Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/139

Rh

Not otherwise,

Danger mayst thou escape, who lies

In wait for thee; but thou from him,

With murderous club and visage grim,

Hast less to fear, than who came

From forth my womb, my daughter Shame,

Who guards the Roses with an eye

That sleepeth never. Soothfastly

’Tis she whom thou hast cause to fear,

When thou the Rose wouldst come anear,

And Evil-Tongue lends aid to her,

Against each rash adventurer.

For long ere deed is born of will,

His voice the whole world round doth fill

With news thereof: thou hast, forsooth,

To deal with folk who know not ruth.

Judge then the wiser thing to do,

To run the gauntlet of this crew,

’Midst bitter pain, and grief of heart,

Or turn to seek some worthier part.

This cruel sickness men call love,

Is folly of a kind above

The wildest madness, nay, I swear

That love brings oft more carking care

Than madness’ self; each lover knows

Ere long, that nought of profit grows

From love: for if a clerk he be,

Within love’s toils, soon loseth he

His learning: or if other sphere

Man moves in, love will cost him dear.

Worse pains a lover suffers than

A hermit or Carthusian.