Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/35

Rh

Evil-Tongue

And all his cursed crew are sprung

From Satan, and of Heaven despised,

Therefore are men right well advised

By every guile to cheat the cheat,

His cozenage and lies to beat

With greater lies, and e’en caress

And trick the knave with treacherousness,

Fooling the fellow to his bent

With fulsome praise and compliment,

Silencing thus the yelping hound

Till fair and clear the road be found.

Before all else your care should be

To lull to false security

This slanderer, by persuading him

That you are reft of power to nimme

Or steal the Rose he lives to guard;

That done, the pathway lies unbarred.

Treat in likewise the hag on watch

(God grant hell’s fiend her soul may catch),

And flatter also Jealousy

(May she of God accursèd be),

To still her rancorous, spiteful heart,

That joy of others makes to smart

With sour disdain, such venomed spleen

And greed within her rage, I ween;

For sure it is, though many taste

Of happiness, it nought need waste.

It is as though a lantern’s light

One grudged to other men anight;