Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/201

E’en though False-Seeming might be near,
Still would he her confession hear,
And such attention gave thereto
That oft one hat would hide the two.12730

Constrained-Abstinence pictured A personable dame, pardee,
Though somewhat pale of visage she,
Resembling (bitch that lust-heat grips,)
Death’s horse in the Apocalypse,
Which symbolises well the race
Of hypocrites with gruesome face;
For aye this horse hath painted been
Of pale and deadly hue I ween,
And as of jaundice well-nigh dead
Was Abstinence encolourèd.12740
She looked as though ashamed she weri
Of those vile attributes she bare.
The pilgrim-staff she leaned upon
Which she from Fraud as gift had won,
With dreariness was tinted o’er,
And stuffed the wallet was she bore
With care and trouble.
In attire
False-Seeming dressed him of a friar.
And e’en as though for her he yearned
Towards Abstinence his face was turned.12750
Humble he looked and meek of cheer,
And nought of pride he let appear,
But aped a novice, mild and young,
While round his neck a bible hung.
All squireless goes he, but doth clutch,
As ’twere through weakness, treason’s crutch,
And in his sleeve-fold doth conceal
A razor keen of finest steel;