Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 3
III
Here is described how Idleness
Unto the Dreamer gave ingress.530
Full many a time with sounding blow
I struck the door, and, head bent low.
Stood hearkening who might make reply.
The horn-beam wicket presently
Was opened by a dame of air
Most gracious, and of beauty rare:
The fair dame Idleness
Her flesh as tender chicken’s was;
Her blond locks bright as bowl of brass;
Radiant her brow; of arching due
Her eyebrows; and well spaced the two;540
Neither too small, nor yet too great
Her nose, but straight and delicate.
No falcon, I would boldly swear,
Hath eyes that could with hers compare.
Her breath was sweet as breeze, thyme fed;
Her cheeks, commingled white and red;
Her mouth a rosebud, and her chin
Well rounded, with sweet cleft therein.
Her tower-like neck, of measure meet.
The purest lily well might beat550
For fairness, free of spot or wem.
’Twixt this and far Jerusalem
I trow were found none other such,
So fair to sight, so soft to touch.
Her bosom would outshine the snow
New-fallen, ere it soil doth show;
And all her body formed and knit
So well, as nought might equal it.
Much doubt I, if since Time had birth,
A fairer dame hath trod dull earth.560
A chaplet on her brow was set
Of orfreys; never maiden yet
More lovesome looked, and though my days
I spent to sing her beauty’s praise,
’Twere done but insufficiently.
A graceful silken robe wore she.
And on her head a garland bare
Of roses, which the orfreys fair
The sole care of Idleness
Sourmounted; in her gentle hand
She grasped a mirror, and a grand570
Quaint carven comb her tresses held,
While gloves of spotless white repelled
The sun, which fain would kiss her skin.
And lastly, she had ’tired her in
A costly coat of cloth of Ghent,
On which much labour had been spent
In broidering, while her sleeves around
With silken cords were laced and bound.
And when that she her raiment fair
Had donned, and ’tired her golden hair,580
The day for her was worn and done,
Nought else had she to think upon.
A joyful time, a pleasant May
Was hers, for care she drove away
And dreamed of nothing, night and morn,
But how her body to adorn.
When thus I saw the garden gate
Unlocked by this most delicate
And winsome dame, her goodlihead
Abashed me, and I gently said590
My thanks, and dared to ask her name.
And who she was, and whence she came.
With pleasant mien, in nowise high
Or haughty, made she quick reply:
“My dear companions well express
My name, who call me Idleness,
A rich and puissant woman I,
Passing the time right gleefully;
Nought else have I to think upon
Save what fair raiment I shall don,600
What rich and costly jewels wear,
How deck my head, and ’tire my hair.
When this is finished then my day
Is ended, and to mirth and play
Her dearest friend is Mirth
I give myself. My dearest friend
Is Mirth, and by his side I spend
Long pleasant hours. The Lord is he
Of this fair garden; every tree
From out the land of Saracens
He brought, for well the art he kens610
To make his garden a delight,
And as the trees grew strong he dight
The wall around, and caused thereon
Those dreadsome paintings to be done.
Of Sorrow, Hatred, Eld, and Spleen,
Which wending hither thou hast seen.
He cometh here full oft to seek
The pleasant leafy shade, and eke
His followers join him in these bowers,
’Mid mirth and joy to spend long hours620
Untouched by care. E’en now I wot
Mirth lounging in cool shade or grot
Listeth the sweet-voiced nightingale.
Merle, laverock, mavis, and wood-wale:
Here with his friends, the long day through.
Sweet solace finds he, for ne’er knew
The world a place that would suffice
Like this for loss of Paradise.
No merrier folk were ever seen
Through earth’s broad borders, as I ween,680
Than those whom Mirth doth hither bring
To spend bright days in revelling.”
When thus this winsome dame had sped
Her tale, which I had hearkenèd
With right good will: “Dame Idleness,”
I cried, “words fail me to express
What great delight were mine to see
Sir Mirth and all his company
Of joyous folk assembled here,
So pleasant, blithe, and frank of cheer,
Mor would I tear myself away
Therefrom throughout the livelong day,
For doubt I nought they all will be
Fulfilled of gentle courtesy.”
The Dreamer enters the garden
No more I spake, but thanked kind fate,
When Idleness the garden gate
Threw open wide, and unafraid
To that sweet spot quick entry made.
Then burst on my astonished eyes
A dream—an Earthly Faradise;650
And suddenly my soul seemed riven
From earth, to dwell in highest heaven;
Yet doubt I much if heaven can give
A place where I so soon would live
As this sweet garden, sacred haunt
Of birds whose soft melodious chaunt
Ravished mine ears; the nightingales
Here sang, and there the green wood-wales;
The bullfinch piped beneath, above,
I heard the crooning turtle-dove,660
Near by, the sweet-voiced tiny wren,
While high in air, beyond my ken.
The skylark soared; the titmouse shrilled
The fauvette’s gentle treble trilled.
The song of the birds
The merle and mavis seemed to shake
The leaves in cadence, while each brake
With small fowl rang, as they would try
Their throats in choral rivalry.
’Twould seem as all and each of these
Sweet birds sang joyance to the breeze.670
And then, their hearts disburdened, flew
To keep some loving rendezvous.
The sweet melodious harmony
That winged its way from tree to tree.
With such soft symphony did fall
As concert ’twere celestial.
For never yet hath mortal ear
Been tuned such heavenlike songs to hear.
And past all thought it seemed that earth
Could give such glorious music birth.
Then all at once it broke on me
I heard the syrens of the sea.
For they alone I trow can bring
To ears of men such carolling.
I vow that when beneath the shade
The birds such glorious music made.
My spirit and soul were like to melt
And fail with that delight I felt.
For ne’er ere this, my whole life through.
Did joy so unalloyed bedew600
My every sense, and ecstasy
Ran through the very soul of me.
Bethought I then what untold debt
I owed Dame Idleness, who set
My feet in this surpassing place,
For ’twas alone through her good grace
And kindliness I entrance gained
To this fair haunt wherein Mirth reigned
Supreme; my best and truest friend
I’ll count her till my life-days end.700
Sir Mirth and his company
Now will I set myself to tell
The further tale of what befell
In that fair spot.
What things Mirth did,
And who the friends were that he bid
To keep him company will I
Declare all faithfully, and try
To show and picture forth to you,
What happed to me, in order due.
Set out the whole in little space
Could no man, but if kindly grace710
You grant me, then shall be unrolled
The tale complete, till all be told.
Within this garden, past compare.
The birds sweet voicing filled the air
With honeyed songs and roundelays.
Discoursing in a thousand ways
Their tales of tender woodland love.
I listed how some sang above
My head, perched high among the leaves.
And others ’mid the fragrant sheaves720
Of blossom near the ground, and all,
With melody most musical.
Rejoiced my heart exceedingly:
Then woke a new desire in me
To look on Mirth’s fair countenance
And grasp his hand; the radiance
That flooded all my soul, I felt
Would be redoubled if he dealt
Me welcoming. I now forsook
The open grassy space, and took
A shaded pathway, where my feet
Bruised mint and fennel savouring sweet;
And following close my gracious guide,
Found me ere long within a wide
Secluded lawn, a sweet resort
Where Mirth held joyously high court
In care-spurned ease for full enjoyment
Of life’s glad gifts, undashed by cloyment
Or surfeit or revolt. Amazed
I stood awhile, mine eyesight dazed.740
For erst or since, ne’er men I ween
So like winged angels, eyes have seen.