Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/252

224

And sooner she’ll be left in lurch,

’Twere well she haunt the minster church,

And visitations oft attend,

And marriages, and duly wend

In high processions; fêtes and plays

Should she frequent on holidays,

For in such places, rathe and late,

Venus and Cupid celebrate

High mass. But erst should she in glass,

Upon her tiring, judgment pass,

And when she deems it quite the thing

Should sally forth philandering,

With dignified and high regard,

Not over meek, nor yet too hard,

Pleasant of look, with modest eye,

Nor over-forward, nor too shy.

Her shoulders and her hips should move

So gracefully that all approve

Her progress as of beauty’s queen.

Upon her well-shaped feet I ween.

Most carefully-made boots she’ll set.

Whereof the joints so well are met,

That, not a plait or crease will show,

But on her legs they’d seem to grow;

And if her costly garment trail

Along the road, she will not fail

Both fore and aft with studied care

To raise it, as she’d catch the air,

Or, as she knows right well to do,

She just uplifts her gown a few

Short inches, quicker pace to suit,

Disclosing thus her winsome foot,