Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Book of the Duchess
(1360s)
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Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Book of the Duchess
(1360s)
“ THE PROEM 1I have gret wonder, be this lighte, 2How that I live, for day ne nighte 3I may nat slepe wel nigh noght, 4I have so many an ydel thoght 5Purely for defaute of slepe 6That, by my trouthe, I take no kepe 7Of no-thing, how hit cometh or goth, 8Ne me nis no-thing leef nor loth. ”
Geoffrey Chaucer,
The Book of the Duchess
(1360s)
“ Upon a daye 1183I bethoghte me what wo 1184And sorwe that I suffred tho 1185For hir, and yet she wiste hit noght, 1186Ne telle hir durste I nat my thoght. 1187'Allas!' thoghte I, 'I can no reed; 1188And, but I telle hir, I nam but deed; 1189And if I telle hir, to seye sooth, 1190I am a-dred she wol be wrooth; 1191Allas! what shal I thanne do?" 1192 'In this debat I was so wo, 1193Me thoghte myn herte braste a-tweyn! 1194So atte laste, soth to sayn, 1195I me bethoghte that nature 1196Ne formed never in creature 1197So moche beaute, trewely, 1198And bounte, withouten mercy. ”
