Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 22
XXII
How Reason, well-beloved of God,
The Lover warns that he hath trod
The path of folly, when above
His reason, madly set he love.3100
Then was my soul all desolate
For fear I had received checkmate,
Till Reason saw me from her high
And well-built fort, whence she may spy
The country far around. Forth came
From out her tower that gracious dame
Towards where I stood. Nor young nor old
She seemed, and he forsooth were bold
Who called her short or over-tall.
Or cumbrous big, or scanty small,3110
Of limb or figure. But her eyes
Shone like those glorious stars that rise
Morn-tide and eve. Her head a crown
Bedecked, like queen of high renown.
An angel seemed she, pearl past price,
Born in the realms of paradise,
For neither earth nor Nature bare
A being so surpassing fair.
Sure ’tis, if Holy Writ lie not,
That she the counterfeit hath got
Of Him who rules earth, sea, and sky;
Who her, moreover, gloriously
Endowed with power to rescue men
From rash and foolish actions, when
To her wise word they lend their ears.
Seeing mine eyes suffused with tears,
With kindly voice thus Reason spake:
Reason speaks to the Lover.
Love must be forgotten
“Fair friend, ’tis youth and folly wake
Tears in thine eyes, and gladsome May
’Twas led thy tender heart astray.3130
Alas the chance that fell on thee,
When Idleness, who bears the key
Of these fair gardens, oped the gate,
Glad welcome gave, and sealed thy fate.
Except for her, thy heart had not
Been wrecked by love, nor in this spot
Had Mirth’s bright eyes of thee been seen.
Thy folly know’st thou now, I ween,
And while ’tis time, I charge thee turn
Thy face against it, and unlearn3140
The counsel that hath been to thee
As poison. Though thou foolishly
Herein hast done, thy fault is not
A thing to marvel at, God wot!
With youth ’tis aye the same. But give
To me thine ear, if thou wouldst live
Thy days in peace.
Thou must forget
Love and his wiles, which do but fret
And waste thy life.
Shame is to be feared
Not otherwise,
Danger mayst thou escape, who lies3150
In wait for thee; but thou from him,
With murderous club and visage grim,
Hast less to fear, than her[errata 1] who came
From forth my womb, my daughter Shame,
Who guards the Roses with an eye
That sleepeth never. Soothfastly
’Tis she whom thou hast cause to fear,
When thou the Rose wouldst come anear,
And Evil-Tongue lends aid to her,
Against each rash adventurer.3160
For long ere deed is born of will,
His voice the whole world round doth fill
With news thereof: thou hast, forsooth,
To deal with folk who know not ruth.
Judge then the wiser thing to do,
To run the gauntlet of this crew,
’Midst bitter pain, and grief of heart,
Or turn to seek some worthier part.
This cruel sickness men call love,
Is folly of a kind above
The wildest madness, nay, I swear
That love brings oft more carking care
Than madness’ self; each lover knows
Ere long, that nought of profit grows
From love: for if a clerk he be,
Within love’s toils, soon loseth he
His learning: or if other sphere
Man moves in, love will cost him dear.
Worse pains a lover suffers than
A hermit or Carthusian.3180
Love’s suffering past all measure is,
Its joyance but shortlived, ywis.
Alas! how slender is the chance
To win love’s joy—which won, like glance
Of lightning faileth. Oft men spend
Their lifedays to attain some end
Which proves mere dust. Alas! but vain
My counsel is, if thou the rein
To Cupid giv’st of thy desires,
And he thy fickle heart inspires3190
To clasp his knees. Young spirits drift
To folly lightly, but to lift
Them thence find arduous task. Aside
I prithee cast fond love, though pride
Thou tak’st therein, for dire disgrace
’Twill bring on thee. If thou thy face
Set not against this madness, ’twill
O’erpower thee lastly. Wouldst thou still
Master thy folly, seize the bit
Betwixt thy teeth, and holding it3200
Firmly, therewith refrain thy heart
Ere diest thou beneath love’s smart[errata 2]
.
Who follows where his heart doth lead
Full many a day hath evil speed.”