Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/66

38

But mostly women are, forsooth,

Exacting, void of pitying ruth,

’For all, alas! towards those who prove

Loyal and faithful in their love,

Ready to raven and devour

Whate’er may fall within their power.

And Juvenal hath said, I ween.

Speaking of one hight Iberine,

That sooner would she lose an eye

Than trust one man to satisfy

Her burning lusts, for like hell-fire

Raged her insatiable desire.

No woman, saith he, e’er was known

Who loved a man for love alone

In suchwise that her heart were not

Mindful what goods or gold he’d got.

Judge what she is then who herself

Body and soul will sell for pelf.

Never, he saith, was woman found,

Who did not love to prove and sound

Her lover’s faith by coquetry;

Although to him she subject be,

This passion is ingrained. Such is

Juvenal’s sentence, but to this

Exceptions bright there are, I trow,

As he, I doubt not, would allow,

While censuring women void of grace.

Yet, if the mistress that hath place

Within your soul be soft and sweet,

Faithful and gentle, then ’twere meet

True love to give for love. The kind

And courteous lover looks to find