Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/162

134

Of speech, they by my works may see

My heart, unless they blinded be.

For those who do not as they say

Deceive you howsoever they

Array them, or whatever state

Of life they keep, or small or great,

Cleric or layman, squire or dame,

Lady or quean, ’tis aye the same.

When thus far had Fair-Seeming spoken

His pattering by the God was broken,

Who cried aloud: (to stay his speech,

Which seemed but vice and fraud to teach)

Who art thou, shameless imp of hell ?

How dar’st thou of such miscreants tell?

Deem’st thou religion we may find

Where vows no monks nor friars bind?

Most surely, sire! it needeth not

A man with sin his life should blot,

And lose his soul in hell-fire’s flare

Because he mundane clothes doth wear;

That were a sentence hard indeed.

Well may, beneath gay-tinted weed,

Holy religion thrive. We’ve seen

A troop of holy saints, I ween,