Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/288

254

And following custom gives a name

To suchlike things, untouched by shame.

No fault I find therewith, but I

My privilege claim equally

A thistle not to call a rose,

Or otherwise good words to gloze.

Within the schools one oft may hear

Lessons in parables made clear,

But grievous error those would make

Who should each word for gospel take.

And when of cullions I discoursed.

You put upon that word a forced

And needless sense. When I to you

Of those things spake, ’twas with the view

Of showing briefly what I meant

In parable, thereto was bent

My reasoning. Whosoe’er should see

The words of scripture literally,

Ere long would pierce the sense obscure

That lies beneath their coverture.

Uplift the veil that hideth truth,

And bright it flashes forth forsooth.

This shalt thou find if thou rehearse

The noble stories writ in verse

By ancient poets. Great delight

Will flood thy soul if thou aright

Dost read, for thou shalt see unrolled

Secret philosophy of old,

Profiting thou amused shalt be,

And thine amusement profit thee,

For oft their quip and crank and fable

Is wondrous good and profitable,