Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/139

Shame is to be feared Not otherwise,
Danger mayst thou escape, who lies3150
In wait for thee; but thou from him,
With murderous club and visage grim,
Hast less to fear, than she^{[errata 1]} who came
From forth my womb, my daughter Shame,
Who guards the Roses with an eye
That sleepeth never. Soothfastly
’Tis she whom thou hast cause to fear,
When thou the Rose wouldst come anear,
And Evil-Tongue lends aid to her,
Against each rash adventurer.3160
For long ere deed is born of will,
His voice the whole world round doth fill
With news thereof: thou hast, forsooth,
To deal with folk who know not ruth.
Judge then the wiser thing to do,
To run the gauntlet of this crew,
’Midst bitter pain, and grief of heart,
Or turn to seek some worthier part.
This cruel sickness men call love,
Is folly of a kind above
The wildest madness, nay, I swear
That love brings oft more carking care
Than madness’ self; each lover knows
Ere long, that nought of profit grows
From love: for if a clerk he be,
Within love’s toils, soon loseth he
His learning: or if other sphere
Man moves in, love will cost him dear.
Worse pains a lover suffers than
A hermit or Carthusian.3180

1. Correction: she should be amended to her: detail