Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/172

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Then Jealousy, whom God confound!

A garrison within the round

And formidable tower had set,

Of myrmidons, videlicet:

Her closest friends.

Fair-Welcome wears

His days therein, and hardly fares;

His prison door so strongly barred,

And so close tended by a hard

Old harridan, that little chance

Seems left him of deliverance.

This evil carline doth but watch

Good opportunity to catch

Fair-Welcome out in some misdeed.

As adder deaf, she scorns to heed

The softest word or kindliest look,

For she in youth had read love’s book

So heedfully, that every ruse

Is known to her that lovers use.

Fair-Welcome scarce dare speak a word,

So doubts he lest the hag preferred

Some charge against him.

Well she knows

The blood that thrills, the heart that glows,

The languorous look, the amorous glance,

Which all keep step in love’s old dance.

So now that Jealousy at last

Hath seen Fair-Welcome, hard and fast,

Within this prison tower immured,

Boundeth her heart, of peace assured

Against all violence and wrong,

Misdoubting nought that castle strong.