Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/200

The Lover deaf to Reason Though strict attention had I given
To every word, as though from Heaven4920
Her message came. But Love so held
My heart in bond, that he compelled
Me, as his thrall and liege confessed,
To shape my thought as pleased him best,
Keeping my heart beneath his wing,
While, as with shovel, did he fling
From out my head each sapient word
That I from Reason’s mouth had heard
Fall, and e’en fast as in one ear
Words entered, so did they appear4930
From out the other, insomuch
That nowise did her sermon touch
My spirit but to raise my ire.
Then cried I: “Is it your desire,
Madam, that I should feel despite
’Gainst all my neighbours! Shall I ’quite
The world with hate because the God
Of Love hath laid on me the rod
Of pain and dole? I then should live
In mortal sin that ne’er forgive4940
Would God; and I should be forsooth
(If I should count your words for truth)
Worse than a heathen.
Either hate
Or love must be to me the gate
Of life. I have small lust to try
The former, until finally
I find that Love has thrust me forth,
And proved his promises not worth
One penny. Counsel strict you gave
That I, all hastily, should save4950