Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/280

A woman’s gifts Most careful should a woman be,
Though she a man loves tenderly,
Gifts to forbear of value great:
A pillow soft and delicate,15110
A purse, a handkerchief, or hood,
Not costly, though fair made and good,
A silken lace, a belt to clasp
His waist with inexpensive hasp.
Or pretty pocket-knife of steel,
Or scarf fine wove, and soft to feel,
Such as are made by cloistered nuns.
But give not to those holy ones
Your love, for women secular
In such affairs are safer far.15120
More free are they to do whate’er
They fancy, and on hand they bear
Their friends or spouses as they please,
But costly both are those and these;
Yet deem I, should I judge the twain,
That nuns cost most with no more gain.
But women’s gifts will men of sense
Receive with doubt and diffidence,
For all too often are they nought
But traps whereby fond fools are caught;15130
And ’gainst their nature women sin,
Who seek by gifts men’s love to win.

Largess is better left to men;
Women but compass mischief when
They give great gifts; I’ve noticed oft
The devil made our hearts too soft.
But nought it matters—few are they
Of women who give much away.