ANCIENT POEMS. If III. AN ORIGINAL BALLAD BY CHAUCER. This little fonnet, which hath efcaped all the editors of Chaucer's works, is now printed for the first time from an ancient MS in the Pepyfian library, that contains many other poems of its venerable author. The verfification is of that fpecies, which the French call RONDEAU, very naturally englished by our honeft countrymen ROUND O. Tho' fo early adopted by them, our ancestors had not the honour of inventing it: Chaucer picked it up, along with other better things, among the neighbouring nations. A fondness for laborious trifles bath always prevailed in the dark ages of literature. The Greek poets have had their WINGS and AXES: the great father of English poefy may therefore be pardoned one poor folitary RONDEAU.-Dan Geofrey Chaucer died Oct. 25. 1400. aged 72. YOURE I. 1. two eyn will fle me fodenly, I may the beaute of them not fuftene, 2. And but your words will helen hastely 3. Upon my trouth I fey yow feithfully, That ye ben of my liffe and deth the uene; For with my deth the trouth fhal be fene. Youre two eyn, &c. II. 1. So II. I. So hath youre beauty fro your herte chafed Giltless my deth thus have ye purchased; 3. Alas, that nature hath in yow compassed So grete beaute, that no man may atteyn To mercy, though he fterve for the So hath youre beaute, &c. ·ITI. I. peyn, Syn I fro love efcaped am fo fat, 2. He may anfwere, and fey this and that, 3. Love hath my name i ftrike out of his fclat, For ever mo Hineris Syn I fro love efcaped, &c. *This. MS. IV. THE |