Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/55

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What rich and costly jewels wear,

How deck my head, and ’tire my hair.

When this is finished then my day

Is ended, and to mirth and play

I give myself. My dearest friend

Is Mirth, and by his side I spend

Long pleasant hours. The Lord is he

Of this fair garden; every tree

From out the land of Saracens

He brought, for well the art he kens

To make his garden a delight,

And as the trees grew strong he dight

The wall around, and caused thereon

Those dreadsome paintings to be done.

Of Sorrow, Hatred, Eld, and Spleen,

Which wending hither thou hast seen.

He cometh here full oft to seek

The pleasant leafy shade, and eke

His followers join him in these bowers,

’Mid mirth and joy to spend long hours

Untouched by care. E’en now I wot

Mirth lounging in cool shade or grot

Listeth the sweet-voiced nightingale.

Merle, laverock, mavis, and wood-wale:

Here with his friends, the long day through.

Sweet solace finds he, for ne’er knew

The world a place that would suffice

Like this for loss of Paradise.

No merrier folk were ever seen

Through earth’s broad borders, as I ween,

Than those whom Mirth doth hither bring

To spend bright days in revelling.”