Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/138

110

To aid and honour ladies ought

To be through life my foremost thought;

Foul speech my lips should never soil;

For others’ weal my strength should toil;

Though scorning pride, tend well my dress,

Behave with grace and gentleness;

With fair large heartedness to live.

And to one love my heart to give.

I’faith, thou hast thy lesson got

Right well, unstained by fault or blot.

What sufferest thou?

A grief so dread,

That thereof is my heart nigh dead.

Hast thou not my three comforts?

No;

Soft-Looks, alas! doth never show

His longed-for face, by which might be

Assuaged my grief and misery.

All three took flight, but two amain

Returned, with will to ease my pain.

Is Hope not left to thee?