Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/172

Then Jealousy, whom God confound!
A garrison within the round
And formidable tower had set,
Of myrmidons, videlicet:
Her closest friends.
The duenna Fair-Welcome wears
His days therein, and hardly fares;4100
His prison door so strongly barred,
And so close tended by a hard
Old harridan, that little chance
Seems left him of deliverance.
This evil carline doth but watch
Good opportunity to catch
Fair-Welcome out in some misdeed.
As adder deaf, she scorns to heed
The softest word or kindliest look,
For she in youth had read love’s book4110
So heedfully, that every ruse
Is known to her that lovers use.
Fair-Welcome scarce dare speak a word,
So doubts he lest the hag preferred
Some charge against him.
Well she knows
The blood that thrills, the heart that glows,
The languorous look, the amorous glance,
Which all keep step in love’s old dance.

So now that Jealousy at last
Hath seen Fair-Welcome, hard and fast,4120
Within this prison tower immured,
Boundeth her heart, of peace assured
Against all violence and wrong,
Misdoubting nought that castle strong.