointment unto my wound, Though you to me do no dalliance. For though I weep fully a basin of tears, Yet that woe may not confound my heart: Your seemly voice that you so delicately bring forth Makes my thoughts in joy and bliss abound. So graciously I go, bound with love, That to myself I say in my affliction, "It suffices me to love you, Rosemounde, Though you to me do no dalliance." Never was pike immersed in galantine As I in love am immersed and enveloped, For which I very oft of myself divine That I am True Tristan the Second. My love may not cool or fail; I burn always in an amourous pleasance. Do what you list, I will be found your thrall, Though you to me do no dalliance. Tregentil————//————Chaucer	original manuscript

Footnotes

↑ The significance of tregentil is unclear. It may be the name of a scribe.

This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.

Original:	This work was published before January 1, 1931, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
Translation:	This work is in the public domain worldwide because it has been so released by the copyright holder. Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

[1] The significance of tregentil is unclear. It may be the name of a scribe.

[1]