Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/199

Rh

But far art thou from thy desire.

And that ’tis robs thine eye of fire

And pales thy cheek. O thou didst get

A fatal guest when moved to set

The door ajar that Love might come,

And make thy too fond heart his home.

Now rede I thee to drive him hence

Who clogs each high and noble sense,

To thy great loss and detriment.

Full many a glorious soul hath spent

Vainly its force, intoxicate

With Love’s dread philtre: sad thy fate

Would prove, if all thy youth should be

Consumed in Love’s wild revelry,

And thou shouldst all too late behold

Thy life laid waste. If thou so bold

And strong art found that thou canst cast

And break Love’s bonds, thou then time past

Mayst mourn, but canst recover never.

But if, ere death comes, thou canst sever

Thyself from love, thereat mayst thou

Rejoice, for he hath known to bow

Men ’neath his yoke who thus have lost

All life holds dear—his power hath cost

Them body and soul, and strength and health,

And stripped them bare of worldly wealth.”

Thus Reason spent her words in air,

For Love had ta’en effectual care

That I should nought of profit draw

From all her wise and sober saw,