Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/195

My practice, for in any case
With hosts of people find I grace.

The father of lies My father, who as emperor
Rules all the world, is barrator
And prince of lies; the empress is
My mother; and through them, ywis,
Whate’er the Holy Ghost may do,
Our lineage all the earth doth strew.
And that is only as should be,
For ever at our will do we12560
So throughly cozen men that none
Perceive the way our tricks are done,
Or, e’en perceiving, dare not speak,
Lest we on them our vengeance wreak.
But those men God comes not anear
Who hold my brethren in more fear
Than Him; the Faith’s weak champions they
Who dare not such vile crimes naysay,
But, coward-like, the risks refuse,
When they foul treason might accuse.12570
God will not list their cry for grace,
But from them turn one day His face,
And lay on them sharp chastisement.
But nothing fear we to be shent,
Since we of men are so esteemed,
And of such worth and honour deemed,
That howsoe’er censorious
We be, no man dare censure us.
To whom but us should people pay
Honour, who never cease to pray12580
In sight of men conspicuously,
Whate’er our secret practice be?