Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/224

190

By moving round her wheel, no sigh

Or laugh from them evokes thereby.

For all her gifts one well may dread,

Seeing how they are chequerèd

With good and ill, and ne’er should stir

A wise man’s heart for love of her,

One moment bright, and then again

Eclipsed, to nought she falls amain.

List patiently the word I say,

And forthwith tear thine heart away

From such a love as this; ’twould foul,

Sully, and stain thy very soul.

If thou hereafter shouldst herein

Toward others in such fashion sin

That, having called thyself their friend,

Didst yet, by chicane, in the end

Seek thine advantage, thou wouldst be

By good men held disdainfully.

This love, whereof I have rehearsed

The nature, flee as thing accursed.

Put thou unholy love away.

List thou my speech nor make delay.

But many a thing thou need’st as yet

To learn, since thou believ’st I set

Thee on to hatred: prithee show

Thy meaning, that I fain would know.”

“You have not ceased to urge on me

To cast my Lord off utterly

For some strange wilding love you dight.

Though one should travel day and night