Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/109

Their hearts aflame with envious rage
’Gainst dwellers in this golden age
Of peace, o’erran the pleasant earth,
Sowing ill will and murdering mirth,
While envy, malice, spite, and hate
They strove to spread and propagate.10020
The lust of gain Longing the ruddy gold to win
From mother earth, her very skin
Men tore, and then for treasures stored
Beneath her breast deep caverns bored,
And precious stones and metals sought,
With life and labour dearly bought.
For Avarice and Covetousness
Torment the minds of men, and press
Them on, e’en while they curse and ban
Their lot, to win whate’er they can.10030
This strives to gain, and that to keep,
For ne’er from out his useless heap
The miser will one denier spend
The while he lives, but when the end
Falls on him, to his heir it goes,
Unless God otherwise dispose
Thereof; and if he lost it all,
Pity therefor need be but small.

Ere long the unhappy human race
Corrupted grew, and every trace10040
Of simple living lost, they came
To be false tricksters, void of shame;
The land they set about to share
In seigniories, and here and there
Fixed lines and limitations, but
Thereout full many a man was shut.